Chapter 1 Spiritual Power Test

Heisen Ridge was particularly cold in winter, the snow blowing in from the Northern Barbarian Mountains like a bucket of white paint, transforming the filthy Heisen Territory into a pristine expanse.

In a dilapidated wooden hut on the outskirts of Heisen Territory, Richard wrapped himself tightly in his thin clothes, curling up in the straw to minimize heat loss.

"Hiss... It's so cold. Being a transmigrator, I'm really living a disgraceful life."

A month ago, Richard came to this world due to a traffic accident and became the son of Old Richard, a peasant under the rule of the Baron of Heisen.

Old Richard was a real drunkard. Under the care of his drunken father, Richard's days were filled with starvation and beatings.

Moreover, due to long-term malnutrition, Richard's frail body was incapable of fighting back.

Fortunately, that drunkard was now dead.

But the bad news was that the drunkard had exchanged all the valuable things in the house for inferior liquor, and Richard had finished the last grain of food at home a day ago.

Cold and hungry, coupled with some injuries inflicted by a drunkard who froze to death in the snow three days ago, Richard huddled in the pile of straw, feeling like he was about to ascend to Heaven at any moment.

"I can't sleep, absolutely cannot sleep! You are a transmigrator with a golden finger, how can you die in such a place!" Richard forced his eyes open, continuously encouraging himself.

Indeed, the transmigrated Richard actually did have a golden finger.

When he transmigrated into this body of young Richard, he found a Melter deep within his soul.

But what this Melter could do, Richard had always been unaware.

However, no matter what its function was, at this time it gave Richard a glimmer of hope.

To a person about to drown, a straw was a lifesaving glimmer of dawn.

Thump, thump, thump!

In a daze, Richard thought he heard someone knocking on the door.

Who would visit on such a cold day?

Bang!

When there was no response, the person outside kicked the door open.

"Old Richard, are you still alive?"

Richard's consciousness snapped awake, and he struggled from the straw, standing up.

He recognized the voice, the visitor was the steward of the territory, Mr. Ellison from Heisen Territory.

"Steward Sir, my father froze to death two days ago, but I am still alive. Whatever you need, just tell me."

The steward was a big shot and he would definitely not visit a peasant's house without a good reason.

This was an opportunity!

"Oh, so you are young Richard."

Mr. Ellison frowned as he examined Richard, pulling a handkerchief out of his pocket to cover his nose.

But Richard couldn't really blame him for that, considering his own situation was quite poor.

With long hair that hadn't been groomed in a long while matted atop his head, a dirty face, clothes covered in filth, and wounds that remained untreated and were turning black, rotting.

Compared to Richard, even a homeless person looked handsome, clean, and tidy.

"I am young Richard, Steward Sir." Richard supported his frail body and made a half-bow.

Rumor had it that Mr. Ellison was a person who greatly valued manners; even if facing the most witless rural farmer, he would insist on correct etiquette.

Now Richard hoped this rumor was true.

Observing Richard's bow, a trace of surprise flashed in the steward's eyes.

Accustomed to the disrespect of the lower classes, although he often corrected their manners, he had become desensitized to these etiquette issues.

Commoners naturally had trouble remembering noble etiquette.

However, the child before him still performed the courtesy while close to freezing to death, which undoubtedly touched him.

Even in death, nobles should not lose their manners, and he saw a hint of noble spirit in Richard.

"Good boy, good that you're alive. Come with me, and do whatever I need you to do," Mr. Ellison said gently.

"Yes, Sir."

Walking out of the wooden hut, the dense clouds covered the entire sky, like curtains blocking the sun—the poorest source of warmth for the poor.

A gust of cold wind blew, causing Richard to shiver uncontrollably.

Richard was clad only in his thin clothes, which were practically as good as none in the face of this chilling wind.

"Damn it, guard! Take off your coat! Hurry!"

Seeing Richard's condition, Mr. Ellison frowned, then turned and ordered the soldier following him to take off his coat.

The commanded soldier's face stiffened; it seemed unreasonable to him to give his warm clothes to a foul-smelling commoner in such cold weather.

"Sir, if one is missing, then it's just missing, the territory is so large, and who knows how many children the Wizard has?" the ordered soldier muttered.

"Shut up! Don't try to guess the Wizard's wisdom with your little smarts!"

