Teacher by day, Farmer by passion-Chapter 146: The Palace of the Duke.

"Let's go for a walk, shall we? I want to see what we're dealing with," Ace said, stretching slightly.

Liu Mei hesitated before slowly stepping back, reluctantly releasing him. Her fingers trembled slightly, as if afraid he might fall asleep again.

"Y-Yes, Master! Come, let me lead the way!" she said, quickly wiping away the last traces of her tears.

Ace swung his legs over the side of the enormous bed and stood up, following her toward the door.

As they stepped out, he glanced around, his thoughts lingering on the strange illusion he had just escaped.

"I don't know what that was, but I sure as hell don't want to go back. Hopefully, by the time I become an immortal, I'll have figured it all out," he mused with a wry chuckle.

"Master, did you say something?" Liu Mei asked, turning back to him with a curious tilt of her head.

"Nope, nothing at all. Let's get going," Ace replied smoothly, waving off the thought as they continued forward.

As they walked, Liu Mei's gaze flickered to Ace's profile.

A thought nagged at her. "Master, what is a Divine Garden?" she finally asked, tilting her head in curiosity.

Ace paused, giving it some thought. "Well… it's the space where you got lots of spirit apples.."

"Ah I see I see, but how do they even exist?" she pressed, her eyes sparkling with intrigue.

Ace opened his mouth, "I won't know I'm not from—"

He caught himself and instead gave her a knowing look. "Aren't you a little too curious?"

"Hehe," Liu Mei giggled, hopping ahead with playful energy. "Master, Junior Brother Shan Yifeng missed you too! Let's go see him first!"

"Alright, alright," Ace said with an amused chuckle, following her eager steps.

The palace was serene, a gentle breeze carrying the fragrance of blooming flowers.

Tall green trees swayed softly, their leaves rustling in harmony with the wind, while vibrant flower beds painted the grounds in a mesmerizing array of colors.

The entire place had an air of elegance, like it belonged to a noblewoman deeply enamored with flowers.

Before long, they arrived at the library. Inside, Shan Yifeng sat at a table, stacks of books piled beside him as he flipped through the pages with intense focus.

Hearing their footsteps, he lifted his head and smirked, completely at ease. He tapped the book before him with a self-satisfied air.

"Ah, Senior Sister. I was beginning to wonder if you had noticed. You see, unlike most, I—" he leaned forward smugly, "—am immune to your mind-reading."

"Senior Sister, have you been wondering why your mind-reading doesn't work on me?" he asked, his tone filled with smug confidence. "Ah, my bad... it's because I'm too much of a genius! I came up with a formation that blocks and even reflects attempts to read my thoughts."

His excitement was palpable, his pride evident in the way he grinned.

Liu Mei smirked. "'I wonder how Master will reward me.'"

She repeated his thoughts back at him, her expression filled with mockery.

Shan Yifeng froze.

"Oh my, you think Master will reward you for something like that?" Liu Mei scoffed, folding her arms.

A look of horror crossed Shan Yifeng's face as he realized, his formation wasn't perfect yet. Liu Mei had still managed to glimpse into his thoughts.

Annoyed, he slammed his book shut. "Tch… I was so close," he muttered, gritting his teeth.

Shan Yifeng then turned to Ace, his expression filled with concern. "Master, are you feeling better now?"

Ace nodded with a small smile. "Yes, yes, I'm doing much better now."

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"That is really good to hear," Shan Yifeng said, relief evident in his voice.

Liu Mei, however, looked utterly offended.

"Good to hear?" She scoffed, placing her hands on her hips. "Are you stupid? Come and hug Master! Cry your heart out! I know you want to!"

Shan Yifeng's eyes widened in shock. "S-Senior Sister, what are you even saying?" He shook his head, his voice firm. "Seeing Master in good health is already amazing! That's what truly matters!"

Liu Mei huffed. "You are not very filial, Junior Brother. Master, come, let's leave this heartless disciple and go find Mother instead!" She tugged at Ace's sleeve.

Ace chuckled. "Alright, alright." Then, turning back to Shan Yifeng, he placed a hand on his shoulder. "Keep on doing what you do, your master will support you."

As Ace and Liu Mei left the room, he could still hear the disbelief in Shan Yifeng's tone as he muttered to himself, processing what had just happened.

Walking down the halls, Ace glanced at Liu Mei. "So, not only you, even your mother was brought out?"

"Yes, yes!" Liu Mei beamed. Then she suddenly gasped, pointing ahead. "Oh, look! There's Mother! And the man who saved us!"

A faint clink of porcelain reached Ace's ears, accompanied by the rich aroma of freshly brewed tea.

Following Liu Mei's gaze, he spotted Liu Hong seated gracefully, pouring tea.

Across from her, a man was focused on writing on a piece of paper, his expression calm and composed.

As Ace approached, he furrowed his brows in confusion. "Aunt Hong? What are you doing here?"

Liu Hong looked up from the tea she was pouring, her expression calm. "Xiao Zhi, it's Ning'er. She was injured, so I came to help. She is currently stabilized for now."

Ace's gaze then shifted to the man seated across from her. His presence was composed yet commanding, as if he belonged to a world Ace had yet to understand.

"And you are?" Ace finally asked, his voice laced with curiosity and caution.

The man didn't answer immediately. Instead, he gestured for Ace to take a seat with a flick of his right hand.

Then, without looking up, he turned to Liu Hong and Liu Mei.

"You both may leave us."

Liu Mei hesitated, clearly wanting to protest, but her mother had already taken her hand, leading her away without another word.

A moment of silence filled the room as the man carefully set his brush down.