Butterfly Effect

The atmosphere became unbearably awkward.

Ye Liuyun sat cross-legged on a rock without opening his eyes.

He was racing against time to circulate the Soul Power within his body.

Although he had forcibly exchanged part of his eight-hundred-thousand-year foundation for Soul Power in that battle just now—

His current body was still far too weak. The sudden burst of tremendous power had severely damaged his meridians.

As for one's origin, even the slightest loss would leave the body feeling extremely weak.

Remaining weak for too long would also affect future development.

He had to use his own Soul Power to slowly replenish the vitality of his origin.

Hearing Tang San's question, Ye Liuyun could not even be bothered to lift his eyelids. He merely spoke a few words indifferently.

"Nothing."

"Ran into some trouble. Solved it."

That casual "solved it" carried completely different meanings in different people's ears.

To Ning Rongrong, it was the modesty of a hero who did not seek recognition.

But to Dai Mubai and the others, it sounded like a prepared excuse from someone claiming a powerful expert had happened to pass by.

"Phew..."

Seeing that Ye Liuyun had not mentioned their fleeing like deserters, Dai Mubai secretly sighed in relief, and the weight in his heart finally lifted.

Since Ye Liuyun was not saying anything, it meant he knew his place and understood that escaping had only been due to good luck.

He was too embarrassed to mention it.

Dai Mubai stood and patted Tang San on the shoulder, trying to change the subject.

"Little San, it's good that you're all right."

"By the way, on your way back... did you pass through that area?"

Dai Mubai pointed toward the direction they had fled from earlier, a probing look in his eyes.

"Are those Demon Spiders still there?"

Tang San nodded, his expression grave.

"I passed through there."

"Almost all of them were dead."

Recalling that scene, Tang San still felt lingering fear.

"Thousands of Demon Spiders were strewn across the ground. Even that ten-thousand-year Earth Cave Demon Spider King had been torn in half. The scene... was horrific."

"A powerful expert must have happened to pass by."

"Even a Spirit King, perhaps even a Spirit Emperor, might not dare claim they could survive an encirclement by several thousand Demon Spiders."

"The most terrifying thing about a beast tide isn't individual strength, but numbers. Ordinary experts would be worn to death."

Tang San crossed his arms and confidently laid out his analysis to everyone.

"Exactly! You have no idea how terrifying it was back then. Some senior passing by must have been unable to stand it and cleared them out."

Ma Hongjun pretended to be profound as he guessed.

"I think it might have been those Dragon-Snake Couple. Wasn't the Dragon Duke a Spirit Douluo?"

At that, he glanced at Ye Liuyun, who was meditating with his eyes closed, his gaze gaining a trace of contempt and bitterness.

He muttered quietly to Dai Mubai and Oscar.

"As for Ye Liuyun, he probably ran for his life and found somewhere to hide."

"He just happened to encounter that senior taking action, so he managed to keep his life."

"Then, after the senior left, he came out and put on an act like it was no big deal."

"Have to say, his acting is much better than his strength."

Facing Ma Hongjun and Oscar's sour whispers, Ye Liuyun did not even raise an eyelid.

A lion would not turn around because of a barking dog.

He was using the talent of Endless Life to carefully repair his damaged meridians.

Just then—

"Cough, cough..."

A bout of weak coughing broke the awkward atmosphere.

Zhao Wuji, who had been unconscious for a long time, finally woke up completely.

With Dai Mubai supporting him, he struggled into a sitting position. Looking at the students around him, battered but still more or less intact, he let out a long breath.

"It's good that you're all alive..."

Zhao Wuji rubbed his still-aching chest and asked in a low voice.

"Mubai, what's the situation now?"

Dai Mubai hurried forward and vividly recounted everyone's explanation.

"...A senior probably took action and wiped out those Demon Spiders, saving Ye Liuyun in passing. Little San returned just now as well, but he said he failed to catch up to the Titan Giant Ape."

"As for Xiao Wu..." Dai Mubai's expression darkened. "There's still no news."

After hearing this, Zhao Wuji frowned deeply before finally sighing helplessly.

"A Spirit Beast on the level of the Titan Giant Ape is not something we can contend with. Since we failed to catch up, perhaps it is fate."

"This place is too dangerous. We're all injured and cannot remain here for long."

"Prepare to retreat. We'll return to the academy and make plans afterward."

Just as everyone felt heavy-hearted and prepared to clean up and leave—

"Cousin, everyone!"

