Chapter 173: The Horrifying Curse of the Undead

Boom—!

The string of the Eagle’s Wing Longbow vibrated mercilessly once more as Sun Fei released an arrow.

However, it struck the mount of the Blackrock King instead.

Thump—!

The Blackrock King, terrified out of his wits, lost his basic instincts as a Two-Star Warrior. As the warhorse fell, he was caught off guard and tumbled directly from the saddle, landing face-first in the dirt. Several of his teeth were knocked loose, and the gleaming ruby-studded golden crown he always wore, even while sleeping, flew off into the weeds nearby.

Ahead, his last remaining guard glanced back just once before whipping his horse into a frantic gallop, fleeing for his life without a second thought for his king. In that moment, it was every man for himself; he feared that the next time Sun Fei drew his bowstring, he would be the target.

Seeing his opponent’s wretched state, Sun Fei curled his lips into a cold smile.

He swiftly switched to Necromancer Mode. Instantly, a swirling, deathly gray mist enveloped his entire body, completely obscuring his features. Then, Sun Fei dashed forward, closing in on the Blackrock King within twenty meters. The king, still dazed from the fall, hadn’t even noticed Sun Fei approaching.

Sun Fei clenched his five fingers lightly, then flicked them outward. Five streams of grayish-white death energy, each as thick as a thumb, shot out. In the next instant, they transformed into five ghostly, wailing apparitions that surged greedily toward the Blackrock King, biting and clawing their way through the tiny gaps in his armor until they vanished from sight.

This was a curse-type skill of the Necromancer—the Aging Curse.

It could curse a target, causing them to age rapidly and move sluggishly, while also making them several times more vulnerable to damage from attacks.

After casting the skill, Sun Fei thought for a moment, still unsatisfied. He opened his palm, and a whirlwind-like vortex of death energy swirled rapidly above it. With a backward push, the death energy likewise vanished into the Blackrock King’s body. Then, visible only to Sun Fei, a faint crimson flame flickered momentarily above the king’s head.

This was another curse-type skill of the Necromancer—the Confusion Curse.

It could curse a target, causing them to become agitated and disordered, filled with a desire to attack. From time to time, they would lash out at those around them—friend or foe.

After casting these two curse-type skills in succession, Sun Fei finally stopped. Without hesitation, he switched to Barbarian Mode, activated the skill Leap, and retreated rapidly. After a few flickers, his figure disappeared as he followed the narrow underground passage back toward Blackrock Fortress.

This was the first time Sun Fei had used the Necromancer’s curse-type skills in the real world.

The Aging Curse would drain the Blackrock King’s vitality, causing him to age quickly and suffer constant illness. Even the slightest bump would be enough to make him bleed and sustain injuries. The Confusion Curse, meanwhile, would plunge him into endless agitation. He would attack anyone nearby—even his most trusted ministers, his own sons, or his queen and concubines—without distinguishing friend from foe.

Entangled by these two powerful curses, the Blackrock King would soon become a cripple, a bloodthirsty beast. He would lose his former shrewdness, turning senile and cruel. For the Blackrock Kingdom, such a king meant chaos and bloodshed; the kingdom would inevitably plunge into terror and turmoil.

These two Necromancer curses would haunt the Blackrock King until his death—unless someone actively helped him break them. But the likelihood of that was slim. According to the research of the cunning elder Kane, although the necromancy of the World of Diablo shared the same origins as that of the Azeroth Continent, they differed greatly in technique and method of activation. Sun Fei was certain that within the Zenit Empire, there were no magic experts capable of lifting these terrifying curses from the World of Diablo.

Of course, Sun Fei had considered wiping out the Blackrock Kingdom entirely.

But the timing wasn’t yet right.

First, the Shampoo Expeditionary Force was rushing to the Imperial Capital Saint Petersburg to participate in the Martial Arts Combat Tournament. This opportunity was crucial for the current state of Shampoo City. Without the strength to oppose the suzerain state, the Zenit Empire, Sun Fei had to play by their rules. Through the Martial Arts Tournament, Shampoo City could gain more room and resources for development. Moreover, the existence of the Zenit Empire acted like a protective umbrella, shielding the still-nascent Shampoo City from external threats.

