** The System ( Just admit it Author, the audience don't care - James) **
Throughout the day, Ye Chen persevered, hunting down various beasts in the forest.
However, lacking formal combat techniques, his approach remained unrefined and raw.
Engaging in combat with the creatures, his fighting style was more brute force than finesse, marked by amateurish moves and crude tactics.
Despite the lack of finesse, Ye Chen's sarcastic banter persisted, punctuating each encounter with a series of quips.
The battles were a blend of rough, unpolished combat and a continuous stream of snarky remarks directed at the situation and the unseen puppet master behind the scenes.
As he clumsily grappled with each adversary, his struggles were evident, lacking the grace of trained combat.
Yet, his undeterred spirit and constant quips served as a peculiar juxtaposition to the raw intensity of the clashes, an unconventional blend of humour and unrefined combat in the heart of the forest.
As dusk descended, Ye Chen trudged back to the safety of the cave, dragging the spoils of his day's hunt—the body of a large beast—behind him. With a mix of exhaustion and triumph, he prepared the creature for the evening's meal, his movements deft and practiced despite the weariness.
Amidst the preparations, Ye Chen's sarcastic commentary flowed freely.
"Well, today was a chaotic symphony of brute force and clumsy manoeuvres," he quipped, his voice tinged with irony as he reflected on the day's events.
"Amateur hour in the forest—quite the show."
As he expertly dissected the beast, preparing the meal that would sustain him through the night, his comments danced between self-deprecation and a sardonic humour, a coping mechanism amidst the unpredictability of his circumstances.
Each quip served as a testament to his resilience, a way to make light of the challenging experiences he'd faced throughout the day.
As the succulent aroma of roasting meat filled the cave, Ye Chen tended to the beast's roasting carcass, ensuring the perfect cooking temperature over the crackling flames.
While the meal slowly cooked, he inspected the small collection of beast cores he had gathered during the day's hunts.
Though the number wasn't substantial, each beast core held significant value to Ye Chen.
With a sense of anticipation, he settled down by the fire, absorbing the essence contained within each core while focusing on his cultivation.
The influx of essence facilitated his progress, amplifying the speed of his cultivation.
To Ye Chen, every advancement mattered, regardless of its scale.
With a pragmatic outlook, he acknowledged that any progress, no matter how incremental, was a step forward in his cultivation journey.
As he absorbed the essence, he welcomed the accelerated progress, embracing the notion that even small strides were invaluable in his pursuit of strength and mastery.
Finishing his meal with haste, Ye Chen couldn't help but comment on the brisk pace of progression within the chapter, drawing a playful comparison to the rapid narrative speed.
"Well, this chapter's sprinting along faster than a racehorse compared to the previous ones," he remarked with a hint of amusement at the accelerated pacing.
Setting himself in a meditative posture, Ye Chen shifted his focus to harnessing the surrounding qi. Adopting a serene demeanour, he commenced the circulation technique outlined in the qi manipulation method.
With practiced precision, he began absorbing the essence contained within the beast core, aligning it with the rhythmic flow of qi.
As he delved into the meditative state, Ye Chen synchronized his breaths with the essence absorption, allowing the harmonious union of qi and essence to facilitate his cultivation.
Each inhalation and exhalation became a conduit for channelling the newfound essence, enhancing the absorption process according to the principles outlined in the technique.
-----
As the first rays of dawn pierced through the cave's opening, Ye Chen completed the absorption of essence within the beast cores.
To his astonishment, the accumulation of essence had propelled him to the unexpected pinnacle of the 8th level of the Mortal Realm.
Surprised by his own progress, Ye Chen's eyes widened in genuine shock at the sudden leap in cultivation.
However, amid his astonishment, a peculiar sight caught his attention—the flickering appearance of what seemed to be a system about to undergo an update.
Mystified by the unexpected appearance of this system, Ye Chen's curiosity piqued.
"Hold on a minute," he mused aloud, addressing the mysterious appearance.
"How did this system come about?" he questioned, pondering the lack of audience feedback that typically influenced such elements in stories.
"Ah," he realized with a wry grin, "So the impatient author finally cobbled together some sort of system, did they?"
The revelation dawned upon him as he pieced together the author's hand in the unexpected turn of events.
Ye Chen, channelling his usual sarcasm and penchant for breaking the fourth wall, directed his words to the invisible audience that had seemingly lost its sway over the story's course.
"So, what's the deal, folks?" he began, his tone a blend of playful sarcasm and calculated mischief.
"First, you had the reins to decide the story's direction, and now? Poof! Gone in a flash."
With a sly grin, he continued, subtly attempting to stir the pot.
"Are you all okay with this sudden turn of events? I mean, you had the power, and now it's snatched away," he prodded, trying to pit the audience's dismay against the author's decisions.
His aim was clear—to create a rift between the audience, who once held sway, and the author, who seemingly usurped their control.
As the system update reached completion, Ye Chen found himself faced with an unexpected decision.
Startled by the unconventional options, he turned to the author, seeking clarification on this unexpected turn of events.
"Seriously?" Ye Chen exclaimed, a mix of disbelief and amusement colouring his tone.
"Are these my 'fine' choices?" he remarked, casting a puzzled glance between the author and the system options displayed before him.
The options, each more outlandish than the last, floated in front of him:
1) Immortal Invincible Bullshit System
2) Harem Sect (or some shit) System
3) Unparalleled FaceSlapping System
4) This System doesn't have a name, it's sort of just everything really - System
Ye Chen couldn't help but wear a bemused expression, contemplating the absurdity of his options.
Unsure whether to find amusement or frustration in the author's whimsical selections, he paused, weighing the eccentric choices before making his decision.
Ye Chen perused through the list of options, his expression shifting from surprise to incredulity.
