Teacher by day, Farmer by passion

The villagers watched in awe as the dark clouds gathered in the sky.

Soon the first droplets of rain hit the dry earth, quickly turning into a steady downpour. Cheers erupted across the village as people rushed outside, letting the cool water wash over them.

It felt like a blessing, an answer to their prayers.

In every home, murmurs of gratitude filled the air. Some knelt, hands clasped, whispering thanks to the heavens. Others simply stood in silence, letting the rain speak for itself.

Amidst this scene of joy, a girl walked through the village, clad fully from head to toe in black.

Xie Ninger made her way to an outskirt from the village, her steps slow, deliberate. The rain clung to her clothes, soaked her hair, but she paid it no mind.

Her gaze swept over the villagers—faces lifted toward the sky, eyes filled with hope.

A quiet murmur escaped her lips, her voice nearly swallowed by the sound of the falling rain.

"You still believe in gods?"

There was no mockery in her tone, only a distant sorrow, as if she had once believed, too.

Later, Xie Ninger stood before an old house, its wooden frame worn and weathered by time.

The once-familiar place, where Xiao Zhi had lived as a teacher, now looked abandoned—its door slightly ajar, dust and leaves gathered at the entrance.

She stepped forward, her boots sinking slightly into the dampened earth. The rain dripped from the edges of the roof, trailing down in thin streams.

It made sense that it had fallen into neglect. Ace had left long ago—first to Mount Gryphon, where he stayed for months, then to the tournament, and when he returned, he stayed at Liu Mei's house.

Xie Ninger's fingers curled slightly as she scanned the area, her eyes scanning. Stepping around puddles and overgrown weeds, she reached a particular patch of soil near the side of the house.

With steady hands, she knelt and began digging. The wet earth clung to her fingers, but she didn't stop. She knew what she was looking for.

Moments later, her hands hit something solid.

A box.

Carefully, she lifted it from the ground, brushing away the dirt. The weight of it was familiar, the wood slightly damp but still intact.

She exhaled slowly, gripping it tighter.

"I've found it."

.....

.....

Liu Mei stomped her foot, arms crossed, cheeks puffed in protest. "Master, you're cheating! You're cheating!"

Ace, completely unbothered, simply laughed as the divine hoe did all the work for him, tilling the land without him even lifting a finger.

"One field done," he announced, stretching lazily. "Let's move on to the next one after a break."

Shan Yifeng, however, had other plans.

His eyes gleamed with determination as he suddenly lunged for the flying hoe, trying to catch it mid-air.

But no matter how fast he moved—even with his Gold Rank speed—he failed every time.

Lily, watching from the sidelines with an unimpressed expression, finally commented, "Master, what you're doing is not work."

Ace smirked and, using her own words against her, replied, "I supervise! That's practically the same thing? Your words, not mine."

Lily's face flushed red, and she huffed, deciding to ignore him altogether.

Meanwhile, Rei twirled midair, clapping excitedly as if she were watching the greatest spectacle of her life.

"Moh moh! Master, give me that hoe, please?" Liu Mei Next pleaded, her tiny hands reaching out eagerly.

Just then Ruby came sprinting into the fields, her voice ringing through the air.

"Brother! Brother! Look what I found!" She waved her hands excitedly, a triumphant grin on her face.

Ace, ever the skeptic, narrowed his eyes. "What did you find, Ruby?"

With a mischievous glint in her eyes, she remained silent for a while and then when she got close, she leaped forward.

"A hug!" she declared, latching onto him with full force.

Ace staggered slightly, caught off guard, while Ruby giggled triumphantly.

"Hehe! You guys are so bad! You should have woken me up if you were going to the fields!" she pouted, still clinging to him like a stubborn koala.

Liu Mei, who had been desperately begging for the hoe just moments ago, suddenly switched priorities. She shot up and tried to push Ruby away from Ace.

"Shoo, shoo! People will think you two are married!" she huffed, hands on her hips.

Ruby, unfazed, tightened her grip around Ace and smirked. "And what of it?"

Ace, sensing trouble, was about to step in when Liu Mei confidently declared, "Uh, yes, yes! That can't happen because I'll be Master's wife!"

The field went silent.

Ruby blinked. Ace coughed. Even Lily and Rei, who had been whispering nearby, turned their heads in shock.

Liu Hong, who had just arrived with a fresh towel, dropped it, staring at her daughter as if she had misheard.

Ruby, at a rare loss for words, pointed at Liu Mei. "You… what?"

BOOM!

The loud explosion startled everyone. Ace turned sharply toward the source, already prepared for trouble. But what he saw made him pause.

There, in the middle of the field, Shan Yifeng had fully transformed with his Spirit Sovereign Ancient Wolf form—his fur bristling, his claws extended, and his eyes burning with righteous fury.

And his opponent?

The hoe.

Yes. The very same hoe that had been casually tilling the land moments ago was now flying through the air, twisting and turning like a mischievous spirit.

"You damn piece of farm equipment!" Yifeng growled, leaping to grab it mid-air, only for the hoe to whoosh past him effortlessly.

The hoe spun mockingly.

Yifeng skidded on the muddy ground, shaking the dirt off his fur. "Come back here! You think you're so smart, huh? Dodging me like that! I swear, when I catch you, I'll—I'll—"

The hoe vibrated as if laughing.

Yifeng lunged again. The hoe performed an elegant loop in the air before zooming straight toward his forehead.

BOP!

"Oof!" Yifeng tumbled backward, landing in an undignified heap. He shot up, ears flattened in frustration. "THAT'S IT! I DON'T CARE IF YOU'RE MASTER'S FAVORITE TOOL! I'M GONNA BREAK YOU!"

The hoe, entirely unbothered, twirled once before soaring away. Yifeng howled in frustration and gave chase, barking threats that sounded increasingly desperate.

Ace, arms crossed, watched the spectacle with a raised brow.

Lily casually sipped her tea. "Master, do you think we should stop him?"

Ace sighed. "Yeah, maybe i probably should call him."

Just as Ace was about to call Yifeng back, a system message flashed before his eyes.

[New Arc: Survive the impending doom.]

Reward: +1 Level

Hint: The end is nearer than you would expect.