Killing one's father_2

In a remote mountain range, a young woman soared through the sky atop a sword, cutting through the crisp mountain air.

As she neared the peak, she halted mid-flight, choosing instead to descend to the stone pathway leading up the mountain.

With swift yet deliberate steps, she climbed, the rhythmic tap of her boots echoing against the weathered stone.

Thousands of steps later, she arrived at a secluded hall.

At first glance, the hall appeared empty, but subtle signs of habitation lingered—freshly swept floors, a faint trace of incense in the air, and a teapot still warm on the wooden table.

Without hesitation, she dropped to her knees.

"Master, I have urgent news."

The mountain, once alive with the rustling of leaves and the soft calls of birds, grew eerily silent.

The stillness pressed down on her like an invisible force.

Then, from within the hall, a voice—calm yet laced with an unmistakable danger—rang out.

"Speak."

She swallowed hard and steadied herself.

"Master, we encountered a mortal who may have ties to the Immortal Garden."

A heavy pause. Then, a sharp reply. "What makes you think so?"

She reached into her storage pouch and retrieved eight Spirit Cabbages, placing them on the ground before her.

The vibrant green vegetables pulsed faintly with spiritual energy, far surpassing the quality of any she had ever seen.

"The size, the potency—nothing I've come across even comes close. These are beyond extraordinary, Master."

Silence. Then, the voice, now colder, sharper.

"Then why is this mortal not kneeling before me right now?"

A shiver ran down her spine. She lowered her head. "Master, the mortal is merely a middleman. He was appointed as an envoy for this region. Capturing him would yield little."

Her voice wavered slightly before she forced herself to continue. "Moreover… he has requested my protection in exchange for saving Sister. I—I gave him my word."

The hall fell into an abyss of silence. She dared not breathe, her fingers curling against the fabric of her robes as she awaited judgment.

Then, the voice—once heavy with absolute authority—softened.

"If that is the path you have chosen, then so be it. Follow your heart, and know this—your Master will stand by your side."

Zhao Yun's vision blurred. She hadn't realized until now that tears had gathered in her eyes.

Lowering her head once more, she spoke, her voice trembling with gratitude.

"Master… thank you. Thank you very much."

________________

[Ding! Your farm has run out of gold credits. Your Spirit Bot is now in AFK mode.]

Ace, who had just been about to sleep, abruptly sat up.

Frowning, he entered the system to check the situation.

Inside, his Spirit Bot—now on break—was casually sipping tea while reading a newspaper.

Ace blinked. "…Since when do bots take coffee breaks?"

The Spirit Bot lazily turned a page. "Union rules."

Ace opened his mouth, closed it, then just shook his head and turned his attention to his inventory.

Without hesitation, he sold all the Spirit Cabbages, receiving 9,500 gold credits in return.

He glanced at the 19 plots of land—11 of them were already planted with Spirit Cabbage seeds, thanks to the 562 gold credits he had previously provided.

Now, it was time to reinvest.

He purchased a Spirit Piglet for 5,000 gold credits.

[Spirit Pig – 5,000 Gold Credits per piglet]

Effect: Consuming Spirit Pork boosts muscle regeneration and enhances base strength over time.

Next, he filled the remaining 8 plots of land with more Spirit Cabbage (50 GC per plot).

Then, he bought four more Spirit Chickens—which the system grandly referred to as (Phoenix Chickens!)

Satisfied, he gave clear instructions to the Spirit Bot: harvest the apples and sell the rest.

With everything settled, Ace finally went to sleep, knowing his farm would continue to run smoothly.

The next morning, Ace woke up to an unexpected yet pleasant surprise.

The number of Phoenix Chickens had grown to eleven, there was now one fully grown Spirit Pig along with two piglets, and somehow, he now had two Spirit Cows instead of one.

…Ace frowned as he counted the animals again. "Wait. Weren't there fewer of you guys yesterday?"

His gaze drifted toward the Spirit Bot, still sipping tea.

"…Did I ever ask you to expand the farm?"

The bot flipped another page in its newspaper.

Ace narrowed his eyes. "Am I running a farm, or is the farm running itself?"

The Spirit Bot simply took another sip..

Checking his inventory, he found forty neatly stacked Spirit Apples. With a satisfied nod, he took them out of the system, setting them aside while waiting for his student and disciple to arrive.

However, an hour passed beyond their usual meeting time, and no one showed up.

Ace frowned. That's strange.

Growing concerned, he decided to head to the village. He couldn't afford to lose those kids—they had become his source of joy lately.

As he made the trek down, irritation built up. Why did my predecessor think living so far from the village was a good idea?

It was only now, after walking this ridiculous distance, that he truly appreciated Shan Yifeng's dedication.

"This kid really made this trip every day?"

Ace muttered under his breath, wiping sweat off his forehead.

"Damn. I need to give that boy a discount in learning fee."

A pause.

"…Wait, do I even get paid?"

When he finally arrived at the village, the reaction was immediate—people avoided him like the plague. It was as if they had just spotted a demon strolling through their streets.

Ace sighed but didn't bother with them. He wasn't here to make friends; he was here for his students.

He decided to check on Liu Mei first for two reasons.

One—Unlike most of the villagers, her mother, Liu Hong, had at least reconciled with him. If something had happened, she might be willing to help him understand the situation.

And two—He didn't want to lose his first disciple.

…Yes, I know, that makes me a hypocrite. Sorry, Yifeng.

Ace wandered the village aimlessly, stopping only to ask a passing child for directions.

When he finally arrived at Liu Mei's house, the scene before him was unexpected.

Shan Yifeng was fast asleep, his head resting on Liu Hong's lap as she gently patted his hair. Beside them, Liu Mei sat stiffly, her face filled with worry.

The moment she noticed Ace, her eyes lit up, and she instinctively opened her mouth to call out, "Master—" but something made her pause. Instead, she lowered her voice and spoke gently.

"Master, why are you here?"

Ace's brows furrowed slightly at her odd reaction. Keeping his voice low, he asked, "What happened?"

Liu Hong's eyes flickered to her daughter, and with just a single stern look, Liu Mei immediately stopped in her tracks.

She hesitated for only a moment before lowering her head and running away.

Ace's frown deepened. What the hell is going on?

Liu Hong inhaled deeply. "Xiao Zhi."

Ace stiffened at her tone—too steady, too calm.

Her eyes met his, and for the first time, he saw something beyond wariness.

Grief.

"The milk you gave them…" she said slowly.

She paused.

The silence was suffocating.

Ace braced himself, a sinking feeling curling in his gut.

Then, the final blow—

"It killed Shan Yifeng's father."