This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 14 (Patreon)

This is quite a bombshell of news.

Matthew quickly put down his spoon, his eyes lighting up.

"Is there more to the Lady of the Manor's story? Any additional details?"

Peggy shrugged.

"All I heard was that one sentence from that couple, and they couldn't wait to get intimate. I thought they'd continue chatting afterward, so I stayed under their bedroom window all night, only to wait in vain."

Matthew scooped up another spoonful of soup.

"That's a shame."

Then he reminded her with seriousness.

"Next time, don't wait until daybreak. It's risky; your sneaking skills aren't enough to move around in the dawn."

Peggy nodded.

"You're right. I almost got caught that night."

Matthew asked with curiosity.

"What happened afterward?"

Peggy said with relief.

"Fortunately, the master of the house came back just as dawn was breaking, and their house turned into a ruckus. Everyone got distracted, and I took the opportunity to slip away."

The master of the house?

Matthew was astonished.

"So, you're saying that the couple you overheard was having an affair?"

Peggy crossed her arms.

"Why else would I call them a sneaky couple?"

Matthew coughed.

"Which household was it?"

Peggy looked at him skeptically.

"Why, are you planning to have an affair too?"

Matthew almost sprayed his soup on her face.

"No, I was just curious, just asking."

He denied vehemently.

Peggy raised an eyebrow and continued.

"It's the house on White Narcissus Street in the Craftsmen's District, number 27. The master of the house is named Bruce; he's a dependable cobbler and has a good reputation. The lady of the house is Jenny, who used to be a maid for the Lady of the Manor. Jenny isn't particularly pretty, but she's got a fiery figure; I bet anyone would want to feel her bones."

As for the lover that night, I'd guess he's one of Lord Bloodflag's stablemen, and his name is probably Dagan."

...

"The lover that night? Does that mean there were others?"

Matthew wiped his mouth with a napkin, displaying the keenness that only a druid possessed.

"Of course, Jenny in the Craftsmen's District is known for being welcoming to all. She's had more lovers than she can count."

Peggy propped her legs up higher.

"But if you want, I can list all of Jenny's lovers for you."

"Thanks, but no need."

Matthew sighed.

"Peggy, it seems that even if you switched careers to be a spy, you'd still be a top agent."

Peggy suddenly burst into laughter.

"Matthew, have you finally discovered my exceptional qualities?"

"When are you going to give me a raise?"

"Last month's soul crystals are long gone!"

Matthew skillfully got up, revealing the indifference that only a necromancer could possess.

"Next time, I promise!"

"You cursed necromancer!"

In the dining room, the Minotaur and the skeleton's roars went on for a long time.

...

The next morning, Matthew deliberately visited the local security office again.

He organized his speculations from last night on a piece of paper and handed it over to Blad.

The latter's expression became much graver after reading it.

When leaving the security office, Matthew noticed several members of the guard yawning, like they had just returned from patrol. But usually, the security office didn't have night duty.

"It seems that Lord Bloodflag is strengthening the security patrols around the town. I wonder if the roads in his territory, the trade station, and the border checkpoints are receiving the same level of attention."

Matthew didn't dwell on it too much; he had done what he could. The rest would be Bloodflag's concern.

...

At noon, with a gentle breeze, Matthew stood on a hill to the southwest of the Oakwood forest to choose a location for his next project.

All of Ronan the Great Mage's land had been completely covered by the Oakwood forest.

If Matthew wanted to expand the planting area, he'd have to venture onto someone else's land.

He looked into the distance and the map of the areas surrounding the Oakwood forest began to take shape in his mind:

...

To the southwest was Rolling Stone Town, with limited expansion space.

...

To the southeast were various farms, where most of the town's crops were grown. Most of these lands had been purchased by the farm owners, leaving little room for Oakwood expansion.

...

To the northeast was untamed wilderness, with the "Mark of the Undying" complicating things. Further away were barren hills and the Witch's Keep, which didn't seem auspicious.

The most suitable land was in the northwest.

However, that was Lord Bloodflag's private land, and Matthew would need approval from the Town Hall at the very least to plant there.

"I hope Lord Bloodflag won't refuse me just because of some personal bias."

Matthew felt a little uneasy.

A long time ago, Ronan the Great Mage had told him that Lord Bloodflag was a good person but had a particular dislike for necromancers.

Yesterday, Peggy had given him more insight into why.

Matthew could understand Lord Bloodflag's hatred for his own kind.

But he didn't want to trade saving Sophia's life for the right to plant trees on someone else's land.

It was a rather tricky situation.

