Chapter 29: Severely Wounded Vitality

The paper figure itself twisted and shriveled violently in the flames, emitting a brief, piercing, and mournful shriek as if from the depths of the underworld. Ultimately, it turned into a small pile of ashes, along with the dark, rotting wood, completely devoured by the eerie green fire, burned so thoroughly that not a trace remained!

The chilling, decayed aura that had filled the bedroom quickly receded like a retreating tide! That suffocating sense of oppression vanished in an instant! Only a faint scent of burning and a slight metallic tang lingered in the air, proving that what had just occurred was no illusion.

“Pfft!” Yang Rui could no longer hold on. His body swayed, and a mouthful of fresh blood suddenly spewed out, splattering the floor before him in a shocking sight. He dropped to one knee, one hand bracing against the ground, the other clutching the dimming Star-Determining Plate tightly. He gasped violently with every breath, each inhalation causing sharp pain in his back and chest, sweat beads rolling down his forehead.

“Yang Rui!” Su Jin rushed over, unable to care about anything else. She steadied his faltering body, feeling an icy chill upon touch. “How are you? Where are you hurt?”

Yang Rui struggled to lift his head, his face as pale as paper, blood staining the corner of his mouth, but his eyes shone with a fierce brightness—a mixture of exhaustion and exhilaration after the struggle. “N-no… it’s nothing… broke… that old ghost Qu’s… scheme… enough to hang him with…”

At the same time, on the other side of the city, deep within a secret, upscale private club, in a quiet room adorned with antique charm but permeated by thick incense and a peculiar herbal scent, an old man dressed in a black silk Tang suit, gaunt and withered like ancient tree bark—Master Qu, the “Ghost Hand”—suddenly trembled violently!

“Pfft—!”

A thick, foul-smelling spray of black blood burst forth without warning, dousing the small bronze basin before him, which was ablaze with eerie green flames containing faint shapes of paper ash, extinguishing the fire instantly!

“Argh—!” Master Qu let out a pained, venomous roar, clutching his chest with his withered hand as his body convulsed severely. The deathly pallor on his face deepened instantly; beneath his skin, countless tiny black lines writhed wildly.

His meticulously arranged and painstakingly crafted “Seven Arrows of the Nail-Head” cursed formation had been forcibly broken! And not by brute force, but by a more sophisticated and domineering method of curse-breaking! The fierce counterattack had rebounded through the curse medium like a venomous snake, inflicting severe damage upon his mind and foundation!

“Yang… Rui!” Master Qu spat the name through clenched teeth, his voice like the cry of a night owl, filled with incredulous hatred and a trace of… fear! This kid… actually possessed such profound heritage and curse-breaking techniques?! He had underestimated him!

In the penthouse office of Hengtai Group, Bai Shi paced irritably, waiting for Master Qu’s “good news.” Suddenly, his phone vibrated wildly—it was Master Qu’s number.

Bai Shi answered immediately, his tone edged with urgency and anticipation. “Master Qu? How is it? That kid, did he—”

“Boss Bai…” Master Qu’s voice was weak, as if barely holding on to life, laced with pain and coughing. “Failed… that kid… has a protective treasure… broke… my scheme… the backlash… old bones… badly wounded…”

“What?!” Bai Shi’s hopeful expression froze instantly, replaced by fury and disbelief. Even that old ghost Qu had been defeated?!

“Trash! All trash!” Bai Shi roared into the phone, trembling with rage. “I spent so much money! What use are you worthless fools?! You can’t even deal with a half-dead street magician?!”

“Boss Bai…” Master Qu’s voice was filled with venom and a hint of dread. “That kid… is no ordinary one… behind him… there must be a master… this matter… requires careful consideration…”

“Careful consideration my ass!” Bai Shi slammed the phone down and threw it violently onto his expensive rosewood desk with a loud bang! His face was ashen, his chest heaving violently, eyes blazing with wild fury and a barely perceptible panic.

Yang Rui! Again it was Yang Rui! If brute force couldn’t kill him, and subtle means couldn’t control him, was this kid his nemesis?!

He stormed over to the liquor cabinet, grabbed a bottle of strong spirits, and took a harsh gulp. The burning liquid scorched his throat but could not quench the infernal fire in his heart.

No. This cannot end here! Yang Rui must die! Or there will be endless troubles!

A cold, cruel gleam flashed in his eyes as an even more insane and ruthless idea took root in his heart.

Since the feng shui formation can’t hold you… then I’ll make you… disappear completely! Along with that troublesome female professor of yours!

The light of the Star-Determining Plate faded entirely, the plate itself growing icy cold. The vast power that had supported Yang Rui in breaking the formation ebbed away like a retreating tide, leaving behind exhaustion as if the lamp’s oil had run dry and a bone-chilling coldness. He knelt on the cold floor, the wound on his back having completely split open during the intense confrontation, warm blood rapidly soaking through the gauze and fabric, bringing a dizzying, damp sensation. The sharp pain in his chest and the metallic taste in his throat reminded him of the heavy price paid for forcing the Star-Determining Plate to resist the backlash.

“Yang Rui!” Su Jin’s voice trembled with tears. She knelt beside him, hands shaking but too afraid to touch his sweat- and blood-soaked body lightly, instead gripping his faltering shoulders firmly. “How are you? Where are you hurt? I’ll call 911!”

“No…” Yang Rui weakly raised a hand to stop her from reaching for her phone. His voice was hoarse and faint, like an old bellows barely working. “No need… hospital… Bai Shi… watching… not safe…” He gasped rapidly, struggling to keep his last shred of clarity. “Help me… to… the box… white porcelain bottle… red cap…”

Su Jin immediately obeyed, gently leaning his heavy body against her as she carefully moved him toward the old wooden chest. She quickly rummaged through it and found a small, palm-sized, white porcelain medicine bottle with red decorative markings, steeped in an ancient aura. She pulled the wooden stopper wrapped in red cloth, releasing a strong yet pure medicinal fragrance that quickly dispelled the lingering burnt and metallic smells in the air.

“Pour… two pills…” Yang Rui closed his eyes, resting his forehead against Su Jin’s shoulder, cold sweat soaking her clothes.

Su Jin hurriedly poured out two pills, each about the size of a longan seed, dark and glossy, exuding a peculiar herbal scent. She carefully fed them into Yang Rui’s mouth. He chewed and swallowed with effort. After a moment, a gentle yet tenacious warmth began to rise from his abdomen, like a trickling stream rapidly spreading through his limbs and bones, forcibly suppressing the bone-chilling cold and tearing pain, stabilizing his nearly collapsing vital energy. Though still weak, the near-death sensation had abated significantly, and his breathing grew steadier.