Chapter 109 – Breaking the Spell

To break a malevolent curse, one must first fend off the attacks of the malevolent ghosts and then destroy the formation’s core to dispel the curse and scatter the vengeful spirits. After working with Xiao Qi for so many years, they didn’t need instructions to know their respective roles. However, he had already heard the sound of the core being destroyed, so why was there no noise in the corridor? How could dealing with malevolent ghosts not produce the Heaven-Breaking Sound? And if they couldn’t stop the ghosts, how could they have successfully destroyed the core?

Cold sweat broke out as Zeng Jingxuan realized he had fallen into the enemy’s trap. The curse set up in the garden was just a decoy. The real killing move had been lurking nearby all along, and Xiao Qi was likely in grave danger!

Before his words could even land, Wei Yang had already dashed out the door. Zeng Jingxuan’s heart sank, but before he could stop him, the three incense sticks on the windowsill suddenly dimmed simultaneously. His expression changed drastically, and with a wave of his hand, he slapped another Yellow Talisman onto the window frame. The core had been destroyed, yet the curse formation hadn’t been completely broken. Could this be a linked curse? If so, regardless of whether the enemy downstairs was a decoy, he couldn’t afford to leave now. If he took even one step back, the malevolent spirits in the corridor would grow stronger. By then, not only would the three of them be in danger, but everyone in the entire building might lose their lives!

Without hesitation, he smashed the nearby Feng Shui Compass, took the magnetic needle inside, and wiped it against his fingertip. Blood immediately stained the needle’s tip. When the needle turned crimson, he waved his hand, transforming the needle into an arrow and shooting it toward the direction where the core had just been destroyed!

Wei Yang rushed out of the room, his heart pounding so violently it felt like it might burst out of his chest. No one understood better than him what Master Zeng’s words meant—Brother Qi was in danger! Almost unconsciously, he charged out, but the moment he stepped into the corridor, his footsteps faltered.

The hospital had a rule that the main corridor lights would be turned off at 10 PM every night, leaving only a few side lights for navigation. It was already past midnight, so the corridor should have been dimly lit. But at that moment, all the lights were out, replaced by a ghostly green glow that flickered like will-o’-the-wisps, dancing and swaying in the empty hallway. In the eerie light, something at the end of the corridor flashed intermittently, emitting a faint yellow glow, eerily tempting anyone to approach.

The scene was enough to make anyone with weak nerves hesitate, but Wei Yang only paused for a moment before continuing forward. His gaze didn’t linger on the ghostly lights; he focused solely on moving ahead, searching for the Little Celestial Master.

But he found nothing. There were no demons or ghosts in the corridor, nor any sign of Brother Qi. His steps grew more hurried, but the long hallway seemed endless, and the flickering lights remained unchanged, coldly flickering hundreds of meters away. Wei Yang suddenly understood and abruptly stopped.

A ghost wall! Even without much knowledge, he could guess what he was facing. He also remembered what Brother Qi had said about breaking it: a ghost wall was essentially a visual obstruction caused by a vortex of yin energy. In such a situation, turning 90 degrees to the right and continuing would lead to the correct path.

But this was a hospital corridor—turning 90 degrees to the right would mean walking into a wall! Wei Yang hesitated for a moment, then abruptly turned to the right. Just as he was about to crash into the wall, his foot suddenly met empty air. Cold sweat broke out as he grabbed the railing beside him…

Wait? A railing…

Wei Yang looked at his right hand and saw that he was indeed holding the railing of a staircase. The white wall before him had also disappeared, replaced by a long staircase. Somehow, without realizing it, he had reached the end of the corridor. With just a turn, he was now at the staircase entrance, and the flickering light had vanished as if it had never existed.

He wanted to turn around and see what was behind him, but a faint sound came from the staircase corner, like someone chanting an incantation. Without hesitation, Wei Yang bolted down the stairs. A strong sense of fear surged within him—the chanting sounded eerily similar to the Burial Curse he had heard before!

Taking the steps two at a time, he rushed down the stairs. Before he could steady himself, a scene came into view: Zhang Xiuqi was kneeling on the ground, one hand propped on the Suihou Sword, the other hand bloodied and limp on the floor. His head hung low, almost touching the ground, and his shoulders twitched spasmodically, causing the red liquid to drip continuously like a crimson spring. In front of him, a man in his thirties sat cross-legged on the floor, his left fist raised in front of him as he chanted incessantly. Around him, two black ghostly mists swirled violently, like rabid dogs straining at their leashes, desperate to tear apart their prey.

Wei Yang’s eyes turned red, and without stopping, he charged forward. The cord around his neck snapped as he yanked it off, clutching two Bone Formations in his palm and holding a mouthful of true saliva. He charged straight ahead.

