Master, Please Help Me Break the Love Curse! - Chapter 46

The Corpse Pit was filled with dozens of bodies lying haphazardly, their limbs tangled in grotesque disarray. As Luo Jiu crouched at the edge, peering down into the pit, a chill ran down her spine.

A rough count revealed approximately twenty to thirty corpses. Each body had been wrapped in a straw mat before being tossed into the pit, yet their faces remained faintly visible.

Men and women, young and old, all lay together.

Nearly every corpse bore a ghastly bluish-black hue, their faces twisted into expressions of deathly agony, as if they had died with their eyes wide open in terror.

Shang Qianye stood behind Luo Jiu, witnessing the grim scene. She frowned slightly and said, “Master, these corpses appear to have succumbed to the plague. You…”

Before she could finish, Luo Jiu suddenly raised her hand, pointing to a corner of the pit. “Look over there.”

Shang Qianye followed Luo Jiu’s gaze and saw a straw mat lying in the corner, revealing only a pair of small feet. Judging by the height, it seemed to be a child.

“Go retrieve that straw mat,” Luo Jiu instructed.

Shang Qianye stared at her in shock, her face etched with disbelief. “Master?”

Luo Jiu glanced at her. “What’s wrong? Can’t you take orders anymore? Have I been too kind to you these past few days? Have you forgotten I’m your Master?”

How could she forget?

It was just the thought of jumping into a pile of corpses to retrieve a body that Shang Qianye found momentarily overwhelming. Leaving aside the risk of contagious diseases, Shang Qianye, who usually maintained such meticulous cleanliness, found the prospect of wading through corpses utterly unbearable.

Yet she couldn’t disobey Luo Jiu’s command. After agonizing hesitation, Shang Qianye finally resolved to descend into the Corpse Pit and approach the straw mat. Initially, she assumed it contained an ordinary corpse, but as she drew closer, she sensed something was amiss.

Compared to the surrounding bodies, this one showed no signs of decay or discoloration. The skin still retained a faint pallor, hinting at its original fair complexion.

Could this person still be alive?

Shang Qianye immediately quickened her pace, unfurling the straw mat. When she saw the person inside, her eyes widened in shock.

It was the young girl she had encountered at the grain shop.

The little girl lay with her eyes tightly shut, her face pale and lips tinged purple. Her breathing was faint, but Shang Qianye could confirm she was still alive. She quickly lifted the girl from the straw mat, the child’s limp body pressing softly against her chest, utterly still.

After climbing out of the pit, Luo Jiu approached.

“Master,” Shang Qianye said, frowning, “this is the child we met that day.”

Luo Jiu carefully examined the girl in Shang Qianye’s arms, then retrieved a Medicinal Pill from her pouch and placed it in the child’s mouth. After channeling some spiritual energy into her, she instructed Shang Qianye, “Take her back first.”

Leaving the village behind, Luo Jiu led Shang Qianye back to the Jade Court Forest.

The Medicinal Pill had visibly improved the girl’s condition, though she remained unconscious. Luo Jiu instructed Shang Qianye to settle her on a bed and continuously channel spiritual energy into her. She then sent a message to Yu Shiyan, requesting her presence at the Jade Court Forest.

Yu Shiyan arrived alone. When she realized the patient on the bed was infected with the plague, her brow furrowed slightly.

Yu Shiyan didn’t say another word. She immediately sat down to take the patient’s pulse and begin treatment, ordering both of them out of the bedroom.

At the door, Shang Qianye washed her hands before turning to Luo Jiu. “Master, should you wash up too? I’ll go prepare some mugwort.”

Luo Jiu shook her head. “I have spiritual energy protecting me, and I didn’t touch her. You, on the other hand, should take a bath later and find some clothes the child can wear. Burn everything else.”

Shang Qianye nodded and went to prepare.

An hour later, Yu Shiyan emerged from the room and saw Luo Jiu still standing there waiting. She approached her.

“Why did you bring the patient back to the mountain?” Yu Shiyan asked sternly. “There are many ordinary people here. If the disease spreads, the consequences would be unimaginable. You…”

“I’ve already cast a Barrier here,” Luo Jiu interrupted, pointing to the newly erected Dome Barrier overhead. “No one but the three of us can enter or leave.”

Yu Shiyan glanced up, her tone tinged with reproach. “But you can’t be so reckless. Not everyone has spiritual energy to protect them.”

Luo Jiu didn’t mind the scolding. Instead, she asked, “Do you know where I found her?”

Yu Shiyan regarded her calmly.

This child is gravely ill. If not for the Medicinal Pills and spiritual energy sustaining her, she wouldn’t have lasted half a day.

Too weary to guess, Yu Shiyan waved her hand dismissively. “I’ll prepare some medicine for you. Feed it to her three times a day. Disinfect and clean the room morning and night. Burn everything the child has touched—leave nothing behind.”

Luo Jiu nodded, figuring Shang Qianye would handle these tasks. She’d simply inform Qianye later.

After giving these instructions, Yu Shiyan left. Luo Jiu approached the door, pushed it open a crack, and peered at the little girl lying inside.

The room was thick with the pungent scent of mugwort. In the dim light, she could barely make out the child’s form on the bed. Her breathing was now noticeably steadier than before. I believe she’ll wake up soon.

They returned with mugwort, perhaps because the epidemic had worsened even in the mountains. Everyone was preparing mugwort, meticulously cleaning and disinfecting everything. Soon, the courtyard was filled with the fragrant smoke of burning mugwort.

