He frowned and said, "Yun Shu, are you going to disobey your master?"
Yun Shu pointed the tip of her sword at Feng Zhu, "I simply cannot bear to be associated with you."
For Yun Shu, seizing the position of Celestial Master through dirty means and being under the same tutelage as Feng Zhu was a disgrace.
Instead of being angry, Feng Zhu laughed, "Yun Shu has fallen into evil ways and is associating with demons... Disciples of the Demon Exorcist's Mansion, listen to my command, kill him without mercy!"
With Yun Shu killed, no one else could compete with him for the position of Celestial Master.
The rain began to fall softly. As Yun Shu charged into the crowd with his sword, a thought suddenly crossed his mind: he hoped that the butterfly wouldn't be unable to fly high because its wings were wet.
Yaoyao successfully returned to Flower Sleep Island and, as expected, successfully cultivated into a Spirit Rhinoceros Butterfly.
The clansmen revered Yaoye as their clan leader and devoutly followed her in cultivation, hoping that when the divine child descended upon Flower Sleep Island next time, Yaoye would bring a new turning point to their Spirit Butterfly clan.
Curious little butterflies once came to ask Yaoye why he had become a Spirit Rhinoceros Butterfly after going on a long trip.
Swaying but remaining silent, he preferred that his people never learn the method to cultivate into a Spirit Rhinoceros Butterfly.
However, the hardships and tribulations he endured to become the Spirit Rhinoceros Butterfly still brought misfortune to his people.
Feng Zhu led all the disciples of the Demon Catcher's Mansion to Flower Sleep Island, killing any butterflies they saw without mercy.
While Yao Ye was still in seclusion in his flower room, he suddenly woke up when he heard the painful roars of his people and flew impatiently to their side.
Feng Zhu trampled a baby butterfly under his foot. The baby butterfly stretched out its hand towards him and cried out, "Chieftain, save me!"
As the wind and candlelight lashed out with its sword, the man swayed and cried out in pain, "Stop—!"
The young butterfly had already been decapitated by the sword of the wind and candle, its silver wings now dull and lifeless.
Feng Zhu wiped the blood off his sword and looked at Yao Ye expressionlessly. "You shouldn't have gouged out Xi Zhi's eyes, and you shouldn't have run back to Hua Mian Island."
"Your people all died because of you."
"Swaying".
Staggering and stumbling, she knelt down in front of Youdie, trying to pick her up, but Fengzhu stepped on her hand.
Feng Zhu said, enunciating each word clearly, "I said I would marry you, why didn't you wait for me?"
Tears streamed down the young butterfly's body as he hissed, "Those are my eyes...those were always my eyes! This is my home, and they are all my people!"
"What right do you have to treat me like this? What right do you have to do this?!"
Feng Zhu grabbed Yao Ye's chin with one hand and lifted it up, forcing her to look at him. "Because you like me!"
"I went through so much trouble to find your eyes to replace Xizhi's. As long as Xizhi regains his sight, the Celestial Master will pass the position to me!" Feng Zhu's eyes were bloodshot. "Do you know that Xizhi is human, and you are a demon! His mortal body simply cannot withstand the power of a demon. In another month, when I ascend to the position of Celestial Master, Xizhi will also die because he cannot withstand your demonic eyes! At that time, I can fulfill my promise to you and marry you!"
"But you gouged out Xi Zhi's eyes again, and Xi Zhi survived! Now the Celestial Master wants your life to avenge his son!" Feng Zhu whispered in Yao Ye's ear, "I will spare your life, but all your clansmen must die so that I can give the Celestial Master and Xi Zhi an explanation..."
That's the whole truth.
Yao Ye had always thought that Feng Zhu, who was whispering sweet nothings to Xi Zhi in the Xi Zhi Courtyard, was Feng Zhu's true nature.
But now it seems that the candle that has lost the hearts of the people in the face of the swaying flame, and is like a demon, is the real candle.
He didn't like anyone, he didn't like Xi Zhi, and he especially disliked Yao Ye.
From beginning to end, all he loved was that position of Celestial Master.
Xi Zhi and Yao Ye were merely two pawns he manipulated with his emotions.
His tears had dried, and he looked at Feng Zhushu and laughed, "These eyes are mine, not Xizhi's, nor yours... they are mine alone."
My things, my life, everything I own are none of your business.
Feng Zhu gazed into those clear, unwavering eyes that seemed unchanged since their first meeting. "What do you want to do?"
Its pale golden wings suddenly unfurled, and its swaying body burst forth with golden light, enveloping even the wind candles.
Lu Pianpian and Huan Changming were ejected from Yaoye and Fengzhu's bodies at the same time. Lu Pianpian saw Yaoye's thoughts and reached out to grab Yaoye out of the light circle, but grabbed nothing.
