Huh? Isn't this an adventure kingdom building game?!

Jiang Yuan was both amused and helpless, stepping forward to help her up, "How could you say you've let me down? I was merely entrusted by the martyrs of Spiders Valley to find their descendants and pass on the legacy of Spiders Valley.

As for whether or not you can cultivate well after successfully refining the guardian artifact and receiving the inheritance, that depends on your own talent.

If after trying you feel overburdened, the guardian artifact is not completely bound, and it can be transferred to other reliable clansmen in the future. However..."

He thought for a moment and advised, "The world today is not peaceful, and you bear the responsibility of finding your family, so ultimately it's better to rely on yourself. Especially for a girl like you, with special skills but no ability to protect yourself, it's even more dangerous in troubled times."

"Ah? I can back out?" Xiaoba finally breathed a sigh of relief.

She had thought that once she accepted, she'd have to shoulder the heavy task of revitalizing Spiders Valley. The young girl, who had hardly ever left the market and was often overlooked, was so frightened that her heart almost jumped out. What if she accepted the inheritance but couldn't cultivate well, wouldn't she be delaying the future of her clan?

When she heard Mr. Jiang explain this way, Xiaoba was moved to tears, "Wuwuwu... How could I ever repay your kindness!

Mr. Jiang, I-I am clumsy with words, having lived a life of hardship and then being abducted. If it weren't for the kind-hearted Miss Hu Jiu, I would have died long ago!

And now, meeting someone as good as you, I don't even know how to repay you!"

[Xiaoba's Favorability +100]

[...Favorability +100]

......

The favorability score skyrocketed, with the progress bar shooting forward, heading directly for a diamond level. Jiang Yuan felt quite pleased about this.

Once young Xiaoba obtains the ancestor's inheritance, the side quest will be completely accomplished! Not only will I receive a reward, but I'll also become acquainted with a future Valley Master. Then I could directly source raw materials like spider silk!

"Then I'll give it a try first..." Xiaoba, full of joy, reached out her hand to touch the palm-sized Golden Bell. The guardian artifact sensed the clan bloodline and immediately emitted a bright golden light, enveloping her.

"Buzz!"

She felt as if golden light flashed in her mind, and it seemed so familiar as if she had known this object for ages.

Soon, the method to refine and receive the inheritance flooded into her mind all at once, leaving her a bit dazed—could I truly be the chosen one? Otherwise, how could I resonate with the clan's guardian artifact in such harmony?

"Mr. Jiang, I fear I must trouble you again." Xiaoba quickly let go, her voice trembling with excitement and worry, "I need to go into seclusion to refine the guardian artifact to receive the inheritance, but now..."

Troubled, she rubbed her hands. After all, she was bought back by Miss Hu Jiu to do embroidery, how could she have personal freedom? Not to mention finding a safe place to go into seclusion.

With guests constantly in the cloth shop, it was impossible to have peace of mind for seclusion; if she were to seek a place for seclusion by herself, just a small Qi Refining Stage cultivator like her could be squashed by any demon cultivator she bumped into, wouldn't the clan's guardian artifact become someone else's possession?

"Need a long seclusion?" Jiang Yuan thought at once of the Carefree Lotus in the Furong Spirit Pool.

Earning quite a few acceleration cards from missions, directly using them to expedite Xiaoba's seclusion seemed just right. But how should he explain this to Miss Hu Jiu?

A small shop assistant in charge of cutting and embroidering suddenly becomes the heir of a prestigious family, in other stories, wouldn't this be enough material for a hundred or so chapters of a popular novel?

"I know you and Miss Hu Jiu are like sisters, but it's better to keep the refinement of the guardian artifact a secret." He thought for a while and suggested, "How about this, I'll say I need to borrow you for a time, let her sort out the important tasks, and you quickly prepare to come with me to the small courtyard for seclusion. The rest can wait until after you successfully exit seclusion."

Xiaoba's favorability skyrocketed again, and she was immensely grateful to him.

So, just as the little fox spirit was humming a tune and preparing spirit tea to curry favor, she was bewildered when Mr. Jiang mentioned borrowing her family's seamstress.

What's going on here?

I clearly met the young gentleman first and had my eyes on him!

First, it was Third Sister who got to know him through my introduction, and soon secured a position as a Family Immortal with real talent at the small courtyard; now it's Xiaoba, who through my introduction, has transformed into the seamstress of the small courtyard.

And what about me?

"Indeed, when the time comes for learning, lack of knowledge is regretted, and when the time comes to compete, one's inadequacies are realized..." Miss Hu Jiu was struck as if by lightning, on the verge of tears, understanding completely the previous warning from Third Sister—Mr. Jiang's small courtyard does not accept useless people, even monsters would be made to plow fields if they came.

She had thought that having charm to coquettish was enough for her to win the young gentleman's favor; now she realized she was too naive, they value real skills!

There's no doubt about Third Sister, her olfactory talent, cultivation, and experience are top-notch;

Although Xiaoba's cultivation is low, her embroidery skills are excellent!

By contrast, she really didn't have any unique skills to offer, no wonder she could never squeeze her way into that small courtyard.

"We are not outsiders, Mr. Jiang, no need to be polite." She was bitter in her heart but still wore a slight smile on her face, her voice sweet, "If Xiaoba can be of use, let her go back with you as you need, anyway I've been planning to open a shop at the Wo Hu Temple Market, and haven't taken much embroidery work here, fearing we won't be able to handle it later.

Just right, this frees up time for her to help out. So I can also better sort the inventory, and when the shop opens at Wo Hu Temple, business here won't be so pressing."

With her mentioning this, Jiang Yuan realized there was a backer problem yet to be solved.

He needed to quickly find the right person for support; once the Immortal Jade exchange business was on track, money would start generating even more money, a crucial step for the development of the small courtyard!

"Wow! Is this the small courtyard that Miss Hu Jiu always talks about?" Xiaoba, just out of the Floating Market, was amazed by the stunning view ahead.

Delicate lotus flowers bloomed in the spirit pool with soft gurgling sounds, and mild floral fragrance mixed with rich spiritual energy wafted over, making her eyes sparkle with admiration.

No wonder Miss Hu Jiu is always longing for it, it truly is a rare mortal world paradise!

Just then, in the Wilderness Ascension, the rolling cloud and mist engulfed the scenery, rising and disappearing to reveal azure skies, as golden sunlight stretched wide open as if pulling back a curtain, showcasing houses with flying eaves and pointed corners, a meticulously beautiful tree house, and across the bridge lay a green expanse of farmland, birds singing sweetly in the gentle breeze in the woods, making everything so serene and peaceful, letting one forget all worries.

[Do you wish to use an Acceleration Card on the Carefree Lotus?]

Clicking "yes," Jiang Yuan watched as the Carefree Lotus in the spirit pool, which only had a few tender leaves, quickly grew. Using another card, totaling two hundred years of accelerated time, the lotus leaves emerged and spread across the water's surface, while shy flower buds gradually blossomed.

[Carefree Lotus has matured]

The system popped up a notification. He leaned over to pat the half-opened lotus flower. The fully acknowledged Carefree Lotus understood his intention instantly, the flower petals spread even more, the entire flower gradually grew large enough to accommodate an entire person.

Jiang Yuan stepped into the flower's heart, the petals layered and folded back into a bud, retracting as if it had never bloomed.

"Hey? Where did Mr. Jiang go?" Xiaoba, who was still marveling at the pastoral scenery, turned back and found that the person who had just been standing by the spirit pool was now gone, leaving her very puzzled, "Mr. Jiang? Where have you gone?"