Liu i instinctively had her eyes shut, the mont she saw her master raise a hand.
She then braced herself. But instead of the pain she waited for, she only felt a gentle weight on her shoulder.
Still, she dared not even open her eyes.
"Open your eyes already," Ace's voice ca, tinged with exasperation.
She peeked one eye open.
Then the other.
Her master stood there, perfectly normal.
But their surroundings… had changed.
"Master?" she asked, confused. "What is this place?"
Ace glanced around before gesturing vaguely. "This? This is paradise. And…"
He turned toward the distance, where faint screams echoed. "Yeah… with a bit of hell mixed in."
Liu i frowned. "Hell? Paradise? What do you an, master?"
Ace started walking. "Follow . Let's go et your junior brother."
"Ah—okay, okay!" She trailed behind him, still unsure of what was happening.
Before she could dwell on it, a faint herbal scent reached her nose.
They arrived to find Akha refining a pill as she lecture the three fellow in front of her.
"Alchemy and formations," she mused aloud while working. "They sh well together."
Shan Yifeng, Khani and Kathum sat nearby, diligently taking notes.
Mati, however, was at the side, carrying a basket of spirit mangoes.
Unlike the others, she didn't join them in the lecture as she had no talent for alchemy, but that didn't seem to bother her. She enjoyed gardening far more.
When she noticed Ace and Liu i, she didn't call out.
Instead, she simply walked over.
"Master, they're in the middle of a lecture. Co this way," she whispered.
Ace nodded and followed her lead.
Liu i, on the other hand, was still caught up in her own thoughts. Her eyes widened as she muttered,
"Junior Brother is actually alive?"
Ace shot her a look. "Of course he is. Why would you assu otherwise?"
"Ah, well," she said casually, "I read sowhere that old people eat young people to stay young."
Ace stopped mid-step, turned to stare at her, then slowly looked at the spirit mangoes in Mati's basket.
Without a word, he grabbed two, tossed one to Liu i, and prepared to take a bite of the other—only to pause.
Instead, he turned and tossed the second mango at Liu i.
"Stuff your mouth as we walk," he ordered.
She caught it with a blink.
"Now that you know your junior brother is alive, I'll take you to see one of the seven wonders of the world," Ace declared.
Liu i, already halfway through her spirit mango, perked up instantly.
"Yes, yes, Master! Let's go! I'm excited!"
Ace chuckled at her enthusiasm, then waved farewell to Mati before leading the way toward the fields.
When they arrived, Ace spread his arms wide, presenting the sight before them.
"Amazing, isn't it?" he said with pride.
The field stretched endlessly, shimring under the light in a breathtaking display of gold.
Every stalk stood tall and ripe, a testant to a bountiful harvest.
Liu i's eyes sparkled with wonder.
"Master… are they what I think they are?" she whispered in awe.
Ace nodded, crossing his arms with self-satisfaction. "Yes, yes, my child. This is—"
"AH! SO MANY SPIRIT PIGS!"
Ace froze mid-sentence.
"I'LL NEVER EVER STARVE!" Liu i continued, practically vibrating with excitent. "MASTER, CAN I STAY IN THIS SPACE FOREVER?!"
Ace stood there, completely speechless.
Next he followed Liu i's gaze.
Off in the distance, he could indeed see a few spirit pigs roaming about.
Well, considering the absurd amount the system had dumped on him, it wasn't surprising.
Here and there, spirit pigs. Over to the side, spirit cows.
And if that wasn't enough, a quick glance upward revealed spirit chickens soaring through the sky.
At this point, when pigs fly wasn't just a phrase—it was probably an inevitability.
"Liu i," Ace sighed, "look at what's in front of you."
Liu i barely spared the golden fields a glance. "Boring. They don't taste good, Master."
Ace twitched. "Hey… weren't you just terrified of a mont ago? And now you're ignoring ?"
She turned to him, eyes round and glistening with an innocent plea.
"You'll let eat one spirit pig, right? I was really scared before… You have to let , right?"
Ace rubbed his temples. "Ahhh, this was your fault for misunderstanding… but fine, since I'm such a kind master, I'll allow it."
"Hehe! You're the best, Master!"
"Good girl. Now, co here, I won't hit you."
Without hesitation, Liu i happily stepped forward—
Smack.
Ace lightly bopped her on the head.
"Good girl," he said with a smirk.
Liu i looked up at him, her expression shifting from joy to betrayal, as if the heavens themselves had wronged her.
For a mont, it seed like she was about to burst into tears.
"Hey, I didn't even hit you that hard! For goodness' sake, you're a Dark Gold cultivator!"
But before Ace could finish, Liu i flopped onto the ground dramatically.
At first, he expected the usual tantrum—the kind a child would throw when they felt wronged.
But instead of wailing or kicking her feet, Liu i's attention snapped elsewhere.
Her wide eyes locked onto the sky.
"Master," she pointed eagerly. "Give four of those spirit chickens too!"
Ace blinked. "Huh? What… what?"
"You glutton," he accused.
"Yes, Master, I am a glutton," she admitted shalessly. "So, you'll let , right?"
"No."
"Please?"
"No."
"Alright then, I'll eat spirit rice too."
Ace sighed. "Hey… do you even know what 'over-eating' ans?"
"What's that?" she asked, tilting her head. "Is that a new na for a snack? Okay, Master, I'll give that a taste too."
Ace felt his soul leave his body for a mont.
Shaking his head, he changed the subject. "We'll have pork for dinner tonight. I already made preparations for it, since today will be our last day in White Oak City."
Liu i sat up, intrigued. "Huh? Why, Master?"
"I have sothing to do in the capital."
She frowned. "You? Having sothing to do? Master, I thought you were the type to just wander around without a goal."
Ace shot her a look.
"I won't feed you if you keep running your mouth."
Liu i gasped. "Ah! I'm sorry, Master! Master, you're a god! I was wrong!"
Then, as if she hadn't just groveled for rcy, she added, "Give at least two spirit pigs to eat."
Ace fell silent.
Looking at her.
Then looking at a spirit pig.
Then looking back at her.
Internally, he was speechless all over again.
"Hey! A spirit pig is twice your size, you little glutton!"
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