Master, Please Help Me Break the Love Curse! - Chapter 33

The attack came suddenly. Gu Yunqing had no time to react, forced to watch helplessly as Shang Qianye was engulfed by the towering flames. Her body was blasted away like a tattered kite, sent flying through the air.

“Senior Sister Shang!”

Shang Qianye landed on the ground, rolling twice before coming to a complete stop.

The Snake Lady stood at a distance, her eyes gleaming with malicious glee. With Shang Qianye dead, Luo Jiu would surely be gravely wounded. Then, she could lead the Demonic Sect disciples to breach the Heavenly Dao Brake’s barrier, unleashing countless Demonic Race upon the world. She would become a paramount figure among the demons, shaping the future according to her will.

But as the Snake Lady moved to confirm Shang Qianye’s death, a sword qi descended from the heavens, nearly piercing her through.

The silver-white sword qi blazed through the night, forcing the Snake Lady to dodge instantly. She watched as the energy blade plunged into the spot she had just occupied, its surface crackling with thunderous patterns.

This is…

The Snake Lady glanced upward and saw Luo Jiu hovering in mid-air.

“Junior Aunt!” Gu Yunqing spotted Luo Jiu and cried out, “They hurt Senior Sister Shang! Please avenge her!”

The Snake Lady narrowed her eyes, studying the unscathed Luo Jiu. “How isn’t she seriously injured?” she murmured, puzzled. “Could it be…?” Her gaze shifted to Shang Qianye, lying motionless on the ground. Though covered in scrapes and bl00d, a faint blue-white glow emanated from her body.

Shang Qianye’s hairpin?

It’s imbued with the life-saving talisman Luo Jiu and I cast!

In that instant, the Snake Lady understood. The Medicinal Pills Qin Wangyue and Shang Qianye had consumed under the influence of the zither music had indeed taken effect. Everything had unfolded as they’d predicted: Shang Qianye had been blasted away by the gunpowder hidden within the instrument.

Without that life-saving talisman, she would have surely died.

Alas, human plans often fall short of divine will. They hadn’t accounted for Luo Jiu’s extraordinary affection for her disciple, nor that she would bestow upon her a talisman capable of withstanding a fatal blow.

A miscalculation.

The moment Luo Jiu appeared, the Snake Lady knew their plan had failed again. She cursed the woman who had promised “absolute certainty” under her breath and darted toward Xuan Ying, signaling her to flee immediately.

Xuan Ying, realizing their failure, abandoned her entanglement with Gu Yunqing and turned to grab the Snake Lady’s arm, preparing to flee.

“Trying to escape?” Luo Jiu’s face was cold as she casually waved her hand through the air. Dozens of talismans materialized in her palm, while behind her, several distorted spatial rifts opened, unleashing tens of thousands of sword qi.

In an instant, a storm of blades erupted.

Xuan Ying dragged the Snake Lady through the onslaught, dodging the piercing sword qi, but mistakes were inevitable. Soon, both were wounded, especially the Snake Lady, who took a sword strike to the abdomen, her robes stained crimson.

With a clang, Xuan Ying blocked a sword aimed at the Snake Lady’s throat, her dark eyes fixed on Luo Jiu, who descended from the sky like a celestial being.

Luo Jiu radiated a blinding light as she landed. The once-empty arena suddenly filled with dozens of identical figures—all Luo Jiu.

The Luo Jius lowered their gazes upon the trapped pair, their voices icy. “You harmed Qianye,” they said. “And you think you can just leave?”

As she spoke, a massive Formation materialized beneath them, rising into a golden cage that sealed Xuan Ying and the Snake Lady within.

Xuan Ying knew she couldn’t escape Luo Jiu’s Formation. She glanced at the Snake Lady, who had already lost too much bl00d. Carrying her to safety was impossible; her only chance lay in escaping alone.

The Snake Lady met her gaze and immediately understood Xuan Ying’s intentions.

