Wizard: My career panel has no upper limit

Eve reached out and gently touched the ground below the tower with her fingertips.

There are footprints left by Adelinea when she passed by this afternoon.

Although it has been cleaned up, the remnants of magic still remain.

[Absurd Resonance] Following that faint trace, we extend, delve, and explore...

Eve's consciousness was like a diver plunging into the deep sea, penetrating layer by layer the surface disguises and sinking into the depths of the truth.

At first, she only saw some ordinary fragments of memory:

Adeline's confusion upon waking up;
Her curiosity as she became familiar with her ancestral homeland;
Her gentle demeanor when talking to other elders...

But the deeper you go, the more distorted the image becomes.

Those gentle smiles began to peel away, revealing the true expression beneath—indifference, calculation, and deep resentment.

Eve continued to delve deeper.

She saw memories from even further back, scenes from thousands of years ago, before Adelinea fell asleep:

She was around a hundred years old at the time, at the peak of her wizarding career.

She stood in the clan council hall, engaged in a heated debate with the clan chief at the time.

"Why you?!"

At that time, Adeline questioned him hoarsely:
"In terms of seniority, I'm older than you!"

"In terms of contributions, I have given far more to the clan than you have!"

"Why did the King of Absurdity choose you as his successor instead of me?!"

The deceased clan chief merely looked at her indifferently:
“Adeline, this is not a matter of seniority.”

"You only care about yourself. A person like that is not fit to be the clan leader."

These words were like a sharp blade, piercing Adeline's pride completely.

She was furious, she was resentful, she was insane.

Thousands of years is enough time for hatred to ferment into the most poisonous poison.

When Adeline awoke again, she discovered that the clan chief had long since died.

When her descendant Cassandra also disappeared, and the heir turned out to be just a little girl of the Moon-level... she knew that her opportunity had arrived.

The scene shifts again, and Eve sees Adeline sitting alone in the tower, with a music box floating in front of her.

There was no music playing inside, but human voices could be heard clearly:
"Elder Adeline, on behalf of several elders of the School Alliance, I extend my greetings to you."

"At the same time, I would also like to discuss a deal with you."

Adeline didn't speak, she just listened quietly.

“We know that you still harbor resentment over the ‘succession dispute’ from the last era.”

The voice of the person in the mirror carried a certain seductive quality:
"We also know how resentful you felt when you woke up and found yourself forced to submit to a junior."

"So, we're willing to help you."

"I'll help you reclaim the position that rightfully belongs to you."

"The conditions are very simple..."

"Cooperate with us, and at a critical moment, represent the 'internal' side of the Crown Clan to acknowledge that Eve is not eligible for the inheritance."

"As long as you nod your head, the School Alliance will fully support you in becoming the new patriarch."

"By then, the Crown Clan will still be the Crown Clan, only with a more capable and qualified leader."

"how do you feel?"

Adeline remained silent for a long time in the video.

Reason told her that this was betrayal.

But desire whispers: This is your only chance.

After thousands of years of waiting, was it all just to play a supporting role to a little girl?
You should have been the clan leader! You should have stood in that position!
Ultimately, desire triumphed over reason.

"I promise you."

Adelinea's voice was hoarse: "But I have a condition."

"Please say."

"I want to break through the Grand Wizard's complete resource support."

"make a deal."

The person in the mirror smiled:
"However, there are a few things you need to do before that."

"First, show strong support for Eve at the clan meeting to gain her trust."

"Second, offer some 'suggestions' at appropriate times to subtly weaken her decision-making ability and prestige."

"Third, when we officially launch the campaign, stand up and point out her incompetence with great remorse."

"Only in this way will your 'betrayal' appear reasonable and gain the support of the clan."

"After all, no one will support a traitor who suddenly turns against them."

"But everyone will understand that an elder had to make a difficult choice 'for the future of the clan'."

Adeline nodded; she had made a choice from which there was no turning back.

The scene ends here.

Eve's consciousness faded, and she staggered back a few steps.

She could feel waves of stinging pain coming from her mental sea, a backlash caused by the overuse of magic.

"I see……"

Eve still held a sliver of hope that Adelinea was only temporarily swayed by the Alliance's terms and that there was still room for reconciliation.

