An Irresistible Deal

A whole room full of Demi-Immortal's Book?

Pick any two, and you could become immortal?

Liu Ruyan's clear eyes turned cold as she stared straight at Jiang Chen. It was the first time she had heard of Demi-Immortal's Book, and she could not shake the feeling that Jiang Chen was making things up to tease her.

After all, there were few secret manuals on the Ascending Dragon Continent that even she did not know about.

"Who told you that?"

Jiang Chen smiled mysteriously. As he gazed into Liu Ruyan's crystal-clear eyes, he seemed to glimpse the shadow of a fox.

"All things can be deduced."

Deduction was said to be an art of the heavenly beings. For mortals to peer into the secrets of heaven, they had to use soul arts to simulate them.

The reason Thousand-Faced Fox had appeared at the Azure Mist Sect was precisely because she had previously deduced that an opportunity awaited here.

Especially after discovering that the Heavenly Demon Sect had uncharacteristically tried to seize the Azure Mist Sect, she became even more certain that the sect was hiding a supreme treasure.

Her attainments in illusion arts were already rare, and her cultivation was not weak either, yet she could only deduce the rough area where the opportunity might appear.

The time, the exact location, what kind of opportunity it was... she knew none of it.

Yet Jiang Chen, who had only reached the ninth level of body tempering after two years in the sect and had only succeeded in entering Qi Refinement with her Dragonblood Qi-Refining Pill, could deduce such details?

Half believing and half doubting, she decided to take a look herself and merely said:

"I'll be right back."

Jiang Chen was somewhat surprised.

He had not expected Liu Ruyan to be so confident. Could a fox demon really enter the Return-Form Formation and come back out?

"Wait, Thousand-Faced Fox has been active in Xihe Prefecture all these years, yet Reverend Guiqi never set his sights on her. Either she has never dealt with Gray Castle, or her cultivation surpasses Reverend Guiqi's, making her unworthy of his attention."

Generally speaking, illusion arts were far too overpowered. Those skilled in them usually would not have particularly strong cultivation, or they could accidentally become the author's dad... for instance, Kishimoto Masashi's real dad was an illusion-art master.

Could this Thousand-Faced Fox also be incredibly powerful, the sort of figure who was practically the creator's mother?

Such a thick thigh... Jiang Chen suddenly regretted not choosing the third ending last time.

Sure enough!

After the time it took to burn an incense stick, Liu Ruyan returned with two secret manuals.

Jiang Chen opened them in surprise and took a look.

The two manuals were different, and their contents were a complete mess as well.

"Are you sure these came from the Scripture Pavilion?"

Jiang Chen could not help questioning her.

Liu Ruyan shook her head with a smile, unusually pleased.

"So there are things you do not understand either... Most of the contents in these two manuals are useless.

But mixed among them are one hundred and eight similar passages of cultivation formulas, each expressed differently.

When cultivated, they are indeed the same technique."

Jiang Chen breathed a sigh of relief.

That old man was quite crafty.

Any demon or monster who broke in and picked up a manual at random to cultivate would be practicing the Return-Form Method.

By continuously cultivating new manuals, they would unknowingly be continuously deepening the Return-Form Method.

Moreover, the Return-Form Method's effect was extremely subtle, concealed beneath the manuals' original cultivation formulas, making it difficult to notice.

"You did very well. This is indeed the genuine Demi-Immortal Method."

Liu Ruyan's face became solemn.

"What Demi-Immortal Method?

I have roughly circulated my spiritual veins according to this cultivation formula. Its effect is barely noticeable, and it is the complete opposite of becoming immortal.

If I practiced this method for a long time, it would only strip away my demonic aura, degrade my spiritual roots, and gradually turn me into a mortal."

Jiang Chen smiled and said:

"The Demi-Immortal Method was made for true ordinary mortals like us. It is useless to freaks like you."

"Freaks?"

A chill flashed through Liu Ruyan's eyes, and her spine went cold.

Jiang Chen did not expose her.

"Don't be nervous. Those with heaven-defying cultivation talent are called freaks. At such a young age, you have already reached Foundation Establishment, possess such mastery of illusion arts, enjoy the deep trust of the demon sect, and can even walk away after facing Reverend Guiqi, who stands at the peak of Nascent Soul cultivation. Naturally, you are a freak—the freakiest of freaks."