Unable to contain his amusement, he burst into laughter, unable to stifle his amusement at the author's unconventional and lazy attempts at naming the systems.
"Oh, come on!" Ye Chen chuckled between fits of laughter.
"Is this the best you could come up with?" He continued, unable to hold back his snarky comments aimed at the author's apparent lack of creativity.
With each option more ludicrous than the last, Ye Chen's amusement turned into outright mockery.
"Immortal Invincible Bullshit System? Really?" he quipped, barely able to contain his laughter.
"What's next? The 'Unbeatable Cabbage' system?" His teasing remarks flowed freely, each one poking fun at the author's seemingly lazy attempts at naming the systems.
Ye Chen took a moment to seriously evaluate each system option before him, his initial amusement giving way to a more critical assessment.
With a dry chuckle, he began to dissect the flaws and absurdities embedded within each choice.
"Let's see," Ye Chen mused aloud.
"The 'Invincible' system seems more like an author trap. Immortality and invincibility? Talk about a slippery slope," he quipped, his tone tinged with caution.
"And then we have the 'Faceslapping' system," he continued, shaking his head.
"Sure, it might be entertaining at first, but that shtick's gonna wear thin quicker than you can say 'plot development,'" he remarked, foreseeing the pitfalls of repetitive storytelling.
"And this last one," he paused, eyeing the 'Chaotic Cluster Fuck' system option,
"It's just... well, a hot mess. Seems like a lazy cop-out where both the author and audience can throw in whatever they please. Sounds like recipe for a narrative disaster," he commented, voicing his scepticism at the convoluted and undefined nature of the choice.
Ye Chen's critical assessment highlighted the inherent flaws and potential pitfalls lurking beneath each seemingly quirky system, pointing out the shortcomings that could quickly derail the story or lead to monotony.
Ye Chen couldn't help but roll his eyes at the 'Harem Sect' option, recognizing it as a cliché borrowed from countless other novels.
"Ah, the good old harem trope," he remarked, his tone dripping with sarcasm.
"Where have we seen this before?" he quipped, directing his question to the invisible audience.
"Anyone remember that one novel? Or should I say, hundreds of them?"
His commentary turned more pointed as he addressed the absent author.
"Really? We're only eight chapters in and you're already resorting to recycling overused tropes? Talk about throwing in the towel early," he mocked, expressing his disappointment at the apparent lack of creativity displayed by the author.
"Come on, show a bit more originality, would you?" he chided, hoping for a more innovative and engaging storyline rather than recycled clichés.
Ye Chen's sarcastic commentary took a turn as he contemplated the 'Harem Sect' option.
"Ah, the classic harem," he mused, a smirk playing on his lips.
"A man's dream, surrounded by beauties," he chuckled, admitting the allure despite his own apprehension.
"Let's be honest," he quipped, "who wouldn't enjoy being surrounded by stunning women?" Ye Chen admitted the appeal, but his scepticism remained steadfast.
"But seriously, in just eight chapters? Can the author really pull off something this extravagant?" he pondered aloud, expressing his doubt about whether the author could genuinely deliver such a grandiose scenario without it feeling forced or unrealistic.
Ye Chen, after deliberation, decided on the 'Harem Sect' system as his choice. As the system update concluded, a prompt echoed within the confines of the cave. "Please say STATUS to view user status."
Curious and complying with the system's instruction, Ye Chen vocalized the command. "STATUS," he pronounced clearly.
In response, the system interface materialized before him, displaying the information he had configured earlier:
---
**User Status**
- **Name:** Ye Chen
- **Cultivation Stage:** [8th Mortal Realm Stage]
- **EXP:** [0/100]
- **Race:** [Human]
- **Bloodline:** [None]
- **Physique:** [None]
- **Spiritual Root:** [None]
- **Dao:** [None]
- **Domain:** [None]
- **Law:** [None]
- **Weapon Intent:** [None]
- **Cultivation Method:** [Basic Qi Manipulation Technique]
- **Cultivation Martial Art:** [None]
- **HP:** [80]
- **Qi:** [800]
---
The displayed information provided an overview of Ye Chen's status within the system, reflecting the choices he had made for his character's attributes and abilities.
Ye Chen, perusing through the extensive information displayed by the system, couldn't help but chuckle wryly at the author's expense.
"Come on, Author," he teased, "this is a bit much, don't you think?"
With a smirk, he continued, "You really expect me to showcase all this every single time? Can you imagine the eye-rolling from the audience if I did?"
He couldn't help but poke fun at the author's excessive detail, noting the impracticality of presenting such a vast amount of information regularly.
He leaned back, contemplating the challenges of managing such an exhaustive system interface and the potential annoyance it might cause to the readers.
Ye Chen couldn't resist a playful jab at the author's storytelling approach, aware of the potential backlash such an information overload might provoke from the audience.
The system interface shimmered momentarily, and a resonant voice echoed within the cave, announcing each application as it appeared before Ye Chen:
["**STATUS:** Access detailed information about yourself and others. Initiate this function by vocalizing 'STATUS.'"]
["**Inventory:** Store all your equipment and items seamlessly within this infinite space. No need to worry about storage limitations."]
["**Sect Creation:** Construct and manage your own sect, albeit within the narrative constraints of the story's world."]
["**Mission:** Audience engagement at its finest. Await missions and rewards from the audience through comments, driving your journey forward."]
["**Auto Absorption:** Harness the phenomenal power of automatic absorption and utilization of surrounding energies or essences."]
["** Farm Land:** Has several Farmlands, seperated into an alternate space, these include but not limited to: Spiritual Mine, Time Zone, Cosmic Treasure Trove"]
---
The system's voice echoed each application, presenting them with a tone of significance and potential impact on Ye Chen's journey within the narrative.