But now it seems that this hope never existed in the first place.

What Adelinea always wanted was to replace.

"Then... don't blame me for being impolite."

………………

Over the next two days, Eve acted unusually "vulnerable".

She frequently convened meetings to "consult" elders like Adeline on how to deal with the pressure from the academic alliance.

Each time, she displayed just the right amount of anxiety and unease, making Adeline feel that her "acting" had worked.

At the same time, she also "inadvertently" revealed some key information:
For example, the current defensive vulnerabilities of the Crown Clan;
For example, the attitudes of several key allies;

For example, the strategy she plans to adopt at the extraordinary parliament...

Some of this information is true, and some is false.

That part was real enough to make Adelinea believe in Eve's "trust";
The false part, however, can become a fatal trap at crucial moments.

And Adeline took the bait, just as expected.

"Child, Grandma thinks your plan is still too risky."

That evening, Adeline earnestly advised him:

"Those people in the School Alliance are all old foxes who have lived for hundreds or thousands of years."

"They can see through your divisive tactics at a glance."

Her voice became softer:

"Grandma has a suggestion, though it might be a bit premature. I don't know if you'd be willing to listen?"

“Grandma, please speak.” Eve showed just the right amount of respect.

"Why don't we take the initiative to show weakness?"

Adeline said slowly:

“At tomorrow’s extraordinary council meeting, you will take the initiative to admit that you are indeed inexperienced and are willing to accept some ‘kind guidance’.”

"At the same time, it was proposed that several elders in the clan be allowed to participate."

"Including myself, Diaz, and Vivian, we'll form an 'Elders' council' to assist you in handling clan affairs."

"In this way, the academic alliance will have no reason to continue to exert pressure."

"After all, what they want is for the Crown Clan to no longer be ruled by a 'little girl'."

These words made perfect sense, and even Diaz nodded slightly in agreement, thinking that it might be a good compromise.

But Eve knew perfectly well that this was a trap.

Once the "Council of Elders" is established, Adelinea will be able to openly intervene in clan decision-making.

By then, she could gradually strip Eve of her power, eventually turning her into a puppet patriarch in name only.

"I will seriously consider Grandma's suggestion."

Eve neither immediately agreed nor directly refused, but instead gave a thoughtful look:

"However, I'd like to hear other people's opinions before making a decision."

She looked at Vivian:

"Auntie, what do you think?"

Vivian hesitated for a moment:
“I…I think Senior Adelinena makes a good point.”

"Establishing an elders council would indeed leave the academic alliance speechless."

"Moreover, having more people to help you share the burden is not a bad thing."

Eve sensed a sense of helplessness in her voice.

Vivian didn't really agree with the suggestion; she just didn't want to see Eve and Adeline clash.

In her view, Adeline was, after all, an elder and a peak Dark Sun level cultivator.

If Eve refuses too directly, it might hurt the harmony and be detrimental to clan unity.

“Where is Grandpa Diaz?” Eve asked again.

The old man remained silent for a long time before finally speaking:

"Little Eve, I support your decision."

"Whatever you choose, Grandpa will stand by you."

Eve breathed a sigh of relief.

At least, the strongest member of the clan is still willing to stand on their side.

"Since everyone has said so..."

"I'll think about it some more."

"I will give the final answer when the extraordinary council convenes tomorrow."

Adelinea was somewhat smug.

She knew that Eve had wavered.

With just one more push, this little girl will completely give in.

At that time, the position of patriarch of the Crown Clan will rightfully fall into her hands.

………………

On the third day, at the headquarters of the School Alliance.

The circular stage in the center of the hall is surrounded by tiered seats.

At this moment, these seats are already full:

There were elders from the academic alliance, representatives from various forces, and some neutral wizards who were invited to "witness" the event.

"Everyone."

The meeting was chaired by a high-ranking wizard who looked to be about sixty years old.

This is Cyrus, who once served as the "Discipline Elder" of the School Alliance and was one of the main promoters of this "questioning the Crown Clan's right of succession".

He stood in the center of the council platform, his voice amplified and carried throughout the entire hall:

"I have gathered you all here today to discuss an important issue that concerns the stability of the academic alliance."

