Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Only later did I learn that, around the same time I lost my memories, a major incident had shaken the Four Domains.

The Abandoned Blessings who had taken refuge with Xiangwu Mountain suddenly began slaughtering Blessed Cultivators across the Four Domains without end.

Overnight, their Blessed Power soared, and they could trample ordinary Blessed Cultivators underfoot at will.

After Xiang Suize received word of this, he joined forces with his three personal disciples to capture the rampaging Abandoned Blessings and escort them back to Xiangwu Mountain.

Soon after, Fu Zhenqian, the Dongze Sect Leader, took the lead in proposing that Xiang Suize come to Dongze for questioning and give the Four Domains an explanation.

The matter was indeed Xiangwu Mountain’s fault, so Xiang Suize had no reason to refuse. He agreed readily.

But not long after he left Xiangwu Mountain, the imprisoned Abandoned Blessings suddenly rioted again. Even with the array Xiang Suize had left behind to assist them, their movements still could not be stopped.

The Abandoned Blessings were like puppets under a spell. All they knew how to do was kill Blessed Cultivators.

The situation was on the verge of spiraling out of control.

And so, at that critical moment, Xiang Suize’s eldest personal disciple, Nan Wenji, made a shocking decision.

He would use the power of Xiangwu Mountain’s Void Realm to purge his fellow disciples.

…

“So that was why Shanting became a broken sword, right?”

When I asked this, Senior Brother was leaning against a tree across from me, Shanting cradled in his arms, his eyes closed as he gave a slight nod.

Shanting had already recovered its complete blade, but it looked listless, without its usual luster.

Perhaps because, these past few days, it had been listening from the side while Senior Brother told me about those old events. It was only natural for it to feel sad, so it seemed rather spiritless.

By the moonlight, I crawled over on all fours to Senior Brother and gently touched Shanting in his arms, only for him to glare at me.

“Are you even listening or not?”

I hurriedly pulled my hand back. “I am, I am!”

Shameful as it was, I had resorted to a little trickery to learn more about Senior Brother’s past.

I lied and said I seemed to have remembered something, that I had some impression of the upheaval at Xiangwu Mountain.

Senior Brother had promised to help me recover my memories, so he could only answer my questions, however reluctant he was.

Tonight, what I wanted to ask about was the “Zhu Curse” on his master, Xiang Suize.

“Is it something very powerful?” I asked in a lowered voice. “Bai Yujian even came here specifically to warn you about it.”

Senior Brother blinked, confirming it.

“The Zhu Curse is a Blessing with its own consciousness. It is also a unique power found nowhere else on Wuwang Continent, and it attaches itself to people at random. Those chosen by the Zhu Curse can understand the secrets of this land, and they can command Blessed Power at will.

“To put it simply, someone who possesses the Zhu Curse can grant ordinary people Blessed Power and make them Blessed Cultivators. They can also help Blessed Cultivators open up the Four Paths.”

Senior Brother had already explained the Four Paths to me before.

They were Body Arts, Inner Force, Five Senses, and Mind-Spirit. Each Path had twelve basic levels. A Blessed Cultivator’s innate Blessed Power would randomly manifest on one of these Four Paths, and this was called Dao Conferral.

The Path blessed by Blessed Power would have a higher level than the other three. As for how many levels it could rise, that depended on one’s individual talent. Some people only reached the fifteenth level, while others could reach the fiftieth.

“If someone has the Zhu Curse, doesn’t that mean they can keep raising the levels of the Four Paths… That really is powerful!”

I nodded thoughtfully as wicked little ideas began forming in my mind.

“Senior Brother, if my Inner Force is only at the basic twelfth level, could I ask Master to open up a few more levels for me?”

“That is my master.”

Senior Brother cast me a lazy sidelong glance and immediately saw through my thoughts. “Can you show a little ambition? If you’re going to open anything, open Body Arts.”

“No way. What if someone hits me? I’m really afraid of pain.” I shook my head hard.

If I had profound Inner Force beyond the twelfth level, then no matter who hit me, I would not feel the pain.

Senior Brother did not understand. He only frowned and asked, “With me here, who could possibly hit you?”

“True.” I pondered for a moment. “Then what use is opening Body Arts?”

