The Wizard of Truth: Starting with Analyzing All Things

After the turmoil at the Tower of Slumber, Darkmoon Academy outwardly returned to its former order. The destruction of the Gray Tower and the imprisonment of Master Elena were like a boulder thrown into a deep pool, the ripples echoing long afterward. But for most ordinary apprentices, life continued to revolve around meditation, study, and quests. Only, a subtle tension seemed to have settled in the air, and the patrolling enforcement teams were appearing more frequently.

Lowe spent several more days recuperating in the meditation room attached to Field's laboratory, until the shock to his soul had completely subsided and the fragile energy balance within his body had stabilized, before he was allowed to move freely. His strength remained firmly at the late stage of intermediate apprentice level, but as Master Field had said, his "state" was now completely different.

The spatial perception granted by his Void Affinity constitution was like opening another eye for him to observe the world. Walking through the academy, he could clearly "see" the energy flow of protective magic arrays, the elemental composition of building materials, and even the strength and characteristics of the energy fields emanating from other apprentices. This insight, far surpassing ordinary energy vision, allowed him to reach a new level of understanding of his environment. At the same time, the knowledge of the "foundation runes" derived from the gray stone slabs, though mostly incomplete, was like a beacon in his mind, giving him a more fundamental understanding of all the witchcraft models and energy cycles he had previously learned.

He no longer rushed to increase the "quantity" of his spiritual power, but instead devoted most of his time to the "reconstruction" and "deepening" of his existing knowledge. He revisited those basic meditation techniques and zero-ring magic models, analyzing their essence from the perspective of "foundation runes," often discovering deeper possibilities for optimization. This process of solidifying his foundation, though seemingly slow, made his roots exceptionally firm, and his control over power more refined and subtle.

Current status: Rowe (Late-stage Intermediate Apprentice)

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Strength assessment: Although his realm has not improved, his understanding and control of energy and spatial perception far surpass his peers, and his foundation is extremely solid.

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Core abilities: Void Affinity (Beginner), Keystone Rune Recognition (Introductory), Optimized Sorcery Model (Master), Spatial Awareness (Intermediate).

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Development priorities: knowledge accumulation, foundation consolidation, and capability enhancement.

That day, after confirming that he was in good health, Luo Wei, with a mixture of anticipation and caution, returned to the majestic library. This time, he went straight to the energy barrier leading to the third level.

After presenting the special authorization rune granted by Elder Anderson, the barrier silently parted. The moment Rowe stepped into the third floor, he felt an even deeper and more vast aura of knowledge wash over him. The space here was much smaller than the lower two floors. The bookshelves were no longer made of wood, but of some kind of dark metal, and the shelves were mostly filled with heavy metal tomes, energy crystals, and even some strange items sealed within a transparent force field. The air was so quiet that he could hear his own heartbeat. The few readers present were all formal wizards with profound auras. They only cast a brief, slightly scrutinizing glance at Rowe's arrival before immersing themselves back in their own worlds.

Darkmoon Academy World Encyclopedia: The Third Repository

One of the true core knowledge repositories of the Darkmoon Academy. It houses a vast collection of documents concerning ancient secrets, high-level sorcery theories, rule analyses, records of interdimensional exploration, and certain forbidden knowledge. Access is limited to formally appointed wizards or outstanding contributors specially approved by the Discipline Elders. Much of the knowledge at this level is highly dangerous or has a high barrier to understanding; many texts themselves contain powerful energy or spiritual imprints, requiring exceptional mental resistance and a strong foundation of knowledge to read. It is equipped with powerful self-regulating protective arrays and knowledge-sealing contracts to prevent unauthorized individuals from peeping into or leaking core secrets.

Lowe's goal was clear. He first used the index to locate the section containing the fundamental theories of the "Lawful Covenant." Although Elder Anderson's power was far beyond his current capabilities, understanding its framework and principles would greatly benefit his comprehension of the "Foundation Runes" knowledge he had acquired from his own tablet.

He carefully removed a heavy tome made of some kind of silver metal foil, titled "An Introduction to the Framework of Contracts and the Power of Rules." The moment his fingertips touched it, he felt a faint, scrutinizing mental fluctuation sweep over his authority runes and soul state. After confirming that everything was correct, the runic lock on the surface of the tome quietly unlocked.

Immersed in the book, Rowe was completely absorbed. The text didn't describe specific spell models, but rather how to utilize specific foundational runes representing concepts like "oath," "binding," "exchange," and "punishment," combined with the caster's will and external energies (such as ley lines, astral power, or faith), to construct temporary or permanent contractual frameworks with the power of rules. This corroborated his runic knowledge of "stability" and "boundaries" gained from the stone tablets, leading to a rapid advancement in his understanding of the power of "order."

The Book of Truth operates quietly, recording, analyzing, and deducing this profound knowledge. Although most of it far exceeds the current scope of application, it greatly enriches his database and theoretical foundation.

He then consulted scattered records about "Void Affinity Constitution" (most of which were just speculations and descriptions of phenomena, without any systematic cultivation methods), some ancient wizards' bold assumptions about the legend of "Source Codex" (most of which were considered mythological conjectures), and snippets about the Sleeping Sage and his dream experiments (listed as highly dangerous, and most of the content was encrypted or destroyed).

The gains were substantial, but they were mostly directional guidance and theoretical advancements, without any immediately applicable powerful magic or shortcuts. This suited Rowe perfectly; what he needed was to accumulate knowledge and experience before unleashing its full potential.

When he left the library, he felt his mind was full, but he was also more aware of his own insignificance and the boundless nature of knowledge.

