"Since you're here, let me taste your vitality" Mei said as vines grew under Bai, Chenxiang, and Tang San "Refrain from resisting, I won't hurt you or Lili would be angry with me."
The vines crawled around, extending all over their bodies. Mei wasn't lying, she only took a little quantity of spirit energy that contained a part of their essence, if this essence was powerful and compatible enough it would help to improve her strength. Of course, if she wanted to obtain the maximum profit, she would capture them and slowly absorb all their strength and nutrients to finally die.
For people without the correct compatibility, they would be useless for her. This was why she didn't even try with Xiao Wu who wasn't accepted by the Black Rose. She knew that if Bai had some improvements in his Life comprehension it would help her. For the other two, she noticed something special for them so she opted to try as she wouldn't lose anything even if they are not compatible.
Absorbing their essence Mei was greatly surprised in a good way. Bai's Life comprehension had reached a completely different level, it was comparable to Lingling back then. Even if it was focused differently and not in plants, it was a great help for her. At Mei's true body, some white strands recovered their shiny black color showing their increase in vitality.
Mei retracted her vines releasing the group "You" Mei pointed at Chenxiang "Return to Lili's place immediately" she commanded.
"What?!" Chenxiang didn't know how to react towards Mei's bossy self. She didn't want to follow such disrespectful behavior and they were banned from coming there before.
"You didn't have listened? Go. NOW!" She ordered, this time vines surged from the ground, their sharp ends staying an inch from Chenxiang's neck.
"Mei" Lingling said worriedly. "Calm down. Be a little more respectful if you want someone's help"
"This shitty humans didn't reserve our respect." Another vine surged from the ground and slashed forward, this time attacking Tang San who quickly reacted invoking his hammer and smashing the vine with it. This seemed to not be taken well by the other spirit beasts who starting focusing their killing intent towards Bai's group.
"We should squeeze off all their worth and discard them" Something was happening to Mei, her eyes were bloodshot with a tint of purple in them "One related with the ants and another related with that traitor. How can they be so full of themselves? They should lower their heads and follow our orders!"
Ten vines surged and attacked Bai's group. Bai invoked his twin sword, a light green aura covered them. He casually swung his swords, multiple wind blades following it, and cutting the vines to pieces.
"DIE! DIE! DIE!" Mei shouted madly, more thorned vines surging all around.
"Calm down, everyone!" Lingling begged.
Bai turned to Chenxiang, Tang San, and Xiao Wu "Prepare to run away" The three nodding. The four activated their own spirits, spirit rings shining under them. They prepared to fight their way out.
Just as they were about to move "WHAT IS HAPPENING!?" a powerful growl, fell under them, suppressing them. It was Di Tian who had arrived at the Wall with Zi Ji.
"Humans are already showing their true nature" Zi Ji said "How can they be trusted?"
"Shut the fuck up!" Mei shouted "Don't disturb me!" The vines changed the objective and were shot towards Tian and Zi Ji.
Both were shocked by Mei's actions, but Tiand calmly acted. Around his left punch, absolute darkness surged. He swung his punch, all the vines disappeared before his darkness.
"Mei is not right!" Lingling shouted "Something is happening to her. I can sense some darkness invading her."
Di Tian glanced at the humans "Is this your doing?"
"We don't know what is happening!" Chenxiang shouted.
"Are you mocking us?" Zi Ji exclaimed "Just as you came, this happens to Mei. You're obviously trying to destroy us."
"It's the ants" Bai said "It's not near the level of the ants, but Mei is being influenced by the same as the ants."
"The brat is right" A new voice sounded from the ground, roots surged from it blocking Mei's veins.
"Myriad, what are you referring?" Di Tian asked, clearly realizing that the voice came from the Myriad Demon King. He was a Demoneye Tree. With Mei, they were the two spirit beasts plants that commanded the other plants, Mei controlled flowers and grass while Myriad trees and bushes. Without any doubt, both were the most important and essential at the defense from the ants, even more than the Beast God Di Tian.
