The Wizard of Truth: Starting with Analyzing All Things

The return to the academy went more smoothly than expected. Captain Barton submitted his mission report, focusing on the unusual attack by the Bone-Eating Wolves and Rowena's "strange yet effective" mental interference techniques. This report would inevitably attract further attention from the Deacon, but it also provided a relatively reasonable (though still suspicious) explanation for Rowena's abilities—his special sensitivity to and application of energy fluctuations.

Lowe handed over the collected moon mushrooms and silverleaf grass to the workshop; their quality was impeccable, earning Tina's barely perceptible nod once more. He didn't mention the mysterious observer in the treetop; without evidence and a clear intention, reporting it rashly would only make him seem paranoid, and might even alert the culprit.

He focused his main efforts back on three things: using workshop resources to accelerate his cultivation, continuing his research on shadow contamination, and most importantly—breaking the gray slate.

After advancing to **Intermediate Apprentice** and stabilizing his realm, his efficiency in optimizing meditation techniques increased significantly. Combined with the two low-grade magic stones allocated monthly by the workshop and the extra resources he occasionally obtained using contribution points, his mental strength steadily progressed towards **Late Intermediate Apprentice**. This speed was astonishing for ordinary apprentices, but due to Rowe's deliberate low profile and the "talent" he had previously displayed, it didn't cause much of a stir. Only Tina and Master Field, who occasionally paid attention to him, could vaguely sense that the level of refinement in his mental strength far surpassed his peers.

In his research on shadow contamination, Lowe conducted several more cautious experiments in Field's quiet room. His main focus was refining the "energy diversion field," making its structure more stable and its diversion efficiency slowly increasing. He dared not easily attempt the riskier "reverse resonance field," as it required too much mental control and computational power. He meticulously recorded the data and observations from each experiment (of course, in a filtered and refined version) and reported to Field regularly. Field expressed satisfaction with his progress and provided some traditional theoretical knowledge about the properties of negative energy as supplementary information, which gave Lowe a more comprehensive understanding of shadow well contamination.

However, the biggest breakthrough still came from that seemingly inconspicuous gray slab.

As his mental strength improved and his understanding of "field" deepened, his synchronization rate with the stone slab finally broke through the threshold of **20%**.

The instant the synchronization rate reached 20%, an anomaly occurred!

No longer fragmented streams of information, the subtle energy patterns on the stone slab, previously covered in grime, suddenly lit up, emitting a continuous and stable gray light! These lights intertwined in the air, not forming words, but rather creating an extremely complex and constantly subtly changing **three-dimensional energy structure diagram**!

This structural diagram, composed of countless tiny runes and energy channels following some strange geometric pattern, seemed to be elucidating the ultimate mystery of energy aggregation, stability, and flow. Luo Wei felt dizzy after only a few glances; the amount of information it contained was unimaginably vast.

**[A stable information carrier (ancient knowledge transmission model) has been detected...]**

**[Currently recording the "Construction Method of Constant Energy Field Base Plate (Incomplete)"...]**

**[Recording progress: 1%... (Information is too complex, parsing speed has been greatly reduced)]**

**Constant Energy Field Base Construction Method**!

Lowe's heart pounded. This sounded like a technology capable of permanently or semi-permanently maintaining some kind of energy field! This was far beyond the reach of zero-ring magic or ordinary first-ring sorcery! It was more like the foundation for constructing the energy core of a wizard's tower, or the basis for some large, permanent magic array!

Although it is incomplete and its analysis speed is ridiculously slow, it is undoubtedly a huge treasure trove! Once mastered, it will bring about revolutionary changes, whether for defense, cultivation, or the industrial production of "energy reconstruction" as he envisions!

He suppressed the urge to immediately immerse himself in the discovery and carefully put away the stone slab whose light gradually dimmed and returned to normal. This discovery was too astonishing to be revealed in the slightest.

Just as he was digesting this huge gain, Tina found him again, bringing Master Field's new instructions. But this time, she wasn't asking him to go to the laboratory or the quiet room.

"Love, the master wants you to go to his study. It's important." Tina's tone was more serious than usual, even carrying a hint of... gravity?

Luo Wei felt a slight chill, composed himself, and immediately set off.

Inside the study, Master Field did not stand at the experimental table, but sat behind his desk, his fingers lightly tapping the surface. In front of him were not medicinal materials, but several parchment scrolls and a silver token that emitted a faint spatial fluctuation.

"Sit down," Field said, gesturing to the chair opposite him.

Luo Wei sat down as instructed, his gaze sweeping over the scrolls and tokens.

"I'm very satisfied with your ideas and progress in dealing with shadow pollution," Field said bluntly, his eyes sharp. "Your theory of 'fields,' though still quite rudimentary, has enormous potential, especially for this kind of pollution that's difficult to eradicate using traditional methods."

He picked up a scroll and handed it to Luo Wei: "This is a cleanup order jointly issued by the Deacon and the Academy's higher-ups. We've discovered another stronghold outside the city that is suspected to be related to the Shadow Well leak. It's larger than the altar we visited last time, and the residual contamination is more severe. Traditional purification teams are too inefficient and vulnerable to attacks from enemies hiding in the shadows."

