Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 223 has arrived...

The workshop was quiet in the dead of night, except for the regular "gurgling" sound from the lava core of the alchemy furnace, like the heartbeat of some ancient creature.

Ron sat cross-legged in the center of the meditation room, slowly opened his eyes, and the crimson-gold light in his pupils gradually faded, returning to normal.

He took a deep breath, feeling the flow of spiritual energy within his body.

We are now nearing the critical point, like a river about to burst its banks, waiting only for the last drop of rain to replenish it.

[Experience points for "The Whisper of the Star Eater" + 1]

[Current progress: "The Whisper of the Star Eater" (Proficiency 295/300)]

"Five points to go," Ron muttered to himself, a mixture of anticipation and caution flashing in his eyes.

Just as he was about to get up, a strange feeling suddenly came over him.

It felt as if countless tiny ants were crawling on his back, or as if some sharp gaze was piercing through the walls and the air, reaching the depths of his soul.

Ron instinctively tensed all his muscles, his keen senses as a Witcher instantly activated.

Their senses, several times more acute than those of an average person, keenly perceive every slight fluctuation in their surroundings.

But strangely, no matter how he sensed it, he couldn't pinpoint the source of that spying.

The feeling was both elusive and incredibly real.

Like a fleeting, elusive breeze, it vanishes without a trace the moment you're about to catch it.

“Is someone spying on me?” Ron frowned and slowly stood up.

His fingertips brushed against the silver pocket watch at his waist, feeling its cold touch, which calmed him down a little.

No matter what kind of enemy he is, at least he still has this last resort.

He then gently brushed his left arm over the inside of his arm, where the myriad illusions resided.

This "glorious legacy," which has now been upgraded, is now one of his most powerful trump cards.

Outside the window, the dark, misty forest appeared exceptionally deep and secluded under the moonlight.

The magic crystal lights in the central district of the distant school were also dimmer than usual, and the entire Black Mist Forest seemed to be shrouded in an invisible shadow.

The feeling of being watched still lingers, though I can never quite pinpoint the exact direction.

This feeling is more unsettling than direct hostility—it's like being watched by some incomprehensible being, and you can't even be sure of its existence.

Ron took a deep breath and decided to put his doubts aside for now.

The day of the conjunction of the stars and rings was fast approaching, and he couldn't let this uncertainty affect his final preparations.

As he stepped out of the meditation room, he noticed that the magic crystal lamps in the corridor were dimmer than usual, casting a yellowish halo over the workshop.

In the hall, Lilia was intently arranging several bundles of newly gathered herbs. Hearing footsteps, she looked up, a faint smile appearing on her face.

"Teacher, are you finished meditating?" she asked softly, her voice betraying her exhaustion.

Ron nodded, his gaze falling on the herbs: "Were these harvested today? They look to be of average quality."

Lilia sighed softly and put down the bundle of grass in her hand:

"Yes, today's outing was not smooth. There are fewer and fewer vendors at the market, and the medicinal herbs I can find are not fresh enough."

She looked up at Ron, a hint of worry flashing in her eyes:
“Teacher, the atmosphere in the school has been strange lately. Fewer and fewer apprentices are going out, and even the usually bustling market has become deserted. Today I passed by the slave trading guild and found it completely deserted, even the gatekeeper was gone.”

"The place is deserted?" Ron raised an eyebrow; this was indeed unusual.

That slave trading guild has always been one of the busiest places in the Black Mist Jungle, with foreign caravans frequently coming and going even during periods of martial law imposed by the School.

It is no accident that it has now been completely shut down.

"Is there anything else unusual?" he asked in a deep voice.

Lilia pondered for a moment, then answered softly:
"The law enforcement patrols have become more frequent, but they don't seem to be looking for anything, but rather..."

She hesitated for a moment, as if searching for the right words:

"They are on guard against something. Every time the two teams of law enforcement officers meet, they verify each other's identities, and they are very cautious."

“Be on guard.” Ron repeated the word thoughtfully, his doubts deepening.

With less than two weeks remaining until the conjunction of the Star Rings, tensions within the school are escalating.

This deliberate suppression of all outdoor activities is like trying to prevent some kind of disaster from happening.

"What's the reaction within the school?" he asked calmly.

