Fox Butterfly Effect

Jiang Chen felt somewhat melancholy.

All things considered, the third simulated storyline had also come to a perfect close.

Growth.

Qi Refining.

He had subdued Liu Ruyan.

And even gained a little love... if that counted as love.

Having lived two lives, Jiang Chen was fairly popular with girls, but he was hardly an old hand at romance. It was inevitable that he would develop feelings the first time around.

However, in this treacherous cultivation world where demons and monsters ran rampant, he had to sever such ties.

Otherwise, when the Demon Sect attacked the mountain, how was he supposed to face himself after colluding with Liu Ruyan?

Though his talent was unremarkable, he now had a system at his side. With limitless possibilities ahead of him, there was no need to choose the path of becoming a demon.

Liu Ruyan was only at Foundation Establishment, while he had the simulator. His cultivation would surely advance by leaps and bounds, and he would inevitably make many enemies. He would not settle down in one place, so was he supposed to drag her around everywhere with him?

Besides, Liu Ruyan had cultivated with him partly out of caution and testing. There had not been much sincerity in it. At most, she did not dislike him.

That was the reality of love between cultivators.

Furthermore, Liu Ruyan was not a true demoness. If the demons' plan to attack the mountain failed, the Demon Sect would likely punish her, and he would be the first person she turned on.

Although he had engaged in deep exchanges with his senior sister, he did not truly understand her. This half-baked Dao companion relationship was likely either a castle in the air or a hidden danger.

Back when he had no one to rely on, he might have taken a gamble.

Now that he had a system, he would never put himself in danger!

After pondering for a long time, Jiang Chen ultimately gave up on the third ending and sealed away this ill-fated bond with Senior Sister Liu.

"Choose the second ending."

[The second ending is about to overwrite reality. You will be placed under control for twelve hours until the ending is reached!]

Jiang Chen thought that he could airdrop into the starting point of a storyline, but the ending location was synchronized with the simulation.

That meant he had to escape to a safe place within twelve hours. Otherwise, there was no point in participating at all.

With that thought, his vision went black.

When he opened his eyes, it was already midnight on the following day.

According to the second ending, Jiang Chen had helped Liu Ruyan locate the formation core ahead of time, obtained the Dragonblood Qi-Refining Pill, used it to enter Qi Refining, then left the Azure Mist Sect overnight and hid in the barren mountains nearby.

At the moment, he was in those barren mountains, sitting cross-legged beside a concealed boulder.

The stars glittered brightly, and the night was cool as water.

After entering Qi Refining and gaining spiritual awareness, it was as though he had opened a sixth sense and come face-to-face with an entirely new world.

With a slight concentration of his mind, he opened the system panel.

[Name]: Jiang Chen.

[Cultivation]: Qi Refining Level 1.

[Money]: Low-grade spirit stones ×3.

[Items]:

Multipurpose machete ×1 (ordinary grade);

[Skills]:

Eight-Step Mad Blade: Minor accomplishment;

[Main storyline]: The simulation of the main storyline "Setting Fire to the Mountain" has been completed. You may review the three simulation recordings of this storyline at any time.

[Butterfly Effect]: One unviewed recording.

"Review the simulated storyline anytime... isn't that basically a little movie?"

Jiang Chen suddenly felt a little excited.

But upon careful thought, a day as husband and wife brought a hundred days of affection. Watching such things too often would only add to his sorrow.

If he and Liu Ruyan became mortal enemies in the future, remembering the affection from their parallel timeline would affect his judgment and choices, leaving behind hidden dangers.

After considering it for a long time, Jiang Chen did not review his parallel memories with Liu Ruyan.

I'll just treat it as a dream!

Jiang Chen continued reading.

He discovered an unviewed recording in the final [Butterfly Effect] section.

The recording even had a title: Liu Ruyan's True Identity.

Liu Ruyan had another identity?

With a thought, Jiang Chen immediately opened the recording.

It showed something that had happened an hour and a half ago.

The location was Tranquil Heart Peak of the inner sect.

Liu Ruyan's cave abode.

"Why did the Butterfly Effect occur in Liu Ruyan's cave abode? Could it be..."

The Butterfly Effect referred to how a tiny change in the initial conditions of a system could trigger immense long-term chain reactions throughout the entire system.

Could the unchosen third ending have affected the real world as well?

Jiang Chen felt a little panicked.

A faint, strange medicinal fragrance filled the cave abode.

At the center of the recording, Liu Ruyan sat cross-legged in the middle of a spiral formation. She held a cup of white-leaf tea and wore a pale blue-white gauze robe that half-concealed her graceful figure.

Before her stood a small indigo, flower-shaped pill furnace. Rings of vermilion yin-yang seals were engraved upon its outer wall, and the red glow on the seals slowly revolved.

At that moment, a wisp of green smoke drifted from the top of the pill furnace.

The green smoke rose and swayed, then was immediately bound by the formation, transforming into the phantom of a four-armed demoness.

