This necromancer is going to seduce the beautiful girls who are already dead.

A joint recommendation from four high-ranking council members is a very significant endorsement. Since Sophia gave Abyss the opportunity to be the first to enter the council, Abyss directly became a mid-level council member of the Council of the Dead.

Spin and Anita were already comparable in strength to some members of the Intermediate Council, but they lacked any special skills; the spells they knew all came from Horic, which naturally disqualified them before. However, now that Abyss, disguised as Anita, had fabricated the story that "they had been researching Shadow Demons," they had naturally met the requirements for joining the Intermediate Council.

Two days later, at a routine meeting of the High Council, Abyss, recommended by four people, undoubtedly gained the approval of the high council members. After the meeting, someone sent their magical pet to deliver a letter to Abyss, who was already waiting outside his residence.

"Quick, open it and take a look." Sophia stood beside Abyss, curiously looking at the letter Abyss had just received.

Right now, Hollik is still fast asleep in his residence. After inexplicably sleeping all day a few days ago, Hollik felt unprecedented guilt. As a wise man who was still researching magic, it was simply unforgivable to spend an entire day sleeping.

Despite his guilt, this incident suddenly made Hollik realize that he was getting on in years and should enjoy life. Sofia had been subtly suggesting to him, "Effort doesn't guarantee success, but not trying is definitely comfortable," which led Hollik, already enjoying the pleasures of sleeping in, down a path of unwavering sleep, sleeping until late morning every day.

"Hmm, let me see what's on this." Abyss smiled, opened the sealing wax on the envelope, and took out the contents.

A letter, a small device the size of a coin, and a note that was clearly an instruction manual for the device.

“Miss Anita, congratulations on your approval to join the Intermediate Council following the vote of the senior councilors…” Abis read aloud softly.

The letter contained no surprises. It began by congratulating Abyss on his successful entry into the Intermediate Council. After a series of pleasantries, the letter provided Abyss with an address, which was the meeting place of the Intermediate Council members. The next Intermediate Council meeting would begin in two days, at which time Abyss could go there directly to obtain more information that Intermediate Council members were entitled to.

This was a significant step forward, and the Abyss could finally obtain more internal information about the Council of the Dead without alerting the enemy. Both men were greatly encouraged when they read this.

The letter also mentioned Sofia, who was with Abis. Because the two had performed meritorious service together, Sofia could directly apply for promotion to a mid-level councilor should a vacancy arise in the intermediate council again. The high council would approve it quickly.

After reading the letter, the two focused their attention on the small device that had been sent along with it.

"So this is the device used to brand a soul..." Abyss looked at the device with great interest, examining it from all angles. It was a device engraved with many miniature magic circles, powered by the user's own magic. It used materials that could conduct magic, but were simultaneously destroyed by magic, thus making it a one-time use device.

Furthermore, because this device is designed so specifically, it cannot be disassembled without violating its principles. Some of its internal nodes have also been carefully processed, making reverse engineering impossible. This is likely to prevent anyone from forging soul imprints or something similar—there are quite a few people in the Council of the Dead who might be tempted to do such a thing.

"Are you going to use this to brand your soul?" Sophia blinked, looking at Abyss. "Won't the Council of the Dead use something like this to control necromancers?"

“That possibility isn’t out of the question, but it doesn’t matter. I don’t intend to do that.” Abyss shook his head and said, “Do you remember I have a special technology—artificial souls?”

"Oh! I remember now!" Sophia exclaimed in sudden realization. "Since your current body doesn't have a soul, you can stuff an artificial soul into it and then brand it?"

“Yes, I specially created two artificial souls, modeled after Spencer and Anita’s souls. Even experienced soul experts would have a hard time spotting the flaws.” Abyss tapped his head. “Now the souls have been installed inside my body.”

The device is very easy to use. Simply stick it on your forehead, infuse it with magic, and after a brief period of blurred consciousness, the mark will be imprinted on your soul, and you will officially receive authorization as a mid-level councilor.