"The mentors all seem to be staying indoors, and even the usually most familiar mentor, Soren, rarely shows up."

Lilia answered softly:
"Moreover, I heard that the vice dean has set up additional protective arrays around the school and even used some alchemical tools that are usually sealed away."

Ron frowned, quickly analyzing the various possibilities in his mind.

This unusual phenomenon is by no means without cause; either some external threat is approaching, or some major event is about to occur within the school of thought.

In either case, it is very likely related to the upcoming conjunction of the star rings.

"You did very well."

Ron nodded to Lilia, his tone unusually approving:
"For the next period of time, try to minimize going out. If you must leave the workshop, at least Ailan should accompany you."

Lilia nodded, a hint of joy flashing in her eyes.

Gathering as much useful information as possible for Ron was perhaps the most meaningful thing she could do in the limited time available.

“Two more weeks,” Ron murmured to himself, his eyes growing deep.

As the day of the conjunction of the stars drew closer, his meditation was also about to reach a critical point.

At this crucial moment, any variable could affect his attempt to break through.

"I must speed up the preparations." He made up his mind and turned to walk towards the laboratory.

The feeling of being watched lingered, like an invisible thread connecting him firmly to some unknown entity.

Ron returned to the lab, glanced at the gloomy sky outside the window, and frowned slightly.

The feeling of being watched still lingered, but he had learned to put it aside for the time being and focus on the task at hand.

"Continue with yesterday's experiment," he muttered to himself, casually taking out his notebook and turning to the latest page.

The pages were densely covered with various parameters and observations, with almost every space filled with symbols and notes.

This is the culmination of his many days of research on "flowing protective walls," from the initial simple concept to now being close to mastering it.

According to Hayek's teachings, one of the advanced applications of "flow wall protection"—"structural differentiation"—is an extremely complex technique.

A multi-layered defense system needs to be constructed inside the protective wall, with each layer having its specific function and characteristics.

This structure is not a simple layering, but an organic and synergistic system in which each layer supports and complements the others through specific energy channels.

“Let’s build the basic model first.” Ron closed his eyes and entered his mental world.

In his consciousness space, a protective barrier model made of mental energy slowly took shape.

It started as a simple spherical structure, but soon it began to layer and differentiate, gradually becoming more complex.

The outer layer has a steel-like luster, symbolizing strong physical defense;
The middle layer shimmers with starlight, representing the energy conversion system;
The innermost layer changes constantly like flowing water, responsible for adjusting the overall structure and redistributing energy.

Each layer is connected by energy channels as thin as a hair, forming a complex network. These channels are not only bridges for the transfer of energy and information between layers, but also key to the entire protective barrier adjusting its defense strategy when facing external attacks.

"The theoretical model has been completed, and practical transformation has begun."

Ron opened his eyes and slowly tossed the mixed medium material in front of him into the air.

The hybrid medium floated in the air and, with the infusion of Ron's mental energy, began to arrange itself in layers according to a pre-set model.

But the process was much more difficult than he had anticipated.

The energy distribution and flow patterns of each layer need to be calculated precisely; even a slight error can cause the entire structure to collapse.

On the first attempt, the outer layer had just taken shape when the middle layer collapsed due to uneven energy distribution.

On the second attempt, all three layers were formed, but the energy channels were too fragile to withstand the flow of energy.

On the third attempt, the structure stabilized for a few seconds, but then collapsed due to an energy imbalance between the inner and outer layers.

“Where is the problem?” Ron frowned in thought, then closed his eyes again and recalled the memory Hayek had demonstrated.

Through countless mental replays, he gradually discovered his mistake—not that the model itself was flawed, but rather the way and order of energy input.

Hayek did not construct the three-layer structure simultaneously during his demonstration.

Instead, the outer layer is stabilized first, then the structure is gradually built inwards, and finally the energy channels between the layers are established.

“I see.” A flash of understanding crossed Ron’s eyes, and he immediately adjusted his strategy.

This time, he first built a solid outer layer and made it completely stable before starting to build the middle layer.

Only after each layer has reached a basically stable state can it continue to extend inward.

Only after the three basic layers were formed did he begin to carefully construct the energy channels between each layer, making the entire system an organic whole.

“Success.” Ron murmured to himself, looking at the three-layered protective structure floating in front of him.

