Chapter Eighteen: The Flower Spirit’s Transformation

Two days had passed since Lei Yan was processed into that pile of meat paste, yet he still lay there, his fate unknown. Such a strange occurrence could not possibly escape the notice of the innkeeper and the guests. Just as Ding Wei was at a loss, Qing Ling woke up. She casually tossed a few silver notes to the innkeeper, whose face immediately twitched with greed. Quickly, he put on his business mask and covered up everything with some grandiose excuses.

In Room No. 2 of the inn, Ding Wei stared gloomily at the heap of meat paste. Despite trying every method, he still could not pull Lei Yan out of the pile. Never having witnessed such an eerie scene, he felt deeply uneasy. Qing Ling stood by the nearby wall. Over the past two days, she had lost all appetite and sleep, weeping daily, her heart filled with anxious helplessness. Already gravely wounded, the sorrow only worsened her condition. Her pale face was devoid of color; her frail body seemed ready to collapse at the slightest breeze. Yet she refused to sit down, as if doing so would cause her to faint immediately.

Ding Wei had observed Qing Ling’s behavior these past two days. He never imagined that such young souls could share such profound affection. Moving his gaze back to the wall, he sighed deeply. “Madam, you haven’t closed your eyes for two days. Leave this to me.”

Qing Ling’s gaze remained fixed on the meat paste. She believed Lei Yan was still alive. Hearing Ding Wei’s words, her blank eyes showed no flicker of response; she continued to stare intently, fearing she would miss any sign of life.

Seeing Qing Ling’s lack of reaction, Ding Wei shook his head in frustration. “This won’t do. I’ll go get her something to eat.”

As Ding Wei stepped out, the pile of meat paste quivered slightly. Qing Ling’s eyes lit up. To focus herself, she bit her lip hard—so hard that fresh blood trickled down the corner of her mouth. She frowned slightly, as if invigorated, and fixed her gaze once more on the meat paste. Suddenly, a flash of light burst forth, and the paste flowed away like shifting sand. A small, dark head peeked out, its bright red eyes scanning the surroundings.

“A demon... Could this demon be the one who harmed my Brother Lei?” Qing Ling’s heart surged with turmoil, her eyes blazing with murderous intent. She lunged forward but collapsed to the ground. Only then did she painfully realize her strength was gone, her inner energy drained dry. She could neither move nor defend herself.

From the small head emerging from the meat paste came a soft snorting sound. The little eyes turned toward the fallen Qing Ling. Pressing its hands against the meat paste, it used the rebound to leap up, flipping in midair and landing before Qing Ling. It lowered its head to sniff and spoke softly, “Strange… strange… Father’s scent.”

“Father’s scent?” Qing Ling was utterly bewildered. Little did she know this little girl was the flower spirit nurtured by Lei Yan’s essence blood. Having been fed his essence, the flower spirit regarded him as her parent. Moreover, having survived a heavenly tribulation, she had transformed into human form and awakened her intelligence fully.

The little girl hopped around Qing Ling, then spoke again. Suddenly, a memory seemed to strike her; she tapped her forehead and cried out, “Mother! Mother!” before throwing herself onto Qing Ling, shaking her relentlessly. Qing Ling, already injured and weak, was overwhelmed; her vision blurred with golden stars before she fainted outright.

“Father... fainted... wail... Mother... fainted...” The little girl sobbed as she sat on Qing Ling’s lap. Abruptly, her crying stopped. She nodded, climbed off Qing Ling, and though her speech was unclear, her movements were swift. Moments later, a red glow appeared in her delicate hand. She gently placed her hand on Qing Ling’s back.

“Buzz... buzz...” Accompanied by a strange humming, blood-red ripples radiated from the little girl’s right hand.

Just then, Ding Wei entered, carrying a bowl of thin porridge. He saw a little girl kneeling beside Qing Ling, completely unclothed. Her slender body and fair skin, tinged with a bewitching red flush, struck him as strange. Most unsettling were her hands resting flat on Qing Ling’s back, palms radiating vibrant red ripples.

Sensing something, the little girl suddenly turned her head. Her once innocent face twisted into a fierce snarl. With a soft rustle, her black hair floated eerily upward, and her body slowly lifted off the ground. Her murderous eyes locked onto Ding Wei. She flashed forward with near-instant speed, nearly teleporting before him. Her outstretched hand stopped suddenly as she murmured, “Strange… Father’s scent… Mother’s scent.”

“Such speed...” Ding Wei’s heart pounded with terror. Seeing her hand mere inches from his neck, a cold sweat slid down his forehead. The bizarre scene caused his hands to tremble uncontrollably. With a loud crash, the bowl of porridge shattered on the floor.

At that moment, the meat paste quivered again. Suddenly, a hand burst forth, like a creature crawling out of hell. Lei Yan slowly emerged from the pile, the meat paste coiling around him like a python. The paste gradually shrank and thinned until it resembled a human skin draped over his body.

“Father! Father!” The little girl’s face lit with joy as she rushed toward Lei Yan.

Though Lei Yan had known from the start that the flower spirit would regard him as family, he still felt uneasy with the title. He frowned slightly and glanced at Qing Ling. He was aware of everything that had happened over the past two days but had been unable to speak or move while trapped in the meat paste. Just now, he had finally recovered. The sorrow in Qing Ling’s eyes pained him deeply.

“Xiao Lan, help... Mother, it’s all right now,” the flower spirit seemed to sense Lei Yan’s worry and proudly announced.

Lei Yan nodded and said to Ding Wei, “Ding Wei, go buy some clothes. We can’t have this little girl running around like this.”

Ding Wei’s mouth dropped open, his mind in chaos. Were these three even human? Hearing Lei Yan’s command, he quickly responded and hurried out.