This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 110

The appearance of the Silver Frost Brotherhood causing trouble was not beyond Matthew's expectations. Due to his prior research, he didn't find the Ashen Creatures particularly challenging. He had gathered this many people mainly to prevent potential attacks from the nefarious organization.

So far, the significance of the Mark of the Deceased had become apparent. It was a tentacle of the Void Master Yukruss, the "Great Being" worshipped by the Scourge Cult. The latter was dedicated to reviving Yukruss in the material world.

Edeon, the warlock who initiated the war in Rolling Stone Town, didn't aim to destroy the town but used the war to create a large number of deaths near the Mark of the Deceased. From this perspective, the Scourge Cult had achieved its goal. They successfully activated the Mark of the Deceased, moving it from dormancy to resurgence, a necessary step for its rapid expansion.

This was also the reason why Matthew's extra glance drew the retaliation of the Ashen Lord.

The war had granted significant power to the Mark of the Deceased. The dozen or so carts brought by the Silver Frost Brotherhood had also contributed to the momentum.

"It seems that after the Scourge Cult's unexpected setback, the Silver Frost Brotherhood has taken up Yukruss's banner," Matthew remarked, not surprised by this turn of events.

Though the Scourge Cult claimed to worship Yukruss, the warlocks within the cult were essentially minions of the Midnight God. A follower couldn't serve two great entities simultaneously. There were only two possible explanations: first, Yukruss and the Midnight God had reached some kind of agreement to share followers, but this was highly unlikely. Deities were sensitive to their followers' disloyalty, and Laila wouldn't have needed the help of the Twilight Creature Geland to escape the Midnight God's wrath.

Matthew leaned towards the second possibility: the Midnight God and a faction of divine beings from the Divine Hall behind it were using Yukruss's power to create chaos. Yukruss might be aware of it, but He enjoyed it and didn't reveal the plot. Both sides had a superficial understanding.

Matthew remembered clearly that before Edeon initiated the war, there were three organizations that sent him a declaration of war: the Scourge Cult, the Silver Frost Brotherhood, and the Withered Cult. The first one had temporarily fallen, so the other two were likely to take action soon.

Now, the Silver Frost Brotherhood had resurfaced, and Matthew assumed that the Withered Cult wasn't far behind.

"Corrupted Druids are adept at concealing their tracks. Unfortunately, Eli isn't here, or his nose would have detected the scent of the Withered," despite Richard being tasked with handling the Silver Frost Brotherhood, Matthew remained highly vigilant. He missed the arrogant Ancient Tiger.

Luckily, it didn't take long for a squad of Lord's Guards, mobilized by Reiga, to arrive. Bradley mounted a horse and, following Reiga's orders, patrolled along the Mark of the Deceased, sweeping the wastelands, hills, and caves to the north and south of it.

Ever since the Underground Coalition invaded, Reiga had stationed watchtowers in the area. Initially meant to monitor the underground creatures' activities, the watchtowers had been repurposed to monitor the increasingly active Mark of the Deceased after the surrounding caves were sealed.

The members in these watchtowers were not from the Defense Team but Reiga's personal guards, the Lord's Guards, the true elites of Rolling Stone Town. The official members of the Lord's Guards numbered less than 40, but adding the followers each knight brought along, the total was close to 200.

Matthew had always been curious about how much it cost to maintain such a military force in a place like Rolling Stone Town, where war was a rare occurrence. Furthermore, how did Reiga maintain their combat readiness?

In theory, if a military force didn't see action for a long time, no matter how well they trained during peacetime, they would gradually lose their edge and even become decadent. But Matthew couldn't discern such signs among the knights of the Lord's Guards.

Clip-clop! The sound of hooves resounded, and as Matthew watched the guards disappear into the distance, he felt a bit of relief. Defending Rolling Stone Town wasn't solely his responsibility. In this regard, Reiga showed an unprecedented level of enthusiasm.

After giving the guards their orders, Reiga had climbed up an oak tree with remarkable agility despite his physical exhaustion. Matthew couldn't help but appreciate the effort. If this were a rainforest, he doubted Reiga would be able to open a bottle of oil.

"Matthew, that big guy is coming over!" Reiga shouted from the treetop.

Matthew glanced at the oak tree branches that seemed to emit a low lament. He called out, "Be careful, don't climb too high!"

Reiga, appearing composed, clung to the tree branches and said, "What's the big deal? Back in the Inferno, I even climbed Devil Trees!"

