Tan Xun was genuinely happy while Tan Lin was puzzled.
“Father, what are you talking about? What bestial soul curse?” Tan Lin asked.
Tan Xun slapped his forehead before he started explaining while chuckling, “I forgot that your mother and I haven’t told you about this yet. When you were young, I’ve once offended a rather powerful enemy. That shameless rascal wasn’t able to defeat me so he directed his malicious intent at you instead. That person knew some black magic so he put a bestial soul curse on you. Do you remember how you would always break out in cold sweat, have nightmares, or even faint without reason when you were young?”
Tan Lin remembered them and nodded. “Wasn’t I just sick?”
Tan Xun gave a bitter smile. “Your mother and I feared that it might scare you so we lied to you. Back then, I’ve tried everything but only managed to suppress that curse inside you. After that, the curse was too powerless to recur, but it remained inside you. Truth be told, it was one of my biggest worries.”
Tan Lin’s eyes widened with shock. “I didn’t know such a thing was happening. Father, why didn’t you tell me about it?”
Tan Xun said, “If I told you, that might have burdened you instead. So after discussing it with your mother, we decided to keep you in the dark. All these years, I’ve read thousands of books, hoping to break that curse completely. I finally tracked down a method but it still required some preparation. Yet, who knew that the curse has been broken already. Lin’er, have you realized it yourself and found an expert to break the curse for you?”
Tan Lin shook her head. How could she have realized? It was her first time hearing of it.
Tan Xun continued, “That bestial soul curse is no ordinary curse. Although you’re a Rank 2 beast appraiser, you’re only able to appraise beasts so you couldn’t have broken the curse yourself. Tell me, who is it that helped you? I want to thank them in person.”
“I didn’t. I didn’t ask anyone to break the curse for me. I didn’t even know about this.” Tan Lin was being honest. She had been completely oblivious to what was going on. If Tan Xun hadn’t told her about this, she would still be clueless right now.
This time, Tan Xun was the confused one.
“You don’t know? Then… how was the bestial soul curse broken?”
Tan Xun knew full well how powerful the curse inside his daughter’s body was. Under regular circumstances, the curse would never have resolved itself without the help of someone else.
Otherwise, there was no need for him to spend so many years in search of a resolution.
The other people around them overheard their conversation.
Among those present, Elder Mo’s status was only second to Tan Xun so he spoke up, “Indeed a bestial soul curse wouldn’t break on its own. If it were that easy, it wouldn’t be deemed black magic. Since Lin’er doesn’t know, could it have been realized by an expert who resolved it for her in secret?”
Upon hearing this, Tan Xun realized this possibility as well. “That’s right. That can be the only explanation. Lin’er, have you met any experts recently?”
Baffled, Tan Lin shook her head. “I’ve been too busy with work and have been running around. I haven’t met any experts.”
“Then, have you met a doctor or asked for medicine?” Tan Xun continued to ask.
“No.” Tan Lin was absolutely sure.
“This is odd.” Tan Xun stroked his beard, evidently bewildered.
Elder Mo said, “Perhaps Lin’er hasn’t realized it herself. However, breaking the curse requires close physical contact. Try thinking in that direction, maybe you can recall something.”
Tan Xun nodded in agreement. “When I sensed it just now, Lin’er’s curse was broken only a couple of days ago. In other words, it must have happened in Maple City.”
At this, the crowd was startled.
Wang Ji and Nan Gongxian looked muddled as they wondered if there was a hidden expert in Maple City that they hadn’t heard of.
There shouldn’t be.
Even if there really was such a person, it was impossible that they’d be so clueless.
At her father’s words, Tan Lin frowned.
“The curse was broken within these few days? But I’ve only been waiting here at Maple City for you. No one has touched me except…”
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As if she thought of something, Tan Lin’s expression changed at once.
As the saying went, ‘a father knows his daughter best’. When he saw Tan Lin’s expression, Tan Xun knew that she had just recalled a crucial detail.
“Lin’er, have you thought of something? Tell me. Who is this hidden expert that saved you? He is my benefactor and we must repay his grace.”
Tan Lin’s mind was currently a mess because when she recalled carefully, the only person who had touched her in the past few days was that lecher, Lin Jin.
She tried to remember what happened that night in detail.
She wanted to make an ‘unannounced visit’ to verify if Lin Jin was as inept as Wang Ji had reported him to be. Thus, she went over to the emergency hall after inquiring about Lin Jin’s whereabouts.
Upon arrival, the guy inadvertently took her pulse and then suddenly jabbed her in the abdomen with a finger.
Tan Lin felt the place she was jabbed in and her heart jolted.
“The Heavenly Pivot acupoint!”
“Could it be…”
Tan Lin thought of one possibility and immediately, her face turned pale. Her hands started trembling subconsciously.
The crowd was confused by Tan Lin’s reaction, but Tan Xun, who understood his daughter most, knew that she must have figured something out.
“Lin’er, just what on earth is going on?” Tan Xun asked.
“I… I…” As she recalled the events of that night, one of Lin Jin’s disciples seemed to have brought in a young woman who was probably seeking treatment from Lin Jin. Could Lin Jin have mistaken her for that young woman? Which would explain him wanting to take her pulse and then jabbing her Heavenly Pivot acupoint.
‘That’s impossible. I’m over-thinking this. This is a bestial soul curse that even Father couldn’t resolve. How could it be broken with one single jab?’
Holding onto this ray of hope, Tan Lin glanced at Tan Xun and asked, “Father, could the bestial soul curse in my body be broken by a jab in the Heavenly Pivot acupoint without me expecting it?”
Stunned, Tan Xun pondered the possibility briefly before a look of enlightenment appeared on his face. “That’s amazing! Why haven’t I thought of this idea? Yes, yes! That curse is of a dark element and it’s extremely cunning. If one could tell that the curse was residing in the Heavenly Pivot acupoint, by jabbing that point with a fire spirit energy finger without warning, the curse can be broken on the spot. However, this requires profound skill and decisiveness. Lin’er, how did you figure it out?”
At that instant, as if she was struck by a bolt out of the blue, Tan Lin staggered.
Chaotic feelings filled her heart and what’s left in the end was only a sense of shame.
It was him.
It was Lin Jin who broke her curse.
That man did not sexually harass her, but he helped cure her instead. But what did she do in response? She had returned his grace with revenge and immediately got headquarters to revoke his beast appraiser qualification.
Today, due to her irrationality, she even almost banned Lin Jin. Had he not cleared his name, he might not even be able to take the exams.
She understood it all now.
It was no wonder he said she was falsely-accusing him.
‘I only helped you out of goodwill and not only did you not thank me, but you’re accusing me instead!? What gives? Had I known that you would react like this, I wouldn’t have helped you.’
These words came smashing down viciously at Tan Lin’s chest like a hammer.
The feelings of shame, guilt, and self-blame overwhelmed her. Her face became flushed red and immediately, she coughed up a mouthful of blood.
This made the crowd panic. Tan Xun was the first to react, hurrying over to seal off Tan Lin’s acupoint, before stuffing a medicinal pill down her throat.
Tan Lin was so ashamed that it made her suffocate. It was instead a good thing that she had spat out the blood, otherwise, things might turn out worse had she let it build up inside of her.
After taking several deep breaths, Tan Lin said to Tan Xun, “Father, I’ve committed a grave sin.”