Early in the morning, around five o'clock, under the first rays of the sun.
Yu Xuan woke up, holding the golden silkworm, and walked out of his house. He looked up at the sky, still dark, though a faint light was slowly cutting through the endless darkness.
It was a beautiful and pleasing sight.
After spending five seconds admiring it, Yu Xuan stopped and placed the silkworm on the ground. He wasn't afraid it would run away; silkworms were incredibly slow. Even if he stood there for half an hour, the creature would move no more than a meter.
The little silkworm, as if aware of this fact, didn't even try to escape. It just stayed there, eyes fixed on the sky.
"Xiao Jin (Little Golden One), enjoy the sunlight until six o'clock," Yu Xuan said. He wasn't sure if he was following the refining process correctly. In his understanding, it meant to let the creature bask in the morning sun every day.
That was the most reasonable theory because he couldn't believe that Old Xuan would literally mean feeding it sunlight. If that were true, he might as well throw away the diary altogether.
Yu Xuan was aware of his own limitations, and one of them was his lack of understanding beyond what he could comprehend.
To tell him to "feed a silkworm with sunlight" literally was like telling him to cultivate on his own. It could take years, and he still wouldn't make progress. Even if he searched the entire library, he wouldn't find an answer. After all, the place where he lived was desolate in terms of cultivation.
"I hope I'm right… no, I am right. This hypothesis is irrefutable. If I'm wrong, I'll fail, and I'd have to wait four years to meet the cultivator, and probably even longer before I officially start cultivating, to see the diary again. If Old Xuan believes I can reach the peak, he wouldn't set me up to fail. And even if he did, he'd leave me a hint. After all, we're the same person. He knows my limits."
That was Yu Xuan's conviction. He believed he was on the correct path of refinement and was ninety percent confident. Sitting on the doorstep, he waited an hour, watching with his bare eyes as day slowly painted over the night.
"The mortal world truly is beautiful. It wouldn't be bad to live like this every day, enjoying nature. But unfortunately, the simplicity of things never lasts. Perhaps someone thought the same, eight hundred and thirty-six years ago, only to witness a disaster. Could history repeat itself? I don't want to lose everything again."
Yu Xuan wanted to become strong to prevent disasters, protect his peaceful life and future karma, and safeguard those who supported him. He didn't want to lose anyone ever again.
"Life is bitter," Yu Xuan murmured into the emptiness, knowing that all tranquility was fleeting. He turned his gaze toward Xiao Jin, whose color now shone brighter than before. "Now that I think about it, when I first picked you up, it was around five in the afternoon, wasn't it?"
Yu Xuan touched his chin. "So Xiao Jin likes the beginning and end of the sun? Interesting. Maybe I should bathe him in sunlight both in the early morning and late afternoon. Would the result be better?"
His instinct told him yes. That decision would bring no regrets, only joy.
"One month to find the Green Butterfly. They usually grow in groves. I won't find one in a day, maybe not even in a week. It could take even longer. But I'll persist until the end. Diligence pays off."
Standing up from the doorstep, Yu Xuan picked up Xiao Jin again and went back inside. Moments later, he placed him under the jar once more, then headed toward a warehouse.
Under the gray sky, the streets were lively, filled with children heading to school, some walking and others accompanied by their parents. A typical morning scene.
Yu Xuan, observing it all, had a gentle smile on his lips, finding the start of the day quite lively. Continuing to walk at a slow pace, he waved several times to the children and parents who greeted him, exchanging polite words.
Twenty minutes later, he arrived at a rectangular building painted green. Upon entering, he saw shelves stocked with various items and, up ahead, a counter.
Behind the table was a beautiful woman with black hair and crimson eyes, covering her mouth as she let out a tired yawn.
Hearing footsteps approaching, she turned toward the sound and was surprised to see Yu Xuan. In her understanding, that boy rarely woke up before eight ever since finishing school.
"Xiao Xuan, what's gotten into you today?" she asked curiously.
"I'm not little anymore." Yu Xuan shook his head in disapproval.
Yu Xianan laughed at his reaction. "You'll always be a baby to me. So, what brings you here? Missed your sister's pampering? You came at the right time, since it's early morning, no one's going to show up here."
Yu Xuan rolled his eyes at first, then smiled. Reaching out his right hand, he gently touched her chin. "Want to test me?"
That provocation made Xianan sigh. "My baby really has grown up. Time flies so fast."
She sighed again, realizing that the little boy who used to call her big sister was now old enough to tease her. "What do you want, Devil Xuan?"
Yu Xuan fell silent, but deep down, he liked that new title far more than "Xiao." It sounded much better.
"Give me a racket and a Nature Powder."
"Hmm..." Xianan looked Yu Xuan up and down after hearing his request, curious but professional enough not to ask questions. "Ten silver coins."
"If you give it for free, I'll tell you what I'm going to do," Yu Xuan said, noticing the curiosity in her eyes and making an offer.
"Scammer. Fine, I'll let it slide. What are you planning?" Xianan asked, intrigued. Those were rather unusual items to buy.
"Nothing much, I'm just going to hunt a Green Butterfly. How about coming with me? Two people from opposite sectors wandering in a forest sounds interesting, doesn't it?"
"You're feeling cheeky today, huh?" Xianan gave him a threatening look. She wasn't truly angry; she just wanted to keep her authority as the respected older sister.
"Weren't you the one who said you wanted to pamper me? Such a cruel sister."
"I meant with sweets, you brat!" She understood his double meaning. "Anyway, back to the previous topic, why are you hunting a Green Butterfly? For fun?"
Yu Xuan didn't answer immediately. He only gave an indescribable smile. "I'm a merchant, greedy for everything. If you want to know, you'll have to give me something of equal value."
"And how much is a sister's pampering worth?"
"In what sense? Feeding me sweets like a child, or a different kind of sweet, one literally made by the sister herself?"
"Yu Xuan!" Yu Xianan blushed furiously at those words. Even though she was older, it was embarrassing. That meaning... he did mean that, didn't he?
"Pervert."
"What? I just wanted my big sister to make a dew pollen candy for me. Green butterflies love it, and it's easier to attract them that way. What was sister thinking?" Yu Xuan feigned innocence.