"Teacher, do we really have to go back this way?"
"Stop talking nonsense. I don't want to get stuck on the road again by gang thugs or beautiful women asking for help."
On the rooftop of a building, two people stood on the edge, feeling the wind.
Ever since Mo Di imparted his knowledge, Long Yutian had called him Teacher. Although he wasn't a master, the level of respect was similar.
Calculating the distance between himself and the next building, Mo Di had a bold idea.
He had long wanted to emulate the wall-scaling and roof-running techniques seen in wuxia dramas.
Yes, after encountering various obstacles on the road once again, the two decided to take an alternative route back.
There was no need to worry about being filmed either, as the Ling Corporation stood behind Long Yutian, and the powerful hand of capital would help them erase all eyewitness records.
"Speaking of which, your engagement to your girlfriend wasn't opposed by your father-in-law?" Mo Di asked.
This didn't fit the typical protagonist trope.
"Why would it be?" Long Yutian was puzzled. "My master and my father-in-law have known each other for a long time, and Qinghan and I have known each other since childhood. Our engagement was a natural progression."
"Heh, so they're family friends, no wonder."
Mo Di calculated the wind speed and distance, then lightly tapped his toes, darting and weaving between buildings.
Long Yutian followed behind him, an irrepressible smile on his face.
Such an exhilarating experience was a first for him.
Fortunately, these buildings weren't too tall, otherwise, the two would never have dared to do this.
After taking the unusual route, the two indeed encountered fewer troubles and arrived at the outskirts very smoothly, then proceeded all the way to the Ling Family's estate.
"This is your home?"
Mo Di glanced at the vast estate. Whether before or after his transmigration, he had never lived in such a large house.
'I feel like it's not as good as my Nabolei Underground Tomb.' He muttered to himself, not knowing if he was just being stubborn.
"Teacher, if you want one, I can arrange a place for you nearby as well."
Long Yutian said with a smile.
"That won't be necessary. Instead of spending that money, you should prepare some medicinal herbs and other things useful for martial arts for me."
As expected of the Teacher, his martial arts heart is truly firm!
'It seems I still have a lot of room for improvement. I need to observe more and learn more.' Long Yutian thought to himself.
So he ordered someone to prepare what Mo Di needed, while he himself went to see his father-in-law to inform him of Mo Di's identity as a Xiantian Realm old monster.
The Ling Family Head was also shocked upon hearing this, as Xiantian Realm experts were extremely rare, perhaps only a handful left in the world, and each one was a powerful individual.
Even his deceased old friend, Long Yutian's master, at his peak during his lifetime, was only at the third Houtian Realm, still a step away from Xiantian.
It could be said that if a Xiantian Realm expert were to assassinate political figures or corporate executives, there would be virtually no chance of failure.
We must win him over, we must!
Ling Tianfeng immediately dragged his son-in-law to find Mo Di, eventually locating him in the estate's library.
At this moment, he was reading a book related to biology, and when he sensed someone approaching, he merely looked up.
Huh? Something's not right, he looked again.
He looked up again, his gaze fixed on Ling Tianfeng, and his brows gradually furrowed.
"You're going to die soon. Do you know about this?" He spoke with startling words.
The smile on Ling Tianfeng's face froze. Long Yutian had been with this Xiantian Realm old monster before, and if there were any problems, he would have noticed them early. These words were clearly directed at him.
"Senior, are you perhaps joking? My body is perfectly fine..."
Before he could finish, he saw Mo Di extend three fingers, bending them down one by one.
"Three, two, one."
As the final "one" left his lips, Ling Tianfeng's body stiffened, and an uncontrollable wave of nausea suddenly struck him.
He bent over, clutching his neck and vomiting.
Long Yutian was surprised. He believed Mo Di wouldn't speak idly. Just as he was about to ask, his pupils contracted when he saw the puddle of vomit.
"Worms? How can there be so many worms?"
In the disgusting vomit, dozens of worms as long as fingernails wriggled, looking particularly repulsive.
"What, what's going on?" Both Long Yutian and his father-in-law were bewildered.
The worms on the ground made Ling Tianfeng think of some unpleasant images, and his face turned pale.
"You've been cursed," Mo Di also just realized that another trace of the supernatural existed in this world. "This is only the initial stage of the curse; it will become increasingly severe later on."
Ancient martial arts, and now curses. How many pitfalls are hidden in this world?
"Cursed?" Ling Tianfeng allowed his son-in-law to help him up and asked, "Do such things really exist?"
"It's happening to you, so what else could it be?" Mo Di retorted.
Ling Tianfeng's expression was uncertain. He had also practiced martial arts, and although not powerful, he had the strength of the second Houtian Realm, the "Meridian Opening Realm."
During the moment of vomiting, he felt a strange force acting within his body, which even his internal energy couldn't dispel.
That strange force had been lurking within him for a long time.
'This matter is, in all likelihood, real.'
Long Yutian worried, "Teacher, is there a way to break this curse?"
Ling Tianfeng snapped back to reality, understanding it was time for him to make an offer.
Without much thought, he directly offered his family's inherited martial arts as a bargaining chip. As for money and power? Vulgar, unbearably vulgar.
