170: Chapter 168: Is it good-looking?
170: Chapter 168: Is it good-looking?
The Boneclaw Demon Butterfly, which thrives in the desolate lands of the ancient Demon World prison, can reproduce on its own despite the lack of food.
Hidden beneath its wings, the butterfly’s phosphor powder possesses intense hallucinogenic abilities that can lead to addiction and deep descent.
Once one consumes too much, they become puppets, controlled by the Boneclaw Demon Butterfly.
If an addict stops ingesting the butterfly’s phosphor powder, they suffer unbearably, struggling to withdraw.
When all the spiritual power within them is drained, the Boneclaw Demon Butterfly will bite open the host’s body and nest in the brain, inheriting all the host’s memories and abilities.
For righteous cultivators, the Boneclaw Demon Butterfly is undoubtedly the nightmare lurking in everyone’s mind.
What’s more terrifying is that members of the Demon Sect can cultivate by devouring the butterfly’s phosphor powder with the aid of special techniques.
Now, one of these Boneclaw Demon Butterflies had silently attached itself to Jiachen.
Under everyone’s unsuspecting gaze, if it were to invade his body and cause Jiachen to become addicted to its phosphor powder, he would be enslaved for eternity.
And when his inner spiritual power is completely devoured, the soul beneath Jiachen’s skin will have been thoroughly altered and replaced.
To Jiachen’s gratitude, Su Jing had no reaction whatsoever.
She looked down, dazed, as fresh blood slid down her finger, and slowly unfolded her palm to gaze at her slender and delicate fingers, seemingly lost in thought.
Ye Lian watched her, her expression eerily vacant, as if something had captivated her soul.
Sensing something was terribly wrong, and remembering that the wound, though small, was inflicted by a wing of the Boneclaw Demon Butterfly, the phosphor powder would have surely seeped into the bloodstream.
Her expression changed as she hastily called out, “Jing…”
Su Jing lifted her head and daintily licked her fingertip.
Whether intentional or not, this seemingly casual act drew both Ye Lian and Jiachen’s attention to her finger.
What is this deliberate act all about?
She said indifferently, “It’s nothing, I am not affected by it.”
Ye Lian hesitated, “Then why would Jing stare blankly at her own finger like that?”
“Because it’s beautiful.”
beautiful?” Ye Lian’s face choked on the word.
Su Jing unfolded her palm, her fingers long and jade-like.
She tilted her head, calmly countering, “Aren’t they beautiful?”
The real Su Jing would never ask such a meaningless question.
With a ghost-seen look and a stifled voice, Ye Lian replied, “Yes…
Su Jing seemed satisfied and hid her hand within the wide sleeves of her white robe, not allowing further viewing of her beautiful fingers.
Her eyes, cool as ice, settled as she asserted, “If they’re beautiful, why can’t I admire them a moment longer?”
Jiachen muttered something under his breath behind Ye Lian.
Su Jing pinched her earlobe, which bore a hint of rosy tint, and said coldly, “Would you rather I look at that red-dressed madwoman’s short and plump hands?”
Ye Lian and Jiachen were utterly baffled as to why the Young Master would suddenly bring up the Cangwu Palace lady.
For over two hundred years.
You’ve deliberately avoided talking about anything to do with that lady, even as the world likes to compare you to her, you’ve never taken it to heart.
What kind of whim has taken you today?
To actually pick a fight with that lady.
Come to think of it, that lady’s fingers are hardly as you described them, are they?
I never thought this of you, Su Jing…
Out of the blue, Jiachen came out with such a remark.
“Young Master, your ears are so red.”
Ye Lian then noticed the small habit Su Jing had recently developed of rubbing her ears, and her eyes widened in surprise.
Only then did she notice that their Young Master’s normally pale, delicate earlobes were now touched with a blush, adding an adorable warmth to her cold, serene face.
Su Jing slowly lowered her fingertips, stating indifferently, “It’s cold, they’re just frozen.”
Ye Lian smiled slightly, “Jing, would you like to accompany us to Zilan Mountain to find some warm springs and spiritual veins to warm up and heal?”
Su Jing said, “The spiritual veins originate from deep within the earth, and while the hot springs are warm, they contain an essence of pure yin, which the Boneclaw Demon Butterfly feeds on.
Even though the Butterfly on the Scripture Master of the Eight Sutras has been removed, no one can guarantee the absence of juvenile eggs.”
Ye Lian’s heart skipped a beat, and Jiachen’s face grew solemn, “By that logic, the person who planted the Boneclaw Demon Butterfly on me intended to trap both Ye Lian and me in one fell swoop.”
What’s more terrifying is that the person behind the scenes had even calculated that Ye Lian would take him to Zilan Mountain to seek out spiritual veins.
Everyone knows that the masters of the Seven Sutras and the Eight Sutras of the Taixuan Sect are returners, with their hearts beating in unison, and the two rarely part.
If the Boneclaw Demon Butterfly were to overrun his body, the first to be turned into a demon would naturally be Ye Lian.
Ye Lian glanced at Su Jing, her eyes somewhat bright, “The Demon Sect used special methods to prevent us from detecting the presence of the Boneclaw Demon Butterfly, but Jing, you managed to identify it at first glance.
Su Jing spoke lightly, “She may comprehend the Mysteries of Moqi Hall, but I can decipher the Mystic Bird Scripture.”
The Mystic Bird Scripture, the third of the Taixuan Nine Classics, is the nemesis of all gu insects and poisons.
It wasn’t difficult for her to sense the presence of the Boneclaw Demon Butterfly.
Ye Lian and Jiachen exchanged uncertain looks.
While it was beneficial for the Young Master to start deciphering the mysteries of the Taixuan Nine Classics, it seemed from her words that she wasn’t doing so for cultivation.
Rather, it felt as if she was preparing for a showdown with the lady from Cangwu Palace.
The rabbit in Baili An’s arms was still not awake, nestled deep in sleep with a carrot in its embrace.
As daylight began to dim and the sun dipped below the horizon, Baili An stowed away the Glazed Umbrella into the jasper container and headed towards the Lihe Sect’s mountain gate.
A fine snow began to accumulate, burying the withered vines and old trees on both sides of the road, making the lone figure trekking the mountain path seem gaunt and solitary.
A soft hiss accompanied a few strands of hair falling across Baili An’s forehead, sliced off by an invisible and sharp Sword Array.
He paused in the snow, the soft crunch under his boots sounding like the only faint noise in the world.
As the evening drum sound echoed from the mountain, signaling the Demon-suppressing Sword Formation being activated.
A curl of the pale fingers emerged from his sleeve.
Demon-suppressing Sword Formation…
When he left these mountains, the sky was clear and tranquil, with not a hint of sword singing.
Now, before even stepping into the Lihe Sect’s boundary, he had triggered the warning sound of the Sword Formation.
Clearly, this Demon-suppressing Sword Formation was set up in haste after his departure.
Not even inside the gate, yet the intent was clear.
As lanterns lit up the mountain pass in that instant, at the end of the mountain road, not a single disciple of the Taixuan Sect was to be seen, only an elder with white hair stood with a sword, alone between heaven and earth.
The windswept snow seemed to quiet down along the mountain path.
Baili An maintained his composure, the look in his eyes as tranquil as before, for all this was expected and brought no surprise to shake him.
In politeness, he took a half-step back and offered a bow towards the elder at the end of the path, “I pay my respects to Elder Li.”