Chapter Sixteen: Blood Debt Repaid in Blood

  After listening to Xiang Ke's words, Yun Hai Fan didn't speak, and her pale lips cracked a weak smile. A sweet and pungent breath spread in her mouth, and she was even too weak to spit out the blood water, collapsing under Xiang Ke's gaze. In the instant before losing consciousness, she suddenly realized that the curse on her might not have been truly lifted.

  It was unclear how much time had passed when she regained some hazy consciousness. Her vision remained pitch black, but her senses seemed to be floating above her body. Someone's anxious footsteps echoed in the distance, as if waiting for someone; someone else's rapid pace almost made them stumble upon arrival; and someone's arm cradled her with such warmth and strength that all she felt was a soothing comfort enveloping her entire being. The cacophony of sounds from the road and the peaceful orderliness of the campus pierced Cloudy Sea's eardrums, striking her repeatedly, yet failing to stir her forcibly sealed heart.

  The person holding her slowed down their footsteps, as if they had already arrived at their destination. She sniffed the faint rustic scent that lingered in the air, feeling extremely familiar but unable to recall where it was from. She was gently placed on the ground, probably due to the layer of woolen blanket underneath, and didn't feel the chill of the earth. In front of her, there seemed to be a soft, dancing flame, which was actually just the tears of the candle falling in the windless state. A middle-aged woman's voice was incessant in her ears, but she couldn't understand what she was saying at all.

  At first, she was a bit annoyed and wanted to speak out to stop the woman's murmurs, but found that she couldn't open her mouth at all. All sounds were blocked in her throat, completely beyond the control of her brain.

  So annoying.

  Yun Hai Fan thought to herself, she didn't mention that I wasn't in so much pain yet, but being mentioned by her repeatedly made her head hurt even more. It seemed like there was a flame burning at her heart, and she didn't know what posture she was in now, anyway, even the simple action of clutching her chest couldn't be managed. The flame spread from her heart to her whole body, making her irritation even worse.

  Gradually, the woman's recitation turned into a chant, similar to a hymn, with a gentle and soothing melody that slowly permeated Cloud Sea's heart. There, the fierce flames of karma raged, scorching and oppressive. Yet, those sacred and incomprehensible words stirred up a storm in her heart. At first, it was warm and gentle, like a breeze blowing over, lifting one corner of the heat wave. Then, as the woman's melody soared, it swirled and gathered momentum, drawing in gust after gust of hot air, like a whirlpool sucking in the waves. The storm swept through, leaving Cloud Sea's heart clear and transparent.

  Yun Hai Fan woke up, and the wound on her hand had already been healed.

  Holding his still slightly aching head, Yun Hai Fan looked clearly at the three people in front of him - Xiang Ke, Xiang Zhi Yin and Ge Hui. Unlike before when Ge Hui always wore school uniform, she was now wearing a pure black long robe, with star-like patterns that were low-key yet luxurious and showed off her identity - Fragmented Star Mage.

  In the country of Liú Yuè, the levels of magicians are divided into seven stages. Students from the seven major magic schools are called apprentice magicians, and only when they pass the school's examination can they truly become magicians. Magicians can participate in the annual East-West Magic League, and those who pass will be classified as Qián Yǔ magicians, qualifying them to participate in the triennial National Magic Competition. Those who rank on the National Magic Competition are all Liú Shuāng magicians. The top five, categorized by Rì Yuè, Jiǎo Yuè, Suì Xīng, Liù Fēng, and Ní Hóng, can directly enter the Liú Yuè Temple to be assigned a position.

  Since Ge Hui is a Starlight Magician, he should be either wealthy or noble. How could he end up like this?

  Yun Hai Fan stared at Ge Hui's long robe for a long time without speaking. Ge Hui saw through Yun Hai Fan's thoughts and explained: "I was originally a ice system magician like my mother, and I rose to the position of Suixing Magician in the National Magic Competition. For a long time, I thought my father was a person with magical blood but no spiritual power, you know, such people are called 'dumb cannons' in the magic world, and can intermarry with magicians. Until one day when I was seriously injured during a trial, my father used magic to heal me, and I only then knew that my father was the last person to master light magic. Because it is not aggressive, he could not become a magician, so he hid his spiritual power for most of his life. Later, I found out that I can also condense pure spiritual power, but unfortunately, due to the interference of natural magic, I abandoned many years of ice system magic practice and switched to light magic."

  "Do you still qualify as a Stardust Magician?"

  "No," Gu Hui shook her head, "the abolition of ice magic naturally made it impossible for me to become a Shuixing magician, and I was forced to leave the temple. However, due to my years of good behavior and using light magic to cure the temple elder's long-standing illness, I was not stripped of my Shuixing identity and was reassigned here as a teacher. After all, except for being unable to personally demonstrate magic, my control over magic is top-notch. At that time, the school also took care of me and arranged an assistant instructor to take charge of demonstrating in class. That person was Wen Zhan."

  "Do you regret it?" Yun Hai Fan saw that Ge Hui's eyes had a hint of tears.

  "No." She shook her head more resolutely than before, "Light magic is sacred to me, and besides, my father told me that only light magic has a natural counter to dark magic. I won't let it disappear from the magical world like this."

  Ge Hui's eyes shone brightly, like the countless stars in the sky, her black pupils seemed like a vast expanse of heaven, and that flickering light - Yun Hai Fan thought, should be faith.

  Years later, when Yun Haiyan recalled this scene, he felt that if all his previous efforts were for revenge, then the one who supported her step by step to reach the peak was Ge Hui's hopeful eyes, which was a memory that would never be erased in her life.

  To avoid continuing to poke at Haiwei's sore spot, Yunhaifan changed the subject: "Where is this?"

  "The basement of the library." The tears in Ge Hui's eyes flashed and disappeared, "It used to be a storage room, but I converted it into my private trial ground."

  "Has the curse on me been lifted?"

  "No." Only after Yunhai blew out the candle and turned on the lamp did he see Ge Hui's exhausted face, "The curse belongs to dark magic, but the curse you were under is a mind control spell, which is very close to puppetry. Light magic alone cannot completely remove it, and the contract needs to be dissolved."

  "How can I break the contract?" Yun Hai Fan thought of the way he and Shen Juan had made a contract before, wondering if it would work, "Was it sealed with blood?"

  "Yes, the Heart Spirit Control Curse and the Primary Puppet Technique are both using blood as a medium to establish a contract. The solution is only one..." Gaila drew out her voice, but hesitated to speak.

  "What is it?"

  "Blood for blood. You need to get the caster's fresh blood, and then I'll use a magic array to help you break the contract." Ge Hui handed Yun Hai Fan an exquisite magic bottle, "Fill this up."