But the biggest benefit of harvesting the flower is the Dark Prism Crystals it yields. They offer a benefit unlike anything Jack has encountered before.

And that miracle was the fact that the Dark Prism Crystal gave a 100% chance to infuse an element into one’s body.

That alone made this flower worth more than 10,000 soldiers. Because if someone could put four, five, or even seven elements into a creature’s body, that one creature alone could become stronger than all humans.

His attention shifted to the seven Moonveil Serpents watching from the garden’s perimeter.

Their massive forms remained coiled around their stone markers, eyes tracking every movement as the ritual progressed.

"Feed it another bowl’s worth," Jack commanded, his voice carrying across the garden with certainty that made the instruction feel less like a request and more like a fundamental law being declared.

The lead serpent’s head rose slightly, its glowing eyes meeting Jack’s gaze without flinching. The creature’s tongue flicked out, tasting the air as it processed the command and calculated implications.

"The accelerated growth will strain the plant’s structure," the serpent observed, its voice resonating through the garden with weight that came from centuries of accumulated knowledge. "Forcing additional essence beyond natural capacity risks destabilization."

"I didn’t ask for risk assessment," Jack stated flatly, his hands remaining in his pockets as he stared at the ancient creature. "I gave you an instruction. Feed the plant another bowl’s worth of blood."

The serpent maintained eye contact for three seconds, during which the entity appeared to be evaluating its options. Subsequently, its large head lowered, signaling acceptance.

"As you command, Soul Warden."

The lead serpent’s form shifted, scales rippling as it moved toward the garden’s center. Its mouth opened, revealing fangs that dripped with venom capable of dissolving stone.

But instead of attacking, the creature angled its head to expose the softer scales along its throat.

One fang pressed against its own flesh, puncturing deep enough to access the major blood vessels running beneath the armored exterior.

Upon impact with the air, a dense, viscous, silver-purple fluid immediately began to emanate, generating steam.

The serpent positioned itself above the Umbral Lotus, allowing the blood to fall directly onto the soil around the plant’s base.

The flow was controlled and measured to match the volume Jack had specified rather than creating wasteful excess.

The other six serpents moved in a coordinated pattern, each one approaching the garden’s center to repeat the process.

Their blood mixed with the lead serpent’s contribution, seven sources of condensed magical essence pouring into soil that absorbed every drop.

The ground began glowing faintly, silver-purple light bleeding up through the dark earth as the root system spread the accumulated power throughout the plant’s structure.

The Umbral Lotus’s petals darkened further, the black material becoming so light-absorbent that looking directly at them created disorientation.

The system notification updated again, text shifting rapidly as it recalculated growth parameters based on the massive influx of supernatural resources.

[Umbral Lotus - Extreme Growth Enhancement Detected]

[Additional Magical Essence: Moonveil Serpent Blood (Seven Sources, Significant Volume)]

[WARNING: Growth Rate Approaching Maximum Sustainable Threshold]

[Recalculating Harvest Timeline...]

[Next Harvest: 28 Days]

[Growth Rate: ×13 Base Speed]

[Yield Potential: 2.2×]

[Plant Stability: 76% - Within Acceptable Parameters]

Jack’s eyes tracked the updated timeline, satisfaction bleeding through his expression as he noted the compression from six months to twenty-eight days.

The plant could sustain the accelerated growth without structural failure, which meant the Soul Realm would be accessible every other day.

The time dilation in Elysium was 1:24. So 28 hours in Erebon was equivalent to 28 days in Tartarus Spire or any dungeon in general.

The serpents completed their blood offering, each one withdrawing to allow their supernatural constitutions to begin repairing the self-inflicted wounds.

The lead serpent’s throat had already stopped bleeding, scales regenerating to seal the puncture despite the significant volume that had been drained.

Its eyes tracked to Jack, the ancient gaze carrying something that might have been approval beneath the baseline respect.

"You must crush the mature flower petals when harvest time arrives. Mix the petals with your own blood until the combination becomes liquid and drink the mixture."

The serpent’s eyes glowed brighter as it continued.

"Once consumed, the pathway opens. But the Soul Realm exists outside normal space, protected by wards that reject unauthorized entry. A Soul Key serves as permission, proving you possess the right to enter the domain of past Wardens."

Its tongue flicked out again.

"Insert the key into your chest and turn the key. Doing so will trigger the flower inside your body. This will bring you to the Soul Realm depending on the key you have."

"How long do I have?" Jack asked.

"Until you choose to leave," the serpent confirmed. "Time flows differently within the Soul Realm. Hours there may translate to minutes here, or the reverse, depending on the realm’s current state. But the gateway persists until you turn the key back."

Jack nodded once, the gesture communicating understanding without requiring verbal confirmation.

His focus returned to the Umbral Lotus, and he observed that the flower had stabilized following the substantial blood infusion.

The petals no longer darkened; their light absorption remained constant rather than intensifying further.

Twenty-eight days until the next harvest.

The blood moon continued hanging overhead, its crimson light washing across the garden as the ritual reached its natural conclusion.

The assembled forces beyond the garden’s boundaries remained motionless, forty thousand entities waiting for dismissal or further instruction.

Jack’s hands emerged from his pockets, his right hand gesturing toward the bloomed Umbral Lotus with casual motion.

"Loryn, mark the harvest date. Twenty-eight days from tonight, have Kyren collect the harvest."

"Understood," Loryn confirmed. The demon had learned that Jack’s instructions weren’t suggestions requiring discussion but commands that would be executed regardless of personal opinion.

Jack’s attention shifted to the seven Moonveil Serpents, his yellow-orange eyes tracking across their massive forms as they maintained their positions around the garden’s perimeter.

"You’ll remain on this floor," Jack stated, the words carrying finality. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

"The garden requires protection during the growth cycle, and your presence ensures nothing interferes with the harvest."

The lead serpent’s head dipped in acknowledgment. "As you command, Soul Warden. We will guard the Umbral Lotus until you return."

Jack nodded once, then turned toward the garden’s entrance.

He walked past the garden’s boundary, his footsteps carrying him toward the castle’s main entrance.

The assembled demons reacted immediately, thirty-nine thousand entities dropping into synchronized bows as their master passed.

Some bowed with reverence.

And a notable portion, with fear bleeding through their supernatural constitutions as they recognized what Jack had become during his time in the Hollow.

Jack’s attention was fixed on Oscar as he approached the sentient spear still planted in the ground near the castle entrance.

The weapon’s metal gleamed under the blood moon’s crimson light, its consciousness clearly aware of Jack’s approach.

{Finally! I was beginning to think you’d forgotten about me out here. Very undignified for a weapon of my caliber to be left standing around like common decoration while...}

"I’ve been thinking about what you said," Jack interrupted, his hands emerging from his pockets as he stopped before the spear.

"About your problem. About wanting to interact with Aishra but being incorporeal."