Teacher by day, Farmer by passion-Chapter 197: Abyss [5]

Hua Ting stepped forward, his eyes lighting up with respect. "Master Ace, would you care to meet with our clan leader? I'm sure he would be very honored to—"

"Not today," Ace cut in gently, his gaze sharp and focused. "My disciples are stucked inside the Abyss, and they went in without any Abyss Repellent Pills. I need to enter immediately. Can you arrange it for me?"

"Can we arrange it? Of course we can!" Hua Tiger burst out, puffing his chest with pride. "Who do you take us for? You're the benefactor of the Hua family! If you even want the Heavens opened, I'll see it done right now!"

Without missing a beat, Hua Ting echoed the sentiment with just as much enthusiasm. "Absolutely! Just say the word. After everything you've done for us, helping with the pill refinement and more, this is the least we can do. Consider it handled, Master Ace."

The twin elders didn't hesitate for a moment, their loyalty and gratitude toward Ace written all over their expressions.

The Hua twins soon led Ace toward the entrance of the Abyss, but before they could proceed further, four figures stepped forward, blocking their path.

Each of the four was clad in distinct robes:

A man in red bore the crest of the Azu Clan,

A woman in blue stood for the Boa Clan,

A woman in green represented the Xiao Family,

And finally, a man in brown, unsurprisingly, hailed from the Hua Family.

"Halt right there! What do you think you're doing?" The sharp voice came from the Xiao family representative, her narrowed eyes fixed on Ace.

Before Ace could reply, Hua Ting stepped forward calmly. "The Hua family will abstain from tomorrow's Abyss exploration. In exchange, we request that this man be granted solo entry."

A murmur rippled through the gathered elders.

The bi-annual Abyss exploration was meant to maintain the illusion of fairness, each clan sending in ten of their most promising disciples with identical resources.

But everyone knew that was just for show.

In reality, many disciples entered with hidden advantages, including treasure-seeking artifacts and maybe even, private guards in disguise.

Still, sending no one but just this one man?

It felt like a tempting trade until someone had to ask the obvious.

"What is his cultivation rank?" the Azu elder demanded.

Hua Ting hesitated, but Ace answered himself, voice steady: "Dark Gold."

A collective hiss filled the air.

"Kill me now!" The Azu elder exclaimed in disbelief.

"What's a Dark Gold rank doing in a fourth-rate dungeon? Does he covet the treasures? Is he trying to sweep the place clean?!"

Even Hua Ting and Hua Tiger blinked in surprise. Dark Gold? Neither of them had expected that.

They exchanged a glance. Is he bluffing? Regardless, they weren't about to offend their benefactor.

Hua Tiger cleared his throat. "We're making a fair exchange. One man for all our disciples. Let him through."

The Boa Clan elder also nodded slowly. "Yes... it's not worth offending someone at that level. Let him enter."

But the Xiao family representative didn't budge.

Her eyes narrowed. "Xiao Zhi… Oh wait. You're not Xiao Zhi anymore, are you? You're just a disgrace who got kicked out of the Xiao family like a dog. I can't believe you're standing here pretending to be a Dark Gold cultivator. You? Don't make me laugh."

Ace tilted his head and studied her. She didn't stir a single memory. A background character, he thought.

But her words had their effect. The elders from the Azu and Boa Clans looked back at Ace, more cautious now, suspicion in their eyes.

Was he really Dark Gold?

Or just a fraud with the backing of the Hua family?

"We owe this man a great debt," Hua Ting declared firmly. "Regardless of his rank, we insist he be allowed into the dungeon."

The Xiao family woman scoffed. "Don't be fooled, Elders. He's barely a Warrior rank. He was kicked out of our clan because even reaching Silver rank was beyond him, no matter how many resources we poured into him."

But her words had the opposite effect.

"Ah, well," the Azu elder chuckled, "I don't mind. Let him in. What about you, Boa elder?"

The woman from the Boa Clan smiled faintly and gave a nod. "Ialso agree, Azu elder."

Now, only two remained uncertain: the Xiao family elder, visibly fuming, and the elder from the Hua family, who turned to Hua Ting and Hua Tiger with a sharp glare.

"What are you two thinking?" he demanded. "We're forfeiting our disciples' chances for this?"

Instead of offering an explanation, Hua Tiger calmly asked, "Should I consider that an objection, Elder?"

The Hua elder blinked. "Of course not! Do I look insane? Let the man through. The Hua family won't be sending anyone tomorrow."

The Xiao family elder was left speechless, caught completely off-guard.

Yet the logic was simple—and damning.

Both the Azu and Boa elders knew that the Hua family had several under-20 disciples who had already reached the Gold rank.

And yet, instead of sending one of their proud prodigies, they were choosing this unknown man—rumored to be Warrior rank—to take every single slot?

And even if he was a silver rank, just sending him alone warrant no survival for the beast in the Abyss was not something someone at that level could beat.

But if the Xiao family elder's words were false and this man in front really was as he claimed, a dark gold rank.

Then they would rather he entered the Abyss then fight for the meagre amount of treasures inside.

If he was a gold rank, well, each of the four families were equally strong and had a few gold rank prodigies among their houses.

By all logic, the two elders firmly believed living was the only way you can spend your wages!

Whatever debt the Hua family owed to this man, it had to be monumental. freewebnσvel.cøm

And now, this young man was doing the other three families a favor in return—by claiming all the Hua family's entries for himself.