Black Sky Lotus

"Master, your Breath Concealment is getting more and more flawless."

Little Fox Fairy's voice was extremely low, as though she feared disturbing something.

"Quiet."

Fang Yan transmitted through divine sense, his gaze piercing the dim yellow light as he watched the distant cluster of Black Sky Lotuses.

The Black Sky Lotuses in the Dusk Zone were unevenly distributed. Some places were dense like a sea of black flowers, while others were sparse, with only two or three solitary blossoms floating in the void.

Fang Yan observed for about half an hour and gradually discovered certain patterns.

Those World Lord-level Black Sky Lotuses seemed to possess little intelligence. They merely hunted nearby prey on instinct, and their methods of attack were pitifully simple.

They shot petals. If they missed, they gave chase. If they could not catch up, they gave up.

But the Immortal Level Black Sky Lotuses were different.

Fang Yan's gaze settled deep within that sea of flowers. More than a dozen Black Sky Lotuses exuding Immortal auras grew there, faint black light flowing across their petals. Their presence was steady and restrained; they seemed less like plants than powerful cultivators.

Move already. Let me see how you attack.

Fang Yan murmured inwardly.

He lay prone on the rock for seven days. Just as Fang Yan began to think the Black Sky Lotuses had no autonomy—

The next instant, his eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.

The largest Immortal Level Black Sky Lotus slowly drew in its petals. The black radiance contracted inward, and the entire flower looked as though an invisible hand were kneading, compressing, and reshaping it.

The black light faded.

A woman in black robes stood in the void.

Her long black hair cascaded to her waist. Her features were exquisitely delicate, with a trace of icy sharpness between her brows. Her lips were lightly pursed, and her entire body radiated an aloof aura that warned strangers to keep away.

Fang Yan: "..."

"Master!!!"

Little Fox Fairy's cry nearly shattered Fang Yan's divine sense.

"Did you see that?! Did you see that?! The flower turned into a person! And she's a gorgeous woman!"

"I saw it..."

Fang Yan's voice was somewhat dry.

He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.

Fang Yan slowed his breathing and continued observing.

The transformed, icy beauty slightly tilted her head, as though sensing something.

A moment later, the corners of her lips lifted faintly. Her figure flashed, and she flew in another direction.

Fang Yan's gaze followed her path, and he soon discovered her destination.

There, another Immortal Level Black Sky Lotus was blooming.

The two flowers began transforming almost simultaneously.

After the black light receded, another woman in black robes appeared, but her temperament was entirely different.

If the first was an aloof mature beauty, then this one was a pure and innocent young girl.

She had a round little face, large eyes, curled lashes, and a naturally vacant smile at the corners of her lips. She looked like a girl untouched by the ways of the world.

"This..."

Fang Yan's mouth twitched.

"Master, look closely. The pure young-girl version seems to have a slightly larger chest."

"...Little Fox Fairy, where are you looking?"

"I'm conducting a species observation report!"

Little Fox Fairy spoke with complete righteousness.

Fang Yan decided to ignore this increasingly improper artificial intelligence and continued observing.

The two transformed Black Sky Lotuses gathered together. The aloof mature beauty reached out and stroked the innocent girl's head, while the innocent girl smiled and hooked her arm through the other woman's. They stood close together, seemingly whispering secrets.

But Fang Yan was too far away to hear anything at all.

"Get closer."

Fang Yan gritted his teeth, pushing Breath Concealment to its limit as he silently moved several hundred meters forward.

Now he could finally hear them.

"Big Sister, Big Sister, your aura is so stable today. Did you break through again?"

The innocent girl's voice was soft and sweet, carrying a hint of coquettishness.

"I merely made a little progress."

The aloof mature beauty's voice was cool, but her tone carried obvious affection.

"More importantly, I wonder how the Venerable Ones' evolution is progressing?"

"Hehe, the Venerable Ones will definitely break through."

The innocent girl rubbed her face against the other woman's arm like a spoiled kitten.

Fang Yan's expression turned strange.

This... isn't the right vibe, is it?

Weren't they supposed to be savage plant lifeforms? Weren't they supposed to be Immortal Level predators? Why did they feel like two best friends out shopping?

Fang Yan suppressed the strange feeling in his heart and continued lurking.

As time passed, the Black Sky Lotuses in the Dusk Zone began transforming one after another.

World Lord-level ones could not transform, but every Immortal Level Black Sky Lotus transformed into a woman. Without exception, every one of them was a stunning beauty.

Innocent, aloof, seductive, refined, cute...

There were all kinds.

Fang Yan felt as though he were watching a beauty pageant—one where the judges' seats were empty and the contestants were entertaining themselves.

What surprised him even more was that these transformed Black Sky Lotuses bore absolutely no hostility toward one another.

Regardless of their strength, they coexisted peacefully. They even visited each other, chatted, and shared food.

"This isn't right..."

Fang Yan muttered inwardly.

Plant lifeforms indeed lacked the instinct to devour their own kind, but the higher their intelligence, the stronger their individual consciousness, and competition would inevitably arise.

Yet these Black Sky Lotuses showed no signs of competition at all. Among these plants, the faint beginnings of a civilization had actually emerged.

Before he knew it, several hours had passed.

Fang Yan discovered that the transformed Black Sky Lotuses did not move over a wide area. They mostly remained near the flower fields where they had grown, occasionally visiting nearby kin, but never venturing too far away.

Moreover, the duration of their transformations was not fixed. Some Black Sky Lotuses maintained human form all day, while others alternated between flower and human, seemingly according to their mood.

"Alright, that's about enough."

Fang Yan stretched his somewhat stiff body and took out a Peak World Lord Black Sky Lotus from the World Ring.

He had secretly picked it while those Black Sky Lotuses were not paying attention. He had collected eight in total, each at the Peak World Lord level—enough for him to cast the technique.

"Master, are you really going to use Borrowed Corpse Illusory Form?"

Little Fox Fairy's tone was somewhat strange.

"What else? Charge in and fight directly? I don't think I could come out alive after being surrounded by a group of Immortal Level Black Sky Lotuses."

Fang Yan rolled his eyes, sat cross-legged, and placed the Black Sky Lotus before him.

Borrowed Corpse Illusory Form from Time Illusory Martial Arts was an exceptionally ingenious time-based auxiliary secret art. By drawing upon the target's lingering temporal imprints, it could temporarily transform one's aura, form, and even soul fluctuations into those of the target.

Fang Yan had already mastered shapeshifting and disguise techniques in the Gu World. To him, this secret art was practically tailor-made.

Fang Yan formed hand seals with both hands. The power of time flowed around his fingertips, turning into fine strands of light that wrapped around the Black Sky Lotus.

The Black Sky Lotus's life force had already been drained by him, but its lingering temporal imprints remained.