Chapter 215: Life and the Druid Recruitment Plan (5K)

On this scorched land, ravaged by fire and steeped in mist for countless ages.

A legendary mage descended like a deity upon this place.

Fu Leimei resumed her true form, adorned with deep-sea ornaments radiating unique magic power.

Especially the robe draped over her body, shimmering with mysterious runes, caught Herbert's gaze.

The robe's color resembled the profound abyss of the sea, or boundless starlight; each rune held profound secrets, glowing faintly with her movements.

Her face was serene, her eyes faintly luminous like brilliant stars, with countless runes flickering within their depths.

She raised high the staff forged from coral stone, radiating immense magic power, its tip inlaid with a pearl the size of a fist.

This staff was crafted by Fu Leimei yesterday from materials found in the abyss; its power may not surpass her former best, but it still functions effectively.

With all preparations complete, Fu Leimei began casting her powerful spell, chanting incantations that flowed from her lips like ancient ballads.

Each syllable seemed alive, leaping, spiraling, dancing through the air.

As the incantation echoed, the surrounding air surged violently, as if stirred by an invisible force.

On the nearby shore, the calm waves rose gently, transforming into mist that swiftly surged toward them.

Fu Leimei sensed the changes around her and smiled, retrieving the prepared materials.

They were two translucent blood orbs, each the size of a fist.

She mixed the two blood orbs together, then infused them into the pearl atop her staff, turning it a vivid, dripping red.

She swung her staff, and a brilliant, colossal surge of magic power shot from its tip toward the sky.

Legendary Spell · Alter Weather!

The magic beam scattered high above, forming a vast semicircle that descended, merging with the summoned mist to become enchanted raindrops falling to earth.

Pitter-patter…

Herbert stood on the scorched earth, smiling as he opened his arms, bathing in the rain, welcoming nature's gift.

Where the magical raindrops fell, subtle changes occurred.

The scorched earth began to transform miraculously; the cracked ground, as if gently caressed by a tender hand, gradually healed, becoming smooth and even.

As Fu Leimei had declared earlier, she was bestowing new life upon this lifeless land.

Had she relied solely on the legendary spell "Alter Weather," such an effect would have been impossible.

The true source of the effect was the materials Fu Leimei used in her spell.

Holy Blood crafted from legendary mermaid blood, and Holy Blood crafted from the pure blood of a high-rank Holy Knight.

By the way, Fu Leimei harbored a small doubt about whether that Holy Knight was truly pure…

Was he really pure?

Is it my problem, or has the world's rule malfunctioned?

With these two high-quality Holy Bloods added, the spell's nature transformed, combined with her precise control.

She successfully changed the spell from a simple large-scale weather alteration into a focused, wide-area healing and purification.

The effect was superior, but the intricate manipulation demanded far greater skill from the caster, raising the spell's difficulty by nearly half a tier.

As the raindrops fell, small puddles formed on the ground, then emitted beams of green light from each puddle.

As the puddles merged into the scorched earth, the green light acted like seeds of life, taking root and sprouting instantly upon contact with the soil.

Tender green sprouts emerged from the ground, peering curiously at the world, growing at astonishing speed, and within moments spreading into a lush green meadow.

Then Fu Leimei moved her hands, tracing complex magical arrays in the air.

"Descend."

"And bring sweet, pure springs to this land."

At her command, the golden magical array slowly descended onto the center of the meadow.

In an instant, the very center of the meadow split open, and a clear, refreshing spring gushed forth from beneath the earth.

The spring water flowed across the ground, spreading to every inch of land, nourishing the newly grown plants.

In moments, the once-dead scorched earth had transformed entirely, radiating vibrant life.

Fu Leimei descended from the sky, admiring her creation, unable to suppress a proud smile.

Hmm-hmm~

Of course, only I could do it.

That Valentina? Useless decoration!

What good is destruction alone?

Creation is a hundred times harder than destruction!

A hundred times, do you understand?

Fu Leimei was immensely proud of her work and longed for praise—yes, from the other person present.

Because Fu Leimei was going to sing, they had Sophie take the unconscious Shi Diwen aside.

That was why only the two of them remained here, allowing Fu Leimei to behave more naturally and express her thoughts more boldly.

At such a moment, the mermaid lady wanted to pout a little, yet pretended to be reserved.

She tilted her head, eyes glinting with barely perceptible anticipation, lips curved in a faint, elusive smile, subtly inching closer to him.

But all she saw was Herbert lost in delight, endlessly praising the wonders of nature.

Hm?

