Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 508 "The Way" and "Family"

He possesses "essential insight," enabling him to see through the inner structure of things;

He possesses the "Observer's Eye," enabling him to perceive subtle energy flows;

He also possesses [Master] level swordsmanship, and should be quite proficient in cutting techniques.

But in reality, he behaved like a complete novice who had never even touched a knife before in the kitchen.

"What exactly is the problem?"

Ron took out the remaining ingredients from the storage bag.

After that "disastrous defeat" a few days ago, he carefully sealed away the remaining half of the materials.

Now, it's a perfect opportunity to verify the results of my thinking.

But before taking action, he decided to figure out the root cause of the failure.

"First and foremost, it's a matter of mindset..."

He carefully recalled yesterday's procedures:
"What thoughts were I subconsciously having when I was handling those ingredients?"

The answer soon became clear—conquest and control.

His advanced characteristic, "Showing Off His Edge," is based on the philosophy of "cutting through the strongest defense with the least amount of force."

The essence of this skill is to impose one's will on an object; it is confrontation and conquest.

Every swing of the sword is for the purpose of defeating the opponent, breaking through the defense, and achieving the goal.

The moment he picked up the kitchen knife yesterday, this "fighting mentality" was automatically activated.

In his subconscious, those ingredients were not partners who needed to be treated gently, but "enemies" who needed to be conquered.

“I see…” Ron suddenly realized:
"The scorching mushrooms resist because these ingredients, which contain pure elements, are extremely sensitive to the 'intentions' of those who come into contact with them!"

As his blade approached the mushroom with the killing intent to "cut the enemy," the fire element inside the mushroom instinctively "resisted."

This resistance makes the mushroom's structure exceptionally tough and unstable, leading to difficulties in cutting and the bursting of juices.

This is a conflict between "mind" and "matter".

The second problem is the limitations of our cognitive approach.

His various perceptual characteristics, such as [essential insight] and [the observer's eye], etc.

It did allow him to "see" the elemental composition, energy flow, and structural characteristics of the ingredients.

But these characteristics are essentially "analytical".

It's like using instruments to analyze the grammar, word frequency, and rhythmic structure of a poem.

You can get all the technical parameters, but you can't feel the emotional core of the poem.

He saw that the mint leaves contained the element of wind, and knew its energy density and distribution pattern, but he did not understand that the essence of the element of wind is "freedom" and "gentleness".

Therefore, when he used his brutal magic to "grab" the mint leaves, it naturally caused the wind element to go berserk and rebel.

He was using "reason" to interpret things that required "empathy" to understand.

"Data is not the same as understanding, and knowledge is not the same as wisdom..."

Ron muttered to himself.

He had known this principle for a long time, but only now did he truly understand its profound meaning.

The third question is more fundamental.

In his understanding, "multi-element soup" is a complex recipe that requires precise operation.

He needs to control the temperature, seize the opportunity, and balance the proportions, just like conducting a precise alchemical experiment.

But the King of Absurdity's demonstration made him realize that the real difficulty of this soup was not in the technique.

It doesn't test your operational skills, but rather the depth of your understanding of "harmony".

“I’ve been learning how to ‘control’ elements, but I’ve never thought about ‘resonating’ with them…”

This shift in understanding was like a revelation, instantly making Ron realize the truth.

He recalled a motto that Professor Utter had once said:

"Strength can conquer the body, but only wisdom can conquer the soul."

Now he is beginning to understand the deeper meaning of that sentence.

The cultivation of high-level wizards has long transcended the level of mere technique and entered the realm of "Tao".

That is a profound understanding of the laws of the universe, a resonance with all things, and the wisdom of integrating oneself into a greater order.

………………

Ron stood in front of the kitchen counter, with the four elemental ingredients neatly arranged before him.

He reached out and gently stroked the surface of the first [scorching mushroom].

The surface of the mushroom is warm like the spring sunshine, while the fire element inside leaps like musical notes.

I heard it.

He could sense the "emotions" of the fire element.

They yearn for freedom, but do not wish to be treated roughly;

They are full of passion, but they need to be gently guided.

Ron carefully picked up the cleaver and first let the blade lightly touch the surface of the mushroom to feel the reaction of the fire element to the metal.

Something amazing happened.

The fire element inside the mushroom seemed to sense his intention, and golden-red patterns began to appear faintly on its surface.

That is the "elemental network" mentioned in the King of Absurdity's demonstration!
"I see."

Ron seemed to realize something:
"They only reveal their secrets when I genuinely want to cooperate with them."

Following the guidance of the veins, the blade gently sliced ​​through.

The mushroom slices fell to the ground with a thud, each one of uniform thickness and with smooth, silky edges.

The internal fire element is preserved within the sheet, like a flame sealed in amber.

