This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 70

Grave stone?

Matthew was slightly puzzled; this didn't fit the burial customs of the Eondorian civilization.

However, when he read the note behind it, everything became clear.

In the information provided by Samantha, there was a clear mention of a port city called "Mingtan." It was located on the eastern coast of the Endless Ocean, a bustling port city.

The lord of that city was King Mingtan, who was one of the early leaders of the Su tribe, the people who had crossed the ocean to settle in Eondor.

"So, there's an underwater tomb near Junliu Island, and it might have already been opened, or else this grave stone wouldn't have been washed up here by the sea."

Matthew had a reasonable suspicion that King Mingtan's tomb was not far from Junliu Island, perhaps even on the island itself.

Because this grave stone was obviously quite heavy and couldn't have drifted with the sea waves for long.

Would King Mingtan's tomb hold the legacy of the Balance Way?

Matthew believed there was a good chance.

Unfortunately, his divination skills were lacking, or he could have tried to gather more clues.

For now, he picked up the grave stone and continued his stroll along the beach.

In the past few days, he had visited many places on Junliu Island, with occasional small findings. Although they didn't hold great significance, they all had their unique charms.

The beach was covered in seashells, and he sometimes found a few stranded large fish.

Matthew couldn't identify their species, but he knew well enough if they were fat or lean. He put these fish in a bag and planned to hand them over to Old Gito when he returned to the village.

Old Gito was friendly and skilled, and the sea fish here were naturally fat and delicious. After his treatment, they would become a feast for the taste buds.

The beach wasn't very large.

Unknowingly, Matthew had reached its end.

The coastline ahead suddenly became rugged, and the soft sand was replaced by large boulders.

Orlen had told Matthew that the rock area yielded even better seafood during low tide. Unfortunately, it was currently high tide, making the rock area relatively dangerous.

Matthew stood on a large boulder, gazing for a while.

Eventually, he decided to head to a higher place in the terrain.

It didn't take long.

Matthew discovered a vast expanse of abandoned building remnants.

The architectural style here was similar to "Return Village," consisting of large stone houses.

The difference was that this place had been abandoned, and in the center of a circle of stone houses, there were several low, kiln-like structures.

This was an abandoned pottery kiln.

From the traces left on the mottled stone walls, Matthew could tell that the Su tribe had conducted large-scale pottery firing here.

In the adjacent warehouse, there were colorful ceramics stacked high. These ceramics depicted various lifelike animals, and there were all sorts of pots, bowls, ladles, and basins.

However, after Matthew had taken a look around, he realized there were no porcelain pieces.

It was unclear whether the porcelain pieces were taken away due to their higher value or if they never managed to master porcelain-making techniques here.

Regardless, the craftsmanship of the Su tribe far surpassed the artisans of Rolling Stone Town.

Since it was an abandoned pottery kiln, Matthew decided to take two sets of ceramics and planned to ask Orlen if he needed them to compensate for the fee.

Leaving the pottery kiln behind, Matthew continued up the mountain. After only a few steps, his steps suddenly stopped.

His senses had detected something unusual.

Matthew looked back, only to find a low, withered plant on the hillside behind the pottery kiln.

This plant appeared to have been struck by lightning, with blackened leaves and the appearance of imminent death.

But Matthew felt a vigorous life force emanating from it!

...

"Hint: You've discovered a tea tree (High Mountain Green Tea) (Thunderstruck status)."

...

Green tea? Matthew was overjoyed.

He hurried over to the lightning-struck tea tree and found seven more tea trees behind it.

The seven tea trees were full of tea leaves, but they looked a bit old for plucking, judging from their shape and texture.

Matthew plucked some tea leaves and brought them back to the village.

He brewed a pot of hot water in his new ceramics and made a steaming cup of green tea for himself. After a moment, he took a few sips.

A long-lost feeling of freshness washed over him.

...

"Hint: You've consumed a cup of blessed High Mountain Green Tea. Your temporary focus +1, learning speed and spellcasting speed both increase by 15% (lasts for 45 minutes)."

...

"Blessed green tea? Whose blessing is this?"

Matthew was somewhat curious.

