Under the Heavens, Who Doesn't Have a Grudge Against Your Master?

"Do you enjoy women looking at you with utter disgust?" Meng Jingzhou felt that Lu Yang might genuinely be out of his mind. In fact, ever since they had entered Huangzhou, it seemed as though Lu Yang's condition had only grown worse. "Here's the situation: I found Shuang Feiyan, the Valley Master of the Seven Emotions Valley. Valley Master Shuang has some history with the Fourth Elder, and she's willing to help you deal with the karmic backlash. However, her abilities are limited; she can only partially neutralize it, not remove it completely." On his way to find Meng Jingzhou, Lu Yang had even considered whether, if Valley Master Shuang's cultivation wasn't sufficient to completely resolve it, having the previous Valley Master or a Supreme Elder of the Seven Emotions Valley intervene might do the trick. Valley Master Shuang's reply had been: "Do you think everyone senior to me has reached the Tribulation Transcendence stage?" "Valley Master Shuang can alter the karmic backlash's effect from 'unable to see any women' to 'every woman you see will loathe you.' As for how to dispel it completely later on, we'll have to figure that out down the line." Meng Jingzhou wore a bizarre expression. "Why do I feel like both of those are six of one and half a dozen of the other?" "How can you call them six of one and half a dozen of the other? Before, you couldn't even step through the front doors of a brothel; now you'll be able to walk right in!" "Next time, give a normal analogy, thanks." Meng Jingzhou squatted on the ground, stroking his chin in thought. If a portion of the curse could be mitigated, he wouldn't have to crouch in a desolate ravine every day, waiting for Lu Yang to come back and brag about his luck with women. He would be able to enter cities and travel anywhere without restrictions, free from the worry that sudden calamities raining from the sky would send him scurrying from east to west. "Fine. In that case, I'll trouble Valley Master Shuang. Uh, what should I say to her?" Lu Yang sighed. Valley Master Shuang and Meng Jingzhou couldn't meet face-to-face, and the old horse couldn't be counted on, which meant he would have to serve as the messenger. Resigned to his fate, he retraced his steps and found Valley Master Shuang meditating under a tree. "Did you find your companion?" "I did. He's willing to accept your treatment." Valley Master Shuang nodded, then frowned slightly as another issue crossed her mind. "Is something wrong?" "His curse is exceptionally difficult to unravel. Even partially neutralizing it poses immense difficulty. I need to observe his specific condition before I can decide which method to employ." "Except you and Old Meng can't meet right now, can you?" "Indeed. That is precisely the problem." Having lived for over two thousand years, Valley Master Shuang possessed far more experience than Lu Yang. She quickly thought of a solution. "There is a way. We can perform pulse diagnosis via suspended thread." "However, there is too much vegetation here, which will interfere with the diagnosis and make it inconvenient. How about this: bring your companion to the entrance of the Seven Emotions Valley. There are no obstructions there." Leaving behind those words, Valley Master Shuang flew back to the Seven Emotions Valley on her own to prepare the magical treasures required for the suspended thread pulse diagnosis. Lu Yang returned once more to the desolate mountain where Meng Jingzhou was waiting and had the old horse pull the two of them to the Seven Emotions Valley. This time, the old horse didn't drag his hooves. Employing spatial magic, he swiftly pulled them back. By now, the crowd outside the Seven Emotions Valley seeking curse removal had completely dispersed, and the attending disciples had carried their little stools back inside. Meng Jingzhou arrived at the valley without a hitch. Lu Yang entered the Seven Emotions Valley and retrieved the magical treasure for the suspended thread pulse diagnosis from Valley Master Shuang. Pulse diagnosis via suspended thread was an ancient medical practice originating from the Great Qian Dynasty. When the Qian Emperor's concubines fell ill, imperial physicians were summoned to examine them. However, since the concubines were the emperor's women, no other man was permitted to touch them. The imperial physicians of the Great Qian thus devised an ingenious solution: they tied one end