Lifting the Curse

As night deepened, Luo Can sat down by the spring and took out his fishing rod.

He had not used his Fishing time today, so he planned to use it up before resting. Early tomorrow morning, he would head to the Ye Clan and completely lift Ye Qingyu's curse.

He cast the line into the water.

A few minutes later, the fishing line tugged with a familiar pull. Luo Can flicked his wrist, and a mass of purple light burst from the water and landed on the grass.

As the light faded, it revealed a palm-sized ganoderma, deep purple all over. Its cap was thick, its surface naturally patterned like swirling clouds, and it emanated a gentle spiritual aura.

[Purple Ganoderma (Purple)]

[Description: A juvenile Nine-Rank Purple Ganoderma that has just surpassed a thousand years. Each ten thousand years constitutes one rank, and it can grow to become a Nine-Rank Purple Ganoderma at most.]

After reading the description, delight flashed through Luo Can's eyes.

The Nine-Rank Purple Ganoderma—in the original story, this Immortal Herb had allowed Yu Xiaogang to break through the limit that had kept him forever at Rank 29. He had ultimately cultivated all the way to Rank 93, becoming a Title Douluo. Its potency was evident.

During this trip to the Ice and Fire Yin-Yang Well, he had not taken that mature Nine-Rank Purple Ganoderma, originally intending to leave it for Dugu Yan. He had not expected the system to fish up a juvenile instead. This was truly an unexpected delight.

"I'll plant it later."

He carefully put away the Purple Ganoderma and continued casting.

Over the next two hours, Luo Can cast his line seventeen times in total. His haul was quite plentiful—five purple Soul Power Pills, three auxiliary medicinal herbs, a complete set of Alchemy Apparatus, two ancient scrolls, and the three most valuable items:

A silver-gray [Level 6 Soul Guidance Shield], shaped like a bracer.

A [Ten-Thousand Year Gale Demon Wolf Left Leg Bone].

A [Ten-Thousand Year Iron-Armored Rhino Right Arm Bone].

[ Ding! This Fishing session has ended. Overall rating: Excellent. Reward: 1000 Points.]

[Points: 4700]

Putting away the fishing rod, Luo Can stretched lazily. He planted the juvenile Purple Ganoderma at the edge of the Immortal Herb Garden before returning to the Wooden House to rest.

Early the next morning.

The first thing Luo Can did after getting up was inspect the Immortal Herbs he had planted yesterday.

After one night, nourished by the Fate-Defying Spring, the Immortal Herbs had grown splendidly.

"Very good."

He nodded in satisfaction and returned indoors to prepare.

First, he took out a jade bottle and filled it with Fate-Defying Spring water. Then, he removed an exquisite jade box from his Storage Soul Tool.

Inside the box was an Immortal Herb with pale golden petals layered like a blooming tulip.

Aromatic Silk Beauty.

In the original story, this Immortal Herb had evolved Ning Rongrong's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, breaking the limits of her martial soul. Its ability to "sublimate one's essence and purify one's bloodline" made it the ideal choice for lifting the Nine-Heart Begonia curse.

"I hope the Aromatic Silk Beauty, together with the Fate-Defying Spring water, can completely lift Sister Ye's curse."

Luo Can murmured softly. He carefully put away the jade box, spread his Golden Dragon Wings, and shot into the sky.

A few minutes later, Yaowang Town.

He concealed his aura and landed before the gates of Ye Mansion. When the guards saw him, they immediately bowed respectfully and stepped aside to clear the way.

Luo Can made his way through the courtyard with practiced ease and arrived at the rear garden.

From a distance, he saw Ye Qingyu reclining against a cushioned lounge chair in the pavilion. Her face was still pale, but she looked much better than when he had last seen her. Ye Lingling's tiny body was pressed against her side, her small hand tightly gripping her mother's.

When she saw Luo Can approach, light filled Ye Qingyu's eyes, and a gentle smile appeared on her pale face.

"Little Luo, you're back."

"Yes, I'm back."

Luo Can quickly walked to her side, crouched down, and carefully sensed her aura. Her Soul Power was stable, and although her life essence was depleted, it was far more settled than it had been half a month ago.

He sighed in relief and took out the jade box and jade bottle from his Storage Soul Tool.

"Sister Ye, I have not failed you. I found an Immortal Herb in Sunset Forest. Take it and see whether it can lift the curse."

Ye Lingling suddenly raised her head, tears of joy instantly welling up in her large eyes. Almost at the same time, hurried footsteps sounded. Ye Shengxin rushed over with several elders, clearly having heard Luo Can's words as well.

"Lord Luo..." Ye Shengxin's voice trembled as his aged eyes stared fixedly at the jade box. "You just said... lift the curse? Is that true?"

"I'm seventy percent confident," Luo Can said cautiously. "Even if it cannot completely eradicate it, it can at least extend Sister Ye's life by more than ten years."

"Ten years... ten years is enough." Ye Qingyu spoke softly, her eyes full of hope.

"Good, good!" Ye Shengxin nodded repeatedly and immediately instructed the servants, "Quickly, help the eldest miss back to the Quiet Room!"

