Teacher by day, Farmer by passion - Chapter 166

Chapter 166: Man dies for wealth [2]
Milson crossed his arms and tilted his head towards shan yifeng, his voice calm yet there was a hint of smugness in his tone.

“From the fifty thousand taels, twenty-five thousand goes to taxes, right? And you promised me twenty-five thousand. So technically that means…” he tapped the ring lightly with a grin, “this entire fortune inside the ring belongs to me.”

Shan yifeng’s eyes bulged. “H-Huh… W-Wh… WHAT?! Can’t we just, you know, skip the taxes?!”

Milson gasped dramatically, placing a hand over his chest. “Oh my heavens! I’m the Duke’s only son! How dare you suggest tax evasion in front of such a noble, law-abiding citizen!”

Shan Yifeng slowly turned his head and stared. That cold, deadpan, unimpressed stare.

Milson held it for two seconds before dropping the act with a sheepish chuckle. “Fine, fine. You win.”

He held out the ring. “Here, take it. You earned it. I don’t really want gambling money.”

Shan didn’t hesitate, he slipped it onto his finger with the efficiency of someone pocketing his well-deserved loot.

“Good Good. Now let’s get going,” he said casually, already heading for the door like nothing happened.

Milson glanced one last time at Pot Black, who looked like he had aged ten years in the last ten minutes.

With a sympathetic shake of the head, he followed Shan Yifeng out.

The next day, Ace found himself preparing for his first-ever lecture.

It hadn’t originally been part of his schedule, but the moment he forced Lotus as his first assistant, the responsibility for her class naturally shifted onto his shoulders.

Now, whether he liked it or not, he was the one expected to teach.

Liu Mei walked in with a worried expression but she didn’t forget to stop and take in how her beloved master was dressed like.

At his waist hung a folded fan, its intricate design half-hidden beneath the folds of his robe.

Beside it, a sleek sword rested in its sheath, the hilt gleaming faintly in the morning light.

A few jade bottles were strapped neatly to his side, each one clinking softly with his movement.

Ace turned, immediately noticing the worry etched across Liu Mei’s face.

“Still not back yet?” he asked, his tone calm but laced with concern.

She gave a small, anxious nod.

“Hah… that kid,” Ace muttered under his breath. “Where did he run off to?”

He thought back to the previous day. After taking a well-earned nap, he had woken to find Liu Mei curled up peacefully beside him but there had been no sign of Shan Yifeng.

At first, he had dismissed it as nothing more than a youthful defiance, a boy testing how far his limits could be.

Surely, he had thought, the brat would return by nightfall.

But now, a full day had passed, and yet there was still no sign of him.

It was as if he disappeared from the surface of the planet!

Ace sighed and ruffled his hair, casting one last glance at the door.

“He’ll show up,” he said, more to reassure Liu Mei than himself. “He’s not the type to disappear without reason.”

Still, the faint unease in his chest lingered.

.

Straightening his robes, he adjusted the fan at his waist, made sure the sword was secure, and checked the jade bottles strapped to his side.

Liu Mei followed him to the door, her steps hesitant.

“master, You’re still going?” she asked, voice soft.

Ace gave her a faint smile. “It’s my first lecture, Mei. Besides, if Yifeng’s trying to prove something, I won’t want to interrupt his little adventure.”

“But—”

“I trust him,” Ace said simply. “And if he’s not back by evening, I’ll find him myself.”

Liu Mei nodded slowly, and Ace stepped out into the sunlight.

As he approached the towering school gates, a few students stopped to stare.

Some whispered, others pointed, clearly still in disbelief that this man, the one who made a cauldron explode mid-competition, was now a professor, who’s going to teach them alchemy.

Some even added that they rather stick to mediocre pills rather than aim for perfection at the expense of a cauldron.

Ace just smiled and kept walking.

The moment Ace stepped past the academy gates, the murmurs intensified. Students parted as he walked, a mixture of awe, disbelief, and curiosity following in his wake.

Meanwhile it didn’t take long before he spotted his new assistant, Lotus.

She stood just outside the main building, waiting with a poise so polished it made her look like a statue carved from calm itself, until she spotted him.

Her expression flickered for a moment, part nerves, part something worried.

“Professor,” she greeted with a small bow.

She then turned, walking ahead. “The class is in the West Wing, third floor. It’s… well, it was my class.”

Ace raised a brow. “You don’t sound too happy about that.”

“It’s not that,” she replied quickly. “It’s just… the students were already skeptical about me. Now they’re expecting you to teach them. After the… incident with the cauldron…”

“Ah, yes.” Ace smirked. “They should feel honored.”

Lotus stopped outside a large double door.

Muffled voices could be heard inside, students waiting, unaware of what awaited them.

She glanced at him. “They’re all top-tier alchemy students. Some come from noble houses, others from ancient sects. They’re very… proud.”

Ace reached for the door. “So am I.”

“You’re really going in like that?” Lotus asked, eyeing his relaxed demeanor and the fan lazily hanging at his side.

“What, should I bring a lightning rod instead?” he grinned.

With that, he pushed the doors open.

The room went silent. Every student turned to look at the man who entered, robes slightly wind-swept, sword at his side, fan swaying, and a casual smirk on his face.

“Good morning,” Ace said, sweeping a slow gaze across the room. “I heard you all wanted to learn how not to explode a cauldron.”

A few jaws dropped.

One of the student muttered, “It’s him…”

Ace stepped forward. “I’m Ace. Your new Alchemy teacher.”

Lotus, still standing near the door, couldn’t help but sigh.