Seeing the figure appear on the stairs, Sun Nian’en hesitated for a moment. He had heard from Liu Cunxin that there were two enemies, both versed in magic. Although he wasn’t sure which sect they belonged to, one was skilled in formations, and the other in talismans. With this information, he had chosen to use the “continuing curse” technique. First, he used the malevolent curse as a lure, then set up a triggered resentment curse at the core, having Xiao Liu guard it there.

This arrangement seemed considerate toward his junior, but it was actually vicious to the extreme. As soon as the enemy broke the malevolent curse, the backlash would instantly kill Liu Cunxin, and the unjustly killed Xiao Liu would become the core spirit of the next curse, amplifying its power several times over. Moreover, as the curse caster, all the backlash would be borne by Liu Cunxin alone, leaving Sun Nian’en untouched.

The plan had gone smoothly. The young man who had attacked earlier was strong, blocking the attacks of two malevolent spirits in a single encounter, forcing Sun Nian’en to use the Witch Bone his master had given him ahead of time. However, once the Witch Bone was unleashed, the situation took a drastic turn—the man’s soul seemed unstable. This delighted Sun Nian’en, as he had heard that this Witch Bone had the ability to devour living souls. If he could completely seize this man’s soul, it would not only nourish the Witch Bone but also be a great achievement. Thus, he began chanting relentlessly, determined to take the man’s soul.

But while he was locked in this struggle, another person appeared. What was going on? There was supposed to be someone upstairs resisting the curse formation, keeping them occupied. Could it be that there were three of them, not two as Xiao Liu had said? Cursing inwardly, Sun Nian’en couldn’t help but smile when he saw the newcomer’s unsteady steps. Regardless of which sect they were from, their cultivation and physical techniques were closely linked. This person’s movements didn’t seem trained, and his hands were empty, without a single ritual instrument. Was he here to die?

A cold smile curled his lips as he flicked his right hand, and the two malevolent spirits surrounding him let out sharp shrieks, pouncing toward Wei Yang!

The terror of the malevolent curse lay in the ferocity of the spirits it controlled. These spirits were from people who had died unjustly and had not yet passed the seventh day after death. They couldn’t distinguish between human and ghost, retaining only overwhelming hatred and murderous intent, far surpassing ordinary malevolent ghosts. Moreover, these two spirits had been bound by magic, unable to vent their malice, and were now like tigers unleashed.

A yin wind swept toward Wei Yang as the two spirits charged. His face turned pale. In his eyes, the two spirits still retained their human forms—one with a split skull, the other with its intestines spilling out—clearly preserving their final moments before death. However, their fanged mouths, blood-red eyes, and the foul stench of ghostly wind were far more terrifying than the Soul Doll he had seen before. But Wei Yang didn’t stop. He simply raised his right hand, holding the Bone Formation that had once captured the Soul Doll, and spat the true saliva onto it!

As the essence blood soaked the Bone Formation, the small fragment of bone suddenly erupted with a blinding light. Unlike the soft glow of Buddhist radiance, this light was stark and cold, like the harsh fluorescent lights of a morgue. Under this intense light, the two malevolent spirits let out ear-splitting shrieks, as if being scorched by the sun. The sound was so piercing it felt like Wei Yang’s soul was being torn from his body. His vision darkened, and he nearly collapsed. However, the shrieks didn’t last long—they burst forth and then vanished in an instant. When Wei Yang steadied himself, the yin wind had already dissipated.

Sun Nian’en’s incessant Ghost Language chanting stopped. He was completely stunned. What had just happened? The malevolent spirits had been dispersed? Without talismans, without incantations, and without even the Heaven-Breaking Sound, just a mouthful of true saliva had scattered the spirits? But he recovered quickly, his shock turning to astonishment and greed. He saw the bone fragment in Wei Yang’s hand—it was a Witch Bone, one very similar to the one he held.

Could it be a Bone Formation? Sun Nian’en was well-versed in Witch Bones and had heard of the legendary Bone Formations. He had already used the Witch Bone in his hand and knew its immense power. If he could obtain a matching Bone Formation, the boost to his strength would be immeasurable. A faint smile appeared on his face as he slowly stood up. “That thing… it’s too wasted in your hands.”

Before the words had even fully left his mouth, he lunged at Wei Yang!

Sun Nian’en had trained in physical techniques, so his movements were far quicker than an ordinary person’s. Faced with such a sudden attack, Wei Yang had no time to dodge. The burst of white light had scattered the malevolent spirits, but his condition was still dire. This wasn’t like dealing with the Soul Doll. The intense nausea and dizziness hadn’t faded, as if the white light had drained his life force to manifest.

