A new place for a new start..

Ace grabbed a small box from under his bed and silently carried it outside.

Shan Yifeng, unable to contain his curiosity, asked, "Master, what is that?"

Ace didn't answer. Instead, he walked to the garden, stopping where the Moonstone flowers were planted.

Without hesitation, he dug a few meters into the soil before placing the box inside.

His voice was calm but firm as he said, "Open this box only when I die. Understood?"

Shan Yifeng's eyes widened in alarm. "Master… are you dying?"

"No," Ace replied, his gaze steady. "Just tell me—do you understand? And promise that you won't open it before my death."

A heavy silence hung between them before Shan Yifeng finally lowered his head.

"…Yes, Master. I promise."

"Good. Now, let's clean the house before your senior sister returns," Ace said.

"Okay, Master," Shan Yifeng responded eagerly.

With that, the two of them headed back inside and began tidying up the room.

Zhao Yun stepped into the room, her gaze falling on Ace as he tidied up the house.

"Master Xiao, are you ready to go?"

Ace glanced up briefly before returning to his task. "I'm just waiting for my little devil to return."

Shan Yifeng stood quietly by his side, his eyes lingering on Zhao Yun. He recognized her—it was the same woman who had come over last time.

Back then, she hadn't shown much respect to his master. But now… now she was addressing him as 'Master.'

Unable to hold back his curiosity, Shan Yifeng tugged at the corner of Ace's robe.

"Master, is she also one of your disciples?"

Ace paused, considering the question. After a moment, he simply shook his head.

He had indeed noticed the change in Zhao Yun's behavior after the spirit cabbage incident, and there were only two possible reasons for it.

The first was gratitude—after all, he had saved her sister. But that explanation didn't seem likely. While she might show him respect for that, outright calling him 'Master' was another matter entirely.

No, the real reason had to be something else.

His gaze flickered slightly. The system's products.

They were already proving to be extraordinary, capable of shaking even seasoned warriors. That had to be the true reason behind her change in attitude.

This suspicion was further reinforced by the Hua Tiger's recent actions—offering a price 50% above market rate just to buy his goods.

Ace smirked inwardly.

He might have been sixteen at heart and twenty in age, but with a century's worth of wisdom crammed into him, he wasn't so easily fooled.

Ace looked down at Shan Yifeng, who was still eyeing Zhao Yun cautiously. With a small smirk, he ruffled the boy's hair.

"No, she's not my disciple. Don't worry, even if I took her in, she'd be your junior sister." He paused, then added, "Which won't happen."

Shan Yifeng nodded, seemingly satisfied with that answer. He relaxed a little but still kept a wary eye on Zhao Yun.

At that moment, Liu Mei came running up the path, her small figure slightly out of breath.

Her eyes were red, but she wasn't crying anymore. Instead, there was a quiet determination in her expression.

Ace studied her for a second, then gave a small nod of approval. "Let's go."

Before they depart for their, he turned to Zhao Yun. "Don't forget—you do your part well. In return, the Spirit Pork will be provided daily."

Zhao Yun placed a fist over her heart in a respectful salute. "Understood, Master Xiao."

Unlike what Ace had expected, there wasn't a single trace of irritation in her voice. She truly seemed to mean it.

That… actually made him feel better than he thought it would.

The four of them set off on their journey, traveling from village to village, stopping from time to time to rest and replenish their supplies.

This journey was extravagant in its own way. Every day, they feasted on Spirit Chicken, a delicacy even high-ranking cultivators would envy.

Every time they set camps in the wild, Zhao Yun couldn't help but notice that Ace always seemed to have a steady supply of Spirit Chicken.

Sure, jungles contained them, but they were rare.

She wanted to ask, but in the end, she kept her curiosity to herself. After all, an envoy from the Divine Garden wasn't someone she wanted to antagonize.

Days passed, turning into a full week. Despite the long journey, the two children remained full of energy, as if fatigue didn't exist for them.

Zhao Yun had once expected them to struggle along the journey, but instead, she had found herself glancing at Liu Mei in shock.

A ten-year-old at Silver Rank?!!

She had known the little girl had potential, but to advance so quickly—it was unheard of!

They continue their journey until they arrived at the base of Gryphon Mountain, Zhao Yun took the initiative to explain its history.

"This mountain has always been a place of seclusion, once home to an ancient sect that has long since vanished. Treasure hunters have visited and cleaned the mountain of any treasures. Now, it's mostly ignored, with only the occasional merchant passing through in search of a shortcut to the city below."

Ace listened carefully, his mind already working through the implications. A city nearby meant easy access to trade and supplies, but more importantly—it meant a steady flow of information.

"But aside from merchants, no one really comes here," Zhao Yun continued.

Which means all the time, Ace noted mentally.

He turned to Liu Mei and Shan Yifeng, his tone firm.

"This mountain is where we'll begin our trainings—without a single disturbance."

His voice lingered on the last word, making sure Zhao Yun understood.

Zhao Yun caught the emphasis, her eyes flickering with understanding. "I'll make sure the merchants know there's no shortcut to take," she said without hesitation.

Ace smirked slightly. "Good. Then let's begin."

_______

AND THEY LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER!

Thanks for pushing through 24 chapters.

It has been a real pleasure writing this work for you folks.

I hope this work serve as an example to not read anymore trash work like mine. ~huhu

And maybe—just maybe—the next ones will be better. Or not. Honestly, I have no idea. I'm just shamelessly trying to trick you into reading more.

Yeah, this isn't actually the end which you already figured.