Chapter 231 – Impending Death (3)

The sudden appearance of a grim reaper near the Su Household was bad news for Mu Yue. This only meant that someone close to Su Daji, or the young lady herself, was destined to lose their life very soon. 

Thinking about this, the white fox wondered if this was really the end for Su Daji. She could not prolong the young lady’s life any longer. The mere fact that a grim reaper was nearby meant that a human was destined to lose their life, with no chance of escaping it. 

“Is there something wrong?” Li Yun asked her when he noticed that she was looking in a direction. 

“No. I just thought of something.” The white fox lied. Even if she told Li Yun about the possibility of Su Daji’s death, there was no other way to stop it. 

“I’m leaving. You should take a rest. The spell you’ve placed on your body is weakening. You should know by now what could happen if this persists,” she said before leaving Li Yun on his own as she returned to Su Daji’s courtyard. 

Mu Yue scented all the things she could from the young woman, but she couldn’t scent death. Perhaps the strong scent of the black magic spell was masking it, dulling her senses. 

How many moons had she already spent with the young lady? Mu Yue had no idea. She had lost count of it. Initially, she had only stayed next to Su Daji out of curiosity; now, she wasn’t sure why anymore. Had she made an attachment towards the young woman?

The white fox scoffed to herself. Wouldn’t that mean that Su Daji would become her weakness? Mu Yue didn’t think so. Su Daji didn’t have such importance in her life, and she had only saved the young lady a couple of times out of courtesy. 

Even if Su Daji died, she was a human. Their lives were fleeting, and she had already expected that Su Daji would lose her life… just not too soon. 

The white fox couldn’t interfere with the young lady’s fate now, and whether Su Daji died or not, it wouldn’t be the end for Mu Yue. She would only return to her brother’s side and wait for a chance to gain a host that could house her spirit. 

Days passed, and Su Daji returned to her normal self. Her days had become filled with assisting the couple at the clinic, only returning home with her trusted maidservants and bodyguard late at night. 

From the outside, she looked good and healthy, but Li Yun and Mu Yue knew better. Her constitution was starting to deteriorate each passing day, leaving the young shaman frustrated at the matter. 

Li Yun felt helpless. He had sought several scrolls to find out the kind of black magic spell used on Su Daji, but he still couldn’t find answers. He wouldn’t be able to treat her properly if he couldn’t even identify what the spell was. 

Li Yun was aware that Su Daji’s life was in danger, but he had no idea that death was lurking much closer than what he expected. 

In the ninth month of the year, massive news reached the Su province. The ninth prince was named the new emperor, successfully winning the battle to obtain the dragon throne against his other brothers. 

Just as Su Daji thought that she had heard the worst, the next piece of news had left a massive blow on her person. Her father was captured by the nine prince’s people, and he was awaiting trial. 

The moment Su Daji heard the news, she collapsed. 

It took three days before she regained her consciousness, but at the same time as she woke up, the effects of the amulet she was wearing vanished. It was replaced by a strong scent of black magic coming from her body. 

By this time, the signs of death started emanating all over her person, which only confirmed Mu Yue’s guess that the grim reaper was waiting for Su Daji’s death. It wasn’t hard to see that the young lady was already reaching her end. 

If it wasn’t for the fox’s intervention, Bai Ting and the rest of Su Daji’s maidservants would have died due to the effects of the black magic spell oozing from the young miss. It was so potent that the flowers that Su Daji cultivated in her garden for years had wilted upon contact. 

It was only when Li Yun arrived in a hurry after receiving the news of what happened… did they contain the terrifying and deathly effects from everyone completely by purifying the place. 

“Daji is dying,” Mu Yue told Li Yun, not daring to lie to him this time. It was obvious, anyway. “If this persists, she only has a week to stay alive. It was either Xuan Yanrui lifts the curse himself or Daji surrounds herself unto him.” 

“It’s the same. What other choice do we have, then?” Li Yun hated himself for being incompetent. He had found a lead that the black magic spell had originated from the western lands, and ironically, the healer working for the ninth prince had come from that place. 

There was no known counteract measure to remove the curse, except for the caster to remove it. Now that Su Daji was on her deathbed, the clock was ticking fast. Her days were already numbered, and there was nothing they could do to stop it. 

There came a ceasefire as the troops of the ninth prince left the borders of the Su province, while Jiang Mo rushed to return home after receiving the news about Minister Su and that of Su Daji’s predicament. 

‘Daji only has a week or so. You must hurry.’ 

The words he had read from Li Yun’s letter were enough reason for Jiang Mo to keep his travel at the fastest speed he could manage. His steed was strong, but it proved to be a challenge to arrive at the center of the province in under a week. 

Jiang Mo arrived at the threshold of the Su Estate, the place where he and Su Daji grew up, on the fifth day of his journey. Without waiting for the manservant to welcome him, he rushed and asked one of the maids to bring him to Su Daji’s courtyard. 

“Master, Lord Li said that we can’t enter Miss’s courtyard until he deemed that it was safe for us.” The middle-aged woman informed him, but she stopped in her tracks the moment they reached the entrance of Su Daji’s courtyard. 

At once, Jiang Mo understood why his childhood friend gave this order. The plants, as well as the huge tree in Su Daji’s courtyard, seemed to have wilted and lost their vitality. 

“It’s fine. You don’t have to accompany me inside,” he told the servants and entered the courtyard alone. 

As if sensing his presence, Li Yun appeared and greeted him. 

“How is she?” Jiang Mo immediately asked, not wasting time with propriety. 

Li Yun shook his head and led him inside Su Daji’s quarter. The stench of dark miasma filled the room, and Jiang Mo immediately held his breath to keep it out. 

The young shaman performed a purifying ritual to dispel the miasma for the third time on that very same day. 

“It’s not good. Daji has already sent word to the newly crowned emperor, and they have yet to lift the curse from her,” Li Yun explained. 

Jiang Mo grasped the collar of Li Yun’s robes harshly and pulled him. 

“You mean to say that you allowed Daji to give up herself to the ninth prince? What were you thinking?!” 

“I tried to convince her not to, but you should know your sister better than me,” Li Yun said in defense. “Daji was convinced that the ninth prince wouldn’t spare the Su province. He won’t allow your father to leave either if she doesn’t surrender herself. 

“Do you think this is easy for her? It wasn’t!” 

Jiang Mo was momentarily stunned by his friend’s words. He slowly released his hold on Li Yun. 

“I have failed her,” he said after a long silence between them as they looked at Su Daji, who was now unconscious on her bed. Her complexion was extremely pale, and her colors disappeared altogether. 

“No. We failed her,” Li Yun said next to Jiang Mo. 

While the two men were blaming themselves for not being able to protect Su Daji, the fox rose from her spot and went to the porch next to the young lady’s quarters. 

A man dressed in a black robe and hat stepped out of the shadows to meet her. 

“Demon, this has nothing to do with you,” he told Mu Yue. 

Mu Yue narrowed her eyes and made a frightening howl, resonating within the area. Jiang Mo and Li Yun were both alarmed, and they came towards her to see what happened. 

“Grim reaper, you have the audacity to tell this one what to do? Su Daji is still alive.. You shouldn’t be here.”