This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 116 (Patreon)

Matthew raised his head, feeling somewhat awkward.

"I don't currently have a girlfriend. As for the second question, can I choose not to answer?" he asked.

Isabelle responded coldly, "No, you can't."

Matthew looked surprised. "Why do I have to answer such a question?"

Isabelle, appearing somewhat impatient, cast a contemptuous glance at him. "Because I want to assess your desire. Those lacking desire often don't succeed. For all male creatures, self-defense is the most straightforward judgment criterion. Based on historical experience, people who engage less than three times a day have almost no chance of success because they are too easily satisfied with their current situation. Whether you are a mage or an ordinary person, only by maintaining a constant hunger can you progress. Desire is the most powerful weapon given to humanity by the heavens. Do you understand now?"

Matthew remained silent for a moment and reluctantly replied, "I learned the art of self-control a long time ago, so I'm afraid this theory may not apply to me."

Isabelle looked down on him, saying, "Even peacocks know how to flaunt their feathers to attract the opposite sex, while you keep hiding. Unfortunately, your rating in my eyes has just dropped a notch."

Matthew was left speechless.

Isabelle quickly continued, "Based on the areas you have mastered, I will offer you three pieces of advice. It's up to you whether you accept them or not. First, if self-control doesn't lead to better catharsis, it's meaningless. Second, keep your distance from nature. This doesn't mean you should completely avoid it, but be cautious not to be assimilated by it. Nature is one of the most dangerous fields; it appears gentle but hides a deadly nature. Many gods related to nature have met unfortunate ends throughout history. Third, the path of the Su tribe is destined to be full of hardships. If you insist on pursuing it, you must explore at least six or more domains to an intermediate level before entering the realm of legends. Remember, true balance exists when two forces are in a standoff. That is not called equilibrium. True equilibrium lies between all things and transcends them."

Matthew pondered Isabelle's words carefully, but her pacing was too fast. Before he could fully absorb her wisdom, she hurriedly urged him, "Bring me a detailed plan on dealing with the Trace of the Deceased. I'll take a look."

Matthew promptly handed over a more detailed action plan. Isabelle extended a hand, making the information pass through time and space, reaching her palm.

After a few seconds, she frowned, "Is this it? Boring. Duncan's surgical knife is better! But, considering your current level, coming up with this method is already a miracle. Here's the deal: buy a memory crystal and record the entire ritual process. I'll check it later. Now, I'm going to sleep. You can leave."

With that, she stood up and walked toward the bed on one side.

While walking, she looked back at Matthew. "Aren't you leaving? Do you want to watch me sleep?"

Matthew was somewhat bewildered, staring at the large demon heart in the room. How should I take this thing with me? Before he could ask the question, the image of Isabelle disappeared. A white-robed mage appeared from the teleportation door on the other side of the dark room.

"I'll help you with that, kid," he said.

The white-robed mage, Eckmonde, used a slight finger movement to dramatically shrink the enormous demon heart to the size of a tennis ball. The tubular section on the heart's surface ceased bleeding.

From his pocket, Eckmonde pulled out a large amber-like substance and applied it over the heart. The heart was completely enclosed in it.

"Here, this will make it much easier to preserve."

Eckmonde introduced himself with a warm smile, "I'm Eckmonde, you've probably heard of my name."

...

Matthew's heart raced as he realized the immense value of the demon heart. Even the amber used by Eckmonde to seal the heart was a precious high-grade magical material.

This unprecedented sense of luxury made his hands tremble slightly.

"Be careful, kid," Eckmonde said, laughing softly. "It is indeed very valuable. But since the teacher has given it to you, it means you are more important in her eyes than all of this. You should be proud."

Matthew looked at Eckmonde with gratitude. "Thank you, Grand Mage."

He was well aware of Eckmonde's name. Within the Alliance, the top figures were the Three Giants of the Heavenly Tower and the Four Guardians.

Besides these seven, the highest-ranking individuals in terms of strength and honor were the white-robed mages recognized by the Alliance's headquarters, based in the Floating City of the Far North.

Eckmonde was the head of the white-robed mages, making him one of the seven below the Three Giants and above the masses. He was often referred to as the "Grand Mage."

