The Moonlight Butterfly

Su Kang watched this for the whole night. As the sky began to glow with the sun's rays, the lizard took the orb into its mouth and retreated.

Su Kang followed it into the river; half an hour later, he saw a lizard entering an underwater cave.

As he followed him, Su Kang felt a sudden increase of the spiritual qi in the surroundings. When he entered the cave, he sensed the array formation at the end of the tunnel. At the end of the tunnel it was an open-air chamber.

Before him lay a third-level array. Although he could discern no visible anomalies, his spiritual sense was obstructed.

He studied it for a while, seeking an opening or a weakness within the array, but each attempt ended in failure. After careful consideration, he withdrew. There was no need to rush. The opportunity would come in time.

Returning to his temporary hideout in the mountain, he found Bai Yunxi sitting in meditation. She opened her eyes as he approached.

"Did you find anything?" she asked.

"A lizard beast guards something within an underwater cave," Su Kang replied. "Don't worry, I can easily handle it."

Bai Yunxi nodded, trusting his words completely. Since her cultivation was lower, she lacked the ability to gauge Su Kang's true strength. To her, he seemed unfathomable.

They waited following night, but the beast did not emerge. Another day passed. Then another.

On the third night, under the dim glow of the moon, the beast finally surfaced. Bai Yunxi remained behind while Su Kang stepped forward, concealing his aura and presence.

The moment the beast prepared to leave, Su Kang unleashed his Heart and Mind Illusion technique. The air trembled with an invisible force as his spiritual power wrapped around the lizard's consciousness.

The creature's pupils dilated, confusion overtaking its instincts. It thrashed, resisting the illusion's grip, but Su Kang had anticipated this.

Its cultivation was lower than his own, and its mind, though fierce, lacked the refinement to resist a direct soul attack.

With its senses in disarray, Su Kang struck. His palm landed on the beast's head, sending a wave of force directly into its body.

The lizard froze, its limbs locking up as its mind struggled against the overwhelming mental pressure.

Su Kang proceeded to interrogate the beast. While it lacked the ability to speak, it comprehended his language.

"He bent down, his voice steady and commanding. "Take me to your hideout."

The creature, now subdued, led him to an underwater river, through which they entered a labyrinthine cave.

There, in an open space within the winding tunnels, the lizard retrieved a token and activated an ancient array formation.

Su Kang's eyes narrowed. He swiftly snatched the token before the beast could react, then pressed two fingers against its forehead.

A controlled surge of energy forced the creature into a deep slumber. With the lizard subdued, he turned his attention to the formation before him.

Since the lizard told him everything that he asked, he was not afraid. After entering the formation, he could feel the dense spiritual energy in the space.

The cave system was vast and complex, with tunnels branching off in every direction.

He moved ahead into the chamber. After walking for tens of minutes, he felt a presence inside the chamber.

As he progressed further, an awe-inspiring sight unfolded before him: a colossal moonlight butterfly, its wings unfurled like the night sky, shimmering with shades of silver and blue.

It fluttered gracefully, casting a spell of tranquility over the cave. Yet, Su Kang felt this was no ordinary creature but a peak second-level spiritual beast.

He activated the Five Swords mansion technique. Five ethereal blades took shape around him, sparkling like stars woven into the fabric of the universe.

They surged towards the butterfly in a breathtaking display of light and accuracy.

He also used Heart and Mind Illusion skills to confuse and attack the soul of the beast.

He could easily kill the beast, but he wants to capture it. Moonlight Butterfly has a earth-level bloodline. It has potential to break through the third level in the future.

Although the Moonlight Butterfly experienced torment in its soul, it specializes in soul attacks.

Su Kang had not practiced heart and mind illusion techniques extensively, which allowed the Moonlight Butterfly to quickly recover from his assault.

However, five ethereal sword energies soon targeted the butterfly, with one sword piercing its body and subsequently exploding.

The force of the explosion propelled the Moonlight Butterfly, pulverizing the rock beneath it. Four additional swords remained encircling its body.

He sheathed one of his swords, stepping closer. The butterfly struggled but could no longer move, its body trembling in exhaustion.

Su Kang stepped forward, his voice cold. "I don't want to kill you. But I will if necessary."

The butterfly, despite its injuries, did not immediately surrender. Its instincts screamed at it to resist, but it also sensed the undeniable difference in strength.

Su Kang's tone remained steady. "If you serve me for ten years, I will let you go free. Refuse, and I will end you here. The choice is yours."

The beast hesitated. It had lived for decades, patiently awaiting its evolution. If it died here, all that effort would be meaningless.

Seeing its reluctance, Su Kang made another offer. "Fifteen years. In exchange, I will aid your breakthrough to the third level."

The four swords hummed, their energy fluctuating dangerously.

The butterfly's wings trembled. It was only a few years away from breaking through, but it knew it couldn't defeat Su Kang. The lizard had already fallen, and now it was alone.

A firm thought entered Su Kang's mind. You must swear a Heart Oath.

Su Kang smirked. The bait had worked. "Very well."

With a calm expression, he spoke the sacred words, sealing their agreement—fifteen years of loyalty in exchange for assistance in its evolution.

A ripple of spiritual energy surged between them, the oath taking effect.

Su Kang watched the beast closely. "Good. Now open your spiritual consciousness."

The Moonlight Butterfly hesitated but obeyed. Su Kang infused a strand of his spiritual qi near the beast's core, forming an invisible tether. If it ever tried to rebel, he could end it instantly.

At the same time, if he broke his own oath, his cultivation would suffer a severe backlash, preventing him from advancing.

Satisfied, Su Kang withdrew his swords. "You made the right choice."

The butterfly remained silent but lowered its wings slightly—a sign of submission.

Su Kang turned, already thinking ahead. Fifteen years… It's more than enough time for the Su family to rise.