“Your situation really looks like whoever cursed you has started working their power again,” said Qin Hangxuan. He had never expected Yin Kairui to suddenly run into trouble, and it was already evening by the time Yin Kairui finally returned.
Xiao Liu had earlier suggested that Yin Kairui go to the hospital, but Qin Hangxuan advised against it. He said that unless Yin Kairui had sustained serious injuries, it would be better to endure the discomfort for the time being and avoid medical facilities. And that was why Yin Kairui was now resting in his hotel room.
“Does the person casting the curse need to be close by to make it take effect?” Yin Kairui asked, his first thought immediately turning to Pei Junzhe.
“Not necessarily,” Qin Hangxuan replied after a moment’s thought. “It’s possible to activate a curse even from a distance, though it’s definitely easier the closer one is to the person targeted. Alternatively, there might be someone acting as a catalyst when such a person is nearby, it becomes far simpler to trigger the curse’s power.”
“Is there any way to find out who it is?” Yin Kairui pressed.
“Once you’ve recovered, whoever is behind this will naturally suffer the consequences of their own actions,” Qin Hangxuan said, his gaze fixed on the dark, murky energy surrounding Yin Kairui. He felt deeply grateful that Shan Shan was there her presence was nothing short of a blessing.
With such dense dark energy clinging to him, it was only thanks to Shan Shan, who was inherently able to counteract this kind of force, that Yin Kairui had managed to stay alive.
After unlocking his spiritual sight, Qin Hangxuan had observed closely: while the dark energy was clearly growing thicker, the moment it came near Shan Shan, it reacted as if it had been thrown into boiling oil, dissipating bit by bit. He could even faintly hear a faint sizzling sound as it vanished.
“I’ve gathered almost everything I need,” Qin Hangxuan shared, bringing good news. “Do you have time over the next couple of days? If you do, we can begin the process of breaking this curse.”
Yin Kairui fell silent for a moment, then asked, “Does it really have to take two full days?”
“Not exactly. Removing the curse itself only takes about half a day, but there are additional steps needed to clear away the residual effects afterward. Besides, the process will place a great strain on your body and drain your energy you’ll likely feel too exhausted to focus on your work for some time.”
Since he was already injured, Yin Kairui gave his agreement readily. “That works for me.”
Right then and there, he called Director Luo in front of Qin Hangxuan.
When he explained that he would need time to rest and recover, Director Luo agreed immediately. Still concerned, he added, “Take all the time you need, and make sure you heal properly. Don’t worry about anything else if two days aren’t enough, I can approve up to a week’s leave for you. But you know how I work: I’m happy to grant time off, but you’ll need to make up for the lost progress once you’re back.”
“Two days will be enough, according to Mr. Qin,” Yin Kairui replied, letting slip a little of what they had planned.
“In that case, once you’ve recovered, this kind of trouble won’t happen again, will it?” Director Luo asked carefully.
“It won’t,” Yin Kairui confirmed.
Delighted, Director Luo said, “Wonderful, that’s exactly what I wanted to hear!”
After ending the call, Yin Kairui couldn’t help but smile at how pleased the director had sounded. He then turned to Qin Hangxuan and nodded respectfully. “Master Qin, I’ll have to trouble you with all of this.”
“It’s no trouble at all,” Qin Hangxuan said. “I only brought all the supplies over today, and I’m still missing a few protective talismans. For now, just rest well tonight. As long as you and Shan Shan stay in the same room, you’ll be completely safe.”
He paused, then added, “By the way, is anyone staying in the room next door? Could you ask them to move out for the time being? If they need somewhere to stay, they’re welcome to use my room I’ll move into this room’s neighbor instead.”
“That’s fine,” Yin Kairui agreed.
And so, a thoroughly confused Xiao Liu was called over and told to switch rooms.
Xiao Liu tried to protest. “Brother Yin, I’m supposed to be here to look after you and Shan Shan!”
“Mr. Qin was invited by my elders to help treat me, and he comes from a long line of traditional medicine practitioners,” Yin Kairui said calmly. “Besides, I’ve already asked Director Luo for leave, so you don’t need to worry about me for the next two days you can take time off too.”
“Just let me know if you need anything,” Xiao Liu said, assuming that Qin Hangxuan had been hired by Yin Kairui’s parents.
He did have his doubts, noticing how young Qin Hangxuan appeared to be, but he had stayed in Yin Kairui’s service for so long precisely because he knew how to follow instructions. In the end, he moved rooms without further complaint.
Qin Hangxuan brought in a large suitcase, gave Yin Kairui some specially prepared medicine that was made by spiritual practitioners and not available for public sale, and told him to apply it to his wounds. After advising him to get some rest, he went into the neighboring room to set up his preparations.
The hotel had excellent soundproofing, and Yin Kairui heard nothing unusual throughout the night. But when he woke up the next morning and followed Qin Hangxuan next door to see what had been done, his expression turned utterly bewildered.
