The recruiter from the sect arrived in a carriage. It bore a symbol on it—a lotus flower wrapped in mist, with a single droplet of water at its center.
Everyone from my clan went outside, kneeling before the carriage. Only my father and I remained standing. We were the highest authority in the clan, and while that meant nothing to an immortal, it was still a point of pride.
Still, we paid our respects by bowing our heads slightly. My father leaned in and whispered in my ear.
"This is the Mist Lotus Sect."
I'd heard about the sects from my father. He knew a few things about them. The Mist Lotus Sect—a group known more for alchemy and healing than combat. And their combat arts were of the water element.
Out of all the sects in the region, this one was among the weakest in terms of combat power. Still, because of its pills and healing capabilities, the other sects usually treated disciples from the Mist Lotus Sect well.
The carriage stopped, and its door opened. A woman stepped out, wearing long robes made of a fine, blue-shaded fabric.
Her face was as pale as snow, and her hair was perfect—soft, long, and clearly clean. It was so different from the people where I lived. With all the dirt and manual labor, keeping our bodies clean was almost impossible.
On her waist was a one-handed sword. Its sheath was ornate, a weapon only the wealthy could afford.
She scanned the area with an air of superiority, never quite meeting the eyes of the mortals. Then, her gaze settled on my father and me.
With a graceful movement, she appeared in front of us, almost as if by blinking. I couldn't track her movements at all. The difference in power was just too vast.
She smiled as she looked at my father.
"I remember you when you were young, clan leader," she said. "Is this your son?"
My father returned the smile.
"Yes, this is him. We are honored to be chosen by your esteemed sect."
Her gaze moved to me, and she frowned. I knew exactly why. It was my poor talent.
"I'll check your spiritual roots," she said. "Don't be scared."
She placed her hand on my chest, and I felt a surge of energy flow through my body. It was the first time I'd ever felt anything like it.
Qi.
That was Qi flowing through me. She checked my spiritual roots, then delivered the bad news to my father and me.
"Look, his talent is not good. But at least he has the capability of learning water-element spells. That's something. However, I don't think he will ever reach the Foundation stage. If he's lucky and endures harsh decades of training, he might reach the 8th layer, maybe a little beyond, but that's it."
My talent was really shit. Those were incredibly low levels. Never reaching Foundation?
My viewers were laughing their asses off in the chat after hearing what she said.
"Our streamer is so trash."
"After hearing that, I'd go back to the clan and forget about becoming a cultivator."
"Chat, isn't she gorgeous? I think I'm in love."
After making fun of me for a few seconds, their attention shifted to the appearance of the cultivator standing in front of me.
My father didn't seem disappointed by the news.
"I know that talent is something you are born with, but my son will work hard to exceed all expectations, I am sure of it," my father said.
The immortal lady scoffed. "There are things that hard work alone cannot overcome. Bear that in mind, clan leader."
She then scanned the courtyard again, looking at the other mortals. Her voice was loud and clear.
"There are two others in this place with decent talent. I cannot recruit you, as I am only here doing a favor. But other sects will be coming in the near future, so two of you will have a good chance of leaving this place."
She turned to face me again.
"Let's move. We cannot waste time. Say your goodbyes to your father. I'll be waiting inside the carriage.
The goodbyes were harder than I thought. My father and I hugged, tears streaming down our faces.
A strange feeling settled in my heart—it ached. I wanted to leave and become strong to help my clan, but at the same time, I didn't want to leave my father behind.
For the first time, I had a real family. It took everything I had to turn and leave the mansion.
Before I left, my father said one last thing.
"Others might say you entered the sect because of a favor. It's not a lie. A long time ago, someone from our clan entered that sect and became a powerful cultivator. Because of that, we have one disciple we can send each time."
"Don't listen to what she said. I know you can surpass their expectations and become someone far more powerful."
I knew he was just saying kind words. If I didn't have the streaming system, my fate would have been sealed right then—never reaching Foundation.
But with the help of my viewers, I still had a chance. If they really wanted me to succeed...
Once inside the carriage, I saw other people. Disciples. Their ages ranged from 10 to 13. I was fifteen myself—older than most new disciples.
Maybe it was because of the age difference, or perhaps the cultivator lady had said something to them about my talent, but I could see the way they looked at me.
Disdain. They were disgusted by my presence in the carriage.
No one said a word, though. They were clearly following orders. Still, their gazes were getting on my nerves.
My loyal viewers watched all of it, and heard the words my father said to me.
"Don't worry, streamer. I'll be working extra hours to send you a donation. These kids won't make fun of you."
"I'll do the same!"
There were even some who were concocting a whole fairy tale just to justify donating...
"If I donate and help you reach Foundation, then maybe that goddess will lay eyes on you... We can't date her, but if you do, then it's worth it."
I couldn't believe the things they were saying. But at least I knew I would have their help in this new part of my life within the Mist Lotus Sect.