Chapter 0355: Netherfire Butterflies

Faint, eerie glows flickered beneath the pine needles.

These ghostly lights instantly extinguished the heat in Yi Tianxing's heart, replacing it with a chill that pierced to his very soul. His eyes widened in shock as he gazed at the Vermilion Beauty Fruit Tree. Hidden among the pine needles were butterflies—some large, some small—perched motionlessly. The eerie glow was emanating from their wings, reflecting a cold, haunting shimmer.

That glow... was deathly cold.A chill that seemed to seep straight into one's bones.

The butterflies resting on the Vermilion Beauty Tree were clearly no ordinary insects.

"Netherfire Butterflies—according to legend, they are death butterflies birthed from the Netherworld. Their bodies harbor Clinging Netherfire, and if disturbed, they ignite instantly, burning their target into ash. How could such deadly creatures appear here?"

As soon as he laid eyes on the butterflies, a stream of information surfaced in Yi Tianxing's mind, revealing their terrifying origin.

They were literal death incarnate. Wherever they went, they brought annihilation. Once their Netherfire ignited, it became Bone-Eroding Flame, a relentless inferno that wouldn't stop until the target was destroyed. These butterflies normally slumbered in silence—but if awakened, they would attack all living creatures without mercy. The presence of any life triggered their bloodlust.

Yi Tianxing shivered inwardly. If he hadn't spotted them just now...

Had he charged in blindly, he might have suffered unimaginable injury—or even perished beneath the Bone-Eroding Flame.

This world was steeped in danger and mystery.

No one could guarantee survival. In the wilds, death was but a breath away. A single misstep could lead to instant annihilation.

"Of course it wouldn't be that easy. A spiritual tree of this level couldn't possibly exist without a guardian beast or trap. If I want it, I'll have to first deal with these Netherfire Butterflies."

Yi Tianxing took a deep breath, silently pondering a strategy.

Giving up the Vermilion Beauty Tree was not an option. Since that was the case, he had to find a way to either drive off or eliminate the butterflies.

Screech!!

At that moment, a sharp cry rang out from the sky.

A vulture had apparently noticed the Vermilion Beauty Tree. Excited by the sight of the radiant fruits, it dived at breakneck speed, aiming to snatch one.

From takeoff to arrival, it was all within a blink—faster than a breath. Every motion was executed flawlessly.

But just as the vulture was about to land on the tree, it let out a panicked screech. Its eyes filled with terror, it flapped its wings furiously, trying to flee.

Too late.

It had gotten too close to the tree.

Too close to turn back.

The butterflies stirred.

A host of Netherfire Butterflies rose into the air, disturbed by the intrusion. The moment they saw the vulture, one of them ignited.

A cluster of ghostly blue flame erupted from its wings, expanding into a fireball as large as a boulder. With blinding speed, it launched toward the vulture.

The fireball, although weightless, flew like lightning.

Upon contact, it enveloped the vulture.

The bird screamed and thrashed wildly. Feathers shot off like arrows, pelting the fireball—but it was useless. The flame acted more like a curse than a fire, clinging to the feathers and consuming them instantly. The feathers blackened and disintegrated into ash.

Then, the fire spread to the vulture's body.

Its death cry was heart-wrenching.

It dove into a river in desperation, trying to extinguish the flame, but the water did nothing. The Netherfire couldn't be doused—within moments, the massive vulture was reduced to ash. A horrible death. Frightening to behold.

The fire didn't just burn flesh—it consumed everything: blood, bones, even the soul.

"Terrifying… That Netherfire is horrifying. Not even water can extinguish it."

The fireball slowly collapsed, reforming into a Netherfire Butterfly, which fluttered back to its perch on the tree—completely indifferent, as though nothing had happened.

One could only imagine how many beasts had perished just like that, drawn to the tree and consumed without a trace.

"**The Netherfire is deathly flame… If that's the case, I might be able to restrain it.""

Suddenly, Yi Tianxing's eyes lit up. A thought raced through his mind.

He quickly ran a few simulations mentally. Finding no major flaws in the plan, he stepped boldly from his hiding place.

He advanced step by step toward the Vermilion Beauty Tree.

Shhh!!

His appearance immediately triggered the butterflies, still agitated from earlier. They shot into the air, fixing their gaze on him.

One of them flapped its wings, a blue flame bursting forth again, forming into a blazing fireball that rocketed toward him, its trajectory erratic and hard to follow—just like a real butterfly.

"Yin-Yang Mirror!!"

Without panic, Yi Tianxing gave a calm shout.

In the next instant, a mystical ancient mirror appeared before him.

This was the Yin-Yang Mirror—one side black, the other white. Black and white constantly interchanged on its surface, radiating a profound Daoist aura.

In a flash, the white side of the mirror turned to face forward, and from it, a beam of pure white divine light shot forth, like a miniature sun.

As soon as the Netherfire met the divine light, a miraculous transformation occurred.

The sinister fire hissed, shrinking and disintegrating as though snow under sunlight. The flame vanished, leaving nothing behind.

It was as if the Netherfire had met its natural nemesis. The white divine light devoured it completely.

In just a few breaths, both the fire and the butterfly were gone—burned to ash by the Yin-Yang Mirror's pure yang energy.

And it wasn't just one butterfly.

One after another, they flew at him—and were obliterated.

Three fell. Then five. Then ten.

Each time the Yin-Yang Mirror unleashed its divine light, another butterfly was vaporized. The mirror's white side specialized in exterminating evil and ghostly beings, while the black side reaped the living.

To the Netherfire Butterflies, it was an ultimate counter.

After dozens of them fell, the rest of the swarm hesitated.

They had sensed death.

Terrified, they scattered into the air, their eyes wary and full of fear.

"Now's my chance!"

While they were retreating, Yi Tianxing sprang into action. He dashed to the tree and pulled out a qi-infused iron spade, digging furiously at the cliff.

His speed was astonishing. In mere breaths, he'd unearthed the roots.

He moved to the trunk and yanked the entire tree out with brute strength.

With minimal root damage, he instantly sent the Vermilion Beauty Tree into his Dantian Life Aperture, where it landed in his inner spiritual field.

There, immersed in rich spiritual energy, the tree—previously drooping from the upheaval—quickly recovered and even grew more vibrant.

All this had taken just a few seconds.

Without pause, Yi Tianxing turned and fled down the mountain.

A few agile leaps carried him hundreds of meters away.

Whoosh!!

In the sky above, the Netherfire Butterflies—initially hesitant—erupted in fury when they saw their sacred tree stolen. They ignited one by one, transforming into vengeful fireballs as they swarmed after Yi Tianxing.

They wanted to burn him into nothing.

But Yi Tianxing was no fool.

He retaliated with the Yin-Yang Mirror, sending out divine lights in rapid bursts.

Each ray of light disintegrated a butterfly on contact.

Within moments, he vanished into the forest below.

The butterflies searched the woods in vain, then—infuriated—began slaughtering nearby beasts, burning everything in sight with their cursed flames.

Eventually, they gave up and retreated, unwillingly.