The Wizard of Truth: Starting with Analyzing All Things

The evidence and investigation report jointly submitted by Rowe, Barton, and Lilith were like a boulder thrown into the already turbulent pool of power within the academy, stirring up huge waves.

Under the pressure of irrefutable evidence and impending questioning from the elders, Quincy's psychological defenses completely crumbled. To protect himself, he revealed part of the truth: indeed, a deacon from the Grey Tower had pressured him through an intermediary, providing some "evidence" demanding that he quickly solidify Kyle's guilt. The aim was to strike at Rowe, who had recently gained too much attention and repeatedly clashed with the Grey Tower. He was responsible for carrying out the plan and had secretly added a framing agent to make his achievement more "solid," but he hadn't expected Rowe's insight to be so terrifying.

Ultimately, Quincy was stripped of his position as head of enforcement, stripped of some of his magic, and expelled from the academy, suffering a tragic end. Kyle, on the other hand, was severely punished for embezzling public funds and privately purifying magic. He was deducted three years' worth of resource rations and required to complete a series of dangerous disciplinary tasks, but his life and apprenticeship were spared.

As for the Grey Tower, the deacon who intervened quickly distanced himself, shifting all blame to the middleman and Quincy for their "unauthorized actions." With no direct evidence pointing to higher levels of the Grey Tower, the matter ultimately ended with the sacrifice of a few low-ranking members. But it was clear to everyone that the Grey Tower had suffered a hidden loss and a significant blow to its reputation in this confrontation.

This battle propelled Luo Wei's reputation within the academy to new heights. This was not only due to his renewed display of uncanny insight, but also because he dared to confront the enforcement team and even the Gray Tower behind them head-on for the sake of a companion who wasn't entirely innocent, and ultimately triumphed. This earned him the respect and implicit support of many neutral apprentices and even some lower-ranking deacons. Of course, it also aroused deeper fear and hostility from the Gray Tower and its affiliated forces.

With the storm temporarily subsided, Luo Wei's life seemed to have returned to normal, but he knew that the calm was only superficial.

He first went to visit Kyle, who had just been released from confinement and looked haggard. The atmosphere in that familiar room of Laboratory Seven was somewhat awkward.

"Love... this time, really... thank you." Kyle's voice was hoarse and filled with lingering fear as he looked at the apprentice who had once needed his "protection" but had now become his savior. He was filled with gratitude, but also with a sense of indescribable loss and awe.

"Senior Kyle, let bygones be bygones." Luo Wei said calmly, handing over a small cloth bag. "Inside are some potions to help restore your spirit and magic, as well as a few energy crystals. They should help you get through the difficulties ahead."

Kyle took the bag, sensing the pure energy fluctuations within, his hand trembling slightly. He knew this was no ordinary item distributed by the academy. "This...this is too precious..."

"Take it. The Seventh Laboratory still needs you." Luo Wei looked at him. "After this experience, I hope you understand that some shortcuts cannot be taken, and some bottom lines cannot be crossed. As long as we act uprightly, some troubles may not be insurmountable."

Kyle nodded heavily, a hint of regret and determination flashing in his eyes: "I understand! Lowe, from now on, the Seventh Laboratory... no, from now on, I, Kyle, will follow your lead!" He had completely expressed his attitude of surrender and obedience.

Luo Wei didn't refuse, but patted him on the shoulder: "Recover well, the lab can't function properly without you."

After settling things off with Kyle, Rowe focused more on his own development and digesting his newfound gains.

He entered another period of "reflection." He spent most of his time in the secret dark room, combining the theories of Karls's Notebook with the control brought by the "Heart of Analysis" mark, and devoted himself to studying the "Void Dust Foundation".

His goal was clear—to inscribe and construct the first practical, semi-permanent energy field on this perfect foundation.

After repeated deductions and simulations using the Book of Truth, he finally determined his first target: "a miniature energy convergence field".

This field's function is not for attack or defense, but rather to gather free-floating magical particles from the surrounding environment, forming an energy zone with a higher-than-average concentration around the base to aid in cultivation. This is gentler and more sustainable than directly using magic stones or energy aggregates.

The design process was extremely complex. He needed to combine Karls' theories on energy nodes, flow paths, and will anchoring with his own understanding of "resonance" and "field" to construct a three-dimensional blueprint of the entire energy field in his mind. This involved the arrangement and combination of hundreds of energy runes, the interweaving and connection of countless energy circuits, and the precise calculation of the overall structural stability.

