Spiritual Power Test

Winter in Black Forest Ridge was especially frigid. The wind and snow blowing from the Northern Barbarian Mountains were like a bucket of white paint, coating the filthy Black Forest Territory in spotless white.

In a dilapidated wooden shack that leaked wind from all sides on the outskirts of Black Forest Territory, Richard wrapped his thin clothes tightly around himself and curled up in the hay to reduce the loss of body heat.

"Hiss... so cold. As... as a transmigrator, I'm living a damn disgraceful life."

A month ago, Richard had come to this world because of a traffic accident, becoming the son of Old Richard, a peasant under Baron Black Forest's rule.

Old Richard was a rotten drunk. Under the care of this drunken father, Richard endured nothing but hunger and beatings every day.

What was even sadder was that, due to prolonged malnutrition, Richard's frail body could not even put up a fight.

Fortunately, that drunk was already dead.

But the bad news was that the drunk had traded everything valuable in the house for cheap spirits, and Richard had eaten the last grain of food in the house a day ago.

Cold, hunger, and the external injuries inflicted by a drunk who had frozen to death in the snow three days earlier—curled up in the haystack, Richard felt as though he would ascend to heaven at any moment.

I can't sleep, absolutely can't sleep! You're a transmigrator with a Golden Finger. How can you fall in a place like this?! Richard forced his eyes open and constantly encouraged himself inwardly.

Yes, Richard, who had transmigrated here, did not actually lack a Golden Finger.

When he had transmigrated into Little Richard's body, he had discovered a Furnace deep within his soul.

But Richard had never known what this Furnace could do.

Still, no matter what its purpose was, it gave Richard a sliver of hope at this moment.

To someone about to drown, even a straw was a life-saving ray of dawn.

Knock, knock, knock!

In his daze, Richard seemed to hear knocking at the door.

Who would visit someone in weather this cold?

Bang!

Seeing no response, the person outside kicked the door open.

"Old Richard, are you still alive?!"

Richard's mind snapped awake, and he hurriedly struggled to rise from the hay.

He recognized the voice. The person who had entered was the territory's steward, Mr. Ellison, the chief butler of Black Forest Territory.

"Lord Steward, my father froze to death two days ago, but I am still alive. Whatever you need done, leave it to me."

The territory's steward was an important figure. He would never personally come to a peasant's house for no reason.

This was an opportunity!

"Oh, you're Little Richard, are you?"

Mr. Ellison frowned as he examined Richard, then pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and covered his nose.

But he could not be blamed, because Richard looked truly dreadful right now.

His unkempt shoulder-length hair hung over his head in greasy clumps. His face was filthy, his thin clothes were covered in grime, and his untreated wounds had blackened and festered.

Compared with Richard, even a beggar would count as handsome, dashing, clean, and tidy.

"I am Little Richard, Lord Steward." Richard forced himself to give a half-bow.

There were rumors among the people that Mr. Ellison was a man who placed great importance on etiquette. Even when facing the stupidest country peasant, he would tirelessly demand that they observe the proper courtesies.

Richard now hoped those rumors were true.

As he watched Richard bow, a flicker of surprise passed through the steward's eyes.

Having dealt with lowborn commoners all year round, he had long grown accustomed to their lack of manners. Although he often corrected their etiquette, he was already numb to the matter.

Lowborn commoners' brains were simply born unable to remember noble etiquette.

Yet this child could still bow even when on the verge of freezing to death. That undoubtedly stirred something in his heart.

Even in death, nobles could not cast aside etiquette, and Ellison saw a trace of noble spirit in Richard.

"Good child, it is enough that you are alive. Come with me. Later, do whatever I tell you to do," Mr. Ellison said gently.

"Yes, my lord."

As he stepped out of the shack, thick clouds blanketed the entire sky, like a curtain blocking off the poorest people's cheapest source of warmth—the sun.

A gust of freezing wind swept over him, making Richard shiver uncontrollably.

Richard wore only thin clothes. Before this biting wind, those scraps of clothing were little better than nothing.

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

Seeing Richard's state, Mr. Ellison frowned and turned to order the soldier following him to take off his padded coat.

The ordered soldier's expression stiffened. In weather this cold, being told to take off his clothes and give them to a foul-smelling lowborn commoner was simply absurd.

"My lord, what does it matter if there's one less? The territory is so large, and that Wizard doesn't know how many children there are," the soldier muttered.

