Chapter 34: The Zen Heart of the Rain Butterfly

Old Chen braced his arms across his chest, his spiritual energy manifesting as a golden shield to block Liu Yun’s heavy punches. "Do you think it doesn't pain me to hear of your experiences? But I hate my own uselessness even more."

With these words, Old Chen turned his palms into fists and engaged Liu Yun in a brawl. Golden fist imprints collided with emerald-green fists, laden with both agony and resignation. The sounds of impact echoed incessantly.

Nearby, Li Yue'er stood watching, her heart in turmoil. It felt improper to intervene in a duel between master and apprentice, yet the intensity of the fight made it hard for her to stay still. When Li Ziyuan glanced at her, seemingly signaling her to join, a flicker of anticipation stirred within her. Would she earn his praise if she won this battle? The thought crossed her mind, causing her heartbeat to quicken.

In the center of the courtyard stood an ancient tree, its leaves trembling under the pressure of the spiritual currents, casting dappled shadows. Sunlight filtered through the clouds, bathing the yard in a faint glow and lending a sense of stillness to the fierce combat. On a nearby stone bench, several pots of nameless flowers swayed in the wake of the battle.

Liu Yun let out a roar, his cultivation surging to the sixth ring of the Spirit Transformation Realm, one minor level higher than Old Chen. In this realm, even a single ring’s difference created a significant gap; Liu Yun’s defense, speed, and attacks clearly overwhelmed the old man. Soon, unable to hold on, Old Chen was sent flying by a kick, landing on the ground with blood at the corner of his mouth.

Ling Yun rushed to Li Yue'er’s side, urging her, "Mom, strike now! Otherwise, I’ll be fatherless and you’ll be a widow."

Xiao Long and Xiao Hu were amused by the tense atmosphere and burst into laughter. Li Ziyuan stood by, observing the fight, hoping to gain some insight. He cast a long-awaited smile toward Li Yue'er and said, "Yue'er, it is your turn. I hope you win." To further his own cultivation, he did not hesitate to manipulate her feelings.

Li Yue'er stepped lightly, her white spiritual energy manifesting as fluttering butterfly wings. Old Chen, Li Ziyuan, and Liu Yun were all bewildered; they had never seen white spiritual energy before, nor was it mentioned in any ancient texts.

Liu Yun looked at Li Yue'er, who hovered in mid-air, the patterns on her blue robes shifting dynamically. "Little girl, do you really think you can defeat me, a sixth-ring Spirit Transformation cultivator, with only your second-ring power?" Despite his words, he dared not be careless; the mysterious nature of her white energy suggested the unknown, and the unknown held infinite possibilities.

"Let’s find out. I don't know if a four-ring gap can be bridged, but my intuition tells me this is enough. Top-tier technique: Water Arts Transformation, First Form—Rain-Butterfly Zen Heart."

The onlookers were stunned once again. Liu Yun thought to himself that top-tier techniques were the domain of major sects and required the strength of the Spirit Core Realm; he could not believe an eighteen-year-old girl at the Spirit Transformation Realm could wield one.

Li Yue'er channeled her water energy, drawing from a nearby stream. The water transformed into thousands of white butterflies that swirled around her, forming a massive, protective silhouette. Liu Yun frowned, not daring to slacken. "Advanced technique: Blazing Wood Ape." He channeled his wood energy, compressing it into a two-meter-tall ape wreathed in flames. The two stood in a tense, vertical standoff.

"Mom’s bird is so big! Look, that burnt-looking guy isn't as big as Mom's pet," Ling Yun remarked. His words left Xiao Long and Xiao Hu speechless. "That’s a beautiful butterfly, you brat. The thing underneath is the flying beast."

"Brother Xiao Long, you’re talking nonsense, that’s a snake," Ling Yun giggled.

Old Chen watched Li Yue'er, thinking that she was the pillar of the Fengling Sect and must be nurtured with care.

"Go," Li Yue'er commanded. The giant white butterfly shattered into countless smaller ones that swarmed toward Liu Yun. The Blazing Wood Ape roared as it shielded him. The rain-butterflies landed gently upon the ape; though they shattered upon impact, they were as fearless as soldiers defending their homeland.

The butterflies instantly shifted into ice, rapidly encircling Liu Yun and trapping him in a confined space. He scrambled to find a way out, his own technique requiring close-range combat, which had now been rendered impossible. An ice butterfly grazed his shoulder, a warning to stay put.

Ling Feng knelt on the ground, shouting, "Come back, white bird! That burnt guy doesn't love you, but I do! I'll play with you, look, he doesn't even care about you!" Ling Yun grabbed Li Ziyuan’s heavy iron sword and swung it at the wood ape: "Extinguish those flames! You’re ruining my bird, I’ll chop you down!"

Li Yue'er landed gracefully and looked at Li Ziyuan: "Ziyuan, how was that?" Li Ziyuan leaned against the tree, chewing on a blade of grass. *The most absurd fight I've ever seen,* he thought. *Winning so softly—not fierce, not ruthless, and not cool, but undeniably shocking.* He realized that her long-range suppression had perfectly neutralized Liu Yun’s close-combat advantage.

He looked at her and asked, "Are your butterflies still flying? Does it not consume your spiritual energy?"

Li Yue'er reached out to take his hand, but Li Ziyuan pulled away. "I need to find a quiet place to cultivate. Don't call me for dinner." He shouldered his iron sword and walked out of the sect, leaving Li Yue'er feeling inexplicably saddened. She had longed for praise, yet received only this. Biting her lip, she wondered who could soothe a heart in need of warmth. Perhaps there was someone, but it was not him—even a raging fire could not warm her now.

"Mom, we should marry off our younger brother sooner or later; he’s annoying to look at. What’s for dinner tonight?" Ling Feng had already forgotten about the butterflies that had sacrificed themselves.

Li Yue'er composed herself. "Garlic-stuffed two-headed chicken, beggar’s chicken, braised pig-ear head, cold-tossed green caterpillar leaves, and bitter greens with snake hearts to aid digestion and cool the internal heat."

"I want the two-headed beggar’s chicken!" "Me too, put me down for two chicken legs," Xiao Long chirped.

"I’m Xiao Hu, I want the green caterpillar leaves."

"Come help me, the Sect Master wants to eat ginseng fruit." With that, they followed Li Yue'er to the kitchen, Xiao Long and Xiao Hu acting particularly diligent.

At that moment, Liu Yun remained surrounded by the butterflies, the wooden ape having long since flickered out. Had the pain in his heart faded with it? The pain of missing his daughter, the pain of worry.

Day and night alternated, the sun tirelessly offering its love to the world. As dusk approached, his beloved was nowhere to be seen. Li Ziyuan sat under the tree in meditation, the incantations for the Lingyun Steps and the Flame Explosion Technique etched into his mind. He was determined to master the Flame Explosion Technique, a skill that could boost his strength tenfold. He refused to believe he couldn't learn it without a master. Such was the deep obsession of Li Ziyuan—the more heaven denied him, the more he strove to seize it. He fought the heavens, the earth, and men, all to find his way home—a path of vengeance.