Teacher by day, Farmer by passion

Ace felt genuinely amused. He had been prepared to prove he was Dark Gold rank, but apparently, just playing the part of a weak Warrior had worked even better. They actually let him in?

He didn't know whether to laugh or be offended.

Then again, Ace couldn't find a reason to be offended—not when everything was unfolding perfectly.

If anything, he almost wanted to laugh.

Imagine the chaos he could cause once the other families realized he was a Dark Gold rank all along.

"The Hua family is abusing their influence! They snuck in a Dark Gold rank expert!"

"They've violated the neutrality pact! This is a declaration of war!"

And those would just be the beginning.

Ace smirked.

Humans were never short of excuses. They could invent reasons faster than a cultivator could draw a blade.

If he ever needed a spark to ignite conflict between clans, his mere existence would be enough.

But that was for later.

Right now, the path forward lay clear. It was time to enter the Abyss and save his two astray disciples.

Despite the name, the Abyss was not a gaping void or bottomless chasm, it was a giant cavern, grandly decorated with ornate stonework and layered enchantments.

Towering in front of it was a gate that hummed with ancient energy, its runes flickering faintly like the dying heartbeat of a slumbering beast.

From the outside, one could simply walk around the gate and see that it led to nothing but more stone wall.

But the moment it opened, space itself shifted and a doorway to another world emerged.

Ace stared at it, thoughtful.

Hua Ting stood beside him, eyes fixed on the gate as if peering through time itself.

"We don't know how these gates came to be," he said quietly. "Not even the oldest records can pinpoint their origin. Some claim they're divine relics; others say they're fractures in space left behind by ancient battles."

"But one thing remains consistent," added Hua Tiger. "These Abyss Gates almost always lead to trials—constructed tombs, lost domains—left behind by powerhouses far beyond what the world currently knows."

"Beyond Legend rank?" Ace asked.

"Far beyond," Hua Tiger confirmed. "That's what makes them so sought after."

Ace raised a brow. "Then why assume someone like me—a Dark Gold rank—wouldn't covet this place?"

Hua Ting answered calmly, "Because ironically, the higher your rank, the less likely you are to benefit."

She gestured at the gate. "Each gate has its own 'weight.' The weaker the gate, the less it yields to the strong. If your power exceeds the threshold, the trial may reject you outright. You may walk this space… but the artifacts will be turned to dust in your hands."

"Some don't even get that far," Hua Tiger added. "Their presence alone collapses the domain."

Ace nodded slowly. That… made a twisted kind of sense. The true legacy within was not meant to be taken by the strong, but to choose the worthy, those aligned with its creator's intent.

"And yet," Ace said, "you are willing to let me enter?"

"Because your disciples are very likely in danger without the Abyss repellent pills," Hua Ting said, holding out a spatial ring.

"Inside are all the Abyss Repellent Pills we have," Hua Ting said solemnly. "Once you find your disciples, make sure they take them. Don't let them fall to corruption."

Every elder present looked utterly stunned by the gesture.

They understood the Hua family's intent, but to hand over everything so willingly? It was shocking.

Whether it was to prove they had no plans to force their way in tomorrow, or they were just plain foolish!–It was hard to say.

The elder from the Boa Clan couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "If you ever die in the Abyss… please don't destroy the spatial ring. Don't forget to remove your imprint."

Ace didn't respond to her. He simply turned to Hua Tiger and Hua Ting.

"I'll remember this favor. Always."

And with that, he stepped into the gate and vanished.

The moment he disappeared, Hua Tiger and Hua Ting grabbed the stunned Hua family elder by the arms and spun around in joy.

"Hip hip hooray! Master Ace owes us a favor!"

* * *

Ace arrived at a swamp, the thick, murky water clinging to his boots as he trudged forward.

Each step sent a ripple through the stagnant pool, and by the time he made it out, his clothes were thoroughly soaked and stained with muck.

He changed into a fresh set of clothes without complaint, brushing off the discomfort with practiced calm.

Just then, a system notification chimed in his mind:

[It will be a huge castle in the sky.]

Ace instinctively looked up, and sure enough, there it was. A magnificent palace floated far above the clouds, glimmering with otherworldly brilliance.

Intrigued, he summoned Qiong Qi. Fully intending on having it carry him up to the castle.

But the moment the beast materialized, it let out a startled yelp and dropped like a stone, landing face-first with a heavy thud in the mud.

[But in a world where no one can fly.]

Ace frowned. "What?"

What kind of twisted logic was this? A castle in the sky… but no way to reach it? Was the goal of this expedition not the palace at all?

And if not, then what treasures could possibly lie hidden in a miserable swamp like this?

The more he pondered, the more his head began to throb. He suddenly froze, a terrible realization dawning on him.

[Try, you might, your brain will just fry.]

Underneath the message, a second line appeared, clearly from Qiong Qi:

[Ahhh! My head hurts! Human, what have you done? Where are we?! Ahhh! Stop! It hurts! It hurts! Human, atone for your sins!]

And then another system message arrived, almost mockingly:

[Although yes, I'm sure you won't cry.]

Ace narrowed his eyes.

This… this was the system's poem he dismissed as nonsense before. He recognized it now.

Everything—every line—was part of a twisted riddle.

"Open up the poem, system."

The system pulled up a screen following that.

[It will be a huge castle in the sky,

But in a world where no-one can fly.

Try, you might, your brain will just fry.

Although yes, I'm sure you won't cry.

What kind of castle even floats?

In a world where none can fly,

Do they travel by boats?

Hmm… it's worth a try.]