Ye Fang rotated his wrist, once again feeling that incredible power. He took off his tattered old clothes, set them aside, and donned a clean, blue cultivator's gown. As he tied his hair back, a distinct transformation took place in his persona—an blend of youthful innocence on one hand and the sharp radiance of a warrior on the other.
He was just about to leave the room when a soft knock sounded at the door.
The door opened to reveal the two daughters of City Lord Wang Long. The elder daughter, Wang Mei, wore a light blue silk garment, while the younger, Wang Ling, looked very spirited in her pink attire.
Wang Mei stepped forward with a graceful greeting and said in a melodic voice, "Good morning, Master Ye Fang. I hope you had a pleasant night."
Ye Fang replied with a smile, "Good morning. Both of you here? Is it time for the match?"
Wang Ling said with a bit of excitement, "Oh no! Father says it will take some time to prepare the arena and invite all eight cultivators. The match will begin after noon. Until then, Father thought you might get bored being cooped up in your room."
Wang Mei continued, "Indeed. If you don't mind, would you like to take a tour of Sanmiao City with us? We would like to show you our city's most famous markets and sights."
Ye Fang's eyes lit up. As a 'Transmigrator,' he was naturally curious to see the cities of this new world up close. He said enthusiastically, "Yes, absolutely! I would love to accompany you both. I want to see what this city looks like from the inside and what its people are like."
He stepped out of the pavilion with the two sisters.
As they reached the city's main streets, Ye Fang was stunned. Sanmiao City looked even more magnificent in the daylight. Broad streets, white stone buildings, and colorful flags fluttering everywhere. The market was crowded with cultivators—some sharpening their blades, others haggling over precious stones.
Wang Mei told him about the city's history, while Wang Ling pulled him toward the savory food stalls and toy shops.
Eventually, they reached a massive fountain in the heart of the city, from which the entire city branched out into four sections. Ye Fang felt a very strong flow of energy in the air. He realized that this city wasn't just a structure of stone; it was a massive hub of cultivation.
During the stroll, the citizens looked at the two princesses with respect, but their gazes repeatedly landed on Ye Fang. News of the commotion at the gate yesterday had already spread throughout the city. People whispered, "Look, that's the boy who taught the gate guards a lesson! And see how easily he's walking with the princesses."
Unaware of the gossip, Ye Fang was busy soaking in the colors of this new world. He knew this peace lasted only a few hours, for after noon, he would have to face the true test of his 'God-Demon' power.
The two sisters led Ye Fang to the highest and most grand part of the city, known as the 'Heavenly Herb Pavilion.' The decor was such that every pillar was made of white marble, and the air carried a fragrance that instantly calmed the mind. Rare and glowing herbs were kept there in glass boxes, sights that cultivators from far and wide yearned to see.
As Ye Fang gazed mesmerized at a purple flower, Little System suddenly appeared near his ear. She wrinkled her nose and whispered with great disdain:
"Oh, Host! Are you really this surprised by these useless weeds? Honestly, these herbs are of very poor and inferior quality. Compared to the items available in the System Store, these aren't even worth being called trash!"
Ye Fang narrowed his eyes and began to argue with Little System in his mind. "You talk big, as if you've given me a treasure trove! But the truth is, what have you even given me to date? Just those 10 Talismans! Five for attack and five for power boosts, which I can't even use yet. Other than that, you've given me nothing!"
Little System paused for a moment, as if caught red-handed. She scratched her head and gave a nervous laugh, "Oh... right! I completely forgot about that, ha ha ha!"
Then, something strange happened. Right in front of Little System, her own System Screen (which looked like a blue transparent window) flickered to life on its own. But this time, there was no data on it; instead, a large face appeared on the screen, staring directly at Little System:
(-_-)
The 'staring face' on the screen was so lifelike that Little System was startled. She backed away in the air, shouting, "Oh my God! Hey, you're my own screen! How dare you stare at me like that? Why are you 'judging' me? Stop staring!"
Ye Fang couldn't suppress his laughter at the sight. He had to appear calm on the outside, but internally he was rolling with laughter. He realized that a whole other world was operating inside the system, where even the screen could mock its own system.
Wang Mei noticed Ye Fang smiling and asked, "Master Ye Fang, why are you smiling? Did you like this herb?"
Ye Fang hid his laughter and said, "No, no, I just remembered something. The herb is... good, but perhaps not quite as much as I had heard."
Meanwhile, Little System was still fighting with her screen, "Just you wait, next time I won't even update you! You've become very impudent!"
Suddenly, the blue transparent screen in the air vibrated violently, and a voice emerged—not mechanical, but that of an authoritative and mysterious man. The voice echoed directly in Little System's ears:
"Little System! You are not doing your job properly, girl! What did the Master tell you to do, and what are you doing instead?"
The screen's voice became even deeper and more thunderous, "Why are you sending him into this kind of 'official match'? Is this a game? He could have tested his strength in any random fight and polished his 'God-Demon Physique' discreetly. Why have you set him up for a public spectacle in the middle of the city?"
The moment Little System heard that voice, her face turned pale. Her playfulness vanished, and her mouth hung open in shock and terror. She bowed slightly in the air, trembling, and said in a faltering voice:
"Oh... Master! You? You've appeared here? I... I am so sorry, Master! I really didn't know you would appear so suddenly. I was just... I was just trying to complete the mission quickly."
Little System looked like a child caught stealing. She was terrified and couldn't even look at the 'face' on the screen.
Meanwhile, Ye Fang, standing with the Wang sisters, couldn't hear a single word of this conversation. All he saw was Little System suddenly freezing in mid-air, her mouth wide open as if she had seen a ghost. He thought to himself, "What happened to her? She was just fighting with her own screen, and now why has she turned into a statue?"
Wang Mei looked at him closely and asked, "Ye Fang, is everything alright? Why did you stop suddenly?"
Ye Fang composed himself and said, "Yes... yes, it's nothing. I just got lost in a deep thought."
He had absolutely no idea that there was a 'Master' sitting above his 'Little System,' keeping a close watch on his every move.