Chapter 224: The Black Butterfly’s Gift
Chapter 224: The Black Butterfly’s Gift
A flicker of surprise finally surfaced on Fang Cun’s face.
He had previously given Lin Jiyi and Lady Hongtao the three powerful tools: the Life-Death Sigils, the Divine Nether Body Tempering Art, and silver notes. He sent them to the Jianghu of Qingjiang Prefecture to lay the groundwork, slowly taking over. But Qingjiang Prefecture’s interests were tightly controlled by existing groups; breaking in was far from easy. Yet, judging by the current results…
These folks were surprisingly capable!
Upon careful questioning, he learned they were sly as monkeys. Armed with the fourth-grade Treasure Body Method, they freely gifted generous rewards. Their abundant silver notes made them seem mysterious and well-supported. The Life-Death Sigil, a tool that could control life, made those subdued by them think they were unfathomable, even guessing someone like a Divine King might back them.
Encouraged, the group subtly hinted their backing could be linked to Zhaoge…
Now, in Qingjiang Prefecture’s Jianghu, they stood as the most enigmatic and powerful symbol.
The list they submitted was also growing more intriguing to Fang Cun.
Among the forty-two names, not all were at the Golden Core Realm. In truth, only seven or eight had achieved Golden Core, and just five or six were at the Condensed Radiance Realm. The rest were mostly Foundation Building. But their identities varied greatly. At first glance, Fang Cun thought assigning the Life-Death Sigils to some was wasteful. On closer thought, however, they seemed increasingly valuable.
“Excellent!”
Fang Cun looked at the four—Lin Jiyi, Lady Hongtao, Eccentric Gu-Master Guai Li, and Ghost Scholar—and praised them generously.
If they had only met his minimum expectations, he would have simply given them the antidote for the next three months, letting them live on. Meeting his target would have only reassured him his earlier investment wasn’t wasted. But now, their work had surpassed his hopes.
The four had been nervously watching Fang Cun’s expression. Receiving praise, they couldn’t hide their excitement.
“Young Master, you flatter us! We merely followed orders!”
Lin Jiyi was the first to respond, kneeling. “I only picked suitable targets. The Gu deployment was the Insect Master’s doing!”
The Insect Master, Guai Li, hastily added, “I only deployed the Gu. Lady Hongtao handled the strategy!”
Lady Hongtao flushed. “I… I mostly cursed people. The clever ideas were all Ghost Scholar’s…”
Ghost Scholar, last in line, panicked. “The credit truly lies with the three great Magic Treasures the Young Master granted! If even a dog had those, it could rule this Jianghu…!”
The other three turned and stared. Ghost Scholar lowered his head, shutting up.
“Enough. Relax,” Fang Cun chuckled, signaling them to rise.
Lin Jiyi, Lady Hongtao, the Insect Master, Ghost Scholar, Lao Gutou, Chen Laoguai, and Lu Ying—the seven he had scooped from Willow Lake City’s murky waters. They were Rogue Cultivators, Demonic Cultivators who rose above their filth. Regardless of their methods, their skills were real, honed by surviving in the Jianghu.
When Fang Cun came to Qingjiang Prefecture, Lin Jiyi, Lady Hongtao, the Insect Master, and Ghost Scholar followed first. The other three stayed to manage affairs in Willow Lake City. Originally, Lady Hongtao, the Insect Master, and Ghost Scholar were to rotate with the others. But finding them useful here, Fang Cun kept them in Qingjiang City. And now, they’d found a stage for their talents.
This was only a small test. What dramas could they enact on a grander stage?
He scanned them thoughtfully. “Hmm. Your cultivation is still a bit weak, though.”
The four exchanged awkward glances, lowering their heads.
Lin Jiyi and Lady Hongtao were initially at the Breath Refining Realm. After learning the Divine Nether Body Tempering Art, their skills improved but they hadn’t achieved a Treasure Body yet. The Insect Master and Ghost Scholar had advanced from fifth-grade to fourth-grade Treasure Bodies—a decent feat—but in Qingjiang Prefecture, such cultivation was nothing special.
