Chapter 173: Contracting the Blue Monarch Butterfly
Three months later, Jiang Yue and Yu Nianzhen left the red chamber and exited the ancient palace.
"Do you want to keep it?" Jiang Yue asked and looked at the ancient palace.
"No, you keep it." Yu Nianzhen answered.
Since they had both refined the palace, either could keep it.
However, Yu Nianzhen would eventually go to the Black Wind Abyss while Jiang Yue trained outside.
As such, it was better for the silver-haired beauty to keep the palace so that he would have a secure place to live when travelling.
After explaining his reasoning, Jiang Yue no longer hesitated. He collected the ancient palace, and they quickly dismantled the protective arrays they had previously set up.
"Let’s go."
Yu Nianzhen held Jiang Yue’s hand and led him to the lair of the monarch butterflies.
"Let’s hope they haven’t migrated." Jiang Yue said and blushed a little.
Although double cultivating for three months seemed like a waste since they were pressed for time, neither regretted it.
Becoming Taoist companions was something they had wanted for a long time, and they didn’t want any part of the process to be sloppy.
’We just need to work harder in the future.’ Jiang Yue thought and squeezed Yu Nianzhen’s hand.
"What’s wrong?" The swordsman asked.
"Nothing is wrong. Do you think senior Niu is still waiting at the bottom of the mountain?"
"He should still be waiting."
After that, they continued walking while avoiding beast packs.
Their goal now was for Jiang Yue to contract the blue monarch butterfly as soon as possible. Only in this way could they proceed with the rest of their plans.
A day later, they arrived at the lair of the monarch butterflies.
Fortunately, the butterflies were still there, and their number was sufficiently high.
"Let’s find a place to set up." Yu Nianzhen said.
"Good."
Originally, the two wanted to set up the palace, but none of the places they found was wide enough.
Eventually, they had to give up on the palace and set up a tent a little way from the butterflies’ lair.
"How about taking turns watching the butterflies?" Jiang Yue suggested.
"No, let’s watch them together."
"...but..."
However, Yu Nianzhen didn’t let him finish his words.
He kissed the other, and when the kiss ended, he looked at his Taoist companion solemnly.
"After this time, we will be separated for many years. I want to spend more time with you." He said.
When Jiang Yue heard that, his heart skipped a beat.
"I can also go to the Black Wind Abyss." He said.
"You could, but it is not the most suitable place for you."
Yu Nianzhen was also reluctant to part with Jiang Yue, but they both knew it was necessary.
"I know." Jiang Yue nodded and sighed.
"Don’t worry. Our future is long, and we will be together for an eternity."
Jiang Yue smiled and held his husband’s hand.
While holding onto each other, the two sat outside their tent and waited for a blue monarch butterfly to be born from the population of butterflies.
This wait lasted for two weeks.
On the fifteenth day, a blue monarch butterfly was finally born, and Jiang Yue didn’t hesitate.
He rushed toward the butterfly while Yu Nianzhen guarded him against attacks by other butterflies.
"If you make a contract with me, I can help you live and return to your ancestor." Jiang Yue shouted as soon as he was near the blue monarch butterfly.
Although blue monarch butterflies had a short lifespan, their cultivation at birth was already at the peak of the second class.
This cultivation was equivalent to a peak-level qi transformation realm cultivator.
If Jiang Yue had to fight it, he would undoubtedly lose and may not even be able to keep his life. Knowing this, he decided to negotiate with the butterfly before the beast could attack him.
"You should know that your lifespan is short. If you don’t make a contract with me, your life will soon end." He continued hurriedly.
When it heard that, the blue monarch butterfly paused in its attack.
It had inherited some bloodline memories and knew that its life was destined to be short. However, it also knew it could live longer by forming a contract with a human.
Unfortunately, only a special kind of human could withstand its bite to form a contract.
Although it didn’t know what made that kind of human special, it could feel that the human in front of it could let it live.
"What’s your decision?" Jiang Yue asked.