He failed countless times. The drain on his mental energy was like a bottomless pit; if it weren't for the Moonlit Amulet and his own refined "Heart of Analysis," he would have collapsed long ago. With each failure, the misdirected energy on his foundation would cause minor structural damage or energy stagnation, which he had to carefully guide and smooth out before he could attempt the next time.

This is not only a test of knowledge, but also an ultimate test of patience, perseverance, and mental control.

Time slipped away quietly amidst these repeated failures and adjustments. The outside world's discussions about him gradually subsided, and the Grey Tower seemed to temporarily go into hiding. Barton, having successfully built up his achievements and accumulated experience, began his secluded cultivation to attempt to reach the level of a quasi-wizard. Lilith, meanwhile, made a new breakthrough in potion-making, seemingly having reverse-engineered a new type of potion that could temporarily enhance mental resistance from the mutation of the Howling Demon Flower.

Lowe seemed to have returned to his obscure apprenticeship, with only a very few people knowing the difficult and important explorations he was undertaking.

Until one late night a month later.

In the secret chamber, Luo Wei's face was pale, but his eyes shone with an eerie light. His fingertips flowed with condensed, almost tangible, silvery-white spiritual energy as he traced the final, and most crucial, energy circuit on the Void Stardust Foundation. The entire foundation was now covered with countless fine, intricate, yet strangely beautiful energy patterns, which seemed to breathe faintly, emitting a hazy glow, as if they were alive.

The last bit of spiritual energy landed, perfectly connecting with the entire field!

Om-!

A deep, resonant hum emanated from within the base! The previously dull black base suddenly lit up, emitting a soft and stable milky-white glow! All the energy patterns on the base seemed to be activated instantly, forming a perfectly self-consistent, continuously and slowly circulating energy cycle system!

Centered on the base plate, within a three-meter radius, the free magical particles in the air seemed to be drawn by an invisible force, spontaneously and slowly converging towards the base plate, causing the energy concentration in this area to increase by about 10%!

Success! The "Miniature Energy Convergence Field" has been successfully constructed!

Although the scope was small and the improvement was not significant, it meant that Luo Wei had truly and independently completed the construction of a semi-permanent energy field! This was a huge leap for him from theory to practice!

He could sense that this field was perfectly integrated with the base plate. As long as the base plate was not destroyed, it could sustain itself for a long time by absorbing and circulating the weak energy in the environment! This was the initial manifestation of the "base plate" theory!

A surge of immense accomplishment and exhaustion washed over him simultaneously; Luo Wei was nearly collapsed, yet a radiant smile graced his face. He carefully placed the base plate, inscribed with an energy convergence field, in the center of the dark room, then sat within the field's boundaries and began practicing meditation.

Instantly, he felt his mental energy recover much faster, and the energy around him, which had become ten times more concentrated, flowed into his body like a gentle stream, where it was efficiently converted and absorbed.

"The effect is not bad... Although it is not as good as using magic stones directly, it has the advantage of being long-lasting and automatic..." Luo Wei nodded in satisfaction.

This is just the beginning. With this successful experience, he can try to construct more complex and powerful fields. For example, a small-scale automated reaction core of a "secondary energy aggregate"? Or a miniature "tranquil training room"? Or even... in the future, in a safe place, to construct the prototype of his own true "wizard tower" energy core?

The prospects are incredibly bright!

However, just as he was immersed in the joy of success and his anticipation for the future, the [Shadow Crystal] sealed in his arms once again emitted a whisper that was clearer and more alluring than before:

"...Do you see that...? This is the power of 'structure'... Order arises from chaos... Light is born from darkness... Embrace the shadows... and you will be able to... reconstruct... everything..."

At the same time, a fragmented method on how to use shadow energy to "temporarily blur the material structure" or "deflect the energy path" was forcibly flooded into his mind, accompanied by a large number of chaotic and dangerous images!

Luo Wei's expression changed drastically. He immediately used the power of the "Heart of Analysis" and the Moonlight Amulet to forcibly suppress and seal back the whispers and knowledge.

But this time, the lingering echoes of those whispers resonated deep within him.

Shadows...reconstructing everything?

He looked at the successfully functioning energy convergence field before him, and recalled the tempting whisper, his brows furrowing tightly.

The boundaries of power seemed more blurred and more... dangerous than he had imagined.