Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 571 Dark Gold Trial
The image in the crystal ball slowly lit up, and Ella's face appeared in the light.

The background behind her has changed from a colonial laboratory to a semi-biological workshop full of strange vitality.

The wall was covered with a network of vines that resembled blood vessels, each vine emitting a faint emerald green glow, rhythmically contracting and expanding with the pulse of energy.

“Ralph, you’ve come at the perfect time.”

Ella's voice came through the crystal, filled with barely concealed excitement:
"After this period of improvement, we have finally completed a creation that is enough to change the game."

She stepped aside, revealing the breathtaking device behind her.

It was a miracle of the perfect fusion of the Danasan people's life technology and the colony's precision machinery.

At the heart of the entire device is a giant “mother spore” suspended in an energy field.

Its outer shell is translucent amber in color, and inside you can see countless tiny energy circuits slowly flowing, as dazzling as a galaxy.

"We call it the 'magic resonance delivery device'."

Ella walked to the device, her slender fingers gently tracing the translucent outer shell:
"The Danasu people's life spore technology gives it perfect 'camouflage' and 'dormant ability'."

The colonies' sophisticated machinery provided it with 'positioning accuracy' and 'delivery control'.

She turned to face the crystal ball, her eyes brimming with confidence:
"This device can precisely deploy small alchemical creatures sealed in specially made spores to the target world with extremely low energy fluctuations."

Its energy signature is so faint, almost indistinguishable from cosmic dust in nature, that it cannot be detected by conventional monitoring methods.

Ron carefully observed the device in the image, a sense of amazement welling up inside him.

This cross-disciplinary integration of biotechnology and mechanical engineering demonstrates not only technological prowess but also a completely new design philosophy.

"Is the 'ink' ready?" he asked.

"of course."

Ella waved her hand, and the culture tank next to the device slowly rose.

Through the transparent outer wall, Ron saw that familiar figure.

The "ink" floated quietly in the nutrient solution.

The star-like patterns on the surface are more dazzling than before, and each shimmer contains the secrets of the abyss.

Under Nari's careful nurturing, this autophagic slime has evolved to a whole new level.

“We made special adjustments.”

Ella continued to explain:

"While preserving the original capabilities of the 'ink,' we used the life dormancy technique of the Danasu people to put it into an extremely compressed 'spore state.'"

In this state, all its life activities are reduced to a minimum, and energy fluctuations are so weak as to be almost imperceptible.

Her fingers tapped lightly on the control panel, and the culture tank began to undergo miraculous changes.

As the nutrient solution was gradually absorbed, the "ink" began to shrink and condense, eventually forming a dark crystal the size of a fist.

The surface of the crystal is covered with a translucent biofilm, like an ancient fossil sealed in amber.

"This is the form of 'life spores'."

Ella carefully removed the crystal and placed it in the center of the device:

"In this state, the 'ink' can remain dormant for months or even years."

When exposed to a specific 'wake-up signal,' it will regain its activity within a short period of time.

The device started operating.

The metal rings spun faster, weaving a complex energy shield around the spores.

The shield's appearance was meticulously designed to resemble an ordinary meteorite dust particle with subtle spatial fluctuations.

"The camouflage layer employs a triple deception mechanism."

Ella explained each detail in detail:

"The first layer is a 'visual illusion'—the mineral crystals on the surface perfectly mimic the natural form of cosmic dust."

The second layer is 'energy deception'—magical fluctuations are compressed to a level indistinguishable from background radiation.

The third and most crucial layer is 'conceptual deception'—any detection spell attempting to identify it will be met with feedback pointing to 'harmless natural creation'.

Ron couldn't help but admire the ingenuity of the design.

Triple deception is not just a simple superposition; it is a systematic defense against different levels of identification methods.

"What about the delivery route?" he asked.

"This is the most ingenious part."

Ella pulled up a star map:
"We won't launch the spores directly at the Stoker Star; the trajectory would be too obvious."

Instead, the spores will be released into the outer orbit of the third moon of the stoker.

Then, using the natural perturbations of the celestial body's gravitational field, it was 'accidentally' altered in trajectory, eventually 'falling' onto the surface of the stoker star.

A precisely calculated arc is marked on the star chart.

The spore's trajectory involved several gravitational ejections, making it look like a wandering meteorite.

It was captured layer by layer in the gravitational field and eventually attracted by the stoker star and fell.

The entire process was in complete accordance with the natural laws of celestial mechanics, and no trace of human intervention could be found.

"The target landing point is a desolate garden near the upper-class noble district of the Star of the Stoker."

Ella zoomed in on a certain area of ​​the star map:

"According to our intelligence, that place originally belonged to a declining noble family."

