The moon hung in the sky like a fox's eyes, coldly gazing at the mortal world.
Qingwei Palace, meditation chamber.
When Zhang Fan awoke, the sky was beginning to lighten. He staggered out of bed, stumbled outside, and saw the first glimmer of dawn rising in the east.
"Taoist Pojie?" Zhang Fan called, his voice hoarse and low, his throat felt as if it had been scorched by fire—painful beyond endurance, and his body was weak to the extreme.
The quiet corridor was utterly devoid of human presence; the vast Qingwei Palace had once again returned to its familiar dead silence.
"Where did everybody go? Don't tell me they've all been wiped out."
Zhang Fan rubbed his temples, feeling as though his head would split open. He clearly remembered taking a blow clean through the chest—by rights he ought to have already joined his ancestors…
He wandered out of Qingwei Palace in a daze, following the path up the back mountain, and soon enough, a pond appeared ahead. By the pond stood a figure—a Daoist—with short hair down to the shoulders, skin fair as snow, her presence ethereal in the mingling of sun and moon.
"Jiang Lai…"
Zhang Fan's eyes shone. Despite his blinding headache, he hastily stepped forward.
"Why are you here…"
"Don't speak…"
Jiang Lai lifted a hand to silence him.
Only now did Zhang Fan notice: Jiang Lai's stare was fixed right on the pond's center, where an enormous turtle had surfaced—its back as broad as a millstone…
"What the…"
Zhang Fan glanced at it, but was no longer surprised. Ever since he came to Zhenwu Mountain, he'd already seen Wang Yue's great serpent, thunder-wielding Daoists, and Difficult Insects burrowing out from broken wells…
This kind of huge turtle seemed pretty ordinary by comparison. Besides, some turtles in the real world did get this big.
"Where'd you go last night?" Zhang Fan couldn't help asking.
"It's coming out…"
Jiang Lai seemed not to hear him, her gaze locked on the great turtle at the pond's heart.
"What?"
Zhang Fan froze for a moment and turned instinctively to look.
Just then, the pond's surface surged, rippling, undulating, and a pitch-black figure spiraled up from behind the turtle…
"What the…"
Zhang Fan's pupils shrank sharply—it was only then he saw it was a giant serpent, but what was bizarre was that the serpent and the turtle were connected, as if the serpent was the turtle's tail…
Sensing danger, Zhang Fan spun around—but the place beside him was empty, not a soul to be found.
"Holy shit…"
Zhang Fan shouted and snapped his eyes open.
That was really just a dream!!!
"You're awake…"
A drawling voice sounded at his ear. Zhang Fan stared at the ceiling: he was still in Qingwei Palace's meditation chamber, his clothes soaked through with sweat. Turning his head, he saw a pretty young woman sitting at the bedside, chin perched in her hand, bright almond-shaped eyes half-closed like a fox's, staring straight at him.
"Xia… Xia Weisheng…" Zhang Fan recognized her at a glance.
"You still know who I am? Looks like you're fine."
Xia Weisheng rose slowly, walked to the desk, poured a cup of water, and handed it to Zhang Fan.
"I… wasn't I…"
Zhang Fan hurriedly sat up and checked his chest, but found no wound—
there was only a faint mark, like a curving line cradling a sphere…
"You lucked out and snatched our Zhenwu Mountain's Jade Scroll—so you managed to keep your little life…"
Xia Weisheng shoved the cup into Zhang Fan's hand, resting her chin on her hand again, and kept staring at him.
"W-Why are you looking at me like that?" Zhang Fan felt chills under Xia Weisheng's gaze.
"The Daoist Jade Scroll represents a sect's Dharma Lineage, tied to the fate of the whole school… It's far more than just a symbol…" Xia Weisheng said blandly.
"Can I get it out?" Zhang Fan couldn't help but ask.
"If you reach the Celestial Master Rank, you can pass the Jade Scroll on to someone else…"
"Uh…"
Right now, he could barely be counted as a Qi Worker… Celestial Master is the highest of the Nine Major Ranks; even if he lived a hundred years, who knows if he'd ever reach it.
So that method was obviously unreliable.
"There's another way…"
"What?" Zhang Fan pressed.
"Kill you…"
"…."
The moment those words left her lips, Zhang Fan snapped to alertness, instinctively shrinking back.
