Chapter 049: Lifting the Curse

Wang Bo clapped his hands involuntarily and said, "Well done."

Hela's eyes flickered, but she said nothing.

Following Hela's direction, Wang Bo looked over and found that the Yellow Springs Road was not a dirt path but a broad avenue paved with blue flagstones.

On this road, fiery red flowers were blooming.

These flowers were not of the mortal world; they were the otherworldly flowers that only existed in the underworld—the spider lilies.

Spider lilies actually come in two types: the white ones are called Manjusaka, representing unpredictable death and love, a flower species shared by the realms of light and darkness, growing only in shadowy places.

The red ones are called Manjusaka, representing sorrowful memories and the beauty of graceful death.

The spider lilies on the Yellow Springs Road were the red Manjusaka. At a glance, they bloomed in vast clusters, stretching out like a carpet woven from blood. Because of their fiery orange hue, they were also known as the... Path of Flames!

"Although the Yellow Springs Road represents death, there's no denying that this road is beautiful," Wang Bo said softly as he gazed at the Path of Flames.

Hela said indifferently, "Not everyone can appreciate the beauty of death."

That was true. The living fear death, knowing that there is great terror in it. Only a few, like Wang Bo, who had transcended death, could appreciate its beauty.

Without transcending death, one would never discover the beauty of death.

After all, all living beings fear death—whether human or demon, none can escape this.

Wang Bo opened the King's Treasury, and countless weapons emerged from golden portals, aimed at the Yellow Springs Road.

The next second, the weapons rained down like a violent storm, bombarding the Yellow Springs Road, shattering it into pieces until it vanished without a trace.

All that remained was a pockmarked mountain path.

After destroying the Yellow Springs Road, Wang Bo did not linger. He took Hela and found Lady Gremory.

Lady Gremory stood by the riverbank, at her feet a turbulent, roaring, muddy river.

Wang Bo recognized it at once—this was the Yellow River.

A flash of insight struck him, and he understood. "Interesting, very interesting. The River of Forgetfulness has actually projected itself into the Yellow River."

"Indeed, the River of Forgetfulness lies within the Yellow River. But since it is covered by the Yellow River, to find the River of Forgetfulness, one must first cut off the Yellow River," Lady Gremory said slowly.

The Yellow River is the mother river of the Chinese land, producing 1.6 billion tons of sediment each year, of which 1.2 billion tons flow into the sea, while the remaining 400 million tons stay in the lower reaches, forming alluvial plains suitable for farming.

Cutting off this river was no easy task.

But it was not difficult for Wang Bo.

Wang Bo raised his hand, and surging magic power plunged into the Yellow River. The river seemed to come alive, letting out a sky-shaking roar as it soared into the air like an angry dragon, rushing straight to a height of a hundred meters.

Then, with another roar, the river crossed a distance of several kilometers and merged back into its channel.

But in between, the riverbed was exposed.

However, what Wang Bo saw was not dry earth, but a blood-yellow river filled with restless ghosts unable to be reborn, teeming with snakes and insects, and a stench-laden wind assailing his face.

Wang Bo had cut off the Yellow River, and the River of Forgetfulness revealed its true form.

Countless restless ghosts struggled and floated in the River of Forgetfulness, some sinking to the bottom, others rising again. The nauseating stench instantly filled the surrounding void.

This stench carried a powerful death aura. If an ordinary person smelled it, their lifespan would be shortened.

If they took a sip, they would instantly turn into a pool of blood.

After locating the River of Forgetfulness, Wang Bo dared not destroy it violently, lest he damage the Yellow River's bed and cause a breach. Instead, he released a massive fireball and spent several hours drying up the River of Forgetfulness.

Then the projection of the River of Forgetfulness disappeared, and Wang Bo dispelled the magic.

The water from above slowly fell and merged back into the river channel.

[Impressive, my host. Congratulations on destroying all the projections of the underworld and saving this world.]

At that moment, the long-absent cheat system appeared to congratulate Wang Bo.

Wang Bo thought to himself, "Given how hard I've worked, the reward this time should be substantial."

[Substantial indeed. Since you saved a world and destroyed projections including the Yellow Springs Road, the River of Forgetfulness, the Bridge of Helplessness, the Terrace of Homeward Gazing, Ox-Head and Horse-Face, Black and White Impermanence, the Judge, and Yama, according to the rules, you are entitled to hundreds of draws. But I have a better proposal.]

"What proposal?" Wang Bo asked.

[The curse within you.]

"What about my curse?"

[It's quite troublesome, isn't it? If you are willing to give up all the rewards this time, I can help you lift the curse within your body. What do you think?]

Wang Bo agreed without hesitation. "No problem."

Ever since he was cursed, Wang Bo's strength had declined sharply, and his recent tasks had become increasingly difficult. Coupled with Hela's restless ambitions beneath him, Wang Bo was eager to reclaim all his power.

Once free of the curse, Wang Bo could recover his health, and with the Sun True Qi, he would fear no enemy, no matter how formidable.

[Then it's a deal.]

As the cheat system finished speaking, Wang Bo felt a powerful force materialize inside his body, like an eraser that gently wiped away the curse within him.

The curse that had plagued Wang Bo vanished from that moment on.

Wang Bo felt an immense relief. The seal within him was lifted, the Sun True Qi returned, and surging power once again flowed through his body.

Wang Bo let out a roar, his voice like an angry dragon piercing the clouds, tearing the sky and splitting the earth. His bones crackled and popped, and his entire stature grew slightly taller.

To be honest, if Wang Bo were to face enemies like the Zombie King now, a single punch from him would kill those bastards outright.

Lady Gremory smiled and said, "You look quite well."

Wang Bo smiled and said, "My curse is lifted."

"Congratulations."

"Thank you," Wang Bo replied with a smile.

Hela stood beside Wang Bo, her expression dark. Ever since Wang Bo had been cursed, she had harbored many thoughts. But now that his curse was suddenly lifted, her mood grew even more gloomy.

Because this meant Wang Bo's strength was restored, making it even harder for her to rebel.

On the other hand, the cheat system urged Wang Bo.

[Now that your strength is restored, it's time to carry out a new mission.]

Wang Bo did not refuse. With his strength back, he was full of vigor and had boundless energy to expend. It was the perfect time to test the waters in a new world.

If the new world was too dangerous, he could always find reinforcements.

If it wasn't dangerous, he would just charge straight in.