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

Li Xingyao gathered a wisp of pure necromantic energy at his fingertips and gently touched it onto the dark purple star core fragment.

嗤…

Like a drop of ice water falling into scalding sand, the amulet trembled slightly! The dark purple nebula within the star core fragment suddenly accelerated its rotation, and a stream of icy, yet strangely soothing spiritual energy surged into his fingertips!

With a slight thought, he attempted to condense a miniature arrow of death in his palm. The gray-black energy gathered and shaped more quickly than before, and the mental energy consumed in the entire process was also imperceptibly reduced.

"Special effect!" A glint flashed in Li Xingyao's eyes. These 850 points were well worth it! The Ghost Bone Amulet not only accelerated recovery, but more importantly, its "soothing" and "amplifying" effect on mental energy allowed him to elevate his control over his own power, especially his summoned creatures, to a new level!

This boost is equivalent to a 50-point Star Energy attribute bonus.

He carefully fastened the amulet to his body, the cool bone fragments pressed against his chest skin, the constant, flowing chill nourishing his spirit. The Myriad Soul Banner floated slightly in his sea of ​​consciousness, seemingly more stable due to this pure external energy.

Instead of getting up immediately, he entered a shallow meditation, carefully experiencing the subtle changes brought about by the Ghost Bone Amulet, while simultaneously planning the details of his holiday hunting trip in his mind.

A topographical map of the limestone hills, the habits and weaknesses of common star beasts, a list of necessary supplies… all these items were clearly listed in his mind. The improvement in strength must ultimately translate into tangible benefits.

On Tuesday, the air in the summoner-exclusive training ground was slightly distorted by the gathering energy. A pale golden force field barrier isolated Area One, a high-end training area that Lin Wei had been renting for a long time, with complete facilities and excellent privacy.

Lin Wei was already waiting there, her fiery red custom-made training outfit perfectly outlining her well-proportioned and powerful figure. Her chestnut-brown long curly hair was meticulously tied back, revealing her smooth forehead and slender neck.

She was looking down at the complex energy structure diagram projected on her wristwatch, her fingertips occasionally tracing the lines as she adjusted the parameters, her expression focused and calm.

As Li Xingyao stepped into the arena, her gaze immediately rose from the screen and fell upon him.

"Let's begin." Without any pleasantries, Lin Wei went straight to the point, "Today's test requires the most realistic stress data; don't hold anything back."

"Understood." Li Xingyao nodded, and in the blink of an eye, three thick, azure-white "bone shields" instantly condensed and unfolded in front of him, slowly rotating in a triangular shape. The icy aura continuously emitted by the Ghost Bone Amulet made his mental power exceptionally focused, and the gray light flowing on the surface of the shields seemed to be more solid and heavy than before.

Immediately afterwards, six streaks of gray-white light shot out from the shadows beside him!

"Crackling sound—!"

A sickening, bone-grinding sound rang out in rapid succession! Six skeletal swordsmen, each nearly 1.9 meters tall, with exceptionally robust skeletons and gleaming with a cold, metallic sheen, instantly formed a battle formation!

Within their empty eye sockets, a deep blue soul fire burned quietly yet intensely, while the long, sharp, single-edged bone sword in their hands was slightly pointed at an angle.

Lin Wei's gaze lingered on the six skeleton swordsmen for a moment, a barely perceptible hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. The strength of these undead creatures seemed to have increased significantly since their last sparring session.

But she didn't ask any more questions. After spending some time with him, she knew that Li Xingyao wasn't the kind of person who would be completely open with her, so she focused more on the experiment itself.

Her slender fingers quickly formed a complex hand seal in front of her chest, and the surrounding fire-elemental energy instantly became violent, frantically converging towards her fingertips. A beam of energy, only as thick as a thumb, resembling liquid lava with a bright white core, suddenly took shape! The surrounding space distorted slightly due to this highly compressed energy, emitting a low hum.

laugh--! ! !

A sharp shriek suddenly erupted! The crimson energy beam was no longer a simple ray, but a high-temperature drill bit that seemed to have come to life, with spiraling, scorching patterns, and it pierced straight at Li Xingyao's defensive formation at an almost instantaneous speed!

Fast! Extremely fast!

Li Xingyao's star energy surged wildly, pouring into the bone shields! The three bone shields at the front shone brightly with gray light, instantly overlapping in front of him!

*Pfft! Pfft! Boom—!*

The devastating collision happened almost instantly! The first bone shield offered only a brief resistance before being vaporized like fragile glass! The second shield held out for less than 0.3 seconds before being pierced, its edges melting into crimson droplets! The third shield trembled violently, its surface rapidly turning red and softening, severely dented inward by the impact, with spiderweb-like cracks spreading wildly!

"We've held firm!"

Then, the second attack came immediately, crashing hard into the array of skeleton swordsmen who were standing ready in front of Li Xingyao!

The two skeletal swordsmen at the forefront let out a silent roar, their bone swords crossed in a parry, their soul flames burning wildly! The heavy bone swords clashed violently with the crimson chain energy!

