Chapter 1: Spring Meeting


    It was a chilly spring morning. The birds were chirping and singing while the wind rustled the branches of the trees as pink petals floated in the air.


    Quite a romantic sight.


    Anyways, such a beautiful day would go to waste if one did not seize the right opportunity when given.


    And seeing as this day went smoothly so far, I can only guess that this day was a blessing from heaven! How kind of them!


    So instead of wasting my time studying and cultivating, I decided to seize my glorious opportunity to fly a kite instead!


    Sure, perhaps in the long term, it would be more ''productive'' if I cultivated. But I can cultivate anytime! Can I fly my kite whenever I wish?


    The answer is no.


    The day could be too cloudy, too windy, or too cold.


    Not to brag or anything, but my kite flying skills are pretty top-notch if I do say so myself.


    "Woo," I whistled as the kite climbed higher and higher, at this rate it could touch the heavens as I was practically running out of string on my spool.


    So everything was going great.


    It was a splendid day, the birds were singing, and the winds were blowing. And most importantly, I wasn''t stressing out about my entrance examster!


    So, nothing could go wrong today.


    Then, as if some sick twist of fate, the wind sent arge gust of wind towards, almost making me lose control of my kite.


    "No, no, no," I cried as the kite began to jerk against the wind and made sharp dives and jumps.


    Curse you wind! It was going so well!


    I could only watch in horror as the kite began to shake violently in the sky as I attempted to jerk on the strings in a vain attempt to regain control. "Don''t you dare fall! I swear, don''t you dare crash down!" I yelled as I pulled with all my might to reel in the haywire craft.


    Why is the wind so fierce all of a sudden? It was going so smoothly earlier, so why does it feel the need to rain on my parade?


    I should''ve known that today was going a little too smoothly. Ah, but is it so wrong to ask for a good day?


    The kite suddenly snapped free from its thin restraints and twirled in the sky for a few moments before it made its descent back to the ground.


    Into someone''s face, I might add.


    Smack!


    "Oh sh*t," I winced at the sight of the nose of the kite smacking into someone else''s. I hope they didn''t break their nose from that crash.


    My ''victim'' stepped out of the shadows to further reveal themselves.


    A cold looking beauty in white stepped out from the bush. Holding their face in one hand and my kite in the other, they shed a fierce re my way.


    Hmm, sharp, bright eyes, inky ck hair, with a slender frame, she certainly wasn''t ugly. She was probably the most attractive person I''ve ever seen. And I hear that this type of woman is a ssic kind of beauty here in the central ins.


    Also, the kite injury didn''t even hinder her beauty one bit. If anything, it only enhanced it, as it made her look more vulnerable like a fragile damsel in distress.


    A trait that most men here seem to like.


    Selling meng, huh. [1]


    Though her appearance gave off a lovable and cute look, her re was anything but that. It was more like a ''this grand aunty will give you a punishment of a lifetime'' kind of look.


    Instantly a chill went down the center of my spine, and the surrounding area noticeably dropped several degrees colder.


    She''s beautiful, for sure, but super cold.


    Did I mention super cold?


    I mean cold in the sense that it''s almost zing. So cold, that if this maiden''s looks could kill, I would be frozen into an ice block and then dissipate into steam, kind of cold.


    How fun.


    Not even my first day, and I manage to piss someone off.


    Quickly hiding my broken spool behind my back, I attempt to muster up an apologetic smile. While I mentally lit some incenses for myself, I tried to think of a means of escape.


    "I''m so sorry my kite hit your face!" I yelled quickly and just turned around a dashed away into the forest!


    Sometimes, the best move is to retreat!


    I''m a dummy! I''m some big dumb right here!


    As a girl, how could I not know about how much a woman''s face means!


    Though I don''t care about my own that much


    But for a woman of the valley, their face was their life! And to damage it in any way essentially means death!


    I''m sorry, forest maiden, for your face!


    If my kite broke your nose, I would devote my body to you in the next life! I will work like a dog for you topensate you!


    However, I''d like not to meet an earlier grave from your wrath today!


    Hiking up my speed, I run off in a direction that I hope is to where my destination is supposed to be. Blindly knocking branches out of the way, and jumping over small ridges, I spot an exit in the distance.


    There!


    Running towards a brightly lit area, I speed up towards the light.


    "You''ve got to be kidding me!" How could my navigation skills be so bad! I''m back at where I started!


    "Wait, if I''m here, then," I quickly realized that the woman I had hit earlier was still standing where she was earlier, looking at me. "Haha, it seems I''ve gone to the wrong ce," I chuckled nervously and turned to leave.


    Unfortunately, the maiden was quicker as she thennded right in front of me.


    Eh! How is she so fast!


    "Uh, ha," I nervously backed away from the girl dressed in white. Somehow, tripping over my own feet, I fell backward.


    Why am I such a mess today?


    Sitting on the ground, I nervously smiled up at the girl iI had wronged. "Ha, ha," Iughed out nervously. Is this how I''m going to die?


    I didn''t even get to take my entrance exams yet!


    The maiden didn''t respond before moving leaning down towards me. Scrunching up my eyes, I wait for her to make her move.


    However, her hit didn''te.


    Instead, I felt her hand gently pull something off my head. "Huh?" Peeking my eyes open, I see her holding a small twig in her jade-like hands before discarding it on the ground.


    "Be careful while in the forest," her calm voice caressed my ears. "You never know what you will encounter," she said before walking off into the blooming forest.


    "Hah?" Wasn''t she going to seek revenge on me? Touching my hair where the twig once was, I try to process what had just happened.


    "Hah! Thank you, Senior!" I yelled out in the direction she walked off.


    I suppose this day isn''t so bad after all. There is a silver lining!


    Suddenly the sound of bells rang from the direction the maiden had walked off.


    "Ah! It''s starting!" Quickly scrambling to pull myself together, I ran towards the sound of the bells. I can''t bete for my entrance exams! I can only imagine what the registration line would look like if I''m not there on time.


    "Tsk, hope there are just too many people," I muttered as I quickly sped towards the ringing sound.


    Wait, could it be that the beauty in white also taking the exams? It would make sense as to why she would be in that forest if that were the case.


    Hopefully, the grudge between us resolved itself. Senior seems a little cold, but Senior looks like a reliable gal.


    Ah! Seeing as she didn''t kill me yet, maybe we could be friends!


    [1] Selling meng - selling cuteness