The Wizard of Truth: Starting with Analyzing All Things

The nourishing effects of the Fountain of Life were extraordinary. After soaking in the pool for a full day and night, Luo Wei felt that the weakness and stinging sensation originating from the depths of his soul had finally subsided significantly, and his parched sea of ​​consciousness had become moist again. Although there was still a long way to go before he was fully recovered, he was at least free from the danger of collapsing at any moment.

Lilith stayed by his side the whole time, and only when she saw his complexion improve did she truly breathe a sigh of relief. Barton also came to visit often. Although he had not fully broken through to the quasi-wizard level during his seclusion, his aura had become much stronger, and he was only one step away from that barrier.

"You little rascal, you always manage to cause a huge commotion." Barton looked at Rowe, whose face was still pale in the pool, and shook his head with a sigh. "'Shadow Assassin' Loken, that was one of the signature figures among the Gray Tower apprentices, and you ruined him like that. Now the speculations outside about the power you used in your last moments are getting wildly outlandish."

Luo Wei smiled helplessly, his voice still somewhat weak: "It was just a trick, and you've seen the price." He pointed to his body, which was still faintly aching, and his empty sea of ​​consciousness beneath his robes soaked by the spring water.

"Taking shortcuts is also a skill," Master Field's voice came from the laboratory doorway. He walked slowly closer, looking at Rowe in the pool, his gaze filled with scrutiny and a hint of barely perceptible satisfaction. "To be able to seize a fleeting opportunity in such a desperate situation and use... that unique power to successfully counterattack, this cannot be simply summarized as 'taking shortcuts'."

He waved his hand, signaling Lilith and Barton to go and rest. The two understood, bowed, and left, leaving only the master and apprentice in the laboratory.

"How are you feeling?" Field asked as he walked to the poolside.

"I feel much better, thank you for your help, Master." Luo Wei sincerely expressed his gratitude. If it weren't for this Fountain of Life, it would probably have taken him several months to recover to his current state.

"Hmm." Field nodded, pondered for a moment, and asked, "The power you used to defeat Loken in the end... doesn't seem to be a traditional witchcraft model, but more like... an application based on the energy structure itself? I sensed a unique 'field' fluctuation, brief but at a very high level."

Luo Wei felt a chill run down his spine, knowing he couldn't avoid the question. He had already prepared his answer, replying with a mix of truth and falsehood: "When I was dealing with some ancient notes, I had some rudimentary ideas about constructing energy fields. I was truly driven to a dead end that time, so I risked trying an immature method of temporarily combining mental power with energy structures to launch a counterattack. Unexpectedly, it succeeded by sheer luck. But as you saw, Master, the cost was enormous, and it's difficult to replicate."

He attributed all of this to "inspiration from ancient notes" and "adventures in dire circumstances," explaining the source of the power while emphasizing its uncontrollability and high cost, hoping to reduce the covetousness of others.

Field gave Rowe a deep look, seemingly seeing through the reservation in his words, but didn't delve into it. Everyone has their own secrets, especially on the path of wizardry.

"A brilliant idea, though dangerous," Field commented. "This understanding and application of the nature of energy does indeed coincide with the ideas of some ancient wizards. The fact that you were able to figure this out on your own proves that your talent lies not only in perception."

He abruptly changed the subject, his tone becoming serious: "However, the tallest tree in the forest catches the most wind. The potential you've demonstrated this time, and the suspicion that you might possess an 'ancient heritage,' has already attracted the attention of higher levels within the academy, not just Gray Tower. Some admire you, some are curious, and some... harbor ill intentions."

"I understand," Lowe replied in a deep voice. He had anticipated this.

"What are your plans next?" Field asked.

"Recover your strength as soon as possible, and then... continue your studies and research." Luo Wei's answer was concise, but his goal was clear. Strength is fundamental; only with sufficient strength can one cope with any storm.

"Very good." A hint of approval flashed in Field's eyes. "Humble and composed, this is the proper attitude for pursuing truth. Your contribution points and authority should have increased significantly because of this duel victory. There might be even more things that can help you on the second floor of the library. Also..."

He lowered his voice slightly: "Within the council of elders, there are disagreements about how to deal with you and the 'impact' you bring. Some elders believe you should be strictly protected and nurtured as a secret weapon; others believe you should be given more freedom to develop and your growth limits should be observed; of course, there are also elders closely related to the Gray Tower who hold a negative view of you. Your current situation may seem glamorous, but in reality, you are walking on thin ice."

This is a message to Lowe about the political climate at the top of the academy! This information is crucial!

"Thank you for informing me, Master!" Luo Wei felt grateful, which gave him a clearer understanding of his future actions.

