Otherworld Bone Dragon Operation Guide

Chapter 173 Advancement
The funeral procession stopped at the cemetery entrance, and a group of people began to get out of the cars. Miao Xin slowly drove past them.

Su Ming suddenly spotted a familiar figure in his field of vision.

[An acquaintance?] Miao Xin noticed and stopped the car.

"No, they are my friend's parents," Su Ming replied.

"Is your friend male or female?" Miao Xin asked directly, focusing on the key question.

[Female.] Su Ming replied, [Is it not allowed?]

Si Ran, a few years older than him, was someone his mother met while square dancing. After Su Ming was admitted to university, the two mothers discovered that their children were studying in the same city.

Thus, the two began traveling together by train, shuttling between home and school. They helped each other out when they encountered problems, and their contact gradually increased. After Su Ming graduated, he went to work in another city, and Si Ran also became increasingly busy, so their contact faded away.

This is also Si Ran's hometown, so it's normal to see her parents attending the funeral.

Just as Su Ming was about to ask Miao Xin to leave, he saw a familiar face in the photo on the urn.

He was immediately stunned.

"Hey, what's wrong?" The first to notice his change in mood was Qiluo, who was hanging from the ceiling of the carriage.

Su Ming covered his eyes with one hand and shook his head. "It's just that a friend passed away."

Zijin wanted to speak, but after thinking about it, she said nothing. She had experienced too many things like this in her 170 years of life, and some things she could only learn to sort out on her own.

It's okay if you can't learn it yet; just try a few more times and you'll get used to it.

Su Ming got up and left the workshop, heading to the locomotive cab at the front of the train. The clanging sound echoed incessantly, steam and smoke billowing into the sky. Watching the snow-covered scenery come and go, his mood—became even more depressed.

Life is unpredictable; some people always feel they can meet again, but reality can suddenly grant them a final farewell.

He sat quietly for a while, then stretched out his hand, only to find that the rune sequence that had been blocking his way had already condensed and taken shape at his fingertips. Su Ming was surprised, but he quickly understood the reason and let out a wry smile.

The "Depressing Words" series of spells cannot be used when you are in a good mood, and obviously the lower your mood, the smoother they are to cast.

Its creator must have been an incredibly pessimistic guy!
****
Su Ming didn't go to the workshop the next day, and stayed in the driver's seat the whole time. Zi Jin went to check on him and found him just staring blankly out the window.

"I'm fine," Su Ming said calmly. "I was just practicing a spell."

Qi Luo also came over to check on him. "Mental stability, no abnormalities." She turned to leave, "My mission is complete!"

Zijin grabbed her ponytail and pulled her back. "Anything else?"

The little girl immediately turned around, bowed deeply to the two of them, and said, "I'm so sorry about what happened the night before last!"

Su Ming nodded in acceptance of her apology, then continued looking out the window.

Qi Luo then left. Zi Jin hesitated for a moment, but still spoke up, "Su Ming, I feel there are some things I need to clarify with you."

Su Ming turned back around.

“Qiluo is the daughter of the Millennium Queen, a powerful Moon Prayer,” Zijin said. “I couldn’t withstand the erotic magic she unleashed when I was unprepared.”

Qi Luo Youhua, the Thousand-Year Unicorn Queen, is the mistress of the Crescent Moon Forest. Qi Luo Mi Lan has never hidden her surname, so her origins are clear.

"Not entirely. Mental defense is your weakness," Su Ming pointed out directly. He remembered the details of last night very clearly. He could barely resist the unicorn's magic, but Zi Jin was completely overwhelmed.

The scholar fell silent for a moment. Born into the dragon race, and a former saintess of the Temple of Light who cultivated her mind, her mental defenses should have been her strongest point. It was hard to imagine that Violet had such a weakness, which was why she had never been targeted on the battlefield.

This is the first time it has been exposed.

“First of all, what happened must not be known to Qiluo.” Zijin held up one finger.

The unicorn had always believed that she was punished simply because she "tried" to seduce the two men, not because she succeeded. Su Ming responded with an understanding gesture.

“Also, I hope you don’t misunderstand.” Violet held up her second finger. “I mean, our relationship.”