Lowe took the scroll, opened it, and found a map marking located deeper in the dark forest, near a mountain crevice, along with instructions authorizing Master Field to organize a special team to clear it.

"I need you to participate in this operation." Field's words were like a thunderclap in Rowe's ears.

Participating in a cleanup operation against the Shadow Stronghold led by a formal wizard? This is far more dangerous than previous gathering missions!

"Master, I..." Luo Wei instinctively wanted to decline. With his current strength, participating in an operation at this level would be tantamount to being cannon fodder.

Field raised his hand to interrupt him: "I understand your concerns. You're not part of the main fighting force. Your mission is to act as a 'technical advisor,' using your unique perception and processing methods of contaminated energy to guide the purification process, identify the core nodes of the contamination, improve cleanup efficiency, and reduce the risks to the team members."

He pointed to the silver token: "This is a 'Short-Range Teleportation Token,' a one-time use item. In case of insurmountable danger, it can instantly teleport you back to the outskirts of the academy. This is for your survival."

He picked up another thin scroll of a special material: "These are the blueprints for making a 'Soul Amulet,' which can effectively resist a certain degree of mental pollution and soul erosion. The workshop can provide some of the core materials for making it, but you'll need to find the main 'Purifying Crystal' and 'Tranquilizing Flower' yourself when you're clearing out the stronghold. According to intelligence, these materials may grow inside that stronghold."

Field looked intently at Rowe: "Risk and opportunity go hand in hand, Rowe. This operation will not only give you firsthand experience in dealing with shadow contamination, but it will also greatly benefit your cultivation of that 'field'. Moreover, if you can successfully create the 'Soul Amulet,' it will have immeasurable benefits for your future exploration of any field related to the soul and spirit."

"Of course, the decision is yours." Field leaned forward slightly, his tone carrying a hint of pressure. "The academy needs this kind of ability from you. I also hope you can grow faster. But if you refuse, I won't force you. You can still stay in the workshop and continue your research and studies."

Luo Wei fell silent.

He instantly understood Field's true intentions. This was a test, an investment, and also... a exploitation. The academy needed his "special blade" capable of handling contamination, and Field wanted to see its sharpness in real combat, as well as its loyalty. The teleportation token and the soul amulet blueprint were both protection and temptation.

Rejection might mean safety, but it could also mean losing Field's attention and subsequent resource allocation, or even being marginalized. In this perilous academy, having no backing and no value is equally dangerous.

Acceptance means stepping into real danger, facing the shadow cultists and severe pollution, where life and death are uncertain.

But in his mind, the vast "Construction Method of Constant Energy Field Base" in the stone slab flashed by, as did the enormous computing power and energy required for the Book of Truth to deduce more knowledge, the mysterious figure peering from the treetop, and the lingering worries brought about by Harris's disappearance.

Stability cannot bring him the rapid growth and the ability to cope with future crises that he needs.

He took a deep breath, raised his head, and met Field's gaze, his eyes resolute: "Thank you for the opportunity, Master. I am willing to go and do my part to eliminate the threat to the Academy."

A satisfied smile spread across Field's face as he pushed the scroll and token toward Rowe: "Excellent! Get ready, we're leaving in three days. Tina will tell you about the team members and the specific plan. In the next few days, you can use the workshop's resources first and familiarize yourself with the blueprints for the 'Soul Amulet' as quickly as possible."

"Yes, Master."

Leaving the study, Luo Wei held the cold teleportation token and the scroll containing the blueprints for the Soul Amulet, his heart heavy and complicated.

He knew he had taken on an extremely dangerous job. But it could also be a huge stepping stone.

He returned to his room and first unfurled the blueprints for the Soul Amulet. This was also a simplified version of an ancient technology involving energy field stability and soul protection; its structure was intricate, requiring extremely high levels of skill in material selection and mental manipulation.

"Analysis Target: Soul Amulet Crafting Blueprint"

**[Analysis Objective: Low-Level Soul Protection Device Crafting Guide (Simplified Version)]**

**[Structural Analysis: Based on the fundamental fields of 'Tranquility' and 'Guardianship'...the core lies in the fusion of the energy filtering of the 'Purifying Crystal' and the spiritual calming field of the 'Tranquilizing Flower'...]**

**[Optimized Solution: Based on the concept of 'Constant Energy Field Base Construction Method (Incomplete)', the stability of its field can be enhanced, increasing the protective effect by approximately 15%, and reducing the production difficulty and mental consumption by 20%...]**

The Book of Truth once again demonstrated its powerful abilities, managing to optimize existing blueprints using newly acquired ancient knowledge!

A flicker of excitement crossed Lowe's eyes. This meant that he could not only complete the mission, but also create a soul amulet that was even better than expected! This would undoubtedly greatly increase his chances of survival in this dangerous mission.

He immediately immersed himself in studying the blueprints and devising optimization plans.

Three days is an incredibly tight timeframe. He needs to master the optimized amulet-making method as quickly as possible and improve his strength as much as possible.