Chapter Fifty-Nine: Sanction

Old Ma went over again to check on Ze Yi, his brow furrowing even deeper. “The ghost curse on him has indeed been lifted!”

Xiao Qingwan, still somewhat confused, asked, “So the curse was attached to Ze Yi before?”

She finally understood.

Old Ma nodded and looked at me. “How did he remove the ghost curse?”

I carefully recounted every step that man had taken. The three listened, their brows knitting ever tighter, deep in thought.

“What is it? Is there a problem?” I couldn’t help but ask.

None of them spoke. Old Ma handed the vine doll back to me and walked off by himself to brood.

I turned to Xiao Qingwan, my gaze asking what was going on—what did their expressions mean?

She glanced at Master Wei beside her and said, “Normally, when a ghost curse takes hold, it’s almost impossible to remove. The methods passed down are extremely complex, like ‘cleansing the body,’ ‘passing through fire,’ or ‘changing one’s name.’ I’ve never heard of anyone lifting the curse directly without using any tools.”

That man dealt with the ghost curse far too effortlessly. No wonder I felt something was off at the time.

Xiao Qingwan went on, “Also, the Azure Shade was a vengeful spirit that formed through an unusual process, vastly different from ordinary wandering ghosts. It’s extremely difficult to confront. If any of us faced it, only Old Ma could stand a chance.”

I was a little stunned. Seeing that man handle it so easily, almost without effort, I’d thought the Azure Shade wasn’t much. I hadn’t realized how formidable it truly was! Master Wei was lucky to escape alive from its hands.

Come to think of it, since he’s so capable, where did Huang Yunlei’s friend find him?

“Did any of you ask his name?” Xiao Qingwan asked.

I shook my head. Since it was just a fleeting encounter and we’d likely never meet again, I hadn’t bothered.

She seemed a bit regretful, murmuring softly, “Who could such a powerful person be?”

Back in the guest rooms, I laid Huang Wenyang and Ze Yi in the main hall. Master Wei coughed all the way back. I suggested we go to the hospital, but he gave no response and went straight to his room.

Internal injuries are different from external ones—I had no idea what he was thinking.

Zhuang Xingrui and the others soon returned. I explained the situation briefly, and Xu Guangyi and another bodyguard immediately headed for Master Wei’s room. Zhuang Xingrui was visibly displeased, even looking at Old Ma and me with a hint of hostility; once again, he’d failed to impress Master Wei, and we had stolen the spotlight.

Old Ma and the others ignored him and checked on Huang Wenyang and Ze Yi.

“He’s been cursed. Though his life isn’t in danger, he’ll suffer a serious illness,” Old Ma said, looking at Huang Wenyang.

This man had committed countless misdeeds and was finally paying the price, but this was only the beginning.

They examined Ze Yi carefully. At last, Old Ma said, “The ghost curse was removed directly from within him, and his body wasn’t harmed. That man is a master among masters.”

“I saw a black shadow fly out of Ze Yi at the time. What was that?” I asked.

“That was likely the ghost curse’s evil energy,” Xiao Qingwan replied, clearly puzzled why I, Old Ma’s apprentice, knew so little.

With that, the matter seemed settled, though I still didn’t understand why Huang Yunlei, who drowned a year ago, had become the Azure Shade. That question would have to wait until Ze Yi woke.

Huang Wenyang was left in the hall, while Xiao Qingwan took Ze Yi to her own room to care for him.

It was nearly four in the morning. Old Ma openly returned to his room to rest, and everyone else went off to catch up on sleep.

Lying in bed, exhausted yet unable to sleep, my mind churned with everything that had happened. My limbs felt weak, and something seemed blocked in my chest, making me increasingly uncomfortable.

A rush of irritation welled up, and I couldn’t help but cough, each fit worse than the last, leaving me dizzy and miserable.

What was wrong with me? Had I fallen ill? It was so sudden. An intense itch crept up my arm, and when I scratched, a sharp pain shot through me, as if my skin were torn open. It was where the living dead cat had scratched me! That cat was so strange—could I have caught something? No, I had to go to the hospital at first light!

Overwhelmed and anxious, I didn’t know when I finally drifted off.

I was awakened by a commotion. Opening my eyes, daylight flooded in through the window, and outside, a noisy clamor was rising.

I sat up, my whole body limp and weak. The wound no longer itched. I struggled to my feet and stepped out of the room.

Outside, a crowd of police had arrived, escorting people out of the village. Those being taken ranged from teenagers to the elderly, all men.

I immediately understood what was happening. I hadn’t expected Master Wei to act so quickly and decisively.

“What’s the matter with you?” Xiao Qingwan’s surprised voice called.

I looked up; she approached, eyes fixed on my face in astonishment.

I raised a hand to my cheek. “What is it?”

She took a small, round mirror from her pocket and handed it to me. Looking into it, I saw my face was deathly pale, devoid of any color. I gasped inwardly—could it be because of the cat scratch?

“It’s nothing, just a minor issue,” Old Ma said, walking over.

He carried that strange scent of mint and cilantro, clearly having inhaled some herbal remedy again. He squinted at me, as if he already knew what was wrong.

“A minor issue?” Xiao Qingwan was skeptical, but since Old Ma said so, she didn’t press further. She turned to watch the police escorting people out, and said, “Master Wei called the police. If it weren’t for him, they wouldn’t have come so quickly, or in such numbers.”

Her eyes shone with admiration.

The police seemed to know exactly whom they were targeting. I asked, “How did they know who had abused Huang Yunlei?”

“Huang Wenyang confessed everything,” she replied.

“He confessed so easily?” I was surprised. This was his turf; even half-dead, I didn’t expect him to give up so quickly.

Xiao Qingwan shook her head. “I’m not sure what happened. When I woke up, Master Wei and the others were in the hall, holding a list.”

I was stunned—most likely forced confession.

“By the way, where’s Ze Yi?” I asked.

“He was still sleeping just now. I’ll go see if he’s awake.” With that, Xiao Qingwan turned and left.

I looked at Old Ma, silently asking if he knew what was happening to me.

Old Ma squinted at me, reached out, and pinched the spot on my arm where the cat had scratched. Pain shot through me, and I inhaled sharply.

“You got scratched by a living dead cat. The evil energy entered your body and triggered the ghost curse within. Don’t worry, this matter is nearly resolved. I’ll help you,” Old Ma said.