Dawn mist lay thin as gauze over River Heart Island, blanketing the tranquil Tingjiang River.
Three days had passed since the purple miasma vanished. Cai Qingluan, Hong Jiu, and Zhang Feidie stood once more on the island's shore. This time, they weren't here to fight the Miasma Mother, but to unearth a deeper truth.
"Are you certain?" Cai Qingluan asked, her gaze fixed on the calm water. Her Miao Dao still hung at her waist, but the blade seemed brighter now, the ancient script on its spine no longer cryptic, but sharp and clear.
Hong Jiu nodded. The scar on his throat had scabbed over, his voice, though still carrying a faint metallic echo, was much smoother. "The last passage on the Poison Suppressing Stele mentioned the 'Nine-Layered Coffin Beneath the River.' It said Tingjiang's final secret lies hidden there."
Zhang Feidie stood nearby, the butterfly mark on her shoulder now a stunningly vivid, permanent tattoo, seemingly ready to take flight at any moment. In her hands, she held a pot of Spirit Vexongrass; the leaves were vibrant green, the disturbing faces gone, replaced by healthy, normal veins.
"I'm ready," she said softly, her eyes shining with quiet determination.
The three exchanged smiles, a shared understanding passing between them. The Miasma Mother ordeal had forged a bond stronger than blood, weaving their fates together on the same intricate web.
Hong Jiu produced a small, bronze whistle, placing it to his lips and blowing gently. No audible sound emerged, yet a strange, penetrating vibration seemed to emanate from it, traveling down into the water's depths.
Moments later, ripples spread across the river's surface. A dark shape slowly ascended from below – an ancient wooden boat, its hull painted black, a dragon's head carved on the prow, a phoenix tail at the stern. Its design was archaic, yet strangely majestic.
"The Guardian's boat," Hong Jiu explained. "Each generation has one like this, for patrolling the river. This one belonged to my father. It's over a century old."
They boarded carefully. Despite its age, the boat was remarkably stable, barely rocking. Hong Jiu took his place at the bow, wielding a long pole, and with a gentle push, guided the vessel towards the center of the river.
"The place we seek is directly beneath the Refinery Cave," he said. "The water there is nearly thirty feet deep, impossible for ordinary folk to reach. But this boat... it has special mechanisms to help us descend."
Reaching the heart of the river, Hong Jiu stopped poling. From a compartment in the boat's cabin, he retrieved three peculiar devices – helmet-like objects, completely transparent, filled with a swirling green liquid.
"Underwater breathing apparatus," he explained. "Secret Guardian equipment. The liquid contains special compounds allowing one to breathe underwater for about fifteen minutes."
They each donned a breather. Hong Jiu then produced three long, thin ropes, securing one end to the boat and the other to each of their waists.
"Ready?" he asked.
Cai Qingluan and Zhang Feidie nodded. Together, they plunged into the water.
The river was icy cold and murky, visibility almost zero. But strangely, as soon as the breathers were activated, their vision cleared dramatically, as if some magical force was purifying the water around them.
Hong Jiu led the way, Cai Qingluan and Zhang Feidie following close behind. As they descended, the water pressure increased, but the breathers seemed to adjust automatically, preventing any discomfort.
After descending about twenty feet, Hong Jiu suddenly stopped, pointing ahead. Through the hazy underwater light, a massive dark shape loomed – an ancient structure, shaped like a small palace, almost entirely overgrown with weeds and silt, only a corner visible.
They swam closer. It was a stone tomb chamber. Carved above the entrance lintel were four faded characters: "Zheng Clan Fleet." Though blurred by time and water, they were still legible.
Hong Jiu gestured for them to follow, swimming towards the tomb's entrance. The opening was blocked by thick mud, but he seemed prepared. Producing a small device from his belt, he pressed a mechanism. A powerful jet of water shot out, blasting the obstructing silt away.
They entered single file into a spacious underwater chamber. In the center rested a colossal coffin, pitch black, carved with intricate patterns. More astonishingly, it was a nine-layered nested coffin, each layer slightly smaller than the one outside it, forming a perfect, dark pyramid.
"Nine-Layered Coffin..." Cai Qingluan expressed her amazement using the special underwater hand signals.
