The cultivators on the ground stood in stunned silence, struggling to find words to articulate their emotions.
After all, they had just been seconds away from witnessing Miao Hanxuan kill Liu Wuxie, but fate had taken yet another bizarre and unexpected turn.
Miao Hanxuan soared into the sky, taking great care to avoid repeating his earlier humiliations as he prepared a palm technique.
It was normal for clouds to disperse during combat, but something was amiss today. A massive flock of aerial profound beasts had actually been hiding behind the clouds, escaping everyone's notice.
They were flying over Heavenly Gate Peak and were on their way deeper into the mountain range.
Caught completely off guard, Miao Hanxuan had no time to react.
"NO!" he screamed in horror, clutching his head with both hands. He even briefly forgot to defend himself.
The next instant, hundreds of profound beasts swarmed him. Individually, they were no match for Miao Hanxuan, but there were just too many of them, and their combined assault struck with brutal timing.
Each collision was akin to a hammer slamming into him, and several of the beasts began viciously pecking at his head. Blood quickly drenched his face.
Miao Hanxuan regained his senses and unleashed a palm strike, blasting several profound beasts away. But by then, he was a mess. He was soaked in blood and was mangled as he plummeted to the ground.
Once or twice could be dismissed as a mere coincidence, but three times?
No one could explain it anymore.
The elders and disciples who once intended to help Miao Hanxuan now chose to remain silent. No one dared approach, afraid that they would become the next target of misfortune.
And this was precisely Liu Wuxie's goal—to isolate Miao Hanxuan and ensure that no one would come to his aid.
After all, the Curse Dao Art extended its effects far beyond battle. Misfortune haunted those afflicted, even during mundane actions in their everyday life. They could choke while drinking water and bite their tongue while eating.
They would be plagued by nightmares and could trip for no apparent reason. They could also step in filth and suffer mysterious setbacks in their cultivation.
From this point on, Miao Hanxuan would be haunted by relentless humiliation. He would live a life far worse than death.
Miao Hanxuan's face twisted in genuine fear. He wasn't afraid of dying, but living —constantly humiliated, ridiculed, and tormented—was far worse.
Frozen in place, he didn't dare move. He found himself caught in a dilemma, as he had just vowed to kill Liu Wuxie.
"Liu Wuxie, what did you do to me?!" he howled, trembling. He was terrified that taking even a single step would bring about another disaster.
All eyes turned to Liu Wuxie. Everyone was desperate to know. What kind of technique had he used on Miao Hanxuan?
"Miao Hanxuan," Liu Wuxie said coolly, "Don't you think this is heaven's punishment for all the unforgivable things you've done?"
He feigned ignorance, pretending that this was some divine retribution rather than the Curse Dao Art at work.
But only a few were convinced. In the brutal cultivation world, where strength ruled supreme, the notion of "heavenly punishment" was laughable. And even if the so-called "heavenly punishment" existed, it wouldn't manifest in such farcical, exaggerated fashion.
"If you won't explain, then don't blame me for being merciless!" Miao Hanxuan roared, drawing his longsword and swinging it in a fierce arc. Sword energy filled the sky, enveloping the entire Heavenly Gate Peak.
Liu Wuxie frowned. He wasn't sure how long the curse would last, so he began silently preparing his defenses.
He could kill Miao Hanxuan with his current strength, but doing so would expose too much. Too many enemies were lurking in the shadows, and he couldn't afford to reveal all his cards just yet.
Before Miao Hanxuan could strike, a breeze stirred the air. It quickly intensified into a violent gale, shredding his sword aura like paper.
Miao Hanxuan was on the brink of insanity. Every time he made a move, it was like heaven itself would interfere.
This was the curse of the Harbinger of Misfortune.
No wonder cultivators across the Eastern Domain were so afraid of the Barefooted Elder. Prolonged exposure to cursed energy had warped his fate until calamity followed him wherever he went.
"W-what did Liu Wuxie do to Elder Miao? And why did that gale appear out of nowhere on such a sunny day?" a disciple whispered.
"No idea. Maybe it's some mysterious technique," another replied nervously.
Very few had even heard of the Curse Dao Art, and even most elders were unaware of its existence until they reached the Heaven Profound Realm.
Murmurs rippled through the crowd. Miao Hanxuan stood stiffly in place, face pale and drenched in sweat. He didn't know what to do anymore.
Whenever he made a move, nature itself would intervene. Lightning, sudden rain, fierce winds, and falling rocks. His attacks would collapse before he could release them.
