by Fang Xiang
Cheng Shidi’s husbandry room had been divided into several areas. After he took a close look, he was very shocked. Each section was its own standalone beast pool. When had Cheng Shidi been able to construct the beast pool by himself?
“Shidi, you don’t know. When it came out, it was different compared to the rest of its species.” Chun Yu Cheng’s expression wasn’t good. His soul seemed shaken, but he felt reassured with Zuo Mo at his side.
“Shidi, you made these beast pools yourself?” Zuo Mo interrupted him.
“This, yes,” Chun Yu Cheng clearly did not pay attention to Zuo Mo’s question. The conversation’s focus quickly returned to the matter at hand, “It is a ninth-generation ling butterfly. There were two hundred that were of the same brood as it … …”
“Shidi, this part of the formation isn’t quite the same as what I did before,” Zuo Mo said as he pointed at a formation script on the beast pool.
“Did I change it incorrectly?” Chun Yu Cheng embarrassedly rubbed his head. “I felt that place wasn’t too complete, so I tried to change it. I found the effects are pretty good so I kept using it.”
Zuo Mo’s shock increased as he hurriedly waved his hand. “No, no, you didn’t do anything wrong. If Shidi feels it is effective, then use it.”
So without him noticing it, Chun Shidi’s husbandry skills had reached such a high level!
“Oh, that’s great!” Chun Yu Cheng released a breath, but his expression tensed again. He refocused on his original topic. “Shixiong, when this one came out, it swallowed a ling butterfly. I was slightly surprised. I’ve raised ling butterflies for this long, but have never seen one as savage as this.”
Chun Yu Cheng finally was able to pull Zuo Mo’s attention to the topic. He couldn’t help but follow, “Then?”
“Then,” Chun Yu Cheng swallowed, “it devoured more than one hundred ling butterflies. I thought that it would eat all the ling butterflies if it kept on going so I put it together with some poisonous worms. I started to raise these poisonous worms in Little Mountain Jie. They are very vicious, and have great potential. I speculated that if I raised them for a bit longer, after two or three generations, it may produce a fifth-grade ling beast.”
Hearing this, Zuo Mo’s curiosity was completely stirred up. “And then?”
“When I went to look a few days later,” Chun Yu Cheng’s expression was slightly terrified, “those poisonous worms had all died. Their bodies were deathly grey without a hint of life. Shixiong, you know, I’m pretty familiar with ling butterflies, but I’ve never heard of such an evil ling butterfly.”
Looking at the trace of terror remaining in Cheng Shidi’s face, Zuo Mo was even more curious.
“It was a pity to throw the poisonous worms out. I had originally planned on using the husks but didn’t expect the exoskeleton, claws, and teeth of the worms had no ling energy left.” Cheng Shidi’s voice became filled with anticipation. “At that time, I knew this ling butterfly wasn’t a simple one.”
Zuo Mo knew that if the matter was just like this, Cheng Shidi would not be so nervous. He asked, “Did something unexpected happen?”
Worry floated onto Chun Yu Cheng’s face. “Starting from yesterday, it suddenly became extremely restless, and kept on charging towards the outside of the beast pool. This ling butterfly is really powerful. I noticed that the beast pool can’t hold it for much longer, and I can’t suppress it any longer so I hurried to find Shixiong.”
At this time, the two of them arrived at a beast pool.
Zuo Mo finally saw the ling butterfly that Cheng Shidi spoke about. At first glance, he was very shocked. The wings of this ling butterfly were different colours, one black and one white, and were without any blemishes. The most unique part were the two antennae. A ball of mist floated at the end of each antenna, also black and white. It was possible to make out the figures of two little people within the two balls of mist.
But what truly shocked Zuo Mo was the faint presence released by the ling butterfly. This presence was extremely weak, but it was very clear, and made Zuo Mo think of that fifth-grade Bloody Horned Serpent.
Was this a fifth-grade ling butterfly?
“This ling butterfly is very unique.” Chun Yu Cheng had a proud expression. “I call it the twin butterfly.”
The twin butterfly noticed Zuo Mo, and instantly had a wary expression. Zuo Mo’s mind moved, and he released a thread of the presence of the Great Day mo physique. The twin butterfly was shocked and shrank back to the corner of the beast pool.
Such an intelligent ling butterfly!
