The butterfly demon explained the entire affair from beginning to end. Her clan, the firefly butterflies, fed on dreams and possessed no consciousness before assuming human form. She had been drawn here by the spirit of nightmares in the estate, where something had unexpectedly awakened her spiritual soul, allowing her to take human form through a twist of fate.
Demons were naturally sensitive to the aura of demon hunters. Upon sensing the presence of demon hunters inside the residence, her first instinct had been to leave immediately.
Unfortunately, the heavens hadn’t cooperated. Before she could make her escape, a thunderstorm struck.
Butterflies feared water, so she had been forced to hide on Ah Yue’s window frame.
Ah Yue had carefully shielded her in her palm, that was the very first time the butterfly demon had ever felt warmth. Sensing that Ah Yue was plagued by nightmares, she wanted to consume the bad dreams for her.
“Oh, so in the end, it’s all my fault?” Shen Chang suddenly blurted out, glaring at the butterfly demon with disdain.
The butterfly demon cast a side glance at him and replied, “Well, yes.”
So-called nightmare-dispelling meant eating a person’s bad dreams, which caused no harm whatsoever to the human body.
Who would have thought she would almost be slain by Shen Chang’s sword?
At this thought, the butterfly demon reached up to cover her left shoulder.
That was close, so close. It seemed demons and Taoist priests were natural enemies after all.
“Can I leave now?” the butterfly demon asked. At a time like this, it was best to make a quick exit.
“Get lost already.”
No sooner had Shen Chang spoken than Mo Yumian overrode him: “No.”
“Why?!” the butterfly demon and Shen Chang voiced together.
“No means no,” Mo Yumian had no intention of explaining to her. “If you have the ability, walk out on your own.”
The butterfly demon glared resentfully at Mo Yumian. “Not a single one of you righteous sects is any good!”
And to think she had thought he was a good person for saving her little life! Turns out he was just like Shen Chang, birds of a feather!
She stood up, wanting to walk toward the door. However, having just assumed human form not long ago, her legs were unaccustomed to the human gait. Upon taking her very first step, her legs buckled, and she nearly fell to her knees.
Steadying herself, she gritted her teeth and kept walking. Unluckily, she got tripped up by her skirt hem and pitched forward again, wildly flailing her arms before managing to grab the doorframe for support.
Shen Chang found the sight amusing. “How laughable.”
Hearing this, the butterfly demon shot him a fierce glare, but Shen Chang immediately flashed his sword to intimidate her.
“Enough,” Mo Yumian knit his brows. With a wave of his hand, he cast a spell that bound her true form.
The butterfly demon fluttered endlessly in his palm. Looking at her, Mo Yumian found her somewhat familiar.
She is the butterfly I threw into the room that night. Mo Yumian froze slightly, then quietly cupped both hands to hold her snugly.
“Senior Brother, hurry and suffocate this demon to death,” Shen Chang urged.
Mo Yumian looked at him deeply, making Shen Chang feel somewhat uncomfortable under his gaze.
“What is it, Senior Brother?” Shen Chang asked.
“Junior Brother, your intent to kill has been too heavy lately,” Mo Yumian remarked before walking off with the butterfly demon in hand.
Shen Chang scratched his head. How so? Haven’t I always been like this?
The moonlight was hazy as the bright moon hung high in the night sky.
Clad in a white robe, Mo Yumian sat cross-legged in his room, meditating with his eyes closed to rest his mind.
Having cultivated his mind and body since childhood, he had reached a state where he could sit in meditation for six hours without moving an inch. Everyone in the Zhengqing Sect who saw Mo Yumian couldn’t help but sigh in admiration: This young man truly possesses remarkable composure!
The butterfly demon, however, could not sit still at all. She repeatedly tried to sneak away while Mo Yumian wasn’t paying attention, only to discover that he had already cast a spell over the room.
Furthermore, whenever Mo Yumian noticed her trying to slip away, he would strengthen the spell and even threaten her with adding lightning punishment to the array if caught again.
Resigning herself to fate, the butterfly demon sat by the table, resting her chin on her hand to observe Mo Yumian.
