"Xiao Family Mountains"
Lou King was looking around his surroundings. Looking at the hall, it seemed as if he was in an imperial palace. The walls were decorated in golden, red, and brown colors. When he looked straight ahead, he saw a raised platform accessible by stairs. On that platform sat a massive throne, colored in golden and black.
Aside from that throne, there was no other seating in the entire hall; it was vast and empty. Several pillars stood throughout the hall, also golden and black, carved with images of monsters, divine beasts, and various symbols. The floor was engraved with designs in red, white, and black, making it look incredibly beautiful.
[Ding!... Necromancer System has been successfully bound to the Master. Master can now use the System.]
Lou King was admiring the hall when the voice echoed in his ears, snapping him out of his thoughts. He couldn't hide his joy. Lou King was so happy that everything else seemed pale in comparison, because he knew his "cheat code" had arrived. Now, no one could stop him from becoming strong and ruling the world of BTTH (Battle Through the Heavens).
Composing himself, Lou King became eager to learn about the system's functions. In his mind, he thought, "Status Window." A sound rang in his ears, and a blue panel—just like in an anime—opened in front of him.
[Ding! ...]
Host: Lou King
Age: 19
Cultivation Level: Seven-Star Dou Zhe
Secret Technique: Necromancer (Summoning undead: 1, awakened undead: 1)
Technique: Ice Crystal
System Space: Gift Box
Soul Points: 0
Lou King stared at the status window. His eyes fell upon his level, which had jumped from Nine-Star Dou Zhi Qi straight to Seven-Star Dou Zhe. Lou King was stunned. He knew that even if he leveled up, he might reach Three or Four-Star Dou Zhe at most, but he was shocked to see he had skipped six levels to reach Seven-Star Dou Zhe instantly.
Lou King was staring at the status window floating in front of him. His gaze fell upon the Secret Techniques section, where the Necromancer skill displayed two distinct options:
Summoning and Archive. When Lou King clicked on them, a notification appeared:
[ Ding! ... (Summoning undead) represents the number of undead the host can summon at a single time.
(awakened undead ) represents the total number of resurrected undead the host can keep in their possession. ]
Lou King was stunned by the information on the panel. He realized why these limitations existed: since summoning required only a drop of blood, skin, or any body part containing residual life force from a dead animal, monster, or human, he could easily build a massive army.
Lou King had initially thought he could simply buy beast parts from the market to create an unstoppable undead legion. However, it was clear the system had imposed these limitations to prevent him from becoming too powerful too quickly.
As he glanced at his panel again, he noticed a Gift Box in his system space and felt a surge of joy. Although he had an idea of what it was, he requested the system for details. A voice echoed as a new panel materialized:
[ Ding! ... The Gift Box is a Newbie Pack provided by the system to the host. Does the host wish to open the Gift Box? ]
"Open it!" Lou King commanded.
[ Ding! ... Opening Gift Box... You have received: ]
1. (Undead Flame)
2. (Tree Guard Bloodline Pill)
3. (Archive: +1 Point)
4. (Ice Source Annihilator)
5. (Death Scythe: Soul Eater)
1. ( Undead Flame ) A ghostly, emerald-green fire that does not burn the flesh but consumes the soul. Lou King can coat his weapons or his undead summons in this flame. It prevents enemies from healing and causes "Soul Terror," making them weaker the longer they fight. If an enemy dies while burning with this flame, there is a 50% higher chance of a successful summon.
2. (Tree Guard Bloodline Pill)
A glowing wooden pill pulsing with ancient forest energy. When consumed, it permanently boosts Lou King's Defense and Vitality. It grants him the "Bark Skin" trait, making his skin as tough as ancient oak. He gains a natural affinity with nature-type monsters, making them easier to dominate.
3. (Archive: +1 Point )
This increases Lou King's total storage capacity for undead. If his original limit was 1, he can now permanently keep 2 undead in his shadow/space at all times without them disappearing.
4. (Ice Source Annihilator)
Lou King can freeze everything within a 10 - meter radius instantly. The ice is "Absolute Zero," meaning it doesn't just freeze the body, it halts the flow of mana/energy in the victim.