He couldn't even land a scratch on Liu Wuxie. Tattered robes clung to him, blood and filth drenched his body, and he had torn out half his hair in the chaos. It was like he had stumbled through the gates of the underworld.
And then, as if to crown it all, an aerial profound beast soared above the Heavenly Gate Peak and dropped a giant turd right on his head.
The stench was indescribable. Disciples nearby covered their noses and stepped back hastily.
"Liu Wuxie... please... I'm begging you... stop this..." Miao Hanxuan finally broke down, falling to his knees. He would rather die than go on living . This was inhumane.
"No one can defy the heavens. You brought this upon yourself," Liu Wuxie replied coldly, showing no hint of mercy. This was what Miao Hanxuan deserved.
"You won't undo the curse?!" Miao Hanxuan howled, his face twisted in fury. He had already begged, but Liu Wuxie still refused to show compassion.
"Prepare to suffer for the rest of your life," Liu Wuxie sneered. In truth, he had no idea how to lift the Curse Dao Art. And even if he knew, he wouldn't use it for someone like Miao Hanxuan.
Among the three thousand dao techniques, only the Blessing Dao Art could counter the Curse Dao Art. However, Liu Wuxie had no idea how to cultivate that.
"ALL ELDERS—KILL HIM!" Miao Hanxuan shrieked in desperation. If he couldn't act, he would make others do it for him.
The elders gathered above wavered. On any other day, they would have obeyed Miao Hanxuan without hesitation.
After seeing Miao Hanxuan's miserable state, they hesitated. None wanted to end up like him. Despite Miao Hanxuan's repeated commands, not a single elder made a move.
It wasn't disloyalty; they were simply afraid.
One look from Liu Wuxie was enough to make them retreat a few steps. None dared get too close, terrified that they too would fall victim to the same misfortune.
"What are you all afraid of? That technique must've drained him! You think he can use it again?" Miao Hanxuan shouted, his voice trembling with rage.
Had they already forgotten how much he had done for them? How had he helped secure their current status? And now, when he needed them most, they stood aside and watched in silence.
"Elder Miao, my tummy doesn't feel great. I need to use the restroom," said one elder, clutching his stomach as he bolted away.
"Elder Miao, I just remembered that I left my stove on!" another exclaimed, fleeing in panic.
As if cultivators needed to cook like ordinary mortals... everyone knew that they could survive on spiritual energy alone. It was an outright ridiculous lie.
"Elder Miao, my grandson is calling me," muttered another elder before fleeing in a hurry.
Within moments, the elders around Miao Hanxuan scattered, throwing out one flimsy excuse after another. Some claimed they had laundry to do, others said they needed to feed babies, and a few even insisted they had weddings to attend.
The watching disciples burst into laughter, unable to hold it back. The elders' excuses were so ludicrous that it was hard to believe they had any dignity left in them.
Miao Hanxuan could only watch helplessly as his supposed allies abandoned him. The few who remained lingered at a safe distance, no longer aligned with him.
He was utterly alone.
"Liu Wuxie, just you wait! I'll kill you myself one day!" Miao Hanxuan bellowed, knowing he couldn't win today. All he could do was retreat after leaving behind a threat.
The moment he turned to leave, he stumbled over a loose stone and slammed face-first into the ground.
Laughter exploded from the crowd.
Everyone had been anticipating an epic showdown, but it turned into an outrageous farce.
Liu Wuxie had made a total of only two attacks. Everything else was Miao Hanxuan's string of humiliating, almost slapstick disasters. The Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy was stunned. News of the incident would surely spread across the True Martial Continent by sundown.
Miao Hanxuan remained frozen, not daring to move. Just a few paces ahead lay the edge of Heavenly Gate Peak. One misstep, and he could plunge straight off the cliff.
Just when everyone thought the farce was over, a slow, deliberate clap echoed from the skies.
A black-robed figure emerged from the clouds and landed beside Liu Wuxie with graceful ease.
"Grandmaster!" came the collective gasp from the disciples.
They had never seen the grandmaster in person before, but his portrait was well-known throughout the Heavenly Spirit Celestial Academy. Everyone immediately recognized him.
The elders who had fled earlier rushed back, as their curiosity overrode their caution. They wanted to know why the grandmaster had appeared at such a critical moment.
Liu Wuxie, however, narrowed his eyes. A cold smirk tugged at his lips as he locked eyes with the black-robed figure.
Elder Qu Su and several other elders had emerged from their secluded cultivation upon learning of Liu Wuxie's return, and they arrived just in time to witness everything unfold.