Wooden Root: Barbara's Journey

Barbara left the Eternal Chalice Sect carrying a bamboo basket and a small sickle attached to her waist. Her mission was simple: gather spiritual herbs in a forest near the sect. She knew the task would be challenging, but the value of the spiritual herbs was immense, both for her cultivation and for trading them for spiritual stones. Walking along the path leading to the forest, Barbara could feel the energy of nature resonating around her. The gentle sound of leaves rustling in the wind calmed her, yet there was a growing tension in the air.

As soon as she entered the forest, she realized she wasn’t alone. Other outer disciples were also there, some with the same mission in mind. A light sense of competition filled the air, and she knew that, in addition to luck, she would need speed and sharp insight to find the herbs before the others. The forest was dense and mysterious, with its tall trees blocking part of the sunlight, creating shadows that made the search even more challenging.

As time passed, Barbara tried her best to identify any sign of spiritual herbs. She carefully observed the vegetation around her, looking for any glow or unusual shape that might indicate the presence of rare plants. However, the more she walked, the more frustration started to set in. The herbs were either well-hidden or had already been found by others.

Suddenly, a quick movement in the corner of her vision made her stop. The sound of something sliding along the damp ground alerted her instincts, and before she could fully react, a spiritual beast emerged from the shadows. It was a green snake the size of a horse, its yellow eyes glowing with predatory fury. Without hesitation, the creature launched a fierce attack, trying to surround her with its massive body.

Barbara dodged the attack with agility, her heart racing. Blood pumped through her veins as she stepped back, keeping the snake in her sight. Every movement was calculated, and her feet glided over the leaf-covered ground, avoiding the quick and deadly strikes of the beast. She knew that despite her martial arts training, this was a tough fight. The snake was fast and ruthless.

When the beast lunged again, Barbara used her agility to evade the strike, and with a swift, precise motion, she slashed at the side of the snake’s body with her sickle. The sound of metal cutting through the creature’s thick skin echoed through the forest. The snake writhed in pain, but Barbara didn’t hesitate. With a quick spin, she struck again, hitting the animal’s vital point and forcefully slicing its body open, ending the fight. The spiritual beast collapsed to the ground, lifeless.

Barbara took a deep breath, a mix of relief and adrenaline coursing through her. She knew that spiritual beasts like that one were dangerous but also valuable. Kneeling next to the snake’s body, she carefully extracted the beast's core, a crystal pulsing with energy and Qi. This core was worth many spiritual stones and could also be useful for enhancing her own cultivation. Though she had failed to find the mission’s spiritual herbs, this core would be her consolation prize.

The sun was already setting when Barbara moved away from the snake’s body, holding the glowing core in her hand. She felt a slight disappointment at not having found the herbs, but she knew the competition had been fierce. As she walked back to the sect, she promised herself that next time, she would arrive earlier and prepare better. She wouldn’t give up so easily.

“Next time, I’ll be faster. I can’t rely on luck alone,” she murmured to herself, determined to improve.

With the spiritual beast’s core in hand and a lesson learned, Barbara knew this was not the end of her journey but merely the beginning of many future challenges.

With the defeat of the spiritual snake still fresh in her mind, Barbara decided it was time to return to the Eternal Chalice Sect. The beast’s core in her hands was a valuable prize, but the time spent battling the creature had caused her to lose track of the way back. The forest around her seemed denser, and soon the familiar trails disappeared. The sensation of being lost began to weigh on her, and to make matters worse, a sudden rainstorm began to pour, turning the ground into mud and making visibility even more difficult.

Searching for shelter from the storm, Barbara spotted a grotto hidden among rocks and trees. Without hesitation, she ran inside. The cave’s interior was dark but dry and silent, and there seemed to be no signs of life. With the storm raging outside, she decided the best thing to do would be to use the time to cultivate. Sitting on the damp cave floor, she began to breathe deeply, trying to calm her mind and focus on the flow of Qi filling her body.

As she cultivated, an odd sensation took over Barbara. Something was different about this place. There was a resonance, a subtle vibration she felt in her spiritual roots. It was as if an ancient force was calling to her. Unable to pinpoint exactly where it was coming from, Barbara tried to concentrate, but the feeling persisted. Something beyond the cave walls seemed to pulse with energy, waiting to be discovered.

Once she finished her cultivation, driven by curiosity, she stood up and approached the stone wall from which the energy seemed to emanate. Running her hand over the cold, rough surface, her fingers felt a faint vibration. Then, with a subtle touch, the wall began to crumble, as if made of sand, revealing a hidden space. Barbara stepped back, surprised, as she watched the passage slowly open before her.

On the other side was a secret cave, illuminated by a dim light that seemed to come from crystals scattered along the walls. At the far end, a still figure caught her attention: a skeleton sitting in a lotus position, as if in eternal meditation. Barbara’s heart raced. That was the skeleton of a cultivator, someone who had likely spent their last moments there, isolated from the world. As she approached, she saw that beside the skeleton, there was an ancient alchemy furnace, along with several stacked books, and in the corpse’s hand, a dark bracelet—simple but intriguing.

Barbara knelt beside the remains, carefully observing the details. The books around were all about alchemy, and the furnace seemed to still be in good condition, despite its antiquity. “He must have been an alchemist who came to isolate himself here for cultivation,” she thought, trying to imagine the last days of that solitary cultivator. Was he trying to create some important pill? Or perhaps he became trapped there, unable to return to society?

Looking at the bracelet in the skeletal hand, Barbara hesitated for a moment, but driven by a mix of curiosity and ambition, she decided to take the object. With her hands still stained with the blood from the spiritual beast fight, her fingers touched the bracelet, and something unexpected happened. Barbara’s blood activated the artifact, making it glow faintly. Before she could react, a field of energy opened in front of her, revealing what appeared to be a hidden space within the bracelet—a magical space.

Examining the interior of this newfound space, Barbara found an abandoned garden, with dead spiritual herbs and an environment that must once have been a cultivation paradise. She realized she had just gained an invaluable treasure: a magical space of her own, where she could grow her herbs and enhance her cultivation without being disturbed. Additionally, the alchemy furnace and books around were essential tools that could lead her to delve deeper into the art of alchemy.

Barbara held the bracelet in her hands, feeling excitement rise in her chest. What initially seemed like a mere temporary shelter during the storm had turned into a monumental discovery. With this treasure, she could cultivate spiritual plants in her own space and perhaps even learn alchemy and create powerful pills. This was the kind of luck that few cultivators encountered in a lifetime.

As the rain subsided outside, Barbara stood in the cave, gazing at the alchemist’s skeleton. There was a certain respect in her eyes. She knew that the cultivator had failed to reach their goal, but in a way, their solitary death had brought her a rare opportunity.

“Thank you,” Barbara whispered, looking at the remains. And with a silent bow, she prepared to leave. It was time to return to the sect, but now, with more resources and secrets in her hands.