Undead Half-Plane

"Interesting boy. Then, without further ado. Your foundation in spiritual power is decent; you already possess the most basic conditions for learning necromancy. Now, I shall teach you your first necromantic spell."

Before he could finish, Old Tang interjected, "Wait a moment."

The gray ball of light and Old Tang locked gazes, and a subtle spark of electricity flickered in the air.

Old Tang spoke, his tone sounding like he was negotiating a fair trade: "You mentioned the Undead Half-Plane earlier. If I understand correctly, that is an independent spatial plane that could help him better cultivate necromancy. Since he has already agreed to inherit your legacy, why not grant him the usage rights to this plane as well? You only have a wisp of a remnant soul left anyway; you have no use for that plane, and leaving it there is just a waste."

The gray ball of light flickered violently. A trace of annoyance and hesitation appeared on that blurred face.

The Undead Half-Plane was an independent space forged from the life's work of Electrolux, sealing away the undead creatures and magical resources he had accumulated over many years.

Handing it over to a boy he had just met, even if the boy had agreed to inherit necromancy, required immense resolve.

But every word Old Tang said hit the mark. It was a fact that Electrolux only had a wisp of a remnant soul left and no use for the half-plane, and it was also a fact that leaving it unused was a waste.

Moreover, he resided within the Sea of Consciousness of Mu Chen; the stronger Mu Chen became, the safer his own environment for recuperation would be.

The Necromancer Holy Mage, having lived for so many years, was certainly capable of doing this math.

"Fine. Since I have decided to pass necromancy on to you, keeping this half-plane is pointless, so I might as well give it to you. But remember, boy, there are many undead creatures in the half-plane that I subdued long ago; they recognize the master, not just anyone. Once you enter, if you can control them with necromancy, they are yours. If you cannot, do not force it; there are things there whose strength you cannot currently handle," Electrolux sighed and said in a deep voice.

Mu Chen nodded earnestly.

The gray ball of light began to glow—not with the faint flickering from before, but with a steady, intense silver-white radiance.

The light grew brighter and denser, finally coalescing into a beam of silver-white light that shot from the gray ball and plunged straight into the center of Mu Chen's consciousness.

Mu Chen's mind exploded with a roar.

It was a brand for opening the spatial plane, using spiritual power as a medium to connect with the soul imprint of Electrolux.

He could clearly feel the existence of an independent space, suspended in the cracks of the real world, surrounded by endless gray mist. Within the fog, he could vaguely see jagged rock formations, dried-up riverbeds, and the silhouettes of countless undead creatures.

Undead Half-Plane.

From this moment on, the right to use it belonged to Mu Chen.

Old Tang stood to the side with his arms crossed, watching Mu Chen close his eyes to accept the spatial brand, and nodded slightly.

"Then, let us begin," the voice of Electrolux echoed in the Sea of Consciousness.

"Boy, first learn the method to enter the half-plane. Use your spiritual power to activate the brand and let your anchor of consciousness pierce through the spatial barrier. You may feel dizzy the first time you enter; endure it."

Mu Chen followed his instructions. He focused his mind and slowly activated the silver-white spatial brand.

A strange pulling sensation came from the depths of his consciousness, as if an invisible giant hand had grabbed his soul, intending to drag his entire being out of his physical shell.

He took a deep breath and did not resist the force, instead following its direction and letting his consciousness leap forward.

The world flipped.

The darkness before his eyes shattered into countless fragments, as if someone had smashed a solid piece of obsidian into powder.

Immediately after, countless images and sounds flooded his consciousness simultaneously: jagged gray rock walls, the cracked black soil beneath his feet, the decay and silence permeating the air, and countless hollow, hungry gazes cast from all directions.

He had entered.

He stood on a wasteland within the half-plane, with hard black soil underfoot and an eternally gray sky overhead. There was no sun, no moon, only endless gray clouds rolling slowly.

The air was thick with the scent of death.

In the distance, something was moving.

Some pale, hunched figures appeared and disappeared within the gray mist.

Ghostly green soul fire burned in their eye sockets, and their joints clicked and clacked, every movement carrying the stiffness and sluggishness peculiar to undead creatures.

Those were the Undead Skeleton Soldier units Electrolux had subdued years ago, with strength around the level of a Soul Grand Master, vast in number and scattered across every corner of the half-plane.

On the hills further away, there were figures mounted on skeletal warhorses.

The eye sockets of those warhorses also burned with soul fire, their hooves making no sound as they trod upon the ground.

The knights on horseback wore tattered armor, holding bone spears or rusted iron swords, sitting upright like solidified statues.

Those were the Undead Skeleton Knight units, each possessing the combat power of a Soul Elder.

Mu Chen stood where he was, feeling the oppressive weight of this plane.

The air itself seemed to have weight; every breath carried the bitterness of ash.

The soul power within his body circulated thirty percent slower in this space than in the outside world, as if suppressed by some invisible rule.

But at the same time, he could feel a strange resonance; a certain power within this space was silently responding to the silver-white brand in his Sea of Consciousness.

"How does it feel?" the voice of Electrolux rang in his mind. The consciousness of the Necromancer Holy Mage could communicate with him directly through the spiritual brand, more direct and clearer than Old Tang's sound transmission.

"Very heavy," Mu Chen said.

"Normal. The laws of the Undead Half-Plane differ from the main plane. Since this is your first time entering, both your body and soul need to adapt." Electrolux's voice paused, carrying a hint of profound meaning. "Now, I will first teach you the most basic necromantic summoning spell. In the necromantic system, summoning is the core foundation. Without summons, you are a commander without an army; no matter how profound the necromancy, you will not be able to cast it."

Mu Chen sat cross-legged. The ground was cold, and the chill seeping through his clothes into his skin was not ordinary cold, but a freezing sensation spreading from the depths of his bone marrow.

He paid it no mind, focusing his spirit to listen to every word from Electrolux.

"The essence of necromantic summoning is to use your own spiritual power and soul power as a medium to establish a contract with undead creatures in the undead plane. Once the contract is established, the undead creature will obey your will, heed your commands, fight for you, and die for you. It sounds simple, but the most difficult step is the process of establishing the contract. If an ordinary soul master tries to summon the undead for the first time, even a slight weakness in spiritual power will lead to a backlash from the undead creature. Those fellows will not be polite to you just because I am here."