Chapter 752: Miss Jasmine

    Sundew remembered the first time she met the madam. She had been a little mantis back then. She ruled over a small grove of spice apple trees within the Glittering Forest. She could look over her entire domain from the highest branches as well as all of her subjects, a brood of green mantises.

    That morning had been warm and comfortable. She had eaten a good meal and was about to lay a clutch of eggs when the madam appeared. She first felt the immeasurable surge of spiritual energy. She then felt the indomitable aura that pressed down from the heavens. It was like a deity descending from the heavens, it was divine.

    “Oh my, so interesting,” Her voice was irresistible as well, “It’s actually a verdant mantis matriarch! I didn’t think this poor place could give birth to such a species.”

    The madam was surrounded by a bright white halo of light. Sundew only saw the light and nothing else.

    “Little mantis, let me ask you. Do you want to be strong?”

    Sundew couldn’t do anything but nod.

    “Little mantis, do you to be a wisdom beast and perhaps an origin beast in the future?”

    Sundew didn’t exactly understand those terms but her instincts told her yes.

    “Well then,” The madam chuckled, “I am Zhiyue Lindan. If you obey me, I will give you a special blessing. You will be able to rule over this entire forest as queen. How about it?”

    Sundew let out an enthusiastic chirp in her mantis language, “Yes, Madam Zhiyue, I shall obey!”

    ---

    There had been six of them in total. There was the toad, the monkey, the lion, the eagle, the snake, and her. Sundew remembered Huo Tu and Wu but didn’t remember the names of the other three. It had been so long ago.

    They spent most of the time in an underground den created by the madam. The interior glowed with white light and divine energy. For the six of them, just staying inside allowed their cultivation to grow leaps and bounds.

    They would each go out to hunt for their favorite prey before coming back to the den to sleep. They would occasionally fight with each other to test their strength. They were all about evenly matched and no beast could gain supremacy. Like this, the six beasts lived in harmony, getting steadily stronger every day.

    Wait... that wasn’t quite right.

    Sundew remembered. There had been seven of them. Six of them to protect the seventh, a baby white fox.

    ---

    The day it all changed came suddenly. The lion, the eagle, and the snake had gone out to hunt and fight. After several months, the three of them had formed a de facto faction while the toad, the monkey, and her had formed another. The other trio hadn’t gone out for long before they came rushing back.

    “Not good!”

    “Humans!”

    The lion was covered in blood. Several arrows stuck out of its side. The eagle and the snake also had some minor wounds as if they had been in a serious fight.

    “Humans?” The monkey asked, jumping up immediately, “Where are they?”

    “They wouldn’t dare to enter madam’s den!” The toad croaked.

    “They’re coming!” The eagle cried out in a panic.

    “Silence!” Sundew commanded and they quieted down, “How many humans? If there are too many, then we follow madam’s instructions and retreat!”

    Then she felt it, the power she had long forgotten fall upon her weary body.

    Lunar Blessing!

    Queen Sundew’s eyes snapped open but her vision was blurry, “Madam Zhiyue, is that you? Madam Zhiyue?”

    “No, the Madam Zhiyue you refer to should be my mother. Have you already forgotten?” Jasmine said sternly. “Or was it because the control plate was broken? It doesn’t matter. The plate has been repaired. As long as you submit to me and submit your spiritual sea to my control, I will let you live.”

    Queen Sundew shook as she processed the words. Her vision cleared as she finally had a good look at her opponent for the first time. It clearly wasn’t the madam but the features were so similar. That fact shook her heart and stirred her memories.

    “Could it be... Little Miss Zhiyue?”

    Jasmine smiled a little, “So you do remember me. Do you still remember your spiritual oath?”

    Queen Sundew nodded.

    “Get up,” Jasmine gestured.

    The mantis did so and then kneeled in front of Jasmine, its head bowed.

    Jasmine raised the control plate and watched as it started to glow. With the mantis weakened and subdued, the spiritual oath that had been tied to the control plate activated once more. The connection pulsed with white light for several breaths, reestablishing the old bond.

    “You can call me Miss Jasmine, understand?”

    “Yes, Miss Jasmine!”

    “This man, he is my mate.” Jasmine gestured to Chen Wentian, “You will show him the same respect you show me and obey him the same way you obey me.”

    “Yes, Miss Jasmine!”

    Jasmine raised a hand.

    White light once again fell on Queen Sundew, another Lunar Blessing. The divine energy filled the mantis, revitalizing every part of her body. It didn’t take long for her to be able to once again utilize her innate healing ability. After a few more seconds, she had largely recovered.

    Chen Wentian walked up to the two of them with a wave, “Very good, let’s go. We have lots to do and not a lot of time.”

    ---

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