The first light of the new day began to fall on the orchard. The morning sun shone on various trees. Punya, Wen Qing, and Li Shan sat in a circle under a large pomegranate tree. The three of them were discussing the hidden powers in the orchard.
"These fruits... are not just magical items, but dangerous weapons if used incorrectly," Li Shan said seriously. "We absolutely cannot let anyone possess them."
"But we cannot deny that these powers can save lives," Punya argued. "The small mangosteen that the eldest prince gave me to help save the victims of the previous spy attack. If the power is controlled correctly, it can become a valuable item."
Wen Qing, who had been sitting in silence for a long time, nodded. "The question is, who is the most suitable person to possess these powers?"
Before the conversation could end, drums and trumpets rang out from the front of the palace. The courtiers ran around as news of Princess Meilin's arrival was passed on.
"Princess Meilin has returned..." Wen Qing muttered. "I haven't heard her name in a long time."
The three of them hurriedly headed towards the palace's central ceremonial grounds, and the sight they saw made them pause.
Princess Meilin stepped down from the palanquin gracefully. Her indigo robe was embroidered with lifelike blooming lotuses. Behind her, courtiers in elegant uniforms held trays containing the "Black Lotus," a rare and powerful magical plant.
"I heard that both princes have demonstrated their abilities to possess the power of the orchard," Princess Meilin said in a calm but resolute tone. "Today, I will prove to you that the power of the Black Lotus is worthy of a Lin Dynasty like me."
She walked to the ceremonial platform and placed the Black Lotus in the middle of the courtyard before chanting a spell to control its power.
As the Black Lotus began to emit a mysterious light, the wind became stronger, causing the leaves in the garden to fly. Water from a nearby pond began to form in midair. Princess Meilin raised her hand to control the current, and created a tall dam like a wall.
Amidst the cheers from the courtiers, the current began to swirl and shake abnormally. "Princess! Be careful!" one of the courtiers warned.
Before the princess could stop the power, The dam she built collapsed, and water flooded the area, washing away things and people several meters away.
Punya, who was standing not far away, quickly grabbed a small mangosteen fruit. She forced herself to use her power to heal the injured people who were hit by the strong water. Wen Qing and Li Shan helped control the situation. Wen Qing used her lightning power to shock the water in the risky areas, while Li Shan quickly helped those who had fallen.
"Princess!" Punya shouted as she ran to help Princess Meilin up.
"I... I didn't mean to." The princess whispered with a trembling voice. She was panting and her eyes were filled with confusion.
At that moment, the First and Second Princes, who were standing high up watching the event, showed different expressions.
First Prince Li Cheng quickly stepped down and helped order the courtiers to deal with the flood water. He looked worried about the safety of the people. "What a shame, Princess..."
Second Prince Xiao Yang smiled at the corner of his mouth, his eyes fixed on the black lotus. "Interesting... Such an uncontrollable power. This is what I am looking for." He muttered softly.
--
After the incident where the black lotus almost destroyed the palace grounds, the effects lingered in the form of chaos. Courtiers were busy cleaning up the flood debris and repairing the damage. But in Princess Meilin's private hall, the atmosphere was calm and tense.
Punya stood in front of a large wooden table. On the table was a life-like black lotus. Its pitch-black petals emitted a cold aura. Princess Meilin sat beside her, her face filled with worry.
"I'm sorry for causing trouble," the princess said with a trembling voice. She lowered her head as if she felt guilty.
"Don't blame yourself. No one wants this to happen," Punya comforted. She reached out and lightly touched the black lotus, as if she was observing something. "The power of the black lotus is truly great, but it is not stable enough to be controlled 100 percent."
"Then what should I do?" Princess Meilin asked, her eyes filled with despair.
Punya pondered for a moment before speaking in a confident tone, "I think we should try something that no one has ever done before. If we mix the black lotus with fruits that have the ability to enhance energy, such as the Sun Orange that increases the fire element energy, or the small mangosteen that helps maintain balance, the power of the black lotus may become more stable."
Punya's words made Princess Meilin go silent for a moment. Her face showed hesitation. "Are you sure it will work?"
Wen Qing, who was standing listening in the corner of the room, stepped forward. "This is a reasonable idea, Princess. If this experiment is successful, you will be able to completely control this power, and it may become the most powerful weapon in the palace."
Li Shan, who was standing with his arms crossed beside Wen Qing, nodded. "I agree. Lady Punya and I used this method when fighting bandits. If we don't try, there's no way to know if it will work."
Finally, Princess Meilin nodded. "Then, I'll try to believe you, Punya."
