The Self-Persistence of the Older Generation of Monks

Chapter 95 The Self-Persistence of the Older Generation of Monks

The bluestone slabs were removed, revealing the hole secured by the wooden frame.

"The cellar?" After losing contact, the effect of the [Inquiry into Nature] spell was greatly weakened, so he had no choice but to go in himself.

Rorschach used [Detection Magic], while Master Humboldt released [Detection Poison]. Both shook their heads; there was no reaction in the pit.

"Let me go down first." Archmage Kober was only an avatar, and he jumped in directly.

Soon, the cave brightened up, and Kober's voice echoed: "The place isn't big; one more young man will suffice."

Those on the ground looked at each other, and finally Master Humboldt made the final decision: "Since there is no danger, please have the mages from the Tower of Stars go down and check the situation."

Luo Xia nodded and followed suit.

There was a rope ladder. The basement walls were also made of bluestone slabs, and due to the dampness, some fungus or moss had grown on the surface; Rorschach could smell a faint musty odor when he entered. Master Kober must have activated the pre-installed magic lamps, as there was lighting throughout the entire area.

Fortunately, there was no standing water. He walked forward and saw Couber reading a book. The book was a thread-bound book with straw paper inside and animal leather on the cover. Rorschach suspected that the binding thread was not cotton or linen but more likely animal sinew.

Yes, the first room in the basement was a study. The underground environment shouldn't have been conducive to the preservation of books, but the original owner must have maintained it regularly, only to stop after the village was destroyed.

"As expected, it was you who came down, young friend Rorschach." Coubert was sitting at his desk, the scattered documents, quills, and ink indicating the haste of his departure. The room was simply and elegantly furnished, retaining the original colors of all the materials, allowing the two uninvited visitors to immediately recognize the pine wood shelves and the stone tabletop.

"I have most of the information from the Tower of the Forest, but there are some other interesting documents." Rorschach approached and realized that what Kober was holding was a notebook, the experimental notebook of an elven elder.

"Are monsters a race created by the elves?"

"I glanced at it, and it seems so according to the information. Someone in the Forest Tower also proposed this idea. The key to the elves' success is the mutated bacteria." Kober flipped through the pages so quickly that one wondered if he had even read what was written.

"Taken from around the sacred tree." Even without looking at the data, Rorschach realized the source—a place contaminated by mutated forces.

"Yes, fungi that can bear magic have been cultivated by elves into a symbiotic system with plants, as well as artificial spirits."

Rorschach felt that a study shouldn't have such a long tunnel dug out of the blue. He tapped on the stone slabs on all four sides, testing for any hollow openings. The original owner hadn't used magic to set up any restrictions, or perhaps they had, but those restrictions would have long since failed after decades. After hearing the hollow, pulsating sound, Rorschach pushed the tunnel open.

"Let me lead the way; this is what clones are for."

The lights came on one by one, and an even stronger musty smell wafted out. Rorschach didn't go any further and looked through the documents, waiting for news from Kober.

Most of the material was a mix of elven chants and hymns to nature, while the rest was stuff that Rorschach couldn't understand. He didn't have a background in nature magic, but he could understand most of the notes on shaping magic.

Rorschach found something that looked more like a diary, with an elven calendar that marked the year, season, and day, and the days represented by the phases of the moon.

"Spring I - Waxing Moon III:"

Today's progress was very successful; the mycelium is developing very well, very well. I must admit, forbidden mutations can sometimes bring surprises; my views are about to be changed.

Spring Part Three, Full Moon Part Four:

The artificial spirits were failures! They were more foolish than the animals in the forest, making me doubt whether they could even match the intelligence of a wolf. The joy of creating new life quickly faded; the daily teaching and their failed imitations were wearing down everyone's patience, including mine, the father of these monsters.

The Third of Autumn·The Second of the Waning Moon:

I've got a new idea! Damn Wacker Ernst, he used this year's reserves to brew wine! And cloth—we need to find a safe way to trade with humans, without letting them find us.

Spring II - The Wailing Moon (Part 1):

The protective barrier in the forest is weakening; if this continues, it will be exposed. My old strength is waning; when will the village's next high priest be born? We must speed things up.

Summer Part One: Full Moon Part Five

I extracted the little wolf's soul, though it was destined to die young, it still frightens me. After that wisp of soul and essence combined, the mycelial symbiosis contained it. Yes, I succeeded, but I felt no joy. Nature, ancestors, please tell me, was everything I did right?

Winter III - The Last Month:

This body can no longer maintain the restraints; sooner or later we will be exposed to human swords. There is no way out for this old man, there is no way out for us.

In the end, he failed. Rorschach closed his notebook and put it back on the table. He began to focus on finding information about the giant tree and the pollution.

"Young friend Rorschach, I think we're safe now. Come and see something good."

Rorschach heard Coubert's call from deep within the secret chamber and went inside with utmost concentration.

"Young friend Rorschach, why are you so nervous?" The "good stuff" that Coubert mentioned was a bit creepy—a wooden doll lay on a stone platform, covered with an irregular layer of fungal carpet, some gray and some brown. Fungal hyphae spread across the entire floor, but all the fungi had dried up.

It seems this is the elder's final work, a new body made from mycelium that can bear magic and soul.

Was this village destroyed by a guy named "Knife"?

Rorschach simply refused to go in. Although the mycelium was completely dried, the network of mycelium on the ground and the mycelial carpet covering the doll made his scalp tingle.

"Young friend Luo Xia, you're quite skilled with [Fireball], aren't you? Now step back five paces and prepare yourself. I have a bold idea; if things get complicated, just unleash it here."

Your audacious idea is easy to guess. Rorschach took ten steps back, and a fireball began to condense in front of him.

Kober first moistened the fungal carpet with some water, then "revived" it.

The mycelium came to life, turned white, and then Archmage Kober's original clay clone was enveloped and devoured by the rapidly proliferating mycelium.

The puppet began to move. It first sat up from the stone platform, then stumbled down and stood still. All the mycelium was absorbed into its body, and Rorschach saw a tall, slender elf about to appear.

Then its facial features and joints emitted a bluish light, and with continuous twisting and deformation, it transformed into a grotesque, hunchbacked old man amidst a tooth-grinding creaking sound. A mound of white earth remained beside the stone platform.

Master, I think your clone could change its appearance; there's no need to insist on being so true to yourself.

Swallowing his words, Rorschach used the Teleportation spell to say to Couber, "Archmage, I must speak to you about Peterson."

"They've been down there for so long, should we send someone else down?" Peterson paced back and forth, staring at the cave entrance.

As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of approaching footsteps could be heard.

"Be on high alert!" Master Humboldt warned everyone to remain vigilant. Rorschach quickly interjected from below, "Captain, don't fire! It's me!"

He was clinging to the rope ladder with one hand and holding a handful of clay in the other, his face serious. This posture startled the onlookers: "Master Rorschach, what's that in your hand...?" Had Master Kober's avatar shattered to protect Master Rorschach? Had the investigation team lost a major force at the last moment?

Rorschach nodded: "It was Master Colbert." Everyone's hearts jumped to their throats. "He told me I had to be at the forefront."

An old man silently darted out of the cave behind them, stroking his beard: "This body is quite nice, not much different from my original form! Hey? Why are you all wearing such long faces?"

Third update!

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(End of this chapter)