Lin Xian's Serpent Eyes constricted. Red-black blood mist seeped from his pores as his body suddenly swelled, transforming at once into Wrathful Lion Uridim. He pounced and pinned down the Garuda Spirit wielding a spear, seemingly eager to break through the blockade.
But because of that, the lion's belly and back were completely exposed.
At once, earth and rocks churned. A Garuda Spirit holding a sword and shield suddenly leaped up, the soul-fire in its eyes surging as it swung its rust-speckled blade at the lion's hind leg.
Meanwhile, from a concealed corner on the other side came the tremble of a bowstring. A black arrow condensed from Death Qi tore through the air.
Idiot! He had exposed himself completely before even seeing through his opponents' true intentions. As expected of a brainless fool!
Perfect. I'll use you to test myself!
The lion bared a mouthful of gleaming fangs, seized the spearman Garuda Spirit he had pounced on, and flung it toward the archer.
"Pfft!"
The arrow pierced through two of the Garuda Spirit's ribs and, with its force still unspent, shot toward the lion's flesh.
However, the slick fur deflected most of its force. Even the Death Qi clinging to it left nothing more than an inconspicuous bruise on the monster's body.
Only after the spear, arrows, and greatsword took turns attacking did the three dim-witted Garuda Spirits finally realize that the deathly aura they were so proud of had no effect whatsoever on the enormous cat before them.
Even the traces left by cuts and bursts of magical power could not keep up with its recovery speed.
What was even more infuriating was that the monster could shift back and forth between sizes. It was also unusually familiar with the death mist, able to approach unexpectedly while completely concealing its presence.
We're the undead here!
The three Underworld Guards repaired themselves by absorbing Death Qi, yet their recovery speed had somehow fallen behind. Their hollow skulls turned in confusion as their defenses were breached one after another.
Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!
Explosions rang out continuously through the secluded valley.
Several hours later, an eerie silence settled within. Then, amid rustling from the mist, the ancient snake dragged three skulls over to his owner and lightly touched the back of her hand.
Only then did the goddess, who had secretly been clutching the edge of her cloak with both hands, finally let out a relieved breath. She opened her sweat-soaked palms and lovingly gathered the little one into her arms.
"Honestly, I told you that you didn't need to try so hard. You could have just left it to me..."
Ereshkigal tenderly stroked the ancient snake's curled, shattered scales and the tail that was growing new flesh, unable to keep herself from complaining.
Lin Xian flicked his tongue and rolled his eyes inwardly.
But I don't want to be kept. I want to keep trying, because there's a Tiamat supporting me, A... Ereshkigal.
After a brief rest, his wounds rapidly healed. The lively ancient snake clamped onto his owner's sleeve and tugged her toward another valley.
"You want to show me something?"
The goddess stared at the writing on the clay tablet and froze slightly.
"Flowers?"
On the side flipped over by the snake's tail was a word that left Ereshkigal stunned.
How could there be flowers in the Underworld?
Pulled along by the ancient snake, the goddess followed step by step. Yet as the distance shortened, the confusion on her face only deepened.
I've been to the valley ahead. It was clearly a barren place covered in crystalline ores of every color.
Impossible... flowers?!
They really were flowers!
After passing through the gray mist, Ereshkigal stared wide-eyed at the astonishing sight of flowers blooming across cliffs, valley floors, and stones. She rushed forward in disbelief, wanting to touch and smell them.
But when she drew close, their icy touch, scentless petals, and sharp hardness instantly extinguished the excitement in the Underworld Goddess's heart.
So these were merely mineral crystal clusters carved into the shape of flowers...
"Well, they're still very exquisite. Thank you, Little Samael."
Just as Ereshkigal was feeling disappointed, she saw the little one point his head ahead.
Curious, the owner crouched down. From the corner of her eye, she noticed the clay tablet signs planted beneath every cluster of crystal flowers and instinctively read the cuneiform inscriptions on them.
"Species 1: Red Rose..."
"An upright shrub reaching up to two meters in height; stems thick and clustered; young branches densely covered in fuzz, with prickles and glandular hairs, bearing straight or curved pale-yellow bark prickles covered in fuzz..."
"Petals obovate, double to semi-double, fragrant, ranging from purplish red to white; styles free..."
