Dark Wizard: Rise! My undead army!

After choosing their rooms, the three of them began to tidy up.

Arya summoned her undead guards, moved everything out of the storage room, and then began cleaning.

She carefully cleaned the room and arranged it simply yet comfortably before nodding in satisfaction.

Stepping out of the room, he saw that the door to the cultivation room was not closed, and Lynn was sitting cross-legged in the five-colored magic array, gazing at the sky and lost in thought.

The terrifying five elements of energy continuously surged into his body, transforming his magical power while constantly tempering Lynn's mental strength.

Aria's expression changed slightly. If such terrifying energy were to flood into her body, it might burst her apart.

Around noon, Arya noticed that Lynn's diet was extremely simple, even somewhat casual.

So she immediately notified her family to send over various ingredients and tableware, ready to show off her culinary skills.

After completing the basic paperwork and cleaning of the fortress, Arya began to focus more on the kitchen.

My mother once said, "The way to a man's heart is through his stomach."

Arya didn't try to please anyone. She had been the apple of everyone's eye for over a decade, so it would be really difficult for her to do so.

One day, after finishing his training, Lynn found a bowl of thick soup mixed with the unique mushrooms and fresh venison from the Soul Valley, along with several delicate and refreshing side dishes, on the stone table in the hall.

The taste was surprisingly good, satisfying both the palate and the subtle death energy contained in the mushrooms, which also had a slightly nourishing effect on the wizard's body.

Lynn glanced at Arya, who was standing to the side, but said nothing and quietly enjoyed his meal.

Although these foods don't contain as much energy as the high-energy foods we ate before, they do taste pretty good.

Anyway, Lynn was quite satisfied with the meal, and a happy mood makes cultivation go more smoothly, doesn't it?

Of course, this was exclusively for Lynn and Arya; Oleg and Baka could only watch with envy while munching on dry bread and jerky.

After all, the ingredients and cooking skills belonged to Aria herself, so they couldn't really say anything.

It wasn't until later, when they had their family send over a lot of high-quality ingredients, that Arya allowed them to "eat at the table."

The three apprentices settled down there.

Arya would prepare a variety of meals every day, sometimes roasted ibex ribs to perfection, sometimes meat porridge with rare herbs, and sometimes salads made with special fruits and vegetables grown in the cool environment of the mine.

She seems to have a knack for this, always managing to handle limited ingredients perfectly.

Lynn did not treat Arya any differently because of this, and continued to keep his distance.

He spends most of his time immersed in cultivation, analyzing the traces of truth, and perfecting meditation techniques.

Only occasionally, during meal breaks or while listening to Oleg and Bar report on the mine's operation, if he was in a good mood, he would casually offer the three a few pointers on cultivation techniques.

Lynn possessed the entire collection of books from the first and second floors of the Bone Spire Academy's "Vault of Bones," giving him a more comprehensive foundation of knowledge than even his own mentor, Gregor.

Moreover, with their "analysis" on hand, the problems of the apprentices were immediately clear.

These pointers, often just a few words, always gave the three of them pause for thought and provided them with invaluable insights.

The group grew increasingly respectful of Lynn. Despite his young age, this "young mentor" possessed a knowledge and insight that surpassed even the most experienced elder in their clan.

Whether it's witchcraft or spiritual practice, they can pinpoint their problems incisively.

Such guidance would have required a considerable expense to obtain in an academy, but now they can acquire it through their daily work, which is already a great advantage.

The two male apprentices mainly traveled inside and outside the mine, handling various specific matters, and would report back to Lynn every few days.

The mine gradually got on track, with stable production and clear accounts.

Arya managed the inn's affairs so well that Lynn hardly felt any of the troubles in his life.

...

Time has passed quietly, and since the three apprentices moved in, the operation inside and outside the fortress has indeed become much smoother.

Arya's culinary skills improved day by day, and she planted some ingredients that could absorb death energy to grow throughout the valley.

Because the ingredients were rather limited, Arya worried that Lynn would get tired of them after a while, so she used her family's connections to obtain some spices and ingredients that were rare in the North, turning the simple meals into surprisingly delicious dishes.

While delivering meals to Lynn, she would also take the opportunity to ask some questions in order to get extra guidance.

When Lynn was in a good mood, she would casually offer a few words of advice, which, though brief, always enlightened Lynn and made her eyes shine even brighter.

At first, Baal was somewhat timid because he was the weakest, but through daily patrols, he gradually became familiar with every corner of the mine.

They also grew accustomed to dealing with the silent undead miners and even Lynn's undead legion.

Baal's favorite creatures were the earth dragons that roamed the valley, their leisurely manner making them seem like real living beings.

Lynn would occasionally check on his training progress, guiding him on how to more effectively combine bone enhancement with his own agility and form his own unique combat system.

This instilled a sense of awe in the young man and also helped him understand the direction of his efforts.

Oleg, on the surface, appears to be the most diligent of them all.

The accounts were kept clear and neat, the ore was checked and verified without any confusion, and the coordination with the outpost's logistics personnel, Haske, was also orderly.

He was taciturn and efficient, like a perfect tool, without any selfish motives.

However, when those seemingly calm eyes swept over the ghostly-glowing Netherworld Iron Ore and the fragments of the Howling Crystal Core that seemed to have wails flowing inside, a hint of burning heat would always flash uncontrollably.

These things are so beautiful, they're beyond words!

The mine has a stable and abundant output, and occasionally it can even produce the legendary "Styx Crystal," which is an extremely precious material. Otherwise, there would be no official wizard stationed here.

After several meetings with Haske, Oleg naturally learned about the unspoken rules involved.

Besides the portion handed over to the academy and the "reasonable losses," according to unspoken rules, about 15% of the "extra output" is a resource that the resident wizard can freely dispose of.

Lynn did not show excessive concern for this, only listening to Oleg's verbal report on the total amount and general classification each month, checking the key general ledger of incoming goods, and rarely delving into the detailed accounts.

This "indifference" and "trust" gradually nurtured the beast called "greed" in Oleg's heart.

"The mentor's abilities are unfathomable, but he's still too young. He doesn't seem to be proficient in these mundane matters, or perhaps he genuinely doesn't care..."

Oleg pondered to himself.

"The energy fluctuations he generates during cultivation are so astonishing; the resources he consumes must be enormous. Perhaps he wouldn't even care about such a small fraction?"

"How about... I take just a little bit?"

"I only keep a tiny bit, the best part... I only take one percent each time, no, one-thousandth! Little by little, it's enough for me to exchange for a high-quality 'Mental Condensation Potion' or a piece of high-purity 'Soul Dust Crystal'."

"With these, my chances of becoming a third-class apprentice will greatly increase!"

"Anyway, I'm the only one doing the inventory check. As long as I'm careful, I can take advantage of the last batch of ore entering the warehouse to make my move, and then pack it in an airtight leather bag..."

"Absolutely flawless!"

Desire overwhelmed reason, and wishful thinking clouded perception.

After a period of torment, Oleg finally reached out his greedy little hand.