Yu Xuan stared at the black and orange butterfly drifting lazily through the air.

Its wings were patterned with shifting energy, faint trails lingered behind it, like strokes of a brush painting unseen laws into the atmosphere.

’Now what kind of senior is this...?’ Yu Xuan thought.

At this point, he had learned one rule very clearly.

If it looks harmless here, it absolutely isn’t.

Because anything alive here is definitely an Ancient being.

He would not even be surprised if, he suddenly saw a fungus stronger than him.

The butterfly changed direction mid-flight without warning and headed straight toward him.

Before Yu Xuan could react, it landed delicately on his nose.

He went cross-eyed trying to look at it.

From this distance, its tiny compound eyes reflected him in dozens of fragmented images.

He had the distinct feeling he was being thoroughly seen through.

For several long seconds, he stood there awkwardly, unsure if he should sneeze or not.

"...Uh, excuse me, may I ask a question?" Yu Xuan said carefully, like a diligent child.

It was objectively speaking, a strange situation.

A human politely addressing a butterfly perched on his nose.

Then.

The air shifted.

A cold, profound energy seeped outward from the butterfly.

Mystical Death Energy.

It spread over Yu Xuan like an invisible tide, swallowing his surroundings in silent darkness.

In the next instant, Yu Xuan found himself standing before something colossal.

A massive butterfly towered before him.

Each slow beat of its wings stirred waves of Mystical Death Energy through the void.

A voice resounded directly in his mind, ancient and calm, yet carrying immeasurable weight.

"Where did you find those two?"

Yu Xuan blinked.

"...Those two?" he repeated, dazed.

His thoughts raced.

Two what?

Did he accidentally cultivate the technique [Sun in my Balls] in his sleep?

But a flicker of realization passed through him.

The chrysalis.

The two caterpillars attached to his soul.

His expression shifted slightly.

"How do you know?" he asked warily.

No one until now had even hinted at their existence.

The colossal butterfly’s wings shifted once, stirring tides of Mystical Death Energy.

"I did not ask a question," it replied calmly.

But the calm was oppressive.

An immense pressure descended upon Yu Xuan’s consciousness.

It felt as though invisible hands were tightening around his throat.

"Answer me."

The tone was no longer neutral.

It was authoritative.

Yu Xuan’s thoughts raced.

He was not stupid enough to casually reveal details about the two chrysalis bound to his soul.

And anything that drew the attention of a being like this could not be simple.

Still, he needed information.

’...Wait.’

The silver-haired figure flashed through his mind.

Jian Chen.

The resemblance to his father.

The connection he could not explain.

’But connection does not mean goodwill,’ Yu Xuan thought grimly.

The pressure increased.

Cracks seemed to form along the edges of his consciousness.

"First... t-tell me, how do you know... them?" Yu Xuan forced out, his voice trembling.

The butterfly’s aura spiked.

"Talking back?" the butterfly’s voice darkened.

A ripple of anger spread through the void.

"This human dares negotiate?"

The Mystical Death Energy surged.

Yu Xuan was swallowed whole.

There was no explosion.

His mind dissolved into blackness between the [Death and Mind]

He simply ceased.

Awareness severed.

He felt his sense of self unravel.

Then—

Nothing.

Yu Xuan blinked.

He was standing again before the colossal butterfly.

His pupils contracted.

’...What?’

This was not the usual loop reset.

He had not returned to the Path Enlightening Tree.

He had not returned to a designated start point even if that somehow changed.

He was still inside this domain.

And the butterfly had not moved.

It regarded him in silence.

"How utterly foolish," it murmured.

"You expected another resurrection through the arrangement."

Yu Xuan’s heartbeat quickened. 𝑓𝘳𝑒𝑒𝓌𝘦𝘣𝘯ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝑚

"You misunderstand this place."

The wings shifted slowly.

"This is the space between Death and your Mind, and the ruler of this place... is me."

Yu Xuan swallowed.

"Now, no matter how many times you die, you will not perish in reality. But to enter this space, you must already be dying in some sense." the butterfly continued.

The realization hit him coldly.

"You should be wondering... in what way you are dying." Its gaze deepened.

This butterfly was speaking quite dangerous things and there was no loop here.

The pressure returned, lighter this time, but deliberate.

"Now," the butterfly said calmly.

"Answer me."

And this time Yu Xuan understood this was not bluffing.

His initial plan to get someone’s help had been dismissed as there was no way out.

"I refuse," Yu Xuan replied without hesitation.

Even if there was no way out of this place, he would not hand over the chrysalis.

They were not bargaining pieces.

They were not resources.

They were lives, yet to be born and bound to his soul.

His first summons.

Just two tiny existences.

Even if they had not emerged as some devastatingly beautiful demon queen or heavenly maiden, they were still his responsibility.

He would not allow them to be erased simply because someone powerful demanded answers.

If someone wanted them, they would have to step over him.

And he would fight to the death.

Again and again, if necessary.

With that thought steady in his heart, Yu Xuan willed the nameless weapon into existence.

Even within this conceptual realm between Death and Mind, what belonged to him answered his call.

Golden liquid streamed from his palms like molten sunlight before solidifying into a blade.

"What foolishness," the butterfly said coolly.

"It seems you are incapable of proper conversation."

Mystical Death Energy surged.

Only annihilation.

Yu Xuan died.

Then, he stood there again.

The butterfly did not waste words.

Death swept across him once more.

He died.

Returned.

Died.

Returned.

Over and over.

Time had no meaning here.

After an uncountable number of cycles, the butterfly slowed.

It observed Yu Xuan carefully.

Something subtle had shifted.

It now required slightly more Mystical Death Energy each time to extinguish him.

The increase was infinitesimal.

But it was there.

It was measurable.

A grain more.

The butterfly narrowed its eyes and examined Yu Xuan more closely.

And though it recognized there was likely some misunderstanding between them, its pride would not allow it to simply step back.

Still, when it looked into Yu Xuan’s eyes.

It paused.