[You killed a level 63 gold boss. Experience +40,000, Additional Experience +40,000.]
[You obtained gold-level equipment: Shadow Blade.]
Upon returning to Dongwu City, Bolton descended onto the inner city wall, exhausted.
"Boss," he called out just as White Plague was about to enter the city.
"What's wrong?" Bai Yi replied.
"The thrusters on my wings seem to be aging. The energy cores can no longer support maximum flight speed, and they're draining my magic power," Bolton explained, his voice weary and cautious.
After a demanding day of sending the three teachers back, flying to the capital to pick up Bai Yi, and then returning to Dongwu City—a total distance of 120,000 kilometers—the bone dragon was understandably fatigued.
Bai Yi approached Bolton and inspected the mechanical armor on his wings, confirming that the energy core of the thrusters was indeed malfunctioning.
"I see. Hang tight; I'll call you back shortly," Bai Yi assured him before turning and flying toward the quartermaster's office.
There was no rush to upgrade Bolton. His primary role was transportation, and it could wait for firepower enhancements until the right materials were found.
Upon arriving at the quartermaster's office, Bai Yi left a large pile of equipment under the respectful gaze of Quartermaster Stis. He then made his way to the Hall of Knowledge.
These items belonged to the members of Night Rose and included the gold equipment just acquired.
The legion had implemented a military merit system to motivate soldiers in battle. However, due to federal policies, the lower classes lacked any real sense of belonging to the Federation. Bai Yi had never tried to boost the soldiers' morale because he knew it would be futile. Ordinary civilians and lower-ranked extraordinary individuals often harbored resentment towards the Federation.
Only those with talents rated above level B felt any real connection to the Federation, as they were its beneficiaries. Their treatment was generally favorable, and Bai Yi had observed that the four major legions of Dongwu City operated purely on strength.
Still, selection for the legions was based on age. For instance, silver players under 20 could register without competition and would bypass the knockout rounds entirely.
As for anyone smart enough to discern the Federation's true intentions and change their viewpoint, that was simply impossible. Even if they understood, lacking sufficient talent meant they would remain exploited, with no chance of reclaiming their interests.
Thus, the White Plague served as a genuine incentive for the Legion, not just empty promises.
As long as one was strong, they could attain better treatment!
Leaving the quartermaster's office, Bai Yi realized he didn't need to concern himself too much with external matters. With the war temporarily resolved, the players and the legion could handle subsequent conflicts.
His primary focus needed to be on enhancing the combat effectiveness of the Transformed Legion. Only after manufacturing 10,000 exoskeleton mechanical devices would he consider other developments.
He sensed that the second test from the Tower of Souls was approaching.
Entering the Hall of Knowledge, a mechanical lifeform approached him eagerly. "Dear Mr. Bai Yi, would you like to buy knowledge or sell knowledge?"
"I'd like to purchase and search for information on soul alchemy and magician's alchemy, as well as the use of soul energy."
"Okay, please wait a moment."
Garbled characters flashed on the screen above the mechanical lifeform's head, and soon, all the spiritual studies recorded by the Federation appeared before Bai Yi's eyes.
After searching for a while, Bai Yi found that he had already encountered the knowledge of alchemy while crafting the soul-purifying potion, and no new alchemical insights had emerged since then.
However, the knowledge of mages was vastly different. The mage system was more extensive than that of alchemists.
The profession of mage was the oldest and most fundamental on the Xia continent. The title "magician" has existed since the ancient gods' birth, originally used to describe those gods connected to elemental powers.
As these ancient gods grew more powerful, they deemed the title unworthy and began calling themselves Lords or Monarchs, even Gods. This title eventually came to refer to those capable of wielding elemental forces.
As the world prospered and more beings emerged, five major occupational systems evolved, along with numerous smaller classifications. This structure prevented future generations from going astray and allowed them to excel in their chosen fields.