As for when they become senior councilors or even elders in the future, they will use a different device to imprint different marks on their souls, covering the previous soul marks.

“I’ll send this artificial soul back to Helheim in a bit so the people there can study it. Although this soul-branding device is disposable, the branding it creates must follow a pattern,” Abyss said. “Give me a little support. I need to disconnect my control over this body while I’m branding the artificial soul to avoid affecting my real soul.”

"Huh? I...I'll help you?" Sofia was surprised for a moment, then nodded vigorously, "No problem, no problem!"

Abis nodded, turned his back to Sophia, and activated the small device.

As magic was input, the device immediately began to melt, but the magic array inside also started operating all at once.

Abyss quickly relinquished control of his body, briefly bidding farewell to his original form. He wasn't sure if continuing to remotely control his body with his soul would affect him; he didn't want his soul to be marked by the Council of the Dead's strange, mysterious device.

Only after Sophia used mind sharing to tell Abyss that the device had been completely burned out and the magical fluctuations had stopped did Abyss reconnect to his body.

After regaining control of his body, Abyss clearly sensed a very peculiar fluctuation on the artificial soul within it. This must be what is known as the soul imprint.

"Huh, how did you manage to support me?" Abyss suddenly realized that Sophia seemed to be choking him.

"Well... you suddenly went limp, I wasn't prepared, so I supported you in this position..." Sofia quickly explained as she lowered her arm.

"What kind of lewd games are you two playing at the door so early in the morning? You didn't even call me... Don't you care about your image?" Hollick's disgruntled voice came from behind.

Sofia quickly turned around and gave Hollik an embarrassed smile.

"What are you doing here... wait, that melting thing you're holding... Anita! You've joined the Intermediate Council!?"

Chapter 301 Tearing Off the Mask

“Good morning, Master… oh, no, good afternoon.” Sophia greeted Hollik warmly.

But Hollik was in no mood to talk to Sophia at this moment. Leaning on his staff, he strode up quickly on his short legs, snatched the melted branding device from Abyss's hand, and stared at him with wide, round eyes.

He certainly recognized this thing. Back when he became a mid-level councilor, he received a letter from someone else's magical pet, and this very item was inside the envelope. This meant that his apprentice had already become a mid-level councilor.

“Master, I just received it, but I didn’t tell you while you were sleeping. I was going to tell you when you woke up,” Abyss said casually from the side. “Now I’m a mid-level councilor.”

It is something to be happy about when one's disciple is successful; most monks would feel proud in this situation.

However, Hollick showed no sign of happiness.

He had no intention of taking on apprentices, and he felt no affection for his two disciples. From the beginning, he only wanted them to gradually master necromancy, become his assistants, help him explore more magic, and gradually climb to higher positions in the Council of the Dead. If necessary, they could also be used as experimental subjects.

This is why he has always held fragments of their souls. As long as a part of his two disciples' souls is with him, he can use his magic to control them at any time and manipulate them at will.

At the same time, he didn't impart all his knowledge. Although his two apprentices had improved their magical levels considerably over the years in the Shadowlands, their actual magical knowledge was quite limited. It seemed their current strength was approaching that of Hollik, but how could Hollik not hold back? He hadn't taught Spin and Anita his true research findings.

"How did you become a mid-level councilor? How is that possible? What makes you think you're qualified?" Hollick angrily brandished the device in his hand and questioned Abis. "What have you two learned? How could you possibly be qualified to enter the mid-level council?"

“Oh, Master, we haven’t told you yet, but we’ve actually been researching the ecology of Shadow Demons and have made some progress. A while ago, Mekansm caused trouble and was expelled, so I took the opportunity to join the Intermediate Council.” Abyss shrugged. “Although we’re not very good at magic, we’ve made achievements in other areas.”

