102 Sudden change

The picture within the cavern was total chaotic mayhem. After the first spirit creature was swallowed, it was quickly followed by a second and then a third.

The devouring appetite of the Lotus was incredibly terrifying. Once a spirit creature was enclosed by it, it would be unable to break free at all and struggle until it died.

Some stronger spirit creatures with faster reactions immediately understood what was happening. And fled when they saw the other spirit creatures being devoured by the petals of the Lotus.

However, the hundreds of vines around the chasm were like hundreds of tentacles. As they formed a dense net surrounding everything.

Add to that the enormous maw that was on the Lotus. The spirit creatures' were unable to escape from the encasement of the sea of vines no matter where they fled.

Rudra looked at the situation while scanning the whole scenery.

"This is going to be tough."

"I need to be quick," Rudra formed a long wooden trunk and started drilling towards the depths of the ground.

In front of Rudra's omniscient's eye, any place was like bright daylight for him. And his vision wasn't impaired at all. After searching with the Eye, he soon locked onto the right location.

" Over there, that's the place."

The temperature was as warm as springtime beneath the chasm. Neither the bone piercing cold nor the blazing fire was present.

Rudra knew that this was the balance formed by the Lotus. It was only under these conditions that the evolution of the plants would be the fastest.

Rudra quickly threaded through the bottom of the chasm.

He knew that he was in a race against time with the Lotus. And hoped that the spirit creatures would be able to contain it for a bit longer.

Rudra would be safe as long as the Lotus hadn't completely retreated.

He'd have to face hundreds of Lotuses by himself if the Lotus finished its meal and withdrew!

Every single one of those Lotuses was at least at the peak of the foundation realm.

Once that happens, Rudra would be dead without a doubt.

However, if Rudra was able to get to the Lotus and absorb it before the Lotus could do him any harm. Then all the smaller Lotuses would immediately wither. Without the support of its spiritual essence. They wouldn't be able to threaten him then.

Time was of the essence, and it was now a race against time.

Rudra's footsteps suddenly halted as fog billowed upwards in front of him. It gave one a mysterious feeling. Rudra was surprised to find an altar in the middle of the body of the giant lotus.

"That must be the place!"

Rudra's heart pounded. Because he knew that this was an opportunity, but one that came with a lot of risks.

He was about to rush over when he abruptly did a 180. And dived back into the rock caverns quickly drilling himself in and hiding.

"Damnit!, This was supposed to happen now!" Rudra was depressed as hell. He could see the item in front of him, but now he had no way to get it.

"KILL!"

The chasm filled with fighting lotus and the beasts had a new guest arriving to join the ongoing party.

"Kill them all" The human army that had entered roared as it charged at its opponents.

Rudra carefully observed the army of humans. Ruthlessly massacring all the living things in the chasm.

Each of the smaller Lotus was at the peak of the foundation realm. But to the army that had arrived, they were of a little resistance.

Soon, the tragic screams of the beasts filled the chasm. After many long hours, the chasm was filled with the corpse of the various beasts.

Rudra was now more clear about the identity of these men. They were from the Poison Valley, he had recognized their dark green robes. And bizarre techniques that were pretty unorthodox.

Like the one beasts that became berserk and started attacking its comrades. Then there were ones that simply dropped to their death. The most horrifying spells caused the beasts to tear their own limbs in frenzy.

Looking at the army now circling and attacking the lotus which was on its last foot.

Rudra knew that there was nothing for him to gain now in this situation. However, he wasn't willing to leave empty-handed.

Rudra looked downwards and saw a spirit item shaped like an infant on the altar. It was half blue and half red, sparkling like a crystalline entity and exuding an astonishing presence.

The dense vines around the spirit item were born from it and were extending from it.

"That is the core!"

Rudra's mood soured when he saw the green-robed men pocket the core. Immediately after this, they arranged themselves into the rows. Before finally flying out of the chasm.

"Wait! Where are they going?" Rudra quickly walked out of the hole he had previously carved. Looking at the direction the army was marching towards, Rudra was filled with distress.

"Huu... It seems that I would have to find a new camp to form my base." Rudra was certain that this army was going to attack the demonic camp he was staying at till now.

"The camp will be destroyed, that is certain." Rudra had analyzed the army just now. Except for their high ranking members that had not moved a muscle during the raid of the chasm. He was almost certain that the camp did not have enough power to defend against such an army.

Rudra after much consideration decided to follow after the army.

"I will need to be careful."

"Hmm, what was that?" Rudra's amplified senses caught a hint of energy. But as all the life within the chasm was already reaped by the army from the poison valley it should not be possible.

"That's right, the altar at the center of the flower."

Rudra rushed at the destroyed remains of the lotus flower that had lost its core.

"It's still alive!" Rudra was astonished to find the traces of life being still present in the saint plant.

"What are you?!"

"A bunch of lowly human dares to?!"

"Damn it, what are you doing?! Don't touch me!" Rudra used his hands to probe into the Lotus's spiritual field.

The Lotus being a saint plant possessed inordinate intelligence. How else would it give birth to so many Lotuses to swallow the spirit creatures? Absorb their spirit power, and help itself evolve?

But, Now the Lotus itself had no battle capabilities. It couldn't resist at all with both of Rudra's hands on it.

"Human, are you planning on absorbing my spirit power?"

"You don't have enough essence to be absorbed."

Rudra contemplated standing beside the remains of the lotus. Whose petals were as large as the wings of an airplane but now had all fallen to the ground.

The Lotus was panicking by now.

"It seems there's only one use for you now....." Rudra said as his physique suddenly started changing. His frame grew, soon many branches sprouted from his back. His hair converted into leaves and his skin turned to bark.

"An Ent... You are an Ent...Hahaha," the saint lotus voice slowly turned into contempt.

"What is a lowly species like yours cane even do to..." the lotus voice suddenly stopped.

"You are refining me...How could you.." Rudra paid to heed to the shrieks of the saint plant that was being transmitted to his mental expanse. And focused on refining the lotus plant as a weapon.

Yes, he planned to convert this lotus with dual attributes into a suitable weapon for his Ent form. Initially, he just planned to absorb the core of the saint plant. As that would help further his ice energy cultivation. But the raid by the poison valley had devoid the lotus of its core.

Rudra was also made to realize that the Ents and the plants, were not always harmonious. And this saint lotus looked down on Ents.

As his rate increased, the Lotus's defensive capabilities decreased. The amount of control over its body also continuously decreased. As its spirit essence was continuously siphoned away. The verbal attacks of the Lotuses also grew weaker and weaker.

Finally, when Rudra retracted his hands after fifteen or so minutes. The Lotus voice had disappeared completely from the platform. As it'd been completely absorbed by Rudra

The vines from all the Lotuses also swiftly withered at a noticeable pace.

Rudra found a quiet area and started to dig a cave. He hid in it and started to properly refine the lotus now devoid of any foreign control but Rudra's.

He needed to cultivate behind closed doors for a moment to fully refine the lotus for his own use.

Rudra also knew that he'd lucked out in the end. The Hunt had finally not been in vain.

"Let's hope, some of them!" Rudra in his Elder Ent form silently passed the hours in the cave refining the lotus into a suitable weapon.