Bab 12: Unusual Street Painter

"..." Ely looked at her 3rd disciple.

After she thought about it, her first three disciples had golden blonde hair. She once wondered whether everyone who carried a hero's bloodline possessed this characteristic. But, she threw that thought aside after meeting her 4th, 5th disciple, and so on.

Ely opened her grimoire to check out about the academy she would visit.

Lost Prayer was so reliable as a general knowledge informant. As long as it wasn't some special secret, she could get all kinds of information. All she had to do was pray to this silver-gold grimoire. The Mythical-tier artifact was genuinely formidable.

'So, we only need to register ourselves as special guests. Cultivation is hopeless for me. Peran learn more about the concept of magic there? U.h, the most important thing is to draw more spotlight so those big shots can make their move. Something big is about to happen here, making the nature spirits anxious.' Ely closed her grimoire and put it back into her subspace.

She then glanced at Michael. When he caught her gaze, he was flustered and turned to the side.

'On second thought, all of my disciples have tragic background stories. Everyone is born innocent, but my disciples have suffered since childhood. They didn't even have a choice and turned into demons because of their bloodline.' Ely's gaze became tender as she felt the destiny of her disciples was so unfortunate.

'Well, they are lucky to meet me. Now, they become potentially great people. As expected of me. Their three years of training were not in vain. It's just me being pitiful and can't get stronger, huhu...' Ely grasped her hand, feeling sad.

Things got quiet as their carriage passed through the peaceful street, but the atmosphere was awkward because no one said anything.

As a good boss, Ely racked her brain and opened a conversation to escape that awkward situation. She took out a soundproof talisman and threw a question. "Mika-kun, what do you think about this city?"

"The surface may look peaceful, but beneath the truth lies anxiety." Michael looked out of the window.

"Why is that?" Ely continued.

"I can't explain it with proper words, but I can feel it with my survival instinct and sixth sense. The trouble may not always come from outside. We are getting closer to the source." Michael believed this city was not as simple as it seemed since his master specifically pinpointed this city as their organization's first major operation.

"Indeed, the nature spirits can no longer be seen in the city. They're anxious about something." Ely nodded slightly as she looked at the bright turquoise sky.

"!?" Michael widened his eyes. His master could communicate with the nature spirits and ask them to materialize their form.

If his master said it, then there was only one answer he could come up with. Nature was uncomfortable with this place because of something hidden inside. Something more terrible than Heavenly Demon seeds?

Well, no matter what would happen next, the Guardian of Dream would eradicate the Heavenly Demon seeds and the evil things. More than two hundred people had already been dispatched and were currently monitoring the city in the shadows.

'Why didn't he say anything else? He just gave a silly look in response?' Ely asked in wonder.

Since her disciple fell silent, then she couldn't keep talking.

She remembered what she had been doing since entering this city. She did several things that were especially eye-catching because she had to leave an impression that she was a precious saintess from a distant land.

Some big shots had clearly gotten word of a healer coming into the city, especially those from the Holy Church. Healer was the rarest and most precious talent, coveted by many parties. Not only did it make one heal wounds, but it could also purify evil.

Those big shots should solve the trouble for everyone's sake if something unexpected happens. Something that could cause the nature spirits to feel anxious was definitely no joke, and she started to feel worried for people's safety.

Her second reason was accumulating merit and good karma. She realized she could increase her VIT and SP every time she did something good, especially when healing someone. She could take her patient's VIT a bit or something else as payment for her service.

She would not sacrifice her VIT and do charity every time. Healing magic was scary and deadly skill, after all. Her lifespan would be dry if she became that kind of naive saintess.

...

[Huang Zedong (FV: 2780) | 7th Rank Mid Stage]

[Talent: 4 Stars | SSR]

...

"Hmm?" Ely accidentally caught a glimpse of an interesting person's status screen.

On her way, she didn't help random people as she would see endless amounts of them. The Holy Church, the hospital, the physician, and the medicine store would probably get no patients today if she overdid it.

Since she was under a particular circumstance, she aimed at those with decent talent rarity or someone with a high cultivation base. The service payment could be a little higher.

