NOVEL WEB Chapter 16: The Path of Curses
Chapter 16: The Path of Curses
Lin Yao paid no heed to Xiao Qing’s threat.
He casually stepped around Green Edge and sat on the doorstep, resting his chin in his hand as he gazed ahead.
Seeing this, Xiao Qing sheathed her sword and stood quietly beside him.
A long silence passed.
Finally, Lin Yao spoke softly.
“How many floors does Leifeng Pagoda have?”
“Nine.”
“Have you ever made it through?”
“Last time, I nearly died on the sixth.”
Lin Yao gave a noncommittal hum, still maintaining his posture.
Xiao Qing didn’t disturb him. The two remained like this for who knew how long—until Lin Yao’s stomach growled.
“I’m a little hungry. Is there any food here?”
He stood up, only to be immediately pressed against the door by a slender figure.
Xiao Qing glared at him coldly, Green Edge flashing out and piercing Lin Yao’s shoulder.
Thud.
The blade pinned him to the wood.
“Right now, there’s no way. If even you can only reach the sixth floor, what hope do we have with just the Black Mountain Demon and Xiao Qian? Even if we pass the sixth, what about the remaining three?”
Lin Yao sighed helplessly. This place was unlike anywhere else.
If they couldn’t find another way out, they’d have to fight through all nine floors—and even then, escape wasn’t guaranteed.
Xiao Qing slowly released him.
“When did your leg heal?”
“After absorbing Nie Xiaoqian’s curse.”
Green Edge slid back into its sheath. Xiao Qing glanced at Lin Yao’s shoulder.
“…Sorry. I acted rashly.”
“You want revenge for Lady Bai. I just want to keep living.”
Xiao Qing nodded, then seemed to remember something.
“Earlier, that scholar had a wandering Taoist with him. I’ll go back later and bring the books he left behind. They might help your cultivation.”
As she spoke, she took Lin Yao’s wrist, channeling a thread of demonic energy into his body. It traveled upward, pausing only when it reached his heart.
“…What a ruthless curse.”
Lin Yao’s mind stirred. “Can you break it?”
Contrary to his hopes, Xiao Qing shook her head.
“It’s too powerful. As long as you don’t trigger the caster’s mark, it won’t activate.”
Hearing this, Lin Yao recalled the moment the curse had flared in the wedding hall.
“Zhi Nü demanded the marriage contract to prevent the ceremony from completing. Once the rites were done, the curse fell silent. Seems she had a backup plan.”
Stretching lazily, Lin Yao found he could finally relax a little here.
“Wait here. I’ll get you something to eat.”
Xiao Qing’s departing footsteps paused.
“If the Black Mountain Demon bothers you again, tell me.”
“She still has her uses.”
Xiao Qing gave a slight nod before leaving.
Lin Yao leaned against a nearby pillar, looking up at the sky.
A murky gray mist obscured the heavens.
That was the second floor of Leifeng Pagoda.
“Nine floors, huh…?”
He murmured softly. In this world, strength was the only currency that bought survival.
Lin Yao raised his hand, revealing a dark purple sigil on his palm—the curse he’d absorbed from Nie Xiaoqian. Faintly, he could still sense its connection to the Black Mountain Demon.
He hadn’t taken all of the curse from Xiaoqian.
Now wasn’t the time to openly oppose the demon.
Besides, Nie Xiaoqian’s allegiances were unclear. Freeing her completely wasn’t in Lin Yao’s interest yet.
“The curse inside me seems to be strengthening this one…?”
The Black Mountain Demon’s control over the sigil had vanished entirely. Lin Yao could tell that with just a thought, he could now decide Nie Xiaoqian’s life or death.
His hand pressed against his chest.
“Did Zhi Nü see my constitution from the start?”
Lin Yao sighed. That woman was far too troublesome. His understanding of her was limited to their recent exchanges.
As for saving her—well, Lin Yao had mostly done it to escape her control temporarily.
[Translator: sauron05]
Judging by the Rulai Bodhisattva’s reaction, he was still important to their plans.
“The Path of Curses… a miscellaneous art among the Three Teachings and Nine Schools?”
Fragments of books he’d read in his past life flickered through his mind.
“Given the current situation, conventional cultivation won’t be enough.”
His decision was already made. The only thing that worried him was this:
Zhi Nü, Xiao Qing, and Rulai had all mentioned that the gods and buddhas of this world had withdrawn.
If he couldn’t summon them when the time came, things would get complicated.
“Forget it. I’ll ask Xiao Qing when she returns.”
Lin Yao rubbed his stomach. For some reason, ever since his leg healed, he’d been plagued by intense hunger.
Before long, Xiao Qing returned with food and a few books.
“These were left by that Taoist. Take a look.”
Lin Yao devoured the meal like a whirlwind, leaving Xiao Qing staring in disbelief.
“Is he really not a shapeshifted demon?”
In her memory, only half-transformed beasts ate like this.
“…Do you want me to get more?”
The food in the pagoda came from the corpses of birds and beasts left behind after Rulai’s massacre. When supplies ran low, they were simply regenerated in the blood pool—there was no shortage.
Lin Yao waved her off, his eyes fixed on the books.
Immortal’s Hand Upon the Crown was emblazoned across the cover.
“‘Binding hair to receive immortality’?”
He smirked, picking it up.
To his surprise, the contents aligned perfectly with his own thoughts.
Lin Yao read carefully, Xiao Qing peering curiously over his shoulder.
She’d never bothered with these books after the Taoist’s death. Today, she’d only found them after tying up that scholar.
The thought made her steal another glance at Lin Yao.
“…I don’t even know his name.”
“What’s your name?”
“Lin Yao.”
He answered absentmindedly, still focused on the text.
After a long while, he closed the book.
It detailed numerous methods of invoking deities. He’d need time to find the most suitable one—his body’s limits were still a concern.
More pressing was the question of whether any immortals even remained in this world.
“Xiao Qing.”
He turned his head—only to find her delicate face inches from his.
Her dark hair was tucked behind one ear.
Their breaths mingled in the narrow space between them.
Xiao Qing’s ears reddened slightly as she straightened up.
Lin Yao coughed awkwardly but pressed on.
“You mentioned the gods and buddhas withdrawing. What exactly happened?”
Xiao Qing steadied her suddenly erratic breathing before answering.
“‘Gods’ and ‘immortals’ are two different things. True gods are primordial beings born at the dawn of creation. Mortals who ascend through cultivation become immortals or buddhas. About a century ago, the spiritual energy of this world became tainted. Whether cultivators or demons like us, absorbing it gradually corrupts us into… things. Without mortal worship, the gods and buddhas vanished overnight.”
Lin Yao listened, forming his own conclusions.
So the deities of this world haven’t disappeared. They’ve likely sealed themselves in the celestial realms, cutting ties with the mortal plane due to the lack of faith.
If so, there was still room to maneuver.
“Xiao Qing, does the flesh regenerated by the blood pool grow stronger each time?”
Lin Yao flexed his restored leg—somehow, it felt sturdier than before.
“No.”
Frowning at her answer, Lin Yao made an unexpected request.
“Later, tie me up and whip me.”
(End of Chapter)