"Shut up! Do not use your little cleverness to speculate on the wisdom of the Wizard!"

The moment he heard the soldier mention the Wizard, Mr. Ellison's expression changed sharply, and he immediately barked a stern rebuke.

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

But the speaker had no intention, while the listener took it to heart.

Standing to one side, Richard jolted when he heard the word Wizard.

Wizard!

This world had magic!

Since arriving in this world, Richard had also sought news of supernatural powers. But Black Forest Territory was remote, and his status was too low. After asking around, he had learned nothing but rural ghost stories.

But now, it seemed that supernatural power truly existed in this world.

Once the padded coat was draped over him, its lingering body warmth made Richard feel much more comfortable.

The soldier's loose tongue had utterly ruined the steward's good mood from Richard. With a dark face, he shouted at Richard.

"Get moving once you have your clothes on! The Wizard is losing patience. We will all die!"

Following the steward into a carriage, Richard soon arrived at the baron's castle in the center of the territory.

The castle hall was dim. Torches mounted on the walls and the Furnace in the center of the hall provided all its light.

In the middle of the hall, more than a hundred children, rich and poor alike, had gathered together, quietly waiting for the Wizard in the depths of the hall to speak.

"Wizard, My Lord Baron, all children in the territory between the ages of twelve and fifteen are here."

The steward reported toward the depths of the hall. There, a figure clad in a black robe and wearing a pointed hat slowly rose to his feet.

"Heh heh heh! The children in your Black Forest Territory are rather few, Delis."

Beside him, Richard saw the fat Baron Black Forest wearing a fawning expression as he continuously wiped sweat from his forehead.

"Yes, my lord. The harvest has been poor these past two years. Quite a few lowborn commoners have indeed starved to death."

"That will not do." The Black Robe Wizard patted Baron Black Forest, making the baron shudder.

"The Academy needs children of the proper age to enroll. If I cannot gather enough children, the Academy will punish me."

"But I do not want to be punished."

"So if, when I come to Black Forest Territory next time, you still have so few children prepared...

Then prepare to become a maggot and eat shit in a latrine for the rest of your life!"

The Wizard's tone grew harsher and harsher. By the end, his words were nearly the roar of a savage beast, plunging the entire hall into silence.

"Good." The Black Robe Wizard turned to look at the children in the hall. "The hall is quiet now as well."

"Now, line up one by one and come before me for testing, one at a time.

Do not make me say this a second time."

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

Perhaps they did not know how formidable the Wizard was, but after seeing Baron Black Forest's face turn pale without even powder on it, every child knew what they should do next.

Richard stood in the middle of the group of children. His position happened to be at the bend in the line, giving him a clear view of the Black Robe Wizard deep within the hall.

Richard watched the Wizard take out a Crystal Ball from beneath his black robe and call the children over to place their hands on it. The Crystal Ball would then glow faintly, and the Wizard would announce the result.

"Spiritual power: nine points. Unqualified. Next."

"Spiritual power: eight points. Unqualified."

"Spiritual power: seven points. Unqualified."

"Spiritual power: ten points. Barely passed. Go stand behind me."

"Spiritual power: nine points. Unqualified."

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

"Unqualified. Next."

The child in front of Richard walked aside, and Richard nervously stepped before the Wizard.

Only after approaching did Richard finally see the face hidden beneath the shadow of the pointed hat.

Unexpectedly, the Wizard's appearance was not frightening. He had grizzled hair, a face full of wrinkles, deep-set eye sockets, and a monocle perched before them.

Overall, he even looked somewhat kind.

But for some reason, Richard's body began trembling involuntarily as he stood before him.

It felt like prey encountering a predator!

"Put your hand on the Crystal Ball."

"Yes, Wizard."

Richard nervously placed his hand on the Crystal Ball and silently awaited his fate.

Would he freeze to death in that ruined shack, or would he follow the Wizard? It all depended on this moment.

Light gradually rose within the Crystal Ball. Something like an electric current traveled from the Crystal Ball through Richard's arm and into his body.

This power circulated through Richard's body once before finally entering his brain.

At the same time, the Furnace deep within Richard's soul seemed to awaken in response to the power.

A message came from the Furnace.

[Miracle Furnace activated]

At that same moment, the Black Robe Wizard announced Richard's test result.

"Spiritual power: fifteen points. Qualified!"