Curse

After the assessment, Jiang Feng returned to the main hall of the Medicine Hall alongside Xie Shu.

The two chatted and laughed all the way, their relationship seemingly having grown closer than before.

"Jiang Feng, you little rascal, you even managed to fool me. You aren't at the seventh level of the Blood-Moving Realm at all, are you? You're at the eighth, right?"

As a genuine Skin-Refining Realm martial artist, Xie Shu's eye for talent was sharp; the moment Jiang Feng made his move, he had already caught a glimpse of the truth.

Jiang Feng scratched his head, a shy smile on his face.

"Manager Xie, I truly didn't mean to hide it. I only just broke through, and my foundation wasn't stable yet. I was afraid of being laughed at if I spoke too soon."

Xie Shu stroked his beard and laughed heartily. He admired such humble and grounded young men most of all.

"Knowing how to be humble is a good thing, but when it's time to show your edge, you must let it shine. Only by letting others see your capabilities can you fight for more resources and a greater say for yourself."

"Thank you for the guidance, Manager. I'll keep that in mind."

Under Xie Shu's lead, Jiang Feng walked into an elegant tea room.

Xie Shu personally poured a cup of tea and handed it to him, smiling.

"Come, have a taste. This is tea brewed with thirty-year-old blood ginseng, which has the effect of nourishing the blood and boosting qi. You just finished your assessment, so drinking it now will have the best effect."

Jiang Feng felt somewhat flattered as he took the teacup, hurriedly offering his thanks.

He never expected that Xie Shu would bring him into this tea room, which was reserved for entertaining honored guests, and even pour tea for him personally.

This treatment was a world of difference compared to before he had left the Medicine Hall.

He understood in his heart that while this was certainly due to his own improved strength, it was likely also influenced by the favor of Song Huai.

The clear tea soup swayed gently in the white porcelain cup, releasing a refreshing fragrance of ginseng.

Jiang Feng gently blew away the steam at the rim of the cup and took a cautious sip.

The moment the tea entered his mouth, a warm current began to circulate slowly through his limbs and bones. His eyes brightened slightly, and he praised it sincerely:

"Good tea, truly good tea. Just from this one sip, I feel the blood and qi in my body have grown a bit richer."

Xie Shu smiled, raised his own cup for a light sip, and spoke with the sentiment of someone who had seen it all.

"For a Blood-Moving Realm martial apprentice like you, this Blood Ginseng Tea might still have some nourishing benefits. But at my age and cultivation level, drinking it is just for the taste."

He finished the tea in his cup, set it down, and looked at Jiang Feng with a serious expression.

"Starting tomorrow, you are a guard of the Medicine Hall.

Just go directly to the Guard Hall and report to Tie Rong.

You've already seen Tie Rong; he's that big fellow who was sitting next to me on the viewing platform today."

The image of that tall, sturdy figure immediately surfaced in Jiang Feng's mind, and along with it, the image of Xue Zhao standing beside Tie Rong.

He hesitated slightly and asked tentatively:

"Manager Xie, is that Tie Rong... and Xue Zhao's relationship quite close?"

Xie Shu recalled for a moment and shook his head.

"That man Tie Rong, he isn't close to anyone. He only values one thing—money.

As long as you can produce enough silver, he might even sell his life for you; but if you have no money, he is a very difficult person to get along with.

It's best you don't go empty-handed tomorrow, otherwise, the process might not go very smoothly."

Jiang Feng nodded in realization, his heart secretly relaxing.

What he feared most was that Tie Rong and Xue Zhao were in cahoots. If that were the case, entering the Guard Hall would be no different than escaping a wolf's den only to jump straight into a tiger's lair.

Just then, as if suddenly remembering something, Jiang Feng took the opportunity to ask:

"Manager Xie, now that I am a guard, does that mean I can practice new techniques?"

Xie Shu nodded, set down his teacup, and spoke with a tone that suggested it was a matter of course.

"That goes without saying. First-grade lower-tier techniques like the Iron Stake Technique only serve to screen whether an apprentice has the aptitude for martial arts; their contribution to improving one's actual strength is truly limited.

Once you enter the Guard Hall tomorrow, you can practice the Medicine Hall's internal technique, the Rock Strength, which is a first-grade upper-tier technique.

With your talent, it should only be a matter of time before you use this technique to reach the Skin-Refining Realm."

Jiang Feng couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation.

Although he still didn't know the grade of the Exquisite Breathing Method he was practicing, the thought of getting his hands on a new technique made him genuinely happy.

At the same time, he remembered the strange changes in his own body. After some deliberation, he asked tentatively:

"Manager Xie, when I was at the station earlier, I discovered something related to an evil spirit."

Upon hearing the words "evil spirit," Xie Shu's expression turned solemn instantly, his tone deepening.

"What is it?"

"I saw a very strange, pitch-black pattern on someone else. The pattern spread across his body like blood vessels, as if it were trying to burrow into his heart... Do you know what this is?"

Xie Shu's brows locked together. He remained silent for a long time, his frown deepening, his gaze occasionally sweeping over Jiang Feng.

Jiang Feng felt cold sweat break out on his back under that stare, almost thinking he had said the wrong thing and aroused the other's suspicion.

Just as he was about to force a change of subject, Xie Shu spoke:

"The situation you described sounds very much like the Curse of the Evil Spirit."

"The Curse of the Evil Spirit?" This was the first time Jiang Feng had heard the name.

"That's right. It is also called the Evil Spirit Mark.

It is usually the final desperate strike of an evil spirit before it dies, parasitizing the human body. It not only suppresses the growth of blood and qi but also feeds on that blood and qi to strengthen itself. If it is not dealt with early, once the mark invades the heart meridian, that person's time is up."

As Xie Shu spoke, a trace of doubt surfaced in his eyes.

"However, according to your previous description, you should have only encountered an ordinary Chang Ghost; it shouldn't have had the ability to leave such a mark.

This matter is a bit suspicious. Jiang Feng, who was that person? Are they still alive? Such an unstable threat must be dealt with as soon as possible."

Jiang Feng felt his entire body go numb. How could he dare to admit that the person was himself? He immediately shook his head.

"Don't worry, Manager Xie, that person is already dead. I was just curious, which is why I asked."

Xie Shu nodded in approval, his expression softening slightly.

"Since they are dead, then it is fine. Otherwise, if they were allowed to wander elsewhere, it would likely have caused a great disaster."

Jiang Feng kept his composure, pretending to be merely curious, and pressed on: "Is it really that dangerous? If one is struck by this mark, is there truly no possibility of a cure?"

Xie Shu smiled bitterly and nodded, sighing.

"There are methods, but each one is as difficult as ascending to heaven.

The first is to kill the main body of the evil spirit that planted the mark.

Once the main body dies, the mark becomes like duckweed without roots and will naturally dissipate.

The second is to use medicinal pills or special spiritual plants to forcibly raise one's cultivation. When one's own realm is far above that of the evil spirit's main body, the mark will likewise lose its effect."

Having said this, he paused and sighed again, his tone filled with helplessness.

"Those are the only two methods I know of.

But for ordinary martial artists, neither path is easy to walk.

Therefore, to prevent trouble before it happens, dealing with the person afflicted by the mark directly is the safest method."