This Necromancer Just Wants to Plant Trees - Chapter 171 (Patreon)

Chapter 170 doesn't exist.

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Chapter 171: The Wondrous Mushroom and Spore Domain

...

"I'm sorry, my kind isn't very polite, but they don't mean harm. They're just overly enthusiastic."

"If you encounter this again, just call for Duderly."

The Duderly who seemed a bit more enlightened than the others apologized profusely.

Margaret frowned at him. "But you're all called Duderly? Why?"

Duderly scratched his head helplessly, and in the process, several patches of moss fell to the ground.

Hastily, he picked them up and carefully placed them back where they belonged.

"Regarding that issue, I'll explain to both of you, but not right now.

At noon today, you and your husband can come to the sandy area in the center of the island to find me. I plan to invite you both for a meal and explain the issue with my kind. Would that be alright with you?"

Duderly displayed polite behavior.

Margaret nodded. "Next, I plan to stroll around the island alone. Any taboos I should be aware of?"

Duderly smiled warmly. "There are no taboos on Eternal Island, just don't disturb Mr. Kreet's rest. Feel free to wander; consider this place your own."

"Remember, if needed, call for Duderly, and I'll be there promptly."

With that, he bowed to Margaret and slowly retreated.

Margaret continued her walk.

She activated the flying spell, taking in the scenery of the island, exactly as Duderly had described. Aside from the twilight elves all looking identical and behaving a bit sluggishly, there seemed to be nothing unusual on Eternal Island.

The atmosphere was tranquil and serene.

Despite crystals emitting negative energy everywhere, the aura of death here was much fainter compared to the negative energy plane.

It seemed the mushrooms scattered about covertly absorbed some of the negative energy, converting it into vitality.

Although Margaret was clueless about the realms of life and death, she felt that the existence of Eternal Island seemed to challenge certain domain taboos.

Approaching noon, she encountered Matthew returning from the Dragon's Nest.

Seeing him alone, Margaret couldn't help but ask, "Where's Mr. Kreet?"

Matthew explained, "He went into the sea."

"Just now, those sea nymphs brought a bunch of fish and shrimp again, but the quality of the seafood didn't meet his standards. Kreet has a very picky palate. According to the sea nymph leader, when he personally goes fishing, he often takes several days to return. But since we're guests on the island now, perhaps he'll be back in a day or two."

Margaret's expression changed upon hearing this. Quickly, she cast a soundproof barrier and said, "Should we take the opportunity to leave?"

Matthew hesitated, "Wouldn't it be impolite to leave without saying goodbye?"

Margaret seemed to share the same concerns. The yellow jade dragon was a natural chaotic being, and there was certainly some threat from Kreet towards them. However, no matter what, the host had shown courtesy.

Leaving abruptly might ensure their escape, but it could complicate things if they encountered each other in the future.

She appeared conflicted.

Such legendary creatures probably required a legendary mage to negotiate with on equal terms.

Matthew asked, "If things go awry, what are our chances of escaping?"

Margaret pondered, "Without triggering the guardian actively, I have a 90% chance of getting away myself; if I have to take you along, it's reduced to 10%."

Matthew's face darkened. "Am I that much of a burden?"

Then, with curiosity, he asked, "Can the guardian be triggered actively? Aren't they supposed to passively activate during near-death situations?"

"Most legendary guardians activate passively, but my mentor's is different. Suyan's guardian can be triggered actively!"

Matthew immediately showed envy.

As if realizing something, Margaret looked at him, "Do you have a guardian too?"

"Weren't you saying you have little money and don't want to incur debt?"

Matthew was momentarily stunned, not catching on.

Suddenly, Margaret leaned in, whispering in his ear, "How much for Isabelle's guardian? Is it more expensive than my mentor's?"

"I spent a whopping 100,000 gold coins! But it's worth it. My guardian can be used three times and has an active trigger feature! But after each use, to recharge it with my mentor, I need to pay extra."

"What's with that expression? Hope you didn't make a bad buy! Hehehe!"

Seeing Margaret's mischievous expression, Matthew couldn't bring himself to reveal the truth.

Facing her persistent inquiries, he could only say, "The exact amount is not convenient to disclose, but it's close to yours."

Margaret immediately adopted a camaraderie stance, patting Matthew's shoulder reassuringly. "That's why for purchasing spells, abilities, and such, you need to find Lady Suyan. Transparent prices, no deceit, highlighting fairness!"

...

Approaching noon, the two leisurely arrived at the island's center.

