Chapter 231 - The Netherworld Division

“No... Mr. Lu Ran...”

Bai Qi’s heart shattered as he said, “We can’t do this... Don’t you know the dangers of the Undead attribute? A familiar resurrected through it... is no longer the same familiar!

“At that point, not just the familiar but even we ourselves will become neither human nor spirit! I admit this world isn’t perfect, but there’s no need to overturn or destroy anything!”

Terrified of dying here today, Bai Qi pleaded with all his might. If resurrection involved the undead attribute, he would rather not resurrect his familiars at all.

He didn’t want them to become lifeless puppets, nor did he wish to end up as an abomination himself. Besides being a beastmaster, he had a family—he had no reason to go to such extremes.

It must be said that the International Beastmaster Alliance had done an excellent job propagating the evils of the undead attribute.

As Bai Qi made his desperate plea, Lu Ran casually removed the Undead Holy Robe, reverting to his usual appearance in a short-sleeved husky shirt, drastically shifting the mood.

Bai Qi was speechless. His urge to retort was stuck in his throat, leaving him at a loss for words.

“I was just joking. Why are you so tense?” Lu Ran smirked.

He didn’t push the limits further. After all, human nature couldn’t withstand endless tests—this much was enough.

“What I said earlier was nonsense. Actually, the alliance has been deliberately researching the undead attribute, and I’m one of the project leaders. Besides me, Dr. Gu Qingyi and even the old president are aware of this.”

“Huh?

” Bai Qi was confused.

“If you want, I can call Dr. Gu for you. You two can talk it over. Besides, your concerns are unnecessary. During my second infiltration of the ascension realms, I went undercover in the undead cult of the Stellar Moon Continent and gained valuable information.

“For example, methods to preserve and restore the memories and consciousness of familiars transformed into undead. So if you resurrect your familiar using necromancy, it’ll still be the same familiar as before.”

“But...” Bai Qi stammered.

“Are you worried about undead familiars devouring souls?” Lu Ran asked.

Bai Qi’s expression fluctuated, his heart pounding uncontrollably. Lu Ran’s earlier words had genuinely terrified him. But if this was a state-sponsored project, it made sense.

Still, his concerns about soul-devouring remained—it was a key point the alliance heavily emphasized in its propaganda.

“Forget it. To gain something, sacrifices must be made. I’m willing to join this organization. I’ll also bear any drawbacks associated with the undead attribute.

“As long as my familiars have a chance at resurrection, I’m ready to assist you in your research.”

“Every field needs pioneers willing to pay the price. If this research could eliminate the drawbacks of the undead attribute, then I could be considered—”

“Hey, hey, hey, are you overdramatizing this?” Lu Ran interrupted.

Bai Qi looked at Lu Ran in confusion.

I’m being so resolute, and you think I’m overacting?

Lu Ran continued, “After infiltrating the undead cult, I already figured out how to resolve the undead attribute’s drawbacks. In other words, once you become a necromancer, the only differences between you and other beastmasters will be the familiars’ attributes and their food.”

Bai Qi was stunned.

“Resolved?” His eyes widened in disbelief.

“Resolved. Why else do you think the Beastmaster Alliance of Xia established an undead division?” Lu Ran replied nonchalantly. “Of course, I’m currently the only one who can process food for undead familiars.

“Well, I’ve explained everything. Make your decision. Do you want to switch professions and become a necromancer? Besides, I believe it won’t be long before the undead attribute can appear openly on the world stage. You won’t have to endure the stigma for too long.”

Bai Qi swallowed hard.

Was Mr. Lu Ran a god?

Not only had he evolved an overlord species dragon, but now he claimed to have solved the undead-type’s drawbacks. He couldn’t even begin to imagine how Lu Ran’s brain worked.

“After wandering aimlessly for half my life, I finally found my true master...” Bai Qi declared on the spot. “Boss, what’s the name of our organization? Am I officially recruited? Starting today, I’ll disband the Four Saints Guild and follow you.”

Who needs the Four Saints Guild anyway?

Bai Qi had it all figured out. There was no future in going it alone. Following someone like Lu Ran—the apparent protagonist of the world—was the only way forward.

If what Lu Ran said was true, the undead attribute had immense potential. Bai Qi would be among the first to seize this opportunity. After all, if even death could be overcome, what was there to fear?

Lu Ran pondered for a moment. “There’s an undead faction abroad called The Other Shore...

