This Lich Requests More Remuneration
Chapter 398 - 370: The Master of the Dragon Tomb

Chapter 398: Chapter 370: The Master of the Dragon Tomb

Although they are both ghost ships, the sensation of Aige’s physical vessel sailing through the sea is somehow different.

Other ghost ships rely on a large number of specters to provide power and must also part the seawater to move forward. According to Amberser’s understanding, ghost ships can only temporarily turn into an ethereal state to dodge attacks. This ability lasts a very short time, roughly three to five seconds, and its usage is also limited.

But Aige is different; her physical form can maintain the ethereal state constantly, leaving only a semi-transparent phantom image that prowls stealthily in the gloomy depths of the sea.

You can’t see it clearly or touch it, completely ignoring the effects of seawater, so its stealth speed is extremely fast.

Moreover, not only the ghost ship itself, but all the people and items on board also enter the ethereal state simultaneously.

"Your ship has already left the Prime Material Plane, hasn’t it?" Amberser asked.

Aige explained with a smile, "I can’t explain the principle, but I can sail to any place I wish to reach. Perhaps this is the blessing my father left for me."

That old shipwright treated the ship he built, Aige’s Ship, as his own daughter, and his last wish before dying was for this vessel to sail to every corner of the ocean.

It was this strong desire that turned his soul into the nourishment for Aige’s birth and transformed the ship into a ghost ship.

Aige drifted aimlessly for a while; many living beings were attracted by the ghost ship and then died on it. These bodies and souls nourished Aige, and she finally gained her own consciousness. When she became an independent sentient being, the Necromancy Codex appeared on her ship.

However, it still took her many years to learn to read and understand the use of the Necromancy Codex.

Aige wasn’t particularly smart, but she was formidable enough. Indeed, this ghost ship could sail to any corner of the ocean.

Neither reefs nor underwater volcanoes, nor the immense sea beasts blocking the way, could affect the ghost ship.

And if those sea monsters foolishly extended their tentacles or opened their mouths to attack Aige’s ship, their bodies would rapidly decay under the corrosion of dark magic power.

Amberser watched as a colossal octopus with suckers larger than his head slowly rotted into sludge, then got quickly absorbed by the ghost ship, not even leaving bones behind.

Flesh and souls could provide dark magic power to the undead, so this was the biggest conflict between the undead and the living.

Undead can survive without food, but who doesn’t want to become stronger?

The ghost ship didn’t ride the waves; it simply lurked in the deep sea like a phantom. Amberser could not feel the speed of the currents, and the seabed’s topography was much more complicated than that of land, so much so that Ambroisious couldn’t possibly confirm just how fast Aige really was.

All he knew was that everything behind them moved at high speed, effortlessly leaving various schools of fish behind.

In the deep sea, even time is challenging to discern. Ambroisious only knew that Melina had grown tired of the scenery around them and had taken out a small notebook to start writing and drawing.

Amberser asked what she was writing, and Melina said seriously, "It’s a travelogue. Mother told me to follow you closely and learn well. I have to record everything about you, Father, to reflect on later."

Amberser laughed out loud, "What can you learn from that?"

Intelligence can manifest in many different directions. An alchemy prodigy might not know how to handle a kitchen knife, while his cook at home might be a charming rascal who seduces his mistress to conspire with him and kills the prodigy.

Worldly wisdom, logical reasoning, observational skills, associative thinking, emotional control, and the most illogical of all, inspiration... Many such attributes combine to form what common people perceive as "intelligence."

Intelligence is like a tower, and each person builds theirs in a different way, with varying heights and resilience to risks.

Take Harvey, for example. His natural talent was so high that even Amberser was jealous. Using such innate ability as a foundation, Harvey could build his tower of intelligence very tall.

But this boy wasn’t particularly adept in the ways of the world and was even a bit slow on the uptake.

Therefore, his tower of intelligence would be unstable under external influences, easily toppled by a single blow, making him seem foolish as he’s often deceived by others.

As for Melina, Ambroisious thought it was his own fault; perhaps he had veered off course when weaving her soul. Melina was a combat genius. She was so formidable that even Zariel had invited her to join Hell not long after she was born. Melina’s fighting instincts were much stronger than any ordinary undead. Combined with her golden eyes that could see through any disguise, she was virtually unbeatable.

In terms of combat, Melina’s intelligence was not a tower but a mountain.

Actually, there’s no need to chase after being all-rounded.

Melina had an entire Kingdom of the Undead supporting her; simply doing well in her abilities was enough. Unlike Ambroisious, who had just arrived through transmigration and had to fend for himself in every aspect of daily life,

Life had battered him brutally, forcing Ambroisious to learn people’s hearts, master alchemy, learn magic, learn wilderness survival, and study history, religion, theology... The process was anything but pleasant, with no sense of achievement—just pain and irritation.

Although Melina wasn’t his biological daughter, Ambroisious still didn’t wish for her to suffer centuries of misfortune like he had; that would have been too pitiful.

