This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 68 (Patreon)

A domain field is a fixed and continuously emitting form of existence with a certain coverage area.

It's similar to a magic circle. Once it's set up, it remains in effect as long as it's regularly maintained.

Matthew stood by the sea, quietly sensing the subtle force of equilibrium.

"Someone has established a domain field here, but it hasn't been maintained for a long time," his perception told him.

At the same time, more information flooded into his mind.

The "equilibrium" domain field is intended to correct the natural imbalances, harmonizing the balance of elements. Those who live here for a long time also experience physical and mental adjustments, making them healthier and happier than those elsewhere.

Besides that, Matthew couldn't sense any other purpose of this domain field.

His domain couldn't yet achieve a higher resonance with the domain field, so he had to seize the fleeting opportunity with his sensitive reaction.

...

"Hint: You've communicated with the 'Equilibrium' left behind by the Equilibrium Messenger and gained the element 'Harmony.' Accumulate more elements, and you'll have the opportunity to enter the Equilibrium domain!"

...

This wasn't Matthew's first time obtaining elements, but what was different this time was that the acquisition of the "Harmony" element directly triggered a change in the Taiji symbol. Matthew saw that "Nature" and "Undeath," two major components, had shifted downward, leaving a trace in their place outlined by dashed lines, a mark identical in size and shape to "Nature" and "Undeath."

"Equilibrium."

Even without the words, Matthew knew what it meant.

At that moment, he felt a force from the depths of the universe had filled in the final piece of the legendary framework for himself.

"Indeed, mastering both 'Nature' and 'Undeath' isn't that easy simultaneously. Only by introducing the third party of 'Equilibrium' can the legendary path be complete and flawless."

A deep sense of satisfaction welled up within Matthew's heart, as if a missing piece had been suddenly filled.

However, he didn't linger in that feeling for too long because in reality, a trio crossing the rainforest had come to the time of parting.

"The 'Evening Breeze Dock' is up ahead. You can recruit boatmen there to go to any island in the Aluneh Sea," Old Gito informed them.

"I'll stay in the nearby woods for 15 days. If I don't find you by then, I'll return to the rainforest, and from that point on, we'll each have to take care of ourselves."

After saying these two sentences, Old Gito leisurely filled his pipe with tobacco and watched the two of them depart.

"Thank you. You're the most reliable guide I've ever met," Matthew politely expressed his gratitude.

Old Gito smiled and asked, "Have you met many guides?"

Matthew replied honestly, "You're the first."

Old Gito nodded, saying, "Well, then you're not wrong."

With that, the two exchanged a smile.

At this moment, Lysanna, stretching lazily, walked over.

"My dear Matthew, it seems I won't be able to continue with you guys," she said.

Old Gito, looking at her curiously, asked, "From the way you've been behaving all along, I thought you'd stick with him relentlessly until you got what you wanted."

Lysanna widened her eyes and said indignantly, "Hey, Old Gito, what nonsense are you talking about? Matthew is my brother!"

"I'm not the type to point a gun at my brother," Old Gito raised his hands in surrender.

"So, what was your real purpose in crossing the rainforest?" Matthew asked.

Lysanna said with excitement, "Didn't expect that, did you? I successfully fooled Old Gito. I didn't come to the rainforest to experience the women of the Jango tribe. Well, the women in the jungle do have a kind of wild beauty, but I have a slight cleanliness obsession. I can't stand their dirty bodies. The reason I was willing to go through all this hardship to come here is because a friend invited me to have fun on 'Saint's Isle.' He said there are gentle Naga, sea elf ladies, and stone elemental beauties there who are willing to engage with humans. You see, taking a boat across the sea to Saint's Isle is too dangerous; it would pass through the territory of the radical Naga."

So I came up with a genius plan. I'll reach the Aluneh Sea through the not-so-dangerous rainforest, then head east to meet my friend at the agreed location. After that, it's going to be smooth sailing for me!"

Matthew looked puzzled at this and asked, "Your friend—have you met them in real life?"

Lysanna nodded confidently, "No, we mainly communicate through messengers, sharing our thoughts and feelings. He has a good personality, honest, and he probably looks decent."

Matthew couldn't help but inquire, "So, you believe everything he says without question?"

Lysanna smiled and gave Matthew a big hug, "Don't worry about me, Matthew. You see, during this time, I've been wholeheartedly trusting you."

Matthew hesitated but chose not to say anything. He just wished Lysanna a smooth journey and, if possible, a few encounters with exotic women.