of a silk thread around the concubine's wrist, while the physician held the other end. Relying on the tactile feedback, pulse patterns, spiritual energy fluctuations, and various other indicators transmitted through the suspended thread, combined with their extensive medical expertise, they diagnosed the illness. Even more accomplished physicians, adept in escape arts, would sneak in under cover of night to examine the concubines secretly, leaving no trace behind. "I understand the general idea, but why did you wrap me up like a mummy? Weren't you supposed to just tie the thread around my wrist for this suspended thread diagnosis?!" Meng Jingzhou roared in fury. His entire body was wrapped tight in white silk threads, leaving only his mouth uncovered. "Shut it, just shut it." Lu Yang wound the thread over his mouth as well. "What choice is there? Yours isn't some ordinary karmic backlash. If we want an accurate diagnosis, how could a single thread be enough? Wrapping your whole body makes for a far better read. Just bear with it—this is what Valley Master Shuang asked for." Meng Jingzhou yielded, obediently awaiting Valley Master Shuang's diagnosis. Lu Yang entered the Seven Emotions Valley. Valley Master Shuang was clutching a thick bundle of thread ends in her hand, her eyes closed in meditation as she contemplated a solution. Lu Yang held his breath, not daring to disturb her diagnosis. "A Dual Bachelor Golden Core... Quite the daring fellow." "You can tell it's a Bachelor Golden Core?" Lu Yang asked in surprise. This was the first time someone outside the Dao Seeking Sect had recognized Meng Jingzhou's Golden Core. "In my youth, I encountered a possessor of the Bachelor Spiritual Root. His talent was quite remarkable, though still inferior to this companion of yours." "Judging by these bloodline traces, plus the surname Meng... so he's a lad from the Meng Family," Valley Master Shuang said with a chuckle, recalling events from her youth. "This karmic backlash is rather fascinating. It's even more severe than Shanren described. Fortunately, it hasn't exceeded my expectations." Valley Master Shuang already had a plan in mind, having calculated how to neutralize part of the karmic backlash. "Have you ever studied the principles of curses?" "No." "Curses possess a dual nature of soul and body. To dissolve a curse, one must intervene on both the physical and spiritual levels." "Here are toad skin, dried centipedes, five-poison insect powder... Feed these items to the Meng lad in the exact order I've arranged. Remember, they must be eaten raw to dissolve the physical curse. Afterward, use this set of Seven Stars Silver Needles to perform bloodletting. Once the wounds heal, prick him and let blood again, repeating the process three times. The Seven Stars Silver Needles possess the ability to connect with the soul, which will dissolve the spiritual curse." "Did you memorize everything I instructed?" "Let me double-check. Are you certain things like the toad skin must be eaten raw?" "Eating them cooked works too, but eating them raw is more efficient." "Higher absorption efficiency?" "Higher time efficiency. It saves the time needed to cook them." "All right, got it." Lu Yang turned to leave, but Valley Master Shuang called out to him. "Hold on, there's one more thing I need to confirm with you." "What is it?" "Is that Old Scoundrel Buyu really still alive? I know some sect masters prefer to conceal their deaths without announcing them, fearing the massive fallout. If Old Scoundrel Buyu really kicked the bucket, just tell me. I'll personally take you to the Corpse Driving Sect to learn how to refine a living corpse." "Do you have a grudge against my master?" Valley Master Shuang let out a string of cold sneers. "Under the heavens, who doesn't have a grudge against your master?" "Back in the day, when your master was locked up in prison, Shanren and I went to visit him. The moment your master saw me, he claimed he was completely immune to curses and that no curse could harm him. He said if I didn't believe him, I was welcome to try. Naturally, I didn't believe him, so I cast several curses on him. And then, your master was released on medical parole." Lu Yang: "..." "Later, the truth came to light, and the authorities arrested both your master and me for prison break." "...My esteemed master is still alive and well. A while back he was locked up in a jail cell; I'm not sure if he's been released yet." "What a pity."