"Hehe, Master, you must be very proud, right?" Sophia pretended to be confused and said to Hollik, who had an incredulous look on his face.

"Damn it!" Hollick made no attempt to hide his jealousy. He threw the branding device away. "You two had research results and didn't tell me? Do you even respect me as your mentor?"

"Oh dear, Master, why are you so angry? Calm down, calm down." Sophia walked over to Hollik with a grin and patted his back. "What's that saying again? 'If others anger me, I won't get angry. If I die from anger, no one will take my place.' Anger is bad for your health. You're already old and frail. If you get sick from anger, what will Anita and I do?"

"Get out! You little bastard!" Hollik tried to kick Sophia, but his legs were short, and he was old and lacked exercise. Instead of kicking, he stumbled.

“I’ve become a mid-level councilor, and you don’t seem proud at all, Master?” Abis looked at Hollik calmly.

"You two are simply not qualified to be mid-level councilors!" Hollick's jealousy and surprise made him completely enraged, his already pale skin turning a sickly red. "Why! Why can you become mid-level councilors at such a young age! I don't accept it!"

"This is a decision made by the High Council. What does it have to do with whether you agree with it or not?"

"I can kill both of you at any time!" Hollick's voice rose several octaves, becoming shrill and piercing. "Don't think that just because you've become a mid-level councilor you can be my equal! Parts of your souls are still with me!"

"Oh? Kill us? Is that all? We've been necromancers for years, we've long since become indifferent to life and death. It's you who's always been afraid of death, using all sorts of magic and potions to forcibly prolong your life." Abyss's voice grew increasingly cold. "Want to kill us, to make all the progress you've made in nurturing us go up in smoke? Then come on! Do you think we'll back down?"

“Oh, Anita, don’t say that. Master’s old man is a bit senile because he extended his lifespan, and he’s also not a good person, so that’s why he’s so angry.” Sophia continued to add fuel to the fire.

Abyss and Sofia worked together seamlessly, creating a fantastic synergy.

"Aaaaah!" Hollik angrily raised his staff and struck the Abyss.

Abyss grabbed Hollik's staff with both hands and snatched it away.

Then, he actually bent down and grabbed Hollik by the collar, staring directly at the shocked and angry Hollik, and said coldly, "I know what you brought us two from the continent for. You don't want to train two apprentices at all. You just want to raise our magic level and then make us the test subjects for your earth-shattering magic!"

Previously, Abis and Sophia had stolen all of Hollik's research results, and naturally knew Hollik's true thoughts.

He planned to use various means to enhance Anita and Spin's mental strength, then let them master a sufficiently high level of magic. He would then use his advantage of already controlling a part of their souls to make them two experimental subjects with mid-to-high-level strength! Such slaves could not be bought on the exchange. The Council of the Dead would not sell such powerful individuals as slaves to him, who was only a mid-level councilor. Therefore, he planned to do it himself.

On the surface, they were master and apprentice, but in reality, Hollick never intended to have any apprentices. In his eyes, Anita and Spin were just two livestock to be slaughtered.

Hollik planned to use the trained Anita and Spin to test a special spell he had developed that could extract the mental energy of mid- to high-level mages. If successful, he could not only use this patent to enter the High Council, but also leap to the level of a top-tier mage by extracting mental energy, and significantly extend his lifespan!

"You...I didn't!" Hollik finally realized he was in a panic.

"When you taught us necromancy, you always held back. You never offered guidance when we were doing experiments, just because you were afraid we'd be stronger than you!" Abyss continued. "But now it's different. Now I'm a mid-level councilor. I'm qualified to access more magic and become more powerful. Soon, the two of us will trample you underfoot! You'll be nothing! Do you think you're invincible? You're wrong! Our talent far surpasses yours. When the time comes, the two of us will show you what true terror is!"

"You...you dare!" Hollick's gaze turned venomous.

