The Wizard of Truth: Starting with Analyzing All Things

The moment Luo Wei took a step forward and used his last bit of spiritual power to activate the Void Stardust Base Plate on his chest, time seemed to stand still.

There was no earth-shattering explosion, no dazzling brilliance.

There was only a faint "hum" sound, as if it came from the depths of the soul.

Centered on Loki, an invisible yet strange force field that seemed to distort light suddenly spread out, its range small, just enough to envelop Loken, who had just emerged from the shadows and was preparing to launch a fatal attack!

Lokena's determined attack, imbued with powerful shadow energy and mental penetration, seemed to have struck an incredibly smooth yet incredibly resilient mirror the moment it came into contact with this invisible force field!

No! It's not just a mirror!

His concentrated shadow energy and mental power, upon touching the force field, seemed to be thrown into a strange, high-speed resonant structure! The force field, in a way completely incomprehensible to Loken, precisely captured the unique energy frequency and mental fluctuations contained within his attack, and then—

Give them a taste of their own medicine!

The buzzing sound suddenly turned sharp and piercing!

Loken felt a shadow energy and mental impact, originating from the same source as himself but amplified several times over, carrying a strange and distorted feeling, rebounding back along the original path at a speed far exceeding his attack speed! Not only that, this rebounding force seemed to have also stirred up the free energy in the surrounding environment, forming a brief, small-scale energy storm, all of which was crushing towards him!

"What?! No—!!"

The sneer on Loken's face instantly turned into extreme terror and disbelief! He had no time to make any effective defense or dodge! His signature Shadow Leap and Mental Thrust had become the fastest way to kill him!

boom!!!

It was as if a silent mental bomb had exploded in Loken's mind! Or as if the shadow energy throughout his body had instantly lost control and was now backfiring wildly within him!

"puff--!"

Loken coughed up a mouthful of blood tinged with black mist, his body flying backward as if struck by an invisible giant hammer! His black leather armor shattered inch by inch, revealing countless twisted, shadowy worm-like black patterns on his exposed skin! The poisoned dagger in his hand clattered to the ground, and his once cold and ruthless eyes were now bloodshot, unfocused, and filled with pain and confusion!

He crashed heavily onto the stone surface a dozen meters away, struggled a few times, but could no longer get up, only able to let out painful, wheezing sounds like a broken bellows. The shadow energy around him completely went out of control and dissipated, and his mental consciousness suffered a devastating blow. Even if he survived, he would probably be crippled.

One strike! Just one strike!

The previously dominant and seemingly capable-to-take-Love's life peak advanced apprentice, "Shadow Assassin" Loken, collapsed to the ground like a dead dog, losing all fighting power!

The entire Duel Ring fell into a deathly silence.

All the clamor, jeers, and gasps from the stands abruptly ceased. Everyone stared wide-eyed and gaped, incredulously at the swaying, blood-soaked figure in the center of the dueling circle, and at the limp, lifeless Loken in the distance.

What happened?

What exactly happened in that split second?

Why did Loken, who had such a dominant advantage, suddenly suffer a crushing defeat? What methods did Rowe use? That faint hum, that invisible force field distorting light… what kind of sorcery was that?! Never seen before! Never heard of before!

The silence lasted for several seconds, then, like a volcanic eruption, a tremendous roar swept through the entire Duel Ring!

"They won?! Lo Wei won?!"

"How did he do that? How could Loken have lost?"

"Was that... some kind of mental countermeasure magic? The effect was terrifying!"

"That's... the power of a field? I think I can sense a unique energy field fluctuation!"

"Incredible! A mid-level apprentice defeats 'Shadow Assassin' Loken, a peak-level advanced apprentice! This battle will surely be recorded in the academy's history!"

The supporters of Lovi erupted in deafening cheers and shouts. Lilith was moved to tears, while Pip and Lina jumped up. On the other side of the Gray Tower, however, there was deathly silence. All the members had ashen faces, especially the leaders, whose eyes were so dark they seemed to drip water.

The Gray Tower deacon in charge of arbitration, a first-ring wizard, also looked extremely grim. He stared intently at Rowe, then glanced at the fallen Loken, and finally had to take a deep breath, suppressing his shock and anger, and announce in a dry voice:

"The duel is over! The victor is... Rowe!"

The announcement marked the end of this life-or-death duel, with Rowe achieving a pyrrhic victory!

Upon hearing the announcement, Luo Wei, standing in the center of the field, felt his tense nerves suddenly relax, and the strength he had been holding onto instantly dissipated. His vision went black, his body swayed, and he could no longer support himself, collapsing forward.

