Zhuang Sheng’s Dawn Dream, Bewitched by Butterflies, Part 3

Yun Yao hadn’t expected that a world-destroying demon who treated immortal maidens’ lives like grass would seek the Wheel of Reincarnation merely to revive one person.
Could it be… he wanted to bring back an even more terrifying demon?

The thought made her shudder.

She instinctively covered her wrist. “Reviving is possible, but not now.”

“Why not?” The demon’s gaze darkened, and Yun Yao had no doubt that a single wrong word could reduce her to ash in his flames.

“The Wheel is dormant,” she said truthfully. “Its true master is one of the Three Saints, the lord of the Fate Palace, who’s currently missing. A sacred artifact like this isn’t something a minor immortal like me can control. ‘Managing’ it is more like caretaking. If it doesn’t want to wake, I can’t force it.”

“How long until it wakes?”

“I… don’t know…”
Yun Yao cautiously glanced at his expression.
As expected, he stared coldly at her wrist, as if debating whether to steam or braise it.

“But rest assured, Great Immortal,” she straightened, her voice confident, “the moment it shows signs of waking, I’ll be the first to know and inform you immediately!”

“Is that so?”

“Yes, yes, yes!”
She nodded vigorously, her sincerity palpable.

The demon regarded her coldly, then after a few breaths, his lips curved into a faint, emotionless smile.
“Very well.”

Yun Yao’s shoulders sagged, about to exhale in relief.

Then his languid voice continued, “In that case, until it wakes, you’ll stay by my side, never leaving.”

“…” Yun Yao turned, stunned. “?”

Wait.
That wasn’t the deal—

“Any objections?” His voice was hoarse, his glance heavy with menace, flames surging.

She swallowed her refusal. “None, none at all.”

His killing intent melted like snow.

Seemingly weary, he strode through the blood and debris, his trailing flames incinerating everything in his path, leaving no trace—not even a wisp of aura.

Such thorough erasure was chilling.

Yun Yao watched, her heart trembling.
Even the fabled extraterrestrial demons shouldn’t wield such annihilating power.
Who *was* he?

Mulling over his unpredictable moods, she cautiously followed, testing, “May I ask, Great Immortal, who is it you wish to revive?”

He had settled into the Green Wood Divine Lord’s seat.
At her question, he lifted his eyelids, his dark gaze lingering on her for a long time.

That look sent shivers down her spine.

It felt as though he saw her but looked past her, toward someone beyond endless time.

Could it be the person he’d shouted about while choking her?
Was she so unlucky as to resemble this demon’s great demoness?

Lost in thought, she saw him lower his gaze from the throne. He raised a hand from his black sleeve, revealing pale fingers that slowly unfurled.
Light warped and bent above his palm, and a flower bloomed in the void.

Yun Yao recognized it—a mortal realm lotus, a common pink-and-white bloom.
If anything set it apart, it was the faint purple tint at the petal edges.

Puzzled, she suddenly noticed something, her pupils narrowing as she stared at the lotus’s core.
Within it lay a faint, nearly dissipated divine consciousness.

“What… is this?” she asked instinctively.

“It’s the last trace of her consciousness she left me,” he said, leaning back, his tone half-joking yet laced with gritted teeth. “She taught me to discern good from evil, loyalty from betrayal, urging me to turn back from the abyss, lay down my blade, and become a saint…”
It was unclear if it was hatred or trembling in his voice.

Yun Yao felt a jolt of shock.

Given the overwhelming killing intent and death aura around him—built from countless slaughters—and his casual crushing of an immortal maiden like an ant… whoever left this consciousness must’ve died with eyes wide open in regret.

Yet, inexplicably, she asked, “Did you… follow her teachings?”

“…”

Mu Hanyuan raised his eyes slowly. “I slaughtered everyone in Floating Jade Palace she warned me against, leaving none alive… But it wasn’t enough. Not nearly enough.”
“The immortal realm forbade me from speaking her name, from visiting her peak or cave—they *defiled* her!”
“So I killed them all. What use were they?”

“…”

Facing his hoarse, frenzied expression, Yun Yao’s heart ached with a strange bitterness.
She didn’t know why she felt this way.

Perhaps… as a minor immortal of the Fate Palace, it was her first time encountering such a boundless, sin-soaked demon.

As she pondered, a terrifying aura locked onto her.
She looked up, meeting his intense, bone-deep gaze.
With a flick of his fingers, the pink-white lotus floated toward her.

She stiffened, wanting to retreat but unable to move.

The lotus stopped before her.
Mu Hanyuan stared at it unblinkingly.

Its core, holding the consciousness, glowed faintly, nearly piercing his dark eyes.

He didn’t notice.
A golden mark on Yun Yao’s brow flickered briefly before fading. Simultaneously, the lotus’s glowing core dimmed again, sinking back into silence.

“…”

His eyes darkened with it, his expression twisting as if a fleeting hope had vanished like a mirage.
His murderous gaze fixed on her.

He wanted to kill her.

Why?
Because she wasn’t the one he’d waited countless years for?

Yun Yao was surprised to find her sadness outweighed her fear. From the moment the lotus appeared, she’d felt an inexplicable sorrow.

“…It’s been too long since I dreamed of her. Even such unrealistic delusions arise.”
His killing intent faded.
Leaning back, he glanced coldly at the frail maiden kneeling from his loosened flames. “How could you be her?”

