Chapter 89 - Love (1/2)

Inside the gigantic-sized flower, it was pitch dark. When she entered, Lian wasn't able to see anything around her. Still, her feet were uninterruptedly walking as a strange vine was guiding her. That vine had rolled up her arm and was leading her into that darkness.

Usually, she would have objected so that she could observe and analyze the situation, but she had no time to waste. Outside, Hei, Ye, and Xing were fighting hard, coming to put their lives at risk to make her have this opportunity. There was no way she would waste it or let herself be stopped by fear or uncertainty.

Following the light tug of the vine on her arm, Lian continued to walk forward until she sensed that that tug was over. At that point, a strange light appeared in that darkness, and Lian could finally look around.

She was inside the flower, but she couldn't see any object that could be traced back to the treasure they had perceived from outside. Then, looking closely, she realized that the thing that was producing the light was a smaller reproduction of the gigantic flower where she was now.

'This...?'

Lian reached out her hand, and as soon as she touched the closed petals of the luminescent miniature flower, it opened its petals and from there, sprang out the body of a beautiful woman.

The woman had long sinuous hair that swayed like small waves dragged by the wind. These 'waves' had an emerald green color in which there were occasionally some rosy locks of different shades.

Her skin appeared smooth and soft just by looking, capable of bewitching every person who had the chance to look at her. Instead of the typical color of human beings, the skin had a jade green color. And indeed, had it not been for her small and delicate movements, she would have appeared as a finely crafted jade sculpture. But this perfect skin was scarred by pink veins that resembled the bark of a tree. However, instead of appearing chaotic, they assumed uniform traits, creating floral patterns on the skin.

The woman was almost completely naked; only her intimate parts and her breasts were covered by thin layers of clothing formed by the union of flower petals. But despite the presence of such 'clothes,' one could see the fascinating graces of the woman who, more than a human being, she resembled a flower that had taken a human form.

When the flower woman came out of the miniature flower that contained her, she opened her big eyes. Then she looked around until she dwelt on Lian, who was the only living being present in that place with her.

”So you are the one who earned the right to enter. Welcome to my home, can I know your name?” Asked the flower woman. Her voice, although it was the same they heard before the beginning of the battle, it lacked the metal tone used previously. But instead, it had a soft and pleasant feeling that would have fascinated even the most stoic of martial artists.

”Lian.” Replied the young blue-haired girl. The grace of her voice was no less than that of the flower woman. Her beautiful blue sapphire-like eyes met the pink-flower eyes of the flower woman. Both had a depth of gaze that seemed that only by looking at them, you would be able to immerse yourself in them and sink to the bottom.

”Lian ... it's a beautiful name. Did your parents give it to you? ”

”No, it was Hei who gave it to me.”

”Hei? Would he be an acquaintance of yours?”

”Yes, Hei is the one who saved me. Now I am living with his family. ”

Listening to the few words of the young martial artist in front of her, the flower woman understood that the young human woman had through many difficulties in her short but intense life. If it had been before, she would have felt compassion and would have listened to her story told more than willingly. However, right now, she had no such luxury. There were things to be first discussed between them.

”Listen to me, young woman, named Lian, I have a proposal for you. I am an extinct organism, lived a long time ago. I don't know precisely how much time has passed and if they changed the name, but at the time, human beings like you called my species divine beasts. As for my name, there is no need for you to know it. But if you want a name to address me to, you can call me the Lotus of Love.” The beautiful flower woman introduced herself.

As she said this, she floated in the air and then descended to the ground. Just before her bare and delicate feet touched the ground, the grass trembled at that point. Then, it grew at a crazy pace and went to wrap the feet of the flower woman gently, turning into elegant and light footwear with floral embroidery.

Meanwhile, Lian, hearing the name that this flower woman had uttered, couldn't help but be amazed. The Lotus of Love. There was no way she didn't know that name. It was the divine beast that Bao Bei had spoken of, as well as the one who had created her Lotus Style.

”Young human Lian, do you know the story of us... something is wrong?” The flower woman was going to start her speech by explaining the story about her species. However, she stopped shortly after because she had noticed the strange way in which Lian was looking at her.

The flower woman had foreseen the possibility the person coming into that place could have received teachings about the past. And therefore, they possessed a conception about the spirit beasts from the humans' point of view. As a result, she was prepared to receive looks of fear and even disgust. So, she created a short but detailed speech ready to illustrate her version of those events; no, to be precise, the version of her entire species.

And from the reaction of the young blue-haired woman, the flower woman understood that the human before her knew what the words divine beasts meant. And yet, instead of the looks of fear, disgust, hatred, or any other negative feeling she was prepared to receive, inside Lian's eyes, she could only read astonishment, curiosity, and even admiration.

The flower woman couldn't understand at all? Why did a girl she saw for the first time feel admiration toward her?

Unable to appease her curiosity, she asked Lian again.

”Do you know me by chance? Did you hear my name somewhere? ”

Lian nodded her head slowly and prepared to answer.

”Yes, my teacher told me about it. She is the mother of the boy I mentioned to you before. Besides him, there are her two daughters. She is called Bao Bei.”

Drip

As soon as the name of Bao Bei was pronounced, the flower woman instantly froze as her heart started beating wildly. It was as if suddenly, a single drop had fallen inside a completely flat water surface. This drop then generated ripples on the surface of water, creating chaos in the calm that once dwelt in that place.

Right. Her calm and refined demeanor had been destroyed to make room for a feeling of excitement and euphoria.

”Human! Tell me immediately, what does she look like the one you call Bao Bei.”