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While we were still processing the shock of his identity, this Lich lord delivered another shocking statement.

"Krek-krek, you are the lord of Fontainebleau, aren't you? We’ve missed each other twice now," seeing my bewildered expression, the Lich revealed his identity: "My name is Antonipinot Daramis Gretelrich. If you’ve ever heard my lectures in the Temple, you might know me by another title. People generally refer to me as the ‘King of the Undead.’"

King of the Undead!

I, of course, remembered that name. More so than his lengthy full name, the title ‘King of the Undead’ had stuck with me because this was the same person who, when I stole the "Doomsday Horn" from Saint Spirit Mountain, had escaped from the clutches of the Pope and the Divine Knights after being released from his cage by Master Dajiaxi. A notorious and terrifying Lich known for his ability to switch bodies, an immortal soul. Now, his transformation made sense. When he arrived in Fontainebleau half a year ago, he had probably just switched bodies and hadn’t fully transformed into a Lich, which was why he still appeared human. But now, having nearly completed the transformation, all that remained was a skeleton.

However, the Undead King’s visit to our Orc Alliance seemed to have a deeper purpose. When Master Dajiaxi died, I found it strange. After all, he wasn’t just a piece in the Alliance’s plan within the Temple; he was also one of the most prominent Orc magic masters in the Alliance. It seemed like too great a sacrifice just for the "Doomsday Horn." Now it appeared that the Alliance’s target wasn’t just the artifact, but also this "King of the Undead." A dual strategy, combining feints and reality—how foolish I was to be kept in the dark.

But what secret did this ancient Lich hold that made the Alliance covet him so? Old Lion Leimen had previously advised me to build a good relationship with this "dead man." Could this secret be connected to me?

However, this ancient monster, who knows how many hundreds of years old, wasn’t someone I could probe so easily. With a raspy voice like metal scraping, he rambled on, distractedly modifying his bony frame while covering up all his secrets, leaving me no opening. Frustrated, I shifted the conversation towards the "Twelve Star Palace Gate" in Fontainebleau. As expected, it immediately captured the Undead King’s interest.

"Krek-krek, when I passed through Fontainebleau before, I didn’t get the chance to study the system thoroughly, and because you, the lord, weren’t around, your subordinates forbade me from accessing many crucial parts. Even after I took Hai Ruo as my disciple, she refused to reveal any confidential secrets. Krek-krek, your subordinates are very loyal, young wolfman."

"Master, the works of the Twelve Sages are certainly exquisite, but why would a Lich like you be interested in such things? Life and soul are your domain." I probed carefully.

"Krek-krek, no need to hide your intentions. To a Lich who has lived for over three hundred years, it’s meaningless. I can tell you that my true expertise lies in alchemy; I merely dabble in Necromancy as well. Becoming a Lich was to gain more time for research. In fact, my mastery of ice magic surpasses my Necromancy. Hai Ruo mainly learns ice magic and alchemy from me and has no intention of becoming a Lich."

"Heh," caught in the act, I chuckled awkwardly and then brought up another topic: "Actually, I have more than just the ‘Twelve Star Palace Gate.’ There are some things that might interest you. I wonder if you’d be interested..."

"I know, Crystal Dragons. It’s said that you infiltrated Saint Spirit Mountain with those materials. If you hadn’t kept a copy, that would have been surprising. Krek-krek, the reason I’m here today is for those materials. But don’t think you can use this to coerce me. The alchemy techniques of the Twelve Sages and the materials for the Crystal Dragons are things no one else on the continent can replicate. I’m just here for reference and will compensate you fairly, but don’t expect me to become your subordinate! Krek-krek..."

Well, bony fellow, do you really think I have no way to deal with you?

"Ahem, actually, I also have the original bodies of the Twelve Sages’ primordial beasts..."

"Krek-krek... krek..."

"A complete set of Crystal Dragon materials, an unseen Crystal Dragon Knight puppet..."

"...Krek... cough..."

"The artificial souls created by the Dark Sage, complete with a vast amount of knowledge input by the creator. The Crystal Dragon technology is just a small part..."

"...Cough... ga..."

"A method to freely enter and exit the Crystal Dragon development site, the ‘River of the Underworld Tower,’ and the Ice Sage’s forbidden spell, the ‘Ice Magic Book’..."

"...Ga... enough... ga... From now on, you’re my boss. As long as you let me stay in Fontainebleau, I’ll be your follower! What a pity! I’ve spent three hundred years searching for the Twelve Sages’ manuscripts and found only a few pages. For you, a magic idiot, to stumble upon such valuable treasures, it’s as if you were a rat in the Twelve Sages’ warehouse."

Victory, the great Lich "King of the Undead" has been successfully recruited.

As for why the Orc Alliance rescued the King of the Undead and brought him to the Holy City, the Lich remained tight-lipped, and I didn’t press further. However, I did learn that the Alliance had obtained what they wanted, which was why he was free to visit us now. After dealing with the Lich, I met with Hai Ruo alone.

"Hai Ruo, it’s been over two years since we first clashed. Even Bailanling and Avery, who had signed contracts with me, have returned to the human world. Only you, a free woman, remain in Fontainebleau. Originally, I intended to let you come and go as you pleased. Even if you had secrets, I wouldn’t have probed. After all, you’ve contributed greatly to our territory, and I have no reason to make things difficult for you. But this time, by becoming a disciple of the Lich, even if you haven’t become a Necromancer, you’ve cut off the path to return to the human world honorably. So, there are some things I need to clarify with you." As I looked at the beautiful female mage sitting before me, I couldn’t help but feel a wry smile in my heart. Though she had once been my captive, her contributions over the years far surpassed what a captive should have offered. I didn’t believe she acted out of love for me, but her true motives remained unclear.