A magical journey of a sharp-tongued woman and a goofy man

A chilling wind blew, withered branches swayed, and a suffocating deathly aura filled the air.

Ye Shuli and Jiang Ye stepped into the cursed village, and the scene before them was even more terrifying than they had imagined.

The walls were crumbling and the houses were dilapidated, as if they could collapse at any moment.

Even more eerie was the deathly stillness of the village; there was no smoke from chimneys, no crowing of roosters, no barking of dogs, only the chilling wind howling through the empty streets.

"This place... isn't it a bit too eerie?" Jiang Ye rubbed his arms and unconsciously moved closer to Ye Shuli. "I have a chill down my spine. Could there be some evil spirit following us?"

Ye Shuli rolled her eyes at him: "What are you afraid of? Aren't you known as the 'Number One Wolfhound of the Fantasy Continent'? What, are you chickening out?"

"Provocation won't work on me!" Jiang Ye stubbornly retorted, but his pace quickened involuntarily as he followed closely behind Ye Shuli. "I just think it's always better to be cautious. Better safe than sorry, understand?"

As the two walked through the village, the villagers they encountered all had empty eyes and withered faces, like walking corpses.

They showed no reaction to Ye Shuli and Jiang Ye's arrival, simply walking numbly or sitting blankly at the dilapidated doorway, as if they had lost all hope.

Finally, they found an elderly woman who seemed to be fairly lucid—Grandma Li.

Granny Li sat hunched over in front of a dilapidated thatched hut, her cloudy eyes filled with deep despair.

"Grandma, do you know how to lift the curse on this village?" Ye Shuli asked directly.

Granny Li sighed and said in a hoarse voice, "To break the curse, we must find the 'Netherworld Grass' that grows in the center of the village. But..." She paused, a hint of fear flashing in her eyes, "That spiritual grass is protected by a powerful curse; no one who goes in has ever come out alive..."

"Netherworld Grass?" Ye Shuli raised an eyebrow. "Interesting, I'll give it a try."

"No! It's too dangerous!" Jiang Ye grabbed Ye Shuli. "Didn't you hear what Granny Li said? Everyone who goes in never comes back!"

"What's there to be afraid of? Fortune favors the bold!" Ye Shuli shook off Jiang Ye's hand. "Besides, I'm incredibly lucky. What can a mere curse do to me?"

"This isn't just a matter of luck!" Jiang Ye said anxiously. "What if..."

“There’s no chance of anything happening!” Ye Shuli interrupted him, her tone firm. “My mind is made up, you don’t need to try to persuade me anymore.”

Jiang Ye watched Ye Shuli's resolute back as she walked away, his heart filled with mixed emotions.

He knew Ye Shuli's temperament; once she made a decision, she would never easily change it.

"You..." Jiang Ye opened his mouth, but in the end he didn't say anything.

He clenched his fist, his eyes filled with complex emotions as he watched Ye Shuli walk towards the area shrouded in thick fog in the center of the village...

"Wait for me!"

"

Jiang Ye looked into Ye Shuli's determined eyes, and his heart fluttered.

"Li'er, are you... really decided?" He grabbed Ye Shuli's hand, his tone incredibly gentle. "I'm worried about you going to such a dangerous place alone. Count me in, we'll die together, we'll live together!" He then gazed at her with deep affection.

Ye Shuli got goosebumps all over from his sudden display of affection, and her cheeks flushed slightly.

"Who wants to die with you! You're such bad luck!" she said, but she didn't shake off his hand.

The two walked side by side towards the center of the village.

The closer you get, the stronger the chilling curse becomes, as if the air itself has frozen.

Jiang Ye felt as if he were carrying a huge mountain on his back, and every step he took was incredibly difficult.

Ye Shuli was in no better shape. Her breathing became rapid, and her vision blurred as if countless hands were pulling her, trying to drag her into an endless abyss.

"Damn, this curse... it's something else!" Jiang Ye gritted his teeth, struggling to keep himself from collapsing.

He instinctively shielded Ye Shuli behind him, using his own body to block some of the curse's power for her.

Ye Shuli felt a warm current surge in her heart as she sensed Jiang Ye's actions.

This goofball is actually quite reliable when it matters.

Suddenly, the surrounding mist began to churn, forming grotesque ghost faces that emitted sharp, piercing cries.

These grotesque faces lunged at the two men, baring their teeth and claws, as if to devour them.

"What the hell! What the hell is that?!" Jiang Ye shouted in fright, instinctively swinging his longsword, only to find that he couldn't hurt those ghost faces at all.

Ye Shuli endured the discomfort and tried her best to stay awake.

She quickly pulled out a handful of specially made talismans from her backpack. These talismans were decorated with special medicines she had developed using modern chemical knowledge, which could effectively dispel evil spirits.

"Jiang Ye, cover me!" Ye Shuli shouted, throwing the talismans one by one into the air.

The talisman burned in the air, emitting a dazzling light and forming a protective barrier that drove back the ghost faces.

"Li'er, you...you have this trick up your sleeve?!" Jiang Ye stared in disbelief at the scene, a feeling of admiration for Ye Shuli welling up within him.

As expected of the woman he set his sights on, she's truly remarkable!

