Breaking the Precept

Hai Yazi was always sharp-tongued. Remembering the venomous remarks he'd thrown at her before, Ye You still felt unsettled. Fearing he'd say something offensive again, like criticizing her faults, Ye You grabbed Jian Xiaolou's wrist and turned to leave.

They could stay outside the hall anyway—Ao Xiao wouldn't dare come out of the water.

But Hai Yazi's phantom flickered and blocked their path.

Having heard of Hai Yazi's reputation as a sharp-tongued elder, Jian Xiaolou wasn't offended. Instead, she was curious about something else. "Senior, you can see me?"

"Did you use an invisibility technique? Unfortunately for you, I don't rely on my eyes to see." He pointed to the vermilion mark at the center of his forehead, though its meaning was unclear. "Where did you learn such wicked arts? Why do you harm others like this?"

"Wicked arts?" Jian Xiaolou scratched her chin, baffled. "When did I harm anyone?"

"You know very well." Hai Yazi's cold gaze bore into her. "At such a young age, you've already learned these malicious techniques. Leaving you alive is a disaster waiting to happen."

Jian Xiaolou flared up. "This junior has no such knowledge! I kindly ask Senior to clarify your accusations!"

Sure, she wasn't exactly a saint, but calling her a disaster was going too far!

Was this about deceiving Jin Yu?

She did feel guilty about that, but wasn't she forced into it step by step?

Even if she was considered malicious...

"Hai Yazi."

For once, a rare chill flickered across Ye You's usually indifferent face. "If you continue this nonsense, we won't be neighbors anymore."

"Oh? Are you moving out?" Hai Yazi glanced at him with disdain, wearing the expression of one unappreciated for their efforts. "Did you know that your body was once surrounded by purple qi? But not long ago, I noticed a trace of black threading through it. I thought it might have been because I've been cursing you so often, so I restrained myself lately. But your purple qi has continued to diminish..."

"And?"

"Today, seeing her, I finally understand why. There's a mass of black energy in her destiny, subtly flowing and constantly corroding your own."

"Destiny affects destiny—proximity breeds influence. What's so unusual about that?"

"The strange thing is her destiny is a light purple hue, and the black energy doesn't seem to harm her. So there's only one explanation—she's practicing a sinister art that steals others' destiny." His gaze shifted slowly to Jian Xiaolou, his clear blue eyes suddenly brimming with killing intent. "Young lady, am I right?"

Right... or not right?

The moment Jian Xiaolou heard the term "destiny," she froze as if struck by lightning.

It's her Soul Seal Curse.

It's her Soul Seal Curse...

"Xiaolou, does your Soul Seal Curse affect others?" Ye You already had a suspicion.

"Yes! The curse can transfer—I only recently learned this!" Jian Xiaolou, feeling like a walking virus, instinctively tried to distance herself, retreating to the corner. She forgot her wrist was still held tightly by Ye You and couldn't break free.

Ye You calmly pulled her back to his side.

"Soul Seal Curse?"

Hai Yazi, having never heard of it, realized it might not be a sinister art since Ye You seemed familiar with it. "What is it?"

After glancing at Ye You and seeing him nod, Jian Xiaolou explained everything. "Senior, it's a curse refined by a great Buddhist cultivator who sacrificed his life's cultivation to create it... to deal with my 'insane' former master..."

She recounted it all.

"Chi Xiao, Dragonbone, Faith, Twin Gourds, Soul Seal Curse..."

Hai Yazi looked bewildered but soon his eyes gleamed with rare excitement.

With a near-obsessive pursuit of the unknown, he exclaimed, "Your master wasn't wrong. The curse indeed transfers through resonating auras. Haha! This curse is fascinating. To think a mere lower realm cultivator at the Nascent Soul stage could create something so wondrous. Truly, an expert hidden among commoners!"

Hidden among commoners?

Wondrous?

Has anyone considered the curse bearer's feelings?

Jian Xiaolou's face darkened. "Senior, you're incredibly skilled. Can you remove Ye You's bad luck?"

So, it was all her fault Ye You was so unlucky.

Was her virus no longer dormant but now spreading everywhere?

"I don't yet understand the origins of this curse and dare not act rashly," Hai Yazi replied. "Would you be willing to give me a strand of your natal breath for research?"

Giving someone a strand of natal breath was akin to entrusting half your life to them. However, with Hai Yazi's cultivation level, he didn't need to resort to such measures—he could crush her with a single finger. Without much thought, Jian Xiaolou agreed. "Certainly, Senior."

Hai Yazi extracted a trace of her natal breath.

Before leaving, he warned Ye You, "Until I figure this out, you'd best stay away from her."

"Oh."

Ye You nodded perfunctorily, his tone insouciant and borderline aggravating.

Once outside the hall, Jian Xiaolou hurriedly said, "Take out the Twin Gourd quickly; I'm going back now."

She had no intention of returning until Hai Yazi came up with a solution.

"Xiaolou, there's no need to be overly concerned." Ye You's expression was faint, his tone even calmer. "Hai Yazi said it only has a minor effect on me. It's nothing serious. Besides, a little bad luck is no big deal. Your friend Zhan has no destiny at all, and he's doing just fine."

"Misfortune is worse than no destiny—you wouldn't understand!"

"In this world, those who reach the peak fall into two categories: those blessed with immense destiny and those who rise from calamity. Take our Sea King, for instance. He evolved from a water serpent to a flood dragon, then to a three-clawed dragon, and finally to a true dragon. After countless hardships, he became the only Yinglong in the history of Xisu at the age of 650,000."

"Hmm?"

"Golden Feather, by contrast, reached the 19th rank after only a few hundred thousand years, dominating the galaxy. Yet, at the same age, Sea King was merely a three-clawed dragon mocked by his peers."

Jian Xiaolou tilted her head slightly to look at him. "What are you trying to say?"

"If, years from now, I, Ye You, become the second Yinglong in Xisu history after the Sea King, it will be thanks to you." He smiled faintly, a rare warmth gracing his brows. "Your contribution will be immeasurable."

Somehow, something bad coming from his lips sounded like a good thing.

Jian Xiaolou had felt guilty earlier, but seeing his ambitious look, she couldn't help but laugh.

"Oh, then you'd better thank me properly."

"What kind of thanks does Xiaolou want?" Ye You's eyes flashed with mischief. "How about I repay you with myself?"

What was meant as a joke caught Jian Xiaolou off guard. A question almost escaped her lips: "Ye You, do you... perhaps like me a little?"