Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Chapter 62 Inspiration is a Curse "Reality"

Ron didn't deny it. "Yes, ma'am. I made my first attempt last night."

"How do you feel?" Mrs. Allen's expression was unreadable, showing neither joy nor worry, just a purely professional inquiry.

"It was shocking," Ron said, choosing his words carefully. "I saw the stars, heard strange whispers, and witnessed some indescribable horrors—some kind of existence was devouring stars and galaxies."

After hearing these descriptions, the old witch's expression changed slightly, but she quickly regained her composure.

"I see. It seems you do have extraordinary inspiration."

She seemed lost in thought. "Most people only see fuzzy starlight and hear intermittent mumblings on their first try. But you witnessed the 'Devourer' firsthand. How unexpected."

As she spoke, Mrs. Allen stood up and walked towards him with her cane, a complicated expression on her face:

"Ron, do you know how long it usually takes to successfully enter the first stage of "The Whisper of the Star Eater"?"

Ron shook his head; he really didn't know.

"A normal apprentice, even one with the best qualifications, a fourth-class star, would need at least three months to barely construct a complete initial rune, and you..."

There was a hint of disbelief in her voice: "And you actually did it on the first night?"

Ron was shocked. He didn't expect his progress to be so unusual. "Maybe it's because I laid a good foundation before?"

"No, it's not just a matter of basics." Mrs. Allen shook her head. "This shows that you have a very high degree of compatibility with 'The Whisper of the Star Eater'. You could even say it's a natural affinity."

She pondered for a moment, as if reassessing something. "There must be something special about you that I haven't noticed yet. But in any case, it's a good thing."

"So, what about the mental pollution and dreams that occur when practicing meditation?" Ron asked tentatively.

"Ah, yes, this is a crucial question."

Mrs. Allen nodded. "Any advanced meditation method will cause some degree of mental pollution, and 'The Whisper of the Star-Eater' is particularly severe. Those with higher aptitude and greater inspiration are often more affected, as they can perceive more 'truths' that ordinary people cannot access."

Her tone became more serious, even with a hint of warning:

"In the wizarding world, there's a saying that inspiration is a curse. The higher the inspiration, the more likely one is to be exposed to certain 'truths' prematurely, leading to mental breakdown, madness, or even worse. Many promising wizarding talents have fallen into the abyss of madness before fully growing."

Ron nodded thoughtfully. "Is that why I heard that some people, despite being incredibly talented, choose to take the slower and more steady path?"

"That's right." Mrs. Allen looked at him with appreciation:
“Knowledge itself is neither good nor bad, but every kind of knowledge has its price. Sometimes that price is time, sometimes it is money, but the highest knowledge often comes at the cost of the integrity of the mind.”

She paused, as if considering whether to continue further on the topic:

"Your mental endurance is surprisingly strong, but don't take it lightly. The mental pollution of advanced meditation methods is cumulative. Each meditation session will bring a certain degree of pollution. If you meditate too eagerly for quick results, the long-term accumulation may cause irreversible damage."

"I'll keep that in mind." Ron nodded, secretly thankful for the help of the pocket watch.

Mrs. Allen did not ask further about how he dealt with mental pollution, and seemed to assume that he had his own methods.

"Then let's continue with today's instruction. But first, let me confirm your condition again."

Her hand suddenly stretched out, and her old but strong fingers pressed on Ron's temple. A cold energy instantly penetrated into the shallows of his consciousness.

Ron almost reflexively wanted to resist this invasion, but he forced himself to control himself and let Mrs. Allen's mental power explore the shallow level of his consciousness.

The old witch's mental power was like an experienced snake, moving flexibly and precisely around his consciousness space, checking for every possible abnormality.

After a moment, she withdrew her hand, with a slightly complicated expression on her face:

"You're in good shape, much better than I expected. It seems that "Whispers of the Star Eater" is indeed particularly suitable for you." In fact, if the additional characteristics had not triggered that special inspiration, "Whispers of the Star Eater" would have been cultivated steadily and slowly, and at most it would have caused some relatively mild mental pollution. Coupled with the auxiliary effect of artificial star dew to weaken the pollution, the impact would have been even smaller.

I guess Mrs. Allen didn't expect Ron to make such rapid progress.

In the following time, Mrs. Allen explained in detail how to consolidate the structure of the initial runes and how to gradually expand the depth and breadth of meditation.

This time's teaching was more in-depth and specific than yesterday's. She even demonstrated some key steps herself so that Ron could understand it more intuitively.

“Remember, don’t rush things.”

Before leaving, the old witch emphasized again: "The first stage of cultivation usually takes at least half a year to stabilize and consolidate. Even if you are exceptionally talented, you should remain cautious."

Ron nodded solemnly in understanding.

"I've heard of too many geniuses who destroyed themselves because of pride." Mrs. Allen looked at him deeply and said, "Don't be one of them."

Ron was filled with thoughts as he left the herbal medicine shop.

The cold wind blew through the branches, making a rustling whisper, like the faint whispers among the stars, which made him shiver unconsciously.

"'Devourer'...what on earth is that?" He muttered to himself, the horrifying scene he saw in meditation last night resurfacing in his mind.

That gigantic being, beyond mortal comprehension, roams among the sea of ​​stars, devouring one star after another like a hungry beast gnawing on prey on the grassland.

"This can't be just an illusion..."

Ron stopped and looked at a tall tower that was vaguely visible among the mountains in the distance.

It is the residence of an official wizard in the Black Mist Jungle. The top of the tower always flashes with a strange light, like a lighthouse in the dark night, or a giant eye that peeks at everything.

"Who is Mrs. Allen? Why does she have such a meditation method?"

This question was like a stone, weighing heavily on Ron's heart.

Ever since he first met Mrs. Allen, he had felt that the old woman was shrouded in mystery.

Those dark green eyes sparkled not only with wisdom, but also with an unfathomable ancient aura, as if she had lived for far more than a century.

And during the days of each month when magic fluctuations are most active, she regains her youthful beauty, which is something that no ordinary wizard can do.

"The Whisper of the Star Eater..." Ron whispered the name, feeling the strange rhythm of each word dancing on his tongue:

"Where did this meditation method come from? Is it really just the idea of ​​a crazy wizard?"

My thoughts were as complicated as a maze, and every question seemed to lead to more doubts.

He took a deep breath and let his mind return to rationality.

"In any case, this meditation method is indeed extremely beneficial to me." He weighed it in his mind:

"Since Mrs. Allen is willing to pass it on to me, I should seize this opportunity, even if there are some intentions behind it that I haven't yet understood."

"After all..." Ron looked at his hands and said to himself:
"In this world, strength is the guarantee of survival. If you are always suspicious, you won't be able to accomplish anything."

The evening breeze blew away the mist on the treetops, and the light of the tower spire in the distance became brighter and brighter. He put on his hood and turned to walk towards the dormitory area.

(End of this chapter)