The Hall of Battle Souls

The sudden onslaught of vengeful spirits sent waves of fear rippling through the settlement. Elder Akashi, who had just awoken from his deep meditative trance, frowned deeply, instinctively sensing an unprecedented danger. He immediately gathered the Knights of the Holy Order, the protectors of the monastery, and ordered a thorough search of the area, fearing that dark spirits or demons had infiltrated.

The knights, trained and swift in their movements, scoured the small forest, but by the time they arrived, Allen and Sister Theresa had already vanished. After more than half an hour of searching in vain, they returned empty-handed.

Standing within the sacred Hall of the Virgin, Allen gazed through the finely carved windows at the knights below, their efforts futile. With a cold smile, he turned and instructed, "Theresa, you should return for now. Come find me again at this hour tomorrow night."

"Yes, my lord," Sister Theresa responded, bowing deeply, and gracefully turned to leave.

Unlike his absolute control over individuals like Arno and Sarathos, Allen refrained from directly manipulating Sister Theresa's consciousness. Instead, he left a mark deep within her soul. The divine realm was filled with powerful beings, and acting too hastily could risk exposing Theresa's altered state. It was better to slowly invade her mind and gradually deepen his presence within her, subtly guiding her.

"The outside world... truly more fascinating," Allen mused as he watched the graceful figure of Sister Theresa disappear. Training a proud, beautiful nun was far more thrilling than simply possessing her.

Once she was out of sight, Allen retrieved his black magic pen, igniting five hundred medium-grade crystal stones. After tracing a few runes in the air, his body suddenly vanished. With a silent and seamless journey guided by his connection to the Soul Summoning Banner, he returned to the Lich Castle, thousands of miles away, where he quickly summoned Arno, Sarathos, and Issu to discuss the latest developments in their domain.

"My lord, did you slay those human demon hunters?" Arno, sensing a surge of vitality from within Allen, was filled with excitement. The stronger Allen, the Lich King, became, the more formidable their undead army would be, bringing greater benefits to his subordinates.

"Arno, think beyond mere slaughter," Allen chided, shaking his head. While Arno's intelligence surpassed that of most zombie warriors, it was still far from being truly strategic.

"My lord, the patrols have reported that a vampire tomb has appeared five hundred miles to the west of the castle, swiftly taking control of nearby resource points. At their rate of expansion, it won't be long before their vampire warriors clash with our patrols," Issu reported coolly, standing like a shadow in the dimly lit corner.

Vampire warriors?

Allen's expression grew serious. Vampires, born with inherent strength at the sixth tier, were far more dangerous than the second-tier skeleton warriors. While the Lich army had grown significantly in power recently, encountering a large force of swift vampires could easily lead to a catastrophic defeat if they weren't careful.

"Send scouts to pinpoint the location of the vampire tomb," Allen commanded after a brief pause. It was better to strike preemptively, to destroy the vampire strongholds before they could attack their patrols.

"Yes, my lord!"

Arno, Sarathos, and Issu bowed and immediately departed. The Lich Castle bustled with activity as a squad of elite skeleton archers, led by Issu, set out across the vast wastelands, disappearing into the night. Meanwhile, the magic circles within the castle activated, shrouding the area in dense black fog, masking their presence within a radius of several miles.

Dark Sky!

Under Sarathos' guidance, numerous skeleton mages poured magical energy into the castle's defensive arrays, hiding its location and preparing for the storm that was soon to come. Once satisfied that everything was in order, Allen quickly returned to the Virgin Monastery in Wuhai Town via the teleportation circle.

As their domain expanded, the Lich Castle was beginning to interact with the surrounding major powers. Though they controlled more and more resource points, the pressure they faced was mounting. Against elite armies from other factions, mere numbers of low-level undead wouldn't suffice. In the short term, they couldn't recruit many higher-tier undead, like Liches or Dark Knights, so their only option was to consume vast amounts of energy to rapidly increase their own power and unlock the full potential of the Soul Summoning Banner.

The key to breaking through quickly lay in the Monastery's Sacred Pearl, a potent source of energy!