Eckmonde spoke gently to Matthew, "You are very young, and you have great talent. Becoming the student of the teacher is an opportunity and a challenge. But you don't need to be nervous. Many mages in the Alliance have faced this challenge, including me and Ronan. We have all doubted ourselves under her intense teaching. However, in the end, you'll find that the learning plan she has arranged for you and the advice tailored to your individual circumstances are flawless. Teacher Isabelle is not only the most powerful mage in the Alliance but also the only super genius with mastery in all domains. Becoming her student is like getting an early ticket to becoming a legend. This is one of the reasons I placed you in A1 while Ronan assigned you to B1. But, you should know that Isabelle's current mental state is not very stable. When you communicate with her, try not to provoke her or be too submissive. As for teaching, you should follow her instructions completely. Outside of teaching, you can choose what to listen to. Especially, her strange theory of 'The World is Dead'—you should try to let it go in one ear and out the other; otherwise, it might drive you mad. I'm not joking; you must pay attention to this, Matthew."

As Eckmonde spoke, his gaze became more serious.

Matthew nodded lightly, saying, "To be honest, I don't understand that theory at all."

Eckmonde smiled softly. "But one day, you will understand. Do not repeat the mistakes of Brutaline. He was also a genius, but he went down the wrong path."

Matthew was curious. "Is Brutaline's betrayal related to Teacher Isabelle?"

Eckmonde shook his head. "There is no direct connection, but I cannot say for sure. In any case, you must always pay attention to her mental state. If one day you feel that something is not right with her, report to me immediately. This bell is for you; it is crucial for her treatment as well."

Eckmonde handed a silver bell to Matthew.

Matthew thought for a moment but didn't take it. "All my interactions with Teacher should happen in this dark room. My roommates will notice if I take the bell."

Eckmonde smiled. "You're quite clever. You can hang this bell in the place of our first meeting. This is where you will report to me if something happens."

He adjusted the hanging height of the bell until he was satisfied.

Matthew thought for a moment and said, "There's one more thing."

Eckmonde raised an eyebrow.

Matthew asked carefully, "May I have the capability to use teleportation gates?"

Eckmonde paused for a moment but then smiled. "Good, very good. I can see that you have some ambition. Unfortunately, there is no teleportation gate in this place. You can only open one in the Floating City of the Far North, which is a little inconvenient. But this is in line with our past experience. Teleportation gates can lead to severe imbalances in the distribution of resources, making the places where the teleportation gates are located extremely prosperous. I have opened a place for you in the Floating City of the Far North. The specific location is within the white-robed mages' training base. Remember, you cannot transport high-density explosives or any contraband through the teleportation gate. Otherwise, you will receive capital punishment without any trial."

Matthew was overjoyed. "Thank you very much."

Eckmonde laughed, saying, "You are not yet officially a white-robed mage. When the time comes, you'll need to be ready to take the responsibility of guarding the teleportation gate. This will not be as simple as you think."

Matthew took the responsibility seriously. "I understand."

Afterward, Eckmonde personally helped Matthew depart from this dark room. While doing so, he told Matthew to call him "Eck."

Matthew asked one more question, "Eck, is there a way to increase a mage's mental state?"

Eck paused but then replied, "If it's for the teacher, the best way is through your results. Achieve something incredible, and it will undoubtedly bring her joy."

Matthew was somewhat dispirited. "Oh, that means I will have a very hard time."

Eck smiled and patted his shoulder. "Don't worry. With the support of the teacher and me, your success is inevitable."

While speaking, he led Matthew outside.

Eck informed Matthew about a series of things and emphasized that he must follow the schedule arranged by the teacher. Matthew expressed his understanding. Although the top ten mages were currently out, there was no need to worry because everything would be reported by himself or through this bell. Even if a catastrophe occurred, he wouldn't be held accountable.

Matthew, who had just obtained the teleportation ability, received a significant boost in confidence. As he walked out of the white-robed mages' dark room, he was excited to begin a new life with Teacher Isabelle.

Before leaving the Floating City of the Far North, Matthew used the storage function of the magic wristband to carefully put away the small demon heart.