This enhancement effect was much stronger than the coffee he usually drank.

Eondor had its own tea, but most of it was black tea, and there was a scarcity of the green tea that Matthew preferred.

After a cup of hot tea, Matthew was already considering those tea trees.

In the afternoon, Matthew found Olen and discussed the matter of the pottery and the tea trees.

Regarding the former, Olen mentioned that these were made by the Su tribe of the village many years ago. Due to some mystical reasons, the aging process of these pots and ceramics had been greatly slowed down. Matthew could take some for personal use for free, but he couldn't use them for personal gain, as they would quickly deteriorate.

This was also why the young people of the village didn't take these ceramics when they left.

As for the tea trees, Olen's response was quite puzzled. He didn't realize the significance of the tea trees until Matthew showed him the tea leaves and described the trees' location.

"Are you talking about those short trees? Are those considered tea leaves?" Matthew nodded. Olen sighed and said, "I'm sorry, but the effects of these trees are probably unknown to even Pearl and the other elders in the village. Perhaps the village chief knows, but he didn't take care of them while he was alive."

"Su people on Junliu Island have forgotten too many things. At this rate, they'll soon forget themselves. Maybe it's because they don't belong here, and their arrival here was just an accident. But I'm grateful for this accident. Without it, I wouldn't have had a chance to meet my true love."

Olen then granted permission for Matthew to transplant those trees if he wished. The village's elders wouldn't object.

Matthew was pleased to receive permission but quickly inquired about Pearl's condition. He had visited her a few times over the past few days and concluded that she seemed close to the end of her life. However, Olen had a more positive outlook.

"Her spirits have been high these days. I think she'll stay in this state at least until the Lantern Festival."

Matthew sensed something more in Olen's words. He patted Olen's back gently before returning to his room to continue studying magic.

Two days later, the Lantern Festival arrived as scheduled.

On this day, the front doors of the stone houses on Junliu Island that were inhabited had red lanterns hanging, adding a touch of festivity.

Matthew noticed that even the elderly man he first met on his arrival, who had been ignoring him, now had a lantern hanging in front of his door.

He approached the man, greeted him, and was surprised when the man responded and even smiled faintly. In the past few days, Matthew had greeted all the elders in the village, and perhaps due to being one of the few young people in the village, they all treated him kindly, except for this particular man, who had always been indifferent.

Matthew had initially thought that the man might have a mental illness or difficulty speaking, but today, the man had responded.

They engaged in conversation, and the elderly man patiently shared their past experiences of fishing at sea. As they talked, the man even suggested that in a few days, when the weather was better, he would take Matthew out to sea.

The entire conversation had no logical issues, but the drastic change in the man's behavior was astonishing.

On the day of the Lantern Festival, Matthew had his two main meals at the home of the elderly couple.

Contrary to the usual, Pearl was not only dressed nicely but also appeared to be in high spirits.

However, Olen, who was usually warm and friendly, remained silent and even accidentally cut his finger twice while chopping vegetables. Luckily, Matthew had some hemostatic ointment with him.

The minor incidents were quickly resolved, and the atmosphere at the dining table remained jovial.

But Matthew was already aware of what was about to happen.

As expected, in the evening, Olen found him. "Let's go to the eastern beach. The real Lantern Festival is about to begin."

Matthew noticed that Olen was carrying an oval-shaped pottery instrument with many holes dug into it.

It was a musical instrument called the Xun.

Matthew didn't say anything and followed Olen to the eastern beach, which was next to the eastern cliffs. A large number of seabirds were circling in the sky, often building their nests on the cliffs to avoid attacks from snakes and other predators.

The two of them found a rocky outcrop to sit on, and the gentle sea tide washed the sand beneath their feet.

As dusk fell and twilight gave way, bright lights began to appear in the woods along the shore.

These were the lanterns carried by the elderly people, each holding a big red lantern in their hands.

They looked frail, but their steps were determined, and they walked slowly but with resolute expressions, wearing content smiles on their faces.

Walking at the front was the same elderly man who had not acknowledged Matthew before but had invited him to go fishing today.

