NOVEL WEB Chapter 01
On a rainy afternoon, a girl of about ten years old was sitting in a corner, huddled under an old awning. Her clothes, torn and dirty, barely protected her thin body from the cold. Her tangled, wet hair fell over a face smeared with mud. In front of her, an empty pot swayed in the wind, a silent witness to her attempt at begging. The few passersby who hurried by ignored her, as if she were just another part of the city's decaying landscape.
Her name was Barbara. It had only been a month since the devastating fire had consumed the slums in the lower parts of the city, claiming the lives of many, including the girl’s family. With no relatives and no support, she wandered the streets, turned into a beggar. A middle-aged man, also a beggar, had invited her to join the Beggars’ Association—one of the many guilds of the Murim, specialized in trading information. Barbara still hesitated. In a world where dog eats dog, kindness was a dangerous rarity.
Something caught Barbara's attention. Not far from her, a crowd of children her age was starting to gather. Curious, she moved closer, listening to fragments of conversation amidst the murmurs. Words like “sect,” “recruitment,” and “disciples” floated in the air. But what truly grabbed her interest were the whispers about immortals and “spiritual roots.” Her heart raced. Could this be her chance to escape misery and find a new destiny?
A line of children began to form near Barbara, all anxious and nervous. The Taoists, dressed in simple robes, placed a strange object in each child's hand, announcing aloud whether or not they had spiritual roots and if they were worthy of being accepted into the sect. Barbara listened closely to the judgments. Many were rejected for having common spiritual roots of the five elements or for having none at all. She saw some children cry, defeated by rejection.
Seized by a sudden burst of courage, Barbara stood up and, without thinking much, positioned herself at the end of the line. When her turn came, the Taoist looked at her, intrigued, and asked her to extend her hand. The cold, mysterious object was placed in her palm. She held her breath, waiting for the verdict. Then, the Taoist declared, "Unique wood spiritual root. You are approved for entry into the sect. Proceed to the other line."
Surprised and confused, Barbara followed the instructions and was led to a group of outer disciples, who were being guided toward a flying boat. For the first time, she learned the name of the sect: Eternal Chalice Sect. Her heart raced with excitement, but also with uncertainty. She hadn’t passed the test to become an inner disciple, but at least she had been accepted as an outer disciple—a humble position, but not without its value.
The journey on the flying boat was silent as she gazed at the cloudy sky, pondering the future. Her fate was now tied to the Eternal Chalice Sect, and despite her modest position, she felt a spark of hope ignite within her. She would have to work as a spiritual herb planter, cultivating the sacred plants of the sect, a seemingly simple task, but one that could bring great rewards over time.
Deep down, Barbara knew her journey was just beginning. She was merely an outer disciple, but her spiritual roots were unique. And the Eternal Chalice, mysterious as it was, might be the place where she could indeed find her purpose.