For an undead like Allen, the sacred Monastery was a forbidden land. A single misstep could lead to death without a burial place. However, upon stepping through the gates, he immediately sensed several powerful presences. Even with his strength, he had to be cautious. But for the Sacred Pearl, which held enormous energy, he had no choice but to continue lurking without drawing attention.

"Life is life, death is death; life is the cycle of death, death is the beginning of life…"

In the quiet of the night, Allen sat in the Holy Virgin's Hall, meditating. As he absorbed the vast holy energy from the crystal sphere, he pondered the insights he had gained from the Lich King Ovissis' training. Wrapped in his crimson robes, he effortlessly transformed from an evil lich to a revered divine cleric, freely coming and going within the Monastery.

As the night passed, he had not made any further breakthroughs, but his vitality stabilized, solidifying his current state.

"Allen, come, let me show you around the settlement. It may not be large yet, but Wuhai Town has changed quite a lot over the years!" Early the next morning, Ophelia found Allen, who was still in the midst of his meditation, to help him familiarize himself with the area. Dressed in a white robe with a light green ribbon tied at her waist and tall sheepskin boots, Ophelia looked more elegant than ever, her youthful energy still shining through her poised demeanor.

"Alright, Ophelia, thank you for the trouble!" Allen smiled as he followed her out of the sacred Monastery. Although he hadn't broken through his limits during his night of meditation, he had consolidated his foundation and strengthened his cultivation.

Wuhai Town, though small, was the only settlement within dozens of miles, attracting many merchant caravans and adventurers. Along the bustling streets, shops lined both sides, selling everything from precious beast pelts and weapons to various crystal stones. As they walked, Ophelia pointed out various things, hoping to help Allen adjust to life in the settlement. Following the broad cobblestone avenue, they soon arrived at a towering building.

Majestic and imposing, the entrance was crowned with a large emblem of crossed swords and axes. Two towering, muscular guards stood at attention on either side, their eyes forward, faces impassive.

The Hall of Battle Souls!

The Hall of Battle Souls was a common structure in the wastelands. For a certain fee, one could train, purchase maps, battle techniques, weapons, and armor. Many had trained there since childhood. As Allen and Ophelia entered, they found the hall already crowded with people, fervently watching a brutal battle between two demon hunters on the elevated platform.

In the center of the spacious hall stood a nearly ten-meter-high platform, with the stone floor engraved with runes. The entire platform was surrounded by layers of magical arrays that sealed off the fluctuations of the fighters' auras, but did nothing to impede the spectators' view. The bloodthirsty glares and savage combat of the two demon hunters were crystal clear.

The Demon Hunter Arena!

In the lawless Wastelands, where brutality was commonplace, duels were strictly forbidden in the settlements—except for the Battle Arena, where life and death were determined by fate. Here, powerful demon hunters could face off, testing their strength in deadly combat, with blood staining the ground beneath them.

The Hall of Battle Souls ranked the most powerful demon hunters in what was known as the Demon Hunter Rankings. The higher one ranked, the more terrifying their power, and the greater the benefits they could reap—discounted items, lucrative missions, or even the reward of a new city. It was said that the top-ranked demon hunters, such as the Lords of the Inferno Citadel and the Grand Elders of the Hall, possessed unfathomable power.

Not long after entering the Hall of Battle Souls, Allen unexpectedly saw a familiar figure step onto the platform.

Early that morning, Ulbato had come to the Hall to train, unleashing his might against every opponent he faced, venting his frustrations.

Having failed miserably during his hunting expedition with several of the nuns from the Monastery, his romantic attempts had been fruitless, and he had even ended up in a desolate castle, nearly frozen into a statue. After barely surviving a confrontation in the Monastery, he had been humiliated by a priest and almost burned at the stake.

Kicking his opponent off the platform, Ulbato's gaze fell upon Allen, and his eyes widened in disbelief. "What... this idiot became a priest? No wonder he looked so familiar last night; it was this guy who ruined everything!"

Upon seeing Allen, Ulbato's mood darkened instantly. He had been hasty in his departure the night before, only realizing now that it was Allen who had foiled his plans.

His anger boiled.