The butterfly flew around Jiang Yue and seemed to be examining him.
After the third lap, it made a trilling sound, and the other butterflies stopped attacking Yu Nianzhen. They retreated a few metres, and the blue monarch butterfly approached Jiang Yue.
’Is it willing?’ He wondered and looked at the butterfly thoughtfully.
He hoped that the butterfly had decided to make a contract with him, but if it was trying to trick him, he was prepared to teleport at a moment’s notice.
’It’s a pity that it can’t speak.’
With a sigh, he sat cross-legged and extended his arm toward the butterfly.
At the same time, Yu Nianzhen walked to stand beside him and looked at the butterfly warily.
After a few breaths, the butterfly swooped down and landed on Jiang Yue’s extended arm.
When he saw this, Yu Nianzhen let out a breath and released a protective array to surround them.
Although the blue monarch butterfly was the leader and the other butterflies would listen to its orders, Yu Nianzhen didn’t dare to take any chances with Jiang Yue’s life.
"I am ready." Jiang Yue said and looked at the blue monarch butterfly.
The butterfly looked at him and then bit down on Jiang Yue’s arm.
The moment its fangs sank into his flesh, Jiang Yue felt like he was in hell.
All his nerves seemed to be pierced simultaneously, and his mind went dizzy from pain.
He screamed loudly, and for a moment, he wanted to let go and escape from the pain.
However, Yu Nianzhen was standing close to him, and his presence was enough to protect a little bit of Jiang Yue’s rationale.
"You have to hold on."
Jiang Yue heard a voice that seemed to be coming from beyond an endless tunnel.
"Azhen..." Jiang Yue mumbled, and tears streamed down his face.
He was not a stranger to pain, especially after refining the primordial flame seed, but that was nothing compared to this.
The pain of being bitten by the blue monarch butterfly came from deep within his bones, and he had the illusion that even his soul was in pain.
"Azhen...." He mumbled again, and Yu Nianzhen clenched his hands.
Seeing his lover in so much pain was unbearable but there was nothing he could do.
"It will be over soon." He said and hoped he was right.
"Azhen..."
This time, the voice was wistful, and more tears fell down Jiang Yue’s fair cheeks.
In his mind, he saw Yu Nianzhen in their previous life.
After their kiss at the class reunion, Jiang Yue avoided Yu Nianzhen, but the other didn’t insist on waiting.
Rather than tolerate him, Yu Nianzhen forgot him and married Jiang Xing.
The relationship between the couple was good, and exactly nine months after marriage, Jiang Xing gave birth to a son for Yu Nianzhen.
As he watched this, Jiang Yue felt like his heart was hollowed out. He felt an overwhelming despair, and the desire to live began to ebb out of him.
’What’s the point of living?’ He wondered as he watched the happy couple.
"Azhen..." He called, and his heart skipped a beat when the other turned to look at him.
However, his heart turned to ashes when he saw the look in Yu Nianzhen’s eyes.
Instead of the tolerance, doting, and love, he was used to, all he saw was indifference.
The man looked at him like he was a stranger. Just a random person who had nothing to do with him, and Jiang Yue could not bear it.
Rust-flavoured vomit rose in his throat and dripped out of his mouth.
"XiaoYue...." Yu Nianzhen shouted in panic when he saw this.
He didn’t know what kind of illusion his lover was experiencing, but he knew it wasn’t good.
Without delay, he sat behind the person and held him in his arms.
He then used their soul contract to touch Jiang Yue’s soul and began to transmit his thoughts.
’XiaoYue...’ He called.
However, Jiang Yue was deep into an illusion and couldn’t hear his lover’s call.
Even more unfortunate, his body was losing heat, and he had begun to tremble uncontrollably.
’XiaoYue, don’t leave me.’ Yu Nianzhen begged.
His voice was filled with a heartfelt plea, which he hoped would be enough to pull the other from the edge.
’XiaoYue, do you know you are my reason? Without you, I have nothing.’ He transmitted through the soul contract.