Fu Leimei blinked, then let out a huff—annoyed yet amused.

At a time like this, you should be praising me, not nature's power!

I did this!

"Cough-cough, hmm."

After confirming Herbert had truly not noticed, Fu Leimei cleared her throat, signaling the heartless man lost in wonder to look at her.

What a little fool.

"Hm? Oh oh!"

Herbert snapped back to awareness the moment he saw Fu Leimei's expression—slightly resentful, yet bursting with suppressed triumph.

He offered no excuse for his earlier behavior, not a single word.

Instead, he stepped forward dutifully, took her hand in his, and gazed at her with reverence and love, speaking gently and sincerely:

"Fu Leimei, you've done absolutely amazing!"

"Everything you've done is nothing short of a miracle—this scorched earth has been reborn under your magic!"

"What you've done is like the sea giving birth to life—your power and kindness proven beyond doubt."

He lavished praise upon Fu Leimei, celebrating her efforts, stirred by genuine excitement.

Hearing such praise, Fu Leimei's joy swelled like a rising tide, nearly overflowing.

Her cheeks flushed faintly; she straightened her chest, imagining her usual habit of leaping onto his back and snuggling into his arms.

But now she held back, determined to maintain the dignity of a legendary mage, struggling to suppress her unseemly impulses.

Fu Leimei pressed her lips together, then gently tugged her hand in his, feigning mild reproach:

"Hmm, it's just a minor spell—nothing near as impressive as you make it out to be."

Yet the slight upward curve of her lips betrayed her true feelings.

She held back. Held back. Held back again.

She kept reminding herself: be a girl's composure, be a great mage's composure, be… just put up with this freakish sea otter already!

There's no one else here—why hold back at all!?

Thinking this, Fu Leimei finally broke. She let out a triumphant giggle.

"Ha! Ha! Ha!"

Then she leapt effortlessly onto Herbert's back, wrapping her arms around his neck, entwining her tail around his waist, and nuzzling his ear nonstop.

"Praise me more!"

"Say more!"

Herbert found this stark contrast utterly adorable and indulged her every demand.

"Of course I can praise you more—no problem at all!"

"In my heart, you're extraordinary! Whether it's the way you commanded the weather and cast magic just now, or how shy and adorable you are now—I adore it all."

After this blunt praise and declaration, Fu Leimei's face turned even redder; she hid behind Herbert, trying to conceal her expression.

Fu Leimei felt her scalp tingle, yet her heart swelled with delight; she wriggled and squirmed against his back.

If merfolk had toes, she'd probably be drawing a three-bedroom, one-living-room floorplan on the ground right now.

Pouting stubbornly, she said: "You—you just say sweet nothings. All lies."

Herbert flatly denied it, earnestly: "Heh, I never lie."

【"Yes yes yes, you always lie to monster girls—never to humans."】 The Trickster God gave this liar of an ally a sidelong glance.

You always trick little girls like this—don't think I didn't see!

I witnessed it all!

Herbert felt Nie Nasha's disdain and secretly smiled.

Heh.

So you're watching?

Keep watching.

Keep watching, and I'll trick you too!

Yet to provoke her, Herbert did not deliberately block Nie Nasha from sensing his thoughts.

【"Hm? Heh! You wish—I'll never be tricked by you!"】

"Heh, we'll see about that."

Both gave a faint, cold smile in mutual respect, then dropped the matter.

One day, they would prove it by action.

Either He's wrong, or He's wrong, or both are wrong.

Or… heh.

Herbert and Fu Leimei clung to each other for a while, gazing at the scene before them, savoring their tender moment.

The land, reborn by magic, seemed to bear witness to them—the new branches swayed gently in the breeze, silently speaking of beauty.

After a long while, when Sophie arrived on schedule, dragging a bag containing Shi Diwen, their intimacy slightly lessened.

But Fu Leimei made no effort to distance herself; she remained perched on Herbert, whispering:

"Hmm, by the way, though you might not know, giving life back to the land alone isn't enough."

Yes, merely restoring vitality to the soil was far from sufficient for this scarred, desolate land.

The Mist Mountains' soil was naturally capable of growing plants, but this land had been tainted by the mist for too long.

Plants that grew here absorbed part of the mist's essence—crops would be no exception; eating them might cause unusual effects on the body.

Though Fu Leimei had shown astonishing ability in reviving the land, she knew the limits of her power.

"I can at most help you brew alchemical potions to boost crop yields—but to fully resolve this issue… I likely cannot."

Mages aren't omnipotent.

