Another World: When a Necromancer Possesses the Banner of Ten Thousand Souls

Li Xingyao focused intently, quickly and carefully reviewing the terms on the virtual screen. The agreement was clear and concise, covering training time, location, duration, responsibilities of both parties, payment methods, confidentiality clauses, and dispute resolution methods.

After confirming there were no traps or ambiguities, he extended his index finger and gently tapped the area representing the electronic signature in the lower right corner of the screen. A soft blue light swept across his fingerprint, recording his biometric information. The screen then displayed: "[Contract signed successfully, filed and effective]".

"It's a pleasure working with you." Lin Wei put away the light screen, her smile still bright and captivating. "The first training session is scheduled for next Tuesday afternoon."

"Compensation..." She tapped her wristwatch a few times with her fingertips. "According to the agreement, the 5000 credits prepayment for the monthly subscription, plus an extra bottle of meditation potion, are hereby transferred to you as a token of our sincerity for this initial cooperation and as compensation for any potential losses you may incur in the early stages."

The smart ring on Li Xingyao's wrist immediately vibrated to alert him, and the screen lit up with a clear message:

[Account Deposit Notification]

Source: Lin Wei (Student ID: TZSW0307)

Amount: 5000 Federal Credits

Note: Prepayment required for coaching agreement (monthly package)

[Attachment item redemption code: MLYZ-SD-20250903-001 (Meditation Potion *1), please redeem using the code at any self-service terminal on campus]

Seeing his account balance surge instantly, and the code to claim the meditation potion that could significantly boost cultivation speed, a deep sense of satisfaction washed over Li Xingyao like a warm current. He had made money, much earlier than expected.

This is more than ten times more efficient than him painstakingly fighting in the arena, carefully calculating how to earn points and exchange them for credits! He sincerely hopes for as many of these "good things" as possible—"high pay, low workload"—that allow him to hone his skills in real combat and learn advanced techniques! Clinging to this powerful patron is definitely the wisest choice at this stage.

"Thank you." Li Xingyao suppressed his excitement and expressed his gratitude sincerely. This thanks were for the timely reward and for this rare opportunity. "If any of your other friends have similar needs, they can contact me. The price will be based on this agreement," he added.

"Okay, it's mutually beneficial." Lin Wei waved her hand, appearing nonchalant and unconcerned. "Alright, I have some personal matters to attend to this afternoon, so I won't chat any longer. See you next Tuesday afternoon in the exclusive area of ​​Training Ground No. 1."

She picked up the cup of warm herbal tea and gracefully gestured to see the guest off. Her smile remained bright and charming, but a sense of estrangement became clear, as if an invisible door was closing.

Li Xingyao tactfully stood up: "See you next Tuesday, Lin." He nodded slightly, said no more, and turned to walk towards the door of the private room.

The heavy wooden door slid open silently to one side, and Li Xingyao stepped out. The warm, soft light and delicate fragrance of the corridor were left behind. He walked out along the quiet, carpeted corridor, his steps seeming lighter than when he came in.

The tangible feeling of receiving 5000 credits and a meditation potion invigorated him. Gathering the equipment he needed for hunting in the wild seemed within reach.

Li Xingyao walked steadily out of the "Guanlanxuan" gate and merged into the bustling crowd in the main dining area. The midday sun streamed through the tall floor-to-ceiling windows, somewhat dazzling. The air was thick with the smells of food, sweat, and noise. Li Xingyao took a deep breath of this familiar and down-to-earth air; his immediate priority was to recover.

There are still battles this afternoon, and more points to earn! The Ghost Bone Amulet beckons. He also needs to collect and use the Meditation Potion as soon as possible. As for Lin Wei's sparring partner? With his current strength, he'll just do his best.

October, first week, Tuesday afternoon.

Li Xingyao stood in the center of arena number nine, his feet pierced by tiny dents in the alloy floor, melted by intense heat. He was slightly out of breath, most of his star energy depleted, but his spirits were soaring due to his three consecutive victories.

In the final battle against Windrunner, the opponent's tricky trap arrows and unpredictable arrows caused him a lot of trouble. The skeleton warrior was continuously restricted and was finally hit in a vital spot by an armor-piercing arrow infused with the power of the Gale Star, thus ending his defeat.

"Archers are still too much of a counter to me." He wiped the sweat from his brow, looking at the skeleton warrior who had vanished into gray light. "Ranged range, control... obvious weaknesses." He tapped his watch; the screen clearly displayed:

Wins: 6, Losses: 1

Current points: 130

[Target for redemption locked: [Ghost Bone Amulet] (Required points: 850)]

130 points. 730 points away from the goal. More than three weeks left. He turned off the screen and glanced at the bustling arena. The afternoon sun shone through the huge domed skylight, illuminating every floating dust particle. The air was filled with the buzzing of colliding energy, the clang of weapons clashing, the shrieks of skill releases, and the shouts of encouragement from the audience.

