Chapter 112: The Amulet of the Undead
This symbol, so simplistic it borders on the crude, transforms an ordinary weapon—the bow and arrow—into something entirely distinct, a rare treasure ubiquitous on Skull Island—the Skull Bow. As Li Mingda tightened his grip, the Skull Bow found its place upon his back.
It felt as if I had been struck on the head with a wooden club, sending a flurry of stars dancing before my eyes;
in that moment, enlightenment dawned upon me. The mass of death energy within Li Mingda was evidently a replica of the Heart of the Undead Warrior, yet I had never contemplated utilizing the Heart to forge weapons.
His action served as a revelation. Perhaps my excitement was overwhelming; the ethereal blue flame within my chest flickered in harmony with my spirited mood.
Li Mingda's modification of the Skull Bow illuminated Wang Zhong's eyes, though he refrained from further inquiries, gesturing for us to follow. Li Mingda retrieved his steed, and I mounted Wang Zhong's black stallion, the three of us riding northward toward the village.
Throughout the journey, Wang Zhong remained silent, gently caressing his pair of battle hammers, suppressing any hint of his inner thoughts.
"I had never considered the possibility of harnessing the Heart of the Undead Warrior to craft weapons, thereby enhancing combat prowess through familiarity with the weapon. But how can one truly unlock the potential of the Heart?
I am utterly clueless," I mused. Such matters are not easily unraveled. As Wang Zhong guided his steed into the village, I had anticipated an immediate clash, but my thoughts were abruptly halted. To our astonishment, the villagers regarded us with palpable fear, displaying the demeanor of simple, honest mountain farmers, yet they were undeniably alive.
"Are you from the Kingdom Army, or the Cataclysm Legion?"
The unusual sight of our trio prompted a villager, seemingly brave, to voice his question. Dismounting my horse, I called out, "Where is this place?
Have you encountered the monsters of the Cataclysm Legion?" The bold villager promptly replied, "We are residents of the former Great Darius Empire; this is Gamilo Village. The Cataclysm Legion patrols here every seven days, taking all livestock and even exhuming the village's graveyard. Which kingdom do you belong to?
I inwardly scoffed; the demands of the Cataclysm Legion were indeed peculiar.
Wang Zhong interrupted the villager's inquiry with a commanding voice, "That is not your concern. We require water and food. Where is the village chief?
The villagers, remarkably docile, quickly led us to the largest dwelling in the village, where an elderly man, claiming to be the chief, approached us. Wang Zhong, embodying the essence of a soldier, exuded an intimidating presence that left the chief feeling considerable pressure; he answered Wang Zhong's questions without hesitation.
The inquiries were not secrets; they pertained to the state of the Cataclysm, and the chief's responses mirrored the information I had gathered. Growing weary of the discussion, I rose and departed.
Tang Lei and the others had not dared enter the village.
When I beckoned them inside, they hesitated, still cautious. Upon realizing the villagers were not monstrous creatures, they collectively exhaled in relief, with several women displaying expressions of survival, despite the fact that I and Wang Zhong had borne the brunt of any danger.
The Kingdom Army held supreme authority in this land, and Wang Zhong, behaving like a true soldier, did not require our input; the chief willingly offered his home, the most spacious in the village, to us.
After Wang Zhong gathered the information he sought, he did not press the chief further, approaching me with a thoughtful expression.
I have inquired about the general situation in this world. I believe you are correct; we must slay more monsters to gain greater power."
In the realm of the Cataclysm, though divided between the Kingdom and the Dark Overlord, the territory controlled by the Overlord did not consist solely of the Cataclysm Legion.
The original subjects of various kingdoms had not been exterminated;
they merely lived in poorer conditions. The Dark Overlord was keen on achieving world dominance but had little interest in taxation. The Cataclysm Legion required minimal supplies, thus incidents of looting and harassment were rare, allowing common folk to live relatively undisturbed. Besides their fearsome appearance and a propensity for violence, the discipline of the Cataclysm Legion was commendable;
in areas governed by the Dark Overlord, the lives of the common people were scarcely disrupted, at least while they were alive. As for the dead... that was another matter entirely.
Wang Zhong relayed the situation regarding the Cataclysm to Tang Lei, Wang Lili, Gu Lengzhai, and the others, igniting a fervent discussion.
The majority advocated for an immediate retreat toward the territories controlled by the Kingdom Army. I felt no need to seek their opinions, nor did I wish to engage in the debate;
I had finally grasped the true purpose of the Heart of the Undead Warrior, and it was imperative to enhance my strength without delay.
After consuming a modest meal prepared by the chief, I sought a private room, closed the door, and immersed my mental energy into the Heart of the Undead Warrior.
The ethereal blue flame, under my command, danced unpredictably, expanding and contracting.
Lacking a clear understanding of how to wield it, I decided to take an unconventional approach—infusing a piece of treasure with death energy.
Most treasures obtained from Skull Island were weapons, with only the occasional unexpected item. I chose an amulet, originally of the lowest tier, capable of controlling merely five low-level skeletal warriors. As the tide of death energy surged forth, the amulet's previously stable structure shattered under the force, collapsing into a small conflagration of death.
Yet, in that fleeting moment, I perceived a wondrous sensation—an intricate detail I had never before recognized. Following this intuition, my mental energy surged, coalescing into three silver runes, and the Amulet of the Undead was reformed.
This fourth-tier treasure could command up to one hundred low-level undead within a fifty-meter radius. Though its attributes were decidedly unimpressive, I felt as if I had stumbled upon a priceless artifact, for I had finally discerned the method of harnessing death energy.
The essence of these undead artifacts was, astonishingly, the ancient magical runes.
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