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 EMBERSTONE FARM
©2025 L MEILI

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 Also in Series
The Chronicles of Emberstone Farm
The Chronicles of Emberstone Farm 2

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 Contents

Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Interlude
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Interlude
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Interlude
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Chapter 33
Chapter 34
Chapter 35
Chapter 36
Chapter 37
Chapter 38
Chapter 39
Chapter 40
Interlude
Chapter 41
Chapter 42
Chapter 43
Chapter 44
Chapter 45
Chapter 46
Chapter 47
Chapter 48
Chapter 49
Chapter 50
Chapter 51
Chapter 52
Chapter 53
Chapter 54
Chapter 55
Interlude
Chapter 56
Chapter 57
Chapter 58
Chapter 59
Interlude
Chapter 60
Chapter 61
Chapter 62
Chapter 63
Chapter 64
Chapter 65
Chapter 66
Chapter 67
Chapter 68
Chapter 69
Chapter 70
Chapter 71
Chapter 72
Chapter 73
Chapter 74
Chapter 75
Chapter 76
Chapter 77
Chapter 78
Chapter 79
Chapter 80
Chapter 81
Interlude
Chapter 82
Chapter 83
Chapter 84
Chapter 85
Chapter 86
Chapter 87
Chapter 88
Interlude
Chapter 89
Chapter 90
Chapter 91
Interlude
Chapter 92
Chapter 93
Chapter 94
Interlude
Chapter 95
Chapter 96
Chapter 97
Interlude
Chapter 98
Chapter 99
Chapter 100
Chapter 101
Thank you for reading Emberstone Farm

About the Author

Groups
LitRPG

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In gratitude to those who saw the beauty in my words when my own eyes
were blurred with doubt.

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 Chapter 1

I have become the C hild of F ate , H ero of A ges , H ealer of W orlds ,

Deathless Seeker, and Harbinger of the Dawn.
It happened in a flash. One moment I was clicking on the login button
for Adventure Incarnate, my favorite Massively Multiplayer Online Role-
Playing Game, when I was blinded by a flash of light. The next thing I
knew, I had been transported into the world of the game.
That was several weeks ago. Of course, I was shocked and confused at
first, and I went through several cycles of denial and acceptance before I
settled down enough to figure out what I should do next: find a safe place to
stay.
My current quest, given to me by the Adventure Incarnate game
System, was simple.

[Beginner Quest: Build a House]

I’d already finished two beginner quests, [Tutorial] and [Farmer

Certificate]. Now that I had received a land grant from the local
government, all I had to do was to clear a space in this forest to build my
new home.
Today my goal was to cut down a few trees. I was in an old-growth
forest filled with towering cedar, hinoki cypress, larch, oak, and maple trees
along with some fruit trees like wild cherry, plum, and peach. However, to
the System, everything was just a “tree,” so I picked an oak tree at random.
Using the hatchet tool from my System toolbox, I swung at its trunk.
 “Timber!” I yelled.
The tree shook, and leaves rained down on me. Around half of the tree’s
crown had mysteriously disappeared. One more swing and all that was left
was the trunk.
The next one should do it.
“For real this time. Timber!” I yelled again. There was no one around,
but yelling like a cartoon character made me feel more excited about my
first woodcutting session. This was actually the first time that I was using a
game skill.
I swung at the tree trunk with my hatchet, and sure enough, after I hit it
with a resounding thwack, all that was left of it was a tree stump. Then I hit
the stump with my ax one last time, making it disappear completely.
“It’s like magic!” I said.
Checking my inventory, I noticed that two slots now had wooden logs
and tree branches in them. Just like in the game, cutting down trees gave me
several pieces of wood.
I cut down three more trees nearby.
“Why do I feel tired?” I said out loud to nobody in particular.
With a bit of mental effort, I willed the game menu to appear.
Thankfully, I didn’t have to physically press any of the buttons on the
System screen that only I could see. As my eyes moved over the screen, it
was as though the game system could read my mind as it switched to the
right tab just when I wanted it to.
On the settings tab, I turned the guide mode on. A glowing yellow grid
superimposed itself on the ground. To set down a farm, I needed to clear a
four-by-four area. That was my priority because I was tired of doing my
“business” in the bushes. I wanted a flush toilet and a proper bed to sleep
on.
“One more to go,” I said to encourage myself.
I could hardly lift my arms anymore, but I forced myself to swing my ax
until the last tree was cleared.
“Yes! I’m a woodcutting goddess!” I dropped the ax and danced a jig.
“You are?” said someone from behind me.
“Aaaaaaaaaaaah! Bear! Bear!” I’d been so sure that I was totally alone
here deep in the forest that I was unable to stop myself from screaming
when someone unexpectedly appeared behind me. A dark, hairy figure
loomed over me. Though I was a beat too late, I plucked the pink plushie
dangling from my waist and flung it at the newcomer, shouting, “Kill!”
“I’m not a bear. I’m from the White Tiger Clan,” said the figure. He’d
caught the plushie.
I backed away a step, and the person took a step forward, into the light.
It was definitely a person, but he was huge and bear-like, with a thickly
muscled figure, brown beard, and long, shaggy hair. His legs were like tree
trunks, and his arms were brown and brawny, but underneath his bushy
eyebrows, his eyes were lively and intelligent.
“No, I wasn’t calling you a bear. That’s my bear,” I said, pointing at the
teddy bear in his hand.
Floating above the newcomer’s head were the words [Farm Guide], and
a transparent box had popped up in my field of vision with the words
[Unable to Attack Farm Guide].
It’s a good thing that the System had stopped me from attacking this
person. The Farm Guide was a very important NPC in the game who helped
the player with events, farm upgrades, weather reports, and so forth.
“Oh, I see,” he said.
He handed the plushie back to me, and I put it back on my belt via the
hook on its back. My character was a puppeteer, and this little stuffed toy
was the beginner puppet. It looked harmless, but I could use it to cast basic
magic like Fireball. Thank goodness I hadn’t actually attacked. The last
thing I wanted was to offend my Farm Guide. In fact, players should give
their guides a gift every time they meet, so I had prepared one in advance. I
handed him a purple crocus I’d picked up earlier. “Sorry about that! I was
just surprised. I haven’t seen another person here all day.”
“No problem,” he said as he accepted the flower and put it on his belt.
Like me, he was wearing pants and a long-sleeve robe with an overlapping
Y-shaped collar, like a character from an ancient Chinese martial arts
movie. Now that I looked at him closely, I saw that he had slightly pointed
ears, which meant that he wasn’t human. I hadn’t noticed because his hair
mostly covered the sides of his head. Most of the people on this continent
were humans, but the feudal lords and ruling family were all God Beasts
who were descendants of the offspring of humans and gods. They were
called God Beasts in the game because they looked human but could
shapeshift into a giant beast form. They called themselves Yaozhen in their
language.
 “Welcome to Emberstone Farm. I’m Violet, a new settler from Mai-i
Island,” I said.
Emberstone Farm was the name that was automatically generated by the
System when I was assigned this spot in the forest.
“I know. I’m Shuye, the person in charge of this area. Welcome to the
Ancient Hills Forest,” he said.
“Thank you.” I wanted to be hospitable, so I took out a plate of cookies
from my inventory. The people of this world were quite used to magic, and
many people had a small magical space that they could use to store items.
I’d spent the last of my money on buying the cookies in town.
“No, thank you. We of the White Tiger Clan don’t eat human food,” he
said. “Do you need anything? I see that you’ve set up a tent. I could show
you a cave nearby that’s safer.”
“A cave? Yes, I’d like to see it,” I said.
Not that I planned to use it, since the house that I could build using the
System was undoubtedly much better than a cave. Nonetheless, it would be
nice to know a place where I could seek shelter if I was caught outside in
bad weather.
Without further ado, I put the cookies and hatchet back in my inventory
and followed his lead. We spent an hour hiking through the woods while we
chatted. He gave me a few tips about how to survive in the wilderness and
asked me about my life back “home.” Of course, he was asking about my
background in this world.
I didn’t tell him my real-life story. The truth was that back on Earth my
parents had died a year ago, a few days before I turned eighteen. I was
studying up for my college entrance exams when I decided to play
Adventure Incarnate, a moderately popular and very strange Massively
Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game. It started off as a social farming
simulation before being bought up by a Chinese video game company.
The new owners had an RPG that they had been developing, and some
smart guy had the bright idea of taking advantage of the existing player
base by merging the two games together, forming a new MMORPG. The
result was a uniquely weird hodgepodge of farming, crafting, and combat
content set in a fantasy medieval-Europe-meets-magitech-Asia world.
The moment I joined my guild chat, one of my online friends messaged
me about “something cool” that he wanted to show me.
 GodIAm or GIA, as I called him, was one of the first friends that I had
made in the game. He was notorious for being a nolifer, hacker, and bug
abuser. Half a dozen of his characters had been banned because of this.
Nonetheless, he was a very smart and witty guy that I enjoyed chatting
with. He told me he had found a way to spawn infinite items, though it was
only visible in the character’s own inventory. He showed me a few
screenshots, but those were easily faked, so he offered to let me log into the
character. That was when I was transported into the game.
What I told Shuye was the player character’s backstory. I gave him the
old song and dance about how I was an orphan who had been found washed
ashore after a shipwreck at Mai-i Island. I was just a baby then, and no one
came forward to claim me, so I grew up in an orphanage with no knowledge
of who my parents were.
Shuye was sympathetic to my plight.
“It must’ve been hard for you,” he said.
“That’s all in the past. I’m looking forward to my future here,” I said.
That was the truth. At first, it had been difficult for me to accept that
there was no log-out button I could use to return to Earth. However, I
eventually accepted the fact that I was stuck here and that I had to make the
most of what I had, which was a lot.
My dear friend GIA had really done it! I’d only half believed him when
he’d shown me the screenshots of his inventory that had billions of valuable
items in it. Now I could see for myself that he was telling the truth. My
inventory was full of everything that a player could need, and each bank
slot had the maximum number of items: 2,147,483,647.
I was no programmer, so I didn’t quite understand why 2,147,483,647
was a significant number. I believed it had something to do with 32-bit
code, or integers, or something like that.
The point was that I had 2,147,483,647 [Mythril Bars], 2,147,483,647
[Rainbow Trout], 2,147,483,647 [Phoenix Feathers], 2,147,483,647 [Green
Dragon Leathers], 2,147,483,647 buckets of [Living Soil], and so forth.
I had all of the important farm items, crafting materials, armor,
weapons, accessories, and Cash Shop cosmetics in Adventure Incarnate in
my inventory.
With an inventory that was full of legendary items, I was surely
destined for greatness in this world.
 Of course, nothing in life could really be that easy. There was just one
small problem with me using the items.

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 Chapter 2

T he items themselves were fine , but …

I was a freakin’ level one noob. I couldn’t use the good stuff!
Yet.
I’d have to level up if I wanted to use or equip the better items. At the
moment, the only things I could utilize were the newbie level one items,
cosmetic packs, and holiday joke items.
The reason why this character was level one was because GIA said he
would get caught by the Adventure Incarnate admins if he used anything.
The items were purely for bragging rights. That was why I was really
nervous the first time I took out some gold from the System inventory.
Fortunately, the skies remained clear, and I wasn’t struck down by divine
lightning for my temerity in using duped gold.
So it seemed I was okay for now. Also, I should really stop thinking of
myself as “this character” since “this character” was now “me.”
“This is it,” said Shuye, interrupting my thoughts. He showed me the
cave, which was quite large and reasonably comfortable-looking. Someone
had carved an alcove into one wall, and there was a stone bed that only
needed a bit of cleaning before it could be used.
“A human wanted to settle here and lived here temporarily for a few
weeks before giving up and joining a farm up north,” said Shuye. “I hope
you’re here to stay.”
“I am. This cave looks almost cozy.”
“Do you want to camp here?” asked Shuye.
“I prefer the site you saw me in. It’s closer to water,” I said.
 “Good point.”
On our way back to my campsite, Shuye showed me a few points of
interest, like some good fishing spots and animal paths. It was late
afternoon by the time we got back.
“Goodbye. I’ll drop by now and then to see if you need anything,” said
Shuye.
“Goodbye and thank you,” I said.
I was exhausted!
After he left, I sat down on a tree stump and drank some water while I
opened the System menu and browsed through my house options.
My farming level was one, so the only homes I could use were the
starter farmhouses.
The world of Adventure Incarnate was large and multicultural. The
original game was vaguely medieval fantasy Europe, but there had been
several expansions since then. The continent I was in was based on the
Chinese legend of the Four Auspicious Beasts—the Azure Dragon of the
East, the Vermilion Bird of the South, the White Tiger of the West, and the
Black Tortoise of the North. There was a fifth central area, but that game
expansion hadn’t been released in Adventure Incarnate yet.
I was in the White Tiger’s territory. The people here had Asian-sounding
names, and the food, clothing, language, and architecture were Chinese-
inspired.
So my choice was between the Western-looking [Log Cabin] or
[Cottage] versus the traditional Chinese [Courtyard House]. Each one had
its pros and cons. The [Log Cabin] was very low-key since it looked like
something that could be assembled on site. The [Cottage] was very pretty,
and it was the smallest of the three. The [Courtyard House], on the other
hand, needed double the space of the cottage since it featured a central
courtyard surrounded by four buildings. It definitely didn’t look like
something I could’ve made with my own hands.
I’d only cleared a small space today, so I had no choice but to build a
[Log Cabin] or a [Cottage]. Since the cabin was bigger, it was my best
choice for today.
I mentally chose the starter cabin, then clicked on the [Build] button.
A glowing magic circle filled with runes and mystical symbols appeared
on the ground. Moments later, the house appeared, looking as though it had
always been there. The house was built of logs that were notched at the
ends and laid one upon another, with the spaces between them filled with
moss and dirt.

[Congratulations! You have completed the Beginner Quest: Build a

House]

The reward was a furniture pack, which I quickly applied to the cabin
by clicking on the “use furniture pack” option.

[Furniture pack used.]

Now the house should have all the basic furnishings.

Crossing the fingers of my left hand, I used my right hand to open the
door. The inside was just one big room with a wooden floor partially
covered with colorful patterned rugs. There was one small window opposite
the door and a stone fireplace to my right. On the left were empty shelves,
and there were only two pieces of furniture in the room, a bed and a rocking
chair.
Oh no! There was no toilet.
I threw myself down on the very comfortable bed. I wanted to cry.
Curse those game developers who never think about basic human needs! I
supposed they thought it wouldn’t be cute to have a toilet in the cabin.
I opened the System menu again to check the house settings and turned
on all the privacy and security options because the last thing I wanted was
for people to barge into my place or snoop around.
While I was looking through the house tab, I noticed that there were
several outbuildings that I could build, but when I selected the outhouse, I
got an error saying “no space.” I guessed I needed to cut down a few more
trees if I wanted to build a few more things.
My energy bar should refresh itself after a nap. I put the puppet down
on the bedside table, took a sandwich out of my inventory, then ate it while
lazily doodling various plans for the farm in my notebook.
The most important thing was the proper placement of the various
buildings I planned to use. I decided to clear a path from my new home to
the nearby river.
 In the future, I planned to use the river for faster transportation because
this place was quite isolated, and I’d had to trek through dense virgin forest
to get to my chosen spot. My building skill was tied to my transportation
items, as well as the usual houses, barns, sheds, [Greenhouse]s, and so
forth. I could only use the lowest-level canoe right now. However, I’d
walked here because I wasn’t confident about using it, since the one time
I’d tried a paddleboat back on Earth, I’d only spun around in circles instead
of getting where I wanted to go. Feet were a lot more reliable.
The real kicker was that I had a lot, and I did mean a lot, of
transportation items that I was too low level to use.
How exciting to think that perhaps sometime soon, I would be able to
use a flying sword! Forget about higher-level boats; the real thrill was using
flying tools.
Nonetheless, the river would definitely be crucial for transporting crops
and other items, even if I wasn’t comfortable using it to travel.
Once I was done eating, I put down my pencil and lay down for a good,
long nap. The bed was tiny but not uncomfortable.
A vague thought flickered through the back of my mind, telling me that
I’d forgotten something important, but when I looked around, I saw that
everything seemed fine.
If I couldn’t remember it, then it probably wasn’t worth worrying about.
Right?
But the moment I woke up, I remembered the important thing that I’d
forgotten.
Wasn’t it always that way? I only remembered what I had forgotten
after it was already too late. I picked up my puppet, who I’d named Bob but
called Mr. Bear because he was a very respectable sort of plush toy, from
the bedside table. Then I walked outside and threw it up on the roof,
activating its [Guard Mode]. I should’ve done that before I went to sleep.
Now it would have a good view of my surroundings, and it would alert me
if anything dangerous came too near the cabin.
It was already late afternoon, so I only had about an hour and a half of
daylight left. Whistling merrily, I cut down a few more trees so I could clear
more ground for planting later on.
According to the System calendar, it was planting season. I had two
weeks to prepare the place and plant crops. After that, based on the game
mechanics that I was familiar with, I wouldn’t be able to plant during the
growing season, which lasted for two months. Harvest season lasted for two
weeks. All in all, it was a very tidy calendar where spring, summer, autumn,
and winter each lasted three months.
Therefore, I was going to be really busy clearing land for me to plow. I
expected that I would only be able to plant a few crops this spring.
“Oh, yes!” I said after I finished clearing enough land for me to place an
outhouse.
I chanted a mantra as I nervously approached what I hoped was the
long-awaited flush toilet. “Don’t be scary. Don’t be scary. Please don’t be
scary. Please…”
The moment I opened the door of the outhouse, I was greeted with the
worst possible outcome.
“Nooooooooooo!”
I fell to my knees in despair. It was a composting toilet.

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 Chapter 3

T he next morning , after dreaming of a dragon ’ s egg , I awoke to

the sunlight streaming through the curtains. The sounds of the forest—the
chirping of birds, the rustling of leaves, the buzzing of insects, and the
gentle murmur of water from the nearby river—accompanied me. The air
was filled with the fresh, intoxicating smell of spring. I leaped to my feet,
walking to the window to take a deep breath, smiling inwardly as I felt the
joy of having a place of my own, a place that had become my home.
Outside, the forest floor was covered with a sea of green moss and dead
leaves that crunched under my feet. Delicate wildflowers peeked out from
between the trees and bushes, their colorful petals contrasting harmoniously
with the brown-and-green hues of the forest. The sun was still low on the
horizon, bathing the forest in a golden glow and enveloping everything in a
magical golden light. The air was fresh and invigorating, stimulating all my
senses. I felt like I was in a fairy tale, and it was hard to believe that this
place was really mine.
After a long, restful night of sleep, I decided that the toilet situation
wasn’t really that bad.
I mean, humans lived for hundreds of thousands of years without flush
toilets, right? I would survive. At least, it was better than doing it in the
bushes. Every time I did that, I was worried that one of the plants I couldn’t
recognize was this world’s version of poison ivy. So after just one night, I
reconciled myself to the thought of using the outhouse.
Nonetheless, I put “make a much bigger house” at the top of my list. To
level up my building skill, I needed to level up Farming, since that was the
basic requirement needed to unlock all the farming-related skills. Once I
had leveled up to at least ten, I would be able to build a ranch house, a
much bigger dwelling that most likely had better facilities.
The usual progression for houses was: Cottage > Ranch > Mansion >
Palace > Castle > Fortress. There were various options for each level, like
the current choice of log cabin, cottage, or courtyard house. Regarding the
courtyard house option, the progression was modular: one courtyard house
> two courtyards > three courtyards > four courtyards > five courtyards,
and so forth.
The [Log Cabin] proved to be comfortable enough, but the
accommodations were rather basic. The bed was cozy, and I could cook
food in the cauldron that was hanging over the fire in the fireplace, but I
wouldn’t be truly at ease until I had all the modern conveniences in my
house—a flush toilet, hot and cold running water, a refrigerator, an air
conditioner, a heater, and a modern kitchen.
With this in mind, I spent the next nine days cutting down as many trees
as I could. I also dug a well because a nearby source of water was
absolutely essential for farms. I thought that I would be able to place a
pump well, but it was the more primitive rope and bucket type. Hauling up
buckets of water for my use was definitely my least favorite activity of the
day.
Five days before the end of the planting season, I decided I needed to
start tilling the soil.
The pathetic level-one hoe could only till one grid-square big enough to
plant three seeds. All I had to do was use a little bit of force to strike the
ground in front of me with the hoe, and the System would do the rest.
Though it seemed easy, every time I did it, I felt myself growing weaker
until, at last, the energy bar in the System menu was almost empty.
Farming using the system used up my energy. This mysterious “energy”
was something almost every culture on Earth had a name for like “chi,”
“qi,” “mana,” “orenda,” and so forth, but in Adventure Incarnate, it was just
called energy. When a player leveled up, they naturally got more energy to
use.
As I tilled the soil, energy flowed from my body down to the soil, so it
was quite tiring. Using my sleeve, I wiped the sweat away from my
forehead. I had only managed to till twelve squares, meaning I would only
be able to plant thirty-six seeds. Browsing the inventory for plant seeds only
told me what I already knew. The best spring crops that I could plant right
now were [Cucumbers], [Tomatoes], [Carrots], [Onions], and [Potatoes].
All of them took roughly two months to grow before they were ready for
harvest.
The reason why they were so weird was because they weren’t the usual
vegetables from Earth that I was familiar with. These crops were all
“spiritual plants.” In other words, they were special, magical crops.
I had already decided to plant [Potatoes].

[Potato:
Typically planted in the spring, potatoes grow best in areas with full
sunlight and moist but well-drained soil. The potato plant is a
herbaceous perennial with small, white flowers, and grows to around
two feet height. A single potato plant produces two to five tubers, the
edible part of the plant.
Potatoes are easy to grow even for beginners.]

The System offered a basic description of each crop, and the one about
the [Potatoes] sounded good to me. I figured they were the best crop to
plant right now because they were easy to cook, and they could be used in a
variety of recipes.
When I took out the seeds, I noticed that they were quite peculiar. They
had a strange luster to them like that of a pearl. Besides, weren’t potatoes
usually cultivated using seed potatoes that had buds? I guessed that the
seeds from the game weren’t the usual ones.
With my energy running dangerously low, I hurriedly planted the
[Potato Seeds]. I poured them into a seed dispenser, and when I placed it
near the tilled soil, three seeds flew out from the tip and embedded
themselves in the soil. Once again, I felt the strange sensation of energy
flowing outward from my body.
The next time I moved my arm toward the ground, I tried to mentally
stop the energy from leaving me. Nothing happened. The seeds did not fly
out. I was somewhat reassured to know that the mysterious energy I was
using was under my control. Whistling happily, I continued to plant more
[Potato Seeds] until I ran out of space.
Sprinklers were beyond my level, so I manually watered the plants
using a watering can, refilling it at the well twice before I was finished.
 It was only after I examined my newly planted potato crops that I
realized I had skipped an important step.

[This farming patch contains a potato seed. It has been watered. The
soil has not been fertilized.]

Oh no! It was true that using fertilizer was optional, but I had plenty in
my inventory, so I should’ve done it.
“I was in too much of a rush…” I had gotten into the habit of talking to
myself because I was all alone. “I’ll remember that tomorrow.”
On the other hand, it wasn’t all that bad. Though it was unintentional,
the fact that I had twelve plots that hadn’t been fertilized meant that I could
compare the growth of fertilized versus unfertilized crops. I could just think
of this as the control group.
Cheered up by the thought of the upside of my forgetfulness, I went
back inside the house to prepare my lunch.
The [Log Cabin] didn’t have a dedicated kitchen. The only place that I
could cook was the fireplace, which had a shelf of pots, pans, and other
kitchen utensils above it. I hung a cauldron on the hook above the fire and
filled it with water. A simple vegetable stew was my goal for today.
I sat down on the cabin’s only chair and took out a kitchen knife, cutting
board, and two pieces each of [Turnips], [Parsnips], [Leeks], [Onions], and
[Cabbage], which I placed on the only table in the house. The vegetables
were perfectly formed and blemish-free. I believed this was because these
were also “spirit plants,” which meant that they were much better than
normal vegetables. In fact, whenever I cut one into bite-size pieces, they
released a soft, gentle glow. Was it a sign of spiritual energy being released?
Back on Earth, my parents had taught me how to cook basic stuff like
rice, fried eggs, mashed potatoes, and mac and cheese, and prepare
sandwiches and salads. Here, however, my cooking skills went for naught
as I was only level one, and it seemed as though I burned everything I
cooked.
Once the water in the cauldron was boiling, I added the vegetables. I
was supposed to add oats in later, but alas, I once again burned the stew.
One would think that it was difficult to burn stew; however, burning food
was almost all I did because of my low cooking level.
 Glumly, I once again put the burned food, along with the cauldron, in
my inventory with the other failures. Thank goodness I already had cooked
food in my inventory. Otherwise, I might have starved to death.
GIA had only bothered to dupe valuable items, which meant the food
that I could eat was either food ingredients like raw vegetables and fruits or
the most expensive food item in the game, the [Five-Star Luxury Bento].
The bento was a three-layered one, filled with three dozen different types of
food, only some of which I could identify. There were sweet rolled omelets,
vegetable tempura, pickled lotus root, onigiri, red bean mochi, rice balls,
and many other delicious foods. The problem was that I had been eating this
for weeks, so I was already bored with it. Not to mention, it was vegetarian.
I want meat! Lots and lots of juicy meat!
My mouth watered at the thought of steaks and hamburgers, but my
puny cooking level meant that it was impossible for me to cook those, even
though I had plenty of raw meat.
I mentally put “fix the food situation” as my number two priority after
building a better house.

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 Chapter 4

I settled into a routine during the rest of the planting season ,

waking up at dawn, tilling the soil, adding fertilizers, planting [Potato
Seeds], and watering the plants.
The day after planting season had ended according to the System
calendar, I attempted to till the soil and plant more seeds, but a System
message told me that I was trying to do something impossible.

[You cannot plant seeds during the growing season.]

When I tried to physically place a seed in a small hole that I had made
in the soil, the seeds turned black. The next day, I saw that the seeds had
crumbled into dust.
I guessed I couldn’t force a seed to grow without the help of the System.
Despite that setback, I was pretty satisfied with my progress because my
industriousness had been rewarded with a few farming levels.

[Farming: Level 5]

I was cutting down some trees and wondering where I should fish when
a notification screen popped up in front of me.

[Attention! Farm Guide approaching.]

 I hurriedly went back to the house and retrieved Bob from the roof by
ordering it to return to me. Then I went inside so I could clean myself up a
little. The [Log Cabin] didn’t have a shower, so I had to bathe in the river,
with Bob standing guard over me. Right now, all I could do was use a basin,
a jug of water, and a towel to wash up a little. I also changed into a new set
of blue robes. There wasn’t really time for me to wash my hair, so I hoped I
didn’t smell too sweaty.
By the time I went out the door, my bear-like Farm Guide, Shuye, was
waiting for me just outside.
“Good morning,” he said. Once again, he was wearing a simple brown
robe and trousers. His hair was as shaggy as ever, and he looked even more
like a grizzly than I remembered.
“Good morning,” I said as I handed him a [Crocus].
He accepted the gift and placed it on his belt, which made him look
almost unbearably cute. A bear with a flower on his belt was talking to me!
“Looks like you’ve been busy,” he said, nodding at the neat row of
potato seedlings that had just begun to sprout.
“Yes,” I said. “Though I wasn’t able to plant a lot.”
“Let me take a look,” he said. Shuye walked over to the crops and knelt
on the ground to inspect them more closely. “These spirit plants look quite
special. Where did you get the seeds?”
I’d had a lot of time to think about what story to tell him, and I thought
that I had come up with a perfect explanation that had the advantage of also
being true.
“Well, you see, it’s like this,” I said. “I’m an orphan.”
This wasn’t a lie, because this was precisely my story on Earth. I’d lived
a privileged life as the daughter of a French-Swiss father and Singaporean
mother who traveled all over the globe working freelance. My mother was a
painter, while my father was a photographer. Right before I turned eighteen,
they died in a car accident, leaving me an orphan. The only person who
could take me in was a distant relative on my mother’s side. Fortunately,
my parents had left me with a bit of money, enough for me to live on and
pay for my college tuition.
I continued telling my story to Shuye. “The moment that I came of age,
I moved out of the orphanage and got a job as a waitress.”
“It sounds like you’ve had it rough,” said Shuye.
 “Oh, it’s not as bad as it sounds. The staff at the orphanage treated me
well.” Now came the part that was a lie. “It was only around a month ago
when I discovered that I had inherited something from my parents. I have a
bloodline inheritance.”
“A bloodline inheritance?” asked Shuye. “That’s fairly common among
my kind, but I heard that it’s one in a million for humans.”
“Oh? I thought it was also rare for divine beasts.”
“Not at all.” Shuye scratched his head. “I myself have a bloodline
inheritance.”
I looked him up and down. “Really? What is it?”
“Miss, do you realize that the expression on your face is saying, ‘This
guy doesn’t look like anything special’? Don’t you think that’s kind of
rude?” The expression on his face was stern. Given his size and bulk, it was
almost terrifying.
“I’m sorry…” His attitude had been so friendly and warm that I had
taken for granted that he wouldn’t be easily offended. However, I knew that
on this continent, his kind were the rulers of the land. Humans were merely
their subjects. Everyone said they ruled justly, but that didn’t mean that I
could treat him as though we were equals like I would on Earth.
“I was kidding.” Shuye shook his head, and his stern expression melted
into one of rueful self-deprecation. “I know I don’t look like much, but I do
have a bloodline inheritance. I have a special sense for animals. That’s why
I’m perfect for this job.”
His job? Oh, right, though he was my Farm Guide, that wasn’t his actual
job title. He was actually one of the guardians of the forest. I said, “No, I
apologize. That was quite rude of me. I expect I don’t look like much,
either.”
“Forget about it,” he said magnanimously. “So tell me about your skill
and how you got the seeds.”
“Um, it’s like this: I got the skill of raising spirit plants, and my
bloodline inheritance is the ability to use my ancestors’ treasures that they
left behind for their descendants. I have a space that only I can access that’s
filled with precious items,” I said. “Like the seeds.”
I took out a bunch of mixed wildflower seeds from my inventory and
poured them on my palm, raising it toward Shuye so he could examine
them.
Shuye’s eyes widened.
 “These are extremely valuable!” he said. When he tried to take one of
the seeds from my palm, his paw, I mean his hand, abruptly stopped a few
inches above the seeds. “A force is stopping me from touching them.”
Yes, I knew that would happen because all of the items from the
inventory had the status [Bound]. GIA had informed me most of the items
that his item duplication cheat produced were almost all like that. In other
words, only I could use these items. There were a few exceptions, and GIA
had explained the reason behind it, but I had forgotten the details. The
bottom line was that I couldn’t sell or give away most of the items. The
exceptions were joke items.
“I know. I can use these items because of my bloodline inheritance, but
it’s impossible for other people to use them. My house was also built using
my ancesters’ skills, and no one can enter it without my permission.” I
waved a hand at the house.
“Then does that mean the crops can only be used by you?” he asked.
“I don’t think so. Try touching the potato sprouts,” I said.
He knelt down once again and touched the crops. “Ah, it seems you’re
right.”
“Pretty cool, huh?” I said.
For the first time, Shuye smiled. His teeth were very large and white. I
couldn’t decide whether he was more terrifying when he smiled or not. He
said, “This is excellent. What are you planning to do with the produce?”
“I was going to ask you about that. I picked the spot near the river
because I thought it would be easier to transport the crops via boat,” I said.
“No need. The White Tiger Clan will buy all of your harvest,” he said.
“We can also take care of transportation.”
“Oh, but I have no idea how much to sell this for. I was planning to go
to the city to find a merchant,” I said.
The place that I lived in right now was called the Westerlands, a
territory in the Western region of the Beast Continent, also known
poetically as the Sunset Lands. There were a couple of cities in this area,
but when someone said “the city” with no qualifiers, then they were
definitely talking about Anwei, the largest and wealthiest city in the
Westerlands.
We spent the next few minutes talking about the details. Shuye assured
me that I would receive a fair price for my produce, and I agreed to sell this
year’s harvest to the clan since I didn’t really need the money anyway.
 Before he left, he told me that he would come back in two days’ time
with a written agreement from his boss, our feudal lord, Prince Baiyu from
the White Tiger Clan.
“Okay, thank you very much!” I said.
We said our goodbyes, and I went back to cutting trees to clear more
land for planting during the summer season.
Fishing would have to wait until tomorrow.

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 Interlude

An excerpt from the journal of Shuye Skullcrusher, Guardian of

the Ancient Hill Forest:

I have sent a letter reporting the presence of a suspicious immigrant to my

superiors, but it is currently the hunting season, so I do not expect a reply
soon.
To enumerate all the strangeness regarding that individual would take an
entire book, but the main points are:
Humans do not normally go to the frontier to farm alone, especially
young females.
Her aura is that of an ordinary person, not a cultivator, which is
suspicious in and of itself because she clearly isn’t.
According to her own explanation, the log cabin was in her possession,
demonstrating that she has an enormous soul space, which only the most
powerful and oldest members of the clans could possibly possess.
The seeds that she has been using are cursed. I verified this myself
when I examined them and sensed an ominous force that prevented me
from touching them.
It is only when one is nearby that the spiritual plants’ aura can be
perceived. If one is more than two feet away from the spirit plants, no qi
fluctuations can be felt.
The well that she dug contains spirit water that she uses to water the
plants.
 Magical puppets are extremely expensive, yet she has an advanced
model.
The crocus flowers she gave me radiate a calming scent stronger than
the strongest tranquilizers I know of.
Her house is invisible unless it’s pointed out to the person by someone
who knows where it is. Three of my subordinates tried and failed to find it
until I led them to the farm myself.
Given the stealthy nature of her activities, it’s possible that she is a spy
or an assassin sent by the radical factions in the Central Continent.
However, my gut tells me that she means no harm. More likely, she is a
refugee from the wars among the Azure Dragon clans in the east.
The investigators I sent to Mai-i Island will return in a few weeks.

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 Chapter 5

T he next day dawned bright and clear , with blue skies and fluffy
white clouds framed by the dark green leaves of the trees. The sun shone
through the forest canopy, speckling the ground with patches of golden
light. I took a deep breath and enjoyed the fresh scent of the loamy earth
and lush vegetation.
I whistled as I watered the potato plants. They had grown to about two
to three inches tall, and I was quite pleased to note that they seemed
healthy. I even fancied that I could see a gentle glow surrounding them,
giving them a slight mystical feeling.
Once I was done watering the plants, I set off to my chosen fishing spot.
Since I lived near a river, there were plenty of places where I could try my
luck catching fish, but according to my Farm Guide, certain spots were
better than others. The nearest one was only ten minutes away, but I wanted
to go to a more peaceful and shaded area.
After around half an hour of walking, I found myself in a clearing that
featured a pond with crystal-clear water that reflected the greenery and sky
above. Dragonflies and damselflies flitted around the edges of the pond,
while fish swam lazily in the water. This was a vernal pond, a small,
seasonal body of water that was at its peak during the spring after the snow
melted. The rest of the year, it would be dried out. Since now was the only
time I could fish in it, I wanted to make the most of this time. The best thing
about this pond was that the killifish that lived in it were especially easy to
capture.
 I skimmed the description of [Killifish], but there wasn’t anything in
particular that stood out to me.

[Killifish (Fishing Level 1):

A small, freshwater fish often found in ephemeral waters. They are able
to survive in these conditions by burying their eggs in the mud at the
bottom of vernal pools.]

The important thing was that my fishing level was good enough to catch
them.

[Fishing: Level 1]

The pond was in the middle of the clearing, surrounded by trees. I

picked a comfortable-looking spot at the edge of the water that had a large
rock that I could sit on when I was tired.
Taking out a fishing rod from the System inventory, I momentarily
lamented the fact that I could only use the beginner items. The primitive
fishing rod I had was nothing more than a long, flexible bamboo rod that
had a string tied to the end. It didn’t even have a reel.

[Bamboo Pole:
A bamboo fishing rod perfect for the fisherman who wants to feel closer
to nature. The bamboo gives the rod a natural feel, while the line is
made of high-quality material to provide durability and strength.]

I placed a piece of shrimp on the steel hook as bait, then cast it toward
the pool.
During my travels with my parents, I had done a bit of fishing,
including times when I used this type of stick-and-string fishing rod. Once a
fish was on the hook, all I had to do was steadily lift the fishing rod straight
up. In theory, it was quite simple, but actually catching a fish was often
quite challenging.
I waited with bated breath for a nibble. After a few minutes, a
notification screen popped up.
 Now came one of the worst parts of Adventure Incarnate! I really hated
the fishing mini-game.
A little fish icon appeared on the screen in front of me and started
moving up and down. I tried to match its movements with my bamboo pole
but failed, and the fish got away.
How annoying! I had hoped that, since this was now real life, I wouldn’t
have to play the mini-game. Was it really too much to ask that I could fish
normally?
I sat down on the rock and pondered my choices. The truth was, I didn’t
really need to level fishing at all. I wanted to do it, because fishing was one
of my favorite activities in the game, but it was only good for gathering
fish. But the fact that I already had billions of fish in my inventory meant
that the fishing skill was superfluous.
The only reason that I had loved fishing in the game was because I used
a popular mod, the “Easy Fishing Hack.”
Suddenly, I realized that there was no way that my friend GIA would
have played without using a lot of mods. Could there be a way for me to
find these mods and activate them? I spent half an hour looking at the
System menu, but I couldn’t find anything.
Gritting my teeth in determination, I cast my line again. Again and
again, I played that stupid mini-game, only to fail every time. Rhythm
games were my weakness. I couldn’t explain it, but for some reason I had a
terrible sense of rhythm, and my reflexes had always been particularly slow.
That was probably why I played a relaxing game like Adventure Incarnate
instead of something more exciting, like an FPS or MOBA.
I had already given up when a notification screen popped up.

[Activate the Easy Fishing Hack?]

Heck, yes! Mentally choosing the [Accept] button, I was greeted with a
very welcome System message.

[Easy Fishing Hack Activated]

In your face, mini-game! Killifish, here I come.

 I cast my line toward the center of the pool once again, but this time
when the notification screen popped up, there was no mini-game. All I had
to do was steadily lift the bamboo fishing pole up a few feet out of the
water. Then it was considered a success, and the fish was automatically
added to my inventory.
“Yes! Yes! Yes!” I did a little dance to celebrate.
Somehow, although one [Killifish] was hardly important, the fact that I
was able to successfully fish after hours of frustration was extremely
satisfying.
Farming was very nice, and I enjoyed it a lot, but there was something
about the thrill of getting a fish every few minutes that was much more
stimulating.
I spent a pleasant day fishing as much as I could until the sky began to
turn dark. The thirty-eight fish that I caught gave me a few fishing levels.

[Fishing: Level 4]

Of course, the first ten levels of every skill were incredibly easy to get.
The difficulty increased as the levels increased, so I probably wouldn’t be
able to level three times in a day next time.
With a light heart, I made my way back to my home, already planning
my schedule. From now on, my day would consist of watering and caring
for the plants, clearing land, and fishing until I reached level ten.
My current stats were still quite low, so I had no plans of training my
combat skills just yet.

[Player Name: Violet

Farming Skills:
Farming Level 5, Fishing Level 4, Woodcutting Level 5, Cooking Level
1, Herblaw (locked), Foraging (locked), Hunting (locked), Mining
(locked)]

Regarding my Woodcutting level, I had enough experience for level

twelve, but all of the farming-related skills were capped by the player’s
farming level. When harvest season came along, I would get a bunch of
Farming experience, and my Woodcutting skill would level up at the same
time as my Farming level.
As for the non-farming-related skills such as Crafting, Magic, and
Combat, I would think about them once I had fulfilled my basic needs for
comfortable shelter and delicious food.
The beginning stage of the game was peaceful, so I wouldn’t have to
worry about the demons and bosses until much later.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 6

T he next day , I woke up after a dream of a baby dragon just as

dawn broke and immediately went to check on my precious potato plants.
They were growing well, and I quickly watered them while checking each
individual plant for weeds, bugs, or diseases. Everything seemed fine, so I
went back to the cabin to have my breakfast afterward.
After lunch, I was going to do some woodcutting, and maybe some
fishing, too. But first, it was time to have some fun.
Though I couldn’t do anything about my food and house situation, at
least I could improve my clothing. Right now, I was wearing the crude and
cheap-looking beginner clothes. It consisted of a brown robe and brown
pants made of coarse cloth. My shoes were cloth ones with thin soles that
didn’t keep out the cold or wet. Fortunately, I wasn’t suffering too much
because I had a lot of them, so I just threw the used ones in my inventory
and got fresh ones every day.
Time to level up my look!
Adventure Incarnate was monetized with a monthly subscription for
premium membership as well as a shop that sold items for real-life money.
In the past, everyone could use these Cash Shop items, but a few years ago
a level requirement was introduced. Gossip among the players claimed that
this was caused by myriad complaints by parents who said that their
children had just downloaded the game and immediately spent hundreds of
dollars on it. Thus, Cash Shop items could only be used by players with a
combined skill level of fifteen and above.
 Now that I had reached the proper level, I could use these items. GIA
had lots of things, and I scrolled merrily through my inventory, looking for
something good to use.
First things first. One of the most fun things to do, of course, was to
customize the character’s physical appearance. I went to the Cash Shop
menu and activated a [Makeup Wizard] pack.
These packs were basically loot boxes with random items inside. For
the next few minutes, I continued opening packs until I had around a
hundred different pieces. Character modification was pretty nice in
Adventure Incarnate. One could modify even the smallest things, such as
eye size, eye shape, eye makeup, eyelashes, and other facial features down
to the last millimeter.
However, I didn’t really want to change my face. I was afraid that if I
modified it too much, I wouldn’t be able to recognize myself in the mirror.
Thus, I only did a few minor adjustments: making my eyelashes thicker and
longer, my lips pinker, and my skin flawless. The latter really made a big
impact since it banished all my pimples and skin blemishes. Using the Cash
Shop mirror that was floating in front of me, I turned my head from side to
side, admiring how much better I looked.
Though changing my face was a no-no, the same did not apply to my
hair. After all, what was life without a bit of excitement?
I cycled through the many hairstyles available, from short platinum
blond locks to knee-length curly red hair. There were even outré styles like
a pink mohawk, rainbow hedgehog, and spiked spider braids. Eventually, I
settled on a classic “beach waves” hairstyle that went down to the middle of
my back. I was going to settle on a shorter hair length, but when I tried out
the first one, I noticed that when I used a Cash Shop item on my hair, it
became magically easy to manage, unlike my normally wayward hair.
Having chosen the style, I had a difficult time picking the right color
because I was really tempted by the many pastel shades available. My hair
was naturally dark brown with lighter brown highlights since I was half
Singaporean Chinese and half French-Swiss. Alas, in the end, I found that
cotton candy pink and baby blue hair didn’t suit my complexion, so I had to
settle on brown hair and blond highlights.
Now that I was done with the physical enhancements, I looked for some
better clothes and accessories. Although the Cash Shop sold individual
items, cosmetic packs were a lot more popular. I grabbed a lot of boxes and
started opening them one by one until I had a hundred.
[Medieval Princess] pack? It wasn’t practical, but what woman didn’t
want to at least try out becoming a princess?
When I clicked on the [Wear] button, I thought the clothes would just
magically appear on my body, but I was wrong.
Very, very wrong.
I should’ve realized that Adventure Incarnate was never that simple.
First, a shower of silver sparks fell down from a point two feet above
my head. Second, the sparks turned to a curtain of light that circled me from
the ground up to my head. Third, I was lifted a few inches off the ground
while my current clothing slowly dissolved to nothing. Fourth, a swirl of
light enveloped me while I was floating. Fifth, the light turned into
medieval princess clothes.
Oh my gosh! It was a magical girl transformation sequence!
I never thought that I could experience a magical girl transformation in
real life.
Was I happy about it? I wasn’t sure. The transformation wasn’t painful
or anything.
Was I sure that I would never do this in public? Absolutely.
The princess costume was pretty nice. The crimson-and-black gown was
made of some heavy fabric, probably velvet and silk, and embroidered with
intricate and ornate flower and leaf designs in gold and silver. The long
sleeves went down to the floor, and the full skirt was more comfortable than
I would’ve thought. Was it magic? The dress felt a lot lighter than it looked.
The silk slippers that went with it fit me perfectly, and my inner child
was inordinately delighted by the upside-down ice cream cone headdress
that had a veil flowing down from it.
I spent a good five minutes twirling in front of the System’s full-length
mirror.
Who’s a pretty princess?
Unfortunately, I didn’t think I would be attending any costume balls in
the near future, so I undressed and folded the dress up, storing it in a chest
under my bed.
In rapid succession, I tried out a few more costume packs. The maid,
catgirl, and clown sets were really fun to wear, but a farmer needed more
comfortable and practical clothes for everyday work, as well as a few good
robes for special occasions. I tried them on, then put them away in the
chest, giggling every time I went through the magical girl transformation
sequence.
Time to get serious.
Browsing through all the options, I selected a few that looked like I
could actually use them.
The first one that looked promising was the [Chic Waitress] costume.
Specifically, the black pants looked very nice, and they wouldn’t be out of
place on the farm. Sure enough, the waitress pack’s trousers looked great.
Through experimentation, I found out that I was able to use the [Wear]
button as much as I wanted. Were twelve pairs of trousers enough?
Then I got a few more good items from the [Gothic Witch] (black skirt),
[Easter Bunny] (a plain white top), and [Playful Santa] (black boots)
costumes.
Then I moved on to the ones that were sure to be much more
appropriate in the Westerlands—the traditional Chinese clothing sets.
The [Springtime Delight] set was quite showy, but it was very similar to
the clothing that I had seen the rich ladies wearing when I first arrived in
this world. Consisting of a floor-length, green silk dress with long, white
sleeves, it included a thicker dark-green cloth wrapped around the chest
with a white ribbon strung through it. A translucent green scarf completed
the look. All of that was usable if I wanted to dress nicely.
The [Enchanting Empress] set, on the other hand, featured a
magnificent red silk robe lavishly embroidered with gold silk thread as well
as a spectacular two-foot-high golden headdress and dazzling gold-and-
ruby earrings. Of course, the whole thing would be inappropriate to wear,
but I hoped I could find individual pieces that I could use. Alas, only the
underwear was usable.
Now that I had the hang of it, I quickly tried out several items and got a
lot of good stuff from the [Moonlight Jade], [Flower Dream], [Butterfly
Beauty], [Mountain Mist], and [Peach Blossom] packs.
The [Noble Scholar] set was practically perfect. The robe’s sleeves were
slightly shorter and the skirt narrower compared to the other traditional
Chinese fashion packs, and the whole thing gave off an air of elegant
simplicity and refinement. Made of fine cotton and embroidered with a
bamboo design, its only accessory was a jade pendant hanging from the
belt. When I wore it, I felt very dignified and calm.
 Thus, I was able to get better work clothes and a few luxurious outfits in
case I needed to go to the city.
I went through the cosmetic items one more time, and I was about to
call it a day when I spotted a ridiculous-looking red beret that I wanted to
try because it looked exactly like what I thought the character from Prince’s
song “Raspberry Beret” would wear.
I mentally selected the [Parisian Barista] costume pack and was very
surprised when I equipped the full set. Not only was I wearing the red beret,
brown slacks, striped T-shirt, and white gloves, I was also holding a coffee
cup in my left hand and a coffee maker in my right hand.
Incredible! I looked at the illustration of the cosmetic item again, and I
noticed that the character was making coffee. Fortunately, I had coffee
beans in my inventory. I made myself a cup of coffee, half expecting it to
burn because of my low cooking level, but it turned out perfectly. That was
probably because the coffee maker I was using was a Cash Shop item.
So did this mean that anything that the Cash Shop illustration showed
would also be equipped? Obviously, the background stuff like the cafe
hadn’t materialized, but the stuff that the illustrated character had been
holding had.
As I browsed the Cash Shop inventory again, I paid attention to
whatever activity was being shown.
The Greek Librarian was holding a magical scroll, but I was
disappointed when I equipped it. The scroll materialized, but it only had
some random scribbles on it.
On a whim, I went outside and tried out the [Sexy Stewardess] set. After
all, it wasn’t likely that anyone would see me doing something as
embarrassing as magically changing my clothes out in the open. Anyway,
the curtain of light covered everything, so it wasn’t like they would have
seen anything. As expected, I wasn’t able to get a free airplane.
Too bad.
I went back inside the house and tried out various items. The [Tea
Ceremony] pack, which I had somehow overlooked earlier, turned out great.
In addition to the exquisite pink kimono and classic Japanese wig, it came
with a complete tea set.
Actually, I was someone who preferred coffee over tea, but a hot
beverage was always welcome.
 I truly hit the jackpot when I found the [Romantic Valentine] set. The
illustration showed a woman dressed in a 1950s-style circle dress holding a
bouquet and a large box of chocolates.
When the box of chocolates materialized in my hands, I fell on it like a
starving dog. I didn’t stop eating until I had polished off all fifty pieces.
Afterward, I lay down on my bed, exhausted.
Wow.
If only there had been a sausage maker costume, or something similar, I
might’ve been able to enjoy eating meat.
How was I to know that my craving for meat would lead to a dangerous
complication?

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 Chapter 7

T he best feeling in the world was waking up before dawn in a

comfortable bed. There was something magical about the peace and quiet of
the early morning hours that I loved, and it was the perfect time to reflect
on the day ahead. I always felt like I could conquer anything when I started
my day with a good night’s sleep. Not only that, but I even had a pleasant
dream of a pet dragon.
Outside, the first light of dawn was slowly creeping over the horizon,
casting a gentle pink-and-orange glow over the sky and forest. The air was
cool and fresh, and the fresh, springtime smell of the trees and earth was
intoxicating.
This was all a far cry from the urban landscape of Singapore that used
to greet me when I woke up. Less than a month ago, I was stressing out
over exams and feeling hopeless about my future prospects as an orphan
with very little money left. Not to mention, I had a very spotty academic
record due to changing schools pretty often because I traveled all over the
world with my parents.
This world, on the other hand, offered me boundless opportunities and a
relaxing life in the countryside.
I didn’t know exactly when it happened, but I had pretty much decided
that I wouldn’t bother to look for a way to return to Earth.
“Isn’t life grand?” I said out loud to myself as I tended to my crops.
I checked each potato plant, making sure that they were all healthy and
strong. Then I pulled up a few weeds that had sprung up overnight before I
watered the plants.
 Upon checking the calendar, I noticed it was now halfway through the
growing season. The potato plants were knee-high now, with lots of fresh
green leaves and thick brown stalks. The faint glow around them was a
silvery color that seemed very mystical to me.
Although weeding and watering the plants only gave a little Farming
experience, two weeks’ worth of effort had resulted in a few more levels.

[Player Name: Violet

Farming Skills:
Farming Level 8, Fishing Level 8, Woodcutting Level 8, Cooking Level
1, Herblaw (locked), Foraging (locked), Hunting (locked), Mining
(locked)]

I had done enough Fishing and Woodcutting to max out those two skills
that were capped by my farming level. My next step would be to either start
doing some quests or unlock my Foraging and other skills. Neither one
filled me with anticipation.
Even in the game, I always hated quests. The rewards were mostly
useless, and the quests were mostly combat-related or simple “fetch X item
for me.”
As for Foraging, it was really fun when I was playing Adventure
Incarnate, but in real life it involved a lot of tramping about in the woods.
Things that would’ve taken only a few seconds or minutes in the game
would take me hours in real life, all for a few measly flowers, berries, eggs,
etc. It just wasn’t worth it when I already had all the items I needed.
Quests? Or Foraging?
Eventually, of course, I would have to do both since they were required
to progress some skills. Foraging, in particular, was vital to unlock the
Herblaw skill. In the game, making potions required a lot of unusual items
that one could only find in the wild. Of course, because of my crazy
inventory, I wouldn’t actually need to scour the forest for Herblaw
ingredients, but foraging was still needed to unlock the skill.
After much deliberation, I decided that going foraging would be
preferable. All I would have to do was to visit some likely spots in the
forest where wild berries, herbs, and mushrooms could be found. In the
game, of course, I knew all the places that were good for finding food and
herbs, but I was doubtful whether it would be that easy in real life. For one
thing, in the game moving from one clearing to another only took a few
clicks of the mouse, but here it would take a considerable amount of
walking until I got level-twenty farming, which was when mounts could be
used.
Still, what was life without adventure and exploration?
I put on some good brown leather boots and sturdy cotton pants and
shirt that were suitable for tramping around in the woods. There was no
need for a basket, since I could just place everything in my inventory. The
System tool belt had a variety of knives and scissors that I could use.
Yesterday it had rained in the late afternoon, so it was likely that there
would be a few mushrooms that had sprouted overnight. I picked a direction
at random and started walking, keeping my eyes peeled for berry bushes
and fallen logs. It didn’t take long before I found some small brown
mushrooms at the base of an oak tree.

[Spring Porcini Mushrooms:: A large, fleshy mushroom prized for its

earthy flavor and meaty texture.]

Hmmm? That was strange. Surely porcini mushrooms grew in Europe?

I mean, I wasn’t on Earth, but the place I was in was more Asian than
European. Then again, this was a spirit mushroom. Maybe those simply
grew wherever they wanted to grow?
If I didn’t have the System guiding me, I would never have tried to go
foraging for mushrooms, since there were quite a few poisonous ones that
were hard to identify.
Using the System, I plucked half a dozen of the porcinis and went on
my way, making sure not to take all of them. Over-foraging a spot could
result in these wild mushrooms disappearing for years.
Glancing at the System status screen, I saw I had gotten a tiny amount
of Foraging experience. Wow, this was going to take a while to level.
I walked on, feeling quite cheerful at the thought of finding some good
things to eat, when I chanced upon a honeyberry bush.
Jackpot!

[Honeyberries:
 A small, round berry with a golden skin. The flesh is sweet, with a
delicate flavor that is a cross between honey and citrus. The berries are
often used in desserts and baking or can be eaten on their own as a
sweet snack.]

There was a large bush with green-and-blue leaves the height of my

waist that had around two dozen tiny berries growing on it. This time, I
didn’t bother to place the berries in my inventory.
I carefully selected the biggest, juiciest-looking berry from the bush,
making sure to avoid the ones that looked withered or moldy, and put it in
my mouth. The honeyberry was still warm from the sun, and its sweetness
exploded on my tongue when I bit into it. I closed my eyes to savor the
flavor. It was like a burst of sweet sunshine. The delicious taste of the berry
was even better than I had expected, and I quickly picked more of them
until I had my fill of the delicious berries, loving every moment.
This was the life I’d dreamed of when I was playing the game!
I couldn’t believe that I had finished off all the berries that looked good
enough to eat. I was quite full and debating whether I should head home
since I had already achieved my goal of unlocking my Herblaw skill by
successfully foraging in the forest when I heard a rustling sound on my
right side. The System map showed a red dot, meaning an enemy was
nearby. I quickly took out my teddy bear, who I had named Mr. Bear, from
my pocket and threw him in the direction of the noise.
Mr. Bear grew to two feet high and assumed an extremely cute attack
position as I drew an iron shield and sword from my inventory. During my
frequent fishing trips, I had seen a few red dots, probably dangerous
wildlife, on my map, but never one that was this close.
In a few moments, the enemy revealed itself. It was a [Horned Rabbit].

[Horned Rabbit:
An aggressive monster commonly found in the forests of the
Westerlands, easily recognizable by their large horns and floppy ears.
Horned rabbits are fast and agile, making them hard to catch. Their
diet consists of leaves, grass, and other vegetation.]
 Now that the enemy had revealed itself, a transparent heads-up display
or HUD superimposed itself over my field of vision.
I could see Mr. Bear’s stats on the right side.

[Mr. Bear
Level 1
HP: 10/10]

The enemy’s stats were visible on the left side.

[Horned Rabbit
Level 2
HP: 15/15]

At the bottom of the HUD was Mr. Bear’s action bar.

[Skills: Punch
Kick
Fireball]

Since my magical puppet was the mage type, I immediately sent him a
mental order to attack with a fireball.
The [Horned Rabbit] was no slouch, either. It rushed toward me but was
stopped by a fireball in the face. Screeching horribly, it ran off.
I waited for a few tense seconds to see if there were any more threats,
but there were no more red dots on the map.
“You did great, Mr. Bear,” I said to my teddy bear. I picked him up, and
the magical puppet automatically shrank to fit in my hand. “Good job.”
I put him back in my pocket.
My heart was pounding wildly in the aftermath of my victory. While I
had been fighting, there had been no time to think, but now that it was over,
I felt a bit shaken. I’d never been in a fight on Earth.
“What to do?” Though I was unscathed, I was nervous about walking
further now that I knew that there were [Horned Rabbits] in this area of the
woods. Discretion being the better part of valor, I decided to head back
home.
Foraging was harder than I thought!

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 8

T he sun was shining brightly through the leaves of the trees , and
the forest floor was covered in a blanket of soft, green moss and fallen
leaves. The air was fresh, and it was a great day to start my archery practice.
The encounter with the [Horned Rabbit] had made me realize I should
definitely practice a few combat skills. For close combat, newbies normally
used a sword and shield. However, I decided it would be good to train in
archery as well, since attacking from a distance was safer than melee
combat.
In the small clearing in front of my house, I set up a few hay bales from
my inventory as my targets. A simple [Wooden Shortbow] was my weapon,
and I had some iron-tipped arrows for ammunition.
As with most games, Adventure Incarnate had level requirements. At
level-one archery, this was all I could wield.
The moment I lifted my bow, the combat screen appeared, and I could
see the available basic skills in my action bar.

[Archery Skills: Piercing Shot

Rapid Fire
Escape]

I had already checked out my current abilities, but this was going to be
my first time to actually use them.
 [Piercing Shot:
Imbue the arrow with your energy, allowing it to pierce through
enemies. The shot is incredibly powerful and can often take down
multiple foes with a single arrow.
Cooldown: 5 seconds]

The cooldown was quite long, but I could fire regular arrows without
using an ability anyway. I would just have to rotate between regular archery,
[Piercing Shot], and [Rapid Fire].

[Rapid Fire:
Fire a rapid succession of five arrows. This ability is great for taking
down multiple targets quickly, or for taking down a single target with a
lot of arrows.
Cooldown: 5 seconds]

The [Escape] ability sounded especially convenient, though I hoped I

would never have to use it.

[Escape:
Enter a state of heightened awareness and move ten feet in any
direction. Time seems to slow, and the player has increased movement
speed and agility, allowing the player to dash away from enemies or
hazards.
Cooldown: 30 seconds]

Obviously, my combat stats were pathetic since I had done no training

at all, but it wasn’t like I would need to use a lot of force with the low-level
wildlife in the forest. I would have to level up my strength, attack, and
defense stats later on when I would have to fight more dangerous foes.
I mentally chose [Piercing Shot], and my arms automatically lifted my
bow, notched the arrow, and pulled the bowstring back in the proper
posture. It was a good thing that the System was guiding my body because I
had absolutely no idea what I was doing. I took a deep breath and let it out
slowly as I aimed at the center of the hay bale. I released the arrow and
watched as it sank into the hay about three inches from the ground.
 Then I stepped back and assessed my shot. Not bad, but not great,
either, since that hadn’t been where I was aiming. I’d have to do better next
time.
Once the cooldown period finished, I took another shot, and then
another, enjoying the sight of the arrows sinking into the hay bale. I’d set up
small targets at different distances, and I moved between them, enjoying the
challenge of hitting each one.
As I shot the targets every five seconds, I could feel the tension melting
away from my body. It was like I entered an unfamiliar state when I was
shooting, and everything else just faded away. For a few moments, I was
completely focused on the shot, and nothing else mattered.
For now, I focused on [Piercing Shot] since I wanted to master this most
basic archery skill before moving on to [Rapid Fire]. During the cooldown
period, I noticed my arrows had less force and were much less accurate.
However, I couldn’t even feel any energy being used whenever I used
[Piercing Shot]. Perhaps it was because the skill was weak?
To test out my hypothesis, I chose the [Escape] skill, and my body
quickly dashed ten feet to my right as though I was sliding on ice. It felt as
though I was using the wind to blow myself sideways in a controlled
manner.
I felt…
Nothing.

[Violet: Level 1
HP: 100/100]

I glanced at my stats, but they didn’t reveal much.

“Mana points” or MP wasn’t a thing in Adventure Incarnate because
players used stored magic inside spell stones, and archery skills didn’t use
mana points, unlike in other games. Instead, “Energy” was used. Was
energy the same thing as MP?
I had never questioned this while I was playing the game, since it made
sense in that context. Farming had to be limited because, otherwise, one
could finish all the farming activities in one day. On the other hand, it
would be ridiculously frustrating to limit combat similarly.
Well, perhaps one day I would understand it. I banished these thoughts
from my mind and continued training. After about one hour, my arms
started aching. I switched my drawing hand from my right hand to my left
to see if it would help, but I was already tiring, and my accuracy became
even worse. Now I was only hitting the edges of the hay bales.
I called it quits after two hours. My arms felt like they were made of
lead, and my shoulders ached from the effort of drawing the bowstring.
Every muscle in my body felt like it had been worked to the point of
exhaustion, and I could barely stand. All I wanted was to lie down and rest.
Wait…
Come to think of it, this was the way I felt when I ran out of energy
while farming. “Energy” must mean stamina!
I wasn’t sure if I was right, but it made sense to me.

Even though I spent all of yesterday afternoon practicing my Archery, I

didn’t level up. In Adventure Incarnate, archery leveled up only through
actual combat, but I still thought that regular training was helpful because it
made me feel more confident in my skills.
Today I decided to practice with my sword and shield. After finishing
my morning chores on the farm, I set up two training dummies from my
inventory and started hacking away with a wooden practice sword. I wasn’t
sure whether I should use a two-handed sword or a sword and shield.
However, all the sword skills were the same whether you use a one-handed
or two-handed sword. I figured I could train with the shield later, but it was
more important to practice my sword moves.
I started off by doing a few stretches before swinging my wooden sword
a few times to get the feel of it before using any of the available sword
abilities.

[Sword Skills:: Thrust

Slash
Blade Flurry]

The basic [Thrust] and [Slash] moves were quite easy to understand.

[Thrust:
 Lunge forward with the energy-infused sword, dealing damage to an
enemy. This ability can break through enemy shields or armor, dealing
a large amount of damage.
Cooldown: 5 seconds]

Thrust used the point of the sword, I knew that much from video games.

[Slash:
Swing an energy-infused sword in a powerful arc, dealing damage to an
enemy. This ability has a small chance to knock back or stun the target.
Cooldown: 5 seconds]

The [Slash] ability used the edge of the sword.

When I mentally chose a particular skill, my body automatically moved
in the appropriate manner. Wooden practice sword in hand, I stepped in
front of a training dummy and raised my weapon high above my head
before bringing it down in a powerful arc. Then I stepped back a pace
before lunging forward with the sword.
I spent a few minutes practicing each move. I lunged and slashed at the
wooden dummies like a pro, but after only about ten moves, my arms were
already starting to ache. No doubt I was using muscles that I didn’t
normally use.
Since I was quickly tiring, I decided to try [Blade Flurry] at least once.

[Blade Flurry:
Slash the enemy with a flurry of quick and powerful strikes. This
ability is often used as a finishing move, as it can deal a large amount of
damage in a short period of time.
Cooldown: 30 seconds]

I dashed forward at great speed and struck a training dummy with great
force using two diagonal slashes, then a horizontal slash, before finally
finishing off with a rather flashy vertical slash.
Whoa! So that was a [Blade Flurry].
With this, I was pretty confident that I could handle a [Horned Rabbit]. I
didn’t think I’d even need a shield.
 I put away my wooden training sword and took out an iron sword. It
was heavier than the practice sword and much more tiring to use.
Once again, I gripped my sword tightly, feeling the weight of it in my
hand. Taking a deep breath, I raised the sword above my head, then slashed
it down in a wide arc. I felt the satisfying whoosh of the blade cutting
through the air and the resistance as it hit the target. I smiled in satisfaction
when I saw the deep cut I’d made in the wood.
After a few minutes, I stepped back and took a break, letting my arms
and shoulders rest. I took a few deep breaths and shook out my arms, then
got back to work. I continued to slash the sword back and forth, feeling the
muscles in my arms and shoulders burning with the effort.
This was a lot more difficult compared to archery.
While the strength of a ranged attack was dependent on the player’s
Archery level, melee combat was different. There were two stats I had to
level up for it: Strength and Attack. Strength, as the name implies, was
simply the power behind a melee weapon’s strike while Attack was the
weapon’s accuracy.

[Violet: Level 1
HP: 100/100
Str: 1/99
Att: 1/99Arc: 1/99
Mag: 1/99]

I wasn’t sure whether I should focus on range or melee combat. My

current puppet could do magic, but I would be able to get better ones later
on that could do range and melee.
Actually, what I really wanted to do was to level up my magic stat first.
I mean, what red-blooded human being from Earth wouldn’t want to learn
magic? However, it didn’t really make sense for my current situation since
Mr. Bear was a magician-type puppet. What if I encountered an enemy that
was magic resistant?
Should I follow my desire or be logical about it?

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 9

W hat the heck , why not do it ? T here was absolutely nothing

logical at all about my transmigrating into the world of Adventure
Incarnate, so why use logic now? I decided to follow my heart and learn
how to cast spells. Of course, I would still practice with the bow and sword
occasionally, but my heart was set on magic.
Magic was a very special skill in the game because it was used for
everything, not just fighting. There was farming magic, elemental magic,
crafting magic, alchemy magic, star magic, puppet magic, etc.
The next day, I woke up at the crack of dawn and put on my farming
clothes after washing my face and brushing my teeth. It was yet another
beautiful spring dawn in the woods. I hummed merrily as I watered the
crops, noting that the potato plants were growing nicely. After making sure
that each plant had enough water, I pulled out a few weeds. Nowadays, this
only took a fraction of my energy since my stamina had grown a lot from
the time that I first started farming.
Then I went back to the cottage to prepare breakfast. As I ground the
coffee beans in a hand grinder, I mentally blessed the Cash Shop for
providing me with a coffeemaker. The barista costume set was really useful!
Mornings were so much more pleasant now that I had the means to brew
my own coffee.
Unfortunately, my Cooking level was still a disastrous level one, so all I
could do was take out a loaf of bread and cheese from my inventory and eat
them separately. I found that if I tried to make a grilled cheese sandwich, I
ended up with burned bread and cheese instead, so I was forced to eat only
cooking ingredients without combining them into something better. I
finished off my meal with an apple from my inventory.
With plenty of energy to spare, I went to the northern part of my farm
and cut as many trees as I could until I was too tired to continue. I reckoned
I had cleared more than enough land for the summer planting.
By noon, I was exhausted and had another simple meal of carrots,
avocado, cucumber, and a rice ball from the [Five-Star Luxury Bento]. This
was hardly ideal, but I had gotten used to eating to live and not living to eat.
However, I swore to myself that one day I would hire a magic chef to
cook the most exquisite and delicious dishes for me.
After lunch, it was time to start training my magic. Though there were
other ways to train it, I felt it would be good to level up Herblaw first.

[Herblaw: The study and usage of herbs in potion-making.]

A new player would normally have to farm or buy herbs, but I had
billions of them in my inventory, so I didn’t have to do that. All I had to do
now was to clean the herbs, identify them, then mix them together with
some other ingredients in my inventory to make potions.
The most basic potions restored health, cured status ailments, and
temporarily boosted stats.
Before I could do anything, the first step was to clean a bunch of
“unidentified herbs.” I took one hundred of those from my inventory and
piled them up on the table that I had set up outside my house. I picked the
most comfortable armchair from the Cash Shop and set it in front of the
table. The last step was to grab a bunch of spell stones and place them
beside the herbs.
In the world of Adventure Incarnate, there were different magic
systems. The player, however, could only use spell stones to cast magic. As
I understand it, the non-player characters, or NPCs, used something called
“cultivation,” which meant using the qi or spiritual energy that was present
in all living things.
Once I had taken out the spell stones, the System’s magic tab was
activated. I clicked on the spell book icon to see that the [Clean Herb] spell
was available.
I wasn’t sure what would happen exactly. In the game, the player’s
avatar had an animation for every spell. Hoping for the best, but expecting
the worst, I said, “Here goes nothing. Clean!”
The moment I willed a spell to activate, my hands started moving on
their own. My left hand picked up an herb, while my right hand glowed a
bright red. I could feel some sort of energy pouring from a spell stone into
my hand. The energy then started flowing from my right hand to my left,
where the herb was.
I watched with fascination as the herb was lifted until it floated between
my hands, where it started rotating inside a ball of red energy.
It only took a few seconds for the spell to clean the herb and identify it
as a [Fencress] herb.”
“Well, that was okay…” I said to no one in particular. “So this is
magic.”
What had I been expecting? Fireworks? My first magic spell went off
without a hitch, which was good, but it was rather unexciting. Perhaps I
should’ve started off with combat spells?
…No, that was probably a bad idea. I only had one life, after all.
One of the spell stones had crumbled into crystal dust, depleted by my
use of it. I put the dust in my inventory and continued casting the spell until
I had finished identifying the pile of herbs in front of me. Through
experimentation, I found that I was in control of my hand movements and
the spell. I could stop casting whenever I wanted to, even if it was in the
middle of the [Clean Herb] spell.
When I was done, I got up and stretched. Unlike doing farming chores, I
didn’t feel tired after casting spells. That was probably because I used
energy from the spell stones instead of my own energy.
Wasn’t this an extremely overpowered type of magic? As long as I
didn’t run out of stones, I could cast as many spells as I wanted!
I rubbed my hands together with glee. Could the same be true of combat
magic? I couldn’t wait to find out.
Though I was badly tempted to just go out and start testing combat
magic with Mr. Bear, I got more herbs and continued to clean them. It was
mildly entertaining to make them spin between my hands.
The reason I refrained from combat magic was that the failure rate of
combat spells was quite high unless the player had ten magic levels over the
required level.
For example, a simple Fireball was a level-one spell. However, at level-
one magic, it would fail nine out of ten times. At level two, it would fail
eight out of ten times. And so forth. It was only at level eleven that one
could be certain that it would almost never fail.
Almost.
All spells had the chance to misfire or fail to activate until the player
reached the maximum magic level, which was ninety-nine. Therefore, it
was better to level up magic before using it in combat.
By the end of the day, I had a few hundred herbs that were ready to use.
As I was sorting them into piles, I got a pop-up message from the System.

[New Quest Available: Rescue Prince Baiyu]

Oh, I remember this! There was definitely a newbie quest to rescue a

prince in the game.
Wow, to think that I would be able to rescue a real-life prince!
I hope he’s handsome.

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 Chapter 10

O f course , as a seasoned , veteran gamer , I was quite used to the

idea of rescuing damsels in distress. I didn’t quite remember what exactly
this new quest involved, but I wasn’t particularly worried. Adventure
Incarnate was primarily a farming game, with a bit of combat action, but I
doubted very much that there would be any real danger for me. Quests in
the game were mostly fetch quests. I probably just needed to bring him a
loaf of bread or something like that.
Smiling at the thought of giving a prince a burned loaf of bread, I
clicked on the [Accept] button.

[Prince Baiyu needs your help. Prepare a Blight Magic potion.

Requirements: Five Blight Magic potions]

Blight Magic potion? I checked the Herblaw tab, but that potion wasn’t
listed on it.
Hmmm, it must be one of those special potions that were only used for
quests. The description of it was quite worrisome.

[Blight Magic Potion: The potion saps away at a cultivator’s innate qi,
leaving them feeling weak and exhausted.]

Qi was basically a word for life energy. I couldn’t imagine what use this
prince could have for a [Blight Magic Potion], but none of the God Beast
clans around here were evil, so it should be fine.
Right?
I was a little worried but decided to trust the System, since it hasn’t let
me down before.
As for Prince Baiyu in particular, Shuye had mentioned him before. He
was the son of the Lady of the West, the ruler of the Westerlands.
Using the recipe provided by the System, I took some [Demon Leaf]
and [Red Recluse Spider Eggs] and tried to combine them in a vial of water
using the [Create Potion] spell, but the spell failed to activate.

[You do not have the required Herblaw level.]

“Life is pain!” I said, though I knew I was being overdramatic.

I checked the quest text again and saw that the recipe for the potion
required level two Herblaw. Seeing as I was only level one, not having
made even a single potion yet, this meant that I would have to spend a few
days on Herblaw.
To be honest, I had been a bit bored, but this new quest was getting me
fired up. I grabbed a hundred bunches of [Kussea Grass] and [Dream Root]
and tried to cast the [Create Potion] spell again.

[Kussea Grass:
A mythical healing grass that’s incredibly difficult to find in the wild.
Famous for its sweet smell and jewel-like stalks, the legendary Kussea
Grass is said to be able to bring people back from the dead.]

I really doubted that this grass could bring people back from the dead,
but I had to admit it looked really mystical. The herb was a deep green and
each blade of grass shone with a delicate luster as though it was covered in
pearl powder.

[Dream Root:
A dark brown root that is often ground to a powder. The powder may
then be ingested to give people vivid dreams that are said to be
prophetic in nature. It can also be used in potions to induce sleep.]
 For this particular recipe, I only had to cast the [Create Potion] spell to
combine these two ingredients in a vial of water. The more advanced
recipes called for greater quantities of ingredients and a flask of water
instead of a vial.
“Let’s do it…” I mentally selected the spell in the System menu.
A glowing ball of pink light appeared between my hands and a vial of
water, and the two ingredients flew up into it. First, the water inside the vial
started glowing, then the grass flew into the glass container where it slowly
dissolved, turning the water light green. That meant that the essence of the
herb had been extracted. Next, the [Dream Root] was reduced to powder by
the force of the spell. Finally, the powder was added to the vial. After
around three seconds, the ingredients had combined, and I had a finished
[Dewy Glow Potion].

[Dewy Glow Potion:

This Dewy Glow potion is formulated with natural ingredients to help
improve your skin’s appearance.
To use, simply apply a few drops of the potion to your face and body
after cleansing. Gently massage it into your skin until it’s fully
absorbed. You can use this potion morning and night for best results.]

The finished [Dewy Glow Potion] came in a tiny glass vial. The potion
itself was violet in the shade, and I could see that it had fuchsia particles
suspended in it when I held it up to the light. Since this was my first ever
potion, I put it on a silver display stand and placed it on my windowsill
where it sparkled prettily.
On the one hand, this was a rather silly potion to make in Adventure
Incarnate, since it wasn’t like the player’s avatars had pimples. On the other
hand, this was an extremely useful item in real life.
What woman wouldn’t want a magical item that would improve their
complexion?
Definitely not me!
I happily spent the rest of the day and the entire evening making as
many [Dewy Glow Potions] as I could. I decided that this was really one of
the best things about my life in this world. Herblaw was fun! Making useful
items for myself, and possibly other people in the future, was a rather
satisfying way to spend the time.
 I reckoned that back on earth I would’ve been stuck in some dead-end
retail job since I had no degree, experience, or connections. This was so
much better.

Three days later, I was ready with a whole chest full of [Blight Magic
Potions]. I put on the [Scholar’s Robe] and made sure that my black hair
was looking great. I’d changed it back to my natural color after I got bored
with the brown hair color. In a fit of vanity, I used the Cash Shop to
intensify the violet of my eyes.
My mother had named me Violet because she explained that I had violet
eyes, just like Elizabeth Taylor. The truth was that my eyes were a sort of
light gray that simply picked up whatever color I wore, so if I wore a blue
dress, my eyes would look bluish-gray, and if I wore something purple, my
eyes would look gray-violet.
I wanted to look good because, after all, I was going to meet a prince.
Of course, with my luck, he was bound to be a hundred years old with eight
consorts and dozens of children.
Still, it never hurt to look good when one was meeting one’s boss for the
first time. Prince Baiyu was the feudal lord of this region, according to
Shuye, which meant that my taxes went into his coffers. I was hoping that I
would get a better tax rate if I helped him during this quest.
I turned on the [Quest Guide Mode] and followed the glowing yellow
arrows that appeared on the ground. After twenty minutes of hiking in the
woods, I deeply regretted my choice of garments and changed into sensible
pants and a plain cotton robe. Vanity could wait until I was nearer to the
quest area.
Though I wasn’t expecting any trouble, I equipped myself with a baldric
and sword and set Mr. Bear on [Alert Mode]. He walked beside me and
should be able to identify enemies quicker than I would.
It took over two hours for me to finally get to the place where the quest
was supposed to start. The cave opening was half covered by vines, and I
wouldn’t even have noticed it if there hadn’t been a glowing yellow arrow
pointing right at it. Mr. Bear didn’t detect anything dangerous, so I went
behind a tree and changed into the [Scholar’s Robe]. Then I went to the
cave entrance, pushed aside the vines, and entered.
The inside of the cave was surprisingly cozy. There was a tall platform
with an enormous bed on the far side that was covered in furs. At the foot of
the bed was a large brazier where a magical blue fire had been lit, providing
warmth and light.
I cautiously approached the bed. Lying on it, half covered in white furs,
was the most beautiful man I had ever seen in my life.

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 Chapter 11

J ackpot ! T his had to be P rince B aiyu .

The moment I laid eyes on his face, I was entranced. I had never known
that someone could be this beautiful.
He had long, fluffy white hair and very pale skin. His eyes were closed,
so I couldn’t see their color, but I would bet money that they were blue. In
the middle of his forehead was a purple lotus flower mark. I watched quite a
few historical dramas, therefore I was quite familiar with the Chinese
forehead makeup called “huadian,” but this looked like a natural marking or
birthmark rather than something that was painted on.
Prince Baiyu, if that was who he was, had a perfectly symmetrical face
that looked as though it had been sculpted by the gods. It was a cold kind of
beauty, and I guessed that when he was awake, he was the elegant and aloof
type of cultivator.
Like Shuye, he looked human except for his pointed ears.
I checked the Quest Guide to see what I should do.

[The prince is suffering from a Qi Overload. Apply the Blight Magic

Potion to his body.]

What? I was supposed to apply it to his body? Wouldn’t it be sufficient

to pour it down his throat?

[Qi Overload:
A serious condition in which a person’s body is overloaded with qi. The
excessive amount of energy damages the meridians and results in
personality changes. The person becomes easily agitated and may lash
out at the smallest provocation. If left untreated, the person will often
fall unconscious.
Unless their qi is drained, it will continue to build until it reaches a
critical level, at which point they will likely fall into a coma until they
die. There have also been cases where people spontaneously combusted
from qi overload.
The condition is mostly found in young clan members and is incurable,
except for those with only mild cases of qi overload, who can sometimes
grow out of it when they reach maturity. Otherwise, it can be managed
by daily monitoring, certain qi-draining techniques, and using up the
excess qi through vigorous physical exercises and qi skills.]

I climbed up onto the bed beside him. It was quite huge, so there was
plenty of space for me. Thick pelts of various animals were draped across
the mattress and pillows, giving it a decadent feel, but this was strange since
it wasn’t a very cold day. The furs were soft to the touch, and my fingers
automatically started stroking them before I remembered I had a quest to
do.
“Excuse me,” I said as I tried to pry open his mouth, which remained
stubbornly closed. I peeled back his lips to reveal his teeth and debated
whether I should try pouring the potion on his closed mouth. I mean, some
of it was bound to be absorbed by his gums, right?
I couldn’t help but notice that his incisors were quite sharp and
pronounced, though they weren’t quite big enough to look like vampire
fangs.
Twisting the cork from the vial, I put on my Herblaw gloves and poured
the pink liquid over his teeth, but it just dribbled down the corners of his
mouth. I winced when I saw that the potion was leaving a horrible stain on
his white pillow.
Even though I didn’t like it, it really seemed like I would have to apply
the potion on his body, just as the System told me to. I poured the liquid on
his neck and spread it with my gloved fingers.
 [The prince is suffering from a Qi Overload. Apply the Blight Magic
Potion to his body.
Completion: 5/100]

His neck was only worth 5 percent? Oh no! I had a terrible feeling about
this.
I poured a bit over his cheeks and forehead, making sure to avoid his
eyes, but this only gave me another 2 percent.
Thankfully, the potion didn’t stain his skin. It seemed to disappear when
I applied it, so I tried applying it on his neck again, but the quest completion
percentage did not increase.
Since there was no helping it, I peeled the furs away from his prone
body and saw that he was wearing an exquisite white robe decorated with
peach blossom embroidery. I rolled up his sleeves, revealing nicely muscled
arms. I tried not to gawk at his biceps. Applying the [Blight Magic Potion]
to his hands and arms only boosted the percentage up to 35 percent.
The next step was obvious, but I really didn’t feel good about it.
This world wasn’t like Earth. The people who lived here were quite
conservative, so I wasn’t sure if Prince Baiyu would be unhappy about what
I was going to do.
“Ahem. Please don’t worry, I am an expert. I’m here to heal you,” I
said. I knew that the patient was unconscious, but it made me feel better to
say something, since I was about to undress an unconscious man.
The prince’s belt was tied in front with a complicated knot. I had such a
difficult time with it that I was almost tempted to just cut it off, but that
wouldn’t do, since his clothes looked extremely expensive. I could tell from
the appearance and feel that it was made of the highest quality silk. After
what seemed like an eternity, I finally managed to remove his belt. I quickly
peeled open his robe, revealing an expanse of fair skin and a perfect six-
pack. His pectoral muscles were also superb.
“Nice abs,” I said before I could stop myself. Fortunately, there was no
one else around, or they might think I was some sort of pervert.
I prepared more potions and worked as quickly as I could to spread it
over his exposed skin, while crossing my fingers that I wouldn’t have to
remove his pants as well.
“I want you to know that I’m only doing this to cure your condition,” I
said to the sleeping prince.
 After spreading it all over his upper body, I was dismayed to see that it
still wasn’t enough.

[The prince is suffering from a Qi Overload. Apply the Blight Magic

Potion to his body.
Completion: 75/100]

Are you kidding me?!

Throughout all of this, the prince remained unconscious and
unresponsive, with not even a twitch of his eyelids or a change in his
breathing to show a change in his condition.
Nonetheless, I really, really didn’t want to take off his pants.
My eyes were still virgin!
The prince was basically wearing this world’s equivalent of pajamas.
When I had taken off his robe, he hadn’t been wearing anything under it,
and it stood to reason that the same was true of his pants.
There was still 25 percent left. Wasn’t there any other way?
I racked my brain for answers but couldn’t think of a solution until my
feet started cramping because of my awkward position crouched over the
patient’s body.
Feet? That was the answer! I scooted to the other end of the bed and
applied the liquid to his feet. When that proved inadequate, I rolled up his
pant legs and did the same to his calves.

[The prince is suffering from a Qi Overload. Apply the Blight Magic

Potion to his body.
Completion: 100/100]

“Yes! I did it!” I jumped down from the bed and did a little victory
dance.

[Rescue Prince Baiyu: Quest Complete

Reward: A Royal Favor from Prince Baiyu]

A royal favor? I wasn’t sure what that was, and Adventure Incarnate
sometimes had some really lame quest rewards, but I was just happy that I
had finished this task.
I put Prince Baiyu’s clothes back on and piled the furs back over his
body. Of course, the potion horribly stained his robe, pants, sheets, and
pillows, but it wasn’t like I could take them, launder them, and put them
back again.
“I’m sorry about ruining your clothes,” I whispered to the prince. I
jerked back and almost screamed when his eyelids twitched. That was the
first time he showed any reaction. The potion must be working its magic.
Perhaps it would’ve been better if I stayed and waited for him to regain
consciousness, but I totally chickened out. I wrote a brief note saying,
“These can help with Qi Overload,” and placed it on top of a chest full of
Blight Magic Potion that I left beside the bed.
Then I made a quick getaway with Mr. Bear.

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 Chapter 12

I t was only after I had already left the cave that I remembered I
had forgotten to sign the note with my name.
“Never mind, Mr. Bear, let’s not go back,” I said to my companion.
Something about the prince made me nervous.
Now that I had finished the quest, I felt a lot more relaxed, so I took
some time to get some foraging done on the way home. At this time of the
year, there were plenty of ripe berries, mushrooms, and fruit that I could get
from the forest.
In fact, the woods weren’t just full of edible plants; they were also full
of edible animals. I should really get started on the hunting skill, which
would allow me to set traps for wild animals, but it was a fact that I had
never gone hunting on Earth, and I was a little queasy about killing cute
critters.
Besides, my cooking level just wasn’t high enough to cook meat yet.
As I was climbing a tree to pick some luscious-looking cherries, Mr.
Bear alerted me to the presence of a person nearby. I hastily descended and
smoothed my clothing, but no one appeared. Whoever it was must’ve
moved away.
I was exhausted by the time I got home and treated myself to a long, hot
bath. The cottage only had a sink, so I had to put the tables and chairs in my
inventory to make space for a claw foot bathtub that was a Cash Shop item.
Fortunately, I didn’t have to fill it with water from the sink. I just had to
press a button on the side of the tub to fill it up with hot water.
 Then I sank down into the water and let all of my troubles melt away. I
emerged from my ablutions feeling refreshed and clean.
It wasn’t dinnertime yet, so I put the bathtub in my inventory and put
the table and chairs back.
Time for more Herblaw!
I really liked the skill. The way that the herbs and other ingredients
came together using the spell was quite fascinating, and it made my cabin
smell nice. The fact that it was making both my Herblaw and Magic levels
rise was another factor in my enjoyment of potion making.
The hours seemed to fly by, and I didn’t even notice that I had skipped
my evening meal until my stomach started rumbling. Herblaw was just too
fun.
I ate some bread and cheese and called it a night.

Yesterday’s quest had gone off so nicely that I wished I could get another
one that was just as easy, but alas, the System didn’t have any new quests
available. As usual, I woke up early and did all my morning chores just as
the sun rose over the horizon. The potato plants were growing so well that
Shuye had asked me three days before when I would harvest them.
I was hauling a bucket full of water from the well when my Farm Guide
appeared.
“Good morning! You’re here early,” I said to Shuye as I put the bucket
down and handed him a crocus flower. Today he was dressed in better
clothes than he normally wore, a dark brown silk robe, and black silk pants.
His boots were made of soft brown leather. He even had a black ribbon
tying back his shaggy, long hair on the nape of his neck. “Hey, you’re
dressed nicely. What’s the occasion?”
“Good morning. I thought I should warn you to expect a visitor,” he
said.
“Visitor? I thought you said I wouldn’t need to see the tax man since
you filed my taxes for me,” I said. Immigrant farmers like me were exempt
from taxes for three years, but we still had to fill out some paperwork to get
the exemption.
 Shuye crossed his arms over his chest and gave me a look. “Isn’t there
something you want to tell me?”
I had no idea what he was talking about. “No. What do you mean?”
He threw his hands up in exasperation. “About Prince Baiyu, for
example?”
“Huh? What about him?” I decided to play dumb until I knew what he
was talking about. Not that I had done anything wrong, but this
conversation sounded like some sort of trap.
He took a few steps away and sat down on a tree stump. I followed and
took two chairs from my inventory, waving for him to use the larger one.
When we were both seated, he shook his head and said, “I know it was you.
I’m going off to make my report, and you should get ready for someone to
visit you to investigate.”
Why did this sound like something bad? I would’ve thought the prince
would be happy that someone had cured his condition, but Shuye was
acting as though I was some sort of criminal who was hiding from the law.
“Investigate what?” I asked.
Shuye sighed in exasperation. “The prince said that he’s looking for a
little human girl.”
“Why do you think it’s me? There are a lot of human girls in the world,”
I said.
“He met her yesterday, and you’re the only one nearby,” he said.
“Did he say why he was looking for a girl?” I said.
“No,” he said, but his tone of voice implied that it wasn’t anything
good.
“Well, why are you acting weird about it? Maybe he just wants to
reward me for my efforts,” I said.
I wasn’t worried because the System still showed a favorable quest
status.

[Rescue Prince Baiyu: Quest Complete: Reward: A Royal Favor from

Prince Baiyu]

“He didn’t seem that happy about it,” said Shuye. “But if you think
there’s nothing to worry about, then you’re probably right. Are you sure
you’re fine?”
 “Yes, it should be fine. Is that all? Excuse me, I have to finish my
chores. When do you think someone will visit?” I said.
“He is only an hour away,” said Shuye. “Expect a visit within two
hours.”
We said our goodbyes, and I continued watering and weeding the plants.
Then I had a snack of some fruit and nuts before I washed up and changed
into the nicer clothes. I picked the [Moonlight Jade] Cash Shop costume set,
which consisted of a light green silk dress with a high collar and long
sleeves adorned with intricate moon-and-clouds embroidery. I took off the
elaborate pearl-and-silver headdress since it was way too over-the-top for
everyday wear, but I kept the beaded silk shoes and white jade waist
ornament.
Not wanting to waste time while I waited, I did a little more Herblaw
training, but after about an hour or so, I realized I didn’t have any place to
receive guests. Shuye, of course, seemed happy enough to just sit on a tree
stump or a rock, but whoever might be coming to investigate might not be
as easygoing.
“Ahhh!” I spent a few seconds wondering what I should do. In the end,
I wasn’t comfortable meeting someone inside the cottage since it was quite
small, and my bed was right beside the chairs.
Mentally rummaging through the Cash Shop items, I found a plain
white pop-up canopy I could use. I went outside and put down some paving
on the right side of the cottage, then placed the canopy over it. Paving over
cleared ground was a basic landscaping ability in Adventure Incarnate,
along with digging wells, placing fences, leveling ground, and so forth. I
had plenty of stone tiles I could use, so I picked the elegant white limestone
ones.
Shuye had told me that members of the White Tiger Clan didn’t eat
human food, so I wouldn’t need to prepare tea or snacks. That was a good
thing, because I didn’t have any I could share, since all of my items were
bound for my personal use.
I had only just placed two comfortable armchairs and a small table
underneath the canopy when Mr. Bear alerted me that a person was nearby.
Now that someone was actually here, I suddenly felt a little panicked. I
hadn’t spoken to anyone other than Shuye in weeks. I went back inside, and
when I heard the knocking, I took a deep breath and opened the door.
My mouth fell open when I saw that Prince Baiyu himself had come.
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 Chapter 13

H e was even more gorgeous when he was awake , and I couldn ’ t stop
myself from devouring him with my eyes. He was so tall that I only reached
up to his shoulder, and his long, white hair was in a high ponytail.
The prince was wearing an intricately designed white-and-blue robe
made of a richly patterned fabric. He was wearing white pants underneath
the robe, and gold-and-jade ornaments hung from his belt.
But it was his face that really caught my attention. Now that he wasn’t
unconscious, I could see that his eyes really were blue. His skin was still
pale, but he no longer looked ill. I could hardly believe how beautiful his
face was. His skin was smooth and unblemished, his jawline was perfectly
sculpted, and his lips were full and sensual. His blue eyes were fringed with
long, thick lashes…
Wait, why was he looking away, refusing to meet my eyes? Was he
blushing?
Yes, his cheeks were definitely red!
I put a hand over my mouth to stifle a laugh.
“Are you done staring at me?” he asked, eyes still averted. His voice did
not disappoint, either. It was deep and resonant and as scrumptious as
melted chocolate to the ears. I could listen to him talk all day.
“No, I would like more time,” I said honestly.
Prince Baiyu turned his head to look down on me, and our eyes met for
the first time. “Are you going to invite me in?”
I looked over my shoulder at the room behind me. “You expect me to
invite you into my bedroom? But we just met!”
 He turned an even brighter red. “No, I, I just meant, you⁠—”
I took mercy on him and interrupted his stammering explanation. “I’m
kidding. Let’s go there.”
I just gestured to the right side of my cottage, and he obediently
retreated a few steps to allow me to close the door and lead him to the place
that I had prepared. I offered him water from a pitcher when we sat down,
but he refused.
“Oh, where are my manners? I forgot to introduce myself. My name is
Violet,” I said. I raised an eyebrow at him expectantly.
“I’m Baiyu,” he said.
“So…” I let my words trail off, but he didn’t take the bait. “What brings
you here?”
He reached into a sleeve and took out a [Blight Magic Potion]. “What is
this?”
“It helps with qi overload. You’re welcome, by the way,” I said. Seeing
the prince’s attitude, I was no longer nervous. What a cutie! The way he
blushed and stammered when I teased him a little was totally adorable.
“How did you know that it would help me?”
“I’m sure Shuye has told you that I have a bloodline inheritance skill.” I
drank some water and continued my explanation. “Yesterday, I was
foraging in the forest when I passed by the cave and decided to check it out.
I’m only a novice alchemist, but I could see that you were suffering from a
qi overload. There was no one else around, so I decided to help you out by
using one of my potions, since I was worried about what would happen to
you if you were left untreated.”
My story should be plausible. Most of it was true, anyway, except for
the fact that the System had told me what to do, instead of everything
happening by coincidence.
We were both silent for a few minutes.
Eventually, he turned to look at me and said, “What does ‘nice abs’
mean?”
“Huh?” I didn’t get what he was asking. Was there another meaning for
“nice abs” other than the obvious?
“You know, I was conscious the entire time. I heard you say ‘nice abs’
after you tore off my clothes,” he said.
“You were conscious? Why didn’t you say anything?” I asked. This
time, when he repeated the words, I realized that I had said “nice abs” in
English. It must’ve sounded like gibberish to him.
“I was conscious, and I could hear everything you said. And I felt
everything, too, but I couldn’t move or speak,” he said.
That must’ve been nightmarish for him. “I see.”
My tight-lipped ways seemed to have annoyed him. “Just tell me what
you meant by that.”
“I was complimenting you on your abdominal muscles,” I said.
Prince Baiyu seemed taken aback for a moment, then he smiled. His
teeth were very white, and the expression on his face became extremely
smug. “Then you liked what you saw.”
He glanced at me sideways from beneath his long eyelashes. My
goodness! What a flirtatious look.
“Very much so,” I said. There was no use denying it.
“Miss Violet, I hope you realize you can’t just climb into a man’s bed,
tear his clothes off, touch him all over, and then run away,” he said.
I burst out laughing. “Please don’t make me sound like some sort of
pervert! I was just treating your illness.”
I must’ve left quite an impression on him.
“Nonetheless, I hope you intend to take responsibility for what you’ve
done,” he said, a pink blush staining his high cheekbones.
What was he, some sort of Victorian maiden whose modesty had been
outraged by a scoundrel?
“I didn’t actually touch you,” I said, smiling mischievously. “There was
no skin-to-skin contact because I wore gloves.”
“It still counts.”
“I didn’t touch you in the area below the waist and above the knees, so
you’re fine!”
I laughed at his expression.
He leaned toward me and whispered, “But you were thinking of
touching me there?”
This flirting was getting out of hand. I drew away from him slightly, and
he took the hint and leaned back in his chair.
“No! Please don’t accuse a pure and innocent young lady of such a
thing. I merely took pity on a poor, unfortunate soul who was suffering
from a dangerous illness,” I said.
“This poor, unfortunate soul would like to thank you for your help,” he
said.
 The quest text changed from [Rescue Prince Baiyu: Quest Complete.
Reward: A Royal Favor from Prince Baiyu] to [Choose Reward].

[1. Gold]
[2. Farm Upgrade]

Nice!
Mentally choosing the [2. Farm Upgrade] button, I said, “I wouldn’t
mind a reward.”
I heard a faint clicking sound and saw that my farming skills were now
all unlocked.

[Player Name: Violet

Farming Skills:
Farming Level 8, Fishing Level 8, Woodcutting Level 8, Cooking Level
1, Herblaw Level 3, Foraging Level 2, Hunting Level 1, Mining Level 1]

“Is there anything you need?” Prince Baiyu asked.

My heart leaped when I saw the options available in the System.

[1. More Land]

[2. Hire Staff]

Yes! This was amazing! Normally, a player couldn’t hire more staff
until they reached level-thirty farming, which would be around the second
year of in-game time. I hurriedly chose [2. Hire Staff] and said out loud, “I
would like to hire some people to help around the farm.”
“That’s all? That’s too easy,” he said, frowning. The lotus flower
marking on his forehead wrinkled in a very cute way when his brows drew
together.
“No, no, I really need help with hiring people,” I said. “No one wants to
work here in the middle of the forest where no one else lives.”
“I suppose this farm is very isolated. Why did you choose this spot?”
“I like the privacy, but it’s three hours away from the nearest town, so I
think it would be hard for me to get really good staff,” I said. “That’s why
I’d like your help. With your recommendation, I’m sure I’ll be able to hire
top-notch people.”
“Very well. I will send one of my people to arrange it. You can tell him
your requirements,” he said.
“Can’t I just tell Shuye what I want? I’m not used to having other
people here,” I said.
He agreed, and we spent a few more minutes making small talk before
he left.

The next day, Shuye visited me, and I asked him to find “the best chef
who’s willing to work here. I don’t care about anything else but how good
their cooking is.”
Shuye said it would take the prince’s people a few days to find a
suitable candidate. That was fine with me since I had to prepare more living
places on the farm.
“You know, you could ask for more than just a chef. Don’t you need
more people here?” asked Shuye.
Now that was an idea.
“Well, I would like some help…” Adventure Incarnate had an
apprentice system where the player could go to the orphanage and choose
orphans to work on their farm. These apprentices could then do some of the
more tedious daily chores. The downside of this, of course, was that the
player wouldn’t receive the farming experience they would have if they had
done the chores themselves.
As for me right now, this was my real life, not a game, so it would be
good to have some help around the place in order for me to expand the farm
sooner.
“I’ll let them know,” said Shuye.
“Do you think the staff would prefer a cottage or a courtyard house?” I
asked Shuye.
The bear-like Farm Guide looked askance at my modest dwelling. “The
courtyard house.”
“I thought so.” I finished my morning chores as I chatted with Shuye,
who seemed pretty certain I could get a pretty talented chef.
 How exciting to think that I would at last be able to keep fresh, cooked
food. Meat! That was the thing that I missed the most.
Though Shuye hadn’t said much, I felt quite certain that I should make
the staff living quarters a lot more impressive than the cottage.
Fortunately, my completing the quest had unlocked the first three levels
of the house requirements. I looked at the available options on the System
menu.

[Cottage]
[Ranch]
[Mansion]

The [Palace], [Castle], and [Fortress] were all unavailable for now. They
would only be unlocked when my farming level rose.
There was another set of options for traditional houses.

[One Courtyard House]

[Two Courtyard House]
[Three Courtyard House]

For myself, personally, I wanted to make a ranch-style house. A

[Mansion] was definitely out of the question, since it would be needlessly
ostentatious and vulgar for a humble farmer like me.
Hmm.
Should I make the biggest courtyard house I could for the staff?
It seemed to me that making a house with three open courtyards was a
bit of an overkill. I would only be allowed to hire three apprentices, so it’s
not like I needed a lot of rooms for them and the chef.

[Traditional Courtyard House:

Also called a siheyuan. This type of house is rectangular and built
around a central courtyard that is open to the sky. In order for the
house to receive maximum sunlight throughout the year, it is positioned
on a north-south axis. The main gate is typically placed in the
southeastern corner. The northern building is considered the main
 house where the head of the family lives. The junior members of the
family live in the eastern and western buildings.]

When I tried to tentatively place a [Three Courtyard House], I saw it

was much too big for the amount of space that I had cleared.
On the other hand, when I placed a [One Courtyard House], it only had
three bedrooms. I suppose I could ask the apprentices to sleep in the same
bedroom, but that was less than ideal. I spent the rest of the day cutting
down more trees to clear enough land for a [Two Courtyard House].

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 Chapter 14

“W hat do you think ?” I asked S huye when he arrived for a visit

two days later.
“How did you manage this?” He stared at the new house in shock, his
eyes almost bulging out of their sockets.
“I told you, it’s my bloodline inheritance.” Why was he so surprised?
He hadn’t questioned me much when the cottage went up overnight.
“Please don’t give me a look as though this is something that’s perfectly
normal,” said Shuye. He shook his head and tentatively approached the
large wooden gates intricately carved with fierce dragons and leaping carp.
I’d personally chosen the design myself.

[The Dragon Gate Wooden Carving:

Carved by a master, the design depicts carp swimming upstream
against the river’s current and leaping over a waterfall into the
legendary Dragon Gate. Those brave and strong enough to make the
jump are transformed. The next panel shows that the successful fish
have become mighty Dragons. The artwork serves as a metaphor for
uplifting oneself through hard work and perseverance.]

