Reborn as a lotus, she initially refuses to hand it over to the state.

Chu Zhou's voice was calm.

"Too much? I have already suppressed the seal beneath Changbai Mountain for you, and I have also blocked the beast tide for you."

"Now that your people are corrupted, you come begging me for help. When did I become your human caretaker?"

Lei Zhenyue's face turned ashen as he said, "But those are thirty-five lives!"

Chu Zhou's eight lotus leaves swayed, and an invisible pressure enveloped the entire snowfield: "Are they my retinue, or my subordinates?"

"What do their lives or deaths have to do with me?"

Lei Zhenyue clenched his fists, but in the face of the terrifying green lotus before him, he ultimately did not lash out.

Because he knew that the Lord of the Azure Lotus was right; from beginning to end, the other party had no obligation to save their people.

The previous suppression of the blood sacrifice pollution was merely for the sake of the seal beneath Changbai Mountain, and for their own benefit.

The two sides are cooperating, not one being dependent on the other.

Qin Zhenyuan remained silent for a moment before speaking, "Lord of the Azure Lotus, what exactly is your purpose in demanding a 500-kilometer radius around Changbai Mountain?"

Chu Zhou said calmly, "The seal beneath Changbai Mountain is not yet stable."

"I need to establish a complete restricted area to suppress the Blood Sacrifice Lord with the Azure Lotus ley line node. I don't want your human cities, nor do I need your resource mines."

"I hereby designate the forests and snowfields within a 500-kilometer radius of Changbai Mountain as the northern restricted area of ​​Qinglian."

"Humans are not allowed to enter the core area without permission, and mythical beasts are not allowed to cross the boundary of the restricted area. I and the Lord of Changbai Mountain are responsible for suppressing the seal and managing the mythical beasts in the mountains."

Chu Zhou paused for a moment: "If you don't agree, then take those people and leave. I won't stop you."

Lei Zhenyue's expression kept changing.

The 500-kilometer radius of Changbai Mountain is indeed not very large in the Kyushu region after its spiritual energy has been restored.

But this is, after all, a completely restricted area.

Once agreed.

This means that a second region controlled by the Lord of the Azure Lotus will appear in the northern border of the Dragon Kingdom.

He couldn't make the decision easily: "This matter requires headquarters approval."

Lei Zhenyue said in a deep voice.

Chu Zhou said calmly, "Then I will go and ask for instructions. However, my patience is limited."

Lei Zhenyue took a deep look at the divided lotus plants, then turned and left with Qin Zhenyuan.

……

Within the Changbai Mountain node.

Chu Nian asked cautiously, "Father God, were those humans also injured?"

Chu Zhou did not deny it: "Yes."

Chu Nian was quiet for a moment. She didn't ask why her father wouldn't save them, but instead asked softly, "Doesn't Father like them?"

Chu Zhou was silent for a moment: "I can't say I like them, nor can I say I hate them. They have their own companions, their own army, and their own powerful warriors."

"They are neither descendants of Black Dragon Mountain nor creatures of Changbai Mountain. Their lives and deaths are not a responsibility that Father God must bear."

Chu Nian seemed to understand but not quite, and Chu Zhou's voice softened a bit: "Nian Nian, you must remember, seeing someone injured doesn't mean you have to save them."

"Kindness is not about giving away your power to everyone for free. God the Father can trade with humans, and he can also cooperate with them."

"But the prerequisite is that they must pay a price and obey the Father's rules."

The tiny consciousness within the lotus seed trembled gently: "From now on, I will only protect the lives that Father God allows me to protect."

Chu Zhou said, "That's right. Your most important thing right now is to grow up quickly. Father God will handle the things outside."

Chu Nian obediently replied, "Yes, Nian Nian will protect herself first, and then protect Father God, as well as Black Dragon Lake and Changbai Mountain."

Chu Zhou didn't say anything more, but just then, a system notification suddenly appeared.

[Ding! The resonance between the young Azure Lotus Spirit and the Sealed Lotus Seed has been continuously increasing.]

[Current resonance level: 37%]

[Warning: If a young lotus spirit resides in the sealed lotus seed for an extended period, it will gradually steal the lotus seed's spiritual essence.]

At that time, the sealed lotus seed will no longer be able to bear the host's consciousness, and the Green Lotus leyline node will also lose its sealing effect.

Chu Zhou's gaze narrowed slightly. He quickly realized that the lotus seed from Changbai Mountain was a sealed lotus seed that he had separated.

It contains one's own domain imprint, consciousness projection, and the power to suppress the earth's veins.

