Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 248 Each Has Their Own Path
Pushing open the door of the herbal medicine shop, the familiar aroma of herbs wafted out, but the shop was empty, with no sign of Lilia's usual busy figure.

The medicine bottles on the shelves were neatly arranged, the counter was spotless, everything seemed normal, yet something seemed to be missing.

Mrs. Allen went straight to the inner room, opened a hidden drawer, and took out a yellowed map.

That was a detailed topographical map of the Emerald Forest, marked with the characteristics of each region and key locations.

Along the edges are annotations she personally recorded, marking dangerous areas and the distribution of rare herbs.

"Emerald Forest"

She murmured to herself, her fingertips lightly tracing the vast green area on the map, her eyes filled with contemplation:

"Natural energy is abundant, potion ingredients are plentiful, and the competition among apprentices is not as fierce as at the Crystal Spire."

This is not just a simple escape, but a meticulously planned scheme.

In that land far from the influence of the Crystal Spire, she was able to develop her research more freely, while also providing Lilia with a more suitable environment to grow.

The natural magic there wasn't as intense as in the Central Lands, so it wouldn't put too much strain on Lilia's body, but it was much richer than in the Black Mist Forest, enough to meet her growing needs.

Her thoughts began to organize the itinerary in her mind.

Starting from the Black Mist Jungle and crossing the Snake Scale Swamp, it takes about five days;
Next are the outer territories of the Kingdom of Farouk, where it is relatively peaceful and one can rest for a while;
Continuing southeast and crossing the Dragon Ridge Mountains, you will reach the edge of the Emerald Forest.

The entire process will take several months. Considering possible accidents and unforeseen needs, preparing six months' worth of food and medicine should be sufficient.

Make sure to bring enough crystal coins and magic stone fragments to deal with unexpected situations on the way.

As for those precious potion equipment and materials, take what you can, and seal away what you can't, and consider retrieving them when the situation stabilizes in the future.

The most important thing is to ensure Lilia's safety. Although the child's current aptitude is only considered average, her growth rate is not slow at all.

Just as Ron reciprocated his "favors," perhaps Lilia could also become a source of comfort and support for her in her later years.

A gentle light flashed in Mrs. Allen's eyes, an expression rarely seen on this stern old woman.

Just as she was thinking about the details of preparing supplies, the doorbell rang softly, and someone pushed the door open and entered.

Mrs. Allen looked up sharply, hoping to see Lilia, but it was Eunice who entered.

Today, the purple-eyed witch was wearing a simple gray robe, and her long silver hair was neatly tied back. She looked much more composed than usual.

Her face, which usually wore an elegant smile, now carried a rare seriousness.

"Sorry to bother you, Allen."

Yuni stood in the doorway, a complex emotion in her eyes:
"I think we should have a good talk before you leave."

Her gaze swept over the map spread out on the table, a knowing glint in her eyes:
"It seems you've already planned your trip. The Emerald Forest is indeed a good choice, far from the strife of the Central Lands, and its resources are quite abundant."

Mrs. Allen frowned slightly, but still gestured for Eunice to sit down.

Her relationship with Uni was not particularly close, but they respected each other.

After all, there aren't many female wizards like them in this remote school.

The two witches sat facing each other in silence, with only the fragrance of tea filling the air.

The steam rising from the teacup was like the unspoken thoughts between the two of them, swirling and dissipating.

"You and Sauron seem to be recovering well."

Mrs. Allen broke the silence first, her tone inquiring as she examined Yuni's face, which was much rosier than usual: "Is it Ron's 'favor' that's working?"

Yuni nodded, gratitude flashing in her purple eyes:

"That pure power is simply indescribable. Years of accumulated spiritual pollution were purified in that moment, like ice and snow melting away."

She paused, as if searching for the right words, her fingers gently tracing her cheek.

There used to be a dark line there caused by mental pollution, but it has now disappeared without a trace:

"It feels like being thoroughly cleansed by the warm sunshine, with every fiber brimming with vitality. I haven't felt so light and pure in a long time."

Her voice carried an undisguised longing, an emotion that every wizard mired in the mire of spiritual corruption could understand.

Spiritual pollution is like a heavy shackle on the soul, difficult to break free from, while "favor" is the key to unlocking these shackles and allowing people to regain their freedom.

