As the group slowly began advancing toward the colossal Formation Matrix, suddenly—
[Ding!]
Ye Fang's footsteps froze dead in their tracks. A bright burst of blue light flashed right before his eyes, and the familiar crystalline interface of the System materialized.
[Emergency Mission Issued!]
[Mission Name: Trial of Independence]
[Mission Objective: Host must clear the entire Trial of the Heart without any active assistance from the Little System.]
[Mission Restriction: During the trial, all active guidance, environmental scanning, tactical analysis, and real-time hints will remain completely locked.]
[Mission Failure: Unknown.]
[Mission Reward: ???]
Ye Fang's eyes nearly popped right out of their sockets.
'WHAT?! Without... your help?! Hey, is this even allowed?! You pull this exact same stunt every single time! Right when I need you the absolute most, you just vanish into thin air!'
Right at that moment, the blue light pulsed softly once more, and the Little System materialized right in front of him.
This time, however, her face didn't carry her usual mischievous smirk. Instead, a rare look of calm seriousness rested on her features.
"Host, panic is entirely unnecessary."
Ye Fang immediately voiced his outrage. 'Not panic?! You are leaving me stranded all by myself and telling me not to panic?!'
The System answered in an unhurried, composed tone: "This is no ordinary mission. It is a Special Mission, and Special Missions always come paired with... Special Rewards."
Ye Fang's loud complaints instantly died down, his tone taking a sharp 180-degree turn. 'Oh...? Show me the rewards first.'
The Little System smiled softly. "As you wish, Host."
Immediately, the glowing blue screen flared with new text:
[Mission Rewards]
① Crazy Demon Mode
② Divine Holy Spring Manifestation Technique (3 Uses)
Ye Fang stared blankly at the floating screen for several beats.
Then, he asked in a low whisper— '...Don't just build suspense with flashy titles. What on earth do these two actually do?'
The Little System gently raised her index finger.
"The first reward—Crazy Demon Mode. Whenever the Host activates this state, your total combat capacity will be multiplied by ten. Your Strength, Defense, Speed, Spiritual Energy, Reaction Speed, and virtually every single Combat Attribute will instantly surge by a factor of ten."
Ye Fang's mouth hung wide open.
'T... Ten times?!'
The System nodded gently. "Indeed, Host. However, such immense power must be deployed with extreme caution. Your God-Demon Physique is inherently countless times more powerful than that of any ordinary cultivator. As I have mentioned before, even though your surface cultivation remains at Qi Refining, the density of the God and Demon Qi residing within you is extraordinarily thick."
Ye Fang was left completely dumbfounded, staring blankly at the floating interface. The Little System then proceeded to explain the second reward.
[Divine Holy Spring Manifestation Technique]
[Uses Remaining: 3]
"This is no ordinary technique. By utilizing this, the Host can manifest a Divine Holy Spring at any location of your choosing—be it a burning desert, a frozen, desolate wasteland, or a barren land completely depleted of Spiritual Energy."
Ye Fang listened with rapt attention. The System continued:
"That Divine Holy Spring will contain exceptionally pure, high-tier Divine Spiritual Energy. It will simultaneously nourish both your God and Demon attributes. If you meditate within its waters, your recovery and cultivation speed will skyrocket exponentially. And if an ordinary cultivator were to cultivate inside it... they would gain benefits equivalent to meditating in a rich, sacred land for a thousand years."
Ye Fang stood entirely paralyzed, utterly stunned. He slowly turned his head to look at the Little System, staring at her floating form in disbelief for several moments.
Finally, he spoke up— 'Listen, System...'
The Little System puffed out her chest with a proud, beaming smile. "Yes, Host? Are you about to praise my divine greatness?!"
Ye Fang grinned, a sarcastic glint in his eye. 'You are a top-tier trash system, your service is utterly terrible, your tasks are garbage... but damn it, your rewards are absolute perfection!'
The Little System stared at him for a few seconds. Then, a gentle, genuine smile touched her lips.
"Thank you... Host. At least this is the very first time you have offered a compliment regarding my work. Oh, before you step into the trial, let me share one more critical piece of information. Your Cultivation Realm will NOT be suppressed or altered inside the trial in the slightest, because it was directly conferred by the System. No external force in this realm possesses the authority to weaken it."
Ye Fang went completely wide-eyed. "WHAT?! REALLY?!"
He shouted at the top of his lungs right in front of everyone!
