The Wizard of Truth: Starting with Analyzing All Things

That unexpected note, like a pebble thrown into a deep pool, rippled through Luo Wei's seemingly calm life. "Where the whispers of the stars linger, the Crimson Horn points the way." These ten words seemed like a prophecy, pointing to the two key clues of "the Star Whisperer" and "the Crimson Horn Star," but also bringing deeper mysteries: Who is it? Why transmit information in this way? Is it a well-intentioned hint, or another carefully laid trap?

Luo Wei did not act rashly. Under the invisible watchful eye of the Discipline Tower, any unusual action could lead to annihilation. He memorized the contents of the note, then subtly conjured a barely perceptible ripple of spatial energy containing a trace of "annihilation" at his fingertips, reducing the note to nothingness. He could not leave any physical evidence.

His first task was to determine the intentions of the person transmitting the information. Was Annie, the trainee administrator, an innocent victim being manipulated, or a stinger of some hidden force? Using his increasingly sophisticated "information weaving technique," he "chancely encountered" Annie several times in the library over the next few days, subtly sensing her mental fluctuations by taking advantage of the background noise of the crowd.

The result was somewhat unexpected. Anne's mental state was pure yet slightly tense, filled with the awe common among novice apprentices—awe of their seniors and a touch of unease about the unfamiliar environment. Around her, Rowe detected no cold, orderly presence associated with the Discipline Tower, nor any eerie fluctuations from other hidden forces. Her movements as she organized files and wiped bookshelves were stiff yet earnest, unlike any pretense. Most likely, she had indeed stumbled upon the note by chance and delivered it because Rowe's name was on it (perhaps someone had anticipated this). The messenger was extremely cautious and shrewd, leaving no trace.

Current status: Rowe (Peak Intermediate Apprentice)

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Strength assessment: His realm is stable, and his ability to use information weaving and energy disguise is becoming increasingly sophisticated, with a profound theoretical foundation.

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Situation: Under limited free observation period, received a mysterious note with clues related to core secrets, requiring extreme caution.

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Psychological state: Calm, vigilant, planning to investigate clues through legal means while actively preparing backup plans.

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Action plan: Openly conduct compliant astrological research, covertly investigate the meaning of the notes, and strengthen the team's covert communication network.

Having ruled out the possibility that Anne was a direct informant, Lowe began to plan his investigation. Directly questioning "The Place Where Stars Whisper" or launching a large-scale search for "Red Horn Gate" would undoubtedly be foolish. He needed a plausible entry point that wouldn't arouse suspicion from the Discipline Tower.

The opportunity soon arrived. During another regular report, Lowe "opportunistically" expressed his "interest" in ancient astrology. He "asked" the prospective wizard deacon: "Deacon, while studying the observatory runes, I discovered that some structures seem to have a subtle connection to the trajectories of stars recorded in ancient texts. I wonder if I could request access to some basic ancient astrological materials to help me understand the energy guidance patterns of the runes?"

This reason is flawless. The function of the Starfall Observatory itself is related to stars, so it is reasonable to link rune research with astrology, which fully demonstrates the image of a "studious" and "eager to find a breakthrough in research" supervised apprentice.

The deacon gave him a cold look, seemingly assessing the situation, and after a moment, replied curtly, "Alright. Limited to basic astrological texts in the public areas of the first and second floors of the library. No forbidden divination or heretical star god worship content allowed. All borrowing records must be reported."

"Yes, thank you, Deacon," Luo Wei replied respectfully. His objective was achieved. He had gained the guise of "legally" investigating astrological clues under surveillance.

In the days that followed, Luo Wei's life took on a new routine: immersing himself in the astrology section on the first floor of the library. He no longer ventured into sensitive areas, but instead truly focused on systematically studying numerous fundamental texts such as "Basic Star Charts," "An Introduction to Stellar Energy," and "A Study of Ancient Star Officials." He behaved like a diligent scholar, taking meticulous notes, deducing the relationship between stellar trajectories and energy, and occasionally consulting the senior apprentices who managed this section on some "basic" questions.

All of this was to conceal his true objective—to search for clues about the "Red Horn Star" and the "Star Speaker" in the vast records of celestial phenomena.

This process was slow and arduous. The Red Horn Star is rarely mentioned in orthodox astrology; it is only vaguely described as a long-extinct, legendary dark red lone star in the southern star region. Its fluctuations in starlight are believed to be related to some ancient curse, and thus it has been rejected by mainstream theory. As for the "Star Whisperer," they exist only in some unofficial histories and fragments of poetry, described as "prophets who can communicate with the stars," and are generally considered mythological figures.

Darkmoon Academy World Encyclopedia: The Crimson Horn

A dark red star that existed in ancient star charts but has long been identified by modern astrology as an "annihilated" or "mythical celestial body." According to a few fragmentary ancient texts, its starlight possesses unique, slowly decaying wave characteristics, believed to be related to certain ancient esoteric arts involving "fate," "contracts," or "message transmission." Because much of the associated knowledge is lost or considered taboo, related research is strictly limited within academies.

The real breakthrough came when he stumbled upon a dusty, fragmented scroll titled "Chronicles of Meteor Showers: Appendix" (a little-known record of unusual meteorite phenomena throughout history). At the end of the account describing a strange meteor shower that occurred in ancient times and plunged a large area into an "eternal dream," there was a small, almost worm-eaten note:

"...According to a surviving 'Star Speaker,' this catastrophe began when the 'Crimson Horn' starlight flickered abnormally above the 'Tower of Slumber,' causing the 'Star Speakers' to weep..."