A crisp, pleasant voice suddenly rang out from deep within the forest.

Everyone trembled and turned back in disbelief.

A young girl in pink clothes came hopping out from the bushes.

Though she was somewhat dirty and her hair slightly disheveled, she looked exceptionally energetic, without the slightest sign of injury.

"Xiao Wu?"

Tang San spun around. The gloom in his eyes instantly vanished. Ignoring his injuries, he rushed over, grabbed Xiao Wu by the shoulders, and looked her over from head to toe.

"You... you're all right? That's wonderful! That's really wonderful!"

"I was so worried about you."

"I would rather have been the one taken away."

"I chased after you without a second thought."

Xiao Wu was surrounded by everyone as they all talked over one another, asking what had happened.

Xiao Wu blinked her large eyes, having already prepared an explanation.

"I don't know what happened either. That big guy carried me for a while, then suddenly heard something like a cow's call. It seemed frightened, so it threw me down and ran away."

"I was lucky. I landed in a pile of grass and wasn't hurt."

As she spoke, Xiao Wu revealed a slightly embarrassed smile. A bright purple Spirit Ring slowly rose beneath her feet.

"Also, there happened to be a thousand-year Spirit Beast beside me that had been knocked unconscious. So I killed it and absorbed its Spirit Ring."

"I'm a Soul Elder now too!"

Everyone was stunned.

Then a wave of astonished exclamations erupted.

"Oh my god! No one could have luck like that!"

Oscar's eyes turned red with envy.

"You were captured by the Titan Giant Ape, yet came back completely unharmed and even picked up a third Spirit Ring for free? This really is..."

"This is what they call the heavens protecting the fortunate!"

Tang San was so excited that he began to stumble over his words. He released his Martial Spirit as well, his two yellow and one purple Spirit Rings shining together.

"Xiao Wu, look! I also broke through level thirty while searching for you, and I was lucky enough to find a dying Spirit Beast. We really are meant to be!"

He even waved his hand and released his Third Spirit Skill, Blue Silver Prison, giving everyone a demonstration.

Dai Mubai and the others nearby also offered their congratulations, and the atmosphere instantly shifted from deathly silence to lively excitement.

However—

Amid all the laughter and cheers—

Ye Liuyun, who had been resting with his eyes closed, slowly opened them.

Those deep eyes passed over the crowd and settled on the purple Spirit Ring beneath Tang San's feet.

It was different.

Ye Liuyun's sensitivity to the aura of Spirit Beasts far surpassed that of ordinary people.

In his memories of the original story, the Man Faced Demon Spider Tang San had absorbed was a mutant that had devoured countless members of its own kind, vicious beyond measure.

It was precisely because of that spider's uniqueness and its age beyond the limit that Tang San had gained the External Soul Bone, the Eight Spider Lances, his greatest advantage in the early stages.

But now, Tang San's aura was stable. Although his Spirit Ring had not come from a Man Faced Demon Spider either, its quality was utterly ordinary.

Ye Liuyun sneered inwardly.

So that was it.

With only a little deduction, he understood the chain of cause and effect.

In the original story, Oscar had obtained the Spirit Ring of the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent and created Rapid Flight Mushroom Sausage.

Tang San had relied on that flying ability to pursue in a straight line at top speed, only then encountering that injured Man Faced Demon Spider at that particular place and time.

But what about now?

Because of Ye Liuyun's earlier interference, Oscar had failed to obtain the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent and naturally had no flying Spirit Skill.

Tang San could only rely on his own two legs.

He was slower, and his route had shifted.

He never had the chance to encounter that mutated spider.

The one he encountered was merely an ordinary straggler that had slipped through the slaughter of the spider tide.

One step behind, every step behind.

Was this the so-called Butterfly Effect?

Ye Liuyun's gaze grew even deeper.

Whether in the original story or now, whenever Tang San encountered a suitable Spirit Beast while searching for Xiao Wu, his first reaction was to stop and absorb its Spirit Ring.

He shouted, "If Xiao Wu dies, I won't live on either."

Yet at the most critical moment of the rescue, he still chose to strengthen himself first.

That subconscious selfishness was laid bare at this moment.

Perhaps he believed that only with more strength could he save people better.

But in Ye Liuyun's eyes, it was nothing more than a choice made after weighing the benefits.

Compared to Xiao Wu's safety, Tang San cared more about that Spirit Ring delivered right to his doorstep.

Ye Liuyun closed his eyes again and no longer looked at those people sharing their feelings.