Chapter Seven: The Two Demons, Lotus and Butterfly

After hours of reviewing cases through the night, the files were finally cleared, and Yang Nan, feeling somewhat dizzy, lifted his teacup to gently inhale its fragrance. He quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Though the mountain cases were straightforward, their sheer number demanded great effort. According to Yaksha, there had been many powerful cultivators passing through, but none cared to deal with such trifling matters, which led to the bizarre accumulation of unresolved cases.

Yang Nan shook his head with a wry smile. Judging cases as a mountain god required significant energy, and there was neither merit nor tangible reward to be gained—apart from the official duty, others could hardly be blamed for ignoring such thankless tasks. What cultivator would willingly expend energy on work that yields no benefit?

With the cases concluded, Yaksha led a crowd of spirits and ghost officials to bow in the hall, saying, “Master, your divine wisdom has resolved all the accumulated cases in a single night. When the Mountain Lord returns, we finally have something to report.” Yang Nan’s decisiveness in judging cases was like slicing through melons—swift and sharp. Though the ghost officials were exhausted, all were thoroughly convinced.

Yang Nan waved his hand, saying softly, “Enough, with the cases cleared, I should take my leave.” These ghost officials had it hard: though the mountain god was gone, they still struggled to maintain the legacy of the Eight Hundred Li Qingbi Mountain, loyal and dutiful to the end. Yang Nan felt a rare sense of accomplishment from having done a good deed.

Yaksha stood respectfully and signaled two small ghosts to bring forth several items. Yang Nan looked closely and smiled inwardly—the work was done, and now Yaksha was indeed offering a reward.

The little ghosts held a green scroll and several colorful, luminous stones—Yaksha’s tribute. The scroll was ordinary enough, but the stones resembled the spiritual iron that Chiyang had mentioned: among weapon masters, nothing was more coveted than spiritual iron and stone, born from earth’s spiritual energy and used to forge divine weapons.

Measured by mortal standards, a piece of spiritual iron was worth a fortune. For the modest temple of Qingbi Mountain to produce these stones, Yaksha and the ghost officials had truly gone to great lengths.

“Immortal, this scroll, the Profound Azure Water Technique, was left by a cultivator in his cave dwelling on Qingbi Mountain. Practicing it will enhance your water arts. These pieces of spiritual iron were formed by the mountain’s concentrated spiritual energy and can be used to forge peerless weapons. Though you possess great abilities, these items make excellent gifts for your friends.” Seeing Yang Nan’s puzzled expression, Yaksha, Ghost Face, and Pig Head pointed to the gifts and laughed apologetically. In their minds, how could an immortal like Yang Nan care about such modest techniques or average-quality spiritual iron?

Profound Azure Water Technique—a cultivation method? Yang Nan was secretly delighted, though he hadn’t expected Qingbi Mountain to contain such rare spiritual iron. The mountain’s veins were indeed extraordinary, and the iron was of middling quality. Seeing the ghost officials’ respectful demeanor, Yang Nan accepted the gifts without hesitation—a night’s toil deserved some reward, after all.

As he stepped out of the temple, he saw two ghost officials dragging two young women in, berating them as they went. A soul-binding chain was tightly wrapped around the girls, and the officials pulled harshly, causing the pair to stumble and appear deeply forlorn.

Yang Nan glanced at them—one dressed in snowy white, the other in vibrant colors. Weren’t these the naive girls he’d met in Weiyang City?

So they weren’t noble ladies after all, but mountain spirits of Qingbi Mountain? While Yang Nan was pondering, the ghost officials reported, “Immortal master, these two little demons were bold enough to leave the mountain and play in the mortal world multiple times while the Mountain Lord was away. Fortunately, they caused no trouble. Today, with your divine presence, we’ve brought them in to await your judgment.” Mountain spirits were forbidden from descending to the mortal realm, and any trouble would bring blame upon the mountain god and misfortune to the ghost officials. Thus, they had no sympathy for such transgressors.

The ghost officials explained the girls’ origins, and Yang Nan nodded indifferently, inwardly inclined to spare them.