She came from the deep sea, skilled in controlling water elements and oceanic life magic—she struggled to grasp the life force within soil.

She felt helpless, but refused to risk error by overreaching.

Though her heart was filled with helplessness, she still voiced the most viable solution:

"To truly change all this, we may need some master druids—only their magic can resolve the problem."

Master druid.

A title granted to druids after advancing to legendary status.

They are nature's true favorites, beings most deeply attuned to the forces of nature.

They are embodiments of natural law, possessing profound understanding and insight into the earth, forests, rivers, and the mysteries of all life.

Of course, this also varies by sect.

Among druids, there are some special schools that greatly enjoy transforming into different races and forming intimate bonds with them…

Excluding such outliers, master druids who specialize in land can sink their essence into every inch of the soil.

They can precisely perceive the internal structure of the soil, even as if aware of the needs of every tiny particle.

These individuals can skillfully use natural forces to balance the soil's requirements, adjusting it to the optimal state for crop growth.

For scarce nutrients, they can employ natural magic to activate minerals buried deep underground, rendering the land's core fertile.

Yes, for this territory at this moment, what is most needed is not my mermaid grand mage—but a legendary druid.

As if sensing Fu Leimei's low spirits, Herbert softly spoke: "Don't worry—I need you most right now, and only you."

"Just as you said before—as long as you're here, that's enough."

"As for the matter of the master druid, don't concern yourself—I have my own way to handle it."

After Fu Leimei mentioned the master druid, Herbert immediately thought of many possibilities.

The simplest was monetary recruitment.

Master druids are still human; no matter how close they are to nature, unless they've fully become savages, some still require normal food, clothing, and necessities.

These individuals can be recruited—if offered sufficient compensation, they will work under contract.

Though he was not short on gold, he knew the price demanded by such beings would certainly not be low.

Moreover, my situation here is somewhat unusual; for now, it's best not to let them leak word of it.

And the way to make someone keep a secret forever… heh.

The best way to prevent information from spreading is either to silence them completely, or to render them unable to speak.

Either cut the cord after the mill grinds—kill them outright.

Or restrict the master druid's personal freedom.

Both methods carry certain risks.

Another option is to owe a favor to the Ice and Snow Goddess and ask her to make contact.

Though the Ice and Snow Goddess herself has no specialized master druids trained under her, she is a member of the Nature Pantheon.

And in this world, nearly ninety percent of druids worship deities of the Nature Pantheon.

Herbert believed that, given her status and position, she should be able to locate some master druids specializing in this field.

But there was another problem.

What kind of offer could he make to persuade her?

To persuade a goddess, logically, the cost should be greater than recruiting a master druid…

Of course, that's only the general rule.

Herbert thought otherwise.

Given her attitude toward him at the time, he should be able to get a priestly corps for free—and perhaps something else besides.

Hmm.

As for exactly what he could get, it would depend on the specific actions he took.

And as Herbert pondered how to showcase his charm and mooch off her…

Sniff.

"Hmm?"

Fu Leimei suddenly sniffed lightly at Herbert's neck and said suspiciously: "I feel… you're thinking of another woman?"

Oh!

Such keen sense of smell!

Herbert paused, then smiled naturally: "What are you talking about? You're right here—I'm thinking of you, of course."

"Why would I think of another woman?"

Herbert spoke with perfect sincerity—only to be immediately exposed by his beloved ally.

【"The goddess isn't a woman. No need to explain—I've already spoken for you."】

Herbert's smile froze for an instant; inside his mind, he growled fiercely: "Shut up, Trickster God."

【"Hehe~"】

Fu Leimei narrowed her eyes at Herbert's expression, thought for a moment, then slowly nodded.

"Alright. Since you say so, I'll believe you this time."

Fu Leimei is not Valentina.

She is not foolish.

This flimsy excuse couldn't fool her.

The mermaid young lady could sense something was amiss in Herbert's heart—he likely wasn't telling her the truth… so let him not.

Everyone has secrets.

At this moment, the one beside him is me—that's enough.

As for those other seductive harlots—wait your turn!

"Oh, by the way, are you planning to cultivate only this portion of land? What about the rest?"

Although their actions restored vitality to this patch of scorched earth, the other areas remained shrouded in thick mist.

If you intend to cultivate this wasteland, you certainly cannot change only this one spot.

But how should those mists be dealt with?

As for Fu Leimei's concern, Herbert already had an answer—he smiled faintly and said softly:

"Of course, with... my blood."

Thank you to Inverse Clockwise Mutation for the tip

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(End of Chapter)