The Tower of Slumber! Crimson Horn Star! The Star Speaker!

The simultaneous appearance of these three keywords made Luo Wei's heart skip a beat! Could "the place where starlight lingers" on the note refer to the area of ​​the Tower of Slumber? And "the gate guided by the Crimson Horn"... does it mean that the starlight of the Crimson Horn Star (or its symbolic meaning) can guide a path to a certain "gate"? What is this "gate"? Is it a physical portal, or a metaphor for some opportunity or passage?

The clues began to connect, pointing to that dangerous forbidden zone occupied by the Gray Tower! The authenticity of this information remains to be verified, but it undoubtedly provides a crucial direction.

At the same time, Lowe did not forget the importance of the team. During his limited free time, he maintained intermittent contact with Lilith, Barton, and Lena in a very discreet manner.

He took advantage of several "chance encounters" with Lilith at public alchemy material shops, using subtle fluctuations of his mental energy while selecting materials to transmit information to her, revealing two key clues: the "Red Horn Star fluctuation frequency" and the "Tower of Sleep," hoping she could find a connection to potionology from them. Lilith, in turn, secretly handed him the newly improved "Heart of Silence" beacon, disguised as ordinary "calming incense."

Lena's talent played an unexpected role. Her keen perception of "traces" allowed her to vaguely discern which apprentices harbored subconscious fear or alienation towards the Discipline Tower. She began selectively and discreetly reaching out to lower-ranking apprentices who were also oppressed or ostracized, subtly building a fragile network of trust—one that might prove useful in the future—by using her natural affability and sharing seemingly insignificant but practical tips (such as how to increase the yield of a certain common magical plant). Anne was one of those she inadvertently noticed and showed kindness to, which might be one of the underlying reasons why Anne chose to give the note to Rowe.

Barton's progress was rapid. Master Walter was extremely satisfied with his performance, and the spot to undergo practical training in the elemental demiplane "Lava Rift" was practically already reserved for him. The opportunity to break through to become a formal wizard might be just around the corner. This would be a crucial guarantee of the team's future combat strength.

However, Lowe could sense that the Discipline Tower's surveillance network was not static. It was like a living thing, gradually "adapting" to his behavior patterns. When he stayed in the astrology section for a long time, the intensity of the surveillance would decrease slightly, as if tacitly acquiescing to his "research" behavior; while when he approached certain seemingly ordinary areas of the library that might contain obscure materials, the feeling of being watched would suddenly intensify.

This is a smarter, more efficient form of monitoring. The Discipline Tower is collecting his behavioral data to optimize its monitoring strategy. This made him realize that his "compliance investigations" must be more careful, not follow a fixed pattern, and that he needs to proactively engage in some "meaningless" actions to disrupt the other party's model when necessary.

Just as Luo Wei was beginning to piece together the clues and preparing to move on to the next step of his plan, a sudden conflict shattered the surface calm and brought new variables.

The conflict originated with Barton. During a public sparring session, he got into a verbal altercation with a high-ranking apprentice who was known for his arrogance and had some ties to the remnants of the Gray Tower. The apprentice insulted Rowe, calling him a "prisoner of the Discipline Tower" and a "freak." Barton was enraged and, with Master Walter's tacit approval, challenged him to a duel.

Everyone expected a fierce battle. However, the fight was unexpectedly short. Barton didn't even use his greatsword; with just his fists, which were wrapped in condensed, almost tangible, fiery battle aura, he crushed the peak advanced apprentice off the stage with absolute power in just three moves. It was swift and clean; the opponent didn't even have time to cast a decent spell.

The difference between a prospective wizard and a peak advanced apprentice is so enormous! Barton's displayed strength shocked everyone present.

However, just as Barton was victorious and receiving the astonished gazes of the crowd, Lowe, with his keen information gathering skills, caught a fleeting, extremely subtle look of seriousness and recording in the eyes of a seemingly ordinary Discipline Tower informant apprentice in the audience.

Barton's rapid breakthroughs and rising star status have clearly attracted extra attention from the Discipline Tower. This attention may not necessarily be a good thing.

That evening, through a reliable channel secretly developed by Lena, Lowe delivered a brief warning to Barton: "Keep a low profile and prepare for the trial."

Barton's breakthrough is a good thing, but revealing his full strength too early, especially under the nose of the Discipline Tower, may disrupt Lowe's secret plans and even bring unknown risks to Barton's upcoming half-rank trial.

In the darkness, Luo Wei stood by the window, gazing at the cold silhouette of the Discipline Tower in the distance. The clues to the Star Language were becoming clearer, the team was growing, but the shadows of the Discipline Tower were also deepening. Beneath the limited freedom lay an even more intricate game of chess.

He touched the beacon disguised as ordinary incense in his pocket, then felt the coolness of the gray stone slab in his sea of ​​consciousness. Should he try to contact the "friend" who had "accidentally" delivered the key, or should he risk a long-distance exploration of the "Tower of Sleep" area?

He needs more information, and he needs the right opportunity. Barton's semi-official interview might just be the catalyst to stir things up.

The rain is coming and the wind is all over the building.