"It seems like the time in the ring has done you well, you've properly managed to control your newfound energy. That's good timing, I'm planning on giving you the third row of petals now, one you can use to stand on your own two feet, what do you think?"
The two rows of petals, one multicoloured and one black with ashen spots, fluttered softly in response to Liang Chen's question. The already naturally high sentience of the lotus had only grown after it fully took in the energy used to form the second row of petals, Liang Chen could feel exceedingly clear emotions and intentions from the fluttering of the petals.
"Alright, then prepare yourself, it'll be a bit more difficult than the previous two."
Liang Chen simply nodded his head after the lotus declared its intent, casting a sideways glance at Yumao. He was rather low on energy right now so he was planning on leaving it to him, something Yumao immediately understood. His shadow quickly grew and spread out, tendrils growing out from it and pulling in all the containers of blood. He put away the three that were suitable for Liang Chen, but the rest were all gathered together at the centre of the room, their lids removed.
He then picked up the lotus and sent it over to the collection of containers, plopping it down amidst them all. The lotus immediately got to work, roots extending from beneath it and dipping into the various containers. The blood came from all kinds of Demonic beasts with different elements, far too many to be used to form a single row of petals. But if the lotus focused on the one element all the different types of blood had in common then it could indeed form the third row of petals, a beautiful crimson one symbolizing blood.
The act of drawing in all the blood, filtering out the excess elements and absorbing the energy inevitably stirred up the Qi all around them. The wind picked up as a result, concentrating around the containers and forming a small tornado that picked up both the lotus and the blood. The tornado was dyed crimson as a result, the lotus floating in the middle as its roots continued to suck in the blood.
Faint sounds started to mix in with the sound of the wind, subdued roars, howls, screeches, a cacophony of bestial sounds as the remnants hidden away in the deepest recesses of the blood tried to resist what was happening. The cacophony grew louder and louder, eventually becoming so loud that it seemed like it wanted to drown out everything else.
But scream and howl as they might, the lotus at their centre refused to stop. It absorbed their energy one by one, silenced roar after roar. It had originally sprouted from a bit of blood that Liang Chen had left behind, granted it was before his bloodline reached its current level, but it was still a powerful Sebettu bloodline at that point. It had then been graced with Liang Chen's law of lightning to grow to a proper One-Petaled Elemental Lotus before taking in a great deal of death-energy that came from a peculiar skull to reach its current Two-Petaled state.
From birth to growth, neither had been done through normal means so trying to classify it as a normal Two-Petaled Elemental Lotus would be foolish. It also knew this, it was special thanks to the grace it had received. As such, there was no way it would allow something as petty as a bit of blood to resist it, it would take it all in and grow further, only like that could it ever reach a stage where it could repay the grace it had been shown.
Liang Chen stood on and watched as the crimson tornado spun and twisted, seemingly shaking somewhat as the energy that maintained it got drained bit by bit. The lotus was clearly taking in all the blood without much problem, it was actually doing it quite a bit easier than he had originally expected, but that was mainly due to him underestimating what the lotus had become thanks to him. The tornado quickly grew smaller and smaller after all the roars were silenced, its colour slowly fading to reveal the lotus again, or at least what used to be a lotus.
"Oh? Would you look at that, she's actually faster than you, Yumao. You'd better hurry up, otherwise, you'll end up losing all the pride of the elder brother."
Liang Chen couldn't help but smile somewhat wryly as he looked at the thing that emerged from within the tornado. There was no lotus with three gleaming rows of petals, no gorgeous flower brimming with power. No, what appeared in the centre of the fading tornado was a young girl who looked like she had reached her late teens, she only looked a year or two younger than Liang Chen.
But even so, Liang Chen could still see traces of her petals within her appearance. Her black petals had become short black hair that barely reached her ears, her multicoloured petals had turned into a pair of striking violet pupils to take after the main colour of Liang Chen's current lightning. As for the blood she had just taken in to form her third row of petals, it had changed into her robe, a delicate crimson one embroidered with images depicting various Demonic beasts.
Lan Yun looked at the girl with gleaming eyes, Yumao grumbling audibly at the scene. He was the oldest by a good deal yet he was also the only one who had yet to acquire a human form, it really wasn't fair. But that was the price he paid for having a powerful bloodline, he would have to take a few more steps forward if he wanted to acquire his own human form.
