The Broken Halo

The Ice Corpse Flower was an extremely poisonous herb that was very difficult to obtain because of its strict and difficult requirements.

For an Ice Corpse Flower to grow, it needs to be in a region of ice, a region where the ice element reigns. It requires temperatures so low tuay ordinary plants instantly freeze and shatter.

In that specific region, at least a hundred Calamity Beasts or Greater Demons and above must have died for the Ice Corpse Flower to be born.

It also only grows in places that are not exposed to direct sunlight because it would wither the moment it comes in contact with it.

And last but not the least, it needs between three hundred years to a thousand years to fully mature, depending on how cold the environment is and the number and ranks of demonic beasts and demons that died.

Simon had thought of how he would be able to obtain Ice Corpse Flower in the past, and many of the answers he came up with were dependent on luck.

That was just it.

Luck.

Unless he planned on growing the Ice Corpse Flower himself which could only happen when he becomes a Demon Lord or a Greater Demon at the very least, obtaining the Ice Corpse Flower was completely dependent on luck.

And to his surprise, he was lucky.

’Aside from the strict growth requirements, storing the Ice Corpse Flower has to be done properly or it could die when plucked, or whoever attempts to pluck it could die if they plucked it wrongly.’

Simon glanced at Lucien who was still unconscious.

’I wonder how he got an Ice Flower. House Mercer posseses a lot of power in the North.’

Simon sent the Ice Corpse Flower into his spatial ring, then he continued searching Lucien’s spatial ring.

Although the Ice Corpse Flower was an extremely rare and poisonous herb, Simon doubted that it was what Caesar wanted from Lucien.

There has to be something else.

And half a minute later, he saw an item he believed to be it.

He brought out a translucent cube that was made out of a metal resembling glass but was not glass.

Inside the cube was a thick dark-red liquid.

At first, Simon ignored the cube and liquid because of how small it was, but after looking closely at it, he realized that the liquid was strange.

What caught Simon’s attention about the liquid was that it was moving very slowly like a snail, and once in a while, its surface would have a vein-like appearance or a root-like appearance.

”What is this?”

Simon curiously looked at the cube that was laying flat on the surface of his palm.

He turned it, and observed it closely, but he still could not figure out what the item was.

’It’s not blood, and it’s not a blood essence. It’s too thick and...’

He turned the cube again, and he watched as the black-red cube slowly fell from the top of the cube to the bottom.

’... Yeah. It’s too sticky to be blood or a blood essence.’

’So what the hell is it?’

Simon looked at Ymir and gestured at the cube.

”Do you know what this is?”

Ymir shook his head.

”I don’t.”

Simon frowned, then he looked at Lucien and released a sigh.

”I guess I have to wake him.”

Just as Simon was about to wake Lucien up, Lilith spoke.

[I was not sure, but now I am.]

Simon froze, then he frowned.

[Sure about what?]

[That’s the Heart Resin of a Fleshwood.]

Simon became baffled.

[A what?]

Lilith sighed.

[The Fleshwood is a massive tree that is treasured even by the Royal Daemons.]

[It’s a tree that’s not made of wood. Its bark is made of the flesh of countless demons. Its roots are their veins, and its leaves resemble skinned hands.]

[The Fleshwood is a tree that feeds on souls, pain, memories, and despair. The stronger the suffering around it, the stronger it grows.]

Simon’s brows were furrowed deeply when he heard Lilith’s words.

She continued.

[During my time, there was a terrible war among we Daemons that nearly destroyed everything. So many died in that war.]

[We call the place where they died... Corpse Abyss.]

[Their flesh rotted. Portions of their souls remained because of the terrifying powers that ravaged the Corpse Abyss. Their hatred sank into the earth. And after countless millennia, something beneath the abyssal awakened.]

[The first Fleshwood sprouted.]

[Till now, no one is certain if the first Fleshwood is merely a tree born from the accumulated death of so many demons... Or if it’s the corpse of some ancient existence or existences attempting to return to life.]

[When the First Fleshwood was fully matured, some curious Daemons tried to take parts of it or all of it in order to run some experiments on it, but they failed.]

Simon’s eyes flickered with a surprised light.

[The Fleshwood is a powerful tree that can fight back, and it has an ability that makes it difficult for anybody that wants to possess it.]

Lilith paused.

[Regeneration. The Fleshwood has an absurd regeneration rate. Imagine trying to deplete the life of over a billion gods.]

Simon’s eyes widened in shock and disbelief.

[A billion gods?]

If Lilith were present, she would nod.

[Yes. Its regeneration rate was that terrifying, and eventually, the Corpse Abyss became its home.]

[Many Daemons stopped trying to obtain the Fleshwood after they realized that the death of a Daemon always strengthened it and gave it more vitality.]

[It’s a long story, but just know that the first Fleshwood was eventually destroyed after it produced its first Heart Resin.]

[Why?] Simon asked.

However, Lilith asked him a question instead.

[I’ll tell you if you tell me the truth about how you obtained the ability of the Devourers.]

Simon frowned.

[I’ve already told you. I drank the blood essence of a Devourer, went unconscious, and when I woke up, I realized I had obtained the ability.]

[Hmm. Where did you get the blood essence of a Devourer?]

[From a Daegrin. I stole it from him]

[... I see.]

Simon’s frown deepened, but before he could even give a response, Lilith spoke.

[If a Daemon drinks the Heart Resin of a Fleshwood, the Daemon would have the ability of physical regeneration, mental energy recovery, and soul regeneration.]

”...” Simon.