With a pale smile, she whispered, “Go if you can. If you can save me, come back for me.”

Xuan Ying lowered her eyes, rose to her feet, and looked at the Luo Jiu clones surrounding the Formation. She raised her sword and slashed her wrist, sending a spray of bl00d into the air. The bl00d coalesced into a bizarre crimson rune.

The rune seemed to come alive, floating back down to envelop Xuan Ying’s entire body.

Then, before everyone’s eyes, Xuan Ying dissolved into a pool of bl00d and vanished within the Formation.

Gu Yunqing was stunned. “What kind of dark magic is that?! Junior Aunt, catch her! Don’t let that woman escape!”

Luo Jiu frowned deeply, ignoring Gu Yunqing’s words. She dispelled her clones and turned to face Shang Qianye, who lay unconscious on the ground, her life hanging in the balance. Luo Jiu stepped forward…

Shang Qianye’s memories stopped at the moment she was blasted away by the explosion.

She assumed she was dead, yet she couldn’t understand why it felt so comfortable. There was no pain whatsoever, and she even experienced periodic surges of warm spiritual energy that soothed her muscles and meridians.

After drifting in this warmth for what felt like an eternity, Shang Qianye finally opened her eyes slightly.

The pitch-black bedroom was illuminated only by the warm, yellow glow of a nearby candle, which occasionally flickered with a soft pop.

Where… am I?

Her thoughts moved sluggishly. She blinked slowly, then turned her head to see Luo Jiu.

Luo Jiu was holding her hand, even in her sleep, still channeling spiritual energy into her.

So, that warmth in my dreams was…

As her memories gradually returned, Shang Qianye recalled the moment of the explosion. She had been certain she was doomed, but just as the blast struck her body, a familiar spiritual energy had enveloped her, sending her flying unconscious.

It was… the hair ribbon Luo Jiu had given her that had saved her life.

“Master…”

Shang Qianye opened her mouth, but only a hoarse whisper escaped.

Luo Jiu’s brow furrowed slightly, her long, dark lashes trembling gently before slowly opening. As she lifted her head and met Shang Qianye’s gaze, her eyes overflowed with undisguised joy.

“You’re awake?!”

Luo Jiu immediately sat up, clutching Shang Qianye’s hand tightly. “Are you feeling any discomfort? Does anything hurt? I’ll go get someone right away. Don’t fall back asleep!”

With that, Luo Jiu sprang to her feet and dashed out of the room. Shang Qianye, too weak to even squeeze her hand, could only watch helplessly as Luo Jiu hurried out to fetch help.

Soon, the room was filled with people, bathed in bright lamplight.

It was then that Shang Qianye learned she had been unconscious for two days. Had she remained unconscious much longer, her life would have been in grave danger. During that time, Luo Jiu had continuously channeled spiritual energy into her, protecting her heart meridian and buying her the time needed to be transported to the Lingxiao Sect for treatment.

Through the crowd, Shang Qianye spotted Luo Jiu standing to one side. Only then did she notice the utter darkness in Luo Jiu’s eyes—she must have stayed up all night during her unconsciousness.

Yu Shiyan, the sect’s physician, examined Shang Qianye thoroughly, checking her heart meridian and injuries. Though the headband had saved her life, she had still sustained serious injuries.

“She’ll need some time to recover,” Yu Shiyan said after finishing her examination. She tucked the blanket around Shang Qianye and turned to Luo Jiu. “She was too close to the explosion. The physical wounds will heal, but the damage to her meridians will be much more troublesome.”

Luo Jiu replied, “Use as many Medicinal Pills as necessary, as long as she recovers.”

Yu Shiyan looked at Luo Jiu, understanding dawning in her eyes. “I will do everything in my power to heal her. Rest assured.”

After giving some instructions for care, Yu Shiyan rose to leave, promising to return the next morning to continue Shang Qianye’s treatment.