5. (Death Scythe: Soul Eater )
A massive, black-iron scythe with a blade that looks like a crescent moon. A faint screaming sound can be heard when it swings. The more souls it harvests, the stronger it gets Every time Lou King kills an enemy with this scythe, the weapon "eats" a portion of the enemy's stats and transfers a small percentage of Strength to Lou King temporarily.
Lou King was staring at the System panel, carefully reading through all the information and checking the rewards he had received. He was thrilled; the items he had gained were more than enough to make him incredibly powerful in a very short time.
But suddenly, a realization hit him. "System, how do I get out of here? Send me back out now!" Lou King had momentarily forgotten about Xiao Yu in his excitement. He was desperate to exit the system space, fearing that something might happen to her; he hadn't forgotten the terrible state she was in when he last saw her.
Xiao Yu's tears would not stop; she clung to Lou King's lifeless body, her screams echoing. But suddenly, a golden light flickered within Lou King's body. The System had begun repairing his ruptured veins. Slowly, Lou King's closed eyes fluttered open.
He saw Xiao Yu holding him tight, weeping uncontrollably. Lou King raised a heavy hand and, with great effort, placed it on Xiao Yu's head. "Xiao Yu... if you keep crying like this... I think I'd rather not die just yet."
Xiao Yu jerked back, her eyes wide with absolute shock. Seeing Lou King conscious, her joy knew no bounds. "Lou King! You... you're alive? I thought I had lost you forever!" Her voice was a whirlwind of fear, anger, and lingering grief.
Lou King wiped away her tears with a faint smile. "Silly girl, I'm not going to get rid of you that easily. We still have a long way to go together. Look, I feel even stronger than before. Your tears... they were more effective than any medicine."
Blushing, Xiao Yu lowered her head, but she gripped Lou King's hand tightly, as if terrified that he might slip away again.
"Stop crying now," Lou King said, comforting her. "It doesn't suit a genius warrior to cry. I am here, and I will stay by your side forever.
Lou King sat up slowly, his body feeling lighter and more powerful than ever before. Seeing Xiao Yu still trembling, he reached out and pulled her into a warm, protective embrace. He held her close, letting her hear his steady heartbeat so she could truly believe he was alive.
"Shh... it's okay now," Lou King whispered. "The pain is all gone. I am right here, and I'm not going anywhere. I promise."
Xiao Yu clung to his chest, burying her face in his shoulder. The terror of losing him had shattered the wall of pride she had built over the years. She realized that without him, life would be nothing but a cold, empty void.
"I was so scared, Lou King," she sobbed. "When I saw you fall, I felt as if my own heart had stopped. I have been so cruel to you... I pushed you away and treated you like an enemy, yet you still risked your life to become stronger... for us."
She pulled back slightly and looked directly into his eyes—her face laid bare with honesty and raw emotion. "I don't want to hide it anymore. My anger was just a mask for my own confusion. The truth is... I love you, Lou King. I've loved you for a long time, but my pride wouldn't let me admit it. Please... never put me through that pain again."
Lou King was stunned. He had waited years to hear those words. He tightened his grip on her hand and smiled, his eyes filled with absolute devotion.
"I love you too, Xiao Yu," he replied. "Every ounce of pain I endured today was worth it, just to be standing here with you now. From this day on, nothing—not even death—will ever come between us."
As they sat together on the mountain peak, the silence was no longer heavy with sorrow; instead, it was filled with a newfound peace and serenity.
Lou King looked at the lake situated on the mountain nearby and headed toward it to wash away the blood from his body. As he stepped into the cool water, the blood swirling off him looked like dark clouds in the water before being swept away by the current.
While bathing, he felt the profound changes within his body—the System hadn't just healed him; it had completely refined him. His skin was now tougher than before, his muscles were more defined, and his breathing was as steady and calm as the still water. Xiao Yu stood on the shore, her eyes never wavering from him for even a second, as if she were still guarding him. A deep crimson blush had spread across her ears, neck, and cheeks.
Once he had cleaned himself and his wounds had miraculously vanished, Lou King donned fresh robes. As they walked toward the Xiao family estate, the dynamic between them had completely shifted. There was no longer that cold distance between them. Xiao Yu walked very close to him, her hand held firmly in Lou King's—a silent assurance that she was truly by his side.