This sandy area had caught their attention the day before; it was one of the few places on the island not overrun by mushrooms.

Today, beside the sandy area, lay a large pile of mushrooms.

Duderly, more illuminated than the others, directed his kin to sort and arrange the mushrooms while personally setting up a grill nearby.

However, the grill didn't have charcoal or an open flame underneath. Instead, it had a mushroom with orange spots, possessing an elongated stem and a thick, round top.

Skillfully, Duderly placed several mushrooms and some seafood on the grill and then firmly stepped on the base of the orange-spotted mushroom.

A miraculous scene unfolded.

The mushroom's cap split open, and flames resembling thin fingers emerged from within, gently roasting the ingredients on the grill.

Duderly brushed a large jar of sheep fat onto the grill with a brush, causing a sizzling sound to emanate from the ingredients.

The strong aroma wafted towards the two.

Margaret's nostrils twitched, displaying a surprised expression. "Smells good."

Duderly beamed at them, "You've arrived just in time."

"Try the mushroom skewers I just grilled!"

Saying this, he handed over a skewer of mushrooms.

Matthew hesitated upon seeing the strange spots on the mushroom cap. Margaret, however, boldly took the skewer, nibbling a small bite, then brightly finished it.

"Are you sure it's safe?"

Matthew asked discreetly.

Margaret waved her hand. "I have 'Immunity to Poison.' Besides, if it's well-cooked, anything's edible!"

As she spoke, her head emitted a green light.

Then, her face also displayed a strong green hue.

"What's happening?"

Margaret belatedly patted her cheek.

Duderly chuckled, "Just a natural reaction, nothing major, it'll pass."

True enough, half a minute later, the green light on Margaret's forehead disappeared.

She appeared incredibly invigorated!

Glancing at the data panel...

"Hint: Your companion, Margaret, consumed a skewer of 'Healing Mushrooms' (grilled) and gained a 'Level 1 Healing' effect.

Level 1 Healing: Restores 1 health point every 3 seconds for

the next half-minute."

...

"Consuming these mushrooms can restore health?"

Matthew looked surprised as he watched Dulin busy barbecuing. The latter smiled kindly.

"When I first discovered this, I was as surprised as you are," he said. "In fact, before entering the spore domain, I never imagined there existed such a magnificent and splendid microcosm at the edge of the world."

"Mushrooms have the ability to encompass everything. With Hasman's guidance, I attempted to merge various species and elements into mushrooms. The result? I discovered many new species of mushrooms that would undoubtedly astonish the world!"

As he spoke, he handed over a bunch of mushrooms. "These are 'Duck Leg Mushrooms.' The principle is this: I used the corpse of a 'Hellboard Duck,' decomposing it using the abilities from the spore domain, then injected those nutrients directly into the mushrooms. The result is this mushroom, tasting remarkably similar to duck legs. Want to try?"

Margaret subtly hinted that Matthew could consume them. Under Dulin's eager gaze, he cautiously took a bite of half a mushroom.

The Duck Leg Mushroom delighted Matthew upon tasting it. Its texture was tender and rich, blending the flavor of lamb fat with the freshness of mushrooms into a near-perfect harmony.

"Delicious!" Matthew praised repeatedly.

---

"Hint: You consumed a string of 'Duck Leg Mushrooms' (grilled), your temporary strength +1. Duration: 30 minutes."

---

After confirming the edibility of these mushrooms themselves, Matthew and the others opened up to feasting.

Dulin's barbecue skills were excellent, and the ingredients, mostly mushrooms and seafood, were quite appetizing. Soon enough, their mouths were filled with oil.

Besides the taste of the mushrooms, Matthew was intrigued by their attributes. He tried almost all the edible mushrooms and found not just the Duck Leg Mushroom, which boosted temporary strength, but also the 'Monkey Brain Mushroom' that enhanced agility, the 'Durian Mushroom' which provided immunity to the 'Stench Cloud Art,' the 'Steel Mushroom' that increased temporary constitution, the 'Hallucination Mushroom' that boosted perception, and the 'Mage Mushroom' that could increase temporary mana.

However, Matthew refrained from eating the Mage Mushroom. While he hadn't asked about its specific cultivation method, Matthew easily inferred its origin from the Duck Leg Mushroom's cultivation process.

Yet, the mushrooms they consumed were just the tip of the iceberg in Dulin's Mushroom Kingdom.

After satiating themselves, a friendly elf enthusiastically introduced the baskets of mushrooms on the ground to Matthew and the others.