Ever since I had come to this world, I had been dreaming of a dragon,
so I thought that this was appropriate.
“Welcome to the Flower and Jade Pavilion!” I said as I flung the gate
open.
 Beyond the gate was a curtain wall that was placed there for privacy.
Shuye once again shook his head at me.
“What is this?” he asked, pointing at the bas-relief on the wall. Violet
flowers had been cut on the stone so that they stood out slightly against the
flat surface.
“It’s a decoration. What’s wrong? Do you think the gem dust is too
much?” Perhaps I’d gone overboard by coloring the flowers with ground
amethyst and the leaves with jade dust.
Shuye sighed. “You might as well do what you want, since no one
would believe it anyway.”
“I’m beginning to think this might have been a bad idea…” I said.
“Should I put down another cottage instead?”
“There’s no point in that when everyone will be shocked anyway,” he
said.
“Shocked?”
“Violet, you do realize that most people can’t create a house overnight,
right?” he said.
“But I told you, I don’t create things. I just use the stuff that my
ancestors left for me,” I said.
“It doesn’t matter. The fact that you could get the house ready in two
days would unsettle anyone.”
“Should I worry?” I couldn’t quite understand what he was saying. I
mean, okay, so it was definitely unusual for someone to build a house the
way that I did, but Shuye seemed relatively calm about it.
“Not now, since you have Prince Baiyu as your patron. No one will
question you because you’re under his protection,” he said.
Great. That must be why the System had given me that quest.
“Then I won’t worry about it!” I said.
“Do you ever?” Shuye followed me to the outer courtyard, past the
empty southern rooms that were normally reserved for servants. I planned
to use them for storage.
The courtyard was just a simple open space paved with white stone
tiles. The eastern side was reserved for the apprentices’ bedrooms, while on
the western side was a large commercial kitchen and workrooms.
The bedrooms and workrooms were currently empty, but the kitchen
was already full of the best appliances that I could get from the Cash Shop,
including ovens, stoves, a dishwasher, sink, garbage disposal, fridge, and
freezer. On a shelf were the usual pots, pans, utensils, as well as salt and
pepper.
Furniture and items for the house, although bound to me, could be used
by other people, since they were intended for both the owner of the house
and guests, but I had to set permissions for each item individually, either
[Everyone], [Restricted], or [Private].
[Everyone] meant that anyone could use that item while [Restricted]
allowed me to manually set who could use the item. [Private] meant only I
could use it. However, the fact that they were bound to me meant I couldn’t
sell or give away any of the items. They had to stay inside the house.
“These are all very strange looking,” said Shuye as he peered inside the
kitchen that was full of gleaming white appliances.
“These are magic devices!” I explained the function of each item, but
Shuye only kept on shaking his head, so much so that I was afraid he was
going to get dizzy.
“I see you’ve gone all out,” was all he said when I finished speaking.
Then I showed him the reception room on the northern side of the
courtyard. This was a formal space reserved for greeting guests and
important meetings. On the opposite side of the door was a wooden couch
backed by an elegant folding screen with eight painted panels depicting the
Eight Immortals. Hardwood armchairs and tables were placed off to the
sides, along with delicate side tables, and the walls were decorated with
calligraphy scrolls.
“You see, I can also restrain myself,” I said as I gestured at the dignified
and sophisticated interior of the meeting hall.
“Ah.” Shuye only made a noncommittal sound as we walked through
the hallway to the inner courtyard.
I flung my arms wide open and said, “And this is why the house is
called ‘Flower and Jade Pavilion!’ Isn’t it amazing?”
At the center of the inner courtyard was an enormous tree with a trunk
and branches made of green jade. The leaves were carved white jade, and
the flowers were made of amethysts and gold.
Shuye’s reaction was disappointingly lukewarm. “It’s nice.”
“Nice?! Really?”
“No.” He shook his head, and the expression on his face spoke volumes.
“It’s a bad idea to place a priceless treasure in your courtyard.”
 “You don’t like it? I knew it, it’s too much…” I hugged the tree and
kissed its trunk while mentally saying my goodbyes. When I had first seen
this item in the Cash Shop, I hadn’t been able to resist, even though I knew
it was outrageously lavish and incredibly out of place inside the house. This
was the sort of declaration that one might find in a royal palace, not on a
farm. “Fine, I’ll remove it.”
“That would be for the best,” said Shuye.
After I sent the Jade Treasure Tree back to the Cash Shop, I showed him
the rooms in the inner courtyard that were reserved for the senior members
of the family that were living in the house.
“This is where I plan to house the chef and his family. Maybe the butler
or housekeeper, too, if I can get one of those later,” I said.
There were three buildings on the north, east, and west sides that could
be divided into several rooms. They were currently empty since I didn’t
know how many people would be living here.
“What about you?” Shuye asked.
“Oh, I’ll live in my cottage as usual,” I said. “I love my privacy, and I
don’t want to live with a bunch of other people.”
“That’s fine, but you should definitely reserve the main house for
yourself. Even if you don’t plan to sleep there, it’s important that you
maintain the hierarchy inside the house,” he said.
“That seems like a waste of space, but I get what you mean. I guess it
wouldn’t hurt to have an extra bedroom here for me. I’d love more storage
space for my personal items,” I said.
I placed some armchairs in the inner courtyard for us to sit on, and he
gave me some advice about how I should organize the staff and my
apprentices. With the caliber of chef that I wanted to hire, it was unlikely
that he or she would arrive alone, according to Shuye, which meant that I
needed to provide living quarters for his assistants and family.
“Should I furnish their rooms?”
“The chef and his family will undoubtedly bring their furniture and
personal belongings, but the orphans will have nothing.”
“That makes sense.”
We chatted a little, and Shuye tried to persuade me to change my dragon
gate design to that of a white tiger. I promised him I’d think about it before
ushering him out of the house, purposely neglecting to show him the
building in the back courtyard.
I didn’t want him to see my extremely decadent secret.

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 Chapter 15

T he back courtyard was normally home to a two - story building in

a courtyard traditional house, but mine was somewhat different. That was
where I had hidden my secret.
I put a hot spring bath at the back of the house.
Of course, I was definitely going to upgrade from a cottage to a ranch
house, but even if I put a bathtub in my house, a hot spring facility was a
bigger upgrade.
Though my bathing facility was tiny, it had all the best features of a
Japanese onsen: a hidden entrance with a door that had a secure lock, a
dressing room with alcoves on the walls where one could store personal
items, a shower room for cleansing, and finally a pool of hot water fed by a
magical hot spring for soaking.
The decorations were minimal since I had chosen plain white walls and
floors, along with a few pretty ceiling murals of abstract swirls and flowers.
This was meant to be a cozy place for me to rest after a long day of manual
labor on the farm, not a design showcase.
I’d been in it yesterday, luxuriating in the feeling of all my cares
melting away amidst the hot water. The hot springs in Adventure Incarnate
were all extremely expensive add-ons that provided a very nice energy
bonus for players, and using it made me feel refreshed and invigorated.
Once I had finished the courtyard house, it was time for me to upgrade my
own place.

[Ranch-Style House:
A one-story house with a simple design, perfect for a laid-back lifestyle.
The interior is open and airy, with large windows and comfortable
furniture. The front porch is a great place to hang out.]

That sounded good to me.

Shuye had emphasized that I needed to take charge of the main rooms
of the courtyard house. Traditionally, that type of house was inhabited by
one big extended family, and the head of the household occupied the
northern rooms. I personally didn’t intend to stay in it because I liked my
privacy, and I didn’t want to live cheek by jowl with a bunch of people I
wasn’t related to.
With this in mind, I spent the next two days packing up my stuff that
was in the cottage and temporarily moving it to the main residence. Then I
selected a space that was some distance from the courtyard house by cutting
a path through the trees to a small clearing where I set down the new
[Ranch House].
Right out of the box, it was pretty nice. I was especially happy that I
wouldn’t have to use an outhouse anymore.
Yes! It had a real flush toilet!
I did a little dance right there and then as I repeatedly flushed the toilet
just to watch it happen, marveling at this most convenient of modern
inventions.
The living room was just the standard type, with a cream-colored sofa
and an armchair. The kitchen was small but had all the usual appliances,
such as a stove, fridge, and oven, but my characteristic as a disastrous cook
meant that the kitchen would be mostly unused. I was very pleased to see
that the bedroom was much larger than the one in the cottage and that I had
plenty of storage space for my clothes and shoes.
One thing that I did add to the ranch was a bigger front porch with a
small table and a rocking chair where I could relax when the weather was
good.
All of this kept me quite busy, and time flew by until Shuye arrived with
the chef and his wife.
 “Nice to meet you!” I said to the middle-aged man and woman who had
arrived for an interview and possibly a contract signing if we both thought it
would work out.
They had arrived in an ox-drawn cart with Shuye walking beside it.
The chef’s name was Deming, meaning “brilliant virtue,” and he was a
middle-aged man, probably in his early fifties. He was of average height
and build, with salt-and-pepper hair that was thinning on top and watery
brown eyes. He was wearing a plain, dark-blue robe and a pair of well-worn
boots. As was common in this part of the world, he was clean-shaven but
had long hair.
Though Deming was the one applying for the job, his wife, Fengying,
whose name meant “phoenix beauty,” was the one who did all the talking.
Fengying had obviously been a great beauty in her youth. Though she was
around fifty years old or thereabouts, she was still a strikingly lovely
woman. Her hair was still black as night, and her eyes were a warm dark
brown.
The two of them bowed from the waist.
“It is an honor to meet a great lady such as yourself,” said Fengying.
“Oh no, I’m just a humble farmer. Please call me Violet,” I said.
“Thank you. That’s very gracious of you,” she said.
“Good morning, Shuye.” I didn’t forget to hand over another [Crocus]
flower to my helpful Farm Guide.
“Good morning.” After we exchanged greetings, Shuye wandered off to
inspect the potato plants. He was always interested in their growth.
I turned to the couple and said, “Let me show you the kitchen and living
quarters.”
As we walked to the main house, Fengying gave me a short rundown of
Deming’s background as a chef. He had been working as the head chef of
the Duke of Xishan’s household for the last ten years.
“May I ask why you left the duke’s employ?” Since I was a newcomer
to this world, I wasn’t familiar with the noble families in the Westerlands,
but being the head chef of a duke had to be quite a prestigious job.
“Internal family politics.” That was all Fengying would say, but she did
mention that she had an excellent reference from someone whose name I
didn’t recognize but was undoubtedly someone quite prominent from the
way she said it. The fact that Prince Baiyu’s staff had chosen Deming meant
he was probably a good choice, so I wasn’t too worried about it.
 “Okay, so here is the main gate.” As I ushered them into the new
building, I was quite pleased with their reaction.
“How beautiful. What an elegant courtyard! These rooms are so
spacious. Don’t you think so, dear?” Fengying kept up a running
commentary as we moved from room to room. Deming had yet to open his
mouth.
I saved the best for last. After showing them the rooms that would be
their quarters if they accepted the job, I showed them the kitchen.
“If you work here, this will be your workplace,” I said as I opened the
door to the room full of gleaming modern appliances.
Fengying and Deming’s jaws dropped when I showed off each item’s
functions. There was a bit of a snaggle when the piece of bread I tried to
toast turned into a coal brick, but that was a minor snafu compared to the
sheer magnificence of the commercial kitchen.
“So, what do you think?” I asked.
The two of them locked eyes together for a few seconds. Deming made
an infinitesimally tiny nod of his head, and Fengying said, “We’ll take the
job.”
“Both of you?” I asked.
“Yes, I can work as the head housekeeper,” she said.
Shuye had already warned me that I shouldn’t expect the chef to work
alone, so I would have to hire a complete staff for my “household” even if it
only consisted of one person, me. I suppose that a person of Deming’s
caliber did not expect to do his own cleaning, for example, so it was
necessary to hire more people. Fengying and I came to an agreement that
she would hire some locals to work in the house.
“There’s just one more thing. I expect to welcome three apprentices into
my household,” I said. “I would like you to supervise their daily lives. I
mean stuff like making sure their rooms are clean, that they eat their meals
on time, and so forth.”
“Yes, that is quite within my capabilities,” she said.
“All right, before we finish, can you please take a look at this?” I took a
ripe cherry from my inventory and handed it to Deming. The fruit was
something that I had foraged, so it was not one of the items from my
inventory that was bound to me. “Can you cook with spiritual ingredients?”
The moment the fruit touched his hand, Deming went through a
startling transformation. The formerly quiet and unassuming man turned
into a demon. He straightened up, and the expression on his face became
fierce. Even his watery eyes turned cold. He gently squeezed the fruit and
sniffed it before saying, “This is a low-grade [Spiritual Black Cherry]. If
you had more, I could make a cherry pie that you could serve to the greatest
cultivators in the land—no, the world.”
Fengying noticed my surprise and said, “He’s only like this when it
involves his work. He is a very passionate chef.”
Demon chef! His eyes had turned black, like a bottomless abyss, and I
seemed to see flashes of red in them. Deming was exactly like Adventure
Incarnate’s Demon Chef! That was the most expensive, top-of-the-line chef
that players could hire.
I’ve hit the jackpot! According to the in-game description, the Demon
Chef’s cuisine was extremely scrumptious.
We went back outside to where Shuye was waiting for us. He assured
me that the prince’s staff would take care of all the details for me. All I
needed to do now was wait a few days while they got everything in order
for their move to my house.
“I look forward to it,” I said. I gave Fengying a few [Dewy Glow
Potions] as a present, then went back to the house. Things were really
looking up!
There was only one minor problem. I didn’t have enough food for the
Demon Chef to cook.

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 Chapter 16

I n the past few weeks , I had leveled up my foraging skill and

gotten quite a few wild vegetables, mushrooms, berries, fruits, and nuts.
However, that was hardly enough food since I would have to provide for
myself, three apprentices, the chef, the housekeeper, and five or six maids
and assistants.
The only bright spot in all of this was that I had a lot of fish since I went
fishing every few days. When it came to fish, at least, I was quite confident
that I had enough for everyone.
What could I do? Of course, if push came to shove, I could always ask
Shuye to buy food for me, but that would be the last resort for me since I
disliked buying things on credit.
I racked my brains for solutions and came up with an unfortunate
conclusion: I would have to give up my pretty little [Ranch House] in order
to build a mill.
Nooooo!!!
This was the worst.
Adventure Incarnate, of course, had limitations on the number of
buildings a farmer could have based on their farming level.
Watering and weeding only gave a tiny amount of experience, so I
hadn’t leveled up farming.

[Player Name: Violet

Farming Skills:
Farming Level 8, Fishing Level 8, Woodcutting Level 8, Cooking Level
1, Herblaw Level 3, Foraging Level 3, Hunting Level 1, Mining Level 1]

In fact, I was only able to unlock the houses because of the reward from
the rescue quest. Normally, I would only be able to build a cottage based on
my level.
“There’s no helping it,” I said to myself as I once again packed up all
my stuff and put it in the main house.
This was the rational choice, but I was sad because I had really set my
heart on having my own place. Nevertheless, since I had to choose between
food and my own house, it was really no contest at all.
I would choose delicious food every single time!
After all, the courtyard house was pretty nice. I would just have to get
used to living with a bunch of people until I leveled up farming and could
build another structure.
I spent a lot of time making my new set of rooms comfortable. The
northernmost room of the courtyard house was a large, open-plan space,
which suited me just fine. Initially, I put the living room furniture from the
[Ranch House] in it, but they looked quite out of place and ruined the vibe,
so I got Chinese-style chairs and tables instead. However, the one place
where I didn’t compromise was the bedroom. I put a folding screen between
the designated area for the bedroom and living room and placed the most
comfortable bed in the corner farthest away from the door. The bed was
Western-style, with a tufted leather headboard and firm mattress. The
bedsheets I used were, of course, the most luxurious high-thread-count
cotton sheets from the Cash Shop.
Though, overall, I was satisfied with the room, there was one thing that
bothered me. It didn’t have a good view. Unlike the [Ranch House] that had
a porch where I could hang out while viewing the lovely landscape of the
surrounding forest, the courtyard house was built with a totally different
philosophy in mind. It was like a mini fortress whose thick and high walls
provided the inhabitants with protection from the outside world. Thus, my
room, like all the other rooms, only had windows facing the inner
courtyard.
Since that was the case, I made sure to prettify the courtyard by adding
plenty of decorative greenery from the Cash Shop, mostly treasure plants
and colorful carnations.
 Preparations complete, I put the [Ranch House] back in the System and
placed a [Rice Mill] in its place.

[Rice Mill:
A rice mill is a food-processing facility where rice is cleaned, hulled,
milled, and polished, creating white rice from paddy rice.]

The mill was a circular building that contained a large, scary-looking

steel machine with many moving parts. I peered into the middle part and
saw a lot of gears and metal teeth. At one end was a ladder that led to a
large container labeled “Place Rice Here.” On its side was a big red button
saying “Start/Stop.”
That looked easy enough to operate.
I climbed the ladder and poured three sacks of rice from my inventory
into the machine until the container was full. The rice from my inventory
couldn’t be used by other people because it was bound to me, but I hoped
that processing it would remove the “bound” status from it.
I pressed the start button and waited. And waited. In the game, this
would only have taken a few seconds, but the machine made noises, and the
gears turned, but no polished rice came out of the other end of it where
there was an outlet and a container waiting to receive the finished product.
Since the machine looked like it was working, I went outside to do
some woodcutting instead of staring at it. Throughout the rest of the day, I
checked the mill to see if it had finished processing the rice, but it only
continued to make metallic thrumming noises.
It wasn’t until the next day that it finished milling the three sacks of rice
that I had placed inside. That was rather slow, but I was still happy because
the resulting product was indeed unbound. With this, I wouldn’t have to
worry that we would starve since rice was a staple food in these parts.
The rice and the fish should be good enough as long as I was able to
teach the apprentices how to forage.
If only I had meat, then I would be ecstatic.
I confided my worries to Shuye the next time that he visited, but he
seemed unsympathetic.
“Why don’t you just go hunting like you said you would?” he asked me.
“Well…” I wasn’t sure how to explain that I was used to just buying
meat in a grocery store. Killing animals to get their meat was a bit of a
headache for me, since I wasn’t used to it. Though all I had to do was set a
few traps, I felt uneasy at the thought of collecting dead animals.
“You could just buy meat,” he said.
“Never mind, it’s not important,” I said.
I thought that was the end of it, but I was wrong.
The next day, when I stepped out of the gate, I let out a small scream
when I saw that there was the corpse of a demon on my doorstep.
The demon lying on the ground was a gruesome sight. Its fur was
matted with blood, and its eyes were wide open, staring lifelessly into the
distance. Not to mention, its mouth was open in a silent scream, revealing
sharp teeth stained with blood, and its claws were outstretched, as if it was
reaching for something.
Upon closer inspection, I saw that someone had placed a small piece of
paper on the ground beside it, weighed down with a rock. In an elegant
script, someone had written, “This is edible.” The note was unsigned.
Edible? This fearsome-looking thing?
I used the System’s Inspect function on it.

[Cow Demon:
A large, horned creature with red eyes and sharp teeth. It is covered in
thick, black fur and has a long tail and sharp fangs and teeth.
Its meat is considered quite tasty.]

Well, it all checked out, therefore I put the corpse in my inventory for
the Demon Chef to use later. With the size of that thing, it should be enough
for us to eat for a long time.
But that wasn’t the end of it. Every few days after that, I woke up to
find yet another edible demon corpse in front of the main house’s gate.
On the twelfth day, I left the body there for Shuye to find.
“What? These bodies have been appearing these last twelve days? Why
haven’t you said anything?” he asked me.
“Oh, don’t worry. I think he’s just shy,” I said.
Shuye was puzzled. “Who? What are you talking about?”
“You’ll find out,” I said. When Shuye had looked over the demon and
confirmed that it was safe to eat, I stored it in my inventory with the others.
“I hope he makes an appearance soon.”
 Despite the fact that putting dead animals in someone’s front yard was
stalker-like behavior, I wasn’t alarmed.
“Who?” Shuye was totally clueless. My bear-like Farm Guide scratched
his shaggy head.
“Did you tell anyone that I wanted some meat to eat?” I asked.
“Yes, I told the prince’s people that you would probably need to buy
some meat,” he said.
“I see.”
“You mean…” His eyes widened, and his mouth fell open. Shuye finally
understood.
I giggled.

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 Chapter 17

D eming and F engying moved in the next day . T hey brought a lot of
their own furniture and personal belongings in five ox carts, along with five
servants. I’d wondered how carts had managed to traverse the forest, but
now that I saw them arrive, I realized they were using flying carts.
Wow, this really was a fantasy world!
They settled in quite nicely, and I placed some items I had foraged into
the kitchen fridge and the sacks of newly milled rice into the storage
shelves. Deming was quite pleased with the quality of the ingredients.
No one turned a hair when I took out some items from my inventory.
“Lord Shuye told us about your bloodline inheritance,” was all
Fengying said. The others just nodded and went about their own work.
I had waited for them for such a long time that I was very excited about
my first meal cooked by my own personal chef. When I peered into the
kitchen where Deming was working with his two assistants, I was shocked
speechless to see that he was chopping away at the vegetables at an
incredible speed. A burning red aura was visible around his body, and his
eyes fairly glowed as he worked. He seemed as though a different person
when he was working.
He was truly a Demon Chef.
Shivers ran down my spine when Deming looked up from his work and
met my eyes.
Fengying ran up behind me and gently turned my body away from the
kitchen, saying, “It’s best to leave him alone. He doesn’t like people
watching when he’s cooking.”
 “Yes, I think you’re right.” I went back to my rooms to wait for the food
like a good little girl, resolving to leave my chef alone when he was at his
work.
I sat down at the dining room table, eagerly anticipating my breakfast. It
was three hours after I normally ate my first meal, but I knew that the wait
would be worth it. In a few minutes, a maid arrived with a bowl of fish
congee, and my stomach grumbled in anticipation. The smell was incredibly
mouthwatering. The first spoonful that I ate blew me away with how fresh
and succulent the fish was and the texture of the perfectly soft and fluffy
rice. It was like a savory taste explosion in my mouth. I finished every last
drop of the congee, then sat back in my chair with a satisfied smile on my
face.
I couldn’t wait for lunch!
After I finished eating, Yinuo, the maid that Fengying had assigned to
my quarters, offered to help me dress and do my hair, but I refused her since
I had the Cash Shop. I had gotten used to living alone and using the System
for everything, even simple tasks like doing my hair up in elaborate braids
or simpler styles like a ponytail or chignon.
This was exactly what I was afraid of. When my parents were alive, we
had moved around a lot, and I knew that these traditional family-style
accommodations were the type that didn’t provide for much privacy.
I missed my [Ranch House], even though I’d only had it for a brief
time.
The moment that I had milled enough rice, I was going to demolish the
building and rebuild my house.
Once I had finished dressing in my regular work clothes, I tied my hair
into low ponytails and went outside to tend to the potato plants. I was quite
surprised to see that they had flowered. I didn’t even know that there was
such a thing as potato flowers. Examining the blooms gave me insight into
them.

[Potato Flowers:
Small and white with purple spots, the flowers grow in clusters. Once
pollinated, they develop into potato fruits, which are inedible but an
excellent source of seeds.]
 Oho! I focused on the part that said they were “an excellent source of
seeds.” All the seeds that I had from the inventory were bound to me, but if
I got seeds from the plants, no doubt I could sell them or give them to other
people to use.
Of course, I didn’t need the System to tell me that the flowers needed to
be pollinated. I quickly took a beehive from my inventory and set it near the
plants. Now I could get honey, too.
Farming was the best!
Every single day was a day when I progressed in my skills. Most of the
things I did were quite simple, and the progress was incremental, but all the
little things really added up. I could hardly wait for the harvest, when I
would get tons of farming experience and make my levels skyrocket.
When I was done tending to the plants, I went to the mill to process the
three sacks of rice I was limited to milling every day. Deming and Fengying
had been quite impressed that I had my own mill, and I didn’t have the heart
to tell them I was going to remove that facility in favor of having my own
place to live in.
Taking three empty cotton sacks from my inventory, I used the System
to put the milled white rice in them and left it there for Deming or one of
his assistants to collect later. They seemed really fascinated by the gleaming
steel machine and the rumbling sounds it produced throughout the day.
They had spent quite a lot of time earlier just watching the rice falling into
the container after it had been polished by the machine.
Back on Earth, I knew that there were thousands of different varieties of
rice, but my inventory only had one type of rice seeds. I supposed it was
possible that there was only one kind of spirit rice in this world, or maybe
Adventure Incarnate simply used the best kind. The rice I got from the mill
was a pure white color, with a slight luster and delicate, starchy fragrance.

[White Pearl Rice:

The Fox goddess taught humans the art of cultivating rice. Seven gods
are said to inhabit each grain of rice, so wasting this precious food is a
sin.]

If the fish congee that the Demon Chef had cooked earlier was any
indication, there was no chance of me, or anyone else, wasting any rice
since it was insanely delicious. I could easily get addicted to the taste of it.
 It was still quite early in the day by the time I finished, so I had plenty
of time to do either Fishing, Foraging, Woodcutting, Herblaw, or practice
Archery.
What should I do? As I was pondering my next move, a distinctive
smell assaulted my nostrils.
Meat! It was the smell of meat cooking!

OceanofPDF.com
 Interlude

An excerpt from the journal of Shuye Skullcrusher, Guardian of

the Ancient Hill Forest:

The investigators I sent to Mai-i Island have returned and reported that Miss
Violet’s background checks out. Not only are all of her immigration papers
in order, they also questioned dozens of people who remember her as a
perfectly ordinary young orphan girl.
So that particular line of inquiry was not very useful. I had to explain to
Prince Baiyu’s staff why I had spent such a large amount of money on the
investigation, but they stopped questioning me after the prince met her
himself. I have no idea what exactly happened, but she obviously left quite
an impression on him.
Furthermore, I’ve changed my mind about the possibility of her being a
spy or assassin. A few days ago, I would’ve said that it was impossible
because common sense was as alien to her as flying was to a fish…
Except that her favorite wood carving is that of a fish learning to fly.
As her potato plants have grown taller, the atmospheric qi on the farm
has become exceedingly intense, so much so that it has been spilling out
into the forest. The effect on the plant and animal life has been dramatic,
with many ordinary species evolving into spiritual varieties. People will
definitely notice it soon, but I’m not worried since the prince has taken her
under his protection.
 My subordinates are all convinced that she is either the child of
immortals or an immortal herself. I have no idea what she is, apart from the
fact that she’s definitely not normal.

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 Chapter 18

F orget about leveling up my skills . I t was time for me to eat meat !

I rushed back to the house and saw that the staff were cutting up and
cooking the demon pig I had entrusted to them. They had set up tables,
wood fires, and large woks in the outer courtyard.
I smiled a little at the sight. It was just like back on Earth, where Asian
people who had perfectly good indoor kitchens still preferred to cook
outdoors most of the time. My dad, who also preferred outdoor cooking,
explained to me that it just felt better to cook outside.
“Oh my gosh, it smells so delicious,” I said to Fengying. “This ‘demon
pig’ looks just like a regular pig, but with red skin. Does it taste the same?”
“It does, but unlike pig or wild boar, the meat is very good for your
health,” she said.
Being in a fantasy world was really the best. To think that I could pig
out on pork belly as much as I wanted without risking my health!
“Because it’s a ‘demon’ animal?” I asked.
“Yes, these demons from the southern land are powerful, and their flesh
is infused with qi.”
Fengying further explained to me that they had taken the lard from the
pig and rendered it down to produce cooking oil, which Deming’s assistant,
Haoran, was using right now to fry the pork belly. Once he was finished, the
pork pieces would then be put inside a large jar and covered with the oil to
preserve them for later eating.
Seeing that I was already drooling, Haoran got a plate and offered me a
piece of fried pork belly and a small saucer of soy sauce.
 The fried pork belly looked so good that I didn’t even bother to find a
chair to sit down in before I started eating. Having eaten only vegetarian
dishes for such a long time, I couldn’t wait to try it. I dipped a slice into the
soy sauce and took a bite. The juicy, meaty flavor was incredible, and I
couldn’t get enough of the crunchy skin. I was in pork belly heaven.
“This is perfect,” I said. “Another?”
Haoran silently handed me another piece. I offered it to Fengying, but
she said that she had already eaten.
The next piece was even better than the first one. I had to turn away
from them because I was afraid that I was making a weird face while I was
eating.
“I look forward to my next meal,” I said to Fengying.
Deming was inside the kitchen working on something, but I didn’t have
the courage to check on the Demon Chef.
The smell of the cooking food decided my task for me. There was no
way I was going to go out to fish, forage, or cut wood.
Herblaw it was, then.
I went to the east side of the courtyard that I had reserved for my future
apprentices’ bedrooms and set up my Herblaw working space there. All I
needed was one big table and a comfortable chair. I piled up the herbs, vials
of water, and assorted ingredients on one side and started casting the [Clean
Herb] spell. Once I had finished cleaning all the herbs, I cast the [Create
Potion] spell.
Herblaw was quite slow to level, but I didn’t mind because I was
making a lot of useful items. The Blight Magic potions would be given to
Prince Baiyu while the [Dewy Glow Potions] were for my personal use.
They were definitely helping me achieve flawless, rosy skin despite the fact
that I was out in the sun for most of the day.
The excess potions could be sold or given away.
I worked without a break until noon, when lunch was ready. The smell
of the cooking food had been making my stomach rumble throughout the
morning.
I put all the Herblaw items back in my inventory to clear the table for all
the dishes Fengying herself served to me. They all had fancy-sounding
names like “Butterflies Among the Peonies” or “Powdered Gold and
Minced Jade.”
 No matter what they were called, they were all mouthwatering. I started
off with the demon chicken soup with wild spring onions, carrots, and
mushrooms, followed by pork belly with leeks that was served with a light
soy sauce. There was also a plate of braised minced pork, stir-fried
vegetables and, of course, plain steamed rice. Dessert was simply sliced
fruit drizzled with a sweet honey syrup.
I ate and ate and ate until I was full. I could get used to this!

I woke up after a refreshing dream of taking care of a cute little dragon. The
sun was slowly rising above the horizon, casting a beautiful orange-and-
pink light across the sky. Outside at the farm, the potato flowers were in
bloom and the honeybees were buzzing around collecting nectar. The air
was fresh and clean, and the smell of the forest was intoxicating. Sunlight
was filtering through the trees, dappling the ground. It was a perfect spring
morning.
The staff had settled in very nicely, and now that I had tasted the Demon
Chef’s cooking, I could no longer imagine living without proper food.
Now that my situation had improved so much, I was excited to take the
next step in expanding my farm: hiring farmhands AKA apprentices.
I told Shuye that he could go ahead and tell the prince’s people to start
the process of hiring apprentices from the orphanage.
Meanwhile, I had to make money since I was now responsible for my
household’s daily needs and their salaries. My plan to demolish the mill and
put up my ranch house was on hold for now while I prepared some gold.
Deming, Fengying, and the others had gathered outside to watch me
since I had informed them I was replacing the mill with another building.
A bright green magic circle appeared on the ground below the mill, and
it flashed twice. On the first flash, the mill disappeared, and on the second
flash, a new building appeared.
“Did you really have to do that?” asked Fengying. They all seemed
disappointed that we wouldn’t be getting three sacks of spirit rice every day.
“Yes. We have enough rice anyway, right? It’s not like we’re going to
starve,” I said.
“I’m sure you know best,” said Fengying.
 On their first day, Deming and Fengying had worn rather elaborate silk
robes, but as the days passed, their clothing had become plainer and plainer
until today, Fengying was wearing a simple cotton robe with long, loose
sleeves and a long skirt belted at the waist.
I felt a little sorry for them since they were probably more used to the
much wealthier duke’s household rather than my humble farm. This job
must be a big downgrade for them.
“Don’t worry about it,” I said. This time, I made sure to set the building
to the [Private] setting, with no visitors allowed. “I’ll see you later at
lunch.”
They took the hint and went back to the house while I entered the new
building. I reckoned that the easiest way to make a lot of money in the
shortest amount of time was to smelt the ores in my inventory, so I had built
a smelting facility.
Inside, there was one huge smelter.

[Smelter:
A machine used to melt down metal ore to extract the valuable metals
from within. It consists of a large chamber with a furnace at one end
and a series of pipes and filters at the other. The furnace is used to heat
the metal ore to a high temperature, while the pipes and filters extract
the metals from the ore. The extracted metals are then collected in a
crucible, where they are poured into molds.]

I loaded up the [Smelter] with as much gold ore as I could, then I filled
the furnace with wood for burning. When it was full, I pressed the big red
[Start/Stop] button.
The [Smelter] heated up until it was too hot to touch, and in about half
an hour, it started producing gold ingots. The process was a lot faster than
the mill, which was a good thing because Blacksmithing was a huge part of
Adventure Incarnate. I would be in trouble if this machine could only
produce three bars every twenty-four hours.
I spent the rest of the day inside and made an immense pile of gold.
With this, my money problems were over.
Or so I thought.

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 Chapter 19

“A re you absolutely insane ? Y ou must be out of your mind ,” said

Shuye two days later when I showed him the gold. He buried his shaggy
head in his large hands as though in despair.
“What?” I said.
I had modified the building’s settings to allow Shuye to enter, and he
spent the next fifteen minutes gesticulating wildly and almost frothing at the
mouth as he raved at me.
“This—this—” He indicated the ingots that were piled high and
glittering and shining in the light. “Do you even realize⁠—”
Shuye was so agitated that he couldn’t even finish his own sentences. I
patiently waited for him to calm down.
“Okay, okay, I get it. You think it’s a bad idea to sell this gold,” I said.
Though I had only fed the [Smelter] with regular ores, the resulting
product seemed to be something special. I didn’t know why that happened
because the bars the smelter made from [Gold Ores] in Adventure Incarnate
were just [Gold Bars].

[Exquisite Gold Ingot:

An exquisite ingot of gold. Incredibly pure and possessing great power,
it is a valuable crafting ingredient.]

Shuye buried his head in his hands again. “Please tell me that you
haven’t shown this to anyone else.”
“I haven’t shown this to anyone else,” I said obediently.
 My words were exactly what he wanted to hear, so he finally calmed
down. “Good. If you need money, then put the mill back and sell rice.
Everyone knows that you’re a spiritual farmer, so selling rice will be
something that people expect.”
“I just thought that it would be easier to get money by selling gold,” I
said. “Wouldn’t this sell for a lot?”
“It would, but the problem is that people would think that you have a
treasure hoard here on your farm. The Westerlands are generally quite safe,
but you shouldn’t tempt fate,” he said.
I had to admit that that made a lot of sense. “Okay, I’ll do as you say.”
“Good.” Shuye seemed to deflate, and his shoulders sagged as though
he was being weighed down by the weight of his worries.
“But…” I said.
Shuye raised a hand as though to stop me from saying anything more. I
closed my mouth and decided to talk about it later, since it seemed that he
had reached his limit for the day.
“I’ll just put this away then,” I said as I put the gold into my inventory.
Then I walked him out of the building and let him watch as I demolished it
and put the mill in its place. “Better?”
“I’m relieved that you at least know how to listen when someone
teaches you common sense,” he said.
I decided not to tell him yet that I had no intention of quitting
Blacksmithing. I was definitely going to be a great weaponsmith in the
future, no matter how dangerous it was.
Daring to live exactly as I pleased was my goal!

The first dead demon had turned up on my doorstep two weeks ago, but it
was only today, at dusk, that the person responsible showed up.
I had just showered and changed into nicer clothes for dinner when
Fengying excitedly informed me I had an important visitor. A few minutes
later, Yinuo, the maid, showed Prince Baiyu into my living room.
I wondered why Fengying had shown him into my quarters instead of
the formal reception room.
I bowed as I greeted him at the door to my room.
 “Good evening, Your Highness,” I said.
“Good evening. There’s no need to bow or call me ‘Your Highness,’” he
said.
Prince Baiyu was wearing a gorgeous set of robes in white and orchid
violet, ornately embroidered with a peach blossom design. His long white
hair was loose, and he looked absolutely stunning.
“What should I call you then?” I ushered him into the room, and we sat
on horseshoe-back armchairs made of fragrant rosewood.
“Call me Baiyu,” he said.
“Then you should call me Violet,” I said. “Are you blushing?”
He wasn’t, but I felt like teasing him a bit.
Prince Baiyu touched his cheek with his hand as though to check if his
face was red. “It’s just that people don’t need to use formal language unless
it’s a formal occasion.”
“Oh? Do people generally call you ‘Baiyu,’ then?”
“No…”
“How many people call you by your name?” I asked.
“My parents and you,” he said. Now he really did blush.
“I’m honored.” I smirked at him.
“There’s no need for excessive formality when you’ve already climbed
into my bed and taken my clothes off. Our relationship is intimate enough
to call each other by name,” he said.
“Hey, stop saying it like that. What if someone heard you?” I wouldn’t
put it past the gossipy maids to be standing outside the room trying to listen
in on our conversation.
“It’s true. You even touched my birthmark,” he said, pointing to the
purple lotus mark on his forehead.
I looked away and pretended I couldn’t hear what he was saying.
“When are you going to take responsibility for what you’ve done?” he
asked me with a mischievous smile.
“I told you, that doesn’t count because I was just healing you. What
were you doing in the cave all alone when you were sick, anyway?” I said
to change the subject.
“Hmm.”
“Tell me. Don’t I deserve to know?”
“I’m sure you’ve already guessed that I suffer from qi overload,” he
said. “People from the White Tiger Clan’s ruling family are born with an
enormous amount of qi. Sometimes, it can be too much for the body to
handle.”
“I see. But that doesn’t explain why you were alone.”
He looked away from me and sighed. “It’s a delicate matter.”
“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want to.” That was fine, since it
was none of my business, anyway. “Have you used up all the potions that I
gave you? Do you need more?”
I figured that was probably why he was here.
“I still have a few left.”
“Here, let me replenish your supply.” I went to the dining table in the
next room and took out a large chest with a hundred potions in it.
“Thank you, but I hope I won’t need this many.” Despite his words,
Prince Baiyu waved his hand, and the potions flew and disappeared into his
sleeve.
“Wow, I thought you would call one of your servants to take the
potions. You must have a really large soul space.” Powerful members of the
God Beast clans and human cultivators had a mysterious “space” similar to
a System inventory that they could use to store items, but as far as I knew, it
was mostly used to store weapons and armor, and it wasn’t particularly
large. The size of the space depended on the person’s cultivation level.
“Yes, I have more than enough qi that I can use,” he said.
I went back to my seat and said, “Why do you think you won’t need this
many when you already used up most of the potions that I gave you?”
He smiled down at me. His teeth were very white, and his incisors were
quite prominent. “Did you like my presents?”
“I loved them. They were quite delicious.” Just as I thought, he had
been the one sending me the demon corpses. The whole thing reminded me
of the way that cats would bring their kills to their humans. “Thank you.”
“Every year during the spring, the clans go to the southern lands to kill
demons. That’s where I’ve been these past few weeks, but the hunting
season is over now,” he said.
“Oh, I see.”
“So I won’t be needing these potions.”
I didn’t quite follow what he was saying, and if he really thought he
wouldn’t need the potions, why did he even take them?
He seemed to notice that I was confused, so he explained, “We don’t eat
human food because there was a famine three hundred years ago, and the
clans decided to fast until it was over. That was when we found out that we
don’t need to eat human food and that eating demon beasts is beneficial to
our cultivation.”
“Wait…” Eating demon beasts boosted cultivation? I gave him a
horrified look. “Are you saying that you’ve been eating demon beasts all
this time? Even though you suffer from qi overload? That has to be making
your condition worse!”
Prince Baiyu rubbed the space between his eyebrows. “The hunting
season is a time when everyone from the clans work together.”
“In other words, people were watching, so you had to do it?”
He leaned back in the chair and said, “My family would lose a lot of
face if I didn’t partake of the kills.”
I rolled my eyes, but I knew that in this world, heck, probably even back
on Earth, “losing face” was a serious concern for people in positions of
power. I personally wouldn’t be bothered about it, but I’m not a ruler.
“Losing face is better than dying!” I said.
“I’m thankful for your help, but I wouldn’t have died. At most, I
would’ve been in a coma for a few more days,” he said.
“Oh yes? You were totally helpless and unconscious in that cave.
Anyone could have gotten in and done anything to you!”
“No, I wasn’t unconscious. I may have been unable to move my body,
but I could still use my aura. I had an extremely strong shield over the
entrance of the cave.” Prince Baiyu gave me a sidelong look. “How were
you able to get in, anyway?”
“There was no shield. I walked in with no problem,” I said. “I’m pretty
sure I would’ve noticed if you’d done something to the place.”
“Normally, people wouldn’t be able to touch me without my permission,
either,” said Prince Baiyu.
I chuckled. “I was definitely able to touch you, though. Are you saying
you gave me permission for that?”
“No, I’m saying you ignored all my defenses. How did you do that?” he
said.
“Are you serious? Do you think I’m some sort of super-powerful witch
or something?” I smiled at the thought. “More likely, you were delirious
and thought you’d set up your defenses, when really there was nothing
there.”
He shrugged.
 “Your condition is really serious…” I said.
“It should go away when I’m older,” he said.
Now that I was face-to-face with Prince Baiyu, I seemed to remember
that there were a few joke items that were given away in Adventure
Incarnate that might help him. I made an excuse about being thirsty and got
a glass of water from the other room while I browsed through my inventory.
By the time I finished drinking, I found it.
“Would you like a glass of water, too?” I asked the prince.
“No, thank you,” he said.
I sat down on the seat beside him again and slowly put on some gloves.
“I have something for you.”
I took the item out from my inventory and placed it on the small side
table between us.

[Resilient Rubber Chicken:

This rubber chicken toy is no ordinary chicken! It’s a super fun,
interactive toy that will keep you entertained for hours on end. This
chicken has a movable head and wings and makes realistic chicken
sounds when you squeeze it. It’s also durable and easy to clean, making
it the perfect toy for both indoor and outdoor play.
Magic -1 (every three seconds)]

It was a joke magic wand weapon that players could equip for play
fighting. Instead of giving a bonus to magic, it drained magic instead.
Although magic wasn’t exactly the same as qi, I thought it was worth a try.
Prince Baiyu didn’t know what to make of it. “Is this a joke? How
would this thing help me?”
“This item might seem strange, but it is a powerful artifact. Simply
touching it will drain your qi. Probably…”
“Probably?”
He gave me a dubious look. And who could blame him? The rubber
chicken looked quite cheap and nothing like you would expect from an
artifact.
Come to think of it, did they even use rubber in this world? I hadn’t
seen anything made of rubber since I had transmigrated here.
“It’s fine, just put your hand on it,” I urged him.
 He sighed a few times and looked really reluctant, but he touched it
with one hand in the end.
“How do you feel?” I asked.
“I feel silly,” he said. Prince Baiyu gave the dopey-looking toy a
disgusted look.
“Lift it and shake it a bit,” I said.
I howled with laughter when Prince Baiyu started at the rubber
chicken’s bwak, bwak, bwaaak sound effect. He shook it again, fascinated
by the way the rubber chicken’s googly eyes moved.
“Just give it a little time, and you might start feeling better. This item
drains qi.” Probably. I didn’t say the last thought out loud.
“If it takes time to work, then it’s not as useful as your potions,” he said.
“Not at all. This item can be compressed.” I took the rubber chicken
from him and squeezed it down until it was the size of my palm. “Look, you
could place this in a pocket and touch it if you start feeling that you’re
going to suffer a qi overload.”
I gave him the item back, and it fit neatly into his fist. We waited a few
more minutes until Prince Baiyu frowned and said, “I think it’s working. I
feel refreshed, as though my body is lighter.”
“Great! I think it probably works, but you should really consult one of
your own doctors,” I said.
He made a noncommittal sound. If he was hiding his condition from
other people, then that was probably why he went to me instead of a doctor.
“Um, don’t hold it for a long time. It might drain your qi completely.”
Since qi was said to be a person’s life force, draining it would normally be a
terrible thing. “Let it go the moment that you feel weakened.”
“I will.”
“You can use gloves like I do if you need to touch it but don’t want to
trigger its effect,” I said.
“This is incredible. The item looks strange, but it’s powerful,” he said.
“I can’t possibly accept it without giving you something in return. Is there
anything you need?”
I thought about it for a bit. Truthfully, I already had everything, but I
might need his help in the future since the world was large, and there were
probably many dangers in it. Just because I was far from the conflict right at
this moment didn’t mean that my life would be forever peaceful.
 “Can I ask you for a favor some other time if there’s something I need?”
I asked him.
“Certainly.”
Great! Now I had another royal favor in the bank.
Prince Baiyu seemed a lot more lively after the rubber chicken did its
work. Once he declared he felt that it had done all it could, we went for a
quick tour around the farm. There wasn’t much to see, but like everyone
else, he seemed fascinated by the milling machine.
Before he left, he said that we would meet again soon, but I figured
those were just words. His condition wasn’t so urgent now that the spring
hunting season was over, and I’d given him both potions and an item that
helped with his qi overload. Hence, he obviously wouldn’t need to see me
again.
…But I was wrong yet again.
The next day, I was drawing water from the well to water my plants
when I saw a tall, handsome, wealthy prince approaching. He wasn’t
walking toward me like a normal person would. Instead, he was flying over
the trees and slowly descended until he was right in front of me.
“Good morning,” he said.
“Good morning,” I said.
I was feeling quite grumpy because I was wearing my old work clothes
that were somewhat tattered at the ends, while he was a sight for sore eyes
with his long, fluffy white hair and classically beautiful facial features.
Once again, he was wearing yet another gorgeous ensemble made of
intricately embroidered silk.
“Can I help you with that?” he said as I filled my watering can from the
bucket filled with well water.
“No, thank you. Sorry, can you wait a bit? This will only take a few
minutes,” I said.
Prince Baiyu watched as I held my watering can over the plants at the
end of a row. Whereas normal farmers would water the plants one by one,
the System allowed me to water half of a row. I tilted the watering can, and
a glittering liquid flew out from the spout to cover a large area. I repeated
this action until the entire field was watered.
“Okay, I’m all done,” I said.
The prince crouched down to look more closely at the potato plants.
“Interesting.” That was all he said.
 “Welcome to my humble farm. How can I help you today? Has your
condition stabilized?”
“I feel fine. I just came to check if you need help with anything.”
Though it wasn’t his fault that he looked absolutely amazing while I
was sweating and disheveled from working on the farm, I still felt a little
piqued. Therefore, when a mischievous thought crossed my mind, I acted
on it immediately.
“Well, if you’re really willing to help, why don’t you use this?” I took
the broom that I had borrowed from the maids out of my inventory and
handed it to him. “You can sweep the leaves from the path around the
house.”
I pointed to the walkway I had paved with stone tiles.
“It would be my pleasure.” To my surprise, he seemed willing to do it.
He took the broom from my hand and started walking toward the path, then
without further ado, he started sweeping.
Um, what? I might be a newcomer to this world, but even I knew that
princes didn’t go around working as a sweeper for farmers.
“You can put the leaves inside this,” I said as I handed him two empty
rice sacks from my inventory.
“Thank you,” he said.
He put the sacks down near his feet, then started untying his belt.
What on earth was he doing?

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 Chapter 20

I watched in disbelief as P rince B aiyu took off his robe and put it
in his soul space, leaving him naked from the waist up. Today, his hair was
up in a high ponytail, so I had a good view of his elegant neck, wide
shoulders, muscled arms, powerful pecs, and sexy abs.
He smirked at my reaction and said, “I don’t want to soil my robe.”
That made sense because his robe was extremely expensive-looking. I
thought that this world was a lot more conservative than Earth, but I
must’ve been wrong since he nonchalantly started working as though it was
perfectly normal.
I went back to the plants and started weeding while watching Prince
Baiyu.
“Even his back is sexy,” I muttered to myself as I watched the interplay
of muscles on his upper body.
He was definitely aware that I was watching him because he frequently
looked over his shoulder as though to check if I was still there looking at
him. The expression on his face was quite smug.
I lingered over my tasks until he finished clearing the path.
“I’m finished,” said Prince Baiyu. He handed the broom back, along
with two sacks that were full of fallen leaves.
“Thank you,” I said.
I put the sacks in my inventory and stood there like an idiot for several
minutes, just staring at him while holding the broom.
He coughed and said, “Aren’t you going to invite me in?”
 “In?” My brain seemed to have short-circuited. I couldn’t stop staring at
him.
“Inside the house?”
“You want me to show you inside the house while you’re half naked?” I
tore my eyes away from his body and looked up into his eyes. “You’ll give
my staff a heart attack.”
“You want me to put my robe back on? Are you sure you don’t want me
to take off my pants instead?” He smirked at me.
“What, here outside?”
“Then you want me to go inside and take my pants off?” He was
laughing at me now.
I covered my face with my hands. “Please put your clothes back on.”
When I had first seen him, I had thought that he was the cold and aloof
type, but he was really a naughty, devilish rogue.
Shaking my head, I waited until he was decently clothed before
showing him into the house.
“By the way, I’ve been meaning to ask you why your house is decorated
with dragons,” he said, frowning at my gate.
“I like it that way,” I said.
“People in the Westerlands normally use tigers as a motif, or one of the
other clan gods like the fox, wolf, bear, or lion,” he said.
“I like dragons,” I said.
“Why?”
“Why not?”
“…”
“Don’t take it personally. It’s just that I have had a lot of dreams about
dragons,” I said.
“I wish you would dream about a white tiger instead, specifically me,”
he said.
Oh, what a flirtatious man he was!
“No, I haven’t dreamed about you,” I said.
“But you’ve dreamed about a dragon?”
“Yes, it was quite funny.”
“Why don’t you tell me about it?”
The dream was quite vivid, and I had a good time describing it to him.
In the first dream, I found myself in a lush, tropical forest where I wandered
for a long time without finding anything to eat. Just as I was about to
collapse from hunger, I saw an enormous egg rolling down a hill.
“It was this big!” I used my arms to indicate an egg half my size. “I was
like, ‘Hooray! food!’ and rolled the egg into a nearby hot spring to cook.
Have you ever eaten onsen tamago?”
I accidentally used the Earth word for it.
“What is that?” asked Prince Baiyu.
“It’s an egg cooked in a hot spring. Anyway, just as I was looking
forward to my meal, the egg started glowing red and vibrating. Can you
guess what happened next?”
“It hatched?”
“That’s right! A baby dragon hatched out of the egg, and I was
extremely disappointed that I still had nothing to eat. It was very cute,
though, and it came waddling up to me and cooing over me like I was its
mother.”
“That doesn’t sound like a pleasant dream at all.” Prince Baiyu made a
sound of disgust.
We walked inside the house after I opened the gate as I continued the
story. “I guess the baby dragon imprinted on me because it kept following
me wherever I went. I thought I was going to starve to death, but various
animals and birds brought me nuts and berries to eat.”
“You poor thing. You should stop dreaming about a dragon and start
dreaming about me. I’m sure that will be a lot more pleasant.”
“The baby dragon in my dreams is cute! Those dreams are really
nice…”
Prince Baiyu made a rather inelegant snorting sound.
We had reached the outer courtyard, so I stopped talking because
Fengying was there. She hurriedly went to greet the prince, bowing low
from the waist. The next few minutes were spent on the necessary
courtesies.
“I’m sorry. There’s not much I can do to entertain you. I am but a
humble farmer,” I said as I showed the prince to the reception room. He
didn’t eat human food, which meant that I couldn’t even offer him tea and
snacks.
“You’re far too modest,” he said. “And you don’t need to entertain me.
If you like, I can play the qin for you.”
 “You play the qin?” The qin was a seven-stringed zither. I had watched
YouTube videos of people playing it, and it seemed a rather old-fashioned
hobby, but this place was rather similar to ancient China back on Earth.
Perhaps the White Tiger Clan warriors were expected to be adept in the four
arts of the Chinese scholar? I wouldn’t be surprised if Prince Baiyu had
mastered the qin, calligraphy, painting, and the strategy board game weiqi,
also called Go.
If I hadn’t seen his muscles for myself, I might’ve thought that he was a
scholar rather than a warrior because of his austere-looking features.
“I have some minor talent in it,” said Prince Baiyu, by which I knew he
meant he was a genius qin player.
I asked one of the maids to get a suitable table and chair, and the prince
regaled us with an impromptu qin recital.
His hands moved gracefully over the zither’s seven strings, and the
sounds that came from the instrument were sublime. Every movement he
made was so fluid that he looked like an angel with his long white hair and
beautiful face. The music was so peaceful and calming that I felt like I was
in a trance, completely mesmerized by his playing. When he finished
playing, the maids, assistants, Fengying, and I clapped loudly.
“An excellent performance,” I said.
“You’re too kind,” he said as he put away his instrument.
By the time he finished playing, it was lunchtime. Seeing as it would’ve
been awkward for me to eat while he didn’t, Prince Baiyu tactfully said his
goodbyes while promising to come back tomorrow.
Didn’t he have anything better to do? If he kept on like this, I might
start thinking that he had fallen madly in love with me.

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 Chapter 21

P rince B aiyu had definitely fallen madly in love or at least had a

small crush on me.
Every day, he came to see me and offered to sweep the path for me. He
always took off his top and enjoyed it when I drooled over him.
Fengying and the maids started teasing me mercilessly about it. Shuye,
on the other hand, was worried because I made the mistake of jokingly
complaining about having a half-naked Prince Baiyu hanging around my
farm.
“If you don’t want him around, all you have to do is tell me,” said
Shuye.
“Are you saying you can make him go away?” I said.
“Of course. The biggest taboo among the clans is to harm a human. You
know the story?” he asked.
“That the Southerlands were destroyed hundreds of years ago because
the ruling family killed a human, right? I heard that a huge lightning bolt
destroyed the royal palace,” I said.
“Yes, and a horde of demons invaded.”
“I always wondered why the other clans haven’t cleared the
Southerlands of demons.”
“Have you heard of the concept of ‘territory’ among the clans? It’s
uncomfortable for us to travel to someone else’s territory, so we only go to
the Southerlands when we have to, and only for a short time,” he said.
“That’s where Prince Baiyu was these past few weeks. We send a large
hunting party to the border to thin the herd of demons and prevent them
from crossing over to our lands.”
“But since you can’t go to the Southerlands, does that mean demons can
still invade?”
“That’s why many of our warriors are at the border,” he said.
“But not Prince Baiyu? What about you?”
Shuye smiled. “Do I look like a warrior to you?”
I raised a hand to my mouth to hide my smile. In fact, Shuye was a
large, scary, bearlike person, but he had a gentle soul.
“Do the demons ever come this far?” I asked.
“You don’t have to worry about it.”
“I’m not exactly worried. Even if they did, the clan would evacuate us
using flying vehicles, right?”
“Of course.” Shuye grinned down at me. “But demons can fly. Did you
know that?”
“I think I’ll add some more defenses around the farm.”
“I was just joking. Flying demons are actually rare, and you’re in no
danger here.”
“Good! I want a relaxing life on the farm.”
As we continued to chat about this and that, I took the opportunity to
ask him about Prince Baiyu’s reputation in the clan.
“He’s young, so people don’t know what to make of him yet, but the
fact that his conformation is perfect is a source of pride for the Lady of the
West,” said Shuye.
“Conformation?” I vaguely knew that the word meant the shape or
structure of an animal, because my mother used to watch dog shows, but I
had never heard it applied to people.
Shuye shrugged. “Our mythology states that the gods chose their
consorts based on whichever humans had the most perfect form, and since
then, our standards of beauty have been based on our beast forms. Perfect
conformation means a person has inherited a greater share of divine power
than most.”
“But…aren’t people born with their shapes? I mean, people can
cultivate or eat demon beasts for more power, but there’s no way to change
your body structure,” I said. The implications were rather dystopian, in my
opinion. If conformation, AKA physical beauty, was really that important,
then it meant that a person’s role was fixed at birth since they didn’t have
plastic surgery in this world.
“Conformation only matters if you’re part of the ruling family. The rest
of us don’t care, but their power is based on the concept that our gods
picked them to lead us, so each offspring is inspected at birth to check if
they are fit to rule,” said Shuye.
Ah, I got it now. This must be the reason that Prince Baiyu was in that
cave alone. He must’ve been hiding his condition from everyone else. “I’m
almost afraid to ask, but what happens to flawed babies?”
Shuye scratched his head and avoided meeting my eyes. “Nothing, they
just aren’t chosen as a potential heir.”
At least they weren’t killed or anything like that, though it sounded to
me like the parents would lose a lot of face, and the child would be
discriminated against.
This topic was making both of us uncomfortable, so we moved on to
farming. Shuye gave me next week’s weather forecast, and I showed him
the potato plants. The bees had done their work, and small fruits were
growing nicely. In a few days, I would be able to gather seeds, and a few
days after that, I would be able to harvest the potatoes themselves.
“I’d like to hire the apprentices the day after the harvest,” I said.
“I’ll bring a flying cart to carry the harvest to market,” said Shuye.
We went over some details and parted right before lunchtime. Shuye
always left before mealtimes since it was always awkward when he had to
turn down my invitation to join me. These days, he dropped by more often
but spent less time talking. Mostly, he would just check the plants and ask
me if I needed anything before leaving to patrol his territory.

When I played Adventure Incarnate, apprentices were something that

players used after they got bored by the daily routine. One could hire three
apprentices to take care of whichever monotonous tasks they didn’t want to
do anymore. Of course, this meant that the players wouldn’t be getting the
experience that they would have gotten if they had worked on the farm
themselves.
 In my case, I thought it would be best to hire more people to expand the
farm. This was the real world, not a video game, and the tasks that would
only take a few clicks on a computer mouse took hours in the real world.
One of the things that I was worried about was whether apprentices
could use the items I had.
I mean, I had already tested it with Shuye, who was unable to even
touch the items that were bound for my use. However, apprentices might be
considered “me” by the System, since apprentices could use the players’
farm machines that other players were not allowed to use.
For example, when I tried to ask one of the maids to press the
[Start/Stop] button on the side of the milling machine, she was unable to do
it, yet using farm machines was one of the most common tasks that were
entrusted to apprentices.
Therefore, it stood to reason that apprentices should be able to use my
things. In case they couldn’t, it would be good for me to prepare items for
them.
Now that the potato plants had fruited, it was time to harvest the
inedible fruits and extract the seeds.
This close to harvest time, the potato plants had grown waist high, with
dark green leaves and thick brown stalks. The faint silver glow around them
was stronger now. The fruit looked like small green cherry tomatoes. They
looked really nice, and I was tempted to eat them, but Deming cautioned
everyone that they were poisonous.
After I had finished watering and weeding the plants, I harvested the
fruits, carefully twisting the potato plant stems until the small, green fruits
that contained the seeds fell into my waiting hand. I carried the harvest over
to the nearby table, where I set them down and pried them open gently.
Inside the fruits were small, black seeds I would set aside for my
apprentices. I took a small spoon and extracted the seeds from the fruits,
being careful not to damage them. By the time I was finished, I had
hundreds of them, which should be enough for three apprentices to use for a
few seasons in case they couldn’t use the seeds I had in my inventory.

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 Chapter 22

H arvest day ! A lso known as happy day !

Today was the day that everything that I had done in the past three
months became worth it.
Tilling, planting, watering, and weeding all gave experience, but only
small amounts. Harvesting was the only real way to level up farming
because it gave much more experience compared to the other skills.
Fengying, Deming, and the other staff clapped as I walked to the potato
plants.
“You guys, stop mocking me. You’re not expecting fireworks, are you?
I’m just gonna pull up these plants,” I said.
They were going to be badly disappointed because farming skills were
never flashy.
I inspected the crop one last time and confirmed that it was ready.
A few days after the potato plants fruited, the foliage withered, with the
leaves turning yellow and the stalks drooping. That meant that the tubers
should be big enough to harvest now.
I put on my gardening gloves and walked to the end of a row. I started
by loosening the soil around the potato plants with my spading fork. Then I
carefully dug under the plants with a spade to lift the [Potatoes] out of the
ground. The [Potatoes] went into a waiting wheelbarrow while the plants
went into my inventory. I could use the leaves, roots, and stalks to make
compost or animal feed later.
The freshly harvested [Potatoes] were the size of my fist and a beautiful
golden-brown color. They smelled earthly and fresh. I had been wondering
if the tubers would also glow, but I saw nothing of the sort. Maybe they
were just ordinary potatoes?
I brushed off the dirt from one and used a pocketknife to cut into it. The
flesh inside was white and firm. Deming approached, and I handed it to
him. He scratched the skin, sniffed it, and licked the inside. We all waited
for his judgment with bated breath.
Finally, he put the potato down and said, “Alabaster Spirit Potato, low
grade.”
Everyone except for me cheered. I didn’t think an ordinary crop was
worth celebrating. Of course, I already knew that these were low grade
because I was still a newbie, and players could only harvest mid-grade
crops after at least five growing seasons.
Deming didn’t explain what an [Alabaster Spirit Potato] was, but
everyone seemed satisfied, so I said a few words of appreciation to the
Demon Chef and continued harvesting [Potatoes] until I had filled one
wheelbarrow. The staff then took the harvest inside to wash off the dirt and
pack it into sacks after it had dried. Shuye would be arriving at noon the
next day to bring them to market.
Harvesting was hard work, but it was worth it because I got a ton of
experience. Regarding the patch of crops that I had forgotten to use
fertilizer on, I didn’t see much of a difference since all of my produce was
low grade. There were slightly fewer [Potatoes] harvested, but not by much.
I was able to fill four more wheelbarrows with [Potatoes], and at the end of
it, I had leveled up quite a bit.

[Player Name: Violet

Farming Skills:
Farming Level 12, Fishing Level 8, Woodcutting Level 12, Cooking
Level 1, Herblaw 3, Foraging 3, Hunting: 1, Mining: 1]

I had leveled up so much in such a short amount of time that I felt a

little giddy. Since I had been doing a lot of Woodcutting to clear more land
for planting, I had a lot of experience in that skill. Fishing was still a fun
hobby for me, but I hadn’t been Fishing as much lately, so that was lagging
behind a little.
When the field was empty, I wiped the sweat off my brow with a clean
handkerchief and drank some water. Then I used the System’s special cover
crop seed packet.

[Wild Seed Mix:

A mixture of seeds, mainly wildflowers, grasses, and legumes, that are
used as cover crops. These plants protect the soil from erosion, improve
soil structure, and add nutrients to it. The flowers also attract
pollinators, and the grass is good for pasturing animals.]

Normally, one couldn’t plant during the harvest season, but cover crops
were an exception. They didn’t give any farming experience and were a
hands-off type of farming. I didn’t even need to water them. All I had to do
was to sow the seeds and allow them to grow on their own for a few
seasons to protect and nourish the soil. The flowers would also serve as
food for my bees.
I ripped the [Wild Seed Mix] packet open and poured the contents into
my hand. Then I simply flung the seeds out into the field. The seeds shot
out from my hand and embedded themselves in the soil. I did that a few
more times until the entire empty field was planted with wild seeds.
When I was finished, Fengying came to me and said, “Deming is asking
how much we can keep for ourselves?”
“Ah, er, I actually promised Shuye the entire harvest,” I said.
Fengying cleared her throat and said, “It’s customary for farmers to
keep some of their harvests for their personal use.”
That sounded plausible, but it was a fact that I had already made an
agreement with Shuye, so I was forced to disappoint Deming and Fengying.
I hoped this wouldn’t come back to bite me later on.
The thought of an unhappy Demon Chef was absolutely terrifying to
me.
I was able to escape from the uncomfortable conversation by pleading
fatigue and retreating to my rooms for a good rest before going to the hot
spring facility at the back of the house for a nice soak and some privacy.
After I finished bathing, I took care of Mr. Bear first before going back to
the main house.
The reward for reaching the level ten farming milestone was a puppet
upgrade that increased the puppet’s overall abilities.
“Here you go, Mr. Bear,” I said as I took the ruby heart from the
System’s rewards tab and stuck it on the plushie’s chest. “Now you’re
stronger!”

[Puppet Name: Mr. Bear

A magical plushie unlike any other. This cute and cuddly bear is made
of a special type of plush cloth and magical stuffing that gives it special
powers. When its owner is in danger, this bear will come to life.
Though Mr. Bear is a wizard type, this puppet is also equipped with
hidden metal claws and teeth.
Type: Magic
Base spell: Fireball
Upgrades: 1/99]

Though the upgrade undoubtedly made my puppet stronger, I wasn’t

sure how to compare it to this world’s existing dangers.
Was Mr. Bear strong enough to deal with a demon chicken, for
example? How about a demon pig? I wasn’t expecting to find dragons or
anything like that, but I should at least be able to fight off the wildlife with
my puppet.
That shouldn’t be too much to ask, right? I pondered these things as I
dried and combed my hair. I was in the hot spring’s waiting room that now
doubled as a salon since I had placed some Cash Shop items here for
beautifying one’s hair and skin. There was even a funny dome-shaped thing
that went over my head and changed my hairstyle for me whenever I
wanted, which was great, because otherwise I would have to spend maybe
an hour or more having my hair styled by a maid. Apparently, going outside
my room with wet, unstyled hair was considered a social faux pas.
To my surprise, I was met by Fengying’s beaming face when I exited
the onsen.
“Shuye is here, and he agreed we should keep some potatoes for
ourselves,” she said.
“Okay, if you say so,” I said. I hoped she hadn’t twisted his arm or
something. The three sacks of rice that I produced daily were enough to
keep me solvent, so I wasn’t worried about money anymore.
“Deming knows quite a few good potato dishes,” she said. “I’m sure
you’ll like them.”
It seemed to me that it wasn’t worth arguing about the potatoes
anymore. If she and the Demon Chef were happy, then so was I.
 “Happy chef, happy eating,” was an excellent motto to live by.

The System calendar showed the harvest time lasted for two weeks. That
was barely enough time for high-level farmers to harvest all their fields, but
it was overkill for a newbie farmer like me. Since I now had some free time,
I decided it was best if I could go to the nearest city on the flying cart that
Shuye was going to use to bring the harvest to market.
But when Shuye arrived with the flying vehicle the next day, it turned
out that I wouldn’t be using it.

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 Chapter 23

“Y ou want to carry me ,” I said .

“Yes,” said Prince Baiyu.
Today he looked even more splendid than usual. The sleeves of his robe
were longer and wider than normal, and the hem went down to the ground.
His clothes were made of deep blue silk adorned with intricate white-and-
gold embroidery depicting the Four Gods. In addition, he was wearing a
small white jade crown held in place over his topknot by a hairpin.
Ornaments made of jade and silk tassels hung from his belt.
I felt really underdressed for the situation since I was wearing a simple
white [Scholar’s Robe] from the Cash Shop.
“In your arms,” I clarified. “While you’re flying high above the
treetops.”
“It would be more comfortable than the cart,” said Prince Baiyu.
The two of us glanced at the oxcart that Shuye was going to drive. The
Farm Guide’s colossal form and the sacks of [Potatoes] filled most of the
space, which meant that it would be a tight squeeze for me.
“Go on, the prince is right,” said Shuye, who was standing near the
oxen. He was also dressed quite nicely in a set of brown silk robes and
pants painted with a leaf pattern.
Prince Baiyu moved a little closer and bent down to whisper in my ear.
“If you like, I can take my robe off for you.”
What the heck?! He wasn’t aiming to join this world’s version of the
Mile High Club, was he?
I ran to hide behind Shuye’s bulky form. “No!”
 The prince smirked at me and folded his arms across his chest. “You
know you want to.”
He kept on teasing me like that for a few more minutes while Shuye
shook his head and pretended not to listen. I eventually gave in because I
was curious to know what flying in the air with a prince would be like.
Shuye’s flying cart was slower than Prince Baiyu, so we would arrive in
the city earlier. We agreed I should go straight to the orphanage and finish
my business there without waiting for Shuye. He said he knew what to do
and didn’t need me to supervise. That was good enough for me since I knew
nothing about selling [Potatoes].
My face turned red when Prince Baiyu scooped me up in his arms. He
slowly ascended in the air until we were above the forest’s canopy. This
took around ten minutes, and the gradual rise in elevation wasn’t scary at
all. Prince Baiyu felt quite solid, and I clung to his neck as we flew north in
the direction of Anwei City, the largest human city in the Westerlands and
the center of commerce.
“Are you comfortable?” asked Prince Baiyu.
“Yes,” I said. His body was quite warm, and we were traveling slowly.
Below us was the forest, while above us was the blue sky dotted with fluffy
white clouds. I had expected to be a little scared of flying, but I felt fine. I
was even enjoying myself.
“Then I’ll increase our speed. Let me know if it becomes uncomfortable
for you,” said Prince Baiyu.
Logically speaking, the faster we flew, the more uncomfortable the
wind should be, but I only felt a gentle breeze as he increased his speed.
“How come the wind isn’t getting stronger?”
“I’m using my aura to protect us, of course,” he said. “You wouldn’t be
able to bear it otherwise.”
“Oh.” It was quite comfortable, so I relaxed and enjoyed the view. After
about an hour, the forest gave way to cultivated fields and tiny villages. We
were so high that the people below us looked like ants.
A few hours later, Prince Baiyu gradually slowed down and descended.
Flying up in Prince Baiyu’s arms wasn’t that scary, but flying down was.
My brain knew that we were going for a safe landing, but my body thought
that I was falling. I involuntarily closed my eyes and buried my head in his
chest.
“Are you uncomfortable?” asked Prince Baiyu.
 “A little slower, please,” I said.
The prince obligingly slowed down until we were descending at a
snail’s pace, and I could hardly feel that we were moving. My stomach
settled down, and I heaved a sigh of relief when we finally landed.
“Let’s take a moment to prepare ourselves,” he said.
We were in an empty field, and it was only then that I realized that there
were people flying behind us. Three men and two women came down
around ten feet away from us.
“Are they your staff?” I asked Prince Baiyu since they seemed to be
looking at him for instructions.
“Yes, I never go out without a few attendants,” he said. He made some
sort of signal with a hand, and one of them flew off. “Let’s give him a bit of
time to report our visit to the city lord.”
“Um, I won’t have to meet him, right?” I said. Was Prince Baiyu all
dressed up because he was going to meet with a noble?
“It’s fine. We’ll go in and finish your business, then leave. Informing the
city lord is just a courtesy,” he said. “Pardon me, my lady, I have to arm
myself.”
Prince Baiyu took out a sword from his soul space and belted it on his
waist.
Since we were getting ready, I took the opportunity to fetch a comb
from my inventory. The wind hadn’t been particularly strong, but my hair
could be neater.
Once we both finished getting ready, Prince Baiyu took me in his arms
again, and we flew onward until we arrived at Anwei, the capital of the
Westerlands.
Fengying had told me what to expect.
The city was surrounded by a high wall made of white stone etched with
protective runes. There were four enormous gates at each cardinal point that
were reserved for certain functions. The south and east gates were open to
the public, and that was what most people used. The north gate was for the
human nobles, while the west gate was for the members of the God Beast
clans.
I didn’t know why I was surprised. I should’ve already realized that I
was living in a feudal society and that, from now on, I would have to get
used to the caste system here. The God Beast clans, of course, were the
ultimate rulers of the Westerlands, but Anwei was a human city, so it had
human rulers, too.
As for me, I was but a mere peasant.
Prince Baiyu landed at the west gate and was greeted by the guard
captain who waved us in with no fuss. An ornate gold-and-black carriage
was waiting for us, and it seemed that the driver already knew where to go,
since the carriage had started off without the prince giving him instructions.
Prince Baiyu’s attendants traveled behind us in an identical carriage.
As we traveled through the city streets, I saw that the main streets were
paved with hewn stones and that they were wide enough to accommodate
four carts side-by-side with two orderly lines going in each direction. It
looked like commoners used the inner lanes while the outer lanes were
reserved for nobles because all the vehicles in our lane looked very
expensive.
The city smelled of horse manure and wood smoke, and the air was full
of sounds: the rattling of the cart wheels, the neighing of the horses, the
mooing of the oxen, and above it all, the sounds of people talking and
shouting.
The place was bustling, especially the main streets, which were full of
humans jostling around the sidewalks while going about their daily
business. The buildings on the sides of the central thoroughfare were made
of stone and packed close together. However, when I peered into the smaller
side streets, I could see that most of the buildings were made of wood.
The architecture was mostly the same and what I expected an ancient
Chinese city to look like. There were the usual gabled roofs made of glazed
tiles with the corners curved outward and upward and pillars painted a
bright vermilion.
The typical store architecture in Anwei reminded me of the colorful
shophouses in Singapore. They were long and narrow terraced two-story
buildings that opened out onto the street at the ground floor. The front part
was the shop where business was conducted, while the rear house served as
the shop owner’s dwelling. Though I couldn’t see very far inside of the
shops, I guessed that they probably had a courtyard in the middle to
separate the shop from the house, since courtyards were considered
essential to daily life here.
One big difference between the streets here and in Singapore was that
Anwei’s thoroughfares were not too clean. I saw a few street sweepers
trying to tidy up the public spaces, but there was dirt and litter almost
everywhere.
All of the people around me were dressed in colorful robes. Just as I had
been told, fashion was extremely important to the city folk, so almost all the
prosperous-looking people were dressed in robes that were similarly cut. It
seems that this year, sleeves were extremely wide, almost two feet at the
wrist, and extended past the fingertips.
Fengying had told me that the city was divided into two parts: the
northern part, which was home to the human nobility, and the southern part,
which was home to the poor and working-class humans. The clans had their
own small district.
The northern part was full of grand homes and palaces where the
wealthy lived and worked, while the southern part was where most of the
ordinary business of the city was done.
The noises, the smells, and the sights combined made me feel uneasy.
Deep in the forest where I lived, it was easy enough to live a simple and
quiet life without worrying about my transmigration, but now everything
looked different, and I was faced with the undeniable fact that I was in a
completely different world from Earth.
I unhooked Mr. Bear from my belt and made him big enough for me to
hug. “Mr. Bear, I think we’re not in Kansas anymore.”
Prince Baiyu must have noticed my unease. “What do you think of the
city?”
“I’m just a little uncomfortable because I’m not used to being around so
many people. I don’t know what to say because it’s the first big city in the
Westerlands that I’ve seen,” I said. “Is the orphanage far from here?”
“It would be faster if I flew you there. Would you like to⁠—”
“Absolutely not!” I cut him off immediately. There was no way I was
going to go flying with him inside the city. I could just imagine everyone
looking up at us and pointing at the two weirdos.
“I fly here all the time,” he said.
Did he? I didn’t see anyone else flying inside the city, but I guessed the
prince was an exception to the rules.
“We’re not in a rush, so let’s take our time,” I said.
“Very well, but please stop putting your head outside of the window. If
there’s any place that catches your fancy, we can stop to look at it,” he said.
 “No, I’d rather finish my business and go back home early. Deming is
making ‘Wind, Snow, and Cloud Soup’ for dinner,” I said.
The dish was made of demon chicken with tender bamboo shoots and
snow fungus. I’d never had it before, and it sounded delicious.
It took around an hour before we arrived at a small, nondescript
building. Inside, we were quickly ushered behind a screen where we could
look over a large hall where dozens of young people, from toddlers to
teenagers, were waiting for us. There was a yearly employment fair where
people could hire orphans, but the prince had been able to make a special
arrangement for me.
A middle-aged lady in severe black robes introduced herself to us as the
matron.
“You may choose your apprentices here,” she said.
The System helpfully offered me insight into all of the available
orphans. When I focused on anyone of them, I saw a list of their three most
important characteristics, which included positive qualities like kind,
generous, helpful, loyal, diligent, creative, outgoing, and so forth, as well as
negative qualities such as arrogant, lazy, jealous, rude, dishonest,
manipulative, bossy, etc.
Most of those qualities could be ignored, but there was one that I
absolutely insisted on.

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[L oyal ].
That was the one quality my apprentice absolutely had to have. I didn’t
care if he or she was lazy, rude, arrogant, bossy, and so forth. As long as
they were [Loyal], I could tolerate most other faults, except for dishonesty.
I spent a few minutes confirming which of the orphans had the [Loyal]
attribute. There were five, but only three of them looked old enough since I
wasn’t about to adopt a toddler. I told the matron which ones I wanted, and
one of Prince Baiyu’s attendants said that she would take care of it. Shuye
would take the three chosen ones with him on his cart when he traveled to
the farm the next day after selling the potatoes. I didn’t want to go out from
behind the screen to choose, since I felt slightly guilty at not being able to
help all the children. I did leave a generous donation, of course.
“I’m so glad we finished early,” I said to Prince Baiyu as we walked out
of the orphanage.
He helped me into the carriage, and we spent the ride back to the west
gate in a more relaxed mood. He pointed out some of the city’s landmarks
to me, and I tried to seem interested while inwardly vowing to avoid
returning unless I had urgent business in the city.
Once we had exited Anwei, Prince Baiyu took me in his arms again, and
we flew back. This time, I was able to see that we were indeed being
followed by his five attendants. I didn’t think he was being deceitful by
never mentioning them. I supposed that since he was a prince, he found it
natural that he always had people around him, but I was a bit spooked by
the thought that every time he had visited me, they had been there, too, just
out of sight.
It wasn’t that strange, was it? I mean, even back on Earth, the wealthy
and powerful often had bodyguards or even a full entourage of staff with
them wherever they went. How many times had I browsed the internet and
seen paparazzi pictures of this or that power couple who were accompanied
by nannies, personal assistants, bodyguards, and hangers-on?
Prince Baiyu had been so easygoing in this manner that I had somehow
thought of him as just another friend, but today’s incident had taught me
that F. Scott Fitzgerald was right: the rich really are different from you and
me.

That night, I had another dragon dream, and the next day, Shuye arrived
with a logbook detailing the merchants he dealt with and how much each of
them had paid for a kilo of [Potatoes].
“There was a big commotion when I arrived in the central market with
the goods,” said Shuye. He seemed extremely pleased and proud of himself,
as he should, because the total amount he showed us made Fengying’s eyes
almost pop out of their sockets.
I had asked my housekeeper to join us because I had absolutely no idea
what a good price for my harvest would be.
“Why? Are my [Potatoes] better than the other spirit farmers’ produce?”
I thought that was extremely unlikely since I was just a newbie and the
[Potatoes] were just low-grade ones.
Shuye guffawed. “You-you-you’re just too much!”
“What?” I was baffled by his reaction. Deming had evaluated the
[Potatoes] himself, and there was no way that the Demon Chef could be
wrong about food.
Fengying smiled at me benevolently and said, “Miss, you do know that
you’re the only source of spirit food, right?”
“What?” I said again.
…Come to think of it, in Adventure Incarnate, there had been thousands
of players and, therefore, thousands of spirit farmers, but this was not the
game.
 Shuye was laughing so hard that he had to wipe away tears. I patiently
waited until he had finished before saying, “Is that true? Am I the only spirit
farmer in this area?”
“Yes. I thought you knew,” said Shuye. He shook his head as though he
couldn’t believe how ignorant I was.
It wasn’t my fault that I was born in a different world and didn’t know
how things worked in this one.
“There must’ve been a bidding war,” said Fengying.
“Next time I might use an auction house instead of selling it myself,”
said Shuye. “I just thought it would be best to give the merchants a good
taste of the products first. I was able to sell the [Rice] to the White Tiger
Clan because everyone is familiar with spirit rice, but no one knew what to
make of the [Potatoes].”
“What? People don’t know about [Potatoes]?” I would’ve thought that
potatoes were pretty common in this world.
“The previous spirit farmers have always grown rice, wheat, or herbs.
The Lady will buy all the rice that you produce, but I don’t think she’s
realized yet that the potatoes are just as good,” he said.
“But the human merchants liked it?”
“They didn’t know what to make of it, either, but I set up a cauldron and
boiled some. After I sold a few people one eighth of a [Potato] for a gold
piece, the word spread, and all the big merchants came running to buy my
wares,” he said. “They’ll definitely want more in the future.”
“How clever of you! Well, I guess I am rich now?” I gave Shuye and
Fengying a questioning look.
“You’ll definitely never need to worry about money as long as you keep
on farming,” said Shuye.
“Great! And how are my new apprentices?” I said.
Shuye smiled. “The boy is a mouthy one, but the girls seem sweet.”
“Is everything ready?” I asked Fengying.
“Yes, and they’re already waiting at the meeting hall,” she said.
“Would you like to join us and witness the ceremony?” I asked Shuye.
“I’d love to,” he said.
When we arrived at the main hall, I saw the three teenagers standing at
attention in the middle of the room in front of a small table that had a tea set
on it. Deming and the other staff were standing behind them.
 I sat down on the wooden couch in pride of place at the far side of the
room, and Shuye took his seat next to me on a hardwood chair. He would be
serving as the chief witness to this ceremony.
The three orphans each took a porcelain teacup from the table and
walked forward until they were right in front of me. Then they knelt down
and offered me the cups.
“This apprentice greets master,” they chorused.
I took each cup and drank a sip from it, placing it on a side table when I
was finished. The three apprentices then bowed down until their foreheads
touched the floor.
“Rise,” I said.
They stood up and bowed yet again, this time from the waist.
Shuye and the others clapped and congratulated me on acquiring three
new apprentices.
“Thank you, thank you,” I said to them. When the applause had died
down, I continued, “I’ll just take these three outside and show them the
ropes.”
I gestured for the three teenagers to accompany me outside. The
ceremony was nice, but now it was time for me to use the System to truly
make them my apprentices.
The three of them were silent as we walked out of the house and into the
forest. I wanted some privacy before I revealed the secret of the System to
them.
The boy was of average height and was a little stout, with short,
lackluster brown hair and brown eyes. His eyes were small, and his nose
was slightly too large for his face.
As for the girls, they looked alike enough that they could be mistaken
for sisters, though I knew from the records that the matron had sent that
they were not related to each other.
They were both of average height and build. The two of them had
shoulder-length brown hair that was straight and unremarkable. Their eyes
were both brown, and their faces were fairly plain.
I guess you could say that all three of them looked like typical
Adventure Incarnate NPCs.
More importantly, their attributes were pretty good. The boy was
[Loyal], [Ambitious], and [Lazy], which was okay since [Lazy] didn’t mean
that he wouldn’t do a lot of work. It just meant that he would do less work
than the average apprentice.
The two girls were both [Loyal], but one of them was [Diligent] and
[Shy] while the other one was [Helpful] and [Bossy].
“What are your names?” I already knew, of course, but it was traditional
for people to receive new courtesy names when they went under a mentor’s
tutelage.
“Please give us new names,” they chorused.
I had thought long and hard about what names I would give my precious
apprentices and I had come up with the perfect ones: Larry, Curly, and
Moe!
One of my favorite Chinese idioms literally translates to, “Three
mediocre talents are enough to overcome Zhu Ge Liang,” meaning even
ordinary people could equal a genius if they worked together. The “three
mediocre talents” in this idiom could also translate to “The Three Stooges.”
I'd thought long and hard about the names I would give my precious
apprentices, and I kept coming back to this idiom, so of course I settled on
three perfect names: Lari, Kharli, and Mo!
Though they wouldn’t know what their names referred to, it was enough
that I knew that these names encapsulated my expectation that these three
ordinary orphans will one day equal a king.
“Very well,” I said solemnly. “From now on you will be called Lari,
Kharli, and Mo. You’ve been told that I have a bloodline inheritance?”
All three of them nodded.
I said, “I have a way of letting you share in my skills. Now I will grant
you a portion of my inheritance.”
I walked in front of the boy, and a screen popped up in front of me when
I chose the [Apprentices] tab.

[Do you want to make this orphan your apprentice?]

I mentally chose the [Yes] button.

The results were dramatic. The boy jumped back and lost his balance,
falling on his ass.
“The, the, that—” He tried to say something, but most of it was
incoherent.
 “Don’t panic. Focus on the screen in front of you and think of choosing
the ‘Accept’ option,” I said.
After a few seconds, the boy’s expression changed to a look of wonder.
“I did it. I can see something in front of me⁠—”
“That’s good, but don’t do anything. I’ll finish with the others first.” I
moved to the older girl and did the same thing. She was able to accept the
System’s offer with no problems, but when it came to the second girl, I hit a
snag.
When I tried to make her my apprentice, she fell down on her knees and
started crying.

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 Chapter 25

“W hat ’ s wrong ?” I asked her , but all she did was cry . T he poor
girl was hysterical.
“Teacher, she can’t read…” said the older girl. She and the boy looked
extremely worried.
“That’s all?” I was relieved. “It’s not a problem. Calm yourself and
simply think ‘text to speech’ and the System will read the options out loud
to you.”
It took several minutes for the girl to stop crying and compose herself
enough to understand the System message and accept my offer to make her
my apprentice.
“There’s no need to panic. All three of you are to become spirit farmers,
not scholars, so it doesn’t matter if you can read or not,” I said. “Now you
should be able to see that you have a magical resource that you can call
upon when you need to. I call this the ‘System.’ Tell me what the System is
showing you.”
I could see their stats, but I wanted to know what they could access. I
started with the older girl, who beamed from ear to ear as she reported what
she could see on the System screen.

[Apprentice Name: Kharli

Farming Skills:
Farming Level 1, Fishing Level 1, Woodcutting Level 1, Cooking Level
1, Herblaw Level 1, Foraging Level 1, Hunting Level 1]
 To my surprise, the Crafting skill tab was also visible to her.
Apprentices could only do farming tasks on Adventure Incarnate, so this
was unexpected.
The boy’s stats were the same.

[Apprentice Name: Lari

Farming Skills:
Farming Level 1, Fishing Level 1, Woodcutting Level 1, Cooking Level
1, Herblaw Level 1, Foraging Level 1, Hunting Level 1]

The younger girl’s stats, on the other hand, were slightly unusual in that
she had a level-two skill.

[Apprentice Name: Mo
Farming Skills:
Farming Level 1, Fishing Level 1, Woodcutting Level 1, Cooking Level
2, Herblaw Level 1, Foraging Level 1, Hunting Level 1]

“She used to help out in the kitchen,” said Kharli.

I made a mental note to instruct Kharli to let Mo speak for herself in the
future, but I let it go this time.
“How do you feel about this?” I asked them. “If you’re not comfortable
doing things this way, I can send you off with a bit of money, and you can
find a different teacher.”
“Teacher, are you kidding?!” said Lari. “This has to be the best
apprenticeship in the entire world! We’re all gonna be rich and famous!
There’s no one else who would offer to teach a peasant orphan magical
skills like this.”
Come to think of it, Shuye and Fengying had offered to find scions of
noble families to serve as my apprentices, but I simply didn’t think that any
nobles would be a good fit for my humble and quiet lifestyle. I mean, it was
true that Prince Baiyu had picked up a broom and started sweeping my
garden path, but I was pretty sure that it was unusual behavior. I bet the
regular nobles in this world wouldn’t be caught dead doing manual labor.
Besides, Adventure Incarnate players always adopted orphans from
Anwei, hence I thought that would be the best method for me.
 The two girls said the same thing, though Mo whispered her words so
softly that I could barely hear them.
“Before you agree, you should know that the bloodline inheritance is
mine. I have granted you a portion of it, but you won’t be able to pass this
on to your children.” They didn’t seem fazed by this, so I continued, “While
you are my apprentices, I will provide everything you need, such as food,
clothing, shelter, and training.”
They all nodded their agreement.
“You all start off as level one in Farming. When you reach level twenty-
five, you will be considered a farmer in your own right, and when you reach
level fifty, you will be acknowledged as a master farmer. At that point, you
can start your own farm.”
“When you reach level twenty-five, we can split the harvest seventy-
thirty in my favor, and when you become master farmers, we’ll raise your
share to 50 percent,” I said.
“Thank you, Teacher,” said the three.
“Good. If you’re satisfied, then I’ll continue with the introduction to the
System,” I said. I made a show of pulling out chairs and a large table from
seemingly nowhere. “Let’s sit down and make ourselves comfortable.”
“Teacher, where did this come from?” asked Kharli. She and the others
gingerly poked the chairs as though they were afraid the items were made
of mist. Upon verifying that, yes, the chairs were just chairs, the three of
them cautiously sat down.
“These are all items from the System,” I said. “I have something called
an ‘inventory’ I can use to store items. Check yours.”
As expected, theirs were all empty. They only had twelve inventory
spaces, too.
Now came one of the most important things I had to verify. I took out
some seeds and asked the apprentices to touch them. Though Shuye and the
others had been unable to do so, it might be different for my apprentices
since in the game, players could give farm resources to their farmhands.
“What are these?” asked Lari. He picked up one of the seeds and moved
it closer to his eyes. “It seems to be giving off light.”
“They’re obviously seeds, you dummy! What kind of farmer are you
going to make when you don’t even know what a seed is?” said Kharli.
“These are seeds you will be using soon,” I said.
 This was great! Of course, I did have the potato seeds that were
unbound, but now that I knew that the three of them could use my items,
that meant I didn’t have to worry about running out of seeds or other
supplies.
“The most important thing for you to learn right now is how to navigate
the System. You may leave now, and I want you to go to your rooms and
spend the entire day looking at all the skills and skill descriptions. One of
the maids will bring you your meals,” I said. “I’ll meet you tomorrow at the
front gate at dawn.”
The three of them got up and bowed to me before running back to the
house, high-fiving each other and chattering excitedly about all the skills
they saw in the System.
Lari, Kharli, and Mo, my own Three Stooges, looked like they were
easy enough to handle, and I was looking forward to teaching them how to
farm.
Let’s hope everything works out.

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 Chapter 26

T hey say there ain ’ t no rest for the wicked . T he same was true for
farmers, at least during the preparation phase.
Planting time came immediately after the allotted time for harvesting.
There was no break in between. Fortunately, I didn’t lose any planting days
when I went to Anwei because harvest time lasted for two weeks, and I had
only needed one day to harvest my potatoes.
According to the System calendar, there were twelve days left of the
harvest period. After that, my apprentices and I would have two weeks to
plant crops.
In the meantime, what we had to do was to clear more land for the four
of us to use. I consulted the three youngsters as to whether they each
wanted separate fields, but we agreed to take care of all the crops together.
“Look at this map,” I said to them. They all gathered around me and
looked at my roughly drawn sketch. “I placed the house on high ground,
and this field here is closest, but I think that we should use the other parts of
the forest instead of just expanding this field.”
“Teacher, do you mean to say you want fields that are farther away?
Wouldn’t it be more convenient to just make this field bigger?” asked Lari.
I guessed that since he had the [Lazy] attribute he was the type who
liked to look for the most convenient method. I patiently explained my
reasoning to him, saying, “Different crops grow better in different
conditions. It’s worthwhile to have more than one site.”
Pointing to different parts of the map, I said, “We will be using the
existing field I cleared and making a new one farther away. In the future, I
plan to have orchards and a kitchen garden near the house.”
Kharli nodded in understanding. “Because the house should be a quiet
place? The maids already warned us we shouldn’t be rowdy.”
“Yes, it’s because I want the house to be a place of calm. Though in the
future, I want to have my own small house that’s separate from the main
house,” I said.
Then I pointed to the part of the farm allotment that was farthest from
the residence. “This part is reserved for the farm animals. I want them there
because I don’t want to be smelling horse manure when I’m eating my
meals.”
“We’re going to raise animals? That’s great! I heard farmers make more
money from raising pigs than from selling crops,” said Lari.
“Yes, but for now, we need to focus on raising your farming levels. Our
current task is to expand this field. When it’s big enough, we will create
another field in a different part of the forest,” I said. “It’s time to start. Now
focus your mind and summon the System. Can you see it now?”
I waited a few minutes until they all said they could see the System
screen.
“Do you see the little square that looks like a brown belt? That’s your
toolbelt. Focus on it and think of an ax for woodcutting,” I said. “It should
appear in your hand.”
“Ow!” Kharli was so startled when an ax really did appear in her hand
that she dropped it and the handle hit her toe. She hopped around for a few
minutes, holding her foot.
“…Are you okay?” I asked.
“I’m fine,” said Kharli. She picked up the ax, and we waited until the
other two also had their tools.
“What metal is this made of, Teacher?” asked Lari, who was examining
the ax with great curiosity.
“I have no idea. It’s probably an alloy of some sort,” I said.
“What’s an alloy?” Lari asked.
“It’s a mixture of different metals,” I said. “Now watch me. All you
have to do is swing the ax and hit a tree three times.”
My three apprentices were amazed when the top of the tree disappeared
after I hit the trunk with my ax.
“It’s magic!” said Lari. His eyes were as wide as saucers.
“It’s amazing!” said Kharli. Her mouth had fallen open.
 Mo didn’t say anything, but her expression was also one of shock.
I continued hitting the tree twice more until only a stump was left. Then
I hit the tree stump once to clear the land. “It’s that easy. Why don’t you
three give it a try? Who wants to go first?”
To my surprise, Mo was the one who stepped forward. Perhaps she
thought she had something to prove because of yesterday’s debacle. The
other two apprentices cheered when Mo cut down her first tree.
“Well done,” I said. “Next.”
The other two were also able to cut down trees without incident.
“That’s perfect,” I said. “Congratulations on cutting down your first
tree. I will be doing the same thing in the next eleven days, because we
have to clear as much land as we can before the planting season.”
They continued with their work, but I was disappointed when each of
them could only cut a total of three trees. When their energy ran out, they
became too tired to even lift their axes. Lari and Mo even collapsed on the
ground, panting. Kharli was not much better, but she was at least able to sit
up.
“Teacher, I think we already used up all our energy,” said Lari.
I eyed their prone forms. “I can see that. Just rest there for a while.
Every day that you work on the farm, your energy should increase slightly.
Make sure that you go to sleep early and eat well.”
One couldn’t expect too much from three teenaged orphans who were
probably undernourished. They should improve after a while. I continued
Woodcutting until my energy ran out, then we went back to the house for
another of the Demon Chef’s excellent lunches.
That was the first meal I had with my apprentices, and when we
finished, I called Fengying over.
“My apprentices need some lessons in table manners,” I said to her.
“Can you do it, or do we need to hire a tutor?”
“Miss, don’t worry about it. I can teach them,” she said. “Chopsticks or
central style?”
“Both, of course,” I said.
“Central style” meant using a knife and fork. We had used chopsticks at
lunch, but given how horrible their table manners were, I was pretty sure
that they didn’t know how to use a knife and fork, either. I almost couldn’t
eat my lunch because of how they, especially Lari, ate with their mouths
open. Also, they ate way too fast, as though they were afraid the food was
going to disappear if they didn’t shovel it into their mouths fast enough.
That was undoubtedly because they had grown up in an orphanage, but I
thought it was time for them to learn some manners.
“Aw, Teacher, do we really have to? We’re just farmers,” said Lari. The
fat little guy looked mutinous.
“If you don’t want to learn, you don’t have to, but you can’t eat at my
table without learning proper table manners,” I said.
Kharli elbowed him hard in the ribs, muttering under her breath, “Shut
up, you idiot. Do you want to be sent back to the orphanage?”
“An apprenticeship is a time when you learn not just work skills, but
also the social graces,” I said. “Besides, a farmer with a prosperous farm is
a respectable type of person. One day you could be dining with wealthy
merchants, or even nobles, so it would be good for you to learn table
manners.”
“Nobles?” Lari looked interested at this notion.
“Why not?” I asked. “Fengying, did the last spirit farmer dine with
nobles?”
“Not only did he dine with nobles, he was a noble himself because the
Lady granted him the title of duke,” said Fengying.
“Really? He lived a few hundred years ago, you said. What happened to
him?” I asked.
“He lived to be over two hundred years old, and his descendants are the
most famous noble clan in Xishan today,” she said.
“There, you see? I’m not just asking you to do manual labor on my
farm. I’m preparing you for a glorious future.” I gave my three new
apprentices a big smile. “Now be good and be sure to learn properly from
Fengying.”
I meant it, too. Now that I knew that I was the only spirit farmer in the
Westerlands, I had no doubt that my apprentices could very well become
important people in the future.
That was why it was important to raise them well.

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 Chapter 27

I had not been idle these last few months . T hough I did still get
tired after half a morning’s work, I had managed to clear a decent-size field
near the house. I let my apprentices cut down a few trees there in the next
two days, but after that, we walked to the middle of my farming allotment
to clear a new field for us to use.
“This is the place that I’ve chosen because it’s near the river, but not so
near that it will flood during the rainy season. The place near the house will
be for the stuff that I want to eat, while this field will be cleared for a cash
crop,” I said.
“Great!” said Lari. It figured that he was the type who was excited
about earning money since he had the [Ambitious] characteristic.
“What crop?” asked Kharli.
“I’m thinking…[Sugarcane]. We can make sugar on the farm, and I
know that it’s a luxury item the nobles would love to buy,” I said.
The single beehive I had placed on the farm had produced two jars of
honey thus far, which was nice, but I also wanted to have sugar for cooking.
“That sounds great,” said Lari. The others nodded.

[Sugarcane:
A giant grass with long, narrow leaves, green stems, and small, white
flowers. The plant’s stalk is full of a sweet juice that can be extracted
and refined to produce sugar.]
 Now that the plan was clear, we continued woodcutting. The kids could
only cut three trees, but I could cut twelve. This time, my apprentices got
tired, but they didn’t collapse on the ground anymore. That was a good
thing because they could immediately walk themselves back to the house
where an early lunch was waiting for us.
Since I knew that the hot spring facility from the Cash Shop helped
replenish energy, I built a new, smaller one for them in an empty room,
because I didn’t want to share mine. It was the only place in the house
where I had complete privacy, so I wanted to keep it to myself.
When I showed them the place, they were in awe of all the “magical”
items and facilities. My three apprentices were especially fascinated by the
soap and shampoo that never ran out, but it turned out that they couldn’t be
taken out of the house. The same was true of all the other items from the
System that I had used to furnish the residence. People inside could use
them or even move them to various areas, but only inside the four walls of
the courtyard house.
After yet another excellent meal from the Demon Chef, we all took a
bath and had a long nap. Food, rest, and a good, long soak in the hot spring
did wonders for our stamina, and by late afternoon we had recovered some
energy, hence we went back to the field and cleared a little more land.
It might not be the most exciting lifestyle, but I found it really satisfying
to gradually transform this wild forest into an agricultural showcase.
Lately, ever since my apprentices had arrived, I had been daydreaming a
lot about what the farm would look like in the future: cultivated fields as far
as the eye could see, vast orchards, dozens of processing machines, lovely
gardens, a picture-perfect ranch house, and plenty of livestock.
One day, I promised myself, I would have all that and more.

However, when I told Shuye of my plan to manufacture sugar, he raised a

lot of objections.
“Please don’t do that. I can’t force you, but I really think it would be a
bad idea because the clans are expecting to receive three sacks of rice every
day,” said Shuye.
 We were in the main hall where we always met now that I had a proper
place to receive guests.
“Why? You guys don’t even eat human food!” I said.
To make sugar, I would have to remove the [Rice Mill], since my low
Farming level meant that I could only have two buildings on the farm, my
house and one other building. The plan was to grow sugarcane, then use a
machine from the System to process it into sugar. Of course, I could sell the
[Sugarcane] itself, but that would be less than ideal since finished products
sold for a lot more than raw materials.
“Adults from the clans don’t eat human food, but it’s a different story
for our children,” said Shuye. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t want to put
too much pressure on you, but unfortunately, the demand has far exceeded
the supply, and I fear what would happen if it was cut off.”
“Oh?” In fact, wasn’t it a good thing that the clans wanted my rice that
much?
Shuye got up from the chair and started pacing back and forth. “I went
straight to the Lady when I had thirty sacks of rice. You see, I didn’t want to
put her in a dilemma where she didn’t have enough to distribute among the
clans. She had quite a difficult time with people trying to ask for a bigger
rice allotment for various reasons.”
“Gosh, somehow I never would’ve thought that people from the God
Beast clans would be quarreling over a bit of rice…” I said.
“Ha! If one of our oldest and most respected scholars hadn’t gone on
record to say that one small rice ball every three days was all that our
children could absorb properly, I fear what would happen if the parents
thought their kids would benefit if they had more,” said Shuye. “I never in
my life would’ve thought that I would be grateful that our fertility has been
declining recently. As it is, we have barely enough to feed all the young
ones.”
“Absorb?” Did their juveniles have undeveloped digestive systems?
“The rice is great because it contains very gentle qi, but there is still a
limit to how much their young bodies can take in.”
Oh, so he was talking about qi. I remember that Fengying had said
something about the qi in our food before, but I hadn’t paid any attention to
it. After all, unlike the people of this world who had powers, I was not a
cultivator. I had the System, which meant that qi was irrelevant to me.
 “Okay, I understand. It’s not a bad thing that the clans want my rice that
badly. I can plant something else… By the way, what did they say about the
potatoes?”
“Everyone agreed to overlook it because the harvest isn’t big enough to
share with all the children,” said Shuye.
“Does this mean that I should plant rice?”
“No, we already have enough,” said Shuye. “Any more than what we
have currently might pose a problem since people might start hoarding it.”
“Wow.” I was speechless. To think that the problem was that bad!
Shuye shook his head and sat down. “I hate to ask you to change your
plans, but it’s been crazy. I’ve even heard a rumor that one of the children
of the ruling family of the Deer Clan refused to eat anything but your spirit
rice.”
“What happened?”
“Well…” Shuye lowered his voice even though it was only the two of
us inside the room. “Allegedly, his clan members felt so sorry for him that
all the other parents ‘voluntarily’ contributed a spoonful of rice each. The
Lady had to put her foot down and return the rice to the others. She even
wanted to ban that parent from future rice distributions, but the others
persuaded her that it would be unfair to the child.”
“That’s crazy!”
“You’re not a parent, so you don’t know, but people will do anything if
they think it will give their child an advantage,” said Shuye.
“Wait, what about you? Do you have kids?”
“I’ve been married for a long time, but we still haven’t had kids,” said
Shuye. “We’re trying.”
He had barely finished speaking when the System pinged me with a
[New Quest] notification.

[Curing Infertility:
Help the God Beast Clans with their fertility problem. Find five Dusk
Dandelions.]

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 Chapter 28

S ince the conversation had naturally turned in that direction , I

probed Shuye for more information about it, and he told me he had been
married for three decades but still didn’t have any children.
“It’s a common problem. For the past few generations, the clans’ birth
rate has declined significantly,” said Shuye. “Fortunately, there have been
no wars or calamities that might have made our overall population too low
to govern the Westerlands.”
“What do your doctors say?” I asked.
“This and that.” Shuye shrugged. “If we knew what caused it, we
wouldn’t have the problem.”
I couldn’t tell Shuye how I knew, but I made a simple suggestion. “Did
the problems start when the clans started refraining from eating ‘human’
food?”
“You’re not the first one to suggest that, and there might be some truth
to it. You know, the traditional method of solving an infertility problem is
for the couple to go on a retreat where they consume a certain diet, which is
different for each clan.”
“You’ve tried it?” I asked.
“It didn’t work for us, but it does work for certain couples. The Lady
and her consort, for example, had Prince Baiyu when they tried that
method. It’s a pity that it only worked for them once,” said Shuye.
“I see.”
The conversation moved on to other topics, and I didn’t mention that I
might be able to help Shuye. The System’s solution required a lot of time.
 [Curing Infertility:
Help the God Beast Clans with their fertility problem. Find five Dusk
Dandelions.]

