Liu Ruyan

Biodata

Feature	Details
Name	Liu Ruyan (柳如烟)
Alias(es)	Thousand-Faced Fox; the later revelation frames Liu Ruyan as one of the fox demon’s possessed human hosts rather than a simple disguise or clone 4 25
Species/Race	Human cultivator sharing her body with the fox demon Thousand-Faced Fox; possession allows the host soul and invading soul to coexist 25
Gender	Female
Affiliation	Azure Mist Sect, Tranquil Heart Peak inner sect; Heavenly Demon Sect infiltrator; independently pursues the Thousand-Faced Fox’s own opportunity 1 4 10
Occupation/Role	Inner-sect senior sister, illusionist, undercover spy, and intelligence operative
Cultivation	Foundation Establishment before Chen Gongxing shattered her dantian 3 18
Status	Uncertain; her body dissolved after her dantian was destroyed, but her connection to Thousand-Faced Fox leaves her final fate unresolved 18 19 25
First Appearance	Chapter 1

Background / History

Liu Ruyan was publicly known as a respected Tranquil Heart Peak inner disciple who often visited outer-sect peaks to recruit disciples. Behind that identity, she used illusion arts to infiltrate the Azure Mist Sect on behalf of the Heavenly Demon Sect 1.

Her initial mission was to locate the life gate of the Azure Mist Sect’s protective formation. She ignited Sunset Glow Peak’s Flame Vein as a diversion, concealed herself, infused demonic qi into the spiritual vein, and used a tracking spell to identify the formation’s weakness 1. She later reported that information to Heavenly Demon Sect Sovereign Tian Mingye, while cautioning that the Azure Mist Sect might conceal stronger experts than expected 4.

Liu’s apparent allegiance was itself a deception. After contacting Tian Mingye, she removed her face and revealed the silver-haired, nine-tailed form associated with Thousand-Faced Fox—a legendary illusionist who had infiltrated the Heavenly Demon Sect before infiltrating Azure Mist Sect 4 5. Later information established that Liu Ruyan was one of several humans possessed by Thousand-Faced Fox, with Liu’s original soul potentially still coexisting with the fox demon 25.

Appearance

Liu Ruyan presents herself as a petite, pure-looking young cultivator whose delicate appearance contrasts sharply with her seductive clothing and dangerous reputation 1 2.

• Peach-blossom eyes and a soft, alluring expression 1.
• A slender figure, often dressed in translucent smoky-pink or gauze robes 1 2.
• Her Tranquil Heart Peak cave dwelling contains a warm-water pool, spiral pink formation, and several rabbits 3 19.
• The Thousand-Faced Fox manifestation linked to her has silver hair, fox ears, nine tails, and a nine-petaled cherry-blossom mark on the forehead 4 5.

Personality

Liu Ruyan is cautious, calculating, and difficult to read. She repeatedly tests Jiang Chen’s identity rather than accepting his claims at face value, verifies his knowledge of the formation life gate, and binds him with a Word-Spirit Pill before granting him resources 2.

She is also highly opportunistic. Rather than oppose Reverend Guiqi directly, she exposes the nature of his trap and offers him intelligence about Tian Mingye’s planned attack in exchange for access to two secret manuals 11. Her willingness to undermine both the Heavenly Demon Sect and Azure Mist Sect suggests that her personal opportunity takes priority over factional loyalty 4 11.

Despite her secrecy, Liu develops a personal interest in Jiang Chen. She privately calls him the destiny she waited three thousand years for, shows jealousy over Tian Mingye’s closeness to him, and continues to invoke the possibility of meeting him again even as she appears to die 14 18 19 22.

Abilities & Skills

Illusion Arts

Liu Ruyan’s principal strength is illusion. Her techniques conceal her presence, distort perceptions, and can combine with prepared restrictions to create deceptions that are partly real and partly illusory.

• Turns invisible while carrying out covert operations 1.
• Conceals demonic activity while using Sunset Glow Peak’s spiritual vein to track the formation life gate 1.
• Creates an illusion convincing enough to mislead Spirit Severing Realm Chen Gongxing when supported by cloud restrictions and Tian Mingye’s Demonic Flame 18.
• Places illusionary restrictions over the Azure Mist Sect burial ground to conceal evidence and protect the area from discovery 14 19.
• Uses fox-spirit energy to break into Reverend Guiqi’s underground library and evade him after their negotiation 11.

Possession and Fox-Spirit Arts

Liu’s identity is inseparable from Thousand-Faced Fox’s possession technique.

• Thousand-Faced Fox can possess multiple human hosts rather than merely seize and replace their bodies 25.
• Possession permits the host soul and fox demon’s soul to coexist, leaving open the possibility that Liu Ruyan retains part of her original self 25.
• The fox demon associated with Liu can detect Jiang Chen’s observation even through a Butterfly Effect recording 25.
• Liu’s fox-spirit energy identifies her to Reverend Guiqi as a possible manifestation of Thousand-Faced Fox 11.