Once everyone had left, Luo Jiu finally turned to the woman who had been lying on the bed, staring at her the entire time. Frowning, she approached and sat on the edge of the bed.

“Master,” Shang Qianye said, her bright black eyes blinking. She reached out her hand. “My hands are cold. Master, warm them for me.”

Luo Jiu stared at her, speechless.

Though her expression showed displeasure, Luo Jiu still extended her hand. But as Luo Jiu grasped her hand, Shang Qianye shifted her grip, interlacing their fingers.

“Did you catch the Snake Lady?” Shang Qianye asked, completely unashamed of her actions. She spoke so frankly about the recent events that Luo Jiu was momentarily unsure whether to answer her question or shake off her hand.

Finally, Luo Jiu sighed inwardly and, holding Shang Qianye’s hand, said, “We captured the Snake Lady, but the other woman, Xuan Ying, escaped. The Snake Lady is currently injured and imprisoned in the dungeon under guard.”

Only one captured, huh…

Shang Qianye said dejectedly, “It’s all my fault for not planning thoroughly enough.”

Luo Jiu shook her head. “Don’t blame yourself. At least we caught the Snake Lady. Once her injuries heal a bit, I’ll personally interrogate her and make her hand over the antidote to the love gu.”

Shang Qianye looked at her. “Thank you, Master.”

Luo Jiu didn’t reply, simply gazing at Shang Qianye for a long moment before saying softly, “Get some more rest. You’re still weak. Don’t talk so much.”

“I’m fine. It’s you I’m worried about, Master,” Shang Qianye said, looking at her. “Have you been taking care of me these past few days and not getting enough rest?”

“…Who’s been taking care of you? I was just afraid you’d die and drag me down with you.”

“Master is right.”

Shang Qianye knew Luo Jiu was being disingenuous. She could see through her facade—Luo Jiu was worried about her too.

Gently squeezing Luo Jiu’s hand, she said slowly, “Master, why don’t you lie down and sleep with me?”

After a moment’s hesitation, Luo Jiu didn’t stand on ceremony. She lifted her skirt and sat on the edge of the bed, a strand of black hair brushing her cheek as she leaned down. “Move over a bit. I’ll sleep on the outer side.”

Shang Qianye’s heart fluttered with joy. She deliberately shifted further inward, making room for Luo Jiu.

Once they were both lying down, Shang Qianye snuggled closer, refusing to release the hand she was already holding. With her other arm, she wrapped around Luo Jiu’s waist, pulling her closer into her embrace.

“Master, come closer. It’s warmer this way.”

Luo Jiu rolled her eyes, fully aware of Shang Qianye’s ulterior motives, but she didn’t call her out on it. Instead, she leaned in closer, nestling against her.

In the darkness, only the candle near the door remained lit, casting a soft glow. Shang Qianye could hear only the steady rhythm of their breathing.

“Master, I…”

“This incident… it was my carelessness that led to your injury.”

Shang Qianye was about to speak when Luo Jiu interrupted her, burying her face against Shang Qianye’s chest. Her voice sounded muffled, tinged with regret.

Luo Jiu lowered her gaze, clutching Shang Qianye’s hand tightly. “The injuries you suffered today… I will make them pay dearly for this. I won’t let you suffer even a moment of injustice.”

That night, when Luo Jiu saw Shang Qianye lying on the ground, covered in bl00d, fear gripped her heart for the first time.

She was afraid.

Afraid that Shang Qianye would die right there.

Not because her death would endanger Luo Jiu’s own life, but simply because she feared losing her.

That’s why Luo Jiu didn’t even chase after the fleeing Xuan Ying, focusing solely on saving Shang Qianye. During the days Shang Qianye lay unconscious, Luo Jiu’s fear never diminished. As long as Shang Qianye’s eyes remained closed, Luo Jiu lived in terror of losing her.

Thank goodness.

Thank goodness Shang Qianye was still alive, still by her side…