A flicker of impatience crossed Mrs. Allen's eyes, but it quickly vanished, replaced by her usual indifference.
“It is not surprising that the ‘blessings’ of primordial wizards are always purer and more effective than those of ordinary wizards.”

Her tone was calm, as if she were discussing a normal academic issue, but her eyes betrayed her inner pride.

After finishing their conversation with Ron, the two witches fell silent again.

Outside the window, the wind rustled through the treetops of the dark, misty forest.

"anyway."

Yuni suddenly spoke, her tone tentative:

When are you planning to leave? We can offer you some additional assistance.

Mrs. Allen pondered for a moment, calculating the various possibilities:
"Three days from now, I need time to organize the medicinal herbs and equipment and prepare sufficient supplies."

Her gaze fell on the map again, and she lightly tapped a few key locations with her finger:

"If all goes well, we should be able to reach the edge of the Emerald Forest within a month."

Yuni nodded:
"The school will send a few apprentices skilled in earth magic to accompany us; they will be useful in the swampy areas."

She paused briefly, then added softly, "This is the last bit of help we can offer."

Mrs. Allen raised an eyebrow; this news was clearly unexpected, and a wary glint flashed in her sharp eyes.

"Hayek is actually so easy to talk to? He doesn't need me to pay any price?"

Yuni sighed, her voice tinged with helplessness and exhaustion:
“You always overcomplicate things. The vice dean has no ill intentions towards you; on the contrary, he has always admired your talent. If it weren't for him joining forces with Master Varen to overcome all opposition back then, the Crystal Spire would never have agreed to let you come to the Black Mist Jungle.”

Her tone was reproachful, as if she were speaking to a stubborn old friend:
"They originally intended to keep you locked in the secret prison of the Crystal Spire until they figured out what the 'accident' that happened to you would have."

Mrs. Allen fell silent for a moment.

Yes, she knew the truth, but as proud as she was, she was never willing to admit that she had ever owed anyone a favor.

A complex light flashed in those eerie green eyes, as if they were examining past decisions and the present situation.

"As for the price, perhaps the vice dean is also waiting for your precious disciple's future 'favor'. After all, who wouldn't want to obtain that kind of pure power?"

Yuni continued, her tone teasing, deliberately changing the subject to avoid making Yuni feel awkward:
"Then thank you for your kindness."

Mrs. Allen remained silent for a long while before offering her thanks, her voice less harsh than usual:

"But I'm a little worried about Lilia now. The child has been missing since this morning, and I'm afraid she might do something foolish."

A knowing smile appeared on Yuni's face:
"Don't worry, I saw her sitting alone on the roof of the East District building. She'll come back once she's calmed down."

Mrs. Allen nodded gently, a weight lifted from her heart. At least Lilia was still within the school's sphere of influence, so her safety was not a problem.

Yuni stood up, her purple robe rustling softly with each movement. "I should go. I still have a lot to take care of."

Her gaze fell on Mrs. Allen, with a complex emotion in her eyes: "In any case, have a safe journey, Allen."

Mrs. Allen nodded without saying anything more.

After Yuni left, the herbal medicine shop returned to silence.

The old woman stood by the window, gazing at the darkening sky outside, her mind filled with countless thoughts.

I've spent over a hundred years here, and now that I'm about to leave, I feel a little reluctant to go.

………………

Night had fallen in the newly constructed, makeshift meeting room.

Hayek sat in the main seat, with a deep red stimulant drink in front of him.

His face looked more haggard than usual, and the shadows under his eyes indicated that he hadn't had a proper rest in a long time.

Soren sat to his left, holding a scroll of parchment containing the school's latest observational data.

Although his injuries have improved, the exhaustion from having been on the verge of death has not completely dissipated.

Yuni sat on the right, her long, white-purple hair tied back.

He was now intently watching the magical projection floating in the center of the table.

That was a 3D map of the Black Mist Jungle, marked with dots of various colors, representing different types of energy anomalies.

"The situation is worse than we anticipated."

Hayek sighed, and gently moved the projector with his finger, magnifying a particularly bright red area:

"The energy leak in the altar area has affected the outer defense array, and cracks have begun to appear in the energy barriers in the south and west areas."

Soren nodded, his expression grave:

“I have arranged for people to reinforce the key points, but this is only a temporary solution. The seal on the Bloodline Altar has been completely broken, and the energy of the abyss is pouring in continuously. We cannot solve the problem at its root.”

"How is the evacuation going?" Hayek asked, shifting his gaze from Soren to Yuni.

