Chapter 73

As Lin Yun stepped out of the illusion, a tremendous change occurred in the Death Garden. The lush trees began to wither, the green grass underfoot turned yellow, and the exotic flowers in the flower beds withered one after another. Even the butterflies fluttering among the flowers fell to the ground with stiffened wings. The once bright and fresh Death Garden seemed to die in an instant, transforming back into a dark and terrifying underground mausoleum.

This was because the death force that enveloped the place was rapidly dissipating. The Death Garden, this bizarre existence, was itself a product of immense death force. Now that the force had dissipated, the garden naturally ceased to exist.

Lin Yun leaned against a withered tree trunk, quietly watching the tremendous change unfold. He didn’t know how long it had been, but suddenly his heart was seized with alarm. He quickly reached into his pocket to pull out a bottle of Magic Spring potion, but his hand stopped mid-motion. Lin Yun suddenly realized that the faintly fragrant green mist was still slowly emanating, and the red toxic mist that permeated the mausoleum couldn’t get within ten meters of him.

This discovery gave Lin Yun a new understanding of the Death Garden… Truly, a bizarre existence born from boundless death force. He had clearly fought in the illusion for most of the night, yet in reality, not even the time for a bottle of Magic Spring potion had passed. This meant that the Death Garden had reached a point where it could distort time. Lin Yun even suspected that the illusion he experienced might not have been an illusion at all…

Distorting time and shifting space—what a terrifying power!

Fortunately, he had managed to get out…

While Lin Yun was still somewhat fearful, he watched the last petal in the Death Garden wither away. Then he saw that the Death Garden had completely disappeared, leaving only a wasteland in sight: black earth, decaying trees, dry fountains, and a palm-sized gray stone slab…

"This…" Lin Yun’s lips twitched, and he forced a smile that was more painful than crying.

Originally, when Lin Yun saw that the Death Garden had disappeared without leaving any magical materials, he couldn’t help but feel a bit relieved, thinking that he wasn’t as unlucky as that Grandmaster.

But when his gaze fell on the stone slab, Lin Yun couldn’t help but frown. There was not a single trace of magical fluctuation on the slab…

Although the existence of the Death Garden had always been a mystery in the Noscent world, even the powerful mages of the peak era couldn’t explain its principles, Lin Yun had experienced it firsthand. Even if he didn’t know the principles, he had gained some insights.

In Lin Yun’s understanding, the Death Garden was essentially a world created by death force. However, this world was very fragile. Once someone stepped out of the illusion, the world would completely collapse. The vast death force, with no place to vent, would inevitably coalesce into something—be it an ability, magical material, or something else…

This was probably why, throughout Noscent’s history, no one had ever obtained a magic artifact from the Death Garden. Magic artifacts were made by alchemists, and no matter how bizarre and powerful the Death Garden was, it couldn’t replace an alchemist in creating a magic artifact.

However, whatever the Death Garden left behind would inevitably contain vast death force, as it was coalesced from death force. The stone slab on the ground, which emitted no magical fluctuations, made Lin Yun wonder if he had come all this way for nothing.

Well, the stone slab was one thing…

The key was that the ability he had imagined did not appear.

This was not something that could be faked. As a Great Mage, Lin Yun’s understanding of his own body was already extremely detailed. The slightest change could not escape his notice. When the Death Garden disappeared, Lin Yun had paid special attention, and indeed, there was no change in his body. This meant that the ability he had imagined did not appear.

"Is this a bit too unlucky?"

To be honest, Lin Yun was really disappointed now.

After all, this was the Death Garden that had produced a Lich Lord. Lin Yun had taken such great risks and expended so much effort, all for the final harvest. He didn’t expect to get both the Undying Contract and the Soul Stone like the incredibly lucky Sandro, but at least one of them, right?

Now, not only did the imagined ability not appear, but the harvest from the coalesced death force was just this stone slab with no magical fluctuations.

In the end, Lin Yun could only sigh, toss the stone into his pocket, and check the number of Magic Spring potions. There were only five bottles left.

Lin Yun knew it was time to leave the underground mausoleum.

The next time he came, he would bring enough Magic Spring potions and make sure to find the legendary Eye of Reincarnation. Only the Eye of Reincarnation could make up for the loss in the Death Garden.

The accelerated spell, enhanced by the Magic Array, was cast again. Lin Yun quickly retreated to the entrance of the passage. With a command, the vines solidified at the entrance gently coiled around him, carrying him out of the Prince’s Mausoleum.

Perhaps it was because of the speed, or perhaps it was because of his low spirits…

Whatever the reason, the usually meticulous Lin Yun did not notice that before he left the underground mausoleum, there were actually many skeleton warriors lying in ambush nearby. Each of these skeleton warriors was clad in complete armor, and the scimitars in their hands showed no signs of rust, clearly the standard equipment of the Third Dynasty’s Royal Guard.

There were at least a hundred skeleton warriors in total. With such equipment and numbers, if they all attacked at once, even Lin Yun would be in trouble.

Originally, this group of skeleton warriors had been lying in ambush for a long time. When Lin Yun appeared, their soul fires flickered constantly. However, as Lin Yun approached, the skeleton warriors all took a step back, and the soul fires that had been flickering constantly dimmed instantly.

If this situation were to be seen by any mage with even a slight understanding of undead creatures, they would probably be frightened to death on the spot.

The soul fires of undead creatures dim only in two situations: one is when they are about to die, and the other is when they are feeling fear.

The first situation can be ruled out directly, as the hundred skeleton warriors were all lively, showing no signs of impending death.

The only possible situation was the second…

But what could make an undead creature feel fear? Only a more advanced undead creature. Lin Yun was just a human Great Mage, how could he make an undead creature feel fear?

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Sure enough, it’s earlier than usual!

What about some votes?

The soul fires of undead creatures dim only in two situations: one is when they are about to die, and the other is when they are feeling fear.

The first situation can be ruled out directly, as the hundred skeleton warriors were all lively, showing no signs of impending death.

The only possible situation was the second…

But what could make an undead creature feel fear? Only a more advanced undead creature. Lin Yun was just a human Great Mage, how could he make an undead creature feel fear?