If a real fight broke out, I might not even win. Better to put everything into defense. At least then I could keep my little life intact.

“Of course it is.”

As Senior Brother spoke, he stuffed a steamed bun into my hands. “If you see that I can’t hold on anymore, run as fast as you can.”

His voice was calm, but in my ears, it sounded like a roaring flood.

To me, Senior Brother had always been incredibly strong. I truly couldn’t imagine what he would look like being beaten down by someone.

After a long while, I heard myself say woodenly, “I won’t run.”

I took the bun, adjusted my sitting position, and looked at Senior Brother with perfect composure. “If anyone defeats Senior Brother, I’ll fight them with my life too.”

Senior Brother’s expression stiffened. He turned his head and looked at me twice, both helpless and amused.

“No matter how many sweet things you say, you only get one bun today.”

“I mean it!”

“…”

“You’ll know one day!”

I rolled my eyes and stopped arguing with him. Then I returned to the subject at hand.

“From the sound of it, this Zhu Curse is a good thing.

“With more Blessed Power, ordinary people would be able to protect themselves against strange beasts and evil spirits, and Blessed Cultivators would have an easier time fighting… It brings nothing but benefits, so why call it a ‘curse’?”

“If you want to cultivate, Blessed Power alone isn’t enough. Besides…”

Senior Brother’s face turned serious again, and he gave a cold snort.

“Do you still remember Sun Nong’s daughter? She was born with heavenly beauty, but because she came from a poor family, wicked men set their sights on her and tried to force her into becoming a concubine. In the end, she was nearly driven to the ruin of her entire family, and she didn’t hesitate to destroy her own face to protect herself.

“A child carrying gold through the marketplace-no matter how rare or precious something is, if the person who possesses it doesn’t have the ability to protect it, then it becomes a disaster.”

Sun Nong was a poor household we had encountered in the Central Realm.

At first, he came to us for help, saying his daughter had been possessed by an evil spirit for years and asking Senior Brother to drive it out.

Only in the end did we learn that the girl hadn’t been possessed. She had been assaulted when she was young and had gone mad.

Even after so long, thinking of it still made my heart ache.

I swallowed and said hesitantly, “Senior Brother, I don’t think I really understand.”

Senior Brother smoothed away his expression and stared at me for a while. Then, all of a sudden, he flashed a wicked smile.

He leaned toward me. His long lashes cast layers of shadow beneath his eyes, so close they were about to brush my cheek. It tickled.

“Junior Sister, if I discovered that this Zhu Curse was on you, do you know what I would do?”

My mind went blank. I only felt that Senior Brother’s nearness had thrown everything around me into a daze.

After a long, deathly quiet moment, I heard him chuckle softly again.

“Senior Brother would hide you away and make sure no one could ever find you. Then, every day, I would coax and deceive you into stacking four whole cultivation levels across the Four Paths onto me-the more, the better. I would keep going until I became so strong no one could rival me and I ruled the entire continent. By then, you would be useless to me, so I would lift a finger and kill you, so no one else would have the chance to obtain you and become stronger than me.

“That is what happens when someone with no strength to speak of is chosen by the Zhu Curse. Do you understand now?”

I nodded and unnaturally looked away, my heart pounding like a drum. I didn’t know whether it was because his words had frightened me, or because of something else.

I murmured, “If that’s the case, then if this Zhu Curse ever came to me, I would guard the secret with my life.

“But why would Master tell other people? Isn’t he afraid?”

Senior Brother was already too lazy to correct how I addressed him. He leaned back against the tree stump and looked at me.

“Because he is strong. Extremely strong.

“Master is a Four-Dao Blessed Cultivator. His innate Blessed Power was bestowed upon the Four Paths, and there is no upper limit to his highest realm. To this day, every path he cultivates has broken through the fiftieth level. In the eyes of other Blessed Cultivators, his strength is unfathomable-so powerful it chills the heart.”

“Then Master is a genius!”

I sighed with sincere admiration, and suddenly, I could somewhat understand Bai Yujian’s resentment.

Missing out on such a formidable master meant missing countless chances to show off.

If it were me, I would have a hard time letting it go too.

I carefully mulled over what Senior Brother had just said and was about to ask something else when I saw him press his index finger to his lips, signaling for me to be quiet.

“Quiet. Someone’s coming.”