The next morning, Lily and Rei returned inside the system space, managing the fields.
anwhile, Ace set off toward the river with Liu i, Shan Yifeng, and Ruby, their excitent palpable in the crisp morning air.
"You know," Shan Yifeng said, cracking his knuckles, "this is going to be easy. We just dig a few channels, move so dirt, and—boom! Instant irrigation!"
"Instant?" Liu i scoffed, tossing him a skeptical glance. "You think this is so simple gardening? If we're doing this, we're doing it properly."
Shan Yifeng, skipping ahead, grinned. "Then I'll dig the most! More than you did!"
Liu i smirked. "Good luck with that, junior brother."
Shan Yifeng puffed out his chest. "h, I'm still stronger than you."
Liu i stuck out her tongue. "Yeah? Well, I'm faster, swifter and better!"
Shan Yifeng narrowed his eyes. "Stronger beats faster!"
Liu i crossed her arms. "Not if I finish digging before you even lift a shovel."
Shan Yifeng gasped. "That's never going to happen!"
Liu i grinned. "That's exactly what I'm gonna do."
Ace sighed, rubbing his temples. "We're digging irrigation channels, not starting a war."
Their playful bickering continued as they followed the winding dirt path, the earthy scent of damp soil and fresh greenery filling the air.
Morning mist still clung to the riverbanks when they arrived, curling around reeds and rocks like ghostly wisps.
Waiting for them by the water's edge stood Zhao Yun, her arms crossed, her stance relaxed yet commanding.
But she wasn't alone.
A small group of sect mbers stood beside her, each clad in their sect's signature colors. Among them, one woman imdiately stood out.
Zhao i.
Ace recognized her instantly. The absolute beauty who had once been at death's door in his ho, now standing tall and composed, a far cry from the frail figure he had saved a few months back.
She inclined her head in greeting, her gaze lingering on him a mont longer than necessary. "Master Zhi."
Ace nodded, amused by the contrast from their last eting. "Zhao i. I take it the Spirit Cabbages did their job well?"
Zhao i's lips twitched, a rare warmth softening her usually guarded expression. "More than well. I owe you for that."
There was genuine gratitude in her voice—subtle, but unmistakable.
Before Ace could respond, Zhao Yun clapped her hands together, her tone brisk. "Enough chatter. If we're digging, let's get to it. Tell us what to do, though."
Ace rolled up his sleeves, stretching his arms as he spoke.
"Alright, listen up. We're not connecting the channel to the river just yet. First, we dig a proper path. We want smooth water flow, not a chaotic flood."
The cultivators stared at him, unimpressed. A few exchanged glances before one finally scoffed.
"And why exactly are you the one leading this?" A tall, broad-shouldered cultivator stepped forward, crossing his arms. "You're not from our sect, and as far as I know, you're not an expert in cultivation."
A few others nodded in agreent, mumbling among themselves.
Ace blinked. "Huh. That's a fair point."
He tapped his chin, looking around at the group. "Alright then. Does anyone here know how to properly irrigate fields?"
Silence.
"Anyone?" Ace repeated, raising a brow. "Raise your hand if you have experience planning large-scale water flow systems."
The wind whistled. Soone coughed.
Ace clapped his hands together. "Great! Since none of you do and I do, I'll be leading. Any more questions?"
The broad-shouldered cultivator narrowed his eyes. "That still doesn't explain—"
"If you don't want the Spirit Pork quota for next week, speak," Zhao Yun cut in, her voice cool but sharp.
A heavy silence fell over the group. The murmurs died.
The man's mouth, which had been halfway open, slowly closed. His jaw worked, but no sound ca out.
Ace, watching, fought the urge to burst into laughter. Instead, he gave the man a long, pitying look before shaking his head solemnly. Hahaha! Cat got your tongue? My Spirit Pigs, I love you.
To add insult to injury, he even mimicked locking his lips and throwing away an imaginary key, much to the barely contained amusent of the sect disciples.
"Good talk," Ace said cheerfully. "Now, let's get digging!"
Zhao Yun smirked as the group, now very motivated, got to work.
The cultivators moved like a well-oiled machine—so using their cultivation techniques to shift the soil smoothly, while others relied on sheer force, striking the ground in bursts of controlled power.
Deep inside, he thanked his dear, delicious Spirit Pigs for their service.
Shan Yifeng struck the earth with a carefully controlled blast, sending clumps of dirt soaring into the air.
Liu i, more refined, moved in fluid motions, her hands weaving patterns that made the soil soften and shift as if responding to an unseen rhythm.
Ace, watching the progress, nodded in satisfaction. "This is going to be the best irrigation system ever."
....
....
Hua Hua, who was currently presiding over a heated family dispute about whether they should lower the prices of their alchemy pills even more, winced the mont he heard the news.
Master Zhi had left the mountains.
Not just for a stroll. Not for a short trip.
No—he had gone back to Catfish village.
This was bad.
Hua Hua pressed his fingers against his temples, already feeling a headache coming on. They had given him that mountain because they believed it was a pri farming spot.
No, scratch that—the pri farming spot. The most fertile land in the entire eastern region!
And yet… he left?!
"Why?" Hua Hua muttered, slumping against his chair like a man who had just been inford that his entire life was a joke.
"Why would he leave such a treasure trove of soil?"
Of course, what he didn't know was that Ace himself also had no idea it was fertile land.
anwhile, the two brothers—Hua Tiger and Hua Ting—sat in the family courtyard, sipping wine and discussing the matter like two retired generals analyzing a battle.
Hua Tiger, a burly man with a mustache thick enough to house a small bird, rubbed at it thoughtfully.
"Brother, do you think it's because we were harassing the Xiao family?" He squinted, as if deep reflection would suddenly make the answer appear.
Hua Ting, the more refined of the two, elegantly swirled his wine before taking a slow, deliberate sip.
Then, with the air of a man who had just heard a particularly dumb question, he laughed.
"Pfft! No, no—you fool." He shook his head, setting his wine cup down.
"Even their patriarch himself threatened Xiao Zhi in front of everyone. Do you really think he would care what we do to the Xiao family after that?"
Hua Tiger blinked. "…You make a good point."
Encouraged, he tugged at his moustache a little harder, as if that would extract wisdom from it. "Then why did he leave?"
Hua Ting sighed dramatically. "Ah, brother, you must see the bigger picture. Master Zhi is clearly a man of mystery. Perhaps he found an even better land elsewhere."
"Better than our mountain? Impossible!" Hua Tiger clutched his chest as if personally offended.
"Then maybe—" Hua Ting leaned in conspiratorially, eyes narrowing. "Maybe he's testing us."
Hua Tiger gasped. "Testing us?!"
"Yes. Maybe he wants to see if we will chase after him… if we deserve his presence." Hua Ting nodded sagely, stroking his nonexistent beard for extra effect.
Hua Tiger gasped again, more dramatically this ti. "Brother, this is dangerous! If we don't act soon, what if he never returns?!"
Hua Ting grimly refilled his cup. "Then we have already lost."
A long, solemn silence stretched between them.
Then Hua Tiger stood up so fast he nearly toppled over the table. "We must go after him!"
"Indeed." Hua Ting finished his wine with a decisive gulp. "But first, let us eat."
"…Right, right. A great chase requires a full stomach."
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