70: Nine Netherworld Heart-Devouring Curse

When Shen Jianxing and his entourage entered the temple, Lin Chuping had just finished Cultivating and finally had time to properly observe this noble and sickly Young Master from the Wanbao Merchant Guild.

Three days ago, he had only caught a glimpse, then hurried back to purchase a Cultivation Technique, so he hadn't paid much attention.

Shen Jianxing was emaciated, his face ashen, and his steps unsteady. Even with a maidservant supporting him, every step he took seemed extremely arduous, as if a gust of wind could blow him over.

“Tsk tsk!”

“He’s a bit weak, but he has pure golden Luck! A good person indeed!”

“Interesting.”

With a thought, he secretly released a wisp of Divine Power, gently brushing it over Shen Jianxing’s body.

As soon as the Divine Power touched Shen Jianxing, Lin Chuping “saw” an even more astonishing sight—within this frail body, specks of black Qi, like a spiderweb, entangled every Meridian. Yet, beneath this black web, tiny golden lights stubbornly flickered, like fireflies in the dark night.

Lin Chuping didn’t recognize these black things, but he was sure they weren't good.

He didn’t recognize them, but the System certainly did.

As Lin Chuping spent more and more Incense Points in the System Mall, his System's basic detection and dialogue functions became fully operational.

“Tong Ge, what are these black things?”

“Detecting...”

The System’s mechanical voice rang in Lin Chuping’s mind, “High-level curse detected in target: Nine Nether Heart-Eating Curse.”

“A curse?”

It wasn’t poisoning or Gu, or something similar?

How come he remembered Shen Jianhong saying last time that his third brother had been afflicted by Corpse Demon poison?

There was something going on here!

Lin Chuping frowned, pressing in his Divine Sense, “What exactly is its origin?”

“Nine Nether Heart-Eating Curse: A malevolent curse originating from the Netherworld, which gradually devours the Host’s vitality and Luck.”

The System explained in detail.

“The afflicted typically do not live beyond five years. The curse has been present in the target for three years and eleven months. Estimated remaining lifespan: thirteen months.”

“Tong Ge, can this curse be broken?”

Lin Chuping’s voice became serious.

“RetrievingSolution...”

The System paused for a moment.

“Solution One: Consume a “Curse Breaking Pill”, which can instantly break the Nine Nether Heart-Eating Curse.”

“Solution Two: Slay the curser, cutting off the source of the curse.”

“Solution Three: The Host can cast the divine art “Divine Grace Purification” to forcibly break it.”

Lin Chuping narrowed his eyes: “Who is the curser?”

“Tracing curse origin... Unable to lock on.”

The System flickered a few times, then fell silent.

Lin Chuping was helpless regarding the System’s suggestions.

The items available in the mall were bizarre and diverse, ranging from Cultivation Techniques to weapons and tools, with an incredibly rich variety.

To get a Curse Breaking Pill and the Divine Grace Purification divine art was simply a distant dream, though it was still a viable path.

The method of killing the curser was Lin Chuping's favorite.

But!

According to previous information, Shen Jianxing's health began to decline after a fierce battle with a Corpse Demon, and at that time, the Corpse Demon had already been killed!

Moreover, for three years, the Shen Family had been treating it as poisoning.

If the medicine wasn't right for the ailment, it would be strange if it could be cured.

Things were starting to get interesting.

“System, are you sure it’s a curse? Not sequelae from Corpse Demon poison?”

Lin Chuping reconfirmed in his Divine Sense.

“Confirmed: Nine Nether Heart-Eating Curse characteristics are obvious.”

The System’s mechanical voice was devoid of emotion, “Unrelated to Corpse Demon.”

Lin Chuping frowned deeply, gazing at the sickly young man below. Shen Jianxing was kneeling with difficulty before the divine statue, his slender back held ramrod straight.

In the Divine Vision, the black Qi, like living things, coiled around Shen Jianxing’s heart Meridians, occasionally wriggling, making one’s scalp tingle.

Such a talented and graceful young man, even a deity couldn't help but favor him a little.

