The Cornflower Witch

Book 2: Chapter 187: The Maiden of the Blazing Sun Flower

Vol 2 Chapter 187: The Maiden of the Blazing Sun Flower

Flowers of flame delicately emerged from between the cracks in the stone, unfurling and blooming, continuously spreading, permanently altering the local environment.

The distorted pollution and erosion seemed to not exist at all within this blazing sea of flowers, being easily cleansed and covered over, then giving birth to completely new earth and air.

Within a few breaths, the massive flesh-and-blood lizard was burned until only its skeleton remained, and even that skeleton crumbled step by step. The will that had originally been attached to it wailed as it detached within the sea of fire, transforming into drifting black smoke that was absorbed by the picture book floating in the sky.

[Demonic Codex·Beast of Lies] (Sixth Tier·Insect Moth·Beast Fang·Nightmare); 'A demonic codex that 'records' the memories of Pallen Markov'

Contained Progression Paths: [Oathbreaker] [Beast Flute Player] [Alien Insect Emissary]

Contained Abilities: [Oath-Breaking Slash] [Lies as Text] [Forcibly Seize Contract] [Flute of Beast Taming] [Fanged Beast Horn] [Blood of the Rushing Beast] [Alien Insect Body] [Insect Song Command] [Killing Fist] [Red-Tail Bee Sting] [Butterfly Wings] [Floral Nectar Breathing Technique] [Mantis Flying Legs] [Mantis Sharp Blades] [Flying Fly Footwork] [Body of Terror] [Possession by Malice] [Black Mosquito Breath] [Maggot Devour Decay]

Contained Knowledge: Secret Arts of Beast Blood Modification, Arts of Insect Body Metamorphosis, Arts of Nightmare Possession, Arts of Tampering with Contracts, Secret Ritual Method of Corruption and Rebirth, Arts of Malice Induction

Although it was a demonic codex containing mystical knowledge, Sylutia didn't want it at all this time. This was the first time she had ever felt such disgust towards a type of knowledge. Suppressing her nausea, Sylutia flipped through the contents of the demonic codex, memorized the parts she needed, and then burned this codex, reducing it to ashes.

The disappearance of the demonic codex meant that the secret arts once created by 'Pallen Markov' would no longer be known by anyone. The traces he left in the world were, for the most part, permanently erased, and the 'True Name' engraved upon the World's Wall gradually faded.Watching this demonic codex slowly dissipate, Sylutia's mood finally became a bit more comfortable. At this moment, she also slowly withdrew from that strange 'Sorceress' state, gradually descending in rank, returning to her usual appearance.

Within the Fate Plate in the sea of consciousness, the burning Fate Card scattered the strange blazing sun flames, returning to normal. The maiden engraved within it closed her eyes once more.

It seems that making 'myself' open her eyes requires extremely high-tier power, Sylutia thought. Probably before reaching the Seventh Tier, there's no need to think about it. She shifted her attention back to the land below.

At this moment, the blazing flower blossoms on the earth were still burning, but the flames were also slowly diminishing, revealing the soil full of vitality beneath.

After being burned by those scorching flame flowers, the earth within this abyss had completely changed its appearance. It felt purer than the surface continent, brimming with the warmth of the sun and the clarity of the sky.

Lightly tapping the ground with her toes, Sylutia landed back on the earth. The soil under her feet still retained some warmth and softness.

She bent down, picked up a small handful of soil, spread it open on her palm, and then carefully rubbed it apart with her fingers to observe.

Within the flames of the Blazing Sun Flower's bloom, this soil had been burned by the fierce fire. The distortion, filth, and insect eggs it contained had all been incinerated. What remained now was rich in nutrients and free from the various strange, unknown substances that had accumulated before. The air was still somewhat hot, but it was also becoming cooler in the faint breeze.

This place is very suitable for planting flowers, Sylutia thought, and she acted on it. She took out cornflower seeds and scattered them, letting them fall into the soil at her feet. White tender sprouts unfurled within the soil, then germinated.

Clusters of green cornflower sprouts and tender leaves bloomed across the ground.

Feeling the light, joyful emotions conveyed by the cornflowers beneath her feet, Sylutia's jade-like fingers lightly touched the side of her lips as she pondered.