Without giving her time to react, he took the two secret manuals from her hands.

"Since you dislike the Demi-Immortal Method, I'll take both."

To his surprise, Liu Ruyan snatched one of them back.

"I want it anyway."

Jiang Chen shrugged and asked her curiously.

"Speaking of which, how did you get the manuals from Reverend Guiqi?"

Liu Ruyan said:

"I gave him a reason he could not refuse."

"What condition?"

"That is a secret."

Jiang Chen was helpless.

The simulated storyline had not ended, so he could not replay the simulation footage yet. He could only wait until it was over.

Still, since he had successfully obtained the Demi-Immortal Method, this simulation was more than half a success.

Dusk was approaching, and more than half a day remained.

Jiang Chen glanced at Liu Ruyan. The evening glow shone upon her delicate face, reflecting a beauty beyond humanity.

Having a rich woman was great, and with the Return-Form Method, he could absorb the demon aura that leaked from a fox demon to cultivate...

He could take a gamble, but it was dangerous.

Now that he had obtained the Form-Returning Book, he had to consolidate his gains and make a guaranteed save first. That way, he could cut loose during the third simulation.

For now, Jiang Chen did not probe further into Liu Ruyan's secret. He clapped his hands, rose to his feet, and said:

"In that case, thank you for the resources and the Demi-Immortal's Book. I'm going to cultivate."

With that, he turned and returned to the disciples' quarters.

Leaving only a bewildered Liu Ruyan behind, watching his back vanish into the blazing sunset.

"Reverend Guiqi has peak Nascent Soul cultivation, is proficient in countless arts, and excels at forbidden techniques. He is far stronger than Sect Master Qingxu Zi. He could be considered a hidden dragon among crouching tigers."

"But the Demi-Immortal Method is completely useless for demon cultivation. It is clearly not my opportunity."

"It seems I will have to wait until the Heavenly Demon Sect attacks the mountain before the truth becomes clear."

That night.

The disciples' quarters of Pure Heart Palace.

Jiang Chen decided to treat the second ending as a safeguard, so he did not immediately cultivate the Demi-Immortal Method.

He did not want the technique to be unsuitable for him, or to conceal some backdoor that would disrupt his spiritual veins instead.

Safety came first. He put on the Soft Hedgehog Spirit-Protecting Armor Liu Ruyan had given him.

The armor was soft and silky to the touch. Jiang Chen felt as though a rich woman were hugging him snugly in her arms, warm and thoughtful.

Then, he took out pills and spirit stones and began swallowing pills to cultivate.

If talent was lacking, resources would make up for it.

After three years since transmigrating, it was his first time experiencing what it felt like to cultivate like a tycoon.

Dawn broke.

By the end of the storyline, Jiang Chen had used dozens of spirit stones and all ten Qi-Refining Spirit-Nurturing Pills, successfully reaching the second level of Qi Refinement!

"This talent really is ordinary..."

Even so, after the simulated storyline ended, Jiang Chen looked at the cultivation advancement on the system panel and still felt delighted.

[Name]: Jiang Chen.

[Cultivation]: Second level of Qi Refinement.

[Money]: Low-grade spirit stones ×50.

[Items]:

Multipurpose Machete ×1 (Mortal grade);

Azure Mist Sect Disciple Sword ×1 (Low spirit);

Rapid Spirit-Healing Pellet ×3 (Low spirit);

[Skills]:

Eight-Step Mad Blade: Minor mastery;

[Main Storyline]: The first simulation of Main Storyline Two, "Demi-Immortal's Book," has been completed. The simulation footage may be replayed at any time.

[Butterfly Effect]: No unviewed footage.

Only then did Jiang Chen remember something.

He needed to watch the footage and see exactly how Liu Ruyan had subdued Reverend Guiqi.

He opened the simulation footage.

Jiang Chen was dumbfounded as well.

He had assumed she had conquered Reverend Guiqi through force, or used illusion arts to steal the secret manuals...

He never expected that she had truly made Reverend Guiqi an offer he could not refuse.