Fang Xue narrowed her gray eyes, a hint of dimness appearing in their luster. She was captivated by the crimson lily before her.

"Snap out of it!" Li Qiang's voice rang out, her tone sharp as she bit Fang Xue's leg to break her trance.

"Ouch!" Fang Xue lifted her bitten leg and pouted at Li Qiang, but then comprehension dawned on her. She couldn't believe she had been so easily ensnared by a mere plant.

"What happened to me?" Fang Xue inquired, her confusion mingled with a tinge of fear.

"This plant is unique and rare. I'm not sure how those two petty bandits managed to acquire it. It's known as the Man-Devouring Lily, and true to its name, it can consume a person entirely within minutes if they fall under its complete hypnosis," Li Qiang explained.

Fang Xue was awestruck. She had never encountered a flower so enchanting and yet so deadly.

"Yes, it's a wondrous and dreadful existence," Li Qiang acknowledged. "However, aside from its capacity to devour, it possesses a distinct value in the hands of a knowledgeable alchemist."

"Alchemy? Can it serve as an ingredient for a pill?" Fang Xue's confusion deepened. How could such a menacing plant be employed in alchemy?

Fang Xue viewed alchemy as a practice demanding patience and versatility, primarily utilizing plants with potent medicinal properties.

"Yes, when this flower consumes a specific number of bodies, it undergoes a transformation. During that stage, if the lily is employed in alchemy, it can be used to forge a pill that enhances the physique. Given that you cultivate both body and Qi, this plant holds exceptional significance for you," Li Qiang explained, concluding with a sigh.

"Why are you sighing? Shouldn't that be something good?" Fang Xue asked, her confusion evident.

"I thought we had stumbled upon the Taotie Plant. This lily, born from the Taotie Plant, would have been a stroke of tremendous luck. However, this Man-Devouring Lily is still quite valuable," Li Qiang explained, her voice tinged with longing. Encountering the Taotie Plant had been a pivotal moment for her, propelling her strength to new heights and igniting a remarkable transformation.

Fang Xue nodded, unfazed by the distinction between the Taotie Plant and the Man-Devouring Lily. In the end, both would contribute to enhancing her strength, and that was all that mattered.

"How can I harvest this lily without falling prey to its devouring nature?" Fang Xue posed her question with a casual yet serious tone. She had no desire to become its victim.

"We need a minimum of four complete Blood Stones. Luckily, we possess five, but only three are fully charged," Li Qiang revealed, prompting Fang Xue to contemplate how she could swiftly fill the remaining two Blood Stones.

"Do not fret. We can expedite the process by utilizing the bodies of the bandits to hasten the filling of the Blood Stones," Li Qiang shared a method with Fang Xue, further perplexing her.

"If I could have used human essence to fill the Blood Stones, why didn't you inform me earlier?" Fang Xue queried, her doubt apparent on her face.

"Simple. These Blood Stones are meant for tempering your body, harnessing the potent blood essence they contain. However, storing human blood essence and using it later could lead to complications since, after all, you are human as well," Li Qiang clarified, offering a rationale that Fang Xue comprehended.

Fang Xue and Li Qiang swiftly collected the bodies of the bandits, arranging them around the Man-Devouring Lily. Extracting the Blood Stones from their possessions, they carefully placed them within the hearts of the corpses. As they settled into position, the Blood Stones radiated a vibrant glow, absorbing the essence within the bodies.

As the Blood Stones absorbed the essence of the blood, their weight increased, and their once vibrant hue grew darker. Soon, the last two stones reached their maximum capacity, appearing completely saturated. Fang Xue carefully retrieved the fully charged Blood Stones and stored them in her ring.

"Now, we can proceed with harvesting the Man-Devouring Lily," Li Qiang declared.

Fang Xue nodded, taking a deep breath to steady herself. Following Li Qiang's instructions, she positioned the five Blood Stones around the Lily, forming a five-pointed star. Concentrating her focus, Fang Xue manipulated the surrounding qi, channeling it to transform into blood qi.

As the qi flowed and underwent its transformation, the Lily trembled. Its red glow intensified, accompanied by an enchanting fragrance capable of leading one's mind astray.

"Stay focused and resist the seduction of the Lily," Li Qiang cautioned Fang Xue, who acknowledged the warning and exerted her utmost willpower to maintain her sanity.

Despite her strong resolve, Fang Xue still felt a slight dizziness from the scent of the Lily. Nevertheless, she forced herself to remain centered and began infusing the five Blood Stones with her blood qi.

Upon contact with the blood qi, the darkened hue of the stones gradually reverted to a vibrant red. The more qi entered the stones, the deeper and more vibrant the red became. After five minutes of continuous absorption, the Blood Stones started shaking violently before eventually exploding.

The explosion unleashed a turbulent energy with a menacing aura, rippling through the surroundings.

Sensing the released energy, the Lily wasted no time and eagerly absorbed it, akin to a parched sponge soaking up water. However, the energy proved exceedingly volatile, posing a challenge for the Lily's absorption.

Observing this, Fang Xue breathed a sigh of relief and wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead, a testament to the mental strain endured while controlling the qi throughout the entire five-minute process.

'I really lack mental energy,' Fang Xue sighed with regret. However, if someone from the Ancient Spirit Race, who possessed the innate talent of mind-based qi control, heard her statement, they would likely be dumbfounded.

After all, even the most gifted individuals of the Ancient Spirit Race would find it challenging to control and transform qi for a continuous five minutes, especially into a specific element like blood, while being at the Eighth Level of Body Training.

After a few minutes, the Lily ceased absorbing the violent energy present in the surroundings, having reached its capacity.

Seizing the opportunity, Fang Xue once again manipulated the energy in the air, compelling the Lily to continue absorbing, despite its apparent inability to take in anymore.

As the Lily exceeded its capacity, its vivid red hue gradually faded.

Upon witnessing this change, Fang Xue smiled faintly and wasted no time. She swiftly pricked her fingertip, allowing a drop of blood to drip onto the Lily. The moment the droplet landed on the flower, it was promptly absorbed.

However, to Fang Xue and Li Qiang's surprise, instead of establishing a bond between the Lily and Fang Xue, as expected, the lotus mark between Fang Xue's eyebrows emitted a subtle glow.

Accompanying the glow, a potent suction force emanated from the mark, drawing the Lily toward it.

Although the Lily possessed a degree of primitive intelligence, its attempts to resist being consumed were futile. It was effortlessly pulled into Fang Xue's mark.

Upon entering the lotus mark between Fang Xue's eyebrows, the residual blood energy in the air forcefully surged into her body.

Not limited to the blood energy, a formidable force spread throughout Fang Xue's entire being from the lotus mark, inundating her with immense power.