Disappearing lifespan

In an unknown place, the sun was high in the sky, dutifully illuminating its surroundings like an excellent employee who never takes a day off.

In a traditional-looking courtyard filled with a fragrance, a woman dressed in a Daoist robe calmly sipped tea. A gentle gust of wind blew, causing her long, silky black hair to flutter.

A couple of meters away, a girl with a head full of blonde hair was kowtowing, her expression determined.

Sigh! The woman sighed as she stood up. Once again, she had broken the promise she made to herself: to stop taking on new disciples.

"Emilia, I hope you've thought this through before making your decision. Once we leave this place, there's no turning back," the woman said, gazing into the distance, her voice slow and sonorous.

The next day...

David sat cross-legged in his room at the Lime Green Inn. The sun had not yet risen, and it was still dark outside.