Master, Please Help Me Break the Love Curse! - Chapter 20

When Shang Qianye returned from watching the commotion, she was carrying freshly steamed meat buns from the Lingxiao Dining Hall.

As she entered the courtyard, she saw Luo Jiu performing a spell. Luo Jiu had likely just woken up; her hair hung loosely down her back, and she had thrown on simple robes that draped loosely around her, probably because she hadn’t found her belt.

Fortunately, no one else was around. After finishing the spell, Luo Jiu turned to look at Shang Qianye, her expression unreadable—neither pleased nor angry.

Shang Qianye’s heart tightened. Trying to appease her, she held out the buns and said, “Master, I brought you breakfast.”

Luo Jiu glanced at the buns, snorted, and turned to enter the house without a word.

In another hour, it would be noon. Shang Qianye arranged the buns and brewed a pot of tea, placing it nearby. She craned her neck toward the bathing pool, and when she heard movement, she hurried over with the prepared clothes and handed them through the door.

Luo Jiu, fresh from her bath, lazily glanced at Shang Qianye, grabbed the clothes, and slammed the door shut.

By the time Luo Jiu sat down at the table after her bath, it was nearly noon.

“Did you go join the commotion today?” Luo Jiu asked casually, taking a bite of the still-warm steamed bun in her hand. Shang Qianye had been waiting for Luo Jiu to speak and immediately recounted every detail of the Eldest Princess’s visit to the Lingxiao Sect that morning.

“Master,” Shang Qianye asked, “Headmaster Gu said the Eldest Princess wants to open the Gate of the Underworld to retrieve Pei Hui’s soul. Is that true? Can the dead really be brought back to life?”

Luo Jiu didn’t even look at her. “That’s what they say.”

Shang Qianye straightened up, her eyes burning with curiosity. “Master, tell me more! I’ve never heard of anything like this before.”

After finishing the steamed bun, Luo Jiu’s mood improved considerably. She began to tell Shang Qianye the story in detail.

“The old monk you saw today was likely Master Kongming from Putuo Temple. They say he’s over two hundred years old. In his youth, he had a fateful encounter on the Ascension Platform, where he met an Immortal and played three games of Go with them,” Luo Jiu explained. “Ever since then, it’s been rumored that Master Kongming possesses the power to bring the dead back to life three times.”

“So miraculous?”

“Originally, people didn’t believe it. But after Master Kongming’s master attained Nirvana, he used this ability to bring her back to life. His master lived for over a decade after her resurrection, finally passing away again at the age of over a hundred. Before her final Nirvana, she warned Master Kongming not to recklessly use his magical power again. Since then, he has remained secluded in Putuo Temple, never casting spells.”

Luo Jiu accepted the tea Shang Qianye poured for her, took a sip, and said, “This time, it’s likely the Royal Family begged him to come out of seclusion and perform the spell at the Lingxiao Sect.”

Shang Qianye listened intently and remarked with awe, “Then this would be the second time he’s used it.”

Luo Jiu glanced sideways at her. “What, do you want such an ability too?”

“I was just thinking,” Shang Qianye replied earnestly. “A spell like that sounds like something no ordinary person could possess. It might even invite disaster. It’s better to diligently cultivate under my master’s guidance.”

Luo Jiu was pleased with Shang Qianye’s answer. She glanced at the last steamed bun on her plate, hesitated for a moment, then picked it up and ate it.

“Either I’m hungry, or it’s just too wasteful not to finish it.”

Only after Luo Jiu had eaten her fill did she remember Shang Qianye’s Heart Demon. She scrutinized the person before her, asking, “How are you feeling today?”

Shang Qianye winked at her. “Master is asking about…”

Last night?

Then I feel wonderful.

Luo Jiu paused, understanding the implication. Her ears flushed crimson as she snapped, “I’m asking about your Heart Demon! What are you thinking about?!”

Shang Qianye touched her nose and said, “Oh. The Heart Demon hasn’t acted up today. I feel much better than the previous episodes. Before, I’d wake up dizzy, but I don’t feel that way now.”

“Then let’s keep observing,” Luo Jiu said. “If nothing happens by tonight, it should be resolved.”

Shang Qianye nodded.

“Since you have nothing else to do today, stay in my courtyard and help with the cleaning,” Luo Jiu said, rising in good spirits. “That way, if the Heart Demon acts up, no outsiders will notice.”

For the rest of the day, Shang Qianye dutifully worked as a handyman in Luo Jiu’s courtyard.

She washed all the bedsheets and blankets, swept the courtyard spotless, and even fed the koi in the pond. By the time night fell completely, Shang Qianye had shown no further signs of her affliction.

Luo Jiu wasn’t idle either. In addition to drawing talismans based on requests submitted by her subordinates, she handled various minor tasks. After finishing her work, she would delve into ancient texts, keeping herself occupied and productive.

As night descended, Shang Qianye brought Luo Jiu a plate of her favorite fruits and a bowl of chilled white fungus soup.

“Master,” Shang Qianye said, placing the items before Luo Jiu with a hint of pride, “I just got these from the Lingxiao Dining Hall. The fruits are fresh too. Try them—if they’re not sweet enough, add some honey.”

Luo Jiu glanced at her skeptically. “Weren’t you forbidden from leaving the courtyard? Why did you go out?”

Shang Qianye smiled sweetly. “But it was dinner time, and I thought Master might want something to eat.”

Luo Jiu had long since achieved the state of bigu, where one no longer needs to eat for sustenance. She only ate for pleasure.

The silver ear soup was indeed delicious—sweet and cool. Luo Jiu finished it all without realizing it, her appetite unusually strong. While eating fruit, Luo Jiu generously offered Shang Qianye a peach. Watching her take a bite, she casually remarked, “You seem perfectly fine today. We can shorten the Gu removal sessions from seven days to six.”

Shang Qianye nodded eagerly, wishing she could undergo the Gu removal process daily.

“Master,” Shang Qianye said, clutching the half-eaten peach, her cheeks flushed slightly as she asked awkwardly, “How did I do yesterday? Is there anything… I need to improve on?”

Luo Jiu stared at her in astonishment. “What?”

Shang Qianye’s ears turned crimson, but she forced herself to meet Luo Jiu’s gaze. “We’ll be doing the Gu removal sessions regularly now. I need to know what I’m doing well and what I’m doing wrong. If you get angry and refuse to help me, I’ll be doomed.”

As she spoke, she leaned forward, reaching across the low table to gaze into Luo Jiu’s dark, luminous eyes. In a hushed voice, she asked, “Master… is there anything else I need to improve on?”