While the contests in the Cyan Cloud Examination Hall raged on, Prince Yuann’s Mansion in Divine Capital City was deathly quiet.
Inside a secret chamber in Prince Yuann’s Mansion.
A jade altar stood in the center of the secret chamber. Eight shallow grooves filled with fresh blood extended from it in all directions, the crimson liquid gurgling as it flowed.
Prince Yuann glanced at the flowing blood, his eye twitching. ’Who would have thought a simple Curse Fate would require the blood of so many people?’ he mused. ’If this gets out and the Imperial Censorate impeaches me for witchcraft, the consequences will be unthinkable.’
But the die was cast, and he couldn’t turn back now. The Great Fate Master had made the request himself; how could he possibly give up halfway?
Prince Yuann looked resignedly at the three people before him.
The Great Fate Master, Gai Fengyou, and his two apprentices, one male and one female.
The three stood before the altar. The male apprentice cradled a Treasure Sword, while the female apprentice held a golden mace. They stood ramrod straight, not uttering a word.
Gai Fengyou proceeded to place Magical Artifacts around the altar.
Before long, the altar and the area around it were covered with Command Flags, steel swords, Copper Basins, incense, candles, and other Magical Artifacts.
Finally, Gai Fengyou turned to face Prince Yuann.
He wore a yellow Daoist Robe adorned with a black Eight Trigrams pattern and a glittering golden lotus crown on his head. His hair and beard were snow-white, yet his skin was as smooth as a baby’s, without a single wrinkle. Three long strands of his white beard hung down, giving him an otherworldly, immortal-like air.
A thin line of gold shimmered at the top of his eyes, just under his lids, emitting a faint glow that was both divine and terrifying.
"Your Highness," Gai Fengyou said, his voice sharp and thin, yet slow, like a saw dragging across an iron bar. "Are you ready?"
Prince Yuann’s expression turned serious. "I am ready."
"This Curse Fate is your undertaking alone, for the sake of avenging your son. I am merely a facilitator and have no intention of targeting anyone," Gai Fengyou said with a smile that didn’t reach his eyes.
Prince Yuann nodded. "That is correct."
"Good. First, place the enemy’s tablet," said Gai Fengyou.
Prince Yuann took three steps forward and retrieved a Wooden Token with red characters on a black background from his Qi Fortune Golden Fish Pouch. He looked at Gai Fengyou.
"Master Gai, are you certain this will only curse him and not kill him? And that it won’t leave any evidence that could be used against me?"
"Rest assured. When dealing with a mere Eighth-Grade Fate Master, I know how to control the intensity," Gai Fengyou said, stroking his beard with two smooth, pale fingers.
Prince Yuann took a deep breath and placed the tablet in the center of the altar.
The front of the Wooden Token was inscribed with the two large words "Li Qingxian," while the back listed his Eight Characters of Birth.
"Second, place your son’s tablet," said Gai Fengyou.
Prince Yuann took out the memorial tablet of his deceased son, Tang Enxuan. He held it in his hands, caressed it gently, and sighed before placing it to the left of Li Qingxian’s tablet.
"Third, the blood of those with connected fates."
Prince Yuann brought out a white porcelain bowl containing about an inch of fresh blood. He placed it down, then another, and another, until there were seven bowls in total—seven pools of blood.
Gazing at the bowls of blood, Prince Yuann asked, "Master Gai, are you sure the blood of these seven people will work?"
Gai Fengyou snorted. "You can’t blame me for this. It’s because you’re so overly cautious. If you had taken the blood of Li Qingxian’s relatives or housemates, would we even need the blood of these seven?"
"The Ministry of Justice was attacked just for investigating his family," Prince Yuann said. "If I were to take the blood of those close to him at a time like this, the first official attack on a Royal Mansion in Daqi Country’s history would happen right here."
Gai Fengyou looked at the seven bowls. "If you could have just gotten Li Qingxian’s hair, fingernails, and blood directly, I wouldn’t have had to resort to this. Li Qingxian bought a life in the Imperial Prison, exchanging his lot with six prisoners. Plus, there’s that Shenn Goudan. Regardless, among these seven, there must be someone whose Destiny Star was bought by him. As long as he has borrowed the power of any one of those Destiny Stars, I can use that star to lock onto his Life Mansion and curse his fate."
"The entire Divine Capital is watching him right now. If I’m caught, my Imperial Brother will have no choice but to sacrifice me to save himself. Having someone knock out Shenn Goudan to get his blood was already pushing the limit. I can’t touch anyone else close to him," said Prince Yuann.
"Fine. Since we’ve come this far, I won’t ask any more questions. Just make sure the offering you’ve prepared isn’t lacking," Gai Fengyou said, his eyes gleaming.
Prince Yuann nodded slightly.
"Stand back. Now, watch me work."
"Yes."