I knew where to find [Dusk Dandelions], but I didn’t have time to do

that right now because I needed to prepare for planting season. The quest
didn’t have a deadline. Therefore, I decided to put it off until after I had
planted the summer crops.

Since Shuye had warned me not to cease production of milled rice, I had to
change my plans of planting [Sugarcane]. The talk with him made me
reconsider because it really seemed like people wanted ordinary food crops
more than a luxury item. If people wanted to eat spiritual crops so much, it
would be better to offer them something healthier and more hearty than
sugar.
“I think I’ll use the nearest field to plant a good variety of crops for our
household’s use. Also, instead of [Sugarcane], I’m thinking of planting
either [Corn] or [Wheat],” I said.
“Why not rice?” asked Lari.
We were eating fried potato chips in the outer courtyard during our
afternoon break. I’d specifically requested this snack from the Demon Chef
because I’d rarely been allowed to eat something this greasy by my mother,
may she rest in peace.
Homemade potato chips were one of my top guilty pleasures, and I
hadn’t been able to enjoy them ever since I was transmigrated into this
world.
I picked up a hot potato chip, fresh out of the Demon Chef’s fryer, and
dipped it into the ketchup from my inventory. The salty, savory, slightly
greasy taste was like nothing else in this world, and I kept eating until my
plate was clean, forgetting to answer my apprentice’s question.
“This is amazing,” said Kharli.
All of us nodded in agreement, and I asked for another plate. I think
these potato chips might be addictive. Kharli, Mo, and I smiled at each
other when Lari asked for a third plate of potato chips. We all liked the
snack, but Lari really took it to another level. It was only after I had
finished off all my potato chips that I remembered what we were talking
about.
“[Rice] isn’t particularly easy to grow, and you guys are only level one,”
I said.

[Rice:
A grass from the Poaceae family, which includes other grasses such as
millet, wheat, maize, and barley. They are typically grown in wet,
flooded fields, known as paddy fields, that are kept under water by
using a system of canals and dikes.]

I supposed I could flood the second field, but that would mean that I
could only grow [Rice] in it. Three out of four of us were level-one farmers,
which meant that it was possible for some crops to fail. Players’ crops
almost never failed, but apprentices’ did if their level was low. The usual
strategy to avoid that was to plant at least three different crops.
“Wheat sounds nice,” said Kharli. “I’m sure there will be a lot of
demand for it.”
“Yes, I think so, too,” I said.

[Wheat:
A cereal plant with a lot of different species, such as durum wheat,
emmer wheat, spelt wheat, and common wheat. The plant has a deep
root system that helps it to withstand drought and soil erosion. It is a
relatively easy crop to grow, and it is tolerant of a wide range of
climates and soil types.]

“Is [Corn] more expensive than [Wheat]?” asked Lari.

[Corn:
A plant in the grass family Poaceae that is also called maize. Corn is an
easy plant to grow and does not require much care.]

“Not usually, but spirit crops are different from normal corn and wheat.
We don’t know what the prices will be until we bring them to market,” I
said. “It depends on the quality of our harvest.”
There were nods all around. I had previously impressed upon them the
importance of quality rather than quantity. Three sacks of low-quality
[Potatoes] would definitely sell for much less than half a sack of good-
quality [Potatoes]. As for high- or excellent-quality ones, they were so
rarely seen that no one knew what they would sell for.
“Are you done eating?” I asked Lari.
After he finished his plate, we all went to the second field to cut more
trees to clear more land. We were all tired from this morning’s work, but the
day after tomorrow was the first day of planting season, and we were eager
to have as much farming space as possible.

The next day, I woke up bright and early at dawn after a delightful dream of
playing with my baby dragon. The dreams were really nice, and I noticed
that my dream dragon was growing up rapidly, which actually made me a
little sad because the tiny, newly hatched version was my favorite.
Since planting season started tomorrow, I had given the kids the day off,
instructing them to eat and rest so that their energy gauge could refill to the
max level. I reckoned we had cleared enough land and that it would be a
waste of time to cut more trees, since my apprentices’ limited abilities
meant they wouldn’t be able to till and sow as much as I could.
While my apprentices were resting, I planned to spend the day getting
my first kills, because I was bored with spending all that time woodcutting.
When I first started practicing Archery, I had promised myself that I
would train at least three times a week. I mostly kept that promise, but it
was getting too monotonous. Hence, I’d asked my Farm Guide to
accompany me to the [Horned Rabbits’ Valley].

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 Interlude

An excerpt from the journal of Shuye Skullcrusher, Guardian of

the Ancient Hill Forest:

What a waste! I saw Violet’s new apprentices summoning items from their
soul space and using the bloodline inheritance she granted them, and I could
only shake my head at the folly of it all. I told her I could very easily find
apprentices from noble families and famous cultivation clans, but she
insisted on taking in some orphans with no money, connections, or talent
instead.
Today, she told me the real reason why she refused my offer.
“I don’t think noble children would like living in my humble farm,” is
what she said.
That doesn’t make sense. She provides spiritual rice, vegetables, and
fruit as well as demon meat at every single meal. Since the orphans came to
her with nothing, she also bought them the finest silk clothing from Anwei.
The apprentices live in a house full of magical items. She even provided
them with a hot spring full of spirit water that boosts cultivation greatly.
What sort of place did she live in before she came here that she thinks
this lifestyle is a modest one?

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 Chapter 29

“N ice outfit ,” said S huye .

I was wearing the newbie archer gear from Adventure Incarnate, which
consisted of leather gloves, boots, cowl, vambraces, chaps, and vest.
Summer started tomorrow, therefore the days were getting hot and muggy. I
thought that the leather would be too much, but some sort of System magic
made them comfortable enough to wear. I didn’t even creak when I moved.
The complete set gave a small bonus to archery and boosted my BR.

[Battle Rating:
A number that represents that character’s overall power and fighting
ability, which is determined by a variety of factors, such as the
character’s stats, equipment, puppet, bonuses, and abilities. The higher
the BR, the stronger the character is.]

Back when I played Adventure Incarnate, my character was maxed out

in combat, and I had a battle rating of over fifty thousand. BR was used for
both players and monsters, which allowed people to easily check if they
were outmatched or not.
My current BR was pretty pathetic.

[Violet: Level 1
HP: 100/100
BR: 26]
 “Thank you,” I said.
Shuye was wearing his usual brown robe. He rubbed his hand in
anticipation and said, “Where are we going?”
“Uh, let’s just take a walk. I’m sure we’ll find something,” I said. It was
annoying, but I couldn’t exactly say, “Even though I’ve never been there, I
know exactly where the Horned Rabbits live.”
The sun shone through the trees, creating a patchwork of light and
shadow on the forest floor. During spring, the ground was covered in a
moist and thick layer of leaves and moss. Mushrooms and ferns grew
everywhere, and wildflowers bloomed prettily in the sunnier areas of the
forest.
We weren’t in a rush, so we walked at a moderate pace, the better to
enjoy another beautiful day.
Using the System map, I walked us in a northeasterly direction, with me
stopping once in a while to gather wild mushrooms, berries, and herbs.
After three hours, we reached a low cliff jutting over a small valley.
Shuye and I looked down at the dozen or so [Horned Rabbits] that were
hopping around below us.

[Horned Rabbit:
A unique creature found in the old-growth forests of the world. They
look like regular rabbits except for the large, curved horns that
protrude from their head. Horned rabbits are fast and agile, making
them hard to catch. Their diet consists of leaves, grass, and other
vegetation.]

Shuye’s hand shook as he pointed at the monsters. “What are those?”

“[Horned Rabbits]. They’re very common, aren’t they? I see them
around a lot when I’m out foraging,” I said. I couldn’t understand why he
was acting so shocked. His eyes were almost bulging out of their sockets,
and his mouth was open. “They’re not that aggressive, but I wouldn’t want
to fight more than one because they’re quite fast.”
I checked the nearest one.

[Horned Rabbit:
Type: Melee
 Element: None
BR: 28]

Not only were they fast, they even had a higher Battle Rating than me.
“They look like a really troublesome foe,” I said.
“This can’t be right.” Shuye still seemed rattled. “I know every inch of
these woods, but I’ve never seen these…”
He pointed down at the cute little white rabbits. They looked exactly
like cute white rabbits, except for the fact that they had one to three horns.
“Do you think the number of horns indicates how strong they are?” I
asked Shuye. “I’d like you to stay here beside me and just observe for now.
We’re far enough from them I don’t think I’ll be in any danger, but it’s
always good to be careful. You’ll protect me, right?”
“Of course!” Shuye looked somewhat insulted.
“Okay, I’ll limber up a little before starting,” I said.
The long walk here had tired my legs a little, but my upper body was
feeling a little stiff, so I did a few stretches before taking out a wooden bow
and a quiver of arrows from my inventory.
The Combat Screen appeared, showing the Battle Rating of each
individual [Horned Rabbit]. The Action Bar showed the abilities that I could
use.

[Archery Skills:
Piercing Shot
Rapid Fire
Escape]

My thrice weekly archery training sessions hadn’t leveled up my

combat, but I was now much more confident in using my skills.
I slowly drew my bow and took careful aim at the monsters below me.
Then I released the arrow, which soared through the air and sank into a
[Horned Rabbit’s] small body. It let out a small cry of pain before falling to
the ground, dead. I felt somewhat queasy at killing a living thing with my
arrows for the first time.
Below us, the rabbits seemed unconcerned. Weren’t they disturbed by
the smell of blood? I would’ve expected most of them to flee the first time
that one of their members was killed.
“Good shot,” said Shuye.
I had only used a “regular” shot, meaning I hadn’t used one of the
System abilities. How amazing to think that I was actually able to take
down a [Horned Rabbit] using just my own archery skill! However, I did
also want to check how effective [Piercing Shot] and [Rapid Fire] were.
“Okay, here goes nothing,” I said as I activated [Piercing Shot].

[Piercing Shot:
Imbue the arrow with energy, allowing it to pierce through enemies.
The shot is incredibly powerful and can often take down multiple foes
with a single arrow.
Cooldown: 5 seconds]

Although the description said I was imbuing the arrow with energy, I
felt nothing as I lined up my shot and let the arrow fly, nor did the arrow
magically glow. It wasn’t like a game where every skill was accompanied
by flashy animation.
Nonetheless, [Piercing Shot] was still impressive from a combat
viewpoint because even I, a newbie, could clearly see that it was a lot more
powerful than my previous shot. The arrow flew so fast that I could barely
see its path, and it quickly found its mark. The [Horned Rabbit] was dead
instantly.
Shuye gave me a look of respect. “Is this really your first time?”
“My first time hunting a real, live target,” I said. “I’ve practiced a lot,
though.”
“Well done,” he said.
I thought perhaps the first two might have been a fluke, because I
missed the mark the next three times.
[Rapid Fire], in particular, was a disaster.

[Rapid Fire:
Fire a rapid succession of five arrows. This ability is great for taking
down multiple targets quickly or for taking down a single target with a
lot of arrows.
Cooldown: 5 seconds]
 The skill made me shoot faster, but the accuracy was lower, which made
me decide to use [Piercing Shot] instead. While I didn’t get the same
notifications that I did in the game, I did notice that certain shots killed a
rabbit instantly, while others did not. Those must’ve been Critical Hits.
Archery was very tiring. After using around twenty arrows, my arms
were already getting tired although I had only killed twelve monsters.
“I’m taking a break,” I said to Shuye.
“Then do you want me to retrieve your kills for you?” asked Shuye.
“You’re going down there? I’m not sure that’s a good idea. I don’t need
the meat, and I don’t know if they will attack you if you walk right in the
middle of their home,” I said.
“They’re just rabbits!” said Shuye.
“You can fly down there?” I asked.
As expected, Shuye nodded his head.
“I can, but don’t judge everyone based on Prince Baiyu’s abilities.
There aren’t many in all the Westerlands who can fly like that,” said Shuye.
“That’s why I use the flying cart.”
“Then are you going to walk down there?” I pointed at the valley below
us.
“I can’t fly as well as the prince, but this much is nothing,” he said.
He didn’t bother to discuss it further with me and just leaped down the
cliff. I let out a little scream of surprise. However, I shouldn’t have been
worried because he was perfectly fine. In the middle of his fall, Shuye’s
form blurred as though it was underwater, and his body shifted into his
beast form.
Even though Shuye was from the White Tiger Clan, he had explained to
me that most of his fellow clan members had somewhat unorthodox beast
forms. Only the ruling family had the ideal traditional conformation. Thus, I
wasn’t surprised to see that Shuye turned into a light orange tiger with
white stripes.
“Be careful!” I called down at him.
Shuye let out a growl, and the [Horned Rabbits] scattered. He took a
carcass in his mouth and jumped back up to where I was. He placed the
remains of the monster in front of me, then went back down a few more
times to retrieve the others.
“Thank you,” I said when he had finished retrieving all my kills.
 The tiger form blurred, and Shuye appeared in his human form in front
of me.
“You’re not scared?” he asked me.
I put a hand over my mouth to hide my smile. “No, in fact, I was
extremely scared that when you shapeshifted back to your human form, you
might not have clothes on!”
Shuye guffawed. “Hey, little girl, I’m not Prince Baiyu.”
“What do you mean by that?! Is Prince Baiyu naked when he turns
human?” I gave him a disbelieving look.
“No, not normally, but he might do it if it’s you,” said Shuye.
“Ah…” I was somewhat relieved because I didn’t like the thought that
Prince Baiyu was always running around naked after he shifted. “Never
mind that. I’m having my lunch.”
I put away my weapon and took out a packed lunch from my inventory.
The Demon Chef had prepared rice balls, pickled vegetables, boiled eggs,
and chicken meatballs for me. I sat down on some soft grass and ate the
delicious meal while chatting about this and that with Shuye.
He absolutely insisted that [Horned Rabbits] were not common in these
woods. I thought he had some plan to wipe them out.
“Why do you have to kill all of them? They aren’t demons, are they? I
think having some spirit beasts is good for the forest,” I said in between
bites.
“I don’t like them,” said Shuye.
“Maybe you could just monitor them first?”
“Maybe.”
Well, he was the Farm Guide, not me, hence it was his decision to make.
By the time I finished eating, a few of the rabbits had returned. I picked
the targets that were bigger and slower than the others and succeeded in
killing a few more. My stamina wasn’t that good, so I had to stop after my
arms started to ache.
A few more kills under my belt, I leveled up my Archery to three.

[Violet: Level 1
HP: 100/100
Strength: 1/99
Attack: 1/99
Archery: 3/99
 Magic: 1/99]

I had a long way to go, but it was a good start. Leveling up twice in a
day only happened when you were extremely low level since the game was
designed to be easy to play but hard to max. Newbie players could expect
rapid advancement that gradually slowed down until leveling up became a
rare occasion worth celebrating.
My BR increased a little, yet my HP was unchanged. It would also take
more than that to increase my overall combat level.

[Violet: Level 1
HP: 100/100
BR: 32]

“I’m done for today,” I said to Shuye.

“When shall I accompany you again?” he asked.
“I’ll be too busy in the next two weeks.”
Tomorrow was a very important day, the first day of planting season,
and I needed to focus on it to the exclusion of everything else.

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 Chapter 30

E veryone in the house , including me , was all fired up for the first
day of planting season. I woke up an hour before dawn, and the kitchen was
already bustling. I took a shower and put on my oldest farming clothes
before joining the others for a hot breakfast.
“Can we watch?” asked Fengying.
“Sure, why not? Just keep your distance, please,” I said.
My apprentices all appeared nervous. Lari coped by eating even more
than he normally did, while Kharli kept on fussing over Mo, who seemed
the calmest of the three, though she hadn’t spoken a word at all.
We waited until dawn broke and walked to the second, farther field
where I had decided we should start tilling.
“Don’t worry, it’s as easy as woodcutting. Go to the toolbelt and get out
the hoe,” I said. “Don’t do anything yet. Watch what I do.”
I walked to a corner of the field and faced north. When I swung my hoe
down, it automatically tilled five square tiles. A “tile” in the game translated
to a square space that was around three steps wide. That was to say, three of
my steps. It wasn’t like I had a measuring tape here, so I didn’t know the
exact measurement.
Fengying, Deming, and the other staff were watching from the far side
of the field. I wondered if they were disappointed that nothing much was
happening. I didn’t know why they wanted to watch, since farming wasn’t
exactly a spectator sport.
I tilled the land five more times until my energy bar was half empty.
 “It’s that easy,” I said to my apprentices. “You don’t have to do anything
but swing the hoe. Who wants to go first?”
To my surprise, Mo stepped forward. Still waters ran deep, I supposed.
Since she was always quiet and unassuming, it was easy for people to
underestimate her, yet Mo showed real promise. Of the three of them, she
was the most hard-working and patient.
Unlike me, Mo could only till one square at a time, but she had no
difficulty doing it.
“Great,” I said when she stopped. She had managed to till a total of ten
squares. “How is your energy?”
“It’s almost fully drained,” she said.
Her voice was still almost too soft to hear; however, her tone was even
and fairly confident. No longer was she stuttering or looking down at her
feet when she spoke. I mentally patted myself on the back when I saw how
greatly her attitude had improved.
“All right, next!” I said.
Kharli and Lari each managed to till ten squares.
“Good job, everyone,” I said. “Now watch closely as I show you the full
procedure for planting crops.”
I took out a sack of organic fertilizer. The top of it was already open,
and when I waved it over a row of tilled soil, the contents flew out and
settled on the nearest five squares. Next, I got a handful of [Wheat Seeds]
and put them in a seed dispenser. When I held the seeder over the tilled soil,
fifteen seeds flew out from the tip and embedded themselves in the soil,
three per square. Lastly, I got my watering can and watered the five tiles.
“Any questions?” I asked. My three apprentices shook their heads.
“We’re all out of energy, so let’s go back to the house to rest.”
“I wish I could do more,” said Lari.
“Can we go back later?” asked Kharli.
“No. Draining your energy completely might make you collapse, and
you would lose a day or two of work,” I said. “Be patient.”
“I want to plant a lot of crops so I can harvest a ton of [Wheat]!” said
Lari. “When will I level up farming?”
“Tomorrow, probably,” I said.
The others saw that we had finished working and joined us. Fengying
congratulated all of us in turn, and we walked back to the house in good
spirits.
 Farming might not be the type of activity that made one’s pulse pound
with excitement. Nevertheless, there was something extremely satisfying
about it. I looked back at the field with a sense of contentment, knowing
that little by little, I was improving my farming skills. I wouldn’t have been
able to do even half of that a few months ago.
So it went for the next week. The four of us worked hard in the morning
and rested well until the next day, when we started over again. By the
seventh day, we had finished planting the [Wheat] and [Corn] crops.
“We’ve finished planting our main crops and tilled this field, which
means that it’s now time to learn a basic technique,” I said. “Today I will
teach you about companion planting.”
Lari, Kharli, and Mo’s heads jerked upward, their eyes focusing on a
point slightly above their heads. I knew that was because they had received
the same quest that I had gotten yesterday. The ability to give farmhands the
same quest that you had existed in Adventure Incarnate, and it was a great
way to level them up faster.
“Teacher, Teacher, there’s something happening with the System,” said
Lari.
“I know. Read it out loud to me,” I said.

[Quest: Perfect Partners

Plant eight tiles with companion plants.]

Lari obediently read the quest text out loud.

“Now click on the quest text,” I said.
The three orphans looked at each other.
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“Teacher, what do you mean by ‘click?’” asked Kharli.
I smiled. Sometimes I forgot that this was a totally different world. Of
course, they didn’t have computers here, therefore “clicking” was an alien
idea to them. “Just focus on it and think ‘more information.’”
“I see!” said Lari.

[Companion Planting
The practice of growing plants with complementary traits next to each
other in order to improve their growth and health.
There are many combinations of plants that can be used for companion
planting, and the best way to find out which plants work well together
is to experiment. Some plants that are known to be good companions
include beans and corn, tomatoes and basil, and cabbage and onions.]

“Normally, we can only plant one type of seed on one square, but if two
or more crops are compatible, you can plant them together,” I said. “Shall
we try?”

[Companion Planting: Basil and Tomatoes

Basil releases a chemical called eugenol, which helps to keep pests away
from tomatoes while tomatoes release a chemical called lycopene which
helps to keep basil leaves from turning brown. Planted together, they
benefit each other.]

“Do you know what ‘basil’ is?” Kharli asked Mo, who shook her head.
“You’ll see when it grows,” I said.
I handed them the seeds and watched as they planted four squares each.
Then I gave them [Cabbage] and [Onion] seeds.

[Companion Planting: Cabbage and Onions

The powerful scent of onions repels pests that cabbage is susceptible to,
like cabbage root flies, whiteflies, aphids, and slugs.]

Once they had finished planting four more squares, they all completed
their first quest.

[Perfect Partners: Quest Complete

Reward: Farming Exp]

There were screams, hugs, and clapping all around as the kids leveled
up their farming level.
“Congratulations, everyone, on level three,” I said. “Now I will show
you a tried and tested method for growing corn, beans, and squash. Read
the section on ‘The Three Sisters.’”
 [Companion Planting: The Three Sisters
A Native American method of planting corn, beans, and squash
together in the same mound. The corn grows tall and provides a
support for the beans to climb. The squash spreads along the ground,
providing ground cover and preventing weeds from growing. This
method of planting results in a bountiful harvest of all three crops.]

When they asked me what “Native American” meant, I simply told

them it was “a System term” that I couldn’t explain.
“Does this give more experience, Teacher?” asked Mo.
It was good that she was now asking questions and not just staying quiet
and hiding behind Kharli.
“Most of the farming experience that we will get is based on the number
of crops that we harvest, so we can’t tell right now whether we will get
more experience. We’ll know in two months’ time,” I said. “Using one or
two techniques helps, but a good harvest depends on many factors, such as
the quality of the soil, the weather, pests, and so forth.”
The three of them nodded their heads because they’d heard this before.
“All right, I’ll do this,” I said.
Since I had the same quest, I fertilized eight tiles before planting the
seeds, but alas, the farming experience that I got as a reward was not
enough to level up my farming skill.

[Player Name: Violet

Farming Skills:
Farming Level 12, Fishing Level 8, Woodcutting Level 12, Cooking
Level 1, Herblaw Level 3, Foraging Level 3, Hunting Level 1, Mining
Level 1]

Today we had been able to plant a lot of seeds, therefore I had no doubt
that we would all reap a bountiful harvest, not just of crops, but also of
farming experience.
“How is your energy?” I asked the others.
“Gone,” said Lari.
The others nodded their heads in agreement. Though they could only till
one tile at a time, fertilizing and planting seeds took less energy, so they
were able to finish the quest today.
I was pretty sure that a normal farmer would only choose three to five
crops to grow, but I was now living in another world where I was the only
one who could plant spirit crops.
In the past week after the harvest, I had found out that there was an
enormous gap in taste between the [Alabaster Spirit Potatoes] I had grown
and the regular potatoes that Shuye’s suppliers bought us from the market.
Regular potatoes tasted fine, especially since they were cooked by the
Demon Chef, yet the difference was still like that of heaven and earth. Now
that I had tasted the fried potato chips made with [Alabaster Spirit
Potatoes], I found it hard to enjoy the regular ones.
Therefore, my goal was to improve my diet by growing a lot of different
seeds.
The Three Stooges agreed with me, so we cheerfully planted [Garlic],
[Parsnip], [Turnip], [Daikon], [Potato], [Sweet Potato], [Carrot], [Bell
Peppers], [Radish], [Tomato], [Eggplant], [Cucumber], [Bok Choy],
[Spinach], [Bitter Melon], [Jicama], [Ginger], [Leeks], [Cauliflower],
[Pineapple], [Melon], [Taro Root], [Ube], [Chili Peppers], and [Sui Choy].
which is known as Napa cabbage on Earth.
This took the entire six days that we had left.
I knew that back on Earth, many of these plants wouldn’t have been
grown from seed, but the System used seeds almost exclusively, and it all
worked out somehow.
I didn’t bother to grow the vegetables that I didn’t like, such as the
slimy ones like okra and mountain yam. To be honest, I would’ve skipped
growing the chilis because I was afraid of what the Demon Chef would do
with them. However, Deming requested them specifically, which meant that
I had no choice but to grow some for the household. Fengying promised me
that her husband could easily cook less spicy dishes for me. I really hoped
that was the case.
“Incredible! Look at all this,” I said as I waved my hand at the newly
planted field.
“I wish I had more energy to plant more potatoes,” said Lari. “Then I
could eat fried potatoes every day!”
“Teacher already told you it’s not healthy to eat the same food every
day,” said Kharli.
“I like that there are a lot of different vegetables,” said Mo.
 I noticed that the three of them often took turns speaking, which was
very nice of them as I was sure that more boisterous children would’ve just
talked over Mo.
“I do love fried potatoes… But my favorite is baked potato topped with
sour cream or bacon and cheese,” I said.
We walked back to the main house talking about our favorite foods. I
thought I’d turned my apprentices into foodies!

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 Chapter 31

M y apprentices were intrigued when they saw water shooting out

from the end of my watering can and raining down on five squares at a
time.
“I want to do that, too!” said Lari.
“Amazing!” said Kharli.
“It’s too early to be amazed,” I said. “Now take out a watering can from
your System toolbelt and water the plants yourselves.”
The three of them positioned themselves at the head of a row of crops
and did as I instructed. They could only water one tile at a time, and they
had to refill their watering cans at the well every five tiles.
It wasn’t until we had gone to the second field that I realized that I had
forgotten something important.
“Argh! There’s no water source here!” I said.
“It’s no problem, Teacher,” said Kharli. “We can get water from the well
near the house.”
“I don’t want us to waste time walking back and forth between the two
fields,” I said.
My watering can could hold more water than one would expect given its
small size. I suppose it had some sort of storage magic spell inside of it. The
apprentices’ watering cans, on the other hands, had a much lower capacity.
Thus, I should dig another well.
“I’ll just look around for a good place,” I said to them.
Calling up the System map, I saw that there were a few suitable spots,
with the nearest one right at the edge of the field. Perfect!
 I walked on over to the correct place, and the System started digging the
well for me. A glowing magic circle appeared on the ground, and there was
a loud grrrakka kkakkakkak akk sound like a jackhammer.
Lari, Kharli, and Mo came running to see what the System was doing.
“It’s magic!” said Lari.
They all stared at the magic circle with wide eyes. Kharli even dared to
touch it, even with the other two yelling at her to stop.
“Don’t do it, you’ll die!” said Lari.
“Nooo!” Mo moaned softly, but I noticed she didn’t actually try to pull
Kharli away.
I let them play around. After all, I really doubted that the System would
harm them. After seeing that Kharli was unharmed, the other two started
poking and prodding the magic circle.
“It’s a magic circle just like they describe in children’s stories,” said
Mo.
“Are you saying our teacher is a witch?” asked Lari.
“Shhh,” said Kharli.
I shook my head and continued watering the crops until I was out of
water. Then I took the kids with me back to the well near the house and had
them pull up dozens of buckets of water. Fortunately, this activity didn’t use
up energy in the same way that watering the crops did.
Once again, I was reminded that the “energy” that we needed for
farming tasks was totally different from what one ordinarily meant by
“energy.”
After confirming that we could replenish the watering cans using the
buckets of water, I put the buckets in my inventory, and we went back to the
second field to finish watering the crops. It was a clever solution, if I did
say so myself.
By midmorning, we finished our chores and returned to the house to rest
before lunch. My apprentices still had a bit of energy left, therefore I
decided to introduce them to a new skill: Foraging. I told Lari, Kharli, and
Mo to rest, but they begged me to let them show the magic to the others.
Fengying, Deming, and the others were intrigued by the kids’ tale of a
magical well that I was building and asked for permission to look at it, too.
“Sure, but don’t do anything excessive. Please don’t jump inside the
hole,” I said. “I’m not responsible if you do something stupid and die,
okay?”
 “I’ll make sure to supervise them properly,” said Fengying.
“Fine,” I said. I didn’t want to be too strict with them, and we were here
on an isolated farm in the middle of the woods, where there wasn’t much
entertainment to be found. “You can spend another hour outside. Make sure
you return before lunch to rest.”
“Yes! Come on, it’s amazing!” Lari grabbed Yinuo’s hand and ran off
with her.
Kharli and Mo rolled their eyes and followed at a more sedate pace with
the staff.

Two hours after lunch and a bath in the hot spring, we had recovered some
of our energy. I didn’t want to waste it, which meant that we had a choice of
several activities we could do in the afternoon: Farming, Fishing,
Woodcutting, Cooking, Foraging, and Hunting.
Farming was obviously the most important, but it also used up the most
energy, and we wouldn’t be able to do much with the amount we had left.
Of the other five skills, I reckoned that Foraging was the best use of our
time. We still had a lot of meat and fish, but we were running out of
vegetables and fruit.
To be more precise, we were running out of spirit vegetables and fruit.
Before I had hired the Demon Chef and the others, I had mainly
subsisted on food items from my inventory, but now I had to ask Shuye to
augment our supplies with food from the nearest village, Wuxi.
Of course, all Shuye could buy were regular ingredients. If I wanted
spirit fruit and vegetables, I would have to forage for them.
“We just have to walk around?” asked Kharli.
“Yes, and there will be a yellow arrow on your System map when we’re
near a spot where wild spiritual plants grow,” I said.
The sun shone through the trees, dappling the ground with light and
shadow. Above us, birds flitted from branch to branch, their bright plumage
a pleasing contrast to the dark leaves. The air was thick with the scent of the
trees and the earth, the smell of summer.
It was a great day for foraging, but I was wary of more [Horned
Rabbits], so I kept Mr. Bear on [Guard Mode] to scan our surroundings
while we explored the northern part of the forest. My three apprentices had
been delighted when I first introduced them to Mr. Bear. The use of puppets
and magical tools was known in this world, though they were uncommon in
the Westerlands, hence they readily accepted the fact that I had an animated
plushie as a guardian and didn’t ask any inconvenient questions.
“I can’t believe spiritual plants grow in the wild like this,” said Lari.
“Why don’t people know about this?”
“What makes you think they don’t know about it?” I asked.
“Because if they did, this forest would be full of people foraging! Just
one spiritual fruit sells for more than a farmer makes in a year,” said Lari.
I didn’t know about that. There hadn’t been a spirit farmer in decades,
which meant that there wasn’t really a set price for spirit fruit.
“That is strange,” said Kharli.
“What matters is that we can fill our bellies with good food if we can
forage a lot today,” I said.
We walked on for more than an hour before we found something.

[Wood Ear Mushrooms:

An edible mushroom with a ruffled, wavy body that gives it its name. It
typically grows on dead or dying trees. Nutritious and filling, the wood
ear mushroom has a sweet, smokey, and earthy flavor.]

“Just place your hand over the items, and think ‘forage.’ The System
will automatically place the items in your inventory,” I said. “It’s very
convenient, isn’t it?”
I reached out toward the patch of wood ear mushrooms growing on a
fallen tree, and half of them disappeared into my inventory.
“My turn?” asked Lari.
“No. Only one person can forage one spot,” I said. “Try it, if you want.”
The three of them tried to forage the mushrooms but failed.
“Teacher, the System says ‘No mushrooms left,’ but I can clearly see
there are more here,” said Lari. “Why don’t I just pick some myself?”
Without waiting for permission, he reached out and plucked off a
mushroom.
“Nooooo!” I cried. “You can’t do that!”
Lari looked baffled. “Why not?”
 I sighed. “We should forage in an ethical manner. Whenever we forage
using the System, we always leave some plants behind. Never, ever take
every single plant. You know that these are precious and rare species,
right?”
I waited until all of them nodded before continuing.
“What do you think would happen if we took all of these plants from
everywhere in the forest?” I asked.
The three of them looked at each other, and it was Mo who finally
answered. “Then there won’t be any left?”
“Yes. For example, many plants have edible leaves, but if we take all
the leaves from a plant, it will be difficult for it to survive. Always leave
some items behind so that there will some left for the animals to eat and
more for us to forage later. Don’t be greedy,” I said.
Lari looked abashed and dropped the mushroom he had picked.
“Look at the mushroom patch. Notice that the System didn’t take the
biggest ones. It’s good to always leave the best specimens alone so that
these wild plants will grow better and better. You must now think of
yourself as not just a farmer, but also a caretaker of sorts of the forest.”
I must say that was quite a passionate speech that I just gave, but this
was something that needed to be said.
“I understand, Teacher,” said Mo. “Thank you for teaching us your
philosophy.”
The three of them bowed deeply to me.
Wow! There was no “Teaching” skill in the game. Nevertheless, I
thought I had gained a level.

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 Chapter 32

L ast night , I dreamed of my baby dragon , who was basically a

little blue lizard with wings, turning into a human toddler. What?! Weird.
Habit made me wake up promptly at dawn, even though I didn’t need
to. I kicked the covers off and stretched my arms over my head. Ah, my bed
was really the best! I’d chosen the biggest, most luxurious one from the
Cash Shop, and it was absolutely perfect. The mattress was hard but
springy, and the beddings were made of the best-quality cotton.
The only fly in the ointment was that the bed was almost too hot to
sleep in now that we were in the summer season. The others had told me it
would get hotter, much hotter, soon.
Should I turn on the climate control yet? I had refrained from using any
of the house’s advanced settings because I didn’t want to spook the
normies, but sooner or later I would probably use it.
Hmmm. Not today. It wasn’t that hot yet.
I snoozed for a few minutes more before getting up and going to the
bathroom sink to wash my face and brush my teeth. Fengying had been
horrified when she saw I had a toilet and shower inside my suite. Toilets
were considered dirty in this world, and having one inside your room was
considered beyond the pale. Though I mostly took her advice about the
house, I stood firm about this one.
There was no way I was going to use an outdoor toilet again if I could
help it!
Once I finished my daily routine, I went to my tiny dining room that I
had furnished with comfortable chairs upholstered with lushly embroidered
silk brocade and a small carved rosewood table.
I was still yawning when Yinuo, one of the maids, arrived with my
breakfast.
“Miss Violet, Madam Fengying asked me to remind you that Prince
Baiyu will be visiting today,” she said.
“Okay.” I was way too sleepy to say anything more.
I only woke up after I had finished eating my hearty breakfast of tea,
soy milk, crullers, and shaobing, a layered flatbread stuffed with spiced
pork. The Demon Chef’s meals really had a way of perking me up.
Today was the fifth day of the summer growing season, and I had
instructed my apprentices to water the fields by themselves. Lari and Kharli
were coming along nicely, and Mo had surprised all of us by leveling up
farming. She must have some hidden characteristic that made her gain more
experience faster. Now she was level four while the others were level three.
Without me to help them, they would undoubtedly deplete all of their
energy, therefore I gave them the rest of the day off.
As for me, I had the entire day off.
The only thing on my schedule was a morning full of self-care and the
afternoon visit by Prince Baiyu. I had lost count of the days he had spent
sweeping the path around the house, but he’d stopped visiting right after he
flew me back from Anwei. I figured he’d lost interest in me, though he had
sent word through Shuye that he wouldn’t be able to see me for a while
because he was busy with his work. Apparently, it was time for him to go
over his clan’s yearly budget with the elders.
Now, finally, he had sent a message that he had some free time and
wanted to see me this afternoon.
Fengying popped by to visit me while I was selecting the clothes I was
going to wear today.
“Miss Violet, are you sure Prince Baiyu will be joining you for dinner?”
she asked me, not for the first time.
I understood her skepticism. Eating human food was taboo for the clans
because of an incident hundreds of years ago when there was a famine, and
the God Beasts nobly gave their share of food to their human subjects,
thereby discovering that they could survive by eating demons. That
emergency measure had turned into a tradition, and according to Shuye, it
was a matter of pride among adult clan members that they were strong
enough to live by hunting and eating demons.
 Prince Baiyu had sent a message that he was arriving before dusk and
staying until midnight. Consequently, he would be here during the evening
meal. It wasn’t like I could tell him to go away while we were eating and
come back when we were finished. We were in the middle of a forest, not a
city, so there was nowhere for him to go.
“He won’t be eating anything; he’ll just sit with us,” I said.
“Why?” she asked.
I laughed evilly. “Haven’t you been complaining that Lari refuses to
learn proper table manners? When the kids finish their chores, tell them
they will be joining us.”
“But Lari isn’t ready! He’ll disgrace himself!”
Fengying didn’t have to say it, but we both understood that that would
also reflect badly on me as his teacher.
“He’s smart, and I have faith that he’ll master it today,” I said. Basic
table manners weren’t that hard to learn, therefore I wasn’t too worried. “By
the way, make sure he knows he can’t pretend to be sick and skip dinner.
Perhaps you can emphasize to him that it’s a good thing for him to meet the
son of the Ruler of the Westerlands.”
Lari was both [Ambitious] and [Lazy], which required proper handling.
The girls, on the other hand, had easily mastered their dining etiquette,
according to Fengying. I didn’t believe for a second that Lari was stupider
than them, which meant that he had just been slacking off.
Fengying just shook her head at me and left.
I browsed through all of my clothes, then decided to get new ones from
the Cash Shop. If I remembered correctly, there should be quite a few
summer-themed items. I turned on the [Privacy] option for my room using
the System, then grabbed a few costume packs.
Thank goodness people couldn’t see inside my rooms because each time
I opened a pack, I had to go through the same magical girl transformation
sequence.
The [Dazzling Summer], [Summer’s Delight], [A Breath of Summer],
[Fairytale Fantasia], and [Cool Dusk] packs all yielded usable items. I was
particularly taken by a white-and-purple robe embroidered with peonies and
a cute cream-colored eyelet blouse with a ruffled collar.
By the time I finished shopping for new clothes, it was only
midmorning. My days had been so full of farming and foraging that I’d
barely had time for myself. Thus, my next move was to have a good, long
soak in the hot spring.
I sank into the warm, welcoming water after I had scrubbed my body
with honeysuckle-scented soap and a washcloth and let my worries melt
away. I remembered to add a [Dewy Glow Potion] into the bathing pool.
That was my secret to having flawless skin, despite the fact that I spent
most of my days outdoors.
A gentle chime sounded when I had been in the bath for twenty minutes.
Being in the hot water too long overstimulated the body, so the timer was
there to alert people when they should leave. Small holes opened up at the
bottom of the pool and the water drained away. Then I took a cold shower
and moved on to the salon where a Cash Shop machine shampooed,
conditioned, and styled my hair into soft, beachy waves.
Primping only took half an hour, and I emerged from the hot spring
ready to face my apprentices’ complaints.
Sure enough, the moment that I stepped into the outer courtyard, the
three of them fairly blistered my ears with their loud complaints, high-
pitched whining, and ill-tempered grumbling.
I took a few minutes out of my busy schedule to reassure them that
Prince Baiyu would be dining with us and, yes, everything would turn out
fine since I was sure that they would be able to conduct themselves properly
after a final lesson from Fengying.
As a result of the kids panicking horribly, Fengying advised me to eat in
my quarters, which I was happy to do. Lunch was yet another sublime meal.
The Demon Chef had surpassed himself with the mouthwatering char siu
rice with wild vegetables. I don’t know what marinade Deming had used,
but the tender slices of pork were sweet, savory, and smoky from the grill.
I rested for a while after lunch, then went to the fields outside to check
if the crops were doing well. Everything was fine, so I went back to the
house for an afternoon nap.
When I woke up, Fengying absolutely insisted that I change into my
best clothes. According to her, the best one was the [Springtime Delight]
set. She and Yinuo, one of the maids, exclaimed over the floor-length green
silk dress with long white sleeves as though they had never seen a prettier
dress before, even though they were unable to touch the Cash Shop item.
By the time Prince Baiyu arrived, I was already waiting in the main hall
along with my three apprentices.
 We exchanged greetings and bows, and I formally introduced Lari,
Kharli, and Mo to the prince.
My apprentices all looked pale and sick with fear, so I thought I would
have some fun with them.

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 Chapter 33

“Y ou seem frightened , my dear apprentices , as you should be ! Y our

lives have been easy and sheltered until now. Today you have met the bane
of all hard-working men and women, the vulture that swoops down to prey
on every person who has ever earned an honest living, the one who is a
plague on all honest folk who earn money through their blood, sweat, and
tears, the dreaded…tax man!” I said, gesturing at Prince Baiyu.
The person who I had just given an awesome introduction to shook his
head. “Thank you, but I don’t like the vulture comparison. I prefer to be
described as ‘a tiger who is about to pounce,’ please.”
“Oh, my bad. I meant the tiger that pounces on every person who has
ever earned an honest living!”
Fengying shook her head at our shenanigans and ushered the kids out. I
tried to lead Prince Baiyu to a chair, but he said, “I’d rather go outside. I’ve
been worried about whether or not someone has been sweeping the path.”
What? He wanted to play at being a sweeper again?
“Are you sure? I thought you might be tired because I heard you’ve
been working hard,” I said.
“I don’t want to sit down because I’ve only been sitting down in
meetings all this time,” said Prince Baiyu.
“I see.”
We walked out, trailed by Fengying and the maids who stood behind me
as I took out a chair from my inventory and set it down under a tree, the
better to watch as Prince Baiyu took off his robe again, leaving his upper
body bare, and started sweeping the path around the house clean of leaves
and dirt.
We were all used to it by now, but that didn’t make it any less thrilling.
“Hey, stop staring at him,” I said. “This display is for me.”
Fengying and the girls just ignored me as they continued to ogle Prince
Baiyu’s amazing physique.
“Have you noticed that he lingers on the parts of the path that’s nearest
to the lady?” whispered Yinuo to Fengying. “And he finishes sweeping the
parts of the path that are out of sight really quickly.”
“Silly girl,” said Fengying. “Don’t you know the prince is a wind
element type? He could blow the leaves away in a second if he wanted.”
“But then I wouldn’t be able to see this sight,” I said. “Now go away.
You’ve looked enough.”
This time, they allowed me to shoo them away. I placed a chair beside
mine for Prince Baiyu to use later, and I continued to enjoy the view.
When he had finally had enough of sweeping, he placed the sacks full
of leaves near the gate and asked me to walk with him. I chose a winding
path through the forest that was shaded by trees. Though it was late
afternoon, the day was still hot, enlivened only by a warm breeze.
“You really don’t want to sit down, huh?” I said.
“You have no idea,” he said. “This is the worst season for me. There are
so many budget meetings with old people who treat me like I’m still a child
and never listen to me or notice me unless something’s wrong. Then it’s
‘our young lord should do this’ and ‘our young lord should do that’ to make
me do all the dirty work.”
“Like what?”
“Like raising taxes on certain territories or enforcing penalties,” he said.
“Poor you,” I said. “But it’s not really as bad as demon-hunting season,
right? I mean, at least you don’t suffer from qi overload during the budget
meetings.”
“Thanks to you, I haven’t gotten qi overload again,” he said.
“I’m glad my potions worked,” I said.
“They did, but it was more than that. I burned qi by flying over here
every few days to leave my kills at your doorstep,” said Prince Baiyu.
“That was you? I assumed you had sent one of your retainers to deliver
the meat,” I said.
“No, I did it all myself,” he said.
 “Smart! You must’ve used up a lot of qi. How far away is the southern
border from my farm?”
“Five hours’ worth of flying,” he said.
“Feel free to continue using me as an excuse to avoid qi overload.
Didn’t people think it was weird that you had to deliver meat to a farmer?”
“Hasn’t anyone told you?”
“Told me what?” I asked.
Prince Baiyu gave me a sidelong look from under his long eyelashes.
He didn’t answer my question, and we walked on in silence for a few
minutes more until he asked me a question about the farm. I talked about
the farm, and he complained about his work for another hour until it was
time for us to return for dinner.
“What’s this, then?” I asked when we got back to the house and I saw
that the staff had worked miracles in our absence. Two tables had been set
up with formal table settings with white tablecloths, pristine white plates,
gleaming silverware, and sparkling stemware. The napkins had been folded
into precise shapes, and there were two intricate floral centerpieces.
“This way, please,” said Fengying as she guided us to the farther table
that had two seats but only one table setting on it.
Lari, Kharli, and Mo were already seated at the other table, dressed in
their finest robes and with miserable expressions on their faces, as though
they were about to witness their own execution.
I leaned closer to Fengying and said, “They look terrified. Should I
dismiss them?”
I was starting to feel a little bad for forcing them to dine with Prince
Baiyu and me. Maybe they really weren’t ready. The people in the western
lands normally ate with chopsticks, but this time Deming had prepared a
Central-style feast, which meant that they had to use unfamiliar utensils like
a knife and fork.
Fengying barely gave them a glance and just said, “It’s fine.”
Yinuo immediately served the first course when I sat down.
“Central cuisine?” asked Prince Baiyu. “Do you prefer that?”
“I like everything as long as it’s delicious!” I said.
Back on Earth, I had traveled to dozens of different countries with my
parents, who were both badly affected by wanderlust. That meant that my
palate was quite developed compared to other people my age. In this world,
the central continent was the continent ruled by humans. They were much
more technologically advanced compared to the Westerlands. They were in
the midst of an Industrial Revolution while the clans were still stuck in
feudal economies.
As a consequence of the Central continent’s scientific development,
Central cuisine was considered more modern compared to the other
regions’ cuisines. Deming was quite proficient in it, and I guess he wanted
to show off in front of the prince.
Dinner went well except for one minor incident where Lari dropped a
piece of fruit on his lap and tried to hide his mistake by flicking it away,
only for it to land on Mo’s arm, who promptly threw it back at him. Prince
Baiyu and I pretended not to notice their youthful hijinks.
“You’re not going to take anything, not even water?” I asked Prince
Baiyu.
“It’s customary,” he said.
“But you drink water?” I had read many fantasy stories where
cultivators didn’t need to eat or drink after they had achieved a certain
cultivation level, but I had never expected to see this in action in real life.
Prince Baiyu nodded. “Yes, but not like humans. I can go for days
without eating or drinking anything.”
“Huh, you gorge yourself during hunting season and don’t eat a lot
otherwise?” I asked.
“There’s more than one hunting season, yes,” he said.
We kept our conversation on neutral topics such as food and the weather
until we finished the meal. Then Prince Baiyu requested another walk.
“Unless you’re too tired, of course,” he said.
“Not at all. In fact, why don’t you accompany me on a longer walk?” I
said. “There’s a certain night-blooming flower that I would like to find.”
I checked the text of my current quest again.

[Curing Infertility:
Help the God Beast Clans with their fertility problem. Find five Dusk
Dandelions.]

“I would love to accompany you wherever you want to go,” he said.

“Thank you,” I said. “I’ll be just a moment. I need to change my
clothes.”
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 Chapter 34

A few minutes later , I met P rince B aiyu at the gate , and we set off
to find the [Mysterious Glade]. I really should’ve tried to unlock it earlier.
Just like in Adventure Incarnate, the place wasn’t shown on the System
map, but I remembered it was north of the [Horned Rabbits’ Valley].
“I can probably find it by myself,” I said. “But it would be easier if you
flew us up over the forest canopy.”
“Especially since it’s nighttime,” said Prince Baiyu. “Surely it’s too
dangerous for a human to go exploring when it’s this dark outside?”
“I have Mr. Bear!” I said. “He has glowing laser eyes, and he can grow
big enough for me to ride.”
“He can?” Prince Baiyu gave the small puppet that was hanging on my
belt a dubious look.
“…He’ll be able to once I upgrade him,” I said.
“So he can’t,” said Prince Baiyu.
“Yeah,” I said.
“What is the ‘lay-sir’ that you mentioned?”
I must’ve used the English acronym. This was my chance! I couldn’t
believe I had finally found an opportunity to show off my knowledge of
trivia.
“Laser means light amplification by the stimulated emission of
radiation,” I said.
Prince Baiyu couldn’t tell if I was joking or not. He bent his head down
and peered into my face, his eyebrows knitted into a frown. “What is that?”
 “Just a coherent beam of light,” I said, batting my eyelashes up at him.
“Also, may I just say that you look especially dashing today?”
Today he looked even more resplendent than normal in a gorgeous set
of lavender and plum robes, with his long white hair braided and tied in a
low ponytail.
“You’re trying to distract me by appealing to my vanity,” he said.
“And it’s working!”
We smiled at each other, and Prince Baiyu even laughed a little.
“Fine, you win,” he said.
“I enjoy winning,” I said.
Prince Baiyu was the flirtatious kind, and the only way I knew how to
deal with that was to give as good as I got. After a few more minutes of
light banter, I pulled out a map and showed him the approximate location of
the place I was looking for, north of the [Horned Rabbit’s Valley].
“Shuye brought me to the place where he said you and he found some
strange creatures called Horned Rabbits, but we didn’t see anything out of
the ordinary,” said Prince Baiyu. “It should be easy enough for me to fly
north of there.”
“Great.” It was only after he had already taken me into his arms and
flown away with me that I realized I was now alone in the woods with a
man who wasn’t family. I supposed it was a measure of my trust in the
prince that I hadn’t even given it a second thought.
“Are you comfortable?” asked Prince Baiyu.
I nodded. The moon was almost full, and it cast a pale light over the
forest below us as we soared through the air. Prince Baiyu’s aura shielded
me from most of the cool night air rushing past us. The prince slowly
increased his speed until the forest below us became nothing but a blur. In a
few minutes, we were hovering above the [Horned Rabbits’ Valley].
“Wow, that was fast,” I said.
“I can go faster than that if I need to,” said Prince Baiyu. “Shall I fly
slowly to the north?”
“Please.”
The [Mysterious Glade] was directly north of the valley in the game.
However, places that were one or two clicks away in the map in Adventure
Incarnate could be an hour away in real life, so it was with some relief that
I spied a treefall gap.
 “I think that might be the place,” I said to Prince Baiyu as I pointed at
an area below us where a large tree had fallen, leaving an opening in the
forest canopy.
“I’ll take us down there,” he said.
As usual, descending was much scarier than flying up had been, since it
made me feel like I was falling, but Prince Baiyu kept his speed low in
order to reduce my discomfort.
“Thank you,” I said when we landed.
I put a hand on my chest and tried to calm my racing heart. This was the
second time I’d flown, and the landing was less frightening than the first
one, but it would take a lot more for me to get used to it.
“Just give me a moment,” I said.
I squatted down and touched the ground with both my hands to settle
down. It took my eyes a while to adjust to the light conditions here.
Moonlight streamed through the gap in the trees, making the leaves look
like they were glowing.
“You want to walk from here?” asked Prince Baiyu.
“Which way is north?” I asked.
I went in the direction that Prince Baiyu pointed and crouched down to
peer at the hedgerow that someone had planted all around the treefall gap.
Using my hands, I tried to push the shrubs apart to make an opening for me
to crawl through. This was the most annoying part of going to the glade
because the entrance was different each time the player visited. I used to
post on the forums about how I had to spend a good twenty minutes
clicking every single pixel on the screen just to find the right place.
When the prince saw what I was doing, he started poking around, too. I
was about to take a break when he said, “There’s a place here that I can’t
touch.”
“Show me,” I said.
He reached into a bush, and I saw that something seemed to be stopping
his hand, but when I put my hands inside, I was able to push apart the
middle part of the hedgerow.
“Yes, I think this is what I was looking for,” I said.
The fact that he was unable to touch it didn’t surprise me at all, since
this was a special, secret place in Adventure Incarnate that was made
especially for the players. The natives of this world probably weren’t
allowed to enter the [Mysterious Glade] by themselves.
 I put both of his hands in mine, and we made an opening for us to crawl
through. It was a tight fit, and we had to go down on all fours, with the
stems and branches getting caught in our hair and clothing. By the time we
had forced our way through, there were leaves in our hair, and I had a large
tear on my right sleeve.
“Welcome to the [Mysterious Glade],” I said.
The System pop-up gave me a refresher on the lore of this place. I read
the information out loud to Prince Baiyu.

[The [Mysterious Glade]:

A hidden place blessed by the forest spirits. Protected by a powerful
magic, it has remained undiscovered for countless eons.
It is a place of healing and peace, where problems and worries fade
away. Legend states that if you sit quietly in the glade, the answers to
your deepest questions will come to you, but do not stay for too long, or
you might never emerge from the [Mysterious Glade].]

“How did you know about this place?” asked Prince Baiyu.
“It’s a story passed down from person to person. Now I’ve passed it
down to you,” I said.
That was the truth because I hadn’t found this place on my own
originally. The good people of the internet back on Earth had revealed this
Easter egg to me.
“Thank you for bringing me here,” said Prince Baiyu. Wonder was
written on his face as he looked around at the peaceful scenery.
We were in a small clearing. It was nighttime, so the grass was a dark
green, but I suspected it was emerald green during the day. A scholar tree
dominated the center of the glade, and a small stream flowed through the
western side. The only thing that broke the silence was the birdsong, the
sound of the stream, and the soft rustle of the leaves in the gentle breeze.
The air was thick with the scent of night-blooming jasmine.
“I need to look around for some wild mushrooms and flowers,” I said.
“The scent of this place is intoxicating…” Prince Baiyu walked beside
me, his head slowly turning from left to right like a pendulum as he tried to
take in everything at once.
It didn’t take long for me to find what I was looking for.
 Beside a patch of wild chives were flowers with bright yellow petals
that seemed to glow with an otherworldly light.

[Dusk Dandelion:
A rare flower that can cure infertility. Place the blossom in a silver vase
and leave it in a room where moonlight can shine down on it. After
three nights, the flower will wilt and the petals will fall off. The man or
woman who wishes to sire or conceive offspring must then eat those
petals.
The other parts of the plant are not edible.]

There were exactly five flowers.

[Curing Infertility:
Help the God Beast Clans with their fertility problem. Find five Dusk
Dandelions.]

What should I do?

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 Chapter 35

I sat down on the ground in front of the patch of flowers .

“What’s wrong?” asked Prince Baiyu as he crouched down beside me.
“I need five of these,” I said.
“There are five here,” said Prince Baiyu. “Why do you look worried?”
“I don’t want to pluck all of them,” I said. “Whenever I forage for wild
plants, I always leave at least half of them alone, because if you take
everything, they might not grow back. If you over-forage, the wild plant
population numbers will start to decrease until, eventually, it could become
completely depleted.”
“I see. That’s a good philosophy,” said Prince Baiyu.
“This means I’ll have to return this time again next month,” I said.
“I can take you back here again,” he said.
“Thank you. I’d be very grateful for your help,” I said.
Having the prince accompany me next time would guarantee my safety
and give him another chance to visit this secret location, since I doubted he
would be able to enter without my presence. Adventure Incarnate players
were said to be “blessed by the nature spirits,” which explained how they
were able to grow spiritual plants.
Though it was a pity that I wouldn’t be able to finish the quest today, I
decided that I shouldn’t complain since I was able to take two flowers.

[Curing Infertility:
Help the God Beast Clans with their fertility problem. Find five Dusk
Dandelions.
 Progress: 2/5]

The quest had no time limit, which meant that it wasn’t that urgent. I
suppose, since Shuye had told me that the clan’s fertility problems reached
back several generations, that a few weeks’ delay wouldn’t be a big deal.
Given the fact that completing this quest would solve a major problem, I
was sure that the reward would be pretty good. It would be great if I could
get a good reputation as a valuable ally of the clans before the upcoming
demon boss war.
However, there was one thing that bothered me. I couldn’t remember
this quest from Adventure Incarnate. That was a little weird.
Though I was a little confused about that, I decided to set that aside for
another time when I saw that [Mysterious Glade] had another useful item
that I could forage.

[Magical Sleeping Fairy Mushroom:

A small, white mushroom with a red cap. When eaten, it causes the
eater to fall asleep for a short period of time.
The mushroom gets its name from the fact that it is often found near
fairy rings. It is said that the mushrooms are left behind by the fairies
after they have had their fill of dancing and merriment.
The Magical Sleeping Fairy Mushroom is said to have magical
properties. If you place the mushroom under your pillow, you will have
sweet dreams. If you give the mushroom to someone you love, they will
fall asleep and dream of you.]

“Are you going to eat those?” Prince Baiyu pointed at the mushrooms.
“Nope. These are ingredients for a potion,” I said. “Most of the things
that you find here are medicinal plants.”
When I had finished looking all around the small clearing, peering at
every bush and flower patch that looked promising, I made my way to the
small stream that was about three feet wide, lined with rocks and small
pebbles. In the moonlight, the water glistened like silver, and its banks were
lined with green moss, giant ferns, and rushes, dotted here and there with
colorful wild flowers like pink water avens and daisies.
 “You don’t mind if I do a little bit of night fishing, do you?” I asked the
prince.
“There are fish here?” He gave the stream a dubious look.
“There’s only one way to find out!” I said.
In the last few weeks, I had been focused on farming, which meant that
fishing had taken a back seat. It was still level nine while my Farming and
Woodcutting levels were already twelve.

[Player Name: Violet

Farming Skills:
Farming Level 12, Fishing Level 9, Woodcutting Level 12, Cooking
Level 1, Herblaw Level 3, Foraging Level 3, Hunting Level 1, Mining
Level 1]

Taking a pair of hip waders from my inventory, I put them on before

wading into the water. Thankfully, the water still held some of the day’s
heat.
“Why don’t I give it a try?” said Prince Baiyu.
“You brought a fishing rod?” I asked.
“I can fish using my hands,” he said.
“I’d love to see that, but please let me try first,” I said, because I feared
that I wouldn’t be able to catch any if he went into the stream and disturbed
the fish since there was only one fishing spot indicated in the System map.
I cast my line out and waited patiently for a bite. After a few minutes, I
was able to reel in a small rainbow trout. It was just a regular rainbow trout,
which was disappointing because I had been hoping to catch one of the
special fish that could only be found in the [Mysterious Glade].

[Rainbow Trout:
A species of fish found in cold-water rivers and streams that gets its
name from the beautiful colors that appear on its body when the sun
hits it just right. Its scales glisten with red, orange, yellow, blue, and
purple hues, and its eyes are like tiny black pearls.
Rainbow trout are not only beautiful, but also delicious, with firm flesh
and a subtly sweet, sea-scented flavor.]
 “What happened to the fish you caught?” asked the prince.
“Oh, I have a very large dimensional storage space,” I said. “You have
one, too, right?”
He nodded. His dimensional storage space must be enormous since he
had a lot of qi, but mine was even more outrageous. I really doubted that
anyone in this world had an inventory as big as mine.
I fished for two hours, then let Prince Baiyu try his luck. Furthermore, I
was curious to see if he would be able to catch anything, since he hadn’t
even been able to enter the [Mysterious Glade] without my help. He took
off his robe and shoes, rolled up his pants legs, and waded into the water.
While he watched the water carefully, looking for any movement, I sat
down on the mossy bank and watched him fish. It was a bit much, frankly. I
mean, here was a tall, handsome, wealthy prince who was alone with me on
a moonlit night. This was something that you could only enjoy in a fantasy
world.
“Why are you looking at me like that?” Prince Baiyu turned to look at
me.
“Has anyone ever told you that you look beautiful under the
moonlight?” I asked.
“Only you.”
We smiled at each other. I wished I had some popcorn to munch on as I
feasted my eyes on Prince Baiyu covered in glistening drops of water as he
brought a [Rainbow Trout] out of the water, holding it by the tail. The fish
disappeared, stored in his inventory, and he continued fishing for another
hour.
“Are you sure you want to stop? You can continue fishing if you like,” I
said.
“You were yawning,” he said.
It was true. “Farmers go to sleep early because they wake up at dawn.”
“I’ll take you home,” he said. “I hope I can see you again at the same
time next week. I’m just so busy with my work that I’m worried I won’t be
able to make it.”
“Hopefully, you’ll be able to visit me again soon. If you want, we can
try to get here earlier. I’ll tell Deming to make a picnic basket for me. Then
we’ll have plenty of time for both of us to fish.”
“I would like that.”
 The flight back home was uneventful, then we said our goodbyes at the
gate under the watchful eyes of Fengying.
What a great day! I had fun, and I made progress with my current quest.

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 Chapter 36

I woke up at dawn , yawning and stretching my arms over my head

as I took a deep breath of the cool morning air. I slowly sat up, rubbing my
eyes with my hands. Although it was still dark, the sound of birdsong from
outside told me that the birds were already up and that it was time for me to
start a new day at the farm. I washed my face, brushed my teeth, and put on
a set of plain robes before heading outside to the outer courtyard where the
day’s first meal was waiting for me.
Deming was quite a frugal chef, and I was pleased to see that breakfast
consisted of fried rice that was made using yesterday’s leftover rice,
vegetables, and chicken. I also ate a small bowl of vegetable dumpling
soup, and for dessert there was plenty of fresh fruit.
As usual, we set aside the seeds for possible later use, and the kitchen
showed me the seeds they had saved for me yesterday, but alas, the System
seemed very picky and would only accept a tiny fraction of the seeds we
got from the fruit, vegetables, and berries we foraged.
This wasn’t really a problem for me since I had over two billion of each
type of seed in my inventory, but I had been thinking of selling these for
other people to use. I had already asked if Shuye could find a buyer for my
seeds, and he had told me that growing spiritual plants was difficult but not
impossible. The failure rate was high. Nonetheless, there should be people
who were willing to give it a try. I got the distinct impression that the seeds
would be treated as rare treasures. My Farm Guide would be selling the
seeds along with the summer harvest.
 After I finished eating, I headed outside with my apprentices in tow,
only to be met with a curious sight. Everyone was standing around the
beehive, and Haoran, one of Deming’s assistants, was kneeling in front of it
and touching his forehead to the ground repeatedly.
“What’s going on?” I asked Fengying.
“He says there’s a god inside of it,” said Fengying.
“What?!” yelled Lari, his eyes wide with shock.
“When we went outside to get the usual three sacks of rice from the
machine, he saw bees coming out of their hive carrying a glass jar full of
honey,” said Fengying.
Uh-oh. The bees had done the same thing twice before when I was alone
on the farm. This was exactly the way that it worked in Adventure
Incarnate, so I hadn’t thought anything of it, but obviously this was not
normal in this world.
“These are very special honeybees,” was all I said before I fled to the
second field with Lari, Kharli, and Mo. Let Fengying take care of it.
Supervising the staff was what I paid her for, after all.
The four of us tacitly agreed not to discuss the bees. The kids had their
own little bit of the System, hence they were quite used to strange, magical
phenomena.
One week after they had been planted, the [Corn] and [Wheat] had
sprouted and grown fresh, tender green seedlings. Each of them seemed to
glow with an inner light. We watered the crops and pulled up a few errant
weeds. By the time we finished and walked back to the field near the house,
the staff were no longer at the beehive. Fengying must’ve done her work
and herded them back to work.
At the vegetable field, the plants seemed to have grown more compared
to the [Corn] and [Wheat]. I thought it might’ve been because the soil there
was better.
“What’s next for today, Teacher?” asked Kharli.
“I wanted to ask you guys about that. How much energy do you have
left?”
“About half.” The others echoed her.
“Mmm. Okay, that means we can train your other skills. Fishing,
Cooking, Foraging, or Hunting, what would you prefer to do?” I asked
them.
“Hunting!” said Lari immediately.
 I gave the others an inquiring look, but they just shrugged.
“All right, if that’s what you want. We’ll run out of meat sooner or later.
It would be good to add to our stock,” I said.
Lari let out a whoop. “Hunting! I’m gonna be a hunter!”
I wondered if a hunter had a higher status than a farmer in this world.
We went back to the house to get the packed lunches I had asked Deming to
prepare, then headed north to the forest.
“Let’s go get us some delicious meat,” I said.
When I activated the System map, I checked it for the nearest hunting
spot, which turned out to be the one for [Weenusk Diggers]. I vaguely
remembered that they were some sort of magical groundhogs.

[Weenusk Digger:
A burrowing rodent. The Weenusk Digger has reddish-brown fur and
short but powerful legs. It is not aggressive and will escape predators
by tunneling through the ground at a rapid pace.
Their meat is dark and gamey, with a strong flavor similar to venison.]

It took us an hour and a half to get to the digger hunting grounds, which
was nothing more than a small, unremarkable clearing covered in green
grass and colorful wildflowers. I would never have known that there were
diggers living here if the System’s map hadn’t revealed it.
“Can you see any holes in the ground?” I asked my apprentices.
They scattered in different directions, carefully searching the ground for
suspicious openings.
“There’s one here!” said Lari.
“Okay, okay, don’t shout. You don’t want to scare away the animals.” I
gestured for them to join me. “This place is where the diggers live. If you’re
lucky, you’ll be able to see their burrows. Now, we as hunters will set traps
here. Check your System tool belt. There should be some wooden traps and
bait there. Get three of each.”
We all took out the aforementioned items.
I had done plenty of hunting in Adventure Incarnate, therefore I knew
what to do, though I’d never done it in real life. Fortunately, the traps
seemed easy to use. I demonstrated how to put the bait inside and how to
set up the trap, which looked something like a mousetrap cage, but bigger.
 “Look, open the cage door like this and put the bait here.” I showed
them how to do it, then I used a long twig to reach inside the cage to touch
the bait. The cage door slammed shut, and there was a loud crackling sound
as powerful jolts of electricity danced inside the cage.
My apprentices seemed delighted by the magical trap’s display of
power, while I felt somewhat ambiguous about it. On the one hand, I loved
to eat meat, but on the other hand, I had always bought meat at the
supermarket. The thought of collecting the corpses of dead animals made
me shudder, but I didn’t want to be a hypocrite, so I would have to bear it.
I directed them to place traps a suitable distance from one another, and I
put mine in the middle of the hunting grounds.
“That’s it for now,” I said. “We’ll come back at the end of the day to
check if the traps caught anything.”
“We’re not going to wait here?” asked Lari.
“That would be a waste of time. We’re going foraging,” I said.
Lari groaned.
“I like foraging,” said Mo.
“Me, too,” I said. “Shall we go our own way or walk together?”
We decided to go in different directions. Only one person could forage
each spot, which meant that separating was the most efficient way to do it.
“Look at the System clock to check the time. We’ll meet back here at
five p.m. See you later,” I said. “Remember to eat your lunch when you get
hungry.”
“Yes, Teacher,” they chorused in agreement.
Mr. Bear was my only companion during the day as I roamed around
the forest looking for edible plants and useful Herblaw ingredients. I found
quite a lot of [Loquats], [Lychees], and [Papayas] as well as [Elf Leaf],
[Fireroot], and [Bittergrass].
I must have already foraged a lot of the mushrooms because I couldn’t
gather more from the spots that I saw. That was the problem with visiting
the same places in the forest. Tomorrow, if we decided to hunt diggers
again, we would have to do something else instead of foraging.
When we met up again at the end of the day, we found that one of my
traps had been sprung. I felt terribly queasy when I saw the glassy-eyed
digger inside mine, so I placed it in my inventory as quickly as I could. It
was a lot bigger than I thought it would be, with a length of over two hand
spans from nose to tail, and it had thick, glossy fur.
 Three of Lari’s traps had been successful, while Kharli was able to
retrieve one digger. Mo’s traps had all failed.
“Tough luck,” I said to Mo. “Shall we try again tomorrow?”
She nodded, and the others also indicated their agreement.
“We can set the traps overnight and come back for them tomorrow,” I
said.
“All right! More meat!” Lari immediately took out three more traps
from his inventory and ran over to a corner of the clearing.
He must think that this spot was the best one for hunting.
We all set up our traps as best as we could. I reckoned that one digger
had enough meat for one person’s meal, which meant that we would have to
hunt more in order for us to provide enough for the entire household. Of
course, it was our first time to hunt, and we would undoubtedly be able to
hunt bigger, better game later on.
Before we left, I asked them to show me what they had foraged.
As the System owner and their teacher, I could view and use my
apprentices’ inventories, but I preferred to let them show me what they had
gotten. Kharli had a haul that was as big as mine, while Lari only had a
handful of berries to show for his efforts. Mo’s foraged items, on the other
hand, were twice as many as mine.
“How did you get so many?” asked Lari.
“I don’t know. They were just there,” said Mo.
“Good job, everyone. Let’s go back home,” I said.

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 Chapter 37

T wo days later , S huye informed me that the rice situation had been
resolved and that the Lady wanted me to plant more rice.
We were seated in the main hall, and I had already given him the
[Crocus] flower he liked so much. Shuye was wearing his usual brown
clothes, and I was still in my work clothes since the two of us tended to be
much more casual with each other compared to my meetings with Prince
Baiyu.
“What happened to the chaos you said would ensue if I tried to sell
more rice?” I asked.
“Prince Baiyu told you that it’s the time when the clans discuss the
yearly budget, right? The Lady met with all the clan heads, and everyone
agreed that the White Tiger Clan would buy up the supply and be in charge
of distributing it,” said Shuye.
“For a very good price, I hope,” I said.
“Of course,” said Shuye. “And I’ve also been instructed to provide you
with anything you might need.”
“Planting season is over, but I can clear a field and plant rice this
autumn,” I said.
“Wonderful! I look forward to that,” said Shuye.
“By the way, before I forget, there’s something that I’ve been meaning
to ask you. Is there supposed to be some meaning behind Prince Baiyu
leaving his kills at my doorstep? He seemed to think I should already
know,” I said.
 Shuye rolled his eyes. “You have to know what it means. It’s perfectly
obvious.”
I wasn’t sure what to think.
“Fine. If you want me to say it out loud, a male leaving his kills on a
female’s doorstep means he’s courting her.”
“…”
“But you already knew that.” Shuye gave me a penetrating look.
“I guess I can’t say that I was unaware,” I said. “I mean, he hasn’t
exactly been subtle.”
Shuye laughed heartily. “If he was subtle, you would probably ignore
him.”
“Eh.” I shrugged my shoulders, then a terrible thought struck me. “Wait
a minute, wouldn’t everyone in his hunting party have noticed? Does
everyone know about this?”
“Of course everyone knows! You didn’t think it was a secret, did you?
Nothing that a member of the ruling family does can be hidden.”
Oh, no! “Isn’t he his mother’s heir? People can’t be happy about this.”
No matter how much the clans respected the humans that they
protected, they had to be troubled when one of their most prominent
members courted a member of the weaker species.
“Don’t worry about it. Prince Baiyu is the Lady’s only child, which
makes him a prince, but the White Tiger Clan is always ruled by a female.”
“Then who is the heir?”
“…Prince Baiyu.”
“What?”
“Only theoretically! The Lady named him her heir, and he rules when
she’s away, but no one really expects him to become the next head of the
family. He’s only the heir until the Lady gives birth to a female.”
“What happens if she doesn’t?”
“She will. The Lady is young, and she will probably have more
children. If, the gods forfend, she doesn’t, then the clans will probably elect
the new ruler.”
“What would happen to Prince Baiyu then?”
“He could either marry the new Lady or her daughter-heir or give up his
position.”
“I see.”
 “None of that matters. You’re a human, so these things aren’t for you to
worry about.” Shuye hesitated, then continued, “You know, it’s absolutely
forbidden for us to harm humans. That doesn’t just mean physical harm.
Insulting a human by insinuating that they aren’t good enough for Prince
Baiyu would be a sin, too.”
I gave him a disbelieving look.
“It’s true,” Shuye insisted. “You know the story of the five continents.
The gods reformed the world when their offspring warred on humans, and
the Southerlands were laid waste by a divine punishment when the clans
there sinned by attacking the humans. It’s our greatest taboo.”
“Okay,” I said.
He was talking about their religion.
The story went that during the Dawn Age, the gods became curious
about humans and even mated with them, which resulted in stronger and
more intelligent divine-human offspring. All went well for thousands of
years, with generations of enlightened demigods ruling humankind, until it
all went downhill when the original semi-divine rulers’ progeny began
fighting for power amongst themselves.
The gods intervened by reforming the continent into five territories. The
Northern, Southern, Western, and Eastern lands were given over to the
clans, while the Central area was reserved for humans. Peace was
maintained by a spell or geas that weakened members of the God Beast
clans whenever they were out of their territory. Thus, for example, if
members of the White Tiger Clan left the Westerlands, they would feel
more and more uncomfortable until they were forced to return to their
homes.
Now Shuye was claiming that even insulting or discriminating against
humans was considered a sin.
“Anyway, the clans are mostly human,” said Shuye.
I gave him a disbelieving look. “No way.”
“Yes. Think about it. When was the last time that a god came down to
mate with one of us? Millions of years ago!” he said. “How many times has
one of us had children with humans? Countless times! We have only a
fraction of a fraction of a fraction of a drop of god’s blood in us. The rest is
all human.”
“That sounds logical.” I was very surprised at Shuye’s reasoning. It
made sense, but I wouldn’t have thought that the clans considered
themselves mostly human.
“Plenty of clan members marry humans, don’t worry.”
“I’m not thinking of marriage!”
“Sure. Sure.” Shuye covered his mouth with his hand to hide his smile.
“Okay, enough about that,” I said.
“Fine.” Shuye leaned back and smiled at me. “Is there anything you
want?”
“As a matter of fact, I was wondering if you could come over with your
flying cart and take us to the lake. I’d like to go fishing there with my
apprentices, but it’s too far for us to walk,” I said.
“Which lake?” asked Shuye.
“The [Lake of Clear Ripples],” I said. “It’s east of here.”
“I’ve never heard of that lake,” said Shuye.
“Hmm.” I took out a pencil and a piece of paper from my inventory and
tried to draw a map. I pointed out the approximate location of the lake to
Shuye using the drawing. “It’s right there.”
“This map is a bit weird. I can’t make out what this is, and I’ve never
heard of any of these places. Which way is north?” Shuye seemed confused
by the replica System map.
“Uh, never mind, can you just bring the cart tomorrow? I can tell you
where to go,” I said.
“Sure, when do you want me to arrive?” he asked.
I called Fengying over, and we talked about the details of the trip. My
idea was to just bring a picnic basket, but Fengying said she wanted to go to
the lake with Deming, too. We hashed out the details with Shuye, who said
he would be available the next day.

Vacation time!
Okay, it wasn’t really a vacation; it was a fishing trip, but it was
exciting.
I hurried through my morning routine and was out of the gate even
before dawn. I was already halfway through watering the vegetable field
when my sleepy apprentices arrived to help me out. We finished in record
time, and I sat down to eat some porridge while we waited for Shuye to
arrive.
“Don’t burn down the house while we’re gone,” said Fengying to the
staff.
“Tongs,” said the Demon Chef to his assistants, who were packing up
the supplies that he would need to cook lunch for us. One of them handed
him a pair of tongs.
“Are there any special fish in the lake?” asked Lari.
“Maybe,” I said. I honestly couldn’t remember. There were a lot of
different varieties of fish in Adventure Incarnate, and most of them were
fictional or legendary ones, so it was hard for me to recall all the different
species that one could catch. “But I’m sure that there are a lot of different
fish there.”
That part I remembered clearly. Many of the rivers only had a few
species living in them, but the [Lake of Clear Ripples] was home to a
wonderful variety of fish populations.
“Look! There he is!” Kharli pointed up at the sky where a small black
dot was flying toward us.
“He’s just in time,” I said as I put down my bowl of porridge.
“Good morning,” said Shuye when he arrived on his flying oxcart. The
oxen were actually some sort of talisman or spell creature, and the whole
thing was the product of a skilled magical artisan. My puppet, Mr. Bear,
was the same kind of creature, but much more advanced.
“Good morning,” I said as I handed him another [Crocus] flower, which
he placed on his belt as usual.
Shuye didn’t bother to alight from his vehicle and motioned for us to get
in right away. The others made their greetings, then they all piled into the
cart while I climbed up beside the driver’s seat where Shuye was.
“I hope you know where we’re going, because I don’t,’’ said Shuye.
“Don’t worry. I know exactly where to go,” I said.
Using the System map, I directed Shuye to the lake. It would’ve taken
us at least three hours to walk there, but flying there in a straight line only
took twenty minutes or thereabouts.
“See? I don’t know how you could’ve missed this enormous lake!” I
said.
“But, but, but…” Shuye spluttered indignantly. “There isn’t supposed to
be a lake here!”
 “Then how do you explain that?” I pointed at the large body of water
below us. “Maybe you don’t know the forest as much as you think you do.”
Shuye just shook his head and sighed. “If you say so.”
“Um, can you land like really, really, really slowly?” Flying was fun,
but I hated landings.
“How slow? You mean slower than a snail? I’ll try,” he said.
“Yes, please,” I said.
“Don’t worry, it’s very safe,” said Shuye.
I tried not to look down as we descended, and my stomach dropped.
“Oh, I really don’t like this part.”
Unclipping Mr. Bear from my belt, I made him grow until he was big
enough to cuddle. I squeezed him tight and closed my eyes while I tried to
stay calm.
“Here we are,” said Shuye.
Moments later, I felt the jolt of our landing.
“We survived, Mr. Bear,” I said to my puppet.
“Trust me. I’ve never had a cart crash at landing,” said Shuye to me.
Fengying, Deming, and the others had already alighted. Shuye helped
me down because I was still feeling a little shaky.
“Thanks,” I said.
I looked around at the lake that was so large that I couldn’t see the other
side. The shore was lined with trees, and there were mountains in the
distance. I took a deep breath and enjoyed the fresh, clean smell of water
and grass.
The surface of the lake was a clear blue ruffled by a slight breeze,
making it ripple in a lovely way. I suppose that was why it was called the
[Lake of Clear Ripples]. I was glad that the waves weren’t too high.
The kids were extremely excited and were running around here and
there, screaming their heads off as though they were school children on the
first day of vacation. I let them be and went with the adults to find a good
place to set up Deming’s workplace.
The plan was for me and my apprentices to fish in the lake while
Deming cooked our catch for lunch. I thought every place looked the same,
so I let the Demon Chef choose where he wanted to stay.
I left him, Shuye, and Fengying at a shady spot near the lake shoreline
and called my apprentices over.
“Nice place, huh? I’m glad you like it,” I said.
 “I’ve only read about this type of place in storybooks,” said Kharli.
“Really?” I asked.
“We’ve never been outside of Anwei,” said Lari.
“Most people never leave the place they were born in,” said Kharli. “I
can’t believe I’m here.”
Mo nodded. The two girls hooked their arms together and jumped up
and down.
“I’m so happy!” said Kharli.
I let them play around for a few more minutes before saying, “All right,
this day is going to be great fun. Open your System map. You will see that
there are certain places on the shoreline that have yellow dots on them.
Those are the places where we can fish. Let’s try out a few of them.”
We walked over to the nearest spot. Of course, we were well-prepared
with wide-brimmed hats, fishing bibs, and hip waders.
“Wouldn’t it be better if we were on a boat?” asked Lari.
“Yes, but Shuye didn’t even know that there’s a lake here, so I couldn’t
ask him to prepare a boat for us,” I said. “Anyway, shore fishing is good
enough. You’ll see.”
By this time, my apprentices had learned enough about the System to
know how to get their fishing rods and bait by themselves. I instructed them
to put their catch in buckets and give the fish to Deming for cooking. Then I
left them alone to find whichever fishing spot suited them best.

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I put a jaunty sailor ’ s hat on M r . B ear , then walked along the

shoreline until I came across a likely fishing spot, then waded a little way
into the water before casting my line. It would’ve been nicer if there was a
dock that I could put a chair on and relax while I fished. After a few
minutes, I got a bite and reeled in a [Steelhead].

[Steelhead:
A freshwater fish with a distinctive band of color along its sides.
The steelhead, a type of rainbow trout, is a popular fish for cooking
because of its delicate flavor and flaky texture. When cooked, the flesh
of the rainbow trout is pinkish-white with a slightly oily consistency
and a delicate yet distinct flavor.]

I normally preferred red meat over every other form of protein, but the
Demon Chef was sure to make something extraordinary from our freshly
caught fish. He had prepared an array of specialty knives, dozens of
different ingredients, three folding tables, an open fire, charcoal grill, and
who knew what else prepared for today’s lunch. He was really going all out,
and I was already salivating at the thought of all the tasty dishes I would be
eating today.
I cast the line again and caught another [Steelhead], a bigger one this
time. The next one was a [Ripple Lake Trout].
 [Ripple Lake Trout:
A freshwater fish that can only be found in the Lake of Clear Ripples.
It can grow to over four feet and over forty pounds in weight. The fish
is dark green, with a white belly and dark spots on its body. It is a
predator that feeds on smaller fish, crustaceans, and insects.]

Oh! This must be one of those special fish that could only be caught in
certain locations. There didn’t seem to be any particular benefit to this
[Ripple Lake Trout], however. There were a lot of such items that were
ordinary yet prized by completionists purely because they wanted to tick a
checkbox on their list.
After catching a few more [Steelheads] and [Ripple Lake Trout], I
moved on to a different spot where I was able to get a few [Salmon] and
[Bass]. I kept moving around, looking for a comfortable spot that had good
fishing and a bit of shade.
I was so caught up in fishing that I didn’t even realize that it was almost
noon until Fengying called me over. I put the fish into two buckets of water
and walked over to where Deming was hard at work.
“Here, I got some big ones!” I said as I placed the buckets at the Demon
Chef’s feet.
Deming just grunted at me and examined my offering. His pupils were
dilated and his expression was so fierce that I backed away quickly and
fled.
“Excuse me, I’ll just freshen up a little,” I said.
I moved far enough that I wouldn’t be able to smell the smoke from the
cooking fires and set up a tent from my inventory, rolling up the sides so I
would have a good view of the lake and forest. Then I realized I needed
privacy to change my clothes, so I had to roll the sides back down.
Five minutes later, I was in comfortable cotton clothes and lounging on
a beach chair under the tent while munching on some snacks that Fengying
had packed for us. The dried fruit and nuts had been bought from the
nearest town market since we hadn’t been able to forage enough to make
snacks. They weren’t as good as the Demon Chef’s cooking, but they
weren’t bad.
Moments later, my apprentices, seeing that I had quit fishing, handed
their catch to Deming and joined me in my tent. I obligingly took out three
more chairs for them and an extra one for Fengying if she wanted to join us.
I told them to change into their spare clothes, and I rolled down the sides of
the tent once again while they took turns tidying themselves up and putting
on their new summer robes.
The day was starting to get really hot, and I decided to amaze my
companions by producing an electric fan from thin air. No one was
impressed, though, because they already knew I could produce a lot of
interesting things using my bloodline inheritance.
“I wish we had one of these at home,” said Lari as he poked a finger at
the electric fan.
“Don’t touch the blades,” I said.
“This has blades?!” Lari tried to put his finger nearer the spinning fan
blades.
I sighed and turned it off so they could see how it worked.
“These things that spin are called blades? They aren’t sharp,” said Mo.
“Of course. It would be too dangerous if they were sharp,” I said. “I’m
not going to put one inside the house if you guys are going to be playing
with it. You might hurt yourselves.”
“Maybe don’t put one in Lari’s room,” said Kharli.
“What? That’s unfair!” said Lari.
I let the kids bicker. Judging from the activity at the Demon Chef’s
work area, lunch should be ready soon.
Sure enough, after a few minutes, Fengying called us over. There were
no chairs, so we ate standing up or sitting down on the grass. Deming had
prepared a feast for us that was spread over two large folding tables. There
was a variety of fish that he had grilled, pan fried, and stewed, all of it over
an open fire in the wilderness. He had also brought plenty of fresh
vegetables that we had foraged yesterday, so we even had a lot of side
dishes.
“Impressive work,” I said to Fengying and Deming.
Fengying beamed while Deming just nodded.
Afterward, I was stuffed full and felt like resting a bit.
“When did Shuye say he’s coming back?” I asked the others.
“Two hours after lunch,” said Fengying.
Shuye had spent the entire morning exploring the lake, but he had
disappeared right around noon because it was kind of an unspoken
expectation or courtesy that he wouldn’t be around when we were eating
since it was rather awkward when he had to refuse all our offers of food.
 “I’m going to rest for a bit, then I’m going to forage around here. You
guys can either go back to fishing or go foraging with me,” I said.
“I’m going fishing! Teacher, did you see that I caught a lot of fish?”
asked Lari.
“I didn’t get a lot…” Mo looked downcast.
“It’s fine. Some people are just better at some skills and worse than
others,” I said. “Watch this.”
Taking out a loaf of bread, a stick of butter, and a table knife from my
inventory, I cut a slice of bread and tried to spread the butter on it. The
result…
“How could that even happen?!”
“Teacher, are you cursed?”
“There was no fire! How did it burn?”
“May I?” Without waiting for my answer, Fengying took the piece of
burned bread and examined it closely. The others crowded around her
except for Deming, who showed no interest in my disastrous cooking
attempt.
“Amazing.” Mo stared at the piece of coal-like bread.
“I think this is actually a rare talent.” Lari was openly laughing.
“Maybe Teacher’s hands were too hot?” said Mo.
Kharli burst out laughing. “Hot enough to burn?”
“Too hot with the ‘energy’ that we use,” said Mo.
“Ahem.” I coughed to get their attention and said, “The point is you
don’t have to be good at every single skill. Okay? So relax. I’m going back
to the tent to rest for a bit.”
“May I keep this piece?” asked Lari.
“What for?” I asked.
“I can keep it as an heirloom to show to my future children and
grandchildren. They can pass it down to their own children,” said Lari.
“Haha.” I took it from him and placed it in my inventory with the other
“burned food.” I had 308 of them by now.
Mo and I went to the tent to rest while Lari and Kharli went fishing.
When Shuye returned, he offered to accompany us while we went
foraging.
“Did you find anything interesting?” I asked Shuye as we circled the
lake’s shoreline looking for anything medicinal or edible.
“The lake itself is the most interesting thing,” he said.
 “There!” Mo pointed at some plants, then scampered off to pick some
watercress. She really had a good eye for foraging.
The lake was so large that we couldn’t walk around it, though we spent
the entire afternoon exploring its banks.
“We should leave soon,” said Shuye after a few hours. “I can fly at
night, but I don’t know if you would be comfortable with that.”
“Yes, I’ll tell everyone to pack up,” I said.
I guess my mini vacation was over now.

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 Chapter 39

O ver the next two weeks , I found out my apprentices ’ strengths

and weaknesses when we went fishing, hunting, and foraging. We didn’t
bother to do any cooking or Herblaw because I had the Demon Chef, and I
didn’t particularly need potions, hence I focused on those three core skills
for now.
Lari was good at hunting and fishing, but he was terrible at foraging and
his energy ran out faster than the others when it came to doing chores at the
farm.
Mo, on the other hand, was good at foraging and taking care of the
crops at the farm, but she was terrible at hunting and fishing.
Kharli was an all-arounder who was average when it came to all the
skills.
They were all were pretty much the same when it came to woodcutting.
The crops were growing well, and I discovered that having so many
spiritual plants in one place had an invigorating effect.
“Teacher, what are you doing?” asked Kharli as she peered down at me
with concern written on her face.
“I am communing with nature.” I was lying down in the middle of the
fields.
“Leave her alone,” whispered Mo. “Maybe she’s just tired. We’ve all
been working hard, and she’s older than us.”
Did Mo perhaps think I was one of those cultivators who looked young
but was really a thousand years old?
 They went away, and I just lay there, resting and contemplating the
thought that I, once an ordinary high school graduate from Earth, was now a
farmer who grew magical fantasy plants.
I turned my head to look at the spirit corn. Its thick yellow stalks were
now knee-high and its long, green leaves were slightly serrated and had a
glossy texture. The glowing aura around them was still faint.
I moved my head to the other side to look at the spirit wheat. It looked
just like green grass, except that the leaves appeared to be dusted with some
kind of glittering jade powder.
The kids didn’t seem to feel the same thing that I did when I lay down
on the ground beside the crops. It was like there was some sort of warm
energy coming up from the earth and seeping into my body. I closed my
eyes, the better to feel that strange sensation. If this field was a person, I
would say that I was feeling its pulse, but it was more like a slow-moving
ocean tide. Faint, gentle waves of energy were moving back and forth from
the land to the corn and wheat crops.
After about an hour, I felt as though the energy of the earth was making
my body too hot, so I stood up and walked back to the house.
What a curious phenomenon!
Could this be that I was feeling the same “energy” that my apprentices
and I used up when the System was active?
Before I got to the gate, Mr. Bear alerted me that Shuye was
approaching. I entered the house and informed Fengying to prepare for his
visit, then I tidied myself up a little.
Ever since my Farm Guide told me that the clans were looking forward
to the rice harvest next season, he had been visiting me every single day. I
met him at the main hall and handed him the usual [Crocus] flower as a gift.
“Good morning. What brings you to my humble home? Good news, I
hope,” I said.
“Good morning.” He handed me a folded piece of paper with a wax seal
and said, “I intercepted a messenger from Prince Baiyu since I thought you
might be alarmed if a stranger visited the farm.”
“How thoughtful! Thank you.” The seal was in the shape of a tiger
head, and the letter was addressed to “Miss Violet.” I took it from him and
opened it. Prince Baiyu had written that he was tied up in meetings and
wouldn’t be able to meet me tomorrow for his scheduled weekly visit.
 “I believe the prince is expecting an answer,” said Shuye. “I can bring it
to his messenger.”
“Yes, I’ll write a reply,” I said. “Would you excuse me for a moment?
I’m going to my room.”
“Please, take your time. I’m in no hurry,” he said.
I hurriedly used the Cash Shop’s calligraphy set to write a quick note
saying, “I look forward to your next visit.” Then I went back to the main
hall.
“Shuye, I’d like to send this to Prince Baiyu with a branch of apple
blossoms,” I said. “Will you walk with me? There’s a blooming apple tree
not far from here.”
He agreed, and we set off on a walk in the direction where I had marked
that there was a lovely tree covered in fragrant white-and-pink flowers.
Then, using the secateurs from the System, I cut a small branch and handed
it to Shuye along with the letter.
“I’m sure Prince Baiyu will be happy to receive this,” said Shuye.
It wasn’t a big deal, though I was rather disappointed that I wouldn’t be
seeing the prince tomorrow.

As the summer season continued, the heat intensified until I was sweating
from the moment I woke up at dawn until midnight. It was time to turn on
the house’s climate control.
“This little dial here can make the rooms inside the house hotter or
cooler,” I said to Fengying as I showed her the hidden control box in my
chambers. “I’m going to set it to cool.”
When I turned the dial, Fengying looked around in alarm, as though
expecting something to explode. We waited a few minutes for something to
happen, but all I noticed was that there was cool air coming from small
holes in the corners of my room.
“It’s quite safe,” I said.
“If you say so, Miss Violet,” said Fengying. She didn’t look convinced
at all.
Well, I counted it as a win anyway, since she didn’t voice any concerns
out loud.
 “Please tell the others about it,” I said.
“Yes, ma’am,” she said.
On Earth, I would have expected each room to have separate air-
conditioning controls, but only I could change the house’s advanced
settings. I hoped they would enjoy it.
It didn’t take long before Fengying came back with a request from
Deming to turn off the cold.
“Why?” I asked.
“He just doesn’t like it,” said Fengying.
“I think you should give it a chance. Why don’t we compromise? Let’s
keep it on for a week. If he still doesn’t like it, I’ll turn it off.”
“I’ll tell him,” she said.
She came back a few minutes later and told me that Deming was willing
to accept my suggestion.
“Great!” I said.
Since that was fixed, I met with my apprentices. We had already
finished watering and weeding the crops, so I instructed them to set the
usual traps in the hunting grounds, then go foraging or fishing, whichever
one they preferred. Deming would provide them with an excellent packed
lunch. That was our usual daily routine.
As for me, I had reserved this day for archery practice and Herblaw.
I used to train my combat skills three times a week, then it went down
to two times a week when the staff moved in and I became busy with my
apprentices. Now I was down to just once a week, and I hadn’t gone back to
the [Horned Rabbits’ Valley] because I’d been too busy. Besides, combat
seemed less useful to me than farming skills.
I set up three targets and started shooting. My accuracy had improved,
but it was still difficult for me to hit the bullseye. One hour into my practice
session, Mr. Bear alerted me that Prince Baiyu was nearby.
This wasn’t one of our scheduled days for his visits, so I wasn’t
prepared.
Ugh, this was the worst! I immediately ran to the house, not wanting to
meet him while I was all gross and sweaty. I’d bet money that he would
appear cool and dashing, as always. The summer heat didn’t affect clan
members the same way as humans. Shuye said their bodies emitted an aura
that protected them from danger, as well as temperature changes.
Thankfully, I made it inside the house before Prince Baiyu arrived.
 A quick shower, a visit to the salon room, a change of clothes, and I was
ready to receive my visitor.
I expected Prince Baiyu to be waiting for me at the main hall, but he
pounced on me as soon as I left my quarters. He wasn’t supposed to be in
the inner courtyard.
“Oh, my dear lady,” he said as he knelt down in front of me and took
both of my hands in his. “I’m so happy.”
He was beaming as he kissed my hands repeatedly. Today he was
wearing a truly magnificent set of blue-and-silver silk robes, looking as
though he was attending an emperor’s court instead of gracing my humble
farm with his presence. Half of his long white hair fell loose down his back,
while one half of it was braided and tied in a low ponytail. He looked
amazing, as usual.
“Um, I’m glad you’re happy,” I said. “What exactly are you happy
about?”
He stood up and took out a familiar piece of paper from his sleeve.
“This!”

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 Chapter 40

W hat ? I didn ’ t remember writing anything but a polite courtesy in

that letter.
“I’m so happy,” he said again.
“I only wrote that I wanted to see you again,” I said.
“Yes!” Prince Baiyu smiled down at me. “I’m so glad you’ve accepted
my suit.”
His suit? As in, his courtship of me?
“Er…” I didn’t know what to say.
“You’ve made me the happiest person in the world,” he said.
He swept me up in his arms and buried his face in my neck. I was really
glad that I’d taken the time to shower because I would’ve hated to be
hugged while I was sweaty. I tentatively hugged him back. His arm muscles
were really firm, and I felt a little breathless and lightheaded when he
squeezed me a little.
“I’ve liked you ever since the first time I saw you,” he whispered into
my ear, making me shiver as his warm breath tickled my skin.
“When was that?”
“In the cave.”
I tried to pull away. “You didn’t even see me then because you couldn’t
open your eyes.”
“No, I was able to open my eyes just as you were leaving.”
“So you only saw my back?”
“Even your back view is lovely.”
“You’re too much!” I said.
 “I’m so happy.”
“That’s nice,” I said when he finally let me go. “What is this about?”
“This!” He waved the letter at me.
“What about it?” I asked.
He bent down and leaned closer to me, searching my face for
something.
“I have the proof right here,” he said as he waved a piece of paper at me
again. “You can’t deny it.”
Suddenly, I noticed we had an audience. The staff and my apprentices
were all gawking at us from the entrance to the inner courtyard.
“Let’s go to the main hall,” I said as I grabbed Prince Baiyu’s hand and
dragged him there.
Thankfully, Fengying came to my rescue by serving me tea. The casual,
everyday ritual served to ground me, and even Prince Baiyu calmed down a
bit. He patiently waited as I munched on some dried fruit and drank a cup
of tea.
“The days have been hot, haven’t they?” I said. “Have you noticed that
the house is cool? I’ve been using climate control on it.”
“Yes, yes, very clever.” He kept staring at my face.
I gave up pretending that nothing had happened. “I don’t remember
accepting your suit in that letter.”
“You wrote that you wanted to see me,” he said. “That means that I’m
welcome in your house and that you accept my courtship.”
“I’m pretty sure I’ve invited you inside the house before,” I said.
“Yes, you invited me after I already arrived,” he said. “You also gave
me permission after I asked if I could visit. You never told me before that
you wanted me to visit.”
Ah, so that was the difference. I supposed he had been the one who kept
on pursuing me while I simply waited for him to call on me. “I see.”
“I have written proof. You can’t run away this time,” he said.
It was hard to look into his eyes because they were almost incandescent
with happiness. “I have a farm. There’s no way I would ever run away from
it.”
“And you said you don’t want to.” Prince Baiyu took my hand and
kissed it again. “You said so.”
“I don’t know why you like me so much anyway,” I said.
 “Maybe you should look in the mirror more,” he said. “You’re so
beautiful and talented and responsible, and I really like you.”
“Ah…” I was pretty sure that my face was red as a tomato.
How had I suddenly acquired a boyfriend who was a handsome, sweet-
talking prince?!

After the excitement of yesterday’s visit from Prince Baiyu, I decided to

take it easy the next day. I did my share of watering and weeding the crops,
then retreated to my chambers to work on my Herblaw.
The early levels of the skill only featured useless potions. Players were
expected to wait until they had a higher level before they could produce the
really good stuff. In the future, I would be able to brew a lot of potions with
exciting effects such as boosting magic, crafting, strength, speed, critical
hits, and so forth.
Right now, though, all I could make was the [Blight Magic] and [Dewy
Glow] potions.

[Player Name: Violet

Farming Skills:
Farming Level 12, Fishing Level 8, Woodcutting Level 12, Cooking
Level 1, Herblaw Level 3, Foraging Level 3, Hunting Level 1, Mining
Level 1]

In short, it was simply time for me to grind until I reached level ten, at
which point I could make an [Antipoison Potion].
Not that the [Antipoison Potion] was much use since there weren’t any
venomous monsters here. However, it would be good to have a supply of
them in case I ran into spiders or snakes or something like that since there
was no emergency hospital room here in the middle of the forest.

[Antipoison Potion:
A potion that nullifies any poison in the drinker’s system and provides
a temporary immunity to all poisons for one minute.
It’s a bright green color and smells faintly of mint.]
 For now, I would continue to make [Blight Magic] potions for Prince
Baiyu. I turned on the [Privacy] option in my rooms and put two piles of
Herblaw ingredients and spell stones on my worktable. Fortunately, I had
plenty of [Kingfisher Moss] and [Sorrow Bloom] in my inventory.

[Kingfisher Moss:
A rare and magical ingredient that can be used to make potions.
Named for the brightly plumed kingfisher bird because of its iridescent
blue-green color, this moss grows in areas near waterfalls. It has a
strong, earthy smell and a slightly fuzzy texture.]

[Sorrow Bloom:
A beautiful flower that only grows in dark, swampy places or in
cemeteries. It’s black with red streaks running through it and has an
intoxicating smell.]

Again and again, I cast the [Create Potion] spell. I never grew bored of
the sight of the potion ingredients flying into the vial of water that was
suspended inside a glowing ball of pink light between my hands. The way
the moss and flower turned into a potion was a really fascinating sight.
Magic was just too exciting!
With my newfound sensitivity for the energy in the crop fields, I tried to
sense what type of magic was inside the spell stones.

[Spell Stone:
A beautiful, hand-crafted spell stone that has been infused with
powerful magic specifically for use in spell-casting. Made of natural,
clear crystal, it has been polished to a shine. It is thumb-sized and
smooth to the touch.]

Every time I cast a spell, one of the crystals glowed white for a while
before its light dimmed and it turned black. I tried to sense the magic in it,
but the clear and black crystals felt exactly the same to me. As far as I could
tell, they were both just rocks.
However, I did find out that when I closed my eyes, I could still cast the
spell, and some sixth sense told me when a potion was brewed and the spell
was finished.
I tried many ways of sensing magic by placing the spell stones in my
hands, on my forehead, on my navel, and so forth, while I was casting
[Create Potion], but nothing seemed to work.
I gave up after a while and just focused on creating as many potions as
fast as I could.
Fengying knocked on my door at noon, and I took a break to eat lunch.
After the midday meal, I spent the entire afternoon making potions until
I leveled up. I was really having fun, so I impulsively decided to keep on
working on my Herblaw as much as I could.
Herblaw was my life now.

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 Interlude

An excerpt from the journal of Shuye Skullcrusher, Guardian of

the Ancient Hill Forest:

There’s no such thing as a Horned Rabbit.

At least, I could’ve sworn there was no such a thing. I consulted the
elders who have lived in the forest since their childhood, and none of them
had ever seen or heard of a rabbit with horns. I even hired scholars to comb
through their books to see if there was any mention of that kind of spirit
animal. They came up with nothing.
If I hadn’t seen it with my own two eyes, I would never have believed
there was a Horned Rabbits’ Valley.
But…
The Horned Rabbits were one thing. It’s disturbing to think that they
had been here all this time without anyone knowing, yet the forest is vast,
and a few dozen rabbits aren’t a big deal. I do have a bloodline inheritance
that lets me sense nearby living beings, but it’s not infallible. Perhaps the
rabbits, being prey animals, possess a natural stealth skill.
So it’s possible that the Horned Rabbits, being small in number, simply
avoided being detected until now.
But the lake…
There’s absolutely no way that all of us could have missed something
that large.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 41

I n the next two weeks , I did my morning chores and brewed potions
the rest of the time. Not only did I increase Herblaw to level ten, I also
gained a few Magic levels.

[Violet: Level 1
HP: 100/100
MP: 35/35
Strength: 1/99
Attack: 1/99
Archery: 3/99
Magic: 3/99]

At this rate, it would take a year or more for me to get to a reasonably

high level of Magic. Then again, I was only using a very basic spell.
Perhaps things would go faster for me if I tried combat Magic, but I didn’t
really feel like hunting monsters.
Now that I was level ten Herblaw, I could make the [Antipoison
Potion]. All I needed were [Black Spider Eggs], [Dragon’s Seal], and [Spell
Stones], which I had in plenty.

[Black Spider Eggs:

An incredibly rare potion ingredient. The eggs are a deep black color
and pulsate with a strange, otherworldly energy.
 The eggs must be collected at night, when the black spider is most
active, and stored in a jar full of strong wine.]

The eggs were a pain to get in Adventure Incarnate because they could
only be found in the [Shadow Cave] that was full of venomous spiders.
New players who weren’t yet able to make [Antipoison Potions] had to
either buy them from other players or dash in and out of the cave as fast as
they could, hoping and praying that they could dodge all the spiders inside.
[Dragon’s Seal], on the other hand, was relatively easy to get.

[Dragon’s Seal:
A beautiful silver-green plant. The Dragon’s Seal has long, slender
leaves that resemble a dragon’s tail and small white flowers. It can be
found in sandy soil and is sometimes planted near places of ill omen to
ward against misfortune.]

