Teacher by day, Farmer by passion

Ace's mind raced. Liu Mei was just Peak Silver Rank.

Xiao Ling was Major Gold Rank.

The gap was massive.

"That little idiot—" Ace shot up from his seat, his heart pounding. What the hell was she thinking?!

Shan Yifeng, still lounging beside him, raised an eyebrow at his reaction. Then, as if it were the most casual thing in the world, he dropped the bomb.

"Oh? Did Sister Mei'er not tell you? She advanced to Gold too."

Ace froze.

The sheer whiplash from panic to utter disbelief nearly made him sit back down.

"…She WHAT?"

Shan Yifeng nodded with a smile. "Yep. Gold Rank. Maybe she forgot to tell you.."

Ace dragged a hand down his face. Of course she forgot. Yeah right.

His eye twitched as he let out a slow, controlled breath.

"I forgot about the system," he muttered.

He had only opened the system page on a whim, but now—

What. The. Hell.

His eyes nearly popped out of his skull.

....

....

1st Disciple: Liu Mei

Cultivation Talent: Pseudo-Heavenly

Current Soul Force: 516

Special Physique: None

Spirit Beast: Five-Tailed Snow Fox (Infant)

2nd Disciple: Shan Yifeng

Cultivation Talent: Rare

Current Soul Force: 501

Special Physique: Iron Barbarian Physique (Dormant)

Spirit Beast: Spirit Sovereign Wolf (Ancient)

Ace almost dropped dead on the spot.

"You're also at Gold Rank?!" he blurted.

Shan Yifeng, caught off guard, turned to him in confusion. "Huh? How did you know?"

Ace nearly fainted.

An ancient spirit beast?

Was his disciple some kind of protagonist candidate?!

A walking trouble magnet instead of a chick magnet?

When a person's Soul Force reached 500, they officially stepped into the ranks of Gold Rank.

Ace felt his entire worldview shake.

Liu Mei was Gold Rank.

Shan Yifeng was Gold Rank.

His two disciples—both just ten years old—were already standing at a level most cultivators could only dream of.

And somehow, he hadn't noticed?!

Ace rubbed his temples. What kind of monster disciples did he take in?!

Before Ace could even brood further, the fight on stage had already begun.

At the stage:

"Forfeit before you embarrass yourself."

Xiao Ling's voice was sharp, laced with arrogance.

Liu Mei's lips curled into a small smile. "No. I believe I can win."

He scoffed, gripping his sword tighter. "You won't last three moves."

Before his words could sink in, Liu Mei moved.

She was a blur of motion, her steps as light as drifting snow, her movements fluid and unpredictable—

Like a leaf caught in a storm.

Xiao Ling, in contrast, stood his ground, sword held loosely in one hand, his golden aura pulsing like a heartbeat.

Then, in a flash, he struck.

His blade sliced through the air, sending a golden arc of energy racing toward Liu Mei.

But instead of dodging, she stepped into it.

Ace's breath caught.

At the last second, Liu Mei twisted, her small hands redirecting the force just enough for the attack to miss her by a hair's breadth.

A collective gasp rippled through the crowd.

Xiao Ling's eyes narrowed. "Not bad."

Liu Mei grinned. "Not bad? I thought I was amazing!"

Liu Mei pushed off the ground, her speed exploding in a sudden burst.

Xiao Ling barely had time to raise his sword before she was already in his space, her palm aimed straight for his chest.

Boom!

A shockwave erupted as Xiao Ling twisted his body, barely avoiding a direct hit. Still, the impact sent him skidding several feet back, his boots carving lines into the stage.

The crowd roared in excitement.

Ace, however, was not excited—he was panicking.

What the hell is that brute strength?! Since when did Liu Mei hit that hard?

Even Xiao Ling looked shaken. "You—your soul force is over 500?"

Liu Mei tilted her head innocently. "Didn't we already checked before the match began?"

Xiao Ling's eye twitched.

"This little—!"

Before he could finish, Liu Mei was already moving again.

She spun mid-air, her leg lashing out like a whip. Xiao Ling blocked with his sword, but the sheer force of her kick rattled his bones.

He gritted his teeth. Fast. Strong. Too strong for a Silver Rank.

Then he felt it—her aura.

It wasn't the faint silver glow of a peak Silver Rank. It was golden.

Xiao Ling's mind reeled. She's—

"You're really at Gold Rank?!" he blurted.

Liu Mei giggled, her fox-like grin widening. "Oh, did I forget to mention?"

In the commentator seat:

"Hohoho! She even managed to fool my eyes—amazing!" Old Master Blind exclaimed.

The crowd erupted into cheers.

"She really is a Gold Rank!"

"That makes five Gold Ranks in this tournament!"

Excitement surged through the arena.

"The dark horse! She's the real dark horse of this competition!"

A gambler in the stands shouted at the top of his lungs, "I'm betting my whole fortune on you, Liu Mei! Don't lose!"

Xiao Ling took a deep breath, steadying himself. With a sharp whistle, he summoned his spirit beast—an imposing eagle with golden feathers that shimmered under the arena lights.

For the first time in this tournament, he was forced to take an opponent seriously. Even during his previous match against an initial Gold Rank, he hadn't even needed to call upon his spirit beast.

But this girl… she was different.

Xiao Ling's expression hardened as a piercing screech filled the arena.

Above him, his spirit beast—a majestic golden eagle—unfurled its massive wings, its sharp talons gleaming under the sunlight. The sheer pressure from its presence sent a ripple through the air.

The commentator's voice boomed over the arena.

"Xiao Ling has summoned his Spirit Eagle! This beast specializes in speed and aerial dominance—will Liu Mei be able to handle it?!"

Ace rubbed his temples. "An eagle. Of course, it's an eagle. Because why wouldn't it be a damn Spirit Eagle?"

And according to Old Master Blind, Xiao Ling's Spirit Eagle wasn't just any beast—it was of Unique Rank!

"Did you hear that, folks? A Unique Rank spirit beast!" the commentator's voice boomed across the arena.

The crowd erupted in shock. Unique Rank beasts were rare, higher than epic, their strength unparalleled among their peers.

But the true weight of this revelation wasn't just felt by the spectators—up in the VIP section, the elders from various sects, who had remained composed throughout the tournament, suddenly leaned forward, their interest fully piqued.

"For a prodigy this young to wield such a beast… Xiao Ling is no longer just talented."

One of the elders finally said.