"Regarding the current heir of the Crown Clan, whether Eve Saint Mange is qualified to continue serving as clan chief."

As soon as he finished speaking, whispers filled the hall.

Some people agree, some disagree, and most are just watching and waiting.

"Quiet."

Cyrus raised his hand to signal, and after the hall quieted down again, he continued:
"According to Article 17 of the Alliance Charter, the succession to a clan seat requires the fulfillment of three conditions:"
Bloodline inheritance, meeting strength requirements, and clan recommendation.

"Now, let's examine whether Eve Saint-Mange meets these conditions one by one."

He looked at Eve, who was sitting in the first row below the council platform:

"First, bloodline inheritance."

“Eve St. Mange, daughter of the top archmage Cassandra, has pure blood, that is beyond doubt.”

"Secondly, the required strength is met."

"According to the intelligence we have received, Eve has broken through to the Moon Rank."

Although there's still a long way to go before becoming a Grand Wizard, it barely meets the minimum standard.

Finally, the clan elected the leader.

Cyrus's tone suddenly turned stern:

"According to the internal rules of the Crown Clan, the succession of the clan chief requires the consent of 'more than half of the Dark Sun-level wizards'."

"Currently, the Crown Clan has four Dark Sun-level wizards awakened—Diaz, Vivian, Reginald, and Adeline."

"How many of these four people genuinely support Eve's right to inherit the throne?"

This question hits the nail on the head.

All eyes were on the elders of the Wang Guan clan.

Diaz remained expressionless, Vivian's eyes flickered, and Reginald wasn't even there...

Adeline, on the other hand, looked "heartbroken".

"Elder Cyrus."

Adeline slowly stood up: "I have something to say."

"please say."

"As an elder of the Crown Clan, as Eve's grandmother who watched her grow up..."

Adeline's voice grew increasingly sorrowful:

“I shouldn’t have said these things in this situation.”

"However, for the sake of the clan's future, I have to say it."

She took a deep breath:

"Eve is a good girl, kind, smart, and hardworking."

"But……"

Her tone suddenly changed: "She's too young."

"Too young to bear the burden of a thousand-year-old clan."

“During this time, I watched her frantically handle various matters, and watched her struggle to cope with the pressure from the academic alliance…”

My heart is bleeding.

Adeline's eyes reddened, and her voice trembled:

“As a clan elder, I must stand up.”

"I must say..."

“Although Eve Saint Manzhi has pure blood and outstanding talent, her current abilities are not enough to serve as the clan leader.”

“I suggest that the clan elders temporarily take over the clan affairs, and Eve can formally inherit the position of clan leader after she has accumulated enough experience and reached the Dark Sun level.”

These words were spoken with great emotion and were piercingly poignant.

Whispers erupted in the hall; these were questions raised personally by elders within the Crown Clan, making them highly credible.

Cyrus smiled with satisfaction.

"Elder Adeline, your courage is admirable."

"Then, what are the opinions of the other elders of the Crown Clan?"

He looked at Diaz and Vivian.

Vivian opened her mouth as if to say something, but in the end she lowered her head.

She dared not refute Adeline—she was not qualified, neither in terms of seniority nor strength.

Diaz frowned: "I disagree!"

"Little Eve is the heir personally recognized by the King of Absurdity!"

"What gives you the right to question the King of Absurdity's decision?!"

"Diaz, you're getting senile."

Adeline shook her head, her tone full of helplessness:
"The King of Absurdity may be great, but even He can misjudge people."

"Moreover, the King of Absurdity is currently preoccupied with his own problems and has no time to attend to the affairs of the Crown Clan."

"We cannot gamble the future of the clan on a 'maybe'."

These words were flawless.

Cyrus spoke up at the opportune moment:
"Gentlemen, the situation is now very clear."

"Of the four Dark Sun-level elders of the Crown Clan, one explicitly opposes Eve's right to inherit, one is ambiguous, and only one firmly supports her."

"And the fourth one, Reginald, didn't even want to attend the meeting."

"What does this mean?"

He looked around: "This shows that Eve St. Menge has not gained widespread acceptance within the clan at all!"

