Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 510 The Pull of Death

The teleportation preparation area is located in the heart of the labyrinthine domain; it is a transparent hall constructed of pure energy.

The walls, floors, and ceilings are all made of solidified magic, giving them a translucent, crystal-like texture.

When Ron stepped into the hall, he was surprised to find that he was not the only one waiting.

In the central area of ​​the hall, several semi-transparent chairs made of condensed energy form a loose circle.

One of the chairs was occupied by a striking young man who was meditating with his eyes closed.

He had a tall, slender figure and handsome features, but what was most striking was the strange phenomenon that surrounded him when he meditated:

Countless tiny sparks floated in the air, each emitting a deathly gray light.

The young man opened his eyes as Ron's footsteps echoed through the hall.

"Ron Ralph, Instructor".

His voice carried a carefully trained air of refinement as he rose and gave Ron a standard wizard's salute:
"I am Oscar Adelaide, the second-ranked candidate in the Rising Stars Program. I've heard so much about you."

Oscar narrowed his eyes slightly as he spoke, his gaze revealing both fighting spirit and recognition of the strong.

After all, the fact that the other party achieved the top position at a younger age is no accident.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, heir to the Adelaide family."

Ron returned the gift in kind:

"Your [Deadly Flame] has caused quite a stir in the academic world; it is indeed a remarkable achievement."

Upon hearing this assessment, Oscar nodded politely.

"Compared to Lecturer Ralph's chaotic simulation device, my research is still too simplistic, which is why I went out this time."

He gently stroked a wristband on his wrist:
"I am heading to the 'First Flame World' controlled by the school of thought."

Oscar's eyes burned with the flames of ambition:
"My [Deadly Flame] is currently quite powerful, but it lacks true 'life force'."

His gaze was fixed on Ron:

"The goal this time is very clear—to surpass everyone around you, including you."

This straightforward declaration of challenge did not displease Ron.

"Then I'll wait and see."

Just as the two were talking, soft footsteps came from the other side of the hall.

A gentle witch slowly approached, carrying a beautifully crafted small potted plant in her arms.

The bonsai was shaped like a miniature ancient tree, with pale golden light flowing between its branches and leaves.

Occasionally, one can hear an extremely faint rhythmic sound, similar to a heartbeat.

"Hello you two."

The witch's voice was as clear as a mountain spring: "I am Rachel Amagir."

Amakiir means gem flower.

The Jewel Flower family! Ron's heart skipped a beat.

This is a clan with a long history, known for its study of nature and longevity techniques.

It is said that they were once one of the important pillar families of the "Tree of Life" school, but later split off due to a conflict with the "Green Laurel" Archmage Ashe.

"I've long admired the reputation of the Jewel Flower family," Oscar said, taking the initiative to speak.

Rachel nodded gently: "You flatter me. We've just gone a little further down this path than others."

She gently stroked the potted plant in her arms:

"My destination on this trip is 'Spore Planet'."

It has a unique fungal ecosystem, and some ancient fungal species are said to possess the special property of 'memory'.

…………

Half an hour later, Professor Yutel's ethereal figure appeared like a ghost at the entrance to the teleportation preparation area.

"It looks like everyone is here."

"Then we will now proceed to the teleportation station."

Remember, what you are about to see should not be judged by common sense.

The group of four moved deeper into the spiral energy channel.

"The spatial structure here changes every twelve seconds."

As Yutel walked, he explained, his fingers lightly tracing the walls of the passageway.

The fine veins immediately converged on his touch, as if summoned by some force:

"Any entity that attempts to forcibly cross over will be torn apart by the spatial turbulence, like flesh and blood falling into a meat grinder."

Only through these precisely calculated energy channels can we safely reach our destination.

And these passages themselves…

He paused, a complex emotion flashing in his silver eyes:

"It was built by a fallen former great wizard. This guy was extremely arrogant. After becoming the Supreme Apostle, he dared to call himself the 'King of Geometry'."