Hearing the mention of the Wizard, Mr. Ellison immediately changed his expression and sharply rebuked the soldier.

"If I hear you say such things again, be prepared to be hanged! Take off your clothes now and give them to this child!"

But unintentionally said words might be deliberately heard.

Richard, standing aside, felt a jolt in his heart as he heard the mention of the Wizard.

Wizard!

This world had magic!

When Richard had arrived in this world, he had asked about transcendent powers, but unfortunately, the Heisen Territory was remote, and his identity was lowly, garnering him nothing but folk spook stories after all his inquiries.

But now, it seemed that transcendent powers indeed existed in this world.

Once Richard donned the cotton coat warmed by the soldier's body, he felt considerably more comfortable.

The lack of restraint in the soldier's speech caused the officer to lose his good mood obtained from Richard—his face darkened as he shouted at Richard.

"Put on your clothes and get moving! The Wizard is growing impatient, and we're all going to die!"

Following the officer onto a carriage, Richard soon arrived at the Baron Castle located in the center of the territory.

The castle hall was dimly lit, with torches mounted on the walls and a central hearth providing the only illumination.

In the middle of the hall, children of all statuses, both rich and poor, gathered together, quietly waiting for the Wizard deep within the hall to speak.

"Wizard, Baron, all children from twelve to fifteen years in the territory are here."

The officer reported to the depths of the hall, where a figure in a black robe and a triangular hat slowly stood up.

"Hehehe! There seem to be fewer children in Heisen Territory, Delis."

Beside him, Richard saw the corpulent Baron Heisen wiping sweat from his forehead with a servile look.

"Yes, my lord, the harvests have been poor the last two years, indeed a lot of the commoners have starved."

"This will not do," the Wizard patted Baron Heisen, causing him to shudder.

"The Academy needs school-age children, and if I can't gather enough children, the Academy will punish me."

"But I do not wish to be punished."

"So if I come to Heisen Territory next time and you have prepared so few children…

you'll be waiting to become a maggot eating shit in a toilet for the rest of your life!"

The Wizard's tone grew heavier with each word, and by the end, his almost beast-like roar silenced the entire hall.

"Good," the Wizard turned to look at the children in the hall, "The hall has quieted down."

"Now, line up one by one, come before me for testing.

Do not make me repeat myself."

Upon hearing the Wizard's words, the children in the hall immediately formed a long line.

They might not know how powerful the Wizard was, but after seeing Baron Heisen's pale face not even disguised with powder, every child knew what to do next.

Richard stood in the middle of the group of children, positioned perfectly at the bend of the line, giving him a clear view of the Wizard in the depths of the hall.

Richard saw the Wizard pull a crystal ball from beneath his robe, then beckoned a child to place their hand upon it. The crystal ball glowed faintly, and the Wizard announced the test results.

"Spiritual power nine points, not qualified, next."

"Spiritual power eight points, not qualified."

"Spiritual power seven points, not qualified."

"Spiritual power ten points, barely passing. Stand behind me."

"Spiritual power nine points, not qualified."

…

The testing proceeded swiftly, and soon it was Richard's turn.

"Not qualified, next."

The child before Richard stepped aside, and Richard, somewhat nervously, approached the Wizard.

After getting closer, Richard could finally see the face obscured by the triangular hat's shadow.

Unexpectedly, the Wizard's appearance wasn't fearsome—white-streaked hair, a face full of wrinkles, and deep eye sockets with monocle perched on them.

Overall, his appearance even looked somewhat kindly.

But for some reason, Richard found his body involuntarily trembling as he stood before him.

The sensation was like prey facing a predator!

"Place your hand on the crystal ball."

"Yes, Wizard."

Richard placed his hand on the crystal ball nervously and silently awaited his fate.

Whether freeze to death in a broken house or follow the Wizard, it all hinged on this moment.

Light gradually emanated from the crystal ball, and a current-like force entered Richard's body from the ball, traveling through his arm.

This force circulated through Richard's body for a full cycle before finally entering his brain.

Simultaneously, it seemed as though a force had awakened a furnace deep within Richard's soul.

A message transmitted from the furnace.

[Miracle Furnace activated]

At the same moment, the Wizard in the black robe announced Richard's test result.

"Spiritual power fifteen points, qualified!"