It's basically abandoned now and hardly anyone pays attention to it.

"At the same time, that location is not too far from several key noble residential areas, making it convenient for 'Ink' to conduct reconnaissance and infiltration after awakening."

everything's ready.

Ella took a deep breath and placed her palm on the activation rune.

"Initiate delivery."

The device emitted a low humming sound.

The metal ring reached its rotational speed limit.

They left trails of afterimages in the air, like a rotating cage of light.

Inside the mother spore, the energy circuits began to flicker violently.

Beams of light shot from different angles toward the "ink" spore at the center, weaving a precise spatial anchor point on its surface.

"Three, two, one... Launch!"

In an instant, the entire device burst into a dazzling light.

Driven by energy, the spores vanished instantly, piercing through the dimensional barrier and embarking on their journey to the Stoker Star.

………………

The Stoker Star, under a verdant sky.

An inconspicuous "meteorite dust" streaked through the atmosphere, trailing a faint flash of light as it fell to the ground.

Its trajectory was precisely calculated, avoiding all monitoring sites and densely populated areas, and finally landed in that forgotten, desolate garden.

Deep in the garden, weeds grew rampant.

The once meticulously manicured garden has long since fallen into disrepair, leaving only a few tenacious wildflowers stubbornly growing in the cracks between the rocks.

The meteorite crashed into the soil, stirring up a small cloud of dust.

To outsiders, this is just one insignificant event among countless natural phenomena.

However, in Ron's remote perception, the whole process was a spectacular "infiltration" performance.

The camouflage layer on the spore's surface perfectly absorbed the energy of the impact, without producing any abnormal magical fluctuations.

It lay quietly in the soil, waiting for its appointed "awakening moment".

Late at night three days later.

The spores received a specific frequency signal sent by Ron.

The biofilm began to dissolve, and the dark crystals slowly unfurled, like an eerie flower blooming in the darkness.

The "ink" has awakened.

It immediately sensed the "smell" of its surroundings.

The air in this world is filled with a unique "metallic" emotion.

Every breeze carries the scent of "gold-burning magic" emanating from residents of different social classes.

The noble mansion closest to the garden emanated a fiery and arrogant energy fluctuation.

The feeling was like metal in a high-temperature furnace—hard, sharp, and exuding an undeniable sense of oppression.

In the more distant servants' quarters, the atmosphere became oppressive and fearful.

Like inferior metal that has been repeatedly forged but can never be shaped, it is full of frustration and despair.

The "ink" greedily "savored" these emotions.

As a special creature modified by the abyss, its perception of spiritual energy far exceeds the imagination of ordinary people.

Every emotion has its own unique "flavor" in its "taste".

The arrogance of the nobility is pungent, as fiery and stimulating as flames.

The servant's fear was bitter, suffocating like aged poison;

The occasional passing merchant exuded a sour, rotten smell—a mixture of scheming and greed.

It moved cautiously through the garden, its body blending into the shadows like a pool of flowing darkness.

At each new location, it stops and uses special sensory organs to "sample" the surrounding information flow.

This information was continuously transmitted back to Ron's consciousness through bloodline resonance.

In his room in the Central Lands, Ron closed his eyes and "saw" the true face of the Stoker Star as if he were there in person.

A city made of metal and fire, a rigidly hierarchical social structure, and a suffocating sense of oppression that permeates the air.

"found it……"

The ink suddenly stopped; its attention was drawn to a hidden corner deep within the garden.

There was an unusually strong lingering sense of "negative emotion" there.

A mixture of grievances, anger, and inferiority complexes created an emotional vortex that was almost palpable.

“Someone often cries here.”

Ron determined through their bloodline connection:

"Moreover, this person's emotional state is extremely unstable, filled with self-doubt and a desire for power."

He gave a satisfied smile.

This psychological characteristic is precisely what makes it easiest to be manipulated and exploited.

The "ink" crawled to that corner, disguising itself as a piece of "dark gold" that emitted a faint luster.

Then, it went into standby mode, waiting for its "prey" to arrive.

Time flew by and it was already evening of the next day.

Karen Walker fled once again, rushing into this deserted, neglected garden.

He was a collateral descendant of the Walker family, with bloodlines so thin they were almost negligible.

His talent in the art of burning gold was so mediocre as to be despairing.

It always trembles when handling metal, and the resulting alloy is as fragile as glass.

He was ridiculed again at the family gathering.

The direct descendants looked at him with disdain, as if he were looking at a failed, defective product.

“A piece of trash is a piece of trash. A bastard with impure blood will never be able to understand the true art of burning gold.”

These words were branded onto his heart like a hot iron.

Karen rushed into the deepest part of the garden and collapsed into that familiar corner.