These words struck the three of them like a thunderbolt.

“You mean…” Rachel’s voice trembled slightly:

"Are we now walking inside the body of a Supreme Apostle?"

"More accurately, it is walking in the sulci and gyri of its cerebral cortex."

Yutel's tone became deeper:

"That fallen one can arbitrarily distort the structure of space, folding three-dimensional space into impossible shapes, causing enemies to be forever lost in the labyrinth."

The passage began to descend slowly, and the surrounding blood vessels became denser, with a silvery liquid even visible flowing within them.

"However, no matter how powerful they are, once they lose the rationality of a wizard, they are just stronger monsters."

We lured it into this specially designed trap, and then used magic to forcibly remove its ability to resist.

Ron could feel a faint pulsation coming from the "ground" beneath his feet.

"For seven days and seven nights, it was fixed to the dissection table, watching the alchemist peel away its consciousness layer by layer, extract its nerves one by one, and cut its flesh piece by piece."

“We have preserved the integrity of its brain; the entire base station, in a sense, is indeed still ‘alive’.”

During the descent, Oscar proactively posed an academic question to the old professor, attempting to ease the awkward atmosphere:
"Professor Utter, I would like to ask you a question about the stability of elements."

My [Deadly Flame] occasionally shows signs of going out of control when dealing high-intensity damage.

While it is more destructive, it also poses significant risks to the user.

The old professor stopped in his tracks, a thoughtful glint in his silver eyes.

The surrounding blood vessels seemed to sense his mental fluctuations and began to emit a brighter fluorescence.

"This phenomenon is not uncommon; the instability of composite elements often stems from their inherent contradictory characteristics."

Your Deathly Flame combines the 'creative' nature of fire with the 'destructive' nature of the abyss; these two are fundamentally in conflict.

Oscar nodded: "That's true. I've been trying to solve this problem by strengthening my willpower, but with limited success."

"Perhaps the root of the problem lies not in controlling the intensity, but in the depth of understanding."

Ron also offered his perspective from a professional standpoint:

"A similar case occurred in the middle of the Third Age."

There was a wizard known as the 'Heartburner' who created the 'Holy Flame,' which also incorporated contradictory elemental properties.

As Ron begins to recount historical cases, the surrounding environment subtly changes.

Blurry illusions began to appear on the walls of the passage.

Those were fragments of memory from the remnants of the King of Geometry's consciousness, triggered by Ron's historical narrative:

"The 'Burning Hearts' initially attempted to tame the Holy Flame by strengthening their control, but the result was the opposite."

Later, on the advice of his friend, the "paradoxical poet," he gradually changed his strategy—instead of suppressing contradictions, he provided them with "space to be expressed."

He designed specific 'conflict zones' within the spell's structure, allowing different elemental traits to 'dialogue' and 'negotiate' there.

"'Phoenix of Paradox'—I remember that was the title the King of Absurdity held before he became king?"

Oscar's eyes lit up:

"So the philosophy of the King of Absurdity is to let contradictions find their own balance?"

“That’s right.” Ron nodded.
"The 'Burning Heart' discovered that when he stopped his coercive, unified control and switched to guided, coordinated management, the Holy Flame not only became more stable, but its power also increased several times over."

Because contradiction itself is a form of energy; suppressing it is a waste, while guiding it can transform it into greater power.

This idea made Oscar think deeply, and it also resonated with the vein patterns around him.

Rachel listened quietly to the academic discussion, but her attention was more focused on the strange changes in the surrounding environment:
"Professor, are these illusions... the memories of the King of Geometry?"

“Partly so,” Yutel admitted.
"Even if an apostle dies, his body will not completely disappear. His memories, emotions, and even some fragments of thought will continue to exist for a long time after his death."

This is why base stations possess such intelligent automatic adjustment capabilities—they still retain a certain degree of awareness.

This explanation sent chills down the spines of all three.

