Chapter 282: Tharz Kingdom [2]
Ahahahaha!”
Laughter echoed across a huge field bathed in golden light.
A sea of yellow flowers swayed gently in the breeze, stretching across the hills like nature’s own blanket.
In the midst of it all, a man ran barefoot through the blossoms, laughing like a madman in spring.
And then—
“Brother! Brother! Wake up!”
Ace’s eyes snapped open.
He blinked.
Left. Right.
He was still inside the seclusion cave but it hardly looked the sa.
What was once a quiet, barren chamber of stone and silence had blood into sothing else entirely.
Vines crept lazily along the walls, sprouting soft petals in every shade of gold and violet.
Clusters of glowing spirit orchids clung to the rock, pulsing gently with faint, soothing light.
The air was fragrant, sweet, earthy, and filled with the scent of blooming herbs.
“Hey! Look up!”
A girl’s voice ca from above, and before he could process it, a body landed squarely on his chest with a soft thump.
“Ugh—!”
“Hehe~” Ruby giggled, lying across him like a cat. “I saw you slipping into qi deviation, so I woke you up! Please don’t be mad…” Her voice trailed off into a sheepish whisper, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of his robe.
Ace stared at her, wide-eyed.
“That was… a qi deviation?”
He blinked again, rembering himself frolicking through flowers like a drunk poet.
“I’m not mad,” he said at last, brushing a hand through his hair. Then he sat up.
“…How long was I out?”
Ruby held up six fingers, smiling sweetly.
“Six months, Master.”
“…Six?”
He tilted his head.
“Months?”
“Yup. Solid six.”
Ace rubbed his temples. “…Okay. So, uh, anything happened?”
Ruby humd. “Not much. Oh—Brother Shan Yifeng disappeared.”
“He does that.”
Ace waved a hand casually.
“Where’d he go this ti?”
“…Void.”
Ace paused.
Touched his chin thoughtfully.
Nodded.
“…Alright. As long as he’s not in the Abyss.”
Ruby blinked.
“Ehhh… about that.”
Ace turned slowly.
“What now?”
Ruby smiled nervously.
“Little i’er’s currently in… an Abyss.”
“…What?!”
Ace blinked, leaning forward. “She what now?”
Before Ruby could reply, he was already getting up.
“Quick, we need to pick her up—”
“Ah—about that,” she interrupted, pointing toward the cave with a sheepish grin. “Do you mind if I…”
“Oh. Right, right… sure,” Ace said, nodding. “Take your ti.”
He turned and left.
As soon as he was gone, Ruby’s eyes flared with manic delight. Her nostrils twitched.
“Ahhh… the sll of brother’s soul force…”
She sniffed the air like a spirit beast gone mad.
“This is why I always wait until after you go into seclusion,” she whispered, giggling to herself like a cat.
Then, in a softer murmur: “I wonder how Brother will react… when he realizes it wasn’t six months but just six days… and Junior Brother’s already probably dead.”
She sighed dreamily, slid the stone door shut, and entered seclusion with a gleeful hum.
Outside, Ace opened his system tab.
“Status report. All three disciples. Check health.”
[Health Status:]
1st Disciple → Very Healthy
2nd Disciple → Healthy
3rd Disciple → Very Healthy
Ace raised a brow.
“…Huh. All three alive. Good enough.”
He stretched with a casual yawn.
“Still, six months really fly by. Felt like only a few days.”
Ace strolled through the courtyard and spotted Lily pacing in agitation.
“Sect Master!” Lily gave a respectful bow, though her face was twitching with barely-contained frustration.
“What’s going on, Lily? Where’s Liu i?” Ace asked.
The mont the na left his mouth, Lily’s expression twisted into rage.
“Master! Can you believe it?! Yuu took my little i’er and dragged her off to explore the Abyss!” she fud.
“Do sothing! What if what if Yuu brainwashed her and now i’er calls her ‘teacher’ instead of ?!”
Ace blinked. “…Right. I’ll, uh, look into that. But first—can you catch up? What’s been happening for the past six months?”
“Six months?” Lily tilted her head. “Nothing major, really. Why?”
“Because I’ve been in seclusion for the past six months.”
“You were?” she blinked, confused.
“I was.”
Her face slowly went pale. “…Then who was it that’s been giving orders to the entire sect for the past six months?”
There was a beat of silence.
Ace narrowed his eyes. “You’re saying soone’s been impersonating this whole ti and no one noticed?”
Lily gasped. “Ergency eting. ERGENCY ETING! Master CALL FOR AN ERGENCY ETING!”
And then, as if struck by a sudden second thought—
“I’ll go start it right now, Master!”
She shot off into the sky like a woman possessed.
Ergency eting Room:
The chamber was packed. Around the great round table sat the core of the sect’s leadership.
Akha slumped into her seat with a sigh, eyes half-lidded from exhaustion.
“Master… I’m so glad you’re back. One week gone and I’m already dead tired…”
Ace blinked. The impersonator disappeared a week ago?
Before he could comnt, Khani and Kathum burst in together, perfectly synchronized as always.
“We didn’t do anything wrong this ti, Master!” they said in unison, hands raised like innocent children.
Ace gave them a flat look. “…Just take a seat.”
They hurried to sit beside Akha, whispering conspiratorially under their breath.
Next, Elder Mati entered, bowing her head with guilt.
“Master, I… I’m sorry. I lost the ring you gave .”
Ace frowned, puzzled. Did I ever give her a ring?
He racked his brain but ca up empty.
“…It’s fine. Rings have a way of finding their way back. Go on, take a seat.”
Then the doors opened again, and in ca the twins: one with fiery red hair, the other with calm ocean-blue.
“Xi Chun, Tushan. Glad you could make it. Take a seat.”
Xi Chun gave a polite nod, and took a seat.
Tushan plopped down beside her and leaned in.
“Sis… do you think Master’s planning to rule the country?”
Xi Chun didn’t respond. Her eyes narrowed in thought.
Finally, the last to arrive were the only other males in the room, Shane and Aqua.
“Master,” they said in sync, giving a respectful bow.
“Take your seats. We’ve got serious matters to discuss,” Ace said, his tone sobering.
With everyone important now present, everyone except for Yuu, that is, the air shifted.
The ergency eting had officially begun.
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