Matthew couldn't help but let him go. He focused his gaze on the massive figure that had recently appeared within the Mark of the Deceased.

"The Ashen Warrior."

This creature stood as tall as two men, significantly more robust than the common Ashen grunts, but their appearance was similar. The Ashen Warrior wielded a massive meteor hammer, and sparks constantly fell from its tip.

This creature was crafty. It didn't leave the Mark of the Deceased immediately but roamed near the outskirts. Every now and then, it would swing the meteor hammer in the void, causing sparks to scatter. These sparks disappeared into the nearby earth, darkening it instantly.

After several attempts, the land became a part of the Mark of the Deceased!

During this time, the oak tree closest to the Mark of the Deceased, grown by Matthew, was also devoured by the Mark of the Deceased. Matthew watched helplessly as the once-vibrant oak tree and the land it was rooted in turned into a charred remnant. It was painful to witness.

Gazing at the Ashen Warrior, Matthew's eyes were filled with determination. "Do you think you can take the risk of entering the Mark of the Deceased to kill that Ashen creature?" Old Falon suddenly spoke.

Richard had been dispatched to deal with the Silver Frost Brotherhood, but Matthew remained highly cautious. He somewhat missed that haughty Ancient Tiger. Fortunately, it didn't take long for a squad of the Lord's Guards, mobilized by Reiga, to arrive.

Bradley mounted a horse and, following Reiga's orders, patrolled along the Mark of the Deceased, sweeping the wastelands, hills, and caves to the north and south of it.

Ever since the Underground Coalition invaded, Reiga had stationed watchtowers in the area. Initially meant to monitor the underground creatures' activities, the watchtowers had been repurposed to monitor the increasingly active Mark of the Deceased after the surrounding caves were sealed.

The members in these watchtowers were not from the Defense Team but Reiga's personal guards, the Lord's Guards, the true elites of Rolling Stone Town. The official members of the Lord's Guards numbered less than 40, but adding the followers each knight brought along, the total was close to 200.

Matthew had always been curious about how much it cost to maintain such a military force in a place like Rolling Stone Town, where war was a rare occurrence. Furthermore, how did Reiga maintain their combat readiness?

In theory, if a military force didn't see action for a long time, no matter how well they trained during peacetime, they would gradually lose their edge and even become decadent. But Matthew couldn't discern such signs among the knights of the Lord's Guards.

Clip-clop! The sound of hooves resounded, and as Matthew watched the guards disappear into the distance, he felt a bit of relief. Defending Rolling Stone Town wasn't solely his responsibility. In this regard, Reiga showed an unprecedented level of enthusiasm.

After giving the guards their orders, Reiga had climbed up an oak tree with remarkable agility despite his physical exhaustion. Matthew couldn't help but appreciate the effort. If this were a rainforest, he doubted Reiga would be able to open a bottle of oil.

"Matthew, that big guy is coming over!" Reiga shouted from the treetop.

Matthew glanced at the oak tree branches that seemed to emit a low lament. He called out, "Be careful, don't climb too high!"

Reiga, appearing composed, clung to the tree branches and said, "What's the big deal? Back in the Inferno, I even climbed Devil Trees!"

Matthew couldn't help but let him go. He focused his gaze on the massive figure that had recently appeared within the Mark of the Deceased.

"The Ashen Warrior."

This creature stood as tall as two men, significantly more robust than the common Ashen grunts, but their appearance was similar. The Ashen Warrior wielded a massive meteor hammer, and sparks constantly fell from its tip.

This creature was crafty. It didn't leave the Mark of the Deceased immediately but roamed near the outskirts. Every now and then, it would swing the meteor hammer in the void, causing sparks to scatter. These sparks disappeared into the nearby earth, darkening it instantly.

After several attempts, the land became a part of the Mark of the Deceased!

During this time, the oak tree closest to the Mark of the Deceased, grown by Matthew, was also devoured by the Mark of the Deceased. Matthew watched helplessly as the once-vibrant oak tree and the land it was rooted in turned into a charred remnant. It was painful to witness.

Gazing at the Ashen Warrior, Matthew's eyes were filled with determination. "Do you think you can take the risk of entering the Mark of the Deceased to kill that Ashen creature?" Old Falon suddenly spoke.

...

Soul Crystals?

Do Ashen Warriors drop Soul Crystals? Matthew suddenly widened his eyes.

