CHAPTER 205: BANE OF ALL WOMEN, BUSINESS MODEL OF CURSE MASTER

After some time, the three of them stood at the counter, each with a pile of items stacked in front of them.

Lingluo had chosen the Discipline Brick, a bottle of Liquid Mischief, the Fan of Sudden Breeze, and an unmarked vial of suspiciously glowing liquid.

Ming Tianmei’s selections were far calmer, a bottle of True Earth Oil and the Powder of Truth.

Yu Xuan, meanwhile, placed down the "108 Knives in One — Kitchen Edition" along with a set of ornate bangles carved with the images of dragon, phoenix, qilin, and turtle. It was a paired item, a communication tool that worked across certain distances. Yu Xuan had only wanted one, but they inconveniently came in pairs, so he figured it might still prove useful.

As the shopkeeper dragged all the goods closer, Yu Xuan’s thought once more to the shop’s ridiculous name — [Odd Gadgets of Cultivator].

’Odd gadgets? Hmm they definitely seems odd but where are the most gadgets here?’ he thought sourly, the shop didn’t live up to it’s name, perhaps it was a secret shop with secret purpose.

Worse, there had been no prices marked anywhere. Yu Xuan was already imagining the bill.

The shopkeeper, however, was all smiles, her round glasses flashing ominously as she rubbed her hands.

"Hehe, these are quite nice items you’ve chosen." She gave them a thumbs-up.

Then, dramatically pointing at the piles, she declared,

"These... these... and these... are all very expensive. But! Since I’m in a good mood today, especially for my junior sister here," she gestured at Lingluo,

"I’ll give you all a special discount. Altogether, I’ll round it off to 128,769 sect points."

Yu Xuan’s face had huge question marks.

"Excuse me. How, exactly, is that a round-off?"

The shopkeeper’s smile widened to a shark-like grin.

"Oh, then do you want to hear the original price?"

She did twinkle twinkle little stars with her fingers and then said, "It was one hundred and forty—"

Before she could finish, Yu Xuan instantly slapped his medallion onto the counter and said hastily, "Let me pay."

He didn’t need to hear the rest.

Lingluo and Tianmei politely covered their mouths to hide their laughter, though they made no attempt to pay as if an unspoken rule. The shopkeeper happily tapped Yu Xuan’s medallion with her medallion and hummed cheerfully as the sect points transferred.

Yu Xuan let out a long, weary sigh. His medallion still felt lighter, as though it has physically lost weight.

"Let’s move," he muttered, rubbing his temple.

"I want to look around as well..."

Lingluo and Ming Tianmei exchanged glances. Together, the trio exited the shop.

Inside, the shopkeeper leaned lazily against her counter, round glasses flashed as she watched their figures vanish down the bustling street. A sly grin curved her lips.

"Mm... maybe next time I’ll let them into the real shop," she murmured. Her voice was soft, yet carried the weight of greed.

"Those three didn’t even flinch at the price. Maybe they are some hidden disciple of a big shot?"

Her laughter followed, faint and fox-like, as she turned to await the next customer destined to line her pockets.

***

For half a day, Yu Xuan, Lingluo, and Ming Tianmei roamed the peak. The outing wasn’t just idle wandering — Yu Xuan was silently familiarizing himself with the lay of the land. The Chaos Heaven Peak was vast, its streets alive with commerce and culture.

There was even an Auction Hall, glittering with prestige, which they planned to visit later that night. Thanks to Lingluo’s status as the Peak Master’s disciple, they had already secured a VIP room.

Their midday meal was taken at a famed restaurant whose chef was a cultivator who had chosen cooking as his Dao. His knife-work alone carried spiritual resonance, and every dish seemed to hum with life.

Rumor had it that merely watching him prepare food could enlighten one’s comprehension of Qi circulation.

Ordinary disciples would need an ocean of sect points or a reservation months in advance just to taste a single dish, but once again, Lingluo’s name smoothed the way.

Yu Xuan noticed, however, that everywhere they went, gazes followed them. Lingluo was the Peak Master’s disciple, Ming Tianmei was dazzling in her own right, and together the two beauties drew attention like lanterns in the dark.

Though the surrounding cultivators pretended to be calm, Yu Xuan could feel the subtle weight of their stares. A faint mix of admiration, envy, and hidden hostility trailed their group like invisible shadows.

Still, he ignored it, content with enjoying the day.

After that, they watched a puppet show powered by intricate Qi formations and a Puppet Master controlling the puppets, it was quite unique.