Her figure was tall and imposing, her body lush and seductive, and her clothing extremely revealing... the classic aura of a female demon lord.

Within the hazy black shadow, Jiang Chen could vaguely make out a stunningly beautiful face that was both majestic and darkly enchanting.

Whether it was her profound demonic nature, overwhelming presence, figure, or beauty, she completely eclipsed Liu Ruyan.

Even through the screen, he could feel the upheaval. Looking away would mean failing the challenge.

Jiang Chen's heart remained utterly unmoved.

"Could a female demon lord possibly be ugly?"

At the same time, he heaved a sigh of relief.

Liu Ruyan was merely meeting with her superior. It had nothing to do with the third ending.

What the recording showed was the chain reaction caused in reality by his second simulated ending, and it would likely affect the demons' plans.

And if he was not mistaken, the demoness in the recording was the current sovereign of the Heavenly Demon Sect—

Tian Mingye!

"You took this long to contact me. You had better have found the formation core's location."

The demoness spoke coldly, her voice deep, carrying both the grandeur of glaciers and the arrogance of blazing flames.

Evil and sexy in the most classic sense!

Liu Ruyan set down her teacup and replied calmly:

"Reporting to the Sovereign, the formation core lies beneath Mount Lanling."

"Are you certain?"

"I am."

"How did you confirm it?"

"Today was the peak period of activity for the Flame Vein, when its overlap with the spirit veins was greatest. This disciple ignited the Flame Vein, concealed the demonic aura's tracking, and found the formation core."

"You have done well. I shall immediately gather the Heavenly Demon forces. In three days, we will launch a full assault on the Azure Mist Sect. You and the others will act as internal agents and destroy the Azure Mist Sect's formation core in one stroke."

"However, during this disciple's investigation, I discovered that the Azure Mist Sect harbors hidden experts. It may possess power beyond the Nascent Soul realm. The attack on the mountain should be considered carefully."

"Do not boost others' prestige while diminishing your own. If the Azure Mist Sect still possessed power beyond the Nascent Soul realm, it would not currently be surrounded by wolves eyeing it greedily."

"Even so, attacking the mountain is no trivial matter. Please grant this disciple another month to investigate thoroughly and confirm that there are no experts within the sect before taking action."

The demoness' expression turned cold, as if she stood at the edge of an Abyss.

"What is wrong with you?"

Liu Ruyan remained neither servile nor overbearing.

"This disciple merely feels that the atmosphere within the Azure Mist Sect is somewhat strange. There must be matters unknown to me."

"You are too confident."

"They say the demon race plunders mountains, while demons attack cities... This disciple is curious. Why does the Heavenly Demon Sect not attack Xiyang City, and instead insist on targeting a declining Azure Mist Sect?"

Seeing this, Jiang Chen relaxed slightly.

Liu Ruyan had never mentioned him.

As for why the Heavenly Demon Sect wanted to attack the Azure Mist Sect, Jiang Chen had been just as curious as Liu Ruyan.

Most of the demon race were fierce and savage by nature. They fed on spirit beasts and spirit plants, absorbing spiritual nourishment efficiently. They occasionally ate humans as well, but mostly ambushed lone cultivators and rarely targeted ordinary mortals, who had little nutritional value.

Demons were humans whose bodies and minds had fallen to demonic corruption and whose dantians had mutated. Unable to normally absorb spiritual energy, spirit plants, or spirit beast resources, they could only cultivate by using humans as resources. They often attacked and occupied human cities, selected the talented among them to transform into demons, captured cultivators to devour and refine, and penned up mortals for endless breeding to supply their daily demonic food.

That was why Jiang Chen was unwilling to become a demon lightly. Once he became one, he would become the enemy of all humanity.

The demoness did not answer Liu Ruyan.

"Is that something you should be asking?"

"This disciple would not dare."

"Not only the Heavenly Demon Sect—one branch of the demon race has recently set its sights on the Azure Mist Sect as well. I received secret intelligence that someone saw Thousand-Faced Fox in Xiyang City. That woman is skilled at manipulating hearts and can transform in countless ways. No one has ever seen her true form. She may appear at any moment and steal the Heavenly Demon Sect's achievements. Rather than investigating the Azure Mist Sect's experts, you would do better to keep an eye on Thousand-Faced Fox."

"Yes."

"I give you ten days. In ten days, I will personally arrive at the Azure Mist Sect."

"Yes."

The black shadow dispersed, and the green smoke sank.

The demonic aura within the Demon Shrine dissipated, while curling green smoke filled the entire cave abode.

Within the hazy mist, Liu Ruyan raised a hand to the hair behind her ear and slowly peeled away her beautiful face...

Jiang Chen had been ready to close the recording, but this scene suddenly left him stunned.

Through the drifting green smoke, he saw an immortal beauty stunning enough to captivate all living beings!

The red glow of the seals on the pill furnace slowly revolved, shining upon a cascade of silver hair and casting the shadows of fox ears and nine tails upon the cave abode walls.

Thousand-Faced Fox!