Thinking Too Small

Jiang Chen reviewed the recording and discovered—

Liu Ruyan had indeed followed him invisibly to Stubborn Stone Peak and stayed until after he entered Qi Refining before leaving.

Afterward, he left the sect and settled in the barren mountains to the west. No one followed him again.

Only then did Jiang Chen breathe a sigh of relief.

Although this outcome involved a Demon Sect spy, he had successfully entered Qi Refining.

Once he entered Qi Refining, he could ride a sword at high speed... The Ascending Dragon Continent was vast enough that there would always be a place for cultivators.

It had to be said that Jiang Chen had achieved a relatively perfect outcome this time.

With the second outcome as a safety net, he could approach the third simulation in a far more relaxed state of mind.

Thus, he immediately decided: for the third simulation, he had to be bolder and think bigger, to see if he could gain even more!

Jiang Chen considered the second outcome nearly perfect. If there was any hidden danger at all—

If Liu Ruyan reported his existence to her superiors, then even though he had escaped, his name and appearance had been remembered, leaving a potential risk.

Perhaps he could only protect himself by building a more intimate relationship with Liu Ruyan.

For instance, confessing his feelings to Senior Sister!

He could test both Liu Ruyan's strength and danger level, as well as whether dual cultivation could improve his cultivation.

Over the past two years since joining the sect, Jiang Chen had done everything he could to avoid crowds and conceal his appearance and temperament.

Yet in the eyes of certain lovestruck senior and junior sisters, he was like a firefly in the pitch-black night—bright and impossible to ignore.

Several times, outer sect female disciples had pursued him, willing to build a love nest with him and improve together.

In the end, Jiang Chen rejected every one of them.

Jiang Chen thought to himself, I haven't even entered Qi Refining yet. How could I have the energy to fool around with romance and waste nutrients?

Furthermore, if one started a family too early on the path of cultivation, cultivation would become burdened with attachments. A cultivator would gain weaknesses and find it difficult to pursue the Great Dao of defying fate and doing whatever it took.

On the path of cultivation, emotions were what one needed to stay furthest away from. Women would only slow down your leveling speed...

Except powerful women!

Liu Ruyan had been cornered in her Sunset Glow Peak cave abode by a Discipline Elder at the peak of Golden Core cultivation, yet she had held out for quite some time before being captured. She should not have been weak.

Could she let him enter Qi Refining in a single day?

Take a gamble, and a bicycle might turn into a motorcycle. With the second outcome as a safety net, failure would not matter anyway.

With that thought, Jiang Chen immediately began the third scenario simulation!

[Beginning the third scenario simulation!]

At the start, Jiang Chen went to Sunset Glow Mountain just as he had in the second simulation.

He helped Liu Ruyan find the formation eye in an extremely short time and predicted what she had been thinking.

The two then arrived at Little Cricket Peak.

Liu Ruyan was shocked inwardly, but her face remained as still as an ancient well. She was far calmer than the average female cultivator.

The plan to burn the mountain and locate the formation eye had been devised by her alone. It had not even been put into action yet, but someone had somehow predicted it beforehand.

Could this be the legendary highest realm of illusion arts—the Deduction Art?

Yet she had always been the one deducing others. No one had ever deduced her...

Unable to figure out the other party's identity for the moment, she could only probe cautiously.

"Senior, you helped the Demon Sect. Are you seeking something from the Heavenly Demon Sect?"

Jiang Chen nodded slightly and spoke calmly.

"Do not be fooled by this body of mine. It may seem rather elegant, but it is all appearance without substance. My talent is mediocre, and after years of cultivation, I still cannot enter Qi Refining. This time, I wish to find a demonic woman as a cultivation partner, clear my spirit veins, and improve my spiritual roots. What does Senior Sister Liu think?"

What kind of demonic thing was that to say...

Liu Ruyan thought she had heard wrong. Her innocent, lovely face stiffened slightly as she said in a low voice.

"Are you not afraid of being devoured to death by Demonic Flame?"

Jiang Chen could not be bothered to flatter women, so he made a direct confession.

"Who does not like demonic women? Besides, you do not want the Demon Sect's plan to fall through either, do you?"

A chill flashed through Liu Ruyan's eyes. She should have cut down this lecher with a single sword strike.

But this man had anticipated her at every turn and knew both the Azure Mist Sect and Demon Sect like the back of his hand. He was definitely no ordinary person.

For the Demon Sect's assault on the mountain, as well as her own plans, she needed to uncover this man's background as soon as possible.

She might as well agree for now and dual cultivate with him within the illusion first, to see whether he could expose it.

Besides, his looks and bearing were both exceptional. Other than his unimpressive cultivation, she would not exactly be making a sacrifice.

With that in mind, she suddenly put on a stern face and said coldly, with a trace of shyness.

"If you cannot withstand the Demonic Flame and die, you can only blame yourself."

Jiang Chen froze. He had not expected that taking a gamble would really turn his bicycle into a motorcycle!

It seemed that winning over women required a direct approach. The rest could be left to good looks and money.

Even after Liu Ruyan agreed to become cultivation partners, Jiang Chen did not immediately show delight. Instead, he asked.