"Look, this one with light green spots on the cap, large in size, is the 'Muscle Mushroom.' It's edible too—after eating it, one temporarily loses their reason and becomes a hot-blooded fool only interested in exercise and wrestling."

"The white-capped, large-sized one is the 'Sausage Mushroom.'"

"That one is the 'Scream Mushroom.' Be cautious; don't startle her, or she'll scream."

"The light blue, pointed one is the 'Frost Mushroom.' With just three of these mushrooms, you can harvest an ice cellar."

"I was barbecuing the 'Flame Spit Mushroom' just now, and this one, this is the 'Lightning Mushroom.'"

"And this, this is the 'Love Mushroom' specially cultivated for those lacking in romantic experience. After consuming it, you can experience feelings akin to love. How about it? Isn't it fantastic? I know it's useless for you two, but I believe many others might need it."

Over a dozen baskets of mushrooms, each with different effects and types, were displayed.

Matthew was amazed: "I never expected you to invent so many new species!"

Now he understood why Brilyn had taken away so many mushrooms. To a knowledgeable mage, these mushrooms were a different form of magical scrolls!

Dulin modestly smiled, "Rather than saying I invented them, it's more accurate to say they invented me."

He didn't elaborate on this statement.

At this point, the three of them had inspected all the baskets of mushrooms on the ground. Suddenly, Matthew pointed to a small basket in the corner and asked, "Is that also a mushroom?"

Dulin nodded, "Yes, that's a gift prepared by Lord Kreet this morning, specifically for the two of you."

He brought over the basket of mushrooms. "These are 'Fertility Mushrooms.' Lord Kreet hopes Mr. Matthew could eat a few more to enhance vitality."

Dulin said with a hint of innuendo. Matthew felt awkward instantly.

Margaret, however, was feeling playful. She poked Matthew's waist, then stood with hands on hips and in a teasing tone said, "Aren't you going to put it away? Always obsessed with scrolls every day!"

Reluctantly, Matthew complied.

Dulin chuckled for a moment, then said, "I envy you guys. Not only love but also the same species. Since the fall of the Sun God, I am the only one left among the Sun Elves. I sought help from other elves to continue my lineage, but for various reasons, they all refused me. Not only that, they insulted me, claiming I'm a disgrace to the Sun Elf royal family. They said I should generously sacrifice myself like other royal members. They had some points, but don't I have my own reasons? Why should I die just because I can survive?"

Speaking these words, Dulin's eyes flashed with a hint of sadness.

"The Sun God?" Matthew searched his mind but found no knowledge of this. He looked to Margaret for help with pleading eyes.

Margaret teasingly smiled, "Sweetie, open your mouth."

Matthew obediently opened his mouth. Another burst of white light shot out from her fingertips and landed squarely in Matthew's mouth. There was a faint but pleasant fragrance.

Dulin was a bit uncomfortable and stiffly turned away. "Margaret's knowledge comes with a coin per word! Now I'm just mooching off her knowledge, earning her money!"

Matthew thought so and eagerly absorbed the knowledge from the ball of light.

---

"Knowledge: Sun God—

Overview:

The Sun God, Gerald, was the thirty-third recorded extraterrestrial on the continent of Eindor. He claimed to come from a marvelous world called the Ice Crown Nebula, where the magical civilization was highly developed, surpassing any known plane or universe in Eindor.

During the early Enlightenment era, Gerald rose aggressively, once seizing the position of the chief of the Tianlun Palace, ranking above the other gods.

Afterward, he launched several rounds of divine wars, mostly targeting gods who had persecuted extraterrestrials. Ascendancy (abbreviated); Splendor (abbreviated); Love (abbreviated); Betrayal (abbreviated); Fall:

During a vast internal war among the elven tribes on the Eindor continent, the once flourishing Sun God Gerald encountered betrayal from three of his most trusted servants during the divine wars.

Ultimately, Gerald was killed by the second-generation war god Vasnov. His body fell, the divine realm shattered, plunging towards countless planes.

Unlike other godly falls—

When the Sun God fell, his self-created Nebula Realm had a miraculous effect. Under its influence, fragments of the Sun God's body formed a unique topography exclusive to Eindor—the Sky Ruins.

Initially, the Sky Ruins only contained the Sun God's body and fragments of his divine realm. But over

time, people discovered a peculiar vortex in the Sky Ruins. This vortex attracted the body and fragments of the divine realm when a god fell, safely housing them.

Since then—

Whenever a god falls, a part of their body and kingdom's fragments merge into the Sky Ruins of various sizes across Eindor.

That vortex is also known as the 'Sun God's Last Tear.'