At that moment, Mo Yumian was communicating with Sect Leader Qingya across thousands of miles through voice transmission.
“Yumian, how are things going?”
“Sect Leader, I have been in Yunxi Town for several days, yet there is still no sign of the demon.”
“Oh?” Sect Leader Qingya sounded somewhat surprised.
“Mayor Wang mentioned that the demon has wings and shines bright, but after investigating for days, I have found nothing.” Mo Yumian’s brow furrowed, a faint touch of impatience appearing in his voice.
If it were an ordinary demon, it only needed to show itself; no matter how perilous, Mo Yumian was confident he could subdue it. But right now, the demon hadn’t left so much as a shadow, making it impossible for him to take the next step.
“Hmm…” Sect Leader Qingya pondered for a moment before speaking slowly: “Yumian, you are growing impatient again.”
Mo Yumian choked on his words. Realizing his breach of composure, he quickly said: “This disciple acknowledges his fault.”
Sect Leader Qingya let out a sigh before continuing: “Though you are still young, you understand the expectations I hold for you.”
“This disciple keeps them firmly in mind.”
Only upon hearing this did Sect Leader Qingya let out a satisfied “Hmm.”
“There is a type of demon known as the Moon Soul Butterfly. Moon Soul Butterflies rely on pure spiritual qi to cultivate. On nights of a full moon, they undergo a Lunar Calamity. If their spiritual power is insufficient, they will be scorched to ash by the moonlight.”
Sect Leader Qingya provided just enough hint, and Mo Yumian immediately understood.
The ones missing in Yunxi Town were all children of seven or eight years old—innocent and possessive of pure spiritual qi. Coupled with having wings… everything matched up.
“Thank you, Sect Leader. There is one more matter…” Mo Yumian hesitated.
“What matter?” Sect Leader Qingya inquired.
Just as Mo Yumian was about to speak, a ticklish sensation suddenly touched his face.
Outside his spiritual consciousness, seeing him sitting motionless, the butterfly demon had grown curious about whether he was truly immune to external distractions. Thus, she blew a soft puff of air onto his face.
“What is wrong?” Seeing no response for a long time, Sect Leader Qingya asked.
Mo Yumian quickly gathered his thoughts, stabilizing the voice-transmission spell at his fingertips as his tone returned to its usual rigor: “I recall the Sect Leader once mentioning that spiritual resonance is interconnected. I wonder if humans and demons…”
He paused.
The other side of his spiritual consciousness fell silent for a brief moment before the Sect Leader continued: “Are you asking whether someone might gain a cultivation opportunity due to another’s spiritual resonance or obsession?”
“Yes,” Mo Yumian answered. “Is it possible for such a resonance to trigger a demon’s transformation into human form?”
“The spiritual resonances of heaven and earth are naturally interconnected,” the Sect Leader’s voice echoed through his mind. “If a mortal’s obsession is strong enough, it will turn into spiritual resonance and scatter throughout the world. Demons inherently need to absorb heaven and earth’s spiritual resonance for cultivation. If a particular strand of resonance aligns with its core nature, it is like rain after a long drought.”
Mo Yumian thought of the hostile qi within his own nightmares. Though negative in nature, firefly butterflies fed on dreams to begin with; it was not surprising she had borrowed it to take human form.
“This disciple understands,” Mo Yumian said.
He slowly opened his eyes, only to find the butterfly demon lying beside the tea table below his bed. Seeing him look at her, she simply raised her arms and covered her face with her wide sleeves.
Mo Yumian found it amusing.
He had kept her today out of suspicion that she was connected to the demon kidnapping the children, feeling it necessary to observe her for a few days. He hadn’t expected that, in the end, she had actually achieved human form because of his own nightmares.
The butterfly demon had originally thought Mo Yumian would call her to account for her behavior just now, but after a while, he still made no sound.
Just as she was feeling puzzled, she suddenly heard his voice coming from above:
“Little demon.”
“Hmm?”
The butterfly demon pulled away her sleeves and raised her eyes to look at him.
“Do you have a name?” Mo Yumian asked her.