"Eighty percent of the population has already been evacuated."

Yuni replied, her voice weary:

"It is expected to take another week to complete the basic evacuation, but even then, it is impossible to take away all the knowledge and equipment accumulated by the school."

She paused, a hint of regret flashing in her purple eyes:
"Hundreds of years of accumulation are about to go down the drain."

Hayek's expression grew even more somber, but his tone remained unusually firm:

"Preserving personnel is the top priority. Knowledge and equipment can be rebuilt, but once talent is lost, it is difficult to find again."

Soren suddenly spoke up, seemingly jumping the subject: "Speaking of talent, Allen is preparing to leave in three days for the Emerald Forest."

Hayek raised an eyebrow slightly, but was not surprised:

“I have approved her request. The school will send a guard team to ensure her and the student’s safe passage through the Serpentscale Swamp.”

His voice was calm, but his eyes revealed complex emotions:
“Alan is getting old and should be properly protected.”

"You still have pity for her, even after all this time." Soren's gaze was inquiring:

"Back then, she treated the Crystal Spire the way she did, and even directly confronted a Dark Sun-level wizard. If it weren't for you and Master Valen's intervention, she would probably have been beheaded long ago."

Hayek sighed:

"At that time, Ellen was too arrogant and blinded by her own talent. She thought that with her talent, she could ignore the rules and directly challenge authority."

His gaze became distant, as if recalling a story from long ago:
"But I admire her talent and courage, even if it was a kind of reckless self-destruction."

"But she never expressed gratitude for your help."

Soren said softly, a hint of resentment in his voice, "He's even maintained hostility towards you all along."

"Ellen's pride does not allow her to admit her past mistakes, much less to express gratitude to anyone."

Hayek shook his head slightly, his tone devoid of blame:

"This is her nature, just like a flame that always burns upwards, and the strong always yearn to challenge higher places. This is an unchangeable nature."

Eunice coughed lightly and interrupted the conversation: "I met with Ellen this afternoon; she's already making preparations for her departure."

A hint of worry flashed in the witch's purple eyes: "She cares a lot about that student, Lilia, and seems to regard her as some kind of successor."

"Speaking of inheritance."

Soren suddenly brought up a new topic, a rare smile appearing on his face:

"Ron left Holt a gift before he left: a bottle of improved artificial stardew, which might soon allow him to reach the mental strength threshold of a high apprentice."

“Such noble character; such young people are very rare in the wizarding world today.”

Hayek remarked, his eyes gleaming with admiration: "This quality of gratitude is perhaps even more precious than his talent."

The three wizards exchanged smiles, each seeing in the other's eyes the admiration and expectation for Ron.

In the century-long history of the Black Mist School, few apprentices have been able to gain such unanimous recognition from multiple mentors at the same time.

"How should we arrange this migration of schools of thought?" Yuni returned to the main topic: "Which apprentices are worthy of being taken to the Central Land?"

Hayek pondered for a moment, his gaze falling on the dots of light representing apprentices on the projection:

“The top ten candidates for wizarding positions must be taken along, especially Holt, whose earth element talent is among the best in the entire school. As for the others, those with their own special skills can also be taken along.”

"Then it's decided." Seeing that neither of them had any objections, he concluded:
"The top ten candidates for wizarding positions, plus the advanced apprentices who have demonstrated exceptional performance in various disciplines, will total no more than thirty people."

The remaining personnel will be dismissed on the spot, but we will make proper arrangements to ensure they all have a place to go. After all, although the Black Mist School is a marginal school, it has always adhered to the basic principles of the wizarding world.

He paused, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes:

"As for the knowledge and equipment that cannot be taken away, those that can be sealed up should be sealed up and retrieved in the future when there is an opportunity; those that cannot be preserved must be abandoned."

This decision weighed heavily on the minds of all three present, but they all understood that it was the best option given the current situation.

The pollution of the Black Mist Jungle is irreversible. If we insist on saving those material assets, it will only lead to more casualties.

“Oh, right, Soren.” Hayek suddenly remembered something and turned to his colleague on the left:
"What reward did you say you would use your merit points and the debt of saving his life to help Ron exchange for? What did you give him in the end?"

Sauron coughed, then suddenly became suspenseful:
"That thing... I can only reveal that it's a device that the school hasn't used for a long time. You can guess what it is."

(End of this chapter)