Steam Era: The Lord of 'Puluo' Chapter 940 - 526: Appointment (2)

With the pen in hand, he subtly observed Li Banfeng.

Young man, your actions are ultimately lacking in foresight. Is it wise to casually hand over items like paper and writing tools to a Nightmare Cultivator?

An Zongding applied the pen with remarkable speed onto the white paper, mimicking a simple ledger entry, but in reality, he was meticulously crafting a talisman.

In mere moments, a talisman was complete. Before Li Banfeng could get a proper look, An Zongding executed a swift maneuver, summoning a flame at his fingertip and igniting the white paper.

As the flames climbed, An Zongding blew the resulting ashes in the direction of Hong Ying.

From the two kicks he had just endured, An Zongding had clearly grasped that this unnamable Lost Soul possessed formidable combat prowess; subduing it would undoubtedly lead to Li Qi's defeat.

Naturally, subjugating a Lost Soul of this magnitude presented immense difficulty. Given An Zongding's current predicament, this represented his sole remaining avenue for survival.

The ashes drifted onto Hong Ying, and An Zongding’s talisman proved effective.

However, the talisman did not subdue Hong Ying; it merely singed a lock of her hair.

The phonograph interjected, startled: "I thought something dire had occurred; it turns out it only burned some hair. Yingying, it’s not a major issue. Yingying, please take a seat. Yingying, be sensible. I will comb your hair for you. Yingying, refrain from killing him!"

An Zongding could never have fathomed the profound significance a single strand of hair held for Hong Ying.

This was because he was entirely unaware that, aside from Li Qi, Hong Ying was the only other individual in the household, from head to toe, who possessed genuine hair.

In a fit of fury, Hong Ying advanced, delivering several punches and kicks that left An Zongding prone on the ground, his life hanging by a thread.

Li Banfeng retrieved the white paper once more, pressing the pen back into An Zongding’s hand: "Cease your trickery and write down all the names immediately!"

An Zongding, no longer daring to play any games, diligently inscribed the first name: "Feng Chongli."

Upon completing the name, An Zongding’s right hand disintegrated into a pulpy mass of flesh.

Li Banfeng recoiled in shock; An Zongding’s reaction mirrored that of someone afflicted by a Passing Glance.

The disintegration of his hand was merely the beginning, as it relentlessly spread up his arm, inch by agonizing inch.

Observing An Zongding, he was rendered utterly speechless, his complexion turning a ghastly shade of blue and purple, appearing to be on the verge of suffocation.

"Wife, let us partake in a meal."

An Zongding could no longer endure; he was incapable of actively revealing the list from Snowflake Beach, nor could he write it down or communicate it in any manner. Any attempt to do so resulted in immediate death.

His wife swiftly consumed An Zongding’s soul, while the rest of the family patiently awaited with their chopsticks poised.

The previous instance saw Li Banfeng merely bring back souls from the Centipede Workshop, not the individuals themselves, ultimately benefiting the phonograph.

This time, however, he had managed to bring back a person intact Above the Clouds, only to be faced with the mystery of a curse that caused flesh to continuously explode.

Should the disintegration become too severe, the magical treasure would be unable to absorb it, leaving the wretched Red Lotus as the sole beneficiary.

The moment the phonograph absorbed An Zongding’s soul, the explosive decay ceased instantly.

As the family began their meal, Li Banfeng inquired of his wife: "Why did the person’s body cease exploding after the soul was consumed?"

The wife replied: "Because this individual was subjected to a Curse Technique. Typically, a curse dissipates upon the person's demise, but certain intricate spells persist even after death."

Li Banfeng recollected Qiu Luoye; at that time, he had defied the wishes of the Inner State and immediately suffered the effects of a Curse Technique: "Which Taoist Sect employs Curse Techniques?"

"It is the Taoist Sect of the Curse Cultivators. The practitioners of this sect are considered the most insidious among the world's hundred sects. They engage in open combat during the day, often appearing unskilled; some can easily defeat five or six-layer Curse Cultivators as if they were mere lambs, casually battering and overpowering them,

yet unbeknownst to the victims, they are already ensnared by a curse. When it manifests hours, days, or even months later, locating the Curse Caster becomes impossible. Unless someone with exceptional cultivation intervenes, this person is undoubtedly doomed."

Li Banfeng pondered the matter deeply and concluded that guarding against Curse Cultivators seemed an insurmountable challenge: "Wife, when Curse Cultivators enact a curse, do the afflicted experience no precursory sensations?"

Hong Ying interjected from the side: "While our Seek Fortune and Avoid Disaster abilities can indeed detect such things, it also depends on the Curse Caster’s methodology. Some employ curses that are not fatal, merely minor afflictions, which seem relatively harmless and lack malevolent intent, making them difficult for us Traveling Cultivators to detect. However, if these minor spells manifest at critical junctures, they can precipitate considerable difficulties."

Concerned that Li Banfeng might not fully grasp the concept, Hong Ying offered an illustration: "On the battlefield, I once encountered a Curse Cultivator. During our engagement, something felt peculiar, as if a needle pricked my wrist,

my adversary, however, was quite skilled in martial arts, demanding my full attention, and I didn't give it much thought back then. Truthfully, at that very moment, I was already ensnared by his minor spell.

This subtle hex appeared innocuous at first; when the curse manifested, my body would tremble involuntarily, akin to a violent shudder."

Li Banfeng inquired, "Then what purpose does this curse serve?"

Hong Ying responded, "It depends entirely on the opportune moment for its deployment. During our confrontation on the second day, my opponent unleashed this curse. I began to shiver uncontrollably, which frightened Xiaowan's warhorse, causing her to charge alone into the enemy ranks."

Li Banfeng, clutching the phonograph, asked, "And what transpired afterward?"

Hong Ying lamented with a sense of injustice, "She fought her way back out of the enemy's formation, and then, she had me punished with a hundred military lashes. Reflecting on it now, my heart feels heavy!"

The phonograph seethed with fury, "You scoundrel! I was nearly cleaved to death by the enemy, and yet you are the one feeling wronged!"

Hong Ying sniffled, "But I was under the influence of a curse; I didn't intentionally mean to cause you harm!"

The phonograph remarked bitterly, "To be ensnared by a curse without even realizing it, you certainly deserved that beating; you weren't wronged at all!"

Li Banfeng still mused on the difficulty of dealing with Curse Cultivators, "Aside from the Traveling Cultivator's Seek Fortune and Avoid Disaster Skill, is there truly no other way to counteract individuals who practice Curse Cultivation?"