Chapter 308

Chapter 308: Phantom Glow Flower

Unbeknownst to them, over half a month had already passed since the start of the new semester. Many students, after some time adjusting, began to slowly adapt to their new school life. Compared to the first-year students who participated in more group activities, the second-year students now focused more on individual pursuits.

The most obvious example was the course schedule. In the first year, 80% of the courses were the same for everyone, but now only 40% were shared. As they progressed, the common courses would decrease further, becoming more specialized. Perhaps, by the end, combat classes would be the only occasion where classmates would definitely meet.

Today, Lohil’s class was ‘Church Affairs’ at the Temple Academy, a required course for second-year students. The location was not far off; it was a cemetery on the northern side of the campus, halfway up a hill.

The teacher, dressed in a black robe, walked ahead, followed by more than 80 second-year students, all wearing uniform black or white robes.

Fine rain floated in the sky, and the students pulled up their hoods. As they entered the cemetery, there was little conversation, creating a solemn atmosphere. If an outsider saw this group of people in black and white robes gathered together, they might think it was some special religious ceremony.

The tombstones in the cemetery were orderly arranged, each engraved with names, personal stories, and sometimes small portraits. Walking through the cemetery, one could see young green grass growing beside the pathways, with fallen, half-decayed leaves, broken pine cones, and half-buried branches scattered on the ground. Occasionally, a few birds with yellow-green feathers would perch on the branches, watching the crowd below before flying away chirping.

The teacher walked ahead, explaining as he went.

“Many of those buried here graduated from Emanas. Some led exciting lives, others lived mundane ones, and some died young.”

“The tombstones briefly record their life trajectories, but mostly in briefs. For detailed information, one must review the archives kept in the academy.”

“If you look closer and understand more, you will realize that perhaps these lost lives and stories are your future.”

The teacher paused. “But even if I say this, you may not feel much differently. Perhaps in 30 years, when you return as graduates, you’ll have more to gain from coming here.”

“Today, I’ll teach you about the cultivation and nurturing of ‘Phantom Glow Flowers.’ Generally speaking, unlike the Fortress Academy which focuses on plant cultivation, the Temple Academy has only a few such subjects, including ‘Phantom Glow Flowers.'”

“This plant grows mostly in cemeteries or near churches, named so because it emits a faint glow at night.”

Then the teacher plucked a sprout from the cemetery and showed it to the students.

“These flowers can absorb Mana and residual magic from corpses, refining purer necromantic magic.”

“Compared to the crude methods of necromancers in the past, who raised armies of undead, ‘Phantom Glow Flowers’ are gentler and more acceptable to society.”

“I doubt many of you have experienced those chaotic times, understanding how terrifying and frightening it is to see your deceased loved ones rise with rotting flesh, foul odors, and maggots.”

“Necromancers must constantly wage wars to maintain their undead armies, plundering and seizing more ancient tombs.”

“This was also why the Mercury Dynasty collapsed later; having conquered the continent, they could no longer find enough corpses.”

“Additionally, ‘Phantom Glow Flowers’ have soothing and cleansing effects. Nowadays, it’s rare to hear of zombies or ghosts causing disturbances in cemeteries, thanks to their presence. Even if other rogue necromancers came, they couldn’t use the purified remains.”

“It’s like burning wood until it’s completely consumed, leaving nothing to burn.”

A student raised their hand. The teacher nodded in approval, and the student asked.

“So does this mean ‘Phantom Glow Flowers’ absorb the souls of the dead, implying these flowers are the souls of the deceased? Isn’t that even more terrifying?”

“That’s a classic question. The Church once debated this internally, and later, extraordinary beings explored and experimented, concluding that ‘Phantom Glow Flowers’ do not affect souls. They merely refine the scattered Mana and residual magic from corpses. If anything, they have a soothing effect, calming spirits and preventing them from becoming agitated.”

“Otherwise, others, including the Church itself, would have long opposed the cultivation of ‘Phantom Glow Flowers,’ as killing souls is no different from killing people.”

Lolan Hill walked alongside, slowly squatting to observe the small flower nearby. She closed her eyes and slowly sensed, her consciousness gradually sinking into the earth. After reaching Sequence 4, her perception had become even stronger.

Most of the deceased in the cemetery had decayed over time, leaving only bones in their coffins, unremarkable. Only a few recent arrivals still retained some magic and fragments of consciousness. Unfortunately, souls were like mirrors, shattered upon death. Even if they were pieced back together, they were no longer the same person. Even if they revived as ghosts, only larger pieces would awaken, with mostly simple emotions and rarely human-like wisdom.

White and slender petals bloomed quietly in the cemetery. At night, they emitted a faint blue glow, barely noticeable, easily overshadowed by a candle’s light.

The teacher’s voice continued from afar.

“While ‘Phantom Glow Flowers’ were initially used to purify cemeteries and extract magic, preventing necromancers or chaotic calamities, their primary use today is quite different.”

“That is, brewing wine,” the teacher said with enthusiasm, while the students looked bewildered.

“Indeed, just like how the Angelic Church was originally established to suppress local chaos, it later became a place for healing and prayer. The development of things is always so intriguing.”

“The maintenance of churches and monasteries across the land is a significant expense. Although priests can earn some income through healing, most are commoners and cannot charge too much. Selling wine became another source of income for the Church.”

“After graduation, if you join the Church, most of you will become main priests in various churches, naturally worrying about income and expenses. Cultivating flowers and brewing wine are essential subjects for you.”

Listening to the increasingly enthusiastic teacher, Lolan Hill found it hard to imagine that the teacher wasn’t a wine lover. At the same time, the students’ idealistic expectations of the Angelic Church were gradually shattered, bringing ideals closer to reality.

Previously, they thought that if they became high-ranking priests, they would save lives and win gratitude, being supported by both sides. Occasionally, a great noble would sponsor them, making their lives both prestigious and prosperous.

In reality, in remote areas, it was difficult to find a single baron among hundreds of miles, mostly farmers or miners working in fields and mountains. Building a church required them to lay bricks themselves and find resources.

While Emanas graduates certainly wouldn’t be wasted in such small places, it was undeniable that most priests in the Church actually didn’t live very comfortably. Brewing and selling wine was a means of livelihood and stable income for lower-level clerics.

Perhaps it was hard to understand, but in fact, it wasn’t uncommon for priests to brew wine.

Firstly, due to famine after the chaos, the land was eroded and difficult to cultivate, often leading to food shortages. When there were bountiful years, they would ferment the grain into wine for storage, as the nutrients in grains were better preserved in alcohol, preventing spoilage and infestation.

Secondly, alcohol had disinfectant properties. Without widespread water treatment methods, drinking water in most areas wasn’t very clean, whereas alcoholic beverages were much cleaner, with fewer pathogens.

Lastly, as a means of comfort, in the aftermath of faith collapse, angels quickly became a spiritual support for many low-income individuals. Churches, originally meant to receive messages related to chaos, became places for people to confide and pray. Priests welcomed this, as they received donations. But priests couldn’t address all the demands of the populace, so low-alcohol drinks, which had a calming effect, became a remedy for anxiety.

Thus, in the new semester, the students at the Temple Academy started learning not about philosophical truths, doctrinal classics, or medical knowledge, but rather how to acquire a stable source of income.

After all, without solving basic living problems, it was hard for people to have the leisure to ponder profound philosophy.

Thank you for the support from these generous readers: Thank You This is All Illusion, Tangmen Infantry, Determined Lettuce, Dr. GoregoL, Book Friend 20200224183159734, Book Friend 20190729161805578, and Cloudy Dreamer in the Sky.

(End of Chapter)