C167 Cursemark!

After sitting in silence for an extended period, Lee Yuchan gradually rose to her feet.

Duan Tianxi offered her a smile and said, "General Lee, as a newcomer to the Lunar Spirit realm, your presence won't alter the overall state of affairs."

Known for her notorious reputation in the Crimson Sun Empire, Lee Yuchan was the sister of the Silvermoon Empire's empress.

Yet, when compared to Qin Yun and the Duan brothers, Yuchan was still their junior. Previously, her cultivation was merely at the Subtlety level, not yet having ascended to the Lunar Spirit realm, which made her unfit to rival the Duan brothers. Her potential and talent were things of the future; perhaps in a century, Yuchan might reach or even exceed their prowess. But for now...

"Yu Yuan?"

Yuchan, now standing, disregarded Duan Tianxi and merely cast a glance at Yu Yuan, who slightly furrowed his brow.

Qin Yun questioned, "Was their demise truly orchestrated by the state preceptor?"

Even at this moment, Qin Yun harbored doubts, unconvinced by the Duan brothers' claims.

"Mr. Qin," Duan Guanlan interjected earnestly, "Regardless of any unforeseen events or the risk of revealing my practice of the Crimson Soul Spell, their fate was sealed upon entering the Moonfall Sanctuary."

"Why is that?" Qin Yun challenged with a snort.

"Within the empire, those individuals were restless. Being dispatched to the Moonfall Sanctuary was tantamount to a death sentence," Duan Tianhong explained with a faint smile, adding, "I'm afraid I cannot disclose the exact reasons."

Duan Guanlan affixed a dark golden spell to his forehead. The spell, ornate with intricate patterns, shimmered with a brilliant golden hue. Within it flowed strands of an intensely pure and fiery remnant soul.

Yu Yuan needed only a brief glimpse to exclaim, "The Ruby Hand's Cursemark!"

Duan Guanlan looked shocked. "How do you know of it?"

The Duan brothers were equally astonished.

"The Cursemark is exclusive to the Ruby Hand. You're so young, still in the Soul Awakening realm, and hail from Asvetaesi," Duan Tianhong said with a furrowed brow. "There can't be many in Aetherius who are privy to the wonders of this Cursemark. Even in the Land of Quiescence and Euwrea, such knowledge is exceedingly rare."

"This spell?" Qin Yun was taken aback.

"Don't attempt to control Duan Guanlan with your remnant soul or to extinguish his soul directly," Yu Yuan sighed, his words primarily directed at Lee Yuchan. "Believe me, don't even try it!"

He had just keenly sensed that Lee Yuchan intended to use Spirit Magic to assassinate Duan Guanlan.

Lee Yuchan's expression remained icy, and she offered no response.

Duan Tianhong and Duan Tianxi, both at the Lunar Spirit Stage, were undoubtedly superior to her in soul refinement.

Her clandestine Spirit Magic was incapable of harming the Duan brothers; it would only result in her own disgrace.

Yet, Duan Guanlan had not reached the Subtlety Stage and was merely in the late Veil Breaking Stage.

Confident in her insidious Spirit Magic, she believed she could strike without the Duan brothers being able to intervene in time.

"With the Cursemark on you and your Lunar Spirit cultivation, you cannot break through its protective spell," Yu Yuan explained, somewhat resigned. "This spell was covertly crafted by a master from the Ruby Hand, and only seven exist. With this spell, not even the remnant soul of a Solar Spirit can penetrate the mud pellet, let alone obliterate the three souls."

"If you place the Cursemark on your forehead and your remnant soul tries to force its way in, even a Spirit Walk cultivator would be injured, and for someone at the Lunar Spirit Stage, the damage would be even greater."

He then turned to Qin Yun, "It's not as simple as making a trivial mistake. Both of you would be stripped of a layer of skin, and it would be more troublesome than being trapped in a sword scar."

Yu Yuan disclosed the origins of the Cursemark.

"Yu Yuan?" Duan Tianhong's demeanor turned grave, his face subtly shifting as he demanded in a low voice, "Who taught you? How do you know so much about the Cursemark?!"

Meanwhile, high in the clouded sky, the state preceptor of the Crimson Sun Empire also showed a look of astonishment.

