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

"This is too powerful... No wonder mage weapons are so expensive and unavailable..." Li Xingyao dispelled his spell, lovingly stroking the skull in his hand, feeling the cold bone material. "With this in hand, my burst damage and sustained combat ability have increased by a huge level!"

He even tried to probe a wisp of his spiritual power into the inside of his skull to touch the advanced star core that served as the energy source. He vaguely sensed that it seemed to contain a complex magical structure, which should be used to store an advanced spell, but it was currently empty and he needed to inject it himself.

This is another powerful feature, and it's also the most valuable aspect of this equipment.

After carefully storing Gris's Whispering Skull, Li Xingyao breathed a sigh of relief.

Thus, all the enormous gains from this holiday have essentially translated into tangible combat power: a surge in star energy, rudimentary soul technology, a contracted high-level lich mage, powerful power armor, and exclusive mage weapons…

Li Xingyao's strength has undergone a tremendous qualitative change compared to when the holiday started!

For the next two days, Li Xingyao did not go out or train at all, but stayed at home to rest and adapt. He only went to the industrial area at night to collect soul power. Now his efficiency in absorbing soul power has improved a lot, and his daily harvest has increased by about one-third.

Li Xingyao spent a lot of time familiarizing himself with the various functional modes of the [Steel Guardian-VI] power armor, including power control under power amplification, system simulation of short-range jet burst displacement, and most importantly, sensory adaptation in the [Earth Dragon Toughness] state.

He also maintained mental communication with the lich Alex in the undead realm, eagerly absorbing knowledge about necromancy, the world of the dead, and various ancient things. Alex was like an inexhaustible treasure trove, rapidly expanding his theoretical knowledge and horizons.

Following Alex's advice, Li Xingyao also planned to summon his lich gang to the Death Space to form his own mage squad. Although it would be another small account with a large amount of soul power, it would be worth the investment to improve his spell learning progress.

The exploration of the laws of death is now an important part of his training, as it is related to his future advancement.

Meanwhile, Li Xingyao was also constantly exploring the various uses of the [Griss's Whispering Skull] and becoming familiar with this weapon.

Of course, his daily, unwavering cultivation of soul technology and his absorption of soul power in the world of death never ceased. His soul power reserves steadily increased, moving towards the 30,000-point mark, accumulating capital for his future plans.

Two days passed in the blink of an eye.

Li Xingyao stood in the center of the training room, dressed in comfortable casual clothes, but his entire demeanor was completely different. His eyes were calmer and deeper, his aura more restrained, and a confidence stemming from his surge in strength enveloped him.

...He glanced at the date and time on his personal terminal.

Tomorrow is the day I agreed to meet Lin Wei.

"Hoo—" Li Xingyao slowly exhaled a long breath, his gaze fixed on the dazzling night view of Tianjing City outside the window, his eyes filled with eager anticipation.

Everything is ready.

He gave the equipment he needed for the trip a final check. He went into the bathroom and let the warm water wash over him.

It's time to relax your tense nerves.

Li Xingyao stopped cultivating and instead threw himself onto the soft, comfortable bed. The mattress gently supported his weight, instantly releasing all the accumulated fatigue. He turned off the main light, leaving only a dim wall lamp, its soft light casting a tranquil glow over the room.

Outside the window, the neon lights of Tianjing City still flickered, and the lights of the floating traffic resembled a galaxy on the ground. But all this noise seemed to be blocked by the thick glass window, and all he could hear was the sound of his own steady breathing.

At 10:00 a.m. sharp, Li Xingyao stood punctually in the designated waiting area at the community entrance, his posture upright and his expression relaxed. His figure cast a long shadow in the morning light, a stark contrast to the residents hurrying by.

Beside his feet was a military-grade dark gray alloy equipment case, inside which was the valuable [Guardian-VI] power armor. Above the case was a dark blue backpack.

Li Xingyao's backpack contained his simple personal belongings and a change of clothes. He was wearing a simple but clean gray training uniform, and his gaze was fixed on the street scene as he waited for the vehicle to pick him up.

With a barely audible buzz, a sleek, new electric minivan painted a matte dark blue silently glided to a stop in front of him. The doors opened up, revealing a spacious and luxurious interior, large enough to accommodate four people and their luggage.

"Mr. Li Xingyao, please get in the car." The car's AI issued a gentle, synthesized electronic voice.