"I can be reborn. Are you not afraid that this old man will possess your body?"

Liu Ruyan shook her head and smiled sweetly.

"With a mortal body and no soul arts, if Senior could possess me, you would be a reincarnated immortal. Why would you covet this demonic body of mine?"

Jiang Chen nodded. At last, a smile appeared on his face. He rose, took Senior Sister Liu's little hand, and said.

"Shall we hold some sort of cultivation partner ceremony?"

Unexpectedly, Liu Ruyan was even more uninhibited than he was.

"Life is short, and the night is long. Why fuss over such trivialities? Come with me."

Jiang Chen was startled inwardly. Staring blankly at Liu Ruyan's graceful back, he quickly followed her.

His horizons had successfully broadened... perhaps a little too much.

At the Azure Mist Sect's inner sect, Tranquil Heart Peak.

The mountain scenery beneath the moon was particularly serene.

Liu Ruyan's cave abode was located among the core disciples' residences at the back of the mountain. Water flowed there year-round, and the vegetation flourished.

The cave abode was drum-shaped, with a vinewood bed, a warm water pool, an Eight Immortals table... and several little rabbits.

At the center of the cave abode was a round meditation mat over a zhang in diameter, surrounded by a spiral-shaped pink formation.

There was not the slightest trace of demonic aura inside or outside the cave abode.

It was Jiang Chen's first time entering a woman's cave abode, so he was somewhat restrained. Before long, he slipped into the warm pool to meditate.

Fortunately, Senior Sister was a woman of action as well.

Pitch-black Demonic Flame swiftly covered Jiang Chen...

Liu Ruyan's Demonic Flame came from the Demon Shrine.

She was not a true demonic woman. Otherwise, she could never have entered the mountain-protecting formation.

A true demonic woman would also leave behind clues too easily, making her unsuitable as a spy.

Cultivating in the hot spring, Jiang Chen's body and mind felt completely at ease, as though he were walking among clouds and floating toward immortality. Beneath the devouring Icefire Demonic Flame, he suffered as if dying and coming back to life.

Fortunately, Liu Ruyan did not dare strike a killing blow against the completely defenseless him. She could only withdraw her Demonic Flame and merge her spirit veins with his...

Perhaps Liu Ruyan held something back, or perhaps her cultivation had not been very high to begin with.

Daybreak arrived.

Jiang Chen still had not entered Qi Refining.

Yet Liu Ruyan looked especially radiant. Even her features and expression seemed a little sweeter.

That morning, she personally made him some spirit food... while secretly testing his constitution as well.

After eating and drinking his fill, no matter how she looked at Jiang Chen, he was an utterly ordinary mortal.

"Can you tell me your true identity now?"

Jiang Chen smiled and answered honestly.

"I lied about being a former elder. I have lived two lives, yet I am still under thirty years old in total. I should be the one calling you Senior Sister."

Liu Ruyan stared at Jiang Chen in surprise, yet she could not detect the slightest trace of deceit.

"What do you mean by having lived two lives?"

Jiang Chen wore a mysterious expression and smiled.

"I am from beyond this realm."

Jiang Chen had not accidentally exposed his identity as a transmigrator. He simply felt that claiming to be from beyond this realm sounded far more impressive than claiming to be a former elder, and would make it easier to intimidate Liu Ruyan.

Liu Ruyan's gaze sharpened as she stared directly at Jiang Chen. Amid the rippling light in her eyes, a trace of inexplicable melancholy surfaced.

Only then did she prepare him a cup of tea.

Jiang Chen had failed to enter Qi Refining over the entire night, but fortunately, he still had a day left.

During the day, Jiang Chen dragged his weary body around a nearby town with Liu Ruyan. They ate mortal snacks, listened to folk tunes, and bought beautiful clothes and jewelry...

Though each harbored their own thoughts, they acted no differently from a couple in love.

After night fell, the two returned to Tranquil Heart Peak and continued cultivating.

This time, Jiang Chen learned the truth: Liu Ruyan possessed only Foundation Establishment cultivation and relied on various high-grade demonic artifacts to conceal herself.

Foundation Establishment cultivation was not low, but it was still far too difficult to get him into Qi Refining within a single day.

Jiang Chen could not help sighing.

"Have you ever considered this? What if the world we live in is a script evolving within the sea of consciousness of some great power, and it will abruptly end at a certain moment? What would you want to do in the final moments of your life?"

Within the hazy spring mist, Liu Ruyan's gaze stirred as something touched her heart.

She stared blankly at the handsome mortal before her, and boundless melancholy rose within her.

Then, she channeled and gathered her spiritual power, unleashing her true method...

The sound of water was soft and bright as silver.

Midnight.

Jiang Chen entered Qi Refining once again!

The third simulation ended.

The system immediately issued a prompt.

[Three scenario simulations completed. Please choose one outcome to overwrite your real path!]

[Reminder: After a simulation outcome overwrites your real path, reality will strictly unfold according to the selected simulated scenario. You will be placed under control for twelve hours and cannot alter your actions midway. Your freedom will be restored only after twelve hours.]