"Wow! Master is so amazing!" Dale clapped excitedly.
"These mushroom slices are even thinner than those cut by a professional chef!"

“Mee~!”

Just as the cooking was reaching a crucial stage, a familiar voice came from the storage bag.

The little sheep mentor suddenly poked his fluffy little head out from "The Complete Guide to Extraordinary Things," his nose twitching slightly, clearly attracted by the aroma.

"Oh, does the little one want to participate too?"

Ron smiled gently and reached out a finger to stroke the lamb's head.

The little lamb bleated contentedly, then jumped completely out of the book and carefully moved around on the counter.

Sometimes it sniffs the mushroom slices with its little nose, and sometimes it sticks out its pink little tongue to lightly lick the surface of the kelp. After each taste, it makes an evaluative "baa" sound.

"What is it doing?" Dale asked curiously.

"I think it helps us test the purity of the elements in our ingredients."

Ron observed the lamb's behavior:
"Perhaps it can distinguish the quality differences between different elements."

Sure enough, when the lamb tasted a particularly well-prepared mushroom...

It jumped up excitedly, making a series of rapid "baa baa baa" sounds, as if to say, "This is the best!"

When faced with parts that are handled a little rough, it shakes its head and makes a disappointed "meow".

"Dale wants to try too!"

The siren girl approached the counter and carefully touched the seaweed with the tip of her tongue:
"Hmm, I can taste the sea, but it seems like I can also sense something else... the purity of the water element!"

When Ron started cooking, his mindset was completely different.

He no longer sees this process as a technical challenge, but rather as a deep dialogue with his four elemental friends.

Following the order of "earth first, then wind, then water, then fire," he began adding the ingredients to the warm water.

As the last bit of fiery red blended in, the entire pot of soup began to radiate a rich, nebulous glow.

When the four elements reach perfect balance in the soup pot, the entire kitchen is bathed in a gentle, colored light.

"successful"

Ron looked at the perfect elemental soup in the pot, which was emitting a faint four-colored light.

The little sheep mentor nodded in satisfaction, let out an approving "baa~", and then lightly jumped back to the page of "The Complete Guide to Extraordinary Things".

Before leaving, it looked back at the pot of soup, its eyes full of satisfaction, as if to say, "You did a great job."

Just as Ron was about to take the soup to the dining room, the communication crystal suddenly lit up.

That unique luster immediately told him who was contacting him.

"Eve?"

Somewhat unexpectedly, he took out the crystal, infused it with magic, and activated the communication function.

The next moment, the black-haired princess's face appeared in the crystal projection.

But her expression was different from her usual sweet and gentle one.

Eve was glaring at him angrily today, her amethyst eyes full of accusation.

"Dear Lecturer Ron Ralph."

She deliberately used a formal form of address, her tone carrying a distinct hint of resentment:
"Excuse me, do you remember having a student named Eve Saint Menge?"

This kind of "questioning" opening line made Ailan, who was cleaning the table nearby, unable to help but chuckle.

Dyer, even more curious, wanted to get closer to the communication crystal.

“Of course I remember.” Ron avoided the siren girl, clearing his throat somewhat guiltily.
"How could I possibly forget my smartest and most adorable student?"

"cute?"

Eve raised an eyebrow, her tone clearly sarcastic:
"If you really find her cute, why haven't you contacted her even once in so long?"

Ron rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on.

To be honest, he has been extremely busy lately.

First came the bloodline awakening in the Shifting Sands and the unexpected events of the Elemental Night, then the historian job change at the observatory, followed by a visit to Nari in the Abyss, and then preparations to set off for Vinard...

A series of tasks left him with no time for routine communication.

But this explanation was clearly not convincing enough for Eve.

"You know, I've been very busy lately..."

He attempted to defend himself:
"The matter of bloodline awakening is rather complicated, and besides, the observation station..."

"busy?"

Eve interrupted him, shaking her head somewhat reluctantly:
"So busy you don't even have time to send a simple message?"

"Or does the supervisor think that the student has recovered and no longer needs care?"

This question, which sounded like a little girl's coquettishness, left Ron both amused and exasperated.

However, she was a girl who had been tormented by illness since childhood and had finally gained a normal life.

Her fear of being abandoned was indeed much stronger than that of ordinary people.

"Honesty is one of the most precious qualities of a wizard, mentor."

Although your excuse is clever, it's best not to try to be so cunning in front of me.

"Okay, it's my fault." He admitted sincerely.
"We should definitely maintain more frequent contact; I'll pay attention to that in the future."

Upon hearing the apology, Eve's "anger" immediately dissipated by more than half.

But she still tried her best to maintain a serious expression:
"An apology is acceptable, but we need to take concrete actions to demonstrate our sincerity."

