Teacher by day, Farmer by passion

Two sisters, both twins, yet polar opposites, one brimming with excitement and the other recoiling in dreadful fear.

"Hey, Xi Chun, what are you so afraid of?" Tushan asked, both annoyed and amused by her sister's reaction. "You grew up eating what I cooked. Look at how healthy you are."

Xi Chun didn't respond right away. Her face twitched, eyes narrowing with the haunted look of someone who had seen and eaten things, unspeakable things.

She shuddered, took a slow step away from her sister, and muttered under her breath, "And I survived… barely."

Ace cleared his throat. "Ahem."

Both turned to face him.

"Xi Chun, you're… well, you're kind of useless at the moment. So do as you please for now."

Xi Chun flinched as if struck. Her mouth opened slightly in disbelief, and her hands clenched at her sides.

"Useless…?" she repeated, blinking rapidly. "I-I've studied art, dance, music, strategy, etiquette—" She paused, looked at Ace.

Then she turned away, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear in a failed attempt to act graceful, but her slumped shoulders gave her away.

At the same time, Tushan erupted into another bout of laughter.

Honestly, Ace couldn't think of any task suitable for her.

Maybe she could play music now and then, he mused, though it didn't strike him as particularly productive—

That is, until a familiar, scolding voice echoed in his mind.

[HUMAN! I leave you alone for one moment and you're already making foolish decisions!]

Ace turned his head just as Qiong Qi flew over awkwardly, a massive spirit pig clenched between its jaws, wings wobbling under the weight.

It landed beside him, dropped the pig with a thud, and fixed him with a disapproving stare.

[Human, spirit herbs grow better when exposed to music. Do you not know this simple fact?]

Ace blinked, then looked back at Xi Chun.

"…Right. Right. My bad." He cleared his throat again. "Xi Chun, you're completely useful. Let's head back to the herb garden. I just got a brilliant idea!"

After saying so, Ace took the lead as he led them away from the spirit connection gate.

The Qiong Qi followed behind, flying lazily with the massive spirit pig dangling from its jaws.

While the sisters walked side by side, Tushan occasionally rubbing her sister's head.

Soon, they arrived at the Spirit Herb Garden, the fragrance of blooming herbs gently greeting them.

There,Ace met with Liu Hong and Ruby.

"Hello, Brother," Ruby said softly. That was all, after saying that, she quickly ducked behind Aunt Hong, already avoiding eye contact.

Ace chuckled warmly. "Hello, Ruby. Hello, Aunty," he greeted with a smile.

Turning to Xi Chun, he said, "Get ready to play your Guqin."

Xi Chun nodded eagerly, eyes sparkling with anticipation.

Ace then looked to Mati. "Mati, go call your other sisters."

She bowed gracefully and stepped away, her every movement poised and fluid.

Aunt Hong, watching the scene unfold, chuckled heartily.

"Little Zhi," she said, patting his shoulder with fondness, "it seems you really know how to please a woman's heart. Good job, good job."

With that, she turned and strolled over to Tushan, her mood unusually cheerful.

After what felt like an hour, Xi Chun's guqin was finally ready.

Ace clapped his hands, a faint grin on his face. "Alright everyone, the stage is set. Prepare yourselves, you're about to witness true magic."

They had set everything up in the herb garden. Soft winds stirred the spirit herbs, and the evening sun bathed everything in golden light.

Ruby and Aunt Hong sat at a corner.

Ruby still kept her distance from Ace, quiet, eyes lowered, clearly unsure if she should even speak to him yet.

Ace noticed, of course. But he didn't push her. It seemed she still was shocked by what she saw in the fields back then.

"She's too soft for this world," he thought.

Shan yifeng and Liu mei, both kids, way younger than her were already used to it while she was still scared of the act of killing.

"Maybe that's why she never complained about living inside this system space, a very lonely place… where you couldn't even shop to your heart's content."

As the words left his brain, his thoughts drifted to Rina, his only real reference for understanding women.

From childhood to teenage years, he had trailed after her on countless shopping trips.

"She was always happiest then," he mused. "Guess that's the only thing I know about making a girl happy… pretty pathetic."

Shaking off the thought, Ace turned to Xi Chun, who was now preparing the guqin with careful fingers.

Her posture, poised. Her eyes, calm.

Next to Aunt hong, Tushan beamed with pride. "My sister's the best singer you'll ever hear," she said confidently to Akha.

"When it was just the two of us, she would sing and I'd cook with whatever ingredients we could buy from the money she earned. We didn't really starve at all in the streets."

Akha leaned in, already at ease. "That's amazing. I haven't heard music in so long… This feels like a festival!"

"Yes, yes! It's wonderful!" Khani chimed in, eyes sparkling. "Master always surprises us with the best people!"

Kathum, this time wearing the wig, she clapped her hands in glee. "Sister Tushan! You and Sister Xi Chun are so pretty!"

Ace, arms crossed, watched the entire conversation unfold with a blank expression.

"…I completely misjudged you, Xi Chun," he admitted inwardly. "Didn't expect this much excitement."

Just then, as if summoned by the moment—

[HUMAN!]

Qiong Qi's voice thundered in his head, dramatic as ever.

[Your stench grows fouler by the second! You absolute slave driver! You didn't prepare a single form of entertainment for the poor souls living here? Are you trying to kill them with boredom? Is this your master plan? Death by monotony?!]

* * *

Meanwhile, Liu Mei was currently skipping and hopping through a thick forest, her long sleeves swaying with each step.

She paused suddenly, looking around in confusion. "Eh? How did I end up here?"

All she had done was walk in the opposite direction of the scary, creepy Dark Valley River. Totally reasonable decision.

"Am I… lost?" she asked the trees, puffing her cheeks and placing both hands on her hips.

But there was no-one to respond to her question. It would be more creepier if she had recieved any response.

She blinked. "Hmph! No way. Master will definitely find me! He always does~!"

With a cheerful spin, she pointed forward. "Let's find Junior Brother first! Then I can proudly say I saved him!"

And so, deeper into the forest she went, humming a little tune.

Hours passed, but Liu Mei remained as upbeat as ever, until something large and fuzzy caught her eye.

Her eyes widened. Her mouth formed a perfect 'O'. She squealed.

"BEAR!!!"

She practically bounced in place. There it was, a giant bear, snoring softly under the shade of an ancient tree.

"A real bear! A big fluffy bear! A super mega ultra fuzzy bear!" she whispered excitedly, crouching low like she was about to pounce.

"I've waited sooo long to see one up close!"

Her fingers wiggled like claws. Her eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Okay, okay, be cool, Liu Mei," she whispered to herself. "Approach with grace. Be the adorable cultivator you were meant to be!"

Then she started tiptoeing toward the bear… like a cat stalking a toy it definitely wasn't supposed to touch.