The Wizard of Truth: Starting with Analyzing All Things

Stepping into Master Field's study again, the scent of ancient books and exotic herbs remained, but Rowe's state of mind was completely different from before. He was more composed, and more vigilant.

Master Field stood before the lab table, but this time, instead of a bubbling potion, he faced a sealed lead box from which wisps of black mist seeped. The mist carried an unsettling, chilling, deathly aura, originating from the same source as the shadow energy Rowe had sensed earlier, but its concentration and malevolence were more than ten times stronger!

Standing just a few meters away, Luo Wei felt as if his mental energy was being pricked by needles, with a faint stinging and rejection sensation. His optimized meditation technique automatically accelerated to suppress this discomfort.

"You've arrived." Field turned around, his face slightly paler than usual, his eyes carrying an undisguised weariness and gravity. His gaze fell on Rowe, as if trying to discern something from his expression. "It seems the elder deacon's examination didn't cause you too much trouble. Your mental strength is much more solid than that of an average mid-level apprentice."

"Thank you for your concern, Master. I was just lucky," Luo Wei replied respectfully, his gaze involuntarily drifting to the lead box that was shrouded in black mist.

Field followed his gaze, his expression serious: "It seems you've sensed it too. This is one of the root causes of the Academy's recent crackdown—the contaminated core fragments of the 'Shadow Well'."

**Shadow Well**!

Luo Wei was deeply shaken. He had glimpsed this term briefly in the workshop's forbidden materials section; it was said to be related to an ancient, sealed evil entity whose leaked energy could corrupt life and soul, inducing madness and mutation. Could the recent disappearances of apprentices be connected to this Shadow Well?

“Don’t panic, this is just a tiny fragment, and it has already been partially sealed.” Field pointed to the lead box. “It was found in a destroyed, hidden altar outside the city, and the energy traces left at the scenes of several apprentice disappearances are consistent with those found in other cases. Someone, or some organization, is trying to use the power of the Shadow Well to perform some kind of ritual that we don’t yet fully understand.”

He looked at Luo Wei, his eyes sharp: "I called you here because Tina reported that you have a unique and effective method for dealing with materials containing abnormal or negative energy. You even perfectly separated the mental corrosive toxins of the 'Heart-Eating Grass.' So, what are your thoughts on this pure shadow pollution? Or rather, can your 'method' be effective against it?"

Lowe's heart skipped a beat. He finally understood Field's true purpose in continuing to monitor and recruit him! It wasn't just about handling advanced pharmaceutical materials; it was about recognizing his potential ability to deal with this kind of dangerous contamination!

This is an extremely dangerous mission, but also a tremendous opportunity. If he can demonstrate the ability to handle the Shadow Contamination, his value in the eyes of Field and even the Academy's higher-ups will increase dramatically, and the resources and knowledge he can access will be completely different.

But he must be cautious. The pollution of the Shadow Well is no small matter, far surpassing the poison of the Heart-Eating Grass. He cannot expose the core of the Book of Truth; he must find a reasonable explanation and method based on existing knowledge.

He took a deep breath, not answering immediately, but stepping forward cautiously towards the lead box. He didn't touch it with his hands, but instead activated his [Low-Level Energy Vision] to its fullest extent, drawing upon the rudimentary concepts of "energy field" he had gleaned from the stone slab, carefully sensing the wisps of black mist leaking out.

In his "vision," it was no longer a simple black mist, but an extremely active, aggressive, and destructive **negative energy field**! Like countless tiny black tentacles, it frantically tried to burrow into the energy structure of the real world, eroding and assimilating it. It rejected almost all positive and life energy, its internal structure chaotic and violent.

