Dark Wizard: Rise! My undead army!

After saying goodbye to Mary, Lynn continued her stroll and happened upon an old apprentice's trinkets stall.

Several old utensils were displayed on the stall, among which a strangely shaped lamp caught Lynn's attention.

It is made of some kind of dark silver metal and cloudy crystal, with scratches all over its surface and several runes worn off on the lamp base.

The vendor listed the item as "30 contribution points for a sustainable lighting fixture with unique light."

Such lighting tools are quite popular in this perpetually dim, skeletal tower, especially when exploring tombs and caves; they are an essential item.

However, it only costs thirty contribution points...

That's enough to buy a super long-lasting "high-power flashlight" at a gadget shop.

Lynn activated [Analysis] as usual, and only then did he discover the strangeness of the situation.

[Item]: Damaged Phase Soul Lamp (Second Ring Wizard Artifact)

[Status]: Severely damaged

【Function】: 1. The core function "Soul Storage and Nurturing" retains 35% of its effectiveness.

2. The "phase shift" attribute is partially active, which can make the stored items semi-transparent, making them difficult to detect by conventional detection methods.

[Defects]: Seven energy loop breaks, and a total of nineteen runes are missing or incorrect.

[Repair Requirements]: 3 grams of Void Silver Dust, a complete Stable Phase Rune Set, and a Level 2 Wizard-level Energy Channeling...

...

It turned out to be a second-ring magical artifact that combined the functions of storing, nurturing, and concealing the soul!

Lynn didn't have any magical artifacts to collect souls on hand, so every time he killed someone, he had to rush back to the laboratory to seal the soul in the body to prevent it from dissipating.

With this "Soul Lamp," there's nothing to fear. It can not only store souls but also continuously nourish them, which is truly excellent.

The maker's taste is also mediocre. If he were to make it, he would definitely create a cool, black-smoking banner-shaped witchcraft.

Hmm... this soul lamp is really nice, it's just a bit of a pity it's broken.

However, even if it were complete, it wouldn't be his turn.

Clearly, the old apprentice was unaware of the trickery involved; he must have discovered it from somewhere by chance or by digging it up.

"Brother, where did you get all this junk from? Is it even worth wasting your time selling this piece of trash?"

Lynn wanted to find out the origin of the "Soul Lamp," but the moment he opened his mouth, the old apprentice's face darkened.

The old apprentice initially didn't want to pay attention to Lynn, but seeing him squatting in front of his stall, constantly rummaging through his pile of junk, he couldn't help but speak up.

"Go away! Don't touch it if you're not buying it, you little brat! Go play with your eggs over there!"

The old apprentice's attack was equally impressive, instantly turning Lynn into a little kid.

However, Lynn didn't mind.

He looks to be at least fifty or sixty years old, while I'm only about fourteen. Calling him a little kid isn't wrong.

There aren't many old apprentices like this in the academy. After all, it's a dark wizard's academy, and the mortality rate is quite high. Being able to live that long is a skill in itself.

"Hey buddy, you're so old, why are you still wasting your time here? Why don't you go see this beautiful world and enjoy life?"

Looking at the energetic Lynn, the old apprentice seemed to see his former self, full of vigor and ambition, and couldn't help but sigh.

"Hey... it's not that easy~ I've been in this academy for forty or fifty years, and I'm used to life here."

"Where can I go if you let me leave? I left home when I was eleven and have never been back. I probably don't have any relatives left in my hometown. I'm unfamiliar with the place, and I wouldn't feel comfortable going back."

"At your age, there's no need to think about starting a family. Just stay here in the academy and hang out. When I die one day, I can leave my body to you younger generation. Who knows, it might even protect you and fight for another three hundred years!"

Upon hearing this, Lynn was filled with respect.

What a high level of awareness!

He dedicated his entire life to the college, and even in his old age, he still uses his frail body to protect and guide the younger generation.

To live is glorious! To die is noble!

The silkworm spins silk until its death, and the candle burns until it turns to ash!

Lynn's mind was instantly filled with famous quotes, and his gaze toward his older brother changed completely.

The old apprentice felt uneasy under Lynn's piercing gaze, so he coughed lightly and changed the subject.

"What? Interested in my junk? Which piece catches your eye? I'll give you a discount..."

Lynn snapped back to his senses and didn't immediately suggest buying the Soul Lamp.

The person on the other end was, after all, a seasoned veteran who had been around for decades. He said nice things, but who knew what he was really thinking?

It doesn't seem reasonable for a freshman to spend 30 contribution points to buy a broken lighting tool.

If that old fox sees through my scheme, then I'll have to miss out on this second-ring witch artifact.

Lynn's gaze swept disdainfully over the pile of "junk," his fingers seemingly casually fiddling with a chipped bone bowl, making clicking sounds as he spoke:

"Brother, I'm not saying this to be mean, but the stuff on your stall... is way too shabby. This bone bowl is cracked; it's too leaky to even use as a dog bowl. And this dark, unremarkable rock—nobody would even pick it up if you threw it on the street, would they?"

"And this lamp! It's in such a broken state! And they still dare to sell it for thirty contribution points? I can buy a new one at the machine shop for less than that!"

The old apprentice's face darkened further, and he said in a muffled voice:

"Take it or leave it! I've painstakingly collected these from various places; they're all old items! There might be a hidden gem among them! If you don't like them, someone else will!"

"Old stuff?" Lynn scoffed. "Did you dig it out of some grave? I'm telling you, buddy, how many contribution points do you earn from messing around with this stuff every day? Enough to eat?"

The old apprentice, his sore spot touched, dimmed for a moment, but then straightened his neck:

"Mind your own business! I'm happy to do it! Besides, these things were all salvaged from 'Scrap Cliff'! Good stuff comes down from there every now and then. I have a good eye, can't I just pick up the scraps?"

"Waste dumping cliff?" Lynn's heart skipped a beat, but his face showed even more disdain.

"You mean the place where the academy dumps the trash? Dude, you're doing...tsk tsk, rummaging through the garbage dump? No wonder it's all junk."

"You know nothing!" The old apprentice seemed to have been provoked.

"It's not all trash over there! Some of it is old equipment cleared out of the lab, some is rare gadgets brought back by the exploration team and being disposed of as waste, and there's even..."

He lowered his voice, looked around, and said, "And when they were disposing of the 'scrap,' some things weren't cleaned properly and ended up being dumped in! I found a usable secondary soul crystal there ten years ago!"

"Let me tell you, if you ever can't make it in the world, go there and collect scraps to sell. Don't be ashamed; staying alive is the most important thing!"

Lynn outwardly maintained a "you're bragging" expression, but inwardly he remembered the place "Scrap Cliff".

It sounds like a treasure trove where you can regularly "find bargains," but it certainly comes with risks.

Hmm...Is it a bit unreasonable for a top genius like me to be picking up trash?

Lynn shook his head and said in an almost pitying tone:

"Hey bro, how much can you make scavenging? Look at me, I just helped someone optimize their sorcery model right here in the market today, and easily earned a few dozen contribution points."

He deliberately shook the nameplate at his waist; although the exact amount was unclear, the gesture was convincing.

The old apprentice looked at Lynn's young and confident face, then at the unsold secondhand goods on his stall, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

There was envy, self-deprecation, and a touch of resigned weariness.

He sighed and didn't argue further.

The Yangtze River's back waves push the front waves forward, while the front waves die on the beach!