The morning sun had barely risen, casting long shadows across the courtyard as disciples of the Shadow Moon Sect gathered, eager to begin their preparations. The excitement in the air was palpable, with everyone knowing that their fate could change in the blink of an eye once they entered the Ancient Black Lotus Sanctuary.
Deacon Yu Tian, the head of Shadow Hall, stood before the gathered crowd of disciples. His commanding presence demanded silence, and the crowd quickly fell into line. His deep-set eyes scanned the faces before him, lingering briefly on a few key disciples before he spoke.
"Those of you brave enough to venture into the secret realm, understand this—what awaits you inside are treasures, trials, and enemies. But you will be rewarded for your bravery. All participants who sign up for this exploration will receive half off at the Contribution Hall for the next two days. Use this wisely to prepare yourselves."
Murmurs of excitement rippled through the crowd. Half off at the Contribution Hall was a rare boon, especially for those who had been saving their points for months or even years. Now, they had a chance to arm themselves with the best tools the sect could offer before venturing into unknown danger.
Deacon Yu Tian's gaze hardened as he continued. "However, once you enter the secret realm, you are on your own. You will face not just the disciples of the Roaring Flame Sect and the Verdant Valley Sect, but also each other. Opportunities within the realm belong to the strongest, and it is up to each of you to claim what you can. There will be no protection, no help from your elders. What you seize is yours alone."
The gravity of his words settled over the disciples. This was not a matter of exploration—it was war. The treasures within the secret realm could elevate a disciple's cultivation, grant access to rare techniques, or even provide powerful spiritual artifacts. But those opportunities would come at the cost of blood.
Li Wei stood among the Shadow Hall disciples, silent but resolute. He had been preparing for this moment ever since word of the secret realm had reached the sect. Beside him, Shadow One remained still, ever watchful, while the other undead he controlled waited in the shadows. Li Wei knew he needed more than just raw power—he needed to be properly equipped for the trials ahead.
As soon as Deacon Yu Tian dismissed the disciples to prepare, Li Wei made his way to the Contribution Hall. Inside, the air was thick with anticipation as disciples scrambled to claim the best resources before heading into the unknown. Li Wei was calm, his mind already set on what he needed.
The Contribution Hall was vast, its shelves lined with all manner of tools, treasures, and weapons. As Li Wei approached the counter, he handed over his contribution token. "I'm here to exchange for a spatial bag," he said, his tone measured.
The clerk at the counter gave him a nod and disappeared behind a shelf, returning shortly with a finely crafted pouch. The spatial bag was small, but its capacity was immense—a necessary tool for what lay ahead. Yet, as the clerk tallied the points, Li Wei felt a slight pang. The spatial bag alone had drained more than half of his contribution points, a steep price but one that couldn't be avoided.
"Choose wisely, Li Wei," Azrael's voice echoed within his mind. "You have amassed power, but tools are needed to solidify it. Your army will need more than just your will to survive the trials ahead."
With that in mind, Li Wei turned his attention to the Frost Iron weapons. He selected a variety: swords, spears, daggers, and axes—enough to arm his undead. These weapons, forged from the rare Frost Iron, would amplify the cold qi of his minions, turning them into even more fearsome killing machines. The price was high, but Li Wei paid it without hesitation. Each piece was carefully stored within the spatial bag.
But it wasn't enough. Li Wei's gaze wandered further along the shelves, his eyes falling upon a black coffin, ornately carved and imbued with shadow qi. It was a Coffin of Shadows, a treasure used by members of Shadow Hall who practiced corpse-controlling techniques. With it, Li Wei could store his undead minions safely and secretly, transporting them with ease without arousing suspicion.
Azrael's voice hummed with approval. "This is a rare find, Li Wei. In my old world, I would have used far more complex tools to manage the dead, but for this place… it is fitting."
The clerk raised an eyebrow as Li Wei placed the coffin on the counter, clearly impressed. "Not many in the sect use this level of treasure. Are you sure about this purchase?"
Li Wei nodded, his resolve unwavering. The coffin's price, like the spatial bag, drained the remainder of his contribution points, leaving him with nothing. But it didn't matter. He was now fully prepared.
With the spatial bag, Frost Iron weapons, and the Coffin of Shadows safely in his possession, Li Wei left the Contribution Hall. The clerk, like the others in the sect, had no idea what he was truly preparing for. They saw a disciple arming himself for the trials of the secret realm, but Li Wei's mind was far beyond that.
As he walked back to his courtyard, Shadow One followed silently, his undead aura blending into the shadows cast by the fading light. They passed a few disciples who eyed Li Wei cautiously, whispers following in their wake. The rumors of his necromantic powers and the disappearances of Chen Feng's followers were spreading, but no one dared confront him directly. For now, they would let the rumors fester and grow in the background.
Back in the dim, shadowed confines of his courtyard, Li Wei stood in silent contemplation as his undead minions stood motionless around him. Their newly acquired Frost Iron weapons gleamed coldly under the faint moonlight, their bodies infused with the chilling energy of their master's dark arts. Each one was a tool, sharpened for the coming battles in the Ancient Black Lotus Sanctuary.
But now that they were preparing to leave the sect, there were no eyes to watch, no strict codes to follow. This journey would not only be one of exploration but a chance to expand the Undead Pavilion—their secret weapon within the Shadow Moon Sect. The world outside the sect was a lawless place where death was an inevitable consequence. And for Li Wei and Azrael, death meant opportunity.
Azrael's voice, cold and calculating, echoed through Li Wei's mind. "The preparations are not merely for survival. They are for conquest. In this lawless realm, we shall gather many more souls. An army of the dead—refined, sharpened, and forged in agony. None shall stand in our way."