Reflecting on Lysanna's behavior throughout the journey, Matthew knew he wasn't the playboy he appeared to be. Lysanna's true abilities might surpass his by a significant margin, not to mention the magical artifacts he possessed.

Worrying about this guy was indeed unnecessary.

"Take care, Matthew. You can look forward to hearing my stories when I return from the sea!"

Finally, Matthew waved goodbye to Lysanna and continued towards the Evening Breeze Dock on the western coast of the Golden Shore.

Just then, a beam of light suddenly swirled behind Matthew, and the image of the Blade Dancer slowly materialized.

"What's going on? You've been leaving abruptly more often lately," Matthew asked the Blade Dancer.

The latter didn't say a word but took out a long string from his cloak. Matthew examined it closely and saw it was filled with flying squirrels, bundled together like dumplings.

Seeing Matthew, the flying squirrels looked at him with teary eyes, as if begging for mercy.

"Are they monitoring me?" Matthew asked, understanding the Blade Dancer's intention through the fluctuations of thought waves in their summoning contract.

The Blade Dancer nodded.

The flying squirrels began to panic, shaking their tails and pleading with their big, watery eyes, making it hard to resist their cuteness.

Matthew quickly deduced that these flying squirrels were Su Ya's informants. However, now that he had left the rainforest, Su Ya's attempts to monitor him would be challenging, and he saw no need to quarrel with these little creatures.

So, he said to the Blade Dancer, "Release them back into the rainforest."

The Blade Dancer nodded in agreement.

In the next moment, he shook the knots on the string, and the flying squirrels tumbled onto the ground like eggs. After landing, most of them hastily escaped and soon disappeared into the rainforest.

At that moment, Matthew noticed one more flying squirrel standing nervously in front of him. It supported itself with its hind legs, its front paws tucked against its chest, and its eyes filled with anxiety.

"Hey, it's you?" Matthew recognized it. This was the same flying squirrel who had brought him berries a few days ago, looking beaten up.

Most of its injuries had healed by now, but its eye sockets were still slightly swollen, making its eyes appear even larger.

"Why didn't you go with the others?" Matthew bent down, asking patiently.

The flying squirrel replied in a human voice, "Lady Su Ya never treated us flying squirrels as equals! No matter how excellently we performed our tasks, she would always treat us with violence. I couldn't stand those days, and I didn't want to continue in the Blackthorn Dream. I want to follow you, Lord Matthew. Please give me a chance!"

Matthew gave it an amused look and asked, "Why me?"

The flying squirrel boldly replied, "Because only you have hope of conquering Lady Su Ya. I hope that one day, when you truly achieve that, I can get a share of the rewards as a servant!"

Matthew was surprised by the flying squirrel's determination. "What do you want to do to Su Ya?"

The flying squirrel grinned mischievously, "I want to kick her hard!"

Matthew leaned back, his hands supporting his chin. He realized that this flying squirrel was different from the others and asked, "What's your name?"

The flying squirrel replied, "I don't have a name, and neither do my 3,000 or so siblings. Lady Su Ya can't tell us apart at all. She's always rude, just saying 'hey hey hey.' I've had enough of that woman. I want to escape! Please, I beg you, take me with you!"

Matthew had considered agreeing but thought of Su Ya's cunning and hesitated, "If you want to follow me, you'll need to prove your loyalty. How can I be sure that you're not going to betray me tomorrow, just like you're betraying Su Ya today?"

The flying squirrel said, "That's simple. Since you're a magician, you can put a curse on me. If I ever betray you, I'll turn to dust immediately!"

With a somewhat mournful tone, the flying squirrel continued, "I even suggested to Lady Su Ya to put such a curse on us, but she didn't even have the enthusiasm to do that. She's so disdainful of us flying squirrels. I must take revenge on that woman!"

Matthew rested his chin on his hands and thought for a moment, "We don't need to resort to a curse, but you still need to undergo a small test. I want you to return to Su Ya's side now, as if nothing has happened. She wants you to monitor my every move, right? I want you to monitor her every move instead. When I pass through the rainforest again in a while, if your performance satisfies me, I'll consider taking you with me."

The flying squirrel hesitated, "That's fine. But how do I communicate the information to you?"

Matthew reassured, "No rush, just remember it for now. When I return to the rainforest, find an opportunity to pretend to be caught by accident, and then report all the information from these days to me in one go."

He encouraged the flying squirrel, "If you do well, I won't hesitate to fulfill my promise."

The flying squirrel suddenly became excited, but then a worried look crossed its face, "What's wrong?" Matthew noticed this change.

The flying squirrel replied, "How should I pass on the information to you?"

