27 Treasure Hunter's Master Arrives

  Laurel shudders in the real world. Mellisa grips her girl with all her might. "Mom?" The girl asks with a raspy voice. "Oh honey, you're awake!" Mellisa replies, rubbing away her tears, trying to cover up her fear.

  "Are you hungry?" Mellisa asks with a bright smile while patting her daughter's head. "Yeah," Laurel says weekly. "Alright, let's get you cleaned up, then we'll get some breakfast," The mother says, suppressing her tears. She takes a wet cloth and wipes away the blood and sweat from Laurel's face.

  Outside Catherine and Elanor are flying over the Unbroken Region. Catherine has no problem pulling her silly disciple along with her. "It's not much farther, master," Elanor says, pointing out the small hill and clearing.

  As they grow close to the village, they begin to cause a commotion. The villagers don't see people flying overhead every day. "Daddy, big sis bully!" Donna screeches, jumping up and down in excitement while pulling her dad's arm.

  The two fly over the village, heading towards the hill. Joe snorts angrily as he eyes the two women. "Snorting at me?" Catherine harrumphs, "You wanted to get back at the bull right." Elanor looks at her master in confusion, "what are…" Before she can finish, Catherine grabs her by the ankle, flinging Elanor right at the bull.

  The demonic bull is surprised by the sudden kamikaze attack and doesn't have time to dodge. The flashily dressed disciple smashes right into the large gut of Joe, sending both the bull and the woman flying off the hill and crashing into the forest.

  Catherine gracefully lands on top of the hill in front of a bush. The bush is about as tall as her knee. She slowly squats down elegantly and looks curiously at the bush. "So you're the one telling my idiot disciple to teach someone."

  John freezes as he takes in the previous events. 'I'm just a bush. No one is here but us normal plants,' he thinks while concealing his presence. "Do you think I'm an idiot like that girl? Should I pull you up by the roots so you can join them?" Catherine asks, annoyed at this game.

  "Alright, you caught me," John says, his branches drooping sadly. "So why are you playing tricks on people in the form of a bush?" Catherine asks sternly. "I grew from a seed, so I've been like this my whole life," John replies, shaking his leaves convincingly. "I'll admit I have memories from my previous life. If you ask me why my samasara didn't go as usual? How would someone like me know?" John says while waving his branches frantically.

  Sighing, Catherine stands up, "fine, what is this about having my disciple teach someone?" John shrugs with his branches. "It's nothing special. The only way Laurel can survive is to become a cultivator."

  Catherine looks down at the village and asks, "What makes you say that?" John shakes his branches in a head-shakey way, "I'm not sure, but she seems to have unleashed a bloodline of some kind? I could be wrong though I'm not an expert on such things."

  The graying female cultivator rubs the base of her nose, "Why is everyone... I'll go take a look." She turns and flies down towards the village.

  As Catherine lands, an older man runs over. "I hope we haven't offended miss in any way," Gregory states nervously while bowing. "Hmm, oh that?" Catherine says, looking back at the hill, she continues, "Don't worry, those two are fine."

  She then looks around a bit. "So, where's the girl?" Gregory fumbles with his hands in confusion, then humbly asks, "girl?" "Yes, the girl, ugh, never mind, I'll find her myself," Catherine then sweeps the small village with her senses, quickly picking out Laurel.

  "There," Catherine says. Walking towards Laurel's house, she gently shoves Gregory out of the way. Catherine ignores the questioning looks of the villagers and soon reaches the hovel. She glances at the Sentinel Bellflower with a slight nod. She flings open the door and looks directly at the pale girl.

  "So this is where you were hiding? Alright, let me take a look at you," Catherine states as she strides toward the girl.

  "Wait, who are you?" Mellisa asks, trying to block the woman's way. "The mother? Don't worry. I'm here to help. Didn't that girl Elanor mention me?" Catherine asks while patting the mother on the shoulder. "You're Elanor's master?" Laurel asks weakly.

  "That's right," Catherine says as she removes her passive face and puts on a gentle smile. "Now, let's get to it," She says, bending down over the girl.

  Mellisa nervously looks on as Catherine gives a thorough check-up. 'It's all so normal to her. Not magical or supernatural at all,' Mellisa observes.

  As Catherine checks the girl's bloodshot eyes, she clicks her tongue. "That plant knew more than he let on," she mumbles. "What? Is something wrong with her eyes?" Mellisa asks with worry. "Hmm, oh perhaps. I'm not done checking her yet," Catherine replies without looking away from her patient.

  After an hour, Catherine finishes examining the girl. As she stands up, the door flings open with a disheveled beauty standing in the entrance. "Master! Don't be so rough with me. I'm delicate." Catherine snorts, "You're a lot of things, but delicate isn't one of them."

  Ignoring her disciple, Catherine pulls out some medicinal herbs from an interspatial ring and quickly mixes them into a pill. "Here, have her take this before bed and in the morning," the old healer says, handing a bag full of pills to Mellisa. "Does this mean she can be cured?!" the beleaguered mother asks with excitement.

  "No, I'm afraid not. There is no cure for this girl," Catherine says, shaking her head. Then she looks at the disappointed Elanor and says, "You have your work cut out for you if you want her to survive. Even your current strength isn't sufficient to stabilize the situation."

  "What's going on please tell me, doctor!" Mellisa begs Catherine with tears in her eyes. "She's generated divining eyes," Catherine explains. She sighs and continues, "if she was from a great clan they'd, rejoice. Yet, for a normal person, it's truly a death sentence. Even a great clan might not keep their prize alive. Well, it's up to you now." Catherine pats her disciple's shoulder as she leaves.

  "Alright, time to visit the stupid mother who destroyed her arm," Catherine states. She casually walks to a garden that a woman with a sling is tending. "May I help you?" Anna asks as the older woman approaches her. Without saying anything, Catherine grabs Anna's arm, causing Anna to wince.

  "Let go of my mom!" Franklin yells, running over with his wooden sword. "No, it's alright, Franklin," Anna says, holding up her good arm to stop him.

  "Kid's have too much energy reminds me of that good for nothing disciple of mine," Catherine complains. She then looks at the boy, who freezes in place before collapsing.

  "Franklin!" Anna screams. "Don't worry. He's just asleep. I wouldn't come here just to bully some nobodies," Catherine says as she examines the mother's arm. Anna sucks in her breath with relief, but she can't keep her worry from her eyes.

  "This is what you get for using a forbidden technique," the healer states, "I won't say anything since it was to save your kid." Anna smiles at the woman as she replies, "I knew this would happen. In fact, I thought I would die."

  "Ha, you're lucky you didn't die with such shoddy healing," Catherine chides Anna. "Now, this might hurt. Just bear with it," she says as she gathers energy and sends it flowing into Anna.

  Anna's eyes shoot open in excruciating pain. It feels as if her whole body is being torn apart and reformed. The broken bones are digging and slithering through her arm. Soon she can't maintain her consciousness and collapses to the ground.

  "Well, my work is done," Catherine says with a big smile as she stretches her back. Then she soars into the sky, leaving her disciple behind.