Phylactery

"Ogre's finger, Hydra Lizard's scale, Yeti's heart."

"Soul-Devouring Grass"

"The Banshee's Feather"

The lich muttered to himself as he anxiously rummaged through boxes and cabinets.

Several bloody hands waved in mid-air, like living things, helping him find the necessary materials for casting spells.

The entire Soul Weeping Castle came alive, with wandering ghosts, armored Death Guard, flying heads, and rotting zombies searching for him everywhere.

Aurest was now absolutely certain—the dragon had discovered him! An Great Wyrm Red Dragon was about to descend upon Soul Weeping Castle, and what was even more terrifying was that the Red Dragon held his Phylactery in its hands. He had to be fully prepared to deal with all of this! The lich had naturally considered the extreme scenario of the Phylactery being stolen.

He memorized many insidious and vicious spells, such as the [Netherworld Spell] and [Death Pursuit], which were basically used to curse those who stole the Phylactery and to reclaim their own Phylactery.

"There's still a chance, there's still a chance. This isn't a hopeless situation."

"That's just a greedy Red Dragon."

"Dragons are the most greedy creatures. Perhaps, perhaps I only need to pay a tiny amount of Gold Coin to redeem my Phylactery."

He muttered to himself.

"Boom!"

Suddenly, the ground shook, and the entire Soul Weeping Castle was shaking violently. Bottles and jars on the shelves fell one after another, and even the lich was unsteady on his feet.

Small stones and chandeliers fell from the ceiling.

"What, what exactly is going on?"

"Impossible!"

"Soul Weeping Castle is clearly full of restrictions. I've set up hundreds of protective spells. How could anyone possibly get in!"

He sensed the fluctuations in space.

The lich was furious, his voice hoarse as he roared and howled. The bloody severed hands trembled with fear at their master's rage, lest they be devoured by the lich.

Suddenly, the Undead Creatures froze, standing still.

"You bunch of useless trash!"

"This, this is..."

Aurest turned around cursing, his emaciated body freezing in place, trembling all over.

The Red Dragon easily tore through space, brutally shattering countless restrictions, and thus appeared brazenly in the hall of Soul Weeping Castle, occupying most of the space and crushing countless samples, potions, and equipment.

One vicious spell after another was automatically triggered, and distorted human faces, blurry ghostly figures, and thick black mist attacked from all directions, but the Red Dragon merely flapped its wings.

"Aww—"

"Ahhh—"

"Waaaaahh...

An invisible force field flickered, and all the surrounding curses, along with wails and screams, vanished completely.

The Red Dragon looked down at the lich from its high position, a plain-looking wooden box clutched in its claws.

—That was Aurest's Phylactery, his source of immortality, the box that bound his soul to the Prime Material Plane, and the only way to kill him completely.

Keosius grinned, revealing a ferocious smile, and looked down at him with his pale golden eyes.

"Aurest."

"I'm so glad to finally meet you."

"You seem to really enjoy spying?"

Aurest held his staff, looked up, and managed a forced smile on his withered, rotting face.

"It's an honor that you know me."

"Your Majesty, I believe there must be some misunderstanding between us. That tomb is actually where I store my Phylactery. Those mechanisms and Eye Tyrant are meant to guard against ignorant mortals. A being as great as you would certainly disdain them."

"No."

"Keosius interrupted."

"Lich, there has never been any misunderstanding. This is why I came here."

He toyed with the Phylactery in his hand, every movement sending shivers down Aurest's spine—the slightest mishap would utterly destroy his soul, turning his centuries of savings into a joke.

The lich was filled with unease; he could feel his soul trembling within the Phylactery: "Your Majesty, what... do you desire?"

"We've never had any conflict, so you must have something to ask for."

"Whether it's Gold Coin, spells, or the results of my experiments, I'm willing to give you everything I know, as long as you're kind enough to return the Phylactery to me."

He spoke cautiously.

Keosius shook his head slightly and said with a smile, "That's not up to you to decide."

"Whether there is a holiday or not is not important."

"In fact, your existence is unreasonable to me and needs to be eliminated. I will not allow any uncontrolled forces to appear within the Embers of the Burned Empire —moreover, such forces may endanger the security of the Empire and unleash a catastrophe of the undead."

Aurest lowered his head and replied, "Your Majesty, you are being a bit too forceful. I settled in Anzeta hundreds of years ago, and I represent not only myself, but also the will of the Lord of Bones."

The lich rubbed his staff, revealing the pale white skull emblem on it, its empty eye sockets exceptionally deep.

That staff possessed a touch of divinity—the [Myrkul's Scourge Scepter].

He was communicating with the Lord of Bones, seeking the protection of the god who had made him a lich, and Contend Against the terrifying dragon before him.

"Aurest."

The pale white skull began to twist and contort. "Heh heh."

"Even gods cannot extend their reach into the territory of the Embers of the Burned Empire."

Keosius sneered, and the power of the Empire Domain descended, completely severing the connection between the scepter and Myrkul, leaving Aurest with a look of despair.

Within the Embers of the Burned Empire, the Emperor possesses a status comparable to a god, even enough to isolate Myrkul's divine power.

"Lich, stop your futile struggle. I will only give you two choices."

The Red Dragon raised its claws and, under the lich's extremely tense and anxious gaze, slowly lifted the Phylactery.

"Choose to submit to me, obey the rule of the Embers of the Burned Empire, and offer up everything you have—including yourself."

Or perhaps

He exerted a little force, and the sharp tips of his claws touched the wooden outer shell of the Phylactery, seemingly about to penetrate it.

"No--"

The lich couldn't help but let out a scream and collapsed helplessly to the ground, for he felt an extreme terror in his soul—the fear of facing death.

Since becoming a lich, Aurest had not felt such fear for centuries.

He could clearly feel that the Red Dragon truly dared to destroy his Phylactery!

He really will die! Once that sharp claw pierces through, the lich's soul will be destroyed, and his life, which has lasted for hundreds of years, will be ruined in an instant.

Fortunately, the Red Dragon stopped at the last moment before it was about to pierce the Phylactery.

Keosius glanced contemptuously at the lich who had collapsed to the ground and continued speaking.

"Choose complete annihilation."