Matthew figured out the issue and responded, "Don't worry; we'll find a way. Now go back to Su Ya and do your best. Your future depends on it!"

With newfound determination, the flying squirrel turned and scurried off. Matthew watched it go, realizing that this flying squirrel was quite different from the rest.

The young Flying Squirrel said, "I have a chance to escape from this predicament, but I have many brothers. If I escape alone and they remain under that wicked woman's violent rule, I'll be very sad."

Matthew was sympathetic but knew he couldn't help them all. He could break a part of the Rainforest's spiritual barrier, but not a large group. Aggravating Suya would mean he couldn't enter the Rainforest again.

"I'm sorry for putting you in a difficult situation," the Flying Squirrel said, his spirits low.

He then perked up again and said, "I'll return to Lady Suya's side and monitor her every move. But before I leave, I have one last request. Can you give me a name? I don't want to live my days like the other Flying Squirrels."

Matthew quickly replied, "That's easy. Since you're a Flying Squirrel, let's call you 'Ace'!"

"Alright! Even though I think this name is rather plain, I probably just don't appreciate it enough, being a simple Flying Squirrel. From now on, Ace is me, and I am Ace. Don't ever confuse me with other Flying Squirrels!" Ace enthusiastically declared. He even extended his front paw towards Matthew, saying, "Hook it, like I learned from you humans."

They hooked pinkies, and after a respectful bow, Ace darted back into the Rainforest.

"This Flying Squirrel sure has an interesting spirit," Matthew commented, regaining his focus.

Looking back at A-Bing, he asked, "So, where did you get that rope?"

A-Bing looked a bit puzzled and began to fidget.

Matthew had to check his information panel as he walked.

Finally, he found a record of a few days earlier.

"Notification: Your summon A-Bing has used the ability of a rope master. He created a sturdy rope through bark peeling and molding techniques. Your summon A-Bing is greatly satisfied!"

Rope master? This ability seemed genuine. Matthew remembered the image of those Flying Squirrels tied up tightly, and he realized he should prepare a magical rope for A-Bing.

"Maybe this ability is more serious than it appears," he thought.

As he contemplated, the grey lighthouse with a weathered wall loomed closer on the coastline. There was a small dock east of the lighthouse. Right now, the dock was sparsely populated with only two figures, an old man and a young child.

Matthew hurried towards them.

The Old Man by the Evening Wind Dock:

Under a row of lush palm trees,

An elderly man rested with a child of eight or nine years.

Both had black hair, black eyes, and tanned skin due to the ample sunlight of the Golden Coast. These were typical features of the Su tribe.

"Hello," Matthew waved from a distance. "Is it possible to take a boat ride? I want to go to Equilibrium Island."

The child, full of curiosity, stared at Matthew. The elderly man leisurely stood, put on his straw hat, and squinted at Matthew. "Equilibrium Island doesn't welcome outsiders."

Matthew explained, "I have a friend on Equilibrium Island, and I have a letter of introduction. He's a martial artist and should be somewhat famous in this area."

Before the old man could respond, the child chimed in, "You're talking about the one who always babbles nonsense and loves to catch sea turtles for food, right?"

Babbling nonsense sounded similar, but catching sea turtles was a whole different story. Matthew asked tentatively, "Li Weiqi?"

"That's him!" The child confirmed. "I heard that he ate all the sea turtles on Equilibrium Island back in the day. Do you know how absurd he was? A martial artist, no less..."

The elderly man approached and interrupted the child. He addressed Matthew, "Li Weiqi is indeed an honored guest of Equilibrium Island, but Equilibrium Island today may not be the same as it was in his time. If you insist on going, we can take you part of the way."

Matthew nodded and paid the fee, handing over a golden coin. He inquired, "Can I use the coins from the Hundred Cities Alliance here on the Golden Coast?"

The old man nodded, saying, "Yes, you can." He took the coin and, from his waist, produced a very short whistle. He blew it silently and then put it away. "Wait a moment."

Perhaps to alleviate the boredom, the old man continued the conversation, saying, "Along the coast of the Aru Inlet, there are many city-states. These city-states' origins mostly come from the north, and while each has its own unique flavor, they aren't much different from the Hundred Cities Alliance, except for some local customs."

Curious, Matthew asked, "How many city-states are there on the Golden Coast?"

The old man pondered and replied, "It's hard to say. There are fewer on the north shore, but the south shore is very prosperous. There are at least a dozen well-known city-states."

He mentioned the Torch City where the Golden Saint Master resided, which was the most famous. Other smaller city-states had their own unique features.

