Level 8 Necromancer

That night, Lin Yun did something bold.

He didn't attack the Corpse Demons. Instead, from above the valley, he cast Holy Light Illumination, a Level 6 Light Element spell. It had no offensive power, but it spread a powerful aura of light over a vast area.

To undead creatures, an aura of light was like a flame to moths: both a threat and a deterrent.

White light poured down from above the valley, enveloping the entire cave entrance.

The remaining twenty-odd Level 5 and 6 Corpse Demons let out shrill howls all at once. They frantically backed away, huddling together as they tried to escape the blinding light. The two Level 7 Corpse Demons didn't react as strongly, but they were clearly uneasy, pacing back and forth at the cave entrance.

The Black-Robed Man rushed out of the cave, his face as pale as paper.

"No..." His voice was full of despair. "No! You can't do this! My Magic Artifact... My Magic Artifact is just one step from completion!"

He frantically waved his Bone Staff. Dark green light poured from its gem as he tried to dispel the white light. But Holy Light Illumination covered too large an area; his necromantic power couldn't possibly blanket it all.

More importantly, he didn't dare stray far from the cave entrance.

His Magic Artifact was still inside. If he left, it would lose the infusion of his magic power, and all his efforts would be wasted.

Lin Yun watched from the shadows, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

He'd made the right bet.

This Necromancer was trapped by his own Magic Artifact. He couldn't run or give chase; all he could do was defend himself. And the Corpse Demons were dwindling by the day.

This time, Lin Yun wasn't going to wait!

He returned to the valley entrance. This time, he didn't hide.

He stood in the moonlight, releasing his Light Element magic power. White light slowly enveloped him.

"Necromancer!" His voice echoed through the valley. "Come out!"

A moment later, the Black-Robed Man emerged from the cave.

He looked even worse than before. His black robe was badly wrinkled, his face was as pale as a corpse, and the flames in his eye sockets had dimmed considerably. He clutched his Bone Staff tightly, but the gem at its tip was already covered in cracks.

Behind him, only two Level 7 Corpse Demons and fewer than twenty Level 5 and 6 Corpse Demons remained.

"A... a child?" When the Black-Robed Man saw Lin Yun, his expression changed from fear to disbelief. "The one who's been harassing me all these days was a child?"

"It was me," Lin Yun said calmly.

The Black-Robed Man stared at him for a few seconds, then burst into mad laughter. "A child of twelve or thirteen drove me to this? Is the Radiant Church out of people? They sent a child to die?"

He raised his Bone Staff and pointed it at Lin Yun. "Do you know what I'm doing here? I'm crafting a Magic Artifact! Give me just half a day more, and I'll succeed! Then I won't just recover from my injuries—I'll break through to the realm of a Level 9 Undead Archmage. By then, even if the Radiant Church's Inquisitor comes, I won't fear him!"

His voice grew more and more agitated. "But you! You ruined my plans! You killed my Corpse Demons, exhausted my Spiritual Energy, and prevented me from completing my Magic Artifact!"

"Since you've come to me, you can be the sacrifice for my Magic Artifact!"

He swung his Bone Staff sharply, and the remaining Corpse Demons surged toward Lin Yun from all sides. The two Level 7 Corpse Demons charged at the front, moving with astonishing speed.

Lin Yun didn't retreat.

He raised his right hand. A Level 6 Spear of Light took shape in his palm, and then—three more formed in quick succession, each aimed in a different direction.

"Spear of Light!"

Three dazzling beams of white light tore through the night and struck three Level 5 and 6 Corpse Demons squarely in the head. They fell with a thud, the flames in their eye sockets instantly extinguished.

That was the advantage of being a Level 7 Mage. His magic power was abundant, and he could throw Level 6 spells around as if they cost nothing.

The Black-Robed Man's expression darkened further. He waved his Bone Staff frantically, driving the Corpse Demons to move faster.

Lin Yun retreated while continuing to cast Spear of Light. One, two, three... Every beam struck a Corpse Demon in the head with pinpoint accuracy. His magic power barely dwindled, while the Corpse Demons' numbers fell rapidly.

