The tea was bitter.

Yet the saint kept his calm, finally revealing his name;

"Good disciple, your master's name is Wang Jie. People called me the Venerable Star Saint, but you, my disciple... Just call me Master."

"Yes, hot uncle... I mean, master..."

"You're hence my second disciple, and I shall address you the same as your father and grandfather, Zhi-er. Your elder disciple brother isn't here, so we'll have to leave that for later,"

"Okay, later, don't mind. So when will we start? Actually, can I rest first? Too tired,"

"Take this first. It is my gift for you, my disciple,"

Tapping her forehead, Wang Jie channeled his Qi in, placing a technique directly into her mind. Since the technique was not complicated, Yun Zhi managed to accept it. Still, it caused a little dizziness.

"W-what's... this?"

"You should be able to tell now,"

"Piercing Star... Scripture?"

"Study it well later,"

"Ehhh,"

The current her hated study. It's too much trouble, too much work. Didn't she come here to be treated? How come she needed to study now? How troublesome. However, this scripture seemed a bit interesting. It strengthened the mental strength of its practitioner, among other things.

Nothing to do with her, though.

Seeing her able to read through the scripture, Wang Jie gestured to grandpa Yun Tao and her father Yun Chen. Making Yun Zhi float right into the center of the green formation, he was about to start.

"Disciple, when you arrive, there will be an immortal receiving you. Be respectful, and do the task he assigns well,"

"D-do task? Master, am I not here for treatment?"

"That's right, but everything has a price,"

"Shouldn't I just... sleep the whole time... Isn't that what a patient had to do? Just lie in bed and get pampered?"

"Different illness, different treatment."

"Treatment? Isn't this just forced labor! Master, you're selling me out?!"

She turned to her father and grandfather, eyes pleading. She didn't want to work, nuh-uh! Too troublesome, too tiring. Why slaving yourself to something when you can just sleep? Eyes meeting, the two turned sideways, as if ignorant of her plight.

"Dad, grandpa! You two old fossils actually selling me out?!"

"What? You remember me now? I thought this old fossil is just a stranger..."

"You!"

"Zhi-er, it's for your own good,"

"Dad, I don't wanna!"

"Stop being so spoiled!"

"Ehhhh,"

How come no one could understand her?

Even speaking with them was too much work. It actually hurt her head. That was part of the reason she didn't bother explaining anything over the years. Well, she didn't know what was happening anyway. She still remembered herself being active, going here and there years ago. Thinking about it, it was like someone else. No, it was like an alien. How could a human be so hardworking, anyway?

Training for sixteen hours a day?

In a cold environment, on hot days...

Cultivating, studying, sparring all the time?

What kind of life was that!

Humans ought to be lazy!

That's human nature, um!

Going against nature, would spell disaster!

As she was mumbling her muddled thought, her master already activated the Star Formation Gate. Buzzing and vibrating hum filled the hall. As if a hole had appeared, it tried to suck the whole existence there into it...

All of a sudden, a water-like vortex appeared, as if a violent water tornado. Eyes opened wide, everyone bore witness to the appearance of a...

Gate.

Purplish portal, with twinkling stars, forming a deep hole in the air.

It was a gate connecting stars.

While it would not appear directly into a star, it would appear within another star system than the one they were residing in. Over there, his contact would receive her. Turning to all of them, the master nodded.

"It's time, my disciple,"

"W-wait, master! Listen to me... You see, I'm quite useless. No, I'm absolutely useless! Didn't you say your contact is an immortal? What task? I can't even take a bath properly! What if I irk him somehow? Wouldn't you be at a disadvantage? What if he blamed you?"

"Hmm... What you said do make sense,"

Seeing her master being gullible, she perhaps saw a light of hope.

"Right? So... as your filial disciple, I don't want to cause master trouble... So, I suggest we first put the whole 'Yeet to another planet plan' on hold. Don't you think it's a lousy plan?"

"So now you're saying my plan is lousy?"

