Venturing into the Moon Spirit Butterfly’s territory was never part of Xi Ye’s original plan. However, testing the bumblebee’s concealment ability and confirming its effectiveness against the four-star Moon Spirit Butterfly made the trip worthwhile.

Having been away from the Half-Life Flower for too long, and having expended spiritual energy while evading the Moon Spirit Butterfly’s attack, the Thousand Thread Vine inside Xi Ye grew restless and agitated. Frowning, Xi Ye yearned to return quickly.

Shen Yi noticed his hesitation and anxiously clung to the spirit’s exposed neck, half-pleading and half-coaxing: “Since we’re already here, let’s just go check it out like I said, please, please~”

“There’s definitely something good. Last time I had this feeling, I found your spiritual flower.”

Shen Yi was always quick with sweet, appeasing words, and speaking through his chubby bumblebee shell made everything he said sound adorable: “Let’s go, let’s go, I’m begging you.”

“……”

Xi Ye turned his head and gave the fat bee clinging to his shoulder a strange look, pursed his lips reluctantly, and silently changed direction with Shen Yi.

Seeing the change in direction, Shen Yi knew he had agreed and happily wiggled his legs, his antennae perking up to point the way for the spirit: “This way, this way.”

He kept chattering assurances along the way: “You definitely won’t regret this.”

“Better not.” Today, he would probably have to endure the backlash of the Thousand Thread Vine again.

Seeing the spirit being so agreeable, Shen Yi couldn’t help but push for more benefits: “If there’s something good, can I have a share?”

As they flew, the giant trees around them began to thin out. A narrow stream wound upward through the low-lying terrain, looking increasingly familiar.

Xi Ye stopped flapping his wings and knit his brows: “Any further ahead is the Moon Spirit Butterfly’s territory. Even if there’s something good, it won’t be our turn.”

Shen Yi bent his antennae, also confused. He hadn’t expected the opportunity he sensed this time to be right in the Moon Spirit Butterfly’s valley. But the temptation to his soul was irresistible. Gazing toward the valley, he hesitated and tapped on Xi Ye’s shoulder: “Can’t you defeat it?”

Xi Ye let out a soft hum. Just as Shen Yi was about to suggest giving up, he suddenly took flight again: “Use your concealment ability to hide us. Let’s go take a look first.”

They had already tested that the bumblebee’s concealment could fool the Moon Spirit Butterfly, so just going to look shouldn’t be a problem.

Xi Ye warned uneasily: “No matter what you see later, don’t make a sound.”

Shen Yi nodded repeatedly. Even if Xi Ye hadn’t said it, he wouldn’t make the same mistake again.

As soon as they flew into the valley, Shen Yi instinctively spread his wings, but Xi Ye was the first to notice something unusual—the spiritual energy was denser than before.

The Phantom Insects that had gathered in the valley earlier had all disappeared, either having left the valley or been swallowed back into the Moon Spirit Butterfly’s stomach.

Shen Yi looked up and saw that the Moon Spirit Butterfly, which had originally been standing at the upper end of the pond, had moved to the center of the water. The moonlight cast an eerie glow over the lake surface.

The crescent-shaped pond was embedded in the valley, its surface reflecting mysteriously under the bright moonlight.

Shen Yi gazed obsessively toward the center of the pond. He had a premonition—the good thing was right there.

Had the Moon Spirit Butterfly sensed it too?

At that moment, the Moon Spirit Butterfly had fully extended its six tentacles. The tentacles writhed with lumpy, fleshy waves, clawing and spreading menacingly, faintly forming a cage-like barrier around itself—as if defending against something or guarding something.

A thought occurred to Xi Ye. Could it be—?

No sooner had the thought arisen than the lake surface suddenly rippled slightly. Something glowing faintly emerged from the water. Xi Ye reached out and pinched Shen Yi’s abdomen, signaling him to keep quiet, then quietly moved closer to the center of the lake with him.

About two meters away from the Moon Spirit Butterfly, Shen Yi glimpsed something through the gaps in the tentacles—a flower bud indescribable in words.

It glowed with fluorescence all over, or perhaps it was entirely composed of flowing light, hovering between illusion and reality, like something from a dream.

Xi Ye’s eyes widened in shock, his fingers unconsciously clenching into fists, his heartbeat suddenly accelerating.

It was a Lingyue Lotus.

Xi Ye instinctively turned his head, his gaze sweeping over the bee staring blankly on his shoulder. The birth of the Lingyue Lotus had no warning, no traces to follow, yet this fat bee had sensed it in advance.