…………

The shape of a base station is not fixed; it slowly deforms as internal needs change, much like a giant amoeba.

Sometimes it is spire-shaped, sometimes spherical, and sometimes it unfolds into a star-shaped structure.

Dozens of tamed abyssal behemoths swam slowly outside the energy shield.

However, closer inspection reveals that these "giants" are actually extensions of the base station itself.

They have an umbilical cord-like connection with the main body, through which nutrients and information are transmitted.

"This is the power that wizards use to conquer nature." Yutel's voice held both pride and a deep sense of awe.
"Any sufficiently powerful force can be tamed by wisdom and transformed into a tool for the progress of civilization."

The King of Geometry was our mortal enemy in life, but in death he became our most reliable bulwark.

They were greeted by a middle-aged man in uniform.

"Welcome to the sixth-level space base station."

His voice had a mechanical, synthesized quality:
"I am the administrator here."

Please proceed to the testing area for the standard procedure check.

"Please enter the scanning area one by one and remain still for fifteen seconds."

The scanning process is far more thorough and invasive than imagined.

When Ron stood in the scanning area, he could feel countless tentacle-like energies flowing through his body.

"Testing completed."

The administrator watched the data scrolling like water on the screen:
"Ron Ralph, Instructor;"
Moonlight-level wizard, 200% magic compression, no abnormal contamination, no potential curses.

There are abyssal adaptive mutations, but they are within safe limits.

It meets cross-border transmission standards.

The next step is to sign the "Explorer Contract".

The administrator retrieved a contract document from inside the body.

The words grow on the leather surface like birthmarks, subtly changing as the reader's gaze moves.

"This is the Explorer's Contract, made from memory leather."

The administrator explained in detail, while the contract document twitched slightly in his hand:

“After signing, your commitment will be directly recorded in the core consciousness of the base station, and any breach of contract will be detected immediately.”

The contract's terms were extremely detailed, covering almost every possible situation that might arise during the exploration.

Throughout the testing and contract process, Ron noticed changes in the base station's "mood".

When someone shows signs of tension or fear, the vein patterns on the wall become brighter;

When the atmosphere becomes relaxed, those sensory organs slowly close, as if taking a nap.

The entire base station does indeed possess some form of consciousness; it observes, analyzes, and even "tastes" the emotions and intentions of each visitor.

“Don’t worry, everyone.” Yutel seemed to sense the three’s unease:
"Although the King of Geometry hates us, it has learned to obey absolutely."

Thousands of years of torment have completely shattered its will; now it is merely a very obedient tool.

Once all the formalities were completed, the administrator led them to the portal area.

That's the core of the base station, and also the location of the brain of the King of Geometry.

Here, biotechnology and spatial magic have achieved a perfect fusion, creating a miraculous passage connecting different worlds.

…………

Ron stood in front of the portal, giving his equipment list one last check.

The space bag is neatly filled with various necessities:
Alchemy tools, potion ingredients, emergency remedies, and important equipment such as "The Complete Guide to the Extraordinary" and the Paradox Dice.

Yutel stood quietly beside him, the silver light emanating from the void casting a hazy reflection on the crystal floor.

"Remember what I told you before, child."

The old professor's voice was like a gentle breeze on an autumn night:

“Vinard is a top-notch technical expert, and his rigor and focus are something you should learn from.”

However, we must also be wary of the blind spots that pure technocratism might bring.

His ethereal form slowly turned toward Ron:

Sometimes, focusing too much on 'how to do it' can make people forget 'why to do it'.

Vinard has learned a profound lesson in this regard.

Ron nodded seriously: "You mean he's exchanging his sense of belonging to his hometown?"

"It's not just about the trade itself, but also the mindset behind it."

Yutel shook his head slightly:
“When a wizard begins to treat his emotions, memories, or even his humanity as ‘exchangeable resources,’ he has already embarked on a dangerous path.”

“There’s one more thing.” He took out a light green ring from the depths of the void:

"This is the 'Cooling Ring,' the first alchemical creation I tried to make when I was young."