The elderly man walked past Matthew, carrying a lantern, and even smiled at him. "The day has finally come, hasn't it? I'm about to return to my homeland. The grass there is fragrant, and I can't wait any longer."

With these words, he became the first to step into the sea with his lantern.

Splash, splash, splash.

The sea tides gently lapped against the old man's body, and his steps began to waver, but his direction remained unwavering.

Eastward.

He faced the east and walked into the vast sea.

Waves surged, and the seabirds fell silent.

Gradually, the old man's figure completely disappeared from Matthew's view.

Whether he was swept away by the sea, engulfed by darkness, or truly returning to his homeland as he had claimed, no one knew.

Afterward, in the jungle, one by one, these elderly people on the brink of death emerged.

Their expressions were all calm, some with tears in their eyes, some with deep yearning, but unanimously, they longed for the east.

One by one, they walked into the sea.

And, just like the first elderly man, they vanished without a trace.

Not long after, Pearl approached, dressed in her most beautiful attire, wearing a gentle smile on her face. As she passed the rocky outcrop, she placed her lantern down, embraced Olen, and nodded at Matthew.

"You don't have to be sad. For us, this is more like liberation. We were born with an endless longing for our homeland, but the feeling of wanting and not being able to return has tormented us our whole lives. We can't go back, can't go back. In my lifetime, I can never return to that mainland. But my parents, grandparents, my siblings, they are all waiting for me there. I'm going back, I'm going back to my hometown, my hometown in my dreams..."

Pearl carried her lantern and sang an unknown song with a murmuring tone.

A low sobbing sound echoed on the beach, as if someone was crying.

Matthew knew that it was Olen playing the Xun.

A faint melancholy welled up in his heart.

He watched as Pearl's figure also disappeared into the waves.

His eyes couldn't help but shed a few tears.

"Hey, Matthew, why are you crying?" Ella poked her head out from his chest and asked.

Matthew shook his head, not completely denying it. "It's just that the sea breeze is strong, and it reminded me of my homeland."

At that moment, he finally understood.

The decline of the Su people who had drifted to this place was inevitable.

Young people shed their burdens and assimilated into the local life.

But the elderly could never return to the other side of the sea. In the end, they could only be buried beneath the sea.

Facing east until the end.

In a few years, when the last elderly person carried their lantern and walked into the sea, Junliu Island would become a deserted island, and the stories of the Su people would gradually become legends.

They didn't belong here, and they had to leave.

Olen's Xun playing gradually faded.

Suddenly, Matthew felt himself engulfed by a vast darkness, and in the boundless expanse of time and space, he seemed to lose control of his own body.

For a moment, he was drenched in cold sweat, but when he came to, he realized that nothing had happened around him.

Only the data panel faithfully recorded everything.

...

"Hint: You witnessed the entire Lantern Festival, your knowledge +50 (Su people); You acquired the Lantern Festival seal, Su people's friendliness +10;

...

Warning: You resisted the allure from the depths of the sea, willpower +1.

After successfully resisting high-difficulty allure multiple times, you automatically acquired a new ability: Unshakable.

Unshakable: When in this state, you gain a powerful resistance to any mental attacks (including allure, fear, intimidation, deception, singing, mental piercing, etc.). At the same time, your thinking speed and speech rate will become one-tenth of the usual, so use this ability with caution."

...

Without having the time to examine his new ability, Matthew was initially taken aback.

He had never expected that Xuankunzi's words were so accurate. The Su people entering the sea were not due to a curse but because of allure!

The question was, where did this allure come from? What creatures were hidden in the vast depths of the sea, calling the Su people?

What would happen to the Su people who succumbed to this allure in the end?

Matthew had no answers to these questions. He was just a bit frightened and had not anticipated the Lantern Festival ritual to be this perilous. Thankfully, his resistance to allure was maxed out, and his unwavering heart and high willpower gave him near-legendary resistance.

"I'll have to be more careful in the future, not just with rituals but also with anything related to festivals," he thought.

"But why didn't Olen have any issues? He must have participated in the Lantern Festival several times. Could it be that this allure only affects the Su people? Then what about me?"

After some puzzling thoughts, Matthew finally couldn't resist checking out his new ability. Despite some slight concerns, he was quite satisfied.