"Love!" Lilith exclaimed and rushed over to support him.

At this moment, Luo Wei's condition was even worse than before. Forcibly activating and enduring part of the backlash from the "Mental Resonance Barrier - One-Time Burst Version" (although most of the power was directed to Loken, the instantaneous overload and collapse of such a precise field still affected him as the builder), coupled with the injuries and mental exhaustion he had accumulated before, he was almost on the verge of collapse.

Lilith quickly checked his condition, her expression growing increasingly grave. She immediately took out the best healing and mental nourishing potions she had and carefully fed them to Rowe.

Just then, Master Field and Wizard Walter hurried over. Master Field glanced at Rowe's condition, frowned, and said directly to Lilith, "Take him back to my laboratory and soak him in the 'Fountain of Life' there. That will stabilize his injuries and spirit the fastest."

He then gave the group of Gray Tower members and the arbitration deacon a cold glance, his tone carrying an undisguised warning: "The duel is over, and this matter ends here! If anyone tries to use this to cause trouble, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

Wizard Walter snorted coldly, releasing a slight aura of power befitting a first-ring wizard, instantly silencing the restless Gray Tower members.

With two official wizards stepping in to protect them, even if Gray Tower was unwilling, they dared not make any further moves. They could only slink forward, carry away the crippled Loken, and leave in a sorry state amidst a chorus of boos.

Rowe was carefully escorted by Lilith and Barton (who had just finished his seclusion and, although not yet a complete breakthrough to quasi-wizard, his aura had grown considerably stronger, and he rushed over upon hearing the news) to Field's laboratory.

Along the way, countless gazes were focused on Luo Wei, filled with awe, curiosity, and a hint of indescribable fear. After this battle, the name Luo Wei, the "Nameless One," would no longer be merely associated with "talent" and "insight," but would also acquire the formidable qualities of "defying those of higher ranks" and "unpredictable methods"! His status at Dark Moon Academy would undergo a dramatic transformation.

……

Inside Field's laboratory, there was a small pool engraved with intricate life runes, filled with a liquid that emanated a rich life force and a soft white light—the precious "Fountain of Life." Lowe was gently placed into the pool, and the warm energy began to nourish his parched consciousness and damaged body.

Under the influence of the Fountain of Life and Lilith's carefully prepared potion, Rowe's injuries and spirit began to recover slowly and steadily.

After an unknown amount of time, when he slowly awoke from his deep sleep, the first thing he felt was an unprecedented weakness, but the piercing pain deep in his soul and the heaviness in his body had lessened considerably.

He opened his eyes and found himself immersed in the warm spring of life, with Lilith watching over him, a tired but gratified smile on her face.

"You're awake? How are you feeling?" Lilith asked with concern.

"Thank goodness... I won't die." Luo Wei's voice was a little hoarse. He tried to move his fingers, but a feeling of weakness washed over him. "We won?"

"We won!" Lilith nodded vigorously, her eyes gleaming with excitement. "Your last move was amazing! Loken is completely crippled! The whole academy is talking about you now! Gray Tower has lost face big time!"

Upon hearing this, Luo Wei felt little joy, only a weariness and composure born of surviving a close call. He recalled that decisive moment, relying on the field he had constructed with everything he had risked, the precise judgment brought by the "Heart of Analysis," and also on Loken's underestimation of his opponent. Victory had come with immense difficulty.

Moreover, the Void Stardust Foundation Plate that he kept close to his body had completely lost all its luster after that attack, its surface covered with fine cracks, turning it into a true piece of useless stone. He had used up his biggest trump card.

"What's the situation outside?" Luo Wei was more concerned about the subsequent impact.

"With Master Field and Master Walter stepping in to deter them, the Grey Tower dares not make any open moves for the time being. But secretly..." Lilith shook her head, "You made them lose an ace this time, and also caused them to lose face. They will never let this go. Moreover, the kind of power you used at the end... has aroused great interest among many people, including some formal wizards."

Luo Wei nodded silently. This was expected. Demonstrating power beyond the norm would inevitably attract covetousness and investigation.

He looked inward and saw that his condition was still very poor, but his foundation was intact and was slowly recovering under the nourishment of the Fountain of Life. His realm was still **late-stage intermediate apprentice**, but having gone through this life-or-death test, especially having successfully constructed and applied the explosive field, he felt that his use of the "Heart of Analysis" and his understanding of energy and the "field" seemed to have deepened by another level.

He clenched his fist gently, and though he was weak, it seemed as if new strength was being nurtured within him.

The victory in the duel was just the beginning. The storms to come will likely be even more turbulent.

He must recover as soon as possible, and... become stronger!