All of that, of course, was irrelevant to me because I had all the

ingredients I would ever need in my inventory.
I was just about to make my first [Antipoison] when Fengying knocked
on the door and informed me I had a visitor.
Oh no! I had been so caught up in leveling up that I had forgotten I had
an appointment with Shuye. I had gone with Prince Baiyu to the
[Mysterious Glade] several times, but the flowers that I needed were quite
rare, so I wasn’t able to gather them every time. Yesterday, I had finally
found the fifth [Dusk Dandelion].

[Curing Infertility:
Help the God Beast Clans with their fertility problem. Find five Dusk
Dandelions.
Progress: 5/5]

“Fengying, can you please ask him to wait in the main hall? I need to
get ready,” I said.
“Yes, Miss Violet,” said Fengying.
She left, and I hurriedly fixed my hair and put on some nicer clothes. I
hadn’t noticed until Fengying came to see me, but it was already getting
dark outside. Had I remembered to tell Deming I might be late for dinner? I
thought I did.
Ah, my head was too full of Herblaw these days! I could barely
remember what I had done earlier this morning.
I was all smiles as I entered the reception room where Shuye was
already waiting for me. He looked the same as always. Instead of giving
him the usual crocus flower, I handed him five [Dusk Dandelions].
“What’s this?” he asked as he peered at the silver-petaled flower with
the purple core.
“This is a part of the folk medicine I learned about,” I said. It wasn’t a
lie because I had learned it from the System, and wasn’t all herbal medicine
folk medicine?
“Why are you giving it to me? What’s it for?”
“It’s a fertility booster.”
“Oh.” He frowned at the flowers. “I’ve never heard of this.”
“Well, I’m not sure it will work. I think it’s worth a try. After all, what
do you have to lose?”
He pursed his lips. “Clan members are immune to most poisons, so it
probably isn’t that dangerous. Do I give this to my wife?”
“Yes.” I read the information from the System out loud. “Place it in a
silver vase and leave it in a room where the moonlight can shine on it. After
three nights, the flower should wilt, and the petals will fall off. Give the
petals to your wife to eat. If it works, then she will conceive a child within
the month.”
“That would be wonderful.”
“You don’t look happy.” I would’ve thought he’d be ecstatic, but he
looked troubled.
“It’s just that we’ve tried everything, and she gets really depressed when
we fail.”
“Hmm. Have you tried any other methods?”
I mean, the fact that the System had given me this quest meant that the
flowers would almost certainly work.
“We’ve both tried everything. I guess we can try once more.”
“Great! I look forward to good news in a month.”
Since he seemed quite dubious about the flowers, I changed the subject
and we talked about the weather and what was happening in the forest.
According to Shuye, this summer was particularly hot and dry compared to
most years, and a few of the smaller ponds had already dried up.
“So it’s not always this hot? The weather has been so tiring lately that
I’ve been longing to go to the beach,” I said.
“If you want to go to the beach, then you should. What’s stopping you?”
“I don’t mean for a picnic. I mean going on a few days’ vacation. That
would mean leaving the farm for too long.”
“That’s what your apprentices are for, right?”
He had a point. I leaned back in my chair and was silent for a few
minutes as I thought about it. Could I trust those three with the farm for
three days? How about a week? I pulled on the silk rope beside my chair
that rang a bell outside. A few minutes later, Fengying appeared, and I
asked her if she thought my three apprentices were ready to take care of the
farm by themselves.
“I’m thinking of going on a vacation for a few days. Of course, you and
my chef will be coming with me.” I couldn’t live without Deming’s
cooking, and he wouldn’t want to leave without his wife.
Fengying assured me that the kids would be fine without us and that her
husband would love to go to the beach to cook for me.
“There’s a great place south of here that has a sheltered cove that’s good
for swimming. The beach has fine white sand, and I think you’ll like it.
You’ll have to set up a tent, though, since there aren’t any inns there. Would
you prefer a less deserted place? I know a good number of places where
humans go on vacation, too,” said Shuye.
“I think a hidden cove is great! Um, would I be allowed to place a
temporary shelter there?”
“That shouldn’t be a problem.”
“Okay, but I will need a letter permitting me to build a house there. I’ll
remove it when I leave,” I said. Tents were okay, I guessed. However, I
would love to be able to use a nice resort house. The Cash Shop had a lot of
holiday-themed items that would be great for the vacation.
My Farm Guide promised to return with the letter I needed. Adventure
Incarnate players were not allowed to place structures wherever they
wanted, which was why I needed to get the Farmer Certificate before I
could build a farm. I wasn’t certain about it, but I thought that if I had an
official letter giving me permission to build on the beach, I should be able
to do so.
 Shuye, Fengying, and I went over the details until it was time for dinner.

Vacation time!
Based on what Shuye told me about the place, I realized he was talking
about the [Emerald Cove]. He gave me a permit for building temporary
structures there, and I decided to bring one of my apprentices with me.
From a young age, my mother had impressed on me the necessity of always
having someone with me when I went swimming. It wasn’t safe otherwise.
Since it turned out that Mo knew how to swim, I brought her along.
“Why so glum?” I asked Mo.
“The farming experience…”
I laughed. “You have a higher farming level than those two. It’s good to
give them a chance to catch up.”
We were riding Shuye’s flying cart to the hidden cove with Deming and
Fengying.
“But I like being higher level!” said Mo.
Gone were the days when Mo could barely speak above a whisper and
was always looking down at the ground. Now she spoke confidently and
could look people in the eyes. I mentally patted myself on the back for
being such a great teacher that my student had improved so much.
“The Emerald Cove is home to a rare species of edible seagrass. Have
you heard of sea vegetables? You should be thankful for this rare
opportunity to forage in a marine environment,” I said.
Mo’s eyes turned as big as saucers. “I can forage in the sea?”
Foraging was her one great love, like Herblaw was to me.
“Of course. The beach should have some items you can forage.
Remember, though, don’t go out alone. We have to watch out for each other
when we go swimming or exploring the sea. I heard that drowning is a
really nasty way to go,” I said.
“Yes, Teacher,” she said.
“And we can probably catch some seafood,” I said.
We had only been fishing in the river and the freshwater lake and ponds,
so we hadn’t gotten any saltwater fish, shellfish, or crustaceans.
 Mo didn’t say anything. We both knew that she wasn’t very good at
fishing.

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 Chapter 42

W hen we flew to the beach , I was reminded of the time that I had
gone on a helicopter tour of Hawaii with my parents. The two of them had
spent the entire time hugging, giggling, and whispering sweet nothings to
each other. I had been a child at the time, and I had cringed at their
shameless public displays of affection. Now I would give anything for them
to be with me right now, embarrassing me with their lovey-dovey
interactions.
I shook off those melancholy thoughts and tried to enjoy the trip.
The hidden cove was tucked away in a small inlet surrounded by a tall
cliff, and the area around the cove was filled with lush vegetation. From
above, it looked like a peaceful place with white sand and crystal-clear
waters that glistened in the sun.
When Shuye landed the flying cart, I felt my stomach lurch, but I was
immediately soothed when I took off my shoes and felt how good the
powdery white sand felt beneath my bare feet. Waves gently lapped against
the shore, and the air was warm and filled with the sound of seagulls and
the occasional splash of a fish.
“The sand is so soft! It feels great,” I said to Shuye. “Thank you very
much for showing me this place.”
“I knew you would like it.” Shuye smiled down at me. “Look up there.
Does that place seem like a good place for the house?”
I put my shoes back on, and we climbed halfway up a winding path to a
flat area well above the high-water mark. There was a small shed there that
contained firewood and tinderboxes.
 “This is where people normally camp.” Shuye gave me an expectant
look.
He wasn’t the only one. Deming, Fengying, and Mo also had the same
expression on their faces. I remembered the time that I had the System dig a
well. Everyone had been excited by the “magic.”
“This is fine. Can everyone please stand there?” I pointed to a spot
below the camping area.
Mentally calling up the System menu, I navigated to the Cash Shop and
searched until I found the [Sunset Radiance Resort], selecting the “elegant”
option. In Adventure Incarnate, this building was purely decorative. When a
player bought it, all they got was a short animation where they were given
three random costume sets of resort wear. However, I was betting that it
would be different here since this was real life. I crossed my fingers and
mentally clicked on the [Build] button.
A glowing magic circle made of runes and mystical symbols appeared
on the ground.
Yes! It was working.
Moments later, the building appeared. The [Sunset Radiance Resort]
was a large, two-story building with a wraparound porch, several balconies,
and plenty of windows that allowed natural light to fill the interior. The
exterior was painted a light blue with white trim, and it had a bright red
door, giving it a cheerful, inviting appearance.
We all went inside, excited to see what this large building had to offer.
The spacious living area had comfortable-looking sofas, armchairs, a grand
piano, and a wall of bookshelves. I eagerly checked out the books, but they
were all decorative and the pages were blank. An inviting fireplace was the
centerpiece of the room, with a marble mantle that was decorated with tiny
crystal and wood sculptures.
The kitchen was top of the line, with stainless steel appliances and
plenty of cabinet space. It was stocked with all the necessary cooking and
dining essentials, as well as a collection of fine china and crystal glasses.
The center island was stacked with a dozen food crates full of basic cooking
ingredients like rice, flour, pasta, noodles, olive oil, salt, sugar, pepper, and
so forth. Deming only said one word when he saw it: “Acceptable.”
Upstairs, eight identical bedrooms featured luxurious king-size beds
with crisp white linens and plush pillows. The attached bathrooms were
equipped with large soaking tubs, separate showers, and double vanities.
 The others oohed and aahed over the place except for Shuye, who
simply shook his head silently at me.
“This is surprisingly restrained, for you,” said Shuye.
I remembered his reaction when I had shown him the [Jade Treasure
Tree]. This resort must seem pretty ordinary compared to that.
“I’m glad you like it,” I said.
Once we finished touring the place, Shuye said his goodbyes and left.
I chose a corner bedroom and flopped down on the bed. “I’ll take this
one, and you guys should go settle in. Please let me know when dinner is
ready.”
The others went off to unpack. I, of course, had my inventory space, so I
didn’t need to do that. I took off my shoes and lay on top of the covers,
enjoying the feeling of having absolutely nothing to do for the rest of the
day except have fun.
Mmm. I could really get used to this! Would it be too decadent of me to
just lie on this bed and do nothing for the rest of the day? It was roughly
three hours before sunset. The only problem was that the central air
conditioning felt like it was set to “Arctic freeze,” so I got up and dialed it
down a little. Then I changed into my pajamas, placed Mr. Bear on the
nightstand, and had a long nap.
After a pleasant dream of playing with a cute dragon, I awoke to the
sound of seagulls outside my window. I got out of bed and opened the
curtains, revealing a gorgeous view of the sun setting down over the
horizon, casting a brilliant orange-and-pink light across the sea and sky.
Now would be a great time for a walk on the beach, so I put on my most
comfortable clothes and headed out. When I reached the beach, I saw that
Mo was there picking up seaweed and seashells. We waved to each other,
and I went off in the other direction, since I wasn’t in the mood for
company right now. The sea breeze was delightful, but my long hair was
getting tangled, so I tied it up in a ponytail. As I walked on the fine white
sand of the beach, I took in the smell of the sea, feeling relaxed and
refreshed. The sky turned a dark blue as the sun slowly descended.
When it turned dark enough that it was difficult for me to see Mo’s
figure on the other side of the beach, I decided that it was time to return to
the resort.
“Did you find anything good?” I said to my apprentice when we met
each other on the way back.
 She showed me her haul. It was all junk, but she seemed excited about
foraging on the beach for the first time. “Look, I found a lot of pretty
seashells, and I think some of these seaweeds are edible!”
“Tomorrow we can go fishing. I’ll show you how to do it,” I said.
“Yes, Teacher.” Mo didn’t seem too eager about it. She never did like
fishing.
Dinner was, as usual, absolutely scrumptious. Afterward, I decided to
do a little Herblaw. To me, that was the most enjoyable and relaxing skill to
train. I turned off the air conditioning and opened the windows in my
bedroom to let in the sea breeze. The smell of the herbs and sea combined
was so delightful that I seriously considered abandoning my farm and
moving to the beach.
Alas, I could never really do it because the forest lands in Adventure
Incarnate were always the most fertile, and I wouldn’t want to give that up.
Three hours of making potions tired me out, so I went to bed
immediately after taking a shower. As I turned off the lights, I thought about
my plans for tomorrow. It was sure to be another fun day. Big net fishing
was like going to the casino because one’s results depended almost entirely
on luck.

They did say that, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.”

It was a good proverb, but it could be annoying at times, like right now.
Swimming in the ocean was a little dangerous in this world where there
were no lifeguards. Therefore, I had decided to go on a beach vacation with
a few members of my household.
I regretted that a little because Fengying was adamant that I shouldn’t
wear any of my swimsuits because they were considered extremely
immodest in this world. Instead, I had to wear a sack-like garment that went
down to mid-calf and had sleeves up to my elbow.
“The sun is so hot and bright,” said Mo.
It was midmorning. We were both barefoot and had on wide-brimmed
hats. Mine was a straw hat that had dried flowers, ribbons, and Mr. Bear
decorating it.
 “We made a mistake. It was cooler earlier. We should’ve gone fishing
and then had breakfast,” I said. “You woke up too late.”
“The bed was so comfortable that I slept late,” she said.
“Hmm. It does seem a bit too hot. Why don’t we go fishing in the late
afternoon instead?”
“What should we do now?”
“Let’s go back. I have an idea.”
I led her up the path to the resort but didn’t stop when we reached the
building. We went higher up, to the top of the cliff.
“Look at that view,” I said as I waved down at the sea below us. “Isn’t
this a great spot for swimming? We can wear our swimsuits.”
Mo looked at me as though I had lost my mind. “Swim? On land? And
those ‘swimsuits’ are too revealing.”
“Hahaha! I will not be denied! Swimming is a must when you’re on
vacation, and I won’t swim in a sack.” I rubbed my hands gleefully.
I had a plan, and it was a good one.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 43

M y inventory was full of C ash S hop items , and yesterday I had

found out that items like the [Sunset Radiance Resort] could be built on this
world.
“You don’t have to wear the swimsuits if you don’t want to, but I will,”
I said to Mo.
She jumped back in surprise when a magic circle appeared in front of us
when I selected the [Sunset Radiance Resort] in the Cash Shop again and
mentally clicked on the [Build] button. This time, I chose the “extravagant”
option for the resort.
In the game, the simple, elegant, and extravagant options gave the
player different costumes, and the animation that played each time showed
a different building. The simple one was a small, cute seaside cottage. The
elegant one was the one that I had built yesterday. The extravagant resort
was a rather vulgar and showy five-story hotel that looked like it was made
for the nouveau riche. However, it suited my purpose for today because it
had a large infinity pool.
I burst out laughing when the System finished building the resort. “My
gosh! It looks so…”
The hotel was enormous, easily ten times the size of the elegant resort
we were staying in. The exterior was bright pink, with gold paint that was
practically blinding in the bright sunlight. I gawked at the entrance, which
was flanked with tall marble columns, gold-plated statues, and a grand
fountain in the middle.
It was a good thing Shuye wasn’t here to see it.
 The outdoor areas featured an enormous pool with multiple water slides,
a Jacuzzi, and multiple cascading mini waterfalls. There were also cabanas
and day beds, as well as a beach volleyball court. The outdoor pool area
was filled with palm trees, tiki huts, and an abundance of colorful
umbrellas.
“Are we staying there?” Mo’s mouth had fallen open, and she was
staring at the building with an awed look on her face. “It’s so fancy.”
I chuckled as I led her inside the lobby. Its walls were adorned with
expensive artwork and gaudy golden silk upholstery, and the floors were
made of inlaid marble. The furniture was ornate, with plush velvet and
gilded legs, and dozens of crystal chandeliers crowded the ceiling.
We had barely started exploring when Deming and Fengying turned up
at the door. They asked me if I wanted us to move to this new place, but I
explained I was just testing out what I could build. To my surprise, Mo,
Deming, and Fengying seemed to approve of the decor.
“No way! I prefer the other resort,” I said when they asked me for the
fifth time if I wanted to use this place instead, but I had to admit defeat
when Deming caught sight of the kitchen’s huge walk-in freezers that were
full of food and cooking ingredients.
Of course, just like my house in the farm, the items inside couldn’t be
taken out of the building, but when Deming promised me that he would be
able to cook the best meal ever if he got access to the kitchen, my stomach
overruled my brain, and I agreed to stay in this garish place.
I took Fengying aside and told her I would be using the rooftop pool
with Mo, so they should keep out of that area.
“Of course. I’m not even sure I’ll be able to get my husband out of the
kitchen. He might stay there and not sleep for the entire time we’re here,”
said Fengying.
“If he’s happy, then my stomach’s happy!” I said as I made my way
upstairs with Mo.
There were no elevators. I noticed that the building was remarkably low
tech, which was more in keeping with the technology level of this world.
“Yes! It’s wonderful!” I said when we opened the doors to the rooftop.
“This is where we can swim.”
The tranquil waters of the infinity pool glistened in the afternoon sun. It
was a sight to behold: the pool stretched out before us, seemingly endless as
it blended into the horizon. One side of the pool curved inward, giving the
illusion of an infinite expanse of water. The pool itself was deep blue, with
water so clear that you could see the bottom. The tiled edge also contained
several bubblers, which gave the illusion of bubbles rising from the depths
of the pool.
Loungers were scattered around the pool, and there were a few round
tables with umbrellas surrounded by chairs on the far side of the roof area.
I took off my sunhat and sack-like garment. Underneath, I was wearing
a blue one-piece swimsuit.
“Whee!” I waded into the pool, shivering when my feet touched the
cool water.
“We’re going to swim here?” Mo looked doubtful.
“What’s the problem?”
“It’s too shallow.”
“The pool is deeper on the other end,” I said. “But I didn’t literally
mean that we should swim. I’m just going to relax. Think of this as just a
really big bathtub.”
“Oh.”
I guessed the concept of swimming pools wasn’t something she was
familiar with. “Never mind. Just sit on the edge if you want to and relax.”
I’d had the foresight to ask the Demon Chef to prepare a pitcher of
drinks for us, so I took it out of my inventory and asked Mo to place it on
one of the tables for later.
Then I let her be and swam to the side of the pool facing the beach. I
folded my arms on the edge of the pool and rested my head there while I let
my whole body go limp. The cool water buoyed me up and the feel of the
sea breeze on my face was a pleasure I couldn’t get enough of. I read
somewhere that the negative ions found in the air near the beach increased a
person’s level of serotonin, which boosted one’s mood. I personally thought
it was a combination of the vitamin D from the sunshine, the fresh food
from the sea, and the feeling of freedom because of being away from home
and work, as well as the negative ions in the air that made people happier
when they were on vacation.
Once I’d had enough of gazing blankly at the horizon, I floated on my
back, letting the water calm me and take away any stress. Should I swim a
few laps? No, I decided, that was way too much effort. I spent the rest of
the morning just playing around in the pool, occasionally emerging to grab
a drink, until it was time for lunch.
 Deming had promised me the best meal ever if he was allowed to use
the hotel kitchen, and it did not disappoint.
The meal started with a creamy, smooth onion soup that had a hint of
sweetness. I was very impressed with the next dish, baked mussels. My
palate was then cleansed with a refreshing sorbet. Then came a plate of
duck confit, which was cooked to perfection and served with delicious
mashed potatoes and glazed carrots. For the main course, I was served a
succulent, juicy steak with a medley of fresh, seasonal vegetables. The next
dish was a light salad with a lemon dressing. Of course, after that was a
wonderful cheese platter. Dessert was a delicious creme brulee.
French cuisine?! The Demon Chef even knew how to cook these
“exotic” dishes? There was, of course, no such place as France in this
world, but Central cuisine was similar to French cuisine. Here, the Central
continent was far more technologically advanced. Therefore, their cuisine
was quite fashionable these days.
“That was truly the best meal I had in the Westerlands,” I said to
Fengying.
“He said the dinner will be even better,” she replied.
“Then I look forward to it!” I turned to my apprentice and said, “Wake
me up when it’s three hours to sunset. We’ll go fishing then.”
I had eaten so much that I practically fell into a food coma, so I retired
to the hotel’s smallest, least gaudy room for a nap. I woke up hours later,
ready for action. The sun was still burning hot, but we couldn’t wait any
longer for it to become cooler because I didn’t want to go fishing in the
dark. Dressed in the sack and wearing a sun hat with Mr. Bear attached to it,
I led my apprentice to the edge of the water. An area of the water was
sparkling in the sun, which showed that it was a fishing spot. However, the
strange thing was that I couldn’t see any fish there.
Well, it was still worth a try.
“Go to the System toolbelt and click on the little icon that looks like a
fish. Then take out the big net. Got it?” I took out the item and carefully
waded into the shallow water. “For now, just watch what I do.”
I flung the net out into the sea, keeping hold of one corner. Then I
waited five heartbeats until a glowing golden exclamation mark appeared
over the net. As I pulled the net back toward me, I felt a resistance, as
though it was full of something or the other. When I had reeled it in close
enough, the items I had caught appeared in my inventory and a System
notification box popped up in front of me.

[Mackerel (2), Cod (1), Bass (2), Casket (1), Old Leather Boots (1),
Oyster (10), Lobster (5), Rusty Key (2)]

“What a catch!” I said.

How on earth had that happened? There definitely weren’t any fish or
other items in the water that I could see. Was the net some sort of portal
device? The System was as mysterious as ever.
“What did you get, Teacher?” asked Mo. She couldn’t see what I had
gotten because it all went directly to my inventory.
“A bit of fish, some shellfish, and miscellaneous interesting items. Why
don’t you try it?” I suggested.
She stepped forward and flung her net out. A few moments later, it was
already full, and she reeled it in.
“Eh? I got a lot of stuff!” she exclaimed in surprise.
The poor girl was so bad at fishing that she was shocked she got a good
haul…except she didn’t seem to realize that it was all junk.

[Old Leather Boots (2), Rusty Key (1), Seaweed (2), Shell (3), Seaweed
(8), Sea Glass (2)]

“Good work! Stay here and I’ll find my own fishing spot. I won’t be
far,” I said.
I walked a little away from her until I saw another patch of sparkling
water. We spent around an hour fishing until we ran out of energy. Big net
fishing allowed players to catch more fish, so it was faster and more
efficient than using a fishing rod that could only catch one fish at a time, but
net fishing used up more energy per cast. The downside of it was that one
often caught useless junk until their fishing level was high.
When we were done, we each got two buckets from our inventory and
filled them with saltwater and some of our catch for the Demon Chef to
cook later. Then we put them in our inventories so we wouldn’t need to
carry them as we walked back to the top of the cliff where the hotel was
located.
 “I didn’t get a lot of fish, but I got a lot of these.” Mo held a handful of
sea glass up to the sun, fascinated by the way they caught the light.
“You can keep those in your room to remind you of your first beach
vacation. Ask Fengying to put it on a small wooden tray for display,” I said.
“Nice fishing here, huh? I wish we could do this more often, but I don’t
want to be away from the farm for too long. I’m already worried about how
they’re getting along without me.”
Me and my big mouth! No sooner had I said that when we spotted
Shuye on his flying cart approaching at great speed.
“You’re needed at the farm,” said my Farm Guide when he landed
beside us on the beach. “Some of your crops were destroyed.”

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 Chapter 44

T hey say there ain ’ t no rest for the wicked . I say , there ain ’ t no
rest for the farmer! When Shuye arrived with the bad news, we had no
choice but to cut the vacation short, pack up, and leave immediately. My
bear-like Farm Guide looked extremely worried as he flew us back, and I
had to ask him to slow down several times.
“Oh, I don’t feel so good,” I said as I leaned against Fengying after we
landed. “I think I left my stomach somewhere up in the sky.”
“I’m sorry, was I flying too fast?” asked Shuye.
“It’s fine… I just need a minute.” I waited until I felt better, then said,
“All right, show me.”
They led me to the second field where the corn was already waist high.
“This morning when we went to water the plants, we saw that,” said
Kharli.
“That” was lightning that was dancing across a small patch of land,
illuminating the area with a bright white light. It crackled and flashed
menacingly, but as we walked toward it, it started to dim until, by the time
we reached it, the lightning had disappeared.
“Interesting,” I said.
The entire household had turned out to watch this development, and
everyone seemed relieved when the lightning died down by itself.
“There’s nothing more to see here. Why don’t we all go back to the
house for lunch? I’m sure we’re all hungry,” I said.
They obediently turned around and walked back to the house while I
took a moment to inspect the damage. Thankfully, only a small portion of
the corn crop had burned down. I knelt down and touched the part of the
ground where lightning had struck. The plants had been reduced to ashes,
and the soil was wet and slightly warm. I got out a spade and dug around
until I found what I was looking for.

[Lightning Fang:
A jagged, glassy rock formed after a lightning strike. It was created
when intense heat from a lightning bolt melted the silica in soil or sand
and then cooled rapidly.
Can be added to an arrowhead for an additional effect. One use.]

It wasn’t much, but it would serve as a consolation prize for losing part
of the harvest.
A [Lightning Fang] wasn’t very useful in Adventure Incarnate, so I
didn’t have any in my inventory because GodIAm hadn’t bothered with it.
All the item did was add an electric shock effect to an arrow, which gave it
a small chance of stunning the enemy.
“What’s that?” asked Shuye.
I explained the [Lightning Fang’s] use to him, and he asked me to
demonstrate it for him, which I promised to do when I had free time.
“Your apprentices told me that there was a thunderstorm last night. I’m
not surprised that lightning struck some of the crops, but I don’t understand
why the lightning behaved that way,” he said.
“Yes, that was weird, wasn’t it?” I couldn’t explain it to him. In
Adventure Incarnate, there were several harmless visual bugs, and the one
where lightning didn’t disappear immediately after striking a farm was
pretty common. That was probably what happened here. “Well, at least it
didn’t burn down more of the crops.”
This was all my fault. I had forgotten that summer was the season of
thunderstorms, and I hadn’t put any lightning rods down. I’d place them
around the farm later today.
Seeing that everything was now fine, Shuye said his goodbyes as I went
back for lunch. He always made himself scarce whenever it was meal time,
since that was considered courteous behavior here for cultivators and clan
members who abstained from eating human food.
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” he said.
“I look forward to it.”
The next day, Shuye appeared after I finished my morning chores, and I
agreed to show him how the [Lightning Fang] worked.
“Um, it’s sort of weird,” I said.
“Everything about you is like that,” he said. He was wearing his usual
brown pants and robe, and his hair was as shaggy as ever.
“Let’s walk a little bit away from the farm.”
“Is this going to be dangerous?”
“Nah.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’ll just shoot a tree or something,” I said. “How is your wife? Has she
eaten the petals from the five [Dusk Dandelions] yet?”
“She has. No results yet.”
“I hope it works.”
“I almost forgot!” Shuye got a cloth sachet from his pocket and handed
it to me. “Dusk Dandelions seeds.”
The seeds looked like tiny grains of black rice, and they had a faint
silver glow around them.
“Great! If the cure works, then I’ll use them when it’s planting season.”
Though I couldn’t be 100 percent certain that the [Dusk Dandelions] would
be effective, the fact that the System recommended them meant that there
was a good chance it would work. I poured out half of the seeds and gave
the sachet back to Shuye. “Why don’t you try planting some of these
yourself?”
“You don’t mind if I take some of them?”
“It’s better for me if I’m not the sole source of [Dusk Dandelions]. In
fact, we should probably distribute the seeds to your clan members when
we have more,” I said.
“That’s very generous of you,” he said.
“Generous? Wait, are you assuming that I did this for free? No way! I’m
expecting a big reward if your wife gets pregnant.” I laughed at his
thunderstruck expression. “I’m just kidding.”
“I’ll owe you a favor if it works,” said Shuye.
“No, no, I was just kidding.”
He ignored my protests. When we reached a small clearing, I said that it
was far enough.
 Taking out the [Lightning Fang] and a regular arrow from my inventory,
I rubbed the lightning-infused stone on the arrowhead. Electricity arched
and the stone crumbled to dust. I held up the arrow for Shuye to see.
“Now some of the lightning’s power has been transferred to this arrow.
I’ll just shoot that tree, okay?” I pointed at a nearby oak tree that was a
good distance from the other trees.
“Be careful.”
Without further ado, I notched an arrow and struck the target in the
middle of the trunk.
BOOM!
I was unprepared for the explosion that caused a shockwave that shook
the ground and the loud boom that reverberated through the area. The tree
was thrown into the air, its leaves and branches flying everywhere. The
trunk was split into many pieces by the force of the blast.
Shuye stepped in front of me, a near-invisible shield snapping in place
around both of us, protecting us from the bits of wood flying in all
directions. I didn’t know he could do that. It was a bit late, but I activated
Mr. Bear’s [Defense Mode].
“Are you hurt?” asked Shuye when it was all over.
The destruction was complete. What was once a green and vibrant tree
was now nothing more than a pile of wood chips. The ground around the
tree was covered in splinters, torn bits of leaves, and other debris. Even the
roots were destroyed, leaving nothing more than a gaping hole in the
ground.
“I’m fine. Um, that wasn’t supposed to happen. Lightning arrows aren’t
supposed to be that powerful.” I looked around me in awe at the
devastation.
Shuye shook his head and gave me a look of disappointment. “Divine
lightning is the most powerful force on earth. I thought you knew.”
“Huh? Wouldn’t earth-type cultivators easily counter lightning?” That
was the rule in the game.
My Farm Guide sighed. “They can’t do that. No one can avoid divine
lightning.”
His use of the word “divine” clued me in. I was thinking of “lightning”
as simply a form of electricity, but in this world where the clans believed in
manifest gods, a heavenly thunderbolt was more than just the movement of
charged particles. It was something divine.
 That was good to know. In the future, when I had the time to train
crafting, I would test making lightning-type items since I now knew that
they were especially useful. Or did that only apply to items that were made
naturally by lightning during a thunderstorm? I sensed that there was a lot
of experimenting with different kinds of elemental magic in my future.
“My bad. I didn’t realize it would be that strong.” I did my best to give
him an apologetic look while internally jubilant at my discovery. “If I’d
known, I wouldn’t have wasted my [Lightning Fang] on a tree.”
“Please be more careful next time.”
“I definitely will.” Next time, I would have Mr. Bear at the ready.
“I think the people from your household are coming to see what the
commotion was about,” said Shuye as we both heard the sound of people
approaching.
This was going to be difficult to explain.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 45

H aving earned the label “T hat S illy G irl W ho P layed with

Lightning,” I kept my head down and stayed on the farm for the next few
days. The crops were growing well, and it was time to deploy a certain
technique that would increase the quality of the corn harvest.
“Today I will teach you an awesome technique!” I said to my
apprentices. We were at the vegetable field where we had planted a few
squares using the Three Sisters method.

[Companion Planting: The Three Sisters

The Iroquois and Cherokee tribes used this method of planting corn,
beans, and squash together in the same mound. The corn grows tall and
provides a support for the beans to climb. The squash spreads along the
ground, providing ground cover and preventing weeds from growing.
This method of planting results in a bountiful harvest of all three
crops.]

I moved closer to one of the mounds. The corn had grown tall and
strong, towering above its companions. The beans that were climbing up the
stalks of the corn were vibrantly green, and the squash, sprawling across the
ground, had thick, wide leaves. All three plants had flourished, and I could
see that there was a slight haziness to the surrounding air, which I believed
was a sign that they were rich in spiritual energy or qi.
“First of all, observe these plants. We were just at the cornfield. What is
the difference between the corn here and the corn in the other field?” I
asked them.
The three of them stepped closer to the plants and circled the mounds,
looking closely at the corn and the other plants. Lari scratched his head, and
they huddled together for a few minutes before coming back to me and
giving me their answer.
“The corn seems to be taller compared to the corn in the other field,”
said Kharli.
“Correct. What else?”
“The leaves are a little greener,” said Kharli.
“What can you conclude, then?”
“That the Three Sisters method works?” She sounded uncertain. “There
doesn’t seem to be a lot of difference.”
Hmm. Could it be that the haze I saw around the plants wasn’t visible to
other people? Interesting.
“Even a slight difference at this point in the growing season can make a
big difference when it’s harvest time. We’ll know then whether the Three
Sisters method is better. Also, I think the three of you have forgotten or
haven’t noticed that there are almost no weeds here compared to the other
field. We haven’t planted a lot of crops this season, but in the future we
might find that it’s very useful to have crops that are low maintenance.”
Mo crouched down to look at the ground. “It’s true! We haven’t weeded
today yet, but the ground is clear.”
The other two went to the other mounds to check and confirmed that it
was true of the other plantings, too.
I decided to move on to the main lesson for today. “One thing you have
to keep in mind, though, is that if you use this method, you should hand
pollinate the corn. If you grow a lot of corn together, the crop will pollinate
itself whenever the wind blows, but if you only have a few of them, then
they will need some help with pollination.”
The three of them looked at each other, then Kharli said, “Teacher, what
is pollination?”
Now it was my turn to scratch my head. I shouldn’t have assumed that
they already knew what pollination was since they grew up in an orphanage
and didn’t go to school like I did.
“Okay, I’ll explain. This part here on the top of the corn plant is called
the tassel. It’s full of something we call pollen. When the wind blows, it
shakes the plants, and the pollen naturally falls down to the corn silks. That
is what we call pollination, and this process has to happen for the corn
kernels to develop. Do you understand so far?”
They nodded.
“All right. Since there aren’t any corn plants here, it’s best to hand
pollinate them. I’ll show you how it’s done.”
Taking a pair of scissors from my System toolbelt, I snipped off a tassel,
then gently brushed it back and forth over the silks, ensuring that all the
strands were fully coated.
“That’s it! It’s easy, right?” I said. “Let’s do it.”
We spent the better part of an hour carefully tending to the corn plants.
Dusting the silks with pollen was pretty fun and relaxing. If only I hadn’t
transmigrated into such a conservative culture, I would’ve made a few jokes
about plant reproduction, but alas, that would be considered in bad taste
here.
“Shouldn’t we do this with the corn plants in the other field?” asked
Lari. “What if they don’t pollinate themselves properly?”
“If you feel like it, you can hand pollinate some of the corn there. Make
a note of which ones you helped, and we can compare the harvest between
the naturally pollinated and hand pollinated plants,” I said. Lari was
normally the lazy one, but he could be roused to action whenever he
thought he could get something out of it. It seemed that he was afraid that
we would get an inferior harvest if we didn’t hand pollinate all the plants.
“Thank you for teaching us,” said Kharli.
The others echoed her words, and they went off to the other field to
practice their technique a little more.
As for me, I went to my room to do more Herblaw.
It was hotter than ever this summer, and my room, with its central air
conditioning, was like an oasis in the middle of a desert. I asked Fengying
for a pitcher of apple juice with ice cubes from the refrigerator and a
handful of nuts to snack on. Once she had delivered the items, I started
making potions.

[Player Name: Violet

Farming Skills:
Farming Level 12, Fishing Level 8, Woodcutting Level 12, Cooking
Level 1, Herblaw Level 10, Foraging Level 3, Hunting Level 1, Mining
Level 1]
 My Herblaw was coming along nicely. Of course, it wasn’t a fast skill to
train, but that was true of everything related to farming. I placed the spell
stones and herbs on my worktable and used the Clean Herb spell. Then I
swiftly combined the ingredients in a vial using the [Create Potion] spell.
Again and again, I cast the spell as fast as I could and delighted in the act of
creation. [Blight Magic], [Dewy Glow], and [Antipoison] potions weren’t
exactly the most useful items I could make right now, but it was necessary
to gain more experience and level up my Herblaw to be able to create better
potions.
Though it wasn’t exactly a heart-pounding adventure, it was still much
better than what I would have been doing back on Earth, which was
probably studying for college entrance exams and stressing over money.
Here I had my own place, plenty of money, scrumptious food to eat
every day, and magic.
Magic was even harder to train than Herblaw. I wasn’t particularly
worried about it though since magic was used in pretty much all the crafting
skills and should level up naturally as soon as I started working on my non-
farming skills.
As I made potions, I hummed a little tune under my breath.

A pinch of this root, a drop of that berry

Mixed with a thunderclap, and a songbird’s melody
A tiny pinch of salt, and a spark from a lightning bolt
Will give the brew an extra special jolt.

That was the song from Adventure Incarnate’s trailer that featured
Herblaw.
I was making potions the way I normally did when the vials I was
working on started glowing all the colors of the rainbow and a System
message popped up.

[You have made a Perfect Potion.]

Woohoo! It was about time that I did. Though Perfect Potions only gave
a 20 percent boost to their regular effects, they gave double experience. The
more a player trained a particular skill or crafted a particular item, the more
they “mastered” it. In Herblaw, that meant that players would produce
Perfect Potions now and then, with the frequency increasing as their
mastery increased.
Cheered by the thought that I was going to get more experience than
usual, I continued to train Herblaw for the rest of the week without stopping
except for sleep, meals, the usual daily farm chores, and a few breaks here
and there whenever Prince Baiyu came for a visit.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 46

“S he ’ s pregnant ,” were the first words out of S huye ’ s mouth . He

didn’t even bother to say hello or good morning.
“Congratulations,” I said.

[Curing Infertility: Quest Complete

Reward: A Noble Title]

What?! I tried to look for a [Reject] button, but there was none. I didn’t
want a noble title! In theory, raising one’s social status was beneficial in this
world; however, it probably came with responsibilities.
“I’ve reported the use of [Dusk Dandelions] in curing my wife’s
condition. You can expect confirmation within the next few days, and I’m
sure the Lady will reward you generously,” said Shuye.
“There’s no need for a reward. After all, I barely did anything,” I said.
It was like talking to a wall. My Farm Guide completely ignored my
protests.
“My wife planted the seeds, and the dandelion seedlings will be given to
our best farmers,” said Shuye. “I didn’t tell them that you have some, too,
because I know you prefer your privacy.”
“Thanks,” I said weakly.
Maybe it wouldn’t be that bad. I asked Shuye what the reward would
be, but he said he didn’t know.
“What are you worried about? Our doctors are smart; they won’t blame
you if the flowers can’t cure everyone,” said Shuye. He was grinning from
ear to ear, obviously overjoyed that his wife’s infertility had been cured.
“Uh, is there any chance of maybe hinting to the Lady that I would like
a little more land?” I thought it was worth a try, but I wasn’t expecting to
immediately get a new System message.

[Curing Infertility: Quest Complete

Reward: A Noble Title and More Land]

Wow! I wouldn’t mind getting a noble title if it came with more land to
farm.
“I can certainly pass the message on,” Shuye assured me. “Farmers
aren’t normally granted a bigger piece of land this fast, but you deserve it.”
Yes! If I had more land, I might be able to build more. I thought
longingly of the [Ranch House] that I had been forced to replace with the
rice mill.
“Thank you. Are you hoping for a boy or a girl?”
“Either one is fine. I just want a healthy child,” said Shuye. “How have
you been? I wasn’t able to visit this past week because I was reporting what
happened.”
“Let’s walk around, and I’ll show you the new beehives. You remember
how I wanted to grow sugarcane? Honey will be a nice substitute for
sugar.”
We spent a few more minutes walking around the farm until he left, and
I went back to the house for more Herblaw training.

The Lady and the clan doctors really moved fast. Five days later, I received
an official document doubling the size of the land grant I had received from
the local government. In addition, I was given the rank of Baroness, with all
the accompanying rights and responsibilities. Shuye helpfully explained
that since my barony consisted of my farm and part of the surrounding
virgin forest, I didn’t really need to do anything special. The only difference
the title made was that my tax rate was lower now.
“How much lower?” I asked.
“The old taxes were set at 10 percent. Your new tax rate is 8 percent.”
 “Awesome!”
He didn’t need to tell me that my social status was now higher than all
the commoners. Living as I did in the middle of the forest, it didn’t matter
much.
Since my farm had now doubled in size, the System, in its infinite
wisdom, opened up a third building slot. That meant that I could now add a
third building in addition to the [Courtyard House] and [Rice Mill] that I
already had.
The moment Shuye left, I went to the place that I had earmarked as the
spot where I would build my future residence. It was some distance from
the courtyard house, and it was on higher ground.
Before I set down the house, I built twelve-foot-high stone walls all
around the perimeter for maximum privacy. The gate I chose was a sturdy
steel one with a solid construction and a dragon design.
Then I went to the System’s Build menu and chose the house that I
wanted.

[Ranch-style House:
A one-story house that’s perfect for an easygoing lifestyle, with a simple
design known for its easy maintenance, rectangular shape, and low-
pitched roofline. The interior is typically very open and airy, with the
front door typically opening directly into the living room.]

The one I picked was a medium-size structure with white siding and a
red roof. The front porch was covered with a wooden awning, and the
windows were framed by dark-green shutters that I thought provided a
pleasant contrast to the white walls.
A large magic circle appeared on the ground. It flashed brighter three
times until I had to close my eyes because of the brightness. When I opened
my eyes, the house had appeared. I quickly added the default furniture
packs, choosing a white-and-green color scheme, to the rooms before
entering.
The interior was simple and cozy. Inside, the living room had a wooden
floor and a brick fireplace, while the tiny kitchen had a modern stove,
fridge, and oven. The dining area was so small that it could be called a
breakfast nook, since it only had one round table and two wooden chairs.
Since it wasn’t very large, the house only had one bedroom, but it was quite
large and had a king-size bed, vanity table with a matching stool, and plenty
of built-in closets. The bathroom had a clawfoot tub and a pedestal sink,
and most importantly, there was a flush toilet.
There was one thing that was missing, though. I added a cozy window
seat to the large picture window at the back of the house, where I could curl
up with Mr. Bear when I wanted to relax.
It was heaven.
I hadn’t realized until now how much I had wanted my very own place.
The people at the courtyard house were nice, but we lived right next to each
other, and being the head of the household in this old-fashioned place meant
that I had to uphold certain standards.
I mean, we lived quite close to each other, and there was so little
privacy that I was afraid to fart in my own room in case someone heard me!
What was more, Fengying’s gimlet eyes missed nothing, and I couldn’t
walk around in old clothes or slouch on my seat without fearing her
disapproval. I hadn’t realized until now that being on my best behavior all
the time had been extremely stressful.
Now, away from everyone else’s watching eyes, I could do whatever I
wanted, so long as I stayed inside the house. I set the walls to maximum
privacy and put on a T-shirt and jean shorts from the Cash Shop because it
was tiring to always have to dress in this world’s idea of proper clothing.
Then I went outside and threw Mr. Bear up to the roof and set him on
[Guard Mode].
The [Ranch House’s] furnishings were basic but comfortable, which
was exactly what I wanted. However, the land surrounding it was covered
in grass and tree stumps. I cleared the ground and browsed through the
Cash Shop for garden items.
What kind of garden did I want?
The gardens attached to the player houses used decorative plants, trees,
and other items from the Cash Shop. I cycled through the options in the
System tab, but there were so many that I felt rather overwhelmed. Using
the [Filter], I checked all the most expensive items.
The one that caught my eye was the [Rose Garden]. Unfortunately,
when I tried to place it in the open area in front of the house, I found that
the proportions were off. It could only fit into the small space by squeezing
all the elements together in a strange way. The winding paths became
cobweb-like, and the stately statues turned into knee-high lawn ornaments. I
guess that was because the garden was meant to be for players who had
already built a palace.
Well, I wasn’t about to let this problem defeat me. I couldn’t use the
[Rose Garden], but I could still manually recreate it on a smaller scale.
Using the garden as my inspiration, I put down irregular white
limestone blocks to create stepping-stone paths, then put down a base layer
of green grass in the front yard. No garden was complete without a few
trees, so I added a maple and magnolia tree, one on each side of the house.
As for the roses, I put down dozens of red, white, pink, peach, and blue rose
bushes. For that extra oomph factor, I covered the walls surrounding the
house in climbing roses of every color.
It was…a bit much.
I decided to replace the climbing roses with green ivy. It looked much
better that way. Lastly, I browsed through the patio furniture and chose a
white wooden gazebo and a pretty little garden swing.
Now it was perfect.
Lifting my T-shirt, I scratched my stomach and laughed when I realized
what I’d done. This was exactly the type of uncouth behavior that would
have made the people in the main house raise their eyebrows
disapprovingly.
Now that I had my own house, life was going to be so much more
comfortable.

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 Chapter 47

E veryone wanted to take a look at my new house , but I very firmly

said no because it was my own special place where other people were not
allowed to enter. I suppose that eventually I would satisfy their curiosity,
but in the meantime, I took all my meals and met with my apprentices at the
courtyard house and spent the rest of my free time at the ranch house.
The summer heat had abated somewhat, and it felt like the cooler
autumn months were already on their way. I turned off the air conditioning
and simply opened the windows to enjoy the fresh air. Right now, it wasn’t
that cold, but I would definitely add a fireplace before winter. I looked
forward to spending quiet nights alone, sprawled out on a plush rug with
Mr. Bear in front of a roaring fireplace.
My new [Rose Garden] turned out to be self-maintaining, since the
plants stayed in their peak condition even when I didn’t water or weed
them. That must be because of the power of the Cash Shop. The only
drawback was that the scent of the flowers tended to be a little
overwhelming. Either they were a special variety bred to make perfume, or
they were spirit plants, too. I reduced the number of rose bushes before I
found out that I could collect rose hips. When Deming confirmed that they
were edible, I simply moved the plants away from my window. Tonight we
would be having rose hip soup for dessert.
The house, somewhat regrettably, didn’t have a self-cleaning function
except for the toilet and shower room, but that was fine as long as I didn’t
make a mess. I sent my laundry to the main house and did all my own
cleaning.
 In the next two weeks, I spent my time doing the usual stuff: Farming,
Woodcutting, Foraging, Fishing, Hunting, and a bit of combat practice,
along with lots of Herblaw training.
The days flew by, and tomorrow was the first day of the summer harvest
season. I walked around the fields to inspect the fruits of my labor one last
time.
The wheat plants were about three feet tall, and now, right before
harvest time, their golden heads were heavy with grain. They were giving
off a very gentle yellow glow. The air was filled with the sweet, earthy
scent of the ripe wheat, and I could hardly wait to wield my scythe.
As for the corn plants, they were now taller than me. Their vibrant green
color was almost painful to look at because they were covered in a bright
green glow. The corn silks were brown and dried out, a sign that the plants
were ready to be harvested. It was a pity that lightning had destroyed part of
the cornfield because Deming was already planning a wonderful post-
harvest feast, and I would’ve loved it if we had more sweetcorn to use.
The vegetable field was an even more satisfying sight. It was a riot of
colors, a bright patchwork of vivid yellows, reds, greens, and earth tones.
There was [Corn], [Squash], [Beans], [Basil], [Garlic], [Parsnip], [Turnip],
[Daikon], [Potato], [Sweet Potato], [Carrot], [Bell Peppers], [Radish],
[Tomato], [Eggplant], [Cucumber], [Bok Choy], [Spinach], [Bitter Melon],
[Jicama], [Ginger], [Leeks], [Cauliflower], [Pineapple], [Melon], [Taro
Root], [Ube], [Chili Peppers], and [Sui Choy].
All the crops looked picture perfect, as though they had been taken out
of a food magazine photograph. Just yesterday, I had taken a regular carrot
from the kitchen and held it up beside the carrot that I was growing and saw
that the difference was astonishing. The spirit carrot was perfectly formed
and vibrantly orange. The regular carrot looked deformed and washed out
when they were placed side-by-side.
Though it wasn’t harvest time yet, I was greatly tempted to bite into
both carrots to check the difference in taste. Fortunately, I still had enough
self-control not to do so.
My mouth watered at the thought of eating freshly plucked vegetables
with the meat we had hunted yesterday. Based on our usual food
consumption, the upcoming harvest should be enough to last us until the
end of autumn.
 The only fly in the ointment was that we wouldn’t be able to use the
wheat right away, since we didn’t have the facilities for it. The [Rice Mill]
was only good for processing rice, so we would have to send Shuye with
the wheat to have it milled by an acquaintance of Deming’s. Naturally, the
Demon Chef knew a lot of people who were in the food business.
Inspection done, I went to the main house to check on my apprentices
and eat dinner. My energy bar always filled up completely when I woke up
after a good night’s sleep, but it was different for them. If they completely
exhausted their energy the day before, it did not refill completely the next
day, so I told them to rest for now in order for them to be ready for the
harvest.
“Teacher, will we level up our farming tomorrow?” asked Mo.
The three of them were restless and twitchy with nerves.
“She already told us that harvesting gives the most experience! We’re
definitely going to level up,” said Lari.
“Eat your vegetables, and go to bed early tonight,” I said. “Harvest
season lasts for two weeks, so we have plenty of time, but we also have a
lot of crops. Make sure you rest properly.”
“I hope I can sleep tonight. I’m so excited!” said Kharli.
Everyone’s eyes were sparkling, and even Deming had a spring in his
step today.
Though we had discussed what we were going to do many times before,
the kids were excited and kept on asking me the same questions.
I wondered if I should stop thinking of them as “the kids.” It wasn’t like
I was much older than them, and they were fourteen, which meant that they
were teenagers. However, the master-disciple or teacher-apprentice
relationship was considered similar to that of a parent and child, so they
treated me like a much older woman.
“We’ll harvest the vegetables first, since Deming is waiting for that.
Then we’ll do the wheat field, and we’ll save the corn for last,” I said.
“Shuye will be watching, and he will transport the crops for us.”
My Farm Guide, as usual, would be responsible for taking all of my
products to the market because I didn’t want to bother with it myself. It
wasn’t like I needed the gold, and the planting season followed immediately
after harvest season.
“How much do you expect to get for the wheat and corn?” asked Lari.
 Trust my [Ambitious] apprentice to be the only one who asked about
money.
“Quite a lot!” I said.
The three of them put their heads together and whispered into each
other’s ears. I pretended not to hear them.
“Do you think she knows?” Kharli gave me a dubious look.
“She definitely doesn’t.” Mo shook her head.
“I think she comes from a rich family. She doesn’t seem to care about
money.” That was Lari.
I let their words wash over me as I ate my dessert, grass jelly in sugar
syrup, a very refreshing dish for the hot summer. When we finished eating, I
said, “All right, soak in the hot spring for as long as you can, then go to
your rooms and rest. The sooner you go to sleep, the sooner you’ll wake
up.”
We said our good nights, and I went to the ranch house to do some
Herblaw before retiring for the night.
I woke up before dawn and made my way to the main house for a hearty
breakfast, dressed in the farmer’s clothes from the System menu, which
consisted of coarse brown homespun pants, a crude cotton top, and conical
hat. I regretted my choice of attire the moment I stepped into the outer
courtyard.
Nooooo! I mentally screamed.

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 Chapter 48

H ow could this happen ?

Prince Baiyu had always sent word before he visited, and he seldom
appeared during mealtimes, so I was shocked to see him sitting with my
apprentices at the breakfast table. He got up to greet me when I entered the
courtyard, but I quickly turned around and fled. I wanted to go back to my
bedroom to change into better clothes.
Alas, he didn’t seem to understand what I was doing and chased after
me.
“Miss Violet!” he said as he caught up to me in front of the gate. The
prince was, of course, dressed in magnificent green-and-white robes.
“Excuse me, I have to go back to my room to change.” I couldn’t
believe I had been caught dressed so sloppily by my boss and self-described
suitor, Prince Baiyu.
“Why? You look great,” he said.
No, you look great. I look like I just got out of bed and put on my oldest
clothes.
“I guess it’s fine,” I said. It was too late to change since he had already
seen me.
Ugh.
Wait a minute, why did I care so much about something so trivial? In
the past, I hadn’t much cared about what I was wearing. Could it be that I
was now growing up and becoming more girly?
We walked back to the breakfast table, where my apprentices were
impatiently waiting for me to sit down, so we could start eating. Deming
had cooked crullers and porridge for us as I had requested yesterday
because I wanted to start the day with a light meal. I had only taken a few
bites when Shuye appeared.
“I checked out the crops. Looks like the harvest will be quite bountiful,”
said Shuye.
“Yes, indeed. Today is the day that all our hard work will pay off!” Now
that I had gotten over the awkwardness of being seen in less-than-flattering
clothes by Prince Baiyu, I was excited at the thought of what lay ahead.
The four of us ate our food as quickly as we could, and it was the first
time that I didn’t even notice what the Demon Chef’s food tasted like. Lari,
Kharli, and Mo were reacting differently to their first harvest. Lari was full
of energy and looked like he was about to explode. Kharli, on the other
hand, was fairly calm except that she was speaking faster than normal. Mo
was pale and looked like she was about to faint or vomit.
Everyone was quiet as we walked to the vegetable field. Shuye, Prince
Baiyu, Deming, Fengying, the kitchen assistants, and the maids stood by the
side of the crops and watched as I walked over to the mound where we had
planted the corn, beans, and squash following the Three Sisters technique.
“It’s quite easy. Watch what I do.” Yesterday, I told them to activate the
[Automatic Harvest] option on the Farming menu. I had done my first
harvest manually, but we had a lot more crops this time, and the kids’
energy did not refill as quickly as mine, so I thought it would be best if we
finished as quickly as we could since that would give them more time to
rest.
I put my gardening gloves on and grabbed an ear of corn. Giving it a
sharp downward twist, I broke it off from the plant. I tried to play it cool,
but even I was surprised when the rest of the [Corn], [Beans], and [Squash]
disappeared from the mound, having been placed directly into my inventory
by the System. One-tenth of my energy bar was depleted.
My three apprentices exchanged baffled glances, unsure of how to react.
Lari scratched his head, trying to make sense of what he had just seen,
while Kharli just shrugged. Mo’s eyes widened, and she looked intrigued
but confused.
Taking out three baskets from the System farming supplies, I put the
newly harvested [Corn], [Beans], and [Squash] in them. Then I went down
the line of crops to harvest the rest of the vegetables. Some of them, like the
[Potatoes], needed to be dug up from the ground, but others just needed to
be plucked from the plant, like the [Eggplants], [Tomatoes], and [Chili
Peppers].
“That’s it. Looks easy, right?” I said when my energy was almost
completely drained. “Your turn!”
I handed the basket that had the tomatoes in it to Kharli because I
figured that she was the most reliable of the three. She coolly walked to the
nearest tomato plant and harvested it successfully. Her fellow apprentices
clapped.
“Yay!”
“How much exp did you get?” asked Lari.
“Only a little exp, but I’m getting it for each tomato. I think I’m going
to level up soon.” Sure enough, a few minutes later, Kharli jumped up and
down screaming, “Level five!”
I allowed her and the others a minute of freaking out before I said,
“Don’t scream. Save your energy because you’ll level up several times this
harvest season. Lari, you try it.”
“I’m gonna harvest all of them!” said Lari as he grabbed the basket of
[Potatoes] and went straight to his favorite crop. Despite the manic look on
his face, he took his time loosening up the soil around the potato plants with
a spading fork from the System before digging under the plants and lifting
the [Potatoes] from under the ground. It didn’t take long before he, too,
jumped up and screamed, “I’m level five!”
The other two congratulated him, and Mo couldn’t bear waiting any
longer. She took the basket of [Sweet Potatoes] and followed suit. Unlike
the other two, she was already level six, so it took her longer to jump up
and scream, “I’m level seven!”
“Congratulations, everyone,” I said. To my surprise, the three of them
stopped yelling and threw their arms around me.
This seemed to be the cue that our audience was waiting for. Prince
Baiyu, Shuye, Deming, Fengying, and the others approached and
congratulated me and my apprentices.
“Um. We’re not done yet. Why don’t we save the congratulations for
later?” I suggested.
I extricated myself from the awkward situation, and Larry, Kharli, and
Mo calmed down enough to continue working.
The [Automatic Harvesting] mode was a success, and we finished using
up all of our energy in an hour. I gave the baskets of vegetables to Deming,
with a request for fried potato chips, and instructed my apprentices to soak
in the hot springs before going to their rooms for a nap. I wanted their
energy to refill completely by tomorrow.
“See you at lunch!” I said to the others after with congratulations and
hugs.
Prince Baiyu walked me back to my [Ranch House].
“When will I be allowed inside?” he asked.
“Who knows?”
He sighed. “You’re not hiding a harem there, are you?”
“Why are you asking? Are you interested in joining?” I had gotten used
to this type of conversation ever since we met, and the flirting had only
intensified after I sent him that letter. It was kind of nice. Furthermore, I
appreciated the fact that he visited me every few days despite his busy
schedule.
“If I were, would you accept me?” He looked down at me with a smirk
on his face.
“Only if you know how to cook, clean the house, do the laundry, wash
the dishes, and take out the trash.”
“That’s what maids do. As a harem member, all I would have to do is
attend to nighttime duties.”
“You’re too much!” I raised both my hands in surrender. He always won
this type of game because he always went too far. “Enough, please.”
“All right, I suppose that’s it for today. I’ll see you tomorrow.” He took
my hand gently in his and brought it to his lips, pressing a soft kiss against
my knuckles.
I felt a warm flush spread across my cheeks as I looked up at him,
surprised by the gesture. His expression was tender, and for a moment, I
was speechless. The longer I stood there, silent and frozen, the wider his
smile grew.
He kissed my hand again and said, “I hope you’ll invite me inside
soon.”
Then he turned and walked away while I stood there staring at his back.
Oh, I think I might be in trouble.

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 Chapter 49

T he next day , after dreaming of playing with a dragon child , I

woke up to the sun streaming through my bedroom window. The morning
air was cool and lightly scented by the roses outside. I hadn’t needed to turn
on the air conditioning that night.
Summer was almost over.
I washed my face, then made myself a cup of coffee. The others
preferred tea, so I often had mine in my house. When the coffee was ready,
I sat down on a comfortable armchair, enjoying a few moments of silence
and solitude. After finishing the drink, I took a quick shower and changed
into work clothes, but this time I chose much better ones compared to the
crude farmer’s outfit I had worn yesterday. Using items from the Cash
Shop, I assembled a reasonably fetching ensemble consisting of sturdy,
practical black cotton pants, a navy-blue shirt, and a wide-brimmed straw
hat.
Shuye and Prince Baiyu were nowhere to be seen. I guessed they didn’t
plan to watch us every single day. The System allowed players exactly two
weeks to harvest their crops, followed by another two weeks to plant new
ones.
Today, we finished harvesting in an hour, then rested for a few hours
before meeting up at the outer courtyard for lunch. When I arrived at the
main house, I found that Deming had spread out one of each vegetable on a
large table.
Everyone was already there, so he started identifying each crop when I
sat down. He pointed at each item and said its name.
 “[Alabaster Spirit Potato], [Hundred Treasure Spirit Corn], [Mystic
Summer Squash], [Celestial Spirit Spinach], [Ardent Aromatic Garlic],
[Pure Fragrance Ginger], [Purple Amaranthine Eggplant], [Crimson Fire
Chili Peppers], [Refreshing Honeydew Melon], [Starry Sweet Potato],
[Mystic Moonshine Carrots], [Spellbinding Onions], [Miraculous Taro
Root], [Jade-Skinned Cucumber], [Rainbow Bell Peppers], [Radiant Ivory
Jicama], [Floating Lace Cauliflower], [Phantasmal Beans], [Beguiling
Spirit Basil], [Golden-Gilded Parsnip], [Flaming Fire Radish], [Ruby Blood
Tomato], [Luminous Sunbeam Daikon], [Brightroot Turnip], [Vibrant
Verdant Bok Choy], [Immortal Bitter Melon], [Summer Meadow Leeks],
[Summer Nectar Pineapple], [Sunburst Sui Choy], and [Radiant Purple
Moon Ube].”
Wow! I couldn’t believe these humble vegetables had such fancy names.
Everyone was raising their hands to clap when the Demon Chef added, “All
low grade.”
“Low grade! How can these be low grade?” Lari grabbed an eggplant
and shook it in Deming’s direction. “Look at this perfect shape, this deep
purple color! It even glows in the dark.”
I kicked him under the table and said, “Thank you for the evaluation. I
look forward to all the delicious dishes you’ll be cooking with these.”
The Demon Chef nodded coolly to me, and his assistants gathered
vegetables. They all trooped to the kitchen, and when they were out of
sight, I scolded my wayward apprentice.
“Are you totally insane? Don’t you know that you should never piss off
a chef, much less this particular chef? My goodness!” I put a hand on my
chest at the thought of Deming taking offense at Lari’s attitude.
“What are you afraid of?” asked Lari.
I shook my head. “I’m teaching you common sense. Don’t ever quarrel
with someone who prepares your food. I’m sure if you think about it a little
more, you’ll figure out why.”
“Teacher, are all of our vegetables really low grade?” asked Kharli.
“They look really, really wonderful to me.”
“Yes, but you’re not a professional chef. Besides, you know this is just
the farm’s second harvest. We still have a long way to go,” I said.
“When will we have high-grade crops?” asked Lari.
I was about to answer when Mo spoke up first.
 “How can you complain about that? You’re so ungrateful. Don’t you
remember that just a few months ago we were at the orphanage and no one
wanted to hire us or take us in as apprentices?” Mo’s expression was fierce,
and this was quite a long speech from her.
“Now, now, children. We had a nice harvest today, but we still have a
long way to go before we can produce high-grade spirit crops. It’s normal
for a person to take years before they reach the peak of their profession.
Let’s not quarrel. I don’t want to get indigestion,” I said, nodding in the
direction of the kitchen door where the first of the Demon Chef’s assistants
was emerging with a large platter. When he placed it on the table, I saw that
it was a dish of roast demon pork and bean curd with assorted vegetables.
“Eat up to replenish your energy.”
We had brought in the harvest yesterday, and we would eat the fruit of
our labor today at lunch.
Was there anything better than eating a meal made of demonic meat and
freshly picked spiritual vegetables that one had grown on their own farm?
After a long, leisurely lunch, I returned to my ranch house and changed
into more comfortable clothes: a plain white T-shirt, cut-off jean shorts, and
flip-flops. Of course, I ended up doing Herblaw as usual, but I got bored
after a while and went out the back door to browse the Cash Shop again for
something interesting to place in my backyard.
The front of the house had the garden, gazebo, and swing. Behind the
house, however, was just a small expanse of grass and clover. My first
thought had been to place a tiny swimming pool or hot tub, but summer was
basically over, and I didn’t think I would use those items during the autumn.
The space was too small for a maze, and it wasn’t cold enough for a fire pit
yet.
A [Summer Party Package] caught my eye. The picture showed a small
group of people gathered around a barbecue full of steaks and corn. Maybe
if I placed that in my house, I would get a grill full of meat?!
Alas, I did get an awesome-looking grill and a nice set of tables and
chairs, but no steaks.
I kept on browsing the shop, and my eyes started to glaze over after the
first hundred or so items. Adventure Incarnate released dozens of new Cash
Shop items every Sunday, and the game had been running for years, so
there were tons of things that I had never paid much attention to.
 In the end, I opted for a boring but practical idea. Herblaw was my
current passion, so it would be nice to have an outdoor space where I could
train it. I simply put down a traditional white pole tent and placed a large
work table and comfortable chair under it. Of course, it would still be cozier
to work on my skills inside my comfortable house, but I wouldn’t mind a
change of scenery now and then. I spruced up the backyard with some
pretty shrubs and potted plants, then sat down on the chair and continued
training Herblaw.
The next ten days followed the same routine. I harvested my crops in
the morning and trained Herblaw the rest of the day. By the time we
finished, we had all leveled up quite a bit.

[Player Name: Violet

Farming Skills:
Farming Level 15, Fishing Level 9, Woodcutting Level 15, Cooking
Level 1, Herblaw Level 13, Foraging Level 4, Hunting Level 3, Mining
Level 1]

At level fifteen farming, I would normally unlock the third building slot,
but not this time because the previous quest had already unlocked it.
As for my apprentices, they were over the moon at their progress.

[Apprentice Name: Kharli

Farming Skills:
Farming Level 10, Fishing Level 3, Woodcutting Level 8, Cooking
Level 2, Herblaw Level 1, Foraging Level 3, Hunting Level 2]

Kharli and Lari both reached the level ten farming milestone. Unlike
me, this didn’t unlock any special abilities, but they seemed happy anyway.

[Apprentice Name: Lari

Farming Skills:
Farming Level 10, Fishing Level 6, Woodcutting Level 8, Cooking
Level 1, Herblaw Level 1, Foraging Level 1, Hunting Level 5]
 Mo did even better than them. It seemed that she had a particular gift for
farming because she got more exp compared to her fellow apprentices.

[Apprentice Name: Mo
Farming Skills:
Farming Level 11, Fishing Level 1, Woodcutting Level 8, Cooking Level
2, Herblaw Level 1, Foraging Level 6, Hunting Level 1]

There were still two days left of the harvest season, so I decided that we
should celebrate by going to the city to shop.

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 Chapter 50

T he next day , I changed my mind and decided to stay home when I

remembered how strange I had felt when I last visited the place. Seeing a
large city with thousands of people had made me anxious because, for the
first time, I had to come to terms with the fact that I was in a totally
different world. Here in the forest, my environment looked pretty much the
same as any forest on Earth, except for the occasional [Horned Rabbit]. The
city, though…
Maybe I was turning into a homebody? Well, that was fine since I never
considered myself the adventurous type anyway.
I told my disciples and the staff to go to the city with Shuye, who
provided them with a bag of gold coins that they could use to shop for
clothes, food, and whatever items they wanted to buy for their rooms.
Fengying promised to order warm winter clothes for everyone,
excluding me, of course, since I had an extensive wardrobe courtesy of the
System.
The sun was just beginning to rise over the horizon when they left. I
made my way to the vegetable field and smiled at the chili pepper plants
that had hundreds of tiny, red peppers. Using the [Automatic Harvest]
option would allow me to finish today’s task quickly, but I wanted to take
my time to savor the pleasure of seeing the fruits of my labor.
Today was yet another fine day. The air was filled with the gentle
rustling of leaves as a cool breeze swept through the forest, bringing with it
the sweet scent of wildflowers. The warm rays of the sun filtered through
the tree branches, casting a warm glow over the forest floor. The sounds of
nature were a harmonious symphony, with birds chirping their melodies,
leaves rustling in the breeze, and the soothing babble of the nearby stream.
The trees stood tall, their branches reaching up toward the sky, their leaves
a riot of color as they prepared for the changing seasons. I decided that this
was much better than the city.
Since I was all alone today, I set Mr. Bear on [Guard Mode].
The [Crimson Fire Chili Peppers] plants were shoulder high and laden
with dozens of bright red-orange peppers, with a few green-and-black ones
sprinkled here and there. I counted more than a hundred in all. We’d saved
this one for last because the Demon Chef said that they were best harvested
after they had dried a little bit in the sun.
I hung a basket from my neck and used both hands to gently pluck off
each pepper and drop them into the basket. There was no rush, so I
examined a few of the more interesting ones. Most of them were only an
inch long, but a few were rounded and small like peas. Though I was afraid
of the hotter chilies, I dared to open one up and lick the inside.
Big mistake!
My tongue felt like it was on fire, and the heat quickly spread to my
entire mouth. My eyes watered, and my nose started running. I got a glass
of water from my inventory and drank it to soothe the burn, but it was no
use. The water only seemed to intensify the heat, and I could feel sweat
breaking out on my forehead and upper lip. After a few moments of panic, I
realized that I should eat a rice ball from the [Five-Star Luxury Bento]. That
seemed to help a little bit.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the heat started to dissipate, and I
was able to catch my breath. My tongue was still on fire, but at least the
worst of the heat had passed. As I sat there, panting and sweating, I couldn’t
help but wonder what possessed me to eat that crazy-hot chili pepper in the
first place. It was a lesson that I would never forget: always be careful when
it comes to spicy foods!
Around one-fifth of the peppers were green, which meant that they were
only mildly spicy, but I decided not to try any of them since I’d already had
my fill of risky undertakings for the day. The black ones were [Demonfire
Peppers], which were unthinkable for anyone to eat unless they wanted to
experience the feeling of the top of their head being blown open by a spicy
explosion.
 It took about two hours for me to leisurely harvest over a hundred
peppers, including a long coffee and snack break. Once all of the fruits were
picked, I started plucking the tender young leaves at the top of the plants.
Chili leaves were edible and had a fresh, crisp, and gentle peppery taste.
Gathering the leaves made my mouth water in anticipation as I looked
forward to how the Demon Chef’s cuisine would reach new heights now
that we had many more spiritual vegetables harvested.
I whistled and hummed while I worked. The kids had tried to teach me a
couple of the more popular work songs, but I was just way too self-
conscious to sing in public. When I finished the harvest, I went through the
three fields and sowed them with the [Wild Seed Mix] that would serve as a
cover crop.
According to the System, soil must never be left uncovered, since that
would result in the topmost layer of dirt being washed or blown away by
precipitation and wind. Planting this mixture of wildflowers, grasses, and
legumes would prevent the topsoil from deteriorating and even add more
nutrients to it.
By midmorning, I finished everything and returned to my [Ranch
House] in a good mood.
By this time, my home was already fully furnished with all of my
favorite items from the Cash Shop. The walls were paneled with gleaming
wood and adorned with fine calligraphy scrolls and colorful still-life
paintings. The floors were made of gleaming hardwood, and I had placed a
few cute rugs here and there. A large bed with a firm mattress was covered
in luxurious beddings, and a small but fully equipped kitchen area was
tucked away in the back of the room.
I put on a T-shirt and shorts, no bra, of course, and walked on bare feet
to my front lawn. The [Rose Garden] was really impressive, but I had
removed it in favor of a simpler design with plenty of soft grass, two oak
trees, and a few flowerbeds. I spread a picnic blanket below an oak tree and
laid down on it.
Once I realized that the complete privacy settings that I had used on the
house made it impossible for anyone else to see it, I removed the high walls
surrounding my property since they were unnecessary. Now I had a great
view of the forest and the rest of the farm.
The others said that not only did they not see the house, but they also
couldn’t even pinpoint its location. They could only tell that it was there
when they saw me going in and out of it. The strangeness of this was the
only thing that made Fengying stop pestering me about hiring another maid
to take care of the house.
To be honest, I had always been a sloppy housecleaner, but here it was
easy since the player-owned houses had a self-cleaning function, and I
could just place any mess that I had made in my inventory and then put it in
the System trash bin.
I had absolutely no idea where the items I put in the trash went.
However, I did experiment a little with it when we went Hunting. It turned
out that I couldn’t put any living thing in my inventory unless it was a farm
animal.
The thought of farm animals made me think of the next step in my
farming journey. Playing Adventure Incarnate had made me realize that
farming wasn’t particularly profitable. Raising animals and crafting made a
lot more money. After one year of farming, I could do a lot more, including
non-farming activities.
But did I really want to?
Nope. I liked farming the most!
The next step for me should be to farm more, not less.
Should I travel to the south and initiate the epic quest I had unlocked
when I got level fifteen Farming?
“Hmm.”
Adventure Incarnate players loved the [Greening the Desert] quest, but
now that this was my life, I had a few reservations about it.
Hundreds of thousands of years ago (the game wasn’t clear about that),
the Southerlands were rendered uninhabitable when a meteor fell on the
capital of the Vermillion Bird Clan. The impact created a huge crater and
killed everyone nearby. Furthermore, the rock that came from outer space
was filled with alien lifeforms or “demons” as they were called here.
All the clans banded together to repel the invasion, and the Westerlands,
the region where I was living now, successfully drove out the demons from
the region they ruled, but not before the southernmost part of their territory
was devastated.
[Greening the Desert] was a bit of a misnomer, since the area was only
semi-arid, not a true sand desert. Still, reclaiming the area for forestry and
agriculture was a task of titanic proportions. It wasn’t like this was still a
game where I could fix everything by clicking my mouse around.
 Furthermore, there was the human factor to think of. Wouldn’t people
think I was crazy for trying to do something that the clans had failed at?
Would they even allow me to attempt it? If I did succeed, would I still be
able to enjoy a quiet and peaceful lifestyle?
And yet…
I really wanted to do it!
The forest farm would always be my home, but [Greening the Desert]
would give me an enormous space where I could do almost anything that I
wanted. Besides, it was a worthy task that would benefit a lot of people, and
it seemed almost selfish if I didn’t do what I could to reclaim the clan’s
land. This achievement would also mark me as an extremely valuable
person, which would be very useful in case we ever had to deal with the
demons and the boss like in the game.
Decision made, I went back to the house to write down all the things I
should do to prepare for my first epic quest.

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 Chapter 51

J ust before midnight , my disciples and the staff returned with

their loot. Fengying and Deming had bought a lot of new knives and
porcelain, while the assistant cooks and maids had purchased clothes,
accessories, and shoes. Lari, Kharli, and Mo brought back an eccentric mix
of practical items like clothes, cosmetics, jewelry, books, and so forth,
along with silly bric-a-brac like feathers and wax flowers in a box, painted
eggshells, and talismans that didn’t really do anything. I instructed them to
go to bed and spend the next day resting, because the day after tomorrow
was the first day of the planting season, and I wanted them to refill their
energy bars completely.
Two days later, a newly cleared field lay before us, a blank canvas
waiting to be transformed by the magic of seeds and the System.
“This is your second planting season, so you already know what to do.
This time we will be planting [Rice]. I’m sure you’ve noticed that our way
of farming is different from other people’s. Rice cultivation normally
involves planting seedlings, but we will be planting seeds instead,” I said.
“Do you remember the first thing that we have to do?”
Kharli said, “We have to plow the field.”
“Correct. Since we all know what to do, let’s start.”
We took out our hoes from the System toolbelt and used it to strike the
ground. I could now plow eight squares at a time, while my apprentices
could manage three. Out of all the farming activities, plowing the fields was
the most energy intensive. It didn’t take long before the three of them were
all exhausted. Mo misjudged her energy level and collapsed.
 “Well, that’s it for her today, tomorrow, and probably the day after, too.”
I shook my head and sighed. “Lari, run to the house and tell them to bring a
plank of wood or something you guys can use to carry her back to her
room.”
“Oh no, will it really take her three days to recover?” asked Kharli. She
smoothed Mo’s hair back from her forehead.
“We’ll see.”
I had more energy than them, so I continued using my hoe. By the time
I finished, one-fifth of the field was ready for planting. I got an open sack of
organic fertilizer from my inventory and waved it over the area of tilled
soil. The contents flew out of the sack and automatically covered the
nearest eight squares. Then I got some [Rice Seeds] and put them in a seed
dispenser. I simply held the seeder above the fertilized soil and twenty-four
seeds flew out from the tip, three per square, and embedded themselves in
the soil. I was almost out of energy when I got out my watering can and
watered the squares.
“That’s it, I’m almost completely out of energy. How about you?” I
asked Kharli.
“I have this much left.” She held her thumb and forefinger a millimeter
apart.
“Then let’s rest.”
She sat down on the ground in a lotus position, while I laid down on my
back, using my conical farmer’s hat to cover my face to protect it from the
sun. A few minutes later, Lari appeared with Haoran, one of the Demon
Chef’s assistants. They hadn’t been able to find a spare plank of wood long
enough to carry Mo on, so they had brought a bedsheet instead. They folded
it in half lengthwise and placed the girl on it, then carried her back to the
house, while Kharli followed behind them.
“Kharli, put her in her room and stay with her until she regains
consciousness. You know the drill. When she wakes up, you guys should eat
a good meal, then spend some time in the hot spring to recover your energy.
Go to sleep early tonight, and let’s continue with the planting tomorrow,” I
said.
“Yes, Teacher,” said Lari and Kharli.
“And don’t collapse like Mo did!”
“She’s going to be really upset when she wakes up and realizes she
missed all the fun,” said Lari.
 “Not to mention all that exp,” added Kharli.
“Right, so you should all be more careful.” I took a handkerchief from
my pocket and wiped my face and neck. “I’m so sweaty. I think I’ll go
shower.”
We spent the rest of the day recovering our energy and continued to till
the soil, fertilize it, and plant seeds for the next few days until we had
finished planting the first field.
Four days later, I surveyed the fruits of our labor with satisfaction. The
seeds had sprouted, and the System now instructed me to flood the field.
“All right, everyone, we’ll go to the second place near the river to plant
more [Rice], but when we’re done there, we’ll have to go back here to start
flooding this field,” I said.
“Teacher, can’t we just flood it now?” asked Lari.
“No, because we need to control the flow of the water so that it doesn’t
wash the seedlings away. It will take at least a couple of hours, probably the
rest of the day, to finish flooding this area.” I wouldn’t have known this
information myself if the System hadn’t given me detailed instructions on
how to grow [Rice]. “Let’s go to the second field.”
The other location was closer to the river than this one. The soil there
was darker and moister, and I thought it would be good to try different
locations to check if a particular one was better for growing [Rice].
When we finished our work on the second field, we went back to the
first one, and I used the System’s irrigation tool to dig a shallow channel
from the nearest branch of the river to the rice paddy, complete with an
irrigation gate that allowed me to control the flow of water.
“I guess we’ll have to stay here and monitor the process. Someone go to
the house and tell them that we’ll be eating here.”
Mo volunteered. Ever since she had collapsed on the first day of
planting season and missed two days of work, she had been quite eager to
prove that she was useful. She went off to tell Fengying the news while the
rest of us sat down under a nearby tree. I had set the water to very slowly
trickle out into the field, and we anxiously watched to make sure that the
newly planted seedlings weren’t disturbed.
“Wait a minute! Teacher, doesn’t this mean that we won’t need to water
the plants? We won’t get any exp?” asked Kharli.
“I was wondering when you guys would figure that out. This is exactly
why I didn’t plant rice before.”
 “Eh, it’s fine, isn’t it? [Rice] is much more valuable than [Corn] or
[Wheat],” said Lari.
“I suppose so…” Kharli didn’t sound convinced.
“Remember that the Lady of the West requested it,” I said. “By the way,
I forgot to tell you that for the second field, I’m thinking of planting red and
black rice.”
“Black rice?! Who would eat that?” Lari screwed up his face in disgust.
“It’s not common here?”
“I’ve never seen it.” Lari’s tone of voice indicated that he was glad that
he had never encountered black rice before.
“Oh.” I should ask the Demon Chef about it. If anyone was familiar
with exotic rice varieties, it would be Deming. “What about red rice?”
Lari and Kharli looked at each other, then they shrugged.
“People prefer fluffy white rice, the whiter, the better,” said Kharli.
“Okay, I’ll think about it,” I said, but I secretly decided then and there
that I would definitely plant different rice varieties.

[Black Rice:
A type of heirloom rice that is considered to be a nutrient-rich
superfood. Also known as forbidden rice or purple rice, it is high in
antioxidants, fiber, and minerals and is considered to be a healthier
alternative to white rice.]

I had eaten black rice before on Earth and loved it. Red rice, in my
opinion, was also far superior to white rice.

[Red Rice:
A type of rice that is similar to brown rice but has a reddish-purple
color due to the presence of antioxidants called anthocyanins. It is a
whole grain and is considered to be a nutrient-rich superfood.]

Though I did understand the allure of fluffy white rice.

I noticed that the System’s item descriptions for crops were written as
though the plants were the same as those on Earth. They never said
anything about qi or energy. If I hadn’t remembered it from the game, I
wouldn’t have known that [Black rice] restored more energy than [White
Rice]. I spread a picnic blanket on the ground and lay down to rest while I
pondered the pros and cons of trying to make my disciples eat what they
considered weird and disgusting rice.
When Mo returned, I told them about [Greening the Desert].
“Since two out of three of our fields won’t need watering, we’ll have
more time to spend on other things,” I said. “I have a brand-new project in
mind.”
They listened attentively as I explained.
“What’s the reward?” Predictably, Lari was the first to react and make
his chief concern known.
“A huge space where we can build what we want, with some
limitations, of course,” I said. “This project will take a lifetime or maybe
many lifetimes to complete, but if we start now, we should have plenty of
room for three more farms, one for each of you.”
“Then I’m in.” Lari’s eyes sparkled at the thought of having his very
own farm.
“Are we all agreed?” I looked around, and the two girls nodded their
heads.
Kharli and Mo didn’t look too excited about it, and soon they changed
the subject to a topic that was dear to their hearts: the upcoming Mid-
Autumn Festival. As someone who was half Chinese, I knew all about it.
On Earth, it was also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival, a
wonderful time when towns and cities were decorated with colorful lanterns
and everyone ate delicious pastries.
It seemed that the festival was similar here, except that they had one
special night when the city or town square hosted harvest and food-related
contests that were also a feature in Adventure Incarnate. I had, with
Deming’s help, already set aside the best of the summer harvest to show off
during the festival and possibly win a unique prize.
I was daydreaming about all the food I would be able to eat that night
when my thoughts were interrupted by Mo.
“Teacher, I think the water is rising too fast now.”
“You’re right!” I jumped up and quickly walked to the irrigation canal’s
gate and lowered it to decrease the flow of water. When I had adjusted it to
my liking, I walked all around the paddy field to check the seedlings.
Everything was fine, and the rest of the day passed without incident.
OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 52

P lanting season finished uneventfully , and all four of us leveled

up our Farming once.

[Player Name: Violet

Farming Skills:
Farming Level 16, Fishing Level 9, Woodcutting Level 15, Cooking
Level 1, Herblaw Level 13, Foraging Level 4, Hunting Level 3, Mining
Level 1]

[Apprentice Name: Kharli

Farming Skills:
Farming Level 11, Fishing Level 3, Woodcutting Level 8, Cooking Level
2, Herblaw Level 1, Foraging Level 3, Hunting Level 2]

[Apprentice Name: Lari

Farming Skills:
Farming Level 11, Fishing Level 6, Woodcutting Level 8, Cooking Level
1, Herblaw Level 1, Foraging Level 1, Hunting Level 5]

[Apprentice Name: Mo
Farming Skills:
Farming Level 12, Fishing Level 1, Woodcutting Level 8, Cooking
Level 2, Herblaw Level 1, Foraging Level 6, Hunting Level 1]
 During the planting season, I was able to use the hoe five times a day,
tilling eight squares each time, for a total of forty squares per day. My
apprentices could till three times a day, five squares per swing of the hoe,
for a total of fifteen squares per day. All in all, we managed an astonishing
eighty-five squares per day. Of course, we had to save almost half of our
energy for fertilizing the soil and planting seeds, but roughly speaking, the
farm’s total cultivated area was now almost four hundred squares!
Not bad!
Two fields were dedicated to [Rice] farming, while I insisted on having
a separate one for the vegetables that we would eat during the winter and
spring. This time we were growing [Carrots], [Turnips], [Beets], [Onions],
[Rutabagas], [Parsnips], [Sweet Potatoes], [Potatoes], [Ube], [Kale],
[Spinach], [Lettuces], [Swiss Chard], [Arugula], [Radicchio], [Parsley],
[Cilantro], [Rosemary], [Sage], [Thyme], [Oregano], [Brussels Sprouts],
[Cauliflowers], [Broccoli], [Green Beans], [Peas], [Edamame], [Snow
Peas], [Pumpkins], [Squash], [Ginger], [Horseradishes], [Cucumbers],
[Eggplants], [Zucchini], [Celeries], [Bell Peppers], and [Tomatoes]. We also
continued with the Three Sisters method of companion planting in which
[Corn], [Beans], and [Squash] were grown together.
Despite the kids’ objections, I also used half of the second paddy to
plant black and red rice varieties. Deming assured me that he was familiar
with exotic varieties and that he was perfectly capable of cooking them.
The day after the end of the planting season, we watered the vegetables
and checked the water level of the rice paddies. Then I informed my
apprentices of my plans for the upcoming winter season after we finished
eating lunch.
“This is the last growing season for the year. I’m sure you already know
that there are not many winter crops.” I looked around at the others, who all
nodded. Fengying had cleared the dishes, and the four of us were seated
around the dining table.
“What will we be doing during the winter if there’s no farming?” asked
Kharli, her voice filled with uncertainty.
“We can still plant a few crops, but we should make winter plans now.
Shuye suggested that I move my household south where it’s warmer,” I
said. “The White Tiger Clan has a few guest houses that we could use.”
“But who would look after the farm?” asked Mo, brow furrowing.
 “Shuye would be making his usual patrols, and there wouldn’t be
anything to watch since there won’t be any crops in winter,” I said.
“Does that mean we would be on vacation?” Lari smiled.
“No, I don’t want to! I want to level up!” Mo’s face contorted into a
grimace of disapproval.
“I also hope to work hard even during the winter,” said Kharli.
“Very well. During the winter there’s not much fishing, foraging, or
hunting. We can still train Woodcutting, and I want you three to continue
your education. I’ve already asked Fengying to find etiquette, history, and
literature tutors for you.” I paused because Mo groaned in dismay and Lari
slumped against his chair. “What is it?”
Mo just covered her face with her hands and refused to speak.
Lari sighed and said, “I hate studying!”
“Teacher, you remember that Mo can’t read?” Kharli tried to be tactful,
but I could tell from her expression that she thought I had forgotten.
“I haven’t forgotten that. Did you forget that Mo can use the System to
read?”
“But none of us like it.” The ends of Lari’s mouth turned down into an
exaggerated pout, his bottom lip jutting out.
Ugh, were the kids going through a difficult phase? All three of them
had sullen expressions on their faces. I guessed they acted mature most of
the time, but it was at times like these that they really showed they were just
fourteen years old.
“Are you guys sure? It’s my responsibility as your teacher to educate
you properly.”
“Teacher, I think people will expect you to teach us to farm, not learn
from books,” said Lari.
He did have a point.
“Very well, then. So all three of you want to farm instead of studying
books?”
The three of them murmured their agreement. Lari beamed with delight
as he realized he had won the argument.
“All right.”
Since all four of us wanted to farm this winter, then I should definitely
start the [Greening the Desert] quest.
The next time Shuye appeared, I informed him of my desire to reclaim the
blasted lands.
“During the winter I will only be able to grow spirit grass and flowers
here, so I’d like to explore the southern desert. I assume the clans have tried
to turn the desert back into forests and agricultural lands?”
We walked side-by-side as we inspected the fields. The vegetable plants
had sprouted, and the rice seedlings looked healthy. Around us, the leaves
on the forest’s trees were still green, but there was a distinct chill in the air,
signaling the start of autumn.
“You can try if you like. The clans have never stopped anyone who
wanted to restore our southern territory to its former glory. It’s just that
none of them have succeeded.” Shuye’s voice lacked any optimism, and the
expression on his face lacked his usual good cheer.
“I think I can do it.”
“Don’t get your hopes up.”
“What’s the matter?”
Shuye’s brows knitted together in a deep frown. “Countless people have
tried, but every tree that we planted died in a matter of days. I have to warn
you that everyone thinks that the place is cursed. The gods are still angry.”
“Well, the curse has nothing to do with me,” I pointed out. “I’m a
human.”
“Humans have tried…”
“But not me.”
Shuye’s lips pursed. “I’m not going to stop you if you want to try.”
“Are you sure I can get permission? I’d like a formal letter granting me
a piece of land that I can experiment on,” I said.
“I’m sure. Is there any particular piece of land that you prefer?”
“Hmm, let’s look at a map.”
That was easier than I expected. I thought that I would have to persuade
my Farm Guide, but it turned out that the clans freely gave permission to
anyone who wanted to farm in the desert. We walked back to the house, and
with Shuye’s help, I chose a likely spot for my reforestation project.

[Epic Quest: Greening the Desert

Turn the cursed desert into fertile land.
 1. Improve watershed by using water harvesting methods by digging
contour swales.
2. Improve watershed by using water harvesting methods by digging a
lake reservoir.
3. Plant the berms with one hundred fruit trees and one hundred berry
bushes.
4. When the lake is full, plant a riparian buffer of one hundred trees.
5. Plant one hundred fertilizer trees. Use a cultivation box.
6. Graze spirit animals. Sow wild grass and flowers on the grazed land.
7. Plant one hundred fruit trees. Use a cultivation box.
8. Plant one hundred nut trees. Use a cultivation box.
9. Plant one hundred trees. Use a cultivation box.
10. Create windbreaks to protect the crops
11. Plant one hundred perennial crops.
12. Create a food forest made of a diverse array of one hundred fruit
trees, one hundred shrubs, one hundred vines, one hundred grasses or
herbs, and one hundred root crops.

Progress: 0/12]

Shuye’s lack of enthusiasm only made me more determined to succeed.

The first step, as outlined by the quest text, was to gather water for
agricultural use, but pretty much everything else revolved around planting
trees.
Therefore, for me to finish the quest, I should start by preparing all the
trees I would need in the future.
Sadly, this meant that I would have to say goodbye to my beloved ranch
house very soon.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 53

T hat night I dreamed of a baby dragon that turned into a human

child and woke refreshed. I opened my eyes and squinted at the morning
sunlight streaming in through the window. Throwing off the blankets, I got
up and stretched my arms while yawning. Then I walked over to my tiny
but cute washroom to start the day right. Minutes later, after having finished
my morning routine, I went to the main house to eat breakfast. Ignoring the
bowl of congee, I helped myself to the plate full of steamed baozi, small
fluffy buns filled with pork, mushrooms, and cabbage. I washed it down
with biluochun tea, a delicate and tender green tea with a strong fragrance.
My apprentices were the ones tasked with taking care of the fields
today, so I headed back to my house after the meal and made potions until it
was time for lunch. After the midday meal, I continued to train Herblaw like
a madwoman because it was close to a milestone level.
Finally, festive fireworks special effects bloomed all around me as a
System message appeared.

[Congratulations, you just advanced a Herblaw level!]

[Your Herblaw level is now 15.]

Woohoo! At last! In Adventure Incarnate, players didn’t get new skills

every single time they leveled up. One had to reach either a multiple of ten
or five to unlock a new part of the game. At level fifteen Herblaw, I could
make a [Strength Potion] that gave a +5 bonus to a player’s strength stat,
which was pretty decent at my level.
 The ingredients that I needed to make the potion were [Mountain
Flamewort] and [Harpy’s Claw].

[Mountain Flamewort:
A type of plant that can be found growing on the slopes of mountains.
The plant has long, slender leaves that are covered in small red flowers
that resemble flames. When the fresh, tender leaves are picked, they
can be used as a potion ingredient that temporarily boosts strength. It
is also a key ingredient in many fire-based potions.]

I quickly got a hundred of them from my inventory and used the [Clean
Herb] spell. What a pity that I could only clean them one at a time! Training
magic would be much faster if I could clean them all at once.
When I was finished with the [Mountain Flamewort], I took out a
mortar and pestle from the System toolbelt, and started vigorously grinding
the claws into powder.

[Harpy’s Claw:
A deep-red-and-black claw taken from a harpy. It has an unmistakable
earthy smell and a distinctive texture that is both smooth and slightly
oily. Before it can be used, the claw must be ground into a fine powder.
The spiritual energy contained in the claw enhances a potion’s
efficacy.]

When I was finished with my preparations, I got out one hundred spell
stones and vials and combined the two Herblaw ingredients using the
[Create Potion] spell.
The exp I got from making [Strength Potions] was double that of the
[Dewy Glow Potion], but the experience I needed was also higher, which
meant that it wouldn’t be easier to level up. Still, I thought that my stats
were pretty decent.

[Player Name: Violet

Farming Skills:
Farming Level 16, Fishing Level 9, Woodcutting Level 16, Cooking
Level 1, Herblaw Level 15, Foraging Level 4, Hunting Level 3, Mining
 Level 1]

The [Strength Potions] that I made should probably prove useful, and in
Adventure Incarnate, low-level players used them by the hundreds when
they were training melee combat. Of course, later on, this newbie item
would be outclassed by mid- and high-level potions, but I could always give
them as part of my contribution to the upcoming Demon Boss War if I
wasn’t going to use them.
When the sky outside started turning dark, I knew it was almost time for
dinner, so I put the ingredients, spell stones, and potions away. When I
stood up, my muscles protested and my butt ached from spending the entire
day seated in front of my Herblaw work table.
I should really get more exercise. Perhaps I should go Fishing
tomorrow? Our larders were full, but Fishing was fun and relaxing, so I
decided to do it anyway.

Was Fishing the best outdoor activity ever? It wasn’t like I’d done
everything in the world, so I couldn’t say for sure, but it was definitely up
there on the list of the top outdoor recreational activities along with the
Japanese concept of “forest bathing.”
I settled back on the foldable fishing chair and took a breather while
keeping one hand on my fishing rod. Whenever I captured three to five fish,
there was a lull where I didn’t get any bites. If this was still the game, I
would say that the fish were respawning, but now that this was real life, I
didn’t know exactly what was happening. Regardless of the cause, I had
plenty of time to sit back and simply enjoy the sights, sounds, and smells of
the river and forest.
The river cut through the dense forest like a shimmering ribbon, the sun
glinting off its surface. I was sitting on a chair that I had placed in a bend of
the river underneath a tall maple tree. The river was full of life. Apart from
the fish, there were also ducks, turtles, otters, frogs, snails, dragonflies, and
other such creatures. I relished the calm and peaceful sound of the rushing
water and the feeling that I was all alone in a peaceful wonderland.
 As usual, I caught a lot of fish with fancy-sounding names and
descriptions, but as far as I knew, they were just exotic-looking species that
weren’t particularly useful, like the [Midnight Nightmare Sardine] and
[Radiant Sunburst Paddlefish].

[Midnight Nightmare Sardine:

A rare and elusive creature rarely seen by human eyes that moves
gracefully through the water like a ghost. Its dark scales glow with a
mysterious and powerful energy, and its eyes are like two black
diamonds.]

[Radiant Sunburst Paddlefish:

A magical creature whose body is a shimmering golden color, with
rainbow hues reflecting off its scales. It has a long, paddle-shaped tail,
which it uses to propel itself through the water. When it swims, its tail
creates a brilliant splash of light and color.]

They looked nice, and I had asked Shuye if I should sell them since they
seemed quite exotic. I thought collectors might be interested in them.
Unfortunately, he cautioned me that if I sold my catch, rare-item hunters
might descend on our peaceful forest in droves to look for more of these
valuable fish. Obviously, that would be less than ideal for my apprentices
and me, not because I was wary of more fishermen coming. As far as I
could tell, there were plenty of fish. Rather, I was worried about foraging
because each spot was limited. The more people there were, the less we
would be able to forage.
Oh well, it wasn’t like I needed the money. The most important thing
about these so-called “rare” spirit fish was that they could be sold for a lot
of money, but if that wasn’t in the cards, then so be it.
I stayed in the same spot until noon, when I took a break to eat my
packed lunch. Then I moved to a spot that was nearer the farm when the
time between my successful catches became too long. Though one could
fish as long as they wanted at the same spot in the game, this didn’t seem to
be true here. I found that after a few hours at the same place, I started
getting fewer and fewer fish.
 By midafternoon, I was a bit bored and planned to return home when I
noticed that I was very close to leveling up, so I stayed for a little while
longer. Sure enough, after half an hour, a System message popped up.

[Congratulations, you just advanced a Fishing level!]

[Your Fishing level is now 10.]

I smiled at the fireworks and put everything into my inventory. Today

had been a good day, and it was time for me to go home and rest.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 54

I had expected S huye to return with the letter giving me

permission to farm the southern territory, but it was Prince Baiyu who
delivered it to me.
Now that he was a regular visitor, everyone in the farm was already
used to the sight of the Prince of the Westerlands dropping by for a chat.
The maids were no longer flustered when they saw him, though Fengying
always greeted him with a curtsy, despite the fact that he said such
formalities were unnecessary. She ushered him into the main hall where I
was waiting, having been informed beforehand that he was arriving today
two hours after noon.
I was wearing a simple autumn-themed robe with a maple leaf design,
but I had taken pains to do my hair up nicely in a pretty waterfall braid.
We exchanged greetings and sat down on rosewood chairs while
Fengying served me tea. Prince Baiyu, of course, refused a serving. After
the usual small talk, he got straight to the point.
“Here’s the letter you were asking for.” He handed me a simple
unsealed white envelope. “Shuye asked me to dissuade you from your plan,
but I’m not inclined to do so.”
“Oh? You think I’ll succeed?”
“You have a great talent for farming.” This time, he was wearing one of
his more somber robes, a plain dark blue with a small tiger design in the
middle of his back. Unlike his usual flirtatious tone, he was speaking quite
solemnly.
“Thank you for believing in me.”
 “But the place you chose is no good. It’s too near the border.”
“Eh?”
“The clans have guards nearby, but it’s still best not to go near the
Southerlands.”
“Is it dangerous?” I knew that the southern part of the continent, which
used to be ruled by the Vermilion Bird Clan, was now infested by demons,
but as far as I knew, the Westerlands were safe.
“Not if you’re a good distance from the border. I will assign guards for
your household, too.”
“Guards? Is that really necessary?” I wondered if I would have to build
a bigger house.
“Don’t worry, the letter gives you permission to establish a farm
wherever you wish inside the blasted lands. I’ll choose a place far away
from the dangerous areas.”
I made a sound of relief. “Great. I’d like to find a place that’s sheltered.
Is there a valley that’s surrounded by hills or mountains there?”
“I’m afraid I’m not too familiar with the area. Shall I find an expert for
you?”
“Yes, please.”
“I’ll send word to you when a suitable place is found.”
Fengying arrived with some snacks, and I got busy eating fried potato
chips while reading the letter. There were three pages all in all, but I
gathered that I was being given the right to claim as much land as I wanted
as long as I was able to grow either trees, ground cover, or crops in that
area. There would be zero taxes for fifty years, and I could even claim a tax
rebate on my forest farm for the expenses I incurred setting up a new
holding in the southern territory.
“Wow, this seems like a sweet deal!” I said.
“You think so? Don’t get your hopes up too much. I myself planted a
tree near the border, but it died almost immediately. That land is cursed.”
“Bah!” I barely stopped myself from rolling my eyes.
“I’ll have to rotate the guards, since no one is able to bear staying in that
place for more than a few days at a time.”
This was news to me. To think that the so-called “curse” was strong
enough to affect the warriors of the White Tiger Clan this way!
I gave him a questioning look, and Prince Baiyu looked away, sighing.
 “This is a touchy subject for us, and it’s not easy to explain to a human,”
he said.
I waited patiently when he stopped speaking and started fidgeting with
the edge of his sleeve. Eventually, after what seemed to be a bit of an
internal struggle, he continued with his explanation.
“You know that the Vermilion Bird Clan abused the humans under their
care and provoked the gods’ wrath. A flaming rock descended from the
heavens and…” He made a short, abrupt gesture with his right hand, as
though he couldn’t put into words how most of the inhabitants of the
Southerlands had died, and a quarter of the continent became home to an
invading demon horde.
“I know.” To be honest, this was ancient history, and I wasn’t too
worried about it since I knew that the current situation was stable.
“What humans don’t quite understand is that we can still feel it.”
“Now you lost me. Feel what?”
“The gods’ anger.”
He couldn’t be serious! I stared at him in disbelief, my mouth agape.
“It’s true,” he said. “Have you heard of ‘zidan’?”
“I think so. ‘Zidan’ is the clan’s word for territory, right? Like, your
mother is the Lady of the West because her zidan encompasses the entirety
of the Westerlands.”
“Zidan is much more than that. There is no word for it in any human
language because only the clans can sense zidan.” He paused for a moment,
as though he was trying to put his thoughts into words. “It’s commonly
translated as ‘territory,’ but it also means ‘innate power’ and ‘inherent
character,’ both for people and land. In ancient times, it meant the blessing
of the gods and was synonymous with benevolent rule and a fertile land.”
“Um.” This conversation was becoming a lot more philosophical than I
had expected. I just wanted to plant some trees, but now we were deep into
a discussion of the differences between humans and the god clans.
Prince Baiyu could see that I was confused. “The point is when we go to
the southern territory, we feel extremely uncomfortable because it’s not part
of our zidan. When we say ‘this is my zidan,’ we mean that it’s the place
that we belong. Humans can’t sense this spiritual power, but we can. We
feel that it’s cursed because the zidan feels wrong.”
“All right, though I can’t say I really understand it, I get that it’s
uncomfortable for you to stay there,” I said. Then a thought struck me.
“Wait a minute, why does it feel wrong for you when it was the Vermilion
Bird Clan that was punished?”
“That’s the part that’s touchy.” He frowned. “The fact that we can feel
the curse means that the gods are angry with us, too, probably because our
ancestors didn’t do enough to help the humans back then.”
“I see.” I didn’t dare to ask him what happened to the humans. They
must have all died when the “flaming rock,” either a meteor or a comet,
struck. Poor guys. “But that shouldn’t be a problem for me, right?”
“Yes, humans don’t feel it.”
I shrugged. “Eh, I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
For the first time since he arrived, Prince Baiyu smiled. “I admire your
confidence.”
“Ha! You betcha I’ll get good results!” I had no doubts whatsoever that
I would succeed.
“That would be wonderful.” Prince Baiyu flashed me a warm and
genuine smile that lit up his entire face.
“And I love that I won’t have to pay taxes for the next few years,” I
said. “Taxes are the worst.”
“You’ll still have to pay taxes on your farm. You’re only exempt from
paying taxes on the desert farm.”
We spent the better part of an hour discussing the details before going
for a walk.
Outside, the air was crisp and cool. The leaves on the trees were just
starting to change color, the oranges and yellows of autumn slowly
replacing the lush greens of summer. A light breeze caused the leaves to
dance and rustle, wafting the smell of damp earth and wildflowers toward
us.
“I’ve got so much to do. I’d like to start soon so that everything is in
place before winter,” I said.
“All we’ve talked about all day is your project. Aren’t you going to
invite me inside your house?” asked Prince Baiyu.
“Never! You’d better give up. I’m not letting anyone inside,” I said. The
ranch house was still off-limits to everyone.
He flashed me a mischievous grin. “But I’m not just anyone. I’m your
special someone.”
We were back to our usual flirtatious banter.
OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 55

W hen I informed my household of my plan to reclaim the desert ,

everyone was against it, but I ignored all of their protests. Anyway, I
managed to get the Demon Chef’s promise that he would cook for me
whenever I moved south, which was the most important thing to me. I could
do all the landscaping and planting myself, but I couldn’t live without good
food anymore.
“Do we really have to?” whined Lari.
“Yes,” I said.
We had just finished watering the vegetables and were on our way to
my house.
“But that place is cursed!” Lari just wouldn’t give up. He had been
complaining nonstop since breakfast when I told them of my plans.
Kharli and Mo were too smart to actually say anything; however, they
nodded in agreement each time Lari said something.
“You guys can stay here if you like.” I was tired of their negativity.
The three of them exchanged glances.
“Teacher, we’ll go with you,” said Kharli.
“That’s settled, then. Don’t even worry about some sort of curse. I’m
sure it’s nothing,” I said.
I sighed sadly when we reached my house. It was time to say goodbye
to my beloved refuge. Calling up the System menu, I navigated to the
[Build] tab and selected the [Destroy Building] option.
The others screamed shrilly when dust covered my house and an
ominous rumbling sound came from the ground. In seconds, my [Ranch
House] was reduced to fine particles that were blown away by a mysterious
wind.
“Don’t panic, I’m just replacing it with a building that we will need,” I
said.
“But, Teacher, you loved that house!” said Kharli. She looked dismayed.
“I hope you all appreciate the sacrifice that I’m making.”
A glowing magic circle appeared on the ground, and the space above it
became hazy with a luminous mist. When it cleared, a [Sugar Mill]
appeared in its place. From the outside, it looked like nothing more than a
nondescript wooden building; however, when we entered, we saw that there
was a huge, industrial-looking machine inside. On one end was a large
circular vat labeled “Sugarcane” and a red button that had “Start/Stop”
written on it, while on the other end was a box labeled “Sugar.” The center
part was enclosed in glass in such a way that one could see the insides of
the machine that was full of steel rollers, robot arms, more vats, a
centrifuge, and a conveyor belt.
My three apprentices were speechless with awe.
“This is a machine that makes sugar from sugarcane,” I said. “You may
remember that I wanted to grow [Sugarcane] last season.”
“Teacher, you wanted [Sugar] so much that you exchanged your house
for this?” asked Kharli.
“Of course not. I’m going to build a [Greenhouse]. This is just a
temporary thing because I want a few sacks of [Sugar].”
“Is this because I foraged a lot of wild berries and you want to make
jam, but we don’t have enough sugar?” asked Mo.
I made finger guns and mimed shooting her as an acknowledgment that
she had hit the target. Unfortunately, the three of them weren’t familiar with
firearms, so they didn’t know how to react.
“Yes, exactly! Topnotch jam can only be made with spiritual
ingredients,” I said.
“Teacher, why are you always motivated by food?” asked Lari.
“What else is there?” I asked.
“Money! Beauties! Power…” he said.
“Teacher already has money and a beauty,” said Kharli. “By the way,
when are you going to announce your engagement?”
I totally ignored her question and walked to the end of the machine
where I placed sugarcane from the System inventory until the vat was full.
Then I pressed the button to start up the machine.
The four of us watched in fascination as whirling blades shredded
sugarcane stalks. Then the large metal rollers pressed the juice out of the
shreds. The juice was collected in a large container, which was subject to a
series of mysterious processes where it was boiled, cooled, concentrated,
purified, and crystalized. It took around six hours before it was finished,
and Lari went to the main house to get some snacks and tea for us while we
waited. Fengying, Deming, and the other staff also dropped by to watch.
Finally, pure white sugar poured out of the machine into the steel box on the
other end.
I gestured to the Demon Chef to go ahead and check it first. He dipped a
spoon into the box of white powder and tasted some of it.
“Jade Dust Sugar, low grade,” was his verdict.
We all crowded around the box and sampled the final product. Some of
the others had never seen sugar before.
“It’s like honey, but sweeter,” said Mo.
“No, honey is better,” said Kharli. “This is bland and has no depth.”
“I heard this is really expensive stuff,” said Lari.
Using a spoon from my inventory, I scooped up a small amount. This
was definitely not the sugar that I was familiar with. It smelled the same as
it would have on earth yet sparkled like diamonds and felt strangely heavy.
Gosh, I hope it tastes the same!
I tentatively poured a little bit of it in my mouth and was relieved when
it proved to be as sweet as I remembered.
“The crystals are quite fine,” said Fengying. “I assume this is for
making the jam that you requested?”
I nodded. “I hope Deming can make some really nice strawberry jam.”
“I’m sure he can,” said Fengying.
Yes! I was extremely fond of strawberry jam. I figured I’d keep the
machine running for three days before building the [Greenhouse].