In any case, during the Enlightenment era, Gerald, compared to other gods, symbolized progress. He was a straightforward god who claimed to uphold justice, though a bit fiery-tempered when drinking excessively, with seemingly no other known flaws.

—Summary by an unnamed divine researcher, Hodien."

---

"So, the Sun God is the transcendent predecessor who initiated several divine wars and ultimately led to the formation of the ruins in the sky?"

Matthew quickly grasped the key points of this knowledge.

Wearing a look of regret, he asked Dulin, "I've heard of the Sun God's deeds. He was a venerable deity. What happened next?"

Dulin turned halfway, a nostalgic expression crossing his face.

"Later, I traveled alone through the wilderness, but unfortunately, Aindor had no place for me. Although the chaos of that accident ended the elves' civil war, the Sun Elves perished during the turmoil. I lost my kin, my homeland, everything. Hounds from other celestial gods pursued me. I had no choice but to flee to the inner planes.

But even there, the environment was harsh for me. After all, at that time, I wasn't even legendary. I recall arriving at the Negative Energy Plane and almost being carried away by an ancient bone dragon for supper!

Thankfully, I had some means of escape, barely surviving those hardships. It was a perplexing time, utterly drained, lost without direction. Only the instinct to survive reminded me to keep going.

Not just survive.

I wanted to continue the legacy of the Sun Elves. Even though I bore only the twilight mark, I believed that one day, the sun would rise again, and the Sun Elf lineage would roam the earth anew. Clinging to this thought, I pressed on. Before long, I encountered Hasman.

I swear, he's the most beautiful creature I've ever seen!"

With emotion, Dulin continued, "Words can't capture his beauty, but let me introduce him to you."

"Hasman is a gentle being, very shy. He only comes out to bask in the sun at noon. Otherwise, even if you dig deep underground, you won't find him."

As these words were spoken, the sand in front of the three began sinking toward the center as if something was emerging.

Half a minute later, a pointed, pure white flower bud emerged from the sand. Green, spherical fuzz covered its base.

It turned and then abruptly retracted a bit.

"Good noon, Hasman. Don't worry, they are Lord Kreet's guests. I'm here; no one will harm you," Dulin reassured gently.

Then, addressing the two, he instructed, "Step back two paces, avert your gaze from Hasman for now; he's quite shy."

They complied.

Dulin continued with soothing words. Soon, sand sank rapidly, and numerous buds like the white one emerged.

Yet, this wasn't Hasman's true form.

Matthew saw an enormous white flower sprouting from the sand, its petals akin to lilies, crystalline and radiant. Amidst them were numerous spore-laden filaments cascading like waterfalls.

In the center of the petals was an irregular pool with honey-colored substance flowing within, teeming with spores.

With each tremor of the petals, spores dispersed into the breeze.

"Hint: You've encountered the Lord of Decay, Hasman (Legendary Creature/???)."

Margaret swiftly cast a protective spell, shielding them from the spores.

"Don't fret; Hasman won't harm us. He's genuinely a gentle lifeform. His spores don't harm living beings; even the undead refuse them. They only proliferate on deceased bodies, birthing new decay spheres," Dulin assured, smiling.

Though Matthew appeared composed, he was inwardly astounded. He never anticipated encountering a lifeform that was a decay sphere! As a necromancer, he knew enough about them. The art of quickening decay spores to infect enemies and enhance their spreading capacity was essential for intermediate necromancers.

Matthew possessed the ability to command decay spheres, enough to dominate most, but clearly, this being wasn't subject to control.

"Decay spheres can ascend to legendary status?" Matthew marveled at the biodiversity of lifeforms.

"As you see, Hasman is their monarch. Though he appears as a giant plant, he's a microorganism, just unusually large. It's through his aid that I entered the spore domain, observing an unprecedented new world.

Though the microbial world often goes unnoticed and unacknowledged by the greater world, they exist undeniably. They're too inconspicuous, too easily overlooked, even by nature's consciousness," Dulin explained with resignation.

"Nature's consciousness is vague, a collective of universal awareness prone to the influence of louder voices, overlooking the silent majority," Matthew added.

Dulin brightened, "Do you also consider microorganisms and spores a part of nature?"

Matthew nodded, equally intrigued. To him, the spore domain served as a bridge between nature and death. Balance was the objective; the means had to be more diversified.

"If I could master the spore domain, handling conflicts between ceremonial sites might become simpler. It won't solve all issues but could ease some conflicts," Matthew mused inwardly.

