Wooden Root: Barbara's Journey

Barbara was in her cave, sitting in front of her ancient alchemy furnace. The soft glow of the spiritual herbs she had cultivated in her magical garden illuminated the surroundings with an almost ethereal light. She took a deep breath, preparing to begin yet another session of alchemy. Each step was meticulous; every ingredient chosen with precision. But as she worked, an unsettling sensation hit her: the feeling of being watched.

Since her conversation with Liang, Barbara had become more vigilant. She had noticed that he and other disciples were curious about the rapid progress she had been making, especially regarding the herbs she used and the quality of the pills she created.

Suddenly, she heard a faint sound outside her cave. Barbara’s heart raced. Who could be there? She slowly stood up, careful not to make a noise. She deactivated the alchemy furnace and quickly hid the herbs that were still visible. Her magical garden, of course, was safe in the space within the necklace, but the furnace and remnants of herbs could raise suspicions.

She approached the cave entrance, and looking outside, saw a familiar figure. It was Liang, the same disciple who had asked questions days ago about her cultivation techniques. He was hiding behind a rock, watching the entrance of the cave as if waiting for the right moment to approach.

Barbara felt a knot in her throat. “He followed me,” she thought. For a brief moment, panic almost overwhelmed her, but she knew she needed to stay calm. If Liang discovered something suspicious, rumors would spread like wildfire. The reputation she had built and, more importantly, the secret of the garden and the alchemy furnace would be at risk.

Taking a deep breath, Barbara decided to confront him before the situation got out of control. She stepped out of the cave with firm steps, pretending not to have noticed Liang's presence until the last moment.

— Liang? What are you doing here? — she asked, her voice surprisingly calm, but her eyes locked on him.

Liang, caught off guard, tried to improvise an excuse.

— Ah... I was... just passing by. I heard you were making great progress with your herbs, and I thought maybe I could... learn something from you.

Barbara stared at him for a few seconds, assessing his words. She knew he was lying. The way he avoided her gaze made it clear.

— You know you’re not allowed to approach other disciples' personal caves without permission, right? — She crossed her arms, trying to maintain a firm yet friendly posture. — If you wanted to learn something, you could have asked directly instead of spying. That doesn’t seem like the behavior of someone who wants to be respected in the sect.

Liang swallowed hard, realizing he had been caught.

— I... I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to seem invasive. I just heard some rumors, and... well, I got curious. People are saying you have some kind of... secret technique or that you’re using herbs that no one else can find.

Barbara felt her heart race again but maintained her composure.

— It’s all hard work, Liang. What you’re hearing are just rumors. If you want to improve, you need to focus on your own studies and practices instead of trying to uncover others’ “secrets.” — She paused, her gaze softening a bit. — I used to be like that too, looking for shortcuts, but the truth is that there are no easy secrets on this path.

Liang seemed uncomfortable but nodded slowly.

— I think you’re right... I won’t bother you anymore. — He gave a hasty bow and walked away, clearly relieved not to have caused a bigger scene.

Barbara watched him disappear among the trees, feeling the weight of the situation. She had avoided a crisis, but she knew she couldn’t let her guard down.

Back in her cave, she sat in front of the alchemy furnace, her heart still racing. “That was close,” she thought, looking at the herbs that had almost been discovered. The risk of someone finding out about her magical garden was always present, and the more she advanced in the sect, the more attention she attracted.

She knew she would need to be even more careful from now on. And as she reflected on what could have happened, a doubt began to emerge. “Can I continue to keep this secret alone?” The weight of responsibility was increasing, and Barbara felt that, eventually, she would have to make a decision: trust someone or risk facing everything alone.