The butterfly demon was stunned. His question came completely out of nowhere. A name? Was such a thing important?
“No,” she scratched her cheek.
Mo Yumian nodded thoughtfully, his gaze drifting toward the window: “The spring of yesteryear fades into distant mist, while the years ahead shine bright and clear. May all your wishes come true as bright as day, and may every year bring peace and tranquility.”
“How about calling you Sui Anlan from now on?”
“Sure!” The butterfly demon agreed without a second thought. Having just gained spiritual awareness, she was fascinated by all these things.
Her face lit up with joy, and she quickly scrambled over to Mo Yumian’s side.
“Comparing my name with my benefactor’s, whose sounds better?”
“Yours,” Mo Yumian looked down at her.
“Alright then, I’ll be called Sui Anlan!” Sui Anlan beamed with delight, unconsciously placing her hand on his leg.
Mo Yumian’s face instantly darkened.
Sui Anlan was just about to say something more to him when he hit her with a Binding Spell and cast her right out of the room.
“Ah!”
Sui Anlan tumbled to the ground, seeing stars. Rubbing her bruised forehead, she questioned him in bewilderment: “What are you doing?!”
“Men and women must maintain proper distance,” Mo Yumian waved his hand, and the door slammed shut.
“Weave a cocoon for yourself and make do for the night.”
Since she had no connection to the rogue demon, Mo Yumian was no longer worried she would cause any trouble.
“Inexplicable!” Sui Anlan gritted her teeth, gesturing angrily at the closed door.
Just moments ago he refused to let her leave, and now he was casting her aside without a care, she truly couldn’t understand him.
Sui Anlan looked up at the night sky. Where could she go right now anyway?
She let out a sigh. It really was better back when I had no spiritual awareness.
I could eat and drink whenever, and if I died, I died. Unlike now, where I don’t even know what to do.
Just as she was about to walk away, after taking merely one step, her waist tightened.
Sui Anlan looked down and realized she was bound by the Binding Spell once more, before being yanked violently back into the room!
“You!”
Sui Anlan was at the end of her rope. Just as she was about to fly into a rage, she heard Mo Yumian’s weary voice coming from behind the bed curtains: “Little demon, go to sleep.”
For some strange reason, whenever he called her “little demon,” Sui Anlan lost all her temper.
She let out a meek “Oh.” This time, she noticed a bed prepared for her on the floor.
Well, Benefactor isn’t completely cold-hearted after all, Sui Anlan thought to herself, happily lying down while clutching the bedding with both hands.
Hearing her movements, Mo Yumian opened his eyes on the bed.
He had never been a soft-hearted person. Like Shen Chang, he held the belief that all demons were evil.
Today, he hadn’t intended to meddle and would have let Shen Chang slay her with one strike. Yet while he was watching from the window, Ah Yue had suddenly run over, tugging at his hem and anxiously pointing at Sui Anlan while stammering: “Save… save her!”
Left with no choice, Mo Yumian had saved her. He hadn’t expected Sui Anlan to actually recognize him as her benefactor, which left him feeling a bit guilty.
The thought that she had transformed due to the influence of his own nightmares gave him a headache.
Does that mean… I count as her second parent?
Parents naturally ought to take tender care of their children, rather than driving them out in the middle of the night.
With this thought, Mo Yumian felt at peace with himself and fell into a sound sleep.
A day later, Mo Yumian planned to visit the homes of the missing children to gather information.
When the estate’s servants brought up the meals, they glared at Sui Anlan with furrowed brows.
Sui Anlan almost choked under that gaze.
“Today we are visiting the homes of the missing children,” Mo Yumian’s gaze swept over Shen Chang before resting on Sui Anlan. “You come along too.”
Sui Anlan paused her chewing on a pastry, shaking her head like a rattle: “No, no, no!”
She stuffed the remaining half of the pastry into her mouth, took a sip of water, and mumbled: “I’m just a passing butterfly demon. Investigating cases is the business of your Zhengqing Sect, I’m not getting dragged into it.”
Shen Chang snorted upon hearing this: “Do you think you’re some ancient divine beast? Letting you come along is doing you a favor.”