The spore domain proved the coexistence of nature and death. If he could prove its natural belonging, his subsequent actions concerning balance and the undead might proceed smoother.

Seeing the Decay Lord, Matthew found an answer to why the Twilight Elves on the island resembled Dulin exactly.

At that moment, Dulin volunteered, "Today, I have enough dewdrops to demonstrate Hasman's greatness."

He agilely leaped onto the petals, and several of them twisted, as if acknowledging Dulin.

He dived into the pool, and before Matthew could react, Margaret effortlessly lifted him using a levitation spell, contrasting sharply with her petite figure.

Too distracted to complain about his posture, Matthew focused on the pool below. Dulin joyously swam, and with his movements, the liquid spun.

Suddenly, a head, then limbs emerged beside him.

Without apparent action, a new Dulin emerged from the original's body!

Margaret gasped, but Dulin continued unperturbed. He vigorously stirred the liquid, emitting peculiar noises.

Soon, three identical Dulin figures appeared within the pool.

However, the pool's contents were almost depleted.

Dulin emerged, raising hands alongside the new trio, greeting the two from above.

Matthew's smile remained genuine, but Margaret's seemed forced, evidently finding this too avant-garde.

"Hint: You've witnessed Dulin-Hasman's process of fission reproduction. Your knowledge (Microorganisms) +10."

....

"Is this the way you've found to continue our bloodline?" Margaret asked, a bit troubled, as Duncan descended from the petals.

Duncan smiled, replying, "Isn't this a cool way?"

"I know you have a poor impression of my kind, but that's because Hasman and I are still perfecting this method of reproduction."

"They look exactly like me, dim-witted even, but through our observations and research, after several generations of division, those twilight elves will show greater differences from me, the original. Perhaps in some future generation's division, a mutation might occur. They might regain higher intelligence, or maybe a female version of me could emerge. That way, I could continue the elven bloodline."

As Duncan spoke, his eyes shimmered with a bright light, something called belief.

Sensing fear in Margaret's gaze, Duncan reassured her, "I know this method is hard to accept, but please believe me. Hasman and I don't intend to endlessly reproduce in this way. We have no ambition to rule or conquer the world."

"We're just trying something new, and the ultimate goal is to continue the lineage of the sun elves."

Duncan seemed quite rational, dispelling many of Margaret's doubts.

She spoke calmly, "I'm just worried that this method might cause worldly panic. Even representing the progressive and advanced Seven Sacred Alliance, they might not accept self-replicated elves."

Duncan's eyes flashed with a hint of helplessness. Still, he kindly said, "I understand them. As I said before, I don't intend for everyone in the world to approve of us or our reproduction method."

"Seeking common ground while preserving differences is one of the current goals of the Sporos Society. We just want to invite more people to observe the microscopic world; they've been ignored for too long."

"In fact, Lord Kreet occasionally brings some humans to the island, but after visiting the Sporos Society's content, most people bluntly admit their inability to accept it. Your reactions have been quite surprising, at least you didn't flee upon seeing my reproduction method."

As he said this, Duncan chuckled self-deprecatingly.

However, in the next moment, Matthew asked, "What do I need to do to join the Sporos Society?"

Duncan was momentarily surprised but then ecstatic, "Do you want to join us?"

Matthew's tone was gentle, "I need to understand the obligations after joining the society and what I need to do before that."

Duncan hurriedly said, "No obligations, just try not to let people misunderstand us."

"If we could gain natural acknowledgment for the Sporos domain, that would be even better."

"As for the conditions to join us, honestly, I haven't thought about it yet. After all, you're the first person willing to join us."

Matthew reminded, "I'm a necromancer, not a druid. Does that still meet the joining criteria?"

Duncan smiled wryly, "With our current situation, we can't afford to discriminate against other professions. It's already good enough that necromancers don't discriminate against us!"

"Here's the deal, if you genuinely want to be part of the Sporos Society, just go and greet Hasman. If he agrees, you'll become the third official member!"

Matthew nodded.

He gave Margaret a reassuring look, then opened the domain of oaks and the undead, slowly making his way toward the decay lord Hasman.

Before reaching the edge of the sands, a gentle force enveloped him.

In an instant, a breathtakingly beautiful scene unfolded before Matthew.

---

"Note: The decay lord Hasman has shared his domain with you—"

"You have entered the Sporos domain."

"You have gained the ability 'Brewing.'"

"You have gained the ability 'Decomposition and Fertilization.'"

"You have gained the ability 'Eternal Spring.'"

"Your domain 'Plague' resonates with the current domain. Activate?"

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