Li Wei's gaze flicked toward his Coffin of Shadows, where the most critical preparation would take place. "It's time we refined the undead into something more... potent."
Azrael's focus turned to Meng Zhi and Liu Ruyan, two of Li Wei's earlier conquests—mindless husks that now stood guard, their souls twisted in eternal servitude. They had once been foes, but now they were no more than fodder for the next phase. The refinement that would turn them into something far more useful.
A sinister energy began to swirl in the air as Azrael's will took hold of the two mindless undead. "Meng Zhi, Liu Ruyan," he whispered in a dark tone that reverberated through the courtyard, "Thy suffering is not yet over."
The moment those words left his mind, the process began. Azrael's hands moved in a slow, deliberate motion, calling forth their very souls from the depths of their lifeless bodies. A dark, writhing mass of qi, twisted and tormented, emerged from Meng Zhi and Liu Ruyan. Their souls screamed in agony, though no sound escaped their mouths, their faces locked in silent, eternal torment.
Li Wei watched, unblinking, as the souls of his former enemies twisted together, merging into a black, pulsing orb. The refinement process was horrifyingly brutal—each moment, Meng Zhi and Liu Ruyan's souls burned as they were consumed by Azrael's necromantic arts. Their bodies writhed, trapped in their mindless forms as their souls were peeled apart, layer by layer.
Azrael's voice was cold and detached as the process continued. "The pain they feel is but a fraction of what they deserve for standing against us. Let this agony be their final contribution to power."
The black orb that had once been their souls pulsed with malevolent energy, shifting, warping into a dark, dense core. It was a culmination of all their suffering, their power, and their unwilling existence as undead. With each passing second, the orb condensed tighter and tighter, growing more dangerous, more filled with their agonizing essence.
Li Wei could feel their torment resonating in the air, their silent screams begging for release, but Azrael had no mercy.
Finally, the refinement was complete. Azrael held the core aloft for a moment, examining it. "Perfect," he murmured, his tone filled with dark satisfaction. "A core of agony and death. This shall be the heart of something far more powerful."
Azrael turned his gaze to the other level seven Qi Refinement cultivator, standing motionless at the edge of the courtyard. A mindless husk now, but soon it would be transformed. With a flick of his hand, Azrael thrust the core into the center of its chest.
The moment the core made contact, the body convulsed violently, dark veins of qi spreading across its skin as the core integrated into its being. The undead's mouth opened in a silent scream as the power of the core infused every part of its decaying body. The transformation was hideous and brutal, but Azrael watched with satisfaction.
As the body struggled to accept the power, Azrael began the second phase—returning a small portion of the original soul, granting the undead enough intelligence to carry out more complex tasks. The process was delicate, but Azrael's mastery of necromancy allowed for precision.
Finally, after several minutes, the undead stopped convulsing. Its eyes, once dull and lifeless, now burned with a dark, malevolent intelligence. Its aura surged, growing stronger, and to Li Wei's surprise, the undead's cultivation spiked to the half-step Foundation Establishment Realm.
The undead being took a deep, rattling breath and dropped to one knee before Li Wei, its eyes filled with both fear and awe. "Master... I apologize for ever daring to stand against you," it said in a raspy voice, filled with absolute loyalty. "This one was blind to your greatness."
Li Wei, his face impassive, glanced at Azrael.
Azrael, pleased with the result, whispered within Li Wei's mind. "It shall be called Death One. A fitting title for one born of agony and despair. It will lead the mindless horde—the Death Squad. Its loyalty is assured."
Death One remained kneeling, awaiting its master's command. Azrael turned his attention back to Li Wei, his voice brimming with satisfaction. "Now, you have both intelligent undead and mindless brutes. The Shadow One shall lead those capable of growth, those who will serve as commanders. Death One shall lead the endless hordes—those we shall use as tools in war."
With this new power firmly in place, Li Wei knew the time for expansion had come. Now, away from the eyes of the sect, they could gather many more souls—turning the secret realm into their personal hunting ground.
As dawn broke over the courtyard, Li Wei stood surrounded by his creations. Death One rose to join Shadow One in organizing their forces. The two intelligent undead were now distinct—one cold and calculating, the other driven by endless suffering and power.
Suddenly, the faint chime of the sect's signal bell rang out across the compound. Meng Zhi, standing guard near the entrance, stirred and spoke in his hollow, broken voice.
"The signal… the Ebon Wing is leaving."
Li Wei's gaze sharpened. The Ebon Wing Vessel was the sect's ancient airborne transport, used only for the most significant missions. Its appearance marked the official beginning of their journey into the secret realm. Without a word, Li Wei turned toward the distant sky where the vessel would soon appear, his expression calm, but his mind already racing through the possibilities of what lay ahead.
Shadow One and the other undead silently followed as Li Wei moved toward the sect's assembly grounds. Disciples from every hall streamed into the wide plaza, their anticipation palpable as the enormous, shadowy silhouette of the Ebon Wing came into view above the sect's towering spires.
The sleek, black wings of the ship unfolded gracefully, casting a long shadow over the courtyard. Disciples, elders, and deacons alike gazed in awe as the vessel descended, its hull carved from a rare blackwood imbued with powerful shadow qi, giving it the ability to traverse the skies and protect its passengers from prying eyes.
One by one, the disciples began to board, each taking their place on the darkened decks of the vessel. As Li Wei ascended the ramp, his thoughts were no longer on the disciples around him or even the dangers of the secret realm. His focus was clear—every step forward would bring him closer to consolidating his power.
With the last of the disciples aboard, the Vessel let out a low, haunting hum as it began its ascent, gliding through the air with a spectral grace. Below, the sect disappeared beneath a blanket of mist as the ship rose higher into the skies, carrying Li Wei and the others toward their unknown fates in the Ancient Black Lotus Sanctuary.