He held the Soul Crystal in his hand and examined it closely. He found that it was quite similar to the ones he had been refining himself, but with even higher purity!

Matthew was well aware of what high-purity Soul Crystals meant for the undead.

If the undead's soul fire was the source of their life and power, then regular Soul Crystals could extend the burning time of their soul fire. High-purity Soul Crystals, on the other hand, had the potential to trigger a transformation in their life forms!

In this situation, Afei showed remarkable restraint and diligently carried out his task.

Matthew was pleased by this. He was in dire need of Soul Crystals, not just now but for the foreseeable future. As the number of undead under his command continued to grow, Soul Crystals would soon become a problem.

Relying solely on his production was too slow. Matthew's meditation time and efficiency were limited. However, the undead's demand was insatiable. Constantly cutting costs would eventually lead to diminishing returns. Matthew understood this but had struggled with finding a stable source of Soul Crystals.

Now, he had discovered these Ashen creatures. He couldn't let this opportunity slip by. After all, who wouldn't want to strengthen their undead forces?

At once, Matthew formulated a plan:

Lysanna would handle the shooting, and Afei would be responsible for gathering. They would work in cooperation, and each would receive 10% of the obtained Soul Crystals.

Lysanna, despite her childlike demeanor and likely being no more than three or five years old, reminded Matthew that fairness mattered. He decided to be fair to Afei and the other undead in the future as well. As long as they worked hard, a small share was acceptable to him.

Several hours passed, and Matthew had observed the patterns in the Mark of the Deceased. In the absence of additional stimuli, only Ashen Grunts and Ashen Warriors appeared. The former respawned every three minutes and charged recklessly, even if they were killed, they could be resurrected. The latter respawned every half an hour and lingered on the outskirts of the Mark of the Deceased. These Ashen creatures seemed to serve a purpose in hastening the expansion of the Mark of the Deceased.

Fortunately, Lysanna's archery skills were impeccable, even when using the White Feather Arrows from the Lord's Guards, she could eliminate Ashen Warriors in just a few arrows.

This made Matthew realize that Ashen creatures were not as formidable as he had initially thought. Lysanna and Afei coordinated effectively, and with the help of numerous zombies and skeletal guardians, they not only kept the oak forest safe but also blocked the Ashen creatures from leaving their home.

The only downside was that not every Ashen Warrior dropped a Soul Crystal, leaving Matthew somewhat disappointed. He had even entertained the thought of having the Mark of the Deceased absorb more life essence to produce more Ashen Warriors. However, he startled himself with that idea and his restraint ability automatically activated.

Matthew realized that the Ashen creatures were probably not as straightforward as they seemed. These were only the first wave sent by the Ashen Lord, and more powerful ones might be on the way. The idea of sacrificing more life essence to produce Ashen Warriors was a dangerous one. Any action that underestimated the enemy might make him look like a fool in the end.

Matthew remained calm. At this moment, Old Falon approached and complimented him, saying, "You can single-handedly defend Rolling Stone Town; you're truly a promising young leader."

Upon seeing Old Falon's smile, Matthew couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy. Lysanna's infatuation with the Emerald Breeze was evident in Old Falon's eyes.

In this situation, Matthew couldn't retract the Emerald Breeze, so he asked, "If I rent it, how much will it cost?"

The value of this elven longbow clearly exceeded Afei's pair of daggers, and Matthew was considering purchasing it without waiting for Old Falon's response. However, Reiga, who had already climbed down from the tree, interjected, "This old man was quite the lady-killer when he was young, but now he's just a money-grubbing vampire. Time is the greatest enemy of a man."

Old Falon shot an annoyed look at Reiga. "If your sword were as sharp as your tongue, you should have killed that Viper Serpent with one strike back then. I wouldn't have to worry about money all the time."

Hearing this, Reiga's smile disappeared, and he admitted, "You're right; it was my mistake. I should have killed it with one strike."

Old Falon, however, wore a remorseful expression. "No, I misspoke. At the time, I was closer to the snake. I should have been the one to kill it, but for some reason, I lost all courage, took a few steps back, and ended up letting that beast spew venom. It was all my fault; I shouldn't have been timid."

Reiga shook his head, "We were all equally close to it— you, me, and Eric. But only Eric bravely charged forward. He was a true hero, and it's a pity..."

Both men fell silent for a moment, and Matthew sensed the need to change the subject, asking, "So, how much is the bow going to cost?"