Li Xingyao picked up his equipment box and backpack, and stepped into the vehicle. The vehicle started smoothly, accelerated silently, and merged into the main artery of the city's air traffic network. The scenery outside the window flashed by, gradually transitioning from dense residential areas to neatly planned industrial and warehouse zones, and finally passing through the massive city defense barrier gates, leaving the city's core defense perimeter and entering the vast agricultural area on the city's outskirts.

The vehicle drove through the fields and into a construction zone, where the atmosphere was completely different from the other areas. A large number of low-rise but sprawling complexes of buildings were scattered across the open fields.

Many buildings are topped with energy-sensing radars and defensive turrets, and are surrounded by training grounds simulating various terrains, from dense jungles and rugged mountains to ruined town ruins.

This is the famous professional training base area in Tianjing City. Many large mercenary groups, academies, and even the military rent the facilities here for training exercises. This is also Li Xingyao's destination.

About half an hour later, the van slowed down and drove into an area that was particularly well-planned and had significantly higher-level facilities. It finally came to a stop in front of a modern building constructed entirely of silver-gray composite materials and reinforced glass. The building was marked "Longteng Group Seventh Comprehensive Training Center," and two fully armed security personnel stood at the entrance, their sharp eyes scanning the surroundings.

Two figures were already waiting outside the car door.

Lin Wei was wearing a well-tailored pink outfit today, which accentuated her tall and lithe figure and showcased her physique. Her chestnut-brown hair was tied into a neat high ponytail, and her face wore her usual confident and bright smile, her eyes seemingly sparkling. Standing there, she was like a luminous work of art, displaying her unique beauty and refinement.

The girl standing next to her, however, exuded a completely different aura. She wore a finely crafted, exquisitely designed, moon-white knee-length dress, with subtle, flowing silver patterns embroidered on the hem.

Her long, light golden hair was clearly meticulously styled, with slightly curled ends that fell over her shoulders. Adorning her hair was a set of intricately designed platinum headdresses inlaid with tiny gemstones, which shimmered with a soft yet not dazzling luster in the sunlight.

She had an elegant figure, a slender and fair neck, and a slightly raised chin and bright, lively eyes. She naturally exuded the temperament of a pampered and slightly arrogant "rich girl".

After the vehicle came to a stop, Li Xingyao got out carrying his equipment.

"Welcome!" Lin Wei greeted him with a smile, stepping forward. Her gaze swept over the equipment box at his feet, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. "Have you had a good holiday?"

"Thank you, it's not bad." Li Xingyao nodded in response, his gaze then falling on the unfamiliar girl, with a hint of surprise and doubt.

"Haha, isn't she beautiful? Let me introduce her," Lin Wei turned to the side and enthusiastically put her arm around the girl next to her, "This is my childhood friend, and also an important long-range firepower for this operation—Su Muyao, a high-level archer, with first-class talent and superb archery skills. She's the most beautiful girl in our team."

Upon hearing Lin Wei's introduction, the girl named Su Muyao's lips curved into a perfectly balanced smile, tinged with a hint of demure pride. She slightly raised her chin, and her bright eyes appraised Li Xingyao and his rather "simple" attire. She was clearly very satisfied with Lin Wei's assessment, seemingly waiting for Li Xingyao's exclamation or compliments.

"Hello, Li Xingyao, necromancer." Li Xingyao remained calm and composed, simply nodding politely and greeting him in a flat tone, introducing his name and profession without showing excessive enthusiasm, nor any stage fright or flattery.

To him, high-level professionals were nothing special; he was one himself. Moreover, the other party's slightly overt sense of superiority was clearly not easy to get along with, so he wasn't particularly impressed.

Su Muyao's prepared, flattering smile froze for a moment, a hint of surprise and barely perceptible displeasure flashing in her bright eyes. Clearly, Li Xingyao's extremely indifferent reaction was completely unexpected. She gave a soft hum in response, then turned her gaze elsewhere.

Seeing this, Lin Wei's smile deepened, as if she had expected this scene. She leaned close to Su Muyao's ear and whispered something quickly, something like, "That's just his personality, he treats everyone the same, it's not targeting you."

At this moment, Lin Wei's personal terminal beeped, indicating that the next team member was about to arrive. She patted Su Muyao on the shoulder and said to Li Xingyao, "Your room is 707 in Block B, and access has been granted. Put your luggage up there first. We'll meet in Block A of the training hall in an hour to see everyone." After saying that, she turned and walked to the other side of the parking lot to prepare to welcome the new team member.