Thus, when the force struck him, all he could do was curl up slightly before being sent flying. With a loud clatter, the Bone Formation in his hand fell to the ground.

Sun Nian’en didn’t pay attention to the young man who had collapsed. His eyes were fixed solely on the Bone Formation. The white light had faded, and the Bone Formation had returned to its usual dull appearance. But no matter how unremarkable it looked, it was still a Witch Bone, a top-tier Bone Formation. Holding it in his hand, he caressed it as if it were a priceless treasure. Suddenly, he stopped, as if remembering something, and turned his gaze back to Wei Yang. Wait, this was a Witch Bone. He hadn’t chanted any incantations—how had he been able to use it directly?!

In that moment, Sun Nian’en’s ruthless eyes lit up. It was true that one could use a Witch Bone without chanting incantations, as long as the caster had sufficient Wu Family bloodline. This person was a descendant of the Wu Family!

What excellent material! Sun Nian’en could no longer contain his greed and stepped toward Wei Yang. “I see now. I didn’t expect to find such good material in this day and age.”

Not taken in by any other sect, lacking true Daoist techniques, he was like an unguarded treasure trove—a natural material for ritual instruments, ripe for the picking. But unlike those who didn’t know better, such material had to be handled carefully.

Kneeling beside Wei Yang, he raised the Bone Formation he had been holding and sneered. “I’ve taken his soul. Now it’s your turn. Such a fine bloodline, wasted on you. But don’t worry, it’ll be mine from now on…”

The Ghost Language began again as he raised the Bone Formation, intending to use its power to extract Wei Yang’s soul. Behind him, Zhang Xiuqi’s lowered head trembled slightly, as if his fragmented soul sensed the danger and wanted to protect the other man. But his three souls and seven spirits were in complete disarray. After a single tremor, he collapsed forward, unable to even hold himself up with the short sword.

Wei Yang’s head was filled with a buzzing noise, whether from the dizziness caused by exhaustion or the power of the Ghost Language, he couldn’t tell. His chest ached unbearably, and blood churned in his throat, clouding his vision with a red haze. Yet his gaze remained fixed on the fallen figure.

“Taken his soul?” This man had taken Brother Qi’s soul? With what? With that Bone Formation? The chaotic thoughts gradually coalesced into understandable words, and a surge of uncontrollable anger rose in Wei Yang’s chest. His fingers began to tremble, as if strength had suddenly returned to them. Without hesitation, he reached out with his left hand and grabbed the man’s fingers—and the Bone Formation they held!

The movement was too quick. Sun Nian’en was in the middle of casting a spell and hadn’t expected this dying man to still have the strength to resist. But he wasn’t afraid. This was just a medicinal ingredient, someone who didn’t even know basic Daoist techniques. What could he possibly do?

But to his surprise, when Wei Yang’s hand touched the Bone Formation, when his palm met the cold, white bone fragment, the Bone Formation suddenly awakened!

If the Ghost Language had merely activated and controlled the Bone Formation, borrowing a fraction of its power, this was a complete awakening. The Bone Formation began to heat up, so hot it felt like it would burn through his hand. Sun Nian’en grunted, trying to pull away, but Wei Yang was faster. He spat out the blood that had been choking his throat, and the blood splattered onto their tightly clenched hands and the glowing Bone Formation.

Power surged! Sun Nian’en felt as if the Bone Formation had turned into a gaping maw, a bottomless abyss. A powerful suction force entered his palm, as if trying to devour him whole! He let out a scream, struggling to retreat, but there was no escape now. With a loud crack, the lights on the stairs, in the corridor, and even in the elevator exploded simultaneously. Sun Nian’en’s vision went dark as he collapsed to the ground.

With that, Wei Yang’s outstretched hand also fell to the floor, and the Bone Formation slipped from the other man’s grasp, returning to his own hand. This wasn’t the Bone Formation from Miaotou Mountain or the Jiang Family—it was the one that had brought disaster twenty years ago… His heart ached faintly, but he didn’t let go of the small bone fragment. Instead, he forced himself to stand and staggered forward.

Ahead of him, the Little Celestial Master lay lifeless, unmoving, silent, as if his fragmented souls had been completely scattered. Wei Yang struggled to his side, his knees giving way as he knelt down. He leaned over, bringing the Bone Formation close to Zhang Xiuqi’s face.

“Brother Qi…” Blood dripped from his mouth, splattering onto the ground. He clumsily wiped the blood that had splashed onto the other man’s cheek, murmuring, “Did he take your soul? I got the Bone Formation back… Take it… Wake up…”

Wei Yang couldn’t finish. His eyelids were too heavy, and he could no longer keep them open. With a final sway, he collapsed to the ground.