Academic gathering with a lich-Chapter 170 - 162: Witherer of the Wilderness (Two in One)_2

"Death is not scary, it’s just a part of nature, just like life, yet you fools abandon it so readily. Look at this land, this is what the future looks like for you blind ones."

"Nonsense! This land is sick, it needs to be healed, not killed!"

Heinz looked at his niece, her face flushed with anger, and the excitement hidden in his chest dissipated without him realizing it.

He spoke calmly, as usual without a hint of emotion.

"Do you remember when you ascended to Second Tier, Fannila?"

"Of course," the elf girl looked at her pendant, "the Force of Nature twirled around my body, my body cheered in this vigor, my power grew, life reached a higher level, vitality cleansed my body, my parents poured the dispersed Life Force into these green leaves, becoming my Second Tier ability."

"Why, when we advance a stage, do we gain new abilities? Why, every time we advance, do we risk failure and injury? Why do we have energy dispersion, can our bodies really not hold the magic they produce?"

"The teachings of the sacrifice, it’s a challenge of life, like herds of deer avoiding predators. Only by giving it our all, can we bloom far beyond our own vitality, and receive the reward of life sublimation, which is our ability. It’s a gift from the gods."

Heinz listened carefully to Fannila’s words, the same ones every Dream Elf heard as a child, unchanged, immutable, stubborn, and foolish. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"Fannila, do you know, all beings, when they ascend, develop new abilities, even if they are atheists, or enemies of the deities."

"That’s because, because the gods benevolently bless every life."

"It’s because of limits. Every being, when they ascend, their life instinctively imposes limits on them, like an invisible wall suppressing the beings themselves. Because the birth of every Senior Being means the concentration of finite resources, even if you pass that limit, that limit will leave a trace on you. Nature will also instinctively limit your future, using some of your strength to nourish the world. Abilities, are the chips with which nature collects power from our bodies. There’s no gift, no benevolence, only transactions."

"However, there will always be some greedy beings in this world, who want the convenience of their abilities without losing them, they break the limits. And nature also gives punishment. Their bodies twist, lose their original harmony, deform, split, devour. These Breakers are the diseases of the world, they take for themselves the power of nature and expand uncontrollably."

"As the guardians of nature, we should kill them, rather than use our strength to correct their limits, because their greed will still break the limits."

"That is Withering Magic, granting death to all things, leaves returning to their roots."

"Death is the greatest limit of a being, and the final Barrier of Guard of nature."

Fannila appeared to be in thought; something seemed to strike her.

"Those Liches! They’ve crossed the barrier of death, indeed, they are the destroyers of nature."

Heinz looked at the excited Fannila; his niece was still as alarmist as ever, even if she appeared more mature, at heart, she was still the little girl who chased bugs and birds in the forest.

Why had her personality turned out this way? His sister, the memory of Falanel, was a perfect, tranquil Dream Elf beauty. After marriage, she gradually adapted to the role of mother. Although she tried hard to hide her presence at home, the streaming light in her eyes would occasionally remind those who conversed with her that she was still the shrewd flower among thorns.

As for his brother-in-law, Doludo, the newly promoted Druid elder, although their relationship was not harmonious, it wasn’t hostile either. This was precisely because of his reserved nature, like the courteous and unassuming gentleman’s orchid, it was hard to arouse dislike in others. This kind nature, yet indifferent as water, made him persuasive and gathered many disciples.

So, which one did this rash niece take after?

Heinz interrupted Fannila’s conspiracy theories; she was already fantasizing about a group of Liches plotting in secret to destroy the world, a total absurdity.

"Fannila, Liches are not enemies of nature, don’t forget, they have died, they have not broken death’s limit."

"But they act like the living, like living creatures."

"That’s exactly what I’m puzzled about, Liches, why they move. But, I have my own guess."

"What is it, Uncle Heinz?"

"I’ve spoken with a few somewhat friendly Liches, that was quite a difficult feat. Because those skeletons only care about their own matters. I once piqued a Lich’s interest, and we went to a bar in the Light and Shadow Zone called Bloody Rose for a drink. Isn’t it interesting, a dead man actually missing the taste of beer. When the fluid trickled down his spine, I momentarily forgot what to say, luckily a waitress nearby complimented him on his capacity, which allowed our conversation to continue."