Yun Yao struggled to her feet.

“Why not call for help?” Mu Hanyuan asked coldly. “This time, I didn’t seal your mouth.”

“What’s the use?”
Her voice was oddly cold.
He seemed startled, his gaze lingering on her, a childlike confusion flickering as if lost in fog.

…She was mad.

Yun Yao bit her tongue, the pain snapping her back.
A ruthless, world-destroying demon—she must be insane to pity him.

Cursing herself inwardly, she forced a smile to shift his focus. “So, the person you want me to revive is the owner of this lotus’s consciousness?”

“…Yes.”
Mu Hanyuan’s eyes darkened, leaning back. “Stop calling me Great Immortal.”

She grinned. “Great—”

“One more time,” he mocked coldly, “and I’ll kill another in the immortal realm.”

Yun Yao: “…”
Heartless, murderous demon.
Just wait—you’ll get your retribution!

Swallowing her pride, she forced a smile. “Then… how should I address you?”

His gaze wavered.
Staring at her all-too-familiar face, he seemed lost in madness, diving headlong into a doomed path.
“Mu Hanyuan.”

“What?” Yun Yao blinked.

“My name,” he said, rising from the throne. His black robes swept over the gilded chair carved with Kunlun divine wood, trailing across the jade steps as he approached her and stopped.
His cold fingers lifted her chin, forcing her to look up.
“…She gave it to me.”

Yun Yao shivered.

She instinctively tried to pull away, and surprisingly, she succeeded.

“Ha, haha,” facing his darkening gaze, she forced a laugh. “What a refined couple…”

“And you?” Mu Hanyuan stared coldly. “What’s your name?”

She smiled ingratiatingly. “In the immortal realm, only divine lords and high immortals have names worth spreading. Me? I’m just number three hundred seventy-two among the Fate Palace’s maidens. If you must call me, Three-Seven-Two will do.”

—As if she’d give her real name.
In the immortal realm, ancient spells could bind one’s soul through their true name. Even for the Three Saints or Five Lords, a leaked name could be fatal, let alone a fragile maiden like her!

Seeing his displeasure, she quickly changed the subject. “Where is the body or soul of this lotus’s owner?”

His eyes grew menacing. “Why do you ask?”

“Well…” She forced a smile. “If you want me to revive her, I need something to work with.”

His gaze chilled further. “Can’t the Wheel revive the dead, restore flesh?”

“It needs a ‘dead’ to revive or ‘bones’ to restore!”
Yun Yao’s temper flared.
Then, under his terrifyingly murderous stare, she trembled, a sudden realization hitting her. “Unless… her owner… only has this tiny bit of consciousness left?!”

“…”

“No way.”
She finally snapped. “Even if the Wheel were active, what am I supposed to revive? A single wisp of consciousness isn’t even a soul! If her body and soul are gone, are you sure she hasn’t already reincarnated, maybe cycling through the Netherworld eight hundred times?”

She vented her fear, anger, and shock in one breath.

Only after did she realize that not just her life, but half the immortal realm, was in this demon’s hands until the Three Saints intervened.
She should’ve been more cautious…

Wary, she glanced up to gauge his reaction.

To her surprise, he wasn’t angry.
His eyes held only a cold, desolate emptiness, as if carved by countless cuts. “Then use the Wheel to trace her soul through this wisp.”

“What if she’s in the Netherworld?”

“Then I’ll go there,” Mu Hanyuan said, his voice calm yet frenzied, “and bring her soul back.”

Yun Yao gasped. “Do you know how grave a crime it is to snatch a soul from the Netherworld, defying the rules of the Three Realms and heaven itself? The Netherworld governs countless souls. One mistake—”

“Even if the Netherworld collapses,” he turned, his eyes blood-red, lips parting lightly, “I won’t care.”

Yun Yao: “…”

Where were the Three Saints and Five Lords? A demon was about to end the world—didn’t they care??

No matter how she called for them in her heart, not even the likely-fled Green Wood Divine Lord responded. The Eight Divine Lords might as well be dead.
The fragile maiden could only wipe her face in despair.

Taking a deep breath, she forced a smile. “Great… I mean, Lord Demon, you don’t understand. Though the immortal realm is first among the Three Realms, we’re still bound by heaven’s laws and can’t act freely.”

Mu Hanyuan glanced at her. “Is that so?”
He clearly didn’t believe a word.

“Really! I swear on heaven’s lightning! Everyone in the immortal realm knows only the Three Saints can borrow their power to open a path to the Netherworld.”
She paused.
“Even for them, entering the Netherworld risks certain death—body destroyed, soul scattered.”

His gaze lingered on her face. “The Three Saints?”

“Yes.”

Since the mountain wouldn’t come to him, she’d send him to the mountain.

With a guileless smile, she deflected, “Origin, Transcendence, Calamity—the Three Saints of the immortal realm. Origin, the true master of the Wheel, governs life and creation. Transcendence oversees the salvation of the Three Realms. Calamity rules sin and punishment.”

“Only a Saint can open the Netherworld’s path?”

“Yes.”
She nodded righteously. “If you don’t believe me, ask around. It’s common knowledge in the immortal realm.”

“Very well.”
Mu Hanyuan turned, striding toward the hall’s exit—

“Then I’ll kill one of the Saints and take their place.”