"According to Article 23 of the Alliance Charter, the Alliance has the right to intervene in clans with 'significant internal disagreements' in order to maintain overall stability."

"Therefore, I propose..."

"Temporarily freeze the Crown Clan's seat rights and establish a temporary oversight committee to assist the Crown Clan in re-electing a qualified clan leader."

"Those who agree, please raise your hands." Hands shot up in the hall.

One, two, five, ten... In the end, more than two-thirds of the participants raised their hands.

Cyrus's smile grew even brighter: "Then, according to the majority rule principle..."

"Wait a minute." Eve stood up from the first row below the council platform.

"Gentlemen, before you make your decision... I would like to ask Elder Adeline a question first."

"What's the problem?" Adeline frowned.

“You just said that you had to stand up and question my right of succession for the sake of the clan’s future.”

Eve walked slowly to the center of the council platform: "Then may I ask..."

"Was the secret deal you made with the School Alliance also for the future of the clan?"

These words were like a bombshell, exploding in the hall!

Adeline's face turned deathly pale: "You... what nonsense are you talking about?!"

"Am I talking nonsense?" Eve laughed. "Then, please let Grandma Adeline, who watched me grow up, explain..."

"Why do you always pass on the information I 'unintentionally reveal' after each clan meeting?"

"Why is it that the Alliance of Schools of Thought is always able to accurately grasp the internal situation of the Crown Clan?"

Each question was like a sharp blade, precisely piercing Adeline's vitals.

A murmur of shock erupted in the hall.

Everyone realized that things were far more complicated than they appeared.

"What...what evidence do you have?!"

Adeline retorted at the top of her lungs, "You're framing me!"

"False accusation?"

Eve stretched out her hand and lightly touched the air with her fingertips.

Magic flowed through the air, coalescing into a series of images.

These are all "evidence" carefully compiled from fragments of memory extracted by Eve.

"Everyone."

Eve looked around:

"Now, do you still think I'm 'incompetent'?"

"Or is it that some people planned from the beginning to use the Crown Clan's 'internal strife' to achieve their ulterior motives?"

Cyrus's face turned extremely ugly; he hadn't expected Eve to have so much evidence.

I never expected that Adeline, that idiot, would expose herself so thoroughly at such a crucial moment.

“I…I can explain…”

Adeline tried to struggle.

But just then—a terrifying surge of magical energy suddenly emanated from outside the hall!
The shockwave swept in like a tsunami, making everyone present feel a suffocating pressure!

The next second, the hall doors were flung open!

A figure dressed in a long black robe, with an aura so powerful it sent shivers down one's spine, slowly walked in.

Her face was covered by a hood, making it impossible to see her features clearly.

But the magical energy emanating from her clearly told everyone—she was a great wizard!

Moreover, he was an extremely powerful great wizard!
"Who gave you permission to judge my daughter at will?"

The moment the newcomer spoke, the expressions of all the wizards present who had dealt with him changed:

"Who gave you the audacity to covet a seat in the Crown Clan?"

The hood slowly slipped down, revealing a face that everyone was familiar with, yet could hardly believe.

Cassandra Saint-Mange.

The master of the Crystal Spire, the former patriarch of the Crown Clan, and the most powerful wizard of our time who has been out of contact for over thirty years.

She has come back!

Everyone present stared wide-eyed in disbelief at the figure that shouldn't be there.

"Cassandra?!"

Cyrus staggered back a few steps, his voice filled with barely concealed terror:
"You...you weren't missing?!"

"Loss of contact?"

Cassandra let out a sarcastic chuckle:
"Heh... It seems some people really hope I never come back, and they're even already eager to divide up my inheritance?"

Her gaze swept across all the attendees with a sharp, piercing intensity.

Every wizard who came into her sight involuntarily lowered their head, not daring to meet her gaze.

"Vivian."

Cassandra spoke again without warning: "Come here."

Vivian was startled and instinctively stood up, almost scrambling to her feet as she walked to Cassandra.

"Sister...sister..."

Her voice trembled violently, and her eyes were filled with fear.

"Kneel down."

Upon hearing this, Vivian almost instinctively knelt down, her head bowed low, not daring to raise it.

