Furthermore, Sacrifice no longer strictly required souls and corpses. It could also be performed using other valuable, death-related items as substitutes.

For example, one could sacrifice Magic Tools suffused with a dense aura of Death, or even one’s own organs and abilities.

However, the cost of doing so was a bit high.

For a Level 3 Death Priest, souls and corpses remained the most cost-effective option in the vast majority of cases.

After all, they were obtained by killing others, so there was no need to harm one’s own interests.

This specialization was meaningless to Lu Cang. Death Perception was slightly more useful, but even that was just better than nothing.

「Talent Acquired: Death Manipulation Skill (Extraordinary) >> Divine Level Necromancy Rebirth」

Phew—

’As expected, the most important part of an Upgrade is the Talent.’

「The lives you hunt will be reborn as Special Species Undead, stronger than they were in life, with a chance to evolve. You will become their sovereign.」

Upon gaining this ability, Lu Cang felt that he had also gained command of a Little Nether Realm.

The Little Nether Realm was completely empty.

Lu Cang himself could not enter it; it was a world for the dead alone.

’This must be the world where I’ll store my Undead.’

’But I don’t have any Undead right now.’

’Is this like the Shadow Legion?’

’I don’t see any limits on the transformation, which means I can convert anyone I kill, right?’

’As expected, any ability related to Death is bound to involve Undead,’ Lu Cang mused.

He looked up. A sky full of pollution was pouring down on him. Compared to the few scattered tadpoles Yuna had faced during her Profession change, what he was facing was a veritable waterfall.

Kumironi’s Light enveloped the area, providing complete protection.

Lu Cang raised his hand and cast several Light Magic spells imbued with Purification.

But they passed straight through the pollution, hitting nothing at all.

’It seems I can only see it, not cleanse it...’

’That makes sense. If ordinary Magic could cleanse it, then even if you couldn’t see it, you could just bombard the area around a Reincarnator with spells and eventually get rid of it.’

’Just because my high Spirituality allows me to see it doesn’t mean my Magic can hit it.’

After his Profession change was complete, Kumironi stood guard for another ten minutes until the last of the pollution finally dissipated.

Kumironi turned her head to look at Lu Cang.

Lu Cang offered a warm smile. "Thank you so much, Sister Kumironi. Without you, I might not have been able to complete my Profession change."

Though she was a little tired, hearing his thanks made it all feel worthwhile to Kumironi.

"Mm~ It was nothing."

"Little Lu Cang, your rate of growth is truly beyond our imagination."

Lu Cang now had all four of his Professions at Level 3.

In Ruelun, at least, it was unheard of. Majoring in two Professions at once was considered the absolute limit.

No one upgraded four Professions in tandem.

"How do you feel?"

"I feel... incredible."

The increase in his Spirituality could no longer be described as merely "seeing more clearly." He felt as if he could perceive the nature of all things, as if everything was transparent and luminous.

Gazing into Lu Cang’s eyes, Kumironi felt as though she could directly see his vibrant Spirituality.

She even had the fleeting impression that, mixed within his Spirituality, was a faint, almost imperceptible trace of Divinity.

The feeling vanished in an instant, like a trick of the mind.

Lu Cang was also sensing the improvements his Spirituality had brought. His perception now included a new sensation.

It could be described as a premonition.

"I think I’ve mastered some new Skills."

Lu Cang considered this. ’If I’m going to use this Talent in the future, there’s no way I can hide it... And if I never use it, what’s the point of having it at all?’

Lu Cang released about a thousand Black Ants.

With a casual flick of his finger, he covered them in Thunder.

The Black Ants were instantly electrocuted. At the very moment of their death, brand-new, black-and-green bodies emerged from their corpses!

「Past-Life Spirit Black Ant (Tier Two)」

「Past-Life Spirit Black Ant General (Tier Three)」

Lu Cang casually fired an Ice Cone.

CLANG!

The Ice Cone struck the pincers before the reborn Black Ant’s mouth, and the creature actually managed to block it head-on.

’Decent strength.’

Lu Cang’s Perception swept over the Past-Life Spirits. All of these Undead were now considered the departed and could be absorbed into the Little Nether Realm he possessed.

Moreover, some of the Black Ants were wreathed in black flames, others had a cold mist coalescing around them, and still others flickered with faint sparks of Thunder...

Every single one was, indeed, a Special Species.

"Lu Cang, what is this?"

"Hm... I think because I sacrificed so many souls, I gained a pretty decent mastery ability."

’Heh... I actually just made that up.’

’It would be nice if a mastery could grant such a powerful ability.’

Still, sacrificing so many souls was unprecedented. ’That’s probably what others would think. Maybe offering that many really could grant such a powerful reward.’

"These Undead... are they all under your control?"

"Yes... They should obey my commands completely. I can also take direct control of them."

"However, the transformation consumes their souls."

Lu Cang hadn’t received any souls from these Black Ants; their own souls had been used in the transformation.

Kumironi covered her mouth.

Iz, however, stroked his chin, lost in thought.

’To separate the relationship between life and death in such a way... giving the dead a new life. What a fascinating concept.’

’I’m trying to advance from the sixth to the seventh tier, and I’ve already mastered the two opposing Root Magics.’

’Aside from the Light and Dark Elements, I’ve already integrated all the others.’

’But my grand unified theory of magical Law is still a long way off. The Rules of Life and Death, the Rules of Space, the Rules of Time, the Rules of Reincarnation, the Rules of Destiny... Unifying all of them into a single, complete Magic... there’s still a long way to go.’

’And yet, I find myself drawing surprising inspiration from this disciple of mine from time to time.’

’It’s truly marvelous.’

Witnessing this, Iz felt he’d gained new insights into life, death, and the soul. Perhaps his magical theory on Life and Death could now advance another step.

"What an incredible ability..."

"It’s alright. There are actually some troublesome restrictions."

’Well... the only restriction is that I have to be the one to kill them. That’s it.’

Kumironi said, "That makes sense. Powerful abilities often come with corresponding restrictions. But it’s still an amazing skill."

Lu Cang said, "Let’s go check on the Restriction inside."

’I have a feeling that egg is a powerful lifeform.’

’If I can kill it, I should be able to turn it into one of my Undead.’

’I just wonder... if I kill the egg, will the Undead be an egg, or the creature that would have hatched from it?’

...

The three of them arrived before the Restriction.

It was a bare-looking stone wall with no distinguishing features.

’The Death Church really loves disguising its entrances as stone walls.’

Lu Cang put on a show of trying to break the seal.

After about an hour, he turned to Kumironi and said,

"I think... I’ve undone it."