His sudden, deafening outburst vibrated through the air, causing Captain Luo, Commander Zheng, Wang Ling, Wang Mei, Shi Mao, Murong Yun, and Yang Kai Long to instantly freeze and whip their heads toward him in shock.
Commander Zheng immediately stepped forward, placing a heavy, concerned hand on Ye Fang's shoulder. "What happened to you, Ye Fang?! Are you alright?!"
Simultaneously, Wang Mei rushed over and caught Ye Fang's arm, her eyes filled with worry. "What's wrong, Ye Fang?! Are you okay?! Is something bothering you?!"
One after another, the entire group gathered around, frantically asking if he was facing an emergency. Ye Fang quickly raised his hands in self-defense, trying to calm everyone down while sweating nervously.
"Ah... no, no! It's nothing! I was just... a bit overly excited today! Yes, just hyper! Ha... haha!"
Wang Ling, who had been watching silently up until now, leaned in with a playful smirk. "Are you feeling nervous~?"
Ye Fang immediately puffed out his chest, blurting out defensively: "ME?! Nervous?! I was just... thinking out loud! Very loudly!"
Everyone's expressions instantly deadpanned, staring at him with unblinking, exasperated eyes.
Right at that exact moment, the thunderous, majestic voice of the Flame Emperor, Yang Hao, reverberated across the entire expanse of the realm—
"All participants... step forward into the Formation!"
One by one, the young cultivators composed themselves and stepped onto the glowing matrix. As they touched the rotating runes, brilliant beams of light enveloped their forms, teleporting them to completely separate, isolated dimensions within the spatial array.
As all the participants slowly stepped onto the colossal Formation Matrix, the Flame Emperor, Yang Hao, gradually raised his right hand into the air.
An ancient, primordial flame ignited within his eyes.
The very next instant—
BOOM!
A violent shockwave rippled through the entirety of the Flame Domain!
Thousands of ancient runes etched upon the Formation Matrix flared up simultaneously. Crimson, golden, and radiant blue lights intertwined, forming a colossal wheel of divine energy.
Ye Fang looked down at the rotating runes spinning rapidly beneath his feet. Slowly, the figures of Wang Mei, Wang Ling, Murong Yun, Shi Mao, Commander Zheng, Captain Luo, and Yang Kai Long standing around him began to blur into translucent streaks of light.
Ye Fang blinked in realization: 'Oh... so we're actually about to be teleported now?'
Nearby, Wang Mei and Wang Ling held their breath nervously; this was their very first time participating in a trial inside an Ancient Secret Realm.
Commander Zheng and Captain Luo tightened their grips on their weapons, swearing silently in their hearts: 'No matter what happens, we must protect the two young princesses at all costs.'
Murong Yun and Shi Mao maintained deadly serious expressions, steeling their resolve for the upcoming test. Yet, standing apart from everyone else, Yang Kai Long wore a faint, serene smile, entirely at peace.
A blinding flash of light enveloped Ye Fang's entire field of vision. He felt his body suddenly become completely weightless—no up, no down, no sense of direction, only an infinite expanse of luminous light.
For a few fleeting seconds, it felt as though he were floating along a roaring, cosmic river while the entire world receded rapidly behind him. Then, without warning—
THUD!
Ye Fang's feet slammed onto solid ground. He instantly adjusted his balance and swept his gaze across his surroundings.
He was standing in a completely different world. Towering ancient trees, dense emerald foliage, an endless primal forest stretching into the horizon, a clear blue sky, and golden sunlight filtering softly through the thick canopy above. There was not a single trace of the Flame Domain's eternal magma to be seen.
Ye Fang stood frozen for a moment before slowly looking down at his hands. He focused internally to sense his Spiritual Energy—and raised his palm.
Crackle!
Dense, unyielding God-Demon Qi flared up around his arm, swirling in vibrant, effortless currents! He clenched his fist tight.
BOOM!
A subtle shockwave of compressed energy rippled outward from his knuckles. Ye Fang's eyes lit up in sheer delight.
'No way... my power wasn't suppressed at all!'
He let out a long, heavy sigh of relief, excitement dawning across his face.
'So this is spatial teleportation? Man... that felt awesome!'
He was still reveling in the feeling when suddenly—
"AAAAAAHHHHHH!"
Two painfully familiar screams echoed from deep within the forest!
