Tsubaki's master (椿の先生) was the teacher of the Yokai Taijiya, a school for priests and priestesses. He gave the Shikon no Tama to Kikyō. Tsubaki was jealous because of this. She went to confront her master to inquire as to why Kikyō was given such an important task and not her. However, Tsubaki's master could not tell Tsubaki that Kikyō's powers had far surpassed hers and she did not have a heart as pure as Kikyō's. So, Tsubaki got angry and left the temple.