He hadn't forgotten. All it took last time was the mention of "Ordinary Tribulation" and this woman nearly ended him. The scariest part: her Five Thunders Righteous Method, not even Taoist Pojie could fend off.
"Just joking with you…" Xia Weisheng saw Zhang Fan's nervous look and smiled, her eyes narrowing, even more like a fox.
"Killing's illegal… Besides, Heaven cherishes life…"
Xia Weisheng rose gently and came to sit at the bedside, moving closer to Zhang Fan.
"You're quite talented. If you keep at your cultivation and reach the High Skill rank early, maybe you'll be able to extract the Zhenwu Jade Scroll."
"High Skill!?" Zhang Fan relaxed slightly on hearing this.
Among the Daoist Sect, those who reach High Skill are rare as phoenix feathers and unicorn horns. Compared to Celestial Master, it was much more achievable.
"This Dao Secret Record is Zhenwu Mountain's inner transmission—it records basic knowledge of Daoism, cultivation techniques, and taboos. When you get back, study it well."
Xia Weisheng produced a small booklet with a purple cover and placed it on the desk.
"Also, I'll teach you a Daoist Secret Curse…" Xia Weisheng changed the subject abruptly.
"You're going to teach me?" Zhang Fan's eyes shone with doubt and caution.
What is a Daoist Secret Curse?
Above, the Heavens harbor sacred beings who grant secret words to those with the resonance—these are Secret Curses, recited by mortals to invoke the power of the Ghost Gods.
The famous ones include the Golden Light Curse, Purifying Heart Curse, Celestial Pig Divine Curse, and so on.
Every Secret Curse is the closely guarded secret of each Dharma Lineage.
As Zhenwu Mountain's senior disciple, the curses Xia Weisheng knows are surely the real stuff.
But the question was: she was passing one on to Zhang Fan?
"The secret curse I'm passing to you is called…"
"Celestial Mother Heart Curse!"
Xia Weisheng spoke in a clear, measured voice. She got to her feet, headed to the door, peered outside, and ensured the doors and windows were shut tight.
"A technique should not be passed to a fifth ear; mastery does not fall outside the temple."
"Celestial Mother Heart Curse!?" Zhang Fan chewed over the name—it wasn't something he'd ever seen online.
As for the Celestial Mother, she is Doumu Yuanjun from Daoist Mythology. Legend has it she was born from the innate Yin Qi of Primordial Celestial Venerable, later giving birth to Emperor Gouchen of Heaven, Emperor Ziwei of the North Pole, and the Beidou Seven Stars…
For that reason, she holds immense stature in Daoist Mythology—called Mother of the Stars, Venerable of the Dou Mansion.
"A secret curse from Doumu Yuanjun…"
"I'm going to pass on the incantation—listen closely…" Xia Weisheng grew serious, her throat shifting as she recited strange syllables.
"Innate Dao Mother, Emperor Zhou Tianchen, Lord of the Stars, Dou Mansion Venerable King, Middle Celestial Brahma Qi, Nine Emperors Supreme Emperor…"
Half an hour later, the door opened.
Xia Weisheng departed, looking pleased, a satisfied smile blooming on her face.
Inside the meditation chamber, Zhang Fan sat and mulled over the Celestial Mother Heart Curse she'd taught him—recalling it, it was indeed full of subtle flavors.
But he couldn't help feeling suspicious. He didn't dare practice it lightly; after all, just yesterday, this woman had almost killed him.
"Zhang Fan…"
At that moment, Taoist Pojie came to check on him.
"Feeling better yet?"
"I'm fine now." Zhang Fan chuckled.
"Someone's already been by?" Taoist Pojie glanced at the teacup on the desk.
"Your senior disciple stopped by."
"Weisheng? What was she here for?" Taoist Pojie asked.
"To see me—not just that, she passed me a secret curse."
"Hmm!?"
Taoist Pojie was momentarily stunned.
"She taught you a Daoist Secret Curse?"
"Is there something wrong with that?" Zhang Fan sensed something off.
"Daoist Secret Curses aren't something anyone can just practice—don't go around reciting it for no reason." Pojie said with a wry twist of his mouth.
"Why?" Zhang Fan asked.
Taoist Pojie pondered for a moment, then spoke: "Ever heard this saying…"
"What saying?"
"If you have blue, lock blue; if you don't, lock blood!"