Most of those she met had Trash, Common, and Super Trash talents. She occasionally lent a helping hand to the Common or below and gave more attention to the Rare or above. But, this time, she found someone with SSR talent comparable to her first two disciples! She had to meet that person ASAP as she knew the other party was a promising star worthy of good relations.

"Please stop the carriage." Ely opened a small window to the coachman.

"Yes, my lady." The coachman parked his horse-drawn carriage on the side of the road.

"???" Michael had yet to learn why they stopped there. They still needed to arrive at the academy area.

Even so, he immediately got down and offered his hand to his master to get off the carriage.

"Mika-kun, can you accompany me? We are close to the academy, and we will walk there." Ely got down from the carriage gracefully.

"With pleasure, milady." Michael put his hand to his chest.

He paid the coachman with some money, then accompanied his master to take a stroll. Yet, his master suddenly stopped in front of a painting stall.

"You have beautiful eyes, young lady. May I know what brings you here?" The street painter raised his head slightly. He briefly inspected this stunning lady's appearance. She was clearly a noble from somewhere and had a lot of money.

"I find your writing and painting to be interesting, sir. May I know why you want to sell your art?" Ely found it unusual for a 7th Rank expert to become a street painter.

The street painter was stunned momentarily as he gave the lady before him a stupified look. "Why, you ask... It's obviously for money, I guess?"

"Is it?" Ely didn't try to pry deeper. This middle-aged man might be an influential, humble figure who blended into society or a hidden expert under a mission.

She averted her gaze and focused on the painting of the sea's violent waves.

Somehow, she felt her face being splashed by the salty water. It might be an illusion, but she saw the painting of the sea waves moving like an optical illusion.

"That is a painting of the fierce southern sea. Countless sea monsters are born there; only the truly powerful cultivator can wade through that sea. Only those with profound insight can see the enlightenment hidden within this painting." The street painter crossed his arms and nodded proudly.

He was pleased that his first customer of the day was a lady with profound artistic insight. She even went into a trance at the sight of his marvelous painting.

"Wow, that's like an optical illusion, sir. I even feel like I'm being splashed with salty water." Ely put her hands together. She wondered if her painting skill could reach that level one day.

She came here simply out of curiosity, but this street painter got her attention now.

"Spla, splashed with salt water?" The street painter was dumbfounded. It was supposedly enlightenment about someone who would wade through the waves of a violent sea. This lady clearly had a profound insight and understood the actual value of his art, but was she kidding?

"Then, how about this one?" The street painter needed to be more convinced.

He pointed his hand at the painting of the lake in the middle of the forest, which reflected a double full moon.

"A quiet lake on a peaceful night, and crickets?" Ely wasn't sure since she couldn't find much detail in this night theme painting.

The street painter asked about other paintings but felt beaten after a few tries. He couldn't tell whether this lady was joking or mocking him. He thought she had shallow insight and comprehension, but her beautiful purplish-blue eyes showed so much wisdom. Then, what was she after from him?

"Alright, I'll buy this one, sir. How much does it cost?" Ely pointed to the animated ocean painting, the first thing that caught her attention.

"You can name the price for its worth." The street painter sighed. He couldn't see through this lady, but her knight was a 5th Rank expert.

He couldn't inspect her cultivation base, but he gasped upon closer look at her. He didn't pay too much attention other than her outer appearance and a beautiful visage. Still, he realized that she carried so many artifacts on her body. His appraisal skill couldn't be wrong. It was like she was the embodiment of the walking treasures! Where did this wealthy princess come from!?

"Is this enough?" Ely took out a pouch of gold and silver. It was enough to support an ordinary person for a year of luxurious life.

The street painter received the money and nodded absentmindedly. He had not yet returned to his sense upon the shock.

Ely took the painting scroll and then bid her farewell to the street painter. "I'll take it. We might meet again if fate permits it, sir. Maybe I can paint a masterpiece of illusion art like you at that time."

The street painter soon regained his composure. He looked at the money in his hand, then the lady's back.

"Heh, you want to match the level of my painting skills? You need to work really hard then, little princess. Wait, I forgot to ask her name... Anyway, it's finally money... not some useless jewel or artifact anymore!" The street painter was overjoyed.

He once had everything in life, but his only sin was currently poverty. He lived a humble life and appreciated money. Thus, he put that stunning lady on his honorable customer list promptly.