—Ssshhhhh.

Before we left the village where the Blood-Blossom Dream Illusion Butterfly had put everyone to sleep, the weather had been alternating between gloomy and clear for several days.

Humidity was high, and frogs croaked around the clock.

But no rain had fallen.

Since the Central Plains are vast, it was pretty common for it to rain in the next town over while staying dry where you stood.

So I just figured it must be raining somewhere nearby.

But about two days after setting out with the kids, rain started falling overhead.

No—more like we’d stepped into a region where the rain had already begun.

—Ssshhh.

“It was clear when we left this morning.”

Back when we ate breakfast at the inn and hit the road, it didn’t look like it was going to rain at all.

At first, it just sprinkled a bit—but then the drops grew thicker and heavier.

Thankfully, we happened to run into an old man along the way and were able to buy rain gear woven from bamboo leaves and reed blades. Otherwise, we would’ve been soaked all the way to the next village.

Not that these cloaks kept us completely dry.

A few drops still managed to slip through the cracks in the bamboo weave and between the reeds.

—Tsrut. 『Yeah, Dad. Ugh!』

Hyang was agreeing with me from inside the rain cloak, but when a raindrop hit one of her antennae, it twitched and tickled my chin.

I lowered my head. She clearly hated the rain, pressing her head tightly against my chest.

I reached through the reed cloak to gently scratch the chin of my daughter, who was once again singing my praises. Then I picked up the pace.

‘Still, walking through the rain like this, cloaked in bamboo leaves with the kids... it really gives off that “wandering warrior” vibe Grandpa used to talk about.’

Yeah, I was getting damp, but there was something poetic about traveling like this.

In the martial world, “wandering the rivers and lakes” was a whole culture—roaming around, punishing bad guys, and building your name.

And here I was, wandering to spread the name of Heavenly Venom Demon Papa.

Looking at my reflection in a puddle, I asked Hyang,

“Hyang, doesn’t your dad look cool right now?”

—Tsrut! 『So cool!』

As expected of my daughter—I stepped more confidently.

Because of the rain, we’d been slowed down. If we wanted to reach the next village before sundown, we had to hurry.

—Pat. Pat. Pat-pat.

Just then, as we retraced the road we’d taken on the way in, I heard the rain grow heavier.

“Seriously? Why is it suddenly pouring!?”

We were about halfway between the last village and the next, making it awkward to turn back, and now the rain was coming down in sheets.

Large drops thudded against my bamboo hat, echoing like beans being roasted in a pan.

The bamboo and reed cloak could only handle light rain. Now, water was freely trickling down the inside.

As it started to seep in, I heard Hyang cry out.

—Tsrut! 『Ack. Cold.』

—Pii!

—Kkuu!

Hongdan, Seol, Bing, and Dong all shrieked inside the cloak.

They scurried about, trying to dodge the water.

It was clear we’d need to take shelter under a large tree until the rain let up.

“We’ll need to wait this out. Is ◆ Nоvеlіgһt ◆ (Only on Nоvеlіgһt) there a big tree or something nearby?”

I was scanning the area through the rain when—

—Fwap!

Suddenly, something flew in and pressed down on my bamboo hat.

“...You?”

The bean-roasting noise of the raindrops disappeared like magic.

I turned my eyes and saw that the area around me was untouched by rain.

From above my head, I heard that familiar cry.

—Chii!

I couldn’t lift my head, but when I looked down, I saw her reflection in the puddle—wings fully spread.

The Blood-Blossom Dream Illusion Butterfly.

‘She’s blocking the rain for me?’

She usually kept her distance and only appeared when I called her. I guess I looked pitiful, because she came to shield me from the rain.

Even though she was huge, she was still a butterfly—surprisingly light. I decided to accept her kindness.

Might as well use the chance to get closer to her.

“Thanks, Blood-Blossom Dream Illusion Butterfly.”

—Chiiii.

She responded coolly, like always.

Raindrops rolled off her wings, dripping from the edges.

‘Wow, excellent water resistance.’

Normal butterflies hide under leaves when it rains—too much water can hurt them.

But that doesn’t mean butterflies can’t fly in the rain.

Their wings are waterproof.

Thanks to their scales.

Those scales increase the contact angle between water and wing surface to over 150 degrees, producing an amazing phenomenon.

When you drop water onto a lotus leaf, it doesn’t soak in—it just beads up and rolls around.

The same thing happens on butterfly wings.

It’s called superhydrophobicity—the wings don’t get wet.

Superhydrophobic surfaces resist contamination, prevent microbial growth, and even when they do get dirty, they’re self-cleaning when water rolls over them.

So really, the Blood-Blossom Dream Illusion Butterfly was an ultra-clean, waterproof goddess.

“But seriously, how’ve you been living all by yourself? Were you living alone in the mountains?”

She never showed herself unless I summoned her, so I used this rare moment of closeness to ask a few things.

This translation is the intellectual property of Novelight.

Like what her life had been like so far.

I figured Hyang could translate for me.

—Chii.

—Tsrut. 『She said... “Just.” That’s all, Dad.』

A pretty deflating answer.

Maybe she’d lived alone so long, conversation didn’t come easy.

I asked a few more questions, but all I got were: “Just.” “Mm.” “Really?”

I was wondering how to keep the conversation going when I spotted a river up ahead—its water level much higher than before.

Apparently it had rained a while here already.

And then I remembered—we’d have to cross that river.

We’d crossed it before on the way in.

Not by boat—there was a stone bridge.

At the end of the path, a group of people had gathered near the riverbank.

I couldn’t see the bridge from here yet, but since they were crowding and murmuring, I turned to the Blood-Blossom Dream Illusion Butterfly.