In the past, many mages had squandered their talents by casting minor spells while engaging in melee combat. Thus, the mage system was far more extensive than that of the alchemist.
Mages had conducted deeper research into the soul than alchemists, yielding many effective soul potions.
Bai Yi purchased knowledge about soul usage and a formula for a magical potion with miraculous effects. This ancient formula was designed to enhance the resilience of the soul—a rarity in potion-making.
The effects of this wizard's potion surpassed those of similar alchemical formulas. If Heidinger helped to create it, it would save time and allow Bai Yi to focus on other tasks.
"Search for God's Inscription," he instructed.
The garbled characters flickered again, and soon information appeared on the mechanical lifeform's display.
Bai Yi studied it closely, feeling a twinge of disappointment. Though the materials pertained to divine inscriptions, they were clearly different from those Bai Yi had encountered.
After a moment of thought, he continued, "Search for God's Text."
This time, a wealth of information appeared. Bai Yi examined it carefully.
The human race possessed its own writing system, as did the elves. Across the Xia continent, various scripts existed, with divine writing always drawing scholarly interest.
These characters were ancient, imbued with some elemental power: for instance, the word "fire" carried heat within its divine script.
Remarkably, two hidden professions—Rune Master and Taoist Priest—had evolved from this rule-based writing, though they were exceedingly rare. Taoist Priests could harness magic from the environment using words, a profession with limited representation in Dawn.
The legacy of the Rune Master had largely diminished, with very few remaining in the three major federations.
Bai Yi sought knowledge of God's words mainly to translate the inscriptions on the God Monument. Whether useful or not, acquiring additional languages was always advantageous.
After purchasing this knowledge, Bai Yi exited the Hall of Knowledge and made his way to the Mage Academy in the west of the inner city.
The schools in the inner city operated primarily as vocational institutions, where mages taught mages and warriors instructed warriors. This specialization greatly enhanced teaching quality. However, inner city schools mainly admitted the children of extraordinary individuals; only the most exceptional from ordinary outer city schools could gain entry.
Amidst respectful greetings, Bai Yi located Heidinger, who appeared more energized than before.
Previously, White Plague had created three bottles of the Source of Life—one each for Heidinger, Eric, and Elsa. The only downside was that it could not be consumed twice; otherwise, these older, powerful individuals would maintain their peak states indefinitely.
[Source of Life Effect: Greatly restores the body's vitality and replenishes bodily functions for a limited time.]
"I witnessed your battle—it was impressive, far beyond my expectations," Heidinger remarked. His worries about Bai Yi had diminished, and he began to align more closely with Eric's perspective.
After all, Heidinger hailed from the capital and understood that Guan Xin's combat skills rivaled those of several weaker parliamentarians. If Bai Yi could defeat Guan Xin, he would possess enough strength to protect himself within the Federation. While Heidinger still advised against unnecessary risks, he no longer felt anxious about Bai Yi venturing out.
"Mr. Heidinger, I came to request your help in creating a potion," Bai Yi said directly, handing over the formula he had just acquired, along with the thumb-sized Soul Lantern taken from the lining of the Grim Reaper's robe.
The Soul Lantern glowed with purple energy, radiating the essence of the Soul Crystal Core (Large), indicating that its limit could reach the quality and energy of that core. This was hardly surprising, given that it contained over twenty golden souls of powerful beings, alongside the immense soul energy generated from Bai Yi's actions.
Heidinger examined the Soul Lantern and the potion formula with intrigue. After scrutinizing the energy within the lantern, he smiled and nodded. "I can do this, but it will take some time. Come back in half a month; I'll need to gather some auxiliary materials."
Bai Yi inclined his head slightly. "Thank you for your assistance."
Afterward, he turned and quickly made his way back to Dawn Pharmacy.
While he could relax a bit outside, Bai Yi realized there were many tasks awaiting him upon his return.
"Boss, you're back!" a voice exclaimed.
