Taking the Bait

The next morning, Star Dou Great Forest.

Beneath the lush forest canopy, scattered rays of sunlight filtered through gaps in the treetops, brightly illuminating the morning forest.

Mu Zhe moved swiftly through the woods beneath the sunlight, heading toward the place where Hao's Team had encountered the Nightmare Demonic Butterfly.

He intended to search the area where the Nightmare Demonic Butterflies had been first and see whether he could find a Soul Devouring Demonic Spider nearby.

According to Spirit Hall's records, the most recent sightings of Soul Devouring Demonic Spiders had already been several years ago, and there were several reported locations.

The area where Hao's Team had encountered the Nightmare Demonic Butterflies was close to one of the places where Soul Devouring Demonic Spiders had appeared, so there was a strong possibility that both existed in that region.

Before long, Mu Zhe arrived at the spot where Hao's Team had encountered the Nightmare Demonic Butterflies. The surrounding area had suffered considerable damage.

The ground had been torn up by brute force, likely caused by someone running after a beast Martial Soul Possession. Some trees had been smashed apart by brute force, while others had been shattered by Soul Power. Burn marks from flames were still visible.

From these traces of battle, it was obvious that this had not been caused by a fight between soul beasts, but by a battle between soul masters and soul beasts. Soul beasts did not possess such a diverse range of abilities.

Still, although Mu Zhe could confirm that this was where the Nightmare Demonic Butterflies had appeared, there was no sign of them nearby. They had likely already left.

Mu Zhe pondered for a moment before deciding to search this area for the Soul Devouring Demonic Spider.

Mu Zhe emerged from the void and casually headed in one direction. The surroundings were utterly silent, with only the chirping of insects coming from the bushes.

Staying in the void would certainly be safe, but he did not intend to do that.

Searching the Star Dou Great Forest alone for a soul beast was no different from looking for a needle in a haystack.

If he had one more soul beast searching as well, the efficiency would greatly improve. After all, only when both sides moved toward each other could there be a good outcome.

Of course, this approach was not without drawbacks. Soul beasts often launched sneak attacks from the surroundings, forcing Mu Zhe to switch forms from time to time.

Suddenly, Mu Zhe's heart tightened, then began pounding madly. A powerful sense of danger washed over him, and he carefully surveyed his surroundings.

The scenery around him was beautiful. Green mountains hid amid white clouds, and butterflies fluttered freely above a clear mountain stream.

Alarm bells rang in Mu Zhe's mind. This beautiful scenery felt like the calm before a storm, as though it were brewing something about to happen.

A wave of dizziness suddenly struck him, and his mind grew heavy, as if he were about to enter a dream. Mu Zhe instantly broke out in cold sweat and instinctively bit the tip of his tongue, drawing a trace of blood.

Intense pain surged into his mind, slightly dispelling the dizziness. He quickly slipped into the void.

Nightmare Demonic Butterflies!

Within the void, Mu Zhe recalled the information on Nightmare Demonic Butterflies.

Though physically frail, they possessed extremely powerful Spiritual Power and excelled at flying through the air to kite their enemies.

Once they had knocked their opponents unconscious, they used their sharp butterfly wings to kill them, then sucked out their brains as if drinking nectar from flowers.

Above the clear stream, countless tiny butterflies swirled around two enormous butterflies. Their bodies were purple-black and covered in strange patterns, making them look bewitchingly seductive, as though one would fall under their spell after just one glance.

Mu Zhe carefully observed the two Nightmare Demonic Butterflies. Judging by the number of patterns, one was seven thousand years old, while the other was two thousand years old.

The Nightmare Demonic Butterflies danced gracefully, though their movements seemed somewhat unnatural. They had likely been injured by Hao's Team.

Hao's Team's Soul King cultivation was enough to contend with a ten-thousand-year soul beast, but the members of the soul hunting group had all been bewitched at the time. Left with no choice, he had abandoned the hunt for these two Nightmare Demonic Butterflies.

After calming his disturbed emotions, Mu Zhe looked away. The Nightmare Demonic Butterflies were not his target.

