C19 Bloodless Butterfly

As Qin Mu stepped out, he encountered the Ling sisters. After a brief greeting, he was ready to move on. Time was of the essence, and he couldn't afford to delay the search for the mandragora any longer.

"Qin Mu, wait a moment. I need to ask you something. I expect an honest answer from you!"

Qin Mu paused, already anticipating the topic of the Ling sisters' inquiry. They had likely stopped him to discuss Qing Min.

Ling Siying spoke up as Qin Mu halted, "The things you said earlier today in front of the Tower of Phlogiston about the sect master—were they true?"

"Absolutely, every word of it is true," Qin Mu affirmed, arms folded. He had no intention of dodging the question or fabricating lies, knowing full well that the Ling sisters would persist until they were satisfied with his response.

Casting a glance at the sisters, Qin Mu delivered his blunt assessment, "The current state of the Skyhaven Clan is deplorable. They lack any commendable skills and can only attempt to deter those restless on the fringes. If the Skyhaven Clan had someone of strength, or if you, Ling Siying, were powerful enough, Qing Min wouldn't have to resort to such measures."

Ling Siying's fists tightened at Qin Mu's unsparing critique. He was right—if she were stronger, the sect master wouldn't need to exert himself to keep the other sects at bay. Ultimately, it was her own weakness that was to blame.

Without further comment, Qin Mu departed.

Should the Skyhaven Clan fail to produce a true expert, its downfall was inevitable. In recent years, Qing Min had covertly eliminated spies from rival sects, causing them to vanish without a trace. This instilled a sense of caution towards the Skyhaven Clan among its peers.

Qing Min's recent public appearance might intimidate the other sects temporarily, but once he was gone, they would only bide their time for three years at most. After that, the sects would surely challenge the Skyhaven Clan once again. Without a strong leader, the Skyhaven Clan's fate could very well be extinction.

Ling Siying watched Qin Mu's retreating figure before turning her gaze to the imposing Tower of Phlogiston. A decision seemed to form in her heart, her eyes alight with fierce determination.

As Qin Mu walked past the Tower of Phlogiston, he was somewhat surprised to find Zhang Lei still kneeling before it. He chose not to pry into the matter, recognizing that some situations were best left undisturbed.

Continuing on his way, Qin Mu made his way to the financial hall of the Skyhaven Clan, the hub for managing the clan's finances.

At the helm was Qian Lai.

"Qian Lai, over here!" Qin Mu called out upon spotting him in the distance.

Qian Lai, recognizing Qin Mu's voice, quickly set aside his work and rushed over, calling out, "Boss, what brings you here today? Is there an issue?"

Qin Mu observed Qian Lai's beaming face and commented, "You seem to be doing quite well for yourself lately!"

"Hehe... It's been decent. But the Skyhaven Clan's assets have significantly increased due to our recent campaign against the Stormwrack Sect. Boss, take a guess at how much we've grown?"

Qin Mu offered a smile and ventured a guess, "Perhaps threefold?"

He based his estimate on the fact that the Stormwrack Sect had been conquered, yielding a considerable bounty. It seemed logical to assume a tripling of assets.

Qian Lai, hands clasped behind his back, shook his head and corrected him, "Try tenfold!"

"Tenfold!" Qin Mu exclaimed, taken aback. Was Qian Lai pulling his leg? Ten times seemed far-fetched!

Qin Mu was astounded as Qian Lai animatedly recounted the strategic preparations he had made from the outset. When the Skyhaven Clan had just begun their training, Qian Lai had already investigated which commodities were in high demand in the Mistmantle Mountain Range. He had then discreetly sold off surplus resources from the Skyhaven Clan to several other sects.

Upon learning of an alliance between the Stormwrack Sect and its allies, Qian Lai had acted swiftly, securing the spoils from the Stormwrack Sect in the clan's warehouse. It wasn't until they had successfully defeated the Stormwrack Sect that the magnitude of their victory sent shockwaves through the major sects.

At that moment, Qian Lai was leveraging the renown of the Skyhaven Clan. Given that the Skyhaven Clan was the talk of the town, numerous smaller sects were eager to forge alliances, which allowed him to rake in substantial profits.

The financial power of the Skyhaven Clan had skyrocketed to tenfold!

Qin Mu couldn't help but smack his lips in surprise. He hadn't expected this plump fellow to possess such a knack for business!

Yet, his purpose for being here wasn't to listen to Qian Lai's boasting.

"Qian Lai, are you familiar with the Mandragora Flower?" Qin Mu inquired abruptly, causing Qian Lai to fall silent.

A puzzled expression crossed Qian Lai's face. The Mandragora Flower harbored the Profound Meaning of Life and Death. Refining it could grant one the understanding of mysteries usually reserved for the Immortal Emperor. Even without refining it, using the Mandragora Flower to practice a bloodthirsty technique could cause one's strength to soar as if propelled by a rocket!

"Why do you ask about the Mandragora Flower, Boss? Are you looking to acquire it? That flower is beyond valuation!" Qian Lai instinctively assumed Qin Mu was interested in purchasing the Mandragora Flower.

Qin Mu calmly clarified, "I've discovered a Mandragora Flower nearby, but it's already been claimed by someone else. I was wondering if you knew of any way to track down the Mandragora Flower."

It dawned on Qian Lai that the disciples who had been reduced to mummified corpses in the clash with the Stormwrack must have been affected by the Mandragora Flower.

With a sly grin, Qian Lai said, "In theory, there's no way to find the Mandragora Flower; it's all down to luck. However, if someone hasn't refined the flower and is merely using it to practice the Bloodthirsty Great Technique, then finding a Blood Searching Butterfly would suffice!"

"Blood Searching Butterfly?" Qin Mu echoed with curiosity, then pressed on, "Do you have one at the moment?"

With a gloomy look, Qian Lai responded, "As it happens, I do have one right now!"

Qin Mu's face lit up with a radiant smile as he addressed Qian Lai, "Great! Let me borrow it. I promise to return it once I'm done!"

Without hesitation, Qian Lai slowly produced a Beast Pouch. Noticing Qian Lai's reluctance, Qin Mu quickly snatched it away and, channeling his spiritual energy, swiftly departed.

Watching Qin Mu's retreating figure, Qian Lai felt tears welling up. He had simply encountered a relative on his way back to the Skyhaven Clan and had fortuitously come across a Crimson Moth. Little did he expect Qin Mu to seize it from him!

After wallowing in his sorrow for a moment, Qian Lai's thoughts shifted to the recent chaos. It seemed like a whole host of characters were converging on the Skyhaven Clan, causing him to furrow his brow once more.

Qin Mu opened his Beast Pouch, and out fluttered a white butterfly. Without hesitation, he claimed ownership with a drop of his blood. Return it? That was out of the question. One simply doesn't return a gift presented by an employee to their boss—it would be far too awkward for the employee!

"Ding!"

"Spirit Pet Crimson Moth acquired."

"Crimson Moth: A Spirit Pet that seeks out rich, vibrant blood essence."

Having successfully bonded with the Crimson Moth, Qin Mu set it in motion, and the moth, sensing his intent, began to fly southward.

Qin Mu marveled at the Crimson Moth's velocity, which was nearing the intermediate level of the Void of Serenity. He hadn't anticipated that the Crimson Moth could fly at such an impressive speed.