Teacher by day, Farmer by passion

Watching Luna leave the room, Ace also didn't linger any longer.

This situation demanded more than just trust, he also needed a backup, a brute force even.

He took to the air and made his way toward the training grounds, where Elder Akha—now a grand elder—was currently overseeing logistics.

From above, he spotted her briskly dishing out orders to the younger disciples, her voice sharp and commanding.

Lily stood beside her, arms folded, wearing a frilly maid outfit that didn't suit the place, not one bit. Infact she even looked thoroughly bored.

Ace landed without a sound.

"What goes here?" he asked, his voice calm but cutting through the clamor like a sword.

"Ah—!" Lily flinched, startled. "Don't sneak up like that!"

Ace raised an eyebrow. "As a peak legend rank, how could you not notice my presence?"

He paused, then added dryly, "Unless… you genuinely think I'm not worth noticing. That's hurtful."

Lily coughed and looked away, clearly not denying it.

Grand Elder Akha turned and gave a respectful bow. "Greetings Sect Master."

The disciples nearby, still hauling firewood and supplies, quickly straightened and greeted him in unison.

Ace nodded back kindly, offering a faint smile and a few encouraging words. After the greetings passed, he turned to Lily.

"Follow me," he said simply. "I need your help in completing this urgent task of mine."

Lily didn't hesitate when she heard Ace. Her eyes even lit up with something between curiosity and anticipation as she immediately prepared to move.

"My apologies, Grand Elder Akha," Ace said politely.

"Oh, please," Akha huffed. "Sect Master, she was more trouble than help. If anything, you're doing me a favor. I don't think I can handle having her under me even for a week."

Lily didn't deny the accusations. In fact, she looked smug about it.

Ace sighed and shook his head. "Let's go, thank you for your service grand elder Akha, I'll leave the sect responsibility in your hands.."

And with that, he soared into the sky, Lily trailing just behind.

"Wait, what do you mean!", Grand Elder Akha was a tad bit slow to react before the two vanished out of sight.

As they soared through the skies, wind brushing past like a whisper, Ace glanced sideways.

"…Is that maid attire even comfortable?" he asked flatly.

Lily looked over with a knowing grin. "Master, don't I look beautiful?"

He didn't answer.

She pressed on smugly, "Your sister Ruby said this is the type of dress you preferred."

Ace immediately shut that down. "Absolutely not. Maybe the old Xiao Zhi. But I'm Ace now."

Lily blinked. "Old Xiao Zhi? What do you mean by that?"

"It's nothing," he said quickly, waving a hand dismissively. "Forget I said anything."

Lily narrowed her eyes, suspicious. "Master, are you hiding—"

"We're here," Ace interrupted as the landscape below began to shift.

After nearly an hour of silent flight, they approached the southern reef-line.

The distant sea shimmered in the sun, waves crashing softly against jagged rocks. The ocean floor here sloped upward into shallows—just as Luna had described.

A perfect bottleneck for an ambush… and a death trap if the enemy was stronger than anticipated.

Ace hovered above the cliffs, eyes scanning the terrain with clinical calm.

"…This place is fine," Ace murmured. "Now, we go meet with the Queen."

Lily hovered beside him, skirt fluttering like a banner in the sea breeze. "So, what kind of trap are we setting?"

"We won't be setting one," Ace replied.

"We won't?" Lily tilted her head, pouting slightly. "Why not?"

"Because," Ace said without looking at her, "you're the trap."

Lily blinked. "I'm the… what now?"

A beat passed, then her eyes widened with realization.

Oh! I'm the ambush plan!" Lily beamed, hands on her hips proudly until a thought struck her. Her smile faltered. "Wait… Master, do you hate me?"

Ace chuckled softly. "No. That's what we call trust."

She squinted at him, unconvinced. "Mmm. You look untrustworthy."

Ace didn't bother explaining further. They had arrived.

A procession of armored horses approached across the rocky shore, glinting under the afternoon sun.

At the head rode a tall woman in dark regal armor, Queen Arlen herself.

Flanking her were several elite guards, their auras sharp and unyielding.

Ace stepped forward calmly as the horses came to a halt.

"Greetings, Your Majesty."

The Queen looked him over with cool eyes. "Who are you?"

"Is that really necessary?" Ace smiled faintly. "I'm the Sect Master of the Sky High Sect, Ace."

He gave a short, respectful bow, not too low, not too stiff.

Queen Arlen's gaze didn't soften. "I wasn't informed of your arrival."

"I'm not here to disrupt your plans," Ace said. "But the one leading the enemy force is a Divine Step expert. I came to suggest you withdraw the soldiers. They'll be slaughtered otherwise."

Before the Queen could respond, one of her guards spurred forward, voice rising with indignation. "How dare you speak so brazenly before Her Majesty!"

Ace turned his head slightly, casting the man a glance like an emperor would a barking dog.

"I'm speaking this way because I value her soldiers more than her pride."

The guard reached for his weapon but froze. Not because of Ace, but because the air had gone… wrong.

Lily was smiling.

And when Lily smiled like that, people died.

She floated down beside Ace, her frilly skirt fluttering as her killing intent seeped into the ground like ink in water.

Ace sighed and placed a hand on her shoulder. "Calm down, Lily."

She deflated slightly. "But Master… I thought I was the trap…"

"And you still are," he said dryly. "Not the warm-up act and surely not the trap for the people of this kingdom."

The Queen raised a hand, and the guard backed off instantly, beads of sweat forming at his temple.

"Divine Step?" Queen Arlen repeated slowly. "Are you certain?"

"Very," Ace said. "The cultivator can part the sea. You'll lose everything if you rely on brute force alone."

Arlen narrowed her eyes, clearly still weighing the risks… and her pride.