"Analysis Target: Contamination Energy in Shadow Wells (Trace Amount)"

**[Analysis Target: High-concentration negative energy/Shadow essence fragments (inertized and sealed state)]**

**[Energy Characteristics: Highly corrosive, chaotic, life-repelling, soul-polluting…]**

**[Structural Analysis: The energy field structure is extremely unstable, containing numerous 'energy fissures' and 'negative energy vortices'...**

**[Preliminary Response Strategy (Based on the 'Energy Field' Theory and the Derivation of the Seventeen Basic Rune Types):]**

**[Strategy 1: Construct a 'Reverse Resonance Field'. Simulate its energy frequency but apply a reverse phase, triggering its internal structure to oscillate and collapse. (High risk, requires extremely high control)]**

**[Strategy Two: Construct a 'Purification and Isolation Field'. Utilize positive energy particles of specific frequencies (such as sunlight or life essence) to build a barrier, slowly neutralizing and isolating the target. (Relatively safe, but less efficient and requires a specific energy source)]**

**[Strategy Three: Construct an 'Energy Drainage Field'. Create a stronger, opposite-natured 'pseudo-field' around its energy field, guiding its energy to passively flow into a specific container or nothingness. (Medium risk, requires strong field-construction skills)]**

The Book of Truth once again provides an incredible solution, and it clearly incorporates the essence of the knowledge from the slate!

Lowe closed his eyes, seemingly sensing and contemplating carefully. After a while, he opened his eyes, a hint of uncertainty and tentativeness in them, and said to Field:

"Master, this energy... is very peculiar and dangerous. It doesn't seem to be simple elemental energy, but more like a 'field' with extremely high activity and corrosiveness." He deliberately used the word "field" to observe Field's reaction.

A glint flashed in Field's eyes, but he didn't interrupt, signaling him to continue.

"When dealing with the Heart-Eating Grass toxin before, the students discovered that instead of forcibly fighting it, it was better to try to understand the patterns of its energy fluctuations, and then apply subtle interference to cause its internal structure to disintegrate on its own. For this kind of shadow pollution, perhaps... we can try a similar method." Luo Wei carefully chose his words, "For example, instead of directly contacting it, we can construct a special, completely different energy environment around it that can resonate with it in some way, to guide or... interfere with its own stability."

He did not specify a particular "reverse resonance field" or "energy flow field," but only proposed a directional concept based on "field theory."

Field's face showed extreme surprise. He stared intently at Rowe, as if he were truly getting to know this young apprentice for the first time. "'Field'? 'Resonance'? Guiding rather than resisting?" he murmured to himself, his eyes gleaming with contemplation. "A very interesting approach... completely different from the forced dispersal of traditional purification spells or the isolation of sealing spells. This seems... closer to some ancient wizarding philosophy of dealing with exotic energies."

A thought flickered in Lowe's mind: Master Field seemed to have some knowledge of ancient things as well?

"Your idea is bold and insightful," Field finally said, pointing to the lead box. "It's theoretically feasible, but extremely dangerous in practice. One wrong move could accelerate the spread of pollution, or even backfire. Are you sure you want to try it? Even just a theoretical simulation and a very small-scale experiment?"

"The student is willing to give it a try," Lowe replied firmly. Risk and opportunity coexist; he needed this opportunity to validate his ideas and elevate his standing in Field's eyes. "However, the student needs some preparation, an absolutely safe and closed experimental environment, and... may need to use some materials containing pure positive energy or life energy as references and 'tools'."

"Sure," Field agreed readily. "I'll arrange a quiet room for you with a basic protective magic array. As for materials, make a list for Tina what you need: 'Sunstone Powder,' 'Morning Dew,' or 'Twigs of the Tree of Life (the lowest grade).'"

He paused, then added, "Remember, safety first. If you ever feel out of control, stop immediately and activate the sealing array in the meditation room. Your value far exceeds this piece of contaminated debris."

That last sentence, carrying an undeniable sense of protection, warmed Luo Wei's heart slightly.

"Yes, Master! I understand."

Carrying Field's warrant and a heavy heart for the new challenge, Rowe left the study. He immediately found Tina and presented her with a list containing several positive energy materials. When Tina saw the list and the warrant, the shock in her eyes was almost undisguised, but she asked nothing, only gave Rowe a deep look, and then went to prepare.

