The transformation of undead units is naturally a topic of great interest to the Undead Lords.
Members of the Mourning Poets' Society are all legends at the very least, with someone like the Headless Brother, a son-in-law of the Bone Dragon family, being a legend among legends. It would certainly be wise to advertise through them.
However, after a brief moment of waiting, the first to respond was not the well-off Headless Brother, but rather the Withered Rose.
[Withered Rose: Very creative design. I now believe your rejection from *Legendary Curse* was genuinely due to some behind-the-scenes interference.]
So it turns out that the previous polite words were just formalities. This lady certainly knows how to speak convincingly.
[Withered Rose: But customizing low-tier skeletons seems pointless, doesn't it? The teleportation cost far exceeds the actual cost of production.]
A discerning buyer is always a good sign, so Amberxiu quickly replied.
[Digga Ultraman: Skeletons are, of course, best sold in bulk. If you have plans for a large order, Ms. Rose, we can arrange a delivery point.]
[Withered Rose: Can you create high-tier undead? I specifically need a few enhanced Death Knights.]
[Digga Ultraman: Ms. Rose, you're one of our own. To be honest, after the rejection from *Legendary Curse*, I haven't had many materials left for experiments. I haven't tried high-tier undead yet, and the risk of failure is high. Therefore, the cost will be extremely expensive, starting at a minimum of three hundred thousand gold coins, with low cost-effectiveness.]
The Mourning Poets' Society comprises some of the strongest figures in the undead realm. Amberxiu was aiming for long-term business rather than a one-time deal, so he did not hide the risks involved.
[Withered Rose: Price isn't an issue. Low-tier skeletons are of no use to me; I only need high-level undead like Death Knights. Or, I might need undead units capable of directly breaching the gates of the Imperial City of the Ryan Empire.]
Amberxiu froze momentarily upon reading this line.
The Ryan Empire, the most powerful human empire among the Nine Kingdoms, with a population in the hundreds of millions and a capital city of over one hundred cities.
Seventeen hundred years ago, the Paladin Arthur Ryan overthrew the tyrannical rule of the Dragon Tyrant, establishing the Ryan Empire and accomplishing the feat of driving all dragons off the continent.
The capital city of the Ryan Empire was built atop the corpse of the Dragon Tyrant. It was a powerful empire established on the foundation of martial prowess.
For a thousand years, the city of Ryan has been reinforced with countless layers of magical defenses. The remains of the Dragon Tyrant were even transformed into a powerful draconic weapon by the Ryans.
After years of enchantment, even a mortal, if equipped with any part of the draconic armament, would gain strength equivalent to that of a legendary dragon.
Legend has it that only the bloodline of Arthur Ryan can unleash the full power of the draconic armament, a strategic weapon capable of reshaping the continent's geography.
Even without using such a terrifying artifact, the combination of the imperial court's mage corps and the Lionheart Paladin Legion alone is enough to destroy any enemy.
Considering all of this, attempting to breach the Ryan Empire's capital city is essentially a death sentence. At least thirty legendary mages would need to combine their efforts to cast spells beyond the legendary rank to have a chance of destroying the capital.
What on earth does Withered Rose want? This goal is far too intimidating.
After a moment of thought, Amberxiu replied: "If it's the Ryan Empire, it will cost more."
No matter how strong the Ryan Empire is, Amberxiu was desperate for money. As long as Withered Rose could afford to pay, he would do everything in his power to help.
Breaching the gates is not the same as destroying the entire city. Amberxiu believed every defense spell has a weakness, and as long as the weakness can be found and countered, breaching the gates in a short time was possible.
As for how long it could hold up against the automatic repair magic, that would depend on the other preparations Ms. Rose had made. Amberxiu believed she wasn't a long-time undead seeking a dramatic suicide, and must have some other plan.
Amberxiu just needed to focus on his part of the work; everything else didn't concern him.
As for whether the Ryan Empire would have an issue with him, he didn't care. The Alchemy City was far, far away from the Ryan Empire.
Besides, when the Ryan Empire eventually came to confront him, Amberxiu could offer them a discount on research for countering military units.
Withered Rose responded quickly, "Money isn't an issue. I'll give you a thirty-thousand gold coin deposit, along with intelligence on the Ryan Empire's capital. Please prepare a design draft first."
As expected, Withered Rose was well-prepared. Amberxiu didn't know where she got her information on the Ryan Empire's capital, but she was certainly a powerful figure with far-reaching connections.
[Digga Ultraman: It's an honor to serve Ms. Rose. I will have the initial design draft ready for you within three months at the latest.]
Three months isn't exactly a lot of time.
High-tier undead units require more materials and more complex structural designs; it's not just a matter of resizing and reshaping a skeleton.
The key issue with high-tier undead is magic.
For example, Amberxiu, the so-called legendary Lich, possessed enough magical knowledge to fill dozens of books. High-tier undead must possess powerful spellcasting abilities, so Amberxiu needed to make choices and redesign their structure and soul modifications.
Magical experiments are complicated and precise, requiring a lot of time for verification.
But, as a major client, Amberxiu was prepared to put in extra hours to finish the first draft.
"Fortunately, I'm a Lich now, with no worldly desires like food, sleep, or the need to use the restroom."
Amberxiu was grateful for his choice, taking out a pile of parchment and focusing intently on his calculations.
Isabelle quickly finished preparing the Calming Potion but dared not stop, fearing Amberxiu might give her another order. As she pretended to stay busy, she observed her surroundings, wondering if there was a way to escape.
The door to the lab was right in front of her—could she make a run for it when Amberxiu wasn't paying attention?
No, no, no. The castle was undoubtedly filled with magical traps. Opening the door might trigger something that would turn her into stone.
There were also many magical materials on the cabinet. Maybe she could secretly brew a few potions to deal with the Lich?
Still, no. Isabelle, a mere apprentice alchemist, didn't have the skill to brew such advanced potions. Even her teacher might be unable to do it.
In her troubled state, she suddenly heard Amberxiu speak: "If you're feeling emotionally unstable, just drink a bottle. These magical materials are expensive; if you waste them, you won't be able to afford it."
This startled Isabelle, and for a moment, she thought she had fallen victim to a mind-reading spell.
Isabelle dared not pretend to be busy anymore. Following Amberxiu's order, she drank a bottle of the Calming Potion. It had a slightly bitter taste, but it was not unpleasant.
After finishing it, Isabelle felt her heart rate slow, and her hands stopped trembling. Calmly, she looked at the empty bottle in her hand.
She had drunk one of the twelve bottles of Calming Potion, but the remaining eleven—who were they for? Was it possible that her brother had truly sent people to Amberxiu to capture living humans as experimental materials?
No, no. If they were for experiments, there would be no need to prepare calming potions. They could just kill them directly.
Unless... this Lich truly had no intention of killing anyone.
Isabelle gazed at Amberxiu curiously. Could it be that she had encountered a legendary "kind" Lich?
End of Chapter