Illusion Effect

The final auction item was a Thousand-Year Left Arm Soul Bone. Its appearance instantly sent the auction house into a frenzy. Whether mercenaries or noble lords, everyone emptied their coffers and began bidding. Before long, the soul bone had been bid up to 600,000 Gold Soul Coins.

Ning Bei secretly clicked his tongue, though he also felt a trace of disdain. With the soul bones gifted by the Silver Dragon King, he would not even spare this Thousand-Year Soul Bone a glance.

In the end, the soul bone was acquired by a noble for 700,000 Gold Soul Coins. Noticing that several desperate-looking men nearby were watching him with ill intent, the noble summoned his guards and hurried toward the backstage area.

He presumably wanted to complete the transaction early and leave immediately. Seeing this, several mercenaries exchanged glances before quietly leaving the auction house as well.

From his elevated position, Ning Bei took in everything. He inwardly sighed that soul bones truly deserved their title as Treasures of the Blood River. Once someone was discovered to possess a soul bone, it would inevitably spark a bloody storm—even if it was merely a Thousand-Year Soul Bone he did not care for.

After the auction ended, Ning Bei met with the person in charge of the Merchant Guild and asked them to deliver the Phantom Dream Butterfly directly to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. He did not want to summon the Pill Pagoda and put away a Soul Beast in front of so many people.

After wandering around the city for a while, Ning Bei returned to the Sect, where Ning Fengzhi called him to the study.

"Bei Er, I heard you bought a Phantom Dream Butterfly? You and Yanzi are both still young, aren't you? Do you really need something like that?"

Ning Bei looked at Ning Fengzhi, who was clearly harboring some misguided concern, his face darkening.

"Father, you misunderstand. I simply took a liking to Little Butterfly's abilities and wanted to diversify the battle methods of my Soul Beast team."

Ning Fengzhi suddenly understood, seeming to grasp Ning Bei's intentions.

"You want to raise it to the Thousand-Year or Ten-Thousand-Year stage, then see whether its illusion abilities can help you in battle?"

"Exactly. In my opinion, the Phantom Dream Butterfly does not lack the potential to cultivate to a higher level. It is simply too weak during its juvenile stage and has too many natural predators, leaving its numbers so scarce that there are no specimens to study."

Ning Fengzhi looked at Ning Bei with satisfaction. So long as his son was not putting all his thoughts into that sort of thing, he supported his idea.

"Then give it a try. Even if the results are poor, there will be no real loss. Of course, do not neglect your own cultivation."

"I understand, Father."

After finding the Phantom Dream Butterfly that had been delivered to the Sect, Ning Bei stored it in the Pill Pagoda and headed toward his residence.

Once he arrived in his room, Ning Bei released it again. Before him stood a Miniature Maiden with a pair of Multicolored Wings, staring at Ning Bei with large, innocent eyes.

Then, as though startled, she darted beneath the bed to hide.

"So you're a Coward too. But I have a way to deal with you."

Ning Bei placed the Pill Pagoda outside the gap beneath the bed, and Alchemy Fragrance drifted through the opening.

In just a few seconds, the timid butterfly maiden reappeared in Ning Bei's sight. Her large eyes stared intently at the Pill Pagoda, unable to look away.

Just as Ning Bei expected, Soul Beasts simply could not resist the temptation of Alchemy Fragrance. The little fellow was practically drooling.

Her little wings slowly fluttered as she flew over to the Pill Pagoda, hugging its body and rubbing her tiny face against it.

Ning Bei poked her small body with a finger, but she did not react at all.

"Good lord, you've completely forgotten how to be afraid."

Seeing this, Ning Bei could only put away the Pill Pagoda. When the little fellow saw the precious thing disappear, she froze in place, her eyes seeming to fill with tears.

After a while, she remembered that Ning Bei was still nearby and immediately prepared to hide beneath the bed again.

"Wait. If you hide again, you won't get any Alchemy Fragrance in the future."