Hong Jiu nodded, swimming towards the sarcophagus. He carefully examined its surface, then pointed to a small indentation on the lid of the outermost layer – its shape was identical to the chiwen jade pendant they had assembled.
Zhang Feidie understood immediately. She retrieved the three jade pieces from her pouch – recovered from the Alchemy Furnace, originally intended for study. Fitting them together into the complete chiwen shape, she carefully slotted the pendant into the indentation.
Instantly, golden lines of light traced across the entire sarcophagus. With a low grinding sound, all nine layers of the coffin lids began to slide open simultaneously, revealing the contents within—
In the innermost coffin lay the perfectly preserved body of a woman, seemingly only recently asleep. She wore the robes of the Ming Dynasty, her expression serene, hands crossed peacefully on her chest. Clutched in her hands was a small jade box.
Most shocking of all, on her left shoulder was a distinct butterfly-shaped birthmark – identical to Zhang Feidie's.
Zhang Feidie gasped, nearly choking on her breather. She instinctively touched her own shoulder, feeling a strange, inexplicable resonance with the figure in the coffin.
Hong Jiu carefully retrieved the jade box from the woman's grasp, then signaled for them to leave. The green liquid in their breathers was already fading; their underwater time was running out.
They swam quickly out of the tomb, following the ropes back to the surface. As they clambered back onto the ancient boat, they all let out long sighs of relief.
"Who was that?" Zhang Feidie demanded immediately. "Why does she have the same mark as me?"
Hong Jiu didn't answer at once. Instead, he carefully opened the jade box. Inside lay three scrolls made of bamboo slips, specially treated with a waterproof substance. They were covered in dense script, but strangely, the characters seemed to have been written in blood, now faded to a dark crimson.
"Gazetteer of Tingzhou Prefecture..." Cai Qingluan recognized the title on the slips. "This is an official historical record for the Tingzhou region."
Hong Jiu nodded. "More than that. This is the Blood-Written Gazetteer, containing the secrets the official records dared not mention."
He carefully unrolled the first bamboo scroll and began to read aloud: "Chongzhen Year Twelve. The Tingjiang Miasma Plague erupts, said to originate from the 'Miasma Mother Corpse' in the ancient tomb beneath the river. However, the truth is not so simple. The true source of the plague was the mercury and sulfur mines established upstream by the Ming court. Massive exploitation polluted the water source, causing the miasma to fester..."
"So the Miasma Mother wasn't some Miao shamaness... but a product of pollution?" Cai Qingluan asked, stunned.
Hong Jiu nodded, continuing to read: "General Zheng Zhilong, under Zheng Chenggong's command, learned of this. He wished to petition the court but feared suppression. Instead, he ordered the three artisan families to investigate secretly. They discovered the plague's source was the polluted water, and using special methods, refined the 'Three Yuan Pill' to temporarily alleviate the poison. However, the three also knew that as long as the mines remained active, the miasma would continue unabated..."
"So what did they do?" Zhang Feidie pressed.
Hong Jiu unrolled the second scroll: "The three artisans decided on a desperate gamble. Using themselves as vessels, they lured the miasma poison into their own bodies. Then, through special techniques, they dispersed the poison across three generations of their descendants, causing it to manifest only once every hundred years. This was done to buy time, to leave a warning for posterity, hoping they would find a way to truly cure the source..."
"That's why our families have the generational afflictions!" Cai Qingluan realized with a jolt. "It wasn't a curse... it was our ancestors' sacrifice! A warning!"
Hong Jiu nodded again, reading on: "To ensure the secret remained hidden, the Three Families chose the Hong clan as Stele Guardians, sealing their throats with Mercury Sand. Simultaneously, the Three Families' Daughter linked her own bloodline through special methods, allowing the miasma poison to circulate within the three lineages over generations, preventing a full-scale outbreak..."
"The Three Families' Daughter?" Zhang Feidie questioned.
Hong Jiu unrolled the third scroll, pointing to a specific passage: "The Three Families' Daughter was named Meng Cai Zhang. Daughter of the three artisans, she willingly became the primary vessel for the miasma poison. Using herself as bait, she drew the poison in, then dispersed it across the three bloodlines through special techniques. As a sign of her resolve, she tattooed a butterfly mark on her left shoulder, symbolizing transformation and rebirth..."