Luo Ning beamed, her eyes sparkling with joy.
"Congratulations on your promotion to Bronze! Do you want a reward?" Bai Yi praised her before asking, "What are you looking for?"
At just thirteen, Luo Ning was still a junior high school student, and Bai Yi felt pleased with her rapid growth. For instance, without Luo Ning's vigilance, the war would likely have spread to Dongwu City.
When she grew strong enough to reach Gold rank, she would be able to reveal any threats and enemy plans, ensuring Dongwu City's safety.
"No reward needed; I'm quite satisfied now. But boss, where's the boss's wife? Didn't you bring her back?" Luo Ning inquired, her eyes wide with anticipation.
"She can't come back just yet. Maybe in a few years," Bai Yi replied, feeling a bit helpless. Noticing the question lingering on her lips, he quickly changed the subject. "Where's Irene?"
"Sister Irene is out. She said she's taking a month's vacation. But boss, our cooperation has met your expectations. We haven't been lazy," Luo Ning replied earnestly.
Bai Yi remained silent. The elf had a worker's mentality, which was fine, especially with Mina overseeing things.
"I understand, but you still deserve a reward. You did a great job in the Wonder Battlefield. Keep it for now, and if you want anything, let me know. I'll do my best to fulfill your request."
"Okay!" Luo Ning accepted eagerly. She pulled a bottle of milk from her drawer and handed it to Bai Yi with a smile. "Do you want some?"
Bai Yi took the milk and sipped it. Although the five-silver-coin bottle seemed cheap now, its flavor remained a nostalgic favorite from his poorer days.
"Practice well. If you encounter any issues, just reach out to me directly," Bai Yi instructed as he walked toward the laboratory.
It was time to manufacture exoskeletons. Two thousand mechanically modified warriors had already been deployed to the battlefield, while eight thousand more awaited their turn.
"White Plague," a cold voice interrupted him, causing Bai Yi to stop. Orr, cloaked in shadows, appeared behind him. His voice carried a mix of emotions. In just a year and a half, that cunning capitalist had outpaced him significantly.
Conflicted feelings of anger, admiration, and disgust churned within Orr. He realized he couldn't continue this way; he needed to evolve, or else he risked being ruthlessly replaced by a stronger worker.
He sensed that if he could no longer assist the capitalist, he would take drastic measures.
Bai Yi turned and smiled, asking, "Mr. Orr, what can I do for you?"
"I want to leave," Orr stated bluntly, his honesty evident. "I can't keep up with you anymore. I'm sure it won't be difficult for you to find a replacement."
"But I haven't found a substitute yet. You should be at your workstation now. We need to continue making the exoskeletons, and I require materials," Bai Yi replied with a friendly smile.
Orr fell silent, the flickering soul fire beneath his hood revealing his inner turmoil. Just as Bai Yi was about to walk away again, Orr spoke in a barely controlled tone, "Let's make a deal, White Plague."
"You have my attention," Bai Yi said, his smile unwavering. Liches were typically ancient beings, difficult to deceive.
Most liches were spellcasters whose lifespans were nearing their end, choosing to necromance their bodies and become necromancy spellcasters.
It was likely that Orr had recently become a lich and was tricked by Bai Yi's contract, as its level had not been particularly high at that time.
The flickering soul fire in Orr's body intensified as he hesitated, flashes of red and blue illuminating beneath his hood.
After about ten seconds of contemplation, he took a deep breath. His hoarse, raspy voice bore the weight of conflict: "I sense the presence of a necromancer within you. I want to follow her temporarily in exchange for my departure."
Orr paused again, wrestling with his thoughts, before finally relaxing. He didn't want to be seen as expendable: "My brother should make a good employee. He also wishes to come to Xia."
Bai Yi halted, a smile breaking across his face. He regarded Orr with newfound admiration—truly, a worthy lich!
"Brother? Please, tell me more!"