Unforeseen Event

The next morning, Lin Yun packed his bags early and continued his journey.

After a night of Meditation, his magic power had recovered to seventy or eighty percent, and his mental state was much improved. Bebe was even more energetic, darting into the woods early in the morning to catch two plump wild rabbits, then crouching before him and squeaking incessantly as if asking for credit.

"Alright, alright, I know you're impressive." Lin Yun smiled, patted its little head, cleaned the rabbits, and roasted one for breakfast, saving the other for the road.

Sunlight filtered through the canopy, and the morning mist in the forest gradually dissipated. The sound of birds chirping echoed one after another, adding a touch of vitality to the mountain forest. Lin Yun's mood brightened along with the weather—in one more day, he would be back at the academy.

He walked while calculating his plans for after his return. He needed to find a way to obtain Level 7 Magic spells for the other elements, continue deepening his study of Earth Element magic taught by Delin, and not fall behind on Dark Element magic... and there was also his cultivation in the Swallowed Star World; his physical fitness had to be improved as soon as possible, otherwise, the true power of his Spiritual Force could not be fully unleashed.

Cultivation in both worlds required a significant investment of time and energy, and he needed to carefully plan his upcoming schedule.

Bebe crouched on his shoulder, its little head bobbing as if it were dozing off. The warm sunlight spilled over them, and even Lin Yun felt a bit drowsy.

Just then, a faint sound drifted over from ahead.

Lin Yun stopped in his tracks and tilted his head to listen. The sound was intermittent, like the clashing of metal, mixed with low growls—extremely similar to the "ho-ho" sounds made by the Corpse Demon he encountered yesterday.

Bebe woke up as well, its little nose twitching constantly as it let out a low warning growl.

Lin Yun frowned slightly and released his Wind of Perception.

The feedback from his perception made his heart tighten—about five hundred meters ahead, there were over a dozen familiar, cold, and sinister auras, exactly the same as the Corpse Demon from yesterday. And amidst those auras, there were several faint life signs moving rapidly, seemingly trying to escape from something.

Someone was being attacked by Corpse Demon.

Lin Yun hesitated for a moment but decided to go and take a look. It wasn't out of meddling, but because he wanted to figure out where these Corpse Demon were coming from. The appearance of undead creatures on the outskirts of the Magic Beast Mountain Range was inherently abnormal.

He suppressed his aura and moved forward cautiously.

Passing through a dense thicket, Lin Yun reached the edge of a relatively open clearing and hid behind a large tree, peeking out to observe.

A battle was taking place in the clearing.

On one side were seven or eight Mercenary wearing leather armor and wielding weapons. Their equipment wasn't top-tier, but their coordination was seamless, clearly marking them as experienced adventurers. Leading them was a burly middle-aged man wielding a broad-bladed greatsword, each swing carrying the whistling sound of wind.

On the other side were twelve or thirteen Corpse Demon—exactly the same as the one that attacked Lin Yun yesterday. Their gray-white skin, hollow eye sockets, flickering ghostly green flames, and sharp claws were enough to make one's blood run cold.

But what made Lin Yun feel strange was that the attack pattern of these Corpse Demon was completely different from yesterday.

Yesterday, those Corpse Demon had lunged at him crazily the moment they appeared, fighting to the death. But the ones before him, while attacking the Mercenary, were clearly holding back—they were mostly using their claws and bodies to force the Mercenary back or knock them over, rather than going for the kill.

"What is going on?" Lin Yun wondered.

After observing for a while, he discovered something even stranger.

The Mercenary knocked down by the Corpse Demon were not killed. The Corpse Demon would pounce on them, pin their bodies down with their claws, and then exhale a mass of gray-white mist from their mouths, enveloping the Mercenary's faces. The Mercenary shrouded in the mist would immediately stop struggling, their bodies becoming rigid as if controlled by some force, and then they would stand up shakily and follow the Corpse Demon in a certain direction.

"They are taking them alive." Lin Yun's heart sank.

The Mercenary captain clearly realized this as well. His swordsmanship became increasingly fierce as he tried to break through, but there were too many Corpse Demon, and they feared neither pain nor death; he simply couldn't break out.

"Lao Liu! Xiao Zhang!" The Mercenary captain shouted his companions' names, but the only response was the increasingly faint cries of his men.

One by one, the Mercenary were knocked down, shrouded in the gray-white mist, and then stood up rigidly, like walking corpses, following the Corpse Demon toward the depths of the mountain forest.

Lin Yun stood behind the tree, his fingers digging tightly into the bark.

He should step in to help. But his magic power had only recovered to seventy or eighty percent, and his Light Element magic power was only about half. Yesterday's battle had already proven that Light Element magic was the most effective against Corpse Demon; magic of other elements could only temporarily repel them, not kill them completely.

Moreover, he had an even bigger question in his heart—why were these Corpse Demon capturing living people? Was there someone controlling them from behind the scenes?

If he acted rashly and alerted the enemy, he might never find the answer.

