Spiritual Awakening Ceremony (2)

An uncomfortable silence filled the cave at the mention of Lucien's name. Everyone knew the weight of that name: the bastard, the patriarch's mistake, the Blossoms' shame.

Despite these titles, many of the young people present secretly envied Lucien, who, from an early age, had demonstrated an intelligence and wisdom that rivaled even that of the family elders.

Lucien advanced, and the crowd parted before him. The looks following him exuded contempt, anger, disgust, and indignation.

"Just look at the rotten-blooded bastard!" one shouted. "When did the head of the family lose his mind and allow an impure scum like you to sully something so sacred? Your presence alone is an insult."

"Hahaha!" another scoffed. "Do you seriously think that a miserable, dirty-blooded abortion like you could even enlighten a lotus? You have neither the talent nor the lineage to be a Spiritual Master. You're a walking disgrace!"

"I can't wait to see that pathetic bastard's face fall apart when he fails miserably," added a third with sadistic pleasure. "That'll teach him his place, just like his fucking mother, who was only good for spreading her legs and deceiving the patriarch with her disgusting seduction."

"Ha! Every second that passes, I get more excited..." whispered another. "Soon I'll see that damned bastard break, how despair consumes him. May he suffer! May he understand once and for all that he should never have been born."

Despite the insults, Lucien maintained an indifferent expression. He advanced towards the crystal-clear jade-green river, whose waters reached just above his ankles.

All those present were expectant, anticipating the imminent failure of the bastard Blossom. As someone born of a mortal, his status barely surpassed that of the mortals of the territory.

However, Lucien smiled coldly inside. As the waters surrounded him, he recalled an ancient story about the River of Origin...

Long ago, when the world was young and the beasts reigned, the first man, Adam, wandered alone and weak. He survived on wild fruits and roots, trembling every night as the howls of predators echoed in the darkness.

One day, he tried to hunt a wild boar but was not strong enough. The animal charged him, leaving him badly injured. Bleeding and exhausted, Adam looked up to the sky and pleaded:

"Am I perhaps condemned to be nothing more than prey?"

Then, a small bird, with golden plumage and a melodious voice, alighted next to him.

"Adam, if you seek strength, follow the path of the brave. On the highest mountain, where the clouds kiss the earth, there is a river whose waters hold the secret of true power."

Adam rose with determination and set off on his journey.

The road was hard. Beasts stalked him, hunger weakened him, and the cold of the night threatened to freeze his heart. But Adam did not give up.

On the ninth day, he reached the summit, where a group of blue-furred monkeys were playing in the trees.

"My friend monkeys, where can I find the river the golden bird spoke of?"

The oldest of them pointed to a cave hidden in the fog.

"The waters you seek flow there. But beware, human... not everyone who enters comes out the same."

Adam, without hesitation, advanced towards the entrance.

Inside the cave, the air vibrated with energy. The crystalline river was an intense red, and blood-red lotus flowers floated on its surface, emanating a mystical radiance.

Adam dipped his hands in the water and drank.

In that instant, the lotus flowers shone brightly, and a wave of mystical energy flooded his body. He felt something that had been dormant in the depths of his soul awaken.

When he stopped drinking the river water, Adam felt a mystical energy awaken within him...

The water was jade green, but looking closely, Lucien saw flashes of red like diluted blood, just like in Adam's river. Do all rivers of origin share this essence?

Lucien took the first step towards the torii gates. His expression was indifferent, oblivious to the murmurs of the young people and the director of the academy himself.

Small waves began to form on the river with the second step; however, no lotus had reacted.

"Lotuses don't make mistakes! Your mother should have swallowed the seed of the head of the family instead of giving birth to you!"

"Hahaha! What else can you expect from a filthy bastard like you? Even your blood reeks of failure!"

"I knew you were nothing but useless. Spiritual master? You wouldn't even be good at sweeping the floor!"

"Get out of here, scum! Every second you're here is a disgrace to us all. I wish you'd never been born!"

It's the same as in my past life. Lucien was not surprised; he remained as calm as a pond.

He took his fourth step with the same calm, but nothing happened. The taunts and insults echoed louder and louder inside the cave.

However, when Lucien took his fifth step...

One lotus, until then closed, unlike the others, began to open slowly. Each petal that unfolded gave off a pure white radiance. In the face of that brightness, the screams instantly ceased, drowned out by astonishment.

No one could believe that someone of "dirty blood" like Lucien had the talent to become a Spiritual Master. Many of those present, who lacked aptitude and had stayed behind only to see him fail and thus relieve their frustration, turned pale.

"This can't be! How is it possible that a dirty blood like him has the talent to become a Spiritual Master?!"

"It doesn't make sense! He's nothing but an insignificant bastard with no lineage…!"

"How can it be…? How is it that someone like him has that gift… and me, with pure blood… no? What kind of injustice is this?!"

"Hahaha... This has to be a bad joke! Destiny smiles on him, a bastard born of an insignificant mortal?! And it denies me what is rightfully mine?! No... I will not accept it!"

The ancient texts said that Adam had erred: drinking from the river gave him power, but only momentarily. The real secret was to allow energy to flow through you.

Oblivious to the chaos around him, Lucien kept his eyes closed, concentrating on his spiritual core, which was being awakened by the River of Origin and the Singularity: Lotus Flower of Origin.

It is time to continue. I am curious to know if my talent is equal to that of my past life.

Lucien advanced towards the next torii gates.

With each step, the lotus flowers lit up with that pure white, while the young people watched the scene with mixed emotions: envy, anger, and an admiration they refused to admit.