This protective barrier looks thicker and more complex than the regular version.

Its surface is covered with intricate energy patterns, while its interior features complex energy flow paths, resembling a miniature energy circulation system.

"Test strength."

Ron activated the laboratory's attack simulation device, unleashing a barrage of energy blasts and physical impacts at the protective barrier.

This time, the protective barrier performed even better.

The outer layer successfully absorbed most of the physical impact, the middle layer converted and redistributed the energy attack, and the inner layer continuously adjusted the energy distribution of the entire structure to keep the protective wall in optimal condition.

"The effect is significant, but the energy consumption is also higher than expected," Ron frowned as he noted this observation.

"We need to further optimize the energy flow path and reduce unnecessary losses."

He carefully examined the distribution and flow patterns of the energy channels and found that there was redundancy and overlap in the energy flow in some areas, which led to unnecessary losses.

He began to redesign these paths to make energy flow with the shortest distance and the highest efficiency.

[Experience points for flowing wall protection +1]

[Current Progress: Flowing Wall (Proficiency 97/100)]

"The second phase of the experiment is also basically complete." Ron stretched his slightly tired body.

"Next is the experiment with the 'proactive counterattack' function."

According to Hayek's recorded demonstration, the "active counterattack" function requires the construction of specific energy protrusions on the protective barrier, which automatically trigger an attack when an enemy comes into contact with the barrier.

This part of the experiment needs to be done with more care, because if the energy is not controlled properly, these "attack spikes" could harm the user.

Ron carefully set up several key nodes on the surface of the protective barrier, each node connecting to a delicate energy channel leading to the core control center of the barrier.

This design ensures that attacks are only triggered when an external threat is present, avoiding collateral damage.

After several rounds of debugging, this function has become more and more perfect.

When the simulated attacking object comes into contact with the protective barrier, dozens of sharp energy spikes immediately appear on the surface, precisely piercing the source of the attack.

[Experience points for flowing wall protection +1]

[Current Progress: Flowing Wall (Proficiency 98/100)]

"Given normal development, mastering this skill is only a matter of time."

Ron glanced at the panel prompts, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

………………

After the Holy Disc returned to the surface world, it immediately sensed the loss of the Apostle's power.

His body began to rapidly return to its original state, the distorted parts gradually shrinking, but still retaining even stronger qualities than before.

"What amazing power."

He murmured to himself, sensing the presence of the "seed of the throne" within his body.

The seed was placed in a special sac within his body, emitting a faint but unsettling energy fluctuation.

Each fluctuation gave him an irresistible temptation, as if he could immediately activate the seed and gain unimaginable power if he wanted to.

But he didn't do it. Magus's warning still echoed in his ears:

"The power is only temporary, and even with this power, you will still find it difficult to be a match for a true Dark Sun Wizard."

The Holy Disc looked around to confirm its location.

He was now standing at the edge of the Black Mist Forest, about half a day's journey from the school's central area.

But he didn't intend to risk going directly there.

Even with the blessing of the "Seed of the Throne," he was unsure whether he could handle that large group of formal wizards, especially special beings like Allen.

"Observe first, find the target, and then take action."

He muttered to himself, squatted down, grabbed a handful of soil from the ground, and slowly sprinkled it in front of him.

The soil formed a specific pattern in the air, then began to glow, transforming into a miniature positioning array.

"Ron Ralph," the Holy Disc murmured, dropping a drop of his own blood into the center of the magic circle.

The blood spread rapidly, forming a thin line pointing in a certain direction from the center of the school.

"Got you."

The Holy Disc's voice carried a morbid excitement. His fingers gently stroked his chest, where the "Seed of the Throne" resided:

“Heir to the throne, let me see if you are truly as special as Lord Magus says.”

As soon as he said that, his body began to change; his skin became paler, almost transparent, and the writhing blood vessels underneath could be seen.

The eyes turned a strange gray, the pupils almost disappeared, leaving only a swirling pattern.

His outline became blurred, as if he could blend into his surroundings at any moment; this special ability to disguise himself was clearly a blessing from the apostle.

His figure began to gradually dissipate, eventually merging completely into the shadows of the Black Mist Forest.

Only a barely audible laugh remained, echoing in the silent forest.

(End of this chapter)