It was after that that I realized I had absolutely no talent for alchemy.

Its function is simple: when you feel anxious, it can automatically cast a "cooling spell" to make you feel a little better.

Ron carefully accepted the ring: "This must be a very meaningful keepsake for you, Professor..."

"Of course, it has witnessed my growth from a reckless young man into the great wizard I am today."

Yutel smiled and shook his head:

"I'm giving it to you because it has sentimental value. I hope it can accompany you and witness your growth."

Treat it like an old friend.

When you feel lost, perhaps it will remind you of what I said today.

Ron put the ring on his right ring finger; the metal felt cool and fit snugly.

"Thank you, Professor. I will remember your teachings wherever I go."

“Very good.” Yutel nodded in satisfaction, then looked at the portal that had already begun to operate:

"It's almost time. The guiding array on Vinard's side is in place."

The door frame, made of metal and crystal, began to emit a soft blue light.

Space began to distort at the center of the door, forming a passage to a distant, otherworldly realm.

At the other end of the passage, you can see exotic scenery.

A red sky, a suspended rocky platform, and the silhouette of a giant steel city in the distance.

“Go, child,” Yutel said softly.

"Remember, no matter what difficulties you encounter, you are not fighting alone."

Behind you are the expectations and blessings of everyone who cares about you.

Ron bowed deeply: "Professor, I will make you proud."

Just as he was about to turn around and step into the portal, a cold sensation suddenly came from the [Time-Knowing Eye] on his chest.

The feeling was like invisible frost flowers condensing on the surface of crystal.

At the same time, his [Spirit Realm Perception] was passively triggered, and the entire world underwent earth-shattering changes in his eyes.

The physical structure of the teleportation hall still existed, but in a deeper dimension, he saw a completely different scene.

Professor Yutel's emaciated body was dimmer than ever before.

The silver light flickered like a candle in the wind, threatening to go out at any moment.

The old professor was surrounded by a large number of semi-transparent figures.

Those souls, with gentle and lingering expressions, quietly gazed at their former mentors.

Ron recognized some of the faces.

Some died in accidents during their research, some met with misfortune while exploring historical truths, and others passed away naturally due to old age.

These souls are closely surrounding the old professor, waiting to reunite with him.

At that moment, an extremely thin, almost transparent black thread, like a spider's web, extended from the depths of nothingness and wrapped around the old man's ankle.

In the occult system, this black line has a specific name—"the pull of death".

"professor……"

He opened his mouth, wanting to speak, but found that any words seemed pale and powerless.

Could he tell the old professor that this was a foresight that the other party already knew about?

Can you grab the other person's hand and beg them to take good care of themselves?
Could you ask him to wait until you return before leaving?
All those words froze in his throat, turning into silence.

Death may not be an enemy to this old man who has lived too long.

His mission is complete, and his wisdom has been passed on.

Now, he is simply waiting silently for that moment to arrive, like waiting for a class to end.

Yutel noticed the unusual expression on Ron's face:

"What's wrong, child? You look..."

"It's nothing, Professor." Ron tried to control his emotions, his voice trembling slightly.

"I just suddenly realized that this parting is more...difficult than I imagined."

"It's normal to feel reluctant to part with it," the old professor said with a faint smile.
"But the meaning of growing up lies in learning to say goodbye."

Say goodbye to your past self, say goodbye to your familiar environment, say goodbye to the people and things that once supported you.

These words pierced Ron's heart like a spear.

The old professor had already guessed what it was, but he chose to encourage himself in this way.

Ron took one last look at Yutel, etching the other's face deeply into his memory:
"No matter how far I go, I will remember every word you said today."

“I believe you will.” Yutel smiled with satisfaction, then waved his hand.
"Alright, go quickly, don't keep Vinard waiting too long."

Ron turned and stepped into the portal.

He forced himself to stay upright and did not turn back.

(End of this chapter)