The Mystical Feng Shui Files

This was no longer just a matter of exorcising malevolent spirits-it was a matter of human lives.

To say I wasn’t scared would be a lie. There’s an old saying: “You can paint a tiger’s skin but not its bones; you can know a person’s face but not their heart.” When people commit evil, they can be far more terrifying than any ghost.

Master interrupted me. “Ziwu!” His voice was like a splash of cold water, instantly sobering me up. “Ziwu, you must understand. In our line of work, whether we encounter malevolent ghosts or malevolent spirits, they were once people who may have faced injustice in their lives. But remember this: people follow human laws, and ghosts follow ghostly paths. You cannot let your heart waver or be biased. Even if their past suffering stirs your compassion, never forget-once they transform into malevolent ghosts, they become a menace, a malevolent spirit. Their former kindness is long gone. All that remains is hostility and the instinct to wreak havoc.”

I froze. Master had never spoken to me like this before.

The events in Stone Village might not be the last time I’d encounter such things. How could I forget the core principles of our work?

Feeling ashamed, I lowered my head and said dejectedly, “Master, I understand now. I was wrong.”

“You weren’t wrong! The fact that you could say those words shows your true nature hasn’t been lost. But you must remember-when you face such situations in the future, you must guard your heart and steady your mind. Whether it’s a person or a ghost, neither can defeat you if you remain resolute.”

“Yes! I’ll remember!” I nodded repeatedly, silently reciting Master’s words over and over.

“Good! Get some rest. There’s work to do tonight.” Seeing that I truly understood, Master didn’t say more. He lay down and closed his eyes.

I lay on the bed and closed my eyes too, but sleep wouldn’t come. My mind kept replaying the scenes I’d witnessed.

The events of the night and the sights of the day kept intertwining in my thoughts. The faces of the villagers-Shi Zhu, the village head-flashed between smiles and grotesque expressions.

Before I knew it, I was drenched in sweat. Struggling to get up, I realized the sky outside had already darkened.

I hadn’t expected to sleep the entire afternoon.

Turning to look at Master, I saw his bed was empty. Quickly, I got up, put on my shoes, and went outside.

The village head and Master were standing in the courtyard, talking near the vegetable garden.

I didn’t approach them. Instead, I turned on the faucet to wash my face and noticed the village head’s wife had already prepared dinner.

Master and the village head returned from the courtyard and sat down at the table, ready to eat. Master glanced at me briefly.

I hurried over to help serve rice for Master and the village head. After sitting down, I waited for Master to pick up his chopsticks.

The village head pulled out a jar of local liquor, intending to drink, but Master stopped him. “There’s work tonight. No drinking.”

“Alright! Then let’s just eat more food!” The village head didn’t insist and put the liquor back.

This meal tasted bland to me, lacking the initial freshness and flavor I’d noticed before.

Moreover, Master and the village head didn’t chat like they had during previous meals. The three of us ate in silence.

“Master, when do you want to start?” The village head couldn’t help but ask after we finished eating.

Master looked at the sky. “It’s still early. Did you notify everyone?”

“They’ve all been informed! They even asked if we needed any help!”

“No need! Just make sure they stay inside. Tonight, my disciple and I will… head up the mountain to catch the ghost!”

I noticed the slight pause in my master’s words. Glancing at the village head, I caught a fleeting expression of unease on his face-perhaps even surprise. But he quickly masked it with a smile.

Inwardly, I cursed, “Look at that guilty face. You’re practically screaming you’ve got something to hide!”

Finally, at around ten o’clock, the village was swallowed by darkness. Only a few scattered lights flickered here and there.

My master stood up. “Ziwu, grab your things and come with me.”

The village head immediately sprang to his feet, looking visibly tense. “Master, are you starting now?”

“Mm.” My master gave a curt nod. “Just lock your door and get some rest.”

“Oh, oh, of course! Master, please be careful!” the village head said, his concern sounding almost too eager.

I went into the room and slung my bag over my shoulder. It was packed with all the tools and items we’d need for the spiritual ritual.

Seeing me ready, my master simply said, “Let’s go,” and strode out the door.

We didn’t bring flashlights. In the dark, we could see things invisible during the day, and the lack of light didn’t hinder our vision at all.

As we stepped outside, I glanced back. The village head was still standing at his doorway, peering in our direction.

“Master…”

“Don’t talk. Just follow me.”

I quickly shut my mouth, feeling a growing sense of unease.

It wasn’t my first time accompanying my master on such tasks, but things had always been resolved swiftly and cleanly before. This time, though, the situation felt far more complicated.

I had seen that female ghost before. The hostility emanating from her was the most intense I’d ever encountered.

I knew that if I gave it my all, I could probably subdue her. But it would come at a steep cost-likely a pyrrhic victory. My cultivation level was still