Chapter 212: The Yin-Yang Curse Seal (Please subscribe and tip)

"What do you want me to do?" Duanmu Rong asked. She did not believe in free lunches; there was always a price to pay for what one received.

Xiao Xie looked at Duanmu Rong's serious expression and laughed. "Those who accept the Heaven-Ascension Token will be issued tasks by the Heaven-Ascension Tower. Each task comes with a corresponding reward. Of course, these tasks can be refused, but if you refuse three times in a row, the token will be reclaimed. How about it? Can you accept it now?"

Duanmu Rong thought for a moment. Since the tasks could be refused, she could accept the token. If a task went against her principles, she would simply refuse it; at worst, she would just return the token.

Seeing Duanmu Rong accept the token, Tianming watched with envy. Think of all the roast chicken that could buy!

"Brother Xiao, why don't you give me a Heaven-Ascension Token too? It doesn't have to be like the one that strange woman has, a red one will do," Tianming said, trying to curry favor with Xiao Xie.

Xiao Xie gave Tianming a speechless look and asked, "Tianming, have you finished chopping your firewood?"

"..." Tianming thought of the mountain-like pile of wood and his face stiffened. Dejectedly, he muttered, "I'm going to chop wood."

"Giggle..." Yue'er and the others could not help but laugh at this scene.

"Young Master Xiao, are there any conditions for the Heaven-Ascension Tower to issue these tokens? Our Mohist School has quite a few talented people," Old Master Ban asked with a smile. If members of the Mohist School could obtain a few fifth-tier tokens, it would cover the school's expenses for several years.

"There is one condition." Xiao Xie held up his index finger, drawing the attention of Old Master Ban, Duanmu Rong, and Yue'er. When Murong Feng and Murong Huang saw the slight smirk on Xiao Xie's lips, they knew he was up to mischief again. As they expected, Xiao Xie suddenly laughed, "The condition is: it depends on my mood!"

"..." Old Master Ban, Duanmu Rong, and Yue'er looked at the grinning Xiao Xie, speechless.

Fine! You have the money, you get to be willful!

Old Master Ban shook his head and said, "I'm going to see how that boy Tianming is doing with his firewood." With that, he turned and left.

"I also need to go water my medicinal herbs," Duanmu Rong said, finding an excuse to leave.

"I need to go tend to the patients," Yue'er gave Xiao Xie a sweet smile and left as well.

"A bunch of people with no sense of humor!" Xiao Xie said awkwardly.

"Giggle..." Murong Feng and Murong Huang exchanged glances and covered their mouths, giggling.

...

"Yah! Ah! Ha!" In the courtyard, Tianming was wielding an axe, hacking wildly at a log on the ground. But no matter how much effort he exerted or how hard he worked, the log only had a few shallow marks on it; it showed no sign of splitting.

Behind Tianming, Master Ban watched, shaking his head in helplessness. After a while, he walked over slowly. A sharp bronze axe extended from the mechanical apparatus on his left hand. With a gentle swing, Master Ban easily split the log in two.

...

"Master Ge, it seems you are recovering well!" Just as Xiao Xie stepped outside, he saw Ge Nie observing Tianming from the sidelines.

"That is thanks to Young Master Xiao's Jade Dew Pill. Otherwise, it is hard to say whether I would have even made it here," Ge Nie said with a kind smile.

"Master Ge, you're awake." Old Master Ban walked over upon seeing Xiao Xie and Ge Nie.

"Thank you, Senior, and the Mohist School for saving my life," Ge Nie thanked Old Master Ban.

"Haha, I didn't do much. If you want to thank someone, go thank Miss Rong," Old Master Ban laughed, stroking his white beard.

"That little guy Tianming is certainly full of energy," Xiao Xie said, watching Tianming in the distance, who was panting from chopping wood but refusing to give up. Although the boy was not very polite, it was due to his background. One could not expect a child who had lived as an orphan to follow the etiquette of those raised with noble educations. On the contrary, it was precious that Tianming had managed to survive in such harsh conditions while still retaining an innocent heart.