The mountain was lonely and cold; most spirits longed for the bustling mortal world. Yet, unfamiliar with human society and constrained by divine laws, they might cause trouble if allowed to roam freely. Powerful demons and spirits were terrifying—unrestrained, they could wreak havoc among mortals. These two were innocent and playful, their only crime being curiosity about the human world. Previously, with no mountain god present, their actions were overlooked, but now, with Yang Nan in charge, even ancient spirits were summoned to answer for their crimes, let alone these two flower and butterfly spirits barely two centuries old.

Yang Nan questioned them thoroughly: the girl in white was a lotus spirit, and the one in colorful dress was a butterfly spirit, companions for two hundred years. They were born in a secluded valley nourished by a spiritual spring, its energy so abundant that ordinary plants transformed into spirits in less than two centuries.

Their innocence led them to seek out the human world after hearing tales from other spirits. This violated the mountain god’s laws, and by decree, they were to suffer a century’s punishment in the divine prison.

The two little spirits, seeing the temple suddenly ablaze with divine light and surrounded by ghost officials attending a radiant, faceless man, realized a deity had descended and trembled in fear, knowing their calamity was at hand. They could only weep quietly as they bowed.

“Yaksha, what will happen if more spirits break the law after I leave?” Seeing the girls’ tear-stained faces, Yang Nan’s mind turned, and he suddenly had an idea.

Yaksha paused with a bitter smile. “Once you depart, the temple will lose its divine radiance. The divine seal is heavy as a mountain—none of us can lift it. If the Mountain Lord doesn’t return soon, cases will pile up again...”

There were countless spirits in the mountain, many descending to the mortal world. Without a master, the temple was leaderless; even willing ghost officials lacked the power to enforce order. Without the divine seal and its radiance, how could they summon powerful demons? Without divine light, even mortals could topple the statues and destroy the temple, let alone keep the monsters of the Eight Hundred Li at bay.

The three leading ghost officials silently lamented, but dared not criticize the irresponsible mountain god.

Yang Nan realized the Mountain Lord was unlikely to return soon. The ghost girl outside Chang’an had said the Nether God Leng Mang had vanished, and it was likely the Earth Emperor had disappeared as well—otherwise, the mountain god wouldn’t abandon his post. It would be impossible for Tianzhu Peak to send another Mountain Lord anytime soon.

“I have an idea. There are one hundred and twenty divine warrants in the quiver. I’ll stamp them all with the divine seal and infuse the temple with a strand of divine light. With these, you ghost officials should be able to operate normally for a while.”

The ghost officials and spirits were overjoyed. They knew of this solution, but immortals rarely stooped to expend their power on a humble mountain temple. Even if they knew, they wouldn’t dare ask!

“Thank you, immortal! Thank you so much!” The ghost officials cheered.

Yang Nan pointed to the two little spirits and smiled. “These two have committed no grave crime. I could use two attendants myself. Let me take them as maids to clean my abode—it would be a fine thing.”

The mountain was filled with spirits; these two were insignificant. Yang Nan’s request was readily granted. Yaksha smiled apologetically, “Master’s favor is their fortune. Please mark their names off the soul ledger; from now on, they’ll be under your care.”

The soul ledger was like the Book of Life and Death in the underworld. Each time a new spirit was born in the mountain, its name and origin appeared in the ledger. But spirits, unlike mortals, could break free from the ledger upon attaining sainthood, roaming the world unbound by mountain gods. Yaksha’s request was reasonable, and Yang Nan agreed.

“You two, thank the immortal master for his grace! From now on, serve him diligently. If you find a spiritual destiny, you may achieve true cultivation. If you slack off, beware annihilation!” Ghost Face unbound the soul chain and sternly warned them.

Freed from disaster, the two girls bowed gracefully, saying, “Thank you, master, for your mercy. We shall serve you faithfully and never waver!”

Yang Nan finally saw the butterfly spirit’s features clearly: bright eyes, jade arms, radiant yet refined, with an ethereal grace. The lotus spirit beside her was elegant and delicate. Together, they softened the solemn atmosphere of the mountain temple.

