Apart from Tianmeng and the Ice Empress, all the soul beasts contracted through the Book of Contracts received a share of this gift. As vassals bound by contract to Zhou Sichen, they each joyfully immersed themselves in the opportunity, eager to absorb this tremendous fortune.
Yi Lao had vanished from his spiritual sea, but a formation shimmered and pulsed within the "Lake of Life" at the heart of that sea.
Once Zhou Sichen's body had completely absorbed the Life Gold, a majestic and solemn figure began to silently manifest behind him—tall and commanding, gripping a staff in one hand with a sword of judgment hanging at his waist. It was none other than Electus.
At this moment, Electus looked radiant, as though he had reclaimed a part of his former self. He silently chanted an incantation under his breath.
Inside Zhou Sichen's spiritual sea, the formation at the center of the Lake of Life flickered more frequently. Under the influence of the Life Gold, the connection between Zhou Sichen and Electus grew deeper and more intricate, as though they were merging into one.
Zhou Sichen sat cross-legged, eyes closed, also murmuring the incantation. Gradually, he began to resonate with Electus in perfect harmony...
It was impossible to tell how much time had passed when a ring of peculiar gray light began to outline itself around Zhou Sichen's body. Eventually, it stabilized and hovered around him.
This ring resembled a soul ring, yet it was at least half again larger than a typical hundred-thousand-year soul ring.
As the gray ring stabilized, the connection between Electus and Zhou Sichen reached a state of perfect unity—no longer master and companion, but a seamless fusion. Their bond mirrored that between a Soul Master and their Martial Soul.
After a long while, Zhou Sichen and Electus stopped chanting in unison. They opened their eyes simultaneously, and within their deep gazes, a brilliant light flashed.
Third Martial Soul—Holy Necromancer Deity!
Yet, this third Martial Soul was unlike any other, for Electus was still alive. He had not perished, nor did he need any revival ritual...
He was no longer just himself—he had become Zhou Sichen's Martial Soul.
As long as Zhou Sichen lived, Electus would continue to live as well. Every advancement Zhou Sichen achieved in the future would be reflected back upon him. As a Martial Soul, Electus would benefit from every step forward Zhou Sichen made.
And the power Electus possessed could be accessed by Zhou Sichen using the gray halo as a conduit—granting him the ability to wield true necromantic magic!
Zhou Sichen, now in full control of his Martial Soul—Electus, the Holy Necromancer Deity—turned and gave a respectful bow to Yi Lao. "Thank you for your guidance and generosity."
Electus chuckled, "The Life Gold was your destined opportunity—I should be the one thanking you. Now, you and I are truly one. I've become your third Martial Soul, and our connection is closer than anything else. Even Tianmeng and the Ice Empress can't compare to the depth of our bond."
Inside the spiritual sea, Tianmeng huffed, "Hey! Ice Empress and I are his Intelligent Soul Rings, okay? That's not the same!"
Zhou Sichen ignored Tianmeng's protest and continued to sense his third Martial Soul, carefully attuning himself to the mysteries of necromantic magic.
Electus explained, "While I can't provide soul skills now that I've become your Martial Soul, the gray ring contains all my knowledge of necromancy and the magical structures I developed over the years. I've already granted you full access. As long as you continue to cultivate your spiritual power, you'll be able to use them freely."
Zhou Sichen nodded. He could already feel it.
Electus continued, "But there is one thing you must remember. No matter how powerful a necromancer is, the use of necromantic magic always comes at the cost of life force."
"I once transformed myself into a lich—a being half-human, half-undead—through a special magical ritual. And even then, when I cast certain high-level necromantic spells, my body began to wither."
"Fortunately, the Life Gold can perfectly resolve this flaw in necromancy. If you ever come across it again, don't let the opportunity slip by."
Hearing this, Zhou Sichen suddenly thought of Little Tortoise and the Silver Dragon Princess. It might be time to find an excuse to offer some warmth to the tortoise and have a heartfelt conversation with the Silver Dragon King about life...
Zhou Sichen said softly, "The Life Gold is something that can only be encountered by chance, not sought deliberately. But I believe I'll come across it again someday."
Yi Lao nodded slightly. He already had a clear understanding of Zhou Sichen's fate. This child's luck always seemed unusually strong.
Yet only Zhou Sichen himself knew that this wasn't about luck. These were opportunities he already knew of—and he simply took advantage of the circumstances to obtain them.
But wasn't that, in itself, another form of destiny?
Yi Lao smiled at Zhou Sichen. "Since you've inherited my legacy, allow me to give you one final gift."
As his words fell, Electus—now Zhou Sichen's Martial Soul—extended his right index finger and swiftly traced complex symbols in the air. A strange gray six-pointed star formation began to form beneath Zhou Sichen's feet.
As the formation completed, Zhou Sichen didn't resist. A deep, dark light surged up and engulfed his body.