Lin Yun gritted his teeth and made a difficult decision—he would not intervene yet, but instead track these Corpse Demon to see where they were taking the people.

The Mercenary captain was the last to fall.

He was the strongest, having cut down three or four Corpse Demon by himself, but those he knocked down would soon stand up shakily and continue to surround him. In the end, he was pounced on by three Corpse Demon simultaneously; the gray-white mist covered his face, his struggles grew weaker and weaker, and then stopped completely.

The Mercenary captain stood up rigidly and, along with the other controlled Mercenary, formed a line and followed the Corpse Demon into the depths of the mountain forest.

After they had moved a certain distance, Lin Yun quietly followed.

He didn't dare to get too close for fear of being discovered by the Corpse Demon. The sensory methods of these undead creatures were different from ordinary magic beasts; they didn't rely on sight or smell, but on sensing life auras. Lin Yun used Wind Element magic to wrap his aura, minimizing its leakage while maintaining a distance of about two hundred meters, trailing far behind.

The Corpse Demon procession moved at a steady pace, heading deeper into the Magic Beast Mountain Range. Lin Yun grew increasingly puzzled—this was already the middle section of the mountain range; further in was the territory where Level 7 and Level 8 magic beasts roamed. Who would be controlling Corpse Demon here?

After about an hour of walking, the terrain ahead began to grow steep. The dense forest gradually thinned, replaced by jagged rocks and steep cliffs. The Corpse Demon procession turned into a narrow valley, where the cliffs on both sides towered into the clouds, blocking out most of the sunlight.

Lin Yun paused at the entrance of the valley and carefully observed the surrounding environment. The information fed back by his Wind of Perception showed that there was an extremely dense, cold, and sinister aura deep in the valley, far stronger than those Corpse Demon.

He took a deep breath and cautiously walked into the valley.

The valley was even deeper than Lin Yun had imagined.

After walking for about a quarter of an hour, the Corpse Demon procession ahead stopped. Lin Yun hid behind a giant rock and peeked out to observe.

At the end of the valley was a steep cliff face with a massive cave entrance, at least three or four meters high and over two meters wide. The entrance was pitch black, making it impossible to see what was inside, but waves of cold, sinister aura surged out from the cave, making the surrounding temperature much lower than outside.

The Corpse Demon stood in two rows on either side of the entrance, as if guarding something. The controlled Mercenary walked into the cave one by one, disappearing into the darkness.

"There really is someone controlling them from behind," Lin Yun thought to himself.

He observed for a while and found that, aside from those dozen or so Corpse Demon, there were no other guards at the entrance. But the positions of those Corpse Demon were distributed quite cleverly, sealing the entrance tightly with almost no gaps to slip through.

Lin Yun frowned and began to think about what to do next.

Charging in blindly is definitely not an option. His magic power has not fully recovered, and his Light Element magic power is only at about half. Furthermore, the situation inside the cave is unknown; rushing in rashly is too dangerous.

But he is unwilling to just go back like this. He went through so much trouble to find the lair of these Corpse Demons, yet he doesn't even know what the situation is inside.

Lin Yun pondered for a while and decided to first find a hidden spot to conceal himself and observe for a period of time to see if he could find more clues.

He looked around and discovered a depression on the cliff wall on the right side of the valley, obscured by vines, which could barely accommodate him. He crept over, squeezed into the depression, and covered himself with the vines. From this position, he could clearly see the situation at the cave entrance, while the Corpse Demons at the entrance would find it hard to spot him.

Bebe squatted on his shoulder, his little nose twitching constantly, watching the direction of the cave entrance vigilantly.

Time passed second by second.

The sky gradually darkened, and the valley became even colder. The ghostly green flames in the eye sockets of the Corpse Demons at the cave entrance appeared particularly striking in the darkness, like a dozen flickering will-o'-the-wisps.

After about an hour, there was finally movement inside the cave.

A figure wearing a black robe walked out of the cave. His build was thin, and his face was hidden in the shadows of his hood, making it impossible to see clearly. In his hand, he held a bone-white staff, with a dark green gemstone embedded at the top, emitting a faint, eerie glow in the darkness.

Lin Yun's pupils constricted slightly.

A Necromancer.

Delin had once explained the characteristics of a Necromancer in detail—black robes, a bone staff, and an aura of coldness. These people are practitioners of Necromancy, skilled in controlling spirits and Corpse Demons; they are the mortal enemies of the Radiant Church and existences that everyone in the Yulan Continent wants to eradicate.

He never expected that a Necromancer would be hiding deep within the Magic Beast Mountain Range.

The Black-Robed Man stood at the cave entrance, seemingly counting the number of Corpse Demons. Then, he muttered a few words, and those Corpse Demons turned in unison and walked into the cave.

The cave entrance was empty.

But Lin Yun did not rush to act.

He needed more time to observe; he needed to figure out the strength of this Necromancer, the situation inside the cave, and his purpose for capturing those Mercenaries.

