The instant the other side recited the curse, Daoist Qingshan before me also spoke the final command to undo the Heart-Locking Curse:
"Evil cannot overpower righteousness; the curse shall dissolve on its own. By command, release!"
Daoist Qingshan and the Red Protector spoke their commands almost simultaneously.
And both commands targeted me.
One directly triggered the Heart-Locking Curse, intending to kill me.
The other dispelled the Heart-Locking Curse, keeping me safe.
In that very instant, I felt two forces erupt within my body.
One surged from within outward, while the other pressed from outside inward.
The two forces collided directly in front of my heart.
The curse markings of the Heart-Locking Curse instantly glowed bright red.
The talisman pasted to my chest dissolved, releasing a powerful curse-breaking force.
"Ah..."
I instinctively cried out in agony.
Energy shook violently across my chest, and it felt as though my heart was about to be blown through.
I could barely remain standing. The force had struck right in front of my heart; even with my cultivation, there was nothing I could do.
Uncle Yu held me firmly.
"Xiao Jiang, Xiao Jiang..."
Uncle Yu had barely called out twice when I felt a hot current rush into my mouth and nose. With a splutter, I spat out blood again.
"Xiao Jiang!"
"Brother Jiang!"
"Jiang Ning..."
Zhang Yuchen and the others, who were holding back the evil spirits and ghost soldiers on the perimeter, turned pale with horror when they saw me coughing blood.
Uncle Yu supported me and kept calling out.
"Xiao Jiang, Xiao Jiang..."
Daoist Qingshan immediately stepped forward to examine me as well.
At that moment, my chest was in excruciating pain, as though it had been torn apart. It was probably internal damage; my organs had been injured...
Yet the ghost-face