They started their experiment in the greenhouse of the orchard. Punya prepared the necessary fruits. The Sun Orange gave off a golden glow, while the small mangosteen gave off a calming, faint purple glow. She carefully mixed the extracts of the two fruits with the Black Lotus.
As they were experimenting, unexpected footsteps were heard. Everyone turned to look at the same time.
Xiao Yang, Prince Jun, appeared at the door. He was wearing a dark robe and had a sly smile on his face. "I'm so lucky to see this interesting experiment."
"Second Prince!" Princess Mei Lin exclaimed in shock. "How did you get here?"
"I was just walking around the garden and heard rumors about Punya's novel idea," Xiao Yang replied as he approached the experimental table. "Do you really think this kind of power fusion will succeed?"
Punya looked at him with caution. "It might be risky, but it's the only way we can think of right now."
Xiao Yang chuckled. "And what if it fails? Have you thought about the consequences? This unstable power could destroy the entire garden."
"I'll be careful," Punya replied firmly.
Xiao Yang's eyes showed deep interest. He said with a sly tone, "However, I will be watching your results with interest. Perhaps... you or this black lotus may become the key to this game."
His words made the atmosphere in the room heavy. Everyone knew that Xiao Yang was not just showing interest, but was thinking of something more dangerous.
Punya turned back to continue the experiment. Under Xiao Yang's gaze, the tension rose as everyone waited to see if this combination of powers would lead to success or disaster.
--
Inside the large glass-enclosed greenhouse, the sounds of experimental instruments and extraction of power from fruits could be heard from time to time. The situation became more tense as both Punya and Princess Mei Lin focused on the experiment. Meanwhile, the eyes of First Prince Li Cheng and Second Prince Xiao Yang were not far away. Wen Qing stood guard with a ready-to-fight attitude, while Li Shan was still preparing a contingency plan in case the situation worsened.
Punya stepped forward, her eyes focused on the black lotus that was now starting to emit power as if it were alive. "Princess, give me the sun orange."
Mei Lin was still a bit confused by Punya's words. But she took out a warm glowing golden fruit. She held it in her hand hesitantly before handing it to Punya. "I'm not sure it will work, but I will believe you."
Punya took the fruit with a firm hand. She placed the solar orange beside the black lotus and began to release energy from the small mangosteen in her other hand. The faint purple light from the small mangosteen began to envelop the black lotus and the solar orange like a protective shield.
Suddenly, the power of the black lotus erupted, like water overflowing from a dam. Black ripples with glowing sparks began to flow all over the area. The cold moisture made everyone feel the hidden danger.
"The water is flowing beyond its limits!" Wen Qing shouted as she prepared to use the power of the lightning mango to control the situation.
"I will create a shield!" Punya shouted back as she used the power of the small mangosteen. Dark purple light covered the area around the black lotus and the energy flowing out.
However, the power of the black lotus continued to increase until the shield began to crack. Li San immediately stepped forward and used his earth elemental power to adjust the water's path. "I will change the direction of the overflowing energy Let them handle it!"
Wen Qing rushed closer to the current. She lifted the lightning mango. Lightning struck down quickly. Some of the current was cut off, and the situation calmed down a little.
"Everyone, be careful!" Li Cheng warned loudly. As he glanced at the Second Prince who was standing with his arms crossed, Xiao Yang's face was filled with a hint of satisfaction.
"Controlling this power… is extremely dangerous," Xiao Yang said. His tone was ridiculing. "If you make even a small mistake, the consequences will not only affect this garden, but the entire palace."
Punya ignored his words. She concentrated again and added the power from the small mangosteen to create a new energy shield.
Finally, the current of power that had erupted began to calm down. The previously unstable black lotus emitted a majestic aura. Its power was firmly controlled. Princess Mei Lin stood up and tried to raise her hand lightly. Suddenly, the wind and water began to respond to her command.
"I did it!" Mei Lin exclaimed excitedly. Her eyes shone with a sense of accomplishment.
However, while everyone was celebrating the result, Punya felt something was wrong. She glanced at Xiao Yang who was watching the event with a smile on his lips, his eyes shining as if he had found what he wanted.
On the other hand, Li Shan was still standing silently, he looked at the black lotus with a thoughtful gaze, as if he was planning something in his mind.
Punya knew that although this success allowed Mei Lin to control her power better, it was also like opening the door for ambitious people like Xiao Yang and Li Cheng to take advantage of it. "Could this be a double-edged sword..." She muttered to herself as she quietly watched the situation unfold amidst the still tense atmosphere.