Chapter 158: Reaching the sky in a single bound
The Dark Mantle had strongholds in any of the Lancelot Empire’s cities. Naturally, Valen City was no exception.
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Han Shuo sat cross legged within a secret room carved out of dense rock, slowly digesting the memories from the necromancer’s souls.
Han Shuo didn’t set foot out of the secret room once within the four days, going through decades of the necromancer’s memories. This necromancer named Clarendon had been 52 years old, and his experiences of all those years were all analyzed by Han Shuo.
Dozens of battles and a lifetime of studying necromancy, as well as a few secrets of his identity, were completely absorbed and memorized by Han Shuo in those four days. There were many minor details of course, but Han Shuo was too lazy to remember those.
After he’d assimilated all of the necromancer’s experiences, Han Shuo realized that Clarendon had been in service to an organization called the Church of Natural Disasters. As such, all his actions, including the operation against Clark, had been on the orders from the Church’s senior executives. He had no idea why he had to assassinate Clark.
Apart from a few matters having to do with Clarendon’s identity, Han Shuo’s greatest acquisition was the necromancer’s comprehension of his path from apprentice to archmage, including the experience of every single battle and subsequent reflections.
If there really was a way to reach the sky in one bound in this world, then Han Shuo was doing so right now. With the theoretical knowledge and battle experience from this necromancer, Han Shuo’s path to archmage was crystal clear. He would be able to quickly learn many advanced magics as long as he had enough mental strength.
Clarendon’s experience from dozens of battles greatly broadened Han Shuo’s worldview, and would prove to be of incalculable benefit to his future battles. The untested Han Shuo took note of some matters to avoid. In this way, the practical experience gains were likely on par with that of those of necromancy knowledge.
Han Shuo had obtained all of the valuable aspects from Clarendon’s memories after four days, but he didn’t immediately leave this secluded secret room. He spent another two days to fully grasp the other necromancy magics that a journeyman mage should know.
When Han Shuo walked out of the secret room, he felt refreshed and in great spirits. He was greatly at ease and felt quite confident about their mission this time.
“You’re finally out. Mistress Emily has left orders that I must take you to her as soon as you emerge.” Chester was standing guard at the door and spoke respectfully to Han Shuo when the latter emerged.
“Chester! Why are you so serious now. I remember that you weren’t like this when I first met you!” Chester had spoken with a very casual tone and been quite at ease when he’d interacted with Han Shuo before. Chester was now noticeably more reserved when facing Han Shuo and spoke like he was speaking to his supervisor. This made Han Shuo rather confused.
“Bryan, you’ll become a great person in the future, I’m just getting used to things beforehand.” Chester briefly relaxed and smiled.
Shaking his head, Han Shuo said leisurely, “Even if I become a great person, our relationship shouldn’t be that estranged.” He clapped Chester’s shoulder and laughed easily, “True partners should relax. I feel rather ill at ease seeing you this solemn.”
“Alright, alright, I know what to do. Bryan, hurry up and go see Mistress Emily. She said that I had to bring you immediately to her when you emerged.” Chester chuckled lightly, relaxing after Han Shuo had clapped his shoulder, and leading Han Shuo swiftly down a brightly lit hallway.
They emerged from the secret room after a few minutes, finally arriving in front of the room Emily was in. Chester winked at Han Shuo, backing away with a chuckle, and only resumed his guard when he had placed some distance between them.
Although Han Shuo and Emily had purposefully concealed their relationship, a hint of their true status still seeped out from the tone of their conversation and gestures. As a bandit, Chester was naturally very perceptive. He had naturally discovered a few hints after spending a few days together. However, Chester was a smart man, knowing his only chance to exceed his current station in life would lie in friendly relations with Han Shuo. So, although he knew full well some of what was going on, he pretended he didn’t.
Han Shuo understood this and so wasn’t even slightly worried that Chester would tattle. He maintained the easy smile on his face as Chester winked, pushing open the door to Emily’s room without a care in the world, not having the slightest reservations at all.
