Alice's Advancement
If Kairen had known that upgrading the Territory Store would cause prices to skyrocket a hundredfold, he would never have agreed to it. Yet, considering how treacherous the system could be, if he truly refused to upgrade, his Territory Store would probably become unusable. No matter what, the outcome was now set, and Kairen could only accept it with resignation.
“Let’s take a look at those two catalog items first. Hopefully, there’ll be something useful for me.”
To his relief, the catalog did not disappoint him—both items were urgently needed at this stage.
...
Elven Gardener’s Hoe
Category: Tool
Quality: Common
Price: 20 Territory Energy per hoe
Skill: Flower Field Cultivation lv2 (Passive skill. Using the Elven Gardener’s Hoe automatically grants the Flower Field Cultivation skill.)
Note: Flower fields cultivated with the Elven Gardener’s Hoe will have improved quality.
...
Bone Shield
Item Grade: Common
Item Price: 100 Territory Energy
Description: A special undead weapon. Equipping it automatically grants the lv3 Shield Block skill.
Note: Only usable by undead.
...
Two items—one tool, one piece of equipment. The Bone Shield, as its name suggested, was clearly part of the same set as the Bone Spear. With the Bone Shield equipped, the combat strength of Kairen’s undead troops would be further enhanced.
The Elven Gardener’s Hoe was even more vital for Kairen. Whether for generating territory energy or upgrading territory level, Kairen needed to plant vast quantities of Whisper of the Departed. With this hoe, he no longer had to worry about his undead being unable to cultivate fields.
Kairen immediately purchased a hundred hoes, handing them to Ge Yi and instructing him to find a hundred first-tier undead to start cultivating flower fields.
Once this was settled, Kairen finally used the guaranteed reward from his recent lottery draw.
Despite his annoyance at the inflated prices after upgrading the Territory Store, Kairen still looked forward to the new lottery function, hoping that this “guaranteed win” would bring him some pleasant surprise.
Perhaps the system had finally grown a conscience, for this time the lottery did indeed grant him something quite valuable.
...
Skill Copy Scroll
Item Grade: Fine
Function: Skill Copy (Allows the user to copy and master one skill from a designated target.)
Note: After copying, you will automatically master the skill.
Additional Note: Only ordinary skills can be copied; unconventional skills or those involving racial talents cannot be replicated.
...
Upon seeing the scroll, Kairen’s first thought was of “Deathwing’s” Phasing skill—a lifesaving technique. If he could copy it, he’d no longer have to fear ambushes. Unfortunately, not only did that skill involve racial talents, it was also unconventional, so Kairen couldn’t replicate it.
Fortunately, he had an alternative in mind.
His Insight Eye had recently been upgraded after the battle, and the level 3 Insight Eye now allowed him to view the attributes of tier-three beings. The wraith he’d captured was precisely at the “Tier Three: Exceptional” level—well within Kairen’s range. He had already reviewed the wraith’s attributes and knew it possessed a rather impressive skill.
Taking the Skill Copy Scroll, Kairen approached the wraith, displaying the scroll before its eyes. When he returned, his attribute panel displayed a new skill.
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Wraith Burst
Skill Level: lv1
Description: Active skill. When activated, increases attack speed and movement speed by ten percent.
...
At the moment, the skill didn’t seem particularly powerful, but Kairen knew it was only because of its low level. Once it rose above level three, its effects would transform dramatically.
When that time came, Kairen’s own power would be noticeably enhanced, and he’d no longer be the weakest among tier-three beings.
Having acquired the skill, Kairen glanced at the Territory Store again. After a moment’s hesitation, he decided not to pour any more territory energy into that bottomless pit. After all, upgrading his territory would require vast amounts of energy, and right now, he couldn’t afford to waste any.
Just then, as Kairen closed the Territory Store panel, Deathwing, circling high above his territory, let out a cry.
The diligent little interpreter appeared at Kairen’s side, stuffing a black iron sword—who knew where she had found it—into her mouth, all while relaying Deathwing’s message.
“Someone is approaching—Tier Three: Exceptional!”
With Kairen’s current strength, such a presence no longer made him nervous, and he already had a vague guess as to the visitor’s identity. So, rather than focusing on Alice’s translation, what caught his attention was the iron sword she was gnawing.
As soon as he saw the sword, his Insight Eye activated, revealing the item’s details.
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Damaged Magical Weapon
Description: Once a fine-quality magical weapon, though now destroyed, it still retains considerable magical power and is exceptionally tough.
...
“Considerable magical power? Exceptionally tough?”
Kairen read the Insight Eye’s assessment, then glanced at the girl who, as if eating chocolate, took a huge bite out of the sword, making his lips twitch involuntarily.
“Are her teeth a bit too sharp?”
To his astonishment, while he was still making jokes, Alice devoured the entire sword. As she swallowed the last bite, her body began to radiate a black aura.
“What’s this? She’s advancing!”
Kairen was at a loss for words. He, armed with the system as his golden finger, had to slaughter countless goblins to break through from tier two to tier three. Yet Alice, by casually munching on something, had instantly upgraded.
Isn’t this a little too much of a cheat?
What Kairen didn’t know was that at the same time Alice began her advancement, in the secret chamber she once occupied, another corpse began to stir and stand.
When that body opened its eyes and picked up a blood-stained ribbon lying beside it, it seemed to sense Alice’s presence. Yet almost simultaneously, Alice successfully advanced, and the connection vanished...