"What kind of actual action?" Ron asked cooperatively.

"First, you must promise me that you will come to see me in the Central Lands as soon as you return from the Great Wizard Vinard."

Eve extended a slender finger:

"No postponement or cancellation for any reason." "No problem, I promise."

Ron thought to himself that the girl's emotions shifted very quickly.

However, this also suggests that her "anger" was more of a coquettish protest than genuine dissatisfaction.

"Secondly, you need to tell me in detail about the interesting experiences you had during this period."

She then held up a second finger: "Perhaps it will also help my cultivation."

"of course can."

"at last……"

Eve's cheeks flushed slightly, and her voice became somewhat shy:
"Please allow me to prepare a special welcome ceremony for you."

What kind of special ceremony?

Ron sensed the ambiguous implication in her tone and became alert.

"Keep it secret!"

Eve smiled mysteriously:

"You'll see when the time comes; I guarantee it'll be a surprise you'll love."

Looking at her foxy expression, Ron felt like he had agreed to something dangerous.

But considering that he hadn't seen the girl for so long, he nodded in agreement.

"Speaking of which, how's your cultivation progressing?" Ron smoothly changed the subject.

"The progress is much better than expected!" Eve's expression immediately brightened when she mentioned cultivation.
"According to my mother's assessment, I am now not far from breaking through to become a formal wizard."

Perhaps in another six months or so, we can try to hold a promotion ceremony.

"That's wonderful," he sincerely congratulated.
"Please feel free to contact me if you need any assistance with the promotion ceremony."

"Of course!"

Eve smiled slyly:
"Actually, I've already been considering inviting you to be my witness for advancement. After all, it was you who gave me the opportunity to cultivate again."

In wizarding tradition, the witness to ascension is often the closest mentor or partner.

"I am honored to have witnessed your growth."

Ron opted for a relatively neutral response: "I will always support you on your path."

"Hehe..." Eve let out a silvery laugh:
"Mentor, you are really good at this kind of... social slang."

It's a very heartwarming promise, yet it's packaged so formally.

She blinked: "But I'm used to your style. As long as I can feel your care, that's enough."

At this point, Eve seemed to remember something, and her expression suddenly became playful.

"By the way, mentor, I've recently acquired two very interesting maids."

The black-haired princess's tone was somewhat mischievous:
"My mother said they were all your 'defeated opponents'."

Having them take care of your students is a special way to commemorate this occasion.

"Ahem..." Ron coughed lightly:
The term "defeated opponent" may be somewhat exaggerated.

Our relationship at the time was more like... temporary collaborators who were accidentally caught up in the same dangerous incident.

"Really?" Eve feigned a skeptical expression.

"But according to them, you were quite impressive during the Night of Elements."

"How are they adjusting?" Ron decided to change the subject.

"After all, going from a Moon-level wizard to a maid requires a certain period of adjustment."

"They've adapted remarkably well!"

As she spoke, Eve projected images of two witches dressed as maids, working diligently and respectfully:

“Cecilia is now in charge of arranging my living environment, and she can make every detail in the room visually perfect.”

“My house is now as beautiful as an art gallery, and even my mother is full of praise for it.”

"As for Caroline..." The girl's expression became somewhat subtle:

"She is in charge of my physical conditioning and health maintenance."

Her understanding of life mechanisms is astonishing; she can precisely perceive every subtle change in my body.

"but……"

Eve's tone suddenly became somewhat mysterious:
"I've always felt that Caroline has a kind of... awe towards you?"

She tilted her head:
"Mentor, what exactly did you do to her that left such a deep impression on a wizard of the same level?"

This question left Ron somewhat at a loss for words.

For Caroline, that experience may indeed have had a "life-changing" significance.

He ultimately chose a relatively vague answer:

"Sometimes, dangerous environments can create illusions for people."

"Ha!" Eve let out a soft laugh.
"Mentor, you're using those social niceties again."

But it's alright, when you come back I'll try to get more details out of them.

"Two maids would be better at 'interrogating' you than you are."

Imagining Eve "interrogating" two lunar-level wizards, Ron couldn't help but feel a little amused and exasperated.

“Speaking of Cecilia, there’s something else interesting.”

Eve seemed to remember something:
“She recently started studying ‘the aesthetics of imperfection,’ saying that she wanted to challenge her past obsession with perfection.”

"A few days ago, she tried to create some 'flaws' in my room, such as deliberately tilting the vase and making the books not be neatly arranged."

The girl's tone became smug:
“But every time she made a ‘flaw’, she would crouch in a corner, holding her head in pain, muttering, ‘This is spiritual practice, this is spiritual practice.’”

"Then, less than ten minutes later, she would be unable to resist readjusting everything to perfection, and then regretting her 'weak willpower'."

