Book Synopsis
Book Tags
Donation Rankings
Comment
0 Comments
You May Also Like
墨書 Inktalez
The Lich did not appear old; he looked to be in his forties, younger than the Warden, which reflected his true biological age. Liches typically lived twice as long as humans, but compared to the Liches that Cui Ming knew, he was already quite aged. Strangely, despite having many consorts and a harem throughout history, the pregnancy rate among Liches was very low. Fortunately, their success rate in producing successors was high, reaching 50%, which prevented the extinction of the Lich lineage. The Lich race was distinct from humans, as their blood contained both the curse and blessing of a death contract.
Because of this, choosing a female successor required immense courage, as it could very well lead to extinction.
A series of half-bamboo poles directed mountain spring water from the small hill behind the bamboo house. The Lich sat at a stone table by the spring, sipping tea. Upon seeing Cui Ming, he smiled, stood up, and walked over. "Cui Ming, long time no see." They were old acquaintances.
Cui Ming smiled in response. "Uncle He, I appreciate your care over the years. I could have just written a letter; there was no need to trouble others."
The Lich chuckled and extended his hand. A book flew out from the Warden's body and landed in the Lich's hand—it was the Soul Stealing Scroll. At that moment, Cui Ming admired the Warden greatly for remaining completely still, seemingly embodying the belief that all blessings came from royal favor. The Lich said, "Thank you for your hard work."
The Warden clasped his hands together and bowed slightly. "It is my fortune to serve you; it is not hard at all."
Where did those goosebumps go? They seemed to have vanished. It turned out that the Lich's secluded lifestyle had led to a lack of understanding of human nature; he was quite pleased with the Warden's attitude. However, playing tricks in front of a Lich was pointless; they possessed absolute power. As long as one wasn't an idiot, it would be impossible to bring them down.
The Lich looked at Cui Ming. "You should know why I invited you to Shadow Island."
Cui Ming sighed. "Before coming here, I knew there were two choices: the first choice is that you get what you want; the second choice is that I refuse to give it to you, but under your pressure, I would still have to comply. As a wise person, since I've been caught by you, I can give you whatever you want."
The Lich took a few steps and walked alongside Cui Ming, gazing at the lake surface. "My son is a Strategy type; it doesn't really matter. Even if he is Strategy-oriented but lacks essence, he will still be a new Lich. It's just that my ambitions are slightly larger."
Cui Ming understood what those ambitions were; no one wanted to be bound by a contract. Hundreds of years ago, there had been a Lich who managed to break free from such contracts and left Shadow Island while not in a destroyed state. However, he only succeeded halfway—the curse of the contract led him swiftly toward death. Fortunately, he had an heir who prevented the extinction of the Lich race. The Lich hoped for his child to possess even greater abilities. This hope had been passed down through generations—fathers and grandfathers alike wished for their descendants to thrive. Not only for Liches but for many parents, children were seen as personal property whose futures were already planned by their parents.
The Lich said, "In truth, I never intended to harm you. Honestly speaking, if it weren't for me, would you be where you are today?"
Cui Ming nodded, "The kindness of Uncle He is like being reborn to my parents. However, Shadow Island is quite intimidating." Warden listened, impressed. "Paralysis, you really get into character quickly, even faster than I do."
The Lich said, "Can we talk about the secret of Strategy now?"
Cui Ming replied, "The secret of Strategy can be summed up in one sentence, but if you want your son to truly grasp the heights of Strategy, I need to teach him according to his situation. Uncle He might have a misunderstanding; the secret of Strategy can only bring a practitioner’s strength to the level of a skilled master, but the potential of Strategy goes beyond that. The Crow is one example; I am another. Uncle He knows that within a few years, I went from being a newcomer to the champion of the Alliance Competition." First, survival is key; I need to stabilize things. I’ll use my words to keep the Lich at bay—don’t torture me or act recklessly, or I will teach your son something else.
"Alright then, you're still young and not in a hurry. The environment on Shadow Island is quite good; you can stay for five years," the Lich said. "If my son can comprehend Strategy, I will naturally let you go. If he cannot grasp it, then I will have to ask you to accompany him in death. You are smart enough to know that even if my son fails to understand Strategy, our Lich clan remains invincible on Shadow Island, so please behave yourself."
"Of course, regardless of how things turn out, I have ways to repay Uncle He's nurturing grace."
"Good. Now tell me what the secret of Strategy is."
Cui Ming said, "The secret of Strategy begins with release and then involves the Six Elements."
"Oh?" The Lich was quite surprised.
"Release must be controlled and have boundaries; first and foremost, one cannot become a wild person as that would damage the mind. At the same time, one must possess the ability to comprehend. Most importantly is personal meditation; secondary is guidance and having a good mindset. Strategy moves from the heart and is different from other systems," Cui Ming explained. "Before coming here, I just had an encounter with the Crow. Because he has spent years on the farm with crows, he found his own release. My favorite is Poker cards, so my release relates to Poker as well. To teach the young master, we must first find his interests and strengths or something that leaves a deep impression on him. This stage can begin with Strategy focusing on the heart rather than strength."
