Compared to the cautiousness he had when leaving, Zhao Lun was now exuding confidence and dominance as he made his way back.
After all, he had just recruited two skeleton minions, one of which was a skeletal archer, the most lethal of its class. Facing off against newly born level 1 skeletons, it was only natural for them to sweep through anything they encountered. If they didn't, the world itself would defy logic!
As they journeyed back, whenever they encountered any skeletons, Zhao Lun gave the order for the skeletal archer to take the first shot. Most of the skeletons didn't even make it past the archer's arrows. Those few that did break through would already be in tatters by the time they reached Zhao Lun. He'd simply follow up with a 'Blinding' or 'Stun' spell, and then have the greatsword skeleton finish them off. It was quick and efficient. The only times Zhao Lun's group struggled were when skeletons suddenly emerged from behind them, but after a couple of surprises, they were well-prepared for such ambushes.
After a smooth killing spree, Zhao Lun decided it was time to head home. However, on a whim, he changed his mind. He spent the next two hours scouting the area again, confirming that all nearby skeletons were level 1 or below. After ensuring the area was safe, he finally returned to his cave with his growing army of skeletons.
Two hours later, when Zhao Lun returned to the cave, his minion count had increased from two to three. The third one was a skeletal archer, which Zhao Lun had just captured during his extended trip. He had put a lot of effort into this, with the greatsword skeleton almost having its skull pierced by an arrow in the process. But after seeing the two skeletal archers team up to quickly eliminate a level 1 giant axe skeleton, Zhao Lun felt the effort had been worth it.
Moreover, after capturing his second skeletal archer, Zhao Lun felt a sense of pride. He had more minions now, and it was time to give them proper names to distinguish them. After thinking for a few seconds, he dubbed them: "Archer One," "Archer Two," and "Greatsword One." These "impressive" names would surely go down in history.
Who knew Zhao Lun could be this lazy!
Aside from Archer Two, Zhao Lun had also killed nearly a hundred skeletons on his journey. His Soulfire was now brimming with energy—enough to consume and discard any souls he came across. With the abundance of energy, Zhao Lun had become more selective. He no longer needed souls other than those of skeletal mages. The rest, he'd reserve for his three loyal skeletons.
This wasn't because Soulfire had any special flavor or because skeletal mages were particularly "delicious." It was just that Zhao Lun believed that consuming the soulfire of a skeletal mage would be far more beneficial than absorbing that of any other skeleton. His proof? The "Stun" spell.
Speaking of "Stun," Zhao Lun had some complaints. Over the course of his journey, he had devoured the soulfire of five level 0 skeletal mages, and all he had gotten in return was a single level 0 "Magic Missile" spell. It wasn't that only one of the mages knew magic; it was just that the other four had either "Blinding" or "Stun" as their spells.
Zhao Lun, who firmly believed in his exceptional luck, was deeply frustrated. If not for consuming five skeletal mages, Zhao Lun's Soulfire would have been on the verge of overloading. He was certain there was something more to gain, though.
Upon returning to the cave, Zhao Lun instructed his three skeleton minions to place the spoils of war in their designated areas. As usual, the "spoils" consisted mainly of the skulls of several skeletal mages. Though he couldn't eat them all, Zhao Lun wasn't one to waste. Determined not to let his luck be entirely negative, he was resolute in his plan to consume the skulls until he unlocked more spells.
"Place everything down. You three stay by the entrance and keep any skeletons away from here!"
Zhao Lun commanded his skeletal minions. He then sat down in meditation, focusing intently on his Soulfire, hoping to uncover what had changed in his mind since capturing the skeletal archers.
Ever since acquiring the skeletal archers and the greatsword skeleton, Zhao Lun had felt that something new was in his mind, but when he tried to search for it, he couldn't find anything. This unsettling feeling prompted him to send his skeletons to stand guard while he focused on his inner self to discover what had changed.
"Ugh, gold fingers are the worst!"
Ten minutes later, Zhao Lun's Soulfire flared up. His eyes lit up, and his mouth dropped open in astonishment. Four familiar pages suddenly appeared before him.
Master
Name: Zhao LunRace: Low-level Undead (Skeleton Mage)Strength: Level 1 (Black Iron)Talent: —Evolution Direction: ???Evaluation: System not authorized to evaluate without Master's permission.
MinionContract Type: Low-level Magic ContractName: Archer OneRace: Low-level Undead (Skeleton Archer)Strength: Level 0 (Black Iron)Talent: BlackEvolution Direction: Cold Skeleton Archer (Low-level Undead)Evaluation: A very ordinary skeleton among the many found in the underworld, without any cultivation value.
MinionContract Type: Low-level Magic ContractName: Archer TwoRace: Low-level Undead (Skeleton Archer)Strength: Level 0 (Black Iron)Talent: BlackEvolution Direction: Explosive Skeleton Archer (Low-level Undead)Evaluation: A very ordinary skeleton among the many found in the underworld, without any cultivation value.
MinionContract Type: Low-level Magic ContractName: Greatsword OneRace: Low-level Undead (Greatsword Skeleton)Strength: Level 0 (Black Iron)Talent: GrayEvolution Direction: Giant Sword Skeleton (Low-level Undead)Evaluation: A very ordinary skeleton among the many found in the underworld, without any cultivation value.
"I knew it! I knew there had to be a gold finger when I crossed over!" Zhao Lun laughed foolishly.
It was clear to him now. The information had been triggered deep within his Soulfire, and the format was extremely familiar—it was just like a game attributes page! And Zhao Lun had played this game before. It was called "Undead Evolution."
"Click, click, click!"
Zhao Lun eagerly shouted, using his mind to control the page of Archer One. With great effort, he tried to flip it over.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the page of Archer One slowly turned, revealing the back.