Would a Xiantian Realm old monster who had lived for an unknown amount of time lack such things?
"As long as this curse can be broken, not only will I offer my Ling Family's martial arts, but the Ling Corporation will also do its best to meet Senior's needs," he vowed.
Mo Di was waiting for these words. He not only wanted to collect martial arts but also wanted the Ling Corporation to assist him in his cultivation.
"Breaking the curse, yes, but I need to prepare some materials first."
His spellcasting materials were still hidden in his rented apartment, and he needed to make a trip to retrieve them.
Like a player whose motivation is maxed out after seeing generous quest rewards, he left the Ling Family estate with a single sentence, even taking a Ling Family car to drive back.
Even though he hadn't touched a steering wheel in over two years, driving was no challenge for him at all.
This time, since he didn't bring Long Yutian, he traveled unimpeded and retrieved his items very smoothly.
Upon returning to the Ling Family estate, Ling Tianfeng and Long Yutian had already prepared the other things he had requested.
Mo Di didn't waste any time. He walked to an open space and began to draw a magic circle.
The two watched him busy himself alone, feeling their worldview gradually being overturned.
They could understand a Xiantian Realm expert solving problems with his fists, but this drawing of magic circles to exorcise evil and such, they simply couldn't comprehend.
"Alright, quickly stand in this position. I'm about to perform the ritual."
Placing a freshly made straw effigy in a specific position, and once Ling Tianfeng was also in place, Mo Di began to utter strange sounds.
The sounds were rapid, like scissors clipping hair, causing irritation.
Ling Tianfeng even suspected that human vocal cords simply couldn't produce such sounds.
"Clack clack clack clack—"
In places he couldn't see, magic power fluctuated with the sounds, connecting with the magic circle.
Various spellcasting materials were imbued with magic, changing and participating in this ritual.
Seeing that the progress was almost complete, Mo Di took out the scissors he had prepared earlier, cut a small lock of Ling Tianfeng's hair, and then tied it to the straw effigy.
After this, Ling Tianfeng felt the strange force within his body continuously draining away, as if being drawn out by something.
"It's done." Mo Di picked up the completely blackened straw effigy and showed it to the person involved.
Ling Tianfeng breathed a sigh of relief. Just as he was about to speak, he suddenly vomited a mouthful of foul blood, filled with insect eggs and dead worms.
"Uncle Ling, are you alright?" Long Yutian, who was beside him, quickly stepped forward, but he waved his hand.
"No, I feel very good."
Looking at the straw effigy, which seemed to be possessed by a malevolent spirit, a shiver ran down his spine for no reason.
These black qi were the strange forces within his body? It was truly insidious, but fortunately, it was over.
"Senior Mo, all the martial arts I promised you are on this USB drive. From now on, whatever commands you have, the Ling Corporation will obey."
Ling Tianfeng had no intention of breaking his word. Not to mention Mo Di saving his life, just the methods and strength he displayed were enough for the Ling Family to fully befriend him.
On the surface, the Ling Family seemed to be at a loss, but in reality, with this layer of personal connection, the Ling Family would actually benefit.
Just the rumor that the Ling Family had dealings with a Xiantian Realm expert would make other families wary.
Taking the USB drive, Mo Di shook the straw effigy in his hand. "Through the ritual, I transferred your curse to this straw effigy. Do you need me to help you find the mastermind?"
The previous ritual was called 【Shedding Hair and Skin】, something he had unearthed from the depths of his own memories, with the effect of transferring bad luck and curses.
Like the 【Ancient Blood】, it was one of the rituals he encountered while completing side quests in the game.
As his physical and mental faculties further improved, his mind became clearer, and with just a little thought, every detail of his past experiences would surface in his mind.
Coincidentally, another ritual that could trace the origin of a curse also came back to him.
Rituals are not like spells; some of them have fewer restrictions. They can be successfully performed as long as the magic circle, incantation, sacrifices, and the officiant are in place.
There are also rituals that require the right timing, location, or blood sacrifice to complete, but 【Curse Tracing】 is not among them.
Mo Di had once used it in the game to locate an evil demon. Today, he would also use it to pinpoint the location of the curse caster.
Whether Ling Tianfeng agreed or not, he would search for it, for the sake of the other potential supernatural system that might exist on the curse caster.
"You can also find the mastermind?" Ling Tianfeng and Long Yutian exchanged glances. "Then we'll trouble you, Senior."
Of course, such an opportunity must be utilized well. Even if Mo Di didn't say anything, they would use various connections to investigate the identity of the curse caster.
Otherwise, they would truly be unable to rest or eat in peace.
'Very good. Even if I confront the curse caster, I can leverage the power of the Ling Corporation, and this is with the Ling Family actively participating.'
After retaining a small portion of the curse as a sample, Mo Di began to prepare another ritual.
The straw effigy carrying the curse was crucial to the ritual. It could not only deceive the curse caster but also serve as a bridge to connect to them.
The ritual began again, and this time Mo Di performed steadily as usual.
His vision blurred for a moment, the scenery before his eyes twisted and changed, and finally, he "appeared" inside a luxurious mansion.
A strange, blood-colored symbol came into view.