NOVEL ONLINE FREE Chapter 46: The Curse
His spiritual sense stretched out frantically. His son. His grandson. Where were they? He scoured the palace, the city, but all he found was an empty void.
His heart sank. There were only two possibilities. Either they had left the city… Or they were dead.
Immense rage overtook him, but in his current condition, he could not even move an inch, let alone help her. He cursed his fate, cursed his own inability, cursed the heavens and the earth, and prayed that his great-granddaughter would walk out of this alive. His aura swept across the town, searching desperately for life, and in that instant, his heart nearly stopped. Only two living people remained—and one beast.
"That aura…" His temples throbbed painfully as realization dawned upon him. He knew this presence all too well. And he knew the father behind it even better. "No, no, no, no! That can't be true! I severed his spirit root with my own hands! He should have never been able to cultivate!" His voice shook with fury, his mind refusing to accept what his senses told him. That bastard had abandoned his son to him, leaving behind nothing but a cripple. But who would train a walking disaster? And now… this boy…
His breath came ragged as he traced the thick, suffocating blood aura surrounding him. "He slaughtered them… all of them… just like his father." His teeth ground together with such force they nearly shattered. His entire clan—his people—gone. Not a single one left standing. Only he remained, a useless, withered relic, unable to strike down the demon responsible.
"I may not be able to kill you right now…" A slow, twisted grin crept onto his lips as an idea surfaced in his mind, a memory from his youth, a vile technique he had once stumbled upon in his travels. A cursed mark that latched onto the very soul, unseen and undetectable, one that would never fade unless the caster willed it. Yes… with this, he would know exactly where this abomination ran, no matter how far he fled.
"One day… when I am free from this prison of flesh… I will find you, and I will make you regret ever crossing my Fang Clan." His fingers trembled as the silent curse took root, sinking into its target like an invisible chain. His senses flickered back to Fang Jinyao, Her aura is battered and unstable, but alive... And that boy… Wen Ran… he had spared her.
The old man exhaled, letting his rage settle into something colder, deeper, something that would not fade with time. He shut his eyes and withdrew into meditation once more, cutting himself off from the outside world. Let the heavens be witness—this grudge would not be forgotten.
At the same time, Wen Ran's body shivered as an icy chill washed over him, a sensation so unsettling that it made his skin crawl. His instincts screamed at him, warning of danger, yet no matter how he inspected himself, he found nothing amiss. Still, he was far too cautious to dismiss it as mere paranoia.
Have I been cursed? His mind sifted through the vile curses of his past life—most left traces, some could be broken with effort, but if this one had no signs, then he was in deep trouble. A curse that left no tracks was near-impossible to dispel unless the caster was killed. Yet, why? Who would dare target him with such a thing? His thoughts raced until the realization hit him.
"You old dog…" His eyes narrowed as a smirk tugged at his lips. Fang Jinyao's great-grandfather… It must be his doing.
"Fine, fine… I don't mind." He chuckled darkly, his fingers tapping against his chin in thought. "Let's see what you've got. If you think you can kill me with a curse, then I swear upon the heavens—if I die, I will haunt you until the day you breathe your last. And even in death, I will never let you rest." His smirk widened, but then he paused, his gaze sharpening. "No… if you wanted me dead, you could have done it already."
A deep, eerie laughter escaped his throat, carrying an unsettling amusement. "Hahaha… so that's it. A tracking curse." His voice was laced with satisfaction, his expression filled with intrigue rather than concern. "Yes… untraceable, harmless… good, good, good."
He repeated the word three times, as if savoring it. Excitement flickered in his eyes.
"I will wait for the day you find me. I want to see how you plan to take your revenge, you old fossil. But—haha—" his lips curled into a mocking grin, "in my eyes, you are nothing but a child."
Wen Ran accepted the reality—he was most likely cursed. There was nothing he could do about it now, and that only fueled his determination to grow stronger, faster. With renewed resolve, he cast one last glance at Fang Jinyao before turning away, stepping out of the city without a second thought. He left her there, standing amidst the ruins, flames consuming the buildings around her, their embers painting the night sky in shades of destruction.
Finding a spot beyond the city gates, he lowered himself onto the grass, his gaze fixated on the burning remains of what was once a proud city. The scent of smoke and death lingered in the air, but Wen Ran simply watched, unmoved.
Through the shattered gate, a small white figure emerged, dragging the unconscious girl behind it. Xiao Mo, panting from exhaustion, finally reached Wen Ran, gently placing Fang Jinyao beside him before collapsing onto the ground. The rabbit shot her master a look of clear disapproval, her ears twitching in irritation.
Wen Ran chuckled at the sight. "You're a funny one, Xiao Mo. You should've just left her. It's not like a little fire would have killed her," he scolded lightly, his voice tinged with amusement.
Xiao Mo huffed and turned her head away, clearly upset. But Wen Ran didn't care. His focus lay elsewhere—he was waiting, anticipating that inevitable message to finally appear before his eyes.
And soon…
[CONGRATULATIONS!]
[You have successfully completed your quest!]
[Evaluating…]
Wen Ran's eyes gleamed with a radiant, multicolored light, a phenomenon that manifested both physically and as an expression of his current state. His gaze remained fixed on the system screen, anticipation stirring in his chest. What exactly is it evaluating? His talent? The time it took him to complete the quest?