Undead Mage: I Have a Skeleton Clone

Chapter 655 - 441: Survivors of the Naraku Civilization, Promoted to Lieutenant! (Part 2)

If they could establish peaceful exchange through trade, it would naturally be a win-win situation. And from this opportune trading fair, Fang Zhou obtained exactly what he wanted.

These included the corpses of various Demons, long preserved by the Swamp Natives, as well as some rare raw materials from the outside world. These raw materials were extremely useful for both Alchemy and pharmaceuticals. Even if they weren’t used for further processing, selling them to students at Sea City Military Academy who were in need could earn him a considerable profit.

As for the Demon corpses, they were precisely the materials Fang Zhou needed to create his Artificial Undead. Apprentice-level Artificial Undead were currently beneath his notice, and he hadn’t spent much effort on them. However, Black Iron Tier Artificial Undead represented a considerable source of combat power for him.

He had been training in the Forest of Nature for a long time. I believe that during this time, Master Sandro and Instructor Su Xinyan must have made some breakthroughs with Artificial Undead Skills.

In exchange for this trade, Fang Zhou only had to offer some Magic Stones and the Mutated Demon Swamp Frog he rode. The Demon Swamp Frog was originally a Demon from the swamp. During this period of training, Fang Zhou had discovered that it was of little use on terrain outside the swamp. When it came to speed, it was far inferior to the Skeleton Warhorse he could summon at will.

Patting the broad back of the Mutated Demon Swamp Frog reassuringly, Fang Zhou downed a cup of berry juice offered by Chief Guna and accepted all the materials collected by the natives with a smile. Seeing Chief Guna’s beaming smile, it was clear this was another win-win trade.

「」

After the celebratory feast, Fang Zhou led the refreshed and spirited Natural Expedition Team back toward the Queen’s Tribe without stopping. The culprit who spread the Undead Corrosive Poison plague had been eliminated, so the crisis facing the Queen’s Tribe was now largely resolved. Next, he just needed to remove the residual plague poison from the Flower Elves, and the crisis would be over completely.

As the sun began to set in the west, Fang Zhou and his companions urged their mounts on, frantically racing along a road known only to the Withered Swamp natives. Compared to the path that the guide Kai was familiar with, this road was not only wider but also less muddy and dangerous. The only thing preventing this road from being a clear path through the Withered Swamp was the dozens of native tribes, large and small, that lined the way. Without the escort of Scouts dispatched by Chief Guna, this road would have certainly been even more impassable than the other path.

「」

As Fang Zhou led the forced march, the shadow of death that had been looming over the Queen’s Tribe finally retreated. Although the tribe’s vitality had been greatly drained during the month-long plague, joy appeared on every survivor’s face when the patients who were on the verge of death suddenly began to improve and the Priests’ healing Skills started to take effect.

The faint, rapid sound of hooves approached, capturing the guards’ attention. They all looked up toward the sound, and soon, the guard with the sharpest eyes cried out, "It’s them! The heroes who saved the Queen’s Tribe have returned!"

His cry immediately caused a commotion at the sentry post. Whether they were the guards on alert, Priests in white robes, endearingly clumsy Bear Monsters, or graceful Flower Butterfly Girls, everyone set aside their tasks and gathered around, eager to see the triumphant heroes’ return.

Soon, under everyone’s watchful gaze, Fang Zhou led the vigorous Natural Expedition Team back into the Queen’s Tribe.

Everything that followed went as smoothly as Fang Zhou had anticipated. The only downside was that after he lifted the Curse on Queen Biondis, she calmly welcomed death with an expression of relief.

In the queen’s palace, Fang Zhou looked solemnly at Queen Biondis, who wore a benevolent expression, and sighed with a touch of melancholy. "If this is your choice, then may your soul rest in peace forever."

Upon hearing this, a sly smile suddenly appeared on Queen Biondis’s haggard face. "No, I won’t have a soul anymore.

"Old elves like me, who have lived for so long, can choose to fuse our souls into the Moonlight Spring to nurture new Flower Elves.

"Of course, having lived long enough, I also have another choice."

Fang Zhou looked somewhat confused and asked, "What choice?"

Queen Biondis took a labored breath and said, "I heard that you obtained a Soul-Binding Skull in that Undead Tomb. It can purify a soul, transforming it back into its primordial form. Our Flower Elf Clan actually possesses a Secret Technique passed down through our clan—one that is incredibly difficult and has an extremely low success rate, but offers immense rewards.

"If a Flower Elf gives their sincere, heartfelt approval, they can undergo this ritual to perform a primordial transformation of their soul and form a fusion Contract with another creature, altering their own Energy Attributes. You must understand, we are born with Natural Attributes and can only provide boons to Natural Attribute Professionals. Only through this Secret Technique do we have the chance to form bonds with Professionals of other Attributes and provide them with tremendous enhancements."

By now, Fang Zhou understood completely. He asked, a little surprised, "Your Majesty means to say that the Soul-Binding Skull I obtained can help you complete this ritual?"

Queen Biondis nodded with a smile. "That’s right.

"Since the Forest of Nature has come to Blue Star, it signifies that our Flower Elf Race has entered a new era. Let me, a remnant of the old era, use my remaining strength to attempt this ritual. In my long life, you are the most surprising human youth I have ever encountered. In you, I see endless potential and a bright future.

"Although the soul that emerges from the baptismal ritual will come from me, it will absolutely not *be* me. It will be a new life. I hope this special Death Elf can help you grow."

Fang Zhou nodded and gave the ailing Queen Biondis a solemn military salute. "I will not disappoint you, Your Majesty."

Queen Biondis nodded with effort and waved over her successor, Princess Stella, who had been standing by her side, signaling for her to begin the preparations. Following the Flower Elf’s instructions, Fang Zhou also took out the Soul-Binding Skull. The rest was left entirely in Princess Stella’s hands.

This Soul Transformation ritual required Queen Biondis’s complete participation and a large amount of nourishment from the Purified Moonlight Spring, so Fang Zhou did not watch from the sidelines. He had more to do, namely, to go to the Flower Elves’ treasury and redeem his rewards for the victory in the Undead Tomb expedition.

「」

Half an hour later, Fang Zhou emerged from the treasury with a relaxed expression. This time, in addition to enough Purified Moonlight Spring to last him through the entire Black Iron Tier, he had also chosen a piece of [Moon Spring Essence].

This rare Natural Attribute resource could greatly promote the growth and development of living organisms. Fang Zhou was already an adult, so he naturally had no need for it. He had prepared it for the Black Gem Dragon Egg hibernating and growing in the Undead Mage’s laboratory. With this Moon Spring Essence, the Dragon Egg—which had slumbered for a long time while being nourished by Undead Attribute materials—should hatch soon.

And Fang Zhou would finally have his first Lifebound Spirit Pet.

Checking the time, he saw that Princess Stella had not yet appeared. It seemed the Soul Transformation ritual was not so simple. Fang Zhou didn’t feel anxious. Instead, he went to the military supply office established by the Sea City Military Academy in the Flower Elf tribe to calculate the military merits he had earned during his training in the Forest of Nature.

In that time, Fang Zhou had eradicated invading Demons, subdued other creatures, and even resolved the life-or-death crisis of the Flower Elf Queen’s Tribe. The military merits he had accumulated were already enough to promote him from his original rank of Senior Sergeant to Lieutenant. His contribution points had also increased significantly, by a total of 3,000.