Wizard Nova, Potionology

Leo did not make a move.

Leo had also seen what happened to the young Plos man who had acted just now. He knew there was no point in acting; it would only add another life beneath Wizard Lane's hand.

Leo turned and left.

Wizard Lane watched Leo depart, his gaze flickering.

Once a wizard seedling with Level 3 spiritual aptitude like this was discovered by the Tower of Dawn, and they learned he had rejected him, he would likely face punishment as well.

But when he thought of how the other party could never possibly reach the Tower of Dawn, Wizard Lane no longer cared.

"Next."

Before long, everyone had finished testing.

There were two wizards aboard the wizard ship.

At this moment, the other wizard emerged from the cabin and asked, "Lane, how were the test results?"

"Not bad. One with Level 4 spiritual aptitude from the Sogra royal family, three with Level 3 spiritual aptitude from noble families, and fifteen with Level 2 spiritual aptitude. Nineteen qualified in total."

That wizard was somewhat surprised. "There was actually someone with Level 4 spiritual aptitude? Our luck this time is truly quite good. For the past two years, there were only one or two wizard seedlings with even Level 3 spiritual aptitude. This year is truly a bumper harvest."

The wizard then said, "I'll take the unqualified ones back. Lane, take them to the Tower of Dawn."

Aboard the ship returning to the continent, Leo felt uneasy.

On the small ship, apart from Leo, the other people being sent back were in poor spirits as well.

Among them were quite a few whose circumstances resembled Leo's. Unable to remain on the continent, they had fled onto the wizard ship. Being sent back meant they would have to face the crises they had once fled from.

Leo's gaze then fell on a young man reading a book.

The young man carried himself elegantly, with an easygoing smile on his face.

He was Wizard Nova, the other wizard aboard the wizard ship.

Unlike Wizard Lane, Wizard Nova better matched Leo's impression of a wizard—indifferent to everything around him, wholly immersed in his own ocean of knowledge.

From the moment Nova boarded the small ship, he had remained seated and reading. He paid no attention to the discussions and conversations around him, nor to the occasional disturbances surfacing from the sea.

Leo watched Wizard Nova and pondered inwardly.

If he told this wizard now that his spiritual aptitude was Level 3, how likely was it that the man would take him back to the Tower of Dawn?

As the small ship sailed onward, the continent drew closer and closer.

Leo gritted his teeth and stepped forward. "Wizard, may I ask what book you are reading?"

Nova paused his page-turning, raised his head, and looked at Leo. "I am reading. Please do not disturb me. If you are interested, you may take one of the books beside me and read it yourself."

"Thank you for being willing to lend me a book, great Wizard." A smile appeared on Leo's face, making him look like someone who truly loved reading.

Nova seemed a little surprised, but he quickly immersed himself once more in the knowledge within his book.

Meanwhile, Leo weighed the changes in his relationship with Nova. His plan was to first use their shared interest to draw closer to him, then reveal that he possessed Level 3 spiritual aptitude.

As Leo made his calculations, he took a book from the small stack beside Nova.

"Basic Potionology"

"Potionology is a discipline in which wizards use spiritual energy to refine potions."

"During the process of refining potions, aside from the rare and dangerous materials that may be required, the most important thing of all is how spiritual energy is infused throughout the process."

Leo had originally only intended to use this as a stepping stone to grow closer to Nova.

Yet after reading the book, Leo gradually became immersed in it instead.

A gentle voice rose in Leo's mind.

"An inferior-quality codex, Basic Potionology, has been detected. Would you like to record it?"

"Codex recording complete."

[Basic Potionology]

Quality: Inferior

Effect: Records the foundational knowledge of Potionology

Cost: 10 Refinement Points

Basic Potionology, inferior quality, refined into Basic Potionology, ordinary quality

[Basic Potionology]

Quality: Ordinary

Effect: Records the foundational knowledge of Potionology

Cost: 50 Refinement Points

A vast number of vivid scenes suddenly flooded into Leo's mind.

Within those scenes, it was as though Basic Potionology had transformed from written words into moving images, allowing Leo to understand the knowledge more deeply.

In the scenes, Leo experienced everything from a first-person perspective.

Rather than scenes, they were more like Leo using this Potionology knowledge to practice.

Leo gradually sank into them, unaware that his hands were releasing ripples of spiritual energy in a steady rhythm.

Leo's actions drew Nova's attention.

Nova looked at the movements of Leo's hands in surprise. "This child learns very quickly. He only skimmed Basic Potionology for a short while, yet he can already display its most essential part."

"What a pity his spiritual aptitude does not measure up."

"Even if he has talent in Potionology, if his spiritual aptitude is insufficient, he still cannot become a wizard."

Nova lowered his head again and returned to his reading.

After an unknown amount of time, Leo finally recovered from the state of images, and a notification flashed through his mind.

"Mastered the inferior-quality Basic Potionology codex. Refinement Points +10."

"Mastered the ordinary-quality Basic Potionology codex. Refinement Points +50."

In the game, refined codices could grant players skills or items, and when players obtained skills or items, they could also gain Refinement Points.

"Since the Basic Potionology codex can grant Refinement Points this way, the Intermediate Meditation Method should be able to grant them too... As for why I haven't obtained any, it should be because I haven't truly mastered the Intermediate Meditation Method yet."

Thinking of this, Leo became somewhat happy instead.

He had yet to completely master the inferior-quality Intermediate Meditation Method codex, yet it had already produced such an effect. Once he fully mastered it, the increase in meditation efficiency would surely be considerable.

The joy in Leo's heart flashed by in an instant as he looked toward Nova.

At this moment, the wizard had finished his book and was holding a flat piece of bread, nibbling at it bit by bit.

When Wizard Nova saw Leo looking over, he wore an easygoing smile as he said, "What is your name?"

Leo had not expected Nova to strike up a conversation before he had even spoken. He hurriedly said, "Wizard, my name is Leo Danville."

Nova nodded slightly and continued asking, "Have you encountered Potionology before?"

"No." Leo shook his head.

Nova said, "Your understanding of Potionology is quite good. But without the status of a wizard to support it, Potionology is a worthless discipline. My personal advice is that after returning to the continent, you should forget all knowledge related to Potionology as soon as possible."

"For those unable to become wizards, Potionology knowledge brings harm without benefit."

Hearing this, Leo could not help but speak. "Wizard, I am actually of Level 3 spiritual aptitude."

"Level 3 spiritual aptitude..."

Upon hearing this, Wizard Nova even set aside the bread in his hand for the moment. Frowning, he said, "Are you sure you are not joking with me?"

"I am not joking, Wizard. This is what happened."

Leo recounted everything that had happened aboard the wizard ship just now, without concealing a single detail.

After hearing Leo's account, Wizard Nova pondered briefly. "Lane truly detests Plos people... But I did not expect that his hatred would lead him to turn away even a wizard seedling with Level 3 spiritual aptitude."

"How about this..."

A crystal ball appeared out of thin air in Wizard Nova's hand. He said, "Test yourself here once more."

Leo placed his hand atop the crystal ball.

One beam, two beams, three beams—three rays of light appeared one after another on the crystal ball.

Wizard Nova furrowed his brow. "It really is Level 3 spiritual aptitude."