This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 58 (Patreon)

Leaving aside the matter of the war hammer, the Soul Cage is an ability of at least Tier Four!

Matthew took a closer look. "Life Drain" could be used to extensively siphon blood; "Soul Interrogation" was a severe method of extracting information from the soul; "Experience Theft" allowed the user to temporarily gain one of the soul's abilities; "Willpower Domination" could reduce the target's psychological resistance, making it particularly effective against weaker foes; and the final one, "Eye of the Dead," enabled the user to enter a specific memory within the soul and investigate the surroundings, making it useful for tracking leads.

More importantly, these options were not mutually exclusive and could be used repeatedly. As long as the target's soul remained trapped within the cage, each option could be used up to six times or more!

"This seems more like the abilities of a necromancer rather than a sorcerer. Perhaps the Midnight God also possesses some knowledge of the death domain," Matthew contemplated.

The Moonlight Goddess had previously mentioned that the number of sorcerers on the Aindor continent was increasing. Given the situation with the Midnight God, it was apparent that many restless deities were likely creating avatars in the outer planes, assuming the identity of sorcerers to circumvent the restrictions of the Celestial Palace and indirectly influence the mortal realm.

In this light, many of the new sorcerers were essentially the priests of benevolent deities! Their abilities were also diverging from the traditional sorcerer archetype, resulting in a wide range of unique powers.

Matthew realized that he couldn't afford to hold stereotypes when encountering sorcerers in the future, or he might meet a grim fate!

However, there were drawbacks to using the Soul Cage.

It required a considerable cost to activate, a whopping 100 gold coins! Even with Matthew's current finances, he could only afford to keep one Soulstone in reserve, and any more would be beyond his means.

"Back then, Edson didn't use this ability, possibly due to insufficient conditions, or perhaps he didn't have a 'Soulstone' with him?"

"It's said that the materials required for many advanced abilities are quite expensive. Many times, advanced spellcasters don't die due to lack of power but due to poverty!"

"When I advance, I must find a way to get rich!"

With this thought in mind, Matthew closed the information and lay down to rest.

Even though they were close to the city, camping in the wild was still unsafe, so Matthew's sleep was shallow. However, the night turned out to be unexpectedly peaceful.

The next day, the convoy continued on its way, and in the late afternoon, they arrived at Watersedge City.

Matthew and the convoy parted ways at the city gates.

Watersedge City was built into the mountains, with tier upon tier of fortifications and stone gates leading further up. As one progressed toward the inner city, the terrain became increasingly elevated, with numerous fortresses and stone gates along the road. To reach the "Serpent Feather Holy Spring" at the mountaintop from outside the city required passing through 196 stone gates.

Hence, the place was also known as the City of Ten Thousand Gates.

The city's permanent residents were primarily humans, mixed-race Jango people, orcs, and half-orcs, with occasional sightings of Su tribesmen and sea elves.

As they passed the fourth stone gate, Matthew came across a group of people who were coughing uncontrollably.

They appeared emaciated with vacant eyes, yet inexplicably, they wore coats made of reeds and aimlessly wandered the streets.

As they walked, they continued to cough violently.

The patrolling guards didn't dare to approach them but shouted reprimands from a distance before quickly avoiding them.

Matthew, seeing this, promptly put on a mask and waited in a nearby alley until the coughing group had moved on. Only then did he walk quickly past them.

Twenty minutes later...

Matthew arrived at the "Jungle Rhythm" inn situated between the 11th and 12th stone gates.

This was the place strongly recommended by Li Weiqi.

It was known for offering great value for the price, and if you were truly penniless, the innkeeper would even allow you to work off your debt in the inn.

Matthew wasn't one to seek cheap deals, but he trusted Li Weiqi's judgment, and this inn also provided guide services.

After passing by the coughing procession of wanderers, all he wanted now was to find a guide and get out of this place as quickly as possible!

That evening, he settled into the Jungle Rhythm and had a brief chat with the inn's half-orc owner, a fellow named Trugg.

Upon learning that Matthew needed a guide for his journey through the rainforest, Trugg wholeheartedly assured him that he'd have the best guide from Watersedge City by tomorrow.

Matthew breathed a sigh of relief.

Seeing many people coughing in the hall, he politely declined the enthusiastic half-orc innkeeper's invitation to dine in the main hall and had a meal in his room on the second floor.

The climate in Watersedge City was hot and humid, and Matthew had no appetite at all. But for the journey ahead, he forced down some food.

