Demi-human Girls Completion Manual-Chapter 959 - 45: The Problem of Death (Part 2)

"No, little cutie..."

Helair jumped down from the beam and explained to Tangze Asuka the way this world conducts death clearing for High Rank species. Tangze was stunned for a while before finally understanding the rigid mechanism that resembled a program. Helair also took the opportunity to explain to Fisher the natural death clearing process for the Longevity Species.

When the Longevity Species’ lifespan is about to run out, death gradually locks onto them, and only when their lifespan is completely exhausted do they enter the clearing process like Fisher’s; the higher the Rank, the more they can feel this pursuing sensation, and they will do everything possible to slow the loss of their lifespan, hoping to delay death’s arrival.

"Oh no, is there an earthquake?!"

While the group was talking in the courtyard, people from the Prime Minister’s Mansion also ran out one after another. Qiong, who seemed to be resting alone without any attendants, quickly ran outside upon hearing the commotion, saying to the people in the courtyard.

Upon seeing this, Fisher’s pupils contracted slightly. Not only him, but even Mikhail and Hooked kiss stepped back vigilantly, not to mention the timid Tangze Asuka.

"Qiong...what’s wrong with you?"

"Me? What’s wrong with me..."

Seeing the guests in a dazed state, Qiong himself seemed unaware of what had happened until he looked down and saw that his hands were devoid of flesh, reduced to osteoporosis-ridden bones. His face, however, still retained skin and flesh, looking like a skeleton with a face.

"Ah! What happened to me... am I dead?"

"Father, are you alright... ah ah ah!!"

Some of Qiong’s adopted daughters also rushed out of other rooms, and upon seeing Qiong’s stick-figure appearance, they were shocked, frozen in place by fear.

Helair held his stomach laughing inappropriately, but Hooked kiss and Fisher’s expressions became increasingly serious. Fisher could feel a strong aura of death emanating from Qiong, while Hooked kiss looked at it entirely from a doctor’s perspective,

"You don’t have the aura of life anymore. Your original body wasn’t in good condition. Though death had noticed you, living for a few more years should have been possible, but now..."

Hooked kiss suddenly extended her hand, and with a flickering phosphorescent thread gently wrapped around Qiong’s skeletal arm, her expression turned increasingly peculiar as she spoke to him,

"You’re a Tree Continent person, so I will tell you in words you can understand... Elves fundamentally regard life forms through the three treasures: essence, energy, and spirit. Essence is the mother of energy, and the transformation of life relies on energy, which is the foundation that allows your soul to attach to your body. But now, your essence energy is empty; you should have directly died, yet your spirit somehow remains extraordinarily present, quite miraculous..."

Fisher, possessing some understanding of the theory of souls seemed to vaguely comprehend the medical theory of the Elves. The soul and body are mutually dependent yet independently existing, but anyhow, the body is the carrier for the soul. Now that Qiong’s body is dead, but his soul hasn’t been reclaimed by death to the Spirit Realm, he has turned into this bizarre state.

"How can this be...is it just me, or...I need to check if others in the capital are also affected by the disaster."

Being a Tree Continent person, Qiong naturally understood what Hooked kiss meant. Yet, before he could gather his thoughts, the night sky over Chun Country was filled with commotion following the earthquake’s aftershock. Despite his current state, as the Minister of Chun Country, he hurriedly dragged his skeletal frame outside.

He just rushed out of the Prime Minister’s Mansion only to find chaos in Chun Country’s exterior after the earthquake, many dragged their skeletal bodies out of the ruins in a daze and looked around, unaware they had already died...

The scene was so bizarre that even Qiong, who had encountered Elf Species like Mythical Species, was momentarily at a loss.

"What’s going on? I have to see Uncle Chun; he must..."

Realizing something decisive, Fisher noticed the palpitations hadn’t gone away, prompting him to understand the root cause of this terrifying change.

The rules of death seem to have malfunctioned.

...

...

"Uncle Chun! Uncle Chun! Something’s wrong!"

Under normal circumstances, Qiong’s former body wouldn’t have been able to run smoothly from his Prime Minister’s Mansion to Chun’s Palace, but ever since turning into a skeleton, he felt no fatigue. When he and Fisher reached Uncle Chun’s Palace, he wasn’t the slightest bit tired.

Half of Uncle Chun’s Palace had collapsed, and occasionally some skeletons stretched out their hands from the rubble calling for help, Fisher used his Fluid Sword to save each one by one. Witnessing this horrific visage of themselves, they hadn’t started feeling grateful for surviving; Fisher refrained from explaining to them, instead, following Qiong to the rear of the main hall, where Uncle Chun resided.

The back of the hall was spacious, but at the moment was entirely covered with bizarre four-leafed purple flowers. When Qiong and the others arrived, Chun was sitting on the steps in a daze; only upon hearing Qiong’s shout did he turn around with the "ding-dang" of his numerous metal earrings.

Upon seeing Qiong’s skeletal frame, his pupils shrunk imperceptibly for a moment before showing visible guilt.

"Qiong, did you die because of the earthquake too?"

Of course, the Mythical Species could see the aura of death surrounding him; Qiong didn’t mind upon hearing and said with a smile and a clasped hand, 𝘧𝑟𝑒𝑒𝘸𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝘷𝑒𝓁.𝘤𝘰𝓂

"I didn’t die because of the earthquake; it seems I died of illness... but somehow, I am still very aware now. Uncle Chun, these details don’t matter; why was there an earthquake? The Tree Continent is supported by Lord World Tree, and now we have transformed into this strange appearance. Also, sir, the Chun Wood has broken, what about the Transformed Branch?"

Earlier, it was mentioned that Elves need trees planted on their bodies after they die to undergo reincarnation. The tree planted in the predecessor’s corpse is called a Transformed Branch, a bough fallen from the World Tree. Once implanted, it remains within the corpse and turns the body into a towering tree, until, four years later, a new Elf emerges from the tree.

The Transformed Branch remains within the tree; if an Elf dies again later, the enormous tree can be chopped down to retrieve the branch to plant it into the Elf corpse for the next reincarnation, but currently, all Elves have only gone through one reincarnation at most.

"I... don’t know why there was an earthquake. When casting the spell, I removed the entire tree, the Transformed Branch should have vanished too, but it doesn’t matter, I’ll retrieve it from the Royal Capital later."

Uncle Chun seemed somewhat absent-minded due to the sudden disaster until Qiong reminded him, but he quickly shook his head, instructing Qiong,

"Qiong, for now go manage the disaster relief; I have matters to discuss with the Holy Land envoys."

"Yes, Uncle Chun."

Watching skeleton Qiong quickly run away, seemingly faster than when he was old and considerably more relaxed, Uncle Chun’s expression remained unchanged. Looking at Helair, he said,

"The earthquake must be caused by Lord World Tree; simultaneously at the time of the earthquake, all Elves received a decree not to leave their nation, so the method originally prepared for your travel to the Royal Capital now requires self-reliance, but fortunately, the destination isn’t far from Chun Country."

Helair responded with an "Ah Ba Ah Ba" without saying a word, and Fisher sighed, addressing Uncle Chun,

"Are you suggesting we find someone who can help us reach the Royal Capital?"

Uncle Chun glanced deeply at Fisher before shaking his head and said,

"Not a person, but a group, a race. They are very well connected with me; good friends of mine not belonging to Chun Country, and currently, during the decree lockdown, they are the only ones capable of taking you to the Royal Capital."

"They are the Phoenix Species, a magnificent race."

Hearing this, Fisher was slightly startled, momentarily feeling the bone-chilling wind of the Northern Realm a millennium hence.