All curses have a medium. When Liu Xian originally cast the curse, she had used blood and soul as a sacrifice to the heavens — that was how the curse had been planted. By the same logic, breaking the curse also required a medium, and aside from that demon spawn of unknown fate, the most ideal and convenient medium was Liu Xian’s own bones.

The bone chime that Old Madam Bai wore as a ritual implement would serve as the medium for breaking this curse — nothing could be better.

Having already learned from the Bai Family the full circumstances of how this curse came to be, Lang Jiuchuan had no intention of lingering here any longer. She had said it plainly — whatever became of the Bai Family’s two elders was none of her concern. Yet even so, before departing, she still offered Old Madam Bai a word of kind warning.

“That demon spawn was taken away by that old Daoist back then, and it certainly was used to commit no small amount of evil, harming many people. As for you — those who directly participated in creating it — the karmic consequences you have accrued are inevitable. Liu Xian’s bone chime has been absorbing that karmic burden on your behalf, which is why you have remained unharmed until now. But to break the curse she planted, the bone chime must serve as the medium. Once the bone chime is purified through the rite, the karmic force it carries will be released along with the passage — and that karma will rebound upon you.” Lang Jiuchuan looked steadily at her and said, “At your age, you cannot withstand such a rebound. If I were you, I would find a peaceful way to die — that would be the sensible thing.”

Old Madam Bai went pale with fright, terror plain on her face. “You — you can’t —”

“I can, and I will not help you dissolve your sins,” Lang Jiuchuan said coldly. “If you want your sins dissolved, find someone else. Though if word of what you have done gets out, the Bai Family will be dragged completely into the mire — your actions will invite the contempt of the world. So then — a life of suffering is worse than a good death.”

She turned and left after saying this.

Old Madam Bai shrieked after her in a strangled voice.

Lang Jiuchuan paid it no heed. Jiangche leapt out and crouched on her shoulder, saying, “You call that good intentions? You’re just telling her to go die.”

“If she listens, she’ll thank me for my good intentions. If she refuses to accept it, then she’ll regret not heeding my advice.” Lang Jiuchuan said lightly. “But a person like her — selfish, greedy, utterly self-centered — will most likely not be willing to die peaceably. In that case, she will simply have to suffer through what Liu Xian suffered.”

When the curse was broken, it was equivalent to waging a contest of wills against Liu Xian. Since she had used blood and soul as a sacrifice, the balance of Heaven’s Way would naturally tip in her favor from the outset. Once the curse-breaking began, it would become a battle of power — Liu Xian’s will would generate towering resentment, and on top of that, there was the karmic rebound. What could a frail old bag of bones like her possibly endure?

Her intentions had truly been kind. It was simply a pity that some people were destined not to receive such kindness.

So be it. Good words are wasted on those destined to die.

Zuo Yan caught up with her and said, “Master, just now, you —”

He noticed something extra perched on Lang Jiuchuan’s shoulder — a fleshy little lump — and he couldn’t help but stare. What on earth was that? It was so ugly.

Jiangche caught that fleeting look of disdain and bared his teeth at him. Foolish human — what do you know?

Lang Jiuchuan said, “I’ll head back first to prepare a few things before going to the Duke’s manor. To break the curse, the mistress of the house must cooperate as well. Her body is too frail — if I don’t make proper preparations, I’m afraid it will be difficult to see this through safely.”

“I am grateful for your trouble, Master.” Zuo Yan bowed his hands in thanks, then hesitated a moment before asking again, “And those two elders — what will become of them?”

“Didn’t you hear what I just said? This bone chime is the medium — once the curse is broken, the resentful will inside it is certain to erupt. And whatever sins were committed, their consequences must be borne in full. The Bai Family should prepare for funerals.” Lang Jiuchuan gave him a sidelong glance. “So understand this — breaking this curse is equivalent to paying a life for a life. It’s equally acceptable not to break it.”

Zuo Yan was silent for a moment, then said, “Then may I request another master to come for their sake? Even if… it need not be so agonizing a death. After all, they are my wife’s maternal grandparents.”

Lang Jiuchuan smiled faintly. “If you’re not afraid of this matter spreading and ruining the Bai Family’s reputation — bringing shame and humiliation upon your wife — then that is entirely your choice.”