The tornado finally vanished completely, the barefoot girl descending to the ground with a soft sound. Her arms rose slightly, her head lowering to look at her own hands, somewhat absent-mindedly observing the flesh-and-blood body she had just acquired. She was a plant-type Demonic beast so it was originally much harder for her to acquire a human form, she was constantly at risk of getting plucked and tossed into some alchemical cauldron to be turned into a pill.
She had gained sentience thanks to Liang Chen, she had also quickly gained her second row of petals thanks to him. But never would she have thought that he would also help her gain a body this quickly, this was a qualitative change for a plant-type Demonic beast, it drastically increased her offensive capabilities so that she could protect herself.
Granted, it was a bit of a coincidence that she gained a body this quickly, it had never been something Liang Chen had planned. The quality of the lightning he gave her, the quality of the death energy, the quality of the blood here, all of it had to work together to produce this result. But it didn't matter that it was a coincidence, what mattered was that it happened. She lowered her arms again, her shoulders jolting somewhat when she realized the situation and quickly grasped the hems of her robe and dipped into a bow.
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"This Little One greets Master. Thank you, Thank you for the grace you've shown me."
Her voice was smooth and soft, but somewhat stilted thanks to the fact that this was the first time she actually spoke. Liang Chen shook his hand slightly when he heard the way she introduced herself, especially the way she referred to him, it really didn't suit him.
"Don't call me master, it makes me uncomfortable. And don't worry about any of that, I was the one who asked if you wanted to tag along so it stands to reason that I'll take care of you. But now that you've gotten a body of your own, what are you thinking? Do you want to keep tagging along with me or would you like to spread your wings and head out on your own to see the wider world?"
She hadn't been able to move around on her own when she was just a lotus, and she had been in a bad spot back then so it was only natural that she would say yes to his question and follow him. But now she could move and fight on her own, she would probably be decently strong even thanks to the quality of the elements that formed her three petals, she really didn't need to tag along with him any longer. But even so, she immediately lowered her head.
"Please allow me to continue following you, Mas...Lo...Father."
She didn't even need to think to reach an answer to that question, everything she had was granted by the grace of Liang Chen, even her very birth had been thanks to his blood and the lightning he drew down back then. To abandon him just because she had acquired a body of her own? That was something she would never be capable of, something she wouldn't be able to accept or forgive.
"Another one, huh... Alright, if that's your choice then I'll gladly accept. But a name will be necessary at that point, have you chosen one?"
Liang Chen couldn't help but mutter that first part quietly to himself. Yumao had been the first, then Lan Yun followed, and now her. He was still young, barely a child if you considered the age of cultivators, but even so, he already had three different people calling him Father, it really was funny how life twisted and turned.
"If possible... could I ask you to gift me one?"
Liang Chen hadn't given her a name in the past because she was just a lotus, she had a great deal of sentience but there hadn't really been a need for a name. Now she had formed her own body so she definitely had the right to choose her own name. But even so, who wouldn't want their name to be given by the one who helped birth them? Liang Chen gave a slight nod of his head, tilting it as he wracked his brain to come up with a name.
"All right. Hmm, you call me Father so the Liang name is a given, as for the given name... Let it be Sheng Lian. Liang Sheng Lian, that will be your name."
Of the three who called him father, two now bore his own last name, the third one bearing Yan Ling's last name. They rarely ever used it, Liang Chen couldn't even remember a single time that Yumao had actually ever used his last name. Granted, Yumao never really introduced himself so perhaps that was to be expected, but that didn't change the fact that they bore his last name, it was something they took pride in.
The girl, Sheng Lian quickly bowed in thanks. She looked like a teen, but as she bowed in that manner she reminded Liang Chen more of Lan Yun than anything else. She conveyed her thanks with strong determination, but Liang Chen simply waved it off, it really wasn't anything worth thinking about if you asked him.
"Thank you, Father. I promise that I won't disgrace the ambitions behind the name."
"Don't worry about it, just live a good life, that'll be enough."
And just like that, Liang Chen had ended up with another child that would tag along with him, he didn't even have to be near Yan Ling for their little family to grow, he almost found it comical. But of course, he didn't allow that thought to distract him from what he had to do next. One wrath had fallen, eight more remained.