This description conjured up a somewhat comical image in Ron's mind.

Cecilia's struggle with her own perfectionism is clearly very intense.

"It seems she needs more time to adjust her mindset," Ron commented casually.

"Yes, but I think this process may also be a necessary part of her growth."

"Sometimes, breaking free from old obsessions does require going through some inner pain."

Eve suddenly remembered something: "Mentor, how long will it take you to go to Grand Wizard Vinard's place this time?"

"I'm not sure, it might take several months, but it shouldn't take more than a year."

Ron answered truthfully, "It depends on the progress of the research project."

“Several months to a year…” Eve’s expression turned somewhat disappointed, but she quickly cheered up again:
"Then I'll try my best to break through to become a formal wizard before you come back, and I'll give you a big surprise then!"

“I’m looking forward to it,” Ron encouraged, “but don’t rush things; taking it one step at a time is the most important thing.”

"Okay!" Eve nodded obediently, then raised her little head again, a little worried:
"But you must be careful, mentor. After all, it's another world, and you never know what you might encounter."

"I don't want my mentor to be seduced by some strange alien woman."

This jealous reminder left Ron both amused and exasperated.
"I'm just going there to conduct academic research, not to take risks or travel."

"That would be best," Eve said with a deliberately serious snort.
"You have students waiting at home, you're not allowed to cause trouble outside."

The light from the communication crystal began to dim, but the girl's voice still came through clearly:
"Mentor, have a safe journey. We are all waiting for your return."

"Well, I will."

Once the projection had completely disappeared, the room returned to silence.

Ailan looked at Ron, then said softly, "Master, Princess Eve... cares about you very much."

Dyer also joined in, her eyes full of gossip:

"Does she like her master? Dale can sense that... peculiar emotion in her voice."

………………

As night deepened, a warm and inviting atmosphere filled the private restaurant of the Abyss Observatory.

On the dining table sat the pot of the finally successful "Multi-Element Soup," radiating a faint glow of four colors.

Ailan wove beautiful placemats with her vines, the green leaves forming natural decorative patterns on the table.

Dyer created countless tiny bubbles in the air.

Under the magic crystal lights, they refracted a dreamy rainbow of light and shadow, adding a romantic atmosphere to the entire restaurant.

Ron personally served soup to everyone.

For Ailan, he prepared a delicate little dish with soup for her to absorb nutrients through her roots.

For Dale, he chose a beautifully shaped conch shell as a container so that she could better savor the ocean flavor in the soup.

After thanking her, Ailan quietly began to "eat".

As Ron's longest-serving servant, she was keenly aware of any changes in her master.

The tense, always-chasing "researcher" vibe has faded considerably, replaced by a relaxed, gentle "family" atmosphere.

This is the change she is most pleased to see.

The master finally began to learn to enjoy the simple and beautiful moments in life, instead of completely binding himself to the chariot of cultivation and research.

As they were enjoying a peaceful dinner, Ron heard the familiar "family chat" voice in his mind.

First came Nari's excited voice, transmitted through bloodline resonance:

"My darling is amazing! This soup smells a million times better than that stinking, rotten meat from the abyss!"

Her tone was full of maternal pride:

"Quick, let Mom have a taste too! Through our blood connection, I should be able to sense some of the flavor!"

Ron chuckled inwardly and proactively intensified the bloodline resonance.

Through this mysterious connection, Nari did indeed "taste" the soup.

"Wow! It's really delicious! And I can feel the change in your mood—you're much calmer and happier than before!"

Nari's voice was filled with relief:
"That's right. My darling shouldn't always be so tense. Only by relaxing properly can you go further."

Immediately afterwards, Acelia's reserved voice echoed deep within her consciousness:

"Yes, there has been significant progress in the control of elemental balance."

Dragon Soul's tone carried a deliberate objectivity:

"Although it's still quite a distance from true 'expert' level harmony, it's already beyond my expectations for a beginner."

"Acelia, can't you just give me a compliment?"

Ron thought to himself, "He always has to go through all this trouble."

"Cough cough."

Dragon Soul's voice carried a hint of embarrassment:

"I just wanted to maintain an objective evaluation standard. But... indeed, your progress has impressed me."

After dinner, the three of them cleaned up the dishes together.

Ailan used vines to tidy up the table, Dale washed the dishes with water until they were spotless, and Ron took care of the tidying up.

"Is Master leaving tomorrow?" Dale asked softly while washing.

“It’s just a temporary separation,” Ron comforted her.

"I will return once I have finished my work with the great wizard Vinard. At that time, I will bring you interesting tales from this other world."

"Really?" Dale's eyes lit up again.

"Of course, I promise."

(End of this chapter)