After nightfall, he heard intense coughing coming from the neighboring room.

Upstairs, a group of people reveled in the joy of life.

Opening the window, a thick haze of smoke wafted up, and Matthew looked down to see someone burning a plant similar to wormwood in the courtyard on the ground floor. The person chanted incantations while the fire crackled, and next to the bonfire, several people lay on reed mats, their fates hanging in the balance.

Matthew quickly closed the doors and windows and forced himself to sleep.

"Did Li Weiqi consider this place a spiritual retreat? He recommended it so strongly, and he didn't mention there are sick people everywhere?" Matthew mused.

He covered his head with a pillow and thought to himself, "As soon as I find the guide tomorrow, I'm getting out of here. I can't stand this place for another minute!"

...

The next morning, a clattering sound came from the inn's restroom.

Moments later, Matthew, pale-faced and clutching his stomach, emerged.

"Darn it, this is the sixth time," he muttered.

He endured the faint pain in his lower abdomen and wiped the sweat beads the size of peas from his forehead and eyelashes.

...

"Warning: You have entered the domain of the 'Plague King,' and you have contracted a fever with symptoms of fever, diarrhea, and cough..."

...

"When did I get hit?" Matthew wondered as he sat on the toilet for the seventh time.

At this point, he seriously began to question life.

Drenched in sweat and feeling like ants were crawling in his lungs, the foul odor in the restroom was a constant reminder of the long night.

If he weren't incredibly resilient, Matthew might have already collapsed.

"It looks like I'll have to ask the innkeeper to buy some holy water," he muttered, rubbing his lower abdomen and preparing for the eighth round of torment.

Just at this moment, a voice called from outside the door, and it was Ella:

"Matthew, are you ready to leave?"

The restroom door was pushed open.

Ella screamed and flapped her wings, flying away, "Matthew, did you explode the toilet?"

Matthew, exhausted, replied, "It's the fever; I've caught a fever. Go find the innkeeper, have him get me some purifying holy water."

The door was left open for a while, and Ella cautiously appeared before Matthew once again.

As a spirit of nature, Ella spent the night in the Moonlit Grove.

Seeing Matthew's pitiful state, Miss Owl showed a genuinely sympathetic expression, "Why didn't you say so earlier?"

Matthew looked at her in surprise.

"Don't underestimate a spirit of nature. I'm the one the goddess favors the most!"

With that, her chest swelled, and a white light merged into Matthew's body.

...

"Notification: Ella used 'Intermediate Dispel' on you.

Dispel failed!"

...

Ella stubbornly tried twice more in quick succession, both ending in failure.

She finally grew serious, "A plague that even an 'Intermediate Dispel' can't chase away? Matthew, someone is secretly spreading and controlling this; I can smell the power of a domain!"

Matthew nodded in agreement.

The Plague King.

He hadn't heard of this name before, but anyone who could use such a title and survive must be a formidable individual.

Watersedge City was indeed not a friendly place.

But, for now, he lacked the means to stir up trouble.

"I'll try the 'Advanced Dispel.'"

Ella hesitated for a moment, "But after using this ability, my mental state will be very bad for the next ten days. I... I might need to lie in your arms!"

Matthew nodded in understanding.

...

"Notification: Ella used 'Advanced Dispel' on you.

Dispel successful!

You have been freed from the plague infection. Please replenish fluids and energy promptly.

Due to a night of diarrhea, coughing, and fever, you have gained the following elements from the Plague domain: Infection, Sickness, Immunity, Healing. Accumulate more elements, and you may have the opportunity to enter the Plague domain!"

...

A moment later, Matthew straightened up and emerged from the restroom, completely refreshed.

"Matthew, I can't go on!"

Ella collapsed into his arms.

Matthew caught her steadily, thanked her, and then proceeded to pack his belongings and head downstairs.

"Like the Undying, 'Plague' is also a sub-domain of death. If I have the chance, I must conquer it!"

Matthew silently noted the name of the Plague King.

As he turned a corner, he heard someone crying downstairs, and when he peered, it was the person who had burned the wormwood in the backyard last night.

Matthew saw him weeping beside a reed mat.

The people around him had their eyes closed, their faces pale, and they had lost all signs of life.

The flames in the brazier had long been extinguished, leaving only the smoldering embers.

Matthew glanced deeply and moved on without hesitation, quickly descending the stairs.

Chapter 59 >>

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