“Whether I dare or not, you can see for yourself…” Abyss shoved Hollik aside and sneered.

Hollik didn't continue to get angry. He picked up his staff and went straight back into his residence, leaving Abyss and Sophia outside.

“Do we really want to make him this angry?” Sophia asked, looking at Abis.

Abis smiled slightly: "We can't just wait to create a second vacancy for a mid-level councilor."

Chapter 302 Intermediate Council

Two days later, Abis was finally able to go to the meeting place where the middle-level councilors discussed matters.

This location was off-limits to outsiders, so Sophia had to stay at her residence and communicate with the Abyss through mind sharing.

Abyss was supposed to set off with Hollik, but after he gave Hollik a severe threat, the old man completely ignored him and Sophia, and deliberately didn't travel with Abyss when they set off.

Abis, on the other hand, was more than happy to be with someone like Hollik, a grumpy and unscrupulous old man. Although he was unfazed by honor or disgrace and rarely got angry, being with such a temperamental and wicked old man was not something he looked forward to.

The meeting place of this intermediate council was in a very inconspicuous spot in the Shadowfall—a seemingly empty patch of grass. However, as the Abyss landed nearby, it sensed a huge void deep underground. Around this void, the Abyss also sensed several magical arrays, many of which interfered with spatial magic, and some that could interfere with the spiritification magic of the Soul Reaper school.

Using spatial magic to enter this place would be quite difficult, as the Abyss is not an expert in this area and therefore is not entirely confident that he can get in on his own.

According to the letter, as long as someone with intermediate-level parliamentary qualifications arrives nearby, a special person will come to greet them, and this person will also be responsible for getting them into the assembly area.

As soon as Abyss landed on the ground, he sensed that someone was approaching.

"Hmm, this person's invisibility is quite good," Abys thought to himself, secretly praising the approaching figure.

The newcomer used an extremely sophisticated method—an invisibility technique never before recorded on the continent. This person not only used magic to completely conceal their form and voice, but also cleverly hid their magical energy fluctuations. An ordinary mage would likely be completely unaware of this person's presence.

However, Abyss's perception of magic had become quite acute after resurrecting Agnes; he could easily sense even the slightest disruption in the flow of magic. Since the other party was using magic, it would inevitably cause a change in the flow of magic. Therefore, to Abyss, this person who approached him and circled him was no different from someone running naked.

"Hello, I have just verified your soul, Miss Anita. Welcome to the Intermediate Council."

A voice rang out beside him. Abyss turned his head and saw that the person who had just used magic to become invisible had now dispelled the invisibility spell and was standing next to him.

This person's invisibility is superb, but his magic level is actually quite average. Perhaps he is someone the Council of the Dead is specifically responsible for guiding.

"This is my first time here. How do I get inside?" Abyss asked the guide.

The guide bowed to the Abyss, respectfully extended a hand, and said, "Please place your hand in mine."

Abyss placed his hand directly on it, and as soon as his hand touched the guide's hand, a surge of magic quickly enveloped him, and then the surrounding scenery changed.

In the blink of an eye, Abyss was already standing in a rather spacious hall.

"This spatial magic... is very special." After a moment's thought, Abyss concluded that the guide had used a special kind of spatial magic. It was indeed spatial magic, but the fact that it could bring Abyss to this place so precisely was quite intriguing.

Was this designed by the chief array master of the Council of the Dead? Abyss found it very interesting and was eager to meet this elusive magic array master.

"Wow, you're so young! Are you new here?"

Just then, Abyss heard someone behind him looking at him in surprise.

"I'm new here. Are you a senior member of the Intermediate Council?" Abis asked, looking at the middle-aged man in front of him.

“Yes, there aren’t many young people like you in the council. It’s quite a novel sight to see you today.” The middle-aged man said, greedily appraising Abyss’s beautiful figure. “My name is Bodil. It’s a pleasure to meet you, miss. You are truly a beauty.”