Unshakable's excellence lay in the all-around improvement of mental resistance.

While Heart Like Still Water could only resist allure, its scope was too narrow.

The only issue was that he had yet to experience the slower thinking speed. It seemed like he would need some practice. Otherwise, using it temporarily could lead to errors.

At that moment, Olen, with tear-streaked cheeks, approached, holding the Xun.

"Child, you have witnessed the entire Lantern Festival. According to Su tradition, you are one of us now."

Olen's voice was low, and it was evident that he was struggling to speak.

"I'm very sorry for Pearl's deception earlier. The Path of Balance has not been completely severed. The last Balance Messenger has a living relative, his grandson named Yu Lian. You can find him in the Corlo City casino on the northern coast of the Goldshore. Take the letter from Liweichi with you, and he might be willing to help you."

Matthew frowned and asked, "So, he's a gambler?"

Olen's tone became gentler. "No, he's the owner of the casino."

Two days later, on the northern Goldshore, in Corlo City.

The "Good Times" Casino.

As night fell, the casino was bustling with activity.

A short figure, wearing heavy armor that was quite out of proportion to their size, carrying a large backpack and sporting a beret, weaved through the crowd of gamblers.

Their height was just a little taller than the height of the gambling tables, and they had to tiptoe just to get a glimpse of what was on the tables.

The waitstaff almost collided with them several times, but the small figure miraculously avoided each collision.

Despite their substantial horizontal bulk, they moved through the crowd as though invisible, and no one noticed them.

The little figure traversed the hall and arrived in front of a massive black door guarded by security.

At that moment, a line was forming on the right, and a slim, petite woman was in charge of reception. She did notice the small figure but quickly ignored them.

"Yu Lian, come out!" The little figure had a child-like voice, and she seemed quite irate, pushing and shoving a tall, slim figure in front of her.

"Make way! Make way! Mage, I'm not cutting in line; I'm here to blow up this casino."

"If you can still be reasoned with, you should either cast 'Explosion Protection' on yourself or leave immediately."

Though the small figure's voice was child-like, it was full of vigor, and everyone near the entrance heard it.

The people were taken aback for about three to four seconds and then burst into laughter.

The tall, skinny figure turned around after a moment. He hadn't initially seen the small figure and had to follow the gazes of those around to spot their target.

"Um, hello, sir, are you talking to me? Huh? May I ask if you're a gnome?"

The mage's eyes were full of interest, as if he had never seen someone of such a petite stature.

But the little figure's eyes immediately turned menacing.

She spoke with a stern expression, "Mage! You're in serious danger right now, and I could add you to my list of vengeance at any time! To prevent you from meeting an untimely end and to spare you the embarrassment of your ignorance, there are a few things I must inform you of. First, I'm not a sir; I'm a ma'am. Is that so hard to see?"

Matthew was taken aback. His gaze swept across her rather unremarkable chest and then moved up along her neck tightly encased in metal plating to her helmet, short hair, and large eyes.

It was indeed not easy to discern.

"Second, I'm not a gnome; I'm just naturally short in stature. As a mage, you're terribly unqualified and impolite. If you can't distinguish between humans and gnomes, I suggest you take some courses in anthropology and study human anatomy so you won't embarrass yourself or invite trouble the next time. Do you understand?"

Though the little figure was short in stature, she spoke with great presence.

Matthew realized he had indeed been careless, so he sincerely apologized, "I'm sorry; I didn't see it."

"It's okay; you don't have to apologize."

The little figure still had a cool demeanor. "First, there are many people as shallow as you, and I encounter them almost every day. Second, whether you apologize or not, you're already on my list of grudges, and I might seek revenge on you at any time, so your apology isn't necessary."

Having said that, her gaze shifted to the group of onlookers and guards nearby.

"Lastly, you ignorant busybodies, don't underestimate the destructive power of a 'Mechamancer' with an extremely vengeful heart."

"All this commotion; let's give them a taste of it!"

With that, she quickly released two wind-up birds from her pack.

Chirp, chirp!

The two birds automatically wound themselves up and then flew toward the security guards!

Chapter 71 >>

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