Zuo Mo praised inside. He was even more sure that this twin butterfly wasn’t far from fifth-grade.
Thinking about this, he knocked on the beast service card at his waist. The Black Butterfly flew out. After the Rainbow Mark Butterfly leveled into the Black Butterfly, it was fourth-grade, and one step away from fifth-grade. When the Black Butterfly flew out, it noticed the twin butterfly. It seemed to be slightly wary of the twin butterfly.
At this time, the mist at the two ends of the twin butterfly’s antennae flew out like a bolt of intertwined black and white lightning that accurately struck the Black Butterfly!
The Black Butterfly froze on its spot as its vitality quickly flowed away. In a flick of the finger, the black and white mist flew back into the beast pool.
Hiss, Zuo Mo and Chun Yu Cheng inhaled sharply.
The change was so sudden. Zuo Mo hadn’t thought the black and white mist of the twin butterfly could ignore the jinzhi of the beast pool.
As the black and white mist entered the body of the twin butterfly, Zuo Mo sensitively detected the presence of the twin butterfly had greatly increased! He saw the colors of the black and white wings of the twin butterfly were even purer, and the greatest changes were in the two little people in the balls of mist. The features of the two little people in the mist were more distinct than before. They were the size of a thumb as they floated in the mist.
Such an eerie and weird ling butterfly!
Just as Zuo Mo was astonished, Pu Yao suddenly spoke, “Hm, this Yin-yang Twin Butterfly is a little interesting.”
“Yin-yang Twin Butterfly?” Zuo Mo’s reaction was extremely quick.
“This shidi of yours really does have some skill to be able to raise such a rare ling butterfly.” Pu Yao first praised Chun Yu Cheng before he said, “I’ve never seen a Yin-yang Twin Butterfly before so my knowledge is limited. This Twin Butterfly of your Shidi’s is slightly different than the Yin-yang Twin Butterfly I know of. Take a look with your Ling Eye.”
Zuo Mo hurriedly opened his Ling Eye and saw threads of black energy continuously fly into the beast pool and enter the body of the Twin Butterfly.
“Black fiendish energy?” Zuo Mo inhaled sharply again. “It is absorbing black fiendish energy!”
“Your shidi has raised something good.” Pu Yao reminded, “Quick, get it into the beast service card. Remember to first use the Great Day mo physique.”
Receiving Pu Yao’s guidance, Zuo Mo hurriedly explained the situation to Cheng Shidi. Cheng Shidi was both surprised and joyful. He hurriedly said, “Shixiong, quick, tame it!” Chun Yu Cheng’s cultivation was too low. There wasn’t a problem when he was raising ling beasts, but he did not have the power to tame a powerful ling beast like the twin butterfly.
Even Zuo Mo needed to use the power of the Great Day mo physique to tame the twin butterfly.
Zuo Mo did not hesitate and took out an empty beast service card. Activating the Great Day mo physique, the Light Void Wings on his back appeared. The husbandry room was filled with a tangible pressure. All the ling beasts in the beast pools curled up in balls as they shook. The two little people on the tips of the twin butterfly’s antennae trembled. It seemed to have realized something, but the powerful pressure of the Great Day mo physique made it lower its wings.
Seeing the situation, Zuo Mo unhesitatingly cut his finger to squeeze out a drop of blood to throw at the twin butterfly as he cast
a spell at the same time, calling out, “In!”
The black and white wings of the twin butterfly shook, and it did not dare to dodge. The drop of blood and the spell quickly permeated it when it touched the wings like water sinking into sand. In a moment, a bloody crescent mark appeared on each of the black and white wings. The twin butterfly turned into a light of intermingling black and white and entered the beast card.
Two little people, one black and one white, floated onto the service of the beast service card back to back. Five stars lit up the back of the beast service card. Chun Yu Cheng and Zuo Mo both had joyous expressions. This twin butterfly was a fifth-grade ling butterfly!
“I raised a fifth-grade ling butterfly! I raised a fifth-grade ling butterfly!” The ecstatic Chun Yu Cheng murmured, unable to say anything else.
It had been his dream to raise a fifth-grade ling butterfly. He had talent in husbandry, but he was from a small sect. Compared to the disciples from the large sects, the resources he could receive were limited. Raising a fifth-grade ling butterfly was his limit. He had always worked towards this target.