Therefore, looking into his daughter’s clear eyes, Ambroisious patted her shoulder and said, "Melina, you’re different from others. Don’t waste your time learning everything; just be good at being yourself for now. When you can fight Gareth uncle to a draw, then consider other things."

And speaking of which, just how formidable was Gareth?

Amberser had always been curious about this question, he knew that the members of the Elegy Poetry Society each had their own unique skills, but Gareth’s combat record seemed a bit too exceptional. Amberser had seen Gareth in action, but it was always bullying the weak, he’d never actually seen him go all out.

It really would be possible for Melina to have a bout with him, the Headless Knight versus the Death Knight, would be quite a professional matchup, the best sparring partner indeed.

As he was pondering this, the Ghost Ship suddenly slowed down.

Aige said to Amberser, "We’re almost at Dragon Tomb Island, let’s surface, otherwise the Dragon Race might think we’re here to cause trouble."

Amberser chuckled and said, "Trouble is definitely unavoidable, but you’re right, it’s better to be polite before resorting to force, I’ll send Gareth a message."

Amberser took out the Necromancy Codex and sent a message to Gareth: [My good brother, I’m close to Dragon Tomb, say hi to the Bone Dragon for me, don’t want any misunderstandings.]

Before setting out, Amberser had already contacted Gareth, confirming that he would be waiting at Dragon Tomb, only then had they made the long journey there.

This was already the high seas far away from the mainland, where even Giant Dragons would have to fly for several days to reach.

[Crown of the Headless Knight: Ah, so soon? Wait for me, I’ll come out to meet you, don’t get too close yet, things have been a bit odd lately, easy to cause misunderstandings.]

So it was still a tense situation?

It seems that after the arrival of their kin from the Star Realm, the Giant Dragons began to get annoyed with the Bone Dragons.

The Ghost Ship slowly rose, and soon they were above the sea surface.

As the ethereal state ended, Amberser felt the sea wind on his face. Hmm, with a tinge of decay and Dark Magic Power, this was indeed the Dragon Tomb; even from such a great distance, where the coast was only a thin line, Amberser could sense the Dark Magic Power in the air, an aura no ordinary Undead possessed.

However, this ocean was very clean, there was no Githyanki fleet in sight, nor were there any fierce Giant Dragons circling in the sky, just a single white line... that was Gareth approaching swiftly.

This Headless Knight was riding his Eight-Legged Giant Horse, kicking up a noisy trail of white spray over the sea surface.

That Eight-Legged Giant Horse must be under some sort of magic enchantment; such a huge beast could run on the sea, and its speed was terrifying.

Gareth, cutting through the water, looked imposing beyond belief, this guy, always making such an extravagant entrance.

Amberser knew Gareth wasn’t doing it on purpose; he didn’t want to keep his friends waiting, so that was why he hurried over the waves. But every time, he effortlessly showed off like this, no wonder women of all races were spellbound by him.

Aige, watching the Headless Knight racing towards them, said in surprise, "Gareth... strange, there is a curse on him."

"A curse?" Amberser focused his senses, but detected nothing amiss.

Aige hesitantly said, "I always feel that he’s trapped by something, like a warrior bound by countless shackles, struggling desperately. But this is my first time meeting him, maybe it’s just my imagination."

Amberser looked at the tall figure parting the sea... so he was shackled? How terrifying would he be if he was unshackled?

Before Amberser could continue the conversation with Aige, Gareth had already pulled on the reins, and the Eight-Legged Giant Horse slid across the sea for a long distance until it stopped right in front of the Ghost Ship.

Gareth said enthusiastically, "Hahaha, my good brother, and Senior Aige, welcome, welcome, welcome to the Isle of Slumber."

"Gareth, why have you put on your helmet again?" Amberser asked.

Gareth was a Headless Knight, with nothing above his neck, but now he was wearing a thick black helmet. Before, he had to wear it to hide his identity, but now at home, he still had to disguise himself?

Gareth said helplessly, "Pale Bone thinks it looks better this way. Those Gith warts have been showing up near the Isle of Slumber lately, Pale Bone told me to pay attention to my image."

Amberser protested on his behalf, "What’s wrong with being a Headless Knight? No brain means no image? That’s a woman’s view for sure."

Aige gave Amberser a look, and he quickly added, "Well, it’s not without reason, maybe women pay more attention to this. Gareth, that helmet is not bad!"

Standing to the side, Melina quickly took out her notebook and scribbled down furiously.

Aige seemed somewhat speechless, why did it feel even more awkward chatting after meeting Gareth?

After briefly exchanging pleasantries, Gareth led the Ghost Ship toward the Isle of Slumber, which was the resting place of the Giant Dragons.

As they drew closer, the concentration of Dark Magic Power in the air kept increasing.

When they reached the coast, Amberser saw a huge shadow emerging in the center of the island.

A gigantic Bone Dragon was heading their way.

Gareth pointed awkwardly to the sky and said, "That’s Pale Bone’s father, the master of the Isle of Slumber, Sevres."