He then continued through the area in search of the Soul Devouring Demonic Spider.

Several more hours passed, and the sun was about to set.

Mu Zhe stopped his weary steps, took out a flask of water from his storage Soul Tool, and took a gulp. "This Soul Devouring Demonic Spider is far too hard to find. No wonder the intelligence market and Spirit Hall only have so few clues."

"Spider-type soul beasts are skilled at hiding. It's simply impossible to find one by actively searching!"

Mu Zhe felt somewhat discouraged when an idea suddenly flashed through his mind. Speaking of being unable to find it proactively, a thought appeared in his mind.

Since I can't find it by searching for it, why not lure it out?

A fish can be caught from the vast ocean with bait on a hook. If I use its favorite food to fish for it, wouldn't I have a good chance?

At that thought, Mu Zhe broke into a grin and looked toward the clear stream where the Nightmare Demonic Butterflies lived, his gaze full of ill intent.

"You nearly got me earlier. Now it's my turn to get revenge!"

The mountain stream still held the same beautiful scenery. Clear water flowed out from the ravine, while butterflies filled the sky above it.

Maintaining his Void State, Mu Zhe passed through the outer butterflies and swept deeper inside.

Soon, several Nightmare Demonic Butterflies entered his sight. Aside from the two thousand-year-old ones, there were also several hundred-year-old butterflies.

Mu Zhe paid no attention to the hundred-year-old butterflies. Hundred-year soul beasts no longer meant anything to him.

The seven-thousand-year Great Demon Butterfly stood quietly on a tree, while the two-thousand-year small demon butterfly danced before it. Its spread wings measured a full three meters across, and together with the strange patterns on its body, it looked exceptionally majestic and spectacular.

Mu Zhe made a plan in his mind and quickly reached a decision. He would first launch a sneak attack on the seven-thousand-year demon butterfly.

First Soul Skill, Shadow Strike!

In an instant, six pitch-black shadows rushed out from the void. Waving fists and sharp claws, they charged at the demon butterflies like Grim Reapers claiming lives. Five went for the Great Demon Butterfly, while one shadow attacked the small demon butterfly.

The shadows' rapid movements stirred up fierce currents of air and produced shrill howls through the wind. The Great Demon Butterfly sensed this abnormality.

The Nightmare Demonic Butterfly possessed extremely high Spiritual Power and was therefore proficient in perception. It could easily sense not only fluctuations of Soul Power, but even the air currents produced by movement.

Sensing an enemy's sneak attack, the Great Demon Butterfly instinctively leaped into the air, trying to evade the incoming black shadows.

However, it was already too late to escape. The shadows had appeared far too close, and caught off guard, it could only hurriedly draw in its wings to protect its body.

The black shadows rushed up to the Great Demon Butterfly and violently swung their fists and claws.

Bang! Bang! Bang...

Several heavy blows rang out. Then pain shot through its wings. The Great Demon Butterfly saw only the black shadows tearing open its beautiful wings, dark blue blood gushing out and flowing down into the stream below.

The Nightmare Demonic Butterfly's body was truly frail. Mu Zhe's attack had been highly effective, but it had also thoroughly enraged it.

The Great Demon Butterfly flew into a rage and let out a strange hiss that made its fury unmistakable.

It had been happily spending time alone with its younger sister, but all that happiness had now been swept away.

It wanted to kill the enemy that had ambushed it!

After landing its attack, the black shadows vanished. The Great Demon Butterfly swiftly spread its wings, intending to strike back, but to its surprise, the black shadows had disappeared into thin air. It could no longer sense even the slightest fluctuation of Soul Power in the surrounding space.

The Great Demon Butterfly was deeply puzzled. The black shadows were different from ordinary Soul Skills. Ordinary Soul Skills contained no Spiritual Power fluctuations and dispersed into Soul Power after being unleashed.

Yet it had clearly sensed the Spiritual Power of living beings within those black shadows. Since they were living creatures, how could they vanish into thin air without leaving behind even the slightest fluctuation of Soul Power?