"N-no! I'm just saying... It's a good plan! It just might need some work... some refinement... hehe,"

In order to save herself, it was the longest argument she made in years. She was breaking a cold sweat. Doing task? That sounds like a lot of work! And it was not like she could delegate everything to Xiao Lin...

She's not here!

Her savior...

'Lin lin... damn it, I should've dragged you with me!'

Floating in the middle of the formation, she could not even move an inch, even if she used all her Qi. The difference between a top Dao Seeker and a disciple in Peak Qi Refinement, was like Heaven and Earth. Her only hope for avoiding work, ehem, avoiding forced labor, would be to convince this new jerk of a master...

One, who was about to sell her off to an Immortal.

Immortal? That sounds like a completely non-negotiable boss... Nuh-uh!

What if the other side was a black company?

The type which squeezed everything out of its worker?

That's entirely possible!

At this rate, she'll die exhausted!

"M-master.. Oh, my handsome K-pop master... There's no need for this plan... We can just all sit down and nego... talk it over, right?"

"Well..."

She was starting to get desperate. The master listened with much amusement. What the heck was K-pop? And nego? The words coming from her really made one curious.

"Ahaha... Don't you worry, good disciple. My plan is foolproof."

"M-master... Have you ever considered me? I'm the ultimate fool... Just a mere foolproof plan won't do,"

"You're funny, disciple. Don't disregard yourself so low,"

Seeing his suspicious smile, she knew he was just teasing her, pretending to listen to her argument. The whole thing was already decided before she even arrived.

He raised her near the spinning vortex, the gate. Turning to her father and grandfather, he said;

"If you two need to say anything, now's the time,"

"Em, Zhi-er, don't make trouble. Just listen to the immortal on the other side,"

The grandpa said so first. Then, he turned to her father. Her father looked at her with a bit of guilt in his eyes...

Her eyes were still pleading with him, making him question himself. This child had truly suffered. While others might be envious of her position and good birth, the effort she made since she was three... was more than anyone in the sect. For her to be reduced to this shell of her past self...

Becoming a whining, dispirited lady...

With blackened eyes, and pale skin from being a shut-in...

Where did that bright, enviable girl able to amaze everyone, go?

Did she evaporate into nothingness, leaving behind only this...

Thinking it was for her best benefit, his eyes cleared from any lingering guilt.

"It's time to grow up, Yun Zhi-er."

Turning to look at her master, Yun Chen suggested;

"If we let the Senior Wang do it alone, she might blame you later... Why don't we yeet her together, Senior Wang, father?"

Unknowing to him, he had used the word yeet from Yun Zhi's vocabulary. While her master had not heard of it until today, it was easy enough to determine its meaning. With his suggestion, the two Dao Seekers agreed. Invisible force warped around her, Yun Zhi knew...

She was finished;

"Master, you scammer! Grandpa, you traitor! You're selling such a cute girl over to foreign power? This is human trafficking! Wuuh, I knew it, handsome men are all liars! You guys are too much--"

"Yun Zhi-er!"

Her father reprimanded her.

His usual strict tone, and no-nonsense attitude, staggered her. She had always dreaded this figure, the one who always tried to force her to work. However, this time...

She rebelled.

"Dad, I know I'm useless, but isn't death penalty like this, too much?"

"What death penalty! You just don't know what's best for you!"

"Forced labor like this... To another planet... By an Immortal boss... Isn't that a death penalty?"

"It'll be hard, but all you have to do was endure,"

"Dad... I can't do this! Do work for an Immortal? I'm afraid... You know I'm just useless! Why don't you just kill me right away--"

Pak!

A slap on her face.

It was her father, Yun Chen. Ever since the last time he slapped her, never did he imagine he would do that again. However, this time... the reason was the exact opposite!

"You! are! not! useless!"

Shouting out loud each word, he was frustrated. His daughter had lost hope in herself. Just how strong her ailment was, for her to be this hopeless. The elders had lost hope for her, her teachers, her peers, their allies, even their adversary... But he, at least he, her father... should never lose hope.