Having been accepted by Yang Nan, the two spirits took up their roles as maids, collecting the scroll and spiritual iron, and stood behind him, their dark eyes curiously observing their new master.

Yang Nan entered the main hall, drew out the soul ledger, and marked off their names, noting their new status. He stamped one hundred and twenty divine warrants with the seal. The little copper coin, sensing his intent, shone brightly, infusing the seal with divine energy. The seal, empowered by seven-colored light, burst forth with brilliance, illuminating the temple. Radiant clouds soared skyward, and the ghost officials rejoiced. With this divine light, the temple would remain vibrant for ten years, and with careful use, the warrants would suffice to maintain order among the mountain spirits.

The ghost officials lined up, joyfully escorting Yang Nan down Qingbi Mountain, showering him with thanks before departing.

The lotus and butterfly spirits, witnessing Yang Nan’s command over the ghost officials and his divine power, felt uneasy about their new master. As mere spirits, their only skill was transformation; to have an immortal accept them was both a blessing and a mystery.

Yang Nan saw their unease and smiled. “Are you truly willing to follow me? If not, you can return to the mountain and cultivate. Remember, I can protect you once, but not forever.”

The butterfly spirit smiled softly, “Master, you marked our names off the soul ledger. From now on, we belong to you—our fate is in your hands, whether for good or ill.”

The lotus spirit, devoid of her usual fierceness, nodded sadly beside her, appearing utterly pitiful. Had Yang Nan not seen her stubbornness in Weiyang City, he might have believed her a delicate girl.

With the copper coin’s divine light, Yang Nan feared no mischief from the two spirits. Seeing the butterfly’s sincerity, he smiled. “I’m not an immortal—just a mortal on my way to Kunlun to seek a master. Whether I’ll become immortal is uncertain. If you regret your choice, I can settle you in a secluded valley, better than following me through hardship.”

The butterfly spirit smiled bitterly. Spirits like them were naturally under the mountain god’s jurisdiction. With their names erased from the ledger, without a master’s protection, any spirit could devour them without hesitation. Every mountain and river had its guardian; finding a safe haven was not as simple as Yang Nan implied.

With their names gone from the ledger, Qingbi Mountain could no longer shelter them. If Yang Nan refused them, their end would be swift and tragic.

“Master, we’ll follow you wherever you go, even unto death. Please don’t despise us!” The lotus spirit, though fearful, spoke boldly for her future.

She had no idea the radiant master was the very boy she’d met in the city. Even if she knew, she’d never dare be so bold again—descending to the mortal realm was a grave offense, and a hundred years in the divine prison would be unbearable. Following a cultivator was no hardship; Kunlun was rumored to be a paradise, rich in spiritual energy, and a century of cultivation there would surpass many elsewhere. Naturally, they wished to follow Yang Nan.

Yang Nan said nothing of their past encounter. Since he was determined to cultivate, taking two spirits as maids was no trouble. As he was about to speak, a thunderous sound echoed across the sky. He looked up to see a star streak across the heavens and fall westward, brilliant as a constellation, vanishing instantly. From the west came a faint rumble like thunder.

Yang Nan was shaken: “The Literary Star falls west, its sound like thunder! This is the omen of a great scholar’s death! Has Grandfather truly passed away?”

Among the scholars, only Grand Duke Yang Pu was worthy of the title. Such an ominous sign disturbed Yang Nan deeply, and he could not continue speaking with the spirits. He waved his hand, “You can’t follow me in your current form. I need to find a way to bring you along. Why don’t you return to the valley for now?”

Seeing her master’s grave expression, the lotus spirit hesitated before saying, “Master, you may not know—my true form is a jade lotus. I can shrink or expand, and when the lotus closes, I can hide Butterfly Sister inside. If you wear the lotus as a hairpin, we can stay with you.”

It was a convenient solution, but Yang Nan was in no mood to care. He waved impatiently, “Wait until I return to my mortal body, then we’ll speak again.”