One step Taken.

"You grow these apples? Really?" Zhao Yun looked up at Ace, her eyes sharp with curiosity.

Ace let out a forced laugh, waving a hand dismissively, "Oh no, surely not. I bought them from a wandering trader."

"A wandering trader?"

"Yeah," Ace nodded, keeping his expression neutral. "You know, the kind that comes and goes, selling rare finds. Got lucky, I guess."

She hummed, her gaze lingering on him for a second too long, but said nothing.

Luo Chen and Wei Lin, who had been observing from a distance, finally stepped forward.

"If that's the case," Luo Chen said, crossing his arms, "Mind selling us a few?"

Ace hesitated.

Selling Spirit Apples wasn't an issue—he could always harvest more. But these weren't ordinary buyers.

They were cultivators, people who could sense the apples' true value. If they got too curious, it could lead to trouble.

Then again, refusing outright might be even worse. Like his head rolling around the place , or or.... Let's leave it to imagination.

His gaze flickered to Liu Mei, who was still happily munching away, blissfully unaware of the growing tension.

Meanwhile, Shan Yifeng watched the exchange intently, his excitement barely contained.

Zhao Yun tapped the hilt of her sword lightly. "What do you say, Teacher?"

Ace let out a slow breath. "I don't have many left, but I suppose I can part with a few. How much are you willing to pay?"

He decided to test the waters.

Zhao Yun smirked. "That depends. How much did that 'wandering trader' charge you?"

Ace felt his stomach drop. At this point he realised.

'She's not trying to buy apples—she's testing my story, but why?'

Just as he was scrambling for an answer, his vision blurred, and a translucent screen forced itself into his sight, derailing his thoughts..

[New obstacle arrived.]

[Clear it, and you'll be given 100 years' worth of 'wisdom.']

Of course, it had to show up now.

Fine. Whatever. I'll deal with that mess later.

For now, he needed to focus.

"One gold coin per apple," he finally said, keeping his voice steady.

A bold move, but it was the simplest answer. If the price seemed too cheap or too high, he could just blame the mysterious 'wandering trader' for overpricing or underselling.

Either way, that wouldn't be his problem.

Zhao Yun raised an eyebrow, studying him carefully. Luo Chen let out a scoff, while Wei Lin exchanged a glance with his fellow sect brother.

Ace kept his expression neutral, silently bracing for their reaction.

"Yeah, right... as if this fool could trick us," Luo Chen muttered under his breath.

But Zhao Yun didn't expose him.

Deciding to humor him, she crossed her arms and smirked. "Listen, next time that 'wandering trader' comes around, buy more apples for me. I'll give you all the gold coins you need. I want more of these apples. You hear me?"

Ace forced a smile oblivious to the fact that his bluff was already seen through by the cultivators in front of him as he respond back, "Loud and clear."

Internally, he was cursing. Now I have to keep up this ridiculous lie? Damn it.

Luo Chen crossed his arms and spoke up. "Sister Zhao, shouldn't we focus on finding Elder Sister first? We can always come back to speak with mortals after we complete our task."

Wei Lin nodded in agreement, standing silently by his side.

Zhao Yun cast one last glance at Ace before asking, "What's your name?"

"Ace," he replied without hesitation.

At that moment, Liu Mei and Shan Yifeng both turned to him, puzzled.

"Teacher, isn't your name Xiao Zhi?" Shan Yifeng asked, tilting his head.

"It's not," Ace answered quickly.

"But it is!" Liu Mei insisted.

"It's not."

"It is!"

"…It's not."

Liu Mei suddenly pulled out a wooden token, holding it up triumphantly. "Teacher, look! It says 'Xiao Zhi' right here!"

Ace simply stared at Liu Mei, his thoughts a complete mess by now.

Zhao Yun simply chuckled but made no further comment.

"Listen, Ace or Xiao Zhi, whichever you prefer," she said with a smirk. "I suggest you follow through with the task I gave you."

With that, she turned on her heel, and the trio disappeared into the distance.

Ace exhaled, watching them leave. That was weird. No, this whole situation didn't make sense.

Lost in thought, he barely noticed Liu Mei tugging at the hem of his clothes.

"Teacher, more apples?" she asked, eyes shining with expectation.

Ace shook his head. "No, I don't have any more apples."

Liu Mei narrowed her eyes suspiciously before turning to Shan Yifeng.

"Teacher, will I get more apples if I beat Shan Yifeng?"

"Huh?" Shan Yifeng blinked in confusion.

Ace ran a hand down his face.

What kind of twisted logic was that?!

"Alright, enough jokes. Liu Mei, Shan Yifeng, come here."

The two stood side by side, like obedient little chicks, staring up at Ace.

"Hold out your palms."

Liu Mei was the first to comply, stretching out her hands without hesitation. Ace pricked her fingertip with a needle, letting a single drop of blood fall onto the book he had taken out—though neither of them knew what he was up to.

Shan Yifeng, more skeptical, hesitated for a moment before reluctantly extending his hand. Ace repeated the process.

A few seconds later, a notification flashed before him.

[Cultivation technique has been successfully written] x2.

Each book was tailor-made for its recipient, just as the system had guaranteed.

"Here," Ace said, handing them their respective manuals. "Cultivate accordingly."

Liu Mei took hers with a simple nod, while Shan Yifeng's excitement was impossible to contain.

"A cultivation manual… a real cultivation manual!" His eyes gleamed. He could finally cultivate! Finally soar through the skies!

"Thank you so much, Teacher!"

At that moment, every hardship, every bruise—whether from Ace's past drunken fits or his short temper—felt worth it.

Now that he had a real cultivation technique, he was determined to do well.

Feeling triumphant, he turned to Liu Mei and urged, "Mei'er, say thank you to Teacher!"

Ace barely held back a laugh at Shan Yifeng's sudden shift in demeanor. The boy, once wary and sarcastic, was now dead serious.

With a small chuckle, he sent the two off to train before stepping into his system space.

A few hours later, Ace completed another round of harvesting. Like he had planned, he cleared out the Moonstone Flowers from the system's plots and replaced them with Spirit Cabbages.

Next, he gathered another batch of Spirit Apples and planted a new Spirit Apple seed in the remaining tree plot.

With this, his preparations were complete.

However, one issue remained unresolved—the system still hadn't given him the quest reward. That meant Zhao Yun and her sect brothers were bound to return, and he needed to be ready.

"Troublesome," he muttered to himself.

Just then, Liu Mei's cheerful voice snapped him out of his thoughts.

"Teacher, teacher! We're going home!" she beamed.

Ace couldn't help but smile. There was a sense of accomplishment in seeing her that happy.

It was calming.

And the best part? She could be stuffed with Spirit Apples endlessly without a single complaint—

Wait. He shook his head. What kind of weird thought was that?

Clearing his throat, he handed each of them five Spirit Apples.

"Here, a gift for you two."

Shan Yifeng, for once, didn't hesitate and accepted them eagerly.

With their gifts secured, the two kids cheerfully ran off, leaving Ace alone.

He stretched, savoring the moment of peace. Finally, a break—DING!

[Phoenix Chicken has matured!]

His head snapped up.

"...Phoenix what?!"