The Lord of Flowers possessed absolute dominion over all flora within his sight; every strike he launched required no physical exertion—a mere thought would incite the strengthened Demon Plants to unleash their fiercest assaults.

This was precisely the torment had been enduring: assaults composed only of ordinary vines, untouched by the Lord of Flowers' enhancement into Demon Plants. But this time was different... As the Lord of Flowers grew serious, the surrounding vegetation seemed to awaken with consciousness, radiating a palpable, almost offensive aura of demonic energy—the definitive hallmark of transformation into Demon Plants.

With's current strength, she couldn't withstand even a single Demon Plant, let alone eighteen attacking simultaneously. Yet, when the eighteen Demon Plants surged toward her, poised to pierce her instantly, a long moment passed, and remained utterly unharmed.

The reason was simple: at the critical juncture, nine of the Demon Plants had abruptly defected, switching allegiance to’s side, shielding her from the attacks of the remaining nine.

This spectacle was unmistakable to anyone with sight.

But the Lord of Flowers, witnessing this, widened his eyes as if facing a hallucination, his face a mask of disbelief... Demon Plants under his control rebelling? How could such a thing be possible?!

The Lord of Flowers refused to believe it, but the undeniable reality lay before him.

“Because I am a Flower Demon.” Just then,, standing opposite him, uttered those soft words.

Flower Demon? Flower Demon?

The Lord of Flowers certainly knew was a Flower Demon; her entire profile had been laid bare to him the moment he laid eyes on her. But what connection did that have to the current situation? The Lord of Flowers was bewildered, though this confusion didn't linger long. He was, after all, one of the world's paramount experts; many truths became clear with even a moment's reflection.

Yes, the simple statement that was a Flower Demon was explanation enough.

Plants, before achieving the status of a demon, do not possess independent consciousness. It is common knowledge that plant-type demons can control flora to a certain degree. Even the weakest Flower Demon possesses this capability. certainly did, though the Lord of Flowers had amplified this ability limitlessly.

However, if that were the case, why could reverse the control and command the Demon Plants strengthened by the Lord of Flowers? This was fundamentally beyond the scope of her ability.

Here, one must introduce something far more profound—the Soul!

Generally, only sentient beings possess souls. In the view of some fiercely prejudiced individuals, only humans and a few intelligent species harbor souls, but this is clearly a cognitive fallacy, perhaps even an arrogant assumption.

In reality, every living thing possesses a soul. Even things that are not strictly biological can generate a soul once they attain consciousness. Whether one can sense these souls, however, is another matter entirely.

Putting aside other forms, for Flower Demons like, if they could not sense the souls of the flowers and grasses, they simply wouldn't deserve the title of Flower Demon.

Flowers and grass possess souls, allowing them to resonate with their kind among the demon ranks. This is the fundamental reason these demons can manipulate flora; put another way, the closer the resonance on a spiritual level, the simpler the control.

What is the soul of flora? Resilient~~ShuShu Net

No matter how harsh the environment, flowers and grass survive with formidable strength, blooming in their most exquisite colors. No matter how many times they are buried under snow or sand, they lift their heads again with the coming of the next spring... This is the tenacious, unyielding soul possessed by flora.

And how similar is the essence of this soul to's own!

It was precisely through this resonance that could transcend her innate abilities, achieving what was previously impossible: 'winning over' the Lord of Flowers' Demon Plants.

Upon grasping this, the Lord of Flowers was no longer surprised. As a Lord-level demon, he could not be ignorant of the concept of the soul. It was only the extent of's soul that caused him some astonishment.

Evidently, her challenge was not a blind act of recklessness but a calculated move; perhaps he was the only Lord she held any genuine hope of defeating.

Indeed, the reality reflected this. Although impulsive, was not one to sacrifice herself needlessly. Challenging the Lord of Flowers was the result of extensive contemplation and preparation... Though these preparations did little to bridge the chasm in their strength, it was the limit of what she could manage.

The next hurdle was surviving the initial onslaught, buying enough time for her soul resonance to manifest. If she reached that point, her chances of victory would significantly increase.

’s strategy was essentially a gamble: betting that a Lord-level demon, burdened by arrogance, would not unleash full power to annihilate her instantly, thereby granting her the requisite time for resonance.

While she miscalculated the Lord of Flowers’ immediate thought process, she won the gamble in outcome, as she now possessed the standing to fight him on equal footing!

