As Rin sat on the cold, hard pavement, holding out her hand and hoping for a few coins that would allow her to buy some bread to quell her hunger, she couldn't help but feel a deep sense of despair. She had grown tired of the daily humiliation and ridicule that came with being an orphan, especially one with bright red hair.

Just as she was about to give up hope, a tall, well-dressed man approached her. He wore a top hat and had a twinkle in his eye. "What's a pretty little thing like you doing begging on the streets?" he asked, his voice smooth and velvety.

Rin recoiled at the man's words, instinctively sensing that he was not to be trusted. But as he reached into his pocket and handed her a few gold coins, she couldn't help but feel a flicker of gratitude.

She hastily stood up, clutching the coins tightly in her hand. "Thank you, sir," she said, trying to hide her fear.

The man smiled at her, revealing rows of perfect white teeth. "No need to thank me, my dear. I simply couldn't resist helping a beautiful young lady in need." He leaned in closer, and Rin caught a whiff of his cologne, a scent she couldn't quite place. "How old are you dear?"

Rin's heart raced as she averted her gaze from the man's piercing eyes. She had heard stories of girls being lured away by men who promised them a better life, only to be sold into slavery or worse. She took a step back, her fingers tightening around the coins. "I'm not interested in talking, thank you," Rin said, her voice shaky but firm.

The man's eyes narrowed as he took a step closer, his hand reaching out to touch Rin's arm. "Don't be shy, my dear. I could give you everything you've ever wanted. Clothes, food, a warm bed to sleep in." His voice was like honey, sweet and seductive.

Rin's heart pounded in her chest as she pulled away from the man's touch. She knew deep down that he was not to be trusted, that his intentions were far from pure.

She took another step back, trying to put some distance between herself and the man. But, to her horror, he stepped forward, closing the gap between them. "What's the matter, my dear? Don't you want to know what it feels like to be taken care of?" he said, his voice laced with a hint of menace.

Rin's instincts screamed at her to run, but she felt rooted to the spot. She could feel the man's breath on her face, and his hand was now on her shoulder, gripping it tightly. "Let go of me!" she cried, her voice rising in panic.

The man's grip tightened, and Rin could feel her heart beating in her throat. Just as she was about to scream for help, there was a sudden commotion from down the street. The man turned his head to look, and in that split second, Rin wrenched herself free from his grasp and took off running as fast as she could.

Her heart pounding, Rin darted through the crowds, weaving in between people and stalls as she fled from the man. She didn't dare look back, her focus solely on putting as much distance between herself and the stranger as possible.

Rin, a street urchin, had seen enough darkness in her city streets to know the danger that lurked within. Although she was resilient and resourceful, she'd been soundly beaten by older street kids more times than she could remember; yet somehow managing to survive each time. Now that she was a teenager, an added fear crept in; one of rape and violation, leaving her vulnerable and afraid for her safety as she ventured out into the urban landscape.

Having left the Commercial District, Rin decided to head back to the outskirts of Scarlet City in hopes of finding a friendly face. Scarlet city, the capital of Sen, was enormous and filled with people trying to make a living every day. As is common with large cities, the further away from the center one traveled, the worse the neighborhoods became. On the eastern border near the Slums could be found most beggars, thieves, and other unsavory characters. With purpose in her step, Rin marched in that direction.

She soon found herself in the Slums and encountered her friend, Meng. He was a twelve-year-old boy, and they had supported each other over the last five years while living tough lives as beggars.

"Did you hear?" said Meng, his face agitated. "Cultivators from the Sky Sect are coming to the Slums! Immortals…" he breathed out in awe.

Rin's mind raced. "Why? What happened?" she asked urgently.

Meng shook his head. "I hear they are looking for talented children that can join their sect," he said, his voice laced with excitement. "Can you imagine being selected? Clean clothes and food every day..." he said dreamily.

Sky Sect was one of the three most notable sects in Scarlet City. People there strove to cultivate Qi, an abundant energy found throughout the world, to build up their physical and spiritual strength until they became immortals. It was said that these immortals lived in a realm of their own, with its own rules and capabilities – they could fly, perform magical feats, and more. Rin had never encountered an immortal herself, though.

Rin wanted to believe her friend's optimism, but she couldn't help feeling a sense of dread growing inside her chest as Meng continued to talk about what it would be like to be chosen by the Sky Sect cultivators.

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Suddenly, there was a commotion. Three individuals dressed in white garments were rounding up all the children. "Come and be tested by the Sky Sect," they called out. The three men, gathered all the young people they could find on the streets. "I will infuse qi into your body and you must try to concentrate it in your lower dantian." The lower dantian, located just below the navel, was the focus of their test. One by one, each orphan went through the testing process. Rin watched as more and more children failed and were pushed to the side. It seemed that passing this test was no easy task.

Rin's turn finally arrived. One of the men in white robes placed a hand on her body."I will be channeling Qi into your meridians. Try to sense the energy and gather it into your dantian." Rin closed her eyes and concentrated, but at first, she felt nothing. It took several attempts before she began to feel a warm sensation flowing through her body. With more focus, she was able to take control of the energy and tried to condense it in her dantian as instructed. However, every time the energy reached below her navel, it dissipated completely. The man could only frown deeply at this discovery. "Such skillful energy control, but her meridians...this is...".

