Chapter 31: Reverse Fire Curse

Wang Ping repeatedly recalled his memories in a fleeting manner, yet he still couldn't recognize who the girl before him was.

Could it be that his former lover brought this trouble upon him?

Upon hearing Wang Ping's name, Lan Bing suddenly remembered that bounty.

It was said that the Soul Refining Hall and the Three Yuan Alliance each issued their own bounty.

No wonder he seemed familiar; he also understood why his sister called that person Wang Ping big brother.

Seeing Wang Ping's calm expression, Lan Bing sighed inwardly.

Wang Ping, failing to recall, bluntly asked:

"Miss, how do you know Mr. Wang? I seem to have never met Miss Lan."

Lan Xue'er also seemed to have come to her senses then, though a hint of sadness flickered in the depths of her eyes.

After composing herself, Lan Xue'er actually broke into a smile and spoke again: "Wang Ping big brother, it seems you lost the memories related to White Cloud Ridge after surviving the Reverse Fire Curse; in that case, forgetting might be for the best."

Wang Ping frowned deeply upon hearing that, "Reverse Fire Curse?"

"I came over here precisely because of the Reverse Fire Curse."

"He indeed had no such memories; he only heard from his family that he had accidentally been struck by the Reverse Fire Curse during a battle between two Golden Core experts, and fortunately survived."

"He had never studied any secrets related to the Reverse Fire Curse either."

"Now hearing this woman's words, could there have been some hidden circumstance behind his initial affliction with the Reverse Fire Curse?"

At that moment, he caught a glimpse from the corner of his eye that the Lan family's eldest son seemed to have something to say, so he turned his gaze toward him.

Being swept by Wang Ping's gaze, Lan Bing's heart jolted, and he forced a wry smile before speaking:

"Senior!"

"Just call me Wang Brother!"

Lan Bing hesitated for a moment, then clasped his hands and corrected himself:

"Wang Brother!"

Wang Ping nodded, indicating for him to continue.

"I never expected Wang Brother to actually be Wang Ping of the Wang Family, one of the few who survived the Reverse Fire Curse. Nowadays, Wang Brother's reputation in Western Chu is practically thunderous!"

A glint flashed in Wang Ping's eyes as he calmly asked, "How so?"

"It's precisely because of the Reverse Fire Curse that the Soul Refining Hall and the Three Yuan Alliance have each issued a wanted notice."

"I don't know who spread the news, but among cultivators who survived the Reverse Fire Curse, the spiritual root that grows in reverse…"

Upon saying that, Lan Bing's throat bobbed, he couldn't help swallowing, a hint of greed flashed in the depths of his eyes, though he quickly suppressed it before speaking:

"That reverse-grown spiritual root can elevate a cultivator's spiritual root grade!"

Wang Ping scoffed: "Heh, how could that be? If it were truly that miraculous, back then the Azure Moon Sect would have directly siphoned off my spiritual root, causing it to collapse and kill me on the spot!"

At this moment, Lan Xue'er seemed to return from her dazed state, speaking in a crisp voice:

"Wang Ping big brother, this news was spread by the Soul Refining Hall; it's said they inadvertently learned that someone had survived the Reverse Fire Curse, and that person is in the Azure Cloud Sect, so they began secretly searching."

"\"Who would have thought…\" saying that, Lan Xue'er glanced at the ethereal Wang Ping, her eyes becoming somewhat unfocused; Wang Ping big brother seemed to be growing ever more refined."

Wang Ping twitched his face, pretending not to notice, then continued her previous words:

"\"Who would have thought I'm not even in the sect."

Lan Bing helplessly glanced at his own sister and quickly replied:

"That's true, but for some reason they leaked the information, letting the Three Yuan Alliance know as well, whereupon the Azure Moon Sect ordered Wang Ping to return to the sect."

"Heh!"

"At this time, have me return to the sect?"

Wang Ping's face showed a faint cold smile.

Lan Bing hesitated for a while, gritted his teeth, and continued:

"Wang Brother, regarding the Reverse Fire Curse, my younger sister returned alive from White Cloud Ridge, and I have secretly searched various ancient texts, uncovering a slight clue."

This time Wang Ping did not hide his interest and asked:

"Oh! I wonder what discovery Lan Brother has made?"

