Chapter 186: with translation of chapter title

At twenty-nine, the crystal orchid was harvested back, Uncle Huo opened a prescription, and the flower worm medicine inside Tang Ao's body cured the illness.

So when we video-called on the first day of the lunar new year, Tang Tang's mood was still very good.

But that evening, Tang Xun collapsed.

Recently, Tang Tang has been exhausted from caring for Tang Xun and looking for people to save her, so she rarely checks her phone, which is why she missed my message.

No matter how arrogant Tang Ao may be, in front of Tang Xun he has always been a loyal and humble brother.

This time Tang Xun got into trouble because of him, and Tang Ao has become completely listless.

After figuring out the ins and outs of the matter, I said, 'First take me to see Aunt Tang, then we can think of a countermeasure after that.'

Tang Tang replied, 'Okay.'

I and Li Qingying went up first, while Liu Junyan and Hui Moqiong chatted with Tang Ao in the living room, further learning about that painting and the details of his worm affliction.

Tang Tang pushed open Tang Xun's bedroom door, and inside, a piercing Yin Cold Qi rushed toward us.

Although the weather was still cold after the new year, it wasn't this extremely Yin Cold.

I immediately furrowed my brows.

Tang Xun's room is quite large, but its furnishings are very simple.

Only a bedside lamp was lit in the room; on the large bed, Tang Xun slept deeply, motionless.

Tang Tang led us over and said, 'No need to be so careful; ordinary noises won't wake Aunt.'

She said this, reaching out to pull back the blanket covering Tang Xun and lifting the hem of her clothing at her lower back.

Tang Xun often runs outdoors, is a martial practitioner, has a slender yet strong waist, and her figure is excellent.

At this moment, on her lower back, a large black butterfly pattern almost covered her entire lower back; reflecting the lamp light, the surface of the black butterfly seemed to flash with a layer of iridescent light.

"What a beautiful iridescent black." Li Qingying exclaimed.

Indeed, it was stunning.

But the more beautiful something is, sometimes the more dangerous it becomes.

This black butterfly pattern was not tattooed by Tang Xun herself; it suddenly appeared on her lower back, which is too strange.

Tang Tang said sadly, 'At first it was only the size of a fingernail, which Aunt discovered while bathing; before she could have someone look at it, it grew more than ten times larger overnight, and Aunt began to fall into unconsciousness.'

I frowned tightly and asked, 'Has Aunt Tang not awakened since the night of the first day of the lunar new year?'

'No.' Tang Tang said, 'Uncle Huo came to take her pulse; it was steady and strong, not like that of an illness, yet no matter how we tried we couldn't wake her; Aunt's condition is as if she has fallen into an endless dream.'

Her vital signs are normal, yet she won't wake up—what is going on?

Uncle Huo's medical skill is beyond doubt; if even he cannot wake Tang Xun, then most hospitals would surely be helpless.

"I have looked through many materials and also indirectly asked my mentor; regarding this butterfly, I ultimately obtained an answer that is not very certain." Tang Tang continued, 'If nothing unexpected happens, this should be a Ghost King Butterfly.'

"Ghost King Butterfly?" I asked doubtfully, "I have only heard of the Ghost-Faced Butterfly."

The so-called Ghost-Faced Butterfly is a kind of butterfly that has a small ghost-like face on its head; it is not the same as the one on Aunt Tang's lower back.

Tang Tang shook her head: "I had never heard of it before either; my mentor said he once saw a similar record in a tomb-raiding wild history, which stated that during the Tang dynasty there was a grave robber who, while exploring an ancient tomb, had a black butterfly with shimmering iridescent light land on his shoulder."

Soon after returning home, that grave robber died of no apparent illness, and after his death, his body developed a butterfly mark identical to that black butterfly.

The wild history says that the Ghost King Butterfly is formed from the resentment of a Ghost King; the grave robber disturbed the Ghost King's tomb and incurred the Ghost King's curse, which led to all of this.

Upon first hearing this tomb-raiding wild history, it indeed shares some similarities with Aunt Tang's experience.

Aunt Tang harvested the crystal orchid from an ancient tomb; who was the owner of that tomb?

Could it also be related to a Ghost King or something similar?

Could the Ghost King Butterfly also be the so-called Ghost King's curse?

Although it sounds absurd at first, upon closer thought everything inexplicably makes sense.

Tang Tang continued, 'My mentor said he will continue searching all ancient texts for records of the Ghost King Butterfly and will also consult his knowledgeable friends, but so far there has been no progress.'

After hearing Tang Tang's words, we momentarily didn't know what to say.

She had already done everything she could to make the necessary efforts.

But the results were minimal.

In this silence, Tang Tang suddenly muttered something softly.

Although her voice was very soft, I still heard it.

She said, "Xiao Jiu, if it comes to the worst, in order to save Aunt's life, is it possible to pawn this Ghost King Butterfly at Dang Pu?"

I can empathize with Tang Tang's state of mind right now.

Lying on the bed is the person she loves most and who dotes on her the most—her aunt.

Tang Xun is like a stabilizing divine needle for the Tang Family; with her present, the Tang Family has full confidence.

Once she collapses, the Tang Family…

For me, Tang Xun has saved me many times, treats me well, and is an old friend of Feng Wu.

Both emotionally and rationally, I should not stand by idly.

But the problem now is, even if I can grit my teeth and take on this job, how am I to remove this Ghost King Butterfly from Tang Xun's body?

Even if I shave off this layer of skin on Tang Xun's lower back, would that completely eradicate the Ghost King Butterfly mark from her?

If I shave off one layer, what if another grows back?

I raised my hand and firmly pinched my brow, about to say something to Tang Tang.

On the bed, Tang Xun suddenly showed movement.

She writhed uneasily, her right hand making small motions, her lips moving; I had to lean in to hear clearly, she was softly shouting, 'Don't touch me! Stay away from me!'

She seemed to be arguing with someone in her dream, wanting to resist, but her body was restrained, so even the gesture of waving her hand was greatly limited.

As she moved, the Ghost King Butterfly on her lower back seemed to awaken, visibly growing another circle larger to the naked eye.

This scene was simply horrifying.

This is our first meeting, but Tang Tang has obviously seen me many times before.

Her eye sockets grew redder: "My mentor speculates that when this Ghost King Butterfly covers my aunt's entire lower back, it may then pupate, and when it emerges from the cocoon again, that will be the moment the Ghost King Butterfly leaves my aunt's body."

"At the moment the Ghost King Butterfly leaves, aunt… should also go with it…"

I unconsciously glanced again at Tang Xun's lower back; this Ghost King Butterfly looks like it's about to cover Tang Xun's lower back.

If Tang Tang mentor's speculation is correct, perhaps tonight this Ghost King Butterfly will pupate!

Today is the fifth day of the lunar new year; from the appearance of this Ghost King Butterfly to pupation, at most it's exactly seven days.

So, from pupation to emerging from the cocoon, how long will that take?

Could it also be only seven days?

The time left for us is not much…