"Don't sway!"
But this scene was merely an illusion, and Lu Pianpian could not change it at all.
The light emanating from Yaoye grew brighter and brighter, so bright that Fengzhu couldn't open his eyes. "Yaoye, what do you want to do?"
"Feng Zhu, I hate you." Yao Ye laughed and said, "You can't control my fate anymore, now it's my turn to control yours."
"Let's go to hell together..."
Fengzhu's incredulous gaze was overwhelmed by the golden light emanating from Yaoye's body. Yaoye transformed into her true form, and the Lingxi Butterfly flew over every corner of Huamian Island, bringing a glimmer of life to the dead Ling butterflies and allowing them to transform back into their tiny cocoons.
The swaying body landed in the center of the floating platform. The Spirit Rhinoceros Butterfly's cultivation had been completely dissipated in one day, and it had become utterly desperate about this world. Its body was gradually covered by the growing ice, freezing both its heart and body.
The lingering light fell on Lu Pianpian. Huan Changming watched Lu Pianpian from the side and saw a golden mark emerge from the center of Lu Pianpian's forehead. Lu Pianpian slowly walked towards the floating platform.
"Lu Pianpian!"
The floating platform was the core of the formation. If one were sucked in, there would be no hope of redemption. Huan Changming moved his hand first, but before he could touch Lu Pianpian, he was bounced back by an invisible force.
Lu Pianpian casually put the two pieces together and gently picked up the Spirit Rhinoceros Butterfly covered in frost. Her voice was ethereal. "Yaoye, you said you no longer believed in love and affection in this world. But you used your life and cultivation to exchange for the hope of reincarnation for the Spirit Butterfly clan."
"Isn't this love and affection?"
A crack appeared on the frost on the Spirit Rhinoceros Butterfly's body, and a swaying sound followed, "Divine Child, all I have done is to atone for the mistakes I have made..."
"What's wrong is cause and effect, fate, and the cycle of grudges and retribution." Lu Pianpian gently touched the frost on Yao Ye's body. "Your guilt and regret have all been made up for. Stop trapping yourself. It's time for you to break free from your cocoon and be reborn..."
Huan Changming stood below the floating platform, looking up at Lu Pianpian on the platform in the distance.
Lu Pianpian's expression was sorrowful, her voice ethereal and faint, and her swaying movements seemed to be filled with endless pity and love.
Just as a god forgives all living beings that have made mistakes.
As the frost on her body slowly melted, the array eye in the center of the floating platform suddenly appeared, sucking Lu Pianpian and Huan Changming in at the same time.
Lu Pianpian carefully held the Lingxi Butterfly in her hands. In a dizzying moment, all the scenery in front of her suddenly shattered like a mirror.
The ice block in the center of the floating platform shattered in two, and the Spirit Rhinoceros Butterfly that was frozen inside finally flew out, shedding its dull gold color and turning back into the silvery-white appearance of the young Spirit Butterfly, flying towards the depths of Flower Sleep Island.
"It's the clan leader! The clan leader has been reborn!"
The little butterflies couldn't wait to follow the direction the butterfly had gone.
The people in the illusion came out at the same time. Huan Changming, Qu Surou and Jing Yi fell together like a human pyramid, while Huan Changming was sat on top of Lu Pianpian.
Huan Changming shoved Lu Pianpian aside with a palm strike, then grabbed her wrist and said fiercely, "I saw you bring the Spirit Rhinoceros Butterfly out just now, give it to me!"
Many blurry images flashed through Lu Pianpian's mind; her head was throbbing so badly that she couldn't care less about Huan Changming. Huan Changming opened his palm and found that there was indeed a Spirit Rhinoceros Butterfly lying inside.
Huan Changming was overjoyed and snatched it away, but the Lingxi Butterfly instantly turned into dust in his hand and was blown away by the wind.
“It’s a dead butterfly. I don’t know how many hundreds of years it has been dead. Its body is just an empty shell.” Mu Lingzi came over to explain to him, and said with great interest, “If you ask me, this Lingxi butterfly is really thoughtful. Just now, I was outside and I saw clearly everyone who entered the illusion.”
Huan Changming, clutching the remaining powder in his hand, looked at Mu Lingzi with a gloomy expression. "What do you want to say?"
Mu Lingzi laughed and said, "I saw everything Your Majesty did in the illusion."
A note from the author:
Huan Changming is finished.
Chapter 39
Seeing that Lu Pianpian had been captured by Huan Changming, Qu Surou had a sudden idea. She got up from the ground, grabbed Jing Yi, held a sword to Jing Yi's neck, and shouted at Huan Changming, "If you dare to touch Pianpian, I'll kill him first!"