“Who is it?!” Emily was greatly shocked as she cried out from within the bathroom. Han Shuo’s sharp ears even picked up a few hints of water dripping.
His eyes flickering, Han Shuo realized that Emily was actually taking a shower at the moment. After six straight days of closed door cultivation, he’d been keeping things in for quite a while. He chuckled deviously and closed the room door, shooting straight for Emily’s bathroom.
Emily was a bit panicked at first, but immediately knew who had come when she heard Han Shuo’s evil chuckle. She blushed and fell back into the tub.
“The beauty stealer is here!” A cocky smirk on his face, Han Shuo circulated his magical yuan, shredding his shirt from his upper body and revealing his sturdy, domineering figure. He leaped into the bath, causing the water to spray everywhere.
“You evil villain! Such a rascal!” Emily pouted teasingly and splashed around, seeming to protest against Han Shuo’s invasions, but her curses had turned into soul lurching panting within the span of a few breaths.
Emily’s thrashing and twitching body relaxed into a long moan after a long while, and the ripples in the water finally calmed.
“That was beautiful!” Emily sighed softly, draped over Han Shuo’s broad and firm chest. She said contently, “You evil little thing, I hate and love you!”
Han Shuo was sprawled out lazily by the side of the tub and said leisurely, “It’s one of the happiest things in life to be able to take such a warm soak on this cold winter day. Oh right, what were you in a hurry to find me for?”
“To ask you what you’ve gained through the past couple of days, of course!” Emily’s slender hands subconsciously kneaded Han Shuo’s back as she asked him.
Han Shuo took a deep breath in and thoroughly described the gains of the past couple days for Emily. Emily was incredibly shocked and looked at Han Shuo with great delight, “You’ve gained his necromancy magic comprehension and his real life battle experience!? Doesn’t this mean that as long as you have enough mental strength, you’ll be able to quickly grasp all of the archmage level magics that he already knows?”
“I think that’s the logic. I’ve already tried to practice another journeyman level magic and discovered that I could master it quickly with the prior understanding of the necromancer. I didn’t have to go through too much trial and error in the middle.” Han Shuo nodded.
“My gosh, incredible, this is too incredible!” Emily’s incredulous joy doubled when she heard Han Shuo’s words. She kept repeating those sentences and appeared even more excited than Han Shuo.
“The necromancer obtained those documents from a secret room within the slave trading house. They chronicle Bob Ascher’s business dealings and can prove that he was involved in its operations.” Han Shuo handed the documents that the necromancer had taken from the secret room over to Emily after describing the situation.
Although the necromancer named Clarendon had set up a magical boundary within his space ring, Han Shuo broke it open very easily. He had obtained several books regarding necromancy, a few medicines for replenishing mental strength, and a few magic robes that had the effect of increasing magic power.
Of course, what Han Shuo was most satisfied with was still Clarendon’s white bone staff. This white bone staff was specially refined for necromancers, using this staff to cast necromancy spells would enhance Han Shuo’s power.
Han Shuo could originally only summon one bone spear when he cast the bone spear spell, but with the white bone staff, he could release two at once. Even the number of summoned dark creatures would increase as well.
The delighted Emily was about to say something as she held the documents that Han Shuo had given to her when she suddenly thought of something. She stared fixedly at Han Shuo and spoke urgently, “What organization did you say that this necromancer is from?”
“The Church of Natural Disasters!” Han Shuo started and replied.
Her expression changing drastically, all the color drained from Emily’s face as she spoke to Han Shuo, “Don’t tell anyone you killed Clarendon. I must report this to my brother immediately, especially since it involves the Church of Natural Disasters. Oh, Lawrence came looking for you and wanted you to drop by when you had the time. If you’re careful, you can make your way to him. ”
Emily hastily gave Han Shuo a few more reminders and told him not to tell anyone of his involvement with the Church of Natural Disasters. She then hurriedly left for the secret room with the magic mirror that would enable her to speak with the senior executives of the Dark Mantle.
