Dark Wizard: Rise! My undead army!

After subduing the Netherwolf, Lynn walked out of the portal, and the projection of the Holy Mark Domain shrank back into his body.

He sat down in the chair next to Grom, picked up the teapot, and poured himself a cup of tea.

The tea was cold, but he didn't mind; it was still better than the water from the Styx.

"Lord Grom, there's no need for such formality." Lynn put down his teacup, clearly having heard Grom's instructions.

Grom waved his hand. "Times have changed. Lord Lynn is a powerful Stigmata. With Stigmata arriving at the Valley of Fallen Souls, we cannot ignore this."

"The wizards stationed there were overjoyed to hear you were here. They'll only see the Holy Mark a few times in their entire lives."

Lynn did not refuse again.

He leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.

After walking at the bottom of the River Styx for half a month, although my body had been forged stronger by the River Styx, I couldn't get rid of the mental fatigue.

That loneliness, that darkness, that feeling of utter powerlessness, that endless walking, felt like a stone weighing on my heart.

Now that he was back in the main world, sitting in the familiar stone hall, listening to Grom's voice, he finally relaxed.

Grom didn't disturb him and went out to arrange the dinner.

As evening fell, the banquet hall of the Soul-Sinking Outpost lit up.

The lamp is a crystal lamp, embedded in the wall, and emits a soft light.

A white tablecloth was laid out on the long table, along with silver cutlery and wine glasses.

The cooks were busy in the kitchen, and the aroma wafted out from under the door.

People started arriving one after another.

The first to arrive was the garrison wizard of Mine No. 3, a middle-aged man of the second ring, wearing a gray robe and with his hair neatly combed.

He walked to the entrance of the banquet hall and saw Lynn sitting next to the head of the table, and paused for a moment.

He had seen Lynn a few years earlier at a farewell party held at the outpost.

Back then, Lynn was still at the third ring, having just returned from his posting in the Shadow Mine. Now, Lynn is a Saint Mark, but he's still at the second ring.

"Lord Lynn, congratulations on your advancement to the Saint Mark." The middle-aged wizard walked up to Lynn and bowed deeply.

Lynn nodded. "You're too kind, sir. Please have a seat."

The middle-aged wizard sat down, his fingers rubbing lightly on his knees. He dared not look directly into Lynn's eyes, only glancing at the hem of Lynn's robe.

He wore a dark purple robe with a silver mark on his right chest—a circle, a yin-yang symbol, and eight golden branches.

It's truly incredibly profound.

The second to arrive was the garrison wizard of Watchtower No. 5, a young woman of the first ring, wearing a black robe and with her hair tied in a ponytail.

She walked quickly to Lynn, bowed, and then sat down next to the middle-aged wizard.

The third, the fourth, the fifth...

The wizards stationed along the Soul Mountain Range gradually arrived. They sat on either side of the long table, talking in hushed tones and occasionally stealing glances at Lynn.

Grom sat to Lynn's left, holding a glass of wine.

His gaze swept across the long table, and he counted the number of people.

All twenty-three garrisoned wizards of the entire Soul-Sinking Mountain Range have arrived.

He picked up the teapot and, unusually, cracked a joke.

"Everyone's here. If someone attacks the Soulfall Mountains now, they could wipe us all out, and the Bone Spire would lose its biggest resource point."

Haske, who was accompanying him, laughed heartily.

"With Lord Lynn here, we are safer than ever. If we were to attack now, we would be incredibly unlucky."

Grom chuckled. "That's true, we've never had a Saint-level being stationed here."

Everyone chimed in, and the atmosphere gradually became lively.

Just then, another person walked in through the entrance of the banquet hall.

He was wearing a dark blue robe, with a soul crystal nameplate hanging from his waist.

This person is a second-circle wizard, looks to be around forty years old, and has a smile on his face.

He walked up to Lynn and bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.

"Lord Lynn, I am the newly appointed city lord of North Nether City, succeeding Lord Roland. I came to offer my congratulations upon hearing of your arrival at Soul-Sinking Valley."

Lynn glanced at him and asked curiously, "Where is Lord Roland?"

The new city lord's smile faded somewhat. He was unsure about the relationship between Lynn and Roland, but a hint of seriousness still lingered on his face.

"Lord Roland's lifespan ended five years ago, and the academy appointed me to succeed him as the city lord."

Lynn nodded.

As expected, Roland was already nearing the end of his life when he "invested" in himself.

"And what about his children?"

"Lord Roland's two children failed to become formal wizards and later left Northsea City, their whereabouts unknown."

Lynn remained silent for a few moments.

He remembered the old city lord Roland, the white-haired old man with a purple robe trimmed with gold, who stood at the entrance of the teleportation hall to greet him.

When Roland saw him off that day, he gave him a thousand magic stones, saying it was a small token of his appreciation.

He said that if he has the opportunity in the future and is able to do so, he will help Roland's children.

Now that Roland is dead and his children are nowhere to be found, it seems he can never repay the debt of a thousand magic stones.

Lynn picked up his glass and took a sip.

The liquor was strong, burning as it went down my throat.

The number of old friends is also decreasing.

"Lord Lynn, I would like to offer you a toast." The new city lord raised his wine cup and gestured to Lynn.

Lynn also raised his glass, clinked it against his, and drank.

The new city lord stepped aside and sat at the end of the long table.

He still had a smile on his face, but Lynn could tell that the smile was very cautious, like he was walking a tightrope.

After all, he didn't understand the relationship between Lynn and Roland, and as their successor, he hadn't taken good care of their children. Would he be held responsible for any resentment?

Actually, he was overthinking it. Lynn and Roland didn't have a very good relationship. He had just received a thousand magic stones from Roland and asked casually.

If he were to actually search for those two children to repay their kindness, he would find it troublesome.

They're just two apprentices, why bother with them?

The banquet resumed as normal, with each wizard respectfully toasting and chatting with Lynn.

A middle-aged wizard in a grey robe stood up from his seat and walked over to Lynn.

He wore a fawning smile and bent low.

"Lord Lynn, I am the successor to you as the resident wizard of the seventh 'Shadow Mine'. The mine you managed before was very well organized."

"The magic arrays were set up very cleverly, and the furnishings in the living area were also very mysterious and elegant, from which I benefited greatly."

Lynn glanced at him.

The Seven Shadow Mine was where he had been stationed for ten years.

He simply rearranged the mine's defenses, placed a few comfortable pieces of furniture in the living area, and engraved a few runes—nothing much.

This wizard is flattering, but he's doing it too deliberately; it's not very clever.

"What's your name?" Lynn asked.

"My surname is Li, and my given name is Yan." The middle-aged wizard's smile became even brighter.

"Li Yan." Lynn repeated, the name quite in line with Eastern customs.

"How are the three small families near the Shadow Mine—Ironbone, Keller, and Nightsong—doing now?"

Li Yan was taken aback; he hadn't expected Lynn to suddenly ask about these smaller families.

He thought for a moment and organized his thoughts.

"The Keller family and the Nightsong family are still around. The Nightsong family, thanks to a highly talented direct descendant, got involved with a third-ring archmage from the Earth Pulse Academy, and is now the head of the three major families."

"The Keller family is not bad either. Although they haven't produced any geniuses, their foundation is still there. As for the Iron Skeleton family..."

Li Yan's voice lowered.

"The Ironbone family has been replaced by a new family called the Ferro. It is said that everything the Ironbone family had—its territory, industries, and mines—has been inherited by the Ferro family."

"Some members of the Ironbone Clan left the Valley of Fallen Souls, some joined the Ferro Clan, and some have disappeared without a trace."