Even though he had known Qin Hangxuan’s work had nothing to do with conventional science, the sight before him was still startling. Talismans were pasted all over the walls, red threads and small bells were strung across the room, the carpet and bed had been moved aside, and a large, intricate red pattern had been drawn directly onto the floor. The whole setup looked undeniably eerie and unsettling.
If he hadn’t trusted Director Luo’s judgment, Yin Kairui would have seriously doubted whether Qin Hangxuan was up to anything legitimate at all.
Shan Shan, on the other hand, looked around the room curiously, twitching her little nose as her eyes lit up with delight. “It smells nice!”
It smelled really, really good!
“There is a special incense burning here,” Qin Hangxuan said, taking out two thin sticks of incense, which made Shan Shan’s eyes shine even brighter.
“This is invocation incense we’ll need to use one of them shortly…” Before he could finish speaking, he noticed Shan Shan staring intently at the sticks. “Would you like one?” he asked tentatively.
“Yes, please!” Shan Shan answered immediately.
Watching her reaction, Yin Kairui turned to Qin Hangxuan. “Master Qin, is it possible to buy this kind of incense anywhere?”
Since Shan Shan liked it so much, he would happily buy as many as she wanted.
“Ordinary people can’t get their hands on invocation incense,” Qin Hangxuan said with a smile. “And besides, this isn’t something to be played with it’s used specifically to call upon spiritual beings. If you light it without a proper purpose, it won’t do any good and might even attract unwanted attention.”
Shan Shan tilted her head to one side. She was sure she had encountered this kind of thing before, and even eaten it back when her older brothers and sisters had given it to her. She remembered how delicious it had been!
“I can give this one to you, Shan Shan,” Qin Hangxuan said. After a moment of hesitation, he carefully placed the incense stick inside a long, small box. “If you ever find yourself in danger one day, you can light this incense, and it will summon the City God to come to your aid.”
Given Shan Shan’s unique spiritual constitution, anyone called upon through this incense would definitely come to her rescue.
Shan Shan was just about to reach out and take it when Yin Kairui spoke up. “This incense sounds extremely valuable. It wouldn’t be right for Shan Shan to accept such a precious gift. I’m sure there must be some way for ordinary people to obtain it could you tell me how to go about it, Mr. Qin?”
Yin Kairui was being cautious. Accepting expensive favors put one in a vulnerable position, and he couldn’t help but wonder if this was part of a plan to win Shan Shan’s affection, so that she might eventually agree to study under Qin Hangxuan.
It wasn’t that Yin Kairui was opposed to the idea of Shan Shan learning from him, but he felt Qin Hangxuan was being far too eager, and Shan Shan was still too young to make such important decisions on her own. Moreover, he wasn’t her legal guardian, so he had no right to make such choices for her.
Qin Hangxuan was a perceptive man and immediately understood Yin Kairui’s concerns. Far from being offended, he found the reaction entirely reasonable. After all, he was simply acting like someone protecting their own family.
“She is family chosen by her very nature, so it’s only right that you look out for her,” Qin Hangxuan said. “I make this incense myself. If you really want to buy it, the price is one hundred thousand per stick.”
Yin Kairui glanced down at Shan Shan, who had already withdrawn her small hand and was looking up at her with wide, obedient eyes, clearly waiting for his permission before accepting anything.
“In that case, would you be willing to sell three sticks to Shan Shan?” Yin Kairui asked. Even though he found the price quite steep, he spoke without hesitation.
“Of course. But I only have one with me right now I’ll make the remaining two and send them to you later.”
Once this matter was settled, they were ready to begin the process of breaking the curse.
Given Yin Kairui’s current condition, he would need to stand within the ritual formation together with Shan Shan. He was instructed to lie down, while Shan Shan sat on his lap they had to make sure she did not touch the ground, as that would disrupt the formation’s power.
As Yin Kairui settled into position, Qin Hangxuan warned him, “This will be somewhat painful try to endure it as best you can.”
But as soon as the ritual began, Yin Kairui realized this was far more than just “somewhat painful.” The sensation was as if his bones and flesh were being scraped away piece by piece. Every nerve in his body screamed in agony, and the pain was so intense that he became completely rigid, unable to move even a muscle.
The commotion frightened Shan Shan. She placed her small hands gently on Yin Kairui’s stomach and said softly, “Brother, it doesn’t hurt anymore. Let Shan Shan blow it away go away, bad pain!”
As she spoke, she puffed out her cheeks and blew lightly over his body.
She didn’t notice the flash of surprise that crossed Qin Hangxuan’s face.
Qin Hangxuan had always known that Shan Shan had a special constitution, but he had never imagined just how powerful it was. The moment she touched Yin Kairui and blew gently, the curse that had seemed impossible to dislodge loosened ever so slightly, if only for a brief second.
Qin Hangxuan knew better than to let such an opportunity go to waste. He moved in precise, ritual steps, chanting sacred incantations as he cast one protective talisman after another some onto Yin Kairui’s body, others onto the walls, and still others onto the pattern drawn on the floor. Every single talisman adhered firmly the moment it was placed.
This part of the process alone took twenty minutes, during which he used nearly thirty talismans. Once he had completed his movements and finished reciting the prayers, he called out in a clear, commanding voice: “Ritual formation activate!”
