Volume One, Chapter Seven: The Bloodthirsty Curse

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“Ji Heng, the Imperial Astrologer of the Phoenix Feather Kingdom, is skilled in star-gazing and divination. He was also the one who first declared that twins were an ill omen. Across the Four-Star Continent, he is regarded almost like a god. Even the emperor of the Phoenix Feather Kingdom treats him with the utmost respect, and no one dares contradict anything he says.

“Eighteen years ago, when Madam Yun gave birth to the Second Young Lady Yun and Yun Zhaojun, the Imperial Astrologer of the Phoenix Feather Kingdom personally visited the Yun residence.”

Zhaoyan rested her chin on one hand and lightly tapped the table with the other. At this, her eyes flickered slightly. Could that Imperial Astrologer be a Celestial Diviner? No, that was impossible. How could such a low-level continent possibly have a Celestial Diviner?

So the reason the original owner had been sent to the countryside was because this Imperial Astrologer had meddled behind the scenes.

As another thought occurred to her, Zhaoyan asked, “When did the claim that twins were ill omens first appear?”

“A hundred years ago.”

A chill ran through Zhaoyan as the implications sank in. In other words, had the Imperial Astrologer already been plotting this a century ago? Something flashed rapidly through her mind, yet she could not grasp it.

“Why exactly would he do this?”

“For you.”

“For me?”

Mo Chenlan nodded. “That is why I came looking for you.”

Zhaoyan’s mind raced. She looked at Mo Chenlan with wariness and suspicion. Even if that were true, this was a grievance between her and the Imperial Astrologer. Why would a man from Snowfield City interfere?

Help her? Clearly not. So what exactly did he want from her?

Mo Chenlan naturally noticed the change in her expression. With a soft laugh, he said, “Ji Heng is from Snowfield City. The Netherworld Drunkenness I suffered from before may very well have come from him.”

So Mo Chenlan and the Imperial Astrologer were enemies?

“Mr. Mo, you could investigate this yourself. Why drag along a useless burden with such weak spiritual power?”

“To be honest, I suspect that the reason he has gone to such lengths is that he wants something belonging to the Yun family. There is a good chance that something is hidden within you and your sister.”

Mo Chenlan’s eyes settled on her, studying the expression on her face.

Zhaoyan lowered her gaze, concealing the emotions in her eyes. The corners of Mo Chenlan’s lips lifted slightly, and the amusement in his eyes deepened.

“Since we need to investigate, why not start with Yun Zhaojun? What do you think, Mr. Mo?”

Mo Chenlan chuckled. “What a coincidence. I had the same thought.”

Before Zhaoyan could react, a large hand seized her, and the two of them vanished from the room.

They appeared above the Yun residence. An almost transparent barrier enclosed them both. Shadow Guards passed directly beneath their feet without noticing them.

Zhaoyan inwardly marveled. This man was frighteningly powerful.

“Do you know where Yun Zhaojun is?”

“No.”

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No wonder there was no rain. He had simply left her speechless.

The Yun residence covered a vast area, making it genuinely difficult to find a single person.

At that moment, Mo Chenlan pulled her forward through the air and landed on a roof. An old nurse emerged from the room below.

A streak of light shot from Mo Chenlan’s hand and struck the old nurse directly on the head.

Soul-searching magic!

Zhaoyan stared at the man before her in disbelief. Soul-searching magic was common in the Spirit Saint Continent, but it was a secret art unique to the Soaring Cloud Sect, and only inner disciples of the sect could cultivate it.

Practicing this art required immense spiritual strength. Otherwise, during the soul search, the caster could easily suffer a backlash from the person being searched.

Mo Chenlan actually knew soul-searching magic. Where had he learned it?

While Zhaoyan was still puzzling over this, Mo Chenlan pulled her to a magnificent courtyard. It was clearly much larger and more lavish than hers.

“We’re here.”

His deep voice drew Zhaoyan’s thoughts back to the present.