"To know the origin of the Cursemark is one thing, but to be aware that there are seven and to understand its many secrets!" Zhou Cangmin's Lunar Spirit pondered with a slight stir of thought.

Billowing clouds surged abruptly, and the sea of clouds roiled ceaselessly.

A consciousness imperceptible to others, but discernible to Duan Tianhong through a special device, descended suddenly.

Beneath Duan Tianhong's garments, close to his skin, a jade emblem dangled, emitting a soft glow.

The message was transmitted with clarity.

Duan Tianhong immediately grasped the state preceptor's intentions and signaled Duan Tianxi with a gesture to remain still. He then addressed Duan Guanlan, "We need to ascertain the origins of this individual."

Duan Guanlan nodded in understanding, "Do we need him alive?"

"Yes, we can't just kill him outright." Duan Tianhong confirmed and continued, "Yu Yuan, if your sect has ties with the Ruby Hand, I urge you to disclose it now! If you can verify that your sect is an ally rather than an enemy of the Ruby Hand, you might just save your own life."

"And them?"

Turning to Qin Yun and Lee Yuchan, Duan Tianhong stated, "Their fate hinges on your testimony."

Qin Yun from the Midnightshields and General Lee from the Silvermoon Empire exchanged incredulous glances with Yu Yuan, as if to say, "What exactly is your story?"

The Cursemark is a mystical and secretive spell of the Ruby Hand, with only seven in existence.

These seven Cursemark possess boundless utility, capable of withstanding soul attacks from Solar Spirits. Once affixed to the forehead, they could inflict severe damage on anyone daring to challenge them, from the Spirit Walk to the Lunar Spirit realms.

The fact that Duan Guanlan had not only mastered the Crimson Soul Spell but also been rewarded with a Cursemark was no trivial matter!

The Duan family boasted two brothers from the Ruby Hand, and Duan Guanlan had even been accepted into the Sunlit Order for cultivation.

What was more peculiar was their unwavering obedience to the state preceptor, Zhou Cangmin, carrying out his orders without question or hesitation.

Did the state preceptor recognize their affiliation with the Ruby Hand?

Moreover, Zhou Cangmin, the state preceptor, was bound to be embraced by the Sunlit Order. He would soon depart from Aetherius and receive grand treatment from the Sunlit Order, even being reserved a seat among the elders.

What exactly was happening here?

"Ahem, well, are you aware that Lord Faang Yao has been active on the Aetherius continent recently?" Yu Yuan suddenly inquired.

As soon as he spoke, the Duan brothers' complexions turned grave.

"How do you know about Lord Faang Yao?" Duan Tianhong couldn't contain himself any longer. "Lord Faang Yao's departure from the sect and his secret journey to Aetherius are not widely known within the Ruby Hand!"

"Not long ago, I encountered Lord Faang Yao in Asvetaesi," Yu Yuan said with a light chuckle. "He took Yuan Qiufang, the former mayor of Asvetaesi, with him. At that time, I was accompanying Senior Yuan."

"When was this?" Duan Tianhong demanded.

"Roughly two or three months ago," Yu Yuan responded.

Duan Tianhong and Duan Tianxi exchanged glances before Duan Tianxi added, "That must have been shortly after Lord Faang Yao had left our vicinity."

"Yuan Qiufang was also part of the Ruby Hand?" Duan Tianhong expressed his surprise, then scoffed, "That doesn't add up. Lord Faang Yao is certainly privy to the Cursemark's secret, but why would he disclose it to you? Even Yuan Qiufang shouldn't be privy to the Cursemark's existence!"

Yu Yuan furrowed his brow, contemplating whether to divulge more secrets to gain the Duan brothers' trust and learn the Ruby Hand's motives. With his past life's knowledge of the Ruby Hand and their rapport, he was capable of earning their complete trust.

Yet, by doing so, he risked exposing the secret of his reincarnation, which could lead to his senior brother, Zhong Chichen, finding out prematurely. The thought gave him a burgeoning headache.

Just then, Duan Tianhong, who had been pressing Yu Yuan for answers, suddenly looked alarmed.

"What's wrong?" Duan Guanlan inquired with concern.

"They've arrived!"

"Who's arrived?"

"The alien souls!"

At this revelation, both Qin Yun and Lee Yuchan were visibly shaken.

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