The trio continued exploring side streets, their arms occasionally brushing as they strolled. Whenever this happened between Ming Tianmei and Yu Xuan she stole subtly glances at him and he too did not remained indifferent. After all, he was an adult, according to Cultivation World’s standards, of course it was of humans, he didn’t know about other species though.

Though it wasn’t a festival, the lively atmosphere of the peak was festive enough.

Then, something unusual caught their eyes.

Nestled in a dim corner was a crooked wooden sign, written in bold, ominous characters:

[This Curse Master Will Take Away Your Enemies Politely]

The lettering seemed to bleed faintly, as though ink and malice had been mixed in equal measure.

Yu Xuan raised a brow.

"...Well, that looks trustworthy."

Lingluo tilted her head, intrigued.

"A curse master? Should we take a look?"

Ming Tianmei’s lips curved slightly.

"Shops like these... usually either hide peerless experts... or scams worse than one can imagine."

Yu Xuan’s eyelid twitched at that remark.

Still, the three of them stood there, curiosity already pulling them closer to the mysterious shop.

Inside, the air was thick, as though the very walls had absorbed whispers of malice. Strange talismans dangled from the ceiling, some burning faintly with purple fire, others dripping ink-black tears onto the floor.

At the was the so-called curse master. She was undeniably beautiful — her wide, luminous eyes blinked not vertically but horizontally, sliding across. Though her features were human, her gaze carried the weight of a predator watching prey.

Before her stood a male disciple dressed entirely in black. He tugged nervously at his hood, clearly trying to hide his identity, but his words betrayed him.

"...Will the hair be enough? If you want, I can even bring his pants," the man whispered.

"That’s fine," the curse master replied calmly, her voice smooth and silken.

"Hair will do. I only need a medium to curse someone from a distance."

Yu Xuan, Lingluo, and Ming Tianmei who heard that, exchanged glances.

After a brief exchange, the disciple paid the sect points, before vanishing into the streets.

Lingluo’s thought of something and immediatelly her expression hardened. Without hesitation, she strode up to the curse master, her face cold as ice.

"Are you the one who curses?" she asked cryptically, her tone distant.

The curse master tilted her head slightly, as if measuring her. She did not recognize her as the Peak Master’s disciple as she was not up-to-date with the sect’s latest news. Then she gave a slow, knowing smile.

"Whom do you want to curse?"

Lingluo shook her head.

"I don’t want to curse anyone. It seems someone has already placed a nasty curse on me. A curse that is the bane of all women."

Yu Xuan and Ming Tianmei stepped closer, listening with wide eyes. Their acting was perfect.

Then, to the Curse Master’s surprise, Lingluo’s frosty expression cracked. Her lips trembled, her voice broke, and tears glimmered in her eyes as she whispered, "...O-only you can help me now."

The transformation was devastating. The cold, noble disciple suddenly became pitiful and heartbreakingly cute.

The curse master froze. For a moment, her predator’s aura faltered. It was like taking a physical blow to the chest.

In this entire region, she was the only known curse master with a shop. If someone had cast a curse on this girl, odds were high it had been her doing — and if this adorable little junior turned out to be one of her victims...

"Tell me the condition," the curse master demanded, her beautiful face tightening with barely restrained fury.

"I will investigate thoroughly. If necessary, I will apply a reverse curse myself."

’Just don’t let it be me, please,’ she thought desperately.

And then, from behind Lingluo, Yu Xuan and Ming Tianmei joined in. Both of them fixed her with identical puppy-dog eyes, their expressions screaming: Please help our poor suffering sister!

The curse master nearly staggered back from the combined assault.

Lingluo sniffled once and said pitifully, "It’s... it’s a curse of hair fall."

The curse master blinked once. Then twice. Her pupils dilated in utter disbelief.

"...What?"

Lingluo’s tears grew brighter.

"My hair... it feels weaker. As if strands will fall any day now. If this continues, I’ll..." her voice cracked, "...I’ll lose my hair."

The curse master’s beautiful face twisted as she struggled between confusion, guilt, and the crushing pressure of those three expectant stares.

Finally, with a grim nod, she stepped forward, placing her hands gently on Lingluo’s shoulders.

"Wait," she said solemnly. "Let me check."

A chilling aura spread from her body, tendrils of cursed energy slithering outward like dark smoke. They coiled around Lingluo, probing, searching.

Yu Xuan’s mouth twitched. Watching the scene, his expression turned oddly complicated.

***

[A/Q: Author’s Question(Open Ended)]

What is the bane of all Women?

A) Hair fall

B) Other (Specify)