"Stop talking nonsense and let's go!" While the talisman was still powerful, Ye Shuli pulled Jiang Ye and continued rushing forward.

Finally, they arrived at the center of the village.

There, grows a plant that is entirely black and emits a faint blue light—the Netherworld Grass.

Before they could even get close, an even more powerful curse struck, violently sending the two flying...

"Cough cough..." Ye Shuli struggled to get up from the ground, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of her mouth.

"It seems... this Nether Grass won't be easy to obtain..."

Jiang Ye also stood up unsteadily, his face pale and his breathing disordered.

"Li'er...are you alright?"

Ye Shuli wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth, a resolute glint in her eyes.

"It's nothing. It's just... I suddenly had a bold idea..." Ye Shuli narrowed her eyes, carefully observing the surging curse power around her.

This power, though seemingly chaotic, subtly reveals a regular fluctuation, like an eerie death song.

"Jiang Ye, have you noticed that this curse power... seems to have a rhythm?"

Jiang Ye was taken aback and also focused his attention to sense it.

"It really is! This thing, it's like it's dancing at a disco, boom boom boom..."

Ye Shuli resisted the urge to roll her eyes. "Shut up! Be serious! This rhythm is the curse's weakness! If we follow its rhythm, we can dodge its attacks!"

Thus began a bizarre "death rave".

With her modern sense of rhythm, Ye Shuli led Jiang Ye through the power of the curse, like two agile dancers, stepping to the beat of death, and approaching the Netherworld Grass step by step.

While dodging the attacks, Jiang Ye couldn't help but exclaim, "Li'er, you're a genius! You even thought of this, you're a god forever!" His eyes were filled with admiration as he looked at Ye Shuli, as if he were seeing a shining idol.

Ye Shuli felt uncomfortable under his gaze. "Stop flattering me! Focus and don't mess things up!"

Just as they were about to reach the Netherworld Grass, Jiang Ye suddenly shoved Ye Shuli aside. "Li'er, step back!" He rushed towards the Netherworld Grass with lightning speed, so fast that Ye Shuli didn't even have time to react.

"Jiang Ye! What are you doing?!" Ye Shuli exclaimed, a bad feeling welling up in her heart.

Could it be that this kid...

Do you want to shoulder this all by yourself?

Jiang Ye turned around, gave her a bright smile, but his tone was unusually firm: "Li'er, trust me!"

Then, he reached out and grabbed at the Nether Grass...

The moment Jiang Ye's hand touched the Netherworld Grass, a powerful force sent him flying.

He fell heavily to the ground, spurting out a mouthful of blood.

"Jiang Ye!" Ye Shuli rushed over and helped him up. "Are you crazy? Why did you do this?" Jiang Ye smiled weakly: "Li'er, I promised you I would protect you..."

At this moment, a sudden change occurred!

The Netherworld Grass emitted a dazzling blue light, enveloping Jiang Ye within it.

The blue light gradually dissipated, and Jiang Ye stood there unharmed, holding the Netherworld Grass in his hand, looking...

He looks even more handsome now?

"I...I'm fine?" Jiang Ye was completely bewildered. Had he suddenly gained superpowers?

Ye Shuli was overjoyed upon seeing this.

It seems this Netherworld Grass has recognized its master!

God help me too!

She took the Nether Grass and immediately began preparing the spell to lift the curse.

She pulled out a bunch of bottles and jars, muttering to herself, like a mad scientist conducting an experiment.

Jiang Ye, watching from the side, was dazzled. "Li'er, are you... refining pills or conducting a chemistry experiment?" Ye Shuli rolled her eyes at him. "Stop talking nonsense, just watch!"

As Ye Shuli moved, the energy of the Netherworld Grass was slowly released, transforming into beams of golden light that shone throughout the entire village.

Bathed in golden light, the cursed villagers' once ashen complexions gradually regained their rosy hue, and their empty eyes regained their luster.

"I...I feel much better!" a villager exclaimed excitedly.

“Me too! I feel full of energy!” another villager chimed in.

The curse is lifted!

The whole village was in an uproar!

The villagers knelt down and bowed to Ye Shuli and Jiang Ye, thanking them for saving their lives.

Granny Li then took out an antique jade pendant and tremblingly handed it to Ye Shuli: "Young lady, this is our village's family heirloom. Please accept it to express our gratitude."

Ye Shuli accepted the jade pendant without hesitation.

She knew that this was not just a treasure, but also the villagers' recognition and gratitude towards her and Jiang Ye.

"Grandma, what's the use of this jade pendant?" Jiang Ye asked curiously.

Granny Li smiled mysteriously: "This jade pendant... is the key to unlocking the Misty Forest."

Misty forest?

Isn't that the legendary forbidden land fraught with danger?

Ye Shuli and Jiang Ye exchanged a glance, feeling both excited and worried.

They knew they were about to embark on an even more dangerous journey...

“The Misty Forest…” Ye Shuli stroked the jade pendant in her hand, her eyes resolute. “Let’s go.”

Jiang Ye nodded, gripped his sword tightly, and followed Ye Shuli towards the Misty Forest.

As night fell, two figures slowly disappeared into the thick fog at the entrance to the forest...

"This fog... is quite thick..."