Refinement Compendium

The sea breeze drifted gently as the massive sailing ship cut across the waves.

On this wizard ship bound for the Half-Moon Strait, wizard seedlings with spiritual aptitude were undergoing tests for their spiritual talent.

Leo stood at the end of the line, two different sets of memories tangled in his mind.

One belonged to a miserable delivery worker who had graduated from university and worn a yellow cape while delivering food.

The other belonged to a fallen nation's warrior who had been wanted by the empire for beating up a noble and had no choice but to flee aboard a wizard ship.

This continent had once possessed a powerful empire known as the Pross Kingdom.

The Prossians were renowned by other nations as a race born for battle because of their powerful physiques.

They were skilled in conquest and war. Whether pirates at sea or powerful nations on land, none failed to fear the Prossians' potential for war.

But good times did not last. Several years ago, the Prossians were defeated in battle against the newly risen Sogla Empire. The Pross Kingdom fell, and the displaced Prossians submitted to Sogla's nobles, becoming warriors beneath their command.

The Leo Danville whom Leo had transmigrated into was one such Prossian. After his nation fell, he became the servant-warrior of a count's heir in Sogla.

That count's heir had a domineering and overbearing personality. He often ordered Leo to bully minor nobles, commoners, and slaves whose status was beneath his own.

The original Leo possessed a Prossian's pride and looked down on such behavior of bullying the weak.

So the original Leo backhanded the count's heir across the face. Who could have imagined that the slap would send the other's head spinning around once and kill him outright?

The death of his son enraged the count, who put the original Leo on the wanted list.

After defeating the Pross Kingdom, the Sogla Empire had nearly shown the momentum to unify the entire continent.

Thus, the rage of a Sogla count with real power was enough to leave the original Leo with nowhere to run.

With no other choice, the original Leo could only board the wizard ship. This was his sole path to survival.

Even the emperor of the Sogla Empire, who was on the verge of unifying the continent, was not worth mentioning before wizards.

After Leo finished absorbing the memories, a gentle voice sounded in his mind.

"Detected compendium: 'Intermediate Meditation Method.' Record it?"

The Intermediate Meditation Method was the supernatural cultivation method received by those who came aboard the ship.

Spiritual talent, meanwhile, was determined by the spiritual energy obtained through meditation cycles.

"Intermediate Meditation Method successfully recorded. Obtained inferior-quality compendium: Intermediate Meditation Method."

[Leo]

Refinement Points: 100

Recorded Compendium: Inferior Quality (Intermediate Meditation Method)

[Intermediate Meditation Method]

Quality: Inferior

Effect: Obtain spiritual energy

Cost: 10 Refinement Points

Leo's gaze flickered.

The Refinement Compendium was a pay-to-win item from a game Leo had played before transmigrating. He had never expected it to become his cheat after his transmigration.

In the game, the Refinement Compendium could consume Refinement Points to raise a compendium's quality, thereby increasing the acquisition efficiency of higher-quality skills.

"Consume 10 Refinement Points."

"Intermediate Meditation Method (Inferior Quality) refined into Intermediate Meditation Method (Ordinary Quality)."

[Intermediate Meditation Method]

Quality: Ordinary

Effect: Obtain spiritual energy

Cost: 100 Refinement Points

Leo circulated it slightly and discovered that while his spiritual talent had not improved fundamentally, his cultivation efficiency had increased greatly.

Through the meditation method, perhaps he could fool the wizards' talent test and make them believe his talent was exceptionally high.

Leo's gaze fell upon the front of the line. At this moment, it was a burly young man's turn to undergo the test.

Like Leo, this burly young man was also a Prossian.

Short silver-white hair and a body taller and larger than ordinary people were the two defining traits of Prossians.

The young man stood before Wizard Lane, who was responsible for testing spiritual power, and looked as towering as a small mountain.

Lane showed no reaction whatsoever to that towering physique. He even seemed faintly disgusted. "A Prossian? The Tower of Dawn is far too tolerant of people with spiritual aptitude. To think it even allows barbarians like the Prossians aboard wizard ships."

Lane complained first, and the sharpness in his tone made a trace of ferocity flash through the Prossian youth's eyes.

Lane said, "Fine. Those are the rules. Begin the test."

The Prossian youth extended his hand and placed it atop the crystal ball before him.

The crystal ball's light changed twice.

Wizard Lane said, "Level 2 spiritual talent? Barbarians are barbarians after all. As expected, you are unqualified to pursue truth. You, failed. Later, take a small boat back to the continent."

Upon hearing this, fierce light erupted in the Prossian youth's eyes. He said, "You damned skinny bamboo pole! You've been insulting us brave Prossians from the very beginning! Others with Level 2 spiritual talent passed, yet you say I failed. You are discriminating against us Prossians!"

As the Prossian youth spoke, he suddenly swung his fist toward Wizard Lane.

Wizard Lane's expression did not change. He raised his right hand and extended a single finger.

That outstretched finger happened to stop the Prossian youth's incoming fist.

The result left the Prossian man staring in disbelief. "How is that possible?!"

Wizard Lane's finger was like hardened steel. Even after being struck by the fist, it did not change in the slightest.

Wizard Lane looked at the Prossian youth before him with disgust. "Barbarians are barbarians. The moment something does not go their way, they throw fists at people."

Lane did not appear to make any movement, yet the Prossian youth staggered back two steps. Blisters surfaced all over his body, and his figure swelled grotesquely.

Amid agonized howls, the Prossian youth's body gradually turned cold.

Wizard Lane said, "Throw him overboard."

Seeing this scene from the back of the line, Leo's heart tightened.

He had not expected this wizard to be so ruthless, killing someone outright over a mere disagreement.

Moreover, when facing a warrior like a Prossian, one born with formidable physical qualities, he had actually killed him so casually.

At that moment, what rose in Leo's heart was not only awe for wizards, but also a desire to become one.

Clearly, the wizards of the Tower of Dawn were not merely bookworms with extensive knowledge. They were a group of lofty supernatural beings.

The testing continued.

"Level 2 spiritual talent?" Wizard Lane raised his head, looked at the noble youth in fine clothing before him, and said, "Passed."

The noble youth beamed with joy. "Thank you, Lord Wizard Lane."

Wizard Lane nodded slightly. "Next."

One person after another underwent the test, and soon it was Leo's turn.

Leo was two meters and twenty centimeters tall, with short silver hair. When he stood before Wizard Lane, Lane frowned and said, "Another Prossian barbarian."

"Begin the test."

Leo could see Wizard Lane's disgust, and his heart sank slightly.

Three flashes of light quickly flickered inside the crystal ball.

Seeing this, a smile appeared on Leo's face.

"Level 3 spiritual aptitude..." Wizard Lane frowned as well upon seeing the result.

Level 3 spiritual aptitude was different from Level 2 spiritual aptitude. The possibility of becoming a wizard would increase greatly.

However, Wizard Lane looked at Leo's strong physique and that head of silver hair that disgusted him, then still said, "Failed. Go to the small boat."

At that moment, Leo suddenly understood why the Prossian youth earlier had lashed out and punched someone.

This person called Wizard Lane really deserved a beating.