CHAPTER 405: CHAPTER 360 THE PATTERN

In the cold winter season, frost-laden silver trees stood stark against the landscape, and the sky was swept by howling wind and snow.

The weather was extremely harsh, so cold that the people of LuoYing City found it difficult to venture outdoors.

Yet Hua Menghuang, too, had finally found a long-awaited moment of respite.

She was dressed in a pink fox-fur hat and a brocade robe, looking as adorable as a rosy-cheeked doll, seemingly unaffected by the slightest chill.

Compared to the previous cold winter, her living conditions had improved by leaps and bounds, a complete reversal of fortune.

Inside the warmth of the cottage, Hua Menghuang sat on a carved wooden chair, her small feet dangling as she read aloud from a book, shaking her head rhythmically:

"Saints, too, attain knowledge through learning; all people, too, attain knowledge through living...

"One must be tempered by trials to stand firm; only then can one be composed in stillness and steady in motion..."

The crisp and clear sound of her reading echoed from her lips.

Even though the Butterfly Sword Martial Saint had given her a rare day off, she did not slacken her efforts but instead held herself to even stricter standards.

Outside the cottage, the Butterfly Sword Martial Saint had just arrived when she heard Hua Menghuang reading aloud.

Stopping outside the door for a moment, a satisfied smile graced the Butterfly Sword Martial Saint’s beautiful face.

Menghuang isn’t doing this for show; she truly recognizes her own weaknesses and is genuinely motivated!

With that thought, she gently pushed the wooden door and entered.

"Great Master!" Hua Menghuang hurriedly put down her book and respectfully saluted the Butterfly Sword Martial Saint, her pink fox-fur hat quivering.

"Hehe, Menghuang is really diligent," the Butterfly Sword Martial Saint said gently, caressing Hua Menghuang’s small head and leading her back to the carved wooden chair.

"However, as one of the nine Great Dream Seeds, you must not only compete with the other eight seeds but also engage in deadly combat with the grievously sinful Demon Clan at Xuan Guangqiao. It’s good to be diligent."

"Yes, I understand," Hua Menghuang replied crisply, her demeanor serious, like a miniature adult.

After days of tutelage from the Butterfly Sword Martial Saint, Hua Menghuang had come to understand the responsibilities resting on her shoulders.

But far from feeling afraid, she even felt that all of this was perfectly normal.

If the Butterfly Sword Martial Saint had treated her so well for no reason, she would have been utterly terrified.

After all, in the past, she had merely been an orphan, as insignificant as a weed...

Things were much better now, and she was very grateful to the Butterfly Sword Martial Saint, whom she regarded as a mother!

"I believe in you," the Butterfly Sword Martial Saint said tenderly, taking Hua Menghuang’s small hand. As they flew out, she continued, "The second master I’ve invited for you, that figure akin to a Scholar Sword Immortal, is about to arrive..."

"Really?" Hua Menghuang suddenly looked up, her eyes sparkling.

The Butterfly Sword Martial Saint’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled and nodded lightly.

And this made Hua Menghuang even more excited.

Under the Butterfly Sword Martial Saint’s influence these past days, Hua Menghuang had also gained a certain understanding of Hong Yuan.

The more she learned, the more formidable Hong Yuan seemed to her, almost like a deity.

What a blessing it would be to be taught by such a Transcendent figure!

「 」

The snowstorm raged, the Cold Wind bit at the skin, and great snowflakes filled the sky.

Heaven and earth seemed to merge, a vast expanse of white that blurred one’s vision.

The trees were bare, and the mountains were robed in white; everything appeared desolate and frozen.

WHOOSH...

WHOOSH... WHOOSH...

The Butterfly Sword Martial Saint and Hua Menghuang had just arrived at Linxi Mountain when they encountered the raging blizzard.

Experiencing such a terrifying natural calamity up close, Hua Menghuang shivered, her small hands turning ice-cold.

"Menghuang, don’t be scared," the Butterfly Sword Martial Saint said gently, gripping Hua Menghuang’s small hand. "Sometimes, borrowing strength from the situation can also be a part of your power."

A burst of fire ignited before the Butterfly Sword Martial Saint, swirling around them to form a red protective ward. Within it, the silhouettes of many beautiful butterflies danced.

Hua Menghuang stared blankly as the violent blizzard rushed toward them, only to watch it gradually dissipate against the red protective ward.

As this happened, her eyes grew increasingly bright.

Is this the kind of power I, too, can wield one day? Hua Menghuang wondered, instinctively looking up at her master, the Butterfly Sword Martial Saint.

She saw the Butterfly Sword Martial Saint gazing into the distance, her lovely face filled with tenderness.

Master looks especially beautiful today, even more so than usual. Has she put on makeup? Hua Menghuang suddenly wondered, though she wasn’t sure why the thought occurred to her.

Following the Butterfly Sword Martial Saint’s gaze, she looked ahead and was instantly aghast.

For ahead of them raged an even more violent and ferocious hurricane!

Dark clouds gathered, heavy snow swirled, and the earth appeared cracked and barren. Mournful wails echoed through the air, unsettling the heart and mind.

In this utterly dreadful environment, a figure in green robes calmly emerged from the ferocious hurricane, as if strolling through snow in search of plum blossoms!

He was tall and lean, with a handsome face, and his eyes were as tranquil as a deep pool.

At this moment, dressed in a green robe with one hand behind his back, he exuded an air of refined elegance and detachment. As he walked, the wind stilled and the clouds paused.

"Limin, I’m here," Hong Yuan said with a gentle smile. "This must be Menghuang, right? She’s truly an adorable child."

Hong Yuan bent down to meet Hua Menghuang’s gaze.

He reached out and gently patted her pink fox-fur hat.

"Hehe, Qing, you’re finally here," the Butterfly Sword Martial Saint said with a radiant smile. "Menghuang, this is your second master. Doesn’t he look just like a Scholar Sword Immortal? Do you like him?"

Hua Menghuang nodded dazedly.

She was still captivated by Hong Yuan’s extraordinary and otherworldly entrance.

Amazing, truly amazing! I’ve never seen anyone so incredible in my entire life!