"If all else fails, I can challenge the Mark of the Undying. I'll just plant along the edges, creating a vast Oakwood forest that surrounds it."

Matthew encouraged himself.

Choosing the location was tiring, and he leaned against an oak tree to rest.

The afternoon sun was warm, making him drowsy.

Matthew was about to take a nap when suddenly, the area began to shake violently, waking him from his daze.

"What's going on?"

Matthew looked around in confusion.

He saw the oak trees around him growing at an incredible speed!

From their usual height of three to four meters, they shot up to three to four hundred meters right before his eyes!

Endless tree canopies covered everything.

Matthew stood up from the ground.

He looked up, gazing at the immense Oakwood forest, which, in turn, seemed to be looking back at him.

Matthew could hear their whispered conversations.

...

"Ah, truly amazing! A necromancer with such determination!"

"I hate necromancers, but I don't hate him. What's going on?"

"Perhaps there are exceptions even among necromancers, or perhaps he just made a temporary mistake. We should give him a chance to prove himself."

...

Matthew walked quietly in the dense forest where daylight couldn't penetrate.

Pure white light emanated from small deer as they ran past him.

Two woodpeckers playfully fluttered above his head.

By a pond he passed, a frog wearing a gentleman's hat greeted him.

Finally, he reached a waterfall deep within the woods.

The waterfall plummeted for thousands of feet, and numerous green lights flowed upstream along the waterfall.

"These green lights..."

Matthew's heart skipped a beat.

The next moment, a bird-faced figure appeared beside him, saying solemnly,

"You don't have the qualifications to explore this place yet."

With those words, the scenery around Matthew rewound as if in a playback.

Whoosh!

The lush, otherworldly scene vanished without a trace.

Matthew sat under an oak tree, lost in thought.

Below the mission bar, the green light to the right of the Taiji symbol had been completely depleted!

...

"Hint: You have ventured into the 'Oakwood' subdomain of nature and briefly stayed within.

...

As a reward for venturing into the subdomain, you can choose one of the following abilities:

...

Summon Treants (In forests over 500 years old, you can recruit several Treant companions).

...

Woodpecker Pact (You gain the Wild Shape: Woodpecker and triple flight speed).

...

Natural Resilience (Your toughness +2)."

...

Matthew's eyes lit up.

What was there to hesitate about? He chose option 3!

In an instant, he saw a green light entering his body.

He felt his physique grow a bit stronger.

"One point of toughness provides a 20% effectiveness boost. Now, my resilience in related domains is 44% stronger than before."

Matthew felt extremely pleased.

Though it couldn't compare to the 10 points possessed by swordsmen and monks, it was at least the first step toward avoiding instant death.

...

"Detecting that you have met two out of the three Legendary prerequisites (Legend/Domain), you have unlocked the Path to Legend prematurely!

...

Path to Legend (Nascent)

...

Keywords: Undeath & Nature

...

Domain Progress: 1/6

...

1. Revelation 1: Feeble physique, low mana, feeble intellect, ignorant soul—how could the Path to Legend open to you? This might be heaven's mercy, more likely a rule error. You shouldn't have high expectations for becoming a legend. Returning to the normal path is your only salvation.
2. Revelation 2: Life and death, destruction and rebirth, aren't always in conflict. You've found an unprecedented path; it doesn't matter if it's muddy or thorny, you should keep going.

...

Please choose one Revelation as your motto for your Path to Legend! (Different Revelations imply different Paths to Legend and subsequent rewards)."

...

It was a single-choice question.

Matthew chose "Revelation 2."

Next, as long as he continued to explore and follow his unique Path to Legend, he'd have a chance to acquire some legendary abilities.

And after becoming a legend, his strength would be even greater than the average legend.

Now, Matthew finally understood the meaning of the Taiji symbol.

It was a reflection of his "Path to Legend."

The overarching direction was set, and all he had to do next was follow the two key words, "Undeath" and "Nature."

"The green light is used up after entering the Oakwood subdomain, but what about the gray dots?"

Matthew was looking forward to it.

But at this moment, new information flashed before him.

...

"You have completed the initiation into the Oakwood subdomain. The current domain status is 'Novice.'

...

You have gained a permanent state: 'Longevity Boost.'

...

Description: Your lifespan +100 years.

...

You have gained a temporary state: 'Sow and Reap Twofold.'

...

Description: During the duration of this state, each time you plant an oak tree, you'll gain 1 point of enhancement experience; every 10 points of enhancement experience will allow you to enhance your summoned 'Skeleton Warrior' once!

...

Duration: 30 days."

Chapter 15 >>

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