Chapter 2: Curse of the Black Tower

A heavy silence filled the office after Feng Yan's loud outburst. Yu Yue stared at Feng Yan with intense seriousness, narrowing her eyes as she scrutinized her from head to toe. Meanwhile, Feng Yan internally berated herself for the disaster she had caused, thinking:

"What have I done? I foolishly revealed my most important secret just because I heard a few words without any real evidence.

"She bit her lip in regret. At that moment, Yu Yue smiled and stood up from her chair. She firmly grasped Feng Yan's shoulder, snapping her out of her thoughts. Yu Yue looked at Feng Yan for a moment before speaking in her angelic voice:

"Feng Yan, there is no point in regretting now. The time for regret has passed, and what's done is done. But the impulsive and reckless decision you made will not be something you regret. I won't make empty promises; instead, I will prove to you through my actions that I am someone worthy of your trust.

"With that, Yu Yue moved to her desk, opened a secret drawer, and took out a rectangular black box. At first glance, Feng Yan could tell that this was a very luxurious box, used to store valuable items.

Yu Yue stepped forward, standing before Feng Yan, and opened the box in front of her. She took out a very small booklet. Lifting the small booklet, Yu Yue smiled proudly and said:

"Feng Yan, this small booklet is one of the items forbidden to the general public. What I hold in my hand is a spiritual cultivation technique!

"Yu Yue handed the booklet to Feng Yan with ease. However, Feng Yan was in shock, unable to comprehend the words "spiritual cultivation technique." A cultivation technique was a dream that every person on the continent aspired to but sadly was considered impossible to achieve due to the harsh reality imposed by both the Curse of the Black Tower and the Pure Sword Temple, which would kill anyone afflicted by the Curse of the Black Tower.

Feng Yan began to tremble as she looked at the technique in front of her. She tried to take a step back, but Yu Yue's words preceded her:

"Just a moment ago, you spoke with pride and high courage about wanting to become a great noblewoman. And now, when faced with the first obstacle in your path, you start trembling like a child.

Feng Yan, is this the extent of your determination to achieve your goal? Disappointing!"

Yu Yue sighed, her face showing signs of disappointment. She then moved her hand to retrieve the spiritual cultivation technique booklet, but at that moment, Feng Yan's body moved unconsciously, and she snatched the booklet from Yu Yue's delicate fingers with all her might. A playful smile appeared on Yu Yue's face at this occurrence. She glanced at Feng Yan, who was hugging the booklet to her chest as if she were a mother who had reclaimed her lost child after a hundred years.

"Apologies for my earlier action, but don't misunderstand. I, Feng Yan, am certainly determined to become a great noblewoman, even if it means becoming a demon cursed by the Black Tower. I will not back down at all.

"Feng Yan shouted loudly, sparks flying from her eyes. Yu Yue examined Feng Yan's eyes to ensure that she meant every word she said. Yu Yue smiled warmly and said:

"Feng Yan, do you know who a brave person is? It is not someone who fears nothing at all, but rather someone who does not let their fears become an obstacle in their path!

And you have proven to me that you are someone who does not let fear stand in your way, and that is something worthy of respect."

Yu Yue sincerely praised Feng Yan, a pure smile lighting up her face. Feng Yan felt a sense of joy because someone didn't mock her goal but instead commended her determination. She looked at the booklet in her hands, and from its title and the luxurious box it came in, there was no doubt that the booklet she held was indeed a spiritual cultivation technique manual.

While Feng Yan was lost in staring at the booklet, Yu Yue sat back down in her chair. She invited Feng Yan to sit again so she could explain everything she needed to know about the spiritual cultivation technique. Feng Yan did not object at all. She sat back down in the chair opposite Yu Yue, and the exhaustion from the long study session seemed to vanish as if it had never existed. Yu Yue smiled inwardly at the amusing sight of Feng Yan. Then, she regained her noble demeanor before beginning to teach Feng Yan:

"What do you know about the Curse of the Black Tower, Feng Yan?"

"I know that it afflicts those who train in spiritual cultivation techniques without the approval of the Pure Sword Temple. This results in only two possible outcomes:

First, the person dies immediately due to the Black Tower Curse.

Second, which is worse than the first, is that the person does not die but instead turns into a mindless monster that kills everything in its path."

"Your words are correct, but there is a third case that most people are unaware of. There are two reasons for this: first, it is very rare; second, it causes a lot of chaos. I believe you have heard of the Dark Demons, haven't you?"

A shiver ran down Feng Yan's spine when Yu Yue mentioned the Dark Demons. Everyone on the continent knew who the Dark Demons were. They were the arch-enemies of the Pure Sword Temple, as contradictory as light and darkness. The Pure Sword represented goodness and spread justice across the continent, while the Dark Demons represented evil and spread corruption everywhere.

"From the look on your face, I can tell that your information about the Dark Demons comes from rumors. It's not unusual, but Feng Yan, did you know that all the people who belong to the Dark Demons were originally ordinary people who accidentally obtained a spiritual cultivation technique and trained with it, becoming afflicted by the Black Tower Curse? They overcame the curse to become true fighters, just like those trained by the Pure Sword Temple.

What you don't know is that there are people who can overcome the Curse of the Black Tower and become regular fighters!"

Feng Yan's face turned red with embarrassment when her little deception was exposed. She had known in advance that there was a third case, but her information about it was incomplete. All she had managed to learn was that the third case involved a person being afflicted by the Black Tower Curse, subsequently turning into a monster but not completely losing their mind. At the same time, they would no longer be a pure human but a cunning demonic creature spreading corruption with human wisdom. At least, this was the narrative promoted by the Pure Sword Temple. Feng Yan looked at Yu Yue and asked:

"Does this mean the Pure Sword Temple is lying? But why would the Pure Sword Temple do such a thing?"

"I don't have a definitive answer to why the Pure Sword Temple does this, nor do I think knowing this will change anything for us.

The most important thing for you right now, Feng Yan, is whether you are ready to risk your life to become one of the few who have overcome the Curse of the Black Tower?"

After Yu Yue asked Feng Yan this with a strong tone and sharp gaze, silence filled the room. Feng Yan didn't utter a single word, and Yu Yue did not force her to answer quickly either. Feng Yan sank into deep thought as the room filled with the orange glow of the setting sun, adding a touch of mystery to the office. This office would soon become a battleground from which chaos would spread throughout the city in the near future.