Butterfly Valley

"By the way, Guchen, wasn't your fifth pet beast supposed to be a support type? As it happens, I know just the place, meow."

Gongyang Mo thumped his chest, finally getting a chance to show off in front of Ye Guchen.

His family's main inherited Martial Soul was the support-type Rainbow Dragon. They were a standard support Soul Master family with a long history, so it was only natural that they knew of some support-type Soul Beasts.

"Please, you have to tell me!"

Ye Guchen didn't spoil the mood. He cupped his hands toward Gongyang Mo, looking like he really wanted to know.

But someone always knew how to handle him. Xi Xi was the first to take issue with his act. She stepped up and smacked him on the back of the head.

"If you know, just say it. Stop dragging it out like a girl!"

Uh, was that supposed to be a compliment?

"On the northwest side of the Star Dou Great Forest, there's a place called Butterfly Valley. A group of Rainbow Butterflies live there. They're support-type Soul Beasts."

Gongyang Mo paused, then continued.

"If a Seven-Colored Rainbow Butterfly ever appears among them, its support abilities definitely won't be inferior to the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda."

At that, Gongyang Mo couldn't help scratching his head.

"It's just..."

"Don't drag it out. If there's a problem, just say so."

Yao Haoxuan had also grown impatient with Gongyang Mo's halting way of speaking.

"It's just that most of these butterflies only have two or three colors. Five-colored ones are extremely rare, and according to my family records, a seven-colored one has appeared only once. Plus, Soul Beasts of this species basically can't break through twenty thousand years..."

His voice grew quieter and quieter.

"That won't do. I know this Soul Beast. Its support abilities aren't bad, but its potential is far too low. Even the Soul Beast population itself doesn't think much of it. We should look for another kind."

Dai Yueheng, who had been keeping watch for any movement nearby, heard this and reminded Ye Guchen.

But after hearing that they could rival the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda, Ye Guchen had already taken a particular liking to the Rainbow Butterflies. What he hadn't told the academy was that after a contracted Soul Beast broke through ten thousand years, it would evolve once. Ye Guchen believed it would evolve once more at one hundred thousand years.

As long as he found a five-colored Rainbow Butterfly, two chances to evolve would be enough for it to transform into a Seven-Colored Rainbow Butterfly. As for the difficulty of breaking through twenty thousand years, that wasn't a problem for Ye Guchen at all. Contracted Soul Beasts would automatically keep pace with his cultivation.

If Gongyang Mo was right that a seven-colored one could rival the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda, then it was definitely the best candidate for his fifth pet beast!

"I'll take it!"

Ye Guchen didn't follow Dai Yueheng's advice, but he knew Dai Yueheng had his best interests at heart, so he still thanked him.

Seeing this, Dai Yueheng didn't try to dissuade him again.

"Then let's head over once Xiaotao finishes absorbing her Soul Ring!"

Gongyang Mo was practically bursting with excitement. He nudged Yao Haoxuan beside him.

"See that? When it really matters, I'm the one you need."

Just then, Ma Xiaotao was nearing the end of absorbing her Sixth Soul Ring.

As Ma Xiaotao withdrew the Soul Ring and rose to her feet, a wave of scorching heat swept across the area. Wild Evil Fire mingled with it, forcing everyone except Ye Guchen and Dai Yueheng back.

"Not good! Xiaotao's Evil Fire is flaring up!"

Yan Shaozhe, who had been secretly protecting them, immediately realized what was happening to Ma Xiaotao. Just as he was about to intervene, Ye Guchen acted first.

With fifty levels of Soul Power, the properties of Ultimate Ice, and an Ice Jade Scorpion Soul Ring of more than twenty thousand years, he was more than capable of suppressing Ma Xiaotao's sudden eruption of Evil Fire.

"Domain of Extreme Ice!"

This was one of the Ice Jade Scorpion's abilities. It froze an area around its user, producing an effect similar to a domain. It could be called the rudiment of a domain.

With Xiao Bing and Ye Guchen using the skill together, the combined pressure forced Ma Xiaotao's suddenly flaring Evil Fire back down, and she regained her senses.

Once she came around, Ma Xiaotao's expression turned grave. Without Ye Guchen, the other Shrek members alone wouldn't have been enough to take on her after she lost control.

Ma Xiaotao completely ignored her teacher, Yan Shaozhe, and rushed straight into Ye Guchen's arms.

"That was close. Thank goodness you were here!"

The others were also drenched in a cold sweat. With Ma Xiaotao out of control, she could easily have torn apart everyone except Dai Yueheng.

Ye Guchen leaned close to her ear and sent a message using his mental power.

"Looks like I didn't drain you thoroughly enough that day. We'll just have to go back and let me work hard again, so I can drain you properly!"

Ma Xiaotao didn't blush at his teasing. She was even a little bold as she sent back a message with her mental power. "Sure! Big Sister will be waiting for you!"

For a moment, Ye Guchen was at a loss. But he couldn't back down first, so he said, "Just you wait!"

It wasn't great to keep hugging her, so Ye Guchen changed the subject.

"I've found a lead on my fifth pet beast. Let's head to Butterfly Valley next."

Hearing that, Ma Xiaotao finally let go of Ye Guchen.

She turned to the other members of the Shrek Seven Devils and gave them a slight bow to apologize.

By then, everyone else was completely dumbfounded. Was this really the same fiery big sister? Judging by the way things looked, Ye Guchen had already won her over.

As they watched Ma Xiaotao apologize to them, they couldn't help feeling that she seemed to have grown gentler.

After three or four days on the road, they finally reached Butterfly Valley.

Butterfly Valley was a U-shaped mountain valley, with a waterfall flowing down through its center and forming a series of cascading pools. The water was clear and bright green. Combined with the colorful swarms of butterflies and the wildflowers in full bloom, it would have been a world-class scenic attraction in their previous life.

"So beautiful!"

The moment they entered the valley, the scenery left them utterly captivated.

Even Dai Yueheng couldn't help exclaiming, "This is the most beautiful place I've ever seen. No contest!"

Although the Rainbow Butterflies weren't as highly regarded by Soul Beasts as the Emerald Swan, a Soul Beast nearly fifty thousand years old still guarded Butterfly Valley.

In response to the humans' invasion, the nearly fifty-thousand-year-old Plate Armor Rhino was the first to block their path.

It lowered its head and took a charging stance, warning them off.

The group tore their eyes away from the scenery and warily watched the Plate Armor Rhino before them.

But Ma Xiaotao had had enough.

"Phoenix Cloud-Piercing Strike!"

The phantom of a fire phoenix took shape and charged straight at the Plate Armor Rhino blocking their way. Just before reaching it, the phoenix turned into a giant flaming claw that slapped it flying.

Watching the enormous Plate Armor Rhino get sent flying, those who had just said Ma Xiaotao seemed gentler all swallowed hard.

Only then did they understand: Ma Xiaotao hadn't changed. She had just restrained herself a little in front of Ye Guchen.

They couldn't help admiring Ye Guchen even more.

Seeing Ma Xiaotao about to attack again, Ye Guchen hurriedly stopped her.

"All right, Sister Xiaotao. We're here for the Rainbow Butterflies in the valley. There's no need to kill the Soul Beast protecting them."

After all, once he contracted a Rainbow Butterfly, that Soul Beast would be family and friend to his contracted beast. There was no need to wipe them all out.