Chapter 157: Accept It

The black vines chased after Jiang Yan as if they had eyes of their own.

"Ouch, are you actually serious, Momo?" Jiang Yan cried out in pain.

His ankles were bound by the creeping vines, and he was hoisted upside down in the air.

Even more bizarrely, the thorns of these vines pierced him, sending excruciating pain straight into his soul!

"Give up..." the man in the black robe looked down at Jiang Yan from above.

Though bound and utterly immobilized, Jiang Yan's gaze remained unwavering, and his tone was brimming with absolute determination:

"Momo, I am going to take you home. I will never give up."

Before his voice faded away, the vines tightened around him even more fiercely.

A wisp of black Qi quietly seeped through the vines and penetrated Jiang Yan's body.

"Ah!! What is happening?!"

Jiang Yan felt a burning sensation deep within his soul, the agony distorting his voice.

"Momo, do you truly not remember me at all?"

Looking at the indifferent man in the black robe, Jiang Yan thought for the first time that his cold expression was actually rather terrifying.

"Ugh, ah!!"

The burning sensation grew increasingly intense, and Jiang Yan felt a terrifying and unfamiliar power surging wildly within his body.

Power!

He desperately needed power right now!

Having his spiritual energy inexplicably blocked over and over again had left him feeling unprecedentedly helpless and uneasy.

And the root of this unease was the lack of sufficient strength.

As this thought solidified in his mind, Jiang Yan's eyes gradually became suffused with a shade of blood red.

Instead of resisting the ever-growing power inside him, he began to actively embrace and accept it.

The vines wrapped tightly around him, seemingly reinforcing his soul form.

The figure of the man in the black robe dissolved in an instant, transforming into wisps of black vapor that merged into Jiang Yan's soul.

***

"White, do you think so much time has passed, and Jiang Yan hasn't been devoured, has he?"

White's gaze drifted toward the massive coal-like sphere not far away, a surge of curiosity welling up in his heart.

He remembered this was the first time he had ever seen Lord Fu show such meticulous care for a newly arrived ghost, even ordering them to protect Jiang Yan.

This clearly implied that Jiang Yan might be concealing some sort of mysterious identity.

Black also turned his gaze toward the massive sphere, fell silent for a moment, and said, "He won't be."

He firmly believed that Lord Fu would never try to ingratiate himself with a weakling.

Yes, ingratiate.

He had acutely sensed Lord Fu's obsequious attitude toward Jiang Yan.

Meanwhile, inside the massive sphere, Jiang Yan could no longer tell whether he was in reality or a dream.

He was having a nightmare, countless vines burrowing endlessly into his mouth.

He felt as though he was about to burst apart from within.

"Ugh, ugh..."

"Ah!!!"

Suddenly, a voice echoed in his ear, "Do you yield?"

Jiang Yan forced the words out, his voice resolute: "No, I will not yield."

With a soft pop, something seemed to shatter inside Jiang Yan's body.

He felt a wave of warmth wash over his entire being, as if he had traveled straight from hell back to heaven.

He blinked, his vision gradually clearing. He saw the black flower floating right before him.

"Momo," Jiang Yan whispered softly.

"Wuwuwu, Jiang Yan, I thought I would never see you again."

"Momo, I am here to take you home. Also, I want to tell you, thank you."

"Hehehe, Jiang Yan, as long as you're okay."

"Oh, right, Momo, how did you turn back into a flower?"

"I remembered who I am, so I returned to my original form. Jiang Yan, we have successfully formed a soul pact, you know."

Jiang Yan smiled slightly. "Mm, that's wonderful."

As his words fell, the black flower gradually transformed into a ball of light that sank into Jiang Yan's forehead.

[Jiang Yan, can you hear me? I am inside your sea of consciousness now.]

The black flower spun around excitedly within Jiang Yan's mental expanse.

[Oh, right, Jiang Yan, I am amazing now. I can turn into vines...]

The black flower babbled endlessly, introducing its new abilities.

Listening to the flower's chatter, the corners of Jiang Yan's lips curved upward even higher.

This meant he was no longer helpless, no longer a lamb waiting for slaughter.

Moreover, he now possessed brand new power.

He imagined a pair of wings in his mind, and at that very instant, a pair of wings composed entirely of black vines sprouted from his back.

"Fly..." Jiang Yan thought silently, and the next moment, he soared right out of the massive sphere.

Seeing Jiang Yan soaring on wings, both Black and White were struck speechless with shock.

They knew Jiang Yan had contracted with a flower spirit, but why on earth did he have wings?

This flower spirit... was definitely extraordinary.

***

In the grand hall of Fu Qingyin on the first level, a female figure quietly materialized.

Her voice was like the biting wind of winter, carrying an undeniable chill.

"Where is he?"

Fu Qingyin slowly lowered the book in his hand, a predictable smile gracing his lips.

"You finally came after all."