Three days later, my sadness at the loss of my [Ranch House] was mitigated
by my delight in the new [Greenhouse].
 The large, airy [Greenhouse] was made of large, thick glass panels that
allowed the sunlight to penetrate inside. There were separate spaces inside
for the seedling trays, plant pots, gardening supplies, and a wide-open space
in the middle where top-grade garden soil was ready for planting.
What was more, I had set up a very nice tea corner for us to use where I
had set up a small, round table and comfortable, overstuffed armchairs. It
didn’t look like much right now, but it would surely be extremely cozy
when the [Greenhouse] was full of plants.
“Teacher, this is for the winter? A [Greenhouse] is for growing plants
even when it’s cold outside, right?” asked Kharli.
“Do you like it?” I asked.
“We like anything that gives us farming exp,” said Mo.
Lari was busy inspecting all of the gardening supplies. There were
shovels, rakes, trowels, pruning shears, wheelbarrows, hoses, sprinklers,
sprayers, garden hoses, clippers, gloves, tarp, soil, mulch, compost,
fertilizers, weed killers, plant food, etc. When he saw that we were talking,
Lari joined us.
“Then you’ll love this because it gives exp, though not a lot of it,” I
said.
“I know what this is for. We’re going to plant trees,” said Lari.
“Obviously!” said Kharli.
“We can’t turn the desert into a forest like Teacher wants us to unless we
have lots and lots of trees to plant,” said Mo.
“I’m glad we all know what to do. Take this and follow me.” I took out
the packets of seeds that I had prepared beforehand and gave them to my
apprentices. Walking over to the nearest seedling tray, I poked a hole
around half an inch deep and placed a seed in it. Then I sprinkled a little
soil over it. This action depleted some of my energy. “Now you guys try it.”
The three of them followed suit, and we continued planting more seeds
until only one-third of our energy was left.
“The last step is simply to water it. We’ll have to do that every day, of
course,” I said. “These are all fertilizer tree seeds.”
Lari took out a seed from his pocket and gave it a dubious look.
“Teacher, this is a type of tree that we can use as fertilizer?”
The System gave a succinct explanation of fertilizer trees, also known
as nitrogen-fixing trees; however, the concept of “nitrogen” wasn’t well
known in this era, so I thought it would be good to give them a simpler
explanation.
“Are you thinking of taking the leaves and using it as fertilizer?” I
asked.
The three of them nodded.
“No, that’s not how it works. The seeds I gave you aren’t just one type
of tree, but half a dozen trees that are good to grow in land where the soil
has degraded. Their roots can bring nutrients from deep in the earth up to
the surface where other plants can use it.” It was a bit of a long speech, but I
had prepared the explanation a few days ago, so I knew what to say. “They
can also extract valuable elements from the air, which will improve the
quality of the land and make it more fertile.”
“I have a feeling these trees won’t make us any money,” said Lari.
“On the contrary, these trees are known as fertilizer trees because they
boost agricultural productivity,” I said. “If the soil isn’t that good, planting
one of these nearby will make the harvest much better compared to not
having a fertilizer tree.”
“The soil must be really bad in the cursed lands,” said Mo. “They say
that nothing grows there.”
“The maids told me that there are ghosts wandering around there even
during the day,” said Kharli.
“I’ve heard that if you spend the night in the cursed lands, you’ll have
bad luck for a whole year,” said Lari.
“I’ve heard that if you keep on talking about silly superstitions, your
teacher will send you to bed without dinner,” I said.
The three of them groaned, but that did shut them up nicely because
today was the day that Deming and his assistants had prepared a harvest
feast for us.
When we finished planting all the seeds, we went back to the house to
wash up and change into better clothes. The feast was just for all the people
in the house, so it was quite informal, but everyone dressed up anyway.
Deming and Haoran, one of his assistants, stayed in the kitchen to put
the finishing touches on the dishes, while the rest of us waited at the outer
courtyard where two large, round tables had been placed.
The feast consisted of eight vegetarian dishes made of the crops that we
had just harvested. I expected Lari to complain about the lack of meat, but
to my surprise, he was just as excited about it as the girls.
 We all oohed and aahed whenever a new dish was served. They all came
in large serving platters and had been painstakingly arranged to look their
best. The first one was a dish called “Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea,”
which consisted of colorful vegetables served with eight different dipping
sauces.
Using my chopsticks, I picked up a carrot slice and dipped it in a spicy
sauce that reminded me of ranch dressing. The sweetness and crunchiness
of the vegetable combined with the creamy, tangy, and spicy taste of the
sauce was absolutely scrumptious.
Then a parade of steamed, baked, stir-fried, and raw vegetable dishes
followed, each one more elaborate than the last. I was particularly fond of
the sweet potato spiced cookies that capped the feast.
It was all amazing, and we agreed that there was something really
special about eating food that one had grown.
But I really missed eating meat!
I would have to ask Deming not to make the next feast a vegetarian one.

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 Interlude

An excerpt from the journal of Shuye Skullcrusher, Guardian of

the Ancient Hill Forest:

Could the cursed lands be her real goal? What does she want to do there?
That ominous place has a bad reputation among humans. We’ve had to
gently dissuade various unorthodox human cultivator clans who wanted to
build schools there. When the gods’ punishment devastated the land, the qi
in that place became tainted with the lingering resentment of the tens of
thousands of people who died there.
If she’s really able to build a farm there, it could only be by appeasing
the souls of the restless dead, or…
By possessing a divine power able to lift the age-old curse that has
befallen that desolate land.

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 Chapter 56

W e waited three days for the seeds in the [G reenhouse ] to sprout .

Then we placed the seedlings in plant pots. It took the seedlings five days to
grow into sprouts big enough to replant into the soil in the middle of the
[Greenhouse]. Then they needed ten days to become saplings that were
ready to be planted outside the [Greenhouse]. Of course, we planted new
seeds every day and took care of them.
For trees, the progression went from seed to seedling to sprout to
sapling to young tree to mature tree. Though the seedlings and sprouts grew
faster in the [Greenhouse], saplings did not, so it was better to plant them
outside.
Once we had the hang of how much energy we used planting seeds,
placing the seedlings in plant pots, replanting sprouts, and watering
everything in the [Greenhouse], I estimated that we would be able to
produce ten to fifteen trees a day if we used up all our energy.
However, we wouldn’t plant or replant the trees in the [Greenhouse]
during the harvest and planting seasons because we would need to save our
energy for the crops. Also, we needed to do some hunting, foraging, and
fishing to provide for our daily food needs.
Therefore, I expected we would be able to prepare only around three
hundred fertilizer trees during the autumn.
“Why are there so many different trees? Shouldn’t we grow the best one
only?” asked Mo.
I got the impression that if she played video games, she was the type of
player who would definitely min-max.
 “That’s a good point. I’m glad you asked that question.” I smiled.
“Wow, did I sound like a wise teacher just then?”
No one said anything.
Awkward!
“Ahem. Anyway, moving on… No. It’s a very bad idea to plant just one
type of tree because if a pest or disease came along, it would devastate the
entire area if there was only one type of tree in it.” I waved a hand at the
[Shadow Locust], [Dreamweaver Mimosa], [Elderwood], [Rosebud],
[Autumn Starfruit], [Onyx Coffee Tree], [Golden Chainwood], [Arcane
Acacia], [Midnight Mesquite], [Autumnal Ambrosia], [Skythorn], and
[Dragon’s Eye] trees. “This way we can guard against that.”
“But is there a tree that’s the best one?” asked Lari.
“I suppose the best one would be whichever tree can thrive in the place
where we plant it. We’ll find out when we grow all of these varieties,” I
said.
“I bet it will be the [Elderwood]. Look at these dark branches and white
leaves. Don’t they look really awesome?” Lari caressed an Elderwood
sapling.
“The System says these are called ‘Golden Chainwood,’ but this looks
like a regular sprout.” Kharli lifted a seedling tray and peered at the tender
green seedlings growing there. “I hope it really grows up to be golden.”
Mo didn’t say anything, but she knelt down in front of the pots where
the [Rosebud] sprouts were.
“I just want all of them to grow nicely, so we can plant a lot of trees in
the wasteland. My dream is to create a forest there,” I said.
“It’s just too bad that the farming exp they give is so low,” said Lari.
“And why aren’t you getting paid for this, Teacher?”
“I told you before, I’m getting paid in tax credits.” My apprentices were
quite young and hadn’t quite grasped how income and taxes worked yet, so
it was hard for them to understand the concept of being paid in something
they couldn’t hold in their hands. “Besides, we’re all getting a lot more land
to farm.”
“If all you want is more land to farm, I’m sure Prince Baiyu would give
you more forest land,” said Kharli.
“Oh, ye of little faith. You’ll see, it’ll be great!”
And it would. Players always got a lovely paradisiacal land at the end of
the [Greening the Desert] quest.
Three weeks later, the [Greenhouse] was already full, and I had to place the
biggest saplings in my inventory to make way for new ones.
The crops were growing well, especially the Three Sisters plot where
we had planted [Corn], [Beans], and [Squash]. I had added a Fourth Sister,
[Sunflowers], to attract pollinators.
The [Lettuces], [Arugula], [Radicchio], [Spinach], [Kale], [Swiss
Chard], [Cilantro], [Parsley], [Rosemary], [Oregano], [Sage], [Thyme],
[Onions], [Potatoes], [Sweet Potatoes], [Ube], [Parsnips], [Carrots],
[Turnips], [Rutabagas], [Celeries], [Bell Peppers], [Tomatoes],
[Cucumbers], [Eggplants], [Zucchini], [Ginger], [Horseradish], [Squash],
[Pumpkins], [Green Beans], [Peas], [Edamame], [Snow Peas],
[Cauliflowers], and [Broccoli] made a lovely sight indeed. I knelt down and
touched their leaves and admired the faint but unmistakable glow around
them.
Once I was done inspecting the rice fields, I returned to the main house.
Today, I had decided that I was going to procure a key ingredient that
was essential to my enjoyment of the upcoming Mid-Autumn Festival. I
was really looking forward to the mooncakes, one of my favorite pastries,
and I wanted to make sure I would be able to eat them soon.
“Can you list the ingredients Deming will need for the mooncakes?” I
asked Fengying.
She told me that the ingredients for mooncake dough were flour, honey,
and corn oil. We had plenty of those. The lotus seed filling was made with
honey, corn oil, and, of course, lotus seeds.
“We have everything we need except for the lotus seeds,” Fengying
confirmed.
“What about the salted egg yolks?” I asked.
She gave me a confused look. “What salted egg yolks?”
“Isn’t that also an ingredient?”
“Not that I’ve ever heard. Do you want it added?”
Did I? Actually, my dad and I always gave the salted egg yolks to my
mom. Remembering my recently departed parents made me feel sad when I
thought about why I didn’t need the egg yolks this year. I didn’t have
anyone to give them to.
 “Never mind,” I said. “I’ll go to the [Lotus Pond] later today to gather
seeds.”
After lunch, I put on my sturdiest clothes and headed out alone. These
days, the kids had discovered what they like to do best, and we often went
our separate ways. Mo was out Foraging; Lari was Hunting; Kharli was
Fishing.
It was rather fun to go hiking by myself. Since my apprentices weren’t
coming along, I was free to act however I wanted, without the pressure of
having to be the older, more mature person.
I whistled as I walked, enjoying the crunching of the leaves beneath my
sensible black boots. The [Lotus Pond] was more than an hour away, but I
didn’t mind since I managed to forage quite a few berries, mushrooms, nuts,
and fruits along the way. Ever since my Foraging level had risen, I was
finding more and more good things to eat whenever I went out to the forest.
Munching on delicious berries, and throwing away the seeds, hoping
that they would take root and grow more food for me later, I arrived at the
[Lotus Pond]. It was quite a popular place for taking screenshots in
Adventure Incarnate, but this was my first time visiting it since I
transmigrated into this world, and I was a bit disappointed in the reality.
The pond was a shallow, muddy one, unlike the pretty, sparkling waters
of the pond in the game. However, that did make sense. I knew that lotus
flowers were a metaphor for enlightenment because of their ability to
blossom beautifully unsullied by the muck they grew from, thus it was
perfectly logical that the pond was a muddy one. The lotus symbolism was
really quite delightful in theory, yet now that I was faced with the prospect
of wading into cold sludge, I was less than delighted.
Well, there was no helping it. If I wanted that sweet lotus paste filling
for the mooncakes, I had to harvest the seedpods.
I stayed at the edge at first, gently twisting off the seedpods that the
System had marked as the ones I should harvest until I ran out of suitable
plants. Then I had to go knee-deep into the water to gather more. When I
had filled six baskets, I decided that I might as well harvest a few leaves
and roots as well. The System didn’t help when it came to the leaves, so I
just picked the ones that looked good to me. I would ask Deming to cook
lotus-wrapped sticky rice later.
The [Lotus Roots], technically rhizomes, were much harder to get. I put
on full-length rubber gloves and got out a knife. The System helpfully
indicated the places where it was best to dig for roots, and I had to reach
into the mire to unearth the rhizomes and cut them free of the plants.
Ugh. Of course, a lot of the mud and dirty water splashed onto my
clothes, though I was careful not to get too much of it on my face. I deeply
regretted not pinning up my hair.
One hour later, I was done. I had gathered an additional three baskets of
[Lotus Roots] and five baskets of lotus leaves. I was a mess from the neck
down, so I discarded the gloves, took out a bucket of clean well water from
my inventory, and cleaned myself up as best as I could. The autumn air was
quite chilly, and I shivered a little as I toweled myself dry. It was quite a
relief when I changed into a new set of clothes.
The last thing I did before leaving was to collect the biggest and most
perfect lotus flowers. Most of them were pink, with a few white ones
scattered here and there. Right at the center of the pond, I spotted the ultra-
rare purple lotus. I would’ve liked to pluck it and give it to Prince Baiyu
since it matched the birthmark on his forehead. However, since there was
only one, I decided to leave it alone in the hopes that the flower would
pollinate and create more seeds that would grow into more purple lotus
plants later.
I was already on my way back home when I realized that I should
probably have put Mr. Bear on the alert before changing. Oh well, it was
probably fine.

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 Chapter 57

T hree days later , I started making preparations for the E mberstone

Farm stall display.
“No, no, no! Don’t add more [Rice]. It has to be as varied as we can
make it, and the display has to be beautiful and colorful,” I said. “We
probably won’t be able to get the grand prize, but I want a medal at least.”
“How could we not get the grand prize?” asked Kharli. “You’re the only
spirit farmer in the entire Westerlands!”
“Tsk, tsk, my little apprentice, do you not remember that our chef said
that all our produce is only low grade? That’s why we need to get more
points on presentation,” I said, even though that wasn’t the real reason why
we wouldn’t win. “Make it more beautiful! The flowers are already good,
but do we have any prettier vines and leaves?”
“We need to put the [ice] at the center of the stall. That’s what people
will be interested in,” said Lari.
“Good suggestion.” I removed the [Eggplants] from their position and
replaced it with the [Rice]. “Yes, I think that works.”
“Teacher, I think you’re worried for nothing. We’ll definitely win,” said
Mo.
“We’ll see. Remember, one of us must be at the stall at all times,” I said.
“But you should also enjoy the festival while you’re there.”
“Will we get any pocket money to spend?” asked Lari.
“We’ll see,” I repeated. I was just teasing him, though. Of course, I
already got a pouch of coins from Shuye to distribute among my household.
“Where should we place the chilis?”
 The wooden stall had been created by Deming’s assistants using the
logs from the trees we had cut. We had put square baskets full of vegetables
in the middle part, and the top was decorated with flowers in porcelain
vases while vines had been wound around the legs of the stall.
It took quite a while before I was satisfied with the arrangement of the
crops and decorative items. Shuye arrived just as we were finishing up.
“Ah, you’re here! You’re just in time,” I said as I handed him a [Crocus]
flower as a gift. “What do you think?”
“What is this supposed to be? Are you getting ready to sell your crops
yourself?” asked Shuye.
“No, it’s for the Mid-Autumn Festival Contest in Hongzhen,” I said.
“Hongzhen? Where is that?” he asked.
“You know, the closest town north of here,” I said.
“You told me that you were going to the closest town, which is Ganzi,”
said Shuye.
“Anyway, it’s the town that I’m going to,” I said. Hongzhen was the
venue for the festival in Adventure Incarnate and had the best prizes, too.
“Perhaps it’s called something different locally.”
Or maybe the information I got from playing the game was slightly
wrong. There could be towns closer than Hongzhen since I suspected that
the System’s [World Map] only showed the parts that were significant in
Adventure Incarnate.
“You’ll just have to give me directions,” said Shuye. “What time should
I bring the carriage?”
“How about two hours before sunset? The festival starts at nine in the
evening, but I don’t want to fly at night.” I turned to my apprentices and
said, “We’re done. Go and rest up for tomorrow.”
They went back to the house obediently while I stayed with my Farm
Guide.
“You’re bringing them along?” asked Shuye.
“Oh, I’m sorry, did I forget to tell you? I thought I said I was bringing
everyone,” I said.
“I’ll have to make two trips, then,” he said.
“Thank you very much! Are you sure you want to drive us there
yourself? Don’t you have any apprentices?”
“No, it’s fine. I want to attend the festival myself,” he said.
“I’m hoping that they’ll have a lot of food stalls!”
 We chatted a little, and I kidded him about losing weight ever since his
wife became pregnant while I stored the carefully designed festival stall in
my inventory.

“Nooooo, do I really have to?” I whined.

“Yes, you really have to,” said Fengying.
“What’s wrong with my [Scholar’s Robe]?”
“You’re a baroness now, and you need to dress the part.”
I’d forgotten that I was no longer a peasant. Sighing, I changed into the
[Auspicious Clouds] set that consisted of a white robe embroidered with
golden clouds and a red-orange pleated skirt tied with a white sash. Due to
the chilly autumn weather, I opted to retain the long, loose outer robe that I
normally discarded. However, I removed all of the jewelry except for the
dangling gold earrings with tiny white jade beads. Good quality white jade
was considered more valuable than the other colors.
I twirled in place, enjoying the way the skirt billowed around me. It was
comfortable enough, and thank goodness that it wasn’t the fashion in this
world to wear floor-length garments, so the hem of the skirt was above my
ankles.
When I walked out into the outer courtyard, I was glad that I had
dressed up. Everyone else was in their best clothes, which they had bought
on their shopping trip to the city after the summer harvest. Fengying and
Deming were in matching pale green silk robes with an elegant maple leaf
design, while the assistants and maids were in colorful cotton robes. They
were all carrying either padded jackets, wool cloaks, or fur-lined coats since
we expected it would be cooler at night.
My three apprentices, on the other hand, looked even fancier.
“You’ve really gone all out!” I said to the three of them. “Stand still and
let me get a look at all of you.”
“Lady Violet, I hope you like what we’ve done,” said Fengying,
gesturing at the two girls.
Mo and Kharli were dressed in near-identical pink robes and skirts, with
white belts decorated with gold and carnelian waist ornaments. Their hair
had been gathered at the top of their head in a complicated twisted bun, and
both were wearing pretty gold flower hairpins as well as pink silk roses in
their hair.
“I love the hair and clothes, but…cosmetics, really? Aren’t the girls too
young for that?” I said.
“They’re a little young, but this is a special occasion,” said Fengying.
She had a point.
“Okay, I’ll let it pass this time.” I took two small silk pouches from my
sleeve and handed one to each of them. “Here’s some pocket money. Don’t
spend it all in one place.”
“Ahem.” Lari coughed loudly to attract my attention and held up his
hand, palm up. “Teacher, what about mine?”
Fengying and I exchanged a glance full of meaning.
Should I let him get away with it? I asked her silently using a lift of the
eyebrows.
I’ve washed my hands of it, she communicated with a slight shrug of her
shoulders.
Beside him, the two girls were covering their mouths with their hands
and giggling.
“I’m afraid to give you more gold, seeing as you’re covered in it,” I
said, gesturing at his golden cap, hairpin, necklace, belt, waist ornaments,
and rings. “Where did you even get all that?”
Lari was dressed in bright orange silk robes and pants painted with
golden characters for prosperity and long life. My eyes hurt just looking at
it.
“The Lane of Exquisite Craftsmanship,” said Lari.
“It’s a street full of artisans who specialize in creating the most
convincing fakes you’ll ever see,” said Fengying. “From fake gold coins to
silver plates, they can imitate anything perfectly.”
“I didn’t know there was such a place in the city. The authorities allow
it?” I asked her.
“They don’t try to pass their wares off as the real thing. If you’re in
need of a convincing duplicate or just appreciate the mastery of forgery, it’s
the place to go to,” said Fengying.
“Ahem.” Lari coughed again.
He was still holding his hand up, and I didn’t feel like giving him a
lecture, so I just placed the silk pouch in his hand.
 “All right, I’ll give you your pocket money, but you have to promise me
that you won’t buy fakes this time.”
“Yes, Teacher,” said Lari.
This morning at dawn, we had finished watering and tending to the
plants before using the hot spring facilities. Now it was midmorning, and
Shuye was waiting for us at the carriage. Since there were a lot of us, we
would have to make two trips. I and my three apprentices would go first to
show Shuye the way to Hongzhen. Then Shuye would go back for the
others.
“Good morning. We’ve got nice weather for flying today,” said Shuye.
His hair was still shaggy, but he had made some effort to dress up a little
because his robe and pants were of good quality brown cotton today.
“Good morning,” I said.
Shuye and the others also exchanged bows and greetings before we got
on our way. My apprentices marveled at the luxurious interior of the
carriage and fought each other over who was going to sit beside me on the
side near the driver.
“Stop fighting. Kharli, come sit beside me since you’re the eldest,” I
said.
On the other side of the wall between us, Shuye slid open a small
window and spoke through it. “I’ll head due north. Let me know how I
should alter the flight path.”
I had drawn a map and showed him our destination, but it seemed that
the drawing was too simplified for him, and he couldn’t quite understand
which one of the many towns I wanted to go to since there were a lot of
them.
“Thank you, I will.”
We kept the window open, and I gave him a few directions while we
flew. The carriage was really something. The flight was extremely smooth,
and I didn’t feel scared at all. Less than an hour later, we landed in front of
the Hongzhen town’s gate. We got off and said our goodbyes to Shuye, who
immediately flew off to fetch the others.
“No, don’t run.” I grabbed Lari by the back of his robe. Sometimes I
forgot how young my apprentices were. “We’re going to stay together until
we finish getting rooms at the inn and registering for the contest.”
The town was rectangular in shape, with sturdy, hard-packed earth and
stone walls. Today, because of the Mid-Autumn Festival, the wooden gates
had all been flung wide open and the guards simply let everyone enter while
keeping an eye on the crowd.
Well, it wasn’t so much a crowd as it was just a few dozen groups of
people entering together. They were probably groups of families who had
come from the surrounding villages.
Unlike the city, this town was much smaller and less intimidating. The
walls were only seven feet tall by my estimation, and when we entered, we
saw that the houses were small and mostly made of wood with sloping roofs
covered in brown tiles. This must be a very peaceful town because I noticed
that all of the houses had opened their front doors, and I could see people
going in and out frequently, no doubt because the Mid-Autumn Festival was
a time for families to visit each other.
There were just two main streets, paved with stone and lined with
scholar trees, leading to the town square, so we passed by many colorfully
dressed groups of people. I asked one of them where the town inn was, and
after following their directions, my apprentices and I found a charming little
place near the town square.
It was a traditional wooden structure with a sloping roof covered in red
tiles. The wooden door was prettily carved with an intricate tree and flower
design, and the front of the inn was gaily decorated with colorful red-and-
white lanterns.
We stepped inside to see that the outer courtyard and rooms were used
as a restaurant, which was currently full of noisy revelers. The innkeeper, a
respectable-looking middle-aged woman, led us to the inner courtyard after
I informed her that I was looking to rent three rooms, one for myself, one
for my apprentices, and one for the staff.
The others had told me that we didn’t need rooms at the inn since we
weren’t staying overnight, but I wanted a place where we could store our
belongings, especially all the things that we would be buying in town. Also,
the rooms could serve as a nice resting place. These days I was very much a
creature of habit who went to bed by nine o’clock. Therefore, I planned to
take an afternoon nap in order to stay awake for the night festivities.
The rooms we were shown were sparsely furnished with only a bed, a
small table, and a chair, but they were spotlessly clean and inviting.
“Thank you very much. These rooms will do,” I said after inspecting
them. “The rest of my household should arrive within the hour. My
housekeeper’s name is Fengying.”
 “Yes, Lady Violet. Please let me know if you need anything,” said the
innkeeper before she left.
“Teacher, you forgot to haggle over the price!” said Lari.
“Uh, you’re right.” What a rookie mistake! “Here are your keys. Don’t
lose them. Now let’s go to the town square and register for the contest.”
We locked the doors and headed to the center of town where we greeted
the mayor, an apple-cheeked man with a bushy beard, and announced our
intention to join the Harvest Showcase competition. He gave us a small
wooden tablet with the number eight carved on it after we paid the entry
fee.
The town square was already full of stalls, but the northwestern corner
had been reserved for the agricultural displays. We quickly made our way to
our designated spot, and there was a small commotion from gossipy
townspeople when I took out our stall.
“A newcomer! Where is she from? Do you guys know her?”
“Nice flowers.”
“The vegetables are a little small. Did you see the giant turnip at Farmer
Di’s stall?”
“It’s colorful.”
“Which farm is she from?”
I expected them to come forward and ask me about the stall, but they
kept their distance, so I ignored them while I repeated the instructions that I
had already given my apprentices earlier today.
“All right. Fengying and the others should be here soon. When they
arrive, make sure that there are always two people at the stall at all times.
You can do whatever you want when you’re not on stall duty.”
“Yes, Teacher,” they chorused.
“Buy your own lunch. We’ll meet for dinner at sunset at the inn. See
you later!” I left them to watch the stall because now it was time for me to
enjoy the best part of the Mid-Autumn Festival: shopping and eating street
food.
Oh my gosh! Was that a tornado fries stall?

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 Chapter 58

I t was ! I t really was a tornado fries stall ! I bought a stick of

spiral-cut fried potatoes for a few coins and went around the town plaza
looking at everything that was on display while I waited for Fengying and
the others to arrive.
The local townspeople, traveling merchants, and craftsmen from the
surrounding villages had set up stalls selling everything from everyday
household items like needles, thread, cutlery, kitchenware, etc., to more
exotic stuff like glass beads, lace, silver buttons, finely worked leather
saddles, furs, sugar, tobacco, and so forth.
I gorged myself on the food stalls that sold grilled pork skewers, meat
buns, and dumplings. When I was full, I polished off the meal with two
sticks of tanghulu, a traditional snack of candied hawthorns. Luckily, I had
finished everything and had wiped my face to hide the evidence when my
housekeeper finally appeared.
“Oh, how was the trip?” I asked Fengying.
Her husband was with her, and he was looking around the town square,
his eyes lingering on the knife and food stalls.
“It was fine. The inn seems clean, and I left Yinuo there to watch our
rooms,” she said.
“Is that really necessary? I thought the staff had the day off,” I said.
“I’ve already arranged a proper division of labor and hours for them,
don’t worry.”
“Okay, let’s have fun! I’ll meet you back at the inn at sunset.”
 “Please take care of yourself, my lady. Don’t go with anyone or into any
alleys. In fact, why don’t I get one of the maids to accompany you?”
“I’ll be fine! I’m only here to visit the stores around the town square. I
promise I won’t go anywhere else,” I said.
I really didn’t want someone accompanying me while I went out to have
fun.
“Where are you going?”
“There, there, and there.” I pointed at the bookstore, temple, and
clothing shop. “By the way, where’s Shuye?”
“He said he was going to look around.”
“Maybe I’ll run into him.”
We parted ways, and I saw that Deming headed straight to the knife
stall.
As for me, I had important business to do.
The bookstore was a small two-story wooden building whose facade
was currently hung with numerous red lanterns for the festival. Inside was a
wizened old man wearing gray-and-white robes that had seen better days. I
bowed to him politely, and he showed me around. All four walls of the shop
were filled with floor-to-ceiling shelves crammed with scrolls and books. I
even went up the rather rickety wooden stairs to the second floor, where the
older merchandise was stored.
Though I wasn’t much of a reader, I could still tell which items were the
most expensive ones. I picked a good selection of classic poetry, natural
history, and literature books and arranged for them to be sent to our rooms
at the inn. I paid with silver coins that Shuye had provided for my use.
“May I interest you in some newer and very…interesting publications?”
said the proprietor as I was about to leave. He pointed at the table in the
middle of the shop that was piled high with copies of a book titled Secrets
of the Ruler’s Court.
“What is that?”
“It was written by a human who visited the Vermilion Bird Ruler’s
court-in-exile.”
“That does sound interesting!” I quickly made my way over to the table
and leafed through the book.
Though the shopkeeper’s description had made me think that it was a
travelogue of sorts, it was actually more like an ancient celebrity magazine,
full of scurrilous gossip and spicy illustrations. I was particularly taken by
the painting of a beautiful young man wearing the traditional garb of the
Vermilion Bird Clan: a kilt and broad gold collar. Shirtless, of course. I
admired the way that the artist had lovingly detailed Prince Guanbin’s
muscles.
“That particular illustrated edition has proved to be popular among my
younger clientele,” said the bookstore’s owner. “There are only three copies
left.”
“I’ll take three!”
Sensing an easy mark, the old man pointed out another dozen
“interesting” books, all of which I purchased.
Today was really going to eat into the household accounts.
When I was finished buying books, I went to the clothing shop, where I
found my Farm Guide arguing with the owner.
“But why can’t I buy two?” asked Shuye.
“Town edict,” said a young woman with bright orange hair wearing
bright blue robes. Her hair was done up in a towering beehive, with
numerous flower hair pins stuck here and there.
“What kind of edict doesn’t allow people to buy from a store?” asked
Shuye.
“We have limited stock, and people come from all over to buy clothes
today. I don’t want to run out,” she said.
Since it seemed like the young woman was at the end of her tether, I
pulled Shuye aside and asked him what he was doing.
“I just want to buy a few clothes for myself and my wife,” he said.
He seemed so desperate to buy from the store that I wondered if he had
quarreled with his spouse. Maybe he really needed to bring back a gift?
“Just buy one of each item for yourself, and if there are a few that you
don’t like, send it to a seamstress to have it cut down for your wife,” I said.
“Why didn’t I think of that?” Shuye scratched his head. “But they
wouldn’t need to be cut down; they would need material added.”
What? Was his wife a giantess? Then I realized that it must be because
she was currently pregnant.
“Let’s just buy a few oversize items,” I said.
Since the young woman seemed exasperated by Shuye’s presence, I
quickly made a few purchases and left Shuye to his shopping.
My last stop for the day was the temple, a triple-gabled round stone
building with white walls and blue roof tiles. The priestess, who was a
teenage girl, showed me around the place when I mentioned that I wanted
to make a donation. Inside, there were twelve vermilion pillars carved and
painted with mythological scenes, representing each month of the year. In
the middle of the temple was a circular altar where the priests made
sacrifices every New Year.
I made all the appropriate admiring noises, then handed her a mother-of-
pearl box containing a gold bar. Once the girl saw the size of my donation,
she quickly called over a more senior priestess, who brought me to a side
room.
“Would you like to try your luck with our fortune-telling device?” she
asked me.
Did I ever! This was exactly the reason why I came.
“Yes, I’d love to!”
The fortune-telling device was a circular cage-like metal device
containing a lot of wooden balls inside. It totally looked like a bingo cage. I
turned it a few times, and a ball dropped out. The priestess took the ball and
cracked it open, revealing a tiny wooden charm.
“How lucky! You got the earth charm, which is perfect for a farmer,”
she said as she handed it to me.
I hid my disappointment and thanked her politely. The charm could be
attached to a weapon to give it an extra effect.

[Earth Charm:
A small wooden charm with the Earth symbol carved on it.
+1% Elemental Earth Damage]

Ever since I tested the [Lightning Fang], I had wanted a [Lightning

Charm], but it seemed that I would have to try again next year. Of course,
the [Earth Charm] wasn’t a bad thing, and I was still glad that I had donated
to the temple.
With that, all of my business was done, and I returned to the inn for my
afternoon nap, making a mental note to remember to tell the kids not to
show any discontentment on their faces when we lost the contest. Nobody
liked a sore loser.

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 Chapter 59

D uring the day , people visited their families and friends for
merrymaking, but once the sun set, everybody headed out to the town
square to reserve a prime seat for the show. Thankfully, Shuye had
volunteered to do that for us since he wasn’t going to join us for dinner.
The rest of us gathered at the inn’s inner courtyard and ordered a lavish
meal. There were nine dishes in all, not counting rice—one fish, one
chicken, one pork, one shrimp, one rabbit, one quail, and three vegetable
dishes. The restaurant’s chef had really gone all out and served us dishes
that use a variety of techniques including steaming, boiling, deep frying,
stir-frying, grilling, and braising.
“It’s pretty good,” I said.
“Not as good as our chef’s,” said Lari.
“Well, of course!” I was quite relieved to see that my apprentice had
learned his table manners.
Fengying, ever the stickler for propriety, had booked two tables for us.
One for me and my apprentices, and another for the rest of the household. It
seemed that they wouldn’t feel comfortable eating with their boss, and I
understood that.
Once we had finished eating all the dishes, Fengying distributed the
mooncakes.
“This is more like it,” said Lari.
“Don’t talk when your mouth is full,” said Mo.
“Hush, don’t quarrel in public. People are looking at you!” said Kharli.
 The mooncakes were excellent, as expected of the Demon Chef. The
soft, crumbly, floury exterior of the pastry contrasted very nicely with the
sweet lotus paste filling. The flavor was rich and sweet, but not cloying.
When I first cut a slice of it, I expected to eat a quarter, since it was quite
filling and I’d already eaten a lot, but I ended up finishing the entire thing.
“All right, it looks like everyone’s finished. Let’s go!”
We all got our capes and jackets since it could be quite chilly during the
evening. However, there were going to be a lot of people there, and I
suspected that it would be reasonably warm.
Shuye was easy to find despite the crowd because he was standing right
beside the mayor. A large temporary stage had been built in front of the
temple, and it seemed that the priests were almost finished setting it up
when we gathered around Shuye.
“They’re starting off with a shadow puppet show for the children,”
Shuye informed me. “Then there’s a lion dance with fireworks. They’ll
announce the winners of the contests after that.”
Apart from the produce display contest, they also had cooking, dance,
and beauty contests during the day of the Mid-Autumn Festival.
“Sounds fun.”
This world didn’t have TV or radio, much less the internet, and
entertainment opportunities were hard to come by, which meant that
everyone in the town square was quite excited, including me.
Half an hour after we arrived, the priestesses started banging on the
drums and everyone quieted down as the shadow puppets started moving
behind a semi-transparent white curtain.
A voice boomed out, “The Wise Lioness.”
The story was told with music and lyrics as well as shadows. Of course,
being an alien to this world, the story it told was quite new to me but
evidently not to the rest of the audience, who whooped and cheered every
time something happened. The lioness of the title recovered her nine lost
cubs from fire, earthquake, tsunami, and tornado while teaching them
lessons about obedience and kindness. My three apprentices cheered along
with the rest of the crowd, and it looked like they were really having the
time of their lives.
Next came the traditional Lion Dance. The white lion, representing the
wisdom of old age, had the symbol for “ruler” on its forehead. Its steps
were stately and majestic, seeming to stomp down on the ground with great
power. The black lion, representing the liveliness of youth, jumped and
pranced around energetically, while the red lion, representing the heroic
courage of middle age, had an iron horn in the middle of his forehead that it
used to slash and stab at imaginary targets.
Dozens and dozens of different kinds of fireworks exploded as the Lion
Dance came to its end, then the mayor went up to the stage to give a short
speech. I started to feel sleepy as the contest winners were announced to
much fanfare, and each one gave a speech. Then it was time to reveal the
Farming Contest winners.
“Remember, be cool,” I told my apprentices yet again. “Don’t say
anything bad, either.”
“…And in ninth place, Emberstone Farm!” said the mayor.
Even though I had warned them, Lari, Kharli, and Mo’s mouths still fell
open in shock. At least they didn’t say anything as I went up the stage and
accepted my reward, a bit of cash and a small wooden acorn trophy.

[Ninth Place Trophy (Mid-Autumn Farming Contest)

A wooden trophy in the shape of an acorn.
+0.1% Farming Exp]

Everyone was so shocked and disappointed that I decided we should

leave the town square immediately and as quietly as we could. At the inn,
Lari burst out into a passionate rant the moment we closed the door to our
rooms.
“Ninth place! That’s impossible! They must be blind. We had the best
produce by far. How could we lose? It’s not fair. We should complain to the
mayor! Who the heck are the judges? They should be made to explain their
decision!” He went on and on as the maids packed up all the items we had
bought in town.
I waited until he ran out of breath before explaining what happened. “I
expected it. This is a small town, and everyone knows each other. They’re
not about to award the big prizes to an outsider, no matter how good. The
important thing is that we got this.”
I held out the trophy, and they passed it around.
“Teacher, what does [+0.1% Farming Exp] mean?” asked Kharli.
“It means that we get bonus experience now! Isn’t it great?” I took back
the trophy and polished it with my sleeve before storing it safely in my
inventory. “Every time we get exp, we’ll receive a little extra because of
this trophy.”
“How much extra?” asked Mo.
“One thousandth,” I said.
“What? Isn’t that too small for all the effort that we did?” Lari looked
even more disappointed now.
“No. There is a minimum of 0.25 exp.” Of course, when we did
activities that gave a lot of experience, like harvesting crops, one measly
point of exp was nothing, but it was a significant addition to our everyday
chores that only gave tiny amounts of exp, like watering and weeding
plants.
My three apprentices huddled together and started whispering amongst
themselves.
“She seems happy.” That was Kharli.
“You know she’s easily pleased.” That was Mo.
“I don’t understand what all this is about.” That was Lari.
I sat down on the inn room’s chair and waited for the maids to finish
packing.
“Maybe she just really likes exp? I mean, exp is nice,” said Mo.
“Eh, I don’t think this extra exp will help much, but it won’t hurt,
either,” said Kharli.
I let them talk because I understood how disappointed they must be.
Adventure Incarnate’s developers were a little bit playful when it came to
events. Things almost never turned out the way you expected them to. I
thought of the time when some players used an exploit to kill all of the
Farming Contest participants, hoping that they would be able to carry off
the first prize, the [Cheerful Cow Trophy], but they still only got fifth place
in the contest. We joked in the forums that the judges had given the awards
posthumously and placed the trophies on the contestants’ graves, though, of
course, the townspeople simply respawned when the developers restarted
the server.
“Don’t fret. Didn’t we all have fun?” I asked them when they quieted
down a little.
Lari, Kharli, and Mo all nodded.
“Then it’s all good!” I yawned. It was after midnight, and I was really
sleepy. “Let’s start walking to the gate where the carriage is. I can’t wait to
go home and rest.”
The next day, my apprentices found out the joy of getting extra exp.
“I’m getting twice as much exp!” said Mo.
“You liar! It’s only half,” said Lari.
“Are you two stupid? It’s only one-third!” said Kharli.
I made a mental note to ask Fengying to teach them about fractions,
decimals, and percentage points. We were actually getting 25 percent more
exp when we watered the plants.
“Now do you know why I wasn’t in favor of planting rice?” I almost
said “this early in the game” but caught myself in time. “Since the rice
paddy is flooded, we’re actually losing out on watering exp.”
Since we were already in the middle of autumn, the crops were halfway
to harvest time. The vegetable field was full of lush greenery, and the two
rice fields were full of two-foot-tall rice plants.
However, there was one small problem. The [Rice] we were growing
was rather weird. They sucked up so much water that we had to constantly
adjust the irrigation canal’s gate to keep the paddies at the right water level.
Furthermore, the plants were not the green ones I expected. Instead, they
were striped blue and pink with golden edges. I had to admit it looked really
mystical, but I wasn’t sure what was going on. Would I be able to harvest
regular white rice at all, or would I end up with some exotic rice variety?
Well, it was no use worrying about it now. I’d find out at harvest time.
The trees in the [Greenhouse] were also doing quite nicely, and I was
impatient to get started on my new farming project.
“What’s taking so long?” I asked my Farm Guide the next day when he
visited me. “I got permission to farm ages ago.”
“It’s not as simple as you might think. I told you about ‘territory.’ Did
you ever stop to wonder whose territory you would be farming on?” he
said.
“Wow, I hadn’t considered that. Isn’t it enough that I have the prince’s
permission?”
“You actually received the Lady of the West’s permission, not the
prince’s. And no, it’s not enough. We had to send some people to look for a
place that meets your requirements since the place you initially chose is
disputed land. Now that we’ve found some sites, we have to get permission
from the clans who claim that territory.”
 “But no one lives there! Wasn’t it abandoned a long time ago?”
“People consider that land cursed, but you don’t know how tenacious
people are about their old territories. Those who lost their homes during the
demon invasion still talk about reclaiming the land.”
“Ah…” All this stuff wasn’t in Adventure Incarnate. Real life was so
much messier than the game.
“Anyway, just be patient.”
“Okay, but if you could hurry them up a little, I would be grateful. I’d
like to get started before winter; otherwise, I’ll have to delay until the start
of spring.”
“I’ll see what I can do.”

OceanofPDF.com
 Interlude

An excerpt from the journal of Shuye Skullcrusher, Guardian of

the Ancient Hill Forest:

I think I know where she’s from now.

Hongzhen Town has the same stealth aura around it as Emberstone
Farm. Once Baroness Violet showed me the place, I experimented with
giving people directions and maps to locate it. No one was able to find it
until I personally brought them there.
The town is even better protected than the farm because the people I
showed it to were then unable to return once they left the town walls. I
believe the only reason I was able to remember it was because Baroness
Violet showed it to me herself. My passing on the knowledge of its
existence doesn’t seem to work as well.
Hongzhen town itself seems unremarkable except for the stealth aura.
Its inhabitants are well aware that people from outside can’t enter their town
and forget them once they are out of sight.
The mayor assured me that the Lion God’s protection, which is what
they call it, doesn’t extend to criminals or scammers. According to him,
such unsavory characters are immediately thrown out of town by divine
will. I perused the neighboring towns’ records and found that there were a
few dozen nameless persons of unknown origin who were thrown in jail or
otherwise punished for various crimes in the past century, so the mayor’s
words seem to be true.
 I sent a report to the prince, but every time we discuss it, he forgets
what I said moments later.
Perhaps Baroness Violet’s unknown parents were from Hongzhen or a
similar place.

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 Chapter 60

T he days passed quickly , and the crops started flowering . T here

were lots more plants this time, so I added a second beehive. Once again,
we manually pollinated the [Corn] that we had planted using the Three
Sisters (plus one) method. Maybe I should call it the Four Sisters method
now that I had added the [Sunflowers], which were good for attracting
pollinators.
As for the rice plants, they were now over two feet high and had small
white flowers. Fortunately, the crop was self-pollinating, so we didn’t have
to do anything.
“I hope we get regular white rice instead of something weird,” said Lari.
“The flowers are so tiny and cute!” said Mo.
“Stop it! Nooo, don’t pluck them. Don’t you know those are what will
grow into rice? Leave them alone,” said Kharli.
Yep, she was the [Bossy] one of the bunch, all right.
We were inspecting the rice paddy for weeds when Shuye arrived with
the news that I had been waiting for.
“Oh my gosh! That’s really cutting it close. I think we barely have
enough time to get started…” I said.
“You said you would be there for seven days? Are you sure you have
enough time before the harvest?” Shuye glanced at the rice. Like Lari, he
had also expressed his concern about the rice plants producing a weird,
mutant variety, but I had assured him that all would be fine.
Probably.
 “We’ll just have to work efficiently.” I waved my hand at my
apprentices, indicating that they should finish the chores as usual, while I
walked to the main house with my Farm Guide.
I had been planning this project for a long time, and I had told everyone
about it, so now all I had to do was inform Fengying that we were leaving
tomorrow.
“The prince will accompany you tomorrow, but he’ll have to return to
the clan the next day because he’s very busy with the Fall Hunt,” said
Shuye.
“What about you?”
“My wife is in a delicate condition, as you know, and I’m reluctant to
leave her alone even for one day.”
“Of course, how thoughtless of me!”
“Remember what I told you about the cursed land. Here, take this
medicine.” Shuye handed me a porcelain jar. “Promise me that you’ll apply
this to any wound that you get. Even the slightest scratch can fester when
you’re staying in that place.”
“Thank you.” I half expected to receive a new Herblaw recipe when I
opened the lid and smelled it, but no such thing happened.

[The Bear Clan’s Ointment

An effective wound medicine that prevents and treats infections. Made
with a blend of wild herbs and aloe vera.]

“Promise me.”
“I promise, okay!” Sometimes he was really like a mommy bear, but I
already had Mr. Bear to take care of me.
“You know, there was quite a lot of discussion about your project.”
“Oh? I hope it was mostly positive.”
“Well, there were a lot of doomsayers, as you would expect⁠—”
“Ha! My own household isn’t too thrilled about it. I can just imagine
what other people have been saying.”
“Ah, but there’s a small group of people who have been trying to
reclaim the lands. They were quite excited when the prince made his
proposal.”
“That’s great.” We arrived at the house, and I informed Fengying of the
news. She ushered us into the formal reception room, then bustled away to
start the preparations.
Lari had been chosen by lot to stay behind on the farm along with one
of Deming’s assistants. The rest of us would travel to the desert and stay
there for seven days while Lari took care of the farm.
We sat down and continued our conversation.
“Since Prince Baiyu is in charge of the project, it was decided that you
will be granted the rights to develop the Blossom Valley at the foot of
Skyfang Hill,” said Shuye.
One of the maids arrived with a tray of tea and rose candy. To be honest,
I was not fond of rose-flavored food, but this was made from petals I had
harvested myself from my rose garden, which made it special. There was
just something better about eating food that was made using ingredients I
had personally harvested.
“Which clan claims that area?” I asked as I munched on the candy. At
least it made my breath smell nice.
“The White Tiger Clan, of course. This one is a branch family, relatives
of the prince’s father.”
I pouted a little because I had the impression that the White Tiger Clan
was probably going to take the credit when I started [Greening the Desert].
We exchanged a few more words, then Shuye left. He was a very busy
man these days, what with his work and taking care of his pregnant wife. If
I remember correctly, the player’s Farm Guide only visited a few times
during the epic quest, which sounded about right.
I went back to my room and started packing.

The next day, I woke up at dawn as usual after dreaming of playing with a
dragon child. I stumbled out of bed and blessed the System for giving the
courtyard house heated floors and hot water. After showering as quickly as I
could, I used the Cash Shop item [Lady’s Salon], a vanity table with a large
mirror that I could use to fix my hairstyle. Today I piled my hair on top of
my head in a neat bun. Then I dressed in many layers to prepare myself for
the day.
The first layer was normal Western underwear, followed by Asian-style
“innerwear,” which consisted of pants and a plain wraparound top with a Y-
shaped collar, both made of fine, thin cotton. The next layer was a pleated
red silk skirt, white silk robe with a Y-shaped collar, and a wide belt
embroidered with an autumn leaf pattern. This was plenty warm enough for
indoors, but I also had a padded jacket and fur cape I could throw over my
outfit as needed. Prince Baiyu had gifted me the cape, which was made of
the fur of the Flamecoat Lynx.
Once I had finished dressing, I went to the dining room to check on
what the others were doing. Everyone seemed to be in good spirits as we ate
our breakfast. The staff were bustling around doing some last-minute stuff,
and the luggage was already placed near the gate, ready to be loaded onto
the ox carts.
Outside, Prince Baiyu and his staff were waiting for us.
“Good morning,” I said.
“Good morning,” said Prince Baiyu. Today he was wearing what I
thought of as his “working clothes,” a matching set of dark blue pants and
robe with a simple cut, decorated only with one small White Tiger emblem
in the middle of the back of the robe.
He and the others exchanged greetings and bows, then he introduced his
staff to us. Apparently, we would be accompanied by half a dozen people
who will serve as observers, advisors, and bodyguards during our time in
the desert. However, because of the discomfort they felt due to the “curse,”
they would only be able to stay for two to three days before they were
replaced by another group.
“You’re going to love my new flying vehicle,” he said.
“We’re not using a cart?”
“The cart is good for transporting crops, but I got a fine new carriage for
you using the money from the Dusk Dandelion seeds.”
“Have people been able to grow the seeds properly?”
“Yes.” Prince Baiyu smiled proudly at me when we walked through a
strand of trees to the clearing where the carriage was waiting for us.
“Wow!”
The carriage was made of dark polished wood with gold-painted
carvings. Two gleaming silver horses, obviously mechanical automata,
stood motionless in front of it.
I gaped wordlessly at it for a few minutes before saying, “This must
have cost a lot.”
“You can afford it, Baroness.”
 “Niiiiice,” I said.
The prince thoughtfully helped me climb up the carriage, then the girls.
“Ready?” he asked after he closed the carriage door and settled down
beside me.
“Uh, go slow, okay? I just ate breakfast.”
“It’s fine, I’ll turn on the security settings and close all the windows.
You won’t even feel a thing, I promise.”
“Are you sure?” My stomach already felt queasy even though we were
still on the ground.
“I tested it myself.”
“All right, if you’re sure.”
I sat back and tried to relax as the prince fiddled with the controls, and
the glass of the carriage windows darkened until I couldn’t see anything
outside. All I felt was a slight jolt as we became airborne, then nothing.
“This flight is so smooth, it’s like we’re not even moving!” I said.
“I knew you would like it.”
“This is awesome.”
“I’m sorry I wasn’t able to accompany you during the Mid-Autumn
Festival,” said Prince Baiyu once he saw that I had relaxed. “That’s a very
busy time for us.”
“What did you do?” I asked.
“The festivities lasted for a whole week, and I had to visit all of my
relatives with my parents. On the last day, we held a big reception for all of
the clan elders and their families.”
“Do you enjoy socializing?”
He shot a look at my two apprentices and didn’t answer, but his
expression spoke volumes.
“Girls, why are you two so quiet? Come on, say something!” I giggled a
little when they gave me horrified looks. Mo was no longer quite as shy as
she used to be, but they really seemed intimidated by the prince and had
barely spoken to him except to exchange greetings earlier.
Kharli mumbled something about hoping it would be a good trip. I took
mercy on them by stopping my teasing and turning my attention back to the
prince.
“What about the Fall Hunt? I heard you’re quite busy nowadays,” I said.
“I am.” He grimaced. “I’ll only be able to stay until sunset, then I have
to return to the hunt.”
 “That’s fine. It’s not like we’re doing anything exciting.”
“What are you talking about? I’m very interested in your project. What
will you be doing today?”
“Oh, do you want the full lecture?” Of course, I had already given my
Three Stooges the full details of what we would be doing.
“Yes, I do.”
“Okay, you asked for it!” I took my hands out of my mittens and got out
a notebook from my System inventory. “Before we can even do anything,
first we need this.”
I opened the notebook and showed him the page that contained the
words “Blue Gold.”
Prince Baiyu frowned. “What language is that?”
Oops. I only realized now that I had written it in English. My
apprentices must have used the System to read it.
“Never mind. What I mean to say is that before we can do anything, we
need to gather blue gold.”
“Blue gold?”
“Water! When it comes to farming, the most precious resource is water.
Did you know that you can grow plants without soil? But you can’t grow
anything without water.”
“I see. How are you going to get more blue gold?”
“Good question. We’re going to build contour swales.”

[Contour Swales:
Shallow ditches, often planted with grasses and native vegetation, that
follow the contours of the land in order to divert or slow rainwater and
surface runoff. They reduce erosion and allow water to slowly,
passively drain into the soil.]

I showed him the drawing that I had made. “You see, when it rains, the
water flows down the slope like this.”
Turning to the next page of the notebook, I showed him the drawing of
the swale and berm. “What I am going to do, I mean what we are going to
do, is to dig shallow trenches along the curvature of the lands on Skyfang
Hill. Those are called ‘swales’ and will serve to collect rainwater.”
“I think I get it. It’s like the rice terraces in Hanzhong,” said Prince
Baiyu.
 “I’m not familiar with Hanzhong, but yes, that is correct. The principle
is similar.” Pointing to parts of the drawing, I continued my explanation.
“The water from the swale will slowly be absorbed by the soil, which is
what it needs since the land is arid. The berm, which is a low earthen wall
placed below the swale, will be planted with native wild grasses and shrubs
with deep root systems that will hold the soil in place. Eventually, as the
seasons pass, the groundwater will be replenished and the land will thrive.”
Then I turned to the last page that I had drawn and concluded the
lecture. “We will also plant trees, lots and lots of trees! They will help in
water retention and even help improve the microclimate in Blossom
Valley.”
I waited for applause, but my apprentices had fallen asleep. Kharli was
even drooling.
“An excellent plan. I look forward to your results.” At least Prince
Baiyu had the grace to pretend to be impressed.
Hmph, just you wait! I’ll knock your socks off when we get there!

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 Chapter 61

W e traveled so smoothly through the skies that , to my surprise , I

didn’t feel a thing at all before I felt another slight jolt when we landed at
our destination.
“We’ve arrived,” said Prince Baiyu.
I swung the door open.
“We’re already here? No way! I hardly even felt a thing,” I said.
He laughed as he helped me down from the flying vehicle. “What did I
tell you? This carriage is worth every penny.”
“It is, it really is! I love it,” I said. “Thank you very much for buying it
for me. Let’s use this whenever I have to go somewhere.”
“It’s rented, but the monthly terms are reasonable,” he said.
“I like it. Whatever you’re paying, I’m more than willing to cover it.”
“We seem to have arrived earlier than expected,” he said, looking up at
the position of the sun in the sky.
I and my apprentices, of course, had the System to tell us the exact time.
However, other people didn’t always have a clock with them. Therefore, it
was quite common for time to be quite flexible and inexact. I was told that
we would be arriving at the site “by midmorning,” but that could be
anytime from eight a.m. to ten a.m.
The ox carts could technically match the carriage’s speed, but it was
much less comfortable, so they would be going slower and were expected to
arrive “by noon,” which was a rather vague term meaning sometime around
noon rather than exactly noon.
 We stepped down from the flying vehicle into a vast, flat land covered
in dry-looking brown grass that was barely a foot tall. A few places here and
there were completely bare of any vegetation, revealing patches of cracked,
parched ground. So this was Blossom Valley.
In the distance, a hill rose from the flat ground like a hump on the back
of a giant beast. Jagged and pointed rock formations jutted out from the
hill’s peak, giving the appearance of sharp teeth reaching toward the sky,
which was why it was called Skyfang Hill.
“Do you feel anything?” I asked Mo and Kharli.
“I feel hot.” Kharli took off her jacket.
Mo just shrugged.
So…
None of us felt anything, therefore we probably wouldn’t be affected by
the “curse” that was said to be so uncomfortable that people couldn’t stay in
this place for long.
“Could you please ask your people to find me a good place that’s
upwind and maybe slightly elevated? I’ll place the house there,” I said to
Prince Baiyu.
The sun was beating down on our heads quite fiercely, so I placed a
large open tent for us to shelter under while we waited. It didn’t take long
for them to find a suitable location for us. I asked Prince Baiyu to request
that his staff keep quiet about what I was going to do, and he assured me
that they were his most trusted and discreet clan members.
“Okay, don’t panic, whatever happens!” I said to the others.
I called up the System menu and selected the [Two Courtyard House]
option. Since I had plenty of space, I built the largest one possible.
A magic circle filled with glowing mystical symbols appeared on the
ground, and a few moments later, the house appeared. It had twelve-foot-
high stone walls and a magnificent [Stardust Silverwood Door].

[Stardust Silverwood Door: A door made of white wood that shines

softly as though it’s covered in stardust.]

There was a chorus of gasps behind me, and I turned around to see that
everyone, including Prince Baiyu, was staring at the house in open-mouthed
shock. Of course, the girls had seen me summon a few small buildings
before, but nothing on the scale of this enormous courtyard house.
 I smiled to myself. That was just the beginning.
Working according to the plan that I had thought of weeks ago, I
doubled the size of the house by adding an [Elegant Chinese Garden] from
the Cash Shop to the eastern side.

[Elegant Chinese Garden

The character for garden contains four symbols that must all be
present to capture the essence of a classic Chinese garden: the majesty
of mountains or the ruggedness of rocks, the tranquility of water, the
beauty of buildings, and the life of plants.]

The most important thing about this was that it contained a large,
manmade pond and an artificial river that had a very pretty little moon
bridge whose curved shape created a moon-shaped reflection in the water.
I reckoned that it was almost noon time, so I had to work fast.
Navigating to the [Favorites] folder in the Cash Shop, I used the space
around the house to place one of each of the items I had chosen earlier:
[Crystal Cascade], [Moonlit Mirror Pond], [Starlight Stream], [Twilight
Tide Pool], [Enchanted Fountain], [Velvet Veil Rain Curtain], [Nirvana
Lotus Pond], and [Celestial Spray Dancing Fountain].
When I was finished, the perimeter of the house was crowded with all
the different water features that I had added.
Mo and Kharli closed their mouths and finally remembered my
instructions. They went over to check each of the Cash Shop items that I
had placed.
Prince Baiyu cleared his throat and gave me a questioning look. “What
is all this?”
“Well, our main problem is that we don’t have any water here, so I
thought that adding this would help. The girls are checking if any of this
water is seeping into the land,” I said.
The prince’s staff quickly got over their surprise and joined my
apprentices in inspecting the items that I had placed.
“I see.” He walked over to the nearest water feature, the [Velvet Veil
Rain Curtain], and I followed.
We put our hands under the thin sheet of water that was falling into a
small plunge pool.
“What do you think?” I asked him.
 “I can already feel the difference in the air. It’s cooler and moister.”
“Yes, but the bottom of this pool is tiled, which means that the water
won’t be absorbed by the ground.”
“That’s true.”
I noticed that today he was acting much more formal and reserved. That
was probably because the others from the White Tiger Clan were watching.
“Let’s go inside the house and check out the garden while the others are
looking at the water features outside the house,” I said.
We went to the [Elegant Chinese Garden] first. I was slightly
disappointed but not surprised when Prince Baiyu examined the pond and
artificial river and told me that they were lined with compacted clay that
was almost completely impermeable. There should be a little bit of water
seepage, but not very much.
“Well, at least the garden is very pretty,” I said. “Let’s go inside. I need
to furnish the interior before the others arrive.”
“All right.”
I didn’t have much time to thoughtfully choose each item individually,
hence I could only use the various [Furniture Packs] for the living rooms,
bedrooms, and kitchen. We were only staying for a week, anyway.
“Now it’s time for some serious business!” I rubbed my hands with glee
and gave the prince a smug look. “It’s gonna be amazing!”
He raised an eyebrow and smiled. “I look forward to whatever it is
you’re going to show me.”
We headed outside, and I collected my two apprentices, who informed
me that only the [Nirvana Lotus Pond] was naturally dug into the ground
without any cement, tile, stone, or compacted clay liners. I quickly removed
all the other water features and surrounded the courtyard house with as
many lotus ponds as I could.
Then we climbed into a flying oxcart and flew halfway up Skyfang Hill.
I activated the Cash Shop’s landscaping tools. Of course, in Adventure
Incarnate, one could manually dig the contour swales. It was tedious, but it
wasn’t like it took forever. Players only had to click here and there with the
manual landscaping tool to dig where it was needed. However, players
could also open their wallets and use the Cash Shop’s [Empyrean Earth
Transformer] that would automatically build the swales with one click.
“Time to boogie!” I raised my arms for dramatic effect and activated
[Empyrean Earth Transformer].
 It was glorious. The clouds parted, and the sky lit up with golden pillars
of light that shone down on the hill, followed by the appearance of a
gigantic magic circle that covered the entire hill. Glowing arcane symbols
spun around inside a whirlpool of clouds and rained down on the ground.
The clan member who was driving the cart made a loud exclamation,
and the flying vehicle dropped a few inches in the air before he got it under
control again.
I screamed a little and clutched the side of the cart.
“My apologies, my prince,” said the driver. His voice sounded a little
squeaky from shock.
“Control yourself,” said Prince Baiyu.
“Yes, sir,” said the unfortunate driver.
Were his hands trembling?
“Is he okay?” I whispered to Prince Baiyu.
“He’ll be fine,” said Prince Baiyu.
Since it seemed that our driver was becoming a little nervous, I quickly
added as many [Construct-O-Matic Turbochargers] as I could. Terraforming
the hill would have taken a few days in the game, but the construction time
could be shortened by using this Cash Shop item.
When I was finished, I was chagrined to see that it was going to take
longer in real life than in the game.

[Empyrean Earth Transformer

Time Left: 05 Days 23 Hours 59 Minutes]

It wasn’t that I was in that big of a rush; it was just that the magic circle
and the pillars of light would remain in the sky until the tool was finished.
“I’m done. Let’s go back to the house,” I said.
“Teacher, what about that?” Kharli pointed at the hill.
“I’m building the contour swales using that. It should be finished in six
days,” I said.
Mo and Kharli exchanged dubious looks.
“Won’t people be alarmed when they see that thing in the sky?” asked
Mo.
“That’s why we have this.” I patted Prince Baiyu on the shoulder.
He smiled down at me and said, “Yes, ‘this’ is a very useful person
indeed.”
 “Sweet! I like a man who’s useful,” I said.
“I’ll take care of any problem that arises,” he promised.
I must say, the [Rescue Prince Baiyu] quest was the best one the System
had given me so far.

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 Chapter 62

O bviously , the magic circle in the sky attracted a lot of

attention, so I had to spend the rest of the day hiding inside the house while
the prince and his staff took care of all the visitors who arrived asking about
it. They managed to intercept all of the curious clan members who came
flying to check what was happening before they arrived at Blossom Valley.
Prince Baiyu had to delay his return to the Fall Hunt, but his people agreed
that it was for the best.
“I’ll have to stay here for the entire seven days because no one else has
the authority to ask important clan members not to enter the Valley,” said
Prince Baiyu. We were walking around the garden since there wasn’t much
else to do inside the house.
“I’m sorry it’s been so inconvenient for you,” I said.
“Not at all. I think what you’re doing here is immensely important. You
know, my father’s family lost their ancestral land when this place became
cursed. Believe me, everyone will be pleased if you manage to reclaim
Blossom Valley.”
“Then I’ll rely on your protection.”
“The people who were here will spread the word that you are not to be
disturbed, so you should be able to go outside by tomorrow.”
“Thank goodness for that! I want to get started on the rest of the things I
plan to do,” I said.
Late into the afternoon of the next day, when I was finally given the all-
clear by the prince, I walked to the other side of the valley with my
apprentices, Prince Baiyu, and a few observers from the White Tiger Clan.
Mo and Kharli were so glad to be finally out of the house that they started
running instead of walking. The two girls spread their arms and raced each
other while screaming, “Wheee!” and “Yaaay!” with their long hair
streaming behind them. They didn’t seem to care that the hot sun was
beating down on us or that the grass they were running on was dry and
brittle.
“What are they so happy about?” asked Prince Baiyu.
“Well, you know, they grew up in an orphanage in the city. Since then,
they’ve been staying in the forest with me. I think this is the first time
they’ve seen such a wide-open space,” I said.
“The entire cursed land is just one big, open space.”
“Yes, I noticed there aren’t many trees.” And the very few that I saw
were only waist high and scraggly.
“They’re kicking up a lot of dust.” He handed me a handkerchief and
motioned that I should use it to cover my mouth and nose.
“Aw, it’s okay. They’ll get tired soon enough.”
I was wrong, though. The two girls had so much pent-up energy from
staying inside for so long that they actually did run all the way to the other
side of the valley. Once we got there, they put their hands on their knees
and panted heavily.
“Tsk tsk, I hope you haven’t tired yourselves too much. How’s your
energy?” I asked them.
“Still full,” said Kharli.
Mo was too out of breath to say anything, but she nodded her head.
“All right. There’s not much to do here. I’m just placing the
[Lizardwing Eggs] in a pen,” I said to them.
“In a pen? Not an incubator?” asked Prince Baiyu.
I shrugged. Putting the eggs in an incubator was the logical thing to do,
but putting them in the pen was the way things worked in Adventure
Incarnate.
“Okay, here goes nothing!” I navigated to the [Animal Husbandry]
System tab and chose a [Small Pen], which I placed on the ground in front
of me. Then I put the [Lizardwing Eggs] inside it. “That’s it. We’re done
here.” I started walking back to the house, but no one followed me.
 “Why are all the eggs different if they are all [Lizardwing Eggs]?”
asked Kharli.
“No, the real question is ‘what are [Lizardwings]?’ in the first place,”
said Mo.
“I feel an ominous qi coming from those cursed eggs,” said one of
Prince Baiyu’s men.
“What kind of demons do you think will hatch from them?” Another of
Prince Baiyu’s men put his hand on his sword hilt.
“Perhaps a flying demonspawn,” said the first guy.
Why was everyone always so dramatic?! I turned back and explained,
“Those aren’t cursed demon eggs. They’re [Lizardwing Eggs], and spirit
beasts that look like a cross between a chicken and a lizard will hatch from
them.”
The others, including the prince, gave me disbelieving looks.
“Am I the only one who can feel an unnatural, malevolent aura coming
from the eggs?” asked the first of Prince Baiyu’s men who had spoken.
“No, I feel it, too,” said one of the other clan members.
“It’s just your imagination. These are just regular spirit beast eggs,” I
said.
“Why are we hatching those beasts, Teacher?” asked Kharli.
“Well, they’re called [Lizardwings], but actually their nickname is…” I
moved closer toward my two apprentices and whispered it in their ears.
“Poop Machines!”
“Ew!” the two girls chorused.
They recoiled in disgust from me, but I laughed diabolically and said,
“My dear, dear apprentices. Now is the time for you to prove your worth!
I’ve actually never seen a [Lizardwing], but they say that all they do is
poop, and the stench of their droppings is unbearable. I’ll be counting on
you to take care of them.” I laughed again at the look on their faces.
“And you are raising these stinky creatures for…?” Prince Baiyu raised
an eyebrow. It made the purple lotus birthmark in the middle of his
forehead wrinkle adorably.
“Spirit beast manure is a powerful soil enricher. Look around you.” I
waved a hand at the sparse brown grass that covered most of the valley.
“The soil here is of poor quality, and this will help.”
“Ah.” He didn’t look convinced.
 “You’ll see.” In Adventure Incarnate, the player spread the manure
around here to make the grass grow green and lush, and after a while,
thousands of wildflowers started blooming, as befits a place called Blossom
Valley.
One of the observers coughed and said to me, “But, Baroness, aren’t
you leaving in seven days? What will happen to the animals then?”
“Hmm. I was going to ask if I could hire a few people to take care of
them,” I said.
“That can be arranged,” said Prince Baiyu.
“I was thinking that the clan could take care of the spirit beasts. Later, I
can sell breeding pairs,” I said.
“If the…product…proves to be effective, then I’m sure my father’s
relatives will agree.”
“Just make sure not to keep them too near any human habitation or you
might end up with a rebellion on your hands.” I giggled at the thought.
“Let’s go back to the house.”
“What’s next?” asked Prince Baiyu.
“I’m going to plant some trees,” I said. It was time to introduce the
White Tiger Clan to the [Dendrological Cultivation Chamber].
I thought the girls had already had their fill of running around, but I was
wrong. They raced each other back to the house while the rest of us
followed at a more sedate pace. When we arrived, I smiled at the sight of
my two young apprentices lying on the ground and gasping like landed fish.
“You shouldn’t overdo it,” I said.
We walked over to the side of the house where I had placed a few chairs
under a small canopy that shielded us from the sun. While we waited for my
apprentices to recover, Fengying and two maids offered us water for
washing. The housekeeper poured a pitcher of water into a basin while I
washed my face and hands then toweled off with the clean, white cotton
cloth that she provided. The others followed suit, though they preferred to
serve themselves.
Should I not have accepted Fengying’s help? No, I decided. She would
not have offered if it was not appropriate.
When everyone was ready, I took out a [Dendrological Cultivation
Chamber] from my inventory. I patted the white box and explained its use.
“This is what we will use to plant trees. It’s made of cardboard, which is
heavy duty paper, and has a hole in the middle that runs from the top to the
bottom where the sapling will grow. It’s hollow.” Carefully unscrewing the
top part, I showed them the empty space inside. “As you might’ve guessed,
this will be filled with water.”
“Is it a new type of watering device?” asked Prince Baiyu.
Of course, I had already explained everything to my apprentices, so this
lecture was for the sake of the White Tiger Clan members. “Correct.” I
turned the box over to show them that there was a wick underneath it.
“Water from inside the box will slowly drip down through this little wick.”
“It seems clever.” Prince Baiyu seemed mildly interested.
“This isn’t a miracle solution or anything. The box will act like an
umbrella by protecting the soil around the tree sapling from the hot sun, and
the water inside of it will keep the soil moist.”
The others nodded, and Prince Baiyu said, “And you won’t need to
water it every day.”
“Yes. The water inside should last for around two weeks, and possibly
for much longer. I’m told that it does rain here, and when it does, there’s a
hole on the lid where rainwater will fall down and replenish the water inside
the box.”
The others politely made some encouraging remarks. However, I could
tell that they weren’t really impressed. That was fine. I didn’t even know if
it would really work.
Explanation done, my apprentices and I got started digging holes and
planting trees. If I had been disappointed by the reception that the
[Dendrological Cultivation Chamber] got, their reaction to the tree planting
itself would have more than made up for it.
“Are those all spirit trees?”
“They must be! The air is thick with the powerful qi they’re giving off.”
“That one looks like the Crimson Monarch Tree from the legends!”
“How can one person have so many rare spirit treasures?”
That last comment made me a bit nervous, but I had to focus on the task
at hand. We took out shovels from the System toolbelt and used them to dig
holes in the ground. Thankfully, with just a little bit of force, the tools
provided by the System quickly did the job. We dug holes two feet deep and
a foot wide. My apprentices and I watered the soil, then placed a large
sapling and [Dendrological Cultivation Chamber] in each hole before
covering it back up with soil, leaving three inches of the box above the
ground. The last thing we did was to fill the box’s chamber with water and
add a two-inch layer of mulch around the planting area. The mulch
probably wasn’t needed because we were using the box, but it wouldn’t
hurt.
Since this was our first time planting trees, I wasn’t sure how many we
could place before our energy ran out. I was able to plant six fertilizer trees
while my apprentices were able to plant three each, for a total of twelve for
all of us.
Mo pouted a little when we placed the wooden signs with the names of
the trees next to the new plantings. She never liked it when we did anything
that involved writing or reading.
Not bad. We now had [Shadow Locust], [Dreamweaver Mimosa],
[Elderwood], [Rosebud], [Autumn Starfruit], [Onyx Coffee Tree], [Golden
Chainwood], [Arcane Acacia], [Midnight Mesquite], [Autumnal Ambrosia],
[Skythorn], and [Dragon’s Eye] trees planted a small distance from the
house.
“You’re done?” asked Prince Baiyu.
“Yes. We’ve planted twelve different species of trees that I think will be
beneficial in renewing the land.”
“You’ve worked hard.”
“Let’s go back to the house. I’d like to rest,” I said.
“I’ll escort you. Do you mind if I go back to the other side of the valley
to watch the eggs for a while?”
Was he still worried about that? I giggled. “Suit yourself.”
I hoped he wouldn’t be too shocked when the eggs finally hatched.

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 Chapter 63

T wo days later , we had just finished the day ’ s tree planting session
when one of the prince’s men came running toward us, his eyes wild.
“They’ve hatched!” he said.
Prince Baiyu looked alarmed and asked, “What happened? Is there a
problem?”
I joined them, and the man gave me a glance whose meaning I couldn’t
quite decipher.
“None…” The man coughed and looked down at his feet. “Except for
the smell.”
“How bad could it be?” Prince Baiyu’s attitude was dismissive.
“Girls, let’s go see the [Lizardwings]!” I waved them over, and they
obediently joined us. “I’ll teach you how to take care of the animals.”
“I’ll go with you,” said Prince Baiyu.
“So it begins!” I said.
[Greening the Desert] in the game had been quite satisfying, but that
was nothing compared to the excitement I felt in real life.
“We’ve used spirit animal manure before,” said Prince Baiyu.
“Oh? And it worked, right?”
He shrugged. “The trees that we plant will grow for a few days, but they
die quickly. Using the manure extended their lifespan by a few weeks, that’s
all.”
“So it does work! Why didn’t you guys just keep the animals here for a
continuous supply of manure?”
“Animals and spirit animals tend to grow sick in these lands.”
 “They do? Why do you seem a bit depressed? I thought you believed
that I could do this.”
He took my hand in his hand and squeezed it. “I think you have a better
chance than anyone else that I know.”
“We’ll see.”
We walked outside together.
Once again, Kharli and Mo raced each other to the far side of the valley.
This time, however, they stopped short of the finish line and ran back to me.
“Teacher! Teacher! What’s that smell?!” Mo pinched her nostrils closed
with the two fingers of her right hand and grimaced horribly.
Kharli sneezed and then hurriedly pinched her nostrils shut, too.
“That’s the smell of success.” Taking out a veil from my inventory, I
wetted it with water from a pitcher I got from my inventory, then tied it on
the lower half of my face. Then I put the pitcher back in the System storage
space. “Breathe through your mouth. You should get used to the smell
soon.”
I turned to see how Prince Baiyu was doing and was surprised to see
that he didn’t seem to be affected.
“You’re okay?” I asked him.
“I’ve turned off my sense of smell.” He looked slightly abashed.
“How convenient.”
We were still quite a distance from the pen, but the smell of manure was
incredibly strong. The closer we got to the [Lizardwing’s] habitat, the worse
it became. When we got there, I saw that the other men must’ve fled from
the stink.
“Why does it smell so bad when they just hatched?” I asked no one in
particular.
“Is it going to get worse later?” Kharli asked in horror. “What if we die
from the cursed miasma?”
“Don’t exaggerate. It’s not that bad.” I gave her a mischievous grin from
under the veil. “You’d better toughen up. The two of you will have to
shovel that manure and spread it around to nourish the soil.”
Kharli fell to her knees and covered her forehead with her left hand. The
right one was still pinching her nostrils closed. “What kind of sin did I
commit in my previous life to deserve this?”
“You were probably a monkey and threw your shit at a monk!” said Mo.
“If I was a monkey, then you were a skunk!”
 “If I was a skunk, then you were a stink bug!”
“If I was a stink bug, then you were a…a…a…toilet!”
“Toilets aren’t alive, ha! I won!” Mo made the mistake of raising both
her arms to celebrate her victory and accidentally drew a breath through her
nose. “Ahhhh!”
I let the kids have fun. Soon the stench grew stronger, and we arrived at
the pen.
The [Lizardwings] were supposed to be chicken-like, but I thought they
looked more like fierce but tiny dinosaurs. Their scales were bright orange,
and they had small, useless feathered wings. The [Lizardwings’] heads were
small and rounded, with pointed brown beaks and beady little black eyes.
Despite the fact that they had hatched less than an hour ago, the ground
under the pen was already covered in their droppings.
I stepped forward until I was within touching distance of a
[Lizardwing].
“I’ll put one of them in my inventory.” One of the spirit beasts
disappeared when I mentally ordered the System to put it in my [Animal
Storage] inventory tab. “Now try to do the same.”
My two apprentices reluctantly approached and did as I ordered, though
Kharli muttered under her breath about “animals stinking up my inventory.”
“Very good. Now examine your inventory and check its traits.” The one
that I had was a female with the rare [Robust] trait.
“Mine is male, no traits,” reported Mo.
“Male, no traits,” said Kharli.
I double-checked all the animals and was happy to find that we had
three breeding pairs. When they reached maturity, if the droppings proved
useful, I could sell these [Lizardwing] pairs to the clans that wanted to
renew their ancestral lands. Then I would hatch more of them. There were
still 2,147,483,641 eggs in my inventory, after all.
When we finished inspecting them, I destroyed the pen and rebuilt it on
a spot twelve feet away because I wanted to demonstrate its features to my
disciples, and the old one was already covered in manure.
“The animals need two things: water and [Animal Feed]. The water is
supplied by this automatic bell drinker. You just need to fill the container.” I
took a bucket of water from my inventory and poured it into the water tank.
“Got it?”
 The two of them nodded, and I stepped aside to let them fill the tank.
Then I showed them how the bell drinker worked. It was shaped like a bell
with a shallow pool of water all around the bottom lip. When I used a
handkerchief to sop up the water, the device automatically refilled the
bottom of the drinker with water. This was a very nice upgrade from the
usual watering trough that beginner farmers could place on their farms.
“As for the [Animal Feed], put all the extra leaves, stems, roots, and so
forth that we got from the harvest and place it inside this box. When it’s
full, press the red button.”
Whenever we harvested our crops, we always put the inedible parts into
our inventories because they were good for feeding animals. I supervised
the kids as they placed the corn plants, minus the corncobs, into a big metal
box. Then I closed the lid and let Kharli press the button. The device
immediately started making grinding and crunching sounds. After a few
minutes, the automatic feeder started spewing out squares of [Animal Feed]
onto a small metal plate.
“It will automatically release enough food for all the animals every day.
Both the water and the [Animal Feed] will only last for seven days. Now
put the [Lizardwings] back into the pen,” I said.
Even though this was their first time working with live animals, my
apprentices were already adept at using the inventory, so they were able to
put the [Lizardwings] inside the pen without any problems.
“And that’s it for today’s lesson.” I adjusted my veil and quickly walked
away when the spirit beasts started farting loudly.
The girls took off running. That was when I decided that discretion was
the better part of valor and booked it. Prince Baiyu took the hint and ran
beside me. I was sprinting away at my top speed when I looked back and
saw that the [Lizardwings], aka Poop Machines, were projectile pooping
inside their pen.
I really hoped that their manure was worth it.

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 Chapter 64

T he next day , the S ystem finally finished its work on S kyfang

Hill. I heard the chiming notification sound and rushed out of the house just
in time to see the magic circle glowing a bright red before disappearing.
“Yes! It’s done!” I said to the others.
We had gotten up at dawn to plant more trees and tend to the animals,
thus we were playing around in the [Lotus Pond] and gathering the few
seedpods that we could find. I supposed the Adventure Incarnate artists had
thought that it was prettier to have flowers rather than seedpods, which
meant that there weren’t many available. We did get quite a lot of leaves,
however. It was a pity that the pond was far too large for my forest farm.
“Let’s go!” Kharli didn’t wait for my permission and started running
right away.
“Wheeee!” Mo wasn’t far behind her.
I waited for Prince Baiyu and his staff to join me before following the
girls at a more sedate pace.
“What are you going to do now?” asked the prince.
“At the hill? We’ll have to plant more trees,” I said.
“Do you have enough time for that?”
“We only have one more day here, but we’ll do what we can.”
When we arrived at the foot of the hill, we saw that the hill was now
covered in low mounds that ran in a line that rippled and curved, following
the contours of the land. Those were the berms. I headed to the nearest one
and ran my hand on the raised soil, which was packed hard and covered in
green grass. The entire hill was now covered in emerald-green grass, except
for the shallow trenches lined with rocks at the bottom of the mounds. The
trenches were the contour swales.
“How did the grass turn green so fast?!” asked one of the prince’s staff.
“It was the high-level formation, of course!” said another.
“Do you think these ‘swales’ will work?”
“Who knows? The theory is sound…”
Before I had used a Cash Shop item on it, Skyfang Hill had been
covered in brown, brittle grass. Now it was blanketed in emerald-green
grass. The entire place had been obscured by the magic circle while it was
being landscaped, so we hadn’t been able to see what was happening. The
System must have fixed the grass along with building the swales.
“Everything seems to have gone well,” I said to the prince, while
ignoring the others’ questions and speculation. “We’ll plant trees tomorrow
before we leave.”
Prince Baiyu was looking at the hill with an inscrutable expression on
his face. “This…”
I patted his arm. “Don’t fret. Either it will work or it won’t, but I’m
pretty confident in my plan.”
He hesitated before replying. “It’s just that you’ve done a lot of
work…”
I waited for him to continue, but he looked away from me into the
distance.
“And?” I prompted him.
“You know, Shuye was not in favor of this project. We’ve all been here
and spent seasons trying to break the curse,” said Prince Baiyu in such a
soft voice that I could hardly hear him. “I myself have planted hundreds of
trees, but they all died after a few days. I just don’t want you to be too
disappointed in case…”
“Aw, you worry too much!” With the System on my side, I was
definitely going to succeed. I decided to tease him a little to lighten the
mood. “Hmm, but if I do fail, can I count on you to cheer me up?”
He turned to face me and patted me on the head. “You can cry on my
shoulder if you ever need to. And hugs are always available.”
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see that the girls were inching
nearer while, in contrast, the prince’s men were rapidly moving out of
earshot. I gave my apprentices a warning look, then took Prince Baiyu’s
hand and silently urged him to walk farther up the hill with me.
 “Thank you. I hope I won’t need to cry soon,” I said. “Let’s look
around.”
“Please, just don’t get your hopes up too much.”
“Eh, you’ll still give me the tax discount even if I fail, right?”
“Of course.”
“Can I claim my expenses, too?”
“Didn’t you read the contract?”
“What?”
“Your expenses will be deducted from the tax you owe.”
“Ah…”
Despite the warning look I had given the girls, they had continued to
inch closer and closer to us until they were within earshot, and they looked
terribly disappointed when we started talking about taxes and expenses.
“Is everything ready for your departure tomorrow?” asked Prince Baiyu.
“Not yet. I have to make arrangements for the Poop Machines, I mean
the [Lizardwings].”
“I think I’ll be unavailable tomorrow.”
“Oh, don’t be such a wuss! You can just turn off your sense of smell
again.”
“Even if I can’t smell it, I can still see what’s happening.”
I had to admit that the sight of the [Lizardwings] projectile pooping was
extremely off-putting. “It is kinda…”
Our eyes met, and we both burst out laughing.
“You should have seen your face when you were running away from
them. It’s like you were being chased by a ghost,” said the prince.
“What about you? I’ve never seen anyone jump so high and so fast the
way you did yesterday when you thought you were too close and one of
them was going to poop on you!”
That did it. When we started talking about the poop machines, the girls
stopped following us. I waited until they were out of sight before turning to
the prince and giving him a big smile.
“You could’ve just asked them to leave,” he said.
“That would just arouse their curiosity.”
I linked arms with him, and we walked around the hill inspecting the
System’s work.
“Look, there’s space here for a small house.” I pointed at a patch of
level ground.
 “But you already have a bigger house.”
“Yes, but this is such a scenic spot.” I wave my arm at the valley below
us. “Imagine what it will look like when it’s all green and full of flowers.”
“That would be wonderful. I’d love to stay in that house if you built it
there.”
“Sure, why not? I’ll only charge you one gold piece a night.”
“One gold piece is too much. How about one kiss?”
“Ha! How would one kiss from you count as payment? If anyone was
paying anyone for a kiss, you should be the one paying me!”
“I’ll do it! How much?”
“All the money in the world.”
“Ah. How about a kiss for a kiss?”
“I kind of like the sound of that…”
He took me in his arms, and I was glad that no one could overhear us or
see what we did next.

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 Chapter 65

T he next day was the seventh day when we were due to return to
the farm. The girls and I woke up at dawn and planted twelve trees on the
lowest berm. Then we went to the [Lizardwing’s] place, and I built a six-
foot-high circular fence a hundred feet away from the pen. That should be
big enough for them to live in until they became adults.
Since this land was hot and barren, I also placed three artificial trees
that the [Lizardwings] could shelter under and dug a small pond for them
that should fill with water when it rained.
Then we refilled the water and feed tanks and left the door of the pen
open so that the animals could range freely over the fenced area.
The stench was still unbearable, so all three of us had stuffed pieces of
cloth in our nostrils. Prince Baiyu was conspicuously absent.
“Those demon birds will be pooping over this entire place,” said Kharli.
“That’s the idea. Their droppings will nourish the soil,” I said.
“When will we know if it’s working?” asked Kharli.
“Probably a few weeks.” I adjusted the piece of cloth in my right nostril
since it was in danger of falling out.
“I think it’ll work,” said Mo. “I bet this stink means that the manure is
very powerful.”
“I don’t know about powerful, but it should work. The clansmen said
they would keep an eye on the [Lizardwings]. One of you will just have to
return every week to replenish the water and food for the animals,” I said.
“But it’s harvest season soon! Then it’s planting season,” said Kharli.
 I shrugged. “If you use the carriage at full speed, you should be able to
return to the farm by midnight if you leave early in the morning.”
“Oh.” Kharli looked convinced.
Mo didn’t say anything, but she didn’t look too displeased by the
notion.
“The three of you will take turns so that none of you get too tired.”
“Yes, teacher,” they chorused.
“Let’s go back to the house and change our clothes,” I said.
“I feel sorry for the maids who have to clean the stench off,” said
Kharli.
“The stink gets in my hair, too!” said Mo.
We walked out of the [Lizardwing] area as fast as we could, all of us
eager to escape the powerful aroma. When we arrived at the house, we took
off our boots, which were coated with droppings and left them outside the
gate. Though it was bad interior design, I had decided that I would follow
the “function over form” principle and had placed the showers and dressing
rooms right in front of the main entrance. It took us a while to scrub
ourselves until we were clean. When we finished, I led them up Skyfang
Hill.
“Some of the trenches have rocks at the bottom,” Kharli observed.
“They’re probably there to keep the soil in place and slow the water
down,” I said.
The three of us were dressed in plain, sensible cotton pants and robes.
However, we had failed to consider the impact of the extremely stinky
droppings that coated our footwear, so the two of them had run out of
proper boots and shoes. Now they were wearing house slippers while I, of
course, still had plenty of Cash Shop items to use.
The emerald-green grass of the hill was already starting to look a little
dry. I hoped it would rain soon; otherwise, it might wilt and alarm the
observers from the clans.
“The grass is so soft. I feel bad about stepping on it,” said Mo.
She was always fonder of wild plants compared to the other two.
“They’ll survive as long as it rains,” I said.
“Then I hope it rains soon,” said Mo.
We walked until we reached a good height, and I looked down and
gestured at the valley below us. “So what do you girls think about this?”
 “I like it! I thought it would be a scary place full of ghosts, but I was
wrong,” said Kharli.
“It’s so big and open! I love running around. It feels like I’m going to
fly,” said Mo.
“When I told you about this project, I said that we could all build farms
here, but I think I was wrong.” That was how it worked in the game, yet I
now realized that it didn’t make sense. There were hundreds of thousands of
Adventure Incarnate player accounts, which meant that the world was quite
crowded with spirit farmers. Here, on the other hand, I was the only one. It
didn’t make sense for me and my apprentices to build farms here when we
could have our pick of any places we wanted. “When the three of you
become master farmers, you can pick where you want to settle down. I
think we should do something else here instead.”
The two of them exchanged glances. Mo nodded at Kharli, which meant
that they had talked about this before and that she wanted Kharli to be the
one to speak.
“This place is nice,” said Kharli diplomatically. “But it’s rather far
from…well, everywhere.”
“You’re right,” I said.
“So, if that’s okay, we wouldn’t want to build our homes here.”
“I understand.”
“But we’ll help you with the project!”
“Good, good.”
“We want to help you with the project,” added Mo.
“Yes, I think it’s great. Teacher, did you see the way that the clan
observers looked at us?” asked Kharli.
“What do you mean?” I hadn’t noticed anything in particular.
“Teacher is probably used to that,” said Mo.
“Used to what?” I asked.
“They looked at us with respect,” said Kharli.
“Nobody ever looks at us with respect,” said Mo. “Except for the people
on the farm, of course.”
“What do you mean?” I asked.
Kharli shrugged, and Mo spread her hands, palms up.
“When Madam Fengying took us to the best clothing shop in Anwei, the
owner tried to sell her secondhand clothes,” said Mo.
 “She said that it would be a waste to buy good clothes for orphans like
us when all we would be doing was shoveling shit,” said Kharli.
“And now we really will be shoveling shit!” said Mo.
I burst into laughter. “I was just gonna say that!”
The two of them smiled.
“It’s okay, I don’t mind,” said Kharli. “My point is that now that we’re
helping people, we’ll be respected.”
“The clans really want to fix the cursed lands, and if we can do that for
them, we’ll be heroes!” said Mo.
“I see. It’s good that you’re both interested in this project. Even if it
does involve taking care of stinky animals.” I put my arms around their
shoulders, and we hugged. “In the future, we’ll go to the second-best
clothing shop in Anwei and spend a ton of money. That will send a message
to all the shop owners that you’re not to be underestimated.”
“But you hate going to the city,” said Mo.
“Well, I’ll probably just send you with Fengying again, actually,” I said.
“No need, Madam Fengying already did that last time,” said Kharli.
I could tell from the way that they smiled that it had been very
satisfying for them. “Good for you!”
“What are your plans now, Teacher?” asked Kharli.
“I feel it would be more appropriate to turn this place into a food
forest,” I said.
“What is that? A forest that gives a lot of food?” asked Kharli.
“Exactly! For now, we need to focus on growing more fertilizer trees,
but in the future, we can plant the stuff that we like to eat. We’ll grow fruit
trees, nut trees, berry bushes, wild vegetables, mushrooms, herbs, edible
flowers, and stuff like that.”
“And it’s called a food forest because it’s mostly trees?” asked Kharli.
“Yes, and also because the structure mimics that of a forest. Native and
wild plants will grow together naturally, and it will be low maintenance,
unlike the farm where we have to water and weed the crops every day.”
“I like the idea of growing a forest,” said Mo.
“They’re calling us.” Kharli jumped up and waved back at the
housekeeper who was at the foot of the hill.
“They must’ve finished packing. Let’s go home,” I said.

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 Chapter 66

I set up a proper schedule for my apprentices to take turns taking

care of the [Lizardwings]. I thought they would complain, but I was quite
pleased to know that they were very eager to help.
It was only a few days until the autumn harvest season and everything
was going great when I got a pop-up message from the System.

[Investigate the Emberstone]

Oh! The farm was called “Emberstone Farm” because that was what the
System suggested, and I couldn’t think of a good name for it. I was quite
surprised to learn that there was an actual Emberstone somewhere around
here.
I was in the middle of watering the vegetables, and it didn’t seem like
the quest was urgent, therefore I finished my current task first before
turning on the [Guide Mode].
Bright yellow dots appeared on the ground and disappeared into the
forest. I checked the System Map and saw that the quest location was some
distance away.
“I’m going for a walk in the forest, and I won’t be back for lunch,” I
said to my apprentices.
They waved goodbye as I followed the yellow dots. It was a good thing
I was wearing my most comfortable boots today, since it looked like I was
going to do a lot of walking.
 [Investigate the Emberstone:
Deep in the forest is a mysterious stone. Explore the surrounding area
and uncover its secrets.]

The quest text didn’t give me much information, nor did it reveal what
the reward would be.
I strolled through the woods at a moderate pace, red and orange leaves
crunching beneath my feet. The days were starting to become cooler, which
meant that I had to find thicker robes from the Cash Shop or layer the
thinner robes on top of each other. Soon I would have to turn on the house’s
central heating.
As I walked, the forest canopy above me became thicker and thicker
and the sunlight that dappled the ground became fainter and fainter until it
became difficult for me to see what was in front of me. The ever-present
rustling of the leaves, the chirping of the birds, the humming of the insects,
and other sounds of the forest grew softer and softer until I was enveloped
in an eerie silence.
“Ah…” This was starting to get scary. Time to run away!
I turned back and followed the yellow dots out of the forest.
Since Adventure Incarnate started off as a farming game, the developers
were careful to not tick off their players by surprising them with combat
content in quests. Humans in this setting were quite fragile and could easily
die if they had to fight something when they were unarmored and
unprepared. I mean, quests sometimes involved combat, but players were
warned in advance when they needed to gear up.
Nevertheless, this was no longer a game, which meant that I should be
even more careful than I would be in Adventure Incarnate. I liked to think
that I was a smart person, and it seemed to me that it would be idiotic to
walk into that scary place by myself.
I’d wait for either Shuye or Prince Baiyu to visit and ask them to
accompany me while I investigated the secret behind the Emberstone.

Two days later, I followed the yellow dot road with Shuye.
 My bear-like Farm Guide loomed behind me as he shadowed my steps,
a comforting presence amidst the eeriness of the shadowy and silent glade.
Even the crunching of the leaves beneath our feet seemed muffled and
distant.
“It’s right ahead,” I said. I could see a large, glowing yellow arrow
pointing at a spot a few meters ahead.
Shuye put his large, heavy hand on my shoulder and walked ahead of
me a few steps. His head moved from left to right as he scanned the
clearing for danger, then he nodded at me, indicating that it was safe for me
to continue walking.
I cleared my throat. “There’s probably nothing here. Why don’t you turn
back?”
Now that we were actually here, I had second thoughts about bringing
Shuye with me. After all, the quest was probably safe for me; however, I
had no idea if the same was true of Shuye. What if something happened to
him? I would never be able to forgive myself.
“I’ll turn back if you will.” Shuye gave me an inquiring look.
I scratched my head and dithered a bit before finally deciding to
continue. The chances were low that this was actually dangerous, despite
the creepiness of the place. “Eh, we’re here, so we might as well look.”
“Are you really not going to tell me how you know that there’s
something here?” asked Shuye.
“I just have a feeling…”
Shuye just shook his head but didn’t pry any further.
We walked on until I saw the target, a large, moss-and-vine-covered
rock in the middle of the glade. I took a pair of scissors from my inventory
and carefully cut away the vines, revealing a large white stone. When I used
a handkerchief to wipe away some of the moss, we saw that the surface was
glossy and smooth, like white glass.
“Were you looking for this rock?” asked Shuye.
“You know how my farm is called ‘Emberstone Farm?’ I think this
could be the Emberstone,” I said.
“This? It’s white. Surely, if this was named, it would be called
something like ‘Pearl Stone’ or something similar.” Shuye patted the
exposed part of the white stone.
Suddenly, there was a loud cracking sound. I felt something grab me by
the waist, and in the blink of an eye, I found myself flying through the air.
 “Kyaa!” I screamed in shock.
“Sorry,” said Shuye. “I reacted instinctively.”
We were hovering ten feet above the ground, with Shuye holding me by
the waist while I clung to his arm.
“What happened?” I looked down and saw that the rock had split right
in the middle, revealing a bright red interior. “Did you just crack it open?”
“No, it wasn’t me. I just patted it lightly.”
“Why don’t you put me down? It doesn’t look dangerous.”
“I’ll put you down at the edge of the clearing. Don’t approach until I
give you the go-ahead,” said Shuye.
I nodded, and he slowly descended until our feet touched the ground. I
waited patiently as he cautiously circled the stone, checking for anything
dangerous or unusual. Once he was satisfied that nothing further was going
to happen, he waved his hand, and I approached.
“You see, it is an Emberstone. The inside is red as fire,” I said.
“I wonder what caused it to crack.”
“There was probably just normal weathering,” I said. “Let’s look around
a little, okay?”
“Don’t move out of my sight.”
“Of course.”

[Investigate the Emberstone:

Deep in the forest is a mysterious stone. Explore the surrounding area
and uncover its secrets. (Done)
Check the Emberstone glade for clues.]

I kept my eyes open for anything that looked like a clue. I found a lot of
miscellaneous items on the forest floor, like a broken arrow, shards of a clay
pot, animal bones, shells, iron nails, and a small piece of leather. Shuye was
the one who found the clue.
“Here’s something,” he said, pointing at a massive stone tablet that he
had unearthed from a pile of leaves.
“Oooh! How exciting!” I scampered over and knelt on the ground to
read the words engraved on it. “Be warned: the monster lies dormant,
sealed within the Emberstone. Let not the stone be broken, lest the world be
cast into darkness.”
I looked up and saw that Shuye had turned pale.
 “Don’t worry, I’m sure it’s just a prank or something like that,” I said.
Once again, I regretted that I had been too cowardly to do the quest on
my own. Poor Shuye.
“A prank?” He gave me a hopeful look.
“Hmm, the bottom part of the tablet seems to have been broken off.
Let’s try to look for it,” I said.
“Yes, we should.”
After a few minutes of searching, we found the rest of the tablet nearby.
It contained the name of the person who had written the message: Hoshi
XXIV.
“I recognize that name,” said Shuye. “It’s the name of the head priest of
the Temple of the Fox Clan.”
“Then we know who to ask about this rock.”
It was only midmorning, so we decided that we had enough time to go
to the temple before sunset. We walked back to the house, and Shuye flew
away to fetch his flying cart because I wouldn’t feel comfortable flying all
the way to the temple in his arms.

[Investigate the Emberstone:

Deep in the forest is a mysterious stone. Explore the surrounding area
and uncover its secrets. (Done)
Check the Emberstone glade for clues. (Done)
Go to the Temple of the Fox Clan and ask them about the stone. Bring
five slices of Double-Fried Tofu as an offering.]

