Undead Mage: I Have a Skeleton Clone

Chapter 638 - 433: Naraku Corpse Witch [Vladimir], Soul Stitching?

As soon as they stepped into the tomb ruins, everyone’s heart was in their throat, ready for a fierce battle at any moment. However, a baffling situation occurred; there wasn’t a single trace of any enemy within the ruins.

The air was laden with the dusty scent unique to long-abandoned buildings. Otherwise, the place was completely empty. Thick layers of dust covered the ground, where a number of damaged structures lay askew, almost unrecognizable amidst the decay.

"This place is completely different from the last time we were here," Kai whispered, covering his mouth and nose. His voice came out muffled through his palm.

"It seems those Undead Demons have also undergone some unknown, drastic change," Zhang Wu said as he squatted down to examine the marks on the ground.

The dust was thick, with a peculiar ashen hue. It looked less like ordinary dust and more like some sort of finely ground powder. He pinched a small amount and placed it in his palm to examine it closely. However, even after a long look, he still couldn’t discern what it was. He finally stood up, dusted off his hands, and said, "There’s probably nothing special on this level. Let’s head up and see."

"This powder..." Fang Zhou’s voice suddenly cut in. He spoke with a grave expression. "This powder is ground from the bones of dead creatures!"

This statement made everyone’s expression change.

The original purpose of the tomb ruins was lost to history, but its area far exceeded that of a typical human cemetery. The vast first floor alone could have accommodated hundreds of fully armed Warriors. For such a spacious place to be covered in a thick layer of bone powder, the number of sacrifices must have been in the hundreds, if not thousands.

"It wasn’t just your people, but also the original inhabitants of the Withered Swamp," the Mud Spring Banshee leader, Guna, said coldly. The Swamp Slime beside her snorted, shaking its massive head as if mourning something.

"Regardless of whose bones these are, it means there are definitely extremely vicious Undead Demons here. Since there’s nothing noteworthy on this floor, let’s move up to the next one," Zhang Wu suggested.

"Wait, Zhang Wu. Let my Summoned Creatures go ahead," Fang Zhou said. He scanned the area with his Soul Eagle Eye skill and, finding no potential threats, commanded a few Giant Shield Skeleton Warriors and Zombies to cautiously ascend the spiraling stone steps at the center of the tomb.

Fang Zhou’s caution proved to be unnecessary. Even as they stepped onto the floor of the tomb’s second level, nothing happened. Neither insidious traps nor Undead ambushes appeared.

Such lax defenses hardly seemed like a place occupied by Undead Demons. Fang Zhou felt a sense of unease.

He gazed around, finding the second floor of the tomb to be just as empty as the first.

Clearly, this was once a hall of Magic.

The ground bore the remnants of Magic Arrays, but the precious metals and Gemstone powders had been stripped away when the tomb was abandoned. The erosion of time had also left the remaining grooves worn and mottled. Under the protection of their Undead Summoned Creatures, the group continued forward.

The third floor of the tomb ruins was shrouded in darkness, just like the previous two.

But then, something strange happened.

As Fang Zhou’s Skeleton Army swarmed in, the Soul Link between him and his creations was abruptly severed. It was as if a pair of scissors forged from soul had snipped the once-unbreakable connection. This was clearly the enemy’s doing.

Fang Zhou made several tactical hand signals, and the Magic Professionals and Archers of the Expedition Team began to silently cast their abilities. With a forceful wave of Fang Zhou’s right hand, a barrage of Magic and Arrows shot forth from the second-floor stairwell, flying straight into the third floor.

After the intense bombardment, and under the tight protection of the Support Professionals, several Combat Professional trainees took the lead, leaping out from the stairwell as the light of their Battle Qi tore through the darkness.

The entire third floor was a single, vast hall. Countless damaged marble sculptures stood all around, their exquisite patterns faintly revealing the bygone opulence of the tomb.

What sent a chill down Fang Zhou’s spine was the sight in the very center of the hall: a mountain of white bones, upon which sat a throne constructed from the countless skulls of various creatures!

A skeleton wearing an ancient, dark golden crown sat upon the throne. A bony hand supported its jaw, while a chilling, spectral green light flickered in its eye sockets. The skeleton was dressed in a robe as black as night, dotted with innumerable tiny golden stars. Above its head, a massive blood-red orb floated, rotating slowly. Distorted phantoms of countless humans and other beings writhed within the orb, emitting soul-piercing wails.

The Combat Professional trainees who had rushed up first had already surrounded the Skeleton Throne and the black-robed skeleton upon it.

Yet, Fang Zhou had the distinct impression that their encirclement was completely useless. If the skeleton so wished, it could tear everyone present to pieces at any moment.

Liu Diewu gazed at the blood-red orb for just a few moments before she felt dizzy and nauseous. She hastily looked away and turned to Fang Zhou, who was standing in front of her. "Is that skeletal figure on the Skeleton Throne the Undead Demon that unleashed the plague Curse on the Flower Elf Queen’s Tribe?"