“Forget it, for the sake of his golden Luck.”

“Let’s save his life first.”

If this person had even a speck of blackness about him, Lin Chuping would have let him die, but who told him to have golden Luck!

Thinking of this, Lin Chuping no longer hesitated. He secretly manipulated the divine statue to shoot out a golden light, which went straight into Shen Jianxing’s glabella.

This golden light contained thirty points of Divine Power. Upon entering Shen Jianxing’s body, it transformed into countless tiny golden needles, precisely piercing the areas where the black Qi was most concentrated.

It was fortunate that he had already begun to Cultivate, otherwise he wouldn’t have been able to output such a large amount of Divine Power.

***

The moment the golden light entered his body, Shen Jianxing felt a warm current surge from his glabella, flowing like a spring breeze and nourishing rain to all his limbs and bones.

The cold, aching pain that had clung to him for years like a bone-deep ulcer actually lessened somewhat under the wash of this warm current.

But this comfort was fleeting.

The next moment, a heart-wrenchwrenching pain suddenly erupted in his chest, as if countless red-hot steel needles were pricking his heart. The black Qi, which usually only caused a dull ache, now twisted wildly like a living thing, fiercely resisting the invading golden light.

“Ugh!”

Shen Jianxing let out a muffled groan, his forehead instantly covered in cold sweat.

He bit his lower lip tightly, forcing back the cry of pain. Years of being bedridden had long taught him to endure illness.

Lin Chuping saw it clearly from above the divine statue.

In his Divine Vision, the black Qi around Shen Jianxing’s heart Meridians was coalescing into a ferocious ghostly face, baring its fangs and tearing at the golden light.

Even more terrifying, the ghostly face seemed to possess intelligence, resisting while also casting a malevolent gaze at him.

“Holy crap! This curse has become sentient?”

Lin Chuping exclaimed in his Divine Sense, almost reflexively summoning lightning to destroy it.

What kind of ghost dared to challenge him!

You're getting too bold!

In a fit of pique, Lin Chuping added another thirty points of Divine Power.

This time, the golden light transformed into chains, firmly binding the ghostly face.

The ghostly face struggled a few times, then finally, unwillingly, dispersed back into black Qi, but it was noticeably much thinner than before.

Shen Jianxing let out a long breath, a rare hint of color appearing on his pale face.

He looked up at the divine statue in surprise, his eyes filled with disbelief.

“Thank you... Lord Chuping...”

“Disciple thanks Lord Chuping.”

Shen Jianxing’s voice trembled, and he prostrated himself deeply, hands on the ground.

The “strange illness” that had baffled renowned doctors for three years now had a turning point in this desolate village temple.

Although he knew the other party couldn't see him, Lin Chuping still nodded. As if he had thought of something, he emerged from the divine statue, extended a finger to Shen Jianxing's forehead, and transmitted information about the curse.

Of course, he omitted things like Divine Grace Purification.

Having done all this, Lin Chuping returned to the divine statue to Cultivate.

He had just tried it and found that he could directly absorb the Divine Power stored in the System for his own Cultivation.

And the speed of this Cultivation was significantly faster than his own arduous Cultivation.

Then let's set a small goal!

First, use up all the Divine Power stored in the System.

***

Outside the temple, the sun was shining brightly.

Shen Jianxing stood on the stone steps, raising a hand to shield his eyes.

He hadn't seen such bright sunlight in so long that it felt somewhat dazzling.

He looked down at his own palms—beneath his perpetually pale skin, faint blue veins were vaguely visible, but what caught his attention more was that his fingertips no longer had the slight purplish tint they used to.

“Young Master, you look much better!”

Xiaotao, holding a medicine pouch, approached him excitedly, “Did Lord Chuping really manifest his power?”

Shen Jianxing did not answer immediately.

He gently pressed his chest, where the lingering soreness after the intense pain remained, but the coldness that had plagued him for over three years had largely dissipated.

Even more miraculously, a clear piece of information had appeared in his mind: Nine Nether Heart-Eating Curse, a malevolent curse from the Netherworld, the afflicted do not live beyond five years...