This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 12 (Patreon)

For Matthew, who had always been low-key and pragmatic, legends seemed a bit premature.

But the rules that resembled the games from his past life did bring him some comfort.

Legends.

It referred to those who were above level 21, mastered the power of their domain, and had a renowned reputation.

All three elements were indispensable.

And an adventurer wanting to embark on the "Path of Legends" couldn't avoid these three aspects: 'level,' 'domain,' and 'reputation.'

In normal circumstances, mastering the domain was the most difficult, followed by level, and reputation was the easiest to manage. Especially for those who were good at bluffing and self-promotion, gaining reputation in a specific area was as simple as eating and drinking.

So Matthew didn't have too many expectations about opening the path to legends in advance.

"It's a relief to meet Bradley here. Otherwise, I'd have to send Sophie to the Lord's Manor myself."

Matthew felt at ease leaving Sophie with Bradley. The big, bearded man was not only a reliable captain of the guard but also Sophie's cousin by blood.

What was even rarer was that Bradley had volunteered to guard the secret in his place.

"I wonder how he'll explain it to others and report to his uncle, Lord Bloodflag..."

The return journey was swift.

Before long, the crude wall on the outskirts of Rockstone Town came into view.

Matthew waved to the Bone Dragon behind him. "Go back!"

The original habitat of Little Boil was a negative energy plane. Even though he had signed a contract, Matthew still needed a substantial amount of mana to summon him to the primary material plane.

With only his 8th-level mana, it was quite a stretch to maintain the expenditure until now. If it weren't for the purpose of testing the duration, he might have sent it back long ago.

"Boil..."

The Bone Dragon's soul fire flickered, showing clear signs of reluctance.

"Go on, you were great tonight. Keep up this performance, and there might be rewards in the future!"

Matthew skillfully dangled a carrot.

...

"Inspired by your encouragement, Faelorius (the Bone Dragon) has raised its loyalty to you to 93!"

...

The gray reverse-summoning magic circle lit up.

Little Boil wagged his tail, and his massive body suddenly disappeared, leaving only a few traces of bone dust on the ground.

Matthew smiled faintly.

"This Bone Dragon is much more useful than I imagined!"

But in the next moment...

...

"Death's Contract: With the end of this formal summoning, your summoned creature, Faelorius, fought with all its might for tonight's battle. However, during this period, it consumed a significant amount of energy, which had a certain impact on its survival in the negative energy plane. Faelorius humbly requests a reward for this summoning: 5 Soul Crystals. Will you pay?"

...

"5 Soul Crystals?!"

Matthew's expression was one of disbelief.

"Peggy's monthly salary is only 1 Soul Crystal, and it can cover Peggy's expenses for 300 days in one night?!"

His heart began to convulse!

Soul Crystals were derivatives produced by necromancers during meditation. These items were extremely precious. For high-level undead creatures, Soul Crystals were essential for their advancement. Many intelligent undead creatures were willing to sign contracts with necromancers to secure a stable source of Soul Crystals.

Peggy was an example of this.

Furthermore, Soul Crystals were also essential for crafting magical items, casting necromantic curses, and setting up undead rituals, among other uses. They were extremely versatile.

However, the efficiency of necromancers in producing Soul Crystals was quite low. Even if Matthew meditated for six hours every day, he would only obtain 3 to 5 Soul Crystals in a month.

After two and a half years of traversing, Matthew had only accumulated a little over 20 Soul Crystals!

It wasn't that he had been slacking off in his meditation. It was just that the expenses were indeed substantial. Otherwise, he wouldn't be constantly thinking about how to squeeze more out of Peggy...

"I didn't expect to encounter a big eater disguised as a loyal servant."

Matthew shook his head inwardly.

This Bone Dragon couldn't be summoned casually anymore.

He couldn't afford it.

After much hesitation, Matthew chose to "pay the full price." He had no choice; Little Boil was now his trump card, and loyalty was hard-earned. He didn't want to risk it for a small gain.

...

"Death's Contract: You have paid 5 Soul Crystals!

...

Faelorius is overflowing with gratitude, and its loyalty to you has increased to 96!

...

Faelorius has shared its ability 'Blind Sense' with you!