Once outside, he hailed a taxi and headed to the teleportation hall of the city.

Before using the teleportation gate, Matthew looked back at the Floating City of the Far North and made a silent promise. "My fellow citizens, I will be back."

By the time Matthew reached the capital, it was already afternoon. He directly took a shuttle bus to the headquarters of the Arcane Union.

He quietly considered Susan as a guide for improving his magical skills.

So, Matthew spoke up, "I'm sorry, but I'm not interested in learning this. I came here to study combat magic."

Susan was surprised, "Combat magic? That's not something you can get with just one point."

Matthew replied tactfully, "I have more than one knowledge point."

Susan's eyes widened, "Are those points from your parents?"

Matthew vaguely said, "Something like that."

Susan admired him and said, "You're very lucky!"

"If you want to learn combat magic, I can take you to the counter directly," she continued.

With that, she led Matthew to an official counter.

"Right here, Henry, show the price list for combat magic and the upcoming classes," Susan instructed the staff behind the counter.

After speaking, she waved to Matthew, "Well then, see you next time!"

She left energetically and greeted the next mage coming out of the elevator. "Susan is passionate about her volunteer work; she's friendly to everyone. I hope you won't misunderstand," Henry, the male mage behind the counter, explained.

Matthew browsed the price list in the booklet, then said, "I'd like to register for an accelerated combat magic class, a one-on-one series with an instructor requirement of A1 or higher. This package here."

Henry paused and then chuckled, "While combat magic is important, content from instructors with C1 or higher is sufficient. Even if you have so many knowledge points, there's no need to waste them."

Matthew explained, "I'm concerned that having an instructor below A1 in a one-on-one setting might be burdensome."

Henry looked at Matthew, puzzled. It wasn't until Matthew handed over his magic license that Henry's expression changed dramatically. "A1? Ten thousand points?"

Matthew asked calmly, "Can you register me for this? I'm in a hurry."

Henry instantly came to his senses and efficiently processed the paperwork. He handed the license back to Matthew, saying, "Done! Just wait for the instructor to contact you."

Matthew noticed that it cost him 12 points, equivalent to the results of twelve C1-level topics. It wasn't cheap.

As he was about to leave, Henry suddenly stammered, "Could you... shake my hand?"

"This is the first time I've met a living A1," he added.

Matthew agreed, extending his hand for a handshake. When their hands touched, he noticed that Henry's palm was cold and slightly sweaty. Without revealing his actions, Matthew discreetly wiped his hand on the counter before leaving. Henry stood there, blushing.

After a while, Susan came over, looking at Henry oddly, "What's with that expression?"

Henry excitedly exclaimed, "I met a very young A1! He has ten thousand points in his license!"

Susan was surprised, then regretful, "Why didn't you call me over? Oh, it's partly my fault, I was just greeting another student."

She asked, "By the way, what does this A1 look like?"

Henry replied, "He's the one you brought earlier."

Susan widened her eyes, "But he just registered today... and he's already an A1?"

She was incredulous, and Henry didn't reply. He simply raised his right hand.

Susan noticed it and asked, "Why are you raising your right hand?"

Henry raised his hand slightly, grinning, "This is the hand that touched an A1."

"Susan, I don't plan on washing it for the rest of the year!"

Two days later, to the south of the Mark of the Deceased.

Near the experimental field, a crowd had gathered. Matthew was preparing for the forbidden ritual while taking a moment to complain to Reiga, "Isn't the crowd a bit too much?"

He placed the most precious Heartstone in the center.

Reiga glanced back at the group, which included over twenty knights, more than ten members of the security team, and familiar faces like Zeller, Brad, Richard, and even Li Weiqi, who had returned from his trip to Highleaf Ridge.

Besides them, there were two unfamiliar knights, a man named Asmar and a woman named Dulin. They appeared to be quite powerful, surpassing Li Weiqi. Reiga explained that these two had been part of the nine knights who had once explored Hell alongside him. Their attitude towards Matthew was not particularly friendly, but they remained silent, guarding the perimeter.