As for Yun Zhi...

That slap was really strong. Moreover, she had a familiar feeling. Didn't this exact thing happen before? Why did it happen then? Her memory flashing back, she recalled...

Her father was under a lot of pressure. The elders were urging him to find another prime genius instead of her for the sect to nurture. With her abrupt change in attitude, he had to make a decision. However, no matter which decision he took, it would completely make him lose face.

Should he denounce his own daughter as the prime disciple of the younger generation? That way, the sect's resources for her could best be used for other promising disciples such as Xiao Lin. But, if he did that... That was the same as acknowledging the rumors, that she was no longer her best... The sect no longer found her good enough. People would jeer and smear at the prime failure, the former prime disciple of the sect... her.

But, if he insisted on keeping her as the prime disciple, it would not be fair to other promising disciples. While there was still favoritism in the sect, the primary practice was still merit-based. Doing so would invite a lot of dissatisfaction, even rebellious ideas among elders and influential figures within the sect. The hatred would also be directed at Yun Zhi, his daughter.

When her father came to confront her, she had no idea he was under such pressure. She thought he was only caring for his vanity, and she was just... too tired. Her condition made her lethargic, and the headache just prevented her from thinking any better.

She was ignorant of the situation... It was only thanks to Xiao Lin, who kept persuading her not to take it to heart, and informed her of his actual situation.

You! are! not! useless!

"Dad..."

His statement just now, pricked her heart.

Was that truly what he thought, or was it just his hope for her?

That slap still hurt, though.

Tears in her eyes, this time, she didn't smile like before. She held back her wish to protest, seemingly holding back her sniffling. While she was already seventeen, she was aware of something else... That her ailment, seemed to trap her in quite a childish mind. Did it keep her in her thirteen-year-old mind? Thinking about it, while her body had grown, it was rather slow... Xiao Lin used to be a lot smaller than her. But now... she was bigger and more bountiful...

Ehh, no need to be jealous, I don't mind at all!

Medium is premium, um!

Ehh... why did I got slapped again?

Shaking her mind's tendency to drift away, she finally recalled her current predicament...

She was about to be yeet-ed!

To another planet!

To a badass boss!

This, is, bad!

"Dad..."

"Zhi-er..."

Looking at her swelling red cheek and tears, Yun Chen trembled. He truly cared about his daughter... After all, she was the fruit of his love. But he... just didn't know how to express it. Soon, he decided to just let it out... just say what he wished to;

"Zhi-er, stay strong. Your mother was a strong person, she never gave up... She never gave up on you, so I won't either!"

"My... mom?"

His statement confused her. That memory within her was blurry...

All she could recall was, a soft voice, a warm embrace, and a mouthful of sweet liquid...

Soft voice... Such a voice, as if caressing her entire being.

Warm embrace... Covering her, as if, never wanted to let her go.

That sweet liquid... So fulfilling, so delicious... becoming a part of her, time and again.

That blurry memory...

Was her only memory of her...

"Mom..."

She didn't know why her father mentioned her mother at such a time, but...

For some strange reason, her desire to rebel, had been hampered by a lot.

Yun Chen looked at her for the last time.

If she was anxious about it, he could claim even twice the anxiety.

After all, she was...

His precious daughter.

Turning to his father and his daughter's master, he nodded;

"...It's time,"

With their Qi, they raised her on par with the gate.

Together...

They threw her into the purplish Star Formation Gate.

!!

Damnit, so they're throwing me out while I'm confused?

How cunning!

"Scammers, traitors! Watch your back, I'll remember this~~"

YEET!

BYE-BYE, MY PLANET!

I'LL SORELY MISS YOU!

DON'T FORGET ME!

With the sudden violent gulp as she was yeeted into it, the gate shivered. Soon, it compressed itself and disappeared into nothingness.

Within the hall, everything went quiet.