Ten, eight, five...

By the time the last Level 5 or 6 Corpse Demon fell, the two Level 7 Corpse Demons had charged to within ten meters of him.

Lin Yun didn't panic. He cast the Wind Element spell Wind Walk, gliding backward as he conjured an even thicker Spear of Light in his right hand. It was still a Level 6 spell, but he poured in more magic power, making it nearly twice as powerful as before.

"Go!"

The spear struck the head of the Level 7 Corpse Demon on the left, blasting a huge hole in it. The Corpse Demon staggered but didn't fall. Lin Yun immediately followed with a second Spear of Light, then a third, striking the same spot each time.

The moment the third spear exploded, the flames in the Level 7 Corpse Demon's eye sockets finally went out. Its body crashed to the ground and never rose again.

Only the last one remained.

Lin Yun turned to face it and conjured another Spear of Light with his right hand. But this time, he didn't attack directly. First, he bound it with Binding of Light, then—

"Bebe!"

Bebe sprang at it from the side, its claws plunging precisely into the back of the Corpse Demon's head. It ripped out the Undead Fire.

The last Level 7 Corpse Demon fell.

The Black-Robed Man stood at the cave entrance, his face full of despair.

All his Corpse Demons were gone. His Spiritual Energy was exhausted. His Magic Artifact couldn't be completed.

As an eight-hundred-year-old Level 8 Necromage, he had once commanded dozens of Level 8 Corpse Demons and Golden Armored Zombies at the height of his power, with countless Level 7 Corpse Demons besides. But not long ago, the Radiant Church had discovered his whereabouts and sent a band of Ascetics led by a Level 9 Mage. His Level 8 subordinates had been wiped out in that battle, leaving only a few Level 7 Corpse Demons. With no other choice, he had hidden in the Magic Beast Mountain Range to recover.

On top of that, his soul had been badly injured, leaving him unable to communicate with the Undead Realm. Without that, he couldn't summon new undead, so he had turned his attention to the mercenaries. Over the course of a little more than a month, he had painstakingly accumulated these dozens of Level 5 and 6 Corpse Demons. And now Lin Yun had nearly wiped them all out. His hatred burned fiercely!

"You... you..." The Black-Robed Man's voice was hoarse and trembling. "Who are you?"

"Lin Yun Baruch, of Ernst Academy," Lin Yun said calmly.

The Black-Robed Man stared at him for a few seconds, then burst into mad laughter. "Baruch? The Dragonblood Warrior Clan? Hahahaha... I, Morton, never thought I'd end up falling at the hands of a child from the Dragonblood Warrior Clan!"

His laughter cut off abruptly. His gaze turned wild and resolute.

"But you think you've won?"

He abruptly raised both hands and began chanting some kind of incantation. Dark green light surged from his palms, gathering in the air into a twisted ball of light. It radiated a terrifying aura, and its presence made the surrounding air turn cold.

Lin Yun's pupils suddenly contracted.

He recognized the spell. Doehring had once explained it to him in detail. It was one of the Necromancer's most sinister techniques.

Soul Attack!

A Necromancer could gather all his Spiritual Energy and soul power to attack an enemy's soul directly. This attack ignored physical and magical defenses, striking straight at the source of the soul. If the soul wasn't strong enough, it would be destroyed in an instant, leaving behind an empty shell with no consciousness.

This was the Necromancer's final trump card, and his most desperate measure. It would exhaust all his Spiritual Energy and cause irreversible damage to his own soul. No Necromancer would use it unless he had reached the end of his rope.

Morton had clearly reached that point.

Lin Yun wanted to dodge, but the Soul Attack was incredibly fast and almost impossible to evade. It locked directly onto the soul, so no matter where he moved his body, it would still catch him.

The dark green ball of light flew from Morton's hands, heading straight for the space between Lin Yun's eyebrows.