...

Blind Sense (Weaken): You can perceive your surroundings without relying on conventional sensory organs like sight, hearing, or smell. Any subtle fluctuations are hard to escape your perception.

...

You can use this ability to scout stealth units and hidden creatures (excluding spirits).

...

Range: 30 feet."

...

This ability turned out to be quite good.

It was practically the nemesis of stealth units!

Matthew's heartache was slightly alleviated:

"Consider it as buying an ability for 5 Soul Crystals!"

...

Late at night.

At home.

After a short break, Matthew's spirits were reinvigorated as he began to unpack the spoils from the maleficent camp.

The supplies in the warlock's camp were quite substantial. Unfortunately, the storage space in his magical bag was quite limited, so he had already packed as much as he could bring back.

Most of these spoils had come from the warlock himself, Fane.

Compared to the arsonist Blackthorn, Fane didn't have much currency on him, only a little over a hundred gold coins and some silver coins. Perhaps most of his wealth had been spent on purchasing prisoners and acquiring supplies.

In terms of items, however, Fane was quite rich!

...

"Guardian's Verse (Spellbook)

Description: When you hold this book, you can use it as a spellcasting medium for assistance or as an imbued weapon for guided casting.

...

Spellcasting Medium: +20% Chanting Speed; Enhanced effects for Protection Domain spells.

...

Imbued Weapon: You can select three spells from the following list for quick casting daily. After using all three, it will take at least twenty-four hours to recharge automatically.

...

Spell List: Arcane Lock; Dispel Magic; Knock; Nondetection; Symbol; Protection from Good and Evil; Mage's Mark; Mordenkainen's Private Sanctum.

...

"Guardian's Verse" was something Matthew had found in Fane's remains. Fortunately, it hadn't been destroyed by the claws of the Bone Dragon. With a gentle wipe, it gleamed with a renewed luster.

This book was the size of a palm, bound in leather and reinforced with steel and silver. The pages were secured with a steel lock, which required a key to open. Unfortunately, Matthew didn't find the key.

However, he wasn't disheartened. The lock on the "Guardian's Verse" wasn't an arcane lock, which meant it didn't require a magical incantation to open. Objects that could be opened with a key were often best left to skilled locksmiths.

"I remember there's a well-known locksmith in White Rock City. Many people say he's a retired master thief."

Matthew pondered, "Unfortunately, I haven't heard of anyone skilled in lockpicking in Rockstone Town."

The "Guardian's Verse" was a valuable magical tool, and the protective spells it contained were something Matthew admired. All he needed was to find someone to unlock it.

...

"Blood Source Flask: When filled with 'blood source fluid,' you can quickly recover health by drinking it.

• Description: 1. Every 50 milliliters of blood source fluid can restore 5-6 hit points.
• You can slowly refine blood source fluid by injecting blood plasma into the flask.
• The ratio of blood plasma (conventional animal or human) to blood source fluid is 10:1.

...

Current Blood Source Fluid: 125/150 (milliliters)."

...

This item resembled an inkwell the size of a baby's fist, except that it contained a dark red liquid. Matthew could feel a faint life force within and a lurking malevolent aura.

Its origin was likely connected to the bloodlines of vampires, leaving prejudices aside, the Blood Source Flask was a small treasure. A full flask could instantly heal 18 hit points, meaning it could bring a mid-level warrior back from the brink of death to about half health in an instant. It was a lifesaver in critical moments!

Matthew placed it at the first slot of his magical bag, ready for any future emergencies. As for blood plasma, he could always buy it!

...

Among the remaining items, there was a rechargeable wand that could cast Magic Missile five times when fully charged; a highly valuable "Nexus Stone" that, if sold in White Rock City, would go for no less than 400 gold coins — it was a core material for constructing interdimensional magic circles; an enchanted +1 one-handed axe that significantly increased woodcutting efficiency;

Lastly, there was a mysterious glove.

...

"Relaxed Gloves (Tier 2 Relic)

• Description: When you wear these gloves and complete a handshake with a target, the target's guard against you will significantly decrease.
• Note: Prolonged wear of these gloves will also significantly reduce your guard against others."

Chapter 13 >>

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