"So... the woman in the coffin... she was the Three Families' Daughter?" Zhang Feidie whispered, stunned. "Then my butterfly mark..."
"Not coincidence. Bloodline," Hong Jiu explained grimly. "You are not just a descendant of the Zhang family, but also of the Meng and Cai. Three hundred years ago, the Daughter dispersed her bloodline among the three families. Every hundred years, those bloodlines reconverge in one individual, forming a complete 'Anti-Miasma System'."
"That's why I could resist the Miasma Mother's control!" Zhang Feidie finally understood. "Because I carry the blood of all three families!"
Cai Qingluan was thoughtful. "So... the three of us meeting in this era... it wasn't chance, but our ancestors' design?"
Hong Jiu nodded. "Yes. All of this was orchestrated to face the great miasma outbreak that occurs every three hundred years. Every century, the poison accumulates, requiring the three descendants to work together to mitigate it. But every three hundred years, a major outbreak occurs, requiring the descendant in whom all three bloodlines converge to appear and completely purify the miasma."
He pointed to the final lines on the bamboo scroll: "The Three Families' Daughter left a final prophecy before her death: 'When the Three Bloodlines reunite, when the Guardian breaks silence, when the Living Gu becomes Butterfly, Tingjiang shall find new life, and the miasma poison shall be no more.'"
"That's exactly the same prophecy as on the Stele!" Cai Qingluan exclaimed.
"Not only that." Hong Jiu turned the bamboo scroll over, revealing a beautifully drawn illustration on the back. "Look. This is the original Miasma Mother Diagram, drawn by the Daughter herself."
The illustration resembled the diagram they had seen before, but the details were vastly different. The woman depicted was not terrifying, but serene, almost motherly. Her body merged seamlessly with a giant plant – not a monstrous entity, but a vibrant, thriving Spirit Vexongrass.
"This is the true Miasma Mother Diagram," Hong Jiu explained. "It's not a curse, but a blessing. The Miasma Mother isn't a demon, but an embodiment of nature. She can bring disaster, but also renewal."
"Then the diagram Meng Xuanye had...?" Zhang Feidie asked.
"A corrupted version," Hong Jiu replied. "Every hundred years, as the miasma poison accumulates, it taints the Diagram, twisting it into an image of evil. But every three hundred years, when the descendant with the combined bloodline appears, the Diagram reverts to its original form, guiding them to the method of purification."
"So... what should we do now?" Cai Qingluan asked, gently touching the hilt of her Miao Dao, her eyes resolute.
Hong Jiu carefully rolled up the bamboo slips, placing them back in the jade box. "According to these records, we need to complete the final step – allow the Living Gu to become the Butterfly."
"'Living Gu becomes Butterfly'?" Zhang Feidie subconsciously touched the butterfly tattoo on her shoulder. "What does that mean?"
"I believe," Hong Jiu said, his gaze meeting hers, "it relates to your mark. The Three Families' Daughter mentioned in the scrolls that when the descendant with the combined bloodline appears, the butterfly mark becomes the key to purifying the miasma."
As the boat gently nudged the shore, the three fell silent, each contemplating the weight of their discovery. Just as they prepared to disembark, Zhang Feidie gasped. The butterfly tattoo on her shoulder was suddenly radiating a gentle warmth, a strange, comforting pulse felt even through her clothes.
"My mark..." she whispered, pulling back her collar to look.
The butterfly tattoo was no longer just flat ink. It had become three-dimensional, shimmering, as if a real butterfly rested beneath her skin, ready to emerge. Even more astonishingly, its colors shifted, the original deep red transforming into a dazzling, iridescent rainbow that pulsed with an otherworldly light.
"This is..." Cai Qingluan stared, mesmerized.
"The Transformation begins," Hong Jiu said solemnly. "The scrolls say that when the one with the combined bloodline discovers the truth, the butterfly mark will begin its metamorphosis, eventually becoming a true butterfly, carrying away all the residual miasma poison."
"Carry away the poison?" Zhang Feidie felt a flicker of unease. "What will that... do to me?"