His gaze hardened as he stared at Rin. "You may have potential, child, if your meridians weren't so messed up." A bitter twist of his lips revealed his regret. "But they are all separated, a tragic and rare defect that will prevent you from ever forming a core. I'm sorry, but you can never be a true cultivator." The words hung heavy in the air, crushing her dreams with their finality.

When she felt the pulsing energy of Qi, a spark ignited within her. It was something she didn't even know she was capable of - hope. Hope for a better life, a way out of the poverty and const

ant struggle in the Slums. But just as quickly as it bloomed, her hope was extinguished. Reality set back in, crushing her dreams and leaving her feeling hopeless once again.

"That's not fair!" she finally burst out, unable to contain her frustration and disappointment any longer. "Why does it matter if my meridians are messed up? I can still control the energy!"

The man in white robes raised an eyebrow at her outburst. "Child, being able to control the energy is only half of what it takes to become a cultivator. Without a core, you will never be able to truly harness the power of Qi." Rin felt like she had been punched in the gut.

In a daze, Rin returned to her shack in the Slums. These makeshift dwellings were all too common in this poverty-stricken area, constructed out of whatever materials people could find. Rin shared her small space with an elderly couple and her friend Meng. As she entered the empty shack, Rin collapsed into her corner and sobbed herself to sleep. Later that evening, Meng returned with news of his own failure on the test. "Don't be sad," he reassured her with unwavering optimism. "We will escape this place someday."

The days went back to their typical routine after that. Rin spent her time in the bustling Scarlet City, begging for coins and scraping by for food. Five days had passed since she failed the cultivator's test, and the frustration had dissipated. She was once again focused on survival, with no time left to dwell on her dreams. She had heard rumors of a new caravan coming to the market district, which meant more people and more opportunities for begging and hustling. As she walked through a narrow alley on her way there, she suddenly found her path blocked by a burly, bearded man.

Rin's heart skipped a beat as she came face to face with the intimidating figure. He was twice her size with a thick, unkempt beard and a bald head. His menacing glare sent shivers down her spine.

She started backing away, but when she turned around she came face to face

with the same well-dressed man who had attempted to entice her just a few days earlier.

Rin's primal instincts screamed of danger, sending an electric shock through her body. Time seemed to slow down as her muscles tensed

"Do you think you can swindle me and get away with it?" the man grinned viciously. "There's nowhere for you to run now, little bird," he spat, his voice dripping with malice and triumph.

"Please..." Rin's voice trembled as she pleaded, her words barely audible through the lump in her throat. Her eyes filled with tears that cascaded down her face like a torrential waterfall. "Please, I beg of you," she gasped between sobs, "have mercy on me. I am but a lowly beggar." Her body quivered with fear as she awaited the cruel fate that may befall her at the hands of this heartless stranger.

Fate's cruel hand strikes without mercy. The man's grip was like a vice as he dragged her into a dark alley, ripping away her clothes with violent force. Rin's mind raced as she remembered the shiv hidden in the wraps around her left foot. But fear and the overwhelming strength of her attacker rendered her paralyzed, unable to make a move. The evil glint in the man's eyes matched the weight of his body pressing down on hers, crushing her fight and spirit. Rin's screams echoed off the alley walls until her voice gave out, but no one came to her aid. In this world of callous indifference, she was just a helpless beggar at the mercy of a monster.

As the evil man finally released her, Rin's mind snapped back to life. She could feel the anger inside her small, broken and battered body growing with each passing second. It boiled and swelled like a raging volcano, ready to burst forth with all its fiery intensity. And burst it did, like a supernova in her mind, catapulting Rin into action. Without hesitation, she grabbed her makeshift shiv from her left foot wraps and plunged it deep into the evil man's face with a sickening wet sound as it penetrated his eye socket.

Rin acted on pure desperation and leapt onto a drainage water pipe that ran up the side of the building. She used it as a makeshift ladder to climb up to the roof.

The screams of pain and anger echoed through the air, fueling her adrenaline as she ran forward. "Help! Catch that little whore. Crush her bones!"

Without even a glance behind Rin ran from roof to roof until her feet were bleeding and then she ran some more. Finally she reached her shack into the slums. The residents of the shack, old lady Hufu and her husband, were inside when a bruised and battered Rin burst in through the door. With just one look, the startled old lady Hufu understood what had happened to the young girl. She quickly grabbed a dirty blanket and covered Rin's half-naked, bruised body. "Don't worry, you're safe now," she reassured the girl before turning to her husband. "Old man, hurry and bring me some water and a clean cloth."

As the old lady Hufu tended to Rin's wounds, she couldn't help but feel a sense of despair. Life had always been cruel for people like them, but it seemed especially harsh for a young girl like Rin. Hufu knew they could only endure and hope for a better day, but right now, that hope felt so far away. How much more could they take before breaking completely?

Under the gentle care of the old woman, Rin's sobs slowly subsided and she felt exhaustion creeping over her. The warmth and comfort of the soft blanket lulled her to sleep, her body finally able to relax after the emotional turmoil of the day.