"You have to understand, Matthew," Reiga spoke with an unusual seriousness, "we're too close to Rolling Stone Town. I don't want any mishaps here, and I can't afford any. Your ritual is about connecting to the Nether Energy Plane, and you know the risks involved."

Matthew sighed and rolled his eyes before nodding in agreement. The Death Wasteland required absorbing negative energy from the Nether Energy Plane. In the process, if they were unlucky and caught by a powerful undead creature, there was a real possibility of an unexpected visit.

Matthew then signaled for everyone to quiet down as he lifted the thin Book of the Undead and began chanting the long incantation. The Book of the Undead was essentially a spellbook for necromantic rituals. To save money, he had written the entire ritual from scratch in a blank spellbook that the Union had given him. The advantage of this approach was that Matthew knew every aspect of the ritual by heart. However, the drawback was that he had to be meticulous in performing it. Any error could lead to catastrophic failure.

His spirit was highly focused, and he had forgotten about the gazes around him, fully immersing himself in the incantation. The ritual for the Death Wasteland had four main sections, and even with everything set up, it took around twenty minutes to chant it all.

For some reason, Matthew's chanting sped up, and he entered a state of complete concentration. A few seconds later, he felt as if his soul had left his body.

In a moment, he was no longer in the real world.

He had entered a space similar to his previous experiences in the Death Wasteland. It was a realm of ashen skies, endless pits, and a bleak, moon-scarred landscape suspended over a desolate, barren land.

Matthew took a few steps forward, and suddenly, a tall, shadowy figure appeared before him. A black knight!

Fear surged within him as he noticed the malevolence in the knight's gaze.

After a few seconds, the black knight charged toward him!

Matthew felt a sense of danger, but he couldn't use most of his abilities in his current state. He checked his data panel and realized that his only functional power was the Necromantic Summoning spell.

Faced with the approaching black knight, he knew he had to summon an Undead to protect himself. He quickly evaluated the black knight's power and decided to summon the nameless Bone Dragon.

But just then, he was overwhelmed by a strong surge of longing and determination from a distant soul, thanks to the Undead Contract.

Prompt: Element Accumulation Completed. You have entered the "Death" sub-domain "Undying"! You have entered the "Astral Projection" state. In the Nether Energy Plane, you were attacked by a black knight. Your summoning creature, Philorius, applied for battle!

Matthew couldn't turn down volunteers, so he chose to accept.

A massive glowing circle formed between him and the black knight.

The moment the circle appeared, the black knight stopped in his tracks. To Matthew's surprise, it wasn't just one Bone Dragon that materialized but three!

The first one was the familiar little Philorius.

Upon reuniting, Matthew noticed that Philorius had grown stronger. His bones emitted a silvery-white radiance, and he'd increased in size and power. Even more surprising was that the surface of Philorius's bones now had a semi-transparent, semi-emerald-green layer of dragon scales. This was a clear sign of template evolution.

"Didn't see you for a while, but you managed to sneak up to level sixteen?" Matthew was astonished.

According to his data panel:

Historical Records: Your summoning creature Philorius increased its level to LV16 through its unremitting efforts! Philorius defeated the Skeleton King, battled the Queen of the Nymphs for seven days and nights without a victor, discovered the sacred spring of the Undead, and gained significant power. After a series of challenges, Philorius obtained his own territory in the Nether Energy Plane and tamed a Bone Dragon (LV14) as his vassal.

During this period, your other summoning creature, the Nameless Bone Dragon, came under Philorius's control within his territory due to the contract's influence. Now, Philorius simultaneously commands two Bone Dragons and thousands of skeleton soldiers, giving him the most basic qualifications to become the Bone Dragon King.

In the process, Philorius earned your gratitude for his hard work and shared with you his latent ability: Quiet Effort.

Quiet Effort (Weakened): When you work diligently in the quiet of the night, unseen by others, you will gain higher focus and more sustained work enthusiasm than usual.

Matthew was shocked by Philorius's remarkable growth. This had disrupted his salary-cut plan!

"He was just trying to scare me," Matthew said, pointing at the black knight.

Philorius roared angrily and charged forward, and the other two Bone Dragons followed. The black knight glanced at Matthew, then turned and ran.

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