He had not expected the little fellow to understand him, but he still threatened her out of habit.

Yet something unexpected happened. After hearing Ning Bei's words, the Phantom Dream Butterfly's body trembled slightly. She stopped in midair, turned around, and looked at him with a deeply aggrieved expression.

"Hm? You can understand what I'm saying?"

The little fellow nodded timidly, her small hands clasped together as she trembled with nervousness.

Seeing this, Ning Bei inwardly thought that humanoid Soul Beasts truly could not be underestimated. This level of intelligence alone was enough to earn praise.

"Little fellow, relax. I won't hurt you. You felt the benefits of the Pill Pagoda just now, didn't you? How about living inside it from now on?"

Seemingly realizing that Ning Bei truly meant her no harm, she relaxed somewhat and nodded her Little Head, agreeing to the home Ning Bei had arranged for her.

Seeing that the little fellow agreed, Ning Bei smiled in satisfaction.

"Very good, little fellow. Now, use your ability on me, all right? Let me see just how powerful this illusion is."

At his words, the Phantom Dream Butterfly's wings began to shimmer as she stared straight at Ning Bei.

The world around Ning Bei turned dim. A few seconds later, it brightened again, and several figures appeared beside him.

"Cough, cough."

Those figures nearly made Ning Bei's resolve falter.

Bibi Dong, Qian Renxue in her Female Version, Dugu Yan, Xiao Wu, and Zhu Zhuqing appeared beside Ning Bei one after another. Their outfits were so Scantily Clad that they looked as though they could not afford fabric!

Knowing that it was all an illusion, Ning Bei silently sensed its intensity. He lightly shook his head, and the furnishings of his room reappeared before his eyes.

"The intensity is truly too low. My Spiritual Power was enhanced by the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew. If I truly guard against it, these illusions can be ignored."

Still, Ning Bei was not disappointed. He had already been prepared when he decided to buy it. What mattered was how it would look after reaching Thousand-Year Cultivation and Ten-Thousand-Year Cultivation.

"Little fellow, not bad. I roughly understand your strength now. Cultivate well in the Pill Pagoda from now on, understand? Otherwise, I'll have A Zhu play with you. Oh, right—I'll give you a name. You'll be called Xiao Die."

Xiao Die stared blankly at Ning Bei. She understood cultivating well, but who was A Zhu?

As though he had read her thoughts, Ning Bei wore a wicked smile. The Pill Pagoda flashed, and A Zhu appeared in the room.

The moment Xiao Die saw such a huge Man Faced Demon Spider, she was terrified out of her wits. She even forgot to run, falling to the floor and beginning to tremble uncontrollably.

Her grandmother had once told her that Grandfather had been eaten by a Man Faced Demon Spider.

A Zhu was still somewhat bewildered after being summoned. Then she suddenly saw the tiny creature before her, and tears uncontrollably streamed from the corners of her mouth. Her eight Spider Legs twitched as she walked toward Xiao Die.

At the sight of this, the Phantom Dream Butterfly grew even more terrified, snot and tears pouring out all at once.

Ning Bei watched the scene with amusement. It seemed that, to Spiders, Little Butterfly truly was a delicacy. Seeing that the little fellow had been scared out of its wits, he hurriedly stopped the Man Faced Demon Spider.

"Alright, A Zhu, don't scare her. From now on, this little one is our companion too."

"Hisss."

After understanding Ning Bei's intentions, the Man Faced Demon Spider seemed somewhat dissatisfied and let out a protesting hiss.

You want me to be teammates with a plate of food?

Understanding A Zhu's displeasure, Ning Bei was unconcerned.

"She may be weak now, but who knows what the future holds? Alright, go back. I'll bring you a few more Soft Bone Rabbits to eat next time. As for this little one, forget it."

After soothing the little fellow for a while, he returned both Xiao Die and A Zhu to the Pill Pagoda—separately, of course.