Then, when Ereshkigal raised her head again and carefully examined the crystal flower, she discovered that its carved appearance was almost identical to the description on the clay tablet.
The goddess could not help turning her gaze toward several other clusters of crystal-wrapped blossoms and the signs standing beneath their roots.
"Species 7: Iris Flower..."
"Flowers may be white, yellow, green, blue, and other colors, varied and colorful..."
"The flower resembles a butterfly dancing gracefully in flight, blooming in May..."
"Species 21: Camel Thorn..."
"Calyx bell-shaped, calyx teeth triangular or awl-shaped triangular; corolla deep purplish red, standard petal oblong-obovate, wing petals oblong, ovary linear..."
Looking around, she took in over a hundred crystal-cluster flowers.
Even more incredibly, Ereshkigal discovered in astonishment that these plants matched the descriptions on the clay tablets, every one rendered with the utmost realism.
As she moved deeper into the flowerbeds, several dark brown traces lingering on the stone leaves and scales broken off on the ground came into the goddess's view.
"Were these... all made by you?"
The owner looked quietly at the ancient snake by her feet. After hesitating for a moment, she finally asked.
"Yes! They're all flowers Samael saw on the surface before. I wanted to offer them to Lady Ereshkigal."
"But... there are no seeds here, no suitable soil, and they can't be grown..."
The ancient snake was excited at first, but his expression dimmed as he wrote the latter half.
Yet before Ereshkigal could reach out to stroke him and comfort him, the little one perked up on his own and slithered through the flowerbeds carved from crystal clusters.
"But I still wanted to do something for Lady Ereshkigal, since you like flowers so much..."
"I wanted to show you what I saw on the surface! So I made these!"
"For that, I even went to ask several florist uncles in the Spear Cage. They helped a lot too."
"Look, I spent more than half a year on them. I recreated them pretty well, didn't I?"
The ancient snake eagerly recounted everything he had gone through while carving the flowers, deeply moving his owner behind him.
She had never imagined that the longing hidden in her heart would be remembered so firmly by such a tiny creature, who had worked so hard to fulfill it.
A snake was actually trying to grant a god's wish.
It was absurd, yet it moved her all the more.
Since taking charge of the Underworld, she had never experienced the feeling of being cared for by another living being.
"Fool, don't hurt yourself over these lifeless things..."
Ereshkigal lowered her hand and gently tapped the ancient snake's little head, her words carrying a trace of reproach.
"No! As long as there are dreams, these can become real too!"
However, the little one was somewhat stubborn about these lifeless flowers. He even insisted rather forcefully that his owner follow the steps listed on the clay tablets.
That slender figure with shining eyes was like an innocent child brimming with fantasies.
Ereshkigal laughed softly and bent down. She simply let this little thing, which had brought her a hint of warmth, have his way. Following the tablet's instructions, she closed her eyes and raised a hand to gently touch the flower.
Yes, empty your mind and feel it with your heart.
Rose... petals are obovate... it has a fragrance... it smells very rich...
Immersing herself in the experience, the goddess lightly closed her eyes, slightly lowered her head, and flared her nostrils as though she could truly feel a fragrance flooding into her nose.
As one hand pressed on the clay tablet and the fingertips of the other slid down the flower, Ereshkigal lightly furrowed her brow, seemingly sensing a faint sting.
Rose stems have thorns... be careful...
This one is... I remember now... an Iris Flower!
The flower is purple... its shape is like a butterfly...
Mm, that's right! Its petals spread wide, as if dancing gracefully through the air!
Gradually, a smile bloomed on Ereshkigal's lips, like a little girl who had accidentally wandered into a garden.
Filled with curiosity and a thirst for knowledge, the goddess sniffed and caressed each beautiful plant, identifying and memorizing their colors and shapes.
A breeze rippled through the gray mist. The crystal flowers flickered in and out of brightness, while Ereshkigal's skirt fluttered and a satisfied smile spread across her lips. She was completely immersed in this extraordinary experience.
The ancient snake yawned, climbed onto his owner's shoulder, chose the most comfortable position to coil up in, and lowered his head as he drifted to sleep amid the invisible floral fragrance.
There was no need to stop at complaints, nor to wallow in pain.
With only your heart, the world you saw would ultimately become beautiful and colorful.
Before you continue