Can a Scholar Be Called a Villain

Chapter 102: Butterflys death, Comets advent

Murong Lin’s presence returned once again to the Merry Forest, but this time, he diverted his attention to the bustling casino within its confines. Instead of venturing outward, he engaged in a card game, immersing himself in the fast-paced atmosphere.

Inside, time moved at an exhilarating pace. Losses materialized in the blink of an eye, and wins were equally swift. Money changed hands so swiftly that it barely had a chance to feel the warmth of its possessor’s touch before vanishing into the depths of chance.

Yet, despite the relentless ebb and flow of fortune, the thrill remained undiminished. It was the sheer excitement of it all, the intoxicating dance with chance, that captivated its patrons.

Murong Lin, too, quickly lost the money he had brought with him. Instead of using his formidable cultivation to cheat others, he walked out of the casino, taking in the surroundings with an air of boredom. Then, a figure caught his eye, and a faint smile curved his lips.

It was Lu Man Tian.

Old Bo’s dependable right-hand man, the uncle of Lu Xiang Chuan—a ruthless middle-aged individual.

The term “ruthless” rather than “cruel” aptly described him. He had the audacity to betray Old Bo, but regrettably, his strength was lacking.

He strolled across the bridge spanning the small river toward Gao Lao Da’s residence, twirling two iron balls in his grasp.

Murong Lin was well aware of the plot’s current progression.

His own intervention had prevented Han Tang’s death by the riverside. Consequently, he couldn’t predict the potential butterfly effect of this change.

What Murong Lin was certain of was that tonight, Lu Man Tian would likely meet his demise.

As expected, the news that circulated the following morning was of Shi Qun’s supposed successful assassination of Han Tang, only for him to be effortlessly slain by Old Bo with a single blow.

Lu Man Tian’s death was announced, and it was allegedly committed in collaboration with the assassin to inflict further harm upon Old Bo.

Within the Merry Forest, Murong Lin sat, his senses attuned to the Blood Bat Locusts under his command:

Ye Xiang’s swarm had been depleted by half, and he was presently occupied with regaining his strength.

Xiao Die’s swarm had only recently begun its growth and appeared to be prospering.

Three individuals had stealthily ventured toward the borders to secretly build their strength before exacting their revenge.

The remaining four others had seemingly disappeared without a trace.

Murong Lin gathered the scattered Blood Bat Locusts in the vicinity, keeping them within the bounds of the Merry Forest to nurture them. The outcome was dire, as humans soon detected the presence of the Blood Bat Locusts and hastily initiated their extermination within the forest.

Meanwhile, Meng Xing Hun emerged from his seclusion, and with a single swing of his sword, he managed to eliminate thousands of Blood Bat Locusts.

Meng Xing Hun’s sword technique was like a comet, brief but devastating, and it made a profound impression even on Murong Lin. This technique seemed to be a perfect counter to Murong Lin’s ‘Dark Sky Style’.

Truly, it was no surprise that he was a protagonist.

Murong Lin smiled wryly as he directed the surviving Blood Bat Locusts to flee. In truth, these creatures had lost their significance to him.

Once more, Murong Lin departed from the Merry Forest, journeying east to reunite with his own horde of Blood Bat Locusts.

Murong Lin observed his Blood Bat Locusts approaching from a distance, a joyful smile gracing his lips. Their feeding frenzy on the small island in the sea had bolstered their strength significantly, with even the Sky Reaching realm locusts growing in number.

As they neared the eastern port, what initially seemed like dark clouds turned into a horrifying reality as the terrifying locusts descended upon them.

In a scene of terror and chaos, the entire sky was obscured by the swarm’s dark mass. Twenty-some groups, each led by a Sky Reaching realm locust, launched a ferocious attack on the port. The unfortunate people below were met with a merciless onslaught, and despite their cries, curses, escapes and futile attempts at resistance, not a single survivor emerged from the devastation.

All except for Murong Lin.

Murong Lin stood amidst the ruins of the port, a witness to the aftermath of the devastating onslaught. Once the locusts had consumed everything in their path, he redirected them northward, where more chaos awaited.

This time, he chose not to hide in the shadows. He was no longer content with pulling the strings from behind the scenes. Instead, he walked boldly into a city and approached its most formidable first-rate expert, Bao Bu Fan, known as the ‘Cloud-Swallowing Leopard’.

Bao Bu Fan couldn’t discern Murong Lin’s true intentions as the infamous young man stood before him, he was unsure of whether he harboured goodwill or malice in his approach.

However, his confusion was short-lived.

Murong Lin swung his blade with deadly precision, executing the ‘Sky Net Style’ and ‘Catastrophe Style’ in swift succession, beheading Bao Bu Fan. In the wake of this brutal act, the entire city fell prey to the ravaging Blood Bat Locusts, leaving nothing but desolation in their wake.

After the Blood Bat Locusts had completed the arduous task of consuming the large city, their numbers and strength grew exponentially, reaching an astounding fivefold increase. Murong Lin guided this now-mighty swarm toward the next city on their path of destruction.

As they journeyed, the vast forest teeming with wildlife fell victim to their insatiable appetite. The locusts devoured everything in their path, leaving behind nothing but desolation and ruin. Even the once-lush earth was overturned, exposing only barren wasteland.

