Chapter 10

When a loud noise echoed from the castle, Bonifa recognized it as the sound of a cannon. Knowing that Wang Qinan was using the cannon again, he inwardly cursed. This lich was truly shameless, actually using a cannon to ambush like an ordinary person. Recalling how his own Wolf Fang Mercenary Group was destroyed by the cannon fire, his hatred grew even more intense.

At that moment, the space rippled like water, and a blood-soaked figure stumbled out. For a moment, he didn't recognize the person, but then he realized it was Yalta.

Bonifa, being a lich, had no room for reconciliation with the Church of Creation and was already a mortal enemy. He naturally wouldn't miss this opportunity. As soon as Yalta appeared, Bonifa struck first, taking advantage of his disorientation. He harvested Yalta's soul and absorbed his life essence. Liches had secret methods to steal others' vitality, allowing them to appear like ordinary people for a while. However, to magic experts or those with power, there were still flaws. The dead aura they carried couldn't be concealed, and this method could only hide their true nature temporarily, not permanently. This was one of the reasons liches were hunted by the Church of Creation.

After killing Yalta, Bonifa felt a bit relieved. He had his reasons for becoming a lich and didn't want to be a target of the Church. Although those on the Inquisition's blacklist were all remarkable figures, he didn't want to be one of them. From the way the Inquisition handled Nicholas Andrew, it was clear that he was low on their list, as only a few low-level deacons were sent.

Bonifa hesitated, looking at the gray-black mist before him. In theory, Nicholas Andrew should have been injured after fighting the Inquisition's deacons, but he didn't believe it. Thinking about the traps in the castle, especially the cannon, he lacked confidence. After much hesitation, he decided not to enter.

He didn't realize that the cannon had also shattered his courage. Once he lost his courage, he unknowingly fell into a disadvantage.

Bonifa decided to wait at the edge. He didn't believe Nicholas Andrew wouldn't come out. Once he left the castle, it would be his end. Then Bonifa would enter the castle to search for his life box and destroy him completely.

Wang Qinan finished packing. He stored things he couldn't carry in the underground storage room. He wore a storage ring filled with about 100,000 gold coins and some precious materials. He loaded the flintlock pistol with gunpowder and a bullet, tucking it into his chest. His magic wand was in the ring, and he held a cane sword in his hand. He was ready to disguise himself as a ranger, a magic-using ranger. Of course, he wouldn't use necromancy; instead, he would use the magic prepared by the magic array on his wrist. This way, others wouldn't associate him with a lich.

There was an unexpected development: he found himself gaining weight, no longer just skin and bones. He didn't understand why and even tested if he was still a lich. Unfortunately, he was still a lich, but he was still happy. He was still thin, but he didn't look like a lich, except for the occasional green glow in his eyes in the dark.

He thought about it for a long time and concluded it was due to the strange spell he had activated. Once started, it couldn't be stopped. At first, he could feel it, but now he barely noticed it. However, when he entered a meditative state, he could still feel a thin, cool stream circling his organs. Apart from this, there were no other effects, or at least, he didn't feel anything unusual. This spell was completely different from magical meditation.

Wang Qinan didn't delve into it further. As long as it wasn't harmful, and the changes in his body proved it wasn't, he was content.

He was about to leave the castle. Everything was packed, and the bodies were disposed of. He wore a black cloak and a black robe, holding a cane, and walked out of the castle.

As soon as he left the castle, Bonifa noticed him and quickly hid. He had finally waited for him to come out. Bonifa even thought about how exciting it would be to ambush him and see his surprised face. "Brothers, Bonifa avenges you."

Unconsciously, Bonifa had abandoned his former principles. People's thoughts can change quickly, and he didn't notice. He now found it natural to hide, something he would have despised before. If Wang Qinan knew, he would sigh, "People find it easy to go bad but hard to be good."

Wang Qinan left the castle, heading south. He had only been in this world for a little over a month and had to leave. In this month, his changes were so great that even he couldn't imagine them. In his 18 years on Earth, he could only remember clearly from around age 7. Most of his life was spent in bed, but the information explosion of his previous life gave him a broad perspective, at least broader than most people in this world.