Yu Shiyan knew Luo Jiu wouldn’t handle such matters, so before leaving, she explained the precautions to Shang Qianye: ventilate the child’s room frequently, monitor her condition closely, and if her symptoms worsen… well, then she should be sent back where she came from.

Though they had only met once, fate had brought them together, and Shang Qianye naturally didn’t want the child to die.

As dusk fell, Shang Qianye finished brewing the medicine. The entire courtyard filled with its medicinal aroma. She urged Luo Jiu to return to the Medicine Lodge, saying, “I’ll take care of things here.”

Before Luo Jiu could reply, the two women exchanged a glance and headed toward the bedroom.

The moment Shang Qianye pushed open the door, she saw the child lying in bed, her large, dark eyes wide open, gazing blankly at her surroundings, seemingly disoriented.

But when her gaze landed on Shang Qianye, it stopped.

“You’re awake?” Shang Qianye entered the room, closing the windows. “If you’re awake, you’ll recover. Do you have the strength to sit up? It’s time for your medicine.”

The little girl stared intently at Shang Qianye’s face, her voice hoarse as she whispered, “Is this the Heavenly Palace? Are you a fairy?”

Luo Jiu couldn’t help but chuckle at this, and only then did the girl realize there was another “fairy” in the room.

These fairies were all so beautiful, their clothes pristine, their features delicate, and even their voices soft and gentle—nothing like the rough-handed peasant women back in her village.

I must be dead, she thought, to be lying in such a fine place and seeing such beautiful people.

Shang Qianye smiled and leaned down to ask, “Don’t you remember me? We met a few days ago at the grain shop in town. You came to buy rice and mistook me for the shopkeeper.”

The girl thought hard for a moment, then finally recalled the encounter.

“It’s you?” Her eyes widened slightly as she glanced around at the elegant furniture. “Am I not dead?”

“Dying isn’t that easy,” Luo Jiu said, stepping into the room. “You’re lucky. We found you in the Corpse Pit.”

The girl’s expression darkened as she remembered something. “What about my parents and sisters?” she asked urgently.

“Probably all dead,” Luo Jiu said.

The little girl whimpered.

“Master, don’t say such things,” Shang Qianye chided. “She just woke up.”

Once the little girl started crying, she couldn’t stop. She sobbed and coughed violently, as if she were about to cough up her lungs. Shang Qianye helped her sit up, fed her some warm water, and wiped away her tears. Luo Jiu stood nearby, making light of the situation. “Crying is good for you,” she remarked. “Look, your face is flushed now.”

That’s from holding back her tears, you know! Shang Qianye thought irritably.

“Master,” Shang Qianye said with a sigh, “could you please bring the medicine from the stove outside?”

Luo Jiu blinked, nodded, and left the room.

After crying for a while, the little girl seemed to accept the fact that she was the only survivor of her family. Her eyes still red, she drank the medicine in one gulp. Her body broke into a feverish sweat, but as Luo Jiu had said, her complexion had at least lost its purplish tinge, making her look more alive.

Shang Qianye changed the girl’s clothes. The child was so thin and frail that when she stripped, she was nothing but skin and bones, a sight that tugged at the heart.

“All done,” Shang Qianye said, tying the girl’s robe and tucking her into bed. “What’s your name? How should we address you?”

“I’m called A Yu,” the girl replied.

“Yu? Like the fish that swim in the water?”

“Mm-hmm.”

A Yu looked up at Shang Qianye and explained softly, “When my mother gave birth to me, the first thing she ate was fish soup. That’s why she named me A Yu.”

It was a fittingly casual name for a farmer’s child.

“Alright, A Yu,” Shang Qianye said, patting her head. “This is the Lingxiao Sect. We rescued you from your village, but because your illness hasn’t fully healed, you’ll need to stay in this room and not wander off. Do you understand?”

“Yes, I understand,” A Yu replied. “It was the same in the village. They wouldn’t let me go outside. I’ll stay here obediently and not go anywhere.”

Shang Qianye smiled approvingly. “Such a good girl.”

Luo Jiu, who had been watching them from the side, waited until their conversation ended before asking A Yu, “We didn’t just rescue you out of kindness. Can you tell us what exactly happened in your village? Why did a plague break out so suddenly?”

A Yu turned to look at Luo Jiu, actually a little afraid of her. After all, the first thing Luo Jiu had said was that her entire family was dead, which had made her cry for a long time. But A Yu also knew that these two were her saviors, and she shouldn’t hide anything from them.

“I’m not really sure,” A Yu said softly. “I just remember that first the fish and shrimp in the river died, then the chickens and ducks in the village, and then people started getting fevers for no reason.”

“At first, we thought it was just a common cold, but it spread so quickly. Within a day or two, everyone in the village was sick, some so badly they couldn’t even get out of bed,” A Yu continued. “My parents and two older sisters all fell ill. They were too weak to move, so I was the only one who could take care of them.”

Luo Jiu asked several more questions, which A Yu answered one by one. But since she was young, she hadn’t noticed many details, so the information she provided didn’t differ much from what she had already said.

After leaving the house, Shang Qianye caught up with Luo Jiu and stood behind her. “Master, do you suspect foul play?”

Luo Jiu glanced back at her. “This epidemic might not be a natural disaster,” she said. “It could be a man-made catastrophe.”