The blood pill dissolved with a bitter sting. A warmth surged through his body,
spreading from his chest to his limbs. His blood churned. Heartbeat quickened. Qi pulsed.
But Ace didn't flinch.
He sat down, legs crossed, slipping into a lotus ditation posture. His breathing slowed to a rhythm, steady, deliberate.
He guided the pill's effects through his ridians, tracing their influence like a master cartographer mapping an enemy's terrain.
Minutes passed.
Then he consud another pill.
And another.
One by one, Ace consud all eight high-grade Blood Pills, devouring them like a man immune to consequence.
His body swelled faintly with heat after each one, veins glowing dimly with a reddish hue under his skin but there was no sign of pain, no resistance, nor any backlash.
Then he opened his eyes.
"...Still nothing," he said quietly, tone unreadable.
No dizziness. Nor was there any alleviation to the pain.
He clenched his fist slowly, his blood felt slightly heavier, his circulation sharper.
But the effects were faint, almost trivial.
Ace lay on the floor, arms stretched out, staring at the ceiling as the warmth from the Blood Pills finally settled into a dull throb within his veins.
"Still nothing," he muttered.
The silence in the apartnt pressed in. With nothing to do.
"…Liu i?" he called out, voice echoing faintly.
But he recieved no answer.
He sat up, rubbing his neck, then rose to his feet and wandered through the apartnt.
Kitchen, empty. Courtyard, quiet. The storage room still slled of herbs.
Eventually, he stopped in front of her room. He hesitated, hand on the doorfra.
"Hopefully you're just sleeping," he muttered, and pushed the door open.
No one.
But on the table rested a neatly folded note. He stepped in and picked it up, reading the rogue handwriting aloud.
"I'm off to find Junior Brother. I'll be back, Mashter. Liu i is very strong. You have to believe in ."
Ace stared at the note for a while.
He didn't know whether to laugh or sigh.
"She really left."
Last he checked, Liu i had already broken into the Dark Gold Minor rank. A solid step into the realm where battles turned legendary.
Even Shan Yifeng, had reached Initial Dark Gold. Ace, on the other hand?
"…Still stuck at Peak Gold," he muttered, running a hand through his hair.
He leaned back slightly and chuckled. "Am I actually worried my bodyguards left ?"
His voice echoed through the empty room.
He looked at the note again, then folded it and slipped it into his sleeve.
"What could I do anyway? She didn't even say where she was going."
He walked back into the hallway, stretching.
"When in doubt… everything goes south," he said with a shrug. "Let's be positive. Maybe my new students will give sothing to vent on."
With that, he stepped outside, the faint grin never quite leaving his face.
* * *
Emilia pushed open the door to her dorm and slipped inside, clutching the Spirit Ginseng seeds to her chest like a priceless treasure.
Anna, her roommate, glanced up from her alchemy notes, eyes narrowing with suspicion.
"You're late," she said flatly.
Emilia froze, then quickly tucked the item behind her back, too quickly.
Anna's brow twitched. "What are you hiding?"
"Ah—this?" Emilia laughed nervously. "Nothing! Just… so stuff."
Anna folded her arms, unimpressed.
Emilia sighed. "Fine, fine. I t the new professor."
Anna's suspicion deepened. "And?"
"…He gave his seeds."
Anna blinked. Then scread.
"He what?! Emilia! Are you insane?!"
"Wha—?"
"Why would you do that?! Are you seriously thinking of joining a dual cultivation sect?!" Anna's voice hit a new octave. "You're just going to give everything up to raise his child?!"
Now it was Emilia's turn to be shocked. "What do you an? I only went to get his seeds—"
"You know what I an!" Anna stood up, dragging Emilia toward the door. "Co on, we're refining an abortion pill. Right now! We have to stop this pregnancy before it starts."
"Preg—what?! Wait wait wait! These seeds!" Emilia flailed, finally opening her hands to reveal a small pouch of actual spirit ginseng seeds.
Anna stared.
Emilia smiled sheepishly. "Ha…ha… big misunderstanding, right?"
There was a pause.
Then Anna lunged.
Emilia scread and bolted out the door, clutching her seeds like her life depended on it.
Just as Emilia and Anna turned the corner, laughing breathlessly from their chase, a voice interrupted them, calm, deep, and composed.
"What are you two doing here this late at night?"
They both froze where they are.
A tall, elderly man stood beneath the hallway lantern, adjusting the monocle in his right eye with practiced grace.
His long silver robes shimred faintly under the light, and his expression was unreadable.
"Headmaster Amon," both girls said in unison, quickly bowing.
"Apologies, Headmaster," Anna added, smoothing her robes. "We were… being a little loud."
Amon studied them for a mont, then gave a slight shake of his head. "No need to apologize. I'm not here to scold you. But it's late, go get so sleep."
He turned and began walking away, hands clasped behind his back.
Both girls exhaled in relief.
But halfway down the hall, Amon paused, adjusted his monocle once more, and slowly turned his head.
Anna stiffened imdiately. Her instincts scread danger.
Amon's steps echoed lightly as he returned.
"By any chance," he asked, voice as calm as still water, "have either of you seen Professor Pot Black today?"
Emilia blinked. "No, Headmaster. Not at all."
"I see," Amon murmured, nodding. "That's unfortunate."
He turned again, making it several steps before speaking once more.
"Student Emilia…" He adjusted his monocle. "Don't worry, I won't be stealing nor taking away the spirit ginseng seed from your hands."
Her face flushed crimson.
"And Student Anna," he added, without turning around, "next ti you plan to leave campus… request a transfer pass from my office.."
The pause that followed felt like a noose tightening.
"It's faster and more secure than your detailed planning on sneaking out."
Without another word, Amon vanished around the corner, leaving behind two stunned girls.
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