Prince Yuann slowly backed away, watching Gai Fengyou with a hint of curiosity.
The Fate Master in the Eight Trigrams Robe brandished a Thunderstruck Peach Wood Sword and began to circle the altar slowly, muttering an incantation.
From time to time, he would take out a Magical Treasure or two, throwing lightning, breathing fire, and summoning wind and rain, creating all sorts of strange phenomena.
Then, Gai Fengyou officially began the ritual. The secret chamber plunged into darkness as fierce winds howled. The many Magical Artifacts swayed violently, like bells in a storm, clattering and shaking.
But a moment later, Gai Fengyou’s voice, transmitted by Magical Power, echoed in the room. "Prince Yuann!" he bellowed angrily. "This Li Qingxian’s fortune is extraordinary! I’m afraid I’m going to suffer a great loss here. You’ll have to add another thirty percent to my offering!"
Prince Yuann cursed inwardly. ’No wonder they call him Gai Three-Tenths. Every time he performs a Fate Skill for someone, he always finds an excuse to add thirty percent halfway through.’
The Prince replied helplessly, "Thirty percent it is, but not a bit more!"
"Hmph! You think I need your paltry thirty percent? Get back!"
Prince Yuann and his head steward hastily retreated until their backs were against the wall.
The two watched in astonishment as the eight streams of blood in the shallow grooves slowly rose, transforming into eight blood-pythons that coiled and writhed around the altar.
A large hole suddenly tore open in the ceiling of the secret chamber, revealing roiling black clouds.
The black clouds slowly parted, revealing a sky full of large, shining stars.
One of the large stars suddenly shot down a pillar of light, which landed on one of the bowls of blood. Then, one by one, other large stars released silver pillars of light, shrouding the seven bowls of blood and the memorial tablets of Li Qingxian and Tang Enxuan.
The blood in the seven bowls began to boil. Thin lines of blood rose from within, slowly flying out.
Finally, the seven bloodlines connected the tablets of Tang Enxuan and Li Qingxian.
From Tang Enxuan’s tablet, two strands of black, deathly energy emerged. One connected to Li Qingxian’s tablet, while the other shockingly connected to Prince Yuann himself.
Gai Fengyou sighed inwardly. ’I asked for more too soon. If I’d waited until now to raise the price, I could have gotten at least fifty percent more.’
Gai Fengyou’s two apprentices were startled and looked toward Prince Yuann.
Prince Yuann guessed the reason. His face darkened, and he remained silent.
The head steward lowered his head slightly, not daring to look at the black line.
Suddenly, Gai Fengyou shrieked and began to chant a Spell loudly.
"Celestial Stars, decree the fate! Nine stars, sever the life! True light, bind the evil! True blood, connect the life..."
After finishing the lengthy Spell, Gai Fengyou raised his Treasure Sword. The blade erupted with a blinding light as he plunged it straight into Li Qingxian’s Wooden Token.
"True Technique, lock the fortune! Celestial Star, sever the life!"
A piercing scream erupted from Gai Fengyou’s throat.
Gai Fengyou pulled out the Treasure Sword. Murky, yellow river water suddenly gushed from the crack in the Wooden Token, reeking of sulfur and rot. It instantly flooded the altar and flowed out in all directions.
The flow was but a trickle, yet it roared like a great tide.
"Who dares to Curse Us?"
A vast and majestic rebuke boomed through the secret chamber like a clap of Celestial Thunder, making the five people present go numb, their very bones feeling as if they were about to shatter.
Gai Fengyou glanced at the Yellow Springs water pouring from the Wooden Token, and his courage utterly failed him.
’I was cursing Li Qingxian! Why did the Curse land on the Yellow Springs Emperor? Could it be... Is Li Qingxian the Human World Body of the Yellow Springs Emperor?’
Gai Fengyou’s face was ashen. ’I’m no top-tier Great Fate Master like Li Xuzhong,’ he thought frantically. ’I only reached the Third Grade through unorthodox and wicked means. They call me a Great Fate Master to be polite, but in reality, I’m just an Upper-Grade Destiny Cultivator—a far cry from a true Great Fate Master.’
Remembering that the Yellow Springs Emperor was fond of Destiny Stars, Gai Fengyou fell to his knees with a THUD. He pointed a finger at Prince Yuann and shouted, "Your Imperial Majesty! Prince Yuann of the Human World’s Qii Country, a man of savage ambition, tricked this humble servant into cursing you! I was deceived, Your Majesty! My crime does not warrant death; the blame lies entirely with Prince Yuann! I have recently acquired a Destiny Star worth millions, which I was saving for my descendants, but I now offer it to Your Imperial Majesty!"
Gai Fengyou hastily presented a Life Ship. The candlelight within it flickered, and a speck of white light flew out, disappearing into the crack in Li Qingxian’s Wooden Token.