In an instant, the pattern on the floor began to glow. Instead of the red color of the ink, it gave off a soft, milky white light that felt warm and comforting to the touch.
From within the light, tiny, drifting specks floated upward, moving slowly and unsteadily until they settled all over Yin Kairui’s body and sank into his skin.
At that exact moment, a sudden gust of wind swept through the room, even though all the doors and windows were tightly shut.
Shan Shan watched everything with wide eyes. She saw most of the glowing specks enter Yin Kairui’s body, but noticed that a small number had drifted off course and were heading toward her.
Seeing those lost specks, Shan Shan grew anxious. She whispered urgently, “Don’t come over here! Go to Brother instead!”
As if they had understood her words, the specks that had been drawn to her turned away and floated straight back to Yin Kairui.
At first, the feeling of the light entering his body brought Yin Kairui a sense of relief and comfort, as if his exhausted body was suddenly being filled with new life. But this feeling did not last long, and soon the pain returned far worse than before.
It felt as though something was tearing through his nerves and burrowing deep into his bones and muscles. Even his face, throat, and abdomen burned with sharp, stinging pain.
Yin Kairui could not see what was happening, but dark, winding marks were spreading across his face and neck. They looked strange and slimy, enough to make anyone who saw them feel uneasy. The same marks had also appeared on his exposed wrists, hands, and ankles. The only part of his body that remained untouched was a small patch in the center of his forehead, about the size of a baby’s fist.
As more of the white light seeped into him, Yin Kairui’s pain grew more and more unbearable. Meanwhile, the dark marks reacted as if they had been provoked they began to twist and writhe, trying to spread over that last remaining clean patch of skin and claim it for themselves.
Shan Shan kept her eyes fixed on Yin Kairui’s forehead, her small hands twitching restlessly. She hated these dark marks more than anything, and she hated even more that they were hurting her brother! But not knowing what she could do to help, she forced herself to stay still, afraid that any movement might interfere with the ritual.
Even so, the curse was only fighting a losing battle. Qin Hangxuan had come fully prepared, and he had even used a sacred object passed down from his own master to strengthen the formation. The power of the curse had turned out to be slightly stronger than he had anticipated, but with Shan Shan who was naturally able to counteract such forces present, it posed no real threat.
This curse had been placed on Yin Kairui at least two years earlier. Curses of this kind, which lay dormant for long periods and then took effect gradually, were among the most malicious. While they were not always the most powerful or capable of killing instantly, they were extremely difficult to detect and even harder to remove.
Qin Hangxuan worked with great care and precision, slowly severing the connection between the curse and Yin Kairui’s body.
All this time, Yin Kairui had been in so much pain that he was beginning to lose consciousness and feel lightheaded. Yet even through the agony, he felt a warm, soothing sensation spreading upward from his abdomen, gradually filling his entire body and giving him the strength to keep holding on.
Time passed slowly.
After about an hour, the process of removing the curse was nearly complete. But instead of relaxing, Qin Hangxuan became even more cautious. His expression grew grave and serious as he began reciting a different set of incantations and placed two more talismans. Immediately, the dark marks covering Yin Kairui’s body began to tremble violently.
It was not just an illusion they were truly shaking.
Slowly, the dark marks began to separate from Yin Kairui’s skin. It was a terrifying sight: the dark mass twisted and turned, trying desperately to root itself back into his flesh, but the power of the ritual was too strong. It could only struggle helplessly as it was gradually lifted away from his body.
Even as it moved, the dark energy seemed to instinctively avoid Shan Shan. Where she sat on Yin Kairui’s lap, the marks twisted and shifted to create a clear space around her, not daring to come anywhere near her.
Bit by bit, the curse was pulled free from his face, neck, chest, arms, abdomen, and legs. Shan Shan, who had been sitting facing his head, shifted her position until she was looking toward his feet, her eyes bright with anticipation as she waited for the last of the curse to be removed and sealed away by Qin Hangxuan.
But just as the final trace of the curse, clinging to Yin Kairui’s toes, was about to detach completely, the entire mass of dark energy suddenly shuddered. It seemed to receive a sudden surge of power, and in the blink of an eye, it shot back down and reattached itself firmly to his ankle.
Qin Hangxuan’s face darkened. “I knew it the person behind this is nearby, and so is the catalyst!”
This kind of reaction could only mean that the person who had cast the curse and the one acting as the catalyst were now together, combining their power. But Qin Hangxuan was a careful man he never undertook any task without being fully prepared, and he had always planned for the worst possible outcome.
He pulled a string of sacred prayer beads from his pocket and was about to place them on Yin Kairui’s chest when he saw Shan Shan react.
The usually gentle and well-behaved little girl watched as the dark curse tried to re-enter her brother’s body, and remembering all the pain he had just endured, she was overcome with anger. She cried out loudly, “You bad thing! Don’t you dare hurt my brother again!”
With that, she reached out her small hand and grabbed hold of the dark energy.
Qin Hangxuan’s eyes