The new meditation room was located deep within the apothecary workshop, its walls and floor engraved with intricate runes, radiating a stable energy fluctuation. Lowe placed the sealed lead box on the stone platform in the center of the room, surrounded by the materials he had requested: a small bottle of shimmering golden sunstone powder, a bottle of clear, faintly glowing morning dew, and a small, vibrant, verdant branch of the Tree of Life.

He didn't rush to deal with the contamination core inside the lead box. He first picked up the positive energy materials and "analyzed" them one by one to gain a deeper understanding of the characteristics, frequency, and intensity of their energy fields.

Then, he began to try to construct several "fields" deduced from the Book of Truth.

His first attempt was to create a relatively safe "purification and isolation field." He mobilized his mental energy to guide the energy of the sunstone powder to radiate outwards, while simultaneously using morning dew as a medium to try and construct a weak force field filled with warm, positive energy. This required extremely high mental control, and he failed dozens of times before he could barely form an extremely unstable pale golden light shield with a range of less than one square meter.

He attempted to introduce a wisp of shadowy mist leaking from the gaps in the lead box into the light shield. With a soft hissing sound, the mist slowly melted like snow meeting the sun, but the light shield also shook violently, almost collapsing. It was inefficient and difficult to maintain.

He rested for a moment, swallowed a secret energy aggregate to restore his mental strength, and then began to try the riskier but potentially more effective "energy flow field".

This time, he no longer attempted direct neutralization. Instead, he used the powerful yet gentle life force field of the Tree of Life's tender branches as a blueprint to try and construct a "pseudo-life force field" with the opposite nature but higher intensity around it. Recalling the concepts in the stone tablet about "energy channels being in resonance" and "runes being the trajectory of energy flow," his mental power no longer forcibly shaped the energy, but rather, like guiding water, he tried to "draw" a "trajectory" that could attract and guide negative energy.

This is an extremely delicate process. Countless times, the "field" he constructed collapsed due to structural instability or failed to generate effective guidance due to frequency deviation.

Time slipped away with each failure. By late at night, Luo Wei's mental energy was almost completely depleted, and his face was pale.

Just as he was about to give up and try again tomorrow, he had a sudden inspiration and incorporated his previous understanding of "structural stability" from the "Seventeen Basic Runes" into the construction of the field.

Instead of pursuing a complete simulation of the life field, he constructed a neutral "guiding field" with an exceptionally stable structure and an interior filled with subtle energy vortices.

The moment this invisible field took shape, something strange happened!

The wisps of shadowy mist seeping from the lead box seemed to be drawn by some invisible force. Instead of spreading aimlessly, they began to flow slowly, like a stream flowing into a river, towards the neutral field constructed by Luo Wei. There, they were slowly crushed, diluted, and eventually turned into nothingness in the tiny energy vortexes.

It's a success! The "energy flow field" is a success!

Although the efficiency was still low and the traffic generation was slow, this proved that his ideas and direction were absolutely correct! He had found a new path to deal with high-risk pollution that was different from traditional methods!

A tired yet excited smile appeared on Luo Wei's pale face.

Just then, there was a gentle knock on the door of the quiet room.

Tina's voice came from outside the door, tinged with a barely perceptible urgency: "Love, Master Field asked me to inform you that tomorrow morning, you need to follow the workshop's guards to the outskirts of the 'Dark Forest' to collect a batch of urgently needed 'Moonlight Mushrooms' and 'Silverleaf Grass'."

A dark, dense forest? That's a dangerous area on the edge of the academy's controlled territory, where monsters occasionally appear.

Why send him on a field collection mission at such a sensitive time?

Looking at the lead box in the center of the quiet room, which was still being slowly channeled, Luo Wei recalled the shadow energy he had sensed earlier, which had flashed by in the high-rise tower.