The Wizard of Truth: Starting with Analyzing All Things

"Accept it...and you will be invincible..."

The chilling whispers of the shadows, like a deadly poison, relentlessly assaulted the most vulnerable dam of Luo Wei's spirit. The complete "Shadow Traversal" inheritance was clearly displayed in his consciousness; every rune, every trajectory of energy flow, was filled with a strange and powerful force. If he relaxed his will even slightly, this power could be used to his advantage, instantly reversing the disadvantage in tomorrow's duel.

The desire to survive and the obsession with victory burned like wildfire in his heart. Against a powerful opponent like Loken, the success rate of his painstakingly constructed explosive field might be less than 50%. But this Shadow Movement technique was a truly invaluable life-saving and surprise attack skill!

Let's compromise... We're just borrowing their power... just to survive...

A voice was tempting him from the depths of his heart.

Do not!

Just as his consciousness was about to be engulfed by the dark torrent, the "Heart of Analysis" mark, which had only recently been formed deep within Luo Wei's soul, suddenly burst forth with an unprecedentedly brilliant light! It was like a fixed star, firmly anchoring his will that was about to crumble!

**"Everything can be analyzed; truth resides within structure!"**

This belief, stemming from the very essence of his soul, resonated like a great bell, dispelling all confusion and temptation!

No matter how powerful or convenient the power of shadow is, what is its essence? What is its structure? What is its cost? Is this sudden "complete inheritance" truly a gift? Or... a more ingenious and deadly trap?

He seeks understanding, control, and a path to truth built upon his own cognition! Not this kind of opaque, polluted, and tempting "shortcut" that seems powerful but could actually turn the tables!

"Get out!"

Luo Wei let out a silent roar in his sea of ​​consciousness! The light of the "Heart of Analysis" and the power of the Moonlit Amulet complemented each other, forming an indestructible barrier that fiercely and thoroughly repelled the torrent of shadowy knowledge that was trying to flood in!

hum!

The Shadow Crystal in his arms trembled violently, its powerful attraction and whispers abruptly ceasing, suppressed once more by layers of seals, leaving only a cold, deathly silence. But Luo Wei could sense that the malice and allure contained deep within the crystal had not disappeared, only temporarily dormant.

He won. He won this inner battle, which was far more dangerous than constructing a battlefield!

The intense mental struggle caused his vision to blur, and he almost fainted. His already depleted mental energy was further strained, like water being completely drained from a well. Yet, his mind remained clear, and he even felt a sense of relief, as if he had broken free of shackles.

He held fast to his principles and did not yield to the unknown dark forces.

However, the crisis was far from over. With the duel imminent, his condition was dire. His mental energy was depleted, his soul was experiencing waves of illusory burning pain from the battle and the side effects of the drug, and his body was extremely weak.

He struggled, then picked up the basic mental recovery potions Lilith had given him earlier and gulped them down like drinking poison to quench his thirst. The effects were weak, but better than nothing. He forced himself to sit cross-legged and focused all his energy on the optimized meditation technique, guiding the slightly amplified energy from the energy convergence field, greedily absorbing every bit of potential restorative power like a sponge absorbing water.

It was an incredibly long night. Every minute and every second felt like torture. The exhaustion of his body and the stinging pain in his soul constantly assaulted his will. He could only rely on the sliver of clarity brought by the "Heart of Analysis" to desperately guard his mind and maintain a meditative state.

As the first rays of dawn shone through the small vent of the dark room, Luo Wei slowly opened his eyes.

His face remained pale, and his eyes held an undisguised weariness, but deep within his pupils burned a flame that had grown even more resolute after being tempered. His mental strength had recovered somewhat, to about 30% of its peak, and the stinging sensation in his soul had lessened slightly, but he was far from being able to fight at full strength.

This is the limit of what he can do.

He stood up and stretched his somewhat stiff body. He carefully concealed the Void Stardust Base Plate containing the "Mental Resonance Barrier - One-Time Burst Version" close to his body, confirming that the Moonlight Amulet was functioning properly. Then, he changed into a clean apprentice robe, took a deep breath, and pushed open the door to the dark room.

Outside the door, Lilith had been waiting for a long time. When she saw Rowe's terrible condition, a trace of heartache and worry flashed in her eyes, but she said nothing. She simply handed him a bottle of warm, refreshing potion with a faint herbal scent.

"Thank you." Luo Wei took the medicine and drank it all in one gulp. A warm current spread through him, which slightly lifted his spirits.

"I'll go with you," Lilith said firmly.

Luo Wei glanced at her and nodded.

The two stepped out of their lodgings and found a large crowd already gathered outside. Pip and Lina stood at the front, their faces filled with worry. Several other apprentices from Laboratory Seven had also arrived, along with some strangers who had received help from Rowe in the past or simply admired him. They silently followed behind Rowe, forming a silent farewell procession.

As they made their way to the "Duel Ring" in the castle's arena, they attracted increasing attention. Some gazed with pity, others with curiosity, some with indifference, and still others with undisguised schadenfreude. The Gray Tower members had already spread out, watching Rowe with cold, hostile eyes.

