"Master! I don't wanna go down the mountain! Why do I have to?"

Amelia Bennett was bawling, clutching her freshly packed bag like her life depended on it, eyes pitifully locked on her master.

She had just turned eighteen yesterday. Couldn’t they at least wait a few more days?

Master Robert, dressed in a spotless Taoist robe, frowned slightly. His sharp eyebrows twitched as he subtly moved a step away, clearly afraid her messy tears and snot might stain his clean clothes.

"That's enough. You're an adult now, not a kid anymore. It's time for you to experience the real world. Cultivators can’t just stay sheltered forever—real growth comes from being out there."

"But Master, aren't you worried I might run into some crazy monsters down there? Like ones with three heads, seven arms, and eight legs?" she tried switching tactics, trading loud protests for wide, watery eyes.

Master Robert gave a cold snort and smacked her lightly on the head, not holding back. "You’ve already picked up most of my skills. Nothing down there can mess with you. Drop the act."

Amelia straightened with a pout, wiping away the fake tears. No use crying anymore—her master wasn’t buying it.

"So I really have to go?"

She had spent her whole life on this mountain. Leaving now felt like being tossed into an alien world.

"Yes. No room for debate."

"What about you, Master? Won't you be lonely when I'm gone?"

"I've got my own plans. Stop dragging this out. You're already making me annoyed. I'll send you off myself."

“Alright then, here goes nothing!”

Just as she hesitated again, Master Robert lost patience. In one swift motion, he lifted his leg and kicked her square on the rear.

Before she knew it, Amelia was flying downhill in a perfect arc, her piercing scream echoing through the valley.

“Master! You traitor! Ahhhhhh—”

Right before crashing, she quickly formed a hand sign.

“Wind Shift, pause!”

With the wind’s speed slowed, she timed it right, weaving her body into a graceful descent, landing smoothly using a light-footed technique.

Still, she rubbed her aching backside through gritted teeth, glaring in the direction she’d been booted from.

“That old man didn’t hold back. My butt's numb,” she mumbled, wincing.

Rummaging through her pocket, she took out a badly cracked phone that, somehow, still worked. The screen was a mess, but it showed the time.

"They couldn't even let me stay for lunch. Unbelievable."

Life on the mountain wasn’t completely cut off from the world. They had their small comforts. Her master wasn't the type to spoil her, but he'd given her enough.

She slowly made her way toward the nearby bus stop.

Well, might as well grab something to eat in the city first.

She didn’t go down the mountain often, but that didn’t mean she was clueless. The internet didn’t work great up there, but it worked enough to give her a glimpse of the outside world’s sparkle.

A minibus pulled up to the station and stopped in front of her. Amelia looked up—it was heading for the main city.

She sighed, muttering, “Alright then, guess it’s fate.”

Boarding the bus, she picked an empty seat and sat down.

Almost instantly, everyone on board turned to look at her.“Whose girl is that? She’s really pretty—though her outfit’s... a bit unusual.”

Amelia Bennett still wore her training robes from the mountain: clean white robes and her jet-black hair tied neatly in a bun. To the townsfolk, she stood out like a sore thumb—especially since she looked so young.

She really was a stunner—her skin soft and glowing like a dewy flower bud just about to bloom, her eyes bright as if stars were twinkling inside them. No wonder everyone was staring.

Amelia shifted uncomfortably, cleared her throat, and only then did the onlookers snap out of their daze, quickly turning their eyes away.

Not long after, a slightly plump woman waddled over.

“Where you headed?”

Her voice was raspy, lips painted a bold red, hair pulled back into a tight bun. She looked strict, like someone not to be messed with.

Amelia tilted her head, thought for a second, then said, “The last stop—in the city.”

The woman nodded and ripped a paper ticket from the box before her. She held it out to Amelia.

“Fifty.”

Amelia froze. Fifty, just to get to the city?

Her eyes grew wide with shock, surprise written all over her face.

The woman let out a sigh, clearly a bit annoyed, but she still took the time to explain. “Same for everyone. You can ask around—it’s the going rate. It’s a long ride, and we only run a few trips a day. Miss this one, and who knows when the next’ll come. Price is fixed.”

Hearing this, Amelia took a hard look at the woman’s face, reading her expression with the skill she’d been taught. Nothing suspicious—she really wasn’t being cheated.

With a small sigh, Amelia carefully pulled a crisp hundred-yuan bill from her pouch and handed it over, almost like it physically pained her to let it go.

The woman happened to glance into Amelia’s pouch—just a few bills and some coins. These days, who still used cash? Must be from a tough background. She looked young too—probably still a student. That hundred might be her entire week’s spending money.

But the woman didn’t say any of this. After all, she had her own problems. Giving a discount would mean covering the difference herself—and who could afford that?

When Amelia didn’t get her change back right away, she spoke up gently, “Auntie… the fifty yuan change?”

“Oh, right, here you go.” The woman quickly handed it to her. “Don’t worry—I’m not shorting you.”

She shook her way back to her seat as Amelia folded the cash, carefully tucking it back into her pouch, giving it a soft pat like she was securing treasure.

Outside the window, the scenery blurred past. The rhythmic shaking lulled her, and soon, her eyes drooped with drowsiness.

...

“Hey sweetheart, we’re here. Wake up.”

The woman’s voice was softer now, seeing that Amelia hadn’t stirred at all despite all the noise.

Amelia’s eyes snapped open, instantly clear and sharp.

“Thank you, Auntie.” She stretched lazily, slung her bag over her shoulder, and stepped off the bus.

Watching her walk off so casually, the woman couldn’t help but call out, “Girl, next time don’t sleep so soundly in unfamiliar places. Keep an eye on your stuff, alright?”

Amelia paused mid-step, a little startled by the kind reminder. But then, she felt the genuine care behind it.

She reached into her small pouch, rummaged for a moment, and finally pulled out a small yellow triangle-shaped talisman.

Without hesitation, she shoved it into the woman’s hand. "Here. For you."

Her first gesture in return for the kindness she'd received since coming down from the mountain.