Su Ming understood, "You have no feelings for me other than that of a partner. Your actions at the time were entirely due to being controlled by Qi Luo's magic."

“That’s right,” Violet replied. “I see myself more as a dragon than a human.”

The time Zijin lived in the form of Elisa was only a small part of her life, and Su Ming had noticed many details about her that were incompatible with humans.

He responded with another acknowledgment gesture.

The scholar finished speaking and left. Su Ming closed his eyes and sighed mournfully.

The runes that appeared around him became more solid, eventually forming a magic orb that emitted a negative aura and floated quietly in the air.

'Despairing words, utterly disheartened'

Su Ming didn't know what to say. Was he being forced to be given magic spells?

****
On the third day at noon, the Youth Civilization Train stopped again. Although the train was still in good condition, a steep waterfall would appear in the river ahead. According to Su Ming's planned route, they would leave the river, find an area with a gentler slope, cross the lower mountain range ahead, and step onto the first step of the ice field.

Therefore, it is necessary to stop the car in advance for preparation.

The weather was sunny today, and the midday temperature rose to below -10 degrees Celsius, perfect for outdoor work. Su Ming handed over the maintenance work to others, changed into his outdoor gear, and pushed the snowmobile out of the warehouse.

"Su Ming, take me with you!" Qi Luo exclaimed excitedly, knowing what Su Ming was going to do. According to the information she obtained from interrogating those people's souls that day, the traffickers' supplier was in Lis City. The girls who had been kidnapped were originally going to be sent there.

The city of Lis is less than 40 kilometers away from this parking and maintenance point. It's just a short drive to the left along the road, which Su Ming had taken into account when choosing the location.

She quickly noticed that Su Ming was more silent than usual. "Handsome, you're in a bad mood today. Perfect timing to go chop up a few scumbags."

Violet walked over and objected, "You were in great danger in Shafeng Town last time. This time, Ries City is a larger city, and its defenses are a level higher!"

"I will act according to the circumstances," Su Ming replied.

"If your identity as a necromancer is exposed, it will be very troublesome!"

Su Ming thought about it and realized that Zi Jin's words made sense. The Forbidden Magic Cloak was enough to conceal oneself from ordinary people, but after all, there were experts like Iser nearby.

He took off his cloak and coat, and gestured to the scholar in a challenging gesture, "Help me use up some magic."

Judging from the results of the trial in Shafeng Town, lowering one's own magic level solves the problem.

Seeing that he was determined, Zijin stopped trying to stop him. She unbuttoned her winter coat, saying, "Don't let me hurt you."

"Try it."

The two walked across the ice towards the snow-covered riverbank, where a small pine forest lay, its needles glistening with ice crystals in the sunlight. They stretched their limbs as they walked, then, as was their custom, launched surprise attacks on each other.

Su Ming immediately unleashed a thorny whip, while Violet simultaneously summoned a magical blade, and the two separated after a brief clash. However, the scholar quickly realized the problem—she had seriously miscalculated Su Ming's whip.

Previous combat training had been confined to cramped ship cabins or train carriages, severely limiting Su Ming's use of his whip. Now, in open space, his weapon's advantage was immediately put to full use. The whip, like a nimble snake, attacked from all angles, interrupting any spells that Zi Jin took a while to prepare.

Although not known for its lethality, the thorny whip is still a Saint-level weapon. Moreover, the white bone whip blends perfectly into the snowy background, making it even more difficult to handle. Su Ming's many days of spinning like a top hadn't been in vain; he wouldn't bother calculating Violet's response, he'd just treat it like a spinning top and attack. The scholar decisively retreated to create distance, and Su Ming followed without hesitation, using Shadow Leap to maintain a suitable distance for the whip. The traces of the shadow spider silk he released were now very faint, difficult to spot even visually in the snow.

Zi Jin frowned slightly. Su Ming's fighting style today was completely different from usual. She was too overconfident, not even using her staff. She feinted, pretending to release an Ice Rain spell, preparing to draw the End Bone Staff to unseal it.

But Su Ming charged into her spell without hesitation, only to find that the fake ice rain couldn't break through his shield and instead got right up to him.