Zhou Sichen only felt a momentary disorientation. When the spatial turbulence faded, what appeared before him was a dim, shadowed world.
He stood tall and composed, the gray soul ring around his body pulsing gently. He could distinctly feel that this space was brimming with the aura of death.
In the sky hung a strange purple sun. All around was barren and desolate. The ground undulated like ink-soaked earth, devoid of even a single plant. A chilling, eerie presence swept in from every direction.
A flicker of joy flashed through Zhou Sichen's heart. "An undead sub-dimension!"
Electus stood behind him, his expression nostalgic as he gazed at the land. "Sichen, this undead sub-dimension is my gift to you. I created it with the sole purpose of researching a necromantic spell—or in your Douluo Continent's terms, a soul skill."
Only Zhou Sichen himself knew that his recent string of "good luck" wasn't luck at all—it was simply a result of foreknowledge and taking the right opportunities as they came.
Yet in a sense, wasn't that a form of fortune in itself?
Elder Yi gave Zhou Sichen a gentle smile. "Since you've inherited my legacy, let me give you one more gift."
As he spoke, the spirit of Electrolux, now Zhou Sichen's Martial Soul, extended his right index finger and quickly drew intricate lines in the air. A strange gray hexagram magic circle quietly took shape beneath Zhou Sichen's feet.
As the formation solidified, Zhou Sichen didn't resist. A deep and mysterious light flashed, completely engulfing his body.
Zhou Sichen only felt a momentary blur before the spatial turbulence faded away. When he regained his senses, he found himself in a dimly lit world.
Standing tall, Zhou Sichen's body pulsed with the rhythm of his gray soul ring. He could clearly sense that this place was filled with the aura of death.
A bizarre purple sun hung in the sky, casting a gloomy light over a desolate landscape. The terrain was uneven, like soil soaked in ink, devoid of any vegetation. A chilling atmosphere pressed in from all directions.
Zhou Sichen's heart leaped with surprise and joy. "An Undead Demiplane!"
Electrolux floated behind him, eyes filled with nostalgia as he looked at the space around them. "Sichen, this Undead Demiplane is my gift to you. I originally created it to research a specific necromantic magic. In your Douluo Continent terms, you could say it was to develop a soul skill."
"I left thirteen types of undead creatures here. After thousands of years of brutal evolution and battles, this place has given birth to countless powerful undead. From this day forward, you will be their master. The undead of this entire realm will obey your command."
Zhou Sichen's excitement grew stronger with every word.
This demiplane was as large as a massive city and populated with endless waves of undead—skeletal warriors, liches, death knights, abominations—too many to count.
Now that his Martial Soul was the Deathly Holy Magus, he could fully utilize the gray soul ring to unleash the powerful legendary magic: Undead Scourge.
Releasing such a massive undead army—even as cannon fodder—would be enough to overwhelm several Title Douluos through sheer numbers alone!
Zhou Sichen silently marveled. No wonder Electrolux was once the Deathly Holy Magus, the Undead Scourge himself. With this Undead Demiplane, Zhou Sichen now had many more options.
Forget about the powerful undead residing within—this vast space alone could serve as a massive transit hub.
In future battles, he could store his armies and soul masters here, infiltrate the enemy's core regions alone, and unleash everything at once for a devastating assault.
More importantly, if he ever encountered an unbeatable foe, he could retreat into this place to save his own life—truly a lifesaving artifact!
Suppressing his excitement, Zhou Sichen turned and respectfully bowed to Elder Yi again. "This gift truly is enormous. Just this Undead Demiplane alone will help me solve countless problems!"
Electrolux smiled faintly, his greatness hidden behind his modest demeanor. "Sichen, get to know the world you now command."
With that, he pointed toward the distance. Zhou Sichen began walking forward. After crossing a hill, he saw rows upon rows of skeletal warriors turning their heads in unison, their eye sockets flickering with ghostly green soul flames. There were hundreds of them.
When they noticed Zhou Sichen's presence, the skeletons froze for a moment—then immediately launched a fearless charge.
To the undead, the aura of life was like an irresistible lure—especially someone like Zhou Sichen, whose life force was as potent as a rare heavenly treasure.
Consuming flesh aided their evolution. Any undead could evolve toward higher forms through constant devouring.
In mere moments, seven or eight skeletal warriors rushed at him first. Their weapons were their own bodies, their pale bone claws reaching straight for Zhou Sichen's chest.
Skeletal warriors were the weakest undead in the demiplane. Most were only at the Soul Scholar level, with the stronger ones barely approaching the threshold of a one-ring Soul Master.
Zhou Sichen didn't even need to use his Martial Soul. With a casual sweeping kick like an iron whip, the nearest skeletal warrior was instantly shattered into fragments.
Given Zhou Sichen's physique—refined once again by the Essence of Living Gold—such low-tier undead were no threat at all.
