Editor and proofreader: Oceanblue

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He had just stashed the container in his bedside drawer and put on his clothes when there was a knock on the door.

“Are you ready?” Gu Shenyuan asked.

Feeling guilty, Ye Qingyun glanced at the drawer, then replied, “Yes.” As he did, he grabbed a tissue to wipe his hand, suddenly hyper-aware of a faint stickiness.

Gu Shenyuan opened the door and gave him a searching look before heading to the bathroom.

Ye Qingyun watched his retreating figure, a spark of anxiety bubbling up.

Gu Shenyuan must have come back to clean up that spot—realizing he’d forgotten it in the rush to help Ye Qingyun.

If Gu Shenyuan figured out that he’d already cleaned it up, he’d be onto him!

Panicking, Ye Qingyun decided to take the offensive. “Oh, so you remembered to come back and clean up? I already took care of it! Do you know how I felt when I found that? No, of course you don’t!”

Gu Shenyuan’s gaze dropped slightly, remembering the real reason he’d left it behind—the urgency of checking on Ye Qingyun’s fall had made him forget entirely.
But Gu Shenyuan didn’t explain; he simply said softly, “Sorry.”

Ye Qingyun finished wiping his hands and tossed the damp tissue into the wastebasket, letting out a loud “Hmph” before climbing back into bed and hiding under the blanket, pretending to sleep.

Gu Shenyuan glanced at the discarded tissue, a strange thought flashing through his mind before he quickly dismissed it, shaking his head as he got into bed. Watching Ye Qingyun clean his hands, he had absurdly thought that maybe Ye Qingyun had cleaned up… with his hands, hence why he’d washed them so thoroughly and wiped them with such force.

But no, that was impossible. It was his dirty mind that led him to such an idea.

He wanted to see Ye Qingyun come into contact with something of his own, to see Ye Qingyun’s face flush in embarrassment, to leave a hint of his scent on him.

In the end, it was his mind clouded with impure thoughts that had led him to such a connection over a simple tissue.

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Ye Qingyun managed to slip by unnoticed. He chose a moment when Gu Shenyuan was distracted to sneak the container into the lab, hiding it in a corner among other bottles filled with experimental liquids.

That way, there was no chance Gu Shenyuan would find it, right?

That day, Ye Qingyun entered the lab to continue his research, while Gu Shenyuan sat outside, scrolling through the news on his device. A bold headline popped up:

“Shock! Mysterious Black Butterflies Destroy Several Royal Entertainment Facilities, Causing Extensive Economic Loss to the Royal Family. Experts at a Loss!”

“Mysterious Creature Appears Suddenly: Natural Retribution or Deliberate Sabotage? Click to Read About the Second Prince’s Furious Outburst!”

The comments beneath these articles, however, showed no sympathy.

“Ha! Always strutting around, lording over us. Finally getting a taste of their own medicine.”

“Hehehe, I don’t know where these butterflies came from, but good for them!”

“They think they’re invincible with their double-S ranks in the family, treating us like trash? Honestly, those butterflies should just go straight to the palace and make life impossible for them!”

A faint smile tugged at the corner of Gu Shenyuan’s lips as he read the comments.

Raising a hand, his black mist-like energy gathered in his palm, shifting until it formed several black butterflies flapping their wings.

He lowered his hand, releasing the butterflies to fly through the window, gradually disappearing into the distance.

The black butterflies in the news were a manifestation of his powers. Guided by him, they traveled to nearby planets, targeting exclusive royal buildings, destroying them, and embedding his energy underground.

And if any members of the royal family happened to be nearby, he didn’t mind giving them a small attack.

This method, while slower than acting directly, allowed him to control the attack from afar. He could remain by Ye Qingyun’s side without putting him in danger.

He wanted to give Ye Qingyun the best life and the highest status—not just in words but through real action.

Currently, the royal family’s oppression of the people was severe. Because they controlled key technology and had many high-ranking individuals with powerful abilities, the public dared not confront them directly. At most, they vented anonymously online.

His actions would give people an outlet for their grievances. Once the royal family was formally dealt with and a new democratic system was established, he’d reveal to the people that it was Ye Qingyun who had commanded the black butterflies and liberated them.

If Ye Qingyun wished to be the highest leader, he would help him claim that position and support him from the sidelines.

If Ye Qingyun preferred a quiet life of research, he’d accompany him in that too.

Whatever Ye Qingyun chose, he would be revered for all his power. Everywhere he went, he’d enjoy the best treatment.

And through it all, Ye Qingyun would remain unburdened, free from any hardships.

All the challenges would be his alone to bear.

Gu Shenyuan closed his eyes, leaning back in his chair. His already pale lips looked even whiter.

