Teacher by day, Farmer by passion - Chapter 47

Chapter 47: Selection period.
Unlike what Ace had anticipated, the registration process went surprisingly smoothly—almost too smoothly.

Just as he was mulling over it, Liu Mei tugged at his sleeve, her voice soft yet insistent.

“Master, I’m hungry,” she mumbled, absentmindedly rubbing White Fur’s soft coat.

Ace glanced down at her. “Shall we stop by an inn, then?”

Liu Mei scrunched her nose and shook her head. “Huh? No! I want chicken—your chicken, Master!”

Ace clicked his tongue. “Tch, fine. Let’s book a place to stay first, and then I’ll cook.”

Satisfied, Liu Mei grinned, hugging White Fur tighter. “Yay! Master’s chicken is the best!”

…

…

A week passed, and the long-awaited selection day finally arrived.

The tournament’s structure was straightforward. All registered participants were divided into multiple groups based on the total number of applicants.

From each group, only the top contestants would advance to the quarterfinals, where the real competition would begin.

However, not everyone had to go through this initial selection process. The influential families, including the Hua family, were granted direct entry into the quarterfinals.

Most major sects—Flying Sword Sect, Fire Lotus Sect, Heavy Mount Sect, and White Snow Sect—also received automatic placements.

Each sect was allotted just one guaranteed slot, but that was more than enough.

Despite this privilege, many sects and noble families still chose to have their younger talents compete in the selection rounds, either for experience or to prove their strength.

…..

…..

“Liu Mei, do your best. If you win, I’ll cook Spirit Pork just for you,” Ace said with a smirk.

Liu Mei pouted, hugging White Fur tightly. “Master, are you trying to fatten me up so you can eat me later?”

Ace frowned. “Huh? What? No! Why would I—”

Before he could finish, Liu Mei burst into laughter. “Hehe, you looked guilty for a second!”

She grinned confidently. “I’ll win this tournament, Master! You should bet money on me!”

With that, she turned and strode into the arena, making her way to the preparation room, where she would wait for her number to be called.

“Does she seriously think I’ll eat her?” Ace muttered, still baffled by Liu Mei’s earlier remark.

The voice inside his head, for once, remained silent, offering no sarcastic remarks or unsolicited wisdom.

With a shrug, he decided not to dwell on it. There were more important things to focus on.

It’s finally here—my long-awaited dream.

Ace leaned back in his seat, watching the massive arena fill with excitement. The moment had arrived.

If either Liu Mei or shan Yifeng won, he would finally have the chance to claim a divine cultivation manual tailored just for him.

“Go and win for me, dear disciples! Your teacher desperately needs that manual!”

With that thought, he strolled toward his seat—only for an all-too-familiar voice to sneer inside his mind.

What a trash. Your disciple is out there fighting tooth and nail while you sit back, freeloading. Some master you are.

Ace clicked his tongue. “Freeloading? Please. I feed them good food, don’t I?”

And what difference does that make? A parent feeds their child too. Face it, you’re just playing the role of an overindulgent father.

“Exactly! Which means I’m doing an amazing job parenting them both!”

Before the bickering in his head could escalate, the booming voice of the announcer cut through the arena.

“Ladies and gentlemen, the moment you’ve all been waiting for has arrived!

Each round will see eighty competitors enter the battlefield! Only one will remain standing! Those who prevail shall advance to the quarterfinals!”

The crowd erupted, but amidst the cheering, murmurs of disbelief rippled through the audience.

“Brutal. This is absolutely brutal.”

“How is this even fair?!”

“What if they gang up on a single person?”

Even Ace felt a tightness in his chest. The rules were far harsher than he had anticipated.

Could Liu Mei actually survive this bloodbath?

The first round began with a bang.

Ace watched as the battlefield erupted into chaos. Warriors clashed, ganging up on people they deemed to have a good chance of winning.

Yet to his surprise, most contestants were only at the Warrior Rank, with just a handful reaching Silver Rank.

“So… not everyone is a monster like Liu Mei. I was starting to think the world was filled with freakishly strong kids.”

The inner voice scoffed.

“That’s because you overfed those two.”

Ace rolled his eyes. “Oh, please. It was all for the greater good.”

[Ding!

Warning: Host has been neglecting cultivation. Immediate action is advised.]

Ace sighed.

“Alright, alright. Since Liu Mei won’t be up there for a while, I might as well take this chance to train.”

Leaving his seat, he made his way through the bustling arena corridors, searching for some privacy. He found a secluded restroom, locked himself in, and activated his system.

In an instant, the world around him faded, and he stepped into the System Space.

The vast, endless fields stretched before him, golden wheat swaying in the breeze, crystal-clear lakes shimmering under a soft sun. It was breathtaking, serene, and untouched.

“Beautiful, as always,” he muttered.

Lily, carefully planting Spirit Rice, looked up the moment Ace appeared. Her bright eyes widened with excitement as she ran over, a wide smile spreading across her face..

“Master! You’re finally here! I was beginning to think you forgot about me.”

Ace chuckled, shaking his head. “How could I? I’ve just been… busy.”

Lily pouted but quickly let it go. “Alright, Master. The Spirit Beast Feed you requested is ready.”

At her words, Ace finally recalled what she was talking about.

That’s right—he had traded a few of his Spirit Chickens for the materials needed to create high-grade Spirit Beast Feed with Zhao Yun. Since it was Lily’s responsibility to oversee the process, he hadn’t been keeping track of it.

All he knew was that he had proposed the idea to omelet girl, struck a deal, and left the rest in her capable hands.

“What grade is the Spirit Beast Feeds?” Ace asked, crossing his arms.

Lily tapped a finger against her lips, thinking for a moment before answering.

“Master, the feeds are Epic Rank!”

Ace raised an eyebrow. “Oh, so just one rank below Legend.”

Lily quickly shook her head, waving her hands. “No, no! It’s Epic → Unique → and then Legend. So it’s two ranks below, Master!”

Ace, confused, rubbed his temple. “Alright, alright. I think you’ll need to give me a proper rundown of the ranking system later.”