Hearing Fang Yun mention the Mist Butterfly, all the spirit bones ceased their conversations. Their skulls, devoid of flesh and expressions, flickered gently with blue flames in their eye sockets. Their bodies, shrouded in a blood mist, braced as if facing a formidable enemy.
The Mist Butterfly evolves from a fog entity, which upon reaching its pinnacle, cocoons and, after a period of slumber, emerges as a butterfly. Due to its long-term consumption of the Weak Water and bizarre winds, a Mist Butterfly can directly convert vital energy into Weak Water and strange winds.
However, a newly emerged Mist Butterfly is extremely weak. It can control only minimal amounts of strange winds and Weak Water. As it grows, it becomes progressively stronger, eventually surpassing its fog entity form.
Apart from the strange grass in the You Shui River, the Mist Butterfly is the nemesis of all demon clans and bizarre creatures in the Holy Land. Every time a Mist Butterfly is born, these powerful creatures attempt to hunt and kill it.
"How did you come to know this?" asked the dragon-headed spirit bone, poised to act aggressively.
"I heard the Blood Demon Barbarian failed to capture the Mist Butterfly. Is that related to you?" Fang Yun said, tossing over a palm-sized bone fragment.
The dragon-headed spirit bone caught it, saying, "We heard about the Mist Butterfly days ago. When we encountered it, we tried to kill it but then faced the Blood Demon Barbarian's joint forces. Unfortunately, the Mist Butterfly escaped. Our Spirit Bone clan doesn't wish to leave the Dragon Cliff. Now, many Demon Kings and other bizarre creatures are searching."
Fang Yun then realized why he encountered two Demon Kings of the Star Demon Barbarian; they were probably searching for the Mist Butterfly.
"Our goal is to kill the Mist Butterfly, and yours is to capture it and take it out of the Holy Land. Our objectives are nearly aligned. I'll trade two bone fragments for all information about the Mist Butterfly," proposed Fang Yun.
"That's too little!" the dragon-headed spirit bone objected.
"How many years do you think it'll be before someone else is willing to trade ancient demon bone fragments for information about the Mist Butterfly?" Fang Yun asked.
The dragon-headed spirit bone hesitated for a moment, then drew a mundane bone from its body and tossed it to Fang Yun.
Fang Yun exchanged the bone fragments and held the new bone. A strange vibration emanated from it, transforming into a demonic language resonating in his ears, inaudible to others.
"The Mist Butterfly is attracted to the sacred fruit of the strange wood holy tree. It came to Dragon Cliff to sneak into the forest and steal the sacred fruit. We pursued it, and it fled. The Holy Land is covered in fog, allowing a newborn Mist Butterfly, despite its weakness, to escape using the fog, especially with three fog entities protecting it. Therefore, it managed to flee."
"The Mist Butterfly emits a unique fragrance that can be detected up to a hundred paces away. Even if it tries to conceal it, it can be smelled up close. This newly born Mist Butterfly has strength comparable to an ordinary Demon General, but the fog entities protecting it are extremely powerful. However, after several pursuits, those entities have weakened significantly."
"Also, you carry a rich moonlight aura. As long as you don't attack the Mist Butterfly, it won't attack you…"
"The strongest Mist Butterfly is one of the most powerful among ancient demons. Your human race once had a Semi-Saint who obtained a Mist Butterfly…"
The dragon-headed spirit bone divulged all its secrets, many of which were not recorded in the "Secrets of the Holy Land."
After listening, Fang Yun returned the bone and asked, "Elder, how long have you been a spirit bone?"
"I witnessed that battle of all the saints," the dragon-headed spirit bone replied, its blue fire flaring intensely, before turning to leave.
Fang Yun hadn't expected this spirit bone to have witnessed the battle between Sub-Saint Zi Lu and the Demon Saint, making it an ancient spirit bone over a thousand years old.
Thinking about the Mist Butterfly, Fang Yun, like the other Presented Scholars, rummaged through the spirit bones' various items. Their collection was diverse, including ordinary stones, wood, dried grass, human-used Treasures of Literature, demon skins and organs, and unique products of the Holy Land.
