Taboo Mage - Chapter 208

Zhou Qifang was a master of Buddha amulets, and his skills in exorcism should be much better than mine.

To my surprise, Zhou Qifang shook his head and said, “I don’t really understand exorcism. You should consult someone more knowledgeable.”

I looked at Zhou Qifang in astonishment. I had seen his skills; although not as powerful as Jue Chi’s, he was certainly much more capable than I was. Why would he say something like that about his own abilities?

Furthermore, wasn’t Zhou Qifang usually someone who held himself in high regard? Why was he so quick to admit that he wasn’t up to the task this time?

Noticing my gaze, Zhou Qifang shot me an annoyed look and didn’t say anything further.

I shrugged my shoulders. Since Zhou Qifang was unwilling to step in, it clearly indicated that this matter was beyond my capabilities as well, so I had no reason to force myself.

Lin Huan noticed that neither of us intended to help and stood up to ask Xu Benzhang to leave.

Xu Benzhang looked bewildered, clearly not expecting that we would turn down his request.

But it was understandable; first, my abilities were insufficient, and second, he had leaked our information to the reporters in his desperate bid to get the little fox.

Fortunately, we had Chi Rui’s assistance; otherwise, we would have found ourselves in a troublesome situation. Such selfish people, in my opinion, didn’t deserve any help.

“Please go back and see if you can find another master. You shouldn’t expect anything from our Boss here,” Lin Huan said directly.

I admired Lin Huan for his straightforwardness. This kid was getting quite confident; seeing that Xu Benzhang still had no intention of leaving, he tugged at his sleeve and pulled him towards the door.

“Wait!”

As Xu Benzhang was being pulled along by Lin Huan and reached the door, he suddenly called out.

“Mr. Gu, as long as you agree to help save my mother, you can ask for anything you want. Anything I can do, I assure you there will be no objections!”

Xu Benzhang spoke with exceptional determination, clearly ready to make serious sacrifices, just waiting for me to make a demanding request.

Zhou Qifang and I exchanged glances and shared a smirk. I leaned forward, narrowing my eyes, and said slowly, “You’re saying? Any request is acceptable?”

“Yes!”

Seeing the desperate look on Xu Benzhang’s face, I couldn’t help but burst into laughter.

The next morning, just as the sun began to rise, Xu Benzhang broke down our door, urging Zhou Qifang and me to get ready to leave.

Last night, I had agreed to accompany Xu Benzhang to the sanatorium, but I couldn’t guarantee that I could heal his mother. This was consistent with my usual style of leaving myself an escape route; overly ambitious promises tend to lead one into trouble.

I had to admit that, aside from not being there for the elderly, Xu Benzhang was indeed very filial towards his mother. The sanatorium he found for her was reputed to have the best environment in the city and was also the most expensive.

As the car drove through the gates of the sanatorium, the first thing we saw was a massive fountain surrounded by various flowers that I couldn’t name, but they clearly looked quite expensive.

Passing the fountain, we came across several rows of elegantly constructed buildings, all enclosed by wooden fences with names inscribed on them. Further back, there was a small garden, and at the very end was a standalone building, which was also part of the sanatorium.

Xu Benzhang’s mother lived on the third floor of the front building. Each floor had five rooms, all similarly decorated, resembling a cozy family-style hotel.

Xu Benzhang led the way, with Zhou Qifang and me following closely behind.

We stopped in front of a room, and I glanced at the tightly closed door. It seemed this was where Xu Benzhang’s mother was staying.

I subtly tugged on Zhou Qifang’s sleeve, directing his attention to the top floor of the building.

There, a thick layer of clouds shrouded the roof. Of course, this was only a surface-level observation. In reality, behind those clouds loomed large masses of dark energy.

I wanted Zhou Qifang to see it because this kind of dark energy was something I had never seen before.

Typically, the resentment I encountered coalesced into a ball and hovered above structures, but the dark energy enveloping the sanatorium this time was shifting and changing shapes…

It was rather peculiar.

Zhou Qifang also noticed the anomaly, his brow furrowed as he stared intently at the dark energy above the roof.

“Mr. Xu, you’re here to see your mother again,” a bright voice interrupted our thoughts. I turned my gaze back to find a young, pretty nurse in a white uniform standing in front of Xu Benzhang, who had appeared seemingly out of nowhere.

Xu Benzhang forced a smile, pulling the corners of his mouth. “Yes, I brought some friends. How’s my mother doing today? Is she still causing trouble?”

The nurse’s expression shifted slightly, and she sighed helplessly. “It’s the same as always, but today is better; at least she’s started eating normal food.”

I was taken aback and asked, “What do you mean? Was she not eating normally before? What was she eating then?”

“Dog food!”

I frowned; it seemed Xu Benzhang wasn’t joking after all-his mother had indeed been reduced to eating dog food despite being over eighty years old.

The nurse gave an exasperated smile and carried her tray downstairs.

Xu Benzhang stood at the doorway, looking utterly defeated. Watching his suddenly hunched figure filled me with an unexpected sense of sympathy.

Xu Benzhang’s mother was indeed possessed.

When I finally saw her in person, I was certain of it.

There was hardly any need for further confirmation; just by looking at her, I could guarantee the truth. Zhou Qifang beside me had his brows tightly knit, forming a little mountain on his forehead.

“Boss Gu, Mr. Zhou, look…”

Xu Benzhang clearly hadn’t anticipated that in just two days, his mother would have changed so drastically.

I gazed at the figure lying on the floor and couldn’t help but swallow hard. This… could hardly be described as a person anymore…

Xu Benzhang’s mother was curled up with her legs and arms tucked in, lying on a mound of blankets. Upon hearing the sound of the door opening, she immediately sprang up.

However, she got onto all fours, crawling along the ground.

I had once seen a photo of the old lady on Xu Benzhang’s phone; she had a kind and gentle expression. But now, she was sticking her tongue out, and her eyes were deeply sunken.

Although she still resembled a person, for some reason, her face reminded me of a dog…

Even her face had become disturbingly similar to that of a dog…