Delin once said that Necromancers are known to be invincible among their peers. They are not only skilled at summoning undead creatures but also proficient in Soul Attack and Soul Enslavement techniques. A Necromancer's combat power far exceeds that of an ordinary mage of the same level. If he were to rush in rashly, he would likely have his soul controlled by the opponent and become a new Corpse Demon.

Lin Yun's current strength is that of a Level 7 mage, but he only knows Level 7 attack magic of the Earth Element; he doesn't know any Level 7 magic of other elements. Although the Light Element suppresses Necromancy, his Light Element is only at Level 6. Facing a true Necromancer, he does not have the certainty of victory.

He must use his wits; he cannot attack by force.

Lin Yun took a deep breath, calmed himself down, and continued to observe.

The Black-Robed Man stood at the cave entrance for about a quarter of an hour, seemingly waiting for something.

Lin Yun carefully observed his every move, trying to find some useful information from it.

The magic fluctuations of the Black-Robed Man were not particularly strong—somewhere between Level 7 and Level 8. His body was wrapped in a thick aura of death, and the surrounding air became cold and damp because of his presence.

The bone staff in his hand was covered with dense magic runes, and the dark green gemstone at the top flickered with strange light from time to time. Lin Yun could feel that the gemstone contained extremely powerful Necromantic magic power; it was likely the core magic artifact of this Necromancer.

The Black-Robed Man muttered a few words and then turned and walked into the cave.

Lin Yun waited for about half an hour, confirming that the Black-Robed Man did not come out again, before quietly emerging from his hiding spot and approaching the cave entrance.

He did not go in.

He carefully surveyed the area outside the cave, noting the location of the entrance, the surrounding terrain, and the entry and exit points of the valley. Then, he quietly retreated to his hiding spot.

Going in to take risks is unwise. What he needs now is intelligence—more intelligence.

Lin Yun closed his eyes and began Meditation to recover his magic power. He decided to guard here for the night to see if he could observe more useful information.

Bebe squatted beside him and also quieted down, his little eyes staring unblinkingly at the direction of the cave entrance.

The night gradually deepened.

The valley was pitch black, with only the occasional flickering ghostly green light at the cave entrance. A few wolf howls echoed from afar in the night wind, adding a sense of eeriness to this silent mountain forest.

Around midnight, there was movement in the cave again.

The Black-Robed Man walked out once more, followed by several Corpse Demons. Those Corpse Demons were carrying a simple stretcher made of branches and vines, and on the stretcher lay a person—no, not a person, but a corpse.

Lin Yun looked closely and discovered that the skin of that corpse had already turned grayish-white, exactly the same as the Corpse Demons. But there were no flames in its eye sockets, and its body did not move.

The Black-Robed Man walked to an open space outside the cave entrance and began to chant a spell. Dark green light surged from the gemstone at the top of the bone staff, enveloping the corpse.

The corpse began to tremble.

Then, two ghostly green flames lit up in its eye sockets.

It slowly stood up, turned stiffly to face the Black-Robed Man, and lowered its head as if bowing.

A new Corpse Demon was born.

Lin Yun's heart sank.

So that is how those Corpse Demons are created. Those captured Mercenaries, I fear, will also become new Corpse Demons.

The Black-Robed Man nodded with satisfaction and turned to walk into the cave. The newly created Corpse Demon followed behind him and disappeared into the darkness.

Lin Yun leaned against the cliff wall, closed his eyes, and his mind raced.

This Necromancer's strength is formidable, and his methods are cruel. He doesn't capture living people for any other reason than to create more Corpse Demons. If left unchecked, the number of Corpse Demons in his hands will only grow, and he will sooner or later become a great scourge.

But Lin Yun is not confident in defeating him right now.

If he cannot charge in, then he must use his wits.

He needs to find the weakness of this Necromancer—he cannot stay in the cave forever; he will eventually have to come out. To deal with a Necromancer, one must strike with lightning speed before he can react; otherwise, once given the chance, one will be facing an endless army of the undead.

Lin Yun opened his eyes, a flicker of firm resolve flashing within them.

He decided to remain here, observing the movement patterns of this Necromancer to find the right moment to strike.

Bebe seemed to sense his determination, rubbing its little head against his cheek and chirping twice, as if to say, "I'm with you."

Lin Yun stroked its small head and closed his eyes once more to continue his Meditation.

The night grew deeper, and the valley fell into complete silence.

The howling of wolves in the distance had ceased, leaving only the occasional sound of wind blowing past, carrying a few withered leaves spinning through the air.

Lin Yun sat cross-legged in the hollow, his breathing steady and long. His magic power was recovering bit by bit, and his Spiritual Energy was gradually solidifying.

Tomorrow, he would need to continue his observation.

The day after, perhaps it would be the same.

He needed patience; in the more than a month he had spent in the Magic Beast Mountain Range, the most important lesson he had learned was that sometimes, waiting required more courage than fighting.