I retreated to my room in the inner courtyard of the main house and

shook my head at the Adventure Incarnate developers’ greed. The words
“Double-Fried Tofu” in the quest text were colored blue and underlined.
When I clicked on the name of the food, I found a recipe and an item that I
could buy in the Cash Shop.
It was a sad day when Adventure Incarnate was taken over by a group
of investors who monetized every aspect of the game. The original
developers would never have given players a Cash Shop shortcut like this.
Nonetheless, given the fact that I had never grown soybeans, it was
lucky for me that I could just buy the required items. I recognized the
“Double-Fried Tofu” as the Japanese abura-age, which was allegedly the
favorite food of the legendary fox creatures called kitsune. I made sure to
buy a whole bunch of the food in case I needed more. Adventure Incarnate
developers were legendary for their greed, and since the item was available
in the Cash Shop, I was sure that they would try to maximize their profit by
making it so that players could use more than one set of five pieces.
Since we were going to visit the Fox Clan’s temple, I changed into a
nicer set of robes when I got back to the house and asked Fengying to serve
an early lunch. Shuye arrived just as I was finishing my dessert, peaches in
a honey sauce.

Traveling using my nice new carriage was much better than when we used
the flying ox cart. It only took a few minutes before we found ourselves in a
clearing in the forest in front of a steep stone staircase that had been carved
on the side of a tree-covered hill. At the top of the staircase was a
freestanding white stone wall with a circular opening, like the moon gates
that I often saw in Chinese gardens. That must be the entrance to the
temple.
Taking a deep breath, I inhaled fresh air redolent with the scents of the
forest, a heady mix of decaying leaves, damp earth, and wood smoke. The
latter made me wonder if we were near any human habitation. I opened the
System map and saw that we were south of the farm. The hill was labeled
“Fox Hill” and slightly below it on the map was “Fox Clan Village.”
“The temple is at the top of those stairs,” said Shuye.
“So the Fox Clan live up there?” I asked.
“No, they have a village on the other side of the hill, but that is private
land. We can’t go there unless we have an invitation or business with the
clan,” said Shuye.
“That’s too bad. I would’ve liked to see how they live.”
“I’ve told you before, we’re mostly human. The Fox Clan village looks
just like a human village,” said Shuye.
Somehow, I doubted that. In the game, all the clans had very colorful
and prosperous-looking headquarters.
We walked over to the staircase, and I sighed as I looked down at my
dainty silk shoes and mint-green robes. If I’d known I was going to be
climbing mountains, I wouldn’t have changed into prettier clothing.
 Shuye scratched his head. “Do you want me to carry you up?”
“I can do it, it’s just that the steps look a bit slippery, and my shoes
aren’t good for that. Can you look the other way while I change into
something more suitable?”
“Of course.”
As a person from modern-day Earth, I personally thought it was a bit
ridiculous that it was considered rude and immodest to show your bare feet
in public here, but I didn’t want to cause a scandal. I walked to the nearest
tree and hid behind it while Shuye turned his back to me. No doubt I would
have to speak to some higher-ups in the temple, therefore I took the time to
pick a pair of boots that were practical but looked cute enough to go with
my robes.
“All right, let’s do this,” I said when I was done. “At least there’s a
railing.”
There must be at least three hundred steps that led up to the Temple of
the Fox. The staircase was as slippery as I feared, and I kept one hand on
the railing as we ascended. Climbing the stairs really took a lot out of me,
but I knew from past experience that it was climbing down that was scarier.
My parents had often taken me to out-of-the-way temples and scenic
mountain ruins similar to this, and I felt rather melancholy when I
remembered our little family trips.
I was lost in daydreams as I navigated the steps, so I was caught by
surprise by an unexpected encounter.

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 Chapter 67

“K yaa !” I screamed a little and nearly overbalanced when

something nudged my foot. Thank goodness I was holding the railing, or I
might have slipped.
Oh! It was only a little fox with a sleek red coat, bushy tail, and lively
brown eyes. I laughed a little and knelt down to stroke its head. The fox
must be a tame one, since a wild animal wouldn’t have approached a human
the way that it did. Was it a temple pet?
“What is it?” Shuye frowned down at me.
I was about to answer when a blue System screen popped up in front of
me.

[Side Quest: Feed the Temple Foxes

Give five pieces of Double-Fried Tofu to a fox. 0/5
Reward: Cooking Exp]

I wasn’t too excited about the side quest because they were typically
optional content that gave minimal rewards. Only completionists bothered
with them.
“I’m fine. I was just surprised.” Taking out five pieces of abura-age
from my inventory, I placed them on the ground near the fox.
“Surprised? What happened?” Shuye looked around as though searching
for something. “Why are you putting food on the ground?”
The fox sniffed the food a few times and licked one experimentally
before gobbling up all five pieces. Then it walked away, tail held high and
waving from side to side hypnotically.
“It was for the fox,” I said.
“What fox?” he asked.
“That one, there.” I pointed at the fox, whose light, smooth gait made it
seem as though it was gliding soundlessly through the underbrush. No
wonder I hadn’t heard it coming.
“What are you talking about?” Shuye seemed extremely confused.
Wait, could it be that he couldn’t see the fox even though it was right
there in front of him?
“You really didn’t see a fox?” I asked. “What happened to the food I put
on the ground?”
“All I saw was you kneeling down and putting food down, then putting
it back in your inventory.”
Oh, I see. Since he saw the food disappearing, he must have assumed
that I had put it back in my interspatial storage. Clan members and
cultivators all had their own inventory space that they could use to store
items, though none of those were as big as mine. As far as I knew, the more
advanced a person’s cultivation was, the bigger their soul space was.
Something small like the tofu pieces would be easy-peasy for most
cultivators.
“Don’t worry about it, okay? It’s just a little ritual that I’m doing,” I
said.
Shuye just shook his head, and we continued walking up the stairs in
silence. A hundred or so steps later, I paused for a rest, and another little fox
showed itself. I waited until it was close, then put down the food on some
leaves. The fox eyed us warily as it crept closer and sniffed my offering. It
seemed to find the food acceptable enough and gobbled the pieces up
quickly.

[Side Quest: Feed the Temple Foxes

Give five pieces of Double-Fried Tofu to a fox. 2/5
Reward: Cooking Exp]

Shuye observed my suspicious activities closely, but he didn’t say

anything. Half an hour later, I was starting to sweat, and my knees felt
weak.
 “Wow, it’s a good thing that I’m in excellent shape. It’s no wonder that
there’s no one else here, since there are so many steps. I’m getting a
fantastic workout,” I said.
“You look tired. Are you sure you don’t want me to carry you?” asked
Shuye.
“I can do it! Uh, just let me rest for a bit.” I sat down on a large rock on
the side of the steps and wiped the sweat from my brow with a cotton
handkerchief. After a few minutes, I felt ready to continue. “It’s getting a
little hot here. I think I’ll use a parasol.”
Putting my words into action immediately, I took out a pretty pastel
pink and green sunshade from my Cash Shop inventory and continued
walking up the stairs. Two more foxes approached me, so I made progress
with the side quest.
My Farm Guide frowned every time I stopped to feed the wildlife but
made no other reaction. I guessed he was already used to my strange ways.
We were almost at the top when the fifth fox appeared, followed by a
sixth.
“Well, aren’t you a pretty thing!” Even though I only needed to feed
five of them, I had plenty of food, hence was quite willing to take care of
the extra fox.
“Stop! Don’t touch her,” said Shuye, stepping between me and the
animals.
“Okay.” I moved back and set the food down farther away from them.
“Were you setting that down as bait?” Shuye gave me a disapproving
look. “You really shouldn’t do that.”
“Um.” I looked down at my feet sheepishly. Of course, I knew that it
was a bad idea to feed wild animals, and I wouldn’t have done it if it wasn’t
for the System quest. Shuye was probably concerned because of his status
as a guardian of the forest.
We both watched quietly as one of the foxes sniffed my offering before
gobbling it down. The other fox, a cute pup with surprisingly immaculate
fur, simply watched the other one with bright, curious eyes.
Suddenly, I realized that something was amiss.
“You can see the foxes?” I asked Shuye.
He gave me a strange look. “There’s only one.”
“Can you point to it?” I asked him.
He pointed at the pup.
 “Ooooh!” No wonder there was an extra mouth to feed. That one must
not be part of the quest. However, I forgot all about it when a System
message appeared along with the usual festive fireworks four times.

[Sidequest Complete! Reward: Cooking Exp.]

[Congratulations, you just advanced a Cooking level!]
[Congratulations, you just advanced a Cooking level!]
[Congratulations, you just advanced a Cooking level!]
[Congratulations, you just advanced a Cooking level!]
[Your Cooking level is now 5.]

Yes! I was so happy that I wanted to jump for joy, but it would look
weird to Shuye, so I refrained. Although cooking wasn’t too useful now that
I had the Demon Chef, a level was a level, and this exp had been
particularly easy to get.
“Pardon me, I think I’ll sit down and rest a little bit,” I said to my Farm
Guide.
He nodded, and I spread a tablecloth on the ground, then sat cross-
legged on it. I wasn’t tired; I just wanted to check the System’s Cooking tab
to see if there was anything interesting there. All I found was that I could
now cook [Bread] and [Sugar Cookies]. I vaguely recalled that there were a
lot of cooking-related quests in Adventure Incarnate, yet I couldn’t find any.
The little fox pup that wasn’t part of the quest watched the other fox
walking away and followed it into the forest.
“I’ll be right back,” said Shuye, frowning. To my surprise, he went off
after the two foxes.
What was up with him?
I stayed put since I wasn’t interested in the animals. As I was pondering
whether there was something wrong with my cooking skills, Shuye and the
fox pup returned. The little one just stared at me.
Shuye walked over to me and knelt down to whisper in my ear, “That’s
a member of the Fox Clan.”
Oh? That was surprising. I whispered, “You said clan members look
almost exactly like humans.”
“This is a child. They sometimes have difficulty with their shape. I
wonder where her parents are. She shouldn’t be out here alone.”
 That explained why Shuye was worried about the fox. “We’d better
watch over her.”
He gave me a look as though to say, “Thanks, Captain Obvious.”
Hmm, now that I thought about, the child Fox Clan member seemed to
have seen the other fox. How come she could see it while Shuye couldn’t?
This whole day was full of mysterious happenings. I just hoped that
nothing bad was going to happen to us because of the Curse of the
Emberstone.

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 Chapter 68

I got up and put the tablecloth back into my inventory while I

watched the fox child. She was an adorable creature with red fur, bright
eyes, dainty little paws, and a fluffy tail. When she was finished looking at
us, she ran up the hill, with Shuye and me hot on her heels. She was quite
fast, and I had quite a bit of trouble keeping up with her. Ten minutes later, I
was panting heavily and slightly bent over because of the stitch in my side
while I gaped at the majestic sight of the Fox Clan’s temple. Thankfully, the
fox had stopped right beyond the moon gate.
As a result of my staying in the Ancient Hill Forest most of the time, I
hadn’t really experienced seeing many of the exotic and beautiful places
featured in Adventure Incarnate. Therefore, I was overjoyed at finally
viewing truly incredible scenery.
The temple had sculpted eaves featuring foxes and trees. The steeply
pitched gable roof was covered in densely packed golden shingles, and the
facade was made of red bricks. A large wooden door carved with gamboling
foxes stood open, revealing a courtyard that was open to the sun. In the
center was a small pond surrounded by huge stone lanterns, azaleas, and
plum trees.
“How beautiful!” I exclaimed.
Beside me, there was a soft “puff” sound, and when I turned to look, the
pup had turned into a cute child dressed in a set of white robes with an
autumn leaf design. Her silk shoes and the bottom of her robes were muddy,
and she had reddish-brown hair, brown eyes, fox ears, and a fox tail.
“Hey! You’re her, aren’t you?” asked the fox-eared child.
 “Oh my gosh! You’re so cute! Can I touch your ears?” I asked.
Alas, before I could make a move, Shuye interposed his body between
us and said, “Lady, where are your guardians?”
What a killjoy!
The girl ignored him and addressed me again. “I know who you are.
You’re going to marry that ugly!”
“What? Me? No, I think you have confused me with someone else. I’m
not here to get married.”
“You’re Baroness Violet.” She sprang toward me and clutched my skirt.
“Please marry that big ugly!”
“Eh???” I turned to Shuye. “Does she mean you?”
“Are you saying I’m ugly?” Shuye’s lips twitched.
“Nooooo!” I turned to the little girl and said, “We’re not here to get
married.”
“I don’t mean him. I mean that ugly!” She screwed her face up horribly
and infused the word “ugly” with extreme loathing. “You know the one I
mean.”
She was so cute, but I still had no idea what she was talking about.
Instead of answering her, I took advantage of the opportunity to touch her
ears.
Mmm. The fur was fluffy, and the flesh was flexible and soft to the
touch.
“Yaaah!” The little girl sprang away from me, her bushy tail standing
straight up. She covered her ears with her hands and gave me a shocked
look.
“Oh, oops.” I placed my hands behind my back and tried to look
innocent. “Did I accidentally do something?”
There was a soft “poof” sound, and the girl’s fox ears and tail
disappeared. She stared at me wide-eyed and said, “It’s true what they say
about humans!”
“What do they say about humans?” I asked.
“They’re really lew⁠—”
Shuye coughed meaningfully, and the girl shut her mouth in the middle
of a word.
The three of us looked at each other, speechless, but we were saved
from an awkward situation when a voice rang out.
 “Shi-shi! Where are you? You’re going to be in so much trouble when I
find you!”
It didn’t take long until the person speaking came into view. She was a
tall, gorgeous woman with bright red hair, green eyes, and a voluptuous
figure. Her full green skirt went down to her ankles, and her small waist
was emphasized by a wide red sash. This was the first time that I saw
someone wearing a robe with a low neckline. The front of her green robe
had a deep open V that showed off her considerable assets.
The little girl ran to her, saying, “Look! It’s her! I told her to marry that
stupid ugly.”
She picked the girl up and walked toward us calmly. “Hello, you must
be Shuye and Baroness Violet. I’m Meihui, and this is Lady Hoshi, the
titular head of the Fox Clan.”
That little fox girl was the clan head? Maybe I shouldn’t have tweaked
her ears.
We exchanged the usual greetings and bows, while Lady Hoshi
continued to insist that I should definitely marry “that ugly.”
“If you marry that stupid ugly, I’ll let you touch my tail,” she said.
Shuye and Meihui burst out laughing.
“No way! I’m way too young to get married,” I said.
“How old are you?” Lady Hoshi asked.
“I’m nineteen.”
“What?! You’re just a baby.” The little girl pouted. “Aw, that’s too
bad…”
“Ahem.” Meihui cleared her throat and got down to business. “About
the Emberstone. We got your message, and we’ve prepared the cleansing
ritual. Please follow me.”
Still carrying the clan head, she turned toward the temple and led us
inside.
As we walked behind her, I turned to my Farm Guide and asked him
what the girl was talking about. “Why does she want me to get married so
badly?”
He bent down and whispered, “I told you that Prince Baiyu can’t be the
heir to the Lady of the Westerlands because he’s male. As the strongest
female of her generation, Lady Hoshi is our ruler’s heir presumptive.”
“What does that have to do with me getting married?”
 “A very small but vocal minority wants Lady Hoshi to marry Prince
Baiyu and join the White Tiger Clan that way.”
“Oh.”
“Lady Hoshi and most of her fellow Fox Clan members don’t want her
to leave her birth clan.”
“Poor thing. A child like her shouldn’t have to worry about something
like that.”
We entered the temple doors and walked quickly through the lovely
courtyard and into a side building where two temple attendants, a male and
a female, were waiting for us. I hardly knew where to look because they
were both exposing a lot of their chests. It seemed that Fox Clan members
were the sexy type.
If this was still Adventure Incarnate, I would’ve decried the developers’
need to always include fanservice in the game art.
“According to our records, the evil spirit that was sealed inside the
Emberstone was exorcised by one of our priests three generations ago, so
you shouldn’t be in much danger,” said Meihui.
“That was my ancestor. He defeated that bad spirit,” said Lady Hoshi.
“Nonetheless, it’s best to be cautious. Some evil residue might still be
lingering on the Emberstone; therefore, the two of you should be cleansed.”
Meihui instructed the attendants to take us to the baths.
The System’s quest information updated itself.

[Investigate the Emberstone:

Deep in the forest is a mysterious stone. Explore the surrounding area
and uncover its secrets. (Done)
Check the Emberstone glade for clues. (Done)
Go to the Temple of the Fox Clan and ask them about the stone. Bring
five slices of double-fried tofu as an offering. (Done)
Circle the Sacred Tree of Life nine times.]

Shuye went to a building on the south side of the courtyard, while I

followed my attendant to the western building. Before we parted, he
whispered that he would take care of the offering, which was great because
I had no idea what or how much I should donate to the temple.
I was hoping that the ritual would involve a hot spring bath, but it was
just a normal wooden bathtub. The female attendant who led me to the
place was joined by two others who instructed me to remove my clothes
behind the screen and wrapped a thin cloth around my body for modesty.
Then they took me to the main bathing chamber, where they poured ice-
cold water over my head before they helped me climb into the tub full of
steaming hot water.
The priestesses waved wooden wands over me and chanted something
in an ancient language that translated as various iterations of, “Evil
begone!” After a few minutes, they finished their chant and lit sweet-
smelling incense in censers, which they swung over me until the entire
room was full of white smoke.
That seemed to be the end of it for now. They allowed me to get out of
the bath, and I toweled off behind the screen. They handed me a thin white
robe to wear.
“Um, what do I wear under this?” I asked.
“This is underwear,” they said.
So I put it on and emerged from behind the screen. Three more
attendants arrived bearing eight more white robes. By the time I finished
putting all of them on, I could hardly walk from the weight of all the cloth.
“Now all you have to do is walk nine times around the Sacred Tree of
Life,” they told me.
I looked down at my bare feet.
“Don’t worry, we sweep the ground every day. You won’t be injured.”
The oldest of them led me by the hand to a garden path. At the end of it,
I found myself in a circular clearing with a gigantic golden oak tree in the
middle of it. Lady Hoshi was waiting beside it wearing a many-layered set
of white robes. The attendant silently led me to her and gave my hand to the
clan head. Then the little fox girl and I walked hand-in-hand around the
tree.
The Sacred Tree of Life had a gold-and-white trunk and pale green
leaves that were shot with gold. Whenever the wind swept through the
leaves, it made a slightly metallic rustling sound that was pleasant to the
ears. I fancied I could see a faint golden glow all around the clearing that
emanated from the tree.
The second time we circled it, I felt a strange sensation as though
cobwebs were brushing across my stomach. I felt more than a little queasy
when I saw black smoke emanating from the center of my body and being
drawn into the Sacred Tree. By the fifth lap, I was feeling lightheaded, but I
could clearly see that the amount of black smoke was decreasing, and it
disappeared altogether by the eighth lap. I heaved a sigh of relief when we
finished circling the tree nine times.
This quest was turning out to be longer than I thought. I hoped the
reward was worth it.

[Investigate the Emberstone:

Deep in the forest is a mysterious stone. Explore the surrounding area
and uncover its secrets. (Done)
Check the Emberstone glade for clues. (Done)
Go to the Temple of the Fox Clan and ask them about the stone. Bring
five slices of double-fried tofu as an offering. (Done)
Circle the Sacred Tree of Life nine times. (Done)
Ask Prince Baiyu the true reason why the Emberstone was lost.]

Lady Hoshi silently instructed me to sit on a bench, and she went back
to her spot beside the tree. Shuye arrived a few minutes later, also wearing
many layers of white robes, and went through the same ritual as I did.
However, the quantity of black smoke that came from his body was much
greater compared to what I had experienced.
The sight made me feel queasy. During my daily life, I stayed on the
farm or the forest and lived a quiet, simple life. The fact that the Sacred
Tree was needed to purify Shuye and me was terrifying because it showed
that there were forces beyond my comprehension that had somehow
affected us without me even noticing. The System hadn’t even given me a
quest to ritually cleanse myself. I shuddered at the thought that all of that
dirty black stuff had been inside my body and mentally vowed to stay away
from quests unless it was absolutely necessary.
It just wasn’t worth it to meddle with things that I didn’t understand. A
quiet life on the farm was what I wanted.
When Shuye and Lady Hoshi finished circling the tree, three attendants
appeared and ushered us to an elegant reception room. My Farm Guide
discreetly handed a large bag of gold to one of them, and I was offered
some tea and snacks, which I gratefully accepted.
Lady Hoshi smiled mischievously at me. “You owe me a favor now,
right? That means you have to marry that ugly.”
 I ignored her words and asked her something that had been bothering
me. “Is the tree going to be okay? That was a lot of black smoke. I assume
that black stuff was the ‘residue.’”
“You saw it? Yes, that was the residue of the evil spirit. The tree will
need some time to recover, but it’s strong. Something like that wouldn’t be
able to hurt it,” said Lady Hoshi.
I noticed that when it came to official Temple matters, she acted much
more adult, like her solemn manner during the ritual.
“What black smoke?” asked Shuye.
“She’s talking about the evil emanation from the Emberstone,” said
Lady Hoshi.
The two of them then went into a technical discussion of spirits, evil
emanations, residue, and so forth. They used a lot of archaic words, but I
got the gist of it. The Fox Temple would take responsibility for the
Emberstone and send their people to move the artifact to a safer location
where it would be resealed and purified.
They discussed the details while I drank tea and ate osmanthus cake, a
steamed rice cake made with osmanthus flower syrup and sugar. It wasn’t
as good as the Demon Chef’s cooking, but it was quite an elegant tea snack.
After Shuye and the clan head finished discussing the details, we said
our goodbyes and walked outside the temple where the little fox girl tugged
at my skirt and whispered, “They told me that humans are adults at age
nineteen, so you can marry that ugly!”
“Children should mind their own business,” I said.
I patted her on the head, and she ran back to her attendants.
“Cute kid,” I commented to Shuye. Waving goodbye to her, I turned to
leave with my Farm Guide. “Let’s go back home.”
I was exhausted and wasn’t looking forward to going down all those
steps.
However, that proved to be unnecessary because a familiar figure was
waiting for us at the top of the stairs.

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 Chapter 69

P rince B aiyu was dressed in plain blue robes so dark they appeared
black, and his hair was bound in a low ponytail. Normally, when he visited
my house, he dressed in gorgeously embroidered clothes, but right now he
looked all business.
“Oh, hello! Do you have business at the temple?” I asked the prince.
He waited until I was close and hugged me tight. “I heard about the
Emberstone. Were you hurt? Did it scare you?”
“I was a little scared, but I’m not hurt.” In the past few weeks, I had
gotten used to the hugs, and this time, I managed to hug him back.
Mmm, muscles. He smelled nice, too.
“Thank the gods.” He breathed the words softly in my ear, tickling me
unbearably so that I had to pull away.
Shuye cleared his throat meaningfully and greeted his boss. “Prince
Baiyu.”
“Shuye. I got your report. You did a good job. Not many people would
have known about the Emberstone and thought of bringing her to the
Temple of the Fox Clan,” said Prince Baiyu. “What did the head priestess
say?”
“They’re getting ready to reseal it right now. The elders are checking
their records for the proper ritual incantations and formations.”
“When will they start?” asked Prince Baiyu.
I took the prince by the hand, and we started walking down the steps.
“The preparations will take a while, and they’ll send word when they’re
ready to go to the site. I’ll lead them there myself. Judging from what they
told me, they’ll start two or three days from now and will finish in a week,
give or take a day or two,” said Shuye.
“My staff will assist you. Let them know if anything unusual happens,”
said the prince.
“The Fox Clan told me they’ll handle everything,” said Shuye.
“How much did you give as the offering for the cleansing ritual?” I
asked.
“Don’t worry, I’ll take care of it,” said Prince Baiyu. “This is what taxes
are for.”
“Taxes! I almost wish I was still a child, so I wouldn’t have to worry
about taxes,” I said.
“Please, not another rant about it,” said Prince Baiyu. “That was funny
the first three times you did it, but not anymore.”
“What?!” I let go of his hand and placed it on my chest in an over-
dramatic motion. “We’ve already reached the stage where you’re tired of
my jokes? Ah, then we’re close to breaking up.”
“I take it back. Go ahead and rant,” said Prince Baiyu.
Without saying a word, Shuye, with his usual tact, started walking back
up the stairs to put some distance between him and us in order to give us a
modicum of privacy.
“I will!” Even though I said that, I suddenly didn’t feel like joking
around anymore. I put a hand on the rails and started walking down the
steps.
Prince Baiyu put a hand on the small of my back coaxingly. “What’s
wrong? I was just kidding. Say what you want to say.”
“Sorry, I’m just tired and cranky.” Walking down the steps was much
worse than climbing up. The backs of my thighs ached, and I was sure I was
going to be sore tomorrow.
“Are you okay?” He frowned.
“Ugh, I hate all these steps!”
“Is that all? Let me fly you down.” Without waiting for my response, he
scooped me up in his arms and launched himself down the hill.
I grabbed onto his robe and squealed a little. “Slowly!”
“I know. I’ll go slower than a snail.”
He was as good as his word, and my stomach settled down. I peered
over his shoulder and saw that Shuye was running down the stairs at an
incredible speed. He was definitely going to reach the bottom before we
did.
“I’ve assigned more guards to patrol the perimeter of your farm. You
won’t see them, but they’ll be there,” said Prince Baiyu.
“How come I never see your guards?” I knew that even now they were
somewhere around, but try as I might, I couldn’t spot anyone.
“It’s traditional for them to be trained in stealth skills. They also have
enhanced senses, so they don’t need to be close to monitor people,” he said.
“Oh.” That was a bit creepy.
“You probably won’t have any problems with the Emberstone, but you
and your household should stay inside the farm just in case.”
“Please be honest with me. Is there really no danger? And what’s the
real story behind the stone?”
“Well, it’s been centuries and there hasn’t been a problem with it. I
doubt it will start acting up now. The legend says that there’s a fox spirit
inside it,” said Prince Baiyu.
“A fox spirit? Not a devil?”
“According to our histories, this land was once teeming with nature
spirits who were the offspring of gods. The one inside the stone was a
mischievous fox who loved to play pranks on people. Most of it was just
harmless or minor irritations, like stealing household items or souring milk,
things of that sort.”
“So why was it sealed?”
“Even minor mischief can harm people. The story goes that the fox
greased the steps to the temple, and a human died because of it.”
“The steps to the temple? Are you talking about those steps?” I pointed
below us at the staircase that was carved on the side of the hill.
“Yes. That one.”
“That’s horrible!” I shuddered at the thought of slipping down those
hundreds of stone steps and breaking my neck at the foot of the hill.
Prince Baiyu’s arms tightened around me. “He probably didn’t mean to
kill anyone. However, he was unrepentant, so the head priest of the Fox
Clan was forced to seal him inside a sacred stone.”
“That’s actually very sad.”
“I wouldn’t feel too bad about it. One of the previous head priests said
he had a dream when he did the yearly sealing ritual that showed him that
the fox had finally seen the error of its ways and ascended.”
 “I think the temple people said something about that.”
“Apparently, the evil aura around the stone started to decline around
that time until, eventually, there was so little that they decided it was no
longer dangerous.”
“Okay, but I find it weird that they lost track of the stone.” The quest
information screen told me to ask about it, so I did.

[Investigate the Emberstone:

Deep in the forest is a mysterious stone. Explore the surrounding area
and uncover its secrets. (Done)
Check the Emberstone glade for clues. (Done)
Go to the Temple of the Fox Clan and ask them about the stone. Bring
five slices of double-fried tofu as an offering. (Done)
Circle the Sacred Tree of Life nine times. (Done)
Ask Prince Baiyu the true reason why the Emberstone was lost.]

“They didn’t tell you?” The corners of his mouth curved up in a not-
smile. “A few decades ago, someone stole it.”
“What?”
“There was a…let’s just call it ‘tension’ between the Fox and White
Tiger Clans at that time.”
“Are you saying someone was planning to use it as a weapon?”
“No doubt it was just one of the more idiotic and hotheaded young ones
of the Fox Clan.”
“Ah.” I didn’t know what to say.
“Whoever took it never used it. That’s why I think it’s not dangerous.”
“Is there still tension between your clans?”
“Not at all.”
“Good.” I rested my head against his shoulder and relaxed. A few
minutes later, we reached the bottom of the stairs, and we went inside the
carriage.
“You’ll be back before dinnertime,” Shuye assured me.
“That would be great. Thank you very much,” I said.
The trip lasted less than an hour, and Prince Baiyu and I spent the time
chatting about this and that. He waited until we arrived at the farm before
dropping a bomb.
 “By the way, my assistant asked your housekeeper to prepare a guest
room for me. Do you mind if I stay with you for the next few days?”
“What? Why?” I asked.
“I have to be here just in case something happens.”
“That’s hardly necessary, is it? I thought that was what the guards were
for.”
“I couldn’t possibly leave when you could be in danger.”
“But you just said it wasn’t dangerous!”
“It’s probably not dangerous. The chance of something happening is
infinitesimal, but I’d still like to stay nearby.”
Was it dangerous or not? I was getting confused.
He sensed my unease and explained, “In all probability, nothing will
happen. However, if something did happen, you’re too far away from me,
and I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night unless I was nearby.”
“Well, okay. I hope nothing happens.” The quest wasn’t finished yet, so
it would be good to have the prince nearby in case I needed him again. As
we walked to the courtyard, I checked the System’s quest tab to see if there
were any dangerous developments in the Emberstone storyline and found
nothing there. All that was left was to send the Emberstone back where it
belonged.

[Investigate the Emberstone:

Deep in the forest is a mysterious stone. Explore the surrounding area
and uncover its secrets. (Done)
Check the Emberstone glade for clues. (Done)
Go to the Temple of the Fox Clan and ask them about the stone. Bring
five slices of double-fried tofu as an offering. (Done)
Circle the Sacred Tree of Life nine times. (Done)
Ask Prince Baiyu the true reason why the Emberstone was lost. (Done)
Send the Emberstone back to the Temple of the Fox Clan.]

That was a good sign, right?

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 Chapter 70

C ontrary to my fears , nothing bad happened . I n fact , the others at

the farm treated Prince Baiyu’s presence as something of a lark.
Fengying warned me several times not to let him into my rooms, no
matter what pretext he used. “Mark my words, he’ll try everything.”
“Why? He’s been in my rooms before.” He’d even stayed overnight
several times.
“He’s never lived here.”
“As a guest! He’s here as a guest. He’s not moving in permanently.”
“He’ll definitely try to move into your rooms.”
I thought she was joking, but the next day I was making potions inside
my room when a gust of wind blew a fine silk handkerchief on the floor
beside me. Just as I was about to pick it up, Prince Baiyu appeared at my
window.
“That’s mine,” he said. “Can I come in?”
Today he was dressed in the simplest clothing that I had ever seen him
wear, dark blue cotton pants and a short robe that only went down to his
knees.
“Sure.” I picked up the handkerchief and gestured for him to enter.
He had barely taken two steps inside when I heard shouting from the
courtyard.
“Stop!” Fengying appeared moments later, her cheeks flushed from
running at full speed into my room.
“What is it?” I asked her, concerned that something had gone wrong.
We were all on high alert because of the Emberstone.
 “Your Highness, this is hardly appropriate behavior!” she said to the
prince.
“She gave me permission to enter.” Prince Baiyu smiled. He gave me an
arch look.
Fengying walked over to my table and bent over to whisper in my ear.
“My lady, I thought I told you not to let him inside your room.”
“This flew into my room, and I was just giving it back to him.” I held
up the handkerchief for proof.
“The prince’s element is wind,” she said.
Was she implying…?
I looked at Prince Baiyu’s expression. He looked like the cat who had
got the cream.
“Really, what’s the big deal?” I asked them.
“May I stay?” he asked.
“No!” said Fengying. Once again, she bent down to whisper in my ear.
“It’s not appropriate.”
“I’m sorry, it’s my fault for neglecting my guest. I’ll accompany you for
a walk,” I said as tactfully as I could.
I must’ve done the right thing because Fengying nodded in approval.
Putting all the Herblaw things away, I waved them both out of the door,
then changed into sturdier boots.
Due to the current situation with the Emberstone, we were all supposed
to stay inside the farm, so we could only walk to the rice fields and back.
This time of the year, the trees surrounding us were a riot of brown, red, and
orange colors. The air was crisp and cool, and the fallen leaves crunched
under our feet.
“The vegetables are growing well,” I said.
“It looks like you’ll have another good harvest,” said the prince. Unlike
Shuye, he was never too interested in my plants and simply said a few
polite words about them now and then.
“Yes, especially since I remembered to put out the [Lightning Rods] this
time,” I said.
“That’s what these metal poles are for?”
“Yes. Sometimes there are lightning storms that damage the crops, so I
put these up on every field.”
I got up, and we continued walking. At the nearest rice paddy, we
stopped again, and I saw that everything was fine. The water level was at
the appropriate height, which was no surprise since we checked it every few
hours during the day. We walked to the farthest rice field, which was also
doing fine.
“It must be satisfying to grow your own food,” he said.
“The clans don’t grow food, right? Since you guys don’t eat,” I said.
“Not at all. A lot of my fellow clan members have married humans, so
we have quite a few farmers, though we buy a lot of food from the city,” he
said.
“How many humans do you have in your clan?”
“Over a hundred.”
“That’s a lot more than I thought!”
We took our time walking back and chatted about food, humans, and
cultivation for a while. When we got back to the house, I asked him to stop
playing his tricks.
“Tricks? What tricks?” He raised his eyebrows and smiled at me.
“Just stop it, okay? You’ll give my housekeeper a heart attack,” I said.
“I don’t know why you’re so desperate to stay in my room anyway.”
“Oh, I’m sure you know why.” He smirked at me.
I shook my head and gave up. He was obviously enjoying this too
much. “Fine, but I’m keeping my doors and windows closed from now on.”
“That’s unfair! You’re supposed to give me a chance.”
“You’ll live.”

The next few days followed the same pattern. Prince Baiyu tried a whole
host of underhanded strategies to get into my room, from pretending to be
lost, to just outright “accidentally” tripping over his own feet and crashing
through my door.
I gathered from the others’ reactions that this was considered all in good
fun, so I tolerated it and replaced the door with a new, thicker one made of
hardwood.
Since the kids and I were all stuck on the farm, we couldn’t go Fishing,
Foraging, or Hunting, and they were getting antsy, so I asked the prince to
provide them with bows and arrows.
 Unfortunately, as simple farmhands, they did not have the same combat
abilities that I did. They could farm and craft, but their System menu did not
include combat.
“Hey, I’m pretty good at this!” said Kharli. “Look, I hit the target ten
out of ten times.”
She pointed at the wooden archery target painted with concentric circles
of white and red that we had nailed to a tree.
“Watch me, I’m going to hit ten out of ten and get closer to the bull’s-
eye,” boasted Lari.
Alas for him, he only managed to hit the target five out of ten times, but
that was still better than Mo, whose arrows all went awry.
“Never mind,” I said as I patted her shoulder. “It’s only the first day, and
you’ll all get better the more you practice.”
“So we can go Hunting using this instead of traps?” asked Kharli.
“Yes, I like the [Horned Rabbits],” I said. “They taste nice. But this
doesn’t use the Hunting skill, so you won’t get exp.”
“Wouldn’t traps be more efficient?” asked Lari.
“Hmm. It depends on whether or not you’re a good archer, I guess,” I
said.
“I bet I could get a lot of rabbits with this,” said Kharli, holding her bow
aloft.
“You probably could,” I said. “We’ll go when the Emberstone is
returned to the temple.”
“Rabbit stew!” said Lari.
“Practice until your arms feel tired, but don’t exhaust yourselves,” I
said. “You’ve already been shown the correct stance. Don’t fall into any bad
habits, okay?”
They nodded, and we continued training. I was using a [Training
Dummy] from the Cash Shop, and Mr. Bear was right there with me casting
[Fireball]. I wanted to test how fast and efficient my puppet was.
I always thought of Mr. Bear as a “he” instead of an “it” for some
reason.
My archery was really coming along, and I could now shoot ten arrows
a minute with reasonable accuracy. I could always hit the big red circle on
the stomach of the [Training Dummy], but I sometimes failed to strike the
smaller one on its head.
 Mr. Bear, on the other hand, was slower than me, with a rate of fire of
eight spells per minute, but he was always 100 percent accurate. We trained
for an hour, and he never missed. However, ten minutes in, he ran out of
[Spell Stones], and I had to add more to his inventory, which could only
hold a maximum of fifty stones.
“That is one deadly stuffed toy!” said Kharli when we finished our
training.
“Mr. Bear is the best!” I turned off his [Exhibition Mode] and picked
him up.
As we were back to the house, a System notification popped up.

[Investigate the Emberstone: Quest Complete:

Reward: Exp]

I checked the quest information tab and saw that the temple must’ve
finished its work.

[Investigate the Emberstone:

Deep in the forest is a mysterious stone. Explore the surrounding area
and uncover its secrets. (Done)
Check the Emberstone glade for clues. (Done)
Go to the Temple of the Fox Clan and ask them about the stone. Bring
five slices of double-fried tofu as an offering. (Done)
Circle the Sacred Tree of Life nine times. (Done)
Ask Prince Baiyu the true reason why the Emberstone was lost. (Done)
Send the Emberstone back to the Temple of the Fox Clan. (Done)]

Now for the reward! I clicked on the button and was presented with two
choices.

[Choose Reward]
[1. Farming Exp]
[ 2. Astrology Book]

Oh, I remembered this one! Inwardly chucking at the sly antics of the
Adventure Incarnate developers, I picked [1. Farming Exp]. I was quite
saddened when my farming didn’t level up.
Then came the expected message.

[Congratulations! You have received a coupon for a beginner Astrology

Book.]

Astrology was a new skill that the developers had created last year, and
it had been so unpopular that they resorted to giving people free starter
books to get players to try it out. I was one of the many who didn’t like
Astrology.
As my good friend GodIAm said, “I play to get away from school and
studying. The last thing I want to do is read books in the game!”
…Come to think of it, all of the books that I got from the Cash Shop
were all blank. Was that significant? I was never a big reader back on Earth,
but I had to admit it was curious whether or not the [Astrology Book]
would be blank, too.
Maybe I should go to Wukan.
Wukan was a town released during last year’s expansion that heavily
featured Astrology. I decided to visit it in order to use my coupon, but only
after the autumn harvest.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 71

I woke up the next day after dreaming of taking care of a dragon

child. In my dream, I was struggling to find enough food for us. As I lay in
bed, still half-asleep, I felt relieved knowing that harvest day was just
around the corner since I wanted to feed him more vegetables. It was only
after I had gotten up and splashed some water on my face that I realized I
didn’t actually have a dragon child to feed.
Harvest time was always a joyous time, and the autumn harvest was
particularly important because there were no edible winter crops. Therefore,
whatever we harvested in the fall had to provide for our needs for a full six
months, the three months of winter, and the three months of spring.
Harvest day was tomorrow, and we were all inspecting the nearest
paddy. The rice stalks were around three feet high, and the panicles were
heavy with golden seeds. I breathed in deeply. The air was filled with the
sweet fragrance of ripe rice and the rustling of leaves as they brushed
against each other. We had drained the paddies yesterday, and everything
was ready for tomorrow.
Since the harvest season lasted for two weeks, farmers should pick and
choose which crops were ready and should be gathered first, and which
ones would benefit from a few more days in the field. Some of the
vegetables were already at peak ripeness and would be harvested first. We
planned to leave the red and black rice for last since that would give them
more time to dry out, which was apparently good for them.
Deming had already inspected the vegetable plants and told me that
there were not enough. We had plenty of rice and fish, so it’s not like we
would starve, but the kids and I would have to do a lot of foraging to make
up for the vegetable shortfall.
Meat technically wouldn’t be a problem because I could always buy
more demon meat from the White Tiger Clan, and Prince Baiyu gifted a lot
to me. The Demon Chef and his assistants had also been busy making
smoked, salted, dried, cured, and lard-sealed fish and meat for later use.
Still, I liked a full larder, so my apprentices and I would step up our hunting
when spring arrived.
The good news was that Deming had inspected the weird-looking rice
plants now that the grains were ready and assured me that they would
produce [Miracle Pearl Rice]. At least the clans wouldn’t be disappointed.
“Teacher, why do you keep sighing?” asked Kharli.
“Deming said we won’t have enough food,” I said.
“But there’s obviously an easy way to fix that,” said Lari.
“What? How?” I gave him a suspicious look. My [Lazy] apprentice was
prone to finding “solutions” that involved nothing more than ignoring a
problem.
“We’ll have enough vegetables if we reserve them for the four of us. I’ll
even cut my own share in half if I have to,” he said.
“Haha. You’re not getting out of eating your vegetables,” I said.
If it was up to him, he would eat only rice, fish, and meat every day.
“But it’s true. We have more than enough for the four of us,” he said.
“Yes…” That was indeed true, but feeding my staff spiritual food was
part of their perks. I was pretty sure it was a big part of how I was able to
attract a top talent like the Demon Chef.
“Teacher, there’s no need to worry, I can forage a lot!” said Mo.
“Normally you can, but not in winter. Hmmm. I guess we’ll have to stop
growing the trees and fill the [Greenhouse] with vegetables instead,” I said.
“We do have over three hundred trees, anyway,” said Kharli.
“I’m sure it will all work out,” said Lari. “Why are you so worried,
Teacher? We have enough for five months, and when spring comes, we’ll
be able to forage.”
“No, it’s nothing important. I’m just mad at myself for making a
mistake about how much we planted last time.”
Kharli nodded. “We probably should have planted more vegetables
instead of rice.”
 “Kharli, you have the notes about the summer season, right? Make sure
you also write down how much we harvest of each vegetable crop. I want to
plant the most productive seeds in the [Greenhouse],” I said.
“Teacher, I didn’t take notes, but I memorized it,” said Mo.
She started reciting the harvest figures until Lari cut her off by saying,
“Stop showing off and just get to the point.”
“Potatoes, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, corn, beans, and chili peppers gave
the most exp,” she said, pouting.
“That’s good to know. Let’s decide what we’ll plant after the autumn
harvest season is finished,” I said. “Pay attention to which crops give the
most food.”
After we finished inspecting the crops, Kharli and Lari went back to the
house to rest, while Mo and I went our separate ways to forage. Kharli and
Lari had done all of the weeding and watering today in order to allow Mo to
keep most of her energy. We did it that way because she was so good at
foraging that she would probably be able to gather twice as much as the
other two combined. I did caution her to only use half of her energy because
she needed to be at peak condition tomorrow.
We walked a little way into the forest together, then parted company.
Unfortunately, we had already foraged two days ago, so it was likely that all
of the nearby foraging spots were depleted. I had to go deeper into the
forest than I normally did. I put Mr. Bear on [Guard Mode] and walked for
the rest of the morning, only stopping to eat the packed lunch that Fengying
had handed to me before I left.
I sat on the root of a towering oak tree as I ate the lo mai gai, sticky rice
with demon chicken, black mushrooms, and wild scallions cooked in lotus
leaves. The Demon Chef had really outdone himself this time. It was so
good that I licked the lotus leaves clean when I finished eating the rice.
The crisp autumn air stung my cheeks, and the damp leaves underneath
my feet squished and crunched loudly as I walked. It had rained yesterday,
which made the ground muddy, but it was good for the mushrooms, which I
found growing in abundance. I found a scattering of [Chanterelles],
[Porcini], and [Morels] at different spots, and I was very pleased when I
found a patch of ripe [Elderberries]. The berries grew in bunches, so I
simply used the scissors from the System toolbelt to cut the stems instead of
trying to pick off each berry individually.
 By that time, it was already midafternoon, so I walked back home using
a different path and was lucky enough to find a small patch of [Blueberry]
bushes. I plucked the few that were ripe.
When I came across a stream, I took out a few of the berries and washed
them in the crystal-clear, icy water. The taste of the [Blueberries] was tart,
with only a slight sweetness. Wild berries tended to be less sweet than the
cultivated varieties. I was about to eat an [Elderberry] when a System pop-
up appeared.

[Elderberries should be cooked before eating.]

What? Did this mean that they were toxic if eaten raw? I hadn’t known
that. It was a good thing that the System warned me before I ate them.
Putting the berries back in my inventory, I walked back home, shivering
at the thought that I had almost poisoned myself because of carelessness.

The next day, the entire household got up one hour before dawn, and we all
ate a quick, hot breakfast before heading out to the vegetable plants.
“Yes! Can I please go first?” asked Mo. Her cheeks were red, and her
eyes were shining with excitement.
“Of course not! Don’t be silly. Teacher always goes first,” said Kharli.
“Thank you, thank you. I will go first, and I will harvest the potatoes, as
is traditional,” I said.
Carefully putting on my gardening gloves, I walked over to where the
[Potatoes] were waiting. I used a spading fork to loosen the soil around the
plants, then dug underneath them to lift the [Potatoes] from the soil.
Deming held out his hand, and I placed a potato on it.
I think we were all expecting him to say “Alabaster Spirit Potato, low
grade” again, so everyone was shocked when he made his assessment.
“Spirit Potato, unknown inedible variety. Low grade,” he said.
“Unknown!”
“What does he mean by ‘unknown’?”
“It’s a totally new variety.”
“It’s not even edible.”
 “It looks the same as a regular potato.”
“This farm doesn’t grow regular potatoes. You mean the [Alabaster
Spirit Potato].”
The assistants and maids were still busy gossiping about it when I
handed the Demon Chef another potato.
This time he gave the expected assessment. “Alabaster Spirit Potato,
low grade.”
“Phew!”
“Thank goodness!”
“I was worried about nothing. It was probably just that one potato that’s
weird.”
My apprentices crowded close to me to poke at the “unknown” potato.
It was a very weird potato indeed.

[Thunderbolt Tuber:
A special potato infused with the spirit of lightning.
Type: Ammo]

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 Chapter 72

O h , it was just a [T hunderbolt T uber ]. T hose were added in a minor

update to celebrate Adventure Incarnate’s fifth anniversary. Or maybe it
was the sixth. Anyway, a free [Potato Cannon] was added to the Cash Shop
for everyone to enjoy. I used to go to the Chitinous Caverns with GodIAm
to kill [Cavecrawlers] with the cannon. Nostalgia hit me hard when I
thought about those days when I was a young and avid player of an
MMORPG that was at its peak popularity.
I checked my inventory, and sure enough, I had 2,147,483,647
[Thunderbolt Tubers]. The [Potato Cannon] was pretty effective when a
player needed to kill a lot of mobs, but the downside of using it was that it
only gave half the regular combat experience. It was still useful if you only
wanted the drops, though.
The kids were fascinated by the strange potato.
“What’s this, Teacher?” asked Kharli.
“Don’t worry about it,” I said.
When I put the item in the inventory, instead of having a stack of
2,147,483,648, I got one stack of 2,147,483,647 and one stack with only
one tuber. It was a peculiarity of the game that 2,147,483,647 was the
maximum number of items that one could have in one inventory slot.
“Can I eat it?” asked Lari even though I had already put it away.
“No! Don’t eat strange stuff,” I said. “Everyone, start harvesting.
Remember not to use up all your energy or you’ll collapse.”
“Yes!” Mo scampered off to the other side of the field and started
harvesting the [Sweet Potatoes].
 “Those are mine!” said Kharli as she tried to run ahead of her fellow
apprentice.
They were fighting over the [Sweet Potatoes] because they gave more
exp compared to the other vegetables.
Lari didn’t bother competing with them over the [Sweet Potatoes] and
headed straight to the Three Sisters mounds where he immediately started
harvesting the [Corn], [Beans], and [Squash].
I continued to harvest the [Potatoes] until I was almost out of energy,
putting the them in wheelbarrows when I was done because they were
going to be taken to the house for cleaning. I also stored the plant’s inedible
parts in my inventory for later use.
The trophy added a tiny amount of exp, which was hardly noticeable
when harvesting. I noted that my apprentices were so used to it by now that
they didn’t even comment about the boost.

[Ninth Place Trophy (Mid-Autumn Farming Contest)

A wooden trophy in the shape of an acorn.
+0.1% Farming Exp]

Mentally giving the Mid-Autumn game event two thumbs-up, I tried to

calculate how much bonus experience I was getting. It wasn’t a lot, but the
cumulative effect was very welcome, and all I had to do to get a trophy was
to create a nice stall display and make nice with the townspeople.
It was totally worth it, in my opinion. Perhaps next year I’d get an even
better trophy.
I finished harvesting the [Potatoes] before mid-morning.
“Lady, get some rest,” said Fengying as she handed me a piece of cloth
I could use to wipe my sweat with. “We’ll take care of the vegetables.”
“Great!” I motioned to my apprentices, who obediently showed me their
harvest. Then I handed the baskets of vegetables to be judged by our
resident expert.
“Starry Sweet Potato, low grade,” was the verdict from Deming.
Despite the fact that his tone of voice was monotone, his eyes gleamed. It
was nice to see that the Demon Chef was as excited to cook the fresh
vegetables as I was to eat them. The rest of the crops had appropriately
awesome-sounding names. “Hundred Treasure Spirit Corn, low grade.
Mystic Summer Squash, low grade. Phantasmal Beans, low grade.”
 When he finished the evaluation, Deming and his assistants took the
produce away to work his miracles on them. My mouth watered at the
thought of the upcoming harvest feast.
“Aw, everything is low-grade again!” said Lari.
I ignored his whining and asked them, “How’s your energy?”
“Almost gone,” said Kharli.
Lari held up his thumb and index finger a few millimeters apart to
indicate the amount that was left in his energy bar. “This much.”
“I have a little bit left!” said Mo. “Can I harvest more?”
“It’s best that you rest,” I said. “Remember what happened last time.”
During the summer harvest, she had collapsed and missed a few days’
worth of exp.
“Yes, Teacher,” said Mo.
“We’re done for the day,” I said to Fengying.
My household and I trooped back to the main house, content with the
day’s harvest.

The rest of the vegetable field was harvested in five days. Since the next
season was winter, the cover crop I used this time wasn’t the [Wild Seed
Mix] but the [Winter Seed Mix] that contained special frost-resistant
wildflowers, grasses, and legumes that would protect the soil from erosion
and add nutrients to it. Due to the simplified graphics of the game, the
winter cover crops were exactly the same as the regular ones, except
palette-changed to icy blue and white colors.
Now that we were finished with the vegetables, it was time to tackle the
rice paddies.
“Deming says that the black and red rice crops are ready to be
harvested. Let’s go!” I set off with my three apprentices, Fengying and
Deming, the kitchen assistants, and the maids behind me, like a mother
duck with her ducklings.
The red rice was waist high and had bright green leaves and stems that
were slightly bent down due to the weight of the seeds. I took out a sickle
from the toolbelt and slashed at the nearest plant, which immediately
disappeared into my System inventory, the rice seeds already separated
from the rest of the plant.
Though I had manually harvested the [Potatoes] and some of the other
vegetables earlier, the [Rice] was a different matter. Harvesting it manually
meant that I would have to use the sickle to cut off the plants, which would
then have to be threshed in the traditional manner, by beating the rice plants
against something hard like a table or bench.
Or I could just automatically harvest it using the System.
Actually, I thought normal rice was bundled after harvesting and left in
the fields to dry for a while before threshing, but I didn’t want to do all that
since it took too much physical effort, and I wanted to save my energy.
Therefore, we used the automatic harvesting mode.
I gave the kids the signal, and they dashed off to the other side of the
field and settled into their positions, widely spaced apart in order to avoid
hitting each other with the sickles. Then they started swinging away. It
didn’t take long until Mo dropped her sickle and started jumping around
like a demented rabbit.
“Fireworks! I leveled up!” she screamed.
“Congratulations,” I said.
“Congratulations,” said everyone.
After thirty seconds, the fireworks died down, and we continued
harvesting. The plants smelled like fresh hay but with a little more
sweetness and earthiness mixed in. We worked until our energy ran out,
which didn’t take long at all since we were in automatic mode.
“All right, show me what you’ve got,” I said to my apprentices.
They obediently took out the rice in their inventory, and we merged the
half-filled sacks until we had a total of five.
Deming walked over and scooped up a handful of the grains. “Tiger’s
Blood Rice, low grade.”
“What a name!” said Kharli. “It’s not poisonous or anything, is it?”
“Does it ooze blood when you bite into it?” asked Lari.
Mo didn’t say anything and just knelt in front of an open sack, sniffing
and inspecting the grains.
I had to admit that it did look a little weird to people who were not
familiar with red rice. The grains had an uneven coloration that ranged from
light pink to dark reddish-brown, and in their unmilled form, they looked
quite rough.
 “But it’s almost medium grade,” added Deming.
“That’s great!” I said. “And red rice is healthier than white rice.”
“What does it taste like?” asked Lari.
“A little nuttier and sweeter than white rice, I think,” I said. “The
texture is a little tougher and chewier, too.”
“Aw, that’s no good. I like my rice fluffy.” Lari remained unconvinced
of the superiority of red rice over white rice.
“Kids always prefer the softer rice,” said Fengying.
I thought she was trying to console me.
“Never mind. We’re done here. I’ll just bring this to the mill,” I said.
The white rice would be sold to the clans, who would do their own
milling, but we were keeping the black and red rice for ourselves. I really
didn’t trust outside millers to properly process the exotic varieties, so I was
going to mill those myself.
When we got to the [Rice Mill], I climbed the ladder and poured the rice
into the container while the kids played rock-paper-scissors to determine
which one of them would press the big red Start/Stop button.
“Yes! I’m the winner!” said Kharli.
“I never win,” said Lari.
“You’re very unlucky,” said Mo.
I finished filling the container and climbed down the ladder. Everyone,
even Fengying and Deming, crowded around the middle part of the
machine and watched in fascination as it made loud grinding noises as the
gears started turning.
The weird thing was that even though the machine’s parts started
moving, none of the rice could be seen inside. I thought it was quite
possible that the machine was just a fake, and the System was the one that
did all the work.
“Kids, let’s go back to the house and soak in the hot springs to recover
some energy.”

The next day, I personally harvested the black rice since it seemed like I
was the only one who really wanted it. When I showed it to Deming, he
said that it was “Purple Orchid Rice, low grade.”
 That was extremely strange because the rice was definitely black. I
shouldn’t have doubted him, however, since after I sent the rice to the mill,
the result was a dark purple rice.
Once all of the exotic varieties had been harvested, it was time for the
main event, the white rice. My apprentices were quite excited by this and
set to it with a will.
“The exp, give me the exp,” chanted Mo as she swung her scythe.
“I think we’re harvesting more compared to the red rice,” said Lari.
It was true. These plants were definitely giving us more seeds and hence
more exp compared to the red and black rice.
“I’m close, I’m so close! One more! That’s it!” Kharli was so excited
that she flung her scythe away when fireworks erupted all around her.
Thankfully, it didn’t hit anyone. “I leveled up!”
As a good and responsible teacher, I allowed her to jump and dance
around to celebrate until the fireworks died down. Then I scolded her.
“Safety first. Don’t ever throw a sharp object like that ever again.”
“Sorry,” she said.
“Okay. Continue.”
In the end, we managed to harvest a total of seven sacks of white rice
until we all ran out of energy.
We still had a week left, and based on the amount of work we had done
today, we would need all of it. I was even worried that we would run out of
time before we finished harvesting everything.

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 Chapter 73

W e made it , but just barely . O n the last day of the fall harvest
season, all three of my apprentices collapsed as a result of using up every
bit of their energy. However, we were able to bring in all of the crops.
The kids’ levels had risen quite nicely.

[Apprentice Name: Kharli

Farming Skills:
Farming Level 14, Fishing Level 6, Woodcutting Level 11, Cooking
Level 2, Herblaw Level 1, Foraging Level 6, Hunting Level 5]

[Apprentice Name: Lari

Farming Skills:
Farming Level 14, Fishing Level 10, Woodcutting Level 10, Cooking
Level 1, Herblaw Level 1, Foraging Level 4, Hunting Level 8]

[Apprentice Name: Mo
Farming Skills:
Farming Level 14, Fishing Level 4, Woodcutting Level 11, Cooking
Level 2, Herblaw Level 1, Foraging Level 10, Hunting Level 4]

My own levels were nothing to brag about. Yet.

[Player Name: Violet

 Farming Skills:
Farming Level 19, Fishing Level 12, Woodcutting Level 19, Cooking
Level 5, Herblaw Level 15, Foraging Level 6, Hunting Level 3, Mining
Level 1]

I had done a little bit of everything this autumn, except for Hunting and
Mining. My Foraging level was really lagging behind even though I liked
the skill. The problem was that Mo, Kharli, and I had to venture further out
every time we Foraged since we had exhausted the resources near the farm.
Woodcutting, as usual, was easy for me to do since I was living in the
middle of a primeval forest. Fishing would’ve been harder, but I had the
cheat, so I leveled it up pretty quickly compared to the other skills.
I whistled as I walked around the empty fields that had been sown with
the [Winter Seed Mix]. The cover crops that had been planted during the
summer and fall were full-grown by now, though they were already turning
brown, and the flowers were wilted. The winter cover crops would grow for
a few weeks until the first frost. All of them would die off by the end of
winter and nourish the soil. I had high hopes that this would improve the
soil enough that we would be able to produce medium-grade crops soon.
When I was done inspecting the farm, I returned to the house and saw
that everyone was busy preparing the feast.
“How are the kids?” I asked Fengying.
“They’re sleeping in their rooms,” she said.
“Is the [Rice] ready for pickup?” Shuye would be arriving this afternoon
to collect the [Rice] that I was selling to the clans.
We now had three different kinds of [Rice], and the white one was the
only one they were interested in.

[White Pearl Rice:

The Fox goddess taught humans the art of cultivating rice. Seven gods
are said to inhabit each grain of rice, so wasting this precious food is a
sin.]

The new red rice looked great, but the others simply weren’t interested
in it.
 [Tiger’s Blood Rice:
Short-grained red rice. According to a local legend, one day a tiger lord
found wild spirit rice growing near his home and informed the human
villagers about it so that they could enjoy this bounty. Over many
generations, humans cultivated and consumed the spirit rice until the
crop was stricken with disease. They went to their lord to get his advice.
When he saw that the rice was dying, he watered the paddy with a few
drops of his blood, which cured the disease. Since then, the rice turned
red.]

As for the black rice, when it was milled, it turned out to be a dark
purple rather than a true black.

[Purple Orchid Rice:

A magnificent and exotic variety of rice known for its floral aroma.
Beloved by the Fox goddess, it is used in many rituals.]

The moment I retrieved the sacks of [Rice] from the mill, I expected a
quest to pop out from the System, but no such thing happened. That was
just as well since planting season came right after the harvest season, and
we were all going to be very busy preparing the farm for the upcoming
winter.
But first, the Harvest Feast!
I went to my room for a nap, then had a bath in the hot spring before
fixing my hair and changing into a lovely new set of clothes from the Cash
Shop. The [Winter Dream] set, made of spider silk, was made of five layers
of clothes: underwear, innerwear (pants and robe), skirt and robe, vest, and
a loose filmy coat to drape over it all. This all wouldn’t have been necessary
if the others hadn’t protested when I tried to turn on the climate control for
the entire house. They said they felt stifled when the wind wasn’t allowed to
enter the courtyard. I had to admit they had a point, so we only heated the
rooms, not the rest of the house.
When I was ready, I made my way to the banquet hall.
Everyone was really used to eating together in the outer courtyard, but I
had been able to persuade them that a big feast like this one would be better
in a more formal setting. Therefore, I had placed banquet tables and chairs
in the main hall. The advantage of this was that the place was heated, so we
wouldn’t have to eat wearing padded jackets or thick coats.
There I found that Shuye was waiting for me. I handed him the [Crocus]
flower as usual, which he put on his belt.
“Congratulations on another successful harvest,” he said.
We bowed politely to each other.
“Thank you. How have you been? How’s your wife?” I asked him.
“She’s doing very well! I have to tell you that I won’t be able to
supervise you much when you’re in the desert. I have to stay near my wife
because of her condition.”
“Of course! I never expected you to keep an eye on us there.”
“Let me know if you need anything.”
“Hmmm. I expect we’ll be bored if we stay there all the time. Any
suggestions?”
“There’s not much to do during the winter.” He scratched his head as he
thought about it. “Do you want to go to the beach again?”
“I probably will. Is the letter still valid?” I meant the letter he had given
me before that gave me permission to build temporary structures at the
Emerald Cove.
“It’s still valid.”
“Wonderful…”
“It will be cold there, but I think you’ll enjoy yourself.”
“I’m already shivering when I think about it! By the way, I have a little
bit of a special rice here. Can you send some to the Fox Clan’s temple?
Anonymously, of course.”
“Of course.”
We made a little more small talk until the feast was ready, then he left to
bring the sacks of newly harvested rice to the White Tiger Clan’s
warehouse.
“Good evening, Teacher,” said my apprentices when they arrived.
They looked pale and tired, with dark circles under their eyes.
“My lady, the feast is ready,” said Fengying.
She ushered us into the hall where we sat down and enjoyed the fruits of
our labor.
First, we were served hot tea and a dish of cold cuts. It was a traditional
starter, but never my favorite, especially now that the weather was cold.
Next came a wonderful soup called One Hundred Birds Paying Homage to
the Phoenix. It came in a big porcelain bowl, and when Fengying lifted the
lid, I saw that it was a whole chicken surrounded by chicken-shaped
dumplings in a clear broth.
Banquets were slow affairs, with dishes being served sometimes an hour
apart. My three apprentices were beyond tired when we started but regained
their spirit when we started eating. The table became lively with their
chatter.
“Madame Fengying said that the banquet is rice-themed,” said Lari.
Ever since he arrived at the farm, he had been a big eater and was always
the first to learn about what food we were having next, though nowadays I
noticed that he ate a lot less than he did before.
“The next dish will be the mushrooms I foraged,” said Mo.
“After that will be fish and rice,” said Kharli.
The three of them had definitely become foodies.
As dish after dish of delicious food was served, we became lively and a
little sleepy. However, we all sat up to attention when Deming himself came
out of the kitchen to place a small, steaming hot clay pot in front of me.
“Claypot Chicken Rice,” he said.
“Oh, I love claypot rice!” I said.
It was, as the name implied, chicken, rice, mushrooms, and vegetables
cooked together in a clay pot.
I eagerly dug in and started eating. The moment I put a spoonful in my
mouth, I was in rapture at the complex flavors and textures of the dish.
“If you weren’t already married, I’d ask you to marry me!” I said to the
Demon Chef.
Everyone, even Fengying and Deming, laughed.
“That’s exactly what the duchess said.” Fengying’s eyes twinkled.
“That’s why we had to leave the duke’s service.”
“A certain prince might cry if he heard you,” said Deming. That was the
longest sentence that I had ever heard him say.
His assistants started going around and distributing the claypot rice to
the others, and he went back to the kitchen to prepare the rest of the food.
“I think I must have saved the world in my last life to be able to eat this
kind of food,” said Kharli.
My other two apprentices nodded.
“Maybe I was a great general, and now I’m being rewarded for my
meritorious deeds in my past life,” said Lari.
 “I probably was so pitiful in my last life that the gods took pity on me
and made me lucky in this life,” said Mo.
By the time we finished the next two dishes, it was almost midnight, but
there was one last thing served, sweet red bean soup made with beans, red
rice, and sugar.
“Ah! Blood soup!” said Lari. I thought he was going to reject it, but he
lifted it and tipped it into his mouth. He finished the small bowl in seconds
and said, “Delicious.”
The two girls sniffed their food suspiciously while I ate. Lari asked for
two more bowls.
Eventually, Mo dipped a spoon in it and then licked the spoon. “It
doesn’t taste like blood at all!”
Reassured, Kharli tried it out, too. “Sweet.”
I laughed a little at their antics and continued eating.
At the end of the banquet, Deming came out of the kitchen, and we
applauded his efforts.
However, it did not escape my notice that he hadn’t cooked the black
rice.
Was there a problem with it? I decided to ask him tomorrow since it was
already late, and he had been working hard since dawn.

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 Chapter 74

O nce the harvest was done , I gave my apprentices a few days off so
they could rest, since they had collapsed from exhaustion on the last day.
Then I sent them off to the city for the last shopping trip of the year with
Fengying and Deming along with some junior members of the household
staff. Even though we were moving south for the winter, Fengying still
thought it best that she buy proper winter clothing for everyone.
Everyone except for me, that was. I had plenty of warm clothes from the
Cash Shop.
The Demon Chef also wanted to buy a few things for the kitchen and
some miscellaneous ingredients that the farm didn’t have like tofu, wine,
eggs, etc. When I asked him about the black rice, he said it had been taken
to the temple. I was rather taken aback since it seemed that there had been a
miscommunication since I hadn’t meant for Shuye to take all of the black
rice there. However, Deming clarified that he had been the one who sent the
rice to be blessed by the Temple. Legend had it that the rice was not fit for
human consumption until it was blessed by the Fox goddess. We’d get it
back.
That was fine with me.
I stayed at home to rest, too. Although I hadn’t collapsed like the others,
I still felt rather tired.
When they returned, laden with dozens and dozens of packages, the
kitchen staff started their own project. I was aware that in Korea, back on
Earth, kimchi making was a big thing in local communities during the
colder months. Pao chai, or Chinese pickles, were also popular in Sichuan. I
didn’t realize that it was also a tradition in this world.
It totally made sense, of course. Most people weren’t cultivators, so they
didn’t have a soul space like I did, which meant that they needed old-school
preservation methods to store vegetables during the peak season to have
food available during the winter months. Besides, even if we didn’t
technically need this type of food, Deming said that the taste of fermented
pickled vegetables was very different from that of fresh ones. I also knew
that fermented food had “good bacteria” in it.
Everyone helped out in preparing the vegetables, which were washed,
cut, and dried before being packed in special jars and immersed in salt
brine. The pickle jar had a wide shoulder and narrow mouth. It also had a
channel or moat around the opening that was filled with water and then
covered by a bowl-shaped lid. The water served to seal the vegetables
inside.
In addition, they were making ham.
“Ham? I love ham!” I said.
“This won’t be ready until next year,” said Fengying.
“I can’t wait until next year!” I said.
Chuckling, I took a bite out of the apple I was eating and got out of her
hair.
It was almost the end of the planting season, and we had already sowed
the winter cover crop everywhere there was bare soil. I gestured to my
apprentices to follow me, and we walked to the farthest field, the one that
had been the rice paddy during the autumn season. Now it was empty
except for the seeds we had planted.
“They’ll grow for a few weeks, then die at the first frost and break down
into nutrients that will improve the soil,” I said.
“Then we’re going to use this field during the spring planting?” asked
Kharli.
“No. We’ll use the other parts of the farm that we cleared,” I said.
“Examine the soil.”
We knelt down and looked at the condition of the field.
“Why does the soil seem dry?” asked Mo.
“It looks the same to me,” said Lari.
“No, I think it is drier than the soil in the other parts of the farm,” said
Kharli.
 I got up and said, “Well, maybe we can’t see the difference with our
eyes, but when we grow crops, they take nutrients from the soil, which have
to be replenished. The cover crops will help with that, and also we won’t
sow the same fields every season. We’ll let them rest and recover.”
“Teacher, can we pick the edible flowers that grew from the [Wild Seed
Mix]?” asked Mo.
“Mmm.” I wasn’t sure about that. Players couldn’t interact with the
cover crops in Adventure Incarnate. Would it be okay to eat the edible
wildflowers?
“But the soil needs the flowers, right?” asked Kharli. “They’re supposed
to nourish the soil, not us.”
“It probably wouldn’t hurt to pick them, though I’d rather leave them
alone,” I said.
We moved on to check the cover crops that I had planted in the spring.
They were now waist high, and the flowers were just starting to wilt. In
contrast to the grass in the forest that had turned brown, the plants grown
from the [Wild Seed Mix] were still bright green. I supposed that was
because they were spiritual plants. Though the System only identified them
as cover crops, I had asked the others about it, and we had been able to
identify some of them such as [Vetch], [Mustard], [Clover], [Pea],
[Sunflowers], [Rapeseed], and [Star Lilies]. My favorite purple flower, the
[Violet], also grew there.
“Everything looks okay. Tomorrow we’ll pack everything up, and the
day after that, we’ll go south.”

For me, of course, packing was dead easy. All I had to do was think about
it, and my items went into my inventory. The rest of my household dashed
around here and there, putting things in boxes and crates to be loaded onto
the carts that were waiting right outside the gate.
I offered to put everything in my inventory, but Fengying politely
refused. I’m not sure whether it was because she didn’t want to bother me
or whether she just preferred to have everything on hand where she could
see it.
 “This is so exciting! We’re moving south for the winter, just like the
birds,” I said. “Is everybody ready? Okay. Let’s go.”
Since it was a lot more comfortable than the ox cart, I had offered
Fengying and Deming the use of the carriage, and she had accepted with the
condition that I leave first.
This morning at dawn I had demolished the [Rice Mill] and
[Greenhouse]. The main house would automatically disappear after seven
days unless I returned to it. Player-owned houses had to be periodically
occupied or else the game would remove them to make space for new
players. The System information about the house confirmed that this was
also true in this world.
The driver that Prince Baiyu had provided helped us load our personal
belongings into the carriage, then my apprentices and I hopped inside.
The four of us were dressed in old work clothes and secondhand boots.
The problem of the [Lizardwing] poop that coated our footwear had been
on my mind, so I had asked Fengying to buy a few more pairs of boots for
all of us. That way, we would have plenty that we could use while the maids
were cleaning the dirty ones.
“You didn’t see it last time, did you? The house Teacher built there was
three times bigger than the house we have here,” said Kharli.
“That’s because there’s more space there,” I said.
“It’s nothing but space,” said Lari.
“I like it,” said Mo.
“How were the animals the last time you saw them?” I asked Kharli.
She was the last one who had been assigned to look after them.
“Stinky! Extremely stinky!” said Kharli.
“And healthy, I assume?”
She nodded.
“How was the grass?”
“Much healthier.”
“Mmm.” I had forgotten to ask her this earlier since I had been busy
with the harvest. I was sure she would’ve told me without asking if there
had been any problem.
“The trees looked the same, and the people there said that the swales
were working.”
“Good, though I think that might’ve been your imagination. It’s only
been a few weeks, and I doubt there’s much difference.”
 “Well, there was just a very slight improvement…”
“I hope so. Just remember that this is a long-term project. Don’t expect
results right away.”
We talked a little more about the project, then rested until we arrived at
our destination where I found an unexpected surprise waiting for me.
“Prairie Elk? Really?” I exclaimed.
The System popup confirmed it for me.

[Side Quest: Hunt Prairie Elk

Prairie Elk: 0/3
Reward: Hunting Exp]

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 Chapter 75

I wasn ’ t sure if this was a good thing or not . O n the one hand ,
migrating elk passing through Blossom Valley would leave a lot of
droppings, which was good for the soil. On the other hand, they would
definitely eat the grass, which was bad for the soil.
Wait a minute, did elk even migrate?
This was weird…
It was true that there was grass, but this was hardly prime grazing
ground for the [Prairie Elk]. Was there water here for them to drink?
I had so many questions, and the five members of the White Tiger Clan
who were waiting for us at the site answered them all for me after the
carriage driver said his goodbyes and flew off in a rush since he had to
make another trip for Fengying and Deming.
“We have no idea where they came from. They just appeared from
nowhere,” said the shortest one who seemed to be their leader or at least
their spokesman.
I remembered a little about the elk from the game. “Aren’t they from
Wolf Mountain? Did something happen to their normal habitat?”
“Which Wolf Mountain? Little Wolf Mountain? Stone Wolf Hill? Wolf
Peak?”
“I have absolutely no idea.” It was just called “Wolf Mountain” in the
game.
“In any case, they are not aggressive. Don’t get too close to them,
though.”
“That would be wise. What are you planning to do?”
 “These are extremely valuable spirit animals. We’ve sent word to the
clan head.”
Oh, right. I hadn’t realized that these were spirit animals. “I would like
to hunt a few of them. We need the meat.”
“How many?”
“Just three.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem. I’ll get three of them for you.”
“Thank you, but I would like to hunt them myself. I have a trap that I
would like to test,” I said.
The five of them then huddled together and whispered stuff that I
couldn’t hear. At the end of their discussion, the leader turned to me and
said, “That should be fine.”
“Thank you. I’ll prepare the house now and set the traps later.”
“Please let us know if you need anything. We’re here to help you.”
We bowed to each other courteously, then I went to the designated spot
with my apprentices. As we walked there, the clan members pointed out the
improvements that they had done to the place. The question of how the elk
could find water was answered when I saw that they had dug a shallow
pond that was currently full of water.
“There’s water in it right now, because it rained yesterday, but I fear it’s
not enough for the animals,” said one of the White Tiger Clan members.
“It’s okay, I can help with that!”
When we reached the right place, I simply used the System menu to
build the largest [Two Courtyard House] option available, adding the
[Elegant Chinese Garden] to the west side. The clan members were
thunderstruck when they saw a magic circle appear on the ground.
Moments later, the house appeared, but I wasn’t done yet. All around the
perimeter of the house, I added as many [Nirvana Lotus Ponds] as I could.
“Wow! The house is so big!” Lari tried to run to the house, but I
grabbed him by the back of his robe.
“Wait, I’m not finished,” I said.
Next, I added the furniture packs for the various rooms inside the house.
This took quite a while, and I let my apprentices wander around while I was
working on it. There were a lot more rooms compared to the house at the
farm, and I took the time to carefully and thoughtfully add the furniture.
Since we were going to be working with extremely smelly animals, I
once again put a shower room right outside the main gate. I also added
some guest bedrooms for the clan members who would be staying with us.
Most importantly, I added four workshop rooms around the inner courtyard,
one for each of us.
By the time I was done, I noticed that the [Prairie Elk] had been
attracted by the smell of the water and were already at the [Nirvana Lotus
Ponds]. Good.
“Lari, I want to place a [Pit Trap]. Where do you think I should put it?”
I asked him because he had the highest Hunting level among the four of us.
“Hmm.” He looked around thoughtfully and pointed at a place near the
ponds.
“Okay. Thank you.”
The [Pit Trap] was simply a big hole that was dug in the ground for the
[Prairie Elk] to fall into. I selected it from the Hunting toolbelt and placed it
in the spot Lari had chosen. Then I left it alone. Animals would not go near
a trap when there was a human there.
“Teacher! Can I place a [Pit Trap], too?” asked Lari.
“No, not this time. I need the exp.” I had only asked permission to hunt
three of the elk, and I wasn’t sure if my apprentice’s success would count as
far as the quest was concerned.
I turned to the leader of the clan observers and asked him, “Would the
clan like to buy the [Lizardwings]?”
“You’re selling them? I thought you needed them to improve the soil,”
he said.
“I have more eggs,” I said.
Though everything had gone well so far, I thought it would be good to
sell some animals, since it seemed inadvisable for me to be the only owner
of [Lizardwings]. If more people raised them, my desert base wouldn’t be
unique or especially noteworthy. This was the same philosophy behind my
sharing information about the tree boxes and swales.
“We would love to buy them,” he said.
“Um, can you build cages for transporting the animals?”
“We’ll take care of it.”
“Great!”

“Teacher, how much will they sell for?” asked Lari.

“I’m sure Shuye will negotiate a good price for them,” I said.
The three of them exchanged looks, and Lari rolled his eyes.
 “We’re done here, so let’s head to the hill.” It had rained yesterday, and
I wanted to see what had happened to the swales.
“Yes, Teacher,” they chorused before they started running to Skyfang
Hill.
When we got there, I saw that the swales still had a bit of water in them.
I stepped into one to clean off some of the stinky poop on my boots, and the
others followed suit.
“The ground here seems less dry,” said Mo.
“Of course it’s less dry. They said it just rained yesterday,” said Kharli.
“I thought it didn’t rain here. That’s why it’s a desert,” said Lari.
“It rains, just not a lot,” said Kharli.
“Everything seems to be fine. Did you see any signs of the soil being
loosened by the rain and washed out?” I asked them.
“It seems fine!” said Lari.
“Let’s look around. Go up the hill a little in different directions. Meet
me at the house in an hour.”
I walked straight up, and the others scattered.
The swale and berm method worked best when there were trees, too. I
looked around for the best place to plant trees. Obviously, we would be
planting trees all over the hill, but I thought it would be best to start with the
top and then work our way down. My inspection of the earthworks took
more than an hour, but at the end of it, I was satisfied that the swales had
been built well and were working effectively.
The kids were waiting for me at the house and told me that everything
looked good to them, too.
“Okay, just one last thing before we rest. Let’s take a look at our trees!”
This was my favorite part of the project. The swales were just muddy
puddles, and the [Lizardwings] were a menace to my olfactory organs, but
the trees were a pure delight.
I beamed with joy as the observers from the White Tiger Clan
complimented me on the healthy condition of the trees. The [Dendrological
Cultivation Chambers] were full of water because of the rain, and the
saplings were green and healthy despite the barren condition of the land
around them.
“Just imagine these trees filling the entire hill and valley,” I said to
everyone.
 “Teacher, how long will it take for the trees to grow as tall as me?”
asked Lari.
“Years. Probably at least two years,” I said.
“That’s not as long as I thought it would take. I thought it would be like
ten years,” said Lari.
Trees in Adventure Incarnate grew to adult size in one year and started
producing fruit in their second year. I wasn’t quite sure that that would be
true in this world, though.
“It could be longer…” I said.
We were talking about the trees and the project in general when one of
the clan members noticed that the carriage was approaching, so we walked
to the landing area to meet with the rest of our household.
Just when I was about to greet my housekeeper and Demon Chef, I got a
notification from the System.

[Side Quest: Hunt Prairie Elk

Prairie Elk: 1/3
Reward: Hunting Exp]

Yes!

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 Chapter 76

T here was no time limit for the quest , but the [P rairie E lk ]
wouldn’t stay in Blossom Valley forever, which meant that I had a limited
time to hunt them. I hurriedly greeted Fengying and Deming, then rushed
off to check the [Pit Trap].
Fortunately, all I had to do was walk near the trap in order to collect the
body of the elk. I didn’t have to go down into the pit to lift it. I was more
than a little uneasy when I saw the animal’s body, but Hunting in this world
was a must if I wanted to feed my household. Though it would be difficult
for me, I had to get over my squeamishness about killing animals for food.
I deactivated the trap, which filled in the hole automatically, then asked
Lari where I should place the next trap. After I finished setting up the [Pit
Trap] in another place, I invited the observers to go to the house with me
where I could show them the guest bedrooms.
They took a quick look around the outer courtyard and the rooms I
showed them, but they were much more interested in the [Dendrological
Cultivation Chamber]. I took one out from my inventory and showed them
all the features. The youngest of the observers took down notes and even
made a drawing of it.
The rest of my household arrived an hour later in the ox carts, and the
others got busy unpacking.
“Now kids, let me show you your new rooms.” I led them into the inner
courtyard. “In the farm, you have rooms in the outer courtyard. It’s different
here. Whenever we stay here during the winter, you’ll spend most of your
time in the inner courtyard with me.”
 They exchanged confused glances, and Kharli asked me, “Teacher, why
are we staying here?”
The traditional courtyard house was built with a certain hierarchy in
mind. The outer courtyard was used for most people, while the inner
courtyard was the sole province of the owner and closest family. Therefore,
on the farm, I was the sole occupant of the inner courtyard.
“That’s because we will need maximum privacy. I have set the house’s
settings to only allow the four of us here.” I gestured at the courtyard and
rooms.
Mo leaned closer to Kharli and whispered, “Oh, I have a bad feeling
about this. Why do we need so much privacy?”
Kharli whispered back, “I think she’s planning something outrageous.”
“Ahem. The reason is simple. Winter is the time for crafting.” I walked
over to the nearest workshop room and flung open the door. “Behold!”
“What are we looking at?” Mo asked Kharli.
“A table, bench, and a lot of shelves?” said Kharli.
“An anvil! Are we going to make weapons?” asked Lari.
I nodded. “And armor.”
“Woohoo!” Lari was excited and ran inside the room, picking up stuff
and putting them down again when it didn’t seem valuable.
“Of course, we’re mainly here to plant trees. We’ll do that every
morning, and when we’re done, we’ll work on our crafting levels.” I sat
down on the workbench and patted the space beside me.
The two girls sat down, while Lari continued to search the room for
anything that looked expensive.
“Okay. Let’s try this. Try to pick this up.” I got a [Bronze Bar] from my
inventory and put it on the table.
“I can’t touch it!”
“Let me try.”
“Is this gold?”
As expected, they were unable to take the item because it was bound to
me. “This is a [Bronze Bar]. I’ll show you how to use it.”
I went to the anvil with the bar of metal and got a hammer from the
System toolbelt. Then I placed the metal bar on the anvil and started
randomly hammering it. The first time I hit the metal bar, the Smithing
menu appeared, even though only one choice was available. I mentally
picked [Arrowheads] and immediately felt a force guiding my arm. The first
five strikes were pretty much random, and all they did was heat the metal.
The next ten hammer blows, however, were much more purposeful, and I
let the System guide my movements. After the fifteenth strike, the metal
glimmered and then changed into five [Bronze Arrowheads].
Wiping the sweat from my forehead with my sleeve, I scooped up the
items and held them toward my apprentices. “Touch these.”
“Wow! Are these magic? What are they?” Lari’s eyes were as large as
saucers.
The three of them took one arrowhead each.
“Ah, so you can touch these. Okay, then let’s do some Fletching.” I sat
down on a stool and gestured for the kids to sit on the workbench. “Go to
your toolbelt and take out a knife. It should be under [Fletching].”
I waited until they had done as I instructed. “Now, take a [Log] out from
your inventory. Watch what I do first.”
The three of them watched in awe as I started whittling away at the
piece of wood that was what we got when we did Woodcutting. The
moment my knife touched the wood, the Fletching menu appeared, and I
chose [Arrow Shafts]. I shaved off bits of wood until, finally, the [Log]
glimmered then turned into five long, slender, and straight pieces of wood.
Then I took back the five [Bronze Arrowheads] and [Arrow Shafts] and
attached them to each other, forming [Incomplete Arrows]. The last step
was for me to take five [Feathers] and attach them to form [Bronze
Arrows].
My disciples watched me do the whole thing in complete silence, their
eyes shining. When I held aloft the finished product, they applauded
enthusiastically.
“Incredible!”
“Amazing! Teacher is a magic artisan!”
“What amazing magic!”
I stood up and bowed. “Thank you, thank you! Now you guys try it.
When the Fletching menu appears, choose [Arrow Shafts].”
“Aaaah! We’re going to be magic artisans!” shrieked Kharli.
Mo let out a series of high-pitched, incoherent screams.
I plugged my ears with my fingers and patted myself on the back on my
foresight because I had set the room’s privacy mode to absolute, meaning
no light or sound or anything else could be seen from outside. I didn’t want
the rest of the house to know what we were doing.
 Lari just stood there with his mouth open. After a while, he closed his
mouth with a loud snap, then sat on the bench and started Fletching. When
the other two saw what he was doing, they stopped screaming and started
crafting.
While they were hard at work, I gave them a few pointers about
crafting. “Fletching is a skill that works in tandem with Smithing and
Woodcutting. Unfortunately, you guys aren’t able to use the metal bars that
I have right now. We’ll have to work together on different tasks. I’ll smith
while you fletch.”
It took them longer than me to produce five [Arrow Shafts]. When we
put the items side-by-side, they looked identical.
“I did it…” Mo whispered. She seemed half-joyous, half-disbelieving.
Kharli hugged her. “Isn’t it wonderful?”
“Teacher, thank you!” said Mo.
The two girls hugged me with tears in their eyes while Lari sheepishly
approached and patted us on the back once or twice. He was never one for
hugs.
“Aw, c’mon, stop blubbering! You’re wasting daylight,” said Lari.
I gave the girls a few more moments to savor their success, then told the
three of them to continue Fletching while I smithed us more parts. They
were more than willing to do so.
For the next hour, the workshop was filled with the sounds of whittling
wood and the hammering of metal until we had to take a break for lunch.
Of course, I didn’t tell them that we were making arrows to prepare for
the upcoming Demon Boss War. According to the System’s Event tab, the
Boss hadn’t spawned yet, so there was nothing for me to report to the
authorities at the moment, and I probably shouldn’t worry my apprentices
about a possible future that might never come to pass.
The fact that it was showing on the System information, though, meant
that it was most likely going to happen. Therefore, I should prepare supplies
whenever I could. I wasn’t too worried since this was a no-fail event. Even
if I did nothing, the clans would undoubtedly take care of it.
Players generally played a very minor part in the war, and it was simply
regarded as a good way to get rid of low-level items in bulk. I personally
had no plans to take part in the actual fighting.
My life was too precious to risk!
 We spent a pleasant day crafting and went to bed exhausted from all the
excitement. However, a few minutes after midnight, I was awakened by the
System’s notification sound.

[Side Quest: Hunt Prairie Elk

Prairie Elk: 2/3
Reward: Hunting Exp]

I yawned as I got up from my comfortable bed. Though I could have

just ignored the notification if this was still the game, I felt that I should
take care of the elk as soon as possible. In Adventure Incarnate, meat never
spoiled. Nevertheless, I thought it was best to collect the body right away
and store it in my inventory.
Come to think of it, the items inside my inventory were always kept
fresh. Did it have a time stop feature?
Since it was the middle of the night, I put on the first robe I could find
and went out to collect my catch. The nights in the desert were not too dark,
unlike the forest where the sky was covered by tall trees. It was the night of
a full moon, and there was plenty of light. I paused at the gate for a few
minutes to let my eyes adjust to the relative darkness of the outdoors.
Though the desert was hot during the day, at night it was quite cold, and
I regretted putting on a thin robe. The air was still, and the sky was
cloudless, revealing countless twinkling stars that looked almost close
enough to touch. I made a mental note to put a telescope in the garden for
everyone to enjoy.
Using the System map, I selected the location of the trap and then chose
[Guide Mode]. Yellow dots then appeared on the ground in front of me,
indicating the path to the target.
Just as I started walking, I heard someone coughing behind me.
“Kyaa~!” I was so surprised that I tripped over a rock when I turned
around to see who it was.
Thankfully, someone caught me in his arms before I fell to the ground.
The voice of an unknown person sounded in my ear. “My lady, be
careful.”
For a moment there, the others’ tales of bloodthirsty ghosts that roamed
the cursed lands had scared me stiff. This person, however, was warm and
definitely real, though his face was in shadow, so I couldn’t see it. Phew!
 “Sorry, my eyes haven’t adjusted to the darkness yet.” I righted myself
and pulled away from his helpful grip.
“May I ask what you’re doing outside this late at night?” he asked.
“Just wanted to check out my [Pit Trap].”
“Ah, yes. An elk just got caught in it. I wonder how the baroness found
out about it?”
“Women’s intuition.” I waited a bit more until I could see my
surroundings better, then I walked in the direction of the trap. “I’ll get
going, then.”
“The night is dark. Please allow me to escort you.”
“Sure, why not? Um, who are you again?” There were half a dozen
White Tiger Clan members around, and I hadn’t talked with all of them
enough for me to identify everyone just by their voice.
“I’m one of the observers. I just arrived⁠—”
Argh, I tripped again!
“Thank you for catching me again. Maybe I should get a lamp. I thought
it was bright enough to see, but it seems I was wrong,” I said.
“That would be wise.”
“Okay, give me a moment.” I took out a handheld paper lantern from
my inventory, the cute one that had a rabbit drawn on it. The light it gave
off wasn’t much, but it was enough to allow me to see the ground in front of
me. The man who was escorting me was quite tall, so I had to lift it to see
his face.
My jaw dropped when I saw that he was the most handsome man I had
ever seen, with piercing, icy blue eyes, short white hair, a strong jawline,
and full lips. He had a tall, lean build with broad shoulders.
Prince Baiyu’s beauty was the cold, aloof type while this man exuded a
mature, sensual appeal, but they looked quite similar.
“Close your mouth. The night is full of flying insects,” he said, smirking
a little at my reaction.
“Pardon my discourtesy, but who are you? You weren’t here earlier.”
“I was on my way back home from the Fall Hunt when I decided to
drop by to see how things were going here.”
“Um, why do you look like Prince Baiyu?”
“He’s my son.”
Was it too late to greet him politely? Should I bow? Well, courtesy
never hurt anyone. I bowed. “Greetings, Lord Yulin.”
 This wasn’t the way I would have preferred to meet my boyfriend’s
father.
Well, it could be worse. At least he wasn’t a ghost.
“Greetings, Baroness. I really like what you’ve done here.” He cupped
his hands and bowed to me, then waved an arm in front of us as though to
say, “Let’s continue walking.”
“Thank you. I’m glad you visited and saw the trees.” Holding the
lantern in front of me, I slowly followed his lead, carefully watching the
ground for obstacles. I really didn’t want to trip again. “What will be done
with the elk herd?”
“For now, we’ll let the herd do what it wants,” he said. “The clans
whose territory the herd is passing through will have to cooperate and share
resources.”
He didn’t have to tell me that spirit animals like the elk were valuable
for their meat, bones, blood, and so forth. I just hoped that the clans were
wise enough not to kill too many of the herd.
I noticed that he was taking a meandering path to the trap. The yellow
dot road showed the most direct way to the target location, and he was
leading me away from it. Perhaps he was avoiding the sleeping herd?
“The elk have eaten quite a lot of the grass,” he said.
“It should grow back. I think their droppings will be good for the land.”
“Tell me, haven’t you wondered why there is grass here even though
people say that this place is cursed and nothing grows in it?”
“Yes. In fact, I thought it was strange that people keep insisting that this
is a desert where nothing grows, when it’s actually a grassland.”
“The grass is a result of our hard work.”
“Your clan mates seem to be passionate environmentalists.”
“Ah, ‘environmentalist’ is a good word. Did you coin it?”
“No, I must’ve heard it somewhere.”
“It’s true that nothing grows here naturally…”
“Then why is there grass here?”
“Because we’ve nourished the land with our blood.”
“Huh? How?”
“I meant that literally. Every inch of these grasslands is soaked in our
blood.”
I stopped dead in my tracks and turned to look at him. “Literally? Are
you serious?”
 “Quite serious. I’ve offered up my blood to restore these lands every
year since I became an adult. So has every adult in the clan.”
“But these lands are vast!” I felt a little queasy when I thought about
how much blood must have been shed to grow the scant, brown, brittle
grass here.
“We mix our blood with water and sprinkle it on the soil to grow the
grass.”
“You’re really dedicated to this…”
“This is a secret, but I told you so that you would understand how
important this is to us.”
I didn’t know what to say to that, and we fell silent until I finally caught
sight of the trap. “There it is!”
“It’s dark. Be careful.” He must have been worried that I would fall in
because he took my hand and tucked it under his arm.
“Okay, I just need to get nearer to collect my catch.” A few minutes
later, I put the elk in my inventory and dismantled the trap. “Hmm. Where
should I place the trap next?”
I was only thinking out loud, but Lord Yulin offered his help.
“I’ll show you a good place,” he said.
“Thank you, I would be grateful if you did.”
We walked a little way east of the [Nirvana Lotus Ponds], and I set the
trap in the place that he indicated.
“That’s it, I’m done for⁠—”
My words were cut off when someone grabbed me by the waist, turned
me around, and threw a cloak over my shoulders.
“Kyaa~!” I screamed in surprise for the second time that night.
“What are you wearing?” Prince Baiyu whispered in my ear.
What? I was wearing a robe, the same as always. I tried to pull away,
but he wouldn’t let go of my waist. “Hey, what is this?”
Behind us, Lord Yulin coughed.
“Father, I’ll escort her back to the house,” said Prince Baiyu. He didn’t
wait for permission before lifting me in his arms and running off.
“What’s going on? What is this about?” I asked him.
When we reached the main gate, he put me down and said, “Nothing.
I’m just escorting you back to your room.”
“Um, okay. I’m going back to sleep.” I yawned as I entered the house
and turned on the lights in the courtyard. “When did you arrive?”
 To my surprise, he entered with me. It seemed he was planning to escort
me all the way to my door.
“Around two hours ago. I was patrolling and didn’t see you leave the
house,” he said.
“Patrolling?”
“Demons don’t venture this far, but everyone is taking turns to stand
watch anyway.”
“Mmm.” I yawned again.
“I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Yes, good night.”
We reached my room, and he said, “Good night.”
He kissed me on the forehead, then left.
I was incredibly sleepy and was about to fall into bed right away when I
got another System notification.

[Side Quest: Hunt Prairie Elk

Prairie Elk: 3/3
Reward: Hunting Exp]

This was followed by a series of pop-up boxes and fireworks.

[Sidequest Complete! Reward: Hunting Exp.]

[Congratulations, you just advanced a Hunting level!]
[Congratulations, you just advanced a Hunting level!]
[Congratulations, you just advanced a Hunting level!]
[Your Hunting level is now 6.]

Yes! It was quite late, and it would be inconsiderate of me to make too

much noise, so I silently pumped my fists in the air.
[Prairie Elk] was considered “big game,” which meant that it gave more
XP compared to the small animals that we had been trapping. Therefore, the
elk sidequest also gave more exp.
Now that I had leveled up three times in a row, I suddenly felt wide
awake. My brain started working again, and I wondered what Prince Baiyu
had been babbling about.
 I went to my dressing room to look at myself in the full-length mirror.
When I caught sight of my reflection, I wished I’d gone straight to bed
without checking my appearance.
This was the worst!

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 Chapter 77

I had an absolutely epic case of bedhead ! A aaaaahhhhh !

My hair was a wild mess that resembled a bird’s nest, except not as tidy.
I flopped face down on the bed and lamented the fact that my boyfriend
and his father had seen me look like this. However, it was already after
midnight, and I was tired, so I soon fell asleep.
The next day, I woke up bright and early and found Prince Baiyu
waiting for me at the breakfast table that had been set up in the outer
courtyard. We exchanged greetings, and he told me about his recent
expedition in the demon-riddled Southerlands with the members of the
various clans during the annual Fall Hunt.
“This is the first time I participated as an adult, and it was as bad as I
feared. Everyone had heard of my problem with my qi overloading, and
thirty-eight people came up to me asking me about it. I counted.”
I tried to look as sympathetic as I could while I drank my morning
coffee and took big bites out of a veggie bun. “That must have been tough.”
“Ha! Yes, but now that it’s over, I realized that I was an idiot to hide out
in the cave just because I was afraid of people knowing that I wasn’t the
perfect prince.”
“What did they say? What did you say?”
He pouted. “What didn’t they say?!”
“You poor thing.”
“I’m very sad. Give me a kiss to cheer me up.”
I gave him a scandalized look and gestured at the other table. I normally
ate with my apprentices, but today Fengying had set up another table for
them on the opposite side of the courtyard from us in order to give us some
privacy. Since the prince had been at the hunt, we had only seen each other
a few times in the past month when he had dropped off his kills at my
doorstep.
“Please behave yourself,” I said.
He sighed. Today he was looking mighty fine as usual in gorgeous
royal-blue silk robes richly embroidered in red-and-silver thread. “I had an
absolutely terrible time.”
I patted him on the head. “Is qi overload really that bad?”
“People were smirking at me, but that’s nothing compared to what my
father had to endure.”
“Your father? Why? What happened?”
“Well, a lot of people never liked the fact that he married my mother…”
He fell silent when one of the maids came over with a platter of fried rice
and sausages. When she left, he lowered his voice and said, “He actually
got into a fistfight.”
“Gosh.” Lord Yulin hadn’t looked like a troublemaker last night, but
then again, one could never tell from appearances.
Prince Baiyu rolled his eyes. Now that we had become close, he no
longer bothered with his “I’m a cool and aloof nobleman” pose. “That
person was asking for it! He actually said right to my face that it was too
bad that I had a cursed bloodline. My father punched him in the face and
broke his teeth.”
“Cursed bloodline?” This was the first that I had heard of that.
“Ah. Sometimes I forget that you’re not one of us and that you don’t
know about these things.” He leaned back on his seat and rubbed his
temples. “Do you have time to hear about a long story?”
“Actually, no. I have to plant the trees first. How long are you staying?”
Though I really, really wanted to hear the story, I had to prioritize my tasks
for today.
“I have to leave this afternoon.”
“Then why don’t you tell me about it after I finish my morning chores?”
“Yes, that would be best, especially since it’s not a very pleasant thing
to talk about. I wouldn’t want you to lose your appetite.”
“Mmm.” I made a sound of agreement and continued eating. Fengying
came over with a plate of sliced fruit for dessert and informed me that the
elk herd was on the move. I hurriedly ate some of the fruit and then left
with my apprentices and the prince.
Outside, I saw that the elk were looking healthy and quite lively as they
headed off to wherever they were going. We went over to the [Pit Trap],
where I retrieved the dead elk’s body.
Since everything looked fine, I went to the chosen site near the top of
Skyfang Hill. As we climbed, I bent down several times to touch the grass.
When the System had built the contour swales, it had covered the hill with
bright green grass. Though it was not as vibrant and fresh as it used to be,
the vibrant greenery still made for a striking contrast against the rest of the
area, which was covered in sparse brown foliage.
“I’m glad the grass survived,” I said.
“The soil seems moister, too,” said Kharli.
The other two nodded.
“Look at those spots.” Lari pointed at the base of the hill where there
were some bald spots. “The elk grazed there.”
Huh. Why didn’t they go higher up the hill?
Prince Baiyu seemed to sense my confusion and said, “We were afraid
that the elk would eat all of the grass and leave the hill bald again, so we
drove them away.”
“Ah.”
I made a mental note to make sure to prepare a good, large grazing
ground for the herd.
Once we reached the higher swales, we planted more fertilizer trees
using the [Dendrological Cultivation Chambers]. This time, because I had
leveled up my Farming, I was able to plant seven trees. My apprentices had
enough energy to plant three each. Therefore, the maximum that we could
plant every day was sixteen, but only if we didn’t use up our energy doing
other things.
“Now let’s check on the [Lizardwings],” I said.
“I’ll go tell the others. They’ve already prepared the cages,” said Prince
Baiyu. “They’ll meet you at the pen.”
With that, he flew off. Mo and Kharli immediately started screeching
and running.
“Wait! Don’t run!” I yelled after them. “You’ll break your neck running
down the hill. Wait until you’re at the bottom before you start racing each
other.”
 “Aw!” Kharli stopped dead in her tracks.
Mo couldn’t stop in time and tripped over a rock. “Whee!”
Kharli and Lari ran after her as she rolled down the hill, still screaming
with glee until she fell into one of the swales, which currently resembled a
grassy ditch.
“You guys!” I hurried down to scold them. “Be more careful. You
could’ve broken your neck!”
They all promised me they wouldn’t roll down anymore, and we walked
at a more reasonable pace. At the foot of the hill, I gave them permission to
run, and all three of them set off. I noticed that Kharli was noticeably faster
than the other two.
A few minutes later, Prince Baiyu returned to accompany me on my
walk to the [Lizardwing] habitat.
“Wow, it’s so hot. I thought I would be snuggled up in my bedroom with
a roaring fireplace this winter, but it looks like I’ll be eating iced desserts
while sweltering under the hot sun,” I said.
“If it gets too hot, you could always return to your farm, right? Winter
isn’t too cold there,” said Prince Baiyu.
I yawned. “Maybe.”
“Are you sleepy? Maybe you should take a nap.”
“I will. I only got a few hours of sleep because I was up after midnight.
Wait, don’t change the subject. I thought you were going to tell me about
your father.”
“Was I? By the way, he likes you. He gave me this since he said I
needed to dress better when I’m going courting.” He held up his arms,
showing off the long, wide sleeves of his robe that were embroidered with
an intricate abstract design.
“Very fancy.”
“He said this was what he was wearing the first time he met my mother
and they fell madly in love. What do you think? Does this make you feel
madly in love?”
“Hmm.” I debated whether I should tell him I preferred it when he
wasn’t wearing a robe…
“No?” He looked extremely disappointed.
What the heck, I should just go for it. “I don’t know. Why don’t you try
taking it off?”
 He blushed and looked around. “Not today. My father’s somewhere
around.”
“Too bad.” I gave him a mischievous smile and pinched his waist. “I
haven’t seen those abs in a while.”
“I could sweep the inner courtyard.”
“Oooooh!”
“But not today.”
“Aw. Speaking of clothes, what exactly did you not like about my
clothes last night? You know, when you covered me with a cloak.”
He blushed and stammered, “Y-You we-were…”
“Yes?”
After a lot of nervous fiddling with his sleeve, he blurted out, “You
weren’t wearing anything under your clothes!”
I laughed. “Oh, I hate to break it to you, but all people are naked under
their clothes.”
“I mean, you weren’t wearing another robe under it.”
“That’s what you were worried about? I was concerned about nothing,
then.”
“It’s improper,” he insisted.
The people in this world were so uptight about propriety. I supposed he
considered it improper because I wasn’t wearing at least three layers of
clothing. “Okay. I understand.”
“What am I going to do about you…?”
I grinned at him. “I’m sure you can think of something!”
The two of us burst into laughter.
When we finished laughing, I remembered he was supposed to tell me a
long story. “Wait, weren’t you going to tell me about your mother and
father?”
“I changed my mind. I don’t want to tell you because it’s stupid. You’ll
probably think I’m whining.”
“It’s fine. I know you want to tell me.” I knew that he probably didn’t
have a lot of people that he could voice his complaints to because of his
rank.
“Well…”
“Go on.”
“You haven’t really asked me much about why I was alone in the cave
when I was sick. The truth is it all goes back to my parents’ situation. You
see, practically from birth, my mother was said to be the future leader of the
Westerlands.”
“From birth? Really?”
“It was because of her conformation. You know about conformation?”
I nodded. “You mean her physical characteristics are close to the ideal
for the White Tiger Clan.”
“Yes, and by the time she was an adult, she was unanimously chosen by
the clan leaders as the next Lady of the West.” He sounded really proud.
“You see, she’s the strongest by far of her generation. She’s the only one
whose zidan could encompass the entire Westerlands.”
He smiled down at me and oh so casually took my hand in his.
I nodded to indicate that I understood. “Zidan” was their word for
power and territory, and a strong zidan was the prime qualification needed
to become a ruler.
“When she declared that she was going to marry my father, there was a
big commotion. Pretty much all of the clans were against it, except for my
father’s clan.”
“Why?”
Prince Baiyu gestured at the grassland all around us. “Because of this!
Five generations ago, a disaster happened, and many clans lost their
ancestral lands. Now they are considered fallen clans.”
“Do you mean that they lost their zidan?”
“What? No!” His face paled. “You must never suggest that about
anyone. Losing zidan is like…”
I hastily corrected myself. “I mean, they lost their territory?”
“Yes, they lost their original territory, and a lot of prestige, but don’t say
that they lost their zidan. That’s just…” Once again, his voice trailed off.
It seemed that the concept was so terrible he didn’t want to speak about
it.
“Sorry, I misspoke,” I said.
“That’s okay. Anyway, because of this,” he said, gesturing around us
once again. “Father’s clan is considered…weakened, but they were able to
claim territory farther north once things settled down.”
“Ah.” I squeezed his hand encouragingly. His palm was calloused from
wielding a sword, and his skin was warm.
“I am not sure that humans know this about us. We tend to be rather
superstitious, and the fact that these lands are cursed means that almost
everyone also considers the masters of this territory as cursed.”
“So that’s why someone said that you’re descended from a cursed
bloodline? And your father punched him?”
He laughed. “That was so satisfying!”
“At least you had some fun,” I said.
“I did, actually. I know I complained a lot about the people who were
needling me about my qi overload problems, but it wasn’t all bad. A lot of
my cousins told me they felt relieved that I’m not perfect after all.”
“I think you’re great.”
“Thank you. I feel a lot more relaxed now that I don’t have to keep up
that flawless facade.”
“Good for you!” I leaned closer to him and tried to give him a peck on
the cheek. Unfortunately, he was too tall so I couldn’t reach his cheek until
he bent down. I missed the mark and kissed him on the chin instead.
Suddenly, I heard someone behind me coughing. I turned around and
saw that it was Lord Yulin.
Oops.