Hong Jiu's expression became complex. "The scrolls don't explicitly state... but according to Guardian legends, this process... might consume your life force."
"You mean... I could die?" Zhang Feidie asked, meeting Hong Jiu's gaze directly, her voice unnervingly calm.
He didn't answer, but his silence spoke volumes.
"No!" Cai Qingluan declared fiercely. "There must be another way! We can't let Hong Gu take that risk!"
"If we don't do this, the miasma poison in Tingjiang can never be truly cleansed," Hong Jiu said heavily. "We sealed the Miasma Mother, yes, but the source of the poison – the pollution from those mines – still remains. If we don't purify it completely, in another three hundred years, a new Miasma Mother will be born. History will repeat itself."
Silence fell, thick and heavy with the weight of their choice.
Just then, in the pot of Spirit Vexongrass Zhang Feidie held, a single leaf detached itself, fluttering down into her palm. She looked closely. The veins on the leaf had formed a tiny, intricate pattern – an arrow, pointing towards a specific spot on the far side of River Heart Island.
"Look!" she exclaimed. "The Spirit Vexongrass... it's guiding us!"
Following the direction indicated by the leaf-arrow, they saw, nestled amongst dense foliage on the island's edge, a small stone pavilion they hadn't noticed before.
"That's..." Hong Jiu squinted. "The Three Families' Shrine!"
They quickly made their way towards it, pushing through thick undergrowth until they stood before the ancient stone structure. Though small, it was remarkably well-preserved. Intricate carvings of dragons and phoenixes adorned the four stone pillars, and the roof was shaped like an exquisite lotus blossom. In the center stood a stone platform, upon which rested a small bronze brazier filled with cold ash, clearly unused for many years.
Hong Jiu stepped forward, examining the platform closely. He found a line of characters carved into the stone: "Three Bloodlines Unite, Bound By Kin, Butterfly Reborn, Miasma Banished Evermore."
"This is..." Cai Qingluan breathed, reading the inscription.
"The final guidance left by the Three Families' Daughter," Hong Jiu confirmed. "This shrine was built by the artisans to commemorate her, and it is the place where the final ritual must be performed."
He pointed to the bronze brazier. "According to Guardian legend, when the one with the combined bloodline finds this place, they must place the Spirit Vexongrass in the brazier... then use the butterfly mark to guide the final purification."
Zhang Feidie looked down at the pot of Spirit Vexongrass, then touched the shimmering butterfly tattoo on her shoulder. A resolute calm settled over her features. "If this is the only way... then I am willing."
"Hong Gu!" Cai Qingluan protested urgently. "You can't! There must be another way!"
Zhang Feidie smiled gently, shaking her head. "Sister Cai, do you remember my father's last words? 'Hong Gu, a healer's heart is like a parent's. Saving lives is our duty, even at the cost of our own.' If my sacrifice can completely purify Tingjiang, save countless lives... then it is a price worth paying."
She turned to Hong Jiu. "Tell me what I need to do."
Hong Jiu took a deep breath, drawing a tiny silver needle from his robes. "According to the bamboo scrolls... you must pierce the center of the butterfly mark, letting a drop of blood fall onto the Spirit Vexongrass in the brazier. When the blood and the grass merge... the butterfly mark will begin its final transformation."
Without hesitation, Zhang Feidie loosened her collar, revealing the stunning, three-dimensional butterfly resting on her shoulder, its wings intricately patterned, glowing with iridescent color.
"I am ready," she said calmly.
Hong Jiu held the silver needle steady, carefully aiming for the center of the butterfly. Just as the tip was about to break the skin, Cai Qingluan suddenly reached out, stopping him. "Wait!"
Drawing her Miao Dao, she lightly pricked her own finger, letting a single drop of blood fall onto the silver needle. "If this is a ritual of the Three Bloodlines... then my blood should be part of it too."
Understanding her intent, Hong Jiu also pricked his finger, mingling his blood with Cai Qingluan's.
"Three Bloodlines Unite, Bound By Kin," he murmured softly.
The mingled blood of the three descendants formed a single, perfect crimson droplet on the needle's tip. With infinite care, Hong Jiu touched the needle to the center of the butterfly mark.