He had to leave the castle to survive. Although he was a lich, he valued his life even more, which was why he chose to become one.

He knew little about the outside world, only from Nicholas Andrew's memories, but this was a good opportunity to explore.

As he walked, he suddenly felt a chill, as if someone was watching him. He had felt this before, when Dyna spied on him in the castle. At the time, he didn't pay attention, almost making a big mistake. After that, he remembered the feeling well.

Now, the feeling came again. He didn't know where it came from, thinking it was a lich's special sense, but he became alert. He stopped and slowly sensed the direction, his eyes fixed on a point, green light flashing. At that moment, he smelled something indescribable, and a vague shadow appeared before him, hiding behind a tree. This was the second time it happened; the first was when Bonifa was injured, and Wang Qinan was tracking him.

Wang Qinan's reaction startled Bonifa. "Who are you, friend? Come out!"

Bonifa was surprised but had no choice but to step out. He didn't know why, but a shadow of doubt had crept into his mind, and his face was filled with hatred.

Wang Qinan was surprised but quickly understood. "I didn't expect you to become a lich too. It makes sense; with those injuries, you had no other choice."

Wang Qinan found it normal that Bonifa wasn't just skin and bones. He didn't think much of it, and Bonifa, seeing Wang Qinan, assumed he had absorbed others' vitality, like himself. The five Inquisition deacons and his brothers were likely absorbed by this lich, which is why he looked like a living person.

Thinking of his brothers, Bonifa felt a pang of pain, and his hatred surged. "Nicholas Andrew, I won't let you go today! I will kill you and avenge my brothers!"

With a cackle, black smoke began to spread around him, and a swarm of hell bats formed, rushing at Wang Qinan.

Wang Qinan smiled coldly. He hadn't expected to encounter Bonifa here. In terms of realm, he was inferior to Bonifa, but he was within the hell projection, and Bonifa didn't know that. Moreover, Wang Qinan had inherited Nicholas Andrew's combat experience and had won two battles, giving him a psychological advantage. In these battles, he had maintained his rhythm, giving him a psychological edge.

As the bats flew toward him, Wang Qinan felt as if time had slowed, and he could clearly see their intentions and where they would attack. He didn't have time to think about it, but he moved his hand and chanted, "Death Gaze!" Two pale gray beams shot from his eyes, striking the bats at their critical points, dispersing them into black smoke.

Bonifa was stunned. His summoned hell bats were so easily defeated, and it was clear that the opponent hadn't used much force. The Death Gaze was precise, something he couldn't achieve, leaving him stunned.

Before this, he had already subconsciously believed he was inferior to Nicholas Andrew, which affected his performance. In contrast, Wang Qinan, riding the momentum of his victories, felt it was natural to have the upper hand. However, Wang Qinan's move was beyond what a lich could do, though he didn't realize it. This wasn't about the power of his magic but a heightened sense of awareness, giving him the upper hand.

The black smoke around Bonifa dissipated, and he pointed his staff, preparing a powerful spell. A lich who had comprehended the will of the elements was still stronger than Wang Qinan, and he began to chant.

Wang Qinan, however, cast the Grease spell, which was very useful and didn't require a chant for a lich like him. For a magic apprentice, it would need a chant. Bonifa was casting a small-scale undead blight, which required a longer chant. Halfway through, his feet slipped, interrupting his spell.

Bonifa quickly stabilized himself, but Wang Qinan didn't hesitate. Seeing him slip, he reached into his clothes, pulled out the flintlock pistol, and aimed at Bonifa. The flint sparked, and with a loud bang, a cloud of black smoke erupted from the barrel, and a bullet flew out. Despite the inaccuracy of the pistol, at such close range, it hit its mark.

Although liches don't feel pain, the impact was significant, and the slippery ground sent him sprawling. His skin deflated like a punctured balloon.

With a metallic sound, a sword flashed, aiming straight for Bonifa.