She sensed the surroundings. Every direction was guarded by experts at the Spirit Lord level or above.

The two of them instantly slipped past those experts and entered the room. Yet there was already someone else inside.

It was her biological mother.

The woman had not noticed that two more people had entered the room. Madam Yun sat beside the bed, holding the hand of the young woman lying upon it and gazing at her with tender affection.

“Jun’er, hold on for three more days. You’ll be well soon.”

Zhaoyan narrowed her eyes. Three more days? Wasn’t her welcoming banquet in three days?

“I hope you won’t blame Mother after you awaken. Everything Mother has done was for your own good.”

What exactly had happened to Yun Zhaojun? Zhaoyan wanted to move closer, but Mo Chenlan held her back.

“Madam Yun is quite powerful. If you get too close, she’ll notice you.”

After roughly the time it took an incense stick to burn, Madam Yun finally left the room.

Zhaoyan hurried forward, her gaze falling upon the young woman on the bed. She froze for a moment.

What a beautiful face!

As expected, she herself was a great beauty too.

Zhaoyan quickly composed herself, took Yun Zhaojun’s hand, and began examining her.

Her spiritual power entered Yun Zhaojun’s body, following her meridians as it traveled throughout her form.

Mo Chenlan stared at her, a trace of inquiry flashing through his eyes. This woman’s cultivation was not particularly high, yet her spiritual power was extraordinarily formidable. She also possessed exceptional medical skills, and her manner was entirely unlike that of someone who had spent eighteen years as a slave in the countryside.

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After a long while—

Zhaoyan released Yun Zhaojun’s hand. There was something wrong with the girl’s blood.

She took out a silver needle and was about to pierce Yun Zhaojun’s hand to draw blood, but after some thought, she chose to prick her toe instead.

The blood that flowed from Yun Zhaojun was blue!

Zhaoyan’s face filled with shock.

The Bloodthirst Curse! It was the Bloodthirst Curse!

Mo Chenlan frowned slightly, both surprised and puzzled. Clearly, this was the first time he had ever seen a person whose blood was blue.

“Why is her blood blue?”

Zhaoyan lowered the girl’s hand and explained, “She has the Bloodthirst Curse.”

The Bloodthirst Curse?

What kind of illness was that? Mo Chenlan remained silent. In all his years, he had never heard of such a disease.

“The Bloodthirst Curse is generally present from birth, and only twins have a chance of developing it. At first, they appear no different from ordinary people, but their blood carries deadly blood-decay worms. These worms gradually devour the blood until it is completely infested.”

“So the blue blood is actually made up of those blood-decay worms?”

Zhaoyan nodded. “There is a force protecting her heart, but nearly all the blood in her body has been overtaken by the worms. The only way to save her life is to replace her blood. However, not just anyone’s blood will do.”

Mo Chenlan quickly understood what she meant.

So the Yun family had brought her back because they intended to use her blood to save Yun Zhaojun.

Zhaoyan knew that as long as the worms had not invaded Yun Zhaojun’s heart, she would not fall into a deep slumber.

She reached for Yun Zhaojun’s hand once more. This time, her spiritual power struck directly at Yun Zhaojun’s soul.

But—

A tremendous force erupted from Yun Zhaojun’s soul, crashing against Zhaoyan’s spiritual power like a monstrous beast surging from the depths of the sea. By the time Zhaoyan tried to withdraw her hand, it was already too late.

Pfft!

Zhaoyan spat out a mouthful of blood, splattering it across the room.

Mo Chenlan was startled. He swiftly moved behind her to shield and protect her.

In a distant palace, a man abruptly opened his eyes. A murderous gleam flashed through his sharp gaze, and he vanished from the palace in an instant.

“Mo Chenlan, get me out of here—quickly!”

It was the first time Zhaoyan had called him by his full name. Mo Chenlan immediately sensed the gravity of the situation. After erasing the bloodstains from the room, he vanished with her.