In his mind, Zhou Hong's grandfather said, "My dear grandson, do you see? If you stay with such a cursed soul, you'll only get more unlucky. Forget about cultivation, you might even lose your life."
Zhou Hong didn't speak. He was also wondering if such mystical things truly existed.
However, Zhou Hong had to admit that he had been very unlucky since this afternoon.
But Zhou Hong still couldn't bring himself to abandon Ruo Lan.
Zhou Hong called the innkeeper and had him change the sheets and bedding.
And so, one night passed.
Zhou Hong had originally planned to make love to Ruo Lan tonight, but for some reason, he didn't in the end. Perhaps it had something to do with his mood.
Silence reigned that night.
The next morning, as Zhou Hong was getting up to put on his shoes, he suddenly discovered that his shoes had a hole bitten in them by a mouse last night.
"Damn it," Zhou Hong cursed in anger, that such foul things could happen to him.
Fortunately, Zhou Hong had plenty of shoes, but if a person's luck was bad, such things could happen at any time in the future.
"Ruo Lan, wait for me at this inn. I still have something to take care of today. After I'm done, we'll go back to Tai Gu Academy together," Zhou Hong said to Ruo Lan after getting up.
"Okay, hurry back."
"Alright." Zhou Hong left the inn. He needed to tidy up the mess in the Liuli Empire, and then he could leave.
After Zhou Hong left, a white-haired old man appeared in the inn room.
Ruo Lan was startled to see the white-haired old man appear out of thin air and quickly exclaimed, "Who are you?"
"Don't be nervous, I am Zhou Hong's grandfather."
"Zhou Hong's grandfather? I've never heard him mention you?"
"I only have a wisp of my remnant soul left, existing within his body. I have something important to tell you."
"What is it?"
"Do you remember yesterday, Zhou Hong stepped on dog feces, then sat on children's urine, and this morning his shoes were bitten by a mouse? Aren't you at all suspicious? This is too much bad luck."
Ruo Lan pondered, seeming to recall something. She remembered that when she was a child, her parents often encountered various misfortunes.
"It does make me very suspicious. When I was little, my parents were like this too. Sometimes, they would even choke on a sip of cold water."
"That's right. It's all because of you."
"Me?" Ruo Lan looked confused.
"Yes, you are a cursed soul. Everyone who is with you will be unlucky, encounter all sorts of bad things, and eventually lose their lives. Cultivation will also be impossible. I think your father's talent was not weak, otherwise he couldn't have built that immortal mansion. Yet, he is still only a low-level immortal. It's all because you dragged him down. If I'm not mistaken, you never personally witnessed your father's death."
Ruo Lan was stunned.
"It's impossible, how could this be?"
"Then tell me, did you see your father killed by his best brother?"
"No. I remember when I was eight years old, one day my father suddenly told me that his best brother had betrayed him and was about to break in. He told me to enter the immortal mansion and he would send me to a safe place. After that, I entered the immortal mansion, and when I woke up, I was deep underground."
"That's right. Your father lied to you. He must still be alive. You were abandoned by him. You are a cursed soul. Your father couldn't bear to kill you directly, so he sent you away in this manner. In the mortal world, no one would have been able to release you, and without receiving heavenly tribulations, you would never be able to cultivate into an immortal and would live your entire life there. However, fate is unpredictable. You were discovered by Zhou Hong, and the only reason Zhou Hong could save you was because of me. So, it is all destiny."
Ruo Lan's eyes welled up with tears. She seemed to deeply believe Zhou Hong's grandfather's words. Recalling the events of her childhood, they indeed confirmed every word Zhou Hong's grandfather said.
"Don't blame your father. If he hadn't been forced, he wouldn't have made such a choice."
Ruo Lan sobbed uncontrollably, her heart filled with immense sadness.
"Why, why am I a cursed soul?" Ruo Lan cried.
"I'm not sure. Although I was once an Immortal King, there are many stronger than me. Above immortals, there are gods, and above gods, what is there? Who can say for sure. In short, you, a cursed soul, should not have existed in this world. I came out to find you now to tell you the truth. I hope you won't harm Zhou Hong."
"What do you want me to do? Don't worry, I'm willing to do anything. I won't implicate Zhou Hong," Ruo Lan said, crying.
"Originally, I wanted Zhou Hong to trick you into the immortal mansion and rebury you underground. But Zhou Hong couldn't bear to. So I can only talk to you behind his back. Now that Zhou Hong has gone to handle his business, leave quickly. Go anywhere, just don't let him find you. You are not suited to be with anyone. You are only suited to live a lonely life."
"Okay." Ruo Lan nodded tearfully.
"Thank you."
"It is I who should thank you, old sir. Please accept Ruo Lan's bow."
Zhou Hong's grandfather appeared somewhat ashamed, as he was doing this behind Zhou Hong's back. However, it was for Zhou Hong's own good. If even an immortal father couldn't solve this problem, how could Zhou Hong?
Zhou Hong's grandfather instantly vanished. He quickly returned to Zhou Hong's internal world before Zhou Hong had gone too far. He could only leave Zhou Hong's vicinity for a few dozen kilometers at most.
Zhou Hong arrived at the Liuli Imperial Palace, summoned all the families of the Liuli Empire, and then announced that the Dugu family would govern the empire. Anyone who dared to resist or do anything to disrupt unity behind his back would be considered an enemy of Zhou Hong.
Under Zhou Hong's threats and inducements, the various families of the Liuli Empire unanimously supported the Dugu family, and no one dared to resist Zhou Hong.
Thus, the Dugu family successfully became the new royal family.
Zhou Hong had also successfully resolved this mess.
When Zhou Hong finished handling all matters and returned to the inn, it was already evening.
"Ruo Lan, the matter is settled, we can go back to Tai Gu Academy." Zhou Hong entered the inn room, chuckled, preparing to make love to Ruo Lan tonight.
However, when Zhou Hong entered the room, he did not see Ruo Lan. Zhou Hong was puzzled. Ruo Lan would not normally go out alone.
At this moment, Zhou Hong saw a note placed on the table in the room.
Zhou Hong had a bad premonition. He rushed forward, picked up the note, and saw a line of delicate, beautiful handwriting. Although Zhou Hong had never seen Ruo Lan's handwriting, he immediately recognized it as hers.
"Zhou Hong, by the time you read this letter, I will have already left. I am a cursed soul, and I cannot stay by your side and harm you. I hope you will work hard and step into the immortal realm soon, to forge your own path to greatness. Farewell."
"Why? How did she know?" Zhou Hong couldn't understand.
"I told her." The voice of his past life's grandfather echoed in his mind.
"Why did you do this? When did you tell her?"
"After you left this morning, I told her. It was all for your own good. Blame me if you must," Zhou Hong's grandfather said with a sigh.
"Grandfather...!"
"Alright, I know you are a person who values loyalty. But if you truly care for her, there's no need to look for her again. She certainly won't let you find her. All you need to do now is to cultivate diligently. Perhaps in the future, when you have the strength to remove her curse, it won't be too late to save her."
Zhou Hong remained silent. He could only sigh deeply.
"Ruo Lan, I hope you will take good care of yourself. We will surely meet again in the future," Zhou Hong said silently in his heart.
And so, Zhou Hong left the inn directly. He had originally intended to stay another night, but now it was unnecessary.
That night, Zhou Hong left the Liuli Empire directly and headed for Tai Gu Academy.