The Burden of Choice
"Damn… this Doctor Henry can't fully cure Sister Yara of the Scorpio poison. His cultivation is far too low for that."
Inside the Crystal Lotus Mirror, the air hung thick with tension.
Doctor Henry worked diligently over Yara, carefully applying his treatments and spirit stones to suppress the venom coursing through her arm. Yet, outside the mirror, the crowd couldn't hide their disappointment. Even the weakest Sacred Realm cultivator among them could have neutralized the Bright String Scorpio's poison with mere thought. But here, in this mirrored world, Doctor Henry's power was limited—and Yara's condition was critical.
The Seven Blue Lotus World's cultivator hierarchy was harsh and exacting. There were seven distinct realms: Novice, Adept, Master, GrandMaster, Sacred Realm, Transcendent, and Saint Realm. Only once one had crossed into the Adept stage could they truly be considered a cultivator of note.
Doctor Henry, however, was still only at the Novice stage—fragile and limited in power. Using spirit stones, he could temporarily suppress Yara's venom, but the strain of even this simple task visibly exhausted him. Yara's arm, though still intact, remained swollen, discolored, and painfully compromised.
He looked at Soren, his young, handsome face streaked with blood and dirt, his shoulders tense with responsibility. "Soren," Doctor Henry said carefully, "though I can suppress the Scorpio poison in your sister, I do not have the ability to completely cure her."
Soren's icy blue eyes hardened, his jaw tight. He nodded slightly, absorbing every word with unwavering focus.
Doctor Henry continued, his tone somber: "There are only two ways to save her completely. The first is to seek out a cultivator of profound skill—at least Master stage—who possesses the ability to heal such poison."
Soren's fists clenched.
"The second method," Doctor Henry said, "is far more dangerous. You would need the sting of a Sacred Beast Scorpio at the Adept stage. By converting the sting into medicine, your sister could be cured."
Both options were daunting. A Master-stage cultivator? Even those who reached the GrandMaster stage rarely deigned to interfere with the affairs of ordinary mortals. Convincing one to help would be nearly impossible.
And obtaining a sting from an Adept-stage Sacred Beast Scorpio? For a ten-year-old child like Soren, utterly powerless in cultivation, it was tantamount to climbing the heavens itself. Even the most novice adult cultivator would struggle against such a creature.
Doctor Henry's expression softened with regret as he met Soren's gaze. "I can suppress the poison for no more than three days. If there is no cure by then, I fear I can only amputate her arm."
Soren recoiled instinctively. "No!" His voice rang with unshakable resolve. "I will find a way to cure my sister within three days!"
Outside the Crystal Lotus Mirror, the spectators murmured in disbelief.
"Sister Yara… how did he manage to save you?" Rose asked, curiosity sharp in her crimson gaze.
Yara's silver-white hair shimmered as she shook her head, her voice cool and distant. "I don't know… I remember only being drowsy for several days. And then… I woke up." Her tone fell, as if reluctant to go further.
Inside the mirror, Doctor Henry regarded Soren with a faint sigh. He handed the boy a small, worn booklet, the pages brimming with Novice-stage Mana cultivation exercises. "Soren, whether you seek a Master-stage cultivator or the sting of a Sacred Beast Scorpio, you must first grow stronger. Only by refining your own Mana can you hope to succeed."
Soren accepted the booklet, his hands steady, eyes filled with determination. "Thank you, Doctor Henry. I will repay your kindness."
Without a backward glance, he strode toward the mirror's exit, his voice firm. "Please, take care of my sister. If I do not return within three days… then, I give you permission to cut off her arm."
Doctor Henry wanted to call him back, to plead, but seeing the resolve in Soren's gaze, he only sighed. Even his words would not stop the boy. Soren would not rest until Yara was safe.
After leaving the medicine store, Soren ignored the tattered remnants of his clothes and began searching the surrounding villages for a Master-stage cultivator. As Doctor Henry had warned, prideful cultivators rarely ventured into these poor, remote lands.
Two days passed. Soren scoured every village, every town, yet he found not a single Master-stage cultivator. Exhausted, battered, his garments torn and body weary, he pressed on through endless search.
By the third day, Soren paused at a small, clear stream. He cleaned his grime-streaked body and seated himself on a smooth rock. Opening the Mana practice booklet, he crossed his legs and began to study with the intensity of a tempest.
Outside the Crystal Lotus Mirror, the crowd first watched with curiosity, then shook their heads in quiet disappointment.
"Even after three days, he hasn't found a Master-stage cultivator. Could it be that he intends to cultivate on his own, hoping to reach the Adept stage and save Sister Yara?"
"Impossible. He is barely ten years old, his body weak. Even if given decades, he would not succeed."
Yet among the spectators, Fin Ravyn's eyes glimmered with subtle anticipation. "He will learn the pain of a thousand cuts," he murmured, a faint, knowing smile tugging at his lips.