Hundreds of human faces, perfect to the extreme, indistinguishable in gender, yet each one is exceedingly exquisite. They are embedded like reliefs on the crystalline bodies, and each face displays an ultimate, almost hollow tranquility and harmony, with eyes gently shut and the corners of lips holding an eternal, contented smile, forming part of this sacred grotesque creature. As it moves, those faces shimmer in the light, as if breathing like living things.

Almost instinctively, Lin Xian crouched low, completely burying himself into the depths of the grass that was lush like a thick carpet, his heart pounding wildly. This sight was beyond comprehension, a terrifying blend of the sacred and the grotesque.

He held his breath, his gaze carefully scanning the valley below through the gaps in the grass leaves.

At this sight, his scalp instantaneously tingled, and a cold nausea surged to his throat.

In the valley, two similar pure white crystalline giants stood erect, with bizarre limbs, smaller than the one in the sky but still colossal. One of them was engaged in an extremely strange and cruel act—it was devouring another.

No roars, no struggle, no blood.

The devoured giant, part of its body had blended into the devourer’s form, like milk and water merging. Countless fine tendrils and pseudopodia, also made of pure crystal, gently wrapped around the devoured one, penetrating into its body, extracting its essence. The faces growing on the trunk of the devoured, at this moment, all displayed a... intoxicated, ecstatic expression! Its body even twisted at certain angles around the devourer, actively embracing the deadly fusion, as if it wasn’t death but the ultimate offering and pleasure.

And the beast devouring its kin, its body undergoing visible changes during the process: the light growing more intense, dazzling, the crystalline body becoming larger, with sharper angles, more and longer tendrils and the budding of wings twisting and emerging on its surface, the original faces on the trunk clearer, more serene, even faintly showing several new, blurred contours of faces.

This was neither a battle nor predation, but more like a grotesque, sacred, and nauseating... perverse ritual, a life willingly being "consumed" by another life for the latter’s "perfection."

"Is this the advanced civilization evolved to number 39081?" Lin Xian’s stomach churned, throat dry, a sense of unspeakable absurdity and fear gripping him. Was this an advanced civilization? This was clearly more bizarre and discomforting than the primitive tribe’s survival of the fittest... a civilization of consumption!

As he was nearly paralyzed by the shocking scene, a calm voice, devoid of any ripples, unexpectedly sounded behind him, piercing through the grasses and his taut nerves:

"I thought you were dead," the voice carried a barely discernible... understanding, even a hint of weary sigh: "I knew perhaps I would see you again here."

Lin Xian turned sharply as if struck by lightning.

The grass was gently parted by a pale hand, and a familiar figure stood there, unclad, skin white as cream, face still serene and beautiful, eyes deep as an ancient well, with a weariness of understanding everything and... an emotion Lin Xian could not decipher, she quietly watched him, her serene face slowly showing a slight expression.

Lin Xian immediately focused his eyes: "Chu Yan?!"

Chu Yan looked at him but spoke calmly, "Want to understand the High Tower Civilization?"

After speaking, she slightly opened her lips and said three words to Lin Xian in a low voice.

"Devour me."