He held his head in his hands, letting tears stream down his cheeks.

"Why...why am I so useless despite trying so hard..."

Just when he was at his most desperate, he caught a glimpse of a piece of metal gleaming strangely in the soil. Karen froze.

He wiped away his tears and carefully dug out the "metal".

Upon handling it, a warm sensation spread from my fingertips throughout my body.

That feeling... was like a mother's embrace, or like rain after a long drought.

"This is... dark gold?!"

Karen's breathing quickened.

Legend has it that dark gold is the rarest of natural treasures, capable of enhancing bloodlines and improving one's talent in the Gold Burning Technique.

But such a treasure disappeared a hundred years ago, so how could it possibly appear in this abandoned garden?
He hesitated for a moment, but ultimately hid the "dark gold" in his pocket.

Greed triumphed over reason.

Late at night, Karen hid in her simple room.

He carefully took out the "dark gold" and tried to make contact with it.

Just as his mind touched the "metal" surface, a gentle yet powerful force surged into his consciousness.

That was the faint chaotic power that Ron released through "ink".

This force, like the gentlest guide, began to untangle the chaotic bloodline circuits within Karen's body.

The previously blocked energy nodes were cleared, the atrophied blood vessels were widened, and those long-suppressed talents began to awaken.

Karen felt as if her body had been reborn.

A sense of power surged through my veins, like a torrent that had been suppressed for over a decade finally finding its outlet.

He couldn't wait to try his gold-burning technique.

A small piece of iron began to melt and be reshaped under his will.

This time, the metal no longer trembled or resisted, but obeyed commands like an extension of an arm.

In just ten minutes, Karen completed a metal sculpting more perfect than ever before.

He looked at the exquisite little sculpture in his hand, and tears of emotion welled up in his eyes.

"It's true...it's true!"

He held the "dark gold" tightly in his arms, as if it were his salvation:
"I finally... I finally have a chance..."

Where he couldn't see, a barely perceptible glimmer of light flashed across the surface of the "ink".

The first step is complete.

………………

On the other side, the Crown Clan's exclusive aircraft was slowly descending.

Inside the aircraft, Ron and Eve sat side by side in comfortable seats.

“Mentor, guess what’s the most interesting thing about the ‘Cavity of Thorns’?” Eve suddenly turned her head.

Before Ron could answer, she excitedly asked and answered herself:

"It's those talking cauldrons! They're incredibly picky; if the potion master's technique isn't right, they'll just go on strike!"

"Last month, some self-important master tried to force the refining process, and the crucible spat the half-finished product all over his face!"

Eve couldn't help but laugh out loud at this point:

"Professor Augustus said that the master was so angry that his face turned green and he vowed never to come again."

Ron couldn't help but smile as he listened to this description.

This is quite in line with the style of the wizarding world—even tools have their own temperaments.

"And what about you?" he asked. "Have you ever been rejected by the crucible?"

"Of course!"

Eve pouted, pretending to be wronged:
"When I first came here, the cauldron I was assigned said my magic was 'too sweet' and made it want to vomit."

She paused, a hint of warmth flashing in her eyes:
"But later Lilia taught me a trick, saying that I should 'greet' the cauldron first, so that it knows that you respect it."

"And guess what? The crucible actually blushed!"

It said that no nobleman had ever been willing to speak to it, and it thought I was mocking it!

Upon hearing this, Ron became even more curious about the "Cavity of Thorns" he was about to see.

The aircraft slowly came to a stop.

When the hatch opened, what appeared before Ron was not the solemn and majestic holy site he had imagined, but a "living building" full of vitality and eeriness.

The "Cave of Thorns" is located in the heart of the Central Lands, with the entire structure partially buried underground.

From the outside, a massive dome woven from countless crystal thorns appears to be slowly "breathing"—yes, it is truly breathing.

Those "thorns" stretch and contract in some unseen rhythm, just like the lungs exchanging gases.

Even more amazingly, these thorns also emit subtle sounds.

Ron listened carefully and discovered that it was actually the overlapping "whispers" of countless herbs.

Some were chanting ancient songs of growth, some were complaining about the intense sunlight, and others were gossiping about which potion maker had messed up a recipe again...

"Do you understand, mentor?"

Eve looked at Ron's expression and couldn't help but laugh:
"First-time visitors are often startled. These thorns are actually an 'activated plant community,' created by the first workshop master using ancient alchemy."

"They will judge everyone who enters the workshop, and if they don't like you..."

She made an exaggerated throat-slitting gesture:

"Thorns can attack on their own! But don't worry, you'll be fine, mentor."

Just then, a slender crystal thorn suddenly hung down from the dome and swayed in front of Ron, as if it were "sniffing" his scent.

