This Lich Requests More Remuneration
Chapter 580 - 516: You Are Not Qualified

Chapter 580: Chapter 516: You Are Not Qualified

"Hell?"

Upon hearing this word, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

It was just a matter of falling into Hell, wasn’t that an easy thing to deal with?

Throughout the ages, countless souls of sinners had been summoned from Hell. Many ancient families had tried using magic to summon "ancestors" suffering in Hell, then negotiated with the Hell Lords, and by paying a sufficient price, they were able to redeem the sinner’s soul.

Perhaps Amberser was too special, so his soul had great value, but no matter how high the cost, the Elegy Poetry Society could always come up with it.

Withered Rose also kindled hope and hastily asked, "Is it Zariel or Goddess Tiamat?"

Amberser had signed contracts with these two Hell Lords, and the trade with Soul Currency hadn’t been completed yet, making it most likely that his soul was in the hands of one of them.

The Guild Leader didn’t conceal the truth, and directly pointed Withered Rose in the right direction.

"His soul has fallen to the First Layer of Hell, and if nothing unexpected has occurred, it should be in Zariel’s possession."

Withered Rose was about to express gratitude, but the Guild Leader added, "But don’t get your hopes up too high, his soul is already shattered, and he can no longer respond to anyone’s summons. If you want to bring him back, you can only find Zariel directly, but I don’t recommend you do so."

"Why?" Withered Rose asked eagerly.

"Because you don’t have a way to repair the soul."

"But you can, can’t you, Guild Leader?"

"I can, but I cannot do that." The Guild Leader shook his head and told everyone, "From the moment the Elegy Poetry Society was established, the help I could offer was very limited, and repairing his soul has exceeded those limits."

Withered Rose wanted to press further, but was interrupted by the Poet, "Enough, Rose. Let’s focus on bringing his soul back first."

Withered Rose fell silent for a moment, then chose not to ask any more questions.

As the Poet had said, to resurrect him now, the first step was to bring back his soul.

As for what limitations the Guild Leader had, it was mostly likely that as a Deity, they was restricted by Aeo from interfering in the Mortal Realm, but this was always a negotiable problem.

Therefore, the immediate priority was to rescue the person from the Hell Lord’s grasp.

Withered Rose said to everyone, "Sorry, everyone, I have to go back first, I can’t wait to bring him back."

The members of the Elegy Poetry Society didn’t try to keep her; they could all see that Withered Rose’s obsession had shifted from Ryan to the Lich. With obsessions involving the Undead, persuasion was useless.

However, Aige followed her, as a Demigod about to ascend to godhood, she felt she could be of help in negotiations with the Hell Lords, and she also very much wanted to help resurrect Amberser.

After these two left, the gathering quickly drew to an end.

People chatted for a short while before dispersing, leaving only Ghoul Yugas and the Giant Imu behind.

These two had joined the Elegy Poetry Society very early on, earlier than the rest.

Once the newcomers had left, Yugas could no longer suppress the smile on his face, splitting his wide mouth and revealing crimson, sharp fangs.

"Today has finally come." Yugas took another drink and then said to the Guild Leader, "All the candidates have lost their qualifications now, Guild Leader, it’s time for the test to yield its result, isn’t it?"

The Grim Reaper needed a successor; that was the reason for the founding of the Elegy Poetry Society, and all its members were one of the candidates. But Gareth Canggu indulged in personal feelings, Aige took another path, Withered Rose was trapped in hatred for a long time... Members of the Elegy Poetry Society each had their issues, and not even one of them knew the true secret of the Elegy Poetry Society.

They were unaware of the matter of replacing the Grim Reaper, only Yugas knew, as from the beginning he had been striving for this, until now, after countless millennia.

Now that Amberser, the latest competitor, had also fallen into Hell, there were no other rivals left in the Elegy Poetry Society. Therefore, it appeared he had won the final victory.

Yugas looked expectantly at the Guild Leader, hoping he would present the reward he’d longed for in his dreams, and crown him the Grim Reaper.

