The next day, at dawn.

Accompanied personally by Principal Chen and Zhang Donglai, Gandalf walked through the tranquil back mountain of the Imperial Capital Academy and came before a peculiar building standing alone deep within the sea of forests.

This was the Tempering Tower.

The entire tower was not tall, only three stories high, cast entirely from an unknown silver-gray metal, with a mirror-smooth surface where not a single seam could be found.

The tower's shape was also extremely bizarre, not the traditional round or square, but an irregular polyhedron with distinct edges, full of a post-modern sci-fi vibe.

Compared to the bustling and clamorous scene at the entrance of the Dungeon Tower, this place could simply be described as desolate.

Within a radius of hundreds of meters, not a single person could be seen, and it was so quiet that only the rustling of the wind blowing through the leaves could be heard.

"This is another treasure land of our Imperial Capital Academy, the Tempering Tower."

Principal Chen looked at the building before him with a trace of pride and emotion on his face.

"Its builder is a true Genius of our academy, Professor Li."

"Twenty years ago, he single-handedly developed this device capable of experience instillation, shocking the entire Great Xia Nation."

Zhang Donglai added from the side.

"Unfortunately, the restrictions of this device are too great, and it is currently only applicable to Classer below level fifty."

"Furthermore, the Mental Strength requirements for the user are extremely high, coupled with the extreme scarcity of the required core materials, the 'Mortal Demon Source Stone', so it is normally not open to the outside world at all."

"Every year, only those students who perform most top-tier in various evaluations have the opportunity to be rewarded with coming in to experience it once."

While speaking, the three of them had already arrived before the heavy door of the Tempering Tower, which was also forged from silver-gray metal.

Principal Chen raised his hand and gently knocked on the door.

"Dong, dong, dong."

The muffled knocking echoed in the silent forest.

Soon, a crisp sound of high heels stepping on the ground rang out from inside the door, coming from far to near.

"Click."

The heavy door slid inward silently.

A graceful and charming woman appeared at the doorway.

She was around twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old, with a head of jet-black and glossy long hair casually coiled at the back of her head with an archaic wooden hairpin, and a few mischievous strands of hair falling across her smooth forehead.

On the bridge of her nose rested a pair of delicate gold-rimmed glasses, and the bright eyes behind the lenses were clear and wise.

A well-tailored white research lab coat not only failed to cover up her exquisite figure, but instead added a bit of intellectual and ascetic aesthetic.

This was a woman full of mature imperial sister charm.

"Principal Chen, General Zhang."

She first slightly nodded towards the two big shots, her voice clear, cold, and pleasant.

Afterwards, her gaze fell onto Student Gandalf, looking him up and down.

In those pretty eyes flashed a trace of undisguised curiosity and appreciation.

"This must be Student Gandalf who has been all the rage in the academy recently, right?"

The corners of her mouth curved into an attractive arc.

"There are rumors about you every day in the academy."

"I heard that during the National Examination, you single-handedly repelled Zuo Daolin, the long-established soul controller of the Dawnbreaker Guild."

"Truly a formidable newcomer."

She pushed the glasses on the bridge of her nose and said half-jokingly.

"What I least expected was that in person, you are actually a little handsome guy."

Seeing this, Principal Chen on the side introduced for Gandalf.

"This is Professor Chen Lanxin, the youngest professor of our Imperial Capital Academy."

"Don't let her young age fool you; she is an unprecedented Genius in the way of Formation in our Great Xia Nation."

"The dungeon 【Chuyang Zhaoximeng】 that you experienced previously during the National Examination was her handiwork."

"Currently, she also works here as an assistant to Professor Li."

Zhou Huai's consciousness within Gandalf's body also took a deep look at this overly young female professor.

On the other party's body emanated a composure and confidence inconsistent with her age.

He nodded politely, considering it a greeting.

Chen Lanxin politely stepped aside, welcoming several people in.

"Professor Li has been waiting inside for a long time."

Several people walked into the Tempering Tower.

Zhou Huai looked around and found that rather than calling this a tower, it was more like a huge high-tech laboratory.

In the spacious and bright hall, various meticulously shaped experimental equipment flashing with indicator lights could be seen everywhere, and countless thick cables, like giant pythons, crisscrossed and coiled between the floor and ceiling.

In the air permeated a faint, peculiar smell similar to ozone.

Under Chen Lanxin's leadership, the three of them crossed the hall and came before a room completely isolated by special glass.

Inside the room, the first thing that came into view was a huge cylindrical glass container with a diameter exceeding five meters.

Inside the container, it was filled with some kind of deep blue transparent liquid emitting a soft glow.