Second, rashly launching an attack between two vassal states violated imperial law. Minor conflicts could be explained away with plausible excuses—like the mass grave at the base of the Back Mountain cliffs behind Blackrock Fortress, where thousands of Shampoo City mining slaves lay dead. Previously, the Nine-Nation Alliance had dared to attack Shampoo City using the excuse that their princes had been rudely detained. But while the nine kings might bluster fiercely, killing civilians or destroying buildings was one thing; actually storming Shampoo City and wiping out its royal family would be a grave crime. Every vassal kingdom’s royal family were Nobles officially recognized by the empire’s emperor. Destroying a royal family was tantamount to rebellion. Especially a king like the Blackrock King, who ruled a Fourth-Class Vassal State—his status far surpassed that of Sun Fei, who ruled only a Sixth-Class Vassal State. If Sun Fei, in a fit of rage, exterminated the Blackrock City royal family, the empire’s Knight Hall would indeed come after him, just as the Blackrock King had warned. Though Sun Fei wasn’t afraid, Shampoo City still needed a period of peaceful development. Avoiding unnecessary trouble was the smart move. So, for now, he had to bide his time. After the Martial Arts Tournament, there would be plenty of opportunities to destroy this bitter enemy.

Traveling through the dark, narrow underground passage, Sun Fei soon returned to Blackrock Fortress.

The battle there had essentially ended.

Of the Blackrock City’s over four thousand elite soldiers, more than ninety percent lay dead or wounded. The remaining three to four hundred had discarded their weapons and knelt in neat rows on the small stone plaza, trembling as they awaited judgment from the people of Shampoo City.

…

Neigh—!

A horse whinnied. The Blackrock King, lying in the grass, struggled to lift his head. He saw that the ‘guard’ who had abandoned him earlier was now riding back.

“Blackrock King, are you… alright?”

The ‘guard’ removed his helmet, revealing a young face, somewhat distorted from the earlier fright. His damp black hair clung messily to his ears. His tone was certainly not that of a guard speaking to the king he had sworn loyalty to, though he seemed polite enough, perhaps aware of his earlier betrayal.

“Hmph! I’m not dead yet…”

Having survived the disaster, the Blackrock King’s panic subsided slightly. He slowly sat up in the grass. Though he resented the young man for leaving him to his fate, he wisely held back his anger. He stared fixedly in the direction where Sun Fei had vanished, his expression filled with unprecedented venom and hatred. “King of Champoo, since I’ve survived this time, hehe, you will surely regret it! Soon, I will make you watch as Shampoo City falls to my army, and everyone is slaughtered before your eyes. I swear, I will make you beg for death but find none!”

“It’s strange, though. Why did the King of Champoo suddenly retreat?” the young man wondered aloud.

“Nothing strange about it. That fool may be impulsive and hot-tempered, but he’s no idiot. He knows what it would mean for a mere king of a Sixth-Class Vassal State to kill me… Hehe, even if he doesn’t dare kill me now, I will surely kill him in time, given the chance!”

The black-haired young man didn’t share the Blackrock King’s view, but he didn’t argue. He let out a relieved sigh and said, “Well, since you’re unharmed, we should follow the master’s plan and return quickly to Blackrock City to prepare for the operation in the Scorching Sun Mountains…”

“Alright. But Prince Irvine, my forces have suffered heavy losses this time. The cavalry I could’ve sent were completely wiped out at Blackrock Fortress. If we want to send someone to track the King of Champoo’s movements, I’m afraid we’ll have to ask the master to select other experts!” The thought of losing Blackrock Fortress and over four thousand of his elite soldiers made the Blackrock King’s heart bleed with pain.

“That won’t be a problem… The strength of Shampoo City and its king has far exceeded our expectations. We must report what happened at Blackrock Fortress to the master immediately…” As the black-haired Prince Irvine spoke, he gestured, and a large white-winged eagle circling overhead cried out and dove down to land on his arm. He murmured a few words in a strange language, and the eagle flapped its wings and soared away.

The Blackrock King felt a mix of humiliation and lingering fear. Shampoo City’s strength had indeed far surpassed what he had anticipated. Not only was the King of Champoo incredibly powerful himself, but the experts under his command were equally shocking. This filled the Blackrock King with unprecedented dread. He tried to stand, leaning on a rock, but suddenly his body trembled. He felt an unprecedented weakness and emptiness; his arms, which usually wielded a sword with ease, now felt powerless. A faint trickle of blood appeared under his nose. He reached up and touched it, finding his hand stained crimson.

“Damn it… Must’ve been injured when I fell from the horse earlier.”

The Blackrock King didn’t pay it much mind. As a king accustomed to battle, injuries were common. He forced himself up and walked over to a horse left behind by a guard who had been shot dead. As he tried to mount, his legs suddenly felt weak. Had he not grabbed the reins, he might have fallen from the stirrup. He barely managed to channel his Battle Qi to climb into the saddle, but the bleeding from his nose worsened.

And then, an indescribable irritation surged within him.

The Blackrock King stared at Prince Irvine, this uppity prince from a higher-class vassal state who ordered him around. For some reason, he suddenly felt an overwhelming urge to tear the prince to pieces. In that instant, his hand even gripped the hilt of his sword; he nearly drew it and stabbed Prince Irvine. Fortunately, a sliver of remaining reason made him hold back at the last moment.