Master, Please Help Me Break the Love Curse! - Chapter 45

Everyone heard Gu Yunqing’s words, and Luo Jiu, standing nearby, subtly pricked up her ears.

She wasn’t worried that Shang Qianye would lie, but she was curious about what Shang Qianye would say to Gu Yunqing. Would she offer a flimsy excuse, or would she gently reject Gu Yunqing’s “enthusiasm”?

To be honest, Luo Jiu didn’t like how close Gu Yunqing was getting to her disciple, but she refused to voice her concerns. Instead, she awkwardly strained her ears, listening intently.

Shang Qianye paused briefly before replying, “Master and I were very busy at the time.”

A flimsy excuse.

Good enough.

Gu Yunqing looked crestfallen, gazing at her with a wounded expression. “Even if that’s true, did you really have to return all my talismans? Couldn’t you have listened to them after you were done?”

Shang Qianye countered, “Sound transmission talismans must penetrate the Heavenly Dao Brake’s barrier, which would drain a significant amount of your spiritual energy. And more importantly…” She paused, lowering her voice, “You didn’t have any urgent matters to discuss with me.”

Gu Yunqing stomped her foot, a hint of displeasure in her voice. “Senior Sister, are you annoyed by my constant sound transmission talismans?”

Shang Qianye didn’t say it outright, but her expression conveyed the sentiment clearly.

Luo Jiu, who had been listening, showed no reaction, but her mood inexplicably brightened. Children will be children, she thought. As an adult, I shouldn’t stoop to their level.

Seeing that Gu Yunqing was about to throw a tantrum, Qin Wangyue smiled and stepped in as peacemaker. “Alright, alright, Yunqing, don’t be angry. Qianye has a point. She was injured and needed rest, and your constant interruptions were hindering her recovery.”

Gu Yunqing hesitated, still unconvinced.

Qin Wangyue continued, “You know how much Qianye cares for you. When she’s busy, try not to bother her so much. Give her some space; she has her own responsibilities to attend to.”

Finally persuaded, Gu Yunqing folded her arms behind her back and relented. “Fine, fine, I was being inconsiderate. Senior Sister, please don’t be mad at me. I’ll send fewer talismans next time.”

She turned to address Shang Qianye directly.

Shang Qianye, who hadn’t been truly angry, smiled and let the matter drop.

“Are you all finished chatting?” Luo Jiu asked, her tone casual as she glanced at the trio. “If you want to talk, find somewhere else to do it. Don’t block the way here.”

Yu Shiyan nodded in agreement. “A-Yue,” she said to Qin Wangyue, “take Qianye back to the Medicine Lodge. You can help monitor her recovery.”

Qin Wangyue nodded. “Yes, Master.”

The group proceeded to the Medicinal Cultivator’s Medicine Lodge. Shang Qianye was forced to remove her outer robes and lie on the bed, submitting to Yu Shiyan’s acupuncture and pulse-taking. Luo Jiu remained by her side, never leaving her side.

The room was filled with the faint scent of medicinal herbs, making one feel drowsy.

Silver needles pierced Shang Qianye’s meridians, temporarily immobilizing her. She could only lie flat, staring at the ceiling, occasionally shifting her eyes—the only movement she could manage.

After inserting the final needle, Yu Shiyan wiped her hands with a damp cloth and instructed, “There are still blockages in your meridians. Lie still for half an hour. Afterward, I’ll have a medicinal bath prepared for you. Stay here at the Medicine Lodge for the next few days to recuperate.”

Shang Qianye blinked, acknowledging the arrangement.

Yu Shiyan turned to Luo Jiu. “Elder Luo, will you stay with Shang Qianye or attend to your own affairs?”

“What affairs do I have?” Luo Jiu settled into a chair, leisurely sipping tea. She glanced at Shang Qianye, who lay on the bed, her body bristling with needles like a hedgehog, and said casually, “I’ll stay with her.”

Yu Shiyan rose. “Then I’ll have a room prepared for you.”

“No need,” Luo Jiu replied. “Isn’t there a daybed in here?”

“Will you be comfortable sleeping on that?”

“I won’t be sleeping there. Shang Qianye will.”

“……”

Yu Shiyan glanced back at Shang Qianye, her expression complex. Shang Qianye immediately strained to move her lips, mumbling, “I’m fine with either.”

Yu Shiyan paused. “If that’s the case, I won’t disturb you further. I’ll return in an hour to remove the needles and take you for your medicinal bath.”

Shang Qianye moved her eyes in agreement.

After Yu Shiyan left, Luo Jiu finally set down her teacup with a click, rose, and leaned over Shang Qianye’s bed, hands clasped behind her back, studying the silver needles piercing her skin.

Not gonna lie, this looks pretty terrifying.

“Elder Yu’s miraculous healing hands should be able to cure you this time,” Luo Jiu observed for a moment before settling leisurely beside her and pouring herself another cup of tea. “Just stay here for the next few days. You’ve got nothing better to do anyway.”

Shang Qianye blinked, as if trying to speak.

Luo Jiu noticed but deliberately ignored her, instead blowing on the tea leaves floating in her cup and drawling, “This is actually quite nice. You used to chatter incessantly by my side, but now I can finally have some peace and quiet.”

She smiled at Shang Qianye. “Be good.”