Cassandra looked down at her sister, her voice filled with disappointment:

"You're still as foolish as you were when you were young! Just as indecisive! Just as prone to trembling in the shadow of others!"

Every word was like a heavy hammer blow to Vivi's heart.

"Your ancestors entrusted you with assisting Eve, what have you done?"

"Watching an outsider enter the clan, watching her gradually undermine my daughter's authority in meetings, watching her secretly collude with the academic alliance..."

Cassandra's voice grew increasingly cold:
"Yet you didn't dare utter a single word!"

"You think you're 'maintaining harmony,' but you're actually just being cowardly!"

"You think you're 'respecting your elders,' but you're actually just shirking your responsibilities!"

“Vivian, this is why you can never break through to the Great Wizard level.”

That last sentence completely shattered Vivian's psychological defenses.

She lay on the ground, her shoulders trembling violently, tears streaming silently down her face.

Cassandra looked down at her:
“You are missing the most crucial thing – ‘willpower’.”

"Without will, there is no belief;"
Without faith, the illusory body cannot be made whole;
"If the ethereal remains incomplete, it will forever remain at the Dark Sun level, forever only able to look up to those great wizards."

She turned away, refusing to look at Vivian again:
"Go back to seclusion."

"If we cannot break through within three hundred years, then we will remain asleep forever."

"At least, the sleeping losers will not become a burden to the clan."

These words were utterly merciless and extremely cruel.

"As for you..."

After dealing with her sister, Cassandra's gaze fell on Adeline.

The old woman slumped in her seat, her face ashen, her lips trembling, unable to utter a single word.

"Adelinea, what an old and prestigious name..."

Cassandra walked slowly toward her, making sarcastic remarks.

“My distant ancestors, the pride of the Crown Clan.”

"In the last era, he chose to sleep because he failed to win the position of clan leader. Thousands of years later, he chose to betray the clan because he coveted power."

"do you know?"

She stopped in front of Adeline, leaned down, and whispered almost in her ear:
“I’ve always known about your resentment.”

“My ancestors told me that of all the sleepers, your resentment is the deepest.”

Adeline's pupils contracted sharply.

"You...you knew all along..."

"of course I know."

Cassandra straightened up: "You think you've hidden it well?"

"You think no one noticed your little tricks?"

“Adeline, you have lived for thousands of years, yet you still don’t understand one thing.”

She reached out and gently touched Adeline's forehead:
"In the face of a true strongman, all schemes and tricks are a joke."

"No!"

Adeline finally realized what was happening and desperately tried to back away.

But her body was pinned down by Cassandra's magical pressure, and she couldn't move at all.

"I...I was wrong! I was really wrong!"

She begged for mercy in a hoarse voice:

"Cassandra, for the sake of our bloodline, for the sake of me being your ancestor, spare my life!"

"I swear, I swear I'll never do it again..."

"Too late."

Cassandra's voice was filled with satisfaction: "I never give a traitor a second chance."

As soon as she finished speaking, the space behind her suddenly twisted and tore apart.

A black phantom slowly emerged from the crack.

It was a bottomless chasm with a huge mouth in the center, the edges of which were covered with countless fine, sharp teeth.

Every tooth was vibrating, making a grinding sound that made your teeth ache.

Deep within, one can vaguely see countless twisted figures struggling, wailing, and trying to crawl out.

"This is……"

Seeing the illusory remains appear, Cyrus completely lost any doubt about the authenticity of the returnees:
"'The Abyss of Greed'?!"

Terrified screams echoed through the hall; everyone recognized the legendary phallus.

That was Cassandra's "soul manifestation" when she became a great wizard, representing her ultimate pursuit of power.

It is said that anything swallowed by the "Abyss of Greed" will be completely transformed into Cassandra's own power.

Whether it's magic, soul, memory, or even existence itself, everything will be digested, absorbed, and assimilated by it.

"no, do not want!"

Adeline struggled frantically, trying to activate any spell that would allow her to escape.

However, under the suppression of power at the level of a Grand Wizard, her proud peak Dark Sun level strength was as fragile as paper.

The "Abyss of Greed" opened its bottomless maw.