'Depressing Words, Faded Elements'

As expected, Su Ming immediately dispelled the magic shield. Violet suppressed the urge to unleash magic beyond Su Ming's power, and several rock pillars surged from beneath her feet, separating her from Su Ming.

The "Despairing Words" series was indeed very targeted; with just one intersection, the magic shield on Violet's body was significantly contaminated, losing half of its strength.

She drew her bone staff, her eyes darkening as inscriptions flashed before her eyes, allowing for a deeper analysis of the vast battlefield information. However, she discovered that Su Ming had already used the shadows to leap directly above her, wielding a long whip and bringing it crashing down on her head.

This situation put them in a somewhat passive position, so Violet immediately deployed multiple force fields to block Su Ming's whip. However, the two had already approached the pine forest during their fight, and the tip of Su Ming's whip grazed a tree branch.

Su Ming quickly tugged, and the whip, swaying, slipped through the gap in the force field, coiling like a serpent around her wrist. The unpredictable nature of soft weapons can sometimes be a nuisance, and sometimes a delightful surprise!
"Sorry, it was pure luck!" Su Ming said.

"Don't be so smug!" Violet gathered her magic power to reinforce the shield.

She wasn't afraid of being entangled by the thorny whip. Su Ming had only practiced the transmission spell for two days. Even if he were exceptionally talented and truly mastered it, the Death Words series of magic was so complex that he didn't have enough time to grasp it.

Of course, it's possible he can already transmit one of them. So, will what's transmitted be 'Elemental Fading' to break the magic shield, 'Arcane Collapse' to destroy the barrier, or 'Wonderful Disintegration' to decompose items? Violet wondered.

Zi Jin shook off the thorny whip in just half a second, but she never expected that Su Ming would complete the spell in such a short time. A series of extremely complex runic incantations spread like lightning along the whip, clinging to her body and penetrating her in an instant!
A moment of darkness followed, then everything returned to normal. The magic shield was still there, the staff was working properly, and the six-colored barrier, her trump card, was also fine. Violet quickly completed the inspection, so what was wrong?

The surroundings became blurry, the sounds faded away, the vision dimmed, and even the sunlight seemed weak and powerless.

Zi Jin was puzzled to find that Su Ming had already circled behind her—had she lost track of his movements?

She used her Fire Resistance Ring, but Su Ming ruthlessly interrupted her, knocking away the staff she had just drawn. She was then pulled from behind and thrown to the snow, watching as Su Ming punched her—right in the ear.

His hair billowed. Su Ming unleashed all his power in that punch, exhausting all his magic. A vast expanse of magic spread out, turning the white snow a dull gray.

Violet lay on the snow wearing only a thin sweater. Splashes of snow landed on her cheeks, and she was stunned for a long time.

Su Ming let out a long sigh, propped himself up on his knees, and looked down at the girl, "Are you hurt?"

Violet shook her head gently, her hair making a soft sound as it brushed against the snow. "No."

"Your eyes were originally light brown," Su Ming said.

The violet's eyes, which had originally appeared blue, had lost their pale luster. Sunlight easily penetrated them, revealing delicate layers. The outer edge was a light amber color, gradually turning into a warm brown inwards, with a barely visible moss green tinged around the pupil.

"Brown?" Violet murmured to herself. Having maintained her omniscient vision for so long, she had almost forgotten about it.

The Death Words spell that Su Ming just cast was the most difficult spell below the Saint rank, 'Exhausted Mind and Heart'. This is an extremely powerful dark debuff spell that can suppress the mind and senses of the target.

This was the foundation of Violet's omniscient vision, and the spell the girl had been maintaining was thus interrupted.

"Why did you think of targeting this?" Violet asked softly.

"Because of Silent Vision," Su Ming explained. "Both of these skills are high-level, so I suspected that your Omniscient Vision wasn't so simple—and I was right! You rely on it to see your surroundings during combat!"

Omniscient vision is not merely visual perception, but a comprehensive understanding of everything around us. Having practiced for a long time, Zi Jin had become accustomed to operating the spell in her daily life, and could control its range at will.

For a long time, Su Ming mistakenly thought it was an everyday skill. It wasn't until he discovered the power of Silent Vision in actual combat that he realized Omniscient Vision was also a combat skill.

