Chapter 88: The Source
Mu Lichuan walked forward without glancing sideways, as if completely uninterested in his surroundings. Yet, inwardly, he was keenly aware—the layout of this place was excellent, auspicious for descendants.
They claim not to believe in feng shui, yet when choosing a villa, they still prioritize favorable orientation.
"Student Mu, my husband and son… they don’t have ill intentions, they just have different views. I apologize on their behalf." Su Xiaoran knew her words wouldn’t undo the harm already done, but she believed Mu Lichuan wasn’t the type to hold grudges.
Mu Lichuan nodded in understanding. "Auntie, I get it. I just hope I won’t be disturbed during the treatment." His tone was calm, yet carried a subtle sharpness.
Since leaving the Mu family, he had acted freely, never betraying his true nature. This was crucial for his cultivation, it prevented the formation of inner demons.
[An inner demon (心魔, xīnmó) in cultivation refers to a cultivator’s psychological or spiritual obstacle—such as trauma, guilt, or desires—that manifests during meditation or breakthroughs, risking qi deviation or failed ascension if not overcome through enlightenment or mental fortitude]
The path of cultivation was fraught with challenges. If one retreated at every obstacle, inner demons would take root, becoming a fatal threat during tribulation.
"Yes!" Su Xiaoran tensed. She knew that when a master performed rituals, any disturbance could lead to failure or even backlash.
As soon as Mu Lichuan entered Shao Xiaoya’s room, he sensed a faint, almost imperceptible trace of yin energy. Without his soul power, he wouldn’t have noticed it at all.
The perpetrator's cunning was evident. They had exploited the girl’s weak constitution to place a "curse" on her. Most practitioners, unless highly skilled, wouldn’t detect anything amiss.
At first, he had only sensed a vague yin energy around Shao Xiaoya, assuming it was residue from elsewhere. But upon seeing her physical condition and observing her a second time, he realized—the yin energy was emanating from her heart. It was subtle, yet gradually eroding her health, slowly leading her toward death.
The perpetrator’s methods were meticulous. If Shao Xiaoya had died suddenly, suspicions would have been raised, making it harder for the curse-caster to escape blame.
Shao Xiaoya’s room reflected her personality, everything was bathed in pink. The girl lay on the bed, her labored breaths coming in shallow gasps as if fighting an invisible foe in her unconscious state.
"Student Mu…" Su Xiaoran hesitated, seeing the young man standing motionless by the bed.
Mu Lichuan frowned. "The curse is rooted in her heart. If the yin energy is disturbed, the caster will sense it, and then—" He left the rest unsaid, but the implication was clear: Shao Xiaoya’s life would be at risk.
Su Xiaoran paled. Her goal was to save her daughter, not endanger her further.
"We must first locate the caster before breaking the curse." Mu Lichuan turned, his gaze steady as he looked at Su Xiaoran.
Finding the caster wouldn’t be easy, but such curses required proximity, meaning it was likely a relative or neighbor.
"Student Mu, whatever you need, just name it. I’ll provide everything." Su Xiaoran swayed slightly, but she trusted the young man had a solution.
Mu Lichuan nodded. "Has your family offended anyone? Or rather—have you?" In his judgment, the caster was likely a woman. Only a woman’s meticulousness could produce such a method.
Seeing the middle-aged woman’s confusion, he rephrased: "When did Shao Xiaoya first fall ill? Who had contact with her around that time?"
"You’re saying… the one who cursed Xiaoya is someone I know?" Su Xiaoran fell into thought. Her daughter had been healthy as a child, though somewhat frail. But at age three, she collapsed while running. Doctors later diagnosed a deteriorating heart condition, warning against strenuous activity.
"Exactly. The one who cursed her likely holds a grudge against you. I’m no deity, I can’t trace the past directly. To find them, we’ll need some tricks." He didn’t mention that the curse required Shao Xiaoya’s hair or personal belongings to take effect.
Su Xiaoran led him to the guest hall. Shao Yu and his father dared not interfere, not after the mention of suicide. There was no room for regrets if things went wrong.
"Many women envied me… but at that time, I was in poor health, mostly resting at home. Except… no, impossible." Su Xiaoran dismissed the thought outright.
Mu Lichuan remained silent. In his experience, the most unassuming people often hid the darkest hearts. Some raised vengeful spirits—not for love, but for wealth and status. Judging a person by their outward behavior was unreliable.
"Auntie, nothing is absolute. If you have any object belonging to that person, let me examine it." He broke the long silence.
It was nearing evening, and he still intended to return for dinner with his great-grandfather. Family mattered most, everything else could wait.
Su Xiaoran’s expression darkened. She removed a jade pendant from her neck. "This… a protective talisman she gave me, obtained from abroad."
She believed in the supernatural, though her husband and son didn’t. She had treasured this gift from her sister.
The moment Mu Lichuan touched the pendant, he sensed the yin energy sealed within. A barrier concealed it—only direct contact revealed its nature. "Auntie, I’ll need to test this. The pendant may be damaged."
"Go ahead." Even emotionally reluctant, Su Xiaoran wasn’t foolish. The clues were adding up.
The once-lustrous imperial jade darkened in his grasp, its emerald depths now showed faint black veins in his hands—irrefutable evidence of something sinister within.
Mu Lichuan didn’t explain further. Though unfamiliar with formations, he could still use qi to trace connections. He produced a talisman—"Go."
The yellow paper shot forward like an arrow, startling Shao Yiyun and his son.
Mu Lichuan barely glanced at them before closing his eyes, his consciousness following the talisman’s path…
"Dad… Mu Lichuan isn’t a fraud." Shao Yu had seen charlatan "masters" before—all theatrics, no substance.
"Wait and see." Shao Yiyun was equally stunned. A piece of paper flying on its own defied logic, no one would believe it.
Time passed. Beads of sweat formed on Mu Lichuan’s forehead, his face paling. Finally, he opened his eyes, voice hoarse: "The pendant and the curse share the same source."
"To To break the curse, you must bring the caster here. Only then can we subdue the culprit without triggering any warning." He hadn’t expected the tracking to drain so much of his qi.
Using soul power to purge the yin energy from Shao Xiaoya’s heart would only trigger a backlash, killing her. That was why he had expended such effort.
Su Xiaoran swayed, her face ashen. "She—?"
"Auntie, your health isn’t in immediate danger, but prolonged exposure to yin energy will shorten your lifespan." He had said what was necessary, the rest wasn’t his concern.
Su Xiaoran steadied herself. "Thank you, Student Mu. It’s dinnertime, please stay as our guest."
He declined. "I have other matters. Notify me once you’ve invited that person over." Better to prepare for the worst.
Shao Yiyun, a soldier, had overheard enough. Stubborn as he was, his daughter’s health came first. Now he understood why his sister-in-law had done this.
"Student Mu, we were blind before. We apologize sincerely!" Shao Yiyun bowed deeply.
The deep bow from a hardened soldier like Shao Yiyun carried immeasurable weight.
"Mu Lichuan, I’m sorry!" Shao Yu added earnestly. He had been a fool to trust his aunt blindly.
Mu Lichuan shook his head. "My abilities don’t require validation. As I said, it’s simply fate with Shao Xiaoya." His tone was detached.
"Your aura carries too much killing intent. Do more good deeds, lest vengeful spirits haunt you. Kindness begets kindness, malice begets retribution." With that, he left.
Truthfully, Mu Lichuan wasn’t one for theatrics, but after how they’d treated him, a little payback was fair. His temper wasn’t that forgiving either.
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