But today, the goal that he thought he would need to struggle towards for a lifetime had already been achieved.
He felt he was dreaming and it was unrealistic. Among the joyfulness was a thread of confusion. The greatest goal of his life had been completed so easily.
Looking at the excited yet bewildered Cheng Shidi, Zuo Mo smiled. He understood Cheng Shidi’s mood very well. He shoved a jade scroll into Cheng Shidi’s hand and then left the husbandry room.
Chun Yu Cheng was excited for a long time, after he finally calmed down and found a jade scroll in his hand.
He reflexively inspected the contents and became dumbstruck as though he was struck by a bolt of lightning.
———
Zuo Mo walked out of the slave transporting boat and found Bao Yi to tell him to not short Cheng Shidi on any materials he requested. Bao Yi hurriedly agreed. Inside, he celebrated his carefulness. He had always tried to satisfied all of Chun Yu Cheng’s requests. In his view, Chun Yu Cheng did not ask about matters, but he was Boss’ Shidi. It seemed that he had acted correctly.
The jade scroll Zuo Mo had given Chun Yu Cheng included all of the content on the beast pools. The modifications Chun Shidi had made to the beast pool caused him to realize his shidi’s exceptional talent in husbandry. He decided to give everything about the beast pool to Cheng Shidi to study. The present Cheng Shidi needed a completely new goal.
He summoned the twin butterfly and examined this unique ling butterfly. He had to admit that only a maniac like Cheng Shidi could raise such a unique ling butterfly based on the disorderly and fragmented jade scroll Zuo Mo had given him and his own knowledge.
However, he then creased his brow. If Cheng Shidi wanted to progress another step, he would face a problem – cultivation. Cheng Shidi would find it difficult to suppress any action of a fifth-grade ling beast. The twin butterfly had been a very lucky incident.
Another with the same problem was Gongsun Shidi. Zuo Mo had learned more about battle generals, and knew that battle generals had a system of unique cultivation spells. The demands on cultivation of beginner battle generals were not high, but as they progressed, the demands on cultivation increased.
This was really a troublesome problem.
Zuo Mo frowned and sank into deep thought. He did not notice the actions of the twin butterfly.
* * *
Translator Ramblings: Chun Yu Cheng finally gets a chapter focusing on him. Ling butterflies have really short generation times compared to everything else. Nine generations from Desolate Wood Reef to now or in even less time. I feel that this might end up being more profitable than being a ling plant farmer.
Today is also a pretty nice day except I have discovered listening to music to make me focus is not working anymore.
Chapter 328: Upheaval of Sword Cave
Inside the sword cave, Lin Qian finished reading the jade scroll and said with a sigh, “Just passed by, what a pity, what a pity.”
Wei Sheng raised his head to look but did not say anything. His time in the sword cave could not be called pleasant. It wasn’t that it was dull to stay in the sword cave every day. He cultivated the sword and had gone through hundreds of hardships. What was in front of him now didn’t amount to anything.
What made him feel dislike was the inability to mesh with this group of people. Truthfully, Lin Qian thought highly of him, and was very courteous in tone and speech, and never lost his manners. The xiuzhe under Lin Qian’s command did not try to find trouble with him, but the distance in their backgrounds would lead to subtle and unconsciously slips.
Wei Sheng wasn’t dumb. How could he not feel it? He didn’t find it strange. He had started as a sword servant. What kind of attitudes hadn’t he been subjected to? He just disliked it. What he disliked even more was that Lin Qian would always target Zuo Mo Shidi.
He usually wasn’t a chatty person. After entering the sword cave, he became increasingly reserved.
Lin Qian handed the jade scroll to Wei Sheng.
Wei Sheng was slightly puzzled as he took the jade scroll and started reading. After he finished reading the jade scroll, Wei Sheng’s expression was normal, but enormous waves of emotion started in his heart.
Taking the name of the Master of Golden Crow City, killing multiple jindan, tens of thousands of xiuzhe gathering at his call … …
Was this Shidi? Wei Sheng didn’t quite believe it. In the jade scroll, Shidi’s appearance had changed greatly, but Wei Sheng had instantly recognized the attitude and movements. He also recognized Gongsun Cha and Chun Yu Cheng. After Shidi had been sent to Desolate Wood Reef, Wei Sheng had especially investigated the shidi of the sect that had gone with Zuo Mo Shidi and he had a general impression of these two people.