“Truly brilliant.” The Lord of Flowers, powerful in skill and sharp in mind, deduced the entire strategy by examining the result and nodded in approval.

He even suspected that his previous failure to kill her was due to this very resonance.

However...

“To think you can defeat me with just this is still rather naive.”

True, while her strategy succeeded, defeating the Lord of Flowers remained immensely difficult. Resonance had its limits; how many 'companions' she could sway remained uncertain. More critically, the inherent gap in their personal strength was still astronomical.

Not to mention, was currently gravely wounded.

knew these facts better than anyone, but...

“At the very least, my chance of winning has risen from 0.001% to 1%!”

Her reply was as decisive and unwavering as ever, ignoring the worst-case and impossible scenarios, focusing solely on the favorable and achievable. To many, this might appear ignorant or conceited, but... wasn't this the very proof of her strength?

The battle resumed. This time, eschewed close combat, instead commanding the nine allied Demon Plants to strike at the Lord of Flowers, who retaliated instantly without a word.

In a flash, the eighteen vines clashed violently in the air. But this was only the prelude, as the Lord of Flowers commanded far more Demon Plants. Simultaneously,’s resonance continued. Gradually, all eighteen vines engaged in combat were converted into her comrades, immediately turning to attack the other Demon Plants summoned by the Lord of Flowers.

Then, those new Demon Plants began to defect one by one to’s side.

Thus, continuous summoning met continuous wooing. Their numbers grew—more and more... After an indeterminate amount of time, the entire sky, and even the ground, was divided into two factions. Countless Demon Plants were entangled, blasting at each other.

This was no longer a duel; it was legion-level warfare!

Amusing, truly amusing!

Though his strategy had landed him in an incredibly awkward position—as the Lord of Flowers, the apex manipulator of plant life, he had been tricked by a minor Flower Demon. Could anything be more embarrassing?

The Lord of Flowers, however, seemed devoid of such self-consciousness; instead, he found it captivating, bordering on excitement. After years of solitary life in this flower field, while he hadn't grown weary, prolonged solitude inevitably bred boredom.’s appearance, coupled with this dramatic reversal, brought a welcome sense of novelty.

The Lord of Flowers even entertained the thought: should he deliberately ease up, making the situation more tense?

The moment this thought crossed his mind, the Lord of Flowers instinctively paused... Why would he consider such a thing? Although the current situation wasn't life-threatening, the opponent’s resolve was painfully clear. Even he couldn't guarantee absolute victory, so why contemplate holding back? Did he harbor an unconscious desire to lose?

But for what reason would he seek defeat?

Ten years...

Decades...

A century...

Centuries...

The Lord of Flowers searched his past and suddenly realized that he no longer deeply valued his own life. He could barely recall the sensation of being alive. He remembered the fervor of his youth, but what exactly was that taste?

Then he looked at the small Flower Demon opposite him, so frail yet emanating such a dazzling light.

Ah!

Suddenly, the Lord of Flowers awoke to the truth: why could she persuade his controlled Demon Plants to defect? It wasn't solely due to soul resonance; a larger reason was that he could no longer resonate with these plants himself.

Flora possesses an inherent drive for growth, while he was deep in his twilight years. Under such circumstances, how could he possibly achieve resonance? His continued control over the Demon Plants was merely due to sheer, brute power.

“I see now.”

The Lord of Flowers let out a wry smile. He finally understood that he had died long ago—the moment he abandoned struggle and embraced complacency, that was when he perished.

But!

“I can live again!”

The Lord of Flowers suddenly laughed, a genuinely joyous sound.

Though couldn't hear his words, at that instant, she felt an overwhelming, powerful warmth surge forth, an immense tide that felt like the arrival of a true monarch!

’s expression shifted drastically, but what astonished her next was even greater... She watched as the Demon Plants currently locked in combat suddenly collapsed, withering away in mere moments.

What was happening?

certainly didn't believe the Lord of Flowers was spent. Her resonance had reached its limit, yet the Lord of Flowers still seemed to be handling the situation with ease. How could such a sudden, drastic change occur?

“Be careful. Your opponent now is a living Lord of Flowers!”

At that moment, the Lord of Flowers’ voice sounded beside her ear.

spun around to see him charging toward her at incredible speed, utterly alone, without a single Demon Plant accompanying him.

PS: While writing, I suddenly realized I’ve brought the Lord of Flowers to life, making him more than a template villain—a thinking, soulful, breathing character. Do you all feel the same way? Also, requesting monthly votes.