Black Rose

I could feel a similar and at the same time a different sensation as the Star of Star Lake coming from that flower, pure heaven and earth energy coming from that black rose, with a green thin stem and 3 red leaves.

"Wait are you waiting for? Don't waste Mei's time. Hurry!" Mei shouted puffing her cheeks.

I turned to Lingling searching for an answer "This Flower is the core of the Garden, similar as Star it would help you increase your strength. However, you must be aware that the cores take from their protector. While the Star is very mild and open to accept others and would never try to injure like Bi Ji, the Flower follows Mei character, as such, it would test you, it may be painful. Try to do the same as with the Star" Lingling informed.

I carefully approached the Flower (How can even a flower grow here without any sunlight?) I thought "Mei is its sun" Mei answered like reading my mind "Hurry up and start. Mei doesn't want more than the necessary time for you to stay here"

I sat in lotus position and start cultivating. Vines surged from the ground and they started wrapping around my body. They started for my right side, in no time my right arm was all wrapped without any spot to see my skin.

It wasn't painful at all, it only tickled a little. The vines continued crawling around my body, the problem was when they arrived at my back. From the vines long thorns grew, penetrating my skin. Even if painful it wasn't enough to make me shout, I clenched my teeth resisting my pain.

The thorns seemed to be alive and started crawling inside my skin and started slicing and penetrating around. Suddenly a pair of wings emerged from my back, the wings resembled a bat ones and have a gray color. The wings were surrounded by thorny vines that made the wings became all bloody, leaking black blood.

The black blood seemed to be absorbed by the thorns that started transforming to black buds. The buds started opening flourishing in black colored roses that didn't last long before their petals fell and the stems died, dispersing even before touching the ground.

After repeating this action 2 more times it finally stopped, leaving the wings wrapped in green vines with redbuds growing along.

Seemingly finished with the wings the vines started again spreading to my body. It continued only leaving my right arm free. I waited for the worst, expecting even a more brutal pain at my right arm. Against my thoughts, the vines didn't even try wrapping around my left arm, they simply ignored it, leaving it the only part of my body not covered by them. At that moment the vines started shining with a green glow.

"Tch!" clicked her tongue Mei "It seems that you are recognized. Now cultivate like normal"

I followed Mei's word and started cultivating, easily entering the trance state immediately I started meditating about Life. I could feel the vines helping in the comprehension. In that state, I couldn't sense my surroundings at all, not even detecting the time that passed.

As time passed the vines started increasing their size, redbuds started growing from them. The buds sprout, growing leaves from them. After some time red roses started flourishing all around Bai's body.

The red roses' petals fell, creating what it seemed like a beautiful rain of petals. These petals started being attracted to the Black Rose, dissipating when they touched it. Once there weren't any more flower the vines retracted from Bai's body, making it free. The body seemed more robust, even the uncovered arm and a green aura exuded from Bai. The biggest change was his previously black wings, which became white.

Opening my eyes, the first thing that I saw was the face of Mei who was glancing at me with an angry look and her cheeks puffed. She turned to one side without looking at me "It makes Mei angry but you did a good job. So many flowers would help it"

"Thanks for this opportunity, Mei" I smiled at her.

She turned hearing her name "Don't call Mei, Mei! You don't have that right, call Mei, her highness!"

I shrugged my shoulders "As you want, your highness" I even made an overly extravagant bow "Where are Xiao Wu and Lingling?"

"The rabbit couldn't even start and was rejected, now had the entrance prohibited to the Flowery Garden. For Lili, I'd have liked that she stayed with Mei, but she is busy, so she only comes from time to time. I already informed her of your awakening, so she will arrive shortly"

Just saying it Lingling fell from the sky "I am glad that you finished. You lasted 6 months, impressive for someone who didn't have a plant as his spirit"

"Mei stayed for 1 year and Mei was accepted as a guardian. You even lasted for almost 2 years. He is nothing special!" Shouted Mei.

Lingling smiled "Look attentively, Mei" Lingling signaled the Black Rose.

Mei closely looked at the Black Rose and her eyes opened wide "No way. Four leaves!" Like she said a fourth leave had grown.

Mei turned to me with a face of disbelief with her mouth open. She shook her head and blushed a little "You really helped it, thanks" she blushed even more "Anytime you want to stay here you can come" she shook her red face "Don't take it wrong, you're good for it, it's not for me"

I looked at Mei strangely not knowing why that behavior. Lingling sighed and took my arm, vines started growing under our feet, creating a platform under them, then they grew taller bringing us to the surface.

After leaving the Black Rose's lair we left the Flowery Garden, this time the root making a path as we advanced "Now that you are recognized, there's no need for the other path, the root would open for you. However, this won't work if you are bringing someone" Lingling explained.

Lingling then guided me to a little open area inside the Star Duo Forest with a wooden cabin, the aura around couldn't be compared to the Death Areas such as the Flowery Garden or the Star Lake. The cabin's door opened and Xiao Wu left the cabin, seeing us she waved her hand and instantly teleported to our side "Long time not seeing you, Bai!" she cheery said "I was bored"

I turned to Lingling "So you prepared this place for my training?" Lingling nodded "Thanks. I need to stabilize my Life concept on my sword, any powerful energy would influence me, changing it according to it, limiting other uses and weakening it"

I turned to Xiao Wu and invoked my Nine Treasure Sword on my right hand "Let's spar Xiao Wu"