"Get some rest. The energy from this spring of life is enough for you for another two days. Don't leave here until you're fully recovered," Field instructed before turning and leaving.

The laboratory returned to silence. Lo Wei soaked in the warm spring water, but his thoughts raced.

Field's reminder confirmed his suspicions. He was no longer the obscure apprentice who could quietly accumulate experience; his every move could affect the nerves of the academy's higher-ups. The Gray Tower's hostility hadn't disappeared, but had simply moved into deeper shadows. And the attention from other forces was both an opportunity and a risk.

He must become stronger much faster!

Over the next two days, Luo Wei cleared his mind of all distractions and focused all his energy on recovering through the Fountain of Life. He not only used the Optimized Meditation Technique to absorb energy, but also, with the assistance of the "Heart of Analysis," meticulously introspected himself, repairing every hidden injury and subtle crack in his mental state left from the battle with Loken.

This focused process of self-repair allowed him to gain a deeper understanding of the flow of spiritual energy and the subtle structure of the physical body. The "Heart of Analysis" imprint seemed to become more refined and transparent in this extreme focus and introspection.

When he felt that the wounds to his body and soul had mostly healed, and his mental strength had recovered to about 70%, he voluntarily left the Fountain of Life. Continuing to soak there would have little effect; the rest would require time and daily practice to gradually make up for it.

He first went to the library, using his newly acquired huge amount of contribution points to redeem access to the second floor again, and deliberately chose several relatively obscure areas related to ancient energy theories and basic material structures. He needed to build a more reasonable and profound "knowledge background" for his constantly demonstrated "unconventional" abilities.

During his reading on the second floor, he indeed found some fragments that corroborated or even supplemented Karls's notes, which enriched his field theory system. At the same time, he also deliberately browsed some books on common characteristics of ancient traditions, trying to prepare the "sources" in advance for the more abilities he might have to reveal in the future.

After acquiring this knowledge, he returned to the secret dark room.

Fragments of the Void Dust Disk, destroyed in the duel, remained on his workbench, a stark reminder of the battle's ferocity. Undeterred, he carefully collected the fragments. Analysis from the Book of Truth indicated that these fragments still retained perfect energy inertia; only their structure was damaged. Perhaps… they could serve as auxiliary materials for other lower-level fields?

He cleaned the worktable and then took out the gray stone slab that had always been with him.

Having faced life and death and remained true to himself, he once again probed the stone slab with his spiritual power. Unlike before, this time, he felt that his "Analytical Heart" was more in sync with the stone slab. Although the progress was still slow, the fragments of information he obtained seemed... clearer and more essential.

**[Synchronization rate slowly increased to 22%...]**

**[Acquiring Information Flow: '...Energy is not a consumable...but a cyclical flow...building the 'foundation'...is to open up one's own cycle...', '...Will...is the rudder that guides the cycle...']**

To open up one's own cycle? To guide the flow of energy?

These fragmented ideas subtly echo his practice of constructing "miniature energy convergence fields" and certain conjectures in Karls's notes. He seems to have touched the edge of a grander path—no longer simply utilizing energy, but constructing the core of a sustainable, even growing, energy system of his own!

This thought stirred his emotions. But it was clearly far beyond what he could currently achieve.

He turned his attention back to reality. Having lost his strongest trump card, he desperately needed to build a new, sustainable arena to enhance his strength.

Based on the successful experience of the "micro energy convergence field" and the existing materials, he decided to try to construct a field with moderate difficulty but greater practicality - the "secondary energy aggregate micro automated production field".

He wants to automate the previously manual polymer production process on a small scale using the field! This will not only free up his time, but also provide him with a stable and concealed energy source.

Designing this field was more complex than designing a simple convergence field, involving energy guidance, matter decomposition and recombination, and simple process control. He once again threw himself into the research and construction, working day and night.

However, just as he finished the initial design sketches of the new site, an unexpected visitor knocked on the door of his darkroom.

Standing outside the door was Pip, who looked somewhat nervous.

"Brother Rowe!" Pip said urgently in a low voice, "I just saw... I saw Marco! Marco from the Gray Tower! He and a few others were acting suspiciously near the 'Abandoned Teleportation Hall' in the west wing of the castle! I have a feeling they're up to no good!"

An abandoned teleportation hall? That's where the academy's ancient teleportation array was located, long abandoned. It's said to have been neglected for over a century due to spatial instability and lack of maintenance. What are the Gray Tower people doing there?

Lowe frowned immediately. The Gray Tower hadn't fallen silent after all; they were simply looking for new, more covert opportunities.

What are they plotting this time?

A cold glint flashed in Luo Wei's eyes. It seemed that his wish to develop the business in peace was about to be dashed once again.