Each time Fang Yun encountered something unfamiliar, he quickly referenced various books in the miraculous world, discovering many valuable items. For example, a foot-long piece of wood, seemingly ordinary, turned out to be a Phoenix Wutong, ideal for making ancient zithers. Too small for a zither body, it could be used for key components of mechanical beasts, as precious as the Thundering Stone.
Since the exchange was barter-based and different from regular trade, Fang Yun straightforwardly picked up the Phoenix Wutong wood and said, "One ancient demon bone fragment. If no objections, I'll take it." He then casually tossed the wood aside as a chosen item.
A spirit bone looked to the dragon-headed one, seemingly asking whether to object. The dragon-headed spirit bone softly said, "Better to sell earlier if possible."
The spirit bone silently agreed, accepting the price.
Later, Han Shoulu signaled Fang Yun, and they moved aside. Han Shoulu used his literary palace power to block detection and whispered, "I've found something that's likely one of the fifty-five chapters of Han Feizi, written by my ancestor, but stained with sacred blood. I humbly request Brother Fang's help to retrieve this sacred text for the Han family. This great favor will be duly reciprocated by my family. I currently have nothing to offer, so I'll start with the Drinking Pearl of the River as initial compensation. Once we leave the Holy Land, my family will adequately reward you. Whether it's our full support, Treasures of Literature, sacred blood, divine items, etc., Brother Fang, just name it. A Semi-Saint family can share a sacred site, almost impossible for outsiders to enter, but we can grant Brother Fang access."
Delighted to learn it was a chapter of Han Feizi, the great unifier of Legalism, surpassing even Shang Yang and Li Si, Fang Yun considered claiming it but then thought better of it. Already committed to Confucianism and supplementing with Military Strategist doctrines, possessing a Legalist masterpiece wouldn't benefit him much. Trading it for a more suitable Semi-Saint text seemed wiser.
"Since it's a relic of Saint Han, returning it to the human race and the Han family is right. I shall not shirk this duty. Zi Lu saved a drowning man and Confucius praised it. I'll trade this sacred text for another. Would Brother Han agree?"
Han Shoulu relaxed, bowed deeply, and gratefully accepted the tainted Semi-Saint text. The others watched in confusion.
Han Shoulu then requested two Swallowed Lake Pearls from Fang Yun.
Fang Yun transferred their contents to other pearls and handed them over. Han Shoulu placed the Drinking Pearl and the two Swallowed Lake Pearls together, tapping them lightly to transfer their contents with minimal effort, then gave the empty Drinking Pearl to Fang Yun.
Fang Yun, sensing the immense space inside, realized it was a thousand times larger than the Swallowed Lake Pearls, which couldn't contain each other. But the Drinking Pearl could hold the Swallowed Lake Pearls, simplifying his burden.
"Brother Han, you've saved me from a great dilemma," Fang Yun said, smiling.
Han Shoulu returned the smile, concealing his excitement.
Others, less fortunate than the Han family, envied this display of friendship, virtually half of the Han family's support. The Legalist power spread across the ten nations, firmly holding judicial power. With this backing, Fang Yun's path was more secure.
Fang Yun continued selecting items, accumulating more with the scholars' help. He decisively gave up only a few items with unagreeable prices, nearly securing all the most valuable items from the spirit bones.
Later, a spirit bone sneakily approached, thrusting a fist-sized Thundering Stone into Fang Yun's hand, offering, "Just three bone fragments!"
Fang Yun immediately returned it, indicating disinterest.
Desperate, the spirit bone lowered the price to two fragments. Fang Yun then traded two fragments for the Thundering Stone.
One Thundering Stone was enough for a layer of Thundering Stone lacquer on an ancient zither. Satisfied, Fang Yun lost interest in other items, waiting aside as the scholars made their final selections.
The other spirit bones with Thundering Stones became anxious. Missing this opportunity meant little chance of obtaining ancient demon items in the future.