"I didn't realize it before but it seems that as we kill the ants, we are slowly being affected by their aura. It was so progressive that it was difficult to detect" Myriad informed "Mei killed even more than me being affected more. Finding herself psychologically affected might have distorted her feelings, letting the aura take over and losing control of herself." he explained "The humans might be the culprits to cause some stir in Mei, but the main cause is the ants, it will have happened sooner or later. After some time, even I might fell like Mei."
"How is the defense affected by Mei's tantrum?" asked Tian prioritizing the well being of all the spirit beasts.
"For now, there no problem. She even increased her speed and is killing more ants. However, it's difficult to know when she will start attacking us" Explained Myriad.
"Can you do something to calm her?" Zi Ji asked.
"I'm also affected." Answered Myriad "The most that I could do would be trying to absorb some of the aura, but in the end, even if she recovers, we will fall later on. Also, I will be the only plant capable of it as the other will die trying it."
"I can purify it. However..." Lingling said "My Life will be affected in it, decreasing. I will affect at the spirit beast that I help, especially the plants. At most, I will be able to do it one time before we are too weak to stop the ants."
Tian made a thoughtful face. "Do it" he said after thinking a minute "We need to quickly resolve it before it became truly a problem. We will need to resolve before it repeated again."
"Cough!" Bai coughed gaining the attention of the spirit beasts that had started ignoring them "I might have another solution"
"Don't meddle with our affai-!" Zi Ji was silenced by Tian who had lifted his left arm "Talk" Spirit beasts were in grave danger, Tian had long since made up his mind to keep them alive. For him, it didn't matter even selling his soul to a demon if it were to save them all. He would put his hate for the humans aside for the greater good of the spirit beasts. For this, he never doubted cooperating with Lingling.
"For what I see, the aura of the ants are about Death, Madness, and Devour while Mei's aura is fundamentally Life and Growth" Bai explained "While I have different comprehension in them, I am able to wield all of them. I might be able to help her only absorbing the ants' aura without affecting me. At worst, I will be killed. You don't have anything to lose."
"Do you think that we will trust you?" Zi Ji interrupted "What if your true intention is hurting Mei or Lingling?!"
"They are friends of mine. Moreover, I don't have anything to win with it" (Fuck) Just as the words leave his lips, Bai realized he should have it told better, it was too easy to counter with his relation with Mayi.
"What if-" "I trust Bai" Lingling interrupted Zi Ji "Let him try it. Trust me about Bai, he won't hurt me or Mei. Until you let Bai try it, I won't purify Mei."
This made the spirit beasts an ultimatum. For most spirit beasts, they had long accepted Lingling as one of them, even at the level of Bi Ji. Bi Ji was the most loved by spirit beast due to kindness and healing over the spirit beasts. Lingling not only had healed spirits beasts for over 6 years, but the plants considered her like something sacred. With this crisis, she even became more important becoming one of the three essential pillars with Mei and Myriad. Spirit beast trust her, so it was difficult to contradict her.
"He will be allowed to try. But..." Tian stated "Myriad, the venom" In front of Tian a little branch grew from it, in it, a green round little fruit grew "He will need to swallow Myriad's poison" Tian said throwing the green fruit to Bai who caught it "If you do try something strange, don't think about living. This poison will be activated and corrode your whole body."
More branches with fruits grew in front of Chenxiang, Xiao Wu, and Tang San. "I won't risk it. All of you shall eat it."
Bai turned to the others and nodded at them. One error could signify their death, but for them, it wasn't like it changed anything having poison inside as with so much spirit beast, they won't be able to escape. It was even more true with Bai's 5th Oreo. Something suddenly prepared by Myriad it wouldn't be his strongest poison, Bai was sure that his skill be enough to cure them of it if necessary.
All of them took the fruit and carefully swallowed.
"Come alone, human" Tian said at Bai bringing him towards the elevator, descending towards Lingling's lair.