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 Chapter 78

T oday L ord Y ulin was wearing gorgeous crimson robes , and in the
light of day, I could see his face more clearly. He was definitely better
looking than I thought, and more mature and muscular compared to his son.
Even though I was sure that my face had turned as red as a tomato, I
played it cool and exchanged greetings with Prince Baiyu’s father.
Once we finished courtesies, Lord Yulin took his son aside, and they
spoke for a few minutes before the prince returned to me and said, “He’s
leaving now.”
“Oh.” What a pity.
Prince Baiyu handed me a large jar. “I almost forgot, he told me to give
this to you. Make sure everyone in your household spreads this on any
wound they get, no matter how small.”

[Tiger’s Ten Thousand Golden Herb Balm:

An extremely effective topical medication that prevents infection. Made
using ten precious spirit herbs, the formula for making it is a highly
guarded secret of the White Tiger Clan.]

“Thank you,” I said.

We watched as Lord Yulin took to the skies and flew off like Superman.
“Wow,” I said.
“What’s with that reaction?”
“When you grow up, will you look like your father?”
 “I’m already grown up! And I’ll definitely be better looking,” said
Prince Baiyu.
“Has anyone ever told you that you look cute when you pout?”
“Only you.”
Just as I was going to continue our banter, the direction of the wind
changed and we both pinched our nostrils shut. I took out a veil from my
inventory and tied it behind my head. Then I stuffed my nose with wads of
cotton cloth soaked in water and a little perfume.
Prince Baiyu looked pained. I suppose he felt it was beneath his dignity
to follow my example. “I’ll go and inspect the trees.”
“Why can’t you just turn off your sense of smell again?”
“The elders warned us not to do that. Apparently, if you do it a lot, it
might cause side effects,” he said.
“Okay, I guess I don’t blame you, and you shouldn’t soil your fancy
robes with [Lizardwing]…wastes,” I said.
He made a face at me and then flew off.
When I got closer to the pen, I saw that three clan members were
waiting for me in addition to my apprentices. They handed me six cages,
which I put in my inventory.
“I hope it’s working. How is the grass?” I asked them.
To my surprise, all three of them beamed.
“Everything stinks, but it’s been very effective.”
“It’s nothing short of miraculous!”
“We could hardly believe our eyes when we saw it.”
I opened the gate to the walled-off area and was extremely pleased with
what I saw inside. The short, stubby brown grass that used to cover the
[Lizardwing] habitat had turned a bright green and had grown knee-high.
“This is great,” said Mo.
Kharli bent down and touched the grass. “It looks quite healthy.”
“Teacher, how are you going to catch the [Lizardwings]?” asked Lari.
“When you get close to one, you can just put it in your inventory. Try
it,” I said.
My three apprentices scattered in order to catch the spirit animals. I
walked over to the closest [Lizardwing]. It now had the [Young] status and
was one handspan tall. Looking around, I noted that the animal’s scales
were now a darker orange, and their wings were feathered blue. They still
looked a lot like dinosaurs.
 I put the closest one in my inventory and waited for the others. When
my apprentices had collected all of the animals, I moved a little away from
the clan members and gave them instructions on what to do. “Here. Take
these cages and put them in your inventory. Now, look at the space where
the cages are. Think the command [Use] then wait for the pop-up that says
[Use With…]. When you see it, select the [Lizardwing].”
Kharli managed to do it on her first try while Lari accidentally used the
cage with a log, which made him panic when he got the message [Error:
Item use failed—the selected item cannot be used with the target item]. Mo
claimed she couldn’t call up the [Use] command at first.
I waited patiently until all three of them successfully managed to put the
animals inside the cages. Most items could only be used outside the
inventory, so they had never done this before.
We returned to the gate where the clan members were waiting and
handed them the six [Lizardwings]. “These are young animals. They should
reach the adult life stage in around a month, and breeding should occur
right after that.”
“Thank you very much!”
“Thank you, this will really be helpful.”
“Thank you. May I take a look at the eggs?”
The request took me by surprise. “The eggs? Okay, but you can’t buy
them. I can only use them because of my bloodline inheritance. Other
people can’t touch them.”
When I showed them a [Lizardwing] egg, they reacted with shock and
not a little apprehension.
“What an incredible cursed aura!”
“It looks like a demon egg…”
“At least it doesn’t stink.”
None of them attempted to touch it.
“It’s only ‘cursed’ for people who aren’t authorized to use it.” As proof,
I handed the egg to Lari.
“This is heavier than normal eggs. Can I crack it open?” asked Lari.
“No! This is extremely valuable.” Kharli took the egg from him.
“But is it edible?” he asked.
“You want to eat it?!” Mo gave him a shocked look. “But they stink! I
bet the egg will stink if you crack it open.”
 The eldest of the clan members coughed. “Young master, it’s better not
to eat spirit eggs. The qi inside them is quite fierce and could harm humans
like yourself.”
“Oh.” A grin spread across Lari’s face, and he bounced on the balls of
his feet as he reveled in the thrill of being called “young master.”
“Yes, I don’t think these are edible,” I said. “Let’s go. I think I’ll make a
bigger habitat for them.”
The clan members said their goodbyes, and we parted.
“Shall we select a place that’s farther away?” I asked them.
“Nearer is better,” said Lari. “I don’t want to walk a lot every day.”
“If they’re too near, we’ll smell them from the house.” Kharli’s face
twisted in disgust, and her nose wrinkled at the thought.
“Maybe we should choose a place that has more grass,” said Mo.
“Hmmm.” I consulted the System map and found the place that was at
the very edge of the land that I was allowed to use. “Okay, I’ve decided.
Follow me.”
My apprentices kept up a lively chatter while we walked. When we
were now far enough from the [Lizardwings] old habitat that the smell was
no longer noticeable. I took off the veil and the wads of cotton in my nose.
A few minutes later, Prince Baiyu dropped down from the sky and casually
fell into step beside me.
“Hello, nice to see you again,” I said.
“It’s always a pleasure to see you,” said Prince Baiyu.
“We’re going off to the new [Lizardwing] pen,” I said.
“And I must once again bid you a good day and goodbye.” He stepped
to one side and flew off again.
“I’m placing the eggs, which have no smell!” I shouted up at him.
He stopped in mid-air and then flew back down to land beside me.
“Hello again.”
“Hi.”
The kids stared in open-mouthed shock at us. I guessed they weren’t
used to seeing the prince’s humorous side.
He pretended not to notice the others’ reaction and said, “What’s your
plan?”
“I sold the [Lizardwings] to the clan, and now I’m going to place the
eggs in a new place and wait for them to hatch.”
“Where?”
 I pointed at the horizon in the direction I had chosen. “There.”
“Isn’t that too far from the house? You’ll have to spend an hour just
walking there every day,” he said.
“Do I? We can just put enough food for seven days in the pen. I was
thinking we could ask the observers to keep an eye on the animals. They
can just call us if anything seems wrong,” I said.
“I see.” He looked down at me, then back at the horizon. “It seems to
me that you’ll get really tired today. Why don’t I carry you there?”
“Thank you, but no. I don’t really like flying that much.”
“That’s not a problem, is it? I can walk.”
I burst out laughing. “What? You’re gonna walk there, carrying me in
your arms?”
“Why not?” He bent down and whispered in my ear, “Wouldn’t we both
enjoy that?”
“Shhh!” I gave my apprentices a nervous look.
They were obviously listening closely to the two of us.
Prince Baiyu sighed. “Very well. I’ll behave.”
“Thank you.” I changed the subject to something that all of us would be
interested in. “Anyway, did I tell you that I plan to go on vacation a few
times this winter?”
“Oh?”
“I’d like to go to the Lake of Clear Ripples and Emerald Cove for a few
days each. I’ve also got some business in the towns of Hongzhen and
Wukan.”
“Where? I know the Emerald Cove, but not the other places.”
“I’ll show you a map later.” I turned to my apprentices and said, “Do
you guys want to go on vacation?”
“Yes.”
“Yes.”
“No, I want exp. Teacher, can I stay here when you guys go on
vacation?” That was Mo.
“Unfair! We should take turns!” said Lari.
I let them quarrel while I told the prince the dates of my planned trips.
“Winter is a slow season for us. I won’t be that busy, and I’ll try to
match my schedule with yours,” he said.
“Great!”
 We talked about the details while we walked. He was right. The place
that I had chosen was quite far, and I had second thoughts when my legs
began to feel tired before we even got there. “I think this is probably far
enough…”
“Why don’t we walk back a little?” he said.
“That might be for the best.” I turned around and we walked back the
way we had come. When we reached a suitable distance that wasn’t too far
from the house, I placed a small pen on a piece of level ground, then placed
six eggs inside. Then I built a six-foot-high circular fence a hundred and
fifty feet away from the pen since I figured that they might like a bigger
space to wander in this time.
“Those are just as demonic as I remember,” said Prince Baiyu. He eyed
the eggs warily.
“Relax, they don’t bite.”
I supervised as the kids filled the water and feed tanks.
“Teacher, how long will it take them to hatch?” asked Kharli.
“They should hatch two days from now,” I said. “We’re done here. Let’s
go back and rest.”
“Oh good, I’m so tired!” said Lari.
I didn’t say anything, but unfortunately for him, he was doomed to do
even more work today.
He wasn’t the only one who was in for a surprise. When we got to the
house, I was greeted with an unexpected sight.
“What’s this?” I said when we entered the outer courtyard.
A large round table had been taken from the dining room and placed in
the middle of the open space, and it was now piled high with wooden boxes
lacquered in red and gold.

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 Chapter 79

“T he children of the clan have sent these presents ,” said F engying .

“I know what these are!” said Prince Baiyu. His features relaxed and a
smile crept across his face. “Open one.”
I picked up a box at random and opened the lid. Inside were half a
dozen small wooden discs with the head of a tiger crudely carved on them.
“What’s this about?”
“These are lucky charms carved by the children of the White Tiger
Clan. You’re meant to bury them somewhere in the Valley.”
“Oh, I see. Is there any specific place where I should bury them?”
“Anywhere is fine. They’re just sending you their good wishes in the
hope that the curse will be lifted from these lands.” A gentle warmth had
replaced the usual aloof and serious expression on his face. “I must have
buried hundreds of these when I was a child.”
“Lady Violet, I’ll take care of these,” said Fengying.
“Yes, thank you.” I opened a few more boxes and saw that they were all
the same. “This is nice. So the children know that I’m working on making
this valley fertile again?”
Prince Baiyu smiled. “Everyone knows.”
“Eh.” Well, it wasn’t like it was a secret, yet I thought it was strange
that even the children were excited about my project.
“Lady, perhaps you should retire to your rooms to change your clothes,”
said Fengying.
I had been so surprised that I had forgotten that I was still…fragrant
from my visit to the [Lizardwing] pen. My housekeeper was too well-bred
to say, “Go and take a bath, you smell terrible!” but I got the hint, and so
did my apprentices.
After a long, hot shower, a change of clothes, and a Cash Shop salon
session that gave me a new, cute twintails hairstyle, I returned to the
courtyard for lunch. Once again, a separate table was set up for me and the
prince while Lari, Kharli, and Mo ate at the opposite corner. I noticed with
approval that the three of them had now fully mastered their table manners.
I knew they could do it.
The prince and I chatted about this and that while I ate a wonderful
array of summer dishes. Though it was winter in the rest of the Westerlands,
the Demon Chef had decided that it would be best if we ate food that was
appropriate for the hot climate that we were living in. There were cold
noodles, cucumber salad, stir-fried vegetables, stewed chicken with
potatoes, and red rice. Dessert was bao bing, shaved ice sweetened with
honey and topped with sliced fruit, tapioca pearls, and grass jelly.
“Oh my gosh, I’m so full!” I said as I leaned back in my chair. “I’m
done.”
“Are you going to your room?” asked Prince Baiyu.
“Yes.”
“May I join you?”
My lips twitched. He was always trying to get into my room. “You
know what, you’re leaving later today, so why don’t we spend more time
together?”
“I’d love that.”
Seeing that the kids had also finished their lunch, I called them over and
said, “Time for more Fletching!”
“Fletching?” Prince Baiyu gave me a puzzled look. “I didn’t know you
knew how to fletch.”
“Prepare to be amazed!” I chuckled as I herded my apprentices to the
inner courtyard and then into the workshop. I had to adjust the settings to
allow Prince Baiyu to enter since I had made that part of the house
inaccessible to everyone but me and the three kids.
“I thought we were going to your bedroom…” he whispered in my ear.
“Shh.” I took out a chair from my inventory and instructed him to sit
while we worked. I turned to the kids and asked them, “Are you ready? Tell
me if you’re too tired to work today.”
“I’m tired, but I want to level up!” said Lari.
 Mo’s eyes sparkled with excitement as she said, “I would never say no
to exp.”
Kharli simply sat down on the workbench and started whittling away at
a wooden log. The others followed her example and got started, too.
Meanwhile, I went to the anvil and started making [Bronze Arrowheads].
“Tomorrow, let’s use the arrows we make to practice our archery,” I
said.
“Teacher, did you forget that you promised to bring us to practice our
archery for real on the [Horned Rabbits]?” asked Kharli.
“I didn’t forget. I said I would bring you guys there when you were all
good enough.” Though I didn’t say anything more, they understood.
Kharli was now pretty good, probably better than me. Lari was
adequate, though his accuracy dropped precipitously when he got bored of
training. I reckoned that wouldn’t be a problem when we were actually
killing rabbits.
The problem was Mo. She was absolutely terrible at archery!
All five of us were silent as we fletched.
Prince Baiyu leaned forward, his eyes widening when he saw how the
metal bar I was hammering glowed and then transformed into five [Bronze
Arrowheads]. A look of wonder crossed his face. “You’re a magic artisan,
too!”
“I’m a woman of many talents.” I smirked at him. “By the way, I don’t
need to tell you to keep this secret, right?”
“Of course. I know that.”
“I did it!” Lari held aloft five [Arrow Shafts].
“Congratulations,” I said.
Moments later, Kharli and Mo finished making their [Arrow Shafts].
“This is so exciting,” said Kharli.
Mo didn’t say anything because she was already busy working on
another log.
“It looks like I’m falling behind.” Although I was faster at crafting,
since there were three of them and only one of me, they were producing
fifteen [Arrow Shafts] for every ten [Bronze Arrowheads] that I made.
“This is amazing.” Prince Baiyu marveled as I showed off how I could
make arrows by attaching [Feathers] and [Bronze Arrowheads] to the
[Arrow Shafts]. “May I examine one?”
“Sure. Here you go.” I handed him a [Bronze Arrow].
 He turned it over and examined it closely while we waited expectantly
for his reaction. He tested the point of the arrow with his finger and bent the
shaft. After a while, he cleared his throat and said, “Bronze is a little too
soft to use for an arrow, isn’t it?”
My apprentices looked terribly disappointed.
“We’ve only just started Fletching. These are just practice arrows for
beginners,” I said.
He noticed the kids’ chagrin and said, “I understand. Beginners are
taught to use a wooden sword before they use the real thing.”
“Yes, I’m using the same principle here. We’ll move on to better
materials when we’ve mastered making these [Bronze Arrowheads] first,” I
said.
“Teacher, does that mean you have better materials that we can use?”
asked Lari.
“I’ll show them to you when you’re ready.” My statement made their
eyes sparkle.
“Yes! I want to make golden arrows!” said Lari.
“Less talking, more Fletching,” said Kharli, her [Bossy] trait in full
show.
Mo had never stopped Fletching while we talked.
“Yes, let’s continue,” I said.
We worked for around two hours before taking a break. I asked the three
of them to get some drinks and snacks from the kitchen.
“I worked so hard all day. Do you think we’ll have grilled meat
tonight?” asked Lari.
“I don’t think so. I saw them bringing in some ham,” said Kharli.
“Teacher, can I stay here and fletch some more?” Mo hadn’t gotten up
from the workbench.
Kharli dragged her away, saying in a stage whisper, “Can’t you see the
two of them want to be alone? Read the room!”
Prince Baiyu and I waited until they had left the inner courtyard before
bursting into laughter.
“Alone at last.” His lips were still twitching with laughter when he
leaned toward me in an exaggeratedly seductive manner.
“Oh my!” I put the back of my hand on my forehead and pretended to
swoon. “Whatever will we do?”
“I can think of something.”
 Our eyes met, and we started laughing again. “They’re only going to
fetch some snacks. It will take, like, five minutes.”
“A lot could happen in five minutes…”
“Not that much.”
“Do you want to show me what I could do in five minutes?”
“No, thanks, I think I’ll continue Smithing.” I chuckled at his look of
mock disappointment. “Five minutes, really?”
He sighed. “I actually have to leave soon.”
“How soon?”
“Right after you finish eating. I have to be home before dark.”
We talked about his work for the winter. Apparently, winter for the
White Tiger Clan involved a lot of sword and qi training. He had reached
the age of majority only last year, which meant that his education was still
incomplete. I gathered that he was in the stage of his training akin to college
on Earth, in that he had finished his basic general studies and was now
receiving specialized training in air elemental combat.
“It looks like you’ll be busy,” I said.
“Not that busy compared to hunting season,” he said.
“I’ll try to arrange my vacation days around your schedule,” I promised.
“At the very least, I’d like to accompany you to Wukan,” he said.
“Oh, and there’s just one more thing. Do you remember that you still
owe me one favor?”
“Yes. Do you want something?”
I leaned forward and placed my hands on his arms, staring deeply into
his eyes. “I do. Promise me that you’ll never wear red in public.”
“What?! Why?”
“What do you mean, why? It’s obviously because of your father.” I
smirked at him.
He pouted.
“Please promise me. I don’t want other people to see you when you’re
wearing red. It’s too much!”
He chuckled. “Feeling possessive? I like that.”
“You can wear red when it’s just the two of us,” I said.
“Agreed!”
And he showed me what he could do in five minutes.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 80

A fter P rince B aiyu left , we continued F letching until it was time

for dinner, then we went to bed early since we would be up at dawn the next
day.
When I woke up, it was still dark outside, which was the best time to
plant since the hot desert sun was still tolerable. We quickly planted as
many trees as we could using the [Dendrological Cultivation Chambers].
Then we went to the old [Lizardwing] habitat where we planted some
seeds from the [Wild Seed Mix].
“The [Lizardwings] have scratched and pecked at a lot of the grass, so
there are a few bald spots. We don’t need to till the land here before sowing
a few seeds.” I demonstrate that by using the System to sow a few bare
patches of ground. The seeds drilled themselves an inch into the soil. “In
our farm, we don’t water the cover crops, but I think we should water these
for at least a few days since it doesn’t rain as much here.”
“Teacher, are you sure these won’t die?” asked Lari.
“…Not everything we do will be successful, but I think we should still
try,” I said.
“I hope they don’t die,” said Mo.
“The wild seeds are the strongest ones. Why don’t we use the
[Dendrological Cultivation Chambers] on these?” asked Kharli.
“That’s a good question! I want to test if our crops will work here if
they are planted normally. Once we’re done here, I’ll show you a new,
alternative method to using the [Dendrological Cultivation Chambers],” I
said.
 We continued planting before checking on the [Lizardwing] eggs, which
looked the same as they did yesterday.
“All right, let’s go back to the house. I was told that the items that I
ordered have been delivered,” I said.
I walked back while the kids ran. When I arrived, I saw that outside the
gate, the pots were neatly lined up, ready for us to use. My apprentices were
scratching their heads and poking at them.
“But these are just regular clay pots!” Kharli picked one up and turned it
upside down to see if there was anything unusual at the bottom of the pot.
“The cheap ones, too,” said Lari.
“Maybe this wasn’t what our teacher was talking about,” said Mo.
“No, this is exactly what I was talking about,” I said. “Grab a pot and
follow me.”
I led them to the eastern side of the house. There I took out a [Spade]
from the System toolbelt and then used it to dig a hole in which I placed the
terracotta pot. The top of the clay vessel protruded above the soil, and I
filled it with water before placing the lid on it.
“I think you guys can figure out what this is, right?” I said.
“There are holes on the lid for the rain to refill the water. It’s like the
[Dendrological Cultivation Chamber]!” said Kharli.
“But it doesn’t have a wick at the bottom,” said Mo.
“How does it work?” asked Lari.
“The pot itself is not watertight. Water will seep through the sides and
the bottom into the soil,” I said. “This was actually not my idea. One of the
clan’s scholars told me of a method similar to my use of the [Dendrological
Cultivation Chambers].”
“Hmm.” Mo gave the pot a somewhat dubious look. “I think the
System’s method is better.”
“Maybe. We won’t know until we try.” She had a point. I was pretty
sure that the System used magic of some sort to make the plants grow,
which was why I wanted to try more mundane methods. After all, if the
desert was going to be reclaimed, the clan needed non-magical methods that
they could use. “Anyway, I’m told that the terracotta pots are quite efficient.
When the soil is dry, it will draw water from the pots, but when the soil is
moist, such as after a rain, the water will remain inside the pot.”
“Teacher, that makes no sense. If this method works, why haven’t they
used it?” asked Kharli.
 “Because of the curse,” said Lari.
“Oh.” Kharli looked pensive.
“I hope it works,” said Mo.
“I hope so, too. Let’s try using half of the pots with our wild seeds and
half of the pots with the seeds that I got from the clan,” I said.
This project would undoubtedly have the greatest chance of success if
we used native plants and hardy, drought-resistant plants, so we used
regular seeds from the clan like milkweed, coneflowers, prairie smoke,
asters, bergamot, bindweed, reaumuria, potaninia, nitraria, and wild onions,
along with the ones from the [Wild Seed Mix].
By noontime, we were all tired and went back to the house for a shower,
lunch, and a change of clothes before returning to finish planting all of the
seeds. At the end of the day, we were all tired but happy at the progress that
we had made.
We spent two more days on it until we finished the first phase of the
project.
“I can’t believe we worked so hard and got zero exp,” said Mo.
“Yes, but if we succeed, we’ll be heroes!” said Kharli.
“Everyone will call me Master Lari, the Cursebreaker,” said Lari.
Mo rolled her eyes at him. “Please ignore him, Teacher. He’s been
unbearably smug ever since someone called him ‘Young Master’ that one
time.”
Since we were done with the project and our daily chores, I sent the kids
to do some Fletching while I tweaked the house settings.
I activated climate control on the house, sealing it off from the
surrounding dry, hot, and dusty land. The others who lived in the house
normally preferred that I only use the heater and air conditioner, instead of
turning on full climate control since it blocked the fresh air outside the
house from the courtyards. However, now we were not in the forest, but in
the rather inhospitable cursed lands. Therefore, we all agreed that I should
make the inside of the house more comfortable. I set the humidity level to
40 percent and the temperature to seventy-eight degrees Fahrenheit.
Next, I overhauled the walled garden.
Though Fengying appreciated the [Elegant Chinese Garden], I thought
it would be good to add some fun elements to what was essentially our
backyard. The Cash Shop had a lot of decorations that would be usable for
us. I chose the tree house, waterslide, play tent, and swing sets and set up
plenty of archery targets to encourage my apprentices to train more.
Then I went to talk to the housekeeper.
My daily schedule was extremely full. I was too busy with the prince
and the new clay pot project earlier to take care of the details of the
household that needed my attention, so I spent two hours going over our
supplies, budget, and miscellaneous matters. In addition, Fengying handed
me a copy of the clan members’ observation notebook. They had taken
meticulous care to write down the daily weather conditions, especially the
rainfall, and the notebook had a complete daily log of the height and
condition of each tree that we had planted last time. When I was done
perusing that, Fengying pressed me to hire additional staff since our current
accommodations were double the size of the old one. I gave her permission
to hire a few more.
While we were talking about how many maids were needed to keep the
house and grounds tidy, I realized that once we had gotten used to all this
space, I would probably have to expand the farmhouse when we got back to
the forest.
Lastly, we hashed out the details of all the trips I would be making this
winter.
“Deming is looking forward to using that big kitchen in the hotel you
built in the Emerald Cove,” she said.
“Oh yeah, we had to leave in a hurry last time, right?” I remembered
that we hadn’t really been able to spend much time there. “There’s actually
another hotel I could build…”
After we finished the discussion, I joined my apprentices and spent the
rest of the day Smithing.
Disaster struck three days later when Lari, Kharli, and Mo woke up with
their arms so sore that they could hardly lift a glass to drink water.
“Why didn’t you tell me that you were too tired? Ah…never mind, it’s
my fault for not noticing you were overworking yourselves,” I said.
“I just wanted more exp…” said Mo.
“Me, too.”
“And me.”
The three of them looked so woebegone that I couldn’t bring myself to
scold them. “All right, let’s just take it easy for a few days.”
 With that, our schedule of doing Fletching four hours twice a day was
reduced to one hour twice a day. In the meantime, we had plenty of free
time, which we used to practice archery, and I also got a few games from
the Cash Shop for us to play, like a giant Connect 4, tower blocks, and ring
toss.
When I called the kids over to play, they ignored everything in favor of
the Connect 4 game. After I explained the rules to them, they played for
hours, ignoring everything except lunchtime.
“You suck! I’m the winner!” crowed Lari when he won three games in a
row against Kharli.
“Argh, why do you keep winning?” she complained.
“Let me try,” said Mo.
“I’m going to beat you, too,” said Lari.
By lunchtime, they had cajoled me to produce three more Connect 4
games for the others to use, and even the clan members started playing it. I
supposed there wasn’t much to do in this place, so the game was taking my
household by storm.
The clan members tended to become a little bit rowdy whenever they
played.
“What is taking you so long? Play a piece already!” said a young male
with brown hair and yellow eyes.
“Stop rushing me,” said his opponent, a smaller male with the same
coloring.
“If you don’t play a piece, I’ll do it for you.”
“Do you see this fist?”
“Yes. That’s why they call you tiny.”
I covered my mouth to hide my smile when the two young members of
the White Tiger Clan started wrestling in the outer courtyard. The bigger
one eventually pinned the smaller one to the ground with an armlock, and
the oldest of the clan members, who was standing next to me watching the
commotion, shook his head and said, “I apologize. This is what happens
when there are no females around.”
“I’m female.”
“I meant older females from the clan,” he corrected himself.
“Come to think of it, why are there no females here?”
“There’s a superstition that pregnant females will miscarry if they stay
here too long.”
 “What about those who aren’t pregnant?”
“…Some people believe the curse could cause them to become
infertile.”
I didn’t comment since it was none of my business, but that seemed like
bullshit to me. If there really was a curse of infertility here, then surely it
would affect both males and females.
We watched as the two males who had been fighting made up and
started playing Connect 4 again.
“It’s all right. It’s nice to see everyone being energetic,” I said.
The presence of the clan members, who tended to arrive in the morning
and leave on that same day, had made the house quite lively. For some
reason, I had always thought that there were only a few people in the White
Tiger Clan. The last few days have proven me wrong since Fengying had
shown me a list of all the people who were coming to observe. There were
hundreds of names!
“Boys, come, finish your game. We have to leave before dark,” said the
elder to his young charges.
“Yes, sir,” they chorused.
The smaller one took his revenge by winning the Connect 4 game, then
they all left after saying their goodbyes to us.
“You’re doing a wonderful thing here, and we’re grateful to you,” said
the elder.
“Yes, thank you for what you’re doing here,” said the one who had won
the wrestling match.
The younger one simply bowed deeply to me and my apprentices.
When they had left, Lari said, “They all just come and go without doing
anything.”
“Because they’re only here as observers. I don’t want them to do
anything anyway. Would you like that elder to give the orders here?” I said.
“No way!” he said.
“They’re just learning our methods. I heard half a dozen people started
their own projects in different areas of the desert,” I said.
“They should at least pay us some gold…” said Lari.
“Do you need me to give you another lecture about tax credits?” I asked
him.
“Shut up! You don’t want to get her started,” said Kharli to Lari.
 I smiled. “When you’re an adult, you’ll understand how important
financial literacy is.”
The three of them groaned.
I was about to launch another lecture about money and accounting when
a System popup appeared.

[Emergency Quest: Find the Lost Lizardwings

Lizardwings Found: 0/6Countdown: 01 hour 59 minutes]

Nooooo! I thought it was strange that the eggs had hatched after three
days, but I never would’ve thought that it was because of this quest.
Emergency quests were the worst. They took a lot of time, and the
reward was probably not worth it. Most of this type of quest involved farm
animals who were lost, sick, or injured, and the reward was simply a
healthy animal and maybe a little Farming exp.
Of course, in the game, a player could simply ignore the quest and allow
it to lapse, which killed the animal. The vast majority of the game’s
livestock wasn’t worth much, after all. However, though ignoring the quest
was fine in Adventure Incarnate since only pixels were involved, I felt it
would be immoral to do that in real life.
“Wait. Something just happened. The [Lizardwings] need rescuing,” I
said to my apprentices.
“Teacher, how do you know that?” asked Lari.
“I just know,” I said.
Kharli looked up at the sky. “Oh no. We’d better hurry because it’s
getting dark.”
Ugh. I had a very bad feeling about this.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 81

W hen we arrived at the [L izardwing ] pen , I saw that someone had

left the gate a tiny bit open, which must have allowed the animals out of the
walled area.
“Who did this? I think one of those clan boys forgot to close the gate,”
said Lari.
I checked inside, and sure enough, there were no [Lizardwings] to be
seen.
“Okay, never mind who it was who forgot to close the gate. The
important thing is that we have to find the [Lizardwings]. Let’s check for
clues,” I said.
We went back outside the walls, and it was immediately clear that we
should be able to find the animals by following the trail of their droppings.
“We could just follow the stink,” said Kharli.
“There’s no time to waste. Let’s go.” Without waiting for their answer, I
set off to follow the clearest trail, gesturing for the kids to follow me.
“Shouldn’t we separate?” asked Kharli.
“She clearly doesn’t trust Lari not to get lost if he goes off on his own,”
said Mo.
“What about you? You would probably roll all the way home,” said
Lari.
“Hush, you two. We have serious stuff to do,” said Kharli.
“Guys, keep your eyes peeled. They could be nearby,” I said.
The kids chattered about this and that while I scanned the surroundings.
After a few minutes of following the stinky droppings, I spotted a
[Lizardwing] about ten meters ahead of us. I broke into a run, but the kids
were faster. Kharli reached it first and put it in her inventory.

[Emergency Quest: Find the Lost Lizardwings

Lizardwings Found: 1/6
Countdown: 01 hour 31 minutes]

“Spread out a little and check the area for droppings. Don’t go too far,”
I said.
It was already getting dark, and it was hard to spot the evidence that the
[Lizardwings] left behind. Instead, I followed my nose.
“Here!” said Lari.
We went to where Lari was standing and saw that he had found a trail.
We followed it and soon captured the second [Lizardwing].

[Emergency Quest: Find the Lost Lizardwings

Lizardwings Found: 2/6
Countdown: 01 hour 16 minutes]

“Good job, everyone!” I said. “Look around for the rest.”

Once again, it was Lari who found the trail.
“Well done. You’re good with animals,” I said.
“More like he has an affinity for stinky things,” Mo whispered to
Kharli.
“Now, now, Mo. Don’t bully your fellow apprentice,” I said.
“Yes, Teacher. Sorry, Teacher,” said Mo.
Those three were always quarreling, and I mostly let them be since I
figured it was just youthful hijinks, but we had a quest to finish right now,
and I didn’t want them to be distracted by unnecessary things.
“Less talking, more looking,” I suggested.
We spent more than an hour finding the next two.

[Emergency Quest: Find the Lost Lizardwings

Lizardwings Found: 4/6
Countdown: 00 hour 09 minutes]
 Just as I was at my wit’s end, two black dots appeared in the sky.
Moments later, two members of the White Tiger Clan landed in front of us.
“We saw two of those…creatures nearby. Would you like us to show
you where?” asked the elder of the two.
“Yes, please,” I said. “Do you mind if we run?”
With their help, we managed to find the [Lizardwings] on time. A series
of System notification boxes popped up.

[Emergency Quest: Find the Lost Lizardwings

Lizardwings Found: 6/6
Countdown: 00 hour 01 minute]
[Emergency Quest Complete!]
[Choose Reward]
[1. Farming Exp]
[2. Astrology Book]

Oh, another one of those! Obviously, I picked [1. Farming Exp], and as
expected, my farming didn’t level up.
Once again, I got a bonus reward.

[Congratulations! You have received a coupon for a beginner Astrology

Book.]

The System was always generous with giving those coupons, which was
nice though they weren’t really worth much since beginner [Astrology
Books] were quite cheap.
We thanked our saviors, the clan members, and they went on their way.
I supposed they were patrolling the place like the prince had done a few
days ago. We often saw them flying around, but they seldom made contact
with us.
“Thank goodness the people from the clan saw them,” said Mo.
“Yes, that was a lucky break,” I said.
“Huh, how do you know they weren’t the ones who let the
[Lizardwings] out in the first place?” asked Lari.
“You’re too suspicious,” said Mo.
“Did you notice that they were covered in scratches?” asked Lari.
 “They said they were trying to return the animals to the pen,” I said.
“Maybe.” Lari didn’t look convinced. “Even though they stink, these
are valuable animals. Maybe we should set a guard over them.”
“No, we don’t need to do that. I’ll just adjust the settings.” I honestly
didn’t think that the clan members had done anything wrong, but it
wouldn’t hurt to add a few safeguards. It would be a pain if the
[Lizardwings] escaped again. “But it’s dark now, and I think we should
return to the house. Keep the [Lizardwings] in your inventories. I’ll fix the
pen tomorrow.”
One of the reasons why I had sold the previous batch of [Lizardwings]
was exactly because I didn’t want to be the sole owner of these valuable
assets. The more people had them, the better, as far as I was concerned.
Besides, I was definitely selling them for a good price!

The next day, when we went to the [Lizardwing] habitat to return them to
their rightful place, I changed the walls into transparent glass ones so that
the observers could see inside, then adjusted the security settings. Now only
I and my three apprentices could enter the walled-in area.
However, since we were leaving tomorrow, we would put them back in
our inventory tonight.
“You know what this means, right?” I said to the kids. “After our
vacation, we’ll have to take turns checking on them in the morning and
evening.”
The three of them groaned. We had been relying on the clan members to
keep an eye on the animals.
“No complaining. We have plenty of free time, anyway,” I said.
“Are we really going to the beach in winter?” asked Mo. She never
really liked fishing, therefore, she was less than enthusiastic about our
upcoming vacation.
“Yes, and we need to go tomorrow since it might be too cold if we wait
too long,” I said.
“Why are you complaining? Didn’t you say Teacher built a really
awesome hotel there?” Kharli elbowed Mo. “Cheer up.”
“I hope the fishing is good,” said Lari.
 All four of us were going this time, and Deming was excited at the
thought of using the hotel’s industrial kitchen.
“I’m sure it will be fun!” I said.
Mo sidled up to me and whispered, “What about the swimming
clothes?”
“Don’t worry about it.” I was definitely going to wear a proper swimsuit
even if the people of this world disapproved. “Let’s go back to the house.
It’s almost dinner time.”
Back at the house, Fengying served us snacks after we showered and
changed our stinky clothes. She informed me that Deming wanted to bring
all of his assistants with us tomorrow.
“I told my husband of your…generous plan to give us a two-week
vacation,” she said.
Had she been about to say “harebrained plan” or something like that?
“He agreed, right?”
Fengying pursed her lips. “Yes, he plans to cook nonstop at the hotel so
that he can make enough food for you and your apprentices.”
“Do you mean for two weeks that you’ll be gone? I appreciate it, but he
doesn’t have to do that. We’ll survive,” I said.
The housekeeper and I had worked out a schedule that gave every
member of the household a two-week vacation. We would be slightly short-
staffed, but I felt that it was important that people could take a yearly break.
On Earth, there were various cultures with different holiday traditions, like
families holding a reunion dinner on New Year’s Eve. I wanted the maids
and kitchen assistants to be able to visit their families, too.
“It’s hardly a challenge for him,” said Fengying. “Please don’t worry
about it. You can store it and keep it fresh?”
“Yes, I can keep the food fresh,” I said. It would be great to have the
Demon Chef’s food in stock whenever I needed it. “Thank you very much!”
“There’s no need to thank me. It’s our duty to take care of your needs,”
said Fengying.
She bustled away, and I went to my room to check the System menu for
exciting things that I could do at the beach.

OceanofPDF.com
 Interlude

An excerpt from the journal of Shuye Skullcrusher, Guardian of

the Ancient Hill Forest:

A year ago, if someone had told me that the clans would come to blows
over rice, I would’ve thought they were crazy. I don’t think Baroness Violet
realized the chaos that she unleashed when she gave me a portion of her
harvest to donate to the Fox Temple or when Deming asked me to “take the
rice to the temple to be blessed.”
There was an agreement in place that the White Tiger Clan would buy
all of the rice from the farm and distribute it to the clans, but it did not
account for donations.
The Fox Clan, predictably, claimed the entire harvest of Purple Orchid
Rice for themselves, on the basis that it was a special variety that was only
supposed to be used in rituals for the Fox Goddess. However, I came to the
meeting with them equipped with evidence from history records that Purple
Orchid Rice used to be fairly common and was eaten by commoners and
nobles alike.
When my wife told me to set a guard over the rice that we were storing
until the clans reached a consensus regarding the correct course of action, I
thought she was overreacting, but two days later a large group of warriors
from the Fox Clan arrived to confiscate it. They did not give up without a
fight.
Has the whole world gone crazy?
OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 82

L ess than twenty - four hours later , we were on our way to the
Emerald Cove.
“Please stop opening the windows,” I said to Lari.
“Teacher, I just want to see outside,” he said.
“When you open the window, it negates the carriage’s stability
settings,” I said as the entire vehicle rattled and the wind rushed in.
Kharli slapped his hand away from the window and closed it. “Don’t be
a pain.”
“If you want to see outside, you can go ride in the cart with the others
next time,” I said. Fengying, Deming, and the kitchen staff were following
behind us in two flying ox carts.
“I’d like that,” said Lari.
Kids!
I guessed a cart was more exciting, but the girls and I definitely
preferred the carriage’s smooth and easy flight. For one thing, it didn’t mess
up our hair.
Today I was dressed in a lovely deep violet set of robes with gold-and-
silver embroidery. My hair had been piled on top of my head in a loose bun
decorated with a hibiscus flower. The maids had even offered to do my
makeup, all because I was meeting with the prince today.
My apprentices were also dressed in their holiday best, elegantly
embroidered silk robes and fine leather boots.
All of us had brought gloves, hooded capes, and warm vests since the
weather had turned quite chilly.
 “I think we’re about to land!” Kharli was extremely excited, probably
because Mo had told her a lot about the amazing time we had at the hotel.
“I think you’re right. Traveling in the carriage is almost too good. I can
barely feel anything,” I said.
Around fifteen minutes later, we felt a jolt as the carriage landed. The
moment I opened the door, I was met with a strong gust of cold wind from
the sea.
Kharli took a deep breath and smiled. “That’s what they call the scent of
the ocean, right?”
We emerged from the carriage to step onto fine white sand. Behind this
was a cliff covered with lush vegetation, while in front of us was the beach
and a wide expanse of crystal-clear waters. Like Kharli, I took deep breaths
to enjoy the fresh air. Life at the grasslands was satisfying because we were
doing something important, but it was so hot and dusty that it was a trial
when we had to work outdoors.
“Now, this is the life!” I said. “Let’s walk up the cliff a little. I want to
place the hotel before they arrive.”
The others obediently got their luggage from the carriage, with some
help from the driver, and we all climbed up a winding path that led to a flat
area where I immediately placed the [Sunset Radiance Resort], choosing the
“simple” option.
In Adventure Incarnate, these Cash Shop resorts were simply items that
one could buy to receive a special beach outfit. The animation when
opening a simple [Sunset Radiance Resort] loot box showed a small,
seaside cottage.
What appeared in front of me after the magic circle on the ground
flashed then disappeared was a picturesque wooden bungalow with white
walls and red roof.
“That’s it? It’s a lot smaller than you said,” said Lari.
“Hush, this is just the first of many. Wait here.” I entered the tiny house
and quickly checked if there was anything inside the bedroom closet, which
I thought was the most logical place where I could get the beach outfit. Sure
enough, I found a simple white cotton eyelet sundress there. I put it in my
inventory and exited the house.
“Teacher, can we go in now?” asked Lari.
“No, this one is just a house. There’s nothing to see in there,” I said.
“Just wait. I’ll tell you when I’m done.”
 I chose the [Demolish] option in the [Build] tab, then built the [Paradise
Palms Resort] in the same place. This one had the look of a budget hotel,
with a boxy rectangular shape, light-colored stucco walls, and a flat, low-
pitched asphalt roof. I went inside and retrieved a rather risque-looking Rio
Carnival costume. What this has to do with the beach, I had no idea.
In quick succession, I built the [Seaside Haven Resort], [Sandy Bay
Resort], [Beachcomber’s Hideaway], [Mermaid Hotel], and [Coastal Escape
Cottage]. None of them appealed to me much. Thankfully, I hit the jackpot
when I built the [Starlight Beach Resort].
It was a magnificent single-story building that looked more like a
wealthy family’s vacation home rather than a resort that was open to the
public. The building’s exterior reminded me of Italian architecture with its
use of marble and the symmetrical lines, clean shapes, and intricate
detailing. Made of white stone, it had a terracotta-tiled roof interspersed
with chimneys. It was a very stylish place that looked like it was the type
that old money people frequented.
I turned to my disciples and asked them, “What do you think?”
“It’s okay,” said Kharli.
The other two shrugged, though they didn’t look enthused.
“Let’s decide after we look at the interior, okay?” I said.
“Yes, I would also like to get out of the cold,” said Lari.
The grand arched doorway led into a stunning atrium that had a vaulted
ceiling, marble columns, and intricate stucco work. The interior of the villa
was lavishly furnished with the sort of timeless elegance and sophistication
that only the best and most expensive resorts had. If it had been on Earth, I
figured that it was the kind of resort where one chair was worth thousands
of dollars.
“I like it a lot!” I said. “Why don’t you guys look around while I check
the bedrooms?”
Without waiting for their reply, I headed straight to the back of the
building where I found eight bedrooms, all of them tastefully decorated.
The main bedroom’s closet held a single white dress. And what a dress it
was! It looked like something a Hollywood star from the 1950s would wear.
The neckline was high and demure, and it had a fitted bodice and flowing
skirt that had layers of fabric falling in soft, rippling folds. I locked the door
and tried it on immediately.
Woohoo! I looked like Marilyn Monroe, except younger!
 I twirled in front of the full-length mirror in the dressing room, admiring
the way the white dress floated around my body. Of course, it was far too
daring for the people of this world. They would probably think it was a
nightgown. I took it off and changed back into my old clothes, wondering if
I would ever find an occasion to wear it.
I went back to the atrium where my three apprentices were waiting for
me. “Do you like this one?”
The three of them exchanged glances. Kharli said, “Any place you
choose would be fine, Teacher.”
“Okay, let’s try again,” I said.
We exited the resort, and I tried out a few more Cash Shop items until I
found a place that all of us liked.
The [Majestic Oceanfront Sanctuary] was a large, three-story hotel with
a cerulean facade accented with rich gold-and-bronze details. Inside, it had
a grand lobby with marble floors, stunning gold-and-crystal chandeliers,
floor-to-ceiling windows, and a roaring fireplace.
However, none of that was worth looking at compared to my absolutely
thrilling discovery. I didn’t know why it was there since the [Majestic
Oceanfront Sanctuary] looked too high class for it, but it was there
nonetheless.
“Yes!” I screamed out loud like an excited little girl and hugged the
vending machine that I found in the corridor door leading to the bedrooms.
“Guys, come quick! I found something!”
“What is it?” Lari peered at the inside of the machine. “What are those
things inside?”
“Chips. Popcorn. Pretzels. Candy bars. Cookies. Instant noodles. Oh my
gosh, it has sodas!” Ever since I had transmigrated into this world, I hadn’t
been able to eat much junk food, and now that I saw the vending machine, I
developed a real craving for it.
When I touched the coin slot, a System pop-up appeared asking if I
wanted to buy vending machine coins. I selected the maximum amount.
“Okay, kids. Let me show you how to use this. Take a coin and put it
inside this slot.” I demonstrated how to do it. “Then you’ll just have to
press the button that’s under the item that you want to get. It will fall down
to the bottom of the machine here.”
I put my hand inside the slot at the bottom of the machine and retrieved
the bottle of soda that had an old-fashioned cork instead of a metal cap.
 [Grimoire Grape
Grape-flavored soda.]

“Ah, it’s not cold. I’ll drink it later with some ice. Now you guys try.” I
put the soda in my inventory.
“Me first,” said Lari. He fumbled with the coin slot for a bit before he
got the hang of it, then he spent so much time deciding what to choose that
Kharli got impatient and pressed the button for him.
“Stop pretending like you’re not going to choose the gold one!” she said
as she chose the chocolate candy bar that was wrapped in white-and-gold
paper.
Back on Earth, it would have been wrapped in foil and plastic, but here
everything was wrapped in paper except for the soda bottles.
“Open it,” I said.
“Maybe I should keep it and sell it…” said Lari.
“Open it,” I said again.
This time, he tore the paper open and bit into the chocolate bar.
“Delicious!”
“Madam Fengying said not to talk with your mouth full,” said Kharli.
“I’m next!” said Mo. She chose the largest item, the popcorn, and was
very satisfied with the crunchy, salty snack when she poured a handful of it
in her mouth. “So good.”
Kharli chose a soda bottle.

[Mermaid Mist
Soda with a citrus flavor and a hint of seawater.]

“Let’s go to the kitchen and find some ice after we empty this machine,”
I suggested.
“We’re going to get all of the items?” asked Lari.
“Of course,” I said. “We’ll each take one of each type, then I’ll keep the
rest.”
“Can I press all the buttons, please?” asked Mo.
“I want to put in all the coins,” said Lari.
“And I’ll take the items from the device!” said Kharli.
 I gave them all of the coins and left to check if the others had arrived
yet. When I opened the door to the outside, I saw Prince Baiyu approaching
from the air. In a few moments, he landed in front of me and embraced me.
“I’m sorry, I’m so sorry!” he said into my ear.

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 Chapter 83

I pulled away from him and said , “W hat ’ s wrong ?”

“I can’t stay. I have to leave.” He smoothed a stray strand of hair from
my forehead.
“What? I thought you said you could stay for a few days. What
happened?”
“There’s an emergency gathering, and…” He hugged me again. “I have
to get treated for my qi overload.”
“Meetings again? Well, it’s good that your qi overload problem will be
treated.” I hugged him back. Though I was disappointed, I wasn’t so selfish
that I would tell him to stay with me instead of getting medical treatment.
“You don’t understand. The cure for my condition involves staying in
my beast form for a long time. I’ll be staying in the Wildwood with my
parents for two months.”
“What? Then that means we won’t be able to see each other for that
long?”
“Yes.”
“When do you have to leave?”
“Right now.” He bent down and touched his forehead to mine. “I wish I
could stay.”
“Me, too.”
Somewhere behind me, I heard someone cough.
“My prince, we have to go,” said a voice.
Prince Baiyu reluctantly let me go. “I’m sorry. I have to go. I only
stopped on the way to the meeting because I wanted to tell you in person.”
 “Goodbye, then. Get well soon,” I said.
He took my hand and kissed it, then left.
This was the problem with having a wealthy, highly ranked boyfriend.
He was always busy with important matters.

The rest of my household arrived a little later. We went to the top of the
cliff, and I placed the [Sunset Radiance Resort] there again. Deming and his
assistants immediately rushed off to check the kitchen. Fengying gave me
one long look, then turned to my apprentices.
“What’s wrong?” Fengying whispered to Kharli.
I could totally hear them.
“She’s extremely depressed because Prince Baiyu had to go to some
meetings, and then he’s going on a trip with his parents,” said Kharli.
“What a pity,” said Fengying.
“Come, children, it’s almost noon. It’s time for us to go fishing!” I said.
“Let’s change into our work clothes and meet at the beach.”
Since it was quite cold outside, using the old fishing method wouldn’t
work. This time, we were going out on the fishing boat that we had hired
for the day. Just a few moments ago, the boat had come into sight, which
meant that it was time for us to go fishing.
A few minutes later, we arrived at the beach where a tall, statuesque
brunette was waiting for us. She had gray eyes and pointed ears.
“There you are! Hello, I’m Ruolin of the Sea Otter Clan,” she said.
I introduced myself and my apprentices. “Nice to meet you. I’m Violet,
and these are Lari, Kharli, and Mo.”
“Are you ready? Where’s your equipment?” she asked.
“We’re ready,” I said. “The equipment is in my soul space.”
“Then I’ll take you to the boat. Pardon me.” Ruolin scooped me up in
her arms and flew off.
“Kyaa~” I screamed a little bit and clutched her shoulders, but it was
over very quickly since the boat wasn’t far from the beach.
She put me down, and I grabbed the railing for balance.
“Alrighty, I’ll go and get the others now.” And with that, she flew off.
 I put one hand on my roiling stomach. Though I was more comfortable
on land, I was no stranger to boats, having gone on many boating vacations
with my parents back on Earth.
Looking around me, I saw that the wooden vessel was exactly as Shuye
had described. Owned by a wealthy human merchant, it was medium-sized
for a fishing and leisure boat and had a sleek hull and narrow bow that
should allow it to gracefully glide through the water.
The pilothouse at the center of the boat had large windows that had been
closed due to the cold weather. When Ruolin finished bringing my three
apprentices aboard, she ushered us inside the pilothouse, which was well-
appointed, with comfortable seating, and introduced us to the captain, a
middle-aged human with a bushy beard and twinkling brown eyes.
“I’m under very strict orders to take care of you and make sure that you
don’t freeze to death,” said Ruolin. “The pilothouse is heated, so when
you’re feeling too cold, come inside and warm up.”
She pointed at the small galley area with a charcoal stove that provided
a welcome warmth.
“Yes, thank you,” I said. “But I think it will be fine. The weather is cold,
but not really freezing.”
“True, but take it easy.” Ruolin reached under the seats and pulled out a
wooden chest. Inside were oil-treated cloth raincoats that she distributed to
us. “Put these on. They’re waterproof.”
We all thanked her, and I debated whether I should pull out something
better from the Cash Shop, but I decided that the old-timey coats had their
own charm.
“Teacher, are we going to use the net?” asked Mo.
“Yes, let’s go to the stern and I’ll show you.” I led them to the back of
the boat, called the stern, and said, “Okay, we can only do this one at the
time. I’ll go first. Go to the [Fishing] tab and choose [Other]. There should
be an option for [Trawl Fishing]. That’s what you will choose when it’s
your turn. For now, just watch me.”
When I chose [Trawl Fishing], a magic circle appeared below us,
underneath the surface of the water. It glowed brightly for a few seconds
before disappearing, leaving behind the trawl, a large conical net with a
wide mouth that was closed at one end. The net was attached to the boat by
two long wires.
 A small blue screen appeared in front of me with the words [Stop
Fishing] written on it.
“I can’t see!” complained Lari.
“There’s a net. What’s there to see?” asked Mo.
“Are there any sea monsters or spirit fish?” Kharli leaned over the water
and was almost thrown overboard when the boat was rocked by a
particularly strong wave.
“Let’s go further out to sea at a moderate pace,” I said to Ruolin.
She left to inform the pilot, and we watched as the net was dragged
behind the boat. However, it was too far down for us to see whether it was
capturing any sea creatures or not.
“That’s it? It seems easy,” said Mo.
“Yes, but your energy will be drained really fast,” I said. “It’s not like
using a fishing rod.”
When my energy bar was almost empty, I hauled in the net using the
System’s [Stop Fishing] button.
“Nice!” I said.

[Lobster (6) Sea Turtle (1) Tuna (8) Manta Ray (2) Swordfish (8) Old
Boots (3) Sea Glass (5) Caskets (3) Seaweed (7) Driftwood (2)]

All the items inside the net were automatically placed inside my
inventory. I took out the [Sea Turtle] and threw it back into the water.
“Goodbye, Mr. Turtle,” I said. “Stay safe!”
My three apprentices exchanged glances.
“Teacher, why did you release the turtle?” asked Kharli.
“I don’t know. I just like turtles,” I said. One of my classmates in grade
school had a pet turtle, and ever since I made the acquaintance of Shelly, a
diamondback terrapin, I’d never been able to eat turtles. “So who’s next?”
The question was, of course, rhetorical. Lari silently stepped forward,
and I moved to the side in order to give him the center spot at the stern. The
same magic circle appeared beneath the waves and disappeared after
flashing white a few times. Once again, the conical net materialized behind
and below us.
“Ah, my energy is draining so fast!” said Lari.
Ruolin coughed lightly and said, “Baroness, you’re finished? Why don’t
you go inside and warm up? I can watch over the others.”
 “Thank you, but this won’t take long.” I had been able to fish for around
an hour, but the kids had less energy than me, so I reckoned they would be
done in around half an hour.
“Very well,” said Ruolin. She disappeared into the pilothouse and
returned with a large bucket full of red rocks that radiated heat.
We all moved closer to the bucket, and I crouched down to warm my
hands over it.
“What’s this?” asked Mo.
“These are fire rocks from Ka’u volcano. I used my qi to heat them up,”
said Ruolin.
The four of us thanked her for the heated rocks, and the kids and I sat
down on the deck to relax. The sea wind was quite bracing, and I took out a
scarf from my inventory and wrapped it around my neck and the lower half
of my face.
Ruolin and I chatted a bit while Lari fished.
“I should get some fire rocks for my house,” I said. “Are they very
rare?”
“They’re rare and expensive, but I’m sure you can afford it. Shall I send
some to your house?”
“Please do. I’ll inform my housekeeper.”
“Fire rocks were a good find, but did you hear about the latest discovery
in the Ka’u region?” asked Ruolin.
“No, what was it?”
“An ancient teleportation stone!”
“No way, aren’t those dangerous?” Adventure Incarnate had a
teleportation network that could be accessed by people level fifty Farming
and higher, but teleporting in a game was different from doing it in real life.
I mean, was it like a Star Trek teleport where people were
dematerialized before being rematerialized in a different location? That
sounded painful!
Ruolin seemed to agree with me. “Yes, it’s extremely dangerous.
There’s a team of magic formation masters working on it, last I heard. I
definitely wouldn’t want to be one of them.”
“Gosh.” I shuddered at the thought of being one of the first to test a
teleportation stone.
Our conversation was cut short when Lari hauled in his net. He had
caught plenty of fish despite the fact that he had only been able to finish
half as long as I had.

[Lobster (8) Sea Turtle (1) Tuna (9) Manta Ray (3) Swordfish (8) Old
Boots (1) Sea Glass (3) Caskets (2) Seaweed (5) Driftwood (2)]

“Well done!” I said.

By this time, however, we were all feeling too cold, so we went inside
to warm up and eat a hot meal since it was close to lunchtime. The captain
expertly cleaned, fileted, and diced the tuna we had just caught and
marinated it in freshly squeezed lime juice. When he added sliced onions,
chili peppers, salt, pepper, and oil, I realized that he was making a ceviche.
I wasn’t too fond of raw fish, though, and refused a serving, opting to
eat the fish stew and rice instead.
The captain and his deckhand were quiet folk. I tried to ask them about
life on the sea, but they responded in monosyllables, so I limited myself to
complimenting them on the food and the cleanliness of the boat. Ruolin, on
the other hand, proved to be quite a chatterbox.
“Is it true that you’re living together with the prince?” she asked me.
“No, that’s not true,” I said.
“But they say he rushes home to you after every hunt,” she said.
“We’re…” I was going to say “dating,” but that wasn’t quite true. “It’s
complicated.”
Mo and Kharli giggled while Lari just rolled his eyes.
I ate as fast as I could and then rushed the kids back outside. Kharli
fished next and had a pretty decent catch.

[Lobster (3) Sea Turtle (1) Tuna (5) Manta Ray (1) Swordfish (3) Old
Boots (2) Sea Glass (6) Caskets (5) Seaweed (3) Driftwood (3)]

Mo, on the other hand, didn’t do as well.

[Lobster (1) Sea Turtle (0) Tuna (1) Manta Ray (0) Swordfish (2) Old
Boots (10) Sea Glass (9) Caskets (2) Seaweed (6) Driftwood (5)]

“Well, that’s it, we’re all out of energy,” I said. “Let’s go back to the
hotel.”
 “I didn’t know there was a hotel at the cove,” said Ruolin.
“There is now. Would you like to join us?” I asked her.
“No, thank you, Baroness. We have a schedule to keep,” she said.
I gave the crew five of the [Tuna] since I wanted them to have
something good to eat on their way back home. The stuff that we caught
was superior to ordinary fish, after all.
“That was fun, wasn’t it?” I asked my apprentices.
“Yes, but it didn’t give a lot of exp,” said Mo.
“I think the cost of hiring the ship was more than the cost of the fish we
caught,” said Lari.
He wasn’t wrong.
“Should we release the turtles we caught?” asked Kharli.
“Please do,” I said.
“Is that out of respect to the Black Tortoise Clan? Because I don’t think
they would care,” said Ruolin.
“No, I just really like turtles,” I said.
Little did I know that today would give me a reputation for having a
great deal of respect or even reverence toward the Black Tortoise Clan,
which would prove to be quite useful later.

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 Chapter 84

W e returned to the [S unset R adiance R esort ] in good spirits , and I

handed over some of our catch to the Demon Chef and his assistants.
Fengying told me that tonight we would be enjoying a steak and seafood
dinner.
My apprentices were highly amused when I built and rebuilt the
[Majestic Oceanfront Sanctuary] five more times just so we could have
more vending machine items.
“I can’t help it if I love soda!” I said. “I’m going to my room to rest.
You guys are free to do whatever you want today. See you at dinner.”
They went off to the [Sunset Radiance Resort] while I stayed at the
[Majestic Oceanfront Sanctuary]. The privacy was very welcome, and I had
fun playing around in the heated indoor swimming pool. It was quite large
and was tiled in light-veined blue marble. Since I was alone and away from
disapproving eyes, I could wear my swimsuit in peace and relax while
drinking a grape soda.
After my swim, I went to a bedroom and took a nap. When I woke up, I
put on a set of cornflower-blue robes and joined the rest of my household at
the elegant cocktail lounge of the [Sunset Radiance Resort] where one of
Deming’s assistants was serving snacks and non-alcoholic drinks.
“Mmm, this is good,” I said as I bit into a canape. It was pate on a
cracker, and it tasted heavenly.
“Teacher, try the hot chocolate,” said Kharli. She handed me a mug.
“Oh, so you know about chocolate?” I asked.
 “We know about it now! The chef says the hotel has a lot of great
ingredients,” said Kharli.
“This is the best thing ever!” said Mo. “You can keep the sodas. I’ll
have this instead.”
Lari was too busy stuffing his face to speak, but he nodded vigorously
in agreement.
“Tomorrow, you can take the day off. Do whatever you want,” I said.
“There’s a forest nearby. I’m going foraging,” said Mo.
“Okay, just don’t be disappointed if there’s not a lot of stuff since it’s
winter,” I said.
“Lari and I will go with her,” said Kharli. “She shouldn’t go off alone.”
“Okay,” I said. “I’ll stay in the other hotel.”
“Too bad the prince couldn’t come,” said Mo.
“Hey, stop it, you’ll make her cry,” said Kharli.
“I’m not going to cry,” I said.
“Yeah, why would Teacher cry over some man? I bet she could have a
whole harem full of men if she wanted,” said Lari.
“Ew, you’re the only one who wants a harem.” Mo wrinkled her nose in
disgust.
Lari smirked at her. “When I become a full-fledged farmer, all the girls
will be lining up to be my concubine.”
“What? Can ordinary people have harems and concubines?” That was
news to me.
“They can’t,” said Kharli.
“I’ll surely obtain a noble title. How does Duke Lari sound?” He struck
a “noble” pose with his hand behind his back and his nose in the air.
“Teacher is a baroness. You think you’ll get a higher title than her?!”
Kharli gave him a disapproving look.
Mo covered her mouth with a hand and giggled. “No, duke is a lower
rank because Teacher will be a princess when she marries Prince Baiyu!”
“Enough, you guys are still kids. Stop talking about marriage and
harems. It’s weird,” I said. “Try these truffle cheese canapes. They’re
great.”
“What is a ‘truffle’?” asked Mo.
“It’s a type of mushroom. You might find one when you forage,” I said.
“They’re cooking everything because Madam Fengying told us they
tried to put the food ingredients in a crate to bring them home last time, but
they disappeared when they passed through the hotel door,” said Kharli.
“I tried to take one of the silver statues, but I couldn’t put it in my
inventory,” said Lari. “When I took it outside, it disappeared from my hand
and reappeared in its original place.”
“Scary!” said Mo.
“But we can put the vending machine items in our inventory,” said
Kharli.
“I think it’s because we bought those,” said Mo. “The spirit of this hotel
let us take it.”
“Wait, so they can’t take the food outside?” I frowned. “Hand me a
canape.”
I was able to put it in my inventory.
“We can put it in our inventory and take it outside when the ingredients
are cooked,” said Kharli. “It’s like the bar of metal you showed us, Teacher.
We can touch the things you made from it, but not the bar itself.”
“I think you need to be authorized by the spirit to do that,” said Lari. “I
tried breaking a chair to make arrow shafts out of it, but the chair
disappeared when it broke. Then it reappeared, and it was whole again.”
“No! How could you?!” said Mo. She tried to kick him with her foot,
but he dodged. “Don’t do stuff like that. Do you want us all to get cursed?”
Kharli sighed and put her body between the two. “Stop fighting.”
Kharli was like the middle child who was always trying to make peace
while the other two bickered.
Lari’s experiment was interesting. I’d never even thought of trying to
take any of the hotel’s items since I had plenty of stuff, but it was good to
know that the items had a self-repairing function. Come to think of it, the
stuff in the courtyard house never broke or malfunctioned. Was that because
they fixed themselves whenever something went wrong?
The talk then turned more general, though they still teased me about the
prince now and then, until it was time for us to go to the dining room.
Fengying beamed proudly when we gasped audibly in awe at the silver
utensils, crystal glasses, and gold plates. Instead of flowers, a ruby-and-
emerald flower sculpture had been placed at the center of the table that was
covered in a snow-white tablecloth.
“Wonderful, you’ve outdone yourself,” I said to my housekeeper.
“Thank you. Please sit. Dinner will be served shortly,” she said.
 The first dish was oysters grilled with garlic butter and topped with
grated cheese. Oysters were not my favorite food, but they were fairly good.
Next up was bacon-wrapped shrimp, which all four of us couldn’t get
enough of. This was followed by chicken spring rolls served with a peanut
sauce that was absolutely delightful. Then we had an artichoke soup with
black truffle that was just sublime.
Then came the piece de resistance: filet mignon with red wine sauce. It
was served with mashed potatoes and asparagus. My three apprentices’
chatter subsided as they all fell silent to focus on the food. The next fifteen
minutes were full of noises of admiration punctured by occasional
exclamations like “mmm, it’s so good” or “I’m in heaven.”
Dessert was a chocolate lava cake that Lari devoured in three bites. The
girls and I ate more daintily but with no less intensity.
When we were done eating, we gazed at each other like people who had
just experienced a divine vision together. I even felt the urge to kneel down
and pray to whichever god had made this meal possible.
“That was the best meal I’ve ever had in my entire life,” I said to
Fengying when she and the chef’s assistants came to clear the table.
“I’ll give your compliments to the chef,” she said.
Nothing could top that dinner, so we all went to our bedrooms and
retired for the night.

The next day, perhaps inspired by the fabulous meal I had last night, I felt
the urge to try out my new cooking level. The Emberstone quest had
rewarded me with exp, so I was now level five in Cooking.
Deming was at the [Sunset Radiance Resort], which meant that I could
use the industrial kitchen at the [Majestic Oceanfront Sanctuary]. It was
huge and had two double ovens, which meant I could bake four items at a
time.
The easiest thing I could make at my Cooking level was [Bread]. I took
out a [Jug of Water] and [Flour] from my inventory and mixed them
together in a [Bowl]. A blue screen appeared with several choices of what I
could make: [Bread Dough], [Pizza Dough], and [Pastry Dough].
 Of course, I knew that bread was normally not made of just flour and
water. At the very least, salt should be added, and things like butter, milk,
eggs, sugar, etc. were commonly used in recipes. However, the System’s
[Bread] used just two ingredients.
I picked [Bread] on the blue screen and poured the [Flour] into the bowl
as instructed by the System text. Then I slowly poured the water from the
jug into the bowl. To my surprise, the moment the first drop of liquid
touched the [Flour], it started seething and didn’t stop until I finished
pouring all the water on it. By the time I was done, the [Bread Dough] had
been formed. I quickly put it on a baking tray and popped it into the oven
using the temperature setting given by the System.
That was easy!
Whistling as I worked, I quickly made three more [Bread Doughs] and
put them in the ovens to bake. While I waited for the loaves of bread to
finish cooking, I amused myself by rereading the Secrets of the Ruler’s
Court. According to the book’s anonymous author, the Vermilion Bird
Ruler’s court-in-exile was populated by a colorful host of characters whose
political and love affairs were full of epic drama. There were marriages,
divorces, cheating, bribery scandals, duels, brawls, and tons of litigation
among the exiles.
After thirty minutes, I heard the chiming sound of the System’s
notification.

[The bread has finished cooking.]

I opened the oven door, but my excitement was short-lived, since all I
got for my efforts was a lump of coal-like burned bread. The other three
ovens yielded the same thing.
Nonetheless, I didn’t let this discourage me. I baked and baked and
baked for five hours until it was noon, and I had to take a break for lunch.
Unfortunately, all I got was a bunch of burned food.
“Ugh, why does this happen?” I complained to my apprentices at lunch.
Kharli looked at the other two, who nodded at her. “Well, we didn’t
want to say anything before, but we think you might have been cursed.”

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“C ursed ? H ow ? W hy ? A nd who would curse me ?” I was confused by

Kharli’s words.
“I don’t know, Teacher. Have you stepped on any bread?” asked Kharli.
I took a sip of my lemon-lime soda. I was getting kind of addicted to the
fizzy drinks already. “Stepped on bread? No, not that I remember. Why?”
“Because that could get you cursed by the kitchen gods,” said Mo.
“If you step on bread, you have to say ‘sorry’ nine times,” said Lari.
“No, I don’t think that’s it. Besides, I already had a cleansing ritual done
at the Fox temple,” I said.
“The curse wouldn’t be by the Fox god, though. Maybe you
accidentally dropped some food and didn’t pray for forgiveness from the
kitchen gods? Have you ever thrown food away?” Kharli really seemed to
think that I was cursed.
“Hmm.” In fact, I didn’t believe that I had ever wasted food in this
world, but back on Earth, it was pretty common to throw away leftovers,
especially if it was just a bite or two.
“Teacher, why don’t you just try praying to the kitchen gods? They put
up an altar in the kitchen,” said Kharli.
“Well, okay, I guess it wouldn’t hurt.”
I was skeptical about it, since anything that went wrong was considered
a “curse” by the people of this world. For example, when a wound got
infected, they called it a “cursed wound.” The world I was living in now
seemed to be a very superstitious one indeed.
 After lunch, I asked Fengying for help, and she showed me the altar.
She directed me to pray for the kitchen gods’ blessing and forgiveness for
any offenses I might have made. When I finished doing that, I rushed over
to the [Majestic Oceanfront Sanctuary] to check if the so-called curse had
been removed.
I was just about to start baking when I heard a cough. To my surprise,
Deming and his three assistants were at the door of the kitchen.
“Oh, hello. Do you need this kitchen, too? The supplies are that way.” I
pointed at the doors to the larder and walk-in refrigerator.
Fengying appeared from behind them and said, “They’re here to
watch.”
“Ah.” They were here to watch me make a fool of myself? I sighed. I
guessed that was fine. Maybe they could even help! “Okay.”
They walked over to the kitchen island and silently observed me pour
water from a jug and into a bowl of [Flour]. The assistants made
exclamations of surprise when they saw how the [Flour] and water
combined themselves without any intervention from me. I did the same
thing to seven more bowls that I had previously prepared. Then I popped
four [Bread Doughs] into the two double ovens and said, “That’s it. Now I
just wait.”
Deming nodded and turned to his assistants. Pointing to the bag of
[Flour] I had left on the counter, he said, “Cursed flour, no grade.”
No grade? But the [Flour] was legendary grade! Of course, I already
knew that the items from my inventory were all bound to me and, therefore,
appeared “cursed” to other people, but surely the Demon Chef should be
able to tell that it was the highest grade possible.
Seeing my shocked expression, Fengying explained it to me. “Cursed
items are ‘no grade’ until they are uncursed.”
“Oh.” I guessed that explained it.
While we waited for the [Bread] to finish baking, the Demon Chef and
his assistants checked the refrigerator and larder to see if there was anything
they wanted. Deming ordered them to take the best of the beef, pork, and
seafood.
The System notified me that the [Bread] was ready. Unfortunately, I
could tell from the smell that at least one of them had burned. I opened the
oven doors one by one, pouting at the lumps of coal-like items.
 I failed again, but I didn’t let that stop me. I made four more [Bread
Doughs] and tried again. This time, I didn’t bother to hang around waiting
for it to finish baking. Instead, I put on a coat and went outside for a walk. I
asked the chef and his assistants to not interfere and let me check the bread
myself when I got back.
Though it was a cold winter day, the sun was shining, and the sea air
was fresh and inviting. The sound of the waves crashing against the shore
was almost hypnotic. As I headed toward the beach, I saw that my
apprentices were waist-deep in the water.
I ran toward them and yelled, “Get out of there at once! It’s too cold,” as
soon as I was within shouting distance.
“Teacher, look! We’re fishing!” Kharli yelled back.
When I was close enough, I saw that they were using nets, as Mo and I
had done on our previous visit to the Emerald Cove. “Everyone, get out of
the water! You’ll catch your death.”
The three of them emerged from the frigid waters, water dripping from
their cotton robes and hair. They immediately started shivering, and I was
greatly alarmed to see that their lips had turned bluish. The cold winter
wind made their teeth chatter, which made me worry that they would get
sick from walking up the slope to the hotel while dripping wet.
I threw some blankets over them before hurrying them up the slope to
where there was a bit of flat land big enough for me to place a large hot
springs facility with separate male and female bathing areas.
“Quickly, go inside, take your clothes off, and heat your body up!” I
said.
It would be a huge problem if they got a cold right now since the
“curse” of the desert lands supposedly made illnesses much worse than
normal. I’d have to stop working on [Greening the Desert] to bring them
back to the forest to recuperate.
“Teacher, it’s not my fault. They made me do it,” said Mo.
“Hey, that’s because you boasted night and day about learning a secret
ocean fishing technique,” said Kharli.
I rolled my eyes at that. Kids!
After a few minutes, their teeth stopped chattering, and I heaved a sigh
of relief.
“How do you feel?” I asked them.
“Eh, we’re used to being cold,” said Kharli.
 “Yeah, it was this cold when I was on laundry duty at the orphanage
during the winter,” said Mo.
“Let me know right away if you feel sick,” I said.
I made them stay in the hot spring for half an hour. Thankfully, they all
seemed fine.
“Whew, you guys scared me.” Suddenly, I remembered something. “Oh
no, I forgot I was baking bread! Ahhh!”
I ran all the way to the kitchen, fearing the worst. When my three
apprentices arrived, they exclaimed at the smell of burning bread.
“Ah, poor Teacher,” said Lari.
“It’s a curse,” said Kharli.
“Aw, that’s too bad,” said Mo.
Glumly, I opened the first oven door and retrieved the black, burned
bread. The other two ovens yielded the same, but when I saw what was in
the fourth oven, I could hardly believe my eyes.
“It’s…it’s not burned!” I took out the loaf tin with the bread inside and
showed it to them. “Look.”
“Wow, you did it, Teacher!” said Lari.
“Congratulations,” said Kharli.
“May we try some?” asked Mo.
“Uh, I think it needs to cool first,” I said.
Deming and his assistants, who were silently watching, all nodded their
heads in unison. To my surprise, they seemed to have settled down in this
kitchen and had taken over all but one aisle to prep food. Pots and pans
were bubbling away on the stoves with various types of stews, soups,
sauces, and frying food. They got back to work while I sat on tall stools
with my apprentices and discussed our future vacation plans while waiting
for the [Bread] to cool enough for us to eat.
The [Bread], still inside the tin, looked perfect. I poked it a little, and it
was satisfyingly springy.
“I hope it tastes good,” I said.
“I’m sure it will,” said Lari. “It smells nice.”
“Hmph, don’t try to distract me. You’re in for a huge scolding when I
tell Fengying what you all did,” I said.
Deming, ever solicitous when it came to food, sent over one of his
assistants to serve us a nice snack of hot tea and biscuits.
“Teacher, why don’t we show our catch to the chef?” suggested Kharli.
 “Good idea!” I said.
The three of them put their offerings in buckets and showed them to
Deming, who chose the ones he wanted and then gave the buckets back. By
this time, of course, he was quite familiar with how our inventories worked
and knew that we would be able to keep food fresher than the best
refrigerator.
When they were done, they sat back down, and I said, “I think maybe
we should cancel the trip to the Lake of Clear Ripples. I didn’t realize it
would be this cold. We won’t be able to fish much.”
Kharli leaned over to Mo and whispered in a voice loud enough for all
of us to hear, “You know, she wanted to camp outside in a flimsy tent, so
she could have an excuse to share body heat with the prince.”
Mo giggled and blushed charmingly. “Shh, we’re not supposed to know
about that.”
“Hey! Don’t gossip about your own teacher,” I said to Kharli. “And for
your information, I would’ve placed a heater inside the tent.”
Lari stopped devouring the biscuits long enough to say, “Why use a
heater when you have the prince?”
“Hush, stop it. Anyway, are we all agreed? We’ll cancel the lake trip,” I
said.
They nodded.
“I guess I’ll just go to Hongzhen and Wukan, then,” I said.
We were talking about the details when Fengying arrived with a letter
from the Fox Clan.

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 Chapter 86

“I t ’ s an invitation to the ritual blessing of the [P urple O rchid

Rice]. They’re going to offer it to the Fox goddess,” said Fengying.
“Not all of it, right?” I had only donated one-tenth of it to the Fox Clan
because I wanted to eat that rice.
“Yes, my lady. The ritual will be held two days from now,” said
Fengying.
“Isn’t it a bit rude to only tell us about it now?”
“Your attendance is not mandatory, and the messenger said that it’s only
a minor ritual, very informal,” said Fengying.
“Teacher, I want to go!” Lari burst out.
“I just bet you do,” said Kharli.
What was that?
In answer to my inquiring look, Kharli explained, “We once saw some
members of the Fox Clan when we were on an errand in the city. Lari was
practically drooling.”
“Oh my,” I said. “That’s kind of understandable, but don’t actually
drool, okay? Play it cool.”
“Then we can go?” Lari’s eyes were practically sparkling with
eagerness.
“Yes.” Why not? It sounded like it would be interesting.
“My lady, the messenger is waiting to see you. He asked for some time
to refresh himself, so I showed him to a suite,” said Fengying.
“Oh, I have to dress up a little,” I said.
 “Not at all. I’m sure what you’re wearing is fine since it’s only a
messenger,” said Fengying.
“Great. Then please let me know when the messenger is ready.” I
wondered what he had to say.
“Teacher, I think the [Bread] is cool enough now,” said Kharli.
She was right. Deming and the others casually walked over to where we
were and watched as I cut slices from the loaf. I offered the first one to
Deming.
He took a bite and slowly chewed it while we all waited with bated
breath for his evaluation. I lost heart when I saw the expression on his face
change. For a moment there, I thought he might spit it out. Thankfully, he
swallowed it.
“Edible,” was the only thing he said before going back to work prepping
more food with his assistants.
“It can’t be that bad,” said Lari as he reached for a slice.
“No, wait,” I said.
Taking out some butter and Deming’s homemade blueberry jam from
my inventory, I spread them both on five slices. I offered them to Fengying
and the others before biting down on one myself.
Mmm, it was pretty good! The [Bread] tasted like ordinary supermarket
bread back on Earth. These days, we had all gotten used to Deming’s
heavenly food, so it suffered by comparison, but the taste really wasn’t bad.
“It’s nice,” said Lari.
“I like it,” said Kharli.
“I’m glad the curse is gone,” said Mo.
“Me, too. It’s a relief to know I can cook now,” I said. “But I think I’ll
still focus more on Herblaw and crafting.”
Fengying ate the jam bread and then left to check on the messenger.
Despite her words, I felt a little nervous and went to a bedroom to change
into a better outfit and brush my windblown hair. The kids did the same. A
few minutes later, Fengying ushered a tall, broad-shouldered member of the
Fox Clan into the reception room of the hotel’s grandest suite.
“Lady Hoshi, the titular head of the Fox Clan, sends her greetings to
Baroness Violet,” said the red-haired man. He had bright green eyes and
was dressed in black silk robes with the Fox Clan’s emblem embroidered on
the sleeves.
 I and my three apprentices exchanged bows and greetings with the
handsome messenger.
“I understand you have a message from Lady Hoshi? Something that’s
not in the invitation letter?” I asked.
He hesitated. “Ah, well, you know Lady Hoshi is quite young… This is
a personal message from her, not a message from the head of the Fox Clan.”
From the look on his face, I could tell that it was something outrageous.
“Is it about marriage?”
“You expected it?!” He looked quite shocked.
“Hahaha, it’s okay, just tell me the message, please,” I said.
“Ah, she insisted that I tell you her exact words, which were, ‘Why
haven’t you married that ugly? If you’re not marrying him, then you should
marry me.’ Lady Hoshi told me to ask for a reply.” The messenger looked at
me expectantly.
“A marriage proposal!” I said. “How thrilling!”
“And your reply, Baroness?”
“I’m afraid I must refuse since Lady Hoshi isn’t of age.”
“I shall convey your words to her.”
Then, to my surprise, Fengying gave him an ornate carved wooden box
decorated with mother-of-pearl as a gift to the head of the Fox Clan. After
spouting a few more courtesies, the messenger left.
“What was in the box?” I asked Fengying.
“A [Dewy Glow Potion]. The Fox Clan is very fond of cosmetics and
beauty treatments.”
“I see. Here’s a few more in case you need it later.” I took out a box full
of [Dewy Glow Potions], but she waved it away.
“My lady, did you forget that you put a large box of them in the hot
spring at home? I don’t need more,” said Fengying.
“Oh, right, I forgot about that.” I had placed the potions there for
convenience since we found out that they were great when added to the bath
water. “By the way, you like the potion?”
“It’s very effective,” said Fengying. “All my friends back in the city told
me that I look ten years younger.”
“Wow.” I hadn’t noticed it myself, but now that I looked more closely at
her, I thought her skin was a lot dewier and smoother than before, especially
around the eyes.
“Teacher, why did you refuse the marriage proposal?” asked Lari.
 “Because she already has the prince!” said Kharli.
“She could have at least thought about it,” said Lari.
“No, no, that’s impossible. She’s far too young, you see. By the time
she’s an adult, I’ll be fifty years old.” Besides, she was probably just joking.
“Oh, because of the difference in lifespans? That’s too bad,” said Lari.
“I’m not 100 percent sure, but I believe that’s how it works.” I looked to
Fengying for confirmation.
“Yes, clan members generally live for around three hundred years.
Humans have a maximum lifespan of only one hundred years or
thereabouts,” said Fengying.
“Um, wouldn’t the difference in lifespans make marriage between them
impossible?” I asked.
“Noooo,” said Kharli.
“It’s fine,” said Fengying. “Though clan members live longer, they
mature slower, so the lifespans are compatible enough.”
“How so?” I was confused.
“You see, clan members take at least a hundred years to be considered
adults. They are at their prime for one hundred years after that, then start to
decline in their last one hundred years.”
“Hmmm.” So Prince Baiyu was over a hundred years old? Gosh.
“If a clan member marries a human and all goes well, they will be
together for the bulk of their adult lives.”
“Eh, but the clan member would be alone in their old age?” That didn’t
sound good at all.
Fengying shrugged. “It’s not that different from a marriage between
humans. After all, plenty of humans die before they reach old age.”
“Hmm.” That was something to think about.
“I heard humans who marry into the White Tiger Clan live longer and
stay young until they die!” said Lari. “I want to marry a girl from the White
Tiger Clan.”
“Is that true?” I asked Fengying. “Wait, what about human cultivators?
Don’t they live longer than one hundred years?”
“I think that’s just a myth or something very rare. As for cultivators…”
She shrugged. “It depends on the cultivator.”
“Teacher, will we live longer because of your bloodline inheritance?”
asked Mo.
“I have no idea,” I said.
 We discussed it a little bit more, but I truly had no idea what effect the
System would have on our lifespans. Players were pretty much immortal in
Adventure Incarnate, and the farmhands in the game didn’t die, but I didn’t
really think that the three of us were that much different from humans.
The three kids wanted to go off and do a little foraging, but I told them
to stay inside the hotel where it was warm since I was still afraid they might
have caught a cold earlier. I showed them how to use the old-fashioned
pinball machine and air hockey table in the hotel’s lounge area, and we
spent the rest of the day playing.
The rest of our vacation passed pleasantly, and we left two days later to
go to the forest temple where the Fox Clan’s ritual was to be held.
We alighted from the carriage to find two white-clad priestesses
welcoming us to the temple grounds.
“This way, please. Follow the signs.” They showed us the entrance to
the forest path. “There are fox statues along the way. Please cleanse your
hands and bow to each.”
The two of them walked us over to a waist-high stone statue of a fox
and showed us how to dip the tips of our fingers in the water bowl in front
of it and bow our heads to it as a sign of respect. I was glad that we didn’t
have to kowtow since we were all dressed in fine silk robes. I was wearing
a purple set while Kharli and Mo had chosen blue robes. Lari, despite our
protests, insisted on wearing gold robes again. Since it was quite cold, we
had on fur-lined boots and fur coats.
“Thank you,” I said to the priestesses.
We all bowed to them and went on our way.
This time of the year, the trees had lost their leaves and their bare
branches swayed gently in the wind.
I fancied that the four of us made a nice sight as we walked together.
The kids had grown taller since they left the orphanage, and the two girls’
figures were developing nicely. Lari, on the other hand, had become a little
thinner compared to when I first saw him.
We chatted merrily about this and that, and I even teased Lari a little
about how his eyes had almost popped out of their sockets when he saw that
the priestesses were wearing short skirts that ended slightly below their
knees.
“Hahaha, wait until you see Lady Hoshi’s attendant,” I said.
“Don’t faint, okay?” said Mo.
 “I’m not gonna faint!” Lari, who was walking in front of us, turned
around to respond to our teasing and tripped on something. “Ahh! My
golden cloak!”
Lari frantically brushed the dust from his cloak.
“How clumsy! Now your hair’s a mess,” said Kharli as she helped him
tidy his clothes.
“Be careful and don’t trip over your own feet,” said Mo.
“I didn’t! There’s something here, look.” Lari bent down and brushed
some dead leaves away, revealing a stone surface.
“What is that?” Kharli used her foot to clear a bit more of the surface.
“Oh, is this part of the path paved?” I walked over to take a look at it.
The moment my right foot touched the stone, a bright blue magic circle
appeared. Realizing what was happening, I whirled and pushed Kharli and
Lari out of the circle. When I tried to jump off the teleportation stone, I
found that my foot was stuck to it.
“Teacher, what’s happening?”
“What is it?”
“Are you okay?”
The three of them reached for me and tried to pull me out, but it was no
use. The magic circle’s glow intensified until I had to close my eyes. When
I opened them, I found myself in a place that I knew well.
I was in one of the worst places I could have been teleported to, the
demon-infested Southerlands. Though I wanted to scream in frustration, I
kept my mouth shut since the last thing I wanted was to draw the demons’
attention to myself. I detached Mr. Bear from my hairpin and activated his
[Guard Mode].

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 Chapter 87

T he first thing I did was to try to teleport back to the F ox temple .

Unfortunately, no matter how many times I ordered it mentally to [Activate]
or [Teleport], the teleportation stone remained inert. I even said the words
out loud, to no effect.
Why had I been teleported here? I had no idea how or why it had
happened. Had someone from the Fox Clan set me up? But no, the stone in
the path had been covered in leaves and dirt. It didn’t look like it had been
placed there recently. Perhaps it was simply an old, forgotten relic that I had
accidentally triggered by stepping on it?
“Mr. Bear, why am I so unlucky?” I said to my only companion.
I gave up on the teleportation stone and looked around me. I was in a
large clearing in the middle of a tropical jungle. Here, unlike the desert in
the Westerlands, the leaves of the towering trees were a vivid green. Even
from where I was standing, I could see that the rainforest floor was thick
with vegetation. Vines, shrubs, and ferns grew in wild profusion beneath the
broad-leafed tropical trees. The air was humid, and though I had only just
teleported in, my head already felt hot from the heat of the sun. The sky was
a clear blue with a few fluffy white clouds scattered here and there.
Turning on the System’s minimap, I confirmed my fears. I was right
smack in the middle of the badlands. I knew this place well from when I
used to play Adventure Incarnate since it was the location of the main
teleportation stone. This was an area that high-level players used to train for
combat due to the large number of demons nearby.
 Thank goodness the kids hadn’t been teleported with me. They
would’ve been demon food for sure.
Come to think of it, why had the teleportation stone been in the Fox
Clan’s temple grounds? The ones in the game had been located in important
areas.
Well, that was something to investigate later. Right now, what was
important was my immediate safety. I turned on the expanded map to plan
my next move. After some thinking, I came to the conclusion that I had
three options.
One, I could simply stay here at the stone to wait for someone to
teleport in. My apprentices would no doubt tell the Fox Clan what had
happened, and it was possible that someone from the Fox Clan knew how
the stone worked. However, there was no guarantee that help was coming
since the teleportation stone looked like it was inactive and ancient. In
addition, I couldn’t wait for long since I couldn’t build a proper shelter here
in a place where demons were known to frequent.
Two, I could act like a total chad and fight my way back to the
Westerlands. That would be the pro player move. I reckoned this was what
GodIam would do if he was the one stuck here.
Three, I could find a safe place, build a shelter there, and level up until I
was strong enough to make my way back to civilization.
“It’s just you and me, Mr. Bear,” I said to my faithful puppet.
I decided to give Plan One a chance. I pitched a tent and changed into
my most comfortable summer pants and robe since it was quite hot and
humid here in the Southerlands. Tying my hair back in a ponytail and then
twisting the hair up into a bun, I made myself ready for combat. If I had to
stay here longer, I would definitely have to cut my hair. When I was done, I
put away the tent since it would block my view of the surroundings.
It wouldn’t be good to be unprepared for an attack, so I put on leather
armor over my clothes. The leather vest went over my chest and back, and I
pulled the leather chaps over my cotton pants. This newbie ranger gear
offered a bit of protection.
Recently, I had been quite busy with the farm and quests, so I hadn’t
had the chance to level up my combat skills.

[Violet: Level 1
HP: 100/100
 MP: 35/35
Strength: 1/99
Attack: 1/99
Archery: 3/99
Magic: 3/99]

However, I had practiced on training dummies quite a lot. Taking out a

simple [Wooden Shortbow] and [Iron Arrows] from my inventory, I shot a
few trees to test my aim.

[Archery Skills:
Piercing Shot
Rapid Fire
Escape]

My skills would be of great help. [Piercing Shot] was still the easiest
skill for me to use.

[Piercing Shot:
Imbue the arrow with your energy, allowing it to pierce through
enemies. The shot is incredibly powerful and can often take down
multiple foes with a single arrow.
Cooldown: 5 seconds]

However, now that I was in the demon’s land, I should probably

practice [Rapid Fire] more since it was almost certain that I would be
attacked by more than one enemy at a time.

[Rapid Fire:
Fire a rapid succession of five arrows. This ability is great for taking
down multiple targets quickly or for taking down a single target with a
lot of arrows.
Cooldown: 5 seconds]

I had never used [Escape] in combat before, but it could prove to be

quite useful indeed.
 [Escape:
Enter a state of heightened awareness and move ten feet in any
direction. Time seems to slow, and the player has increased movement
speed and agility, allowing the player to quickly move away from
enemies or hazards.
Cooldown: 30 seconds]

I spread a picnic blanket on the ground and sat down to rest and drink
some water while I waited for someone, anyone, to appear.
A few minutes later, Mr. Bear alerted me with a popup that a [Dire Rat]
was approaching.

[Dire Rat:
Monstrous giant rodents with sharp claws and fangs. Their muscular
bodies are covered in thick, wiry gray or brown fur. They are agile and
quick, well able to dodge most slow attacks but have relatively low
defense.]

Oh, shit, why did it have to be a [Dire Rat]? The game art depicted them
as big, ugly, dirty red-eyed demons. Fortunately, their Battle Rating was
low.

[Battle Rating:
A number that represents that character’s overall power and fighting
ability. The higher the BR, the stronger the character is. The BR is
determined by a variety of factors, such as the character’s stats,
equipment, puppet, bonuses, and abilities.]

When it came into sight, bursting from behind a tall banyan tree, the
Combat Screen appeared, showing the [Dire Rat’s] and my BR along with
the Action Bar that I could use to trigger my skills.

[Dire Rat:
Type: Melee
Element: None
BR: 31]
 [Violet
Level 1
HP: 100/100
BR: 26]

With practiced ease, I notched an arrow and raised my bow, taking

careful aim before shooting at my target using [Piercing Shot]. Mr. Bear
was a magic-type puppet, so I had him cast [Fireball] on the [Dire Rat].
After getting hit by the magic spell, the rat’s HP bar went down by a
quarter, and it stopped in its tracks for a few seconds as though trying to
decide whether to flee or not.
My arrow hit it with a loud thunk, sinking into its side. The red HP bar
above the rodent was cut in half. Mr. Bear’s next [Fireball] hit it right on the
face, and then I hit it with another arrow using a normal attack as fast as I
could. Without the power of a skill behind it, my arrow only did half as
much damage as before. The demon’s eyes glowed red, and it ran toward us
again. The [Dire Rat] was only three meters away when I managed to hit it
with a third arrow, killing it.
In the game, when demons were killed, they left behind a few gold
coins and various body parts or loot such as [Dire Rat Fang] or [Dire Rat
Fur]. I sent my puppet to collect the loot because I didn’t want to go near
the dirty thing’s remains. Who knew what kind of diseases it carried?
Mr. Bear only had two inventory slots as well as a coin pouch, so I
transferred the remains from my puppet’s inventory to mine.
I grimaced when I noticed that there was some blood left on the ground
where it had died. I hoped that wouldn’t attract more demons.
The adrenaline from the fight made me feel shaky and nervous. I paced
the clearing for a long time, on the lookout for more enemies.
When nothing happened after almost an hour, I got a large patio
umbrella chair from my inventory and sat down to relax a bit. I was
hydrating myself by sipping from a [Bowl of Water] when the next [Dire
Rat] appeared. Mr. Bear and I made short work of it as well as the other
three that attacked later.
It was almost noon when a pair of demon rats appeared. My heart beat
faster as I sprang from the chair. Could we handle two of them at once?
This time, I took a chance on using [Rapid Fire]. Alas, only two of the
five arrows I shot hit their mark. They were almost upon us when I
hurriedly switched combat styles from Archery to Melee.
At my level, I could only wear [Iron Plate Armor] that covered my body
from head to toe, but even this low-level equipment offered more protection
than the leather archery gear. Though I had never cut anything but a training
dummy with my [Iron Sword], I had no time to worry about that when the
nearest [Dire Rat] came within striking distance.

[Sword Skills:
Thrust
Slash
Blade Flurry]

This was no time for half-measures. Before I knew it, I had activated
my strongest melee skill.

[Blade Flurry:
Slash the enemy with a flurry of quick and powerful strikes. This
ability is often used as a finishing move, as it can deal a large amount of
damage in a short period of time.
Cooldown: 30 seconds]

Dashing forward, I slashed diagonally at the enemy. My blade flashed

blue and cut the side of the rat’s neck. Another diagonal slash cut its face,
followed by a horizontal slash that nearly decapitated it. The last stroke of
my [Blade Flurry] was a vertical slash that finished it off, cutting it in half
completely.
Wow! Those training sessions were finally paying off!
All this took only a few seconds, and by the time I was finished, the
other demon, whose HP bar had been slightly reduced by Mr. Bear’s spells,
was upon me.
I stepped back a pace to get some distance between us before I swung
my sword down in a mighty slash.

[Slash:
Swing an energy-infused sword in a powerful arc, dealing damage to an
enemy. This ability has a small chance to knock back or stun the target.
 Cooldown: 5 seconds]

Mr. Bear half-blinded it with a [Fireball] to the eyes, making its HP bar
go down by a third. Then I lunged forward to pierce it with my weapon.

[Thrust:
Lunge forward with the mana-infused sword, dealing damage to an
enemy. This ability can break through enemy shields or armor, dealing
a large amount of damage.
Cooldown: 5 seconds]

The [Thrust] reduced its HP to less than half, but the [Dire Rat] struck at
me with its claws, making a deep gash on the side of my armor. I sprang
back out of the way as Mr. Bear hit it with another spell. The demon had
enough and turned to flee.
By this time, I was breathing hard and feeling a little nauseous, but I
managed one more [Slash] that hit it squarely on its side. Its HP bar was
emptied and it fell at my feet, a horrible mass of stinking fur, thick red
blood, and fetid entrails.
I staggered away from it and puked my guts out.
“Ugh, this is the worst,” I said to Mr. Bear as I peeled off my armor and
examined the jagged cut on my side. Thankfully, it wasn’t very deep.
However, wounds made by animal claws were bound to become infected
unless I cleaned them.
Taking out three buckets of water from my inventory, I washed the cut
as best as I could, then poured an [Antipoison Potion] over it. Then I spread
the [Tiger’s Ten Thousand Golden Herb Balm] on the wound.
I looked at the System’s clock and saw that it wasn’t even noon yet.
This was definitely not good. Right then and there, I decided to flee and
find a safer place.

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 Chapter 88

I n case someone teleported in to rescue me , I used a chisel from my

System toolbelt to carve a simple message on the stone: Violet West Mines.
Player items disappeared after a while if they were placed anywhere that
wasn’t their farm. Therefore, I took out three of the robes that I had bought
from Hongzhen town and cut them into strips. Then I used the ink and
brush from the Scholar costume set to write the same message on the cloth.
There was no time to lose. Nighttime would no doubt bring even more
demons to this area, since they were nocturnal.
I put Mr. Bear in [Travel Mode]. My puppet enlarged until he was three
times as tall as I was. Mentally directing him to kneel, I climbed on his
shoulders. We looked totally ridiculous, like a parent carrying his child on
his shoulders, which was why I had never used this method of traveling
before, but right now I didn’t care. Using both hands to hold on to Mr.
Bear’s head, I was able to keep my balance when he stood up and levitated
two feet off the ground. I kept the System minimap active as he flew us
west of the teleportation stone.
The Mines were officially called the [Chitinous Caverns], but
everybody called it “The Mines” since it was where all the players went to
level up their Mining skill. The other mines were more accessible, and the
[Island Mine] was way more profitable, yet when someone said “the mine”
without any adjectives, everyone knew that they were talking about the
[Chitinous Caverns].
Thankfully, the mine was very near to my current location.
 I took a circuitous way, avoiding all the enemies that showed up as red
dots on the minimap. Once, we were caught between a [Dire Rat] and a
[Demon Spider]. I immediately used my [Escape] skill to move toward the
[Dire Rat], which was a lot less dangerous compared to the spider. Three
arrows and two [Fireballs] were all it took to take down the rodent, and we
gave the [Demon Spider] a wide berth after that.
Along the way, I tied the strips of cloth to the branches of the trees that
we passed by. The ink would probably wash out soon, but the cloth itself
should serve as a good enough marker of where I was going, though I had
no idea if anyone would be looking for me in this place.
Three hours later, I gave a whoop as our destination came into sight.
Though all I could see with the naked eye was the side of a mountain
covered in vines, the System map labeled it as the [Chitinous Caverns].
Mr. Bear knelt down, and I hopped off to find the entrance. A little to
the right of me, I saw a few vines fluttering as though they were being
blown outward by a wind from the inside of the mountain. Sure enough,
when I used my machete to cut away some vines, I found the entrance to
the tunnels there.
Yes! I wouldn’t have to stay outside during the night when all the most
dangerous demons roamed the Southerlands.
I cut away a lot more vines and then used a larger chisel to carve “Violet
is inside” beside the cave entrance. To make it stand out more, I splashed it
with red ink. I also tied a dozen strips of cloth to the nearest trees.
By the time I was finished, it was already late afternoon.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Bear, I have a plan, and it’s a good one.” Saying it
out loud, even just to my puppet, made me feel better.
Adventure Incarnate players normally descended through all ninety-
nine mine levels very cautiously, but there were a few things that made the
journey easier. Navigating to the System’s Crafting tab, I made a [Staircase]
using ninety-nine pieces of [Stone]. Then I made eight more, since there
was a safe space every ten levels.
My plan was to use [Staircases] all the way down to the lower levels of
the Mines where I could level up in safety.
I equipped a [Halo Ring]. Wearing [Iron Plate Armor] and with my [Iron
Sword] in hand, I slowly and cautiously made my way into the tunnel with
Mr. Bear beside me.
 The ring cast a gentle yellow sphere of light, illuminating my
surroundings. The ground was strewn with rocks, and the walls were jagged
and rough. Taking a deep breath, I found that the air was heavy and damp,
smelling of earth and mold. I expected it to be quiet, but I could hear the
chittering of insects from further inside the tunnel.
When I tried to use a [Staircase] from my inventory, a ladder icon with a
red X on it appeared on the ground. The X meant that it wasn’t usable here. I
guessed that I needed to go further inside. However, my way was soon
blocked by a large gray boulder.
Wow, it was time for me to experience mining for the first time in this
world!
Since I was only level one, it took me six swings of my pickax to reduce
the boulder to nothing. One piece of [Stone] was automatically added to my
inventory.
Once again, I tested the ground to see if it was now ready for the
[Staircase]. To my surprise, it was!
A solid stone staircase opened up in front of me with a loud grinding
noise. I quickly dashed down it and placed another [Staircase] as soon as I
hit the bottom. I repeated that seven more times until I finally reached level
ten of the mine.
Yes! I did a little dance when I found myself in a large chamber with its
walls and floors covered in rough stone tiles. At the northeast corner was a
ladder leading to the level above me, while a ladder in the southwest corner
led to the level below. There was even a large golden treasure chest right in
the middle of the room, just like in the game.
I was about to open the chest when a scary thought struck me. What was
an unopened treasure chest doing here? Wasn’t this quite suspicious? Could
it be a [Mimic]?
Discretion was the better part of valor, so I sent Mr. Bear to check it out
first. When he was able to push the top open, I approached and saw that
there was a large [Amethyst] inside the chest. The gem was as big as my
fist, and its many facets reflected the light cast by my [Halo Ring]. Of
course, given my eye color and name, I was particularly fond of amethysts,
so I put it in with the rest. Now I had one stack of 2,147,483,647
[Amethysts] and a single [Amethyst] in another inventory slot.
This was exactly why I hadn’t bothered to do any Mining. There was
nothing here that I needed that I didn’t already have.
 I pushed the treasure chest to a corner of the room and set up a large
tent. This was supposed to be a safe level, but I put Mr. Bear in [Guard
Mode] anyway.
As I ate my dinner, courtesy of the Demon Chef who had prepared two
weeks’ worth of food for the four of us while he was on vacation, I planned
my next move.
The monsters inside the mine became stronger the lower the level. The
enemies in levels one to nine were probably weaker than the [Dire Rats] I
had fought.
It was the common wisdom in Adventure Incarnate to stay on a certain
level until one was able to kill enemies with one blow/arrow/spell. Though I
really wanted to level up fast, I shouldn’t be impatient. I resolved to stay on
level eleven until I leveled up enough that I could kill a monster in one
blow.