Demonic Techniques

Although Liu is not a true demon by race, she wields demonic methods and artifacts in service of her infiltration.

• Uses Demonic Flame drawn from a Demon Shrine during dual cultivation and combat 3.
• Infuses demonic qi into spiritual veins to perform tracking and locate formation weaknesses 1.
• Employs a soul manifestation to confront and question Jiang Chen while physically detained by the Discipline Hall 2.
• Can provide refined demonic and devilish resources, including a Demonic Obstacle Pellet and Demonblood Pill 11.

Cultivation Knowledge

Liu possesses extensive knowledge of formations, demonic cultivation, and the risks of the Return-Form Method.

• Recognizes that the hidden formulas in the Scripture Pavilion manuals form the same cultivation method 10.
• Determines that the Return-Form Method strips demonic aura, weakens spiritual roots, and is harmful to demons over time 10.
• Nearly loses her soul while attempting to cultivate the Demi-Immortal Method through a simulated Five-Element Endowment 14.
• Her actual Foundation Establishment cultivation is enhanced by powerful demonic artifacts, which caused Jiang Chen to initially overestimate her strength 3.

Equipment / Items

• Demon Shrine — source of the Demonic Flame Liu uses 3.
• Illusion-Soul Pearl — an illusion-related artifact whose failure to conceal her contributes to her suspicion of Jiang Chen 2.
• Storage Ring — retained until her apparent dissolution, when it was drawn into a collapsing pocket of space 18 19.
• Soft Hedgehog Spirit-Protecting Armor — protective armor given to Jiang Chen with spirit stones, Qi-Refining pills, and healing pellets 9.
• Demi-Immortal’s Book copies — Thousand-Faced Fox is stated to possess two copies of the technique 21.

Relationships

• Jiang Chen — Begins as a target of suspicion after he predicts her mission, then becomes a temporary ally, simulated cultivation partner, and the person Liu calls her long-awaited destiny 2 3 14 19.
• Thousand-Faced Fox — The possessing fox demon tied to Liu’s body; their exact division of identity, memory, and responsibility remains unresolved 4 25.
• Tian Mingye — Nominal sovereign within the Heavenly Demon Sect. Liu reports intelligence to Tian but secretly questions her planned assault and later cooperates with her against Reverend Guiqi 4 18.
• Reverend Guiqi — Mutual rivals who recognize each other’s traps. Liu trades Tian Mingye’s attack plans for access to two secret manuals from his underground library 11.
• Chen Gongxing — His Spirit Severing Realm sword strike shatters Liu’s dantian after she deceives him with an elaborate illusion 18.
• Mu Rong — A possible additional host of Thousand-Faced Fox; the relationship between the Empress Dowager and the fox demon is presented as possession, fusion, or shared identity 36 40.

Story Role / Major Arcs

Azure Mist Sect Infiltration

Liu initiates the “Setting Fire to the Mountain” crisis by burning Sunset Glow Peak’s Flame Vein and locating the sect-protecting formation’s life gate. Her operation reveals the Heavenly Demon Sect’s planned attack on Azure Mist Sect 1 4.

Jiang Chen’s Simulations

Jiang Chen’s simulations turn Liu into his first major covert contact within the enemy faction. She gives him a Dragonblood Qi-Refining Pill, imposes a temporary Word-Spirit restriction, and later supplies him with spirit stones, pills, armor, and cultivation materials 2 9.

Demi-Immortal’s Book

Liu assists Jiang Chen’s attempt to obtain the hidden manuals beneath Myriad Laws Peak. She identifies Reverend Guiqi’s Return-Form Method as dangerous to demons, secures two manuals through negotiation, and supplies Jiang Chen with demonic and devilish pills for his cultivation experiment 10 11.

Azure Mist Sect Battle and Disappearance

Liu’s illusion traps Chen Gongxing during the Heavenly Demon Sect’s assault, but he retaliates by destroying her dantian. She later appears to dissolve into mist and dust, leaving a fox-demon core and unresolved evidence that her death may not be final 18 19.

Revelation of Possession

Tian Mingye later clarifies that Liu Ruyan was one of Thousand-Faced Fox’s possessed humans. This revelation preserves the possibility that Senior Sister Liu’s original consciousness survived separately from the fox demon’s larger schemes 25.

Notable Quotes

“Sometimes strong, sometimes weak, sometimes bold, sometimes timid... The destiny I waited three thousand years for is truly adorable!” 14

“If you truly are my destined opportunity, you will surely be able to deduce this scene. We will meet again.” 18

“I... haven't reached three thousand either...” 19