Jing Yi seemed still trapped in Xi Zhi's memories, unable to fully detach himself. Gazing at Huan Changming and Lu Pianpian together, he felt a surge of resentment and jealousy. "Your Majesty..."
Huan Changming pulled Lu Pianpian to her feet and looked at Qu Surou with a blank expression. "Release Jingyi, and I'll spare your life."
"Release Pianpian first! Otherwise, I'll make sure you all die a horrible death!" Qu Surou threatened, then said to Jing Yi, "My dear son, whether you live or die is entirely up to Huan Changming!"
This frozen illusion, for some unknown reason, somehow managed to turn Qu Surou and Jing Yi into a mother and son within it.
Jing Yi, somewhat sobered by Qu Surou's teasing, suppressed his unease and said to Huan Changming, "To die for Your Majesty's country and its people is a worthy death... Your Majesty need not worry about me, Qu Surou, please make your move!"
Huan Changming gave Mu Lingzi a look, and Mu Lingzi quickly flew towards Qu Surou to attack, "Lord Jing, His Majesty is reluctant to let you die!"
Huan Juntian suddenly regained his senses, abruptly stepping in front of Qu Surou and catching Mu Lingzi's attack with his bare hands. He kicked Mu Lingzi away and was about to snatch Lu Pianpian from Huan Changming's grasp when a sky-covering dragon swooped down from mid-air and spewed several streams of dragon flame at him.
"You little beast, kill him!" Huan Changming shouted fiercely.
The demon dragon obeyed his every word and excitedly engaged Huan Juntian in battle.
Mu Lingzi seized the opportunity to fly behind Huan Juntian and launch a sneak attack. Qu Surou shouted urgently, "Huan San, behind you!"
Huan Juntian dodged Mu Lingzi's attack by sidestepping. The dragon flames spewed by the demonic dragon ignited the ground, forming a fiery tomb that separated Lu Pianpian and Qu Surou's location into two parts.
Huan Juntian leaped onto the dragon's head, grabbed its horns, and raised his knife to stab into the dragon's head, but was blocked by the dragon's scales, only managing to wound its flesh and not its interior.
The demonic dragon leaped and thrashed wildly in the air, trying to shake Huan Juntian off its head. Huan Juntian gripped its horns tightly with both hands and remained unmoved. Mu Lingzi then launched another attack from a distance, forcing Huan Juntian to release one hand and raise his sword to block it.
The demonic dragon suddenly turned its head and swooped down towards the ground. Huan Juntian lost his grip on the dragon's horns and slid off the dragon's head, falling to the ground. Before he could react, the demonic dragon opened its huge mouth and swallowed him whole.
"Huan San!" Qu Surou couldn't care less about holding Jing Yi hostage anymore and was anxious to go up and help, but was held back by Mu Lingzi.
"Young lady, stop busying yourself and calm down to collect your junior brother's body."
The demonic dragon swallowed Huan Juntian whole, and Huan Changming was overjoyed, "You little beast, you have done a great service to Isolate him!"
The demonic dragon glared at Huan Changming with a ferocious expression. The next moment, its closed mouth was forcibly lifted, revealing Huan Juntian's figure between its teeth.
Huan Changming's smile froze for a moment, then he ordered, "Chew him up for me!"
The dragon's mouth was much softer than its scale-covered body. Before the dragon could swallow him, Huan Juntian stabbed the knife into the dragon's mouth. Foul-smelling blood splattered onto Huan Juntian's face. The dragon trembled in pain and rolled wildly on the ground.
Huan Juntian was unable to escape from the dragon's mouth in time, and his arm was scratched by the dragon's teeth. The sticky substance on the dragon's teeth immediately corroded Huan Juntian's flesh.
Just as the demonic dragon was about to roll over again, Huan Juntian seized the opportunity and flew out of the dragon's mouth, successfully escaping danger.
Qu Surou breathed a sigh of relief. Just as she was about to shake off Mu Lingzi and grab Jing Yi again, Jing Yi had already secretly slipped behind Huan Changming.
The turmoil within Lu Pianpian's body caused by the illusion gradually subsided at this moment.
Seeing his senior and junior brothers fall below, he raised his hand and summoned his sword, which returned to his hand from afar. He then placed it mercilessly against Huan Changming's neck, saying, "Tell them to stop."
"Lu Pianpian, don't be impulsive!" Jing Yi exclaimed in shock. "His Majesty hasn't laid a finger on you, why are you taking His Majesty's life hostage!"
Huan Changming glanced at Lu Pianpian and saw that Lu Pianpian's expression was resolute, and Jing Yi's words did not shake him in the slightest.
In Lu Pianpian's eyes, neither Qu Surou's life nor Huan Juntian's life mattered as much as Huan Changming's.