Mo Yumian ignored their bickering, keeping his cold eyes fixed on Sui Anlan: “You can discern dreams. The children’s homes might still harbor lingering demonic aura, you must go.”
He paused, adding, “If we find clues, you may leave freely.”
Sui Anlan’s eyes lit up, then immediately drooped again.
The offer is great, but that demon isn’t something easy to deal with either.
After a brief internal struggle, she wiped her mouth and stood up reluctantly: “Alright then.”
The three stepped out of Mayor Wang’s residence.
They visited three households, but the results were surprisingly identical:
At the first house, they knocked on the door for a long time, only to hear an old man cursing from inside: “Stop coming! Even the government officers couldn’t figure it out, you lot are useless too.”
Just as they approached the doorway of the second house, the front door was slammed shut instantly, leaving the three with a cold rejection.
When Shen Chang went to knock on the third door, shouting until his throat was hoarse, no one paid him any mind.
Shen Chang clenched his fists in fury: “What is going on? A few days ago the mayor said the townspeople were eagerly waiting for us to investigate, so why won’t they even let us through the door now?”
Mo Yumian also knit his brows. Walking through these three households just now, the Qingxuan Jade Pendant had turned slightly warm the black qi here was noticeably thicker than in Mayor Wang’s residence.
He looked down and saw Sui Anlan’s true form perched on his index finger, her wings quivering lightly as if sensing something.
“Let’s find a place to rest first,” Mo Yumian withdrew his hand.
The three came to a teahouse, which wasn’t very crowded.
Shen Chang found a seat by the window. Just as he ordered a pot of tea, he heard voices from the adjacent table: “Say, those disciples from the Zhengqing Sect have been here for four or five days now, haven’t they?”
“Tell me about it!” another person immediately chimed in, his tone dripping with mockery. “I heard they haven’t found a single trace of the demon! Instead, they’ve been freeloading at Mayor Wang’s estate, occupying the west wing and staying indoors all day.”
Shen Chang was furious. The reason we stayed indoors was to conceal our aura, fearing the demon would notice something amiss and not dare to show up! How did it turn into us being useless playboys who only know how to eat, drink, and make merry?
Just as he was about to slam the table, Mo Yumian held his wrist down.
“What’s freeloading count for? I heard from the servants in the estate that the disciple even captured a demon and sleeps in the same bed with it every night! Who knows what shady business they’re up to…”
“Ahem! Ahem!” Shen Chang choked on his breath, smoothing his chest while sneaking peeks at Mo Yumian’s expression. When on earth did Senior Brother ever sleep in the same bed with that demon?!
Sui Anlan didn’t understand what they were talking about. Sleep in the same bed? What a load of nonsense.
Seeing Mo Yumian pouring tea, she flew to the side of the teacup, wanting to take a sip.
Mo Yumian extended a finger to stop her. “Hot.”
“If you ask me, Mayor Wang is just too kind-hearted. Who knows if they’re just fraudulent swindlers, yet he still entertains them with such fine food and drink.”
Those few men continued to chatter endlessly. Shen Chang’s face twisted in rage: “Nonsense! We are from a prestigious, righteous sect, genuine disciples of the Zhengqing Sect!”
“Sit down,” Mo Yumian’s voice dropped low. “Getting into arguments with the townspeople will only give them leverage against us.”
Shen Chang sat down reluctantly, muttering under his breath: “They’re crossing the line. We clearly came here to save them.”
Mo Yumian said nothing, merely picking up his teacup to take a sip.
The three stayed no longer. Paying for the tea, they stood up and departed.
After leaving the teahouse, Shen Chang was still fuming with indignation: “Senior Brother, they must have had their minds bewitched by that dark mist demon, otherwise why would they treat us like this?”
Mo Yumian shook his head: “The Qingxuan Jade Pendant detected that the townspeople’s aura is indeed affected by the dark qi, but there is also genuine disappointment in our lack of progress.”
However, the townspeople held Mayor Wang in exceptionally high regard.
Mo Yumian looked at the butterfly perched on his fingertip. “Let us head back first and make further plans.”