Chapter 533: Chapter 525: A Snip Falls, Forbidden Technique Broken
The spell was cast, and although invisible to others, Qin Liuxi clearly saw a cause and effect thread extending from the paper figurine, which bore his birth dates, all the way to Jing Xiaosi’s palm.
"Success." Qin Liuxi’s eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at the cause and effect thread.
The thread connected to the paper figurine was brightly crimson, while the end tied to the lifeline on Jing Xiaosi’s palm was turning gray and black, with little remaining.
Qin Liuxi gestured for Jing Xiaosi to raise his hand. Seeing the lifeline shortening bit by bit, her gaze grew sharp.
"What, what’s happening?" Jing Xiaosi asked nervously.
Qin Liuxi created a talisman and, with two fingers shaped like a sword, swept it in front of them.
Jing Xiaosi’s eyes stung for a moment. Upon opening them, he saw the cause and effect thread.
"My goodness gracious!" Xiong Er’s eyes bulged in disbelief as he looked at the thread, exclaiming, "This, this is..."
"It’s the cause and effect thread, tied to your lifeline." Qin Liuxi pointed to Jing Xiaosi’s palm. "See? Your lifeline is shrinking."
Jing Xiaosi’s gaze hardened, his lips pressed together tightly, his complexion darkening as if dripping with water.
Xiong Er also saw it and exclaimed, "What will happen if it shrinks to nothing?"
"What else can happen? His life will be over then," Feng You coolly stated. "His lifespan has been stolen. Once the lifeline reaches its end, it means his time has come."
Xiong Er was angry but dared not lash out. He turned to Qin Liuxi and said, "That’s too cruel, Junior Temple Master. Please quickly cast your spell and resolve this."
Qin Liuxi looked at Jing Xiaosi and asked, "What’s your own decision? If the spell is broken, the backlash might be unbearable for the other party."
Xiong Er was anxious, but seeing the look Qin Liuxi gave, he closed his mouth.
That’s right, this decision belonged to Jing Xiaosi himself.
With a cold face, Jing Xiaosi said, "Junior Temple Master, there’s no need to test me. Not to mention that he’s not my brother, even if we shared the same fate, him enjoying my lifespan does not mean I’m magnanimous enough to let it go. After all, it’s a life at stake. He has his mother, and so do I; I can’t let my mother rest uneasy in heaven. Please break the spell for me."
He took a step back and bowed deeply to Qin Liuxi.
Qin Liuxi nodded in understanding. She wasn’t trying to meddle, but some people might have the heart of a saint, unable to bear the consequences, or might blame the Heavenly Master afterward. Thus, it was better to ask before proceeding.
Fortunately, Jing Xiaosi was not naive.
Once Jing Xiaosi’s decision was confirmed, Qin Liuxi didn’t speak further and began to break the spell.
Earlier, Qin Liuxi had said that the best way to break a spell was to obtain the victim’s birth dates. Now that she had deduced them, everything was simpler.
Qin Liuxi crafted a paper figurine, marked its eyes with vermilion, wrote down the name and birth dates of the person who had stolen the lifespan, and hooked the cause and effect thread around the paper figurine’s fingers.
Then, she arranged a talisman array around Jing Xiaosi. Once the array was complete, a flash of Spiritual Energy swept over the Spirit Talisman.
After forming the talisman array, Qin Liuxi respectfully lit incense to honor the gods, ignited a talisman with one hand, and with the other hand formed a Sealing gesture over the paper figurine.
Xiong Er watched the paper figurine closely. As Qin Liuxi initiated the spell, it seemed as if the figurine struggled violently. Was it an illusion?
Following the spell, Qin Liuxi started the Seven Star Steps, chanting the Evil Extinguishing Spell: "...Dissolve heavens and earth, dissolve years and months, dissolve days and hours, humbly request the Three Pure Ancestors to retreat... I implore Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad, swift as a divine decree, command!"
A talisman landed on the cause and effect thread and ignited without fire.
At that moment, everyone saw the originally gray and black end of the thread connected to Jing Xiaosi turning red, and his lifeline began to grow. On the paper figurine’s side, however, it became gray and black.
Qin Liuxi picked up the golden scissors made from Thunderstruck Wood, engraved with the Evil Extermination Talisman, and silently cut the cause and effect thread connecting the paper figurine to Jing Xiaosi.
With a single cut, the Forbidden Technique was dispelled, and the cause and effect severed.
Meanwhile, in the Marquis Chang’an Mansion in Shengjing, just as the Fifth Young Master of the Jing Family left his mother’s side and returned to his courtyard, his body suddenly stiffened, feeling as though something was trying to leave him.
He instinctively looked at his hands, spreading and then clenching them tightly.
No, this can’t be happening.
Jing Wu immediately ran outside, but before he could leave the courtyard, he felt a wrenching pain in his chest and a sweet tang in his throat. He spurted a mouthful of fresh blood, his body rapidly wilting.
"Master, quick, go summon the madam," a servant screamed, rushing to support Jing Wu, only to see the Jade Talisman around his neck snap in two, and she gasped in alarm.
At the Jinhua Temple’s Daoist School, a long-faced Daoist spat out a mouthful of blood, his pupils shaking. He immediately started divining, his face showing shock: "Who, who dares to break my spell? Chao’er."
He dashed out of the room, and a Daoist greeted him, shouting, "Uncle Master..."
The Daoist dashed past him like a gust of wind.
Qin Liuxi ceased her efforts and looked at Jing Xiaosi’s facial features, saying, "The spell is broken."
Xiong Er immediately checked Jing Xiaosi’s palm, finding the lifeline to be long again. "Really, it’s back, and his complexion is rosier," he said.
Wrapping his arms around Jing Xiaosi, he burst into tears and laughter, "You little rascal, you scared me to death. I really thought you were a goner, wuwu."
Jing Xiaosi’s eyes reddened, but he pushed him away, "What’s with the crying and wailing of a grown man?"
He looked down at his hands and did a couple of jumps, feeling the previous weariness gone and his body becoming nimble, realizing that the looming threat of the side knife was truly no more.
He approached and bowed to Qin Liuxi, expressing his gratitude, "Thank you, Junior Temple Master, for saving my life once again. There will be a generous reward after returning to the capital."
"Eight thousand taels of silver, of which five thousand taels will be converted into rice, clothing, and other items to be donated to various Charitable Halls in the name of Li City Qingping Temple," Qin Liuxi responded without courtesy. "Three thousand taels for me."
Jing Xiaosi was somewhat surprised but thinking of Qingping Temple’s actions, he realized this was characteristic of someone from Qingping Temple, this was the Junior Temple Master Buqiu!
"Jing Lian will certainly not forget," Jing Xiaosi bowed once more.
Qin Liuxi nodded, "You can also do good deeds to seek blessings. This peace charm, wear it on your body, and after seven days, burn and bury it in the soil of your courtyard."
She handed over a peace charm and continued, "Additionally, the threat to your life is gone, but be cautious of the underworld presence in your back house. Surely, your impoverished younger brother won’t be doing well. Once they know the spell is broken, who knows what madness may ensue, but I won’t get involved in that."
Xiong Er asked, "Junior Temple Master, where will you stay once you enter the capital? Why not stay at my place? If the other party strikes back, we ordinary people can’t fight them off."
"No need, a spell like this cannot be cast a second time once broken," Qin Liuxi shook her head. "If there’s trouble, you can find me at Jiuxuan Auction Hall."
Xiong Er heaved a sigh of relief, his heart finally settled. He resolved to cling tightly to this strong support and never let go.