The Lingyue Lotus was a companion organism of the Moon Spirit Butterfly, formed under extremely harsh conditions, only appearing where Moon Spirit Butterflies were present.

When Xi Ye was in the Flower Spirit Valley, there were many Moon Spirit Butterflies nearby, but he had never heard of any Lingyue Lotus growing there.

The Lingyue Lotus seemed to be born of heaven and earth, with flowers but no leaves. The bud grew and bloomed as if made of illusions and flowing light—intangible, untouchable, and easily disturbed—until it withered and bore fruit, turning from intangible to real, producing nine lotus seeds.

The seeds of the Lingyue Lotus were said to open channels of understanding and enlightenment. Legend had it that they could grant ordinary beasts spiritual awareness and intelligence, while spiritual beings who consumed them could enhance their aptitude.

Aside from these legendary effects, the seeds’ pure spiritual energy alone could cleanse the old injuries and hidden ailments in his body, helping him evolve to three stars or even further.

Xi Ye’s breathing grew rapid, his deep eyes fixed intently on the bud shrouded by tentacles, a determined glint flashing within.

Meanwhile, Shen Yi was also checking through the system.

“Moon Spirit Butterfly: Level 36”

“Lingyue Lotus (Orange): Growing state, not yet mature.”

Shen Yi secretly gasped. He had heard from the spirit that this Moon Spirit Butterfly was powerful, but he hadn’t expected its level to be so high.

He was only level 5 now, and the cocky spirit was only level 13. Shen Yi looked longingly at the radiant, extraordinary bud in the center of the lake, his heart aching as his antennae drooped.

In the system, the Lingyue Lotus’s name was displayed in orange. According to the quality color classification of white, green, blue, purple, orange, and gold, orange was at least legendary quality in a game. Shen Yi’s heart ached even more.

He took a breath and opened the details of the Lingyue Lotus. The description inside made Shen Yi unable to look away.

“Lingyue Lotus seeds, consumption can grant spiritual awareness and intelligence.”

If seeing the Moon Spirit Butterfly at level 36 had made Shen Yi completely give up any thought of snatching the prize, then after seeing the effects of the Lingyue Lotus seeds, Shen Yi began to feel restless again.

He moved closer to the spirit’s neck, his antennae lightly brushing against his chin, thick with implication.

—This guy must have also realized it was something good.

The Lingyue Lotus would take several hours to bloom and bear seeds. While waiting for the flower to open, Shen Yi racked his brains, almost listing all his abilities and weighing the possibility of seizing the seeds. After much thought, he couldn’t help but poke the system.

“System, do we have an inventory function?” If there was an inventory, he could use his mental energy to conceal himself, sneak close, store the seeds in the inventory, and then run. That should be feasible.

“No.”

“What kind of game doesn’t give players an inventory? When our fellow villagers are summoned over, where are they supposed to put the good stuff they find? They’re just little bees without even hands. Isn’t this going to kill player motivation?”

……

Shen Yi went on and on about the negative impact of not having an inventory on game development. The system seemed to stall, then finally spat out: “Host completes the Main Quest, system can update to include inventory function.”

Shen Yi checked the Main Quest—Expand the Bee Colony—Colony size: 11/1000.

It couldn’t be completed in a short time. He continued pestering the system: “Can’t you just give me the inventory function first? System, do you see that legendary-quality opportunity? What kind of dumb luck do you need to run into a legendary opportunity like this? If we just let it slip away, I’ll never sleep soundly for the rest of my life…”

“You and I are one. If I do well, you do well too…”

Amid Shen Yi’s incessant chatter, the system gradually fell silent, only responding with an ellipsis. Time passed unhurriedly into the later half of the night, and the Lingyue Lotus had fully bloomed.

The lotus petals, formed by flowing light, emanated a soft glow. The Moon Spirit Butterfly’s tentacles surrounding the blossom withdrew slightly, allowing the lotus to fully bathe in the moonlight.

The moonlight pouring down from the heavens seemed to favor this lotus in particular, as if giving it all its radiance.

Both Shen Yi and Xi Ye watched intently as the lotus petals unfurled. When the petals began to fall, Xi Ye quietly crept closer.

The withering petals were also precious, rich in spiritual energy and moonlight essence—great nourishment for the Moon Spirit Butterfly. Its six tentacles gently caught the falling petals and brought them to its mouth, where they dissolved into the purest spiritual energy. The Moon Spirit Butterfly stretched its body comfortably, unable to resist the soothing sensation.

As the last of the petals fell, the lotus seeds on the pod quietly ripened.