Awakened: The Spirit King!

Chen Wei Qi showed a frustrated expression as he said, "I did go to many spiritual doctors, but they all said the same thing that they have never seen a curse like this, and it isn't an ailment that they can cure. I tried to seek the help of powerful cultivators, but even after kneeling at their gates for days and, as a result, collapsing, none of these people were willing to waste their time on a penniless fool like me? After three years of looking for a way to undo the curse, I gave up."

He sighed.

Xie Yang thought for a moment, and a plan to make Chen Wei Qi become a blacksmith for his family formed in his mind.

Chen Wei Qi wasn't a bad guy.

He had just suffered so much that he became a broken man who lashes at anyone at any time.

As long as he helps him step on the right path, he will change for the better.

Moreover, people like him were more loyal than others as they knew the pain of betrayal.

He smiled towards the blacksmith and said, "How about you show it to us? Maybe we have a way of undoing it."

Chen Wei Qi thought for a while before he said, "Alright, but if you have no way, I understand."

Xie Yang and Xie Ye were mysterious but powerful cultivators in his mind, and he thought that if anyone had a way to relieve him of the vicious curse haunting him, it might be them. After all, they managed to take down a beast above level 40, so the things they couldn't do were bound to be very few.

He undressed and showed their back to them.

"So, have you seen anything like that?"

There was a tattoo on white chrysanthemums on his back, and it reached up to his shoulders.

Xie Ye scrutinized it before shaking his head and saying, "I have never come across a curse like this, but it does have striking similarities to the seals that northern outlanders use."

Chen Wei Qi's experience felt slightly as all hopes of making a full recovery died in him; however, he wasn't too sad as he had already considered that there was a high chance that these two mysterious cultivators didn't have a way of undoing the curse on him.

He and Xie Ye didn't see a small line appearing between Xie Yang's eyebrows!

Xie Yang opened his mouth and uttered, "It's not a curse that's making it painful for you to use spiritual techniques but an ancient insect that had taken root in your body. Over the years, It has become one with your elixir field and has started using your vitality and spiritual energy to reproduce. The number of chrysanthemums on your back signifies that it has reproduced a lot by taking nourishment from your body, and wine is the best one it could ask for from its host. The tattoo on your back signifies how close it and its children are to your soul! Once the tattoo spreads to your heart, the ancient insects will gain a path to your soul. They will use it to reach your soul and eat it. Once that happens, you will cease to exist and fail to experience reincarnation as if an immortal had punished you by burning your mortal flesh and soul with everlasting fire."

Xie Yang's horrifying words made Chen Wei Qi fear for the worse.

"What should I do? It took the tattoo seven years to spread to my shoulder. Wouldn't it spread my heart in 3 and a half years or even less? Since you know about this ancient insect, you must know how to kill it or remove it from my body, right? Please share it with me. I don't want to die!" Chen Wei Qi looked at Xie Yang in the same way a person would look at their savior.

"Be at ease."

Xie Yang told him to relax as he wasn't going to die anytime soon as long as he stopped drinking wine.

He will remain alive for several years if he doesn't touch wine.

Chen Wei Qi wasn't able to calm down as he was not only going to die in several years but also lose his soul, meaning he won't even get to meet his wife and child in the afterlife.

How sad was that? It was inhumane!

"I have a way to help free you from the ancient sects, but…."

"But what?"

"I won't help you for free."

"I don't have much, but if you can save me, I am willing to offer my life to you!"

"Keep your life." Xie Yang took off his mask and said, "This lord only wants your skills."

Chen Wei Qi had seen the face of the third young master of the Xie Family before as posters of his figure had spread in many parts of the empire ever since the emperor used the records containing names of corrupted officials influential people that he found and Xie Yong forwarded to the emperor to root the evil within the empire.

Thus, Chen Wei Qi immediately realized that standing before him was Xie Yang, and he gawked at him.

Following his master, Xie Ye also took off his mask.

When he saw that standing behind Xie Yang was the Ghost of the Battlefield, Chen Wei Qi's eyes widened so much that they threatened to pop out of their sockets.

Xie Ye narrowed his eyes at him.

Plop!

He dropped to his knees

"Lord Spirit of War and Lord Xie Yang, please forgive me for my earlier impudence towards you."

Chen Wei Qi was shivering like there was an earthquake going on.

He knew how dangerous of a man Xie Ye was and also knew that his sword moved before his tongue to cut the head of anyone who dares disrespect his master and his blood!

"Forget it."

Xie Yang helped him stand and flicked his personal token towards him.

"If you are serious about serving me and using your skills for my family, deal with your matters, prepare my order, advance to the third rank of smithing, gain the recognition of the blacksmith association, then come to the Cloud City with the items you've forged for me and show this medallion to the first guard you find. They will bring you to the Xie Manor. By that time, I will have a room prepared for you."

Chen Wei Qi pressed his thumb on the medallion before caressing it.

"My lord, I will see you soon!" He shouted while looking at the back of the two men leaving his smithy.

There was this intense fire in his eyes that a person who hadn't experienced misfortune couldn't explain.

The intense emotion in his eyes was a desire to take revenge against Bai Xian!

He was so suddenly humble to them and willing to follow them around not only because he was grateful for them and Xie Yang held a cure to his problems but also because he could have his revenge by serving the Xie Family truthfully and obtaining their help!

"Young master, were you planning this from the very start?" Xie Ye wondered whether Xie Yang planned to recruit Chen Wei Qi to work for him before even leaving the city.

"Maybe I was. Maybe I wasn't."

Xie Yang replied nonchalantly.