Instantly, the entire tattoo blazed with rainbow light, seeming to pulse with life. Zhang Feidie gasped, not in pain, but in wonder, as a strange, comforting warmth spread from her shoulder throughout her entire body, washing away all fatigue and unease.
"How do you feel?" Cai Qingluan asked anxiously.
"Good. Very good," Zhang Feidie smiled, her eyes shining with a serene light. "It feels like... like a warm current flowing through me, taking away all discomfort."
Carefully, she placed the pot of Spirit Vexongrass into the bronze brazier, then positioned her shoulder so the butterfly mark hovered directly over it. And then, the miracle began. The butterfly within the tattoo started to stir, its wings twitching, slowly, painstakingly, as if truly struggling to emerge from a chrysalis.
"It's moving!" Cai Qingluan whispered in awe.
The butterfly's outline grew sharper, its colors more vibrant. Finally, before their astonished eyes, the shimmering creature lifted itself from Zhang Feidie's skin, transforming into a real, living butterfly, taking flight with a flutter of iridescent wings!
It was unlike any butterfly they had ever seen, its wings like stained glass, catching the sunlight in dazzling patterns. It circled above their heads once, twice, then descended gracefully towards the bronze brazier, landing softly upon the Spirit Vexongrass within.
The moment it touched the plant, the Spirit Vexongrass erupted in a blinding flash of light. The entire plant seemed infused with sudden life, growing explosively, its leaves unfurling, quickly filling the brazier. Even more astonishingly, faint faces began to appear within the leaves – the faces of all those who had died from the miasma, their expressions no longer tormented, but peaceful, even smiling faintly.
"This is..." Hong Jiu stared, speechless.
"Release," Zhang Feidie whispered, tears welling in her eyes. "Their souls... they're finally at peace."
At that moment, a low tremor ran through River Heart Island. Then, from the center of the island, a geyser of crystal-clear water erupted, shooting high into the sky. This wasn't ordinary water; it was a shimmering, translucent liquid, refracting the light into a thousand rainbows.
"The Sulfur Spring!" Hong Jiu cried out. "The legendary detoxifying Sulfur Spring!"
The geyser arched and fell, showering the entire Tingjiang region in a mystical rain. Wherever the water touched, life renewed instantly. Withered plants burst into bloom, the murky river water cleared, and even the air itself seemed to thrum with a vibrant freshness.
"We did it!" Cai Qingluan cheered, ecstatic. "Tingjiang... it's purified!"
She turned to Zhang Feidie, but her joy turned to horror. Zhang Feidie's face was deathly pale, her entire form shimmering, almost translucent.
"Hong Gu!" Cai Qingluan screamed, rushing to support her as she swayed.
"I'm alright," Zhang Feidie managed a weak smile, her voice faint but calm. "Just... a little tired."
Hong Jiu quickly checked her condition, his expression instantly turning grave. "The butterfly took the miasma... but it also took a portion of her life force! We need to do something, quickly!"
In that critical moment, the rainbow butterfly fluttered up from the brazier, hovering directly above Zhang Feidie's head. Its wings shed a soft, gentle light, and tiny, glittering particles drifted down like pollen, settling onto her skin.
Another miracle unfolded. Zhang Feidie's color slowly returned, her translucence fading, vitality flowing back into her limbs. She flexed her hands, feeling the renewed strength surge within her. "I... I feel much better!"
Its task complete, the butterfly descended gracefully, landing softly on her left shoulder, precisely where the birthmark had been. Its form shimmered, faded, and finally solidified into an exquisite, permanent tattoo – no longer a symbol of a curse, but an indelible mark of blessing.
"The Daughter's prophecy is fulfilled," Hong Jiu murmured, his voice filled with awe. "'When the Three Bloodlines reunite, when the Guardian breaks silence, when the Living Gu becomes Butterfly, Tingjiang shall find new life, and the miasma poison shall be no more.'"
The three looked at each other, relief and profound joy reflected in their eyes. The three-hundred-year curse, at long last, was truly broken.
And high above River Heart Island, countless rainbow butterflies converged from all directions, forming a magnificent arch across the Tingjiang River, a breathtaking spectacle, nature's own benediction upon the newly purified land.