Then, a hoarse but curious voice rang out:
"New here? The smell is peculiar... a hint of chaos, and... time? No, it's the smell of 'story'!"

Ron was stunned; he hadn't expected the thorn to talk.

"Hello," he replied politely.

"Wow! You're quite polite!"

Thorns seemed quite pleased and began circling around Ron:

"Much better than that arrogant guy from last month!"
That guy walked in shouting, "I'm so-and-so's star pupil!" He didn't even get past the first door, hahaha!

Eve explained in a low voice:
“This is ‘Third Gatekeeper’. There are seven gatekeepers in the workshop. It ranks third and has the best temper.”

"The third one?"

Ron asked curiously, "What about the eldest and second eldest?"

"The boss is on the seventh underground level. It's said to have a terrible temper, and most people who see it..."

Eve made a strangulation gesture.

"The second one is in hibernation; it has been sleeping for almost a hundred years."

I heard that it was so angered by a potion master that it swore it never wanted to see humans again, and then it really did fall asleep.

The two walked down the spiral crystal staircase.

They arrived at the core area of ​​the workshop—the sixth floor.

The sight here made Ron stop in his tracks.

The entire space is like an inverted forest:
Countless crystal vines hang from the ceiling, each with a uniquely shaped crucible at its end.
Some of these crucibles look like bird nests, some like flower buds, and some even like monsters with their mouths wide open.

Even more amazingly, each crucible emitted a different sound:
"I'm planning to concoct a good medicine today~"

"That idiot burned me to a crisp yesterday, I hate him so much!"

"Is anyone available? I've been single for three days..."

"Did you notice, mentor?"

Eve lowered her voice:

“These crucibles are all ‘alive.’ They are the culmination of the first workshop owner’s hard work, and each one has its own personality and preferences.”

"If you want to use them to make medicine, you must first gain their approval."

Just then, a voice came from deep within:

"Your Highness Eve, you've arrived. And... there are new faces?"

An elderly man with gray hair walked slowly towards us.

"Associate Professor Augustus!"

Eve ran over happily:

“I’ve brought my mentor! It’s Ron Ralph, the mentor I’ve often mentioned to you!”

Augustus scrutinized Ron carefully, then suddenly laughed:
"That's it, that's it..."

He pointed behind Ron:

"Young man, do you know?"
From the moment you entered the workshop, seventeen crucibles were already vying to serve you.

Ron looked back and saw a group of crucibles huddled together, shaking frantically like schoolchildren vying to raise their hands to answer a question.

"Pick me! Pick me! I'm the gold medal crucible!"

"Don't listen to its bragging! Last time it turned a 'Tranquility Potion' into a 'Berserk Potion'!"

"That's because that potion master was too stupid! This time there will definitely be no problem!"

"Pah! You're all no good! You still have to look to my century-old crucible!"

The scene was so comical that Ron couldn't help but laugh out loud.

"but……"

Augustus then changed the subject:
"To truly use the 'Cavity of Thorns,' simply liking the crucible isn't enough."

He waved his hand, and a strangely shaped device suddenly rose up in the center of the workshop.

They were three interconnected rings, each inlaid with gemstones of different colors, radiating a mysterious light.

"This is the 'Triple Trial Ring'."

Augustus's voice became solemn:
"The rule left by the first workshop owner is that anyone who wants to refine top-grade magic potions here must pass three trials."

"The first test is 'listening': Can you understand the inner voice of the material?"

"The second test, the 'test of resonance': Can you establish a genuine connection with the material?"

"The third challenge, the 'test of creation': Can you make the materials willingly serve your will?"

He looked at Ron and Eve:

"No one has ever been able to pass all three trials at once."

"Princess Eve has passed the first two levels, but the third level... she has been stuck for three whole months."

Upon hearing this, Eve's face showed an embarrassed expression.

"As for Lilia..."

A hint of approval flashed in Augustus's eyes:
“That child is special. She passed the first and second levels, but got stuck on the third level as well.”

"However, what's interesting is that the reasons she and Princess Eve were stuck were completely opposite—"

"Princess Eve is too powerful; the materials revere her, but dare not truly approach her."

"Lilia is too gentle. The materials like her, but they don't know how to respond to her expectations."

Augustus looked at Ron:

"So, Instructor Ralph, would you be willing to try this 'impossible challenge'?"

"If you can pass the three trials, you might be able to find a way to help them break through their bottlenecks."

Ron pondered for a moment, then nodded.

Just then, a timid voice came from deep within the workshop:
"Mentor...?"

Ron turned around and saw Lilia standing not far away, holding a tray.

Several herbs emitting a faint glow were placed on the tray, but the girl's attention was clearly not on the tray.

(End of this chapter)