Teacher by day, Farmer by passion

"Hua Lin, come here."

Hua Hua's voice carried through the study—calm yet firm, with an unmistakable authority.

The young woman turned from where she had been flipping absentmindedly through a scroll, her fingers tightening slightly at the unexpected summons.

She blinked, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear before walking over.

"What is it, Grandpa?"

Hua Hua eyed her carefully, his expression unreadable. "I heard you went to meet Master Zhi today—along with Elder Lesy."

At the mention of him, her breath hitched, and before she could stop it, a faint blush dusted her cheeks.

She knew her grandfather wouldn't miss it, so she quickly lowered her gaze, trying to keep her voice level.

"Ah, yes, I did…" she admitted softly.

But inside, she cringed.

I was so awkward! I didn't even greet him properly!

Hua Hua watched her reaction with quiet amusement before leaning back with a thoughtful hum. Then, out of nowhere, he asked:

"Do you like him?"

"Ah—!" Her entire body stiffened, her heart leaping into her throat.

What kind of question is that?!

Instinct took over. "No! No, absolutely not!" she blurted, her hands waving in a frantic denial.

The response came a little too fast.

Hua Hua exhaled lightly, as if letting go of some unspoken thought. He nodded. "Hmm… and here I thought you actually liked him. Never mind, then."

A marriage alliance was off the table.

Hua Lin didn't know why that made her feel… a little unsettled. She should be relieved, right? Right?

She was about to leave when the door slid open.

A figure stepped inside, dressed in blue robes with gold embroidery. His presence carried a weight, a quiet authority that demanded attention without trying.

It was Ace.

And the moment his gaze swept the room, his expression froze.

The air shifted.

His face, usually unreadable, twisted into something like mild distaste—his jaw tightening, his brow twitching ever so slightly.

It was the kind of look a man wore when biting into an unfamiliar dish and realizing it was terrible, but he was too polite to spit it out.

A strained smile flickered across his lips, but it did little to hide his mood.

Hua Lin, feeling the heat creep up her neck, glanced away.

Ace, meanwhile, was experiencing an entirely different internal struggle.

I get it, alright? I'm not interested either.

But even if he didn't like or have any particular thoughts about her, hearing a woman so firmly reject the very idea of liking him?

Tch. That's a little annoying.

Suppressing the impulse to roll his eyes, Ace flicked his fingers, tossing out a storage ring. "Here."

Hua Hua, still oblivious to the tension in the air, caught it midair, his spiritual sense immediately diving inside.

And his eyes widened.

Inside were 198 Soul Calming Pills, of which ten were high-grade, while the majority were medium-grade, and only about thirty pills were low-grade.

Not just that—there were also Body Strengthening Pills, Soul Force Pills, and a variety of other high-demand Rank One pills.

Hua Hua's grip on the ring tightened.

This was massive. All this in just a day?

Ace's voice, calm and unwavering, cut through the moment like a blade.

"This is just the beginning."

And with that, he turned on his heel and strode out, his blue robes billowing slightly with his movements.

Yet internally, he was shaking his head.

Experience new stories with My Virtual Library Empire

Man, I even rejected a princess, who do you think you are, Hua Lin?

Watching Ace leave the room, Hua Hua held the storage ring up, weighing its significance. Without wasting a moment, he turned to call for Hua Lesy.

When she arrived, he handed her the ring with a firm but calm expression.

"Take care of the market with this," he instructed. "And purchase the herbs Master Zhi requested."

With that, he also passed her a neatly rolled scroll, its contents detailing the necessary ingredients.

His gaze sharpened slightly as he added, "Remember, our livelihood depends on him. Be kind."

Hua Lesy scoffed, crossing her arms. "Hey, I'm always kind."

Then, almost as an afterthought, she muttered under her breath, "It's his disciple that doesn't like me."

Despite her grumbling, she still obeyed, tucking the scroll away before heading off to fulfill her task.

______

Not even a full day had passed, yet the news had already spread like wildfire.

Within the Xiao Family estate, the grand hall was filled with elders, each seated in their designated positions. The tension in the air was palpable, thick enough to be cut with a blade.

The hall itself was a testament to the Xiao Family's long-standing prestige—towering pillars lined the chamber, their surfaces engraved with ancient calligraphy, recounting the family's history and achievements.

A grand chandelier, crafted from spirit-infused crystals, cast a dim yet authoritative glow over the room, emphasizing the solemnity of the gathering.

At the center of the hall stood a long, polished ebony table, around which the elders were seated in a strict hierarchy.

The higher-ranked elders occupied the seats closest to the head of the table, their expressions grave, while the younger or lower-ranking members sat further away, whispering in hushed tones.

Ornate chairs, cushioned yet rigid in design, lined the table, each carved with the Xiao family emblem.

Despite the opulence, no one seemed comfortable.

Elder Xiao Bo, ever impatient, was the first to break the silence, his fingers tapping irritably against the armrest of his chair.

"The Hua family has started to fight back," he announced, his voice laced with both frustration and arrogance.

"Did I not tell you all to ensure they never got their hands on an alchemist?"

Several elders exchanged wary glances.

Xiao Shiyang finally spoke up. "Elder Bo, with all due respect, it's not that simple. We can't monitor every alchemist—some have their own hidden connections."

Another chimed in, nodding. "Even those we thought were loyal may have switched sides quietly. The Hua family isn't moving blindly."

Xiao Bo scoffed, his voice dripping with condescension. "Excuses. All I hear are excuses! If you incompetent fools had done your jobs properly, we wouldn't be in this mess."

The tension in the room thickened, but before anyone could refute him, he continued.

"Soul Calming Pills—a pseudo Rank Two pill—and they're selling them like they're nothing more than Rank One!" His fist struck the table again, rattling the teacups.

The Xiao family had always sold Soul Calming Pills at 10,000 gold ingots apiece. But the Hua family? They had taken a different approach:

Customers could acquire one Soul Calming Pill for 5,000 gold ingots—but only if they spent another 5,000 on other items.

It was ruthless.

It was brilliant.

It was bleeding the Xiao family dry.

One elder, his face pale with frustration, gritted his teeth. "We can't keep up with those prices. Do you want us to start handing out pills for cheap? We'll go bankrupt!"

Another scoffed. "If we don't act soon, we'll lose everything anyway!"

The arguments escalated.

Then, finally, someone slammed their fist on the table.

"Xiao Bo, you are not the patriarch!"

Silence.

Xiao Bo's lips curled into a sneer. His gaze swept over the room, dark and full of disdain.

"But I'm the one he entrusted."

The hall grew eerily quiet.

Since the patriarch, Xiao Wuzi, had retreated into seclusion, the family had been left to govern itself. But in truth, it was Xiao Bo who had taken command.