Shidi really was Shidi!
Wei Sheng was filled with an unspeakable joy. He felt peerlessly happy knowing that Shidi was alive and living well. Excitement unconsciously showed in his eyes. Shidi was so powerful now. As the shixiong, how could he be left behind?
Lin Qian had been staring at Wei Sheng and suddenly spoke, “Do you know what secret technique is this golden pair of wings on Zuo Mo’s back? Does it originate from the sect?”
Wei Sheng opened his eyes, and said solemnly, “Zuo Shidi usually has great luck. It wouldn’t be strange for him to have fortuitous encounters.”
Lin Qian looked with pity at Wei Sheng and said faintly, “Really? This one is familiar with the records and feel the pair of golden wings on Zuo Mo’s back matches the supposed transformations of a mo physique.”
Wei Sheng was not moved. “Oh, really? But based on what Wei knows, the dhyana’s abhinna have similar ones. Xin Shishu has passed on [Vajra Profound Sutra] to Shidi. Shidi is exceptionally talented, and was just a step away from forming an abhinna.”
Lin Qian took back his gaze and said calmly, “Brother Wei, why argue with me? I already have people guarding at Buddhist Flower Jie. Sect Leader Pei is righteous and just, and has agreed to this one to investigate this matter. The result will naturally be clear at that time.”
Wei Sheng’s hands fisted together, his eyes angry. The xiuzhe around Lin Qian shifted and stared with murderous eyes at Wei Sheng.
“Brother Wei has no need to be nervous. If Zuo Mo really has achieved an abhinna, this one will be happy. Even if Zuo Mo is being threatened by yaomo, this one will save his life.” Lin Qian raised his head, his eyes deep and serene. “The battle between us xiuzhe and yaomo is like water and fire, and cannot be avoided. Brother Wei is exceptionally talented. You should remain neutral. Do not fail the hopes of your sect leader.”
As he finished, he turned and ordered, “Everyone prepare. We are returning tomorrow morning.”
Wei Sheng shook upon hearing this. The snippets of conversation he heard when the xiuzhe had chatted floating into his mind. The xiuzhe in the surroundings looked coldly at Wei Sheng and scattered.
; In the deepest part of the sword cave, Wei Sheng travelled here alone. His eyes scanned the surroundings and was filled with reluctance. He knew that Lin Qian and his fellows were going to completely abandon Sky Moon Jie. When the group of xiuzhe had been chatting, he heard that the upper ranks were planning to completely seal the jie river from Sky Moon Jie to Bright Wave Jie. Supposedly, almost all of the jindan experts of Bright Wave Jie were being gathered to set up the formation.
They didn’t plan to recapture Sky Moon Jie.
The atmosphere in the dark sword cave seemed to become more agreeable at this time. Thinking about how he would be unable to return to Sky Moon Jie in the future, Wei Sheng’ heart was dark. He silently walked to the deeper parts of the sword cave. He had killed his way through all eighteen levels of the sword cave. Thinking about it now, it seemed like yesterday. The shixiong and shidi of Wu Kong Mountain seemed to be right in front of him.
Thinking of the complex fighting inside the sect, his heart felt irritated. He hadn’t increased his cultivation one bit in this past year. He knew why that was. He had already planned it out. After returning this time, and the matter of Zuo Shidi was cleared up, he would go out to travel. He only wanted to cultivate the sword. He didn’t want to manage the matters of the sect and he couldn’t manage them.
For some reason, he wasn’t too worried about the matter of Shidi. Thinking of Zuo Mo, he smiled. Shidi’s cunning could only be understood by those who felt it. None of the people that had targeted Shidi before had ever gotten away.
Lin Qian’s origins were extraordinary, and had astounding power on his hands. Wei Sheng was very clear of that. But if Lin Qian thought he would be able to pin down Shidi so easily, then he was too naïve. Thinking about it, mirth unconsciously came to the corner of Wei Sheng’s mouth.
As to Lin Qian’s talk about yaomo. Wei Sheng felt disdain. He was clear that yaomo and xiuzhe were mortal enemies. He didn’t have any good feelings about yaomo, but did not hold negative feelings. The conflict of xiuzhe and yaomo at its core was the conflict over resources. Xiuzhe cultivation required large amounts of jingshi and all kinds of talismans. Where would these things come from?