A sharp pain suddenly spread throughout her body, as if someone were tearing her soul and flesh apart. Yun Qingxue was jolted awake from her sleep by the agony. Under the glow of the full moon, she saw a figure holding a gourd—it was the old Taoist priest she hadn’t seen in days.
At that moment, the old priest held a sinister black gourd in his hand. The lid had been removed, and the gourd’s opening was pointed directly at Yun Qingxue in the flowerpot. He muttered incantations under his breath.
Yun Qingxue felt as though her entire being was being ripped apart, as if something were being forcibly stripped from her soul. If she hadn’t been a flower, incapable of making a sound, she would have screamed in pain…
What was this wretched old priest trying to do? Her consciousness blurred from the pain, but in her heart, she cursed the now sinister-looking priest with all her might.
A fierce wind suddenly blew out of nowhere. The priest, engrossed in his dark ritual, was caught off guard and staggered back two steps, his balance faltering. His chanting paused, and the gourd’s opening shifted away from Yun Qingxue in the flowerpot.
The unbearable agony eased slightly, giving her a brief moment of relief.
“Where did this beast come from, daring to ruin my plans!” the priest roared furiously at the sky after steadying himself.
A bird’s cry rang out above Yun Qingxue, as if challenging the priest.
She looked up and frowned. Hovering above her was a massive bird, at least two meters in wingspan, flapping its wings as it locked eyes with the enraged priest. If she wasn’t mistaken, it was a lark—but how could a lark be so enormous?
The bird seemed to notice Yun Qingxue’s gaze and lowered its head slightly, its dark, round eyes fixing on her in the flowerpot.
Then, something bizarre happened. Yun Qingxue heard the bird speak in a soothing voice: “Don’t be afraid, Qingxue. I won’t let this priest harm you!”
Yun Qingxue swallowed silently. “This bird… knows me?”
“Ah, Qingxue, you’ve gotten even sillier! You don’t recognize me?”
She froze, then thought, *You can hear my thoughts?*
The bird tilted its head. “Even though you’ve reverted to your original form, we can still communicate telepathically. Of course I heard you just now.”
*Thank goodness!* After so many days, someone—well, a *bird*—could finally understand her.
Her excitement was short-lived as the priest interrupted coldly, “Where did this meddlesome little demon come from?”
The lark shot back, “Where did this black-hearted priest come from?”
“Impudent beast! Today, I’ll deal with you both!” The priest raised the eerie black gourd again.
“That gourd is strange—be careful!” Yun Qingxue warned urgently. Though she still didn’t understand the connection between the flower she was inhabiting and this giant lark, she could tell the bird was a friend, not a foe.
“Don’t worry!” The lark’s body suddenly expanded even more, leaving Yun Qingxue utterly stunned. She had only seen such size-shifting in mythological dramas like *Journey to the West*. Yet here it was, happening right before her eyes—and not by the legendary Monkey King, but by a bird that should have been small and delicate!
The enlarged lark circled above Yun Qingxue, flapping its wings violently. Fierce gusts of wind howled toward the priest, strong enough to uproot a decade-old tree.
But the priest stood firm, his robes billowing wildly while his body remained unmoved.
“Foolish beast, you dare challenge me?” The priest bellowed, steadying the gourd toward the lark. Dark, thread-like tendrils slithered out from the gourd, defying the wind as they coiled toward the bird.
A faint golden aura enveloped the lark, repelling the dark threads. Yet despite its relentless wingbeats, the priest remained unaffected.
As the black tendrils threatened to engulf the lark, Yun Qingxue urged telepathically, *This isn’t working! Use another spell!*
The lark’s reply was strained. “But… I only know how to grow bigger and control wind…”
Yun Qingxue nearly groaned. *So this bird is a total novice!*
“Then just leave! Don’t worry about me!” she pleaded, not wanting to drag the lark down with her.
“I’ll *never* abandon you!” The lark’s voice was weaker but resolute.
Yun Qingxue didn’t know what bond this lark shared with the flower she now inhabited, but she envied it—to have a friend who wouldn’t forsake her even in peril.
“You idiot!” she snapped. “If I could move, I’d have run already. Save yourself!”
The lark chuckled weakly. “I won’t leave you… just like you never left me.”
“Stubborn bird!”
Before she could argue further, a black thread pierced the lark’s golden barrier. Like a breached dam, the defense crumbled instantly.
The lark plummeted from the sky, its massive form shrinking rapidly until it was no larger than a palm. It lay motionless on the cold stone, blood trickling from its beak as its dark eyes locked onto Yun Qingxue.
“Qingxue… I’m sorry… I couldn’t protect you…” Its voice was barely a whisper.
A single dewdrop fell silently from Yun Qingxue’s petals, sinking into the soil.
“You *are* an idiot,” she murmured, her own pain forgotten.
The lark didn’t respond, but its gaze held an unshakable resolve.
A chill ran through Yun Qingxue. Though not the sharpest, she recognized the look in its eyes—*it was preparing to sacrifice itself.*
The priest strode forward triumphantly, his aura more demonic than divine. “Since you’re so eager to die, I’ll start with you!”
He aimed the gourd at the lark and resumed chanting. The bird closed its eyes, resigned to its fate.
Just as the priest’s spell reached its peak, the lark’s eyes snapped open. Its body swelled abruptly, and with a mournful cry, it launched itself at the priest.
“NO!” Yun Qingxue screamed.
A blinding silver light erupted from her flower form, illuminating the entire estate. The priest was flung backward, while the lark was gently enveloped in the radiance and lowered to the ground.
“Qingxue… you… you can use magic now?” The lark’s voice was weak but astonished.
Yun Qingxue was equally stunned. *What just happened?*
The sound of hurried footsteps approached. She turned her attention to the lark. “Can you still fly?”
It flapped its wings weakly and nodded.
“Hide! Now!”
The lark hesitated but finally obeyed, fluttering onto a nearby tree.
Soon, a procession of torchbearers arrived, led by a man in azure robes. To his left was the Prince of Ning in court attire, and to his right, a middle-aged man clad in black robes embroidered with strange symbols.
Yun Qingxue studied the trio. She recognized the prince, but the other two—especially the man in black—piqued her curiosity…
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage