"If you dare lay a hand on my people, I'll cut you down. Are you trying to provoke me? Good thing I had the foresight to make Xia Bu wear a protective charm."
Seven Seas Builder and Gray Plains Hero's sudden encounter was no accident. Someone in the upper echelons had arranged it behind the scenes.
The other party had concealed their identity well. Jia Meng had no way of knowing which family they belonged to.
"Meeting them was part of my plan. I've already developed the ability to see beyond ordinary barriers, so I won't have to worry about those pesky obstacles anymore."
Jia Meng rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
As Seven Seas Builder and Gray Plains Hero left, the room returned to its usual quiet.
But that quiet did not last long.
A few days later, a knock interrupted Jia Meng, who was studying the boundaries between worlds.
Jia Meng opened the door. Sure enough, Xia Bu stood there, wearing her usual gentle smile.
"Jia, tomorrow I have to go on a mission. It's in a remote mountain village. I was thinking, since you're always asking people to bring back special souvenirs, you could just ask me directly. Is there anything you want me to bring back, or any keepsake you'd like?"
Xia Bu's voice was gentle, and she spoke with a hint of a smile.
Jia Meng couldn't help laughing.
"What kind of special souvenir would I ask you to bring me? That would be far too embarrassing."
His smile was warm and playful, but there was a hint of something else in his eyes, as if he found the sincerity in Xia Bu's words both amusing and a little troubling.
At that moment, elsewhere, Master Ban was inside a dimly lit construction workshop, surrounded by the stench of decay.
He was trying to put a curse to rest, hoping to resolve the difficult problem before him.
But just then, an unexpected disturbance disrupted his work, and his curse force surged in an instant.
"Damn it. What's cursing me now?"
Master Ban pinched the bridge of his pale nose and muttered to himself.
"Fine. Since everyone's already said their piece, why don't you bring back something you think is interesting? Just consider it a little token from your mission."
At the same time, Jia Meng sat in his room, gazing out the window at the scenery.
"I want Seven Seas Builder and Master Ban to bring back something special. That way, they'll have another reason to keep living. They shouldn't just casually throw their lives away. And there's no need for me to keep waiting around for them to bring back souvenirs."
Jia Meng gazed into the distance, his voice carrying a note of melancholy.
Xia Bu seemed to understand. A faint, thoughtful light gleamed in her eyes.
"Oh, I see. So you're a softie after all, Jia."
She sighed. She hadn't expected someone who seemed so carefree to conceal such profound feelings.
She silently resolved that she would make a name for herself among the upper echelons of the curse world.
From then on, the upper echelons began a new practice: anyone sent out on a mission, wherever they went, had to bring back a special souvenir for their friends.
It wasn't merely a token of friendship, but also a solemn promise and a blessing.
If someone failed to bring back a souvenir, it meant they didn't consider the other person a friend.
And the meaning of "bring back something special for me" gradually became "you have to come back alive."
That promise spread through the curse world, becoming a unique emotional bond that moved the heart of every curse user.
He knew that wherever he went, no matter how dangerous the situation or how close death came, someone would be waiting for him to return, hoping to receive that special gift he had brought back from far away.
"I'll bring back a special souvenir for you. I'm off."
Xia Bu spoke with a soft smile. As she turned to leave, the sunlight caught in her long hair and shimmered across it.
"Where's your mission taking you?" Jia Meng's gentle voice followed her out the door, curiosity shining in his eyes.
"Tokyo's outskirts, in a remote mountain village."
Xia Bu gave a small nod, seemingly surprised by Jia Meng's question. "Why do you ask?"
"The boundaries between worlds I opened up have to cover all of Japan, not just the densely populated cities. Even remote mountain regions need to be included."
Jia Meng smiled faintly, his eyes gleaming with intelligence.
"I'd been planning to find somewhere to study and investigate anyway. Since you happen to have a mission, I'll go with you."
In the original story, this mission was supposed to be a turning point that sent Xia Bu down a dark path.
But now, Xia Bu had already absorbed the power of the imprisoned curse, and neither Master Ban nor Gray Plains Hero had fought to the death with the young genius.
With Jia Meng subtly influencing him, Xia Bu's outlook had become more peaceful and determined.
Even so, Jia Meng still had some reservations.
Although Xia Bu had changed his outlook, that didn't mean he would do anything outrageous. Jia Meng had no intention of letting someone with good intentions be exploited.
Besides, he hadn't been wrong: once the boundaries between worlds were open, it was easy to start thinking along different lines. A trip out to survey the area and learn about the local environment would also help the boundaries cover the whole country.
So he decided to accompany Xia Bu, both to ensure Xia Bu's safety and to gather information about the boundaries between worlds.
"I'll go with you for a while, then. See you."
On the road to the remote mountain village, Xia Bu sat on his own flying curse spirit, looking poised and composed.
"We need to find the curse spirit responsible for the disappearance of the villagers and the strange deaths, then exorcise it."
Jia Meng's curse force rose behind him, forming a gigantic pair of wings. With a flap that stirred the air, the two set off together toward the mountains.
Moonlight fell over them, lending their journey a mysterious, romantic air.
"Curses in remote mountain regions are usually born from the villagers' limited education. They often have superstitious beliefs and use unscientific explanations for what they see."
Jia Meng's voice echoed through the night sky.
"That's how fear gives rise to curses."
His eyes held a thoughtful, solemn light. This journey was destined to be an unpleasant one.
And Xia Bu wasn't the only one who would be tested. He would be tested, too.
Before you continue