Old Falon's anxious expression vanished as he spoke, "With a discount, the fixed price for the Emerald Breeze is 3500 gold coins!"

Matthew nearly had a heart attack at the mention of 3500 gold coins. His estimate had been around 1500!

Old Falon continued, "3500 is just the price of the Emerald Breeze itself. In fact, I have 12 special arrows to go with it: Sky Strikers. If you're certain about the purchase, I can give you a discount on them too, 40 gold coins each. Trust me, these special arrows won't disappoint you."

Matthew let out a deep sigh. "I'm sorry, Mr. Old Falon, but I'm afraid my wallet will disappoint you."

Old Falon spoke passionately, "You might find it expensive, but the true value of this bow is extraordinary. Its previous owner was Teralst, the famous Windseeker Grand Marshal of the Jade Winds' Court. Teralst was renowned for his archery skills and became a famous marksman. He even used this bow to kill a dragon!

Soon afterward, Teralst became infatuated with an elven girl and gave the Emerald Breeze to her as a token of their love. But that girl didn't reciprocate his feelings and, to reject his advances, she gave the Emerald Breeze to me. Ever since, this treasure has been in my possession.

I spent some wonderful years with the girl named Nila, but in the end, we couldn't be together. Due to the pressure of elven traditions, she returned to the Jade Winds' Court and married Teralst, with whom she had a child.

Unfortunately, not long after that, Nila passed away due to melancholy. I visited the Jade Winds' Court once, seeking the elven's secret formula to cure the Viper Serpent's venom, but they nearly killed me. Since then, I never saw Teralst again. It's said that he completely gave up archery after Nila's death and turned to elven swordsmanship, where he excelled.

But even so, the Emerald Breeze remained highly significant to him. He might not have come personally, but he sent his son, Teralni, to Rolling Stone Town. They say he's a spitting image of his mother, Nila. Unfortunately, I turned him down because he couldn't meet my price. If you buy the bow and, in the future, no longer need it, you may use it to trade for a friendship with the Windseeker Grand Marshal. I've heard that his son, Teralni, is now a prominent figure among the Windseekers. Trust me, the benefits this bow will bring you far exceed your expectations."

Old Falon's voice was like a devil's whisper, gradually breaking through Matthew's defenses. After a brief silence, Matthew looked at Reiga and asked, "I purchased the Emerald Breeze for the sake of defending Rolling Stone Town, which should be a significant event that affects the safety of the entire town. Shouldn't the Lord have some response?"

Reiga, alarmed, asked, "What are you planning?"

Matthew confidently stated, "This is an expenditure for public purposes, and it should be reimbursed from the public funds. I can temporarily cover the cost of the Emerald Breeze, but I will apply for reimbursement shortly."

Reiga responded with confidence, "You can apply however you want, but I have the final say."

Matthew remained composed and said, "That's fine. I'll approach Zeller."

Reiga's smile instantly disappeared, and Matthew turned to Old Falon, saying, "I'll purchase it, and the full price, including those twelve special arrows!"

He presented a significant sum of money.

Reiga, sensing something amiss, questioned, "Where did you get so much money?"

Matthew cleared his throat, saying, "In order to protect Rolling Stone Town, I've temporarily reallocated some of the Oak Merchants' public funds. Is that too unreasonable?"

After this small episode, Reiga, without much energy, pointed to the Mark of the Deceased and asked, "This thing has been hovering near our town, and it's undoubtedly an unstable factor. Although your undead can resist their invasion, it's not a long-term solution. What's your plan?"

Matthew pondered for a moment, "I have an idea, although it's not yet fully developed."

Reiga questioned, "What do you mean? As long as we can deal with the Mark of the Deceased, the whole town will cooperate fully."

Matthew spoke, "I've observed that the Mark of the Deceased needs to continually consume life essence to grow and expand. Life essence can be found throughout our living space, but there's the most of it in the land. The living earth is the medium for the Mark of the Deceased's expansion. It continuously robs the life force from the land to fuel its growth."

"From this perspective, I plan to hold a forbidden ritual near the Mark of the Deceased, preemptively draining the life essence from the nearby land to create a buffer zone of death. Since the Mark of the Deceased's expansion depends on the consumption of life essence, once we act first, there will be nothing for it to take."

Matthew was open to the possibility that the others might not see the big picture, and he was ready to explain his reasoning.

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