Teacher by day, Farmer by passion

Chapter 15 I'm your master_2

Ace grabbed a sheet of paper, his hands still slightly unsteady from the aftermath of the system's "reward."

He quickly wrote down the Earth-grade cultivation technique his family had once taught him, the one he had struggled with for years.

Before, it had felt rigid, incomplete—poorly designed, never truly meant for human use. But now, as he stared at the familiar words on the page, something shifted.

Flaws—glaring weaknesses he had never noticed before—leaped out at him. The inefficiency in energy circulation, the bottlenecks that would slow progress, the subtle contradictions in breathing techniques—it was all so clear now.

With renewed focus, he dipped his brush in ink and began rewriting.

Line by line, stroke by stroke, he modified it, shaping the technique to fit his needs. He adjusted the energy flow, smoothed out inefficiencies, and infused it with the deeper understanding he had now gained.

The old technique had been like an uncut gem—functional, but rough. Now, he polished it, refined it, turning it into something tailored specifically for him.

By the time he set the brush down, the simple Earth-grade technique had evolved into a Mortal-grade technique.

Ace leaned back, exhaling slowly.

Next , while was experimenting with new techniques, testing the limits of his improved knowledge, when a familiar, cheerful voice interrupted him

"Teacher!"

He turned to see Liu Mei bouncing toward him, her usual bright energy in full force. But this time, she wasn't alone.

Behind her stood a woman—Liu Hong, Mei'er's mother. Ace recalled her name from village gossip, from whispered conversations about a widow raising a child many had deemed hopeless.

He barely had time to welcome them inside before Liu Hong dropped to her knees.

"Thank you, Teacher," she said, her voice trembling with raw emotion.

Ace froze, startled by the sudden display.

"My Mei'er... People told me to give up on her. To abandon her. But I couldn't. She is my child. She had no father to call her own, and I—I couldn't just abandon her when I am all she had."

Her hands clenched into fists against the wooden floor. Ace could see the years of struggle written in the lines of her face, the exhaustion that had weighed her down for so long.

"They called her stupid. A retard. And the worst part? Her actions only made their insults seem true. No one believed in her, and the more they ridiculed her, the more she withdrew."

Liu Hong choked back a sob, but when she looked up, her eyes shone with something new.

"But lately... lately, she's been changing. Ever since you started feeding her those apples, little by little, she's gotten better. She understands things now—really understands. And..." She swallowed hard, as if saying the next words would shatter her.

"She apologized."

Ace blinked.

Ace blinked. Strong like him? That was debatable. But seeing the determination on her face, he knew one thing—she had made up her mind.

Liu Hong exhaled deeply. Then, with a mix of hesitation and hope, she nodded.

"Alright," she said. "I'll trust you with my daughter's future."

"Liu Mei, perform a kowtow."

For once, she wasn't her usual cheerful, absentminded self. Instead, Liu Mei's face was serious—determined.

Without hesitation, she knelt, lowering her forehead to the ground in a formal gesture of respect.

Ace watched in silence. He had expected hesitation, a fumble, maybe even a giggle halfway through. But she remained steady.

Her movements were steady, her posture sincere.

She was truly acknowledging him as her master.

The familiar chime of the system echoed in Ace's mind.

[Disciple obtained.]

A new prompt appeared before him.

1/9 – You can have a maximum of only 9 direct disciples. Choose wisely.

His gaze flickered to the next set of information.

1st Disciple: Liu Mei

Cultivation Talent: Rare

Current Soul Force: 98

Special Physique: None

Ace rubbed his chin.

– Only nine disciples? Not ten, not unlimited. Why? Was there some hidden reason, or was the system simply restricting him?

Liu Mei had great potential, but her past condition made her an unusual first pick.

Still, he glanced at her—sitting there with wide, expectant eyes, her usual cluelessness replaced by rare focus.

He didn't regret his decision. Not one bit.