He went on, "But recently, the south shore hasn't been very peaceful. If you're traveling, it's safer to stick to the north shore. Just don't enter the Rainforest, and don't provoke the Jiangge people and their Feathered Serpent God; they're a bunch of madmen!"

Matthew noted the old man's bitterness towards the Jiangge people as he spoke. Just as he was about to inquire further, the child standing by the dock's edge suddenly waved and shouted, "The boat's here! The boat's here!"

Matthew looked in that direction and saw a white streak rapidly approaching on the sea. When it got closer, he realized that it was a colossal sea turtle, the size of a basketball court from his previous world.

Matthew attempted to climb onto the sea turtle's back from the dock. However, as he passed the edge of the turtle shell, he slipped and would have fallen if A-Bing hadn't been right behind him. Matthew stepped on A-Bing's face, using it as a step to make it onto the turtle's back smoothly.

"Be careful," said a gentle voice in his ear, "I've grown many strange creatures on my body recently. While Old Ali and Little Stone helped me get rid of them, there's always some slippery mucus left behind."

The voice was melodious, but the only downside was its extremely slow pace, making it easy for listeners to get a little breathless.

Matthew knew that it was the sea turtle named Xunkunzi speaking, so he curiously responded, "You are Xunkunzi?"

"Yes, that's the name my master gave me. Oh, he said it's a Daoist name, but sadly, my comprehension is not high. I've never achieved much, so he didn't take me with him when he left," Xunkunzi said gently, "But I'm not interested in what he said about heaven, earth, balance, and such things. Being able to sleep in the warm seawater every day is the happiest thing in my life."

Matthew inquired, "Is your master a Balance Envoy?"

Xunkunzi replied, "Yes, he is, but I haven't seen him for thirty years. Maybe he's gone back to the east, the land he's always longed for, or perhaps he's died deep in the sea, like other members of the Su tribe."

"Sometimes I feel that the Su people's attachment to their homeland is actually a curse. What do you think, Old Ali?" Xunkunzi pondered.

Old Ali remained silent. After a while, he said, "When I grow older, I will go to the sea, just like my compatriots. It doesn't matter whether it's a curse or not. I just know this place is not my home, never will be!"

During their conversation, Xunkunzi slowly departed from the dock, heading towards the depths of the Aru Inlet. It was noon, with bright sunlight and the sea and sky painted in shades of blue. Several small islands, covered in pristine white sand, were scattered across the horizon. A tall coconut tree grew in the center of Xunkunzi's shell.

The group sat in the shade beneath the coconut tree. Matthew chatted idly with Xunkunzi and Old Ali, while a curious child named Xiao Shitou watched A-Bing intently, circling around him.

A-Bing, usually quite reticent, displayed remarkable patience as he played with Xiao Shitou.

After entertaining the child for a while, A-Bing suddenly vanished.

"Wow!" Xiao Shitou exclaimed in astonishment, drawing everyone's attention.

The next moment, A-Bing reappeared, holding a large coconut.

"I've grown coconuts on my back, haven't I?" Xunkunzi marveled. "Speaking of my master, he's quite unreliable. Back in the day, he planted a coconut tree on my back so he could have some shade when he rode me. This poor tree is still on my back; can you believe he'd plant a tree on his student?"

Everyone burst into laughter.

A-Bing, in front of Xiao Shitou, cut open the coconut and offered it to the child.

"No, I can't accept it," Xiao Shitou appeared somewhat reserved. "My grandpa said I shouldn't take things from guests."

A-Bing looked puzzled but simply extended the opened coconut towards him.

Matthew was about to intervene when Xunkunzi's voice sounded with a hint of concern, "I think we might not be able to reach Equilibrium Island today."

Old Ali asked, "Planning to slack off again, Xunkunzi? You're the one who set your own exercise targets for this month."

Xunkunzi replied, slowly and reluctantly, "No, it's not me. It's the Naga."

Matthew immediately stood up.

In the distance on the sea, wave after wave of whitecaps appeared, and on top of each wave were Nagas, each wielding weapons.

"Lately, the Nagas have been very restless, patrolling the sea everywhere. I'll try to speed up and shake them off!" Xunkunzi made a determined effort.

However, after five minutes, the sea turtle was surrounded by a group of Naga warriors.

"Ah, if only I hadn't been lazy during lessons with my master and had learned more Daoist techniques, I wouldn't have been caught up with by the Nagas today," Xunkunzi sighed. "Now, we can only surrender, and hopefully, they'll give me a comfortable seawater prison."

Speaking of which, a larger Naga chief approached.

"Where are you from, and where are you going?" the chief asked.

"Answer quickly!"

Chapter 69 >>

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