Foreign Land Reclamation By a Vegetable-growing Skeleton

“How can they be the same?” Anthony said anxiously. “Can these items even be compared? Those were just antiques. I had experts come in to refurbish them, preparing to launch a Lost Artifacts Exhibition and take it on tour in the Eastern Diocese, luring all the devout followers from the Western Region.”

“What’s the difference?” Negris asked. “I have a rough idea about the Staff of Heaven, but I’m not sure, so I asked you. How about it, Anthony? Why not become one of my followers so I can update my knowledge base.”

Anthony gave him a sidelong glance: “In your dreams.”

After a pause, Anthony turned serious: “The Staff of Heaven is the key to Heaven.”

A key? Both Ange and Negris instinctively looked at Ange’s Boundary-crossing Hand.

“What’s its use?” Negris hastily asked.

“From the descriptions in the Holy Codes I burnt, the Staff of Heaven can summon the advent of the Holy Kingdom,” Anthony recalled.

“I see, it can be used for spatial location, just like using you as a destination marker to descend into the Resting Abyss,” Negris guessed.

“Yes, that should be it. Furthermore, it can summon the Door of Heaven,” Anthony added.

“The Door of Heaven? Not the Steps to Heaven? So, you’re saying it can open a portal?” Negris speculated.

Anthony nodded: “It should be able to. Of course, it can also open the Steps to Heaven. In short, anyone who possesses the staff can freely communicate with the Holy Kingdom. You said that the Great Sage is offering it as a reward for a task? As long as someone can solve the food problem, he will award them the staff?”

“Yes, that’s what Feirick said,” Negris replied.

“What a meaningful reward. Tsk tsk, the Great Sage is as cunning and wise as ever,” Anthony praised.

“Heh, I haven’t seen that old Undead for over a thousand years. I hope he won’t mess things up. He dares to give out a Divine Artifact that can directly communicate with the Holy Kingdom. He’s not afraid that the Church of Light will get hold of it and summon the Holy Kingdom back,” Negris remarked sarcastically in response to Anthony’s words.

“No, this task and reward are intended to bait the Church. Only the Church has the ability to resolve the food crisis in the Land of the Fallen. Only the Church would covet the Staff of Heaven. Even if others have the intention, they can’t possibly transport food to the Land of the Fallen,” Anthony warned.

At Anthony’s reminder, Negris instantly understood: “Right, the Great Sage wants to solve the food problem, and only the Church has the capacity to bring a lot of food into the Land of the Fallen. This reward is to attract the Church. They don’t know that the Holy Kingdom is gone and that we have been planting Elf Beans in the Square of the Gods; so, the Church is sure to be interested in this reward.”

Getting to this point, Negris’ mischievousness resurfaced, “What if the Church gets the Staff of Heaven and finds the Elf Beans on the Square of the Gods when they return to Heaven? Will they launch a crusade against the Elves?”

“They will,” Anthony said with a bitter smile. “At least I would respond with a crusade against the Elves. So, we must by all means prevent the staff from falling into the hands of Guliani, or it will be a big problem, and many people will die.”

Negris nodded and asked, “Doesn’t the Great Sage fear that if the Church gets the staff, they will summon the Holy Kingdom to descend here and drive them back to the East?”

“To descend in the Land of the Fallen? Improbable, the sky above the Land of the Fallen is filled with space rifts; the Holy Kingdom simply can’t approach it,” Anthony said.

Negris got a shock, “Really? Space rifts?!” It had been speculating whether the inverted light bands it observed in the sky were the turbulent eddies of the space rifts. It hadn’t expected to be right.

After a series of exchanges and inquiries, Negris understood the details about the Staff of Heaven and discussed the corresponding actions with Anthony. Ready to break off the Soul Contact, Anthony suddenly remembered something and said,

“Right, all the Elves in the world are looking for Lord Ange, publishing apology letters everywhere, expressing willingness to accept punishment for their previous offences, and hoping to receive Lord Ange’s forgiveness. Now the world is guessing who Lord Ange is.”

“The Elves are backing down? This soon? Did the Tree of Life awaken?” Negris said in astonishment. It had been just two months. How could the stubborn Elves capitulate so swiftly? It was impossible unless the Tree of Life awoke and compelled them to submit. However, given the state of the Tree of Life before, it didn’t seem possible that it could awaken in just two or three months.

“If they want to back down, they should. If they want to apologize, they should. They’re dreaming. Ignore them and leave them hanging for a few months. Keep an eye on their situation,” Negris commanded.

Negris was not planning to contact the Elves as of now. These Elves were too arrogant and uncontrollable. At least not until the Tree of Life woke up and there was something to keep them in check.

In fact, Negris had a pretty good impression of Gailard and Kael’danil, but the Truth Mage, who possessed the Forbidden Magic Domain, gave Negris a feeling of danger.