Shang Qianye stared at her, eyes wide with adoration, but with needles piercing her meridians, she could only glare helplessly, unable to lean in for a kiss.

But… why is she so happy?

It can’t be because of the needles in my body, right?

Shang Qianye gazed thoughtfully at Luo Jiu, a flicker of understanding dawning in her heart.

In recent days, Luo Jiu had been inseparable from Shang Qianye, just as she had been when Shang Qianye was first injured. She only allowed Yu Shiyan to examine her, and personally tasted each dose of medicine to ensure it was safe before giving it to Shang Qianye.

Whenever strangers approached the courtyard, Luo Jiu would scrutinize them carefully. Eventually, she erected a barrier around the courtyard, preventing anyone but Yu Shiyan from entering.

The luminous barrier left her uncertain whether to feel relieved or anxious.

Recently, she noticed the disciples of the Medicine Lodge had grown increasingly busy. They were often seen working from dawn until dusk, and the apothecary’s furnace hadn’t been extinguished for days. She learned that several nearby villages were suffering from an epidemic, and the Lingxiao Sect was organizing relief efforts.

“Master,” Shang Qianye said after finishing her medicine. She obediently washed the bowl herself. “Do you remember when Luo Qian went down the mountain to buy supplies? I told you then—”

Luo Jiu paused, recalling the incident. “Yes, I remember. What about it?”

“A young girl came to buy rice, saying her entire family was too sick to get out of bed,” Shang Qianye explained. “I didn’t pay much attention at the time, but now that I think about it… perhaps I should have gone to check on them.”

“It’s not your fault either,” Luo Jiu said, watching several Medicinal Cultivators hurry past the courtyard. They carried their belongings on their backs, looking like they were heading down the mountain in a group.

Medicinal Cultivators were the lowest-ranked but most numerous sect within the Lingxiao Sect. Besides cultivating immortality, they could also study medicine, heal the sick, and save lives. Even if their cultivation path failed, becoming a doctor after leaving the mountain would still provide a decent livelihood.

As Luo Jiu watched their retreating figures, she suddenly asked Shang Qianye, “How’s your health?”

Shang Qianye paused, then replied, “Much better.”

Luo Jiu followed up with a second question: “Want to come down the mountain with me and take a look?”

Shang Qianye: “?”

Yu Shiyan only came to check on them once a day, leaving the courtyard empty for the rest of the time. So when the two girls secretly slipped out, no one noticed.

Luo Jiu cast a spell on both of them, allowing them to stroll confidently through the Lingxiao Sect’s Mountain Gate. The gatekeepers glanced at them but let them pass without a word, as if they hadn’t seen them at all.

“Master,” Shang Qianye asked, trailing behind Luo Jiu, “why are we suddenly going down the mountain? Are we heading to the village with the epidemic?”

Luo Jiu replied, “You talk too much. Just follow your master.”

As she spoke, a circular array materialized beneath their feet. Shang Qianye pressed close to Luo Jiu, and with a flash of white light, they vanished from their original spot. When they opened their eyes again, they found themselves in a completely unfamiliar village.

Shang Qianye scanned their surroundings. The village appeared deserted, with every door tightly shut and not even the sound of livestock to be heard. A faint, rotting stench hung in the air, as if something had died nearby.

Just as Shang Qianye was about to question Luo Jiu, the creaking of cartwheels grinding along the narrow path behind them reached their ears. She immediately cast an Invisibility Spell, grabbed Luo Jiu’s hand, and pulled her to the side.

Luo Jiu glanced at her but didn’t pull her hand away.

The cart rounded the corner, revealing several men wearing white masks and full-body protective aprons, their faces completely covered except for their eyes.

As they drew closer, Shang Qianye and Luo Jiu saw that the cart carried five corpses wrapped in straw mats. The mats were too short to cover both the heads and feet of the bodies.

Shang Qianye noticed the corpses’ dark, bluish-purple skin, tattered clothing with patched trousers, bare feet, and distinct signs of rigor mortis. She frowned slightly and pulled Luo Jiu further away.

Someone seemed to sense their presence and glanced in their direction, but saw nothing.

“What are you staring at? Put some effort into it! After we burn these five, there are more to dispose of,” a gruff voice boomed, though it was impossible to tell which of the men had spoken.

“Enough chatter. We’re almost there,” one of the men pulling the cart panted. “Everyone shut up. We don’t want to catch the plague from these corpses.”

The moment these words were spoken, everyone fell silent, pushing the carts forward with renewed focus.

Luo Jiu narrowed her eyes, glancing at the group before signaling Shang Qianye to follow.

Shang Qianye wrinkled her nose, wanting to dissuade Luo Jiu from acting rashly. But her master refused to meet her gaze and strode after the group without a word. Left with no choice, Shang Qianye reluctantly followed.

After pushing the carts for some time, the group finally reached the edge of the village. Shang Qianye noticed a large pit had already been dug there, roughly the size of an ordinary person’s house.

The men stopped the carts beside the pit, tilted them, and dumped all the corpses into the hole.

Once the bodies were thrown in, the men didn’t linger for a moment, scurrying away from the site.

As soon as the men had left, Luo Jiu stepped forward. Shang Qianye tugged at her master’s sleeve, covering her nose and whispering, “It stinks of corpses, Master. You shouldn’t go near it.”

But Luo Jiu replied, “We’ve come this far.”