Ye Fang's relaxed expression snapped shut instantly. 'Wait... aren't those Wang Mei and Wang Ling's voices?!'
Another frantic scream pierced the air: "SISTER! WATCH OUT!"
Ye Fang's eyes narrowed into sharp slits. 'Wang Ling!'
Without wasting a single fraction of a second, he channeled his God-Demon Qi straight down into his legs.
BOOM!
The earth cracked beneath his heels as Ye Fang shot forward like a streak of lightning! Trees blurred past him into indistinct green smears as he tore through the jungle at terrifying speed.
Just a few seconds later, he burst into a massive, open clearing—and the scene before him made his expression darken instantly.
Standing in the center of the clearing were Wang Mei and Wang Ling.
And looming directly over them was a colossal Red Flame Wyvern!
The beast was an 80-foot-long dragon-like behemoth. Deep crimson scales covered its massive body, and two gargantuan wings were spread wide, shedding streams of raw, liquid fire from their edges. Its long neck was raised high, golden reptilian eyes gleaming with murderous fury, while violent red flames gathered rapidly within its gaping jaw.
ROAAAAAAR!
The Wyvern's deafening roar rattled the ancient trees of the forest.
Wang Ling gritted her teeth in desperation: "Sister! This thing is way too powerful!"
Wang Mei's cold eyes were dead serious: "Hold your ground! Do not retreat!"
Both sisters were desperately firing attacks at the beast, but the terrifying Ice-Thunder energy that normally shrouded Wang Mei was practically non-existent. Wang Ling's Ice-Thunder Qi was suppressed to a mere flicker as well. Their legendary Special Physiques had been completely sealed by the invisible rules of the Trial!
Wang Mei thrust her palm forward: "Ice Blade!"
A tiny, fragile blade of ice formed in her hand and shot toward the Wyvern.
BOOM!
CLANG!
The ice blade struck the Wyvern's chest, only to shatter uselessly into powder against its armored dragon scales.
Wang Mei's pupils shrank: "Its defense is this ridiculous?!"
The Wyvern violently flapped its giant wings—WHOOSH!
Gales of scorching wind blasted both sisters backward. Wang Ling dug her heels into the dirt, shouting frantically: "Sister!"
Wang Mei steadied her footing: "I'm fine!"
However, the Wyvern immediately opened its maw wide, concentrated crimson fire building at a terrifying speed.
Wang Mei's face turned pale: "Ling! GET OUT OF THE WAY!"
FWOOSH!
A massive stream of dragon fire erupted straight toward them. Both sisters leapt in opposite directions just in time.
BOOM!
The ground where they had been standing charred into a smoking, pitch-black crater.
Wang Ling panicked: "It's too strong! We can't harm it at all!"
Wang Mei clenched her small fists tight: "Our powers have been heavily restricted by this domain..."
Before she could finish, the Wyvern struck again! Vaulting into the air, its wings snapped thick tree branches like twigs as it swooped down straight toward Wang Ling!
ROAR!
Wang Ling pushed her remaining suppressed Qi into her feet, backing away frantically, but the Wyvern was infinitely faster. Its massive, razor-sharp claw reached down to crush her!
"LING! NO!"
Wang Mei flashed forward, putting herself directly between her sister and the beast!
CRASH!
She raised both hands to block the Wyvern's claw, but her suppressed strength was nowhere near enough. She was dragged backward several meters, her feet carving deep grooves into the soil.
"SISTER!" Wang Ling cried out in utter horror.
The Wyvern raised its second claw for the fatal blow—
WHOOSH!
A dark silhouette plummeted from the sky like a falling meteor!
BOOM!
Ye Fang slammed onto the ground directly between the two sisters and the looming Red Flame Wyvern, cracks radiating across the earth beneath his feet!
Wang Mei and Wang Ling froze in absolute shock.
"Ye Fang?!"
Ye Fang didn't even turn his head, asking in an unhurried tone: "Are you two alright?"
Wang Ling blurted out instantly: "Y-Yes!"
Wang Mei let out a heavy breath of relief: "How did you—"
Ye Fang smirked faintly: "Looks like the three of us got teleported to the exact same drop point."
He turned his attention toward the towering Red Flame Wyvern. The beast lowered its reptilian head and unleashed a terrifying, face-to-face roar straight at him!
ROAAAAAAR!
Ye Fang stared at it blankly for a second, tilting his neck slightly. "Right... so you're their opponent?"