Within the necromancer's castle, Allen had stripped him of all his clothes, leaving him nearly naked, frozen to the point of becoming an ice sculpture. It was only because his limbs had stiffened with cold that he was struck by a well-aimed arrow from Isu, leaving his backside wrapped in bandages even now. After finally returning to Wuhai Town, he spent hours painstakingly practicing the so-called Holy Knight techniques, only to receive no results. Undeterred, he ventured into the convent, planning to subdue one of its pure and holy nuns, but was once again thwarted by Allen, who had frightened him so deeply that he nearly lost all control.

Such injustice!

Seeing Allen's rapid rise in status, transforming overnight from a foolish simpleton into a dignified and imposing cleric, Ulbato ground his teeth in hatred. His jealousy burned as he gazed at the beautiful and mature Ophelia, who stood by Allen's side, her presence radiating grace and allure. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. "Lord Allen, congratulations, truly. I hear that years ago, you traversed every inch of the wasteland, so your strength must be considerable. Now that you're in Wuhai Town, it would be an honor for you to impart your wisdom to me."

The Hall of Battle Souls, a sanctuary for martial and magical training, provided Ulbato with an opportunity for revenge. 

Now, Allen's position was that of a superior being, filled with triumphant pride. Ulbato saw it as his chance to teach him a lesson, to make it clear who truly ruled over Wuhai Town. After all, there had been no public confrontation the night before, and without evidence, he had nothing to fear from this fledgling cleric. The Divine Court's influence outside the Wasteland was vast, but within the chaotic and lawless land, it held little sway, particularly in remote places like Wuhai Town. The Morgan family was not to be trifled with.

"Oh, impart wisdom?" Ulbato said with a smirk, clearly underestimating Allen's insight.

Allen, recognizing the intentions behind Ulbato's cocky demeanor, smiled lightly. He knew exactly what the arrogant youth sought. Ulbato, emboldened by his family's power, had infiltrated the convent the night before, intending harm, only to be caught in the act by Allen. Allen had refrained from using that incident to extort him—until now, Ulbato had come, utterly oblivious to the fact that he was stepping into his own demise.

"Ulbato," Allen said coolly, his voice laced with a quiet but potent authority. "Now that I am a cleric of the Divine Court, do not think that your family's power will allow you to cause trouble here."

Sensing the rising tension and the deadly aura radiating from Ulbato, Ophelia swiftly stepped between them, her expression icy as she addressed him. "Ulbato, Allen now stands as a cleric. Do not let your family's influence cloud your judgment in the settlement."

With a mocking laugh, Ulbato drew his longsword with a sharp flick, stepping forward and challenging, "Because Lord Allen is such a powerful cleric, surely he will not mind instructing a mere swordsman like myself?"

The air hummed with power as Ulbato infused his sword with surging energy. His crimson blade flickered, radiating waves of lethal sword qi that distorted the magic barriers surrounding the arena. The very ground seemed to tremble with each pulse of his aura, and even seasoned hunters, long accustomed to the dangers of the Wasteland, flinched at the overwhelming killing intent. This was no mere sparring match; this was a battle for life and death!

A swordsman of the First Rank!

Ulbato's sudden outburst caused an uproar, as the strength of his strike commanded immediate attention.

Though only a First Rank swordsman, Ulbato had surpassed the ranks of mere swordsmen, whose skill, even at the Ninth Rank, was considered insignificant in the eyes of true power. It was only by achieving the title of Swordsman that one could join the elite hunting squads, roaming the vast Wasteland to hunt and conquer the wilds.

In Wuhai Town, the presence of a formidable Swordsman was enough to command respect.

"Ophelia, may I borrow your staff?" Allen's voice was calm, even as the deadly air around him thickened. He took the staff from Ophelia with a steady hand, stepping forward into the blood-soaked arena.

A showdown between a mage and a warrior—one with divine blessing, the other with raw martial prowess—was about to unfold.

The crowd held its breath, eagerly watching the impending clash. On one side stood a renowned and powerful swordsman, and on the other, a cleric of the Divine Court, holy and exalted. The confrontation was certain to be a spectacle of epic proportions.