A terrifying suction force erupted from it, and Adeline's body was uncontrollably dragged toward that giant mouth!

"Save me! Save me!"

She reached out her hand to those around her, her eyes filled with despair:

"Cyrus! Didn't you say you'd protect me?!"

"I've done so much for you! You can't just stand by and watch me die!"

But no one dared to move.

Who would dare to stand in the way of Cassandra's execution of the traitor?

That would be tantamount to courting death.

“Ahhhhh——!”

Adeline's scream echoed through the hall.

Her body was slowly swallowed by the abyss—first her feet, then her calves, thighs, and waist…

The most terrifying thing is that she is still alive and can clearly feel her body being "digested".

This kind of pain far surpasses any form of torture.

"Cassandra...I curse you...I curse you!"

Before the final curse could be finished, Adeline's head was swallowed up as well.

The giant mouth closed, the spatial rift healed, and everything returned to normal.

Those present were so shocked that they were speechless.

Cassandra didn't even give Adeline any chance to defend herself.

They killed without hesitation, cleanly and decisively, without any delay.

This is the style of the most powerful wizard of our time—absolute power brings absolute authority.

"Everyone."

Cassandra turned around and glanced at the others.

"I'm only going to say it once."

Her voice wasn't loud, but it resonated in everyone's minds:
"The affairs of the Crown Clan are none of the business of outsiders."

“My daughter Eve Saint Menge is the heir I have personally chosen and approved by the King of Absurdity.”

"Her right of inheritance is sacred and inviolable."

"Who dares to question this..."

Cassandra licked her lips: "You all saw what happened to Adelinea."

"As for you fools..."

Her gaze fell on Cyrus and several other key figures:
"Do you really think you can do whatever you want just because I've gone missing?"

"Do you really think that the 'majority rule' of the academic alliance can supersede me, the tower master?"

Cyrus broke out in a cold sweat, trying to explain himself.

But it felt like something was blocking his throat, and he couldn't say a single word.

"I'm in a pretty good mood right now, so I'll give you a chance."

Cassandra said calmly:

"roll."

"Get out of my sight immediately, right now."

"otherwise……"

"Yes Yes……"

Cyrus practically tumbled and crawled out of the hall.

Several other key proponents followed suit, wishing their parents could give them more legs.

The remaining neutrals and bystanders didn't dare linger for a moment, scrambling to escape this place of trouble.

In just a few minutes, the hall, which was originally full of people, was reduced to only a handful of people.

Several members of the Wangguan clan, along with a few old friends who genuinely had deep ties with the Wangguan clan and were unwilling to take advantage of their misfortune.

Thank you all for your support.

Cassandra nodded to her old friends: "The Crown Clan will remember this favor."

"Don't dare, don't dare..."

The old friends quickly returned the greeting, their foreheads also beaded with sweat.

Although they had a good relationship with the Crown Clan, they still instinctively felt fear in the face of Cassandra.

"Okay, let's all disperse."

Cassandra waved her hand: "Go do what you're supposed to do, don't get in the way."

After all the outsiders left, only the members of the Crown Clan remained in the hall.

Eve stood still, her amethyst eyes gazing quietly at her "mother".

Vivian remained kneeling on the ground, too afraid to get up.

Diaz looked at Cassandra with a complicated expression, as if he wanted to say something but didn't know where to begin.

"Eve."

Cassandra looked at her daughter, and the coldness in her eyes finally dissipated:
"Well done."

"To remain calm in such a predicament, to set a trap to expose Adelinea, and to seize the initiative at the crucial moment..."

"You have grown up."

"They've grown up to the point where they no longer need me as their mother."

Eve didn't speak, but her vision slowly began to blur.

"Alright, Vivian, you can get up now."

Cassandra looked at her sister beside her and sighed:

"What I said just now may have been a bit harsh, but it was really for your own good."

"Go back and think about it carefully. If you want to make further progress, you must change."

"If you don't want to change things... then accept your fate."

Vivian stood up shakily, her eyes red-rimmed:

"Sister...I..."

"do not talk."

Cassandra waved her hand:
"Let's go back to our ancestral homeland."

"Some things need to be discussed behind closed doors." (End of Chapter)