“Our organization will be called Netherworld, derived from the concept of the Netherworld Division.”

...

On Emerald Mountains, Lu Ran casually established Xia’s first undead division—Netherworld.

At the moment, the division had only two members. And these two members couldn’t even gather a single undead familiar between them.

But that was about to change.

After Bai Qi learned Undead Resurrection, Lu Ran passed on the missionary’s Soul-Restraining Bottle notes and experience to him. Slayer Bai Qi immediately began converting his familiars’ life forms.

Dressed in a black suit, Bai Qi was enveloped in a haze of gray-black mist, linking him to several of his familiars.

As time passed, the corpses of four familiars began to decompose naturally, almost as if transforming into a kind of nutrient. When their outlines were about to disappear, they were replaced by clouds of black-gray mist, which began constructing entirely new life forms.

It didn’t take long before four spiritual entities resembling a misty, ethereal Flood Dragon, White Tiger, and other forms emerged, their dormant consciousness gradually awakening.

“Just after being converted into the undead, their strength will inevitably drop temporarily. However, once they adapt to the unique characteristics of the undead attribute and develop their soul power, their strength will undergo a qualitative transformation.”

Bai Qi didn’t seem to hear him. Since the moment his familiars opened their eyes in their undead forms, still retaining their familiar gazes, he’d been overwhelmed by emotion.

“This is incredible...” Bai Qi’s heart churned with emotion.

Lu Ran understood Bai Qi’s complex feelings and chose not to interrupt him. Instead, he leaned against a tree and watched quietly.

This is the greatness of the undead attribute. Once we clear its name, countless beastmasters and their familiars will no longer have to live with regret. But the skill card for Undead Resurrection is too rare. It’s doomed to remain a luxury that only a few can afford. How on earth does The Other Shore manage to produce such a high volume of Undead Resurrection cards???

I don’t get it. If only I were stronger, I’d pay a visit to their headquarters and find out.

Moments later, Bai Qi snapped out of his thoughts with his spirits rekindled. Behind him, there were four undead familiars with each surpassing level 40.

“Don’t tell anyone about the undead attribute, not even your sister or other family members,” Lu Ran cautioned.

“Understood. I’ll be careful,” Bai Qi replied with a smile. “Thank you.”

“As for the issue of familiar food. While I’ve solved it, there’s still no convenient portable solution. If you need food for your familiars, you can bring me the corpses of fierce beasts you’ve hunted, and I’ll process them for you.

“Unlike other familiars, undead familiars only need to consume a large quantity of food once to remain active for a long time.”

“Got it. Mr. Lu Ran, I—”

“Don’t address me that way anymore. From now on, just call me Minister. Our organization is officially named the Netherworld Division.”

“Minister, I’ll disband the Four Saints Guild immediately after I return. What should I focus on next?” Bai Qi asked.

He knew it wasn’t suitable to openly clear secret realms within the country at this point. If his undead familiars appeared on any leaderboards, it would cause major trouble.

Of course, he could always register under a false ID like Limitless City, but everything depended on Lu Ran’s instructions.

Lu Ran thought for a moment. “For now, you don’t need to challenge any realms. Instead, focus on hunting uncontrollable fierce beasts within the country. Work solo to address these threats. Bring their corpses back to me, and I’ll process their souls.

“For now, we don’t have suitable candidates, but once I find someone, I’ll assign you a partner. Moving forward, all Netherworld Division members will operate in pairs to ensure mutual support.”

“Got it, no problem.”

Bai Qi’s enthusiasm was through the roof. He felt like his life had regained purpose. His new life goal wasn’t to grow the Four Saints Guild anymore. It was to help Lu Ran elevate the undead attribute to its rightful place in the world.

After all, his success was now tied directly to the fate of the undead attribute.

“Oh, and make sure you contact Dr. Gu Qingyi later to register and back up your information. That way, you won’t be mistaken for an evil necromancer by some of the country’s older generation beastmasters.”

“After all, only two members of the first generation are aware of the Netherworld’s existence...”

To be precise, only two people knew.

***

“Netherworld... You’re becoming more and more like the Holy Son of the undead cult,” Manager Ying said as it approached, a smirk tugging at its lips after Lu Ran finished assigning Bai Qi his tasks.

“I wonder what it’ll look like when The Other Shore encounters Netherworld in the future.”

“

Ahem.

