Teacher by day, Farmer by passion

With the last traces of refinement settling in his core, Ace took a breath and stepped into the system space.

The familiar pull of weightlessness gripped him, his body drifting effortlessly between realms before landing in the heart of his domain.

The moment he arrived, his eyes swept over the area. The once-barren expanse had transformed into a well-organized settlement, with the Crystal Humans having fully integrated into their new environment.

At the center of it all, Lily stood, deep in conversation with a few familiar figures—Aqua, Yuu, Shane… and Rock?

Ace's gaze lingered on Yuu for a moment.

Yuu—the Divine Hoe—was a peculiar existence. He had named her himself, though its full capabilities remained unknown.

So far, Yuu had taken up residence in the herb garden, diligently tending to the plants with an almost obsessive focus.

Whatever its true potential was, Ace knew one thing: Yuu was far more than just a simple farming tool. The word divine was no joke!

Next, his attention shifted to Shane, the newest spirit he had summoned from the Spirit Gate.

Shane, unlike the others, had a unique talent—he was an exceptional chef. With the system space expanding and more inhabitants settling in, the kitchen had become a crucial part of daily life.

While Lily was already a skilled cook, Ace needed someone dedicated to managing the growing food supply. Shane fit the role perfectly.

And then there was… Rock.

Ace barely spared him a glance.

Rock was just another Crystal Human, indistinct from the rest. His fate was already sealed—he wasn't going to leave behind an heir and would likely perish without ever making an impact.

Ace almost felt bad.

Almost.

With a sigh, he shook his head and a single thought, Ace stepped into the Immortal Market.

Today, he had come for one goal—to purchase bald humans. Those variants good with alchemy.

The market pulsed with energy—voices rising and falling in an unrelenting tide of haggling and boasts. The scent of incense and roasted spirit meat mingled with the sharp tang of medicinal herbs.

Golden-robed cultivators floated above the crowd, while armored warriors elbowed their way through, eyes locked on rare treasures. Caged spirit beasts snarled, their glowing eyes reflecting the lanterns that flickered overhead.

Ace's gaze flickered toward a familiar vendor—the same one who had sold him Crystal Humans previously.

"One hundred Crystal Humans for a Red Immortal Bead!" The vendor bellowed, drawing attention from potential buyers.

Ace ignored him and continued forward, searching for what he came for.

And then he found them—the bald humans.

It seemed they were sold by age.

Elders, thousands of years old, were being auctioned for a White Immortal Bead.

Younger ones, fresh and capable, were priced at one Red Immortal Bead for two.

Ace needed experience but didn't want to break the bank. Too old, and they'd cost a fortune. Too young, and they'd be useless for now. He needed a balance—knowledgeable, yet affordable.

Approaching one of the stalls, he casually asked, "Selling?"

The store owner, a cat-girl with a dangerously seductive aura, flicked her tail playfully and turned to him with a teasing smile.

Her golden feline eyes gleamed as she sized him up. "Oh, dear handsome, look at these!"

She gestured toward her stock, purring. "All strong, capable, and oh—" she leaned in slightly, voice dropping into a sultry whisper, "amazing in bed." She winked. Find more chapters on My Virtual Library Empire

Ace blinked slowly.

"…Right. I need one with alchemy knowledge, not bed skills."

She pouted dramatically, flicking her ears. "Hmph! No fun. Fine, fine." With a lazy wave of her hand, she directed him toward a separate section of the stall. "Here, pristine females."

Ace's eyebrow twitched.

Yes, he had approached this particular stall because she had female bald humans.

No, not because he was interested in them.

Just imagine it. A bald-headed woman.

Some might find charm in it, but that wasn't the point.

Ace had a plan.

Unlike Crystal Humans, which had to be purchased in bulk as only the males were sold, bald humans could be bred. Buy a few females, buy more males, let nature take its course, and boom— a self-sustaining workforce.

No need for repeat purchases. No wasted resources.

Just pure productivity.

"How many do you want?" the cat-girl asked, curling her tail around her wrist.

"Five."

"Five bald females? That'll be six Red Immortal Beads."

Ace's expression remained neutral.

"Four."

"Junior Brother, don't make it difficult for this senior here," the cat-girl purred, her golden eyes glinting with amusement. "How about this—two females, two males, all one hundred years old, for four Red Immortal Beads?"

Ace's lips curled slightly. She was negotiating, but not well enough.

His silence stretched for a moment before he responded, voice calm yet firm. "Four females. Four beads."

The cat-girl tapped a clawed finger against her chin, her tail flicking thoughtfully behind her.

"Four females… hmmm." The cat-girl's tail flicked lazily, but her gaze sharpened, assessing him. "You drive a hard bargain, Junior Brother. I should charge extra just for the trouble."

She tapped a claw against her lips before sighing. "Fine. Four females, four beads. But next time, I won't be so generous."

Ace inclined his head slightly as the deal was sealed.

There go all my beads, Ace thought grimly.

Next, he needed to convince them to start refining pills.

"System, brief me on them."

[Gladly. One Rank Two Alchemist, two Rank One Alchemists, and one with no alchemical affinity.]

Ace nodded slightly. Not bad—until the system continued.

[Additional information: Their wombs have been removed. They will not bear children.]

Ace froze.

Of course, I got scammed. Damn it.

He had been prepared for a bit of haggling, maybe even some minor scamming, but this? This was master-level deception.

The realization settled like a heavy stone in his gut, but he exhaled sharply and forced himself to focus. Brooding over missing wombs wasn't going to produce pills.

Well, at least they weren't ugly. Small mercies. Sure, he'd been swindled, but at the end of the day, he still had a Rank Two Alchemist, three additional helpers.