Even after being destroyed, the ghostly flames in the skulls didn't extinguish. Instead, they shot into the distance, trying to escape.
At the same time, the gray soul ring on Zhou Sichen's body began to glow. The attacking skeletons instantly froze where they stood, their ghostly flames flickering uncertainly as they stopped their assault.
Zhou Sichen raised his hand, and the escaping soul flames flew back into his palm.
Seeing this, Electrolux's expression grew serious. His interest was piqued.
As the gray ring on Zhou Sichen's body flickered, the soul flames in his hand began to dance as if alive. Several began merging.
What was originally the size of a thumb quickly grew into a flame the size of a fist.
Zhou Sichen continued his efforts. With this flame as the core, the outline of a sturdier, larger skeletal warrior's skull began to form.
Moments later, he held a large skeletal skull in his hands.
The flames in the skull's eye sockets flickered—not with hostility, but with reverence and submission.
Zhou Sichen gently tossed it forward, and as it landed, a matching body formed around it.
When it hit the ground, it had already become a large skeletal warrior. The energy it exuded was far more powerful, comparable to a one-ring, perhaps even two-ring, Soul Master.
The skeletal warrior king knelt respectfully before Zhou Sichen, filled with reverence.
Seeing this, Electrolux couldn't help but nod in approval. "You managed to recreate a skeleton on your first try. You have a high talent for necromantic magic."
Zhou Sichen, however, didn't look proud—he fell into thought.
Seeing his expression, Electrolux became even more curious. "This kid... what could he possibly be thinking now? Still not satisfied? You're killing this old man's pride here."
Zhou Sichen suddenly dismissed his third Martial Soul. Electrolux vanished instantly, replaced by the Book of Contracts, and the gray soul ring transformed into a configuration of four black and one red.
The moment the gray ring disappeared, the surrounding skeletal warriors turned violent again, preparing to attack.
But the skeletal warrior king Zhou Sichen had just created stepped forward and let out a warning growl, blocking their path.
This was its king.
Zhou Sichen smiled faintly. His second soul ring, black in color, lit up. A dark red flame burst from the Book of Contracts and fused with him—Hellfire.
In an instant, Zhou Sichen's appearance transformed. His short black ponytail turned into long crimson hair, and his body brimmed with fire-element energy.
After fusing with Hellfire, Zhou Sichen dismissed the Book of Contracts and once again summoned the Deathly Holy Magus Martial Soul.
Electrolux reappeared, staring at him speechlessly. "This kid… can't even give me a heads-up?"
As his Martial Soul changed, the configuration of four black and one red reverted back into the gray soul ring. Under Zhou Sichen's control, it began to glow once more.
Zhou Sichen beckoned the skeletal warrior king to approach.
Once in front of him, Zhou Sichen raised his right hand. With the resonance of the gray soul ring, his Hellfire-covered hand pierced straight into the skeleton's chest.
As the Phoenix Hellfire entered its body, the skeletal warrior king began to transform. Dark red flames surged from its body, and the green soul flames in its eyes turned crimson.
When Zhou Sichen withdrew his hand, the skeletal warrior had transformed. Now wreathed in Hellfire, it exuded terrifying power and oppressive presence.
A Hellfire Skeleton.
Its strength was comparable to a three-ring Soul Elder, and the Hellfire it wielded could cause immense damage to the soul.
The moment it appeared, the regular skeletal warriors behind it showed clear signs of fear.
They couldn't understand—how had their comrade suddenly become so terrifying?
Zhou Sichen looked at his creation with satisfaction and nodded. He gently patted the Hellfire Skeleton's chest, and it once again knelt respectfully.
The earlier skeletons were created by Electrolux—but this Hellfire Skeleton was Zhou Sichen's own masterpiece.
With elemental augmentation layered onto necromantic magic, its combat power far exceeded its predecessor.
Seeing this awe-inspiring creature kneeling to Zhou Sichen, Electrolux was stunned. He stared in disbelief. "You... I... I spent my entire life researching necromancy, and you just casually modified it like that?"
"It's not really a modification," Zhou Sichen replied with a shake of his head. "The core concept is just replacing your power with a special element. The fundamental principles remain the same. Standing on the shoulders of giants gives one a broader view."
"If we were to use Ultimate Elements, the skeletal warriors would become even more powerful. That's something to experiment with later."
Electrolux looked up at the sky, a little melancholy. Once the great Deathly Holy Magus who dominated a continent, he now found himself humbled by a mere beginner.
He had to admit—this kid's talent was truly extraordinary. Perhaps even greater than his two disciples from his original world.
It seemed entrusting the Undead Demiplane to Zhou Sichen was the right choice. Based on his current display, he might even help push Electrolux's own research further.
After all, Douluo Continent wasn't his original world. If the powers of two worlds collided… could that create even more miracles?
With that thought, the sting of being outdone faded, replaced by a rising sense of anticipation.
****
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