Even for him, using his abilities to attack such distant targets took a toll. He could only send his power to nearby planets; those thousands of light-years away were beyond his reach.

After he’d arranged the surrounding planets, he planned to leave with Ye Qingyun and travel to other worlds. Together, they would wander, freeing each planet under the empire’s control.

When Ye Qingyun had explored the galaxy, the plan would be ready.

Imagining the honor Ye Qingyun would receive, a faint smile appeared on Gu Shenyuan’s face as his thoughts drifted to Ye Qingyun.

Ye Qingyun was researching, so he wouldn’t disturb him. Instead, he would take a quick peek at his abilities.

As black mist, his power flowed into the lab, granting him a view of Ye Qingyun’s back.

Ye Qingyun’s slender waist and straight back, his fair neck tilted slightly, forming a graceful curve. His thin earlobes, under the lab lights, looked almost translucent, tinged with a soft pink, like finely crafted jade.

Gu Shenyuan directed the black mist closer, aiming to settle on Ye Qingyun’s shoulder, just to take a closer look at his face.

The black mist landed on Ye Qingyun’s shoulder as he remained engrossed in his research, completely unaware.
Gu Shenyuan glanced unintentionally at the lab table, just about to turn back to look at Ye Qingyun’s face when his gaze froze.

‘…What is this?’

It wasn’t the Stone of Love on the table; the Stone of Love was placed a little off to the side. Instead, in front of Ye Qingyun was a bottle.

The bottle was open, containing a milky gel-like substance. Ye Qingyun carefully extracted some of it, placing it under a microscope for observation.

It was likely a gel needed for an experiment, and Gu Shenyuan knew he shouldn’t overthink it, but no matter how he looked at it, the gel reminded him of…

Since the black mist had no sense of smell, Gu Shenyuan couldn’t detect its scent, but the more he looked, the more suspicious he felt.

If it was “that” substance, what was Ye Qingyun doing with it?

Frowning, Gu Shenyuan dismissed the black mist, returned his consciousness to his body, stood up, and quietly walked toward the lab.

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Ye Qingyun was recording his observations as he wrote the last word on the page. He sighed softly.

He’d realized that studying the substance alone was no problem; he wouldn’t necessarily need hair or blood samples for further progress.

But that presented another issue—he had only a limited amount of the substance, and it wouldn’t be enough for a complete study.

What else could he do? Ask Gu Shenyuan for another sample? No way—such an opportunity was rare! Gu Shenyuan probably hadn’t collected any more of it in a decade, so his chances of obtaining another sample were about as likely as the sun colliding with the Earth. It was more realistic to look into hair or blood samples.

Biting his lip in frustration, Ye Qingyun was just about to close the bottle and continue tomorrow when he felt something touch his shoulder.

Turning around, he saw Gu Shenyuan standing behind him, eyes fixed on the bottle, asking emotionlessly, “What are you studying?”

In that instant, Ye Qingyun nearly felt his soul leave his body, wishing he could disappear on the spot!

Yet he couldn’t disappear, so his mind raced as he countered, “Can’t you tell?”

He had preserved the sample well, so even after all this time, the color, scent, and consistency hadn’t changed.

With the scent intact, of course, Gu Shenyuan would know exactly what it was!

Sure enough, Gu Shenyuan’s dark eyes fixed on him as he slowly said, “It’s the essence.”

“That’s right.” Ye Qingyun quickly crafted a lie in his mind, trying to sound as natural as possible. “While researching the Stone of Love, I found it contained a unique element that might be related to its supposed effects, and the structure seems similar to the essence as well.”

He paused and then continued, “The Stone of Love is said to ensure everlasting love between the wearer and their beloved. I wanted to try adding this element from the Stone of Love to the essence to see if it would promote love.”

Gu Shenyuan’s expression subtly shifted, as if a touch of jealousy colored his gaze. His voice was low, and he asked, “Any change?”

Ye Qingyun was about to say no but then thought of the severely limited supply he had. Testing the waters, he replied, “It doesn’t seem to work with just one person’s… material. I suspect it might need materials from two people—the wearer and their beloved—so that the Stone of Love effects could amplify their bond.”

Gu Shenyuan’s grip on Ye Qingyun’s shoulder tightened as he murmured, “You still need another person’s, right?”

“Huh? You mean…?” Ye Qingyun feigned reluctance. “Forget it; you’re too special. I’ll try to find someone else.”

There was no way Gu Shenyuan would let him use someone else’s. His voice cold, he stated a fact: “I’d kill that person.”

Ye Qingyun said nothing, pretending to look annoyed as he glared at Gu Shenyuan, who then reached out to smooth his hair before turning and leaving.

Once Gu Shenyuan left, Ye Qingyun collapsed on the table, laughing silently.

He’d managed to secure enough material for his study!

What a genius he was!