In the days that followed, Lowe's life settled into a regular and fulfilling rhythm. He would spend his mornings reading advanced theories on the third floor of the library, his afternoons honing his basic skills and conducting low-energy experiments in Field's laboratory or his own secret darkroom, and his evenings engaging in deep meditation to consolidate his gains and try to guide the newly generated spatial energy to integrate more smoothly into his own system.

He attempted to apply his understanding of "Keystone Runes" to the optimized [Miniature Blazing Flame] and [Water Manipulation], no longer simply increasing their power or efficiency, but imbuing them with extremely subtle "characteristics"—for example, giving Blazing Flame a hint of "purification," and Water Manipulation a hint of "penetration" or "buffering." The improvement in effect was slight, but it meant that he was beginning to touch upon a deeper essence of energy application.

Barton successfully consolidated his realm and officially began his sprint towards becoming a quasi-wizard, spending most of his time in secluded arduous training under Master Walter's guidance. Lilith, on the other hand, drew inspiration from the nightmare derivatives and abyssal pollution of the Tower of Slumber and devoted herself entirely to the research and development of new protective and purifying potions, often disappearing from the potion workshop.

The team members are temporarily focusing on their individual training and accumulating strength.

However, beneath the calm surface, undercurrents never cease to surge.

One late night, as Luo Wei was in a dark room trying to fine-tune the receiving sensitivity of the "Starlight Resonance Beacon" with his new understanding of spatial perception (he hoped to detect the anomalies of the Tower of Slumber from a greater distance), the gray stone slab in his arms suddenly throbbed with an unusual vibration.

It's not the usual flow of knowledge or crisis warning, but rather a kind of... resonance?

At the same time, the Abyss Mark within his body, which was sealed in layers, trembled very slightly, as if it were attracted by something.

Luo Wei's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately focused his mind, concentrating all his senses. The trembling of the stone slab pointed in a very clear direction—not the distant Tower of Slumber, but rather, within the Darkmoon Academy, deep within the castle… towards the Tower of Discipline!

The Discipline Tower? That's where Master Elena is imprisoned, and one of the most heavily guarded forbidden areas in the academy. How could the stone slab react to that place?

He cautiously released a wisp of spiritual power enveloped in spatial energy, extending it along the faint sense of resonance. His perception penetrated layers of walls and magic arrays (his void affinity gave him a slight advantage in spatial penetration), and he laboriously "saw" into the depths of the Discipline Tower.

In the core of that area sealed off by powerful lawful forces, he "saw" a figure bound by countless runic chains—it was Master Elena. She seemed to sense something, abruptly raising her head. Her eyes, once filled with fervor and majesty, now held only endless resentment and a hint of… eerie anticipation?

She seemed to pierce through layers of space, directly "looking" in Luo Wei's direction, a chilling smile curving her lips. She didn't speak, but an extremely subtle yet intensely seductive and corrupting mental force, like a venomous snake, lashed back at Luo Wei's probing mental energy!

"Do you yearn for...knowledge? Do you yearn for...truth? Bondage...is an obstacle...embrace...the void...only then can you see...the 'Original Text'..."

This idea contained a twisted temptation, attempting to pry open Luo Wei's defenses and even triggering a resonance with the abyss mark within him!

Luo Wei was shocked and immediately severed that wisp of spiritual power, retreating rapidly, his back instantly soaked with cold sweat!

What terrifying corrosive power! Even sealed by Lu Yan, the will of a second-circle wizard is still so terrifying!

What did she mean? Was bondage an obstacle? Embracing the void? Was she tempting me to betray the academy and plunge into the abyss to find the so-called "Source Codex"?

Luo Wei's heart pounded. This wasn't just temptation; it felt more like... a test? Or perhaps she sensed the presence of the stone slab and wanted to use it to achieve some purpose?

Just then, Elder Anderson's icy voice boomed like thunder in Luo Wei's mind: "Apprentice Luo Wei! How dare you trespass upon the Discipline Tower? Immediately restrain your mind and do not offend us again!"

A powerful force of law swept across, completely severing all senses from the direction of the Discipline Tower.

Lowe was panting heavily, still shaken. He knew that his actions must have triggered the alarm of the Discipline Tower, drawing Elder Anderson's warning.

"The student knows his mistake and will never repeat it." He quickly responded with his mental power, his attitude respectful.

Elder Anderson's voice paused for a moment, then rang out again, carrying a profound meaning: "Remember your identity and your contract. Some knowledge is poison. Some temptations are abysses. Take care of yourself."

There was no further punishment after the warning, which clearly indicated that Elder Anderson preferred warnings and control.

Lowe slowly sat down, his mind still reeling. Elena's allure and warnings echoed in his mind.

"Binding is hindrance..." This statement seems to have a strange... contradiction with the foundational rune concepts of "definition" and "stability" that he obtained from the stone tablet?

The foundation runes on the stone slab emphasize establishing order, defining boundaries, and stabilizing the structure.

Elena's whispers, however, advocate breaking free from constraints, embracing chaos, and plunging into the void.

These are two completely different paths?

Or is there... a deeper connection that he hasn't yet grasped?

Rowe felt a chill. The academy's supervision, Elena's allure, the gaze of the abyss, the secrets of the stone tablet... he felt as if he were standing in the center of a giant vortex, surrounded by opportunities, but also by traps.

He gripped the gray stone slab in his hand, his eyes growing even more determined.

No matter what lies ahead, only by acquiring more knowledge and possessing greater power can one have the power to choose.

He needs to grow up faster.

His gaze returned to the direction of the library. He knew that it held the key to the future, or perhaps... a deeper darkness.