Countless tiny bubbles slowly rose within the liquid, as if harboring life.

Even separated by thick special glass, Zhou Huai could still feel the majestic energy contained within that blue liquid.

And on one side of the glass container was a row of huge computer screens.

On the screens, various dazzling data and curves were constantly refreshing.

At this moment, a hunchbacked old man was sitting in front of the computer with his back to everyone, intently debugging something.

He looked to be in his seventies, with a standard Mediterranean hairstyle on top of his head, his few remaining hairs long since turning gray and sticking out in a mess.

That similarly oversized white lab coat worn on his body appeared somewhat empty.

Seeing Chen Lanxin bring people over, he slowly stopped the work in his hands, turned his chair, and faced everyone.

"Principal Chen, General, you are here."

His voice was a bit hoarse, his face covered with the ravages of time, yet a pair of eyes were exceptionally bright, flashing with the light of wisdom and focus.

Principal Chen and Zhang Donglai showed heartfelt respect towards this unassuming old man.

"Professor Li, we've come to disturb you again."

Professor Li waved his hand, his gaze directly passing over the two of them and falling onto Gandalf.

He pushed the presbyopic glasses on the bridge of his nose that were as thick as bottle bottoms, carefully examining Gandalf.

"You are the SS-Rank Forbidden Spell Mage who is going to receive the instillation this time?"

Gandalf calmly nodded.

Professor Li stopped talking nonsense, extended a scrawny finger, and pointed at the huge glass container behind him.

"Then let's begin."

"It just so happens that I also want to record the experimental parameters of an SS-Rank Professional."

Zhou Huai was baffled.

"Begin?"

"How to begin?"

Professor Li's words were concise and to the point.

"How else to begin."

"Of course, strip naked and jump in."

Hearing this, the corners of Zhou Huai's mouth couldn't help but twitch.

Strip naked?

In front of so many people?

And a young, beautiful female professor?

This... isn't this a bit too bold?

Zhou Huai instantly felt a bit awkward.

Without hesitation, he withdrew his consciousness from Gandalf's body.

This kind of slightly shameful task was better left to the Intellect Core AI to handle.

The next second.

Just when everyone thought Gandalf would hesitate for a moment due to shyness.

Gandalf had already deftly begun undressing.

Expressionless throughout, with no shyness to speak of.

Soon, a male physique that could be called perfect was exposed to the air.

Chen Lanxin on the side watched with exceptional focus, brilliant colors flashing endlessly in her eyes.

As for the other three males, they silently admired Gandalf's uninhibited nature.

Gandalf walked to the glass container, leaped forward, and silently submerged into that deep blue liquid.

The warm liquid wrapped around him, and an indescribable sense of comfort spread through his entire body.

Professor Li's voice sounded through the amplification device inside the container.

"Don't be nervous, empty your Mental Strength, and stay calm."

"Next, I will gradually increase the intensity of the energy instillation."

"If you feel any discomfort, or if your mind is about to collapse, tell me immediately."

"Understood?"

Gandalf slowly nodded in the liquid.

Professor Li said no more, turned around, and his hands danced wildly on the control console.

"Hum—!"

The huge glass container emitted a slight hum.

The deep blue liquid inside the container began to slowly rotate at a visible speed, forming a huge vortex.

And Gandalf was right at the center of the vortex.

Majestic and pure energy, as if finding a vent, crazily surged into his body along his limbs and bones.

Zhou Huai quietly observed Gandalf's state.

Before his eyes, the System panel was refreshing wildly.

【 Experience Value + 1000 】

【 Experience Value + 1000 】

【 Experience Value + 1000 】

...

Massive amounts of Experience Value poured in endlessly like floodwaters from an opened gate.

Gandalf's experience bar skyrocketed at a visible speed!

This speed was shockingly fast!

It was much faster than him grinding monsters painstakingly in a dungeon for a day.

Outside the glass room.

Professor Li stared closely at various data on the screen, nodding incessantly.

"Not bad, not bad, truly incredible."

While recording the data, he couldn't help but let out an exclamation.

"His Mental Strength fluctuations are actually as stable as a straight line! Like a dead person, without the slightest emotional fluctuation."

"The energy absorption rate has even reached ninety-eight percent!"

"This... this is simply a perfect experimental subject!"

Principal Chen and Zhang Donglai heard this, and satisfied smiles also appeared on their faces.

Chen Lanxin explained from the side.

"Professor Li, you might not know."

"Previously, most students receiving instillation were experiencing this feeling for the first time, so their minds would inevitably feel nervous and show violent fluctuations, which is very normal."

"But Student Gandalf is unexpectedly... far too calm."

"So calm that he doesn't seem like a human..."