However, the Guild Leader simply shook his head and said, "No, you are not yet qualified."

Yugas never expected this to be the answer he received. In anger, he crushed the wine glass in his hand and retorted, "Why am I not qualified? All these years, I’ve endured the hunger, even when I saw fresh flesh I could control my appetite. I’ve already transcended my own desires.

"In the Elegy Poetry Society, I am the only one who has achieved this. What right do you have to say I’m not qualified?"

Yugas even knew the standards for becoming a Grim Reaper, so from the beginning, he had been enduring. Over the years, he might have eaten the least of any ghoul.

The endless hunger had tormented him constantly, yet he was able to maintain his sanity, slowly finding ways to eliminate other competitors. Yugas believed he had done well enough, and no other undead had the capacity to defy their instincts and endure as long as he had.

Yet, the Guild Leader simply shook his head again, "You are still not qualified."

With a clang, Yugas smashed the wine table in front of him to smithereens, unable to contain his roar, "Not qualified, not qualified, what exactly must one do to be qualified?! I’ve waited for so long already, how much longer must I endure?! If I’m not qualified, then who is, could it be Imu?!"

The giant Imu, standing by, said expressionlessly, "I’m not qualified, and I don’t want to be a Grim Reaper, I’m going back. I missed killing Arthur the first time he resurrected, and I missed again the second time. But I’ll continue to wait, for the third resurrection, and then I will kill him myself."

Yugas said angrily, "Idiot, Arthur Lane is completely annihilated! No one can save him from Aeo’s grasp, he’s truly dead, and your promise means nothing anymore!"

The giant Imu did not get angry but simply stood up and said quietly, "The first time, many people said the same, but I waited for the second. No matter how long it takes, I will wait for him to return, then kill him. It’s the promise I made to him, and the reason I exist."

Having said this, Imu left the tavern.

In the end, only Yugas was left facing the Guild Leader and the Poet.

For a moment, Yugas felt like he had become the clown. For years, other members of the Elegy Poetry Society had been indulging their desires, striving for what they wanted.

Aige had successfully found a way to bring back his father and was nearly stepping into the realm of deities; Withered Rose managed to destroy the Royal Family of Laine; the couple Gareth had been in love for so many years... It seemed he was the only one who had endured for so long.

Tortured by hunger for thousands of years, every time he was on the verge of madness, Yugas reminded himself that only by enduring could he become a Grim Reaper.

And yet, after all this time, he still wasn’t qualified.

Yugas angrily said to the Guild Leader, "Was all the torment I’ve suffered over thousands of years in vain?!"

"As long as you still consider this a torture, you will never become a Grim Reaper."

The Guild Leader put down his wine glass and turned to leave the tavern.

This was the response for his thousands of years of endurance, just a fleeting remark?

Watching the other’s retreating figure, Yugas saw a thin and bony silhouette that seemed like it could be torn apart by a single swipe of his claws. His hands rattled as blades sprung from his fingertips, and a scarlet light had covered his nails as if he was ready to lash out!

The Poet did not stop him, but out of many years of acquaintance, he still offered a reminder, "Yugas, just remember, the Guild Leader’s name is Yeg."

Those two syllables quenched Yugas’s anger as if by a bucket of cold water.

Retracting his claws, Yugas returned to the polite and genteel demeanor he had before.

Recorder of Life Yeg, a name forgotten by the world, but Yugas knew the significance of that name. No matter how angry he was, if he dared to show his claws, he would end up just like that lich, with his soul shattered and no chance of resurrection.

Yugas said to the Poet, "I apologize, it was a moment of impulsiveness. Don’t worry, since I’m the only candidate left, the outcome is already determined. I will keep my patience and continue to wait."

The Poet said nothing more, but in his view, even Amberser with a shattered soul stood a better chance than Yugas, the ghoul who, despite thousands of years of contemplation, still hadn’t grasped the rules of the game.

To become a Grim Reaper, one must transcend one’s own desires.

It’s not about endurance, not satisfaction, nor substitution... It’s about truly rising above desire.