The Lich observed Cui Ming for a while before saying, "Alright, it's been a long journey. Warden, take him to rest first; there’s no need for Mercury Shackles—I trust him."
Warden respectfully nodded and asked, "Master, should he stay in the Northeast or at West Beach?"
The Lich inquired, "Cui Ming, do you prefer the seaside or the mountains?"
"By the sea, I love the ocean."
"Then let's stay at West Beach," Lich said. "We'll talk more in a few days."
"Yes, Uncle He."
Cui Ming and Warden left, with Warden leading Cui Ming westward. Warden sighed, "The Master is truly merciful. If it were me, I would have to give you a beating first."
Cui Ming felt ashamed. "Uncle He has always been kind. Honestly, if Uncle He had written to me directly back then, I would have hesitated. But he sent you three here, so of course I had to flee for my life. Sigh... Everything I have achieved now is thanks to Uncle He; one must remember the well-digger when drinking water."
"..." It was too nauseating. The two fell silent for a few seconds. There was no choice; this was Lich's absolute domain. As long as he wished, he could hear any sound. This meant that once they reached the island, the plan was set, and there was almost no possibility of change. The only option was to adapt as needed; the plan was core, and the steps must be clear.
"Since the Master takes care of you, there are some rules you need to understand," Warden explained.
The rules were simple: do not cuckold Lich. Women under thirty-five were considered Lich's consorts and were not to be touched or even spoken to. Everything else was fair game. Additionally, without Lich's consent, no one was allowed within the main building's vicinity. Without Lich's permission, no one could leave Shadow Island. No one could go to the volcano.
Would they really stay for five years? Would Lich truly grant Cui Ming freedom after five years? Cui Ming found both answers negative in his mind. The latter point went unspoken; Cui Ming would not let others control his fate. Would they really stay for five years? No, because currently Lich and his daughter were at a power ratio of seven to three; at least three months or at most one or two years would pass before their strengths balanced out, even if his daughter did not train at all. Once the Magic Circle began, that would be the best opportunity.
Cui Ming knew that from now on, Lich would pay attention to the teachings and progress between himself and Lich's son. He also needed to contribute something to prove his loyalty; only then could he increase the chances of Lich activating the magic circle. The worst-case scenario would be if Lich suddenly changed his mind and passed his legacy onto his daughter—then his fate would be in someone else's hands.
West Beach was a bay, a very deep bay. The Residence at West Beach consisted of several bamboo huts with roofs woven from palm leaves, quite simple in design. There were six bamboo huts in total: four clustered together at the upper part of the beach and two more beside them. Comparatively speaking, the four huts were built at the foot of a small hill by the beach, while the two were natural caves covered with bamboo on the outside.
The female doctor lived in one of the four houses. The Warden explained the situation, saying, "The Master has graciously allowed you to stay at West Beach. The doctor is unmarried, so there’s a chance for her to settle down."
Cui Ming asked, "What if it's a mountain forest in the northeast?"
"Oh, the mountain forest can only accommodate Flower Aunt as well; that's not bad either," the Warden chuckled. The mountain residence was too close to the Consort's tribe, only five hundred meters away. Shadow Island had only these buildings, and Lich would certainly arrange for Cui Ming to stay with the doctor. After all, the doctor had a fiery temperament; Lich didn't need another woman. Moreover, even if the doctor submitted to Lich and became pregnant, who would assist with the delivery? They would have to rely on traditional methods.
The Warden left; he resided in the main house as a loyal watchdog. Cui Ming staying at West Beach indicated that Lich did not fully trust him yet. In fact, if Cui Ming were Lich, it wouldn't matter since it was his own territory. This showed that Lich's experience was indeed lacking.
Cui Ming stood in front of his room, which was a cave covered with bamboo. Inside, there was a bed made of vines and bamboo, along with some firewood and a stone fire pit nearby. Another room served as a shower, fed by spring water from the mountain.
It was a nice place. Cui Ming gazed at the tranquil bay; the beautiful scenery easily inspired thoughts of retirement.
"Hey, you're in our spot."
Cui Ming looked down to see a pair of twins speaking to him from five meters below on a cliff. The doctor was nearby, observing Cui Ming. He jumped down in front of the twins, startling them into retreating repeatedly. Cui Ming asked, "Your spot?"
"Yes, this is our bathing area that we built ourselves," one of the twins replied.
"Oh, I'm sorry." Cui Ming smiled apologetically and turned towards the bay. Close to the bay was a rock protrusion creating a cave about ten square meters in size; it was just three sides open to the wind. Cui Ming leaped up and looked around; it wasn't bad. He didn't want any interaction with other women here; he was playing for high stakes and couldn't afford any mistakes.
Knowing someone’s face but not their heart—perhaps the doctor was a bad person. Who knows what might be discovered during their interactions? She could report back to Lich to gain her own freedom from Shadow Island. Conversely, if she were a good person, she might also report to Lich to secure freedom for the twins from Shadow Island. Human nature sometimes leads people to do things they consider right while others deem shameful. (To be continued.)
Comment 0 Comment Count