“Could you hide for a bit? Or maybe just fly off and come back later?”

—Chii.

She replied, but since I still felt her weight on my head, she clearly hadn’t flown off.

She probably just tucked in her wings and stayed hidden.

Raindrops resumed drumming on my bamboo hat like beans roasting in a pan.

I hurried over and stood among the murmuring people—

And saw where the bridge should have been.

Gone.

Completely submerged.

The rain must’ve been falling here for quite a while. The river had risen and swallowed the bridge.

“Well, that’s a problem.”

The rain wasn’t letting up, and now the path was blocked.

I stepped away from the group and quietly called out to Hyang.

The road was blocked, but luckily we had someone with wings.

‘Hyang, could you ask the Blood-Blossom Dream Illusion Butterfly... if she’d be willing to carry us across?’

—Shhhh. Ssshhhh. Tsrr?

—Chiiiii.

—Tsrrut. 『She says no, Dad. We’re too heavy. She can’t lift off with us.』

Come to think of it, if she had fast, bee-like wings maybe she could’ve managed, but carrying all of us with those huge butterfly wings was impossible.

Bees are strong flyers because they gather nectar, but butterflies only carry themselves.

Seemed we’d have to wait for the rain to stop and the water level to drop.

But there wasn’t a village nearby.

The closest one was on the other side of the river, which we couldn’t cross because of the rain.

Turning back would take half a day, and we were already halfway across. Going back now felt like a waste.

As I stood there debating, the murmurs of the people nearby grew louder.

“This road’s blocked. What now? Should we turn back?”

“Yeah, seems like it.”

“Guess we’ll have to find another path.”

At the mention of an alternate route, the air suddenly quieted.

I listened in—apparently, there really was another path.

‘Oh? There’s another way?’

Straining to hear, I caught the next exchange.

“You there, traveler—you seem to know this area. Is there another route?”

“See that mountain down that way?”

“Where? Ah, that far-off one?”

“Yes. If you cross that mountain, there’s a village on the other side with a bridge. That one likely hasn’t flooded.”

“But if we climb the mountain now, won’t we get caught in the dark?”

“There’s an old abandoned Daoist temple near the summit. You could stay there overnight.”

“Then we should hurry, no?”

“There’s also an abandoned house nearby. I plan to wait there until the rain lets up—it’s not worth trekking in this downpour.”

“True. Could you guide us, then?”

“Certainly.”

“Can we come too?”

“Of course. It’s said all under heaven are brothers. That house is plenty big—we’ll all fit.”

“Thank you.”

“Thanks.”

Most of the gathered folks were merchants. They agreed and started heading toward the abandoned house the man mentioned.

He was right. In this rain, traveling further would be foolish.

Just then, one woman among the departing group turned around and called out to me.

“You there, child, why don’t you come along with us?”

“I’m alright, thank you. I need to move a little faster.”

Probably because I was the only young one staying behind, she tried to look out for me.

Worry crept into her voice.

“In this rain? You should wait it out, no?”

“She’s right—listen to your elders.”

“Seriously, where do you think you’re going in weather like this?”

Even the men chimed in supportively.

Civilians in the Central Plains tended to use formal speech around martial artists, just in case. But since I was cloaked in bamboo and reeds, they must’ve mistaken me for a regular traveler and treated me warmly.

Still, I couldn’t join them.

I had to dry the kids off—and I couldn’t exactly pull them out among strangers.

Besides, they’d said there was an abandoned Daoist temple up on the mountain. It’d be better to stay there alone.

I wouldn’t really be alone, since I had the kids and the Blood-Blossom Dream Illusion Butterfly with me. And anyway, I used to live in an abandoned Daoist temple too, so that felt more comfortable than some rundown house.

“I appreciate the offer, but I’m in a hurry. I’ll be going on ahead.”

“Hey, kid?”

“Leave him be. He’s being stubborn.”

“Alright, then.”

I gave my farewell and set off toward the mountain in the distance.

After a long climb along a trail carved by countless travelers, I reached the summit—

And saw it: the abandoned Daoist temple.

It reminded me of the place I used to live.

The sun had already set, and dusk blanketed the surroundings.

I stepped over the half-collapsed threshold and entered.

Even though it was abandoned, the main hall was surprisingly intact.

Inside, it looked like people had passed through to rest or shelter from the rain like I was doing now.

Bundles of reeds and branches were stacked in one corner, and there were signs of past campfires.

“Good. Some dry wood’s left.”

I needed to start a fire and dry us all off—it was getting chilly now that night had fallen.

“Alright, time for a little nostalgia.”

I stacked the wood, pricked my fingertip with a needle to draw a single drop of blood, then added one drop of Hyang’s venom.

—Whoosh.

Flames roared to life, and warmth quickly spread through the air.

***

Meanwhile, in the abandoned house, the merchants who’d taken shelter lit a fire and began sharing small meals.

Some roasted jerky on hot stones, others collected rainwater in pots to make gruel.

While they ate, the same woman who’d invited me along earlier spoke up again, her face still worried.

“I hope that boy who went ahead is alright.”

The rain had started to pour even harder outside.

“The trail’s slippery, sure, but not too rough. He’ll be okay.”

“Well, he said it was urgent. Nothing we could do.”

“Exactly.”

Everyone nodded.

Just then, the man who had led them there clapped his hands as if remembering something, his voice troubled.

—Clap.

“Ah... damn. I forgot.”

“What is it, traveler?”

Everyone turned to him, tilting their heads. He spoke with a grimace.

“Well... I just remembered. Starting about two months ago, people have said they’ve seen a ghost around the old Daoist temple on the mountain.”

“A... ghost!?”

“A ghost, you say?”

All eyes turned to the window.