Chapter 214: The Necromancy Codex

The night was deep, the starlight faint. Valantis, like a brilliant gem set at the edge of the vast Lorne River plains, remained ablaze with lights. The night market was still bustling with activity—carriages streamed by, vendors enthusiastically hawked their goods, and passersby occasionally stopped to browse their favorite items.

Only a few Valantis citizens gathered at a street corner, pointing and whispering about the dim firelight beyond the Black Wall, joking about which unlucky noble had the misfortune of their house catching fire.

A giant elephant moved forward slowly, its fortress-like structure on its back swaying with each step. Bu Cheng sighed and said, "I really wonder how they'll react when they learn the truth tomorrow."

"It won't matter how they react. These people don't even have the right to vote," Dany shook her head and urged, "Tell me some taboos and basic knowledge about necromancers first."

"Let me ask you a question first. Do you know what a necromancer is?"

"Haven't you told me before? Someone who studies the mysteries of life and death."

"No. Studying the mysteries of life and death is the ideal. In reality, every necromancer is guilty of monstrous crimes, deserving of execution—beheading, then having their bones ground to dust," Bu Cheng said solemnly.

"Uh... what do you mean?"

Bu Cheng furrowed his brows in thought before saying, "I won't even mention the minor things like playing with corpses, using live sacrifices in blood rituals, or summoning demons. Do you know how necromancers increase their magical power?"

"Meditation and cultivation?"

"No. By eating people. Infants are the most potent, and among them, deformed or dwarf infants are the rarest and most valuable supplements. Magic power is hard to come by, and the most common method for a necromancer to strengthen themselves is cannibalism!"

Bu Cheng's gaze turned cold as he looked at Dany, as if she were some monstrous fiend that feasted exclusively on dwarf infants.

"Why are you looking at me like that?" Dany shrank back and snapped, "You're the necromancer here. You're the one who eats people."

"I don't eat people." Bu Cheng's expression softened slightly as he said slowly, "When I joined the Necromancer Association, I swore upon my ancestors never to use evil methods to cultivate sorcery.

Of course, a mere oath isn't enough. I also have to undergo regular blood tests conducted by the association's enforcers.

If my blood shows an excessive level of Yin spirits, not even my status as a prince would save me—I'd be arrested on the spot, doused in wildfire, and burned to ashes."

"You can detect Yin spirits in blood?" Dany was genuinely shocked.

She had the ability to absorb and bestow spiritual essence, and she could "see" it within her consciousness, but sensing spiritual essence within blood or flesh was beyond her capabilities.

—Unless she burned the blood with fire.

This only strengthened her belief that in this world, the soul and flesh were unified—the spirit and the body were interdependent.

"It's a Valyrian invention." Bu Cheng's face twisted slightly in difficulty as he gestured with his hands, as if struggling to describe the device. Finally, he simply asked, "Have you heard of the Sorcerer's Lens?"

"What?!" Dany abruptly stood up, her head hitting the wooden ceiling of the fortress with a thud. But she was too excited to notice the pain.

"The Sorcerer's Lens can detect Yin spirits?"

"Why are you so shocked?" Bu Cheng flinched at her reaction.

Because I have a Sorcerer's Lens at home! And I was planning to take it to Qohor and have some blacksmiths melt it down into armor!

"I thought the Sorcerer's Lens was only used to observe large plant cells."

"Cells?"

"Oh, I mean genes. Have you heard of genes?"

"I underestimated you." Bu Cheng gave Dany a surprised look and sighed. "Your knowledge far exceeds my expectations. In this era, Valyrian wisdom has long been lost. I thought no one outside the association still understood the secrets of genetics."

Dany sat cross-legged, deep in thought. She needed to thoroughly study the books she had taken from the High Priest of Oros.

The magical civilization of Valyria and technological civilization followed completely different paths. She couldn't dismiss the magical ancients with a modern scientific mindset.

"Observing genes and Yin spirits is just one of the many functions of the Sorcerer's Lens." After a brief pause, Bu Cheng continued, "The Valyrians were incredibly arrogant. While they refused to sell Sorcerer's Lenses to outsiders, they allowed foreign necromancers to work in their wizard towers as servants.

Through servitude, these foreign necromancers earned the opportunity to use and study the Sorcerer's Lens.

For two thousand years, countless foreign sorcerers risked everything to travel to Valyria, willing to become slaves just to steal their advanced techniques.

Finally, during the Hua-Zi Dynasty, at the peak of our nation's power, we poured immense wealth into thousands of experiments and managed to create our own Sorcerer's Lens.

Although the instruments used by the Necromancer Association aren't as powerful as the Valyrian ones, they're good enough to detect Yin spirits."

Bu Cheng spoke passionately, as if he had returned to that glorious era when countless heroes sacrificed everything for the prosperity of their nation.

"Hua-Zi Dynasty?" Dany, however, showed no sense of admiration. Instead, she looked at him strangely and asked, "The era when eunuchs ruled?"

"Yes. That was when our nation was at its strongest. We drained the treasury to the last copper coin, but before the dynasty fell, we finally created our own Sorcerer's Lens." Bu Cheng sighed, full of emotion.

"I see... So, that legendary eunuch dynasty, with all its strength, was ultimately brought down by you sorcerers. But the Sorcerer's Lens isn't exactly an atomic bomb—it had no real benefit to the nation. What a waste!"

They sacrificed their manhood just to govern the country properly—that was a heavy price to pay!

They had finally risen to become the second most powerful empire in the world, second only to Valyria, yet they were ruined by a mere Sorcerer's Lens.

