After transforming into a fairy, I, in my simulation, wreaked havoc in the cultivation world.

The stars are shining brightly tonight.

You sit alone in the best-lit attic room on the top floor of the airship.

[Actually, given your demonstrated cultivation level, you shouldn't be qualified to reside here. You're just a deputy captain of the enforcement team, exercising a little bit of power arbitrarily.]

[As you look at the newly added "Diviner" entry on the panel, a thought stirs within you, and a profound feeling wells up inside you, as if you've established some kind of wondrous connection with the stars in the sky.]

[You conveyed your thoughts, and the next moment, a flash of light appeared on the panel, followed by a line of golden words.]

[Current hexagram: Very auspicious.]

The divination text says: If you blossom, butterflies will come.

Looking at the divination results, you put down your teacup and fell into deep thought.

The person you're asking about is Zhou Xiaonuan.

More precisely, it is her true form—Zhengming.

[Within the Tianxuan Sword Sect, you thoroughly investigated Zhou Xiaonuan's background. She was indeed on the list for this expedition, but her behavior was completely different from the Zhou Xiaonuan you remembered.]

You lightly tap your fingertips on the table, recalling the fierce battle you fought to exterminate the blood rats.

On the seventh day, you briefly separated from the group and left alone for a short while.

[It was after that that Zhou Xiaonuan, who was originally quiet and reserved, underwent a strange change in personality, becoming unusually clingy.]

All the signs are coming together, and the answer is becoming clear.

[It was during your brief absence from the team that the cat demon named "Zhengming" silently carried out a switch, replacing the real Zhou Xiaonuan.]

The only question right now is why such a terrifying being would show you such unusual closeness and goodwill?

Your gaze lingered briefly on the system panel, and the divination phrase resurfaced in your mind—"The butterfly will come of its own accord."

My intuition tells me this might be more than just a simple interpretation.

You composed yourself, rose, and pushed open the door.

Since the divination indicates great fortune, and we didn't encounter any danger during the last contact, let's try again.

The terrifying, suffocating figure from the simulation involuntarily flashed through your mind. You swallowed hard. A cat of this caliber definitely deserves some effort to bring home.

Besides, we're already here...

【...】

The team composition is the same as last time: three mid-stage Qi Refining members and one late-stage Qi Refining captain.

[It's worth mentioning that poor Xiao Fanzi is currently only a Qi Refining Level 6 cultivator. After all, without your personal assistance, the early rise of this penniless chosen one of destiny has indeed been quite difficult.]

"Let's go."

Watching the procession surge into the vast mountains and forests, you remained calm and, without hesitation, embarked on the exact same route as before.

[You've never had a penchant for seeking thrills instead of taking the perfectly good, smooth road.]

People say that fortune favors the bold, but you know your own limitations and weaknesses better than anyone else.

There's no need to risk your life like those lucky ones. Playing it safe, developing your character, and playing it safe are the optimal solutions to maximize the simulator's effectiveness.

[As you expected, Lin Bufan arrived in front of you, scratching the back of his head and looking apologetic, after only half a day in the forest.]

"Senior sister, I want to go and explore other places on my own."

Upon hearing this, you paused slightly, your expression instantly turning serious.

You take a few steps forward, getting close to him, tilting your head slightly upward, your tone conveying just the right amount of anger and grievance:

"Is your junior brother upset that your senior sister is holding you back?"

"No! How could this be?!"

Lin Bufan panicked and waved his hands repeatedly.

"I... um... senior sister, you've misunderstood, I..."

Of course you know why. It's simply that the old man with the ring sensed some rare and precious treasure again and is eager to snatch it up.

However, you no longer care about those petty gains; agreeing to travel with Lin Bufan is merely a way to let him know your attitude towards him.

Besides, even if he didn't leave, you would have found a way to get him away.

[After all, people with the title of "Chosen One" are really strange. What if they kidnap your cat?]

You reached out and covered his lips at just the right moment, but the instant your fingertips touched his warm skin, you felt as if you'd been burned, and quickly withdrew your hand, blushing.

The atmosphere between the two became rather ambiguous for a moment.

After a brief silence, you casually kicked a pebble at your feet and said softly:

"Junior brother, I know you have lofty ambitions, but you must always prioritize your own safety."

"I will, senior!"

Hearing this, Lin Bufan felt a warmth in his heart and nodded earnestly at you.

He had only taken a few steps when he suddenly stopped and turned back.

[After quickly slipping two items into your hand, he left without looking back, and at the same time, a gentle voice sounded in your ear:]

"Senior sister, this is a Thousand-Mile Escape Talisman; it must be used in critical moments."

Yay!

[Thousand-Mile Escape Talisman +2!]

You happily put away the talisman, watching his departing figure with tender eyes until he completely blended into the shadows of the trees, leaving no trace.

Then the warmth in your eyes vanished instantly, and you looked at the two team members who had been waiting not far away, and spoke in a low voice:

"I also need to leave for a while. You can wait where you are."

Having said that, without waiting for their reply, he vanished from their sight in a flash.

[Two team members: ???]

【...】

The night was still young, and the bright moon hung high in the sky.

A figure stood silently in a clearing in the woods, dressed in white as snow.

Her long hair was loosely tied up with a single bamboo hairpin, a few stray strands falling beside her cheeks, making her face appear even more aloof.

The next moment, the girl abruptly opened her eyes, her longsword rising lightly in her hand, piercing precisely a bamboo leaf that drifted gracefully down from mid-air. Then, with a flick of her wrist, the longsword, like a silver ribbon, drew sharp, chilling streaks in the dark night.

The girl's figure moved through the forest like willow catkins, the sharp sword light and fluttering robes complementing each other. Her movements were graceful and elegant, like a startled swan or a swimming dragon.

【"Zheng!"】

[Until a suppressed sword cry rang out in the night, all other sounds in the bamboo forest seemed to fade away at that moment.]

The girl slowly closed her eyes, her fingertips lightly tracing a line in front of her. A chilling light, condensed to its extreme, spread silently forward at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye.

"Splash!"

The entire deep bamboo forest seemed to have been cleaved in two from the very middle by some irresistible force.

There was no earth-shattering roar, no raging gale; only a pure, unparalleled sword light remained in the world.

The girl stood silently, longsword in hand, a mysterious feeling spreading through her.

[After decades of diligent practice, today I have finally grasped the true essence of swordsmanship, achieving clarity of mind and sharpness!]

...