Chapter Fifty-Six: The Crimson-Horned Crystal Dragon King
“Eh?!” Lu Zhe exclaimed in shock after Butterfly Jade nodded in confirmation.
Butterfly Jade covered her ears and said, “Were you bitten by a beast king? Why shout so loudly?”
Lu Zhe steadied himself, running his hand over his chest before replying, “No, it’s even more frightening than being bitten by a beast king.”
Butterfly Jade glanced at him, thinking to herself, If only I could use my spiritual power without needing to be within fifty sheets’ radius of you, I would have left long ago.
Watching Lu Zhe scratch his head, Butterfly Jade’s mind raced, countless thoughts flashing by. Finally, she said, “How about this: I’ll distract the Red-Horned Crystal Dragon King, and you sneak into the cave to steal the item?”
Lu Zhe considered her suggestion, rubbing his chin. It seemed feasible, but his only worry was what might be inside the cave—perhaps a female dragon king? If so, entering would be suicide.
Seeing Lu Zhe’s hesitation and recalling how important the item was to her, Butterfly Jade lowered her head in thought. After a moment, she looked up at Lu Zhe with a serious expression and said, “How about this: if you accompany me, I’ll let you kiss me. How does that sound?”
Lu Zhe was stunned, raising his head to look at Butterfly Jade in surprise. He couldn’t fathom why such a beautiful woman would say such a thing. Was the item truly that important to her?
“Is this really important to you?” Lu Zhe asked, gazing at her.
Butterfly Jade nodded, then after a pause, replied, “It’s not important to me, but it’s very important to my disciple.”
Lu Zhe glanced at her, chuckled, and said, “I didn’t expect you to be such a good master.” After taking a deep breath, he added, “Alright, for your disciple’s sake, I’ll help you this once.”
Butterfly Jade gave him a rare smile, then pointed south, saying, “The Red-Horned Crystal Dragon King’s lair is five hundred miles south, on the mountainside.” She looked at Lu Zhe, “When can you set out?”
Lu Zhe shrugged casually, “Anytime.”
Butterfly Jade looked at him, “Then let’s go now.”
Lu Zhe had no objection, turned to face south, and was about to summon the black wings on his back when Butterfly Jade interrupted him. Puzzled, he asked, “What are you doing?”
Butterfly Jade explained, “The lair is too far. If you fly, it’ll consume too much spiritual power, and recovery will be troublesome and time-consuming.”
Lu Zhe looked at her in confusion, “Don’t tell me you want us to walk there?”
Butterfly Jade shook her head, “Of course not. If we walked, who knows when we’d arrive.”
Lu Zhe was even more confused, “If we can’t walk or fly, how are we supposed to get there?”
Butterfly Jade hesitated for a moment before finally saying, “How about I carry you?”
“Oh,” Lu Zhe nodded, but then reacted with surprise, “Eh?!”
He looked at her, “Isn’t that a bit inappropriate?”
Butterfly Jade, impatient, replied, “Are you a man or not? Don’t men always wish for something like this?”
Lu Zhe scratched his head helplessly, thinking, Is this really what you believe about men? Who instilled such ideas in you?
After a moment, Lu Zhe looked at her and nodded, “Since you put it that way, if I protest, I’ll seem petty. As long as you don’t mind, then go ahead.”
He stepped closer to Butterfly Jade.
Butterfly Jade hesitated, but eventually reached out and scooped Lu Zhe up in her arms, holding him across her chest. One wondered where such strength came from in a delicate woman.
Feeling the soft sensation against his left ribs, Lu Zhe blushed, taking a deep breath.
“If you dare take advantage, beware your hands,” Butterfly Jade warned, eyes fierce.
Lu Zhe looked at his hands, then turned his palms toward Butterfly Jade, “Where should I put my hands?”
“Hold them to your chest,” Butterfly Jade said coolly.
“What if I slip?” Lu Zhe asked.
Butterfly Jade’s brows furrowed; after a moment’s thought, she replied coldly, “Then put your hands around my neck. If you move a finger, I’ll cut them off.”
“Yes,” Lu Zhe replied with resignation, wrapping his hands around Butterfly Jade’s neck.
“Hold tight,” Butterfly Jade said. She gently shrugged her shoulders, and a pair of transparent wings, about ten feet long, appeared at her back.
Those wings were nearly invisible, giving off a faint sense of existence. Each was ten feet in length, about a foot and a half high, surrounded by a subtle aura of spiritual power. Strange runes were inscribed upon them, bestowing an air of mystery and grandeur.
Lu Zhe gazed at Butterfly Jade’s wings in admiration, murmuring to himself, “So this is the transformation of a Spirit King’s wings? Incredible.”
Before he finished marveling, Butterfly Jade bent slightly, then leaped upward, wings vibrating as she soared swiftly into the blue sky.