Lin Yun could only do one thing: gather all his Spiritual Energy deep within his consciousness and fiercely guard the source of his soul.

The dark green light sank into his brow.

In an instant, Lin Yun felt an utterly icy force flood into his consciousness. It was filled with despair, hatred, and madness, like a storm made of countless blades, trying to tear his soul to shreds.

The excruciating pain nearly robbed him of consciousness. He clenched his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead, his body trembling uncontrollably.

The strength he had accumulated over three lifetimes came into play at that moment. His soul was far stronger and more resilient than an ordinary person's. But Morton was a peak Level 8 Necromancer. Though he had already been badly injured, this attack contained all his soul power. Even Lin Yun's extraordinary soul began to crack.

His consciousness blurred, his memories shattered, and the defenses protecting his soul crumbled inch by inch.

No... I can't hold on...

Just as Lin Yun's soul was about to be torn apart—

The Small Bronze Tripod on his chest suddenly lit up.

Its light was gentle yet vast, unlike the searing brightness of light magic or the chill of Necromancy. It was like the oldest starlight in the night sky: profound, tranquil, and irresistible.

The Small Cauldron trembled slightly.

A warm force surged from within it, instantly flowing through Lin Yun's body and gathering deep in his consciousness. The force was gentle yet steadfast, like a mother stroking her child's forehead. It enveloped the icy power that had invaded his consciousness, dissolving it bit by bit.

Before the Small Cauldron's power, the dark green light vanished soundlessly, like snow beneath the sun.

The pain of his soul being torn apart abruptly disappeared, replaced by a tranquility he had never felt before. Not only had his soul recovered, it was now more solid and pure than before. As the Small Cauldron's power drove out the intruding force, it had tempered his soul as well.

He opened his eyes.

Morton collapsed to the ground, black blood seeping from his eyes, ears, nose, and mouth. The flames in his eye sockets had gone out completely. His face was filled with disbelief, and his lips trembled as he managed one last whisper.

"How... is this... possible... Your soul... What... is there..."

He didn't finish. His body lost all signs of life.

Lin Yun stood where he was, gasping for breath. Cold sweat drenched his back, and his legs felt weak.

It had been so close. He'd nearly died.

He looked down at the Small Bronze Tripod on his chest. The light on its surface had faded, and it had returned to its ancient, mottled appearance, resting quietly against his chest as if nothing had happened.

But Lin Yun knew that if not for it, he would already be an empty shell without a soul.

"Thank you," he whispered.

The Small Cauldron grew slightly warm, as if responding, then fell completely silent.

Bebe leaped over and crouched on his shoulder, rubbing its little head against his cheek. It chirped twice, its voice full of worry.

Lin Yun reached up to stroke its little head and managed a faint smile.

"It's all right," he said. "I'm still alive. I was too reckless this time!"

After resting for a while, Lin Yun struggled to his feet and walked into the cave.

Deep inside, the mercenaries lay unconscious on the ground. They had no visible injuries, and their breathing was steady, though their faces were somewhat pale.

Lin Yun cast a Purification Spell with his Light Element magic, dispelling the necrotic mist in their bodies.

Bax, the mercenary captain, was the first to wake. He looked around blankly, then spotted Lin Yun, relief washing over his face.

"Young brother... was it you who saved us?"

Lin Yun nodded. "I'm glad you're all right. That Necromancer is dead."

Bax and the other mercenaries gradually woke up. When they saw the Black-Robed Man's corpse outside the cave, they understood what had happened. They thanked Lin Yun profusely.

Lin Yun waved a hand. "You should leave first. This place is too dangerous, and I need to take care of a few things."

Bax glanced at the Shadow Mouse crouched on Lin Yun's shoulder and nodded. "Then be careful. We'll go on ahead."

The mercenaries gathered their things and hurried out of the cave.

Lin Yun took one last look at the depths of the cave. A crude altar stood there, with a half-finished dark green crystal resting on it, radiating a powerful aura of the undead. This was the Magic Artifact the Necromancer had refused to abandon, even at the cost of his life.