The blue flames within Li Xiuman's hollow eyes flickered with an eerie intelligence as they swept across the depths of the canyon, scanning one skeletal wanderer after another.The other skeletons, devoid of awareness, did not notice his gaze.Without the command of Pound, they could do nothing but drift aimlessly, guided only by instinct.
Li Xiuman's requirements for his next "target" were simple—Low level, valuable skill, isolated.
Yet within this dragon's lair, finding a skeleton of similar level was nearly impossible.After all, a Level 1 skeleton was practically a rare species.Most of the undead here were above Level 5, and those below that were scarce.As for another Level 1 skeleton—Li Xiuman had yet to encounter a single one besides himself.
Still, nothing is impossible for one who persists.
During his quiet patrol, fortune finally smiled upon him—He discovered a Level 3 skeleton possessing the skill [Agility].
His gaze lingered on its long, ivory-white legs—smooth and lustrous like carved jade.With the blue flames in his sockets burning with literal heat, he followed the skeleton, his gaze fixed on those gleaming, graceful limbs.
The target, dull and unaware, continued its mindless wandering.Li Xiuman waited patiently—for the moment it would be alone.
Skeletons roamed without pattern; given time, this charming creature would stray from the group.And when it did—that would be his chance to strike.
Moreover, skeletons did rest.Once it was alone and asleep, that would be his perfect moment to act.
Since his transformation, Li Xiuman had grown far more patient, like a predator tracking its prey.
Eventually, his patience was rewarded.
The skeleton before him lay down upon the cold stone, its pale body stretched out, those [Agility Lv1] legs gleaming faintly in the dark.Li Xiuman didn't rush in.He waited still—until its status displayed [Sleep].
Then, familiar with the process, he quietly hefted a large stone and crept closer.The blue flames in his sockets wavered slightly—And he brought the stone down in a swift, merciless arc.
Clang!
The skeleton's alluring legs trembled once, its skull cracked open, and the blue light within slowly faded to nothing.
[Ding. Low-tier Skeleton slain. EXP +30]
Suppressing his flicker of excitement, Li Xiuman reached for the skeleton's smooth legs.He detached the finer right leg, then removed his own and aligned the joint carefully before activating [Bone Morph].The new limb fused seamlessly.
A warm current flowed from the connection, spreading through his body. The fractures across his bones mended further; the dark hue of decay faded completely, leaving only pale yellow. The rough pits along his surface grew smoother.
[Ding. Skill acquired: Agility Lv1]
He adjusted the leg's proportions and stood.With a few testing steps, his vision blurred from speed—his movement had become markedly faster.The bones even felt denser, stronger.
He touched his ribs thoughtfully."Strength… still lacking," he mused.
His race—Low-tier Skeleton—was the weakest among the undead, capped at Level 10.To escape Pound's grasp, evolution was essential.And for that, all three core attributes had to reach ten points.
"Replacing my bones with stronger ones might increase my stats…"
After felling two skeletons, Li Xiuman decided to rest.Haste would only bring ruin.
He returned to the hidden cavern he had discovered earlier, settling into a light, dreamless slumber to restore his mind and energy.Being without flesh, he felt no hunger—But lacking flesh also meant his bones, exposed to the air, decayed over time. His skeletal form had a lifespan of only one year.
Yet—When he checked his panel again, he noticed something.His rate of deterioration had slowed.Once, the panel predicted his bones would last a single year; now it showed a year and one month.
It must be due to the increase in Constitution.
A small wave of relief washed over him.Clearly, he would have to borrow more bones from his "dear colleagues."
Upon waking, he straightened his spine, easing the tension in his brittle vertebrae, and set off once more to observe the other skeletons, searching for a skill that caught his interest.
Eventually, he fixed his gaze on a Level 4 skeleton possessing the skill [Mighty Strength Lv1].Its thick arm bones gleamed faintly white beneath the dim cavern light.
Now, with [Hardened Bones] boosting defense and [Agility] enhancing speed, what he lacked most was raw power.
Stalking. Waiting. Striking.A routine he had perfected.
The heavy stone came crashing down.Though this skeleton lacked any defensive skill, its higher level made it tougher—it took two powerful blows to crush its skull completely.
[Ding. Low-tier Skeleton slain. EXP +40][Level Up: Lv2][Free Attribute Point +1]
The azure flames in his chest and eyes flared brightly, then slowly stabilized.Hollow gaps in his frame filled in; the bone grew thicker, stronger.
"So leveling up grants free attribute points…"At last, a reliable method of growth.
The experience bar on his panel doubled, rising from 100 to 200.He assigned his free point to Strength.
A tingling sensation spread through him—the density of his bones increased noticeably.
Then, methodically, he detached the skeleton's left arm, removed his own, aligned the joints, and activated [Bone Morph].After the now-familiar sensation, the improvement felt subtler—but the system chimed again:
[Ding. Skill acquired: Mighty Strength Lv1]
Curious, Li Xiuman removed another limb to test a theory—Immediately, his panel flickered.
[Hardened Bones Lv1] vanished, and a wave of weakness spread through his frame, his bones turning fragile.
Alarmed, he quickly reattached the arm. The lost skill returned at once.
"So that's how it works…" he murmured.
He wasn't surprised.If he could endlessly replace his limbs to gain infinite skills, that would be far too absurd.
It seemed each limb could only borrow one skill at a time, with a limit of four in total—one for each limb.To truly make these skills his own, he would likely need to evolve once those borrowed limbs became part of his being.
After tidying up the remains of his latest victim, Li Xiuman began scouting for his final skill.Two skeletons a day—he intended to keep up this healthy habit.
With patience and persistence, he believed that someday, he would break free from the clutches of the wicked Bone Dragon Pound.