“We… it hasn’t been that long, has it?”
The once secretly proud men now felt uneasy. How much time had actually passed since they received the Divine Nether Body Tempering Art?
Normally, advancing from Breath Refining to Treasure Body took at least half a year. The Insect Master and Ghost Scholar felt their progress from fifth to fourth-grade Treasure Body was actually quick, especially with ample resources.
They weren’t slow—Second Young Master Fang was simply too fast.
They recalled seeing him at Willow Lake, assuming he was merely a Breath Refining cultivator who relied on the deadly Life-Death Sigil and that fearsome sword technique to control them. Yet now, in what felt like no time at all, Fang Cun’s aura felt deep and unfathomable, like a bottomless well. They could barely comprehend him…
Had he reached the Condensed Radiance Realm? Logically, he should be the same realm as them. Their inability to gauge him meant only one thing: his foundation vastly surpassed theirs. In a pure cultivation duel now, he would likely obliterate them instantly.
Talent… that was something they could never match with mere Jianghu experience. A pang of shame struck them all.
Noticing their visible gloom, Fang Cun understood.
Cultivation couldn’t be forced. He couldn’t expect everyone around him to be a genius like Yu Qingli. At this rate, they might fall too far behind him to keep up, leaving many burdens on his own shoulders.
Exhausting!
“I have a reward for you,”
Fang Cun said, turning to Lin Jiyi with a smile.
Though the four had been modest earlier, Fang Cun knew who truly deserved recognition in Qingjiang’s scheme.
“T-this?”
Seeing Fang Cun’s smile, Lin Jiyi startled, then knelt enthusiastically. “Thank you, Young Master!”
He dared not take credit openly but knew the Young Master was generous. What incredible reward was coming? Recalling Fang Cun’s comment about their cultivation, could it be…? Excited thoughts filled his head—did he plan to elevate my cultivation? To Foundation Building? That would be a heaven-sent fortune!
Smiling at the visible joy, Fang Cun lightly waved a hand. An unseen force opened the window.
Everyone instinctively turned. A fluttering sound echoed in the night.
A black butterfly, large as a fan pane, ghosted silently into the room.
It seemed ordinary at first—just big. But upon closer look, an eerie, unnatural aura radiated from it, seemingly drawing in one’s mind and soul; as if it could become part of you…
“Go.”
Fang Cun traced a shape in the air. The butterfly glided over, landing on Lin Jiyi’s nape.
Lin Jiyi froze, letting it settle.
A profound, mysterious glow flowed from the butterfly, seeping into his skin. It then morphed into veins that branched, forming an intricate butterfly pattern, which pulsed once with light before fading completely, vanishing from sight.
“This… this is…?”
Lin Jiyi whispered, tremulous hands touching his nape.
“Try it,”
Fang Cun nodded.
Taking a deep breath, Lin Jiyi knelt cautiously. He placed his palm softly onto the stone floor.
As his cultivation power surged, a butterfly-shaped network flickered on the back of his neck. As he concentrated his energy further, the veins grew pronounced and vivid, until the phantom semblance of a butterfly seemed to hover manifestly upon him. His Magical Power turned strange… ethereal and potent. His hand pressed down.
Fzzzt.
A perfectly circular hole, as if burned by acid, appeared silently in the Immortal Palace’s enchanted stone tile.
“Impossible!”
Lady Hongtao, the Insect Master, and Ghost Scholar gaped, almost jumping back.
This was Immortal Palace stone—hardened and reinforced by cultivation power! With their former strength, merely cracking a tile with full force would have been impressive. But disintegrating it silently? Instantly?
What level of power was this? Condensed Radiance? Golden Core?
During their scheming in Qingjiang City, the mystique they’d carefully crafted—the air of hidden, powerful backing—was necessary partly because the truth about Second Young Master Fang, despite his noble status, wouldn’t be intimidating enough. On paper, a ‘Minor Qi Practitioner’ just didn’t command respect.
Yet now… with a single effortless gift… he had bestowed this?