The Duel Ring was an ancient circular stone platform, about fifty meters in diameter, surrounded by concentric rings of stone tiers. The tiers were already quite full, filled with apprentices and many formally trained wizards who had come after hearing the news. Master Field and Wizard Walter were among them, their eyes filled with complex emotions as they watched Rowe approach, worried yet unable to intervene.

In the center of the platform, a man dressed in tight black leather armor, with a slender, shadowy figure and a half-metal mask on his face, stood silently. He seemed to be surrounded by a thin layer of black mist, making it impossible to see his face clearly. Only a pair of emotionless, snake-like eyes were fixed on Luo Wei, who was slowly walking towards him, through the mask.

It was none other than "Shadow Assassin" Loken! The powerful aura of a **Peak Advanced Apprentice** emanated without any concealment, carrying a chilling killing intent that seemed to lower the temperature of the surrounding air.

Rowe stopped at the edge of the duel circle, calmly meeting Loken's imposing gaze.

A deacon from the Gray Tower, responsible for arbitration (a stern-faced first-ring wizard), stepped forward and read out the duel rules with a blank expression: "...Life and death are left to fate, until one side concedes defeat or loses the ability to fight... No magical items exceeding the apprentice level may be used... Now, the duel begins!"

The words had barely left his mouth—

Swish!

Loken vanished like a ghost, and in the next instant, he appeared directly in the shadows behind and to the side of Rowe! A short blade, gleaming with a ghostly blue, poisoned light, silently pierced towards Rowe's back!

**Shadow Leap!** He unleashed his signature killing move right from the start!

His speed was astonishing! Most of the apprentices watching didn't even see how he moved!

"Watch out!" Lilith and many of Lo Wei's supporters outside the arena cried out in alarm.

However, with his mind highly focused, the moment Loken disappeared, he used the remaining 30% of his mental energy to fully activate the "Eye of Insight"! Although he was in a bad state, the insight brought by the "Heart of Analysis" was not weakened!

With his unique perspective, it wasn't entirely impossible to catch Loken's trajectory! He saw the energy fluctuations of that instant, and the convergence point of the shadow energy!

In the nick of time, Luo Wei didn't try to turn around and block—there was no time to do that! He made a move that surprised everyone—he suddenly rolled forward in a clumsy manner!

laugh!

The poisoned dagger grazed his back, tearing a gash in his apprentice robe. The icy blade even touched his skin, sending a chill down his spine and numbing sensation through him! Had it not been for the faint protective field automatically activated by the Moonlight Amulet, slightly deflecting the blade, this blow would have severely injured him!

so close!

Luo Wei's back was instantly drenched in cold sweat, his heart pounding. He was in terrible shape; his reaction time was much slower than usual!

Loken's attack missed, and his figure once again disappeared into the shadows, like a persistent affliction, launching an attack from another tricky angle! His attacks were like a storm, ruthless, swift, and filled with mental pressure, attempting to break down Rowe's resistance in the shortest possible time.

Relying solely on the premonition granted by his "Eye of Insight" and his extraordinary combat intuition, Lovi managed to dodge and parry in an extremely disorganized manner. He didn't even have time to construct a complete spell, only occasionally casting the most basic, optimized version of [Miniature Blazing Flame] or using [Water Manipulation] to create obstacles and interfere, but these had little effect on the ghostly Loken.

He was like a small boat in a raging storm, on the verge of being swallowed up at any moment. His wounds multiplied, none deep, but the accumulated blood gradually stained his robes, and his strength was rapidly waning. Mental exhaustion surged like a relentless tide, causing his vision to blur.

In the stands, the hearts of those supporting Luo Wei were in their throats. Lilith clenched her fists tightly, her nails digging deep into her palms. On the Gray Tower's side, a chorus of boos and jeers erupted.

"Is that all you've got? You dare mess with Gray Tower?"

"It seems that Brother Loken can take care of him without having to use his full abilities."

"I thought he was so great, but he's just a useless piece of trash who can only dodge!"

A flicker of impatience and disdain crossed Loken's eyes. He had thought an opponent so serious from the Gray Tower would be interesting, but he'd found them utterly pathetic. He decided to end this tedious game.

His figure vanished again, but this time, Luo Wei's "Eye of Insight" clearly detected a shadow energy that was far more concentrated and dangerous than before, rapidly gathering not far to his left! At the same time, a sharp mental sting suddenly struck his sea of ​​consciousness—Loken had used a mental attack, attempting a double strike to completely secure victory!

It's now!

A glint flashed in Luo Wei's eyes; this was the opportunity he had been waiting for! The moment when his opponent, believing victory was assured, relaxed slightly and launched a full-scale attack!

He made no attempt to defend against the mental attack, nor did he pay attention to the deadly dagger that was about to emerge from the shadows!

He made a move that left everyone speechless—instead of dodging or avoiding, he took a step forward directly towards the convergence point of the shadow energy! At the same time, the Void Stardust Base Plate that had been pressed tightly against his chest was instantly activated by his last bit of mental energy!

"Resonate with it!!"