Undead Mage: I Have a Skeleton Clone-Chapter 568 - 398: Treasure Appraisal Convention Admission Ticket, Heavenly and Earthly Treasures Return!

These mutated Skeleton Warriors would quietly accumulate power in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to challenge the Skeleton Lord and seize control of the Corpse Hill. Or they would hide forever, never to be discovered.

However, if discovered by the skeletal horde under the Skeleton Lord’s command, a war would break out. These hidden, mutated Skeleton Warriors often triggered large-scale conflicts, as their very existence posed a threat to the Skeleton Lord’s rule. As long as they lacked the strength to confront the Skeleton Lord, their only fate was to be devoured by him.

This brutal competitive mechanism made the evolutionary path of the Skeleton Race exceptionally difficult. Through the accumulation of countless years, only eight Skeleton Centurions—the eight major lords of this region—had managed to survive on this path.

And according to the memory of the Skeleton Centurion that Fang Zhou had just killed, the mutated Skeleton Warriors were primarily stationed in the Skeleton Lord’s habitat—the White Bone Castle!

So, in that case... challenging the Skeleton Lord seems to be easier than I imagined.

Fang Zhou slowly sorted through the information from the Skeleton Centurion. The Soul Fire in his eye sockets flickered slightly as his thoughts gradually became clear. The White Bone Castle was not only the Skeleton Lord’s residence but also a gathering place for mutated Skeleton Warriors. This meant Fang Zhou could acquire a large amount of evolutionary material without directly facing the Skeleton Lord.

If the plan succeeded, he could obtain enough racial evolution material to advance from the Black Iron Tier to the Bronze Tier without ever having to face the terrifying Skeleton Lord. Once he advanced to the Bronze Tier, facing the Skeleton Lord—who was merely at the Black Iron Tier—with the terrifying power of a Bronze Undead would surely be an easy task.

This was Fang Zhou’s favorite way to battle: a direct confrontation, crushing the enemy with overwhelming power.

...

Thanks to Fang Zhou’s round-the-clock Cultivation, time flew by, and soon it was the final night of the Treasure Appraisal Conference.

In the auction house, Fang Zhou strode confidently and made his way to his familiar private box.

As soon as he entered, a graceful female student knocked and walked in. She handed Fang Zhou a copy of the treasure appraisal rules, saying, "Fang Zhou, the rules for the upcoming Treasure Appraisal Conference are a bit different from the previous auction nights. This is a stage for elite students to showcase and promote themselves. Before the appraisal begins, please read through this set of rules carefully so you don’t miss any opportunities."

"Thank you, senior sister," Fang Zhou responded politely, accepting the rules.

He skimmed through them rapidly, noticing that the rules were indeed quite different from the previous auctions. This Treasure Appraisal Conference emphasized personal presentations, allowing everyone to display their own treasures or resources to attract the attention and interest of other students.

The senior sister smiled slightly and said, "Junior, if you’re ready, I can take you to the venue for the Treasure Appraisal Conference. This time, our venue is a very spacious area in the basement of this hall."

Fang Zhou held the rules in one hand and nodded. "Then I’ll be in your care, senior sister."

The senior sister walked to the box’s window, slid open a control panel, and skillfully pressed a few buttons. A narrow elevator entrance promptly appeared on the wall. The senior sister stepped into the elevator and beckoned to Fang Zhou. Once he was inside, she activated it, and they began to slowly descend.

The elevator descended slowly. In the confined space, the female student occasionally turned to Fang Zhou to tell him more about the upcoming conference. Soon, the elevator reached the underground floor, and Fang Zhou followed the senior sister into the Treasure Appraisal Hall.

As she had mentioned, due to time constraints, the appraisal hall was unremarkable, but it was spacious. In the center of the hall stood a high platform, with dozens of wide stone chairs arranged below it. Each chair was carved with smooth, flowing patterns that resembled running water, adding a touch of artistry.

After taking a seat, Fang Zhou closed his eyes to meditate. He focused his mind on his Corpse Clone, while his main body quietly awaited the arrival of the other participants.

After a while, the previously empty hall gradually filled with people. Due to space constraints, only elite students who had undergone strict financial background checks were eligible to participate. As was to be expected when such a gathering of exceptional talents occurred, a wealth of information was soon being exchanged.

Having not spoken with any of the other students beforehand, Fang Zhou simply sat in a corner, silently eavesdropping on the conversations around him. Without even realizing it, he gathered a significant amount of valuable information.

Soon enough, a particular term from a nearby conversation caught his ear.

"Have you heard? The very popular Forest of Nature Spatial Fragment from the last few months has finally successfully undergone an energy level leap. Now it can accommodate Black Iron Lower Tier Professionals to freely enter and exit," a student said in a low voice, a hint of regret in his tone.

"Yeah, I’ve heard there are many precious resources and treasures inside. It’s a golden opportunity, especially for those Low Tier Professionals. Unfortunately, I’ve already reached the Black Iron Middle Rank, so I don’t have a chance to get in. Perhaps I can wait until its next energy level leap," another student replied, a trace of helplessness on his face.

"Yes, it seems the Forest of Nature and I are not fated to be."