"He is full of energy, but I always feel something is off. There is a faint dark aura between the boy's brows; it seems there is a hidden ailment in his body!" Old Master Ban frowned as he watched Tianming in the courtyard.

"As expected, it cannot be hidden from your eyes, Senior," Ge Nie nodded.

"Actually, Miss Rong noticed it long ago," Old Master Ban said. "But this seems to be an unusual illness."

"The child has been branded with a curse, am I right?" Xiao Xie spoke up.

"That is correct. Tianming has indeed been branded with a Yin-Yang curse." Although Xiao Xie could tell at a glance, Ge Nie was not surprised; anyone who had reached the Xiantian realm could sense the curse on Tianming.

"Which one is it?" Old Master Ban asked.

"It is the Seal of Sleep Curse. The victim will lose a portion of their memory and sometimes fall into a state of madness. If it is not lifted within five years, they will die," Ge Nie said heavily.

"I thought Yin-Yang arts had been lost a hundred years ago. I didn't expect anyone to still be able to use them," Old Master Ban sighed.

"Because it has been lost for a century, there are few who can diagnose or break such a curse."

"In this world, the Yin-Yang School should be the most proficient in this area. However, I fear the curse on Tianming was likely placed by someone from the Yin-Yang School," Xiao Xie said, turning to Ge Nie.

"Yes," Ge Nie nodded, his eyes firm. "He is the child of a friend of mine. I promised him that no matter how difficult it may be, I would protect Tianming."

"As far as I know, you don't have many friends," Old Master Ban remarked.

"Only this one."

"When you were in the Qin state, many people in the six nations wanted you dead. For the sake of one friend, you have made an enemy of Ying Zheng. Do you realize how dangerous every step forward will be?"

Ge Nie said nothing, but his resolute gaze made his determination clear.

Xiao Xie watched this scene without saying anything more. The character Jing Ke did not appear often in the *Legend of Qin* anime, but his charisma was immense. To have an enemy like Ge Nie treat him as his only friend and to betray the entire Qin Empire for the sake of a promise was enough to show his extraordinary nature.

At that moment, a small blue and white bird perched on a branch, quietly observing everything in the courtyard.

...

The next morning, under the care of Murong Feng and Murong Huang, Xiao Xie finished washing up and pushed open the door to walk out.

As soon as he stepped out, he saw Yue'er carrying an incense burner towards the riverbank. Following behind her was a sneaky figure; needless to say, it was Tianming.

Xiao Xie thought for a moment, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly, and followed them. He saw Yue'er place the incense burner on the riverbank, light a stick of incense, and close her eyes to pray, her earrings swaying in the breeze.

Tianming, like a thief, crept toward Yue'er step by step. Unexpectedly, just as he was about to reach her, he tripped over a branch.

"Ah... thump!" Tianming failed to keep his balance and fell to the ground, the impact startling the birds in the surrounding trees into flight.

"Hehe, Yue'er, what are you doing?" Tianming asked awkwardly after being caught red-handed.

"I am paying tribute to the heroic spirits of the Mohist School," Yue'er said.

"Huh? The heroic spirits of the Mohist School?" Tianming did not understand and scratched his head.

"Yes! Since our founder established the Mohist School, it has been based on the teachings of 'Non-Aggression' and 'Universal Love'."

"What is 'Non-Aggression'?"

"'Non-Aggression' means opposing war. Regardless of the reason, as long as there is war, the common people will suffer. 'Universal Love' means that people should love and protect one another; those with strength should use it to help others, and those with wealth should share it."

"Hmm, sounds like the founder of the Mohist School was a great person!"

"Of course," Yue'er said proudly.

"However, while the goal is noble, it is very difficult to achieve," Xiao Xie sighed, stepping out from behind them.