This relentless devastation was the true calamity that swept through the land.

Meanwhile, Old Bo had fallen victim to the schemes of Lu Xiang Chuan and had been forced to flee, his whereabouts unknown.

His trusted right-hand man, Yi Qian Long, had vanished without a trace, leaving him utterly devoid of any reliable allies.

Even though Lu Xiang Chuan had been secretly plotting against Old Bo, he couldn’t officially seize the vast network of power and resources that Old Bo had held. The true extent of Old Bo’s influence remained a well-guarded secret, known only to the man himself.

When Lu Xiang Chuan received the alarming news about the worsening situation in the south, his face contorted with concern. The northern region was fortunate to have the Wan Roc King overseeing the control of the Blood Bat Locust plague, but the southern territories were spiralling into chaos. Three southern cities had already succumbed to this devastating calamity.

Lu Xiang Chuan hurriedly began consolidating the remnants of Old Bo’s influence, all the while gearing up to defend against the relentless onslaught of the Blood Bat Locusts.

But he would soon realise that he had gravely underestimated the gravity of the situation.

The next time he succumbed to the lure of alcohol and staggered toward Xiao Die with ill intentions, an unexpected sight met his eyes: her smile.

It was a smile he hadn’t witnessed in years.

For a man as suspicious and vigilant as he was, alarm bells immediately rang in his mind. Instinctively, he unleashed the concealed arsenal of hidden weapons that adorned his body. But even with the countless number of hidden weapons covering his body, he proved powerless against the relentless onslaught of Blood Bat Locusts that filled the house.

Struggling to retain his footing, he staggered out of the building, mustering the strength of the Sky Reaching realm to push back the encroaching swarm. But even his formidable powers couldn’t stave off the overwhelming tide of locusts.

Desperate, he called upon his subordinates, yet only one heeded his summons—an assassin. A figure he knew all too well, for it was the very person who had made an attempt on his life that night.

In a fit of madness, Lu Xiang Chuan’s sanity crumbled.

Xiao Die had betrayed him!

With a wild surge of strength, he unleashed his Sky Reaching realm power, feverishly suppressing the assassin known as Ye Xiang, whose eyes burned with a fiery intensity. Ye Xiang was also driven by the desire to kill Lu Xiang Chuan—the very devil who had subjected his beloved to ceaseless, nightmarish torment.

In a frenzied clash, the two engaged in a savage struggle.

Ye Xiang harnessed his strength as Xiao Die commanded the Blood Bat Locusts under her control to attack, launching a relentless assault against Lu Xiang Chuan.

Lu Xiang Chuan’s appearance deteriorated into a state of wretchedness. Locusts clung to his clothes, stubbornly refusing to relinquish their grip even in death. His attire was quickly reduced to tatters, exposing his flesh and blood to the relentless onslaught of the swarm.

Overwhelmed by fury, Lu Xiang Chuan made a final desperate attempt to strike at Xiao Die in his rage. Ye Xiang tried to stop him, but it was far too late, and he had no other choice but to block the attack with his own body.

He shielded Xiao Die, his body absorbing the full impact of Lu Xiang Chuan’s hidden weapon, which pierced through his heart.

Even with the tens of thousands of Blood Bat Locusts providing cover, they proved powerless to shield against the venomous force of Lu Xiang Chuan’s hate-fueled attack.

Lu Xiang Chuan’s eyes bore into Xiao Die, a venomous expression etched on his face. As his body became a feast for the Blood Bat Locusts, he watched as she pulled the dying man into her embrace.

Xiao Die looked at the man who was slowly dying in her arms, but she couldn’t recognise who he was, and she couldn’t understand why he had sacrificed his life to save her.

Ye Xiang fought to open his eyes, a bitter smile playing upon his lips. He had anticipated that Xiao Die wouldn’t recognize him. As an assassin, only a handful of individuals knew his identity.

Pity filled Xiao Die’s gaze once more, akin to the mist that veils a tranquil lake – sombre, yet hauntingly beautiful.

“My name is Ye Xiang,” he managed to utter, blood and fragments of his organs accompanying his words as they flowed from his mouth. With that, he breathed his last.

A man who had spent his life evading his emotions, terrified of acknowledging them, had drifted through existence in a haze of intoxication. Now, in his final moments, he had finally spoken to the woman he held dear.

It was a pity that this was his first sentence to her, and it was his last.

Xiao Die clung to Ye Xiang’s lifeless body, her heart heavy with confusion over the depth of his feelings for her.

Above them, the Blood Bat Locusts continued their relentless dance through the sky, but not one of them harmed this butterfly.

If the beauty of this butterfly was indeed a sin, then perhaps Ye Xiang’s sacrifice had, in its own tragic way, proved its value.

Xiao Die had, at last, found someone who truly loved her.

Tears streamed down her face as she clung to his lifeless form, and in that desolate moment, she chose to end her own life.

By the time Meng Xing Hun arrived, all he saw was the haunting sight of the woman he loved, lifeless and embracing his dearest friend in death.

A solitary comet streaked across the sky.

Down on the earth, a butterfly fluttered slowly.

Translator’s note

Comet = Meng Xing Hun, Butterfly = Xiao Die.

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