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 Interlude

An excerpt from the journal of Shuye Skullcrusher, Guardian of

the Ancient Hill Forest:

Just when the Purple Orchid Rice contretemps was smoothed over, I
received word from the Fox Clan that Baroness Violet had disappeared.
The investigation was turned over to the appropriate authorities and
word was immediately sent out to all the clans to search for our missing
farmer. I personally combed every inch of the Ancient Hill Forest but found
nothing. Since it was an emergency, I ignored the taboo about going to the
Cursed Lands in order to take custody of Baroness Violet’s household.
A few days later, the experts who had been researching the ancient
teleportation stone at Ka’u turned over their findings about the artifact
found at the Fox Clan’s territory. Their report stated that the artifact was of
unknown origin, and they could not figure out how it worked. It is currently
inactive. They couldn’t even guarantee that it was a teleportation artifact.
Based on the testimonies of Baroness Violet’s apprentices, only she was
affected, and all they saw was her disappearance. She might have been
teleported, or…
Vaporized.
A few clan elders have even started arguing about what to do with the
assets she left behind.
I hope that we can find out what happened before Prince Baiyu returns
from his retreat. There was some debate about whether or not someone
should be sent to the Wildwood to inform the Lady about what happened,
but the elders deemed the matter to be less important than Prince Baiyu’s
health. Besides, given the absence of any clues regarding Baroness Violet’s
fate, there was truly no point in disturbing him, as there was nothing he
could do.
I personally believe that Baroness Violet is alive based on the fact that
her apprentices are still able to use the part of her bloodline inheritance that
she had shared with them.

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 Chapter 89

I woke up feeling surprisingly refreshed , even though I had slept

on a sleeping bag that offered scant protection from the cold, hard tiles that
made up the floor of this level.
My wound had healed overnight and didn’t even leave a scar. That was
a welcome development, but it was also exceedingly strange. When had I
gotten an enhanced healing skill? Was it because a player’s health bar
always refilled the next day?
I banished these thoughts from my head and concentrated on my current
predicament.
Since I would be spending a lot of time here, I decided to spruce up the
place a bit. I hung fairy lights all over the walls and put tiki torches in the
corners. The lights definitely made the place look a lot more cheerful.
Unfortunately, the room was too small for me to place an actual house, so I
just added a colorful tent to serve as my bedroom. Then, seeing as I was in
the Southerlands, I added a red terracotta statue of the Vermilion Bird.
Perhaps it would bring me luck.
Normally, one could only place decorations and such around one’s farm,
but the safe levels in the mines were special since they had been built by the
Vermilion Bird Clan as a public shelter, which meant that I, and anyone else
who came here, had permission to make myself at home.
I would do just fine here. I was even able to place an outhouse.
The only thing weighing on my mind right now was the state of my
household. Though I tried not to dwell on it, I was a little worried about my
apprentices. They must be frantic by now. However, I knew that Shuye
would take care of them while I was away. In addition, Fengying and
Deming were on vacation, but they would undoubtedly return to take charge
of my household while I was gone. My housekeeper and I had recently
gone over the books; therefore, I knew that we had plenty of money.
Farmhands were meant to stay on the farm to tend to the crops and
livestock, and I was sure that they would do a good job. Right now, it was
wintertime, so all they had to do was to feed and water the [Lizardwings]
and keep an eye on the newly planted trees.
They would probably be perfectly fine without me. Right?
After a simple breakfast of hot tea and buttered toast, I added [Spell
Stones] to Mr. Bear’s inventory for him to use when casting [Fireball], and
then I went down the ladder to level eleven.
Though Archery was my highest-level combat skill, I felt that it would
be the most difficult one to use in close quarters. Thus, I wore my [Iron
Plate Armor] and had my [Iron Sword] placed in the first slot of my
inventory in case I needed to fight.
The upper levels of the mine were very ordinary and had weak
monsters, mostly bugs. As the player descended, the levels became more
and more magical and the environment flashier. Of course, the enemies also
became stronger.
The tunnel I was in looked like a very ordinary mine with earth and
rock walls and an uneven floor. The place was quiet except for the distant
sound of buzzing insects and the slow dripping of water. Unlike most other
games, the underground levels in Adventure Incarnate were often unlit, and
one had to carry or equip a light source. Though this was fine in the game,
walking through complete darkness with only the weak light cast by my
[Halo Ring] in real life was definitely nerve-wracking.
At first, I put Mr. Bear in front of me, then changed my mind and
walked in front of him. It would be better to have someone guarding my
back.
I had only walked ten steps before my way was blocked by a huge
boulder. The Adventure Incarnate graphics depicted the rocks as merely
ankle height. However, the fact that the player character couldn’t just step
over them indicated that this was just artistic license. I suppose I could
climb over it, since it was only around six feet tall and there was a bit of
space above it that I could use, but that seemed more dangerous than just
using my pickaxe on it.
 Once again, it took me six swings to reduce the rock to rubble. I paid
close attention to my energy bar, and thankfully, it seemed that each swing
only consumed a miniscule amount of energy. For my troubles, two pieces
of [Stone] were added to my inventory.
I kept my eyes peeled for enemy movement, but there was nothing as I
walked further into the tunnel and mined three more rocks. Though I’d
barely done anything, I felt more relaxed as nothing attacked me from the
shadows. I suppose there were fewer bugs here in the upper levels. It wasn’t
until I was thirty feet from the ladder that I encountered my first monster.

[Rock Beetle:
An insect with a hard shell that deflects attacks.]

Good! I was very close to leveling up.

The beetle was the size of a dog, around knee-high, and had a glossy
black exoskeleton. Its six legs looked thin and weak, but its mouthparts had
large, scary-looking mandibles. When it came flying up to my face, I
quickly used [Slash] followed by [Thrust]. Mr. Bear, as reliable as ever, hit
it with his [Fireball]. Our three attacks were enough to kill it, and I was
overjoyed when I leveled up my attack skill.

[Congratulations, you just advanced an Attack level!]

[Your Attack level is now 2.]

When in melee combat, a player could choose either an Attack or

Strength setting. Attack increased the player’s melee accuracy, while
Strength increased damage dealt. I was using the Attack setting since I
wanted to get level ten Attack as soon as possible in order to wield better
weapons than the [Iron Sword].
I looked at my stats and sighed. I still had a long way to go.

[Violet: Level 1
HP: 100/100
MP: 35/35
Strength: 1/99
Attack: 2/99
 Archery: 3/99
Magic: 3/99]

I mined a few more rocks before I came across another [Rock Beetle].
Once more, I only needed to use [Slash] and [Thrust] to kill it.
“Well, that was easy!” I said to myself and Mr. Bear.
The first few levels of the mines were for newbies, which was why
there were only easy mobs in them. I continued mining and killed three
more [Rock Beetles] quite easily and without so much as a scratch.
Everything was going so smoothly that I became careless. The tunnel came
to a bend, and I was sent flying when the seemingly ordinary rock that I
was mining turned out to be a monster.
“Ow!” I exclaimed when I landed on my butt. It hurt a lot, but there was
no time to moan about it, since the enemy was almost upon me.

[Rock Mimic:
A cave dweller with a strong camouflage skill. It blends with its
environment and appears to be an ordinary rock when at rest. Not
aggressive unless it is attacked.]

Mr. Bear moved in front of me and puffed up until he was big enough to
protect me from the mimic, which looked like a big rock with pink, slimy
tentacles under it.
I scrambled to my feet and used [Slash], but its hard, rock-like body
deflected my attack, and I did no damage.
Ugh!
The [Rock Mimic] drew back a little, then charged at me, hitting my
iron-clad legs with a loud clanging sound. I [Thrust] downward with my
weapon, but the tip of my sword just slid off its body. To my surprise, even
Mr. Bear’s [Fireball] bounced off it.
So the rock part of its body was near invulnerable. What about its
tentacles, then?
I crouched down and swung at its tentacles. My [Iron Sword] cut
through its soft limbs like a hot knife through butter. Two more swings,
which covered my blade with green blood, and it fell down on the ground,
dead.
 “Oh my, that was intense,” I said to Mr. Bear.
My puppet deflated to his normal size.
I stood up slowly, armor creaking, and placed a hand on the wall for
balance as I panted heavily. My heart was pounding like crazy. I gave
myself a few minutes to calm down before going back to the mine.
The next time I found a rock, I examined it closely to check if it was a
mimic. It looked normal, and I heaved a sigh of relief when I was able to
mine it with no problem. I continued to mine and kill more [Rock Beetles]
until noon, when I scaled the ladder up to level ten to have lunch.

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 Chapter 90

E very time a player went up and down a ladder in the mines in

Adventure Incarnate, the levels were reset and new rocks emerged to block
their path again. I believed this was explained in-game by some non-player
characters claiming that the place was haunted or something.
Therefore, when I went back up after eating my lunch, I wasn’t
surprised to see that the tunnel that I had cleared was now full of rocks
blocking my way again. This was hardly a bad thing, since it meant that it
was easier for me to level up. I set to my task with a will, crushing every
single rock that I saw until I received a welcome notification message from
the System.

[Congratulations, you just advanced a Mining level!]

[Your Mining level is now 2.]

That was great. Now it only took five swings of my pickaxe to mine a
rock.
Mr. Bear and I killed a few more [Rock Beetles], and I was once again
startled when a rock turned out to be another mimic. It seemed their
camouflage skill was so good that there really was no way of distinguishing
them from a regular rock. This time, I was knocked off my feet, and I killed
it quickly by slashing at its tentacles.
At the end of the day, I was exhausted, but I still hadn’t leveled up my
Attack.
 “Ugh, time for a bath, Mr. Bear. We’re both dirty!” I had only been
alone for a day, and I was already wondering if I could somehow program
my puppet to say a few lines of dialogue.
Would it be good to have Mr. Bear say a few encouraging sentences
like, “You’re doing great!” or “You’re the best!” sometimes?
Back at level ten, I put away the tent to clear some space and placed a
shower for me and Mr. Bear to use. I was so sweaty and dusty from mining
and fighting all day that it was a relief to stay under the spray of hot water
and use soap and shampoo to cleanse myself and my puppet. When I was
done, I used a hairdryer on my hair and Mr. Bear.
“I’m happy I have a nice plushie to cuddle with and protect me,” I
whispered into Mr. Bear’s pink ear.
I barely had enough energy to eat dinner before collapsing on a sleeping
bag and falling into a deep, dreamless sleep.

The next three days followed the same routine. I went down to level eleven
to mine and fight mobs. I got two more mining levels and one more Attack
level.

[Player Name: Violet

Farming Skills:
Farming Level 19, Fishing Level 12, Woodcutting Level 19, Cooking
Level 5, Herblaw Level 15, Foraging Level 6, Hunting Level 3, Mining
Level 4]

Now I was able to clear a rock in three swings. As for the [Rock
Beetles] and [Rock Mimics], by the end of the third day I was able to kill
them with one [Slash], meaning it was now time for me to go deeper into
the mines.

[Violet: Level 1
HP: 100/100
MP: 35/35
Strength: 1/99
 Attack: 3/99
Archery: 3/99
Magic: 3/99]

I packed up all my stuff and made nine [Staircases]. It was actually

pretty fun to place them on the ground, run down the steps, then place
another right away until I reached level twenty.
This time, the safe spot was larger and was lit with magical glowing
rocks. Unfortunately, the light they cast was a sickly green, giving the place
an eerie atmosphere and making me look sickly the one time I dared to look
at myself in a mirror.
Still, the extra space was nice indeed. I had room for the tent, outhouse,
and shower, so I wouldn’t have to keep removing the tent to make space for
the other facilities I needed.
I lost no time in exploring level twenty-one. This deep into the mines,
the magical nature of the place was starting to assert itself. The rough
earthen walls were now dotted with glowing crystals and luminescent moss.
The crystals had no use that I knew of, but I made sure to harvest a lot of
the moss since it could be used for Herblaw. I had plenty of it, but as usual,
it was bound for my use. Besides, collecting moss gave me Foraging exp.
At this level, the monsters were tougher. I squealed in shock when the
first [Cave Bug] attacked me.

[Cave Bug:
A species of venomous bug native to the Chitinous Caverns.]

The bug looked like a cockroach on top but had legs like a millipede. It
flew up and tried to bite my arm but couldn’t penetrate my armor.
“Get away! Ahhh!”
I bashed it against the wall of the tunnel until it died.

[You have been poisoned.]

What? Even though it didn’t touch my skin? Maybe it had a poison

breath or something. Grumbling to myself, I drank an [Antipoison Potion]
and continued mining.
 The next time a [Cave Bug] came buzzing by, I was quick enough to
[Slash] at it with my sword. Sadly, this did not kill it, and this time it flew
straight at my face. I managed to jump aside and block it with my arm.
Swearing, I tried to pry it off my limb with my other hand, to no avail, so I
had to hit my arm against the wall again.
I killed it, of course, but smashing my arm like that made it hurt.
“Maybe we should return to level ten?” I said to Mr. Bear. This level
seemed annoying, not to mention painful, to explore. I turned back and
walked toward the ladder down to level twenty. “The bugs here are too
clingy. I don’t like it.”
That was when it happened. I was halfway up the ladder when another
[Cave Bug] appeared. I flinched, expecting it to latch onto me again.
Instead, it crashed onto something invisible and was repelled back with a
sudden jolt, as though it had hit a wall. It made two more attempts to attack
me but was stopped by a barrier.
Oh my gosh! The ladder was a safe space? In Adventure Incarnate,
when players clicked on a ladder, there was no climbing animation. The
screen just changed to the player at the top or bottom of the ladder on the
lower or higher level.
I climbed down the ladder and slashed at the bug three times until it
died.
What? So when I was at the bottom of a ladder, I couldn’t be attacked,
but I could attack the monsters? This was an exploit! This was massive! I
didn’t need to use my sword; I could stay at the ladder and shoot arrows or
spells at the enemy while they were helpless to attack me.
My mind raced at the possibilities. How could I use this to my
advantage in the most efficient way?
In order to level up my combat skills as fast as possible, I needed two
things: lots of enemies attacking me at once and a way to kill them faster. A
good Area of Effect or AOE spell would be great to use, for example. Alas,
my magic level was too low for that to be effective. The “lots of enemies”
part wasn’t a problem since I knew many levels where there were tons of
mobs.
What would GodIAm do if he found an exploit like this? Thinking of
my old friend jogged a memory of us fighting together in the mines. There
had been an update, and we wanted to check out the new [Cavecrawlers]
and their drops. The thing was everyone had the same idea, so the place was
crowded.
I laughed like a cartoon villain when I remembered the chaos that
ensued when GodIAm decided to annoy the other players by killing
everything before they had a chance to. Yes…his solution would work for
me now.
“Oh, Mr. Bear, we’re going to have so much fun!”
No more being bullied by insects trying to bite my arm or face off. It
was time for my revenge and the massacre of the bugs.
Smiling, I headed up the ladder to gather my things. I could hardly wait
to set my devious plan in motion. GodIAm would be so proud of me if he
knew!

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 Chapter 91

I went back to level twenty , put all my stuff in my inventory , and

made twenty-nine [Staircases]. Since I wanted to descend as quickly as
possible, I put Mr. Bear in [Travel Mode] and piggybacked a ride all the
way to level fifty. Using the puppet’s levitation power, we flew down at
lightning speed noiselessly, which minimized the possibility of attracting
mobs.
As we descended, the normal-looking earthen walls and floors gradually
turned light orange, dark orange, then pink, with each color change
denoting a difference in the power levels of the tunnels. The [Chitinous
Caverns] were a magical place that became more unusual the lower one got.
Mr. Bear and I stopped at level fifty where the walls, floors, and ceiling
were made of pink marble tiles shot with silver-and-gold veins. Here and
there, the marble tiles had fallen off, revealing bright pink soil. The overall
effect was a bit much.
“I feel like I’m inside a womb or something,” I said to Mr. Bear.
Compared to the safe space at level twenty, this one was five times
larger. It was basically the size of three basketball courts, but one-third of
the space was taken up by a pool lined with jagged pink rocks.
“Yes!”
I didn’t know why, but I was a little afraid the spring wouldn’t be here.
Taking an empty [Bowl], I dipped it in the spring, then examined the spring
water. It was filled with tiny bubbles. I drank some of the cool, naturally
carbonated water to refresh myself, then got to work.
First, I needed to gather lots of soda water.
 I went to my inventory, mentally clicked on the [Use] command on
empty [Glass Bottles], then used the bottles with the spring. Ten bottles
appeared at the edge of the spring, and I gasped in surprise as water shot out
of the pool and into the bottles. When the bottles were full, I put them back
in my inventory and used ten [Corks] on the filled bottles. The ten bottles of
soda water then disappeared.
I repeated this several times before moving on to the next step.
Next, I needed [Kola Flavoring].
Though this item was now discontinued in Adventure Incarnate, it came
as no surprise to me when I saw that I had it in my inventory. There were
lots of discontinued items in Adventure Incarnate. That was to say, the
developers often made one-off items that were made for special events,
holidays, and so forth. GodIAm liked to collect rare items, especially
discontinued ones, even if they were no longer useful, like the [Packet of
Kola Flavoring].
Inside the packet were the soda flavoring ingredients: [Kola Nut
Powder], [Brown Sugar], [Orange Zest], [Orange Juice], [Lemon Zest],
[Lemon Juice], [Lime Zest], [Lime Juice], [Ground Ginger], [Ground
Cinnamon], [Ground Nutmeg], and [Vanilla Essence]
The space on level fifty was a bit cramped, but I somehow managed to
build the smallest log cabin in it. Filling a cauldron with water, I hung it
over the fireplace to boil, adding in all of the ingredients except for the zests
and juices. As I waited for the water to boil, I thought about the people I
had left behind.
Were my apprentices all right? How worried were Fengying, Deming,
and the rest of my staff? Shuye and Prince Baiyu were probably busy trying
to look for me. By now, they must be investigating the teleportation stone.
Thankfully, the water started boiling just as I started feeling sorry for
myself for being stuck in a dangerous place all alone. I stirred the water and
moved it away from the direct heat to let it simmer for a while. It smelled
like a rich, burned caramel. Once twenty minutes had passed, I took the
cauldron from the fire and placed a large cutting board under it before
setting it down on the log cabin’s only table. I needed to let it cool before
adding the zests and juices.
In the meantime, I went back to the spring to gather more soda water to
make [Kola-Kola Soda].
 The soda wasn’t just a refreshing drink; it was a very useful item that
functioned like an energy potion. Drinking a bottle of kola replenished one-
fourth of a player’s health bar, with a limit of one use per day. A player
could drink more than one per day, but it only refilled one’s health the first
time.
Unfortunately, a few days after it was released, the [Kola-Kola Soda]
was removed from the game. The update notes cited “balancing issues”
while the rumor in the player forums was that the developers had gotten a
cease-and-desist notice from a large multinational company because the
name of the item as well as the bottle and logo design was too close to a
famous brand of cola in real life.
A week later, GodIAm told me that the real reason was because he had
found an infinite energy bug using the new item and informed the game’s
developers about it. He refused to reveal the exact details to me, which was
a pity because now I would really love to know it.
“Infinite energy sounds nice, doesn’t it, Mr. Bear?” I said out loud to my
only companion.
The update replaced the sodas we had in our inventory with
[Commemorative Gold Bars], which looked and functioned exactly like
regular [Gold Bars]. Of course, due to their relative rarity, [Commemorative
Gold Bars] were worth one hundred times more than their regular
counterparts. Even today, years later, I still winced when I remembered how
I had accidentally smelted my rare gold bars instead of the regular bars
since the two variants looked exactly alike.
There was a life lesson to be learned there. Once [Use Item] had been
clicked, it was impossible to cancel an activity that was underway. I tried it
with the bottles. After clicking on the [Use] command on the bottles and
then the spring in order to fill the bottles with spring water, I tried to cancel
the action, but I could not.
A few hours later, I judged that the incomplete mixture had cooled
enough and added the fruit zest and juices. Then I put the cauldron in my
inventory and used it with an empty cask with a tap.
Lastly, I used the cask of [Kola Flavoring] with the [Bottles of Soda
Water]. In the game, the bottles simply disappeared in the inventory and
were replaced with [Kola-Kola Soda]. Here, the cask and bottles appeared
on the floor of my log cabin. The corks popped out of the bottles and
hovered above them as liquid flavoring flew from the tap into the bottles.
The water glowed for a second, and then the corks went back into the
bottles, and I had my [Kola-Kola Soda].
Though my energy bar was still mostly full, I was too excited to wait
and drank a bottle immediately. My energy bar was completely refilled.
“Wow, it tastes exactly like a Coke!” I said out loud.
I continued making more sodas. Though I was in a hurry to level up
combat and go home, this was just too good of an opportunity to pass up.
Who knew when or even if I would ever be able to return to this spring to
make more energy potions?
Even so, I decided to limit myself to today and all of tomorrow to make
more sodas. After that, I was going to focus on combat.
I made as many as I could, taking a break for lunch and brewing up
another cauldron of flavoring before going to bed. After the nights I had
spent sleeping in tents, the log cabin was a very welcome upgrade. The bed,
though small, was reasonably comfortable.
The next day, I spent all my time making more sodas, and at the end of
it, I had eight hundred. That should be enough since my apprentices and I
only needed to use them during planting and harvest season, when our
energy needs were higher.
That night, I could hardly sleep for excitement. Tomorrow was the day I
was going to own those bugs!

OceanofPDF.com
 Interlude

An excerpt from the journal of Shuye Skullcrusher, Guardian of

the Ancient Hill Forest:

Finally, a stroke of luck! A pair of sweethearts from the Wolf Clan, who
were in the Southerlands to hunt demons together in order to save up for
their upcoming wedding, found traces of our missing human and followed
them to a cave where they found the message “Violet is inside” carved on a
surface.
My wife’s pregnancy isn’t too advanced yet, so she moved in with one
of her sisters and allowed me to join the rescue party.
That part of the Southerlands only has weak demons, so I assured her I
would be back very soon.

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 92

T he next day , I put on a comfortable cotton bodysuit over my

underwear and donned my trusty [Iron Plate Armor]. My long hair was
becoming a problem, so I used the Cash Shop to change into a shorter, more
practical hairstyle. Then I went down the ladder to level fifty-one as quietly
as I could.
“Wow,” I breathed when I saw my new training ground.
It was a huge cavern that was so large I could barely see the other side
where there were dozens of entrances to more caves and tunnels in the rock.
Whereas the level above had been carved out and tiled by people, this one
looked entirely natural. Bioluminescent lichen and mushrooms gave off an
eerie glow that bathed the scene in a soft, gentle light. The floor was uneven
but mostly clear except for a few rocks here and there that I could mine.
Players normally ran as quickly as they could to the other side whenever
they reached this level because of the [Cavecrawlers]. I could see a few of
them right now.

[Cavecrawler:
An insect species native to level 51 of the Chitinous Caverns. Their long
bodies are covered in segmented white chitin and they move fast on
their 30 legs. They are fragile but dangerous because they attack in a
swarm. The older ones can spit a weak acid from their mouths.]

Dang it, even though they were just insects, they were much stronger
than me!
 [Cavecrawler:
Type: Melee
Element: None
BR: 79]

My Battle Rating has hardly risen since it was primarily calculated

using equips, and I hadn’t changed mine.

[Violet: Level 1
HP: 100/100
BR: 28]

I was still level one because a player’s combat level was identical to the
player’s highest combat stat. However, that was only after one had at least
level five in either Strength, Attack, Archery, or Magic. Below that, a player
remained level one, which was all to my benefit since combat experience
was partially dependent on one’s combat level. The lower your level was,
the more experience one got from attacking enemies with higher BR.

[Violet: Level 1
HP: 100/100
MP: 35/35
Strength: 1/99
Attack: 3/99
Archery: 3/99
Magic: 3/99]

It would practically be suicide for me to engage in melee combat with a

bunch of [Cavecrawlers], but I had another plan in mind. One time, when
GodIAm and I had wanted to get the drops from the monsters on this level,
we had deployed our [Potato Cannons]. This place had been filled with
players, but our canon strategy drove most of them away since the barrage
of explosive [Thunderbolt Tubers] not only attracted all the bugs, but also
the other players were disgusted by our profligate ways.
Though [Thunderbolt Tubers] did indeed cost a lot, it wasn’t like they
cost that much more compared to high-level player’s topnotch arrows.
Rather, the speed in which the [Potato Cannon] shot out the ammo, coupled
with how it “wasted” exp since the cannon only gave half of the regular
combat experience, made it nothing more than a toy for rich players to
amuse themselves. Or, in that one memorable occasion, a way of driving
other players away from a spot.
I smiled when I remembered how a particularly upset player had posted
in the player forums about “hackers bullying users who play politely and
don’t abuse others.” That had ignited a flame war which had GodIAm
gleefully reveling in his infamy.
Those were fun times!
I cautiously walked five steps away from the ladder, moving as slowly
and quietly as I could to place the [Potato Cannon]. The insects here were
attracted by noise, and I didn’t want to be attacked by a swarm. Then I
loaded the weapon with ten thousand [Thunderbolt Tubers] from my
inventory. This should last for about three hours since the cannon had a rate
of fire of one tuber per second.

[Potato Cannon:
Happy Adventure Incarnate Anniversary!
This magical autocannon that can rotate 360°. Guaranteed to never hit
a human.]

A small blue rectangle appeared in my combat screen with controls for

the cannon, but I quickly dashed back to the ladder’s safe space before
examining it. The [Potato Cannon] controls were quite simple. The screen
showed me its current state, the number of ammo it held, and there were the
buttons labeled Start/Stop, Load, and Retrieve. It also had one inventory
space filled with disposable earplugs.
Heart pounding with barely suppressed glee, I mentally clicked on the
Start/Stop button.
The first [Thunderbolt Tuber] hit a [Cavecrawler] and exploded with a
loud booming sound. One second later, while the sound of that first shot
hadn’t yet died down, the cannon rotated ten degrees clockwise and fired
again. Monsters crawled out from every single cave entrance on the far side
of the cavern and swarmed the cannon.
I was overjoyed when I saw that the cannon had its own magical
protective field. The insects beat against an invisible force field to no effect.
 The sound was becoming deafening, so I belatedly put on the noise-
canceling earplugs that came with the cannon.
A few seconds later, three [Cavecrawlers] died messily, leaving behind
insect [Chitin], [Venomous Sacs], and various body parts. Green blood
spattered the rocks and earth nearby.

[Congratulations, you just advanced an Archery level!]

[Your Archery level is now 4.]

Woohoo! I couldn’t believe how easy it was! The cannon was a great
idea. I watched in open-mouth fascination as more and more [Thunderbolt
Tubers] exploded. The insects were swarming the place, which meant that
each explosion hit at least six of them at a time.
“It’s an insect massacre!” I couldn’t keep quiet any longer and pumped
my fists in the air.
The words had barely left my mouth when I got another System popup.

[Congratulations, you just advanced an Archery level!]

[Your Archery level is now 5.]

This was almost too easy. I loved it!

“Yeeeees! Kill it! Give me exp, baby!” My shouts attracted a small
group of [Cavecrawlers] who tried to attack me but were stopped by an
invisible barrier.
From my safe spot, I struck them with my [Iron Sword]. I was so much
lower level compared to them that I hacked away at one [Cavecrawler] for
what seemed like an eternity before it died, even with Mr. Bear helping me
out with his [Fireball] attacks.
While I was busy fighting, I leveled up again.

[Congratulations, you just advanced an Archery level!]

[Your Archery level is now 6.]

Of course, the cannon only gave Archery exp. If I wanted to level up my

melee skills, I would have to kill the insects myself.
 I therefore devoted my efforts to swinging my sword at the bugs that
were swarming the ladder area.
The first time an insect spat venom at me, I sprang back in alarm,
hitting my head on the ladder behind me.
“Ow!” I took my helmet off and rubbed the back of my aching head.
That was gonna leave a lump for sure.
Thank goodness that the mysterious protective enchantment stopped the
venom as well. It hit the invisible field, then slid down to the ground,
bubbling rather nastily.
“Gosh.” I definitely hadn’t expected the “weak acid” to look so scary.
The pain from my head was mitigated by yet another popup.

[Congratulations, you just advanced an Archery level!]

[Your Archery level is now 7.]

I waited until I felt a little better before attacking the monsters again.
This time, I tried to swing more thoughtfully, targeting different spots on
their bodies to see if they had any particular weaknesses. The
[Cavecrawlers] seemed to have weak underbellies, or whatever the part that
wasn’t covered by their chitin was called. I rather suspected it was actually
the part where they expelled waste.
A few minutes later, I killed my third insect with [Blade Flurry], and I
finally got the System message that I was waiting for.

[Congratulations, you just advanced an Attack level!]

[Your Attack level is now 4.]

“Oh, Mr. Bear, this is like taking candy from a baby! They’ve got no
chance against me.” I laughed out loud in sheer joy for a little while before
attacking the bugs again.
We had only been here for half an hour, but the ground was thick with
the remains of dozens of bugs. I gathered up the [Chitin], [Venomous Sacs],
and [Cavecrawler Parts] into my inventory. Though I didn’t need them, I
thought it would be best to keep the place as clean as I could. Who knew
what would happen if I left them in the cave to rot? I mean, they would
nourish the soil, most probably, but I didn’t want unknown bacteria to breed
unchecked in a place where I planned to spend a lot of time in.
An hour later, my arms began to ache. On Earth, I had never been much
of an athlete, but here I had done a lot of manual labor and training with
melee dummies, so I had greater stamina than before. Even so, I had my
limits.
It should be fine to take a break. I took off my armor and placed a small,
comfortable armchair from my System inventory on the space directly in
front of the ladder, making sure that it was within the protected zone. I sat
down and drank some water while I rested. Of course, the cannon continued
to provide me with exp while I relaxed.

[Congratulations, you just advanced an Archery level!]

[Your Archery level is now 8.]

This almost felt like I was cheating.

I smiled at the thought. Was this how it felt for my old friend GodIAm
whenever he found a bug in the game and “tested” it?
Of course, GodIAm always reported these bugs and only abused, I
mean, “tested” them on a different account from his main, but many
suspected that he secretly profited from them.
Was using a safe spot to attack monsters considered bug abuse? This
was no longer a game, of course, so there were no such rules here, but I
thought this would be considered an exploit in Adventure Incarnate.
“Dear Mr. Bear, I think this means I can be called a bug abuser, in more
ways than one!”

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 93

A t noon , I got a meat bun and orange juice from my inventory and
ate it while wondering what my apprentices were doing. Were they also
eating lunch right now? Fengying, as my housekeeper, was in charge while
I was away, so Lari, Kharli, and Mo would be taken care of by someone
trustworthy.
The problem was the [Courtyard House], [Rice Mill], and
[Greenhouse]. The player-owned houses in Adventure Incarnate
disappeared if one didn’t log in every seven days. In this world, the rule was
that I had to be in my house at least once every seven days. Now that I was
stuck here in the Mines, it was inevitable that my household would be left
homeless.
I had plenty of money. Some of it was in the form of coins that were
stored in the house, while the bulk of it was with the White Tiger Clan,
which sort of functioned as a bank.
So it wasn’t like my apprentices and staff wouldn’t have options. Most
likely, they would have to go to a town or city to live while they waited for
me to return.
I wondered about Prince Baiyu, too. He was on a healing retreat in the
wilderness and would only be back after two months. Surely, the clan
members wouldn’t bother him with news of my accidental teleportation,
right? I mean, he needed to treat his qi overload problem.
Hmmm.
Well, there was nothing I could do but get stronger in order to return to
my rightful place. The most important thing was to raise my combat levels
until I could defeat the boss on level ninety-nine. Hopefully, the portal on
level one hundred was functioning. I could use that to return to the
Westerlands. Alternatively, if the portal proved to be inactive or too scary to
use, I could simply leave the mines and travel back on foot. I shuddered at
the thought of having to fight probably hundreds of demons along the way.
Once I was done eating and fretting over my situation, I got up from my
comfy chair and drank a Strength potion. I fought [Cavecrawlers] until I
was too tired to wield my sword anymore while I continued to reload the
cannon. By the end of the day, I had leveled up quite a bit.

[Violet: Level 15
HP: 1,500/1,500
MP: 35/35
Strength: 1/99
Attack: 5/99
Archery: 15/99
Magic: 3/99]

In a way, this was somewhat disadvantageous for me since having a

higher combat level meant that I got less exp.
As for my Battle Rating, when I put on the level ten tier of Archery
equips, it was a lot higher.

[Violet: Level 15
HP: 1,500/1,500
BR: 52]

However, my melee BR was still almost the same.

[Violet
Level 15
HP: 1,500/1,500
Br: 30]

I retrieved the cannon and went up the ladder.

“That was a good day’s work,” I said to Mr. Bear.
 After eating dinner, I used the hot spring, then flopped down on my bed
in the log cabin. I was asleep within seconds.
That night, I dreamed of a dragon child whose human form sprouted
wings. In the dream, I was quite alarmed when he climbed a tall tree. My
pleas for him to “get down!” were ignored, and he jumped down, pumping
his wings as though he expected those tiny appendages to really support the
weight of his human body. I woke up when I caught him in my arms and
was bowled over by his weight, hitting my head painfully on the ground.
“Ouch!” Half-awake, I gingerly probed the back of my head. Yup, there
was a big lump there.
Strange how the cut on my side from the [Dire Rat] had healed
completely by the day, but the injury to my head still hurt me today. Was it
because I was the one who had stupidly hit my own head on a ladder?
Maybe.
I resolved to be more careful this time.
Breakfast was a hearty meal of roast demon pork, stir-fried mushroom,
and rice. Deming’s cooking was really awesome. The pork skin was
delightfully crisp and the meat was tender and juicy. The mushrooms were
sweet and spicy in just the perfect way to complement the savory meat dish
and the fluffy white rice.
My body felt incredibly sore because of all the fighting I had done
yesterday. Before going down to train, I did some exercises to warm up my
tired muscles. I jogged around level fifty a few times, then used a lighter
practice sword to swing at the air. Once I felt ready, I climbed down the
ladder and placed the cannon.
I repeated my actions of the previous day, but this time, I decided to
take a long break at noon to use the hot spring facility and even take a short
nap. By dinnertime, I felt tired but not exhausted like I did yesterday.
And so it went. I followed the same routine until the eighth day when I
noticed something significant.
“Noooooo!” I yelled dramatically. “Why, System, why?”
It was fine for me to shout since there was no one to hear me anyway.
The [Potato Cannon] had proved to be so efficient at leveling up my
Archery that I was now combat level twenty-five and the [Cavecrawlers]
gave only half the exp they did compared to the time I first started killing
them.
“Argh!”
 This was all because of player-vs-player combat. Though only a few
players liked to duel, the rest of us who only liked to kill monsters were
also affected. In the old days, combat level was calculated based on one’s
total stats, but once dueling and other PvP events were added to the game,
that changed. Combat level had to be linked to the player’s highest combat
skill level, otherwise people would make characters with uneven stats, like
keeping their Strength, Attack, and Archery level one, to take advantage of
having a hugely high Magic skill compared to their combat level.
I sniggered a little when I remembered the time when I had made a PvP
character named NachoAverageMage with ninety-nine magic and
everything else at level one. With a combat level of just thirty, I used to
dominate the duel arena for the level thirties and below until other people
figured it out, too.
“Alas, Mr. Bear, nowadays one must adjust one’s strategies to keep up
with the changing times.”
After some thought, I decided to concentrate purely on melee for now.
Sullenly, I retrieved my cannon.
By this time, I was fairly proficient at slaughtering bugs. It only took
five to six attacks for me to dispatch one. Once I was able to kill a
[Cavecrawler] with one swing of my blade, it would be time for me to move
on. I could hardly wait! I was getting bored of doing the same thing day
after day after day.
Soon, I found out that not using the cannon at all was less than ideal
since fewer insects came out of the tunnels, so I put the cannon back and
simply used the Start/Stop button to control it. I let it fire until I had enough
bugs around, then stopped it until I had killed them all.
One day later, using this method, I finally reached a milestone in my
melee combat skill.

[Congratulations, you just advanced an Attack level!]

[Your Attack level is now 10.]

This meant that I could now use [Steel Plate Armor].

[Violet
Level 25
 HP: 100/100
BR: 45]

Yes! This was still lower than the [Cavecrawler’s] BR, but it was a big
improvement for me. I could also use different weapons now. Though the
sword was the classic Adventure Incarnate weapon, there were a few others
that I should probably try out. At my level, I could use the [Steel Sword],
[Steel Battleaxe], [Steel Spear], and [Steel Club].
When I tested them out, I found that the spear was simply too long for
me to use in the cramped safe space I was forced to use. The club was
effective but rather heavy, which made me more tired compared to using the
sword. On the other hand, the battle axe was great to use.

[Steel Battle Axe:

A two-handed war axe made of fine steel that never rusts or dulls.
Though slow, it is powerful.]

I thought it was because I had spent a lot of time on Woodcutting that it

felt natural and easy to chop at things.

[Battle Axe Skills:

Slash
Chop
Frenzy]

The first two attacks listed were your normal attacks, but Frenzy was
something special indeed.

[Frenzy:
Unleash a whirlwind of destruction by swinging the battle axe in wide,
powerful arcs that will send your enemies reeling.
Cooldown: 35 seconds]

What it did was to knockback multiple enemies, a useful skill if you

were surrounded. The strikes were much more powerful compared to using
the sword, but they were slightly slower.
 I decided to alternate between the sword and battle axe for now.
Three days later, I woke up early and stared at the ceiling of my log
cabin. I felt a bone-deep weariness that no amount of soaking in the hot
spring could alleviate. Simply put, I was bored.
Bored out of my freaking mind!
All I did was fight all day, every day. There was no one to talk to, and I
couldn’t even go for a walk. I wasn’t prone to claustrophobia, but the fact
that I was stuck here underground, with no sunlight or fresh air, was very
depressing.
“Could it be that I’m a terrible transmigrator?” I asked my trusty plush
toy. Mr. Bear, as always, remained silent.
In fiction, the main characters who got thrown into another world often
trained for weeks, months, years, or even decades alone. How did they do
it?
“I have to do something or I’ll go crazy!”
Time for a mental health day.
Herblaw always made me feel happy, so I decided to spend the day
making potions even though I had plenty of [Strength Potions]. That night, I
started a level fifty beautification project. I wanted to place lots of potted
plants, but I knew they would die under these conditions, which would
make me feel sad. Therefore, I contented myself with placing pretty
paintings, sculptures, and decorations around the place.
This cheered me up so much that I began to spend my noontime break
amusing myself instead of napping. I made more [Kola Kola Sodas] and did
more Herblaw. I carved a few amusing messages on the cave walls, then
found out that by moving closer to the walls, I could virtually project the
System screen on the pink marble tiles. Since I had nothing better to do
because there was no internet, radio, television, or movies in this world, I
decided to paint a portion of the wall.
Using a projection of a Cash Shop painting that was similar to Edvard
Munch’s artwork The Scream as a guide, I used a painting set from the Cash
Shop to create a large mural. Since this was something I did to keep my
mood positive, I created my own version by adding random stuff to the
wavy lines of the artwork. There was no rhyme or reason to the things I
added in paint that was only slightly darker or lighter than the surrounding
lines, creating a universe of secret, hidden figures. There were bears, sheep,
dragons, kittens, stars, flowers, spiderwebs, eyes, tentacles, books, hats,
cheese, dolls, etc.
This lifted my spirits so much that I found myself smiling and whistling
happily as I killed bugs with my axe and sword the next two weeks. Truly,
art was inspirational and a balm for the weary soul.

[Congratulations, you just advanced an Attack level!]

[Your Attack level is now 20.]

“Woohoo!” I opened a bottle of soda and toasted Mr. Bear to celebrate.

At level twenty, I could now use [Lunarite Plate Armor] and [Lunarite]
weapons. Lunarite was basically steel mixed with enchanted silver.
I equipped a [Lunarite Battle Axe]. The weight of it felt right in my
hands. Feet apart, I lifted my weapon then swung it down with great force
on a [Cavecrawler]. The weapon cut right through the monster as though it
was made of paper. I looked down at the bisected insect at my feet and
knew that it was now time to move on.
“Level ninety, here I come!”

OceanofPDF.com
 Chapter 94

B efore I left level fifty , I looked around me one last time at the
place that had been my home for almost a month.
I had put back all the items in my inventory, leaving the walls and floor
bare again. The spring looked the same as ever, but the rest of the place had
been transformed by my artistic endeavors.
One wall was painted over and the other three were almost totally
covered by messages I had scratched on them. I laughed softly and traced
the one I had carved the deepest. It read, “At night, you can hear the
whispers if you listen closely.”
For the last time, I prepared all of the [Staircases] that I would need on
my journey all the way down to level ninety. The trip was uneventful, and I
saw that most of the levels were now a lot more artificial-looking compared
to the upper levels, which were mostly natural tunnels and caves.
At the lower levels, the walls, floors, and ceilings were covered in tiles.
The color scheme of each level changed from pale pink to blue, which then
faded to white. Some of the levels were quite cramped, with low ceilings,
which made me feel quite glad that I was skipping the exploration part of
this adventure. There were a few large caverns here and there that looked
quite interesting, but I did not stop until I reached my goal.
Level ninety looked quite impressive.
I sighed when I saw a beam of light streaming in from a large sun tunnel
that had been carved into the rock by the builders of the Mine. Below it was
a patch of bright yellow flowers.
 Carefully avoiding the flowers, I placed a large, low table directly
underneath the opening. Then I laid down on the table, enjoying the feeling
of the sun’s heat on my skin. A welcome warmth spread through my body,
as though the sun was trying to embrace me and offer me solace in the
midst of this bleak setting. I felt like a flower that had been deprived of
sunlight these past few weeks and was now blooming in delight after being
transplanted into a more salubrious environment.
“Vitamin D is really the best!” I said to Mr. Bear as I placed him beside
me to soak up some sunlight, too.
It felt so good that I decided to take off my clothes in order to bathe my
entire body in the sun’s healing rays. I didn’t know how long I lay there,
turning on my stomach every so often, until I was satisfied. I even ate my
lunch right there.
Eventually, of course, I had to get up, remove the table, and prepare my
new dwelling place. Level ninety was a natural underground cathedral, with
towering stalactites, stalagmites, columns, and other cave formations,
including hundreds of softly glowing, flower-like white crystals. Most
importantly, there were two cave entrances, one each in the eastern and
western sides.
I entered the eastern cave right away and clapped my hands with joy
when I found myself in one of the most marvelous places in the game, the
Mushroom Cave.
“Ooooh, this is so wonderful!”
More of the glowing white, flower-like crystals adorned the ceiling,
giving off enough light for me to see that the farthest side of the cave was
populated with various types of mushrooms. There were small, transparent
white mushrooms with ghostly frills, bright red mushrooms with white
spots, pale blue mushrooms, green mushrooms, black mushrooms, gold
needle mushrooms, soup mushrooms, and coral spirit mushrooms, along
with other species that I could not identify at first. It looked quite empty and
magical, like a fairy cave.
Mushrooms in Adventure Incarnate were foraged items that could be
used as food ingredients or animal feed. Once upon a time, they had been
Herblaw ingredients that produced special status effects like Haste, Clarity,
Regeneration, Bravery, and Stone Skin. Unfortunately, their introduction to
the game had made player-vs-player combat too unbalanced, so that aspect
of the mushrooms’ effects had been removed. Nowadays, cooking and
eating these high-level cave mushrooms simply gave a small boost to a
person’s stats.
I quickly harvested as many as I could, delighting in the descriptions
that claimed that they were particularly nutritious and tasty. They were
basically the truffles of this world, in that they were extremely rare gourmet
ingredients that made everything taste better.
For example, the [Gold Needle Mushrooms] were described as “a
mushroom whose taste is so intense that it feels like it’s casting a spell on
your taste buds.”
All of the other types had similar descriptions, and I was really looking
forward to what the Demon Chef would make of these rare delicacies.
Once I was done harvesting, I set up a dozen mushroom-growing
shelves that I filled with boxes of mushroom substrate that I watered. These
would be colonized by the native mushroom species in the cave in the
coming days, giving me more delicious food ingredients to take home with
me.
I was already in great spirits when I exited the eastern cave, and I felt
even happier when I entered the western cave.
“Amazing…”
While the eastern cave was a riot of colors, this one was the exact
opposite. Here, all the surfaces were covered with pure white tiles, and
large glowing pearls had been placed on marble pedestals around the
perimeter. According to the game lore, this was a place of healing that was
enchanted so that no “impurities” or “unhealthy vapors” could enter. I was
pretty sure that it was a magical clean room, a sterile environment that was
enchanted against bacteria, viruses, fungi, etc.
Due to its special properties, this was the only place in the game where
one could build a mini hydroponic farm. When players were higher level,
they could grow [Spirit Herbs] here, but since I was still a newbie, I could
only grow regular crops.
The [Hydroponic Kit] consisted of a large plastic rectangular box with a
grow light, twelve pods, twelve grow sponges, and a bottle of [Plant Food].
The room could only fit twenty-eight of them. I put the little sponges inside
the pods, filled the boxes with water, added three drops of [Plant Food],
then put three seeds inside each pod. I picked colorful plants that would
look and smell nice in this gloomy place: [Strawberries], [Tomatoes], [Chili
Peppers], [Mint], [Rosemary], and [Carnations]. Finally, I turned on the
grow light.
This would give farming exp, which was nice, and I rather missed being
in the presence of green plants.
I was feeling quite euphoric when I went back to the central cavern.
This was a lot better than level fifty!
Near the sunbeam was a large open space that was paved with white
marble tiles. There was a large golden altar at one end of the open space,
which indicated that this was probably where the ancient clans had held
their religious gatherings.
The entire mine was a natural cave system that had been turned into a
mine because of the valuable orders that were found inside it. Later on,
when people discovered that there was a god living on the lowest level, they
had built places of worship inside. Of course, nowadays there was no longer
any deity here, but it was said that the god had left its pet behind.
In other words, there was a Boss that I would have to defeat on level
ninety-nine before I could activate the portal that would, hopefully, bring
me home or at least nearer home. Level fifty combat was recommended for
that, and a player needed at least one good ranged skill, either Archery or
Magic, as well as a decent melee level.
Adventure Incarnate was the type of game where the players never died.
Whenever they were defeated, the screen would just go black, and they
would wake up somewhere safe with a friendly NPC admonishing them to
be careful next time.
But right now…
I found it difficult to believe that someone would just pop up to rescue
me just in time when I was about to die.
This was now real life, and I had no intention of confronting the Boss
until I was sure that I would win.
Therefore, I could be here for quite some time. With this in mind, I
placed a ranch house in the open space along with a hot spring facility and
spent a bit of time decorating the cave walls with fairy lights. I was
whistling to myself and wondering what else I should put on the cave walls
when, suddenly, I remembered how I had carved and painted on the walls
on level forty.
In my mind, I pictured how I had left the place covered in artificial claw
marks, disturbing messages, and creepy paintings. What on earth had
possessed me to scrawl weird stuff on the walls like a crazy person?
“I think I might have had nervous breakdown, Mr. Bear.”
Well, the Mines were rather stressful. I couldn’t be blamed if I became
somewhat eccentric during my stay. I resolved to train a bit less and relax a
bit more. After all, it wouldn’t do anyone any good if I managed to escape
from this place but lost my mind in the process.
Ugh. Had I really scratched out a message saying “You’ve always been
here” on the ceiling?
It was a good thing that no one would ever see the evidence of my
meltdown.

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 Interlude

An excerpt from the journal of Shuye Skullcrusher, Guardian of

the Ancient Hill Forest:

It was easy at first. Sure, the place was maze-like and our group of five
rescuers from the White Tiger Clan had to pulverize some rocks to find the
way down, but all of the demons were small and weak. We got to the tenth
underground level without much problem. There we found plenty of traces
that indicated that someone, probably Baroness Violet, had been camping in
that location.
None of us could figure out why she hadn’t just stayed there. Perhaps,
despite the fact that the level seemed free of demons, something spooked
her?
Our troubles started when the person we sent back to the surface to get
more supplies for us did not return after two days. We sent another one to
check on him, but that person didn’t return, either. Therefore, the remaining
three members of the rescue team all went back up to check on what had
happened.
That was when we discovered that the underground complex was
cursed. Every time we went up a level, the ladder we used to go down
disappeared, and we had to search for another one, which was very time-
consuming.
With some experimentation, we discovered that the ladders wouldn’t
disappear so long as we left one person on that level. The backup team
offered to join us underground, but I judged that would be too reckless.
Instead, we called on more volunteers. We asked the younger warriors to
form pairs and left two people behind on each level who could pass down
supplies and information to the people on the level below.
This way, we cautiously made our way down to the twentieth level,
where we once again found traces of another campsite.
Unfortunately, that marked the end of the easy levels.
The demons on the next levels used poison and ranged attacks, which
were much harder to deal with since they swarmed our team. Our progress
slowed to a crawl.
Soon, a few of the men had to leave since they had clan or family
responsibilities to take care of. By the time we reached the thirty-fifth floor,
we only had enough people to leave one person behind on each level.
I had to send word to my wife that I might not make it back until after
winter’s end.
Violet, where are you?

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 Chapter 95

T hat night , I went to sleep early and dreamed of a dragon child .

The birds in the jungle seemed to have noticed my distress over the food
shortage and kept on flying over and dropping seeds, nuts, and even fruit
for us to eat. I felt like a Disney princess! In my dream, I napped under a
tree with the child in my arms and woke up when he turned back into his
dragon form and started licking my face.
I woke up for real and automatically wiped my face with my sleeve, but
of course, I didn’t actually have any dragon saliva on my face since that
was something that happened in my dream. Still, I somehow felt less lonely
after spending the night with my imaginary friend.
The first thing I did after eating breakfast was to check the hydroponic
farm. The seeds that I had planted in their pods had already sprouted. I
checked the grow lights, which were on automatic mode, and everything
seemed to be working properly. The tanks didn’t need more [Plant Food]
yet, either.
As I wandered through the western cave, checking on all the sprouts, I
felt my mind clearing. It was as though cobwebs were being cleaned off the
corners of my brain. Was it because this cave was supposed to be enchanted
to “remove impurities?” Perhaps it was the enchantment on this game that
had healed me of my minor mental breakdown. Or maybe it was just the
placebo effect. Whatever it was, I felt a lot better today.
I felt even better when I went to the Mushroom Cave. Overnight, more
mushrooms had sprouted, and I harvested tons of useful species that could
be used in recipes that would boost stats. Potions mostly boosted combat
while food boosted skills. In addition, there were some unique mushrooms
that weren’t in my inventory. That was probably because GodIAm hadn’t
considered them useful since they didn’t raise any stats.

[Candy Milk-Cap:
Characterized by their sweet scent reminiscent of maple syrup or
burned caramel, this mushroom can be used to impart a sweet flavor
and aroma to food. When cut, it exudes a milky liquid.]

Amazing! It actually did smell like candy.

[Meat Mushroom:
It looks like a mushroom, but it tastes like meat.]

The description of the [Meat Mushroom] made me smile. My mother

had gone through a vegan phase and had extensively used mushrooms as a
meat replacement. She would’ve loved this.

[Naughty Mushroom:
When dried and ground into a powder, this can be mixed into hot water
and drunk to increase men’s stamina during XXX. Slightly increases
fertility.]

I giggled a little when I read the description of the [Naughty

Mushroom]. The part about fertility would no doubt make this popular
among the clans.
Before I left, I checked the substrate to see if it was still moist.
Everything seemed to be in order. I was a little bit disappointed that there
were no changes to the mushroom-growing shelves yet.
I lingered at the entrance, looking back at the fairy-like place
illuminated by glowing flower crystals and colorful mushrooms ranging
from bright reds and oranges to deep purples and blues. At times like these,
I really wished that I had a camera.
Next, I did my warming-up exercises by jogging all around the cavern
and doing some stretches. Then I checked my equipment. I had three slots
that I could use to quickly switch from one type of combat style to another.
I put on the [Lunarite Plate Armor] and the [Noise-Canceling Headphones]
under my helmet and descended the ladder down to the ninety-first level.
My stats were a bit too low for this level, but I should be able to cope.

[Violet: Level 32
HP: 3,200/2,200
MP: 35/35
Strength: 1/99
Attack: 20/99
Archery: 32/99
Magic: 3/99]

Since I had upgraded my equipment, my melee Battle Ranking was

much higher now.

[Violet: Level 32
HP: 3,200/3,200
BR: 125]

However, this was less than ideal since the monsters on this level were
strong. Looking around me, I saw that I was in a spacious tunnel filled with
around two dozen rocks that I could mine. No monsters were inside, so I
took out my pickax and started mining after placing Mr. Bear on top of my
head.
It didn’t take long before I heard the whomp-whomp sound of leathery
wings.
Wait, I was wearing the [Noise-Canceling Headphones]! How was I
able to hear that?
I didn’t have time to think about it because the enemy came into sight a
second later.

[Bat:
A flying monster that uses sonic attacks.]

Mr. Bear immediately hit it with a [Fireball], and I hastily switched to

my archery equipment, which consisted of [Hardened Leather Armor] vest,
pants, and gloves. My weapon was a [Silverwood Longbow] that used
[Luminite Arrows], which were made of [Silverwood Arrow Shafts] and
[Luminite Arrowheads]. Luminite was simply steel alloyed with enchanted
gold.
The bat’s mouth was open, and it was undoubtedly using its scream to
deal damage, but my headphones took care of that.

[Bat:
Type: Ranged
Element: None
BR: 157]

Though its Battle Ranking was higher than mine, my equipment made
its ranged attacks useless, so the advantage was all mine. With practiced
ease, I drew my bow and shot it from across a distance of twelve feet,
hitting it in the middle of its torso. I must have hit it in a vital part, like its
heart or lungs, because it staggered in the air, then dropped to the ground,
weakly twitching and flapping its wings for a few seconds before dying.
I waited for a few moments to see if there were any other monsters, but
when none appeared, I went back to mining. At this level of the mine, I got
quite a few gemstones and geodes along with the usual [Rocks]. I didn’t
need any of that since I already had plenty, but obviously I could sell these
or give them to my apprentices to use in their crafting.
A few more [Bats] came to trouble me and were quickly dispatched.
Sadly, the [Bat Wings] they dropped were useless except as organic matter
that I could make into compost or fertilizer.
By noon time, I could tell that, despite my fears of my stats being too
low, this level was no challenge for me. Therefore, when I mined a rock and
discovered the ladder down to level ninety-two, I immediately used it.
And so it went for the next few days. I explored the lower levels and
found that I met my match on level ninety-six.
“Oh, Mr. Bear, I think we might be in trouble!”
I stayed in the safe space directly below the ladder and placed a hand on
my chest, my heart beating wildly, as I gazed out into the open space that
was full of [Arachneans].
Thank goodness I didn’t suffer from arachnophobia, or I would
probably run away screaming.
 [Arachnean:
A giant spider species native to the Chitinous Caverns. Their Venomous
Rain attack deals poison damage over time.]

I quickly drank an [Antipoison Potion] and set up the [Potato Cannon]

as quickly as I could. Since I didn’t want to run out to the middle of the
cavern and be sprayed with poison, I put the cannon on the square directly
in front of the ladder.

[Arachnean:
Type: Magic
Element: None
BR: 183]

The first [Lightning Tuber] hit a spider’s head, doing a little damage.
While the cannon had done great damage to the [Cavecrawlers], the
[Arachneans] were higher level; therefore, the ammo was much less
effective here. The cannon shot echoed in the mine, and the giant spiders,
which were bright red and six feet tall, came rushing over to destroy the
threat. I took the opportunity to shoot them with my arrows while they were
attacking the cannon.
The monsters that I attacked were too smart to ignore my attacks and
tried to use Venomous Rain on me, only to be stopped by the barrier that
encircled the space directly in front of the ladder.
Since they were now quite close, I donned my melee armor and started
bashing away at them with my [Lunarite Battle Axe], using [Slash], [Chop],
and [Frenzy] as often as I could. The [Arachneans] were tough, but not
tough enough to escape from my axe, Mr. Bear’s Fireball, and the [Potato
Cannon’s] explosive potatoes.
I was quite pleasantly surprised to know that I was getting quite a large
amount of exp. Barely an hour later, I leveled up.

[Congratulations, you just advanced an Attack level!]

[Your Attack level is now 21.]
 Invigorated by the amazing exp-per-hour rate, I continued to hack and
slash at them until noon, when I paused for my usual lunch break. Then I
resumed my attacks.
“I’m getting so much exp!” I said to Mr. Bear. “It seems that I’m going
to escape from this place earlier than I thought.”
By the end of the day, I actually got two more Attack levels and one
Archery level, and I was almost tempted to put a chair at the bottom of the
ladder and sleep there in order to not waste time going up and down the five
levels I had to travel to reach this training spot.
“No, much as I would like to, I think it would be best to have a good
night’s sleep.” Speaking out loud to my puppet wasn’t a sign of another
mental breakdown. I mean, I’d had that habit ever since I transmigrated into
this world.
Whistling a happy tune, I retrieved my cannon and went back up to
level ninety. The mines were enchanted in such a way that the ladders
disappeared once a person used them to go up a level. Every time I went
down, I had to either mine until a new ladder appeared or use a [Staircase].
The [Staircase] also disappeared when I used it to go up, but not when I
went down a level.
Though I was getting a lot more exp than I expected, it still took me ten
more days until I leveled up enough to be able to tackle the Boss.

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 Chapter 96

B oss M onsters weren ’ t hard to defeat in A dventure I ncarnate . A s

long as a player had the appropriate Battle Ranking and knew what to do,
then it was a piece of cake in the game.
The problem was that this was not a game. Getting some hitpoints taken
off was no big deal in Adventure Incarnate, but it would mean an injury for
me. I really didn’t fancy having my arm broken, for example.
The Boss this time was a magic type. Legend had it that the ancient
people of this land discovered an underground network of caves and tunnels
that had a god living at the lowest level. The humans built temples and
altars to the god, which were later abandoned after the god disappeared.
However, the unnamed god had left behind a pet, which players had to
defeat in order to access the bottom of the mines.
“Here goes nothing,” I said to myself.
I looked around one last time at level ninety to check if I had forgotten
anything. The [Ranch House] and all decorations had been removed, and I
had harvested today’s mushrooms. The vegetables from the hydroponic
farm weren’t ready to be plucked yet, but I had checked the nutrient levels
and put the grow lights on automatic mode.
“Let’s do this!” I said to Mr. Bear as I climbed on his shoulders. I
quickly placed [Staircases] down until I reached the ninety-eighth floor.
Since I wanted to take advantage of the ladder space’s protection, I
couldn’t use a [Staircase] to create my own way down. Instead, I used my
[Pickaxe] to clear the way until I found a ladder while I fought [Insectoids].
 [Insectoids:
A strange, insect-like creature that seems to be made of blue crystal.]

By this time, my combat training had paid off enough that I could easily
kill the monsters on this level with one blow from my sword.

[Violet: Level 41
HP: 4,100/4,100
MP: 35/35
Strength: 30/99
Attack: 31/99
Archery: 41/99
Magic: 3/99]

Now that I was higher level, I discarded my [Lunarite] equipment and

upgraded to [Aurite] melee equipment, which was made of steel and
enchanted gold. My archery had also leveled up, and I could now wear
[Studded Leather Armor] and wield a [Goldenwood Longbow] with
[Orichalcite Arrows]. [Orichalcite] was Adventure Incarnate’s name for
steel mixed with enchanted platinum.
With my new equips, my Battle Ranking was now a whooping 292 for
melee and 388 for archery.
“Aha!” I said when I finally found the ladder. “Let’s go, Mr. Bear.”
I threw my puppet down first and then descended.
Level ninety-nine turned out to be a large natural cave with earthen
walls and floors. The space near the ladder was an open space around
twenty feet in circumference that was illuminated by the sickly bluish glow
of luminous moss and mushrooms. At the far end of the cave was the Boss,
though I couldn’t see it right now since it was in darkness.
Walking on tiptoes in order to make as little sound as possible, I moved
forward a few feet and placed a [Potato Cannon]. They were not normally
usable on this level, but I thought it was worth a try.
I mentally chanted, “Please work, please work, please work.”
Somehow, my mental commands must have short-circuited something
because I was able to place not just one, but three cannons.
I covered my mouth to stop myself from screaming.
 Oh my gosh! There was supposed to be a limit of only one cannon per
person. How did this happen?
I was not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.
Placing as many cannons on the floor as I could, which turned out to be
fifteen, I made Mr. Bear expand until he was six feet tall and crouched
behind him as I loaded them up with the maximum number of [Thunderbolt
Tubers] possible.
I finished just in time. A few seconds later, I heard the Boss’s voice.
“Chu~” When its mouth opened to make a cute sound, its skin glowed
with a warm yellow light, and for the first time, I was able to see it clearly.
The [Winged Golden Slime Queen] was triple my height, and its jelly-
like body was amber in color. Its blue eyes were droopy, and it had no teeth
that I could see. As a god’s pet, it was the cute kind, with white feathered
wings on each side and a tiny golden crown perched rakishly on its head.
At the top of its round body was a strand of slime that was similar to an
anime character’s ahoge. That was what would alert me about the Boss’s
next move. The [Winged Golden Slime Queen] looked around and seemed
alarmed when it spotted me in the midst of the cannons. The slime strand
formed the shape of a question mark.
“Chu~” The Boss’s voice echoed in the cavern.
I relaxed a little when I saw that it wasn’t going to attack me, just like in
the game. I would have to make the first move. Without turning my back to
the Boss, I retreated until I was just below the ladder. Then I drank a
[Strength Potion], put on the noise-canceling earmuffs, and mentally
clicked on the [Start/Stop] button for the [Potato Cannons].
The combat screen showed me that the first round of cannonfire took off
one-tenth of the Boss Slime’s HP bar.
“Chu!” This time the Boss sounded angry. The slime strand formed the
shape of an arrow pointed at me. It opened its mouth and coughed up a ball
of golden light that flew in my direction.
I once again crouched down behind Mr. Bear. Would the ladder safe
space work here, too? The normal rules did not apply to Boss Fights.
Alas, the ladder was not a safe space since the spell hit Mr. Bear,
blasting a concave hole in his stomach. Thankfully, it did not pass
completely through my puppet, so I was unharmed.
I would have to dodge the next one.
 The cannons continued to whittle down the slime’s health. The Boss’s
next spell came fast, and I dove to the left and rolled to avoid it. The ball of
light hit the wall behind me, leaving a small crater in its wake.
The next minute was quite touch and go as I jumped around and rolled
on the ground to avoid its attacks. I regretted not laying down a layer of
mattresses to protect my fragile flesh as I acquired a dozen scratches and
bruises.
Nevertheless, the outcome was a foregone conclusion since I had the
power of fifteen [Potato Cannons] behind me.
When the Boss’s HP bar had only a sliver of red left in it, I hid behind
Mr. Bear for cover as I shot an [Orichalcite Arrow] at it.

[You have defeated the Winged Golden Slime Queen.]

When my arrow hit the slime, it shrank until it was only a foot in
diameter, then fell down on the ground. Its slime strand formed the shape of
three letter Z’s, indicating that it was out cold.

[Congratulations, you just advanced an Archery level!]

[Your Archery level is now 42.]

Yes! I retrieved the cannons and cautiously approached the sleeping

slime.
Where was the item? I scanned the area near its body until I found a
small, golden key. Then I went back to the ladder and knelt down. There
should be a metal door here somewhere. In the game, it only appeared after
one got the key.
My heart sank when no door appeared.
“This is the worst!” I said to no one in particular.
Dejected, I sat down on the lowest rung of the ladder to rest for a bit
before going back up.
That was when a trapdoor was triggered, and I tumbled backward along
with the ladder into a hole that appeared on the ground.

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 Chapter 97

I barely had enough time to scream before I fell on something soft

and bouncy. Above me, I saw that I had fallen through a trap door that
hinged down with the ladder attached to it. This wasn’t in the game!
Looking around me, I saw that I was in a room with gray stone walls. I
was lying on a mound of brown goo approximately twelve feet above the
earthen floor. Twenty feet above me was a stone ceiling with the trapdoor
that was slowly closing itself. Brown goo was steadily dripping down from
dozens of small holes in one corner of the ceiling. There was only one
usable exit that I could see, a round hole in the ceiling with a ladder leading
up to it.
When I tried to get up, my feet and hands sank into the soft surface that
I was lying on.
“What the—” The more I struggled, the more I sank into the brown,
gooey substance. It wasn’t sandy, which meant that it wasn’t quicksand, but
it seemed to behave the same way. When I stopped moving, the rate in
which I sank slowed down drastically.
My mind raced to think of a solution.
I stopped struggling and frantically searched the Cash Shop for an item
that could help me.

[Diving Helmet:
Going on an exciting adventure under the sea? Use this item to enable
you to breathe underwater.]
 The [Diving Helmet] was a novelty item that was given away as a prize
in a summer event. I remembered that for a few weeks after that, everyone
in Adventure Incarnate went around with a fishbowl-looking helmet on
their head.
“Please work, please work, please work!” I equipped the item,
desperately hoping it would function as genuine diving gear rather than
being merely a cosmetic fashion accessory.
A wave of relief washed over me when I saw the System popup.

[Oxygen Level: 10/10]

There was even a [Buy More Oxygen] button that I could use if I ran
out. This function definitely wasn’t in the game since the long-promised
underwater expansion was never released, but I was not one to look a gift
horse in the mouth.
I reckoned that I would be fine as long as I could breathe and let myself
sink down to the bottom of the goo. Thank goodness it didn’t smell bad. In
fact, it smelled rather pleasant, like cola with a slight rose scent.
When my feet finally touched the earthen floor, I walked as fast as I
could to the exit. The jelly-like substance slowed down my limbs, and I
could hardly see where I was going, but I eventually managed to find the
ladder. Climbing up was an ordeal because the gelatinous material and
fishbowl helmet weighed me down. The moment my shoulders cleared the
goo, I took the helmet off and stored it in my inventory. With my burden
lightened, I climbed faster and went through the hole in the ceiling into a
short corridor lined with gray stone tiles.
I put a hand on my chest and heaved a sigh of relief. Then I realized that
I was not completely free of the brown goo.
“Oh my gosh, I’m covered in brown slime!”
For one mad moment, I felt the urge to place an outdoor shower in the
corridor to cleanse myself. I had already selected the item in the Cash Shop
when I came to my senses. This was most likely not a safe spot, and it
would be crazy to take a shower here. I would just have to bear with it for
now.
At the other end of this underground passage was a plain wooden door.
The small golden key I got from the Boss fit the lock perfectly.
 I was almost blinded by a bright light when I opened the door and my
ears were assailed by a loud chorus of “Chu, chu chu!!”
All of the weeks that I had spent underground in the dim light must have
affected my eyes, which watered and stung. I could hear the door swinging
shut behind me as I equipped sunglasses to look around.
The gigantic cavern I was in was so large that I couldn’t see the other
side. Hundreds of yellow, blue, green, red, orange, white, and black slimes
were bouncing around the open space in the middle while all around the
earthen walls, colorful glowing flowers bloomed in riotous profusion. To
my right was a white stone platform half covered in pretty white crystals
and boulders painted with vibrant, psychedelic flower designs.
I thought that the sounds they were making were because of me, but I
was wrong. Only three small slime monsters noticed me. The rest went
about their own business, bouncing here and there, eating the flowers by
swallowing them whole, and playfully rubbing against each other.
I could almost see a cutesy flower banner overlaying the cavern saying,
“Slime Wonderland Event!” the way it appeared in the game.
My skin crawled when I saw a few slimes going to a certain portion of
the cavern where they excreted a brown substance.
…The same brown substance that I was currently covered in!
“Chu!” One of the small slimes that had noticed me bounced up to my
eye level. The slime strand on the top of its head was in the shape of a heart.
Ah! So this was my reward for the Boss fight. I petted its forehead, and
a System pop-up appeared.

[Tame Pet?]
[Yes] [No]

Of course, I clicked on the [Yes] button!

The slime’s eyes widened, and it let out an extremely loud “Chu!”
sound before bouncing its way into my arms.
“Hmm, what should I call you?” Chu? Slimey? Bouncer? I couldn’t
think of a good nickname for my pet, so I clicked on the dice icon to roll a
random name for her.

[Squishkins]
 [Accept] [Reject]

Rejected! I kept on rolling names, but I simply couldn’t get a good one.
“I’ll just call you Cutie for now,” I said. The name could be changed
later.
With my pet slime monster in my arms, I went over to the flowers and
foraged some seeds.

[Sunfire Buttercup Blossom:

A pretty yellow flower.]

Wow, this must be from that time when Adventure Incarnate’s

developers had become lazy about writing the flavor text for items.
Nonetheless, I checked the other seeds in case they had any special
properties.

[Luminous Marigold:
It glows in the dark.]

Ah. Well, these were probably the slime’s favorite flowers, which I
should use to feed my pet.

[Mythic Goldenrod:
A bright, golden-yellow flower.]

Rolling my eyes dramatically at the game writers’ slothful ways, I went

around the cavern collecting seeds and looking for treasure. I found a few
random fossils of no particular importance as well as an uncut [Diamond].
It didn’t take me long to find the secret door since I remembered that it
was on the right side of the platform. I pushed a large red boulder to one
side, exposing a steel square beneath it, which I proceeded to stomp on until
a portion of the wall slid open with an earsplitting grinding sound. Behind it
was a dark tunnel.
I took out a flashlight from my inventory and put Mr. Bear in front of
me. Still holding my pet in one arm, I cautiously entered, jumping a little
when the door closed behind me. I needn’t have worried, however, as the
passageway was short and led me to the portal.
“Yes! Finally, we can go home!”
I ran straight to the stone arch that was covered in glowing blue runes.
On its right side was a pedestal that had a white marble tablet mounted on
it. Though I couldn’t read the text on the tablet, that didn’t matter because
the System provided me with its own control panel. Most of the portal
locations were gray and dark, meaning they were inactive. I mentally
clicked on the only location that was available.
Once I had made my choice, the empty space in the middle of the portal
started glowing with a white light, which slowly faded and formed into a set
of large doors made up of countless runes. The doors opened with an
excruciatingly slowness that made me want to scream. Finally, I saw my
chosen location behind the doors.
I made Mr. Bear shrink until he was small enough for me to attach to
my belt, then stepped through the portal.

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 Interlude

An excerpt from the journal of Shuye Skullcrusher, Guardian of

the Ancient Hill Forest:

The manpower problem was solved when we reached a level that contained
a subterranean spring with qi water and strange paintings and markings on
the wall in some unknown language. These discoveries ignited a fire in the
hearts of the clan merchants, and we were inundated with volunteers. The
elders set up a guard on the surface to inspect and collect taxes on any
artifacts found while hundreds of treasure hunters descended to join us.
Ostensibly, everyone was here to find the missing human, but where
altruism had failed, greed succeeded in building a rescue team of the proper
size.
I sent word to my wife that I might actually make it back home before
winter’s end.
Some scholars also joined us to study why this underground maze had
been built. When they realized that, beyond a certain depth, none of us
suffered any side effects from being away from our territory for too long,
half a dozen of them made plans to set up a field station on the level where
we had found the cave paintings.
According to the archaeologists, the unknown artist had used paint
made from rare pigments and resin from a now-extinct tree. That was what
made them look as though they had been painted yesterday.
 I had a feeling that the pictographs and rock art were much newer than
they thought, but I kept my mouth shut since I didn’t have any proof.

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 Chapter 98

I walked through the portal into the [M ysterious G lade ]. T he first

thing that hit me was the fresh, cold wind on my face, which felt amazing to
me after weeks of being stuck underground. I took a deep breath, enjoying
the scent of the forest and damp earth, and tilted my head up to luxuriate in
the weak but welcome winter sunlight. My skin tingled. Every sunbeam and
stray gust of wind seemed to breathe new life into my weary body.
My new pet bounced down from my arms and started exploring, but I
paid it no mind as I stood there caught up in the delightful feeling of finally
escaping from the demon-infested southern wilderness.
“I did it!” I raised my hands to the sky and started to do a little jig when
I realized that I was dripping brown goo on the ground. “Ahhh, I’m filthy!”
Since the [Mysterious Glade] wasn’t part of my farm, I couldn’t place a
shower or bathroom here. I contented myself with placing the largest tent
that I could in order to protect myself from the cold wind. Then I stripped
my gooey clothes and shoes off. Using soap, buckets of water, and a
washcloth, I cleaned myself as best as I could. My hair was an absolute
disaster, tangled and sticky with the brown substance, so I used the Cash
Shop to make myself bald. After vigorously scrubbing my scalp until it was
free of slime, I gave myself a cute and simple ponytail hairstyle.
When I was done cleaning, I donned the elegant [Winter Brocade Set]
and circled the [Mysterious Glade] to check for any interesting stuff that I
could forage, but all I got were a few [Winterberries].

[Winterberry:
 White berries that grow during the cold season. Their citrusy mint
taste makes them a perfect addition to salads and fruit juices.]

I washed a berry in the stream, which reminded me of the time when I

had gone fishing here with Prince Baiyu. As I popped a berry into my
mouth, I wondered where he was. The berry was slightly sweet and had a
strong, fresh, minty taste. Maybe I could extract the juice and make it into a
mouthwash.
“Chu!” My pet Cutie came bouncing back to me, and I took her in my
arms again as I crawled into the opening in the hedgerow that led out of the
glade.
I lit a few fireworks, and sure enough, a clan member came to check
what the commotion was about.

Right before sunset, I arrived at the desert after spending the rest of the day
explaining to various clan members what had happened to me and long
hours of traveling in the flying carriage. I hid my new slime pet in the
System’s [Pet] tab for now. Shuye was in the mines looking for me, so the
subordinates that he had left behind arranged everything for my trip back to
my desert home. I could’ve stayed in the forest, but I wanted to check on
my [Greening the Desert] project.
It seemed that seven days after I teleported, the house in the desert
disappeared. My household moved to Anwei to wait for me to return.
Shuye’s staff would arrange for them to join me soon. Everyone also
assured me that the White Tiger Clan had taken care of the [Lizardwings]
and trees during my absence. My apprentices had made weekly trips, too.
Once the flying carriage landed at the foot of Skyfang Mountain, I was
greeted with the expected System screen.

[Desert Farm Deactivated Due to Inactivity

Pay 1,000 Gold to Restore?]
[Yes] [No]
 I mentally clicked on the [Yes] and the [Confirm 1,000 Gold Payment]
buttons.
The clan members who had escorted me gasped in surprise when a huge
magic circle appeared on the ground. It glowed brightly for a few seconds,
then the [Courtyard House], [Greenhouse], [Rice Mill], and decorations
appeared in the same place they had been before.
“Uh, do you guys mind if I go right in and nap? I’m tired,” I said,
yawning. In the distance, I could see several people flying toward us. No
doubt they were the clan members who had been looking after and
patrolling the area.
“Please do whatever you wish, and call us if you need anything,” said
their leader Naru, a tall, red-haired man with bright green eyes and a cleft
chin. “We’ll be right outside the house.”
Suddenly, I realized that I had committed a huge faux pas. “Uh, sorry, I
meant, um, please come inside for some tea.”
“No, no need. You must be exhausted, Lady Violet,” he said.
“I couldn’t leave you outside in this heat. Please come in.”
After a few more polite protests, they agreed to enter, and I quickly led
them to a side room and offered them fresh, hot tea from the Cash Shop,
which they refused. They did accept glasses of plain soda water from the
spring in the mines, though. We made a little bit of small talk about the
weather and tree planting project, enough to satisfy the dictates of
politeness, before they left to return to their homes in the Ancient Hill
Forest.
I was just about to close the house’s main gate when I saw a small black
dot in the sky rapidly growing bigger. A few minutes later, I saw that it was
a large flying carriage with an elaborately carved exterior painted gold and
red. I placed an overstuffed armchair in front of the gate and sat down to
wait for it to arrive. The moment its wheels touched the ground, the doors
flew open and three people jumped out of it. My apprentices came running
toward me. They looked fine, more than fine actually. Perhaps because they
had been living in a city, they were dressed in fine silk robes and wore
elegant hairstyles decorated with gold-and-jade hairpins.
“Teacher!”
“You’re back!”
“Where did you go?”
 Their screams of joy and questions melded together in such a way that I
got confused as to who was asking what, but it didn’t matter. Mo and Kharli
fell into my outstretched arms, and we hugged each other tightly. Lari stood
a little bit away from us, wiping tears from his eyes, until Kharli grabbed
him and added him to our group hug. I didn’t cry, but I felt my eyes get a
little moist.
“It feels good to be back home,” I said.
“They kept on asking us if you were dead!” said Mo.
“We knew you were alive,” said Lari.
“I’m definitely alive. I would know if I was dead,” I said.
My little joke made Kharli cry. “Teacher, are you okay? What
happened?”
“It’s a long story. I’ll tell you after dinner,” I said.
I didn’t know how long we stood with our arms around each other.
Fengying, Deming, and the other staff filed past us without saying a word. I
wondered how they had all fit into the carriage. They must’ve been
squished together like sardines in a can.
When I finally pulled away, my apprentices’ faces were stained with
tears and, in Lari’s case, snot. I offered them handkerchiefs and said, “Here,
wipe your faces and let’s go inside. I’m tired.”
“Teacher, the house disappeared! Some people said you might be dead,”
said Mo. She looked thinner than before, and she had dark eyebags.
“Yeah, you know how if you place stuff, like a bucket or a spade,
somewhere, it disappears after a while?” I said.
They all nodded.
“It’s like that for the house. If I don’t live in it, it will disappear. I told
you that before,” I said.
“See, I told you!” said Kharli to the others. “I remembered Teacher said
that, but you two forgot.”
“How are the [Lizardwings]?” I asked.
“They’re fine! The walls and pen disappeared, so the clan members took
them away for a few days until they finished building a wooden pen,” said
Kharli. Out of the three of them, she seemed to have recovered her spirits
the fastest.
In contrast, Lari was still sniffing and wiping his eyes.
“We went to live in Anwei and flew back every three days because
there’s not a lot of water there,” said Kharli. “We brought tons of water for
the [Lizardwings], trees, and clan members.”
“The clan members were impressed that we had such a large soul
space,” said Mo. “Lari showed off by bringing them one hundred buckets of
water.”
I laughed. “Really? One hundred?”
We chatted about random things that had happened, and I felt a lot
better when we entered the house. The familiar surroundings and the
beaming faces of my apprentices seemed to loosen a knot in my heart. It
was great to be home.

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 Chapter 99

W hen I first teleported out of the C hitinous C averns , I felt fine ,

but the next day I slept for twelve hours straight because of the accumulated
fatigue of fighting monsters every day. The adrenaline wore off, and I spent
the next three days just sleeping, eating, and resting.
I wrote an abbreviated report about what had happened to me and sent it
to Shuye. My Farm Guide sent back word that he was glad I was fine, and
that was that.
Life returned to normal.
With one tiny addition, of course.
“Look, this is my new pet. Isn’t she cute?” I held out the yellow slime
for my apprentices to inspect. “She’s going to be very useful!”
Lari, Kharli, and Mo exchanged puzzled glances.
“Here, pet her on the head,” I said.
None of them made a move.
“Teacher, is this some sort of joke?” asked Kharli.
The three of them were frowning.
“Hey, she’s not a demon. I know she’s unusual, but actually you know
the god of the mines had a slime pet, and this is the pet’s offspring. So it’s
fine!” I was quite disappointed by their reaction.
“Chu?” The slime strand on the top of Cutie’s head formed into a
question mark.
I pulled her back and cuddled her in my arms. “Never mind, I’ll take
care of her myself. Come.”
 Waving an arm as an indication that they should follow me, I made my
way to the northern side of the courtyard house. There I chose a place ten
feet away from the house’s wall and built a [Slime House] on it.
Pet houses were not included in the building limit since they were
considered part of the house. The [Slime House] was a pretty little cottage
that looked like a wooden doll’s house painted in pastel pink, mint green,
sunshine yellow, and baby blue colors. Above the door was a wooden
signboard that had the words “Slime House” carved on it in curly letters.
However, since it was written in English, the people here wouldn’t be able
to read it.
The ceiling was eight feet high, and the structure was around eight feet
square with an earthen floor half covered in colorful flowers. The east and
west walls were lined with shelves that contained pots while the northern
wall contained a bed and play area with perches at five different heights.
The door was at the south wall, which also contained a treasure chest where
pet toys and accessories could be kept.
“Chu! Chu, chu, chu!” My pet was quite excited and bounced around
her new house, her slime strand in the form of a lightning bolt.
“Slimes eat flowers, so let’s plant these flower seeds in the pots,” I said.
“Yay! More exp!” said Mo. She was the first to take the seeds from my
hand and start planting.
The other two exchanged glances. Kharli shrugged.
“Exp is exp,” said Kharli.
The two of them followed suit, and it didn’t take long for us to finish. I
showed them the square metal grill on the northeast corner of the floor.
“This is where Cutie will…do her business. The ‘product’ will be
collected in a slime tank, which we can use as fertilizer later,” I said.
I had been disgusted by the mountain of brown goo in the mines, but
now I regretted not collecting some of it to use later.
Lari mumbled something under his breath that I didn’t quite catch.
What was up with them? I thought they would like the slime, but they
were acting weird. I guessed coming back with a weird pet was too much
for them to handle.
“Okay, I’ll leave my pet here. Let’s go plant some trees!” I was sure
they would get used to Cutie in time.
Tonight, I decided to sleep under the stars. During my underground
adventure, I had very carefully not thought about the fact that I was stuck
under tons of rock, but now that I was above ground, I appreciated open
spaces a lot more than I did before.
The girls didn’t want me to sleep alone outside, so I allowed them to
accompany me provided that they stayed a short distance away from me
and made no noise.
I set up a large tent with a plush outdoor carpet and two big beds for
them before I went off to make my own campsite some distance away from
theirs. Unlike my apprentices, I didn’t want a tent. I wanted to sleep out in
the open, so I set down a bivouac sack or bivy sack, stuffed a sleeping bag
in it, and sat cross-legged down on it.
It was ten o’clock at night, and it was cold here in the grasslands. I put
on a jacket and enjoyed the vastness of the land and open sky. The moon,
full and radiant, cast a mystical glow over the landscape, and as I inhaled
the crisp night air, I rejoiced in my hard-won freedom and the austere
beauty all around me. The brown-and-green grasses that covered the land
were gently ruffled by the night breezes, and the insects buzzed
continuously.
Above me, a starry canopy of stars blazed like multicolored diamonds
scattered across black velvet. I was casually stargazing when a System
popup disturbed my quiet musing.

[Study the stars?]

[Yes] [No]

What was this? Oh yeah, I forgot about Astrology!

I mentally clicked on the [No] button because I was here to sleep, not
get Astrology exp. At least, that was what I told myself. My gamer side, on
the other hand, wouldn’t let me rest until I tried it out. A few minutes after I
rejected the System prompt, I called up the Astrology screen again and
clicked on [Yes].
A telescope materialized in front of my divvy bag, and with a sigh of
exasperation at myself, I got up and used it to study the night sky.
The System gave me a Star Map as a guide to where to point the
telescope at. I picked the Celestial Cowherd since it was a beginner
constellation and spent the next hour trying to find it.
 It was kind of fun to look through the telescope at the stars. When I
finally found the star I was looking for, I received a small amount of exp.
Through the telescope, I stared at the white star that shone brighter than
its neighbors. Legend said that the stars were gods, and this one was
supposed to be the heavenly immortal who was in charge of the divine
cattle.
Were the stars just flaming chunks of rocks or gods?
I moved on to the next target, the Weaver Girl Constellation, which was
on the other side of the sky. Its main star was the northern pole star while
the Cowherd’s main star was the southern pole star.
The Cowherd and Weaver Girl were star-crossed lovers who only met
once a year on the seventh day of the seventh month when the magpie god
made a bridge spanning the sky for them to meet.
I got a bit more exp when I found the star and was pleasantly surprised
to find that it was enough for me to level up.

[Congratulations, you just advanced an Astrology level!]

[Your Astrology level is now 2.]

Wow, who knew that stargazing gave Astrology exp in this world? In
the game, one had to buy and read books to level it up. The skill was
basically created as a money sink.
Every day that players played Adventure Incarnate, they got more and
more in-game gold, which made the existing gold decrease in value. After
all, high-level farmers were able to make tens of thousands of gold every
week through selling their products to non-player characters or NPCs.
Therefore, in order to give those high-level players a way to spend their
money and reduce the amount of gold in the game, the developers made the
Astrology skill. Players had to buy Astrology books for ridiculous amounts
of gold to level it up.
The most annoying thing about it was that Astrology gave exp and stat
bonuses that stacked, but only after spending ten million gold. To level it up
to ninety-nine, one had to spend two hundred million gold.
Obviously, everyone hated the skill yet couldn’t resist the lure of getting
+20 percent more exp and stat bonuses.
I put the telescope away and snuggled into my sleeping bag, chuckling
at the diabolical nature of the Adventure Incarnate devs. Those guys were
pros at trolling their own players with annoying but irresistible new content.
I fell into a deep, peaceful sleep, dreaming of frolicking in a jungle with a
cute blue dragon.

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 Chapter 100

“A ll you have to do is place the [S pirit G rass ] on the tilled

square, and it will take care of itself. No need to water it, and it will spread
to nearby areas,” I said after demonstrating how to plant the grass.

[Spirit Grass:
A fast-growing and hardy grass that provides a great food source for
grazing animals.]

“When will we harvest it?” asked Kharli.

“Never. This isn’t for us to gather. We’re planting this for the [Prairie
Elk],” I said.
“Then we won’t get a lot of exp?” Mo looked disappointed.
“Does this mean the [Prairie Elk] will return?” asked Lari.
“They will probably return. Anyway, this [Spirit Grass] has a small
amount of qi in it, so it’s good for spirit animals,” I said. “This is actually
the most basic of the pasture seeds that we can use, but the others require
rich, fertile soil. Anyway, this isn’t too important right now. We need to
focus more on planting trees.”
The four of us planted more of the grass before we checked on the
[Lizardwings]. They were now adults, and their current habitat was now
covered in lush, green grass, so I contacted one of the clan members and
sold the animals. Then I placed six [Lizardwing] eggs in a brand-new pen.
After that, we made our rounds.
 The [Wild Seed Mix] that I had planted before my disappearance had
grown well, better than I expected, in fact. The patch of ground that had
been covered in dry, brown grass was now vibrant, blooming flowers and
wild grasses.
The trees were also doing great, and the experiment with the clay pots
was likewise successful.
I should be happy, but I was very, very worried about tonight.
“Remember, after dinner you guys have to stay with me for the entire
night, and no falling asleep!” I said for the dozenth time today.
“Yes, Teacher,” they said in unison.
“Promise me!” I said.
“What’s the big deal?” asked Lari.
“You don’t want to know.” I bit my finger.
Kharli gave me a worried look. “I would like to know if there’s any
danger.”
“No, there’s no danger,” I said.
“Then why do we have to stay up all night?” asked Mo.
“Are you sure you want to know?” I asked them.
“Yes!” said Mo.
“Because I’m afraid of the New Year’s Ghost!” I shuddered. This was
the downside of having a magical “bloodline inheritance.” Thus far, I and
my apprentices had enjoyed the benefits of having a powerful System that
helped us with farming and other tasks, but not everything in Adventure
Incarnate was so convenient. The ghost was one of them.
Every year’s end, the New Year’s Ghost appeared in the player’s dream
and evaluated their performance. Unfortunately, it was almost impossible to
get a good evaluation in the first year, and I really didn’t want to be visited
by a scary spirit of the player’s dead grandpa who scolded the player about
being inept.
Also, a ghost? Really? I did not want to meet one, ever.
“Is this a superstition in your hometown, Teacher?” asked Kharli.
Lari folded his arms across his chest. “I don’t believe in ghosts.”
“Don’t worry, Teacher. We’ll protect you,” said Mo.
Lari rolled his eyes. “From a ghost? How do we even do that?”
“By keeping me awake all night, I told you!” I said.
“That’s easy. We can definitely do that,” said Kharli.
 They showered me with reassurances as we walked to the house. I was
hopeful that if I didn’t go to sleep, then I wouldn’t have to meet the ghost,
but I was so nervous that I was in a daze all throughout lunch until
Fengying mentioned something important.
“The prince has sent word that he will be joining the New Year’s Eve
Remembrance gathering,” said Fengying as the maids cleared away the
dishes.
“Wait, what gathering?” I was confused. “We’re having a party?”
“No, my lady. As I told you a few days ago, twelve White Tiger Clan
families will be arriving tonight at their regular site a few miles away to
celebrate New Year,” said Fengying.
“Oh yeah.” I vaguely remembered her saying something about that.
“Prince Baiyu sent word that he will be there, too, and that we should
all join them right before dawn. He’ll send some carriages.” Fengying
looked me up and down disapprovingly. “One of the new maids is well
versed in makeup and hairstyles.”
I took a mirror from my inventory and examined myself. My messy
updo would have been perfectly fine on Earth but looked sloppy here. “No,
it’s fine I can do my own hair. Why don’t you send her to take care of the
girls?”
Kharli and Mo nodded enthusiastically while Lari looked bored.
“May I go and visit the clan members? They should be preparing for
tonight’s gathering,” said Lari.
“Hmm, how many will be coming? Should we prepare some
refreshments? Maybe I should dig a well nearby so they have fresh water,” I
said.
“That won’t be needed. I was informed that they will be bringing
everything that they need. They asked us to not disturb them from midnight
until the carriage is sent,” said Fengying.
Ah, it must be some sort of private family gathering rather than a big
party where everyone was invited.
We spent the rest of the day bathing and getting ready for the New
Year’s banquet. I wore a rather flashy red-and-gold ensemble with a large
golden flower headdress that made tinkling sounds whenever I moved.
Apparently, the sound of gold on gold was considered very lucky during
New Year’s Eve, so I let Lari and the girls wear as much gold jewelry as
they wanted. During my absence, the kids had bought better accessories in
Anwei City, so we all looked quite fine indeed.
Well, except for Lari, who must’ve been conned by a quick-talking
merchant because he was covered in golden necklaces and bangles that all
had a bat design. Why bats? Because the bats were supposed to hide a lot of
treasures in their caves.
Wow. All he needed was a bat hat and he would look ready to fight
crime in Gotham City.
These days, of course, I was used to sleeping early and waking up
before dawn. Therefore, I had a terrible time staying awake. I drank five
cups of coffee and the kids played board games with me until my eyes
started to feel heavy. Then they took some pots and pans from the kitchen
and banged on them while we staggered around in a weird dance.
It was kinda fun but extremely tiring. I was very relieved when the
carriages finally arrived.
“It’s close to dawn already? Ha, soon I will be able to rest,” I said. “Just
a sec, I need to tidy myself up.”
I went to my bedroom and used the Cash Shop to tidy up my hair. Then
I washed my face at the sink. When I sat down on my bed to wipe the water
off my face and neck with a towel, I was overcome by extreme lethargy.
I yawned and closed my eyes just for a second.
…When I opened my eyes again, I was in a familiar jungle. All around
me, bright green tropical plants grew in riotous profusion. I took a deep
breath and smelled damp earth, decaying leaves, wild orchids, and
frangipani, among other, less recognizable scents. There was a path in front
of me, and I instinctively knew that there was something at the end of it that
I needed to see.
Myriad insects buzzed; bird calls filled the air, and leaves were rustled
by a hot breeze. This place was always noisy with the sounds of life. As I
was walking, a brightly plumed bird flew toward me, carrying a ripe mango
in its beak, which it dropped into my waiting hands. I took a knife from my
inventory and ate the honey-sweet fruit, its juices running down my chin. I
stopped by a stream to wash off and smiled at the small, quick, silver-scaled
fish that came to nibble at my fingers.
I continued walking until I reached a small clearing. The jungle canopy
let in one large sunbeam that illuminated the most beautiful woman in the
world, her husband, and the dragon she was holding in her arms. I froze.
 My little dragon jumped out my mother’s arms and ran toward me, but I
was too shocked to pick him up.
“Hello, dear,” said my mother.
That did it. I ran toward my parents, tears streaming from my eyes.
“Mom! Dad! Where have you been?”
“Dead,” said my father. He picked up my dragon, and all four of us
hugged.
“At least you’re together,” I said. “Are you in heaven? Are you guys
going to reincarnate?”
“So many questions,” said my mom. She looked just like me, but with
brown eyes and a hundred times more beautiful. My dad was handsome
enough, I guessed, but the two of us had nothing on her. My mom was on a
totally different level compared to the rest of us ordinary folk.
“What’s happening?” I asked.
“We came to say Happy New Year, dear. You’ve done okay this past
year, but you need to do better next year,” she said.
“Wait, what?” That line was similar to what the New Year’s Ghost said
in Adventure Incarnate. Was my mom the ghost now?
“I give you a C-minus grade this time. Keep on improving your farm,”
she continued.
“What?” Oh no, she was just saying stuff from the game now.
“Wakupcher,” she said.
“Huh?”
“Wakupcher.”

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 Chapter 101

S omething grabbed me by the shoulder , and my eyes flew open .

“Wake up, Teacher!” said Kharli.
“Ah, we didn’t think you would fall asleep so fast,” said Mo.
I remembered I dreamed about my parents. My mom became the New
Year’s Ghost and evaluated my performance, but I was already forgetting
the details of the dream. Was my dragon there? I think my dad hugged me?
Still, a dream about my mom was better than a dream with that bearded old
grandpa ghost in Adventure Incarnate. “I’m fine. Let’s go.”
A few minutes later, we piled onto the carriages. Since it was my first
time seeing Prince Baiyu after a two-month absence, I wanted to show him
my new pet. However, given my apprentices’ reaction to it, I figured that
the White Tiger Clan probably wouldn’t want to see a “demon” at their big
celebration.
“New Year’s Eve is a very important night for clan members, but you
mustn’t ask them about it,” said Fengying.
“Why not?” asked Lari.
“They live three times longer than humans, but their memory can…
become slightly unreliable when they are old,” said Fengying. She and her
husband were squeezed into a carriage with me and my apprentices while
the rest of my household were in the other vehicles. We were all dressed to
the nines and wearing tinkling gold accessories, even the males. “They are
trained to write a diary from the time they are children, and on New Year’s
Eve, they have a special recollection session where they discuss what
happened to their family the previous year, good and bad. It’s all written
down in a secret code, but don’t ask about it since it’s a very private thing.”
“Oh, I should start writing a diary, too,” I said.
The clan’s campsite wasn’t that far, and we arrived by the time I
finished speaking.
Prince Baiyu was waiting for us at the edge of the encampment and
courteously helped me alight from the carriage. I saw that the White Tiger
families had camped in clusters of large tents or elaborately carved and
painted wooden wagons.
“Happy New Year,” I said.
“Happy New Year.” Prince Baiyu placed my hand in his arm and
walked me toward the large open space full of people. The others followed
behind us.
The clan members had placed blankets on the ground and were sitting
together in small, convivial groups with lots of food and drink piled beside
them.
I was quite surprised to see that there were plenty of females, elderly
people, and children. What happened to the superstition that the cursed land
was bad for them?
On the other side of the gathering was a small wooden platform ten feet
off the ground that was only big enough for two to three people to stand on.
A clan member was standing on it and talking into a small crystal that
projected his voice to three larger crystals that were scattered around the
area in front of the stage. He was naming families one by one and
welcoming them to the year-end meeting.
“Did it work? Has your qi overload problem been cured?” I asked.
“Mostly. I’ll still need to be careful, but my life is not endangered
anymore,” he said.
“You look great,” I said.
Prince Baiyu smiled down at me. “I missed you.”
A female clan member who was standing nearby giggled and pointed at
us. She said, loud enough for us to hear, “Look at those two. Aren’t they
sweet?”
Oh my gosh! My face felt hot when everyone turned to look at us,
whispering behind their hands.
“Ignore them,” said Prince Baiyu.
“Let’s just, uh, talk later,” I said.
 Prince Baiyu sighed.
After that, we walked in a companionable silence to the front of the
crowd, near the stage. Prince Baiyu’s father was there with a bunch of
people. He waved at us, and we joined them on the picnic blankets they had
spread out on the grassy ground. I was wearing rather elaborate robes and
had a tough time arranging my skirt so that I could sit on the ground
comfortably.
We exchanged polite greetings, and I was introduced to Prince Baiyu’s
paternal family. They were all of a kind: tall, good-looking, white-haired
beauties with blue eyes. I had some difficulty remembering their names
since they all looked so similar. I was saved from embarrassing myself by
asking them to repeat their names by the start of the show.
The person on the stage yelled, “Happy New Year!” and all around us,
fireworks were set off. People lit some sort of paper tubes, and fireworks
flew out of them, up into the sky. We all clapped and cheered in
appreciation.
By the time the fireworks died down, the first rays of dawn were
appearing in the eastern horizon.
“And now, for the moment we’ve all been waiting for! Here are some
words from Elder Yao.”
A female clan member with a deeply wrinkled face and a slight stoop
was flown up to the stage by two younger people.
“Today is a blessed day!” said Elder Yao. “We have seen with our own
eyes that flowers are blooming in the cursed land, in fulfillment of the
ancient prophecy.”
The people around us yelled their agreement.
“Yes!”
“We saw!”
“Flowers, flowers, flowers!”
Elder Yao waited for the crowd to quiet down before speaking again.
“Let us recall the words of the prophecy.”
Every clan member, including Prince Baiyu, started chanting the same
words.
“Cursed shall be you, your children, your children’s children, your
children’s children’s children, and all your descendants. Yet this will not
endure forever. Water the land with your blood and wait.”
 Then, to my surprise, Prince Baiyu suddenly pulled me to my feet and
flew me up to the stage.
“Ah, what? Er,” I said as Prince Baiyu deposited me beside the elder
and flew back down off the stage.
“We’re all grateful to you for your efforts thus far,” said Elder Yao.
“Here are your rewards.”
Below us, five people brought five large chests and opened them,
revealing that they were full of gold bars.
“We offer you this gold. Do you accept?” asked Elder Yao.
I had no need of money, so I said, “Uh, no, please use the gold to plant
more trees in the desert.”
The five people left, taking the chests of gold with them. They were
replaced by a squad of twelve soldiers dressed in steel armor. In front of
them marched a standard bearer carrying a tall wooden pole topped by a
silver tiger.
“We offer you the might of our warriors. Do you accept?” asked Elder
Yao.
I had even less use for an army, of course, so I refused it, too. “No,
thanks.”
The soldiers marched away, and a solitary figure dressed in red-and-
gold robes and wearing a massive golden tiger headdress approached the
stage and unrolled a large scroll.
“We offer you this deed to this land and all of our lands. Do you
accept?” said Elder Yao.
“Most definitely not! I only want my farm,” I said.
The Elder lifted his arms, and the crowd below us fell silent. You
could’ve heard a pin drop. After a long, dramatic pause, Elder Yao said,
“And the rest of the prophecy states…”
Every clan member joined him in saying the next words.
“One will come who is not tempted by wealth, glory, and honor. A
savior who will lift the curse by making flowers bloom in the desert. Hail,
the Healer of Worlds!”
“Hail, the Bringer of Life!”
“Hail, the Child of Fate!”
“Hail, Harbinger of the Dawn!”
I was a little bit surprised that this event happened today, since it should
have been triggered by the completion of the [Greening the Desert] quest,
but I guessed that it was probably because my efforts had been much more
successful than the people of this world had expected.
Everyone made one last wordless cheer, then looked at me as though
expecting some sort of speech. Thankfully, I was saved by a young child,
who looked no older than six years old if she was human, pointing at the
eastern sky where the sun was almost completely above the horizon and
yelling, “Look, it’s the New Year!”
“Happy New Year!” yelled hundreds of voices.
Below us, I could see my household all beaming at me and yelling,
“Happy New Year!”
Prince Baiyu flew up to the stage and carried me back down to where
my apprentices were waiting for us.
“Happy New Year!” we all said to each other.

[Congratulations, you have received the title: Child of Fate

Effect: The White Tiger Clan is your ally and may help you complete
quests.]

I was about to say “Happy New Year” to Prince Baiyu when he took me
in his arms. He lowered his head very slowly, giving me time to get used to
it. Our eyes met, and I put my arms around his neck.
Out of the corner of my eye, I could see another couple kissing. Was
this a New Year tradition?
I closed my eyes in anticipation, excitement coursing through my veins.
Yes! This was the perfect way to end the year.
Time seemed to slow as our lips drew closer. Then…
Our noses bumped!
My eyes flew open, and we both drew back, startled. Behind us, I heard
a noise, and when I turned around, I saw Prince Baiyu’s father Lord Yulin
and the other members of his family unsuccessfully trying to stifle their
laughter.
“Unbelievable, how can someone from our family not know how to kiss
properly?” said a middle-aged clan member.
“Hey, my son is still young,” protested Lord Yulin.
“Don’t laugh. You guys are terrible!” a female elder with white hair
scolded them.
 What? Now that I saw that everyone was watching us, I felt self-
conscious and pulled away a little from Prince Baiyu.
“Girl, you just need to teach him how,” said the female elder.
He already knew how! It was just an accident. I pouted a little, then I
turned back to my boyfriend. We exchanged mischievous smiles. Reaching
up with both my hands, I tilted his head a bit.
When our lips finally met, it really was the perfect way to end the year.

The Chronicles of Emberstone Farm continues in Book Two!

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 About the Author

Despite her unique personality - which is code for "weird" - L Meili is a humble writer who's just
grateful for the opportunity to share her stories with the world.
In her free time, L likes to listen to pop music and indulge in her guilty pleasure of crackling pork
with garlic rice. And let's not forget her daily fix of coffee, which she drinks like it's her job. You
know how some people say they're fueled by passion? Well, L is fueled by caffeine.
She's a slow walker, but that's only because she likes to take in the scenery. She plays Stardew
Valley and Hearthstone, and used to be addicted to Runescape, but she swears she's recovered (until
the next relapse).

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