Chu Nian, on the other hand, is a completely new life born independently.

She has just been born and is instinctively attached to the lotus seed, but once she is allowed to continue growing...

She will gradually absorb the spiritual energy within the sealed lotus seed, eventually transforming it into her body.

By then, the Changbai Mountain node will lose its function.

Chu Zhou would never allow such a thing to happen. Moreover, the seal beneath Changbai Mountain was not yet stable, and the Lord of Blood Sacrifice could strike again at any time.

He couldn't possibly let Chu Nian stay in such a dangerous place indefinitely.

[Can consume a wisp of seventh-tier Azure Lotus essence to condense an Azure Lotus companion seed.]

[The companion species of the blue lotus can support the young blue lotus spirit.]

[Note: Companion species cannot establish ley line nodes and cannot bear the power of the host's domain.]

"Companion species."

On this side of Heilong Lake, the eight lotus leaves of Chuzhou sway gently.

This suited him perfectly.

What Chu Nian needs is a home where she can grow and where she can stay by her side, not a sealed lotus seed that she has to face the taboos of the underground at any time.

Thinking of this, a drop of cyan-silver liquid flew out from the depths of Chu Zhou's true form, the lotus heart.

That drop of liquid contained an extremely pure seventh-order life essence.

It continuously condenses in mid-air.

It eventually transformed into a fist-sized lotus seed, its entire body resembling jade, surrounded by three tender lotus leaves.

It is different from the lotus seed variety grown in Changbai Mountain Town.

This newly born companion species contained neither Chu Zhou's consciousness imprint nor any power to suppress the earth's veins.

Its sole purpose is to carry Chu Nian.

"Father God."

Inside the Changbai Mountain node, Chu Nian seemed to sense something, and her voice suddenly became somewhat uneasy: "Did Nian Nian do something wrong?"

Chu Zhou said, "You did nothing wrong. It's just that this lotus seed from Changbai Mountain is meant to suppress the underground seal for Father God. Father God has prepared a new home for you."

Chu Nian paused for a moment, then asked, "Is Nian Nian leaving Changbai Mountain?"

"Yes, from now on you will stay by Father God's side."

Inside the lotus seed, Chu Nian was first taken aback, then the small ball of blue light suddenly brightened: "Can Nian Nian stay with Father God forever from now on?"

Chu Zhou replied, "Of course."

"Father God will not allow you to lie to Niannian."

"I never lie."

The next moment, from within the lotus seed of Changbai Mountain, the ball of cyan light slowly floated out. Following the cyan-silver vein light, it traversed thousands of miles of mountains and rivers, flying towards Black Dragon Lake in Lingnan.

Changbai Mountain Lord raised its head, watching the blue light gradually recede into the distance, a trace of reluctance appearing in its eyes.

"Respectfully seeing off the young master."

As Chu Nian's consciousness left, the light on the surface of the sealed lotus seed in Changbai Mountain Town gradually stabilized, and the green silver roots re-entered the ground.

Outside the black stone door, the Azure Lotus Domain no longer fluctuated; it had transformed back into Chu Zhou's clone.

It has once again become a ley line node for suppressing the northern border.

Inside Heilong Lake.

The cyan light passed through the earth's vein channels and eventually landed in the newly born cyan lotus companion plant.

hum!

Three tender lotus leaves gently unfurled, and a soft breath of life spread from within the symbiotic species.

[Ding! The young lotus spirit has completed its migration.]

[Name: Chu Nian]

[Currently residing in: A companion plant to the blue lotus.]

[Note: The companion species of the Azure Lotus is nurtured by the host's own essence and can grow together with the host.]

[Note: Companion species are not leyline nodes, cannot project domains, and cannot participate in combat.]

Chu Zhou looked at the tiny lotus seed floating next to his lotus heart; it was only the size of a fist.

Three tender lotus leaves swayed gently with the current of Black Dragon Lake, from which came Chu Nian's satisfied voice.

"Is this Black Dragon Lake? Father God's home. It's so beautiful."

Chu Zhou smiled and said, "This is your home too."

Chu Nian happily spun around: "Nian Nian likes it here, and Nian Nian also likes Father God."

Chu Zhou ate eight lotus leaves at a time.

A moment later, a huge blue-silver lotus leaf slowly fell, completely covering the companion plant.

"Go to sleep first. You just moved, so don't move around too much."

Chu Nian obediently replied, "Okay, when Nian Nian wakes up, Father God will take Nian Nian to see Black Dragon Lake."

"Um."

Soon the blue light within the companion species gradually dimmed, and Chu Nian fell into a deep sleep.