Lan Bing replied: "According to my extensive research, over the past ten thousand years, more than ten cultivators have survived the Reverse Fire Curse; some have cultivated to Nascent Soul, others only to Foundation Establishment. Yet without exception, their cultivation methods are all top-tier."

Having said that, Lan Bing organized his words and continued:

"This might be hard for Wang Brother to grasp; let me put it another way: those who can be afflicted by the Reverse Fire Curse usually have low status, mostly slaves, ordinary mortals, or low-grade spiritual root cultivators who are not valued."

"Wang Brother, considering their circumstances, how could they possibly obtain top-tier cultivation methods? Perhaps they all had fortuitous encounters?"

"But it's impossible that all survivors of the Reverse Fire Curse possess two top-tier cultivation methods, right?"

"Moreover, these methods are entirely unfamiliar, never seen in the cultivation world before."

Wang Ping's heart stirred, and he asked: "You mean?"

Lan Bing nodded and said: "I have a hypothesis: cultivators who have been struck by the Reverse Fire Curse, if they practice two cultivation methods simultaneously, might allow both methods to advance together!"

Wang Ping sprang to his feet, his eyes flashing with sharp light, as if two tiny suns.

The Lan Bing siblings were actually forced to close their eyes by that gaze.

Lan Bing's heart pounded with alarm: what kind of technique could make one's eyes shine so brightly, captivating the soul?

"Is what Lan Brother said true?"

Lan Bing closed his eyes, shook his head, and replied: "I'm not certain it's true; this speculation arose because I enjoy perusing ancient texts, and using my status as the Lan family's eldest young master, I have examined many rare secret records held by various powers."

"From this I drew the conclusion."

Wang Ping restrained his aura; although techniques that can advance are rare in the cultivation world, he has heard of them.

"But most cultivators in the world practice only a single method; even if a method can advance, they still only master one."

"If Lan Bing's discovery is correct, then cultivators who have survived the Reverse Fire Curse could actually practice two cultivation methods simultaneously, even if those two methods are mutually antagonistic."

He had already witnessed the power of top-tier cultivation techniques on Hei Tian; his blue light circle could break the protective spiritual light of Qi Refining Great Perfection, but it was very likely unable to break the protective spiritual light of Hei Tian, who was only at late-stage Qi Refining.

This is the advantage of top-tier cultivation techniques.

Wang Ping possessed wood and fire dual spiritual roots, and he had always regretted not cultivating a fire-element technique.

But now, having reached this point, he was unwilling to switch to another type of technique; he only wished that after entering Foundation Establishment, with sufficient lifespan, he would then consider changing.

Now, good news has fallen from heaven—he can cultivate two techniques simultaneously; how could he not be happy?

"Thank you, Brother Lan, for pointing out and clearing up my doubts!" Wang Ping spoke his thanks.

Lan Bing immediately waved his hands, repeatedly saying he didn't dare.

Next, the cave fell into silence.

Lan Bing broke out in a light sweat on his forehead, glanced at his sister, saw that she was lost in thought, and couldn't help sighing; since returning from Bai Yun Ling, she often does this.

He then turned his gaze to Wang Ping, noticed that the other's eyes were downcast, felt an inexplicable chill in his heart, and an uncontrollable thought arose: "Could Brother Wang be thinking of killing to silence us?"

Just as Lan Bing was wandering in his thoughts, Wang Ping's voice came over:

"Brother Lan, what are you thinking about again?"

Lan Bing gave a slight bitter smile: "Brother Wang, rest assured, we siblings will absolutely keep the secret and will not reveal your whereabouts."

Wang Ping gave a light chuckle: "Brother Lan, you worry too much; I am not someone who slaughters the innocent indiscriminately."

Lan Bing thought of the dozen or so cultivator corpses, and gave a dry laugh twice.

Wang Ping glanced at Lan Bing, shook his head, then looked at his little admirer, sighed, his figure flickered, and he had already disappeared in the cave.

When Lan Bing raised his head again, he saw that Wang Ping's figure was no longer in the cave.

On the ground appeared a pile of spirit stones—not many, only a few hundred—but enough for them siblings to recover their spiritual power.

Thank you! We siblings will definitely keep your secret.

Lan Bing said in a low voice.

As his words fell, a faint fluctuation on his body invisibly dissipated.