Then, beautiful silver-blue butterfly wings unfurled behind her back, lifting her slowly into the air. Afterwards, numerous cornflower seeds were scattered by the breeze stirred by her wings across various parts of this land.

Verdant grassy plains gradually spread, covering the black soil and mud, from the gentle land to the high hillsides, from the low canyon crevices to the jagged stone peaks. The fresh green blades of grass stretched in the wind, little by little occupying the cracks in the rocks, taking root everywhere.

Folding her wings, the maiden stood quietly amidst the undulating waves of grass. Her long hair and skirt fluttered forward, slightly covering her ears and field of vision. Her fingers spread open in the wind, sensing the flow of life's breath within this current of air.

The flowers and grass covering the mountains and plains at her feet merged with her. Their root systems wound around stones, slowly absorbing nutrients from the soil, the warm earth cradling the thread-like extending roots... Sylutia, with her eyes closed, perceived all of this happening.

Her heart had never been as quiet as it was at this moment, quiet enough to hear the joy of a small blade of grass under a distant rock extending its roots into a hard crevice to draw precious water.

Amidst the flowers and grass covering the mountains and plains, tiny buds were gradually nurtured. Petals softer than cotton and mist trembled in the wind, slowly emerging, then unfurling and expanding.

Tiny stamens exuded faintly fragrant pollen nectar, swaying under the abyssal sky. As far as the eye could see, pale white cornflowers bloomed across mountains and plains. Their stamens were fiery red like gold, the most delicate and tender part of the flower, and also the most blazing, fiery manifestation of life.

[Bright Flame Cornflower] (Scorching Sun·Verdant Nectar): A special variant of cornflower born under the influence of the 'Blazing Sun Flower Sorceress's' authority, appearing only in specific environments. (Transplanting seeds is ineffective.)

The fierce winds of the Darkmist Mountains blow ceaselessly. Even though this place had been purified, the distorted erosion carried by the wind would slowly pollute this land again. Sylutia originally thought the environment here was merely a fleeting miracle. But when these 'Bright Flame Cornflowers' covered the mountains and fields, the threads of blazing aura they emitted actually burned away and purified the distorted erosion carried by the wind bit by bit, maintaining the purity and vitality of the land beneath their feet.

Burning with their own lives to allow the environment where generations grow to be sustained—this strange spectacle couldn't help but inspire admiration and awe.

Although these cornflowers came from her hand and grew under her care, their lives did not completely belong to her. Moreover, the special changes and effects they produced were also things Sylutia had never anticipated.

It was like a child raised with care from a young age, who upon reaching adulthood, displays talents their parents never expected, along with completely new beliefs and ideas.

This feedback, in turn, enlightened Sylutia, giving rise to a moment of insight within her.

Perhaps the best way to cultivate plants and flowers is not to create the optimal environment, forcing them to advance in a predetermined direction, but to give them what they need, and then allow them to move towards different directions, thereby revealing more unknown possibilities.

If she merely followed her own ideas, even if she could cultivate plants and flowers of perfect quality every time, they would also be limited to that, constantly repeating the same process, the same direction. In the end, it would also cause her own imagination to dry up, trapping her within the cocoon built by her own experience.

Understanding this point, the silver-haired, blue-eyed maiden smiled. She no longer constrained the cornflowers covering the mountains and plains to grow towards a specific state or direction. Instead, based on the different environments each plant was in, she delicately perceived and then improved and guided them according to their individual needs.

The difficulty and effort spent cultivating them this way increased nearly tenfold compared to the past. But within this process, Sylutia also slowly began to perceive things she had never thought of before. It was a brand-new discovery, and more possibilities.

In this process, her perception also spread along the gentle breeze. She no longer insisted that she must cultivate every single plant and flower she saw to perfection. Instead, she did as much as her strength allowed, following her heart's desires, completing the things she enjoyed.

In this state, one after another special cornflower gently bloomed amidst the grass, on the cliffs, within the valleys. And the Aspect power they fed back also slowly integrated into the maiden standing within this sea of flowers.

[The Maiden in the Manor] (Third Tier·Verdant Nectar) → [The Maiden of the Blazing Sun Flower] (Fourth Tier·Verdant Nectar)

At this moment, she had officially advanced from the Third Tier to the Fourth Tier.