“Ah!” Lu Zhe clung tightly to Butterfly Jade, afraid he’d fall.
Feeling the tension around her neck, Butterfly Jade lowered her head to look at Lu Zhe, whose eyes were tightly shut. A faint smile appeared on her face—like a fleeting flower in the night, beautiful and noble.
Rising into the sky, Butterfly Jade paused, gauged the sun, adjusted her direction, and flew southward.
As the wind rushed past, Lu Zhe opened his eyes to see Butterfly Jade’s focused expression. He turned to look ahead, but after feeling the wind’s sharpness, he turned back to face Butterfly Jade.
She stared intently ahead, wings vibrating, paying no mind to Lu Zhe’s gaze.
Lu Zhe watched her quietly. It was the first time he’d been so close to a woman, and he found her beauty striking, her dignified demeanor giving her an air of nobility.
Suddenly, a faint fragrance drifted into Lu Zhe’s nose. He inhaled, feeling it linger sweetly and deeply, wondering if this was the scent that emanated from this noble woman.
The aroma faded, so Lu Zhe leaned closer to continue smelling, unknowingly pressing against Butterfly Jade’s neck.
Noticing his movement, Butterfly Jade glanced down and saw Lu Zhe’s face nearly touching her neck. She asked urgently, “What are you doing?”
Lu Zhe looked up at her, “You smell so nice.”
Butterfly Jade blushed, but it quickly vanished as she replied coldly, “If you try anything, I’ll throw you down.”
Lu Zhe raised an eyebrow, and with a nonchalant tone said, “Alright, no problem.”
He turned to look ahead.
After scolding him, Butterfly Jade continued flying. For some reason, after Lu Zhe moved his head away, she felt a faint emptiness inside.
Butterfly Jade sped through the sky, Lu Zhe helplessly clinging to her, hands wrapped tightly around her neck, not daring to relax for fear of falling.
Just as Lu Zhe was about to lose his grip, a mountain appeared before him, with a giant cave halfway up its slope.
“We’re here,” Butterfly Jade said calmly.
She landed in the forest below the cave, then set Lu Zhe down, drawing a sword from her waist with a clang. She looked at Lu Zhe and said, “I’ll draw away the Red-Horned Crystal Dragon King. You sneak into the cave and steal the Red Dragon Horn.”
Lu Zhe nodded, about to set off when Butterfly Jade stopped him. He looked at her in confusion, and saw her place a hand on his chest, transferring spiritual power from her arm into his body.
“This spiritual power will let you become a Spirit Master for a short while. It won’t last long, so you must hurry back. Also, don’t stray too far,” Butterfly Jade said as she infused him with energy.
“What if the cave is deep?” Lu Zhe asked.
After transferring the power, Butterfly Jade withdrew her hand and replied, “Don’t worry, the Red-Horned Crystal Dragon King wouldn’t dig a deep cave. Be careful.”
Lu Zhe nodded, “You be careful too.”
Butterfly Jade nodded, spread her wings, and flew into the sky.
Lu Zhe touched his chest and felt his spiritual core was fuller than usual, his whole body more vigorous, muscles itching for movement.
“So this is a Spirit Master?” Lu Zhe murmured, examining his hands.
Just then, a deafening roar echoed overhead, followed by a voice: “Human woman, are you here to disrupt my life again?”
Lu Zhe quickly climbed to the treetops, parting the leaves to see outside.
A beast king, covered in red fur, stood at the mouth of the cave halfway up the mountain. Its massive jaws gaped, rows of gleaming silver teeth inside. The beast was over fifty feet tall, more than thirty feet wide, its red fur blazing. On its back were enormous crimson wings, and a sharp red horn grew from the center of its head, glowing faintly. It roared furiously at Butterfly Jade before it.
“So that’s the Red-Horned Crystal Dragon King?” Lu Zhe muttered in awe.
Butterfly Jade stood before it, wings vibrating, showing not a hint of fear at its intimidation. She said, “If the Dragon King gives me the Red Dragon Horn, I’ll leave at once.”
The Red-Horned Crystal Dragon King roared back, “Human, do you know that the Red Dragon Horn is shed during my evolution and contains immense power? If you can’t offer what I desire, you won’t get it.”
Butterfly Jade replied, “I truly can’t give you what you want, so I must offend you.”
With that, she charged forward with her sword.
The Red-Horned Crystal Dragon King roared, spread its wings, and fought Butterfly Jade fiercely.
Lu Zhe nodded to himself, “Alright, time to act.”
He sprinted swiftly toward the cave halfway up the mountain.
(The author isn’t feeling well today, so there will only be two updates. As for the last one, it’ll be made up tomorrow—four updates in total tomorrow. Please look forward to it.)