Wang Ling warned urgently: "Be careful! It's insanely strong!"
Ye Fang opened his palm, then slowly clenched it into a tight, dense fist.
Crack!
The God-Demon Qi within his dantians surged quietly, his eyes flashing with a sharp, subtle glint.
'So everyone else's power is suppressed in this Trial...' He glanced sideways at the exhausted sisters. '...Except mine.'
A subtle grin touched his lips. 'Looks like the System wasn't lying after all.'
The Wyvern lunged forward with a furious roar—BOOM! Its gargantuan body tore through the air, bringing down a massive claw aimed straight at Ye Fang's head!
Ye Fang casually raised his right hand.
THWACK!
The claw collided with his palm.
The entire clearing fell dead silent for a split second. The Wyvern's mountain-crushing claw was stopped dead in its tracks against Ye Fang's open hand. Ye Fang didn't budge a single millimeter.
Wang Ling's eyes turned into wide, perfect saucers: "He... caught it?!"
Wang Mei stood completely frozen in disbelief.
Ye Fang looked down at the trapped claw, then glanced up into the monster's glowing golden eyes.
"My turn."
He pulled his left fist back, streams of black and golden energy swirling around his knuckles.
BOOOOM!
A deceptively simple punch detonated directly against the Wyvern's heavily armored chest!
Next instant—
BANGGGGG!
The colossal 80-foot Red Flame Wyvern was launched airborne like a cannonball, flying back dozens of meters before crashing violently into the dirt!
CRASH!
The earth shattered beneath the impact, leaves raining down like hail.
Wang Ling's mouth hung wide open: "..."
Wang Mei was rendered completely speechless.
Ye Fang glanced down at his own knuckles, muttering internally: 'Hmm... I didn't even put much force into that one.'
The Wyvern struggled desperately to get back up, its golden eyes now filled with overwhelming terror rather than rage. Ye Fang stepped forward slowly, a crushing, imperious aura radiating from his body with every step.
In a final desperate act, the Wyvern let out a panicked roar and unleashed a massive, concentrated fireball from its maw!
FWOOSH!
Ye Fang walked straight into the raging inferno without skipping a single beat.
The scorching flames smashed against his body—only to instantly disperse around him harmlessly. Not a single strand of his hair was singed.
Wang Ling gasped in absolute disbelief: "H-How is this even possible?!"
Ye Fang chuckled: "Guess my Fire Resistance is pretty decent."
Wang Mei glared at him with an unblinking, bewildered stare: 'Decent?!'
Ye Fang extended his right palm, condensing his God-Demon Qi into a solid shockwave before bursting it forward!
BOOM!
A powerful wave of energy blasted directly into the Wyvern. This time, the terrifying creature didn't even bother attempting to resist. Its massive body collapsed heavily onto the dirt, its wings twitching once or twice before it went completely still.
An eerie silence settled over the forest clearing.
Ye Fang casually lowered his palm and turned around to face the two sisters.
Wang Ling was still staring at him as if looking at a monster: "You... you defeated it that easily?!"
Ye Fang shrugged non-chalantly: "Maybe it wasn't as strong as it looked."
Wang Mei immediately glanced between the massive, unconscious Wyvern and Ye Fang, shock still evident in her eyes: "That Red Flame Wyvern was easily a high-tier threat at our current stage. All our powers were heavily suppressed by the Trial... yet your power..."
Ye Fang looked down at his palm, the quiet river of God-Demon Qi still circulating smoothly inside him: "Looks like the rules in this Trial are a bit different for me."
Wang Mei and Wang Ling shared a brief look. Subtle, enchanting smiles broke across their faces as they stepped closer to Ye Fang.
Wang Mei gently placed her soft hand against Ye Fang's chest, and Wang Ling quickly followed suit on the other side. Both sisters closed the distance until they were standing mere inches away from him.
Wang Mei leaned in close, her sweet, delicate breath brushing right against Ye Fang's ear as she whispered in a tantalizing tone:
"Senior Ye Fang... you truly are remarkably powerful~ You saved our lives... shouldn't we express our gratitude properly~?"
Wang Ling leaned into his other ear, whispering in a playful, mischievous murmur:
"Big Sister speaks the truth~ After all, Senior went out of his way to rescue us. We definitely owe you a very special reward~"
Hearing their seductive whispers, Ye Fang's face instantly flushed bright crimson, his mind going completely blank!