No wonder the Citadel had invested hundreds of thousands of gold dragons into researching the Sorcerer's Lens, only to achieve nothing. In the end, they even tried to trick the Mad King into funding them.

Fortunately, the Mad King was insane enough not to fall for it. Otherwise... well, he still lost his kingdom in the end. And all the millions of gold dragons that Tywin had saved up for him over the years?

They all went straight into that fat bastard Robert's pockets.

Sigh, it would be better to invest in the Citadel and study sorcerous lenses!

"How is it of no benefit to the nation?" Bu Cheng glanced at her with disdain and said flatly, "Have you heard of the Long Night?"

"You know about the Long Night too?" Dany asked curiously.

"The Long Night was caused by the Blood Chaos of Yi Di, and the Blood Chaos was instigated by a fallen necromancer—the King of Necromancers, the Bloodstone Emperor.

Back then, Yi Di was still in the Era of the Supreme Kingdom, the true first empire of the world, while the Valyrians were just herding sheep on hills. You could say that the fallen necromancer destroyed the Supreme Kingdom and almost ended the world."

Indeed, the Bloodstone Emperor was the last ruler of the Supreme Kingdom and a powerful necromancer.

According to Yi Di mythology, he performed blood magic that plunged the world into the Long Night.

"So, the hero who dispelled the Long Night and saved the world was also from Yi Di? Yi... Targaryen?" Dany sneered.

"What's so great about Azor Ahai? Every nation fights over his legacy as if they were Korean nationalists," she mocked.

Bu Cheng didn't understand what Korean nationalists meant, but he could tell Dany was ridiculing him.

His face flushed red, and he protested, "The historical records of Yi Di have been well preserved across generations. The books clearly state the truth!"

"Fine, let's assume you're right. With the sorcerous lens, Yi Di can study necromancy and prevent another Bloodstone Emperor from emerging.

But the prophecy also says that the next Long Night is coming soon. How do you explain that?"

"It's probably just the Red Priests spreading nonsense. Or maybe that remnant of the Yellow Dynasty is the second Bloodstone Emperor."

Dany twitched at the corners of her mouth, unsure of what to say.

The ruling Bu clan of Yi Di belonged to the Azure Dynasty, which had replaced the Yellow Dynasty.

Now that the Azure Dynasty was in decline and powerful warlords were rising, the descendants of the Yellow Dynasty were attempting to restore their rule. Their king was not only a powerful sorcerer but also something of a successful Murong Fu—a reference to a man who actually succeeded in reclaiming his lost kingdom.

Yet now, Bu Cheng was slandering this Murong Fu as the cause of the second Long Night, labeling him the new Bloodstone Emperor.

"Alright, enough nonsense. I get your point—necromancy is a forbidden art that must be treated with caution.

But I only want to better understand your theories on 'Yin-Yang Spirits.' I have no interest in human sacrifice or blood magic," Dany said, waving her hand dismissively.

"Purely theoretical research?"

"Yes."

"You're not planning to become a necromancer?"

"Correct."

Hearing her firm response, Bu Cheng visibly relaxed and said, "Don't take it personally. I was just worried you'd stray down the wrong path and be blinded by power.

With your talent and intelligence, you have the potential to become another Bloodstone Emperor. If you truly triggered the Long Night, that would be my sin to bear."

Dany stared at him, expressionless.

Bu Cheng then launched into a long-winded explanation, detailing the origins of necromancy, its development, the final form of its spells, the current areas of research, and hopes for the future.

He spoke at length, all the way to the Merchant's House, though his entire speech could be summed up in a few sentences:

"We Yi Di people seek immortality. After discovering Yin-Yang Spirits, we began studying Yin Spirits, which led to the development of necromancy. Eventually, we produced a necromantic emperor—the Bloodstone Emperor.

He nearly destroyed the Supreme Kingdom and almost wiped out the world.

After the Long Night, we became cautious and abandoned Yin Spirit research for thousands of years.

Then the Valyrians, once mere shepherds, suddenly rose to power and invented impressive technologies like sorcerous lenses. We envied them deeply.

So we spent another few thousand years—sacrificing an entire dynasty—to develop our own sorcerous lens, finally making it possible to separate Yin and Yang Spirits.

Now, we want to extract and absorb Yang Spirits to see if it grants eternal life."

Upon arrival, Bu Cheng first went to the lobby of the Merchant's House and requested a private chamber for Dany to wait in. He then hurried back to the upper courtyard and returned with a leather bag, handing it to her.

"This is for you."

Dany untied the bag and found four or five books inside. She looked up in confusion. "What's this?"

"A token of gratitude for saving my life. One is A History of Necromancer Development, another is Basic Spellcraft, then there's Chai Jin's Notes, The Travels of Bu Yi, and Bu Cheng's Notes."

His expression turned serious as he warned, "Be very cautious with Basic Spellcraft. It's best to use it only for research and not to practice.

And under no circumstances should you share the contents of these books with anyone, especially rogue necromancers. Otherwise, it will bring endless trouble."

Dany nodded solemnly and promised, "I will be the only one to read them."

Bu Cheng softened his tone and explained, "Chai Jin was the most powerful necromancer of the Yellow Dynasty. He broke the limits of human lifespan and lived for 150 years. If not for his death in palace intrigue, he might have lived for several more decades.

Bu Yi was my ancestor. He traveled to Asshai and even explored the far east, encountering various supernatural professions and dark sorceries.

As for my notes… well, you remember how I bought that body from Lys, right?"

"Yes."

"I've been researching the relationship between Yang Spirits and sorcerous power. You might find it interesting."

With that, he took his leave.

Even though their clothes had dried from body heat, they still felt uncomfortably sticky.

(End of Chapter)

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