Zuo Yan bowed again, instructing an attendant to follow Lang Jiuchuan and see to her needs, while he himself hurried off to make arrangements.

Lang Jiuchuan boarded the Duke’s manor carriage and went directly to Tongtian Pavilion. There were certain materials her own shop lacked, but Tongtian Pavilion surely would not be short of them — she would go borrow a few things.

She gazed at the three-inch tendon that had turned a deep purple — thin as a hair yet remarkably tough — and said to Jiangche, “You have the breath of a tiger. See if your fire can burn through it.”

Jiangche let out a contemptuous snort. “A mere snake tendon — you think I can’t burn through that?”

He crouched down, gathered energy into his core, circulated the spiritual force throughout his body, opened his mouth and exhaled — a blazing hot gust of air surged forth.

And yet — it was just a somewhat warm breath. Nothing more.

Jiangche: “!”

He stared wide-eyed at Lang Jiuchuan with his large, round, golden tiger eyes, and said sulkily, “I’m still young — my fur isn’t even fully grown yet…”

His voice trailed off. He flopped down on the long-haired rug spread across the carriage floor and played dead.

He truly could not be blamed for this — he was telling the honest truth!

“Cultivation must not be neglected,” Lang Jiuchuan snorted, crossed her legs, formed hand seals with both hands, and channeled spiritual force to her fingertips. With a soft sound —

A small cluster of talisman fire appeared at her fingertips. She pressed it against the three-inch tendon. The bone chime let out a resonant hum and began to vibrate. Yin energy surged from the chime and in an instant spread throughout the interior of the carriage.

Cold. Intensely cold. A bone-piercing chill.

A layer of frost actually formed on the walls of the carriage.

Lang Jiuchuan withdrew her posture and looked at the perfectly intact three-inch tendon, her eyes gleaming. “What an extraordinary tendon,” she said.

Jiangche scrambled upright in an instant. “What are you planning?”

“The tendons in my hands and feet — they can be restored.” Lang Jiuchuan flicked the three-inch tendon and said, “This tendon is sufficiently resilient, and its spiritual energy is outstanding. It is the most vital tendon running along Liu Xian’s spinal column — aside from her inner core’s seven-inch center, this one contains the greatest concentration of spiritual force.”

“You must be out of your mind. This Liu Xian may politely be called a snake immortal — she was called a ‘household guardian immortal’ and received incense offerings from people, hence the title — but at her core, she was nothing more than a python demon.” Jiangche said. “If you use her tendon, are you trying to turn yourself into some kind of human-demon hybrid?”

“I’ve already used a dog’s eyes — what’s one snake tendon?” Lang Jiuchuan said evenly. “Besides, she was no ordinary python. She was a household guardian immortal who cultivated for many years and was venerated by people, carrying within her the power of their prayers and wishes. In truth, had she not lost her mind, she could have continued cultivating on the strength of those offerings, dissolved her contract with the Bai Family, and moved into a shrine to receive proper worship. She could have become a guardian deity — wouldn’t that be far better than becoming a flood dragon or taking human form?”

“Pity that her head was filled with sweet poison by that Bai surnamed person.” Jiangche said with disdain. “She had a perfectly good life as a household guardian immortal, yet she lost her mind and became infatuated with another woman’s husband — even wanting to share a husband between them. That kind of thinking is utterly baffling. Incomprehensible.”

Lang Jiuchuan said, “The path of cultivation is terribly long. Sometimes, when loneliness sets in, a longing for the mortal world takes root. I suspect that when the Bai Family’s two elders were young, they were deeply devoted to each other and must have made others envious — that was likely what made Liu Xian feel yearning, and she acted on a whim. It’s just that while she yearned for the warmth of the mortal world, she never anticipated the wickedness of human nature.”

Jiangche fell silent and shifted away from this heavy topic. “That old demoness went unharmed all these years — was it also because of this bone chime?”

“Indeed. Liu Xian’s bones carry spiritual force in their own right — they truly are a fine ritual implement. Without them, she would have been done in by karma long ago.” Lang Jiuchuan toyed with the bone chime and said, “I need to think of a good way to see if it can be preserved…”

Bang.

The carriage suddenly struck something, producing a tremendous impact.