Inside the Ye Mansion Quiet Room, the doors and windows were tightly shut. Only Luo Can, Ye Shengxin, and Ye Lingling remained within.

Ye Qingyu sat cross-legged on a meditation cushion, her face faintly flushed with excitement. Luo Can placed the jade box before her and gently opened its lid.

In an instant, pale golden light spilled from the box, and a rich fragrance filled the entire room. The scent refreshed the mind and spirit; merely breathing it in made one feel invigorated. Even Ye Qingyu's pale complexion became a little rosier.

"This is called Aromatic Silk Beauty." Luo Can's voice rang clearly through the Quiet Room. "It is a top-grade immortal treasure with the miraculous effect of cleansing the bloodline and evolving one's martial soul. Sister Ye, listen carefully—"

He looked at Ye Qingyu and instructed her word by word.

"When taking it, gently inhale the flower's stamen and slowly draw its essence into your body. Remember, do not chew it, and do not swallow the petals. Once the essence enters your body, immediately circulate your Soul Power and guide the medicinal energy through your body, allowing its effects to spread through every limb and bone. You must remain calm throughout the process. Do not become impatient in the slightest."

"I understand." Ye Qingyu nodded solemnly.

She took a deep breath, held up the jade box, leaned toward the Seven-Colored Flower, and gently inhaled—

From the stamen, a wisp of seven-colored radiance, like mist and smoke, flowed into her body with her breath.

Ye Qingyu's body trembled slightly. She immediately closed her eyes, focused her mind, and circulated her Soul Power.

The Quiet Room fell silent.

An hour passed before Ye Qingyu finally absorbed the Aromatic Silk Beauty's essence completely. The petals withered and shriveled at a visible rate, ultimately turning to ash and scattering away, leaving behind only a pure golden stem and jade-like leaves.

The refinement that followed was even more prolonged.

As the sun sank beyond the western mountains and dusk deepened, a sudden change occurred.

Bzzzz—

The Nine-Heart Begonia martial soul manifested on Ye Qingyu's body of its own accord, slowly spinning behind her. Yet unlike before, the begonia phantom's petals were now fuller and more vibrant, its pink radiance flowing like a living thing. There was no longer even a trace of decay.

An even more astonishing transformation took place within Ye Qingyu herself.

Her once-pale cheeks regained their rosy color at a visible rate. More than half of her graying hair began turning black again from the roots, while the weak and unstable Soul Power within her started surging wildly—

Rank 58, Rank 59, Rank 60!

The barrier of the Spirit Emperor shattered in response.

Ye Qingyu slowly opened her eyes.

Her formerly dim eyes were now clear and bright. She raised her hand, looked at her palm restored with color, then touched her black hair once more. Tears rolled down without warning.

"I... I really..."

More than forty years.

From the day her daughter was born, she had been waiting for death. The pain of losing Soul Power every month, the despair of watching her hair turn white day by day, the fear that her daughter would repeat her fate—at this moment, all of it vanished like smoke.

"It worked."

Luo Can smiled, his voice carrying relief.

"Sister Ye, the curse has been lifted. From now on, neither you nor Lingling's Nine-Heart Begonia martial souls will affect one another again."

Thud!

Ye Shengxin dropped stiffly to his knees before Luo Can.

The clan head who had governed the Ye Clan for decades now wept openly as he heavily kowtowed three times to Luo Can.

"Lord Luo saved Qingyu's life and lifted my Ye Clan's curse. The Ye Clan will never forget this grace, generation after generation!" He raised his head, his voice choked with emotion yet incomparably solemn. "From this day onward, all of the Ye Clan's businesses, connections, and intelligence network will be at Lord Luo's command! Through mountains of blades and seas of fire, the Ye Clan will not utter a single word of complaint!"

Luo Can hurriedly helped him up.

"Clan Head Ye, you overstate it. Sister Ye showed me kindness in the past; repaying her today is only right." He paused and looked at Ye Lingling, who had already cried herself into tears. "However, since the Ye Clan trusts me, I will not refuse."

He walked over to Ye Lingling, crouched down, and wiped the tears from the little girl's face.

"Lingling, you haven't obtained your first Spirit Ring yet, have you?"

Ye Lingling nodded through her sniffles. "Mm..."

"Then good." Luo Can spoke gently. "I am your master. From today onward, you will cultivate with me. In one month, have your mother take you to obtain your first Spirit Ring. How does that sound?"

Ye Lingling turned to look at her mother.

With tears in her eyes, Ye Qingyu nodded firmly.

Only then did the little girl turn back. She bowed respectfully to Luo Can, her childish voice incredibly earnest.

"Lingling... will listen to Master."

"Good child."

Luo Can patted her little head, stood up, and nodded to the Ye father and daughter.

"Then I'll take Lingling with me."

Amid the grateful gazes of the Ye Clan, Luo Can led Ye Lingling by the hand out of Ye Mansion.

He did not immediately return to the Fate-Defying Spring. Instead, he went to Luo's Herb Shop.