Li Xingyao took a deep breath, suppressing the fatigue from the battle and the slight frustration from the defeat. As for his ranged summons—the Skeleton Spearmen—he resisted the urge to try them out. The battle platform was still too small; ranged units like spearmen were limited by the space. For now, skeleton warriors remained the mainstay of the arena.

He left the combat zone and strode towards the meditation and recovery room in the corner of the arena. In the small, private booth, he sat cross-legged and began practicing his well-practiced "Circulation Technique." Gentle stellar energy flowed slowly along the optimized path, nourishing his depleted meridians and slightly weary spirit.

Having just finished four battles, Li Xingyao was feeling slightly exhausted, but he was still far from his limit. He prepared to meditate to restore his star energy, and as his star energy circulated, his thoughts reviewed the four matches he had just played.

The three matches this afternoon were much faster-paced than yesterday's.

In the first match, the opponent was an elemental mage apprentice who had awakened the water element. The opponent attempted to slow down the skeleton warriors with Ice Spike while simultaneously conjuring ice arrows to attack Li Xingyao's main body. However, the ice spikes struck the skeletons' grayish-white bones, leaving only a few specks of frost, and were completely ineffective in freezing these undead.

Three skeleton warriors, braving the sparse ice crystals, rapidly approached in a triangular formation. When the rusty bone sword was pressed against the simulated armor around his neck, the apprentice's face paled even more than his icicle. Victory, +20 points.

The second match was against a warrior specializing in heavy armor and defense. This student had clearly done his homework, immediately raising a heavy shield to try and withstand the skeleton warrior's attacks while simultaneously wielding the shield to look for opportunities to counterattack.

Li Xingyao didn't engage in a direct confrontation. Instead, he commanded three skeleton warriors to feign an attack from the front to draw attention, while the fourth quietly circled around to the side and rear, its rusted sword precisely stabbing at the weak connection in the opponent's knee. The simulated pain affected his center of gravity, causing him to lose his balance and instantly kneel. An opening appeared in his defense, and the four skeleton warriors surrounded him, ending the battle. Victory, +20 points.

In the third match, his opponent was a female assassin, agile and employing a high-speed harassment strategy. Like a ghost, she repeatedly attempted to bypass the skeleton warriors' interception and strike directly at Li Xingyao's body. However, under his precise control, the three skeleton warriors, like eagles catching chicks, always managed to block her attack path a step ahead.

Meanwhile, the bone shield surrounding her completely eliminated any possibility of a speed-based attack. When her dagger was firmly clamped between the arm bones of a skeleton warrior, and two rusty swords were crossed and pressed against her throat, a hint of helplessness finally appeared in her defiant eyes. Victory, points +20.

Half an hour later, he opened his eyes. His star energy had mostly recovered, and his spirits were full again. He got up and walked out of the arena. The slightly cool evening breeze brushed against his face, invigorating him. Li Xingyao prepared to take a shower.

Three victories in three battles! 60 points gained today! Total points reached 130! The requirement for the Ghost Bone Amulet on my watch has jumped to [720/850]. A heavy sense of satisfaction welled up inside me.

After meditating and washing up, Li Xingyao felt refreshed. He glanced at the time; his sparring session with Lin Wei was almost over. He thought to himself that he had already received 5000 credits and meditation potions, and he couldn't be late for the first time.

The exclusive area of ​​Training Ground No. 1 was completely different from the hustle and bustle of the public battle arena. It occupied the best position in the entire arena in terms of both view and energy supply, and its force field barrier reached the highest standard within the school. Li Xingyao swiped his identity watch, and the heavy alloy door slid open silently.

Inside the door lies an extremely spacious, futuristic, and technologically advanced independent space. The floor is made of a special silver-gray alloy, as smooth as a mirror. The dome simulates a clear blue sky, with soft, evenly distributed light filtering through.

The surrounding walls were embedded with energy monitoring matrices, emitting a faint, ethereal blue glow. The central area was enveloped by a top-level pale golden energy barrier, isolating it from all energy leakage and external interference. Around the outer edge of the area, a ring of sophisticated energy analysis instruments and holographic projection equipment flickered with a standby glow.

Lin Wei had already arrived.

Instead of her signature fiery red combat uniform, she wore a tailored black training bodysuit that accentuated her well-proportioned and upright figure. Her long, chestnut-brown curly hair was tied in a high ponytail, revealing her smooth forehead and graceful neck.

She was standing with her back to the entrance in front of a floating holographic control panel, her fingertips rapidly tapping on the virtual keyboard. Complex energy flow models and star energy circuit node data flowed like a waterfall on the pale blue screen.

His expression was focused and cold, and he exuded the rigorous aura of a laboratory researcher, completely different from the goddess surrounded by flames on the arena.

"Gulp," Li Xingyao couldn't help but swallow as he looked at the girl in front of him.

Hearing the door open, her fingertip paused, and the screen instantly shrank to a single point of light and disappeared. She turned around, the icy expression on her face melting away, replaced by a perfectly measured, slightly distant smile, bright yet polite: "Very punctual, Li Xingyao."