29 John's Cultivation Dilemma
John start's to feel sluggish as earth energy overwhelms the sun energy entering his trunk. 'It is essential to keep the ying-yang flow of energy in balance.' However, now the energy is unstable. It's similar to when he'd tried to combine the energies previously. Like an army that ran out of fodder to throw into the fight, the sun energy gives way to the earth energy.
'Usually, solid earth energy will reinforce and solidify my core, like building up a wall one brick at a time.' The yang sun energy then fuses and purify his core like forging a folded metal sword. If done correctly, this should create a solid foundation. However, now the core is being built as stable as a building with no mortar.
'Damn, there isn't anything I can do,' John worries, frustrated by his lack of power. He struggles to control the wild earth energy to no avail. It is like trying to ride an enraged Joe. If only he can siphon it off somehow... 'That's it!' John thinks with excitement.
As John struggles with his internal battle, a day goes by. Joe is badly injured and sleeping to recover his strength. Elanor locks herself away in Mellisa's house to apply the many concoctions she's collected from her master. "Like I'll get scars for that plant and bull!" She is often heard crying from within the shack.
Anna is still writhing in pain in her bed. Franklin recovers after only a few hours of rest. Both Arron and Franklin are nursing the healed mother. Under the skin, they can see the slithering movement of internal organs and bones reforming. Just watching the process causes them to shudder and feel their skin crawl.
Elanor exits after fully recovering, stretching happily. "Miss, are you alright?" Gregory asks with worry. 'What if Elanor had an accident in their small village? Would her master let them off?' he wonders.
"Ha, something like that won't stop me!" Elanor energetically replies while patting the man on the shoulder. Unfortunately for Gregory, she didn't control her strength properly, sending him stumbling.
"Careful there," Elanor laughs, her mood lifting. At this moment, she hears an annoying voice in her head. "Did you bring those mystic herbs I asked for?" John asks expectantly.
"What, you stupid plant? Do you think I'm your slave?!" Elanor yells over at the hill. Gregory looks at the crazy beauty awkwardly. "Are you sure you're alright? Maybe you should go home and have your master check you out," he sincerely advises as he stands back up.
Elanor irritably flips her hair. She heaves a big sigh causing her chest to bounce. "Look, you don't have to worry about me, okay?" Elanor says with a scary smile. .
"Yes, mam, sorry for overstepping my bounds," Gregory replies while bowing with sweat dripping from his brow.
"Why are you so scared?" Elanor asks curiously. "I'm the hot and kind Elanor. There's nothing to fear!" She says, puffing herself up proudly. This move also makes her ample chest puff out as well.
"Stop showing off the goods and give me a hand," The exasperated bush again speaks in Elanor's mind. "Ha, fine," She says before looking at Gregory and continues, "well, I have something to do."
Upon the hill, John waits impatiently for the fairy to extricate herself from the villagers. Elanor doesn't take long to jump up the hill, arriving in front of the sexual harassing bush. "Look, you can't treat me like some call girl," she complains, making a pouty face.
"You think that will work on me? I'm a plant, girl! How much libido do you think I have?" John lectures the young cultivator, "also, do you see flowers? I'm clearly not even seeding."
"Fine whatever," Elanor replies to the bushes rant while plopping unceremoniously onto her bottom. "What should I call you? You're clearly more than a bush," she says, waving at the bush with disinterest.
"I'm John. There's no reason to keep a family name from a previous life," He replies. "Anyways, now's not the time for that. Did you bring those mystic herbs?" John hopefully asks. Elanor sighs while playing with her hair. "Yeah, I got your dying mystic herbs," she responds while sending them out of her interspatial ring.
Five wilting mystic herbs lie on the ground. John looks at them with his senses. Three are Limson herbs, used by most loose cultivators for minor injuries. They have a distinctive red color, with a big veiny leaf. The fourth is a Bleeding Pipe herb, usually used in non-lethal poison. The name stems from the effect it has when digested, mainly ejecting blood during urination. The herb has a bamboo shape to it.
"This is!" John exclaims with excitement as he looks at the final plant. It's a small needly looking plant. It borrows through stone and is mostly just roots with small spiky needles poking out. It's called Stone Porcupine herb. It's well known for being beneficial for earth-type cultivators. It collects the energy from the earth to create its spiked stem.
"Alright, plant these four around the village," John tells Elanor while pointing with his branches to the Limson herbs and Bleeding Pipe herb. "Sure, sure," the poor student shows her lazy nature by splaying her limbs out while laying on the ground lazily. "Also, go grab me a boulder for this little guy," John says, pointing at the last herb.
"Are you serious?" Elanor complains. "Yeah, I'd have this big oaf do it. But he needs time to recover," John says, sighing. "I was hurt too, you know. Shouldn't you give this beauty some time to recover?" She asks with a pouty face. "Hurt? If you put a little more effort, we wouldn't be in this predicament," John retorts, annoyed. "What, I got all burned up! You know how hard it is to heal burn scars?" She angrily replies while waving her arms, energetically as if she was going to fly away.
With drooping branches, John reasons with the young woman, "look, I'm in rough shape here. I don't have the energy to argue. Could you please help me out?" "Fine, fine. You're as bad as Catherine. Geez," Elanor says, rubbing her head, causing her luxurious hair to fly about wildly.
The female cultivator completes her work while dragging her feet as if she is carrying a huge burden. She plants the four herbs on the four corners of the village. Half a day later, after playing in the forest, Elanor finds a large boulder. She quickly stores it away and saunters back to the hill.
Back on the hill, Elanor releases the boulder. "Here's your dumb rock," she states with disdain in her voice. "Great! Now place the Stone Porcupine herb and put it into a crack in the boulder," John commands happily. Elanor gives a look as if she ate something nasty before doing as she's told. "Perfect! Thanks, a lot. We'd be in trouble without you," John praises.
