A Blade's Name

"Abandon the name Jiang Tou Chen? H-how could that be possible?"

Listening to the old woman's cold, low words, the Chen Family's chief steward staggered back as if struck by lightning. His mind in disarray, the poison sores on his body worsened, and blood even ran down his cheeks.

It seemed even more terrifying than the curse itself.

Though he was the Chen Family's chief steward, he was more inclined toward the arts of divination and corpse summoning. The Chen Family's most powerful gu sorcery and authority were in his hands.

His second aunt, on the other hand, served as the Blade-Snatching Hall Official. She understood more about the workings of karma and had served Meng Po's Shop on the Chen Family's behalf for the longest time. She was more skilled in reasoning and in exploring other paths, so the Chen Family steward trusted her.

But the solution she'd proposed to counter this curse born of the people's resentment was simply impossible to carry out.

Abandon the three words "Jiang Tou Chen" to evade this karma?

No!

The name of one of the Ten Surnames, the Jiang Tou Chen Family, was worth more than the life of this Chen Family steward—and more than the life of anyone in the entire Chen Family.

He couldn't burn that stick of incense, nor could he do such a thing. He didn't even consider it. Yet his eyes remained fixed on the Blade-Snatching Hall Official, as if hoping she might offer some other advice.

But the old woman had already closed her eyes, weary.

Boundless panic and fury surged into his mind at once. In that instant, the Chen Family steward didn't know how many thoughts had crossed his mind. Above them, countless black threads were still descending toward the Chen Family. Far down