As Ye Fang navigated the bustling arteries of Sanmiao City's central market, his eyes scanned every stall with the precision of a hawk. Amidst the cacophony of vendors, the heavy scent of exotic spices, and the chaotic surge of cultivators, his mind was weaving his next move. Suddenly, he halted before a dilapidated shop where grotesque stones and raw ores lay scattered like forgotten debris.
He recalled the countless legends from the scrolls and web novels of his previous world—how the 'Heaven-Chosen' protagonists would always find a divine treasure hidden within a piece of junk.
A sly smirk played on his lips. "Every Main Character does this once in their journey, so why should I be the exception? I'll find it too. Who knows, perhaps a High-Grade Spiritual Stone awaits me. And besides, I have the System... even if it's currently having a nap."
Stepping into the shop, the earthy scent of ancient minerals greeted him. The proprietor, a middle-aged man with a sharp, merchant's eye, immediately rose from his stool, clasping his hands in a respectful greeting.
"Welcome, Young Master! How may this humble servant assist you?" the shopkeeper asked, flashing a practiced smile. His eyes took in Ye Fang's mundane robes, yet he sensed an unmistakable aura behind the boy's glittering eyes.
Ye Fang didn't waste words. "Show me your stones."
The merchant blinked. "You wish to gamble on ores, Young Master?"
"Indeed. I seek those with the potential for Jade or Spiritual Energy," Ye Fang declared, striking a pose of a seasoned expert.
"Very well! Pray, look at these," the merchant led him to a heavy timber table laden with dozens of unpolished brown and obsidian stones. Some looked weathered by eons, while others possessed a faint, ethereal sheen.
Ye Fang began inspecting them with exaggerated gravity, turning them over and letting his fingers graze their rough surfaces. He hoped his God-Demon Physique might resonate with any hidden primordial energy.
Suddenly, a silken, familiar voice cut through the ambient noise, echoing like a clear bell.
"Why did you leave the Arena so abruptly, without a single word to anyone?"
Ye Fang's hand froze mid-air. He didn't need to turn around to recognize the speaker. Without looking back, he replied nonchalantly, "I have no interest in the tedious chatter of old men. I preferred a stroll instead."
The figure behind him seemed taken aback. "I see. So you find the wisdom of elders 'tedious'?"
Ye Fang tossed a small stone into the air and caught it effortlessly. "Indeed. Standing there was nothing but a colossal waste of time."
The footsteps drew closer, carrying a hint of both annoyance and profound curiosity. "How can you speak so lightly? Grandfather and Father have been searching for you with such desperation, and here you are... treading through dirt in a common shop?"
Ye Fang felt a twitch of irritation. Can't a man shop in peace? He turned around abruptly, ready to snap, "Listen, whoever you are—"
The words died in his throat. Standing before him in the golden light of the marketplace were Wang Mei and Wang Ling. Their presence felt like two celestial stars descended into the mortal realm.
Ye Fang rubbed the back of his neck, his irritation dissolving into awkwardness. "Oh... My apologies. I didn't realize it was you two. I thought it was some persistent passerby."
Wang Mei noticed his fluster and offered a gentle, serene smile. "Ye Fang, there is no need for such formality. You may call us by our names. After all you've done for us, you've earned that much."
Wang Ling, however, was not as soft-spoken. She squinted at the dusty table and then looked Ye Fang in the eye. "Why come here to look at stones after abandoning the Arena? Don't you know the city's greatest warriors were looking for you? And here you are, dusting off pebbles!"
Ye Fang took a deep breath. "I just wanted to see the city. During the commotion of the duel, I didn't get a chance to appreciate its scale. I thought a little 'world tour' was in order."
"But what exactly are you looking to buy?" Wang Mei asked, her voice melodious and full of genuine intrigue. She wondered what a youth who had just shaken the foundations of the arena could possibly want with these crude ores.
"I'm looking for a stone that might contain a High-Grade Spiritual Stone," Ye Fang replied simply, wiping the dust off a pebble.
The moment those words left his mouth, several nearby cultivators and bypassers froze. A heartbeat of silence followed, and then, a roar of laughter erupted.
"Hahaha! Look at this brat!" a portly cultivator mocked, nudging his companion.
"Aye! Dreaming of a High-Grade stone in a heap of scrap? He clearly doesn't know that people spend thousands of Spirit Stones and still come up empty-handed!"
A third man, posing as a connoisseur, stepped forward with a sneer. "Ignorance has no bounds. Only the Heavens-favored or those with Peerless Sight can find such treasures. What capability could a plain-looking boy like him possibly possess?"
Wang Ling ignored the hecklers and leaned in, whispering to Ye Fang, "If you are serious, you should look for a larger ore. These small ones are usually hollow inside."
As she spoke, a sudden thought struck her. She remembered that when they met at the city gates, Ye Fang had arrived empty-handed. No satchel, no jade pendant, and most importantly—no Storage Ring.
He doesn't even have a ring... and his clothes are so ordinary, she mused. How does he intend to pay for anything?
Ye Fang, however, was deaf to the mockery. His fingers glided over the stones until they landed on a jagged, obsidian-colored ore in the corner. Its texture was bizarre, but the moment he touched it, a cold shiver raced through his spine.
He picked it up, his voice ringing with absolute certainty. "This one. This stone feels right."
The shopkeeper stepped forward, a predatory glint in his eyes. He sensed a 'fat sheep' ready for the slaughter. "Aha! A discerning eye, Young Master! This stone was harvested from the frozen abysses of the Northern Mountains. If you wish to claim it, the price is... 100 Gold Taels."
The stone suddenly felt like a mountain in Ye Fang's hand. His heart skipped a beat. He knew he didn't have a single copper coin to his name, let alone 100 Gold Taels.
Damn it! The System is still offline! What do I do now? he cursed internally.
He looked at the merchant and asked hesitantly, "Listen... if I offer a pill instead of gold, would that suffice?"
The merchant narrowed his eyes. "A pill? Young Master, gold is the language of the market. But... if your pill is truly rare, I might consider it. Show me what you have."
Ye Fang closed his eyes and peered into his System Inventory. He looked at the seven divine pills he had earned. He decided to part with one. I'll give him a God-Demon Rebirth Pill. It only grants temporary power anyway.