That’s a problem for another day. We’ll cross that bridge when we come to it.”

For now, Lu Ran’s vision for Netherworld was simple. Get employees to help him hunt powerful fierce beasts. They’d supply the corpses, and he’d provide the food for their familiars.

Take Bai Qi, for example. As a top-tier second-generation beastmaster, he could hunt level 50 King Species fierce beasts with relative ease. His strength was on par with Pluto’s brother. Such power placed Bai Qi firmly in the second tier of Blue Planet’s strongest individuals.

Once Bai Qi hunted 100 strong fierce beasts, Lu Ran would extract their souls, store them in Soul-Restraining Bottles, and return 50 processed souls to Bai Qi, keeping the rest for himself.

The more members Netherworld had, the faster he could collect souls. And during Bai Qi’s hunts around the outskirts of Xia, he’d be eliminating threats to the nation’s safety. It was a win-win-win situation!

For example, Bai Qi’s next destination was a desert area teeming with Fire-attribute fierce beasts. The environment there was harsh, resources were scarce, and many fierce beasts were growing restless.

Bai Qi’s mission to hunt there would not only aid Lu Ran but also reduce the pressure on local armies and the Beastmaster Association.

Of course, Lu Ran would also accelerate the development of low-grade Soul-Restraining Bottles for other necromancers to store food. He had studied such techniques extensively during his infiltration of the undead cult.

“What’s the matter? Do you have something for me?” Lu Ran turned to Manager Ying.

“The mineral resources you requested. I’ve already found sellers. Treasure-grade minerals, Millenium Ice Heart and Eye of the Storm.”

The Millenium Ice Heart was a special mineral. Weapons forged from it could dramatically enhance a familiar’s Ice-attribute abilities.

Even if the familiar wasn’t Ice-attributed, any Ice-related intent it wielded would be amplified to rival or even surpass that of a true Ice-attribute familiar.

If a familiar didn’t possess any Ice-attribute abilities, wielding a weapon forged from this mineral could still grant their skills Ice-attribute effects.

Essentially, this mineral imbued the weapon with an Ice-attribute core, allowing it to breathe and resonate with its wielder’s skills as if it were a living being.

Meanwhile, the Eye of the Storm was another treasure designed to maximize a familiar’s compatibility with and control over Wind-attribute forces.

Legends said that even just wearing this mineral allowed a familiar to perceive the natural flow of wind as clearly as a Wind Sovereign could.

Lu Ran’s goal for acquiring these two minerals was straightforward—he wanted to forge new weapons for Captain Doofus to enhance its capabilities to an unprecedented level.

Although the basic effects of the Millennium Ice Heart and the Eye of the Storm were simple, their amplification potential was massive.

Paired with 1,000 Doofus Teeth, the Soul Forging Technique, and rare auxiliary materials obtained from the Upper Palace Elder, Lu Ran intended to craft a Treasure-grade lifebound weapon for Captain Doofus—one on par with the Bone Sword of a Thousand Blades.

The weapon’s unique properties would depend on the combination of the Soul Forging Technique and the exotic materials acquired from secret realms.

If successful, this weapon could also have the potential to evolve into a spiritual weapon. It would complement the Sword Grass—a living plant with the potential to gain consciousness and become Captain Doofus’ companion.

The biggest issue now was that Lu Ran hadn’t yet perfected the Soul Flame and...

"Where’s my money?" Manager Ying raised its paw, signaling the need for payment.

Lu Ran scratched his head. "I don’t have any cash, but I can give you the Queen Ant’s Egg. Sell it and use the proceeds to buy the two minerals. Then, whatever money is left, return it to me or exchange it for trait crystals that suit my familiars. As for your commission, take it directly from the profits."

In Lu Ran’s eyes, the Queen Ant’s Egg was worth at least two Common Treasure-grade resources and one unique trait crystal.

As for letting Manager Ying determine its cut, Lu Ran wasn’t concerned. Investing in Manager Ying was a business in itself. Its efforts to make money were tied to its desire to gather resources and awaken its true form. Once that happened, its abilities as his bodyguard would improve significantly.

Manager Ying fell into deep thought.

From the current situation, it seemed that perfect-score Legendary Secret Realms almost guaranteed the discovery of King Species familiar eggs.

And yet, Lu Ran, this anomaly, didn’t seem to care about these eggs at all, leaving them for it to trade every time.

At this rate, I’m going to become a professional egg dealer!