"Abandon the name of Black Magic Chen, this... how is that possible?"

Hearing the old crone's cold, low words, the Chen Family's Head felt as if struck by lightning, staggering backward; his composure shattered, the poisonous sores on his body flared violently, even fresh blood streamed down his cheeks.

It seemed even more terrifying than this curse itself.

Though he was the Chen Family's Head, he leaned more toward participating techniques and Black Magic; the Chen Family's fiercest cursing techniques and authority all lay in his hands.

And this Second Aunt of the Chen Family, serving as the sword-catching hall officer, understood more of karmic causes and effects; she was also the one who had served Granny Meng's Shop the longest for the Chen Family. She excelled more in Reason and in exploring other Paths, so the Chen Family's Head trusted her.

Only, the method she spoke of to counter this Mass-Life Curse was simply impossible to accomplish.

To evade this karma by abandoning the three characters "Black Magic Chen"?

No!

One of the Ten Surnames, the Black Magic Chen Family—this title outweighed even the life of himself, the Chen Family's Head, and outweighed the life of any single person within the Chen Family.

He could not burn this stick of incense, could not do such a thing; he did not even think of it. Yet his eyes still fixed on that sword-catching hall officer, as if still hoping she could offer some other counsel.

But the old crone had already closed her eyes with a trace of exhaustion.

Boundless panic and fury surged into his mind all at once. In that instant, the Chen Family's Head did not know how many thoughts flashed through him; above his head, those endless black threads continued to descend upon the Chen Family, while from the foot of the mountain came the ceaseless wails and sobbing of the clan.

Some ruthless gleam seemed to flicker across his face at that moment, and then he suddenly spoke out in a harsh voice, roaring into the hall: "Open your eyes, stop hiding!"

At this furious shout, innumerable poisonous sores on his body suddenly burst, spilling blood.

He, however, forced his eyes wide, staring fixedly at the clansmen in the hall, each desperately hiding their souls and fleeing the curse, whether Hall Officers or House Generals, and growled chillingly: "Those evil spirits... they have taken Heaven's power with their curse—then we will summon Heaven back!"

"Let Heaven look upon us once more..."

"..."

"What?"

Those he had forcibly roused were themselves as if trapped in a nightmare; when they opened their eyes, they felt only that all around was spiderweb, and the people and voices of reality were all blurred and unreal.

They had nowhere left to hide their souls; the words of the Chen Family's Head only drove their hearts deeper into despair: "Old Master, if we go..."

"Then... there will be no chance of survival!"

"..."

At this moment they had already been marked by the curse; even forcing their souls to hide, they did not know if they could remain concealed. To force themselves out to act would be to have no escape at all. The Old Master's dharma method of summoning Heaven back might be possible.

But whether it succeeded or not, the only road before them was death.

"And what of death?"

The Chen Family's Head glanced toward the foot of the mountain, heart twisted with pain. In truth, he wanted to look down the slope, to see whether his wife was safe, to see how many had already died under this curse. Yet he did not dare, fearing too horrific a sight, so he simply did not look.

He only clenched his jaw tight, shouting at these people: "As long as you reveal yourselves beneath this heaven and earth, you will block the curse. At the very least, the clansmen below will be able to hide a little longer!"

"You have all been sheltered by the name of Black Magic Chen. For so many years, under this one name and above ten thousand people, you have enjoyed prosperity, with a great house and vast fortune."

"Now that the crucial moment has come, how can you not risk your lives for Black Magic Chen?"

"Go!"

"Use Black Magic nails to pierce your skulls, pin down your Divine Souls, gauge the breadth of this curse. Take your bodies as Black Magic, stand firm at the four directions, and please Heaven to return!"

"..."

With his furious roar, his wide sleeves suddenly swept through the air; with several ringing clinks, an iron nail dropped before each person, placed squarely in front of them.

"To... to turn ourselves into Black Magic?"

Among the Chen Family's ranks, all manner of capable figures saw the iron nails, and in that instant already knew there was no hope. For a heartbeat, they crumbled, despairing.

Yet facing the fury on the Chen Family's Head's face, they knew there was no other choice.

Just now, while hiding their souls, they had also heard the Great sword catching sect's words and knew that if they wished to live, they had only one path: to abandon the name Black Magic Chen. But that was impossible. For everyone in the Chen Family, even in death, they must preserve the name of Black Magic Chen.

Thus, they could only fight with their lives.

Even with a Mass-Life Curse—once they left the ancestral residence, these curses would first converge upon them. So long as they did not die, the clansmen below would fare at least somewhat better.

Only...

Someone spoke, voice trembling: "Even if, with nails through our skulls, we barely remain alive, there is still the matter of lifespan. Under this curse, how... how many sticks of incense can we even hold out?"

This was not a matter of whether they were willing to stand as a shield; it was that even if they did, they might not be able to withstand it.

The Chen Family's Head only looked at them coldly and spoke slowly: "If the lifespan of this life cannot withstand it, then borrow the lifespan of the next. No matter what, as long as we endure until Heaven returns and disperses this curse, our Chen Family can still win this duel!"

"Those evil spirits are ruthless in their methods, daring to sacrifice their bodies. Are we of the Black Magic Chen Family all spineless cowards?"

"..."

Understanding his words, the various strange people in the hall felt their spirits recoil in horror. They slowly looked at one another, yet in each other's eyes saw only a profound despair.

Then, beginning with that Reasoning Hall Officer, they all clenched their teeth, suddenly snatched up the iron nail, and drove it savagely into the center of their foreheads, straight through into the skull.

"Chi" "chi" "chi"

This was a dharma method shared across many Paths, able to fix the soul and prolong life.