Chapter 3 – Echoes of a Spiritual Root Ring
That afternoon slowly turned into a warm night. After the surprising story about the Spiritual Root Ring from Defei Sixie and Jian Lode, the atmosphere gradually returned to calm. Small bursts of laughter began to echo again in the main room, a sign that family warmth was far stronger than the curiosity toward that mysterious object.
Lawzi Jeu sipped his tea slowly. "If that thing truly reacts to someone, then its time will come on its own," he said wisely. Uncle Gue nodded, "As long as it does not harm anyone… let it remain a secret of nature."
The children returned to the yard. Zienxi, Vuyei, Wafei, and Sixie sat in a circle beneath a small mangrove tree that their grandfather had planted long ago.
"That ring… do you think it can make someone strong?" Wafei asked in a low but eager voice.
Sixie replied while fiddling with some grass, "My mother said she could feel spiritual energy from that ring… like the breath of the earth."
Zienxi simply gazed at the sky. He was not very interested in discussions about strength. For him, a happy life with his family was already more than enough. But Vuyei seemed thoughtful. Her eyes looked toward the sky with a faint glimmer of curiosity.
Their uncle and aunt were asked to stay for several days. Since their home was quite far, Lawzi Jeu and Quim Zunxi felt it would be impolite to let the family return too soon.
Jian Lode and Defei Sixie came from the city of Holuang, known as a gathering place for cultivators, scholars, and merchants. Meanwhile, Defei Heifei and Lawzi Gue came from Wuxije Village, a remote settlement in the southern region near the slopes of the sacred mountain.
Three days passed quickly. During that time, they enjoyed each other's company, cooked together, told stories, and occasionally hunted small animals in the surrounding forest. However, great news shook the entire Yunboa Village on the morning of the third day.
The Seven-Faced Leaf Sect had officially opened registration for new disciples for the next cultivation season.
The news spread as fast as the wind. On the main notice board, it was written clearly:
"For all young souls in this land, The Seven-Faced Leaf Sect calls upon those with spirit and courage. To join our path is to challenge the heavens themselves."
Qualifications to become a disciple were divided into three selection stages. The first stage was the most basic, yet still considered difficult for many applicants.
Stage 1 – The Search for Spiritual Fruit
Candidates were required to find and present one of four types of Spiritual Fruit.
Earth Spiritual Fruit
Basic level but still rare. Usually grows in ancient forests or damp caves.
Sky Spiritual Fruit
Found at high cliffs and steep ravines. Its energy is light but powerful.
Lightning Spiritual Fruit
Found in places where storms once raged or in areas with high magnetic fields. Extremely dangerous.
Heavenly Spiritual Fruit
Extremely rare. Said to grow only in places blessed by ancestral spirits or pure cosmic energy. This fruit glows and appears only at certain times.
Out of a total of 650 aspiring cultivators, only the best 325 would advance to the next stage. Each candidate had to bring the fruit within a full 6 months from the start of the trial.
The village elders began discussing which children might try their luck. And although not everyone showed interest, the scent of rivalry and fate began to drift in the air.
Zienxi's extended family also heard the news. That evening's conversation became lively once again, this time not because of a mysterious object, but because of a fateful call from a prestigious sect.
Lawzi Jeu glanced at Zienxi for a moment as everyone discussed the announcement. "Zienxi," he said gently, "when you are older… you might want to try it. Who knows, you may be suited to the cultivation path."
But Zienxi only shook his head slowly. He did not feel called. To him, the outside world was too vast and cold. He preferred the simple daily life with his family.
Vuyei, who was sitting beside him, looked more enthusiastic. "I am… a little interested," she admitted hesitantly. But she quickly added, "But… if Brother Zienxi doesn't join, I won't join either."
Wafei immediately exclaimed, "I want to try! But not there. In my village there is another sect, called the Red Moon Sect. I want to be a disciple there someday."
Sixie, calmer than the rest, responded with a small smile. "I… might think about it later. If the time feels right."
The parents listened with different smiles and hopes. Some laughed, some simply nodded. But among them, Lawzi Jeu and Quim Zunxi kept a quiet hope. A hope that one day, their child might become a great cultivator.
Not for pride.
But for a future they would never fully see.
Night began to blanket Yunboa Village in peace. Lantern lights flickered softly along the yard of the Lawzi family home, casting warm glows upon the weathered but sturdy wooden walls. The sounds of conversation and laughter slowly faded as one by one, the family members went into their rooms to rest after a long day full of stories.
On the front porch, Quim Zunxi sat beside her husband, Lawzi Jeu. In front of them, two cups of hot tea released the aroma of herbal leaves from the eastern mountains. The night breeze blew gently, carrying with it the sound of crickets and the rustling of leaves.
"Do you think Zienxi will be interested in following the cultivation path?" Quim Zunxi asked while gazing at the night sky.
Jeu did not answer right away. He slowly turned the cup in his hand. "He has calmness but also determination. He may not be interested now, yes. But I feel that one day the world will pull him onto that path, whether he wants it or not."
Zunxi took a slow breath. "I just fear… he will be too late when the time truly comes."
Jeu looked far toward the mountains where the sun had set a few hours earlier. "He does not need to be the strongest, Zunxi. I just want him to be able to protect himself."
Not long after, they went inside, leaving the night's silence to guard everything.
Meanwhile, in his room, Zienxi was asleep near an open window. The night breeze touched his face gently, carrying with it the scent of soil and trees from outside. But in his deep sleep, the shadows of a dream began to creep in.
He stood in the middle of a vast meadow he did not recognize. The sky above was clear at first, but slowly turned dark. Black clouds swirled into a vortex. The wind roared fiercely, whipping against his small body.
In front of him, the silhouette of a man in a black robe emerged from the mist. He had no face, yet from within the shadows, two red eyes shone softly but with overwhelming pressure.
"You cannot escape your fate, child of Lawzi blood," the voice said, deep and echoing straight into Zienxi's chest.
Zienxi wanted to step back, but his body felt rooted to the ground. The wind grew stronger, and the meadow around him began to dissolve into waves of darkness.
Suddenly, he awoke, breathing heavily. His body was covered in sweat despite the cold night air. He sat up slowly, trying to steady his breath.
Zienxi sat on his bed, his breathing still uneven. His small hands clutched the blanket tightly, his eyes staring blankly toward the window.
"What kind of dream was that…?" he murmured softly, almost as if whispering only to himself. "The sky changed… a strange voice… and… who was that… man in the black robe?"
He rubbed his forehead, trying to ease the lingering fear that clung to him. But deep inside, the unease refused to fade away.
Elsewhere in the house, inside Defei Sixie's room, the once calm atmosphere suddenly shifted. The small box where the Spiritual Root Ring was kept began to tremble gently. Its lid did not open, but from the fine wooden seams emerged a dark green light that pulsed softly like a living heartbeat.
Crrrrrk…
The faint sound was barely audible, but enough to make a small bird perched at the window fly away. Then… as if nothing had happened, everything returned to silence. The light vanished. The box was still.
And in Zienxi's room, he continued to stare out the window with mixed thoughts.
"Maybe just an ordinary nightmare…" he finally said, though deep in his heart he knew the dream had been far too real.
Too… sharp.
He took a deep breath, then lay back down. Pulling the blanket up to his chin, he slowly closed his eyes.
A few minutes later, his breathing became steady. His sleep appeared calm. But behind it all, the wheels of fate had already begun to turn.
And far in the depths of something yet unknown, the Spiritual Root Ring waited…