“You won,” Violet admitted.

Ever since Alchemist Howard helped imprint the Omniscient Rune into her eyes, she had become reliant on the spell, until it completely replaced her natural vision. When Su Ming's spell struck her, sealing off her omniscient vision, she felt for a moment as if the entire world had turned its back on her.

Su Ming reached out to pull Zi Jin out of the snow. Upon being touched, she suddenly jerked as if electrocuted and pulled her hand away from Su Ming's grasp.

Su Ming looked at Zi Jin with confusion, "What's wrong?"

Just as he was about to squat down to check, Zijin suddenly raised her hand and said, "I'm really fine, just let me lie down for a bit."

Su Ming was puzzled, but chose to respect her wishes. He put on his coat and returned to the train. The little girl was already sitting on the snowmobile, studying the controls. Su Ming looked back and saw Zi Jin still lying in the same spot. Seeing him turn around, she gently waved.

The snowmobile's front sled had been modified to support the unicorn's weight. Su Ming herded the unicorn into the passenger seat, got in himself, started the engine, and drove off.

****
Standing still, Zijin pressed her hands to her chest.

It wasn't a serious battle; she didn't unleash a level of magic power or energy exceeding Su Ming's. Su Ming's final attack couldn't break through her defensive barrier, even though he wasn't just a fist manipulator, nor did he only unleash magic power through his fists.

But it still couldn't be broken.

From a tactical perspective, however, she was completely outmaneuvered. The weaknesses in her mental defenses and her over-reliance on omniscient vision were exploited by Su Ming.

This is not a problem. It's only natural for Su Ming to target her weaknesses. She frequently sparred with Su Ming, and given Su Ming's rate of improvement, she would inevitably suffer sooner or later.

However, with her omniscient vision blocked, her physical senses became acutely acute. Su Ming, approaching from behind, didn't grab her chest or strangle her; instead, he pressed down on her shoulders, pulling back his strength to pin her down. Having undergone strength training, he could do this using only his physical power.

Su Ming's sleeve slid, revealing the bulging muscles in his arms. As she fell, she saw Su Ming's calm, dark eyes, reflecting a human girl with brown eyes and light brown hair lying on her back.

A peculiar feeling welled up inside her, but Zijin couldn't quite put her finger on what it was.

The moment Su Ming grabbed her hand and tried to pull her up from the snow, she was surprised to realize the softness of their skin.

Humans possess sensitive and supple skin. What Violet believed to be information provided by her omniscient vision actually stemmed largely from this human body. This had been concealed by magic, preventing her from realizing it.

The violet gazed at the sky, which remained a deep blue despite the cold winter. But upon closer inspection, it was clear that there were clouds, merely like a thin veil, hidden within the boundless, clear expanse.

Several sparrows flew high overhead, and the girl noticed for the first time that their flight paths were actually wavy, rising and falling. The birds' wings undulated with the wind, delicately conserving every bit of energy from their small bodies.

Suppressed by Su Ming's magic, her spiritual senses were extremely dulled. Instead, Zi Jin relied on her original five senses to discover so many details she had never noticed before.

Zijin raised her hand, looking at her fair wrist with its veins showing, where the warmth from the touch still lingered. A faint scent of pine wafted in the wind, and in the distance, the faint cracking sound of ice could be heard.

So, when did she begin to forget herself, and forget the original nature of this world?

What had been holding her back all along was something so simple?

Zijin suddenly chuckled. She remembered what she had said to Su Ming not long ago: "Acknowledging objective facts is also a form of enlightenment."

Zi Jin placed her raised hand on her right eye. A flash of light, and the inscription on her right eye was peeled away. It hurt a little, and even a few drops of blood trickled from the corner of her eye.

She no longer intended to rely entirely on magical vision, but rather to retain information from human natural senses. Spells were merely a means of discovery, not a substitute for everything.

Hanster picked up the violet's coat and walked across the river. A series of invisible ripples suddenly spread out and then silently blended into the surrounding nature. The old man paused for a moment.

“Put on your coat, Your Majesty Elisa,” Hanster said, walking over to Violet. “Shall we have a celebratory meal tonight?”

(End of this chapter)