First quest

I wasn't sure whether to laugh or cry as I walked out of the Hall of Records, clutching the slip of paper in my hand. The words "Rank F" stared back at me, bright and mocking. F for failure. F for forgotten. F for forever stuck at the bottom.

If I'd known greatness started with grunt work, I'd have stayed in bed. But no I was here, living the dream.

Wandering around the outer courtyard, I tried to soak in my glorious new status. The place was… quiet. Not the serene, meditative kind of quiet that inspires enlightenment. No, this was the "nobody cares about us losers" kind of quiet.

Most of the higher-ranked disciples probably didn't even know this part of the sect existed. The few Rank 1 and Rank 2 disciples hanging around looked busy too busy to spare a glance at someone like me.

That's when I saw it: the Mission Board.

It stood there like a beacon of opportunity or maybe despair covered in tasks for the lower ranks. I approached it cautiously, already bracing for disappointment.

"Mission: Fetch Water for Elder Hurky."

Reward: 1 Primvel Stone.

Rank: 1.

Yep. That sounded about right. Fetching water the cornerstone of every great cultivator's journey.

As I stared at the board, debating whether this was rock bottom or just the beginning of a deeper abyss, a Rank 2 disciple sauntered over. I could tell from his badge and the smug look plastered on his face.

"First time taking a mission?" he asked, his tone dripping with amusement.

I nodded, still clutching the paper like it was a lifeline. "Yeah. Just got assigned."

His eyebrows shot up. "Rank 1, huh? Congratulations, I guess. But don't get your hopes up. Missions at your level are just glorified chores fetching tea, delivering packages, cleaning the Elders' gardens. You know, important stuff."

"So… I'm just an errand boy," I said flatly.

"Exactly," he said with a grin. "But hey, if you don't screw it up, you might eventually get better jobs. Maybe."

Great. Just the pep talk I needed.

With a sigh, I grabbed the slip for Elder Hurky's water-fetching mission. A mission's a mission, right? Right?

Bucket in hand, I headed to the sect's well. The air was thick with the earthy smell of dirt, moss, and sweat. Distant shouts from the training grounds echoed faintly, reminding me that somewhere out there, real disciples were honing their skills while I prepared to deliver a bucket of water.

I paused, staring into the still water of the well. The reflections danced with a rippling calmness, almost poetic in their simplicity.

"To admire nature is to stand before the abyss of life indifferent, chaotic, and yet adorned with a beauty that mocks all human frailty. In its chaos, do I not see the truth of my own becoming? In its persistence, the will to power "

I stopped myself. "Okay, no. That's way too profound for me. I'm here to get water, not have an existential crisis."

With that, I dunked the bucket into the well and began pulling it up. The repetitive motion wasn't difficult, but it was enough to make me question my life choices.

Finally, with the bucket full, I turned to leave only to stop dead in my tracks.

An old man stood in the corner of the courtyard, arms crossed. His outfit or lack thereof made me freeze. He wasn't wearing anything flashy. Actually, he wasn't wearing much at all just his underwear.

Was this… normal?

Before I could bolt and pretend I hadn't noticed him, the man spoke.

"You're here for that water mission, right?"

His voice was calm, but it carried the weight of someone who could vaporize me with a thought.

I blinked, too shocked to lie. "Uh… yeah. That's me."

He chuckled dryly, shaking his head. "Figures. I'm not here to waste your time, kid. Just get that water to Elder Hurky."

And just like that, he vanished. One moment he was there, and the next poof. Gone.

I stood there for a moment, bucket in hand, trying to process what had just happened. Was that… normal? Did old men just vanish like that around here?

Well, it was better than a nearly naked guy asking me to show him the way into the forest.

Shaking off the weirdness, I started walking toward Elder Hurky's quarters. Whatever that encounter was, I didn't have time to dwell on it. I had water to deliver.