After returning to the village, Arya and Kane headed to their rooms. Since Arya had already eaten outside, he only had a small meal with his family, wanting to spend some time together before leaving for the academy the next day.

After dinner, Arya decided to rest instead of practicing, ensuring he would be well-prepared for the journey ahead. As morning arrived, both he and Kane stood in the village's main hall, where important discussions took place among the elders. Kane's father, though an elder, was not particularly powerful, being at only level 28.

Currently, five people were present in the grand hall: Arya's father Bryan, Kane's father, and the Great Elder. They were discussing who would escort the two on their journey, which would take two days since the Finlet Academy was located in Fisco City, beyond another low-level city similar to theirs. The city had no dominant ruling power, only scattered local influences like their village.

Arya, however, suggested that he and Kane travel alone. He believed they needed to be self-reliant and capable of handling challenges on their own. Though young, both were strong enough to protect themselves and mature enough not to cause reckless trouble. With Arya's intelligence and combat experience, he could hold his ground against cultivators below level 30. Bryan, while initially planning to send someone with them, ultimately agreed, understanding that he couldn't always protect talented children like them.

With that decision made, Kane supported Arya's idea, recognizing that self-sufficiency was crucial for true strength. Bryan provided them with a rough hand-drawn map and one pink coin for travel expenses. Arya felt it was too much, but Bryan only laughed, telling him he would understand once he set out. Arya chose not to take the money, preferring to manage on his own. Before leaving, he hugged his mother one last time and said his goodbyes.

Their journey would take them from their village to the borders of Fallen Leaves City in about seven hours. From there, they would enter Bansi City, where they would take local transport to Fisco City, which would take another 13 to 15 hours, including breaks for rest and meals. Since the Finlet Academy entrance was open for another 10 days, they weren't in a rush.

To reach Fallen Leaves City, Arya took two normal horses from the village, setting out at 8 AM. Though horseback travel wasn't the most comfortable, he could manage seven to eight hours. The horses in this world were much faster than Earth's, and without strong bodies and cultivation, ordinary children would be thrown off by the wind pressure. As they traveled, Arya observed groups of people, most at level 8 or 9, with only a few above level 10. He had yet to encounter anyone above level 20 like himself and Kane.

Perhaps the presence of their four villages had led to a scarcity of higher-level cultivators in Fallen Leaves City. After about five and a half hours of continuous travel, nearing Bansi City's borders, Arya decided they should rest and eat before entering the new city. Traveling straight for five hours was taxing, and the area where they stopped had a few shops and travelers, with the natural energy increasing as they approached a more populated city.

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After securing their horses, they found a small food stall and ordered meat dumplings served in a rich soup. The shopkeeper, a man in his forties, brought them six large, juicy dumplings. The aroma whetted their appetite, and within minutes, both Arya and Kane devoured their meals. Still hungry, they ordered another round. The shopkeeper smiled as he served them again. Finally full, they decided to rest for a few hours before continuing.

When Arya asked for the bill, addressing the shopkeeper as 'Uncle,' the man's expression remained friendly as he said, "That will be 40 white coins."

Arya's satisfied expression immediately vanished. He could tell the man was trying to scam them, assuming they were naive children traveling alone. The shopkeeper, a level 9 cultivator, likely saw them as easy targets.

"What's special about your food?" Arya asked. "Does it provide any benefits? Why are you charging five times the normal price?"

"My prices are fair," the man said smugly. "My food is tastier than others. Now stop wasting my time and pay up."

Arya frowned. "At most, your dumplings should cost two white coins per plate. That's a total of eight coins. Show me your rate card."

The shopkeeper's friendly demeanor disappeared. "You kids think you can eat and not pay? I know how to deal with brats like you."

He suddenly lunged at Arya, one hand reaching for his pouch while the other grabbed at Kane's shirt. Arya reacted instantly, grabbing the man's wrist, while Kane dodged and countered with a punch to his left shoulder, forcing the man back with a shocked expression.

"Oh… so that's why you had the guts to argue," the shopkeeper sneered. "But do you think you're strong enough to eat for free?"

Although Arya and Kane had not revealed their cultivation levels, Kane's punch had given the man a hint that they were stronger than him. However, instead of backing down, he became more aggressive.

"Chinn!" the shopkeeper shouted.

Arya tensed. This was getting bigger than expected, and they couldn't afford unnecessary trouble before reaching the academy. He quickly placed eight white coins on the table and motioned for Kane to leave.

Just then, heavy footsteps approached. Without warning, a man punched at Kane, who barely had time to react. He managed to block the strike but was still pushed back three to four steps. Kane looked surprised, but the attacker—who resembled the shopkeeper and seemed to be in his thirties—looked even more shocked that his punch had been stopped.

Arya stepped forward, supporting Kane, and locked eyes with the newcomer's malicious gaze.

He usually avoided trouble, but when someone tested his limits, they awakened a side of him they wouldn't want to see. Years of past-life experience had taught him that losing control was dangerous, which is why he always tried to remain calm.

Kane, though shaken, quickly realized their opponent was only slightly stronger—level 23, with impressive physical strength, likely a trained weapon master.

"So, you tried to bully my brother, thinking he was weak?" the man taunted. "You two have guts. Pay up, or you're not leaving today."

"We were paying," Arya said coldly, "but your brother was unreasonable, demanding 40 white coins for four plates of dumplings. That's ridiculous."

Chinn glanced at his brother and smirked. "Sounds reasonable to me. Now that I'm here, the price just doubled. Consider it the cost of making me move."

Arya had had enough. Kane hesitated, wary of Chinn's strength, but Arya didn't.

"We're not paying," he said flatly. "And since you tried to rob us, I won't just walk away. You're going to give me everything you have. Did you really think we were just helpless kids?"

Chinn burst into laughter. "You want us to pay you?" He shook his head. "I thought you'd be smart enough to run after seeing my strength. But it seems you're just naive children who haven't seen the real world. Even if you're talented, you're still only level 22."

Arya's lips curled into a smirk. "Then let's see how much your 'real world' experience is worth."