Clang! Sizzle—!

A piercing clang of metal clashing against metal was accompanied by the strange sounds of energy erosion! The bone sword instantly turned crimson, the intense heat scorching the hard bones and producing a teeth-grinding crackling sound! The two swordsmen were propelled backward by the enormous impact, their feet scraping against the alloy ground, creating blinding sparks! But they managed to withstand this terrifying impact by relying on their evolved strength and sturdier bones, along with the support of their companions behind them!

The crimson energy was eventually exhausted in front of the formation, dissipating into countless blazing golden specks of light.

The arena was silent, save for the lingering effects of the dissipating energy and the faint hissing sound of the skeleton swordsmen's bones cooling. The two swordsmen who had taken the impact head-on had obvious burn marks on their bone swords and arm bones, and their soul flames had dimmed slightly, but their skeletons remained intact, and they still stood firmly.

Lin Wei dissipated the remaining energy from her fingertips, looking at the rapidly scrolling data on the screen, a satisfied expression on her face. "Perfect!" she exclaimed quickly, clearly extremely pleased with the data. "Your shield strength has increased by approximately 80%, and the physical defense and energy resistance of your summoned creatures, especially their resistance to high-temperature burning, as well as their tactical execution capabilities, have significantly improved!"

"This is already my strongest attack at this stage. Based on the previous data, I can't improve it any further. Also, I can now estimate the damage of this skill with minimal error. The experiment with this skill can be concluded," Lin Wei said to Li Xingyao with a smile.

She then quickly saved and encrypted all the data, then walked to the sidelines, picked up the silver-gray metal briefcase that had been prepared beforehand, and handed it to Li Xingyao.

"Your final payment. 'Lightweight Mage Leather Armor'." Her tone returned to its usual coolness, but compared to how she treated ordinary people, there seemed to be a hint of imperceptible closeness. "The built-in basic buffer layer and micro-energy circuit should be sufficient for your current stage of use."

Li Xingyao took the box; it felt heavy and of exceptional quality. "Thank you." This gratitude was even more sincere than before. He knew the value of the leather armor and was even more aware of Lin Wei's help to him during this time, so Li Xingyao's thanks came from the bottom of his heart.

Lin Wei waved her hand, her expression indifferent: "It's just a matter of mutual benefit. The help you provided was very valuable." She paused, then casually asked, as if after completing a task, "What are your plans for the holiday?"

"I'm preparing to go hunting for a while on the outskirts of the limestone hills." Li Xingyao didn't hide anything; his whereabouts couldn't be concealed, and it wasn't a secret that needed to be hidden.

"Graystone hills..." Lin Wei murmured thoughtfully, her fingertips unconsciously tapping on her watch. "Recent energy monitoring in that area shows an increased activity frequency of the 'Withered Vine Serpent,' causing the price of its venom extract to rise by about 8%. The 'Groundhog's' incisors are a basic material for certain alchemical items, and their price has remained stable." The information she provided was very useful. "Be prepared; the wilderness is not a training ground."

"Understood, I will be careful." Li Xingyao nodded, silently memorizing the information about the two creatures.

"Okay." Lin Wei nodded slightly, said no more, packed her things, turned and walked towards the exit. "See you at the final exams."

Watching her decisive and efficient retreating figure, Li Xingyao let out a soft breath. The final sparring session had come to a successful end. This job had yielded far more rewards than expected. He glanced down at the leather armor case in his hands and the cool amulet on his chest, filled with even greater confidence for the upcoming wilderness adventure.

As he stepped out of the training hall, the evening sunset painted the sky a warm orange. His watch vibrated rapidly, and Chen Hao's distinctively loud voice almost pierced through the loudspeaker: "Xingyao! Is it over yet?! 'Professional Center' VIP room 666! I'm practically peeling from soaking! Zhang Meng and Xiaoling are here, just waiting for you!"

Li Xingyao finally relaxed from the intense sparring session and replied, "Just finished, I'll be there soon."

The "Career Center" integrated physiotherapy center resembles a crystal building constructed entirely of special glass and alloy, nestled in a bustling urban area. Even at dusk, it still exudes a soft yet captivating blue glow.

A giant holographic GG sign floats above the main entrance, its dazzling images showcasing a variety of enticing services: warriors undergoing deep meridian massage on steaming therapy beds, mages relaxing with their eyes closed in a turquoise bio-repair solution, and mercenaries experiencing extreme battles in top-tier virtual reality pods...

Passing through the impressive automatic sensor doors, the interior is even more breathtaking. The magnificent hall, with its ceiling tens of meters high, has a mirror-like floor that reflects the vast starry sky projected onto the dome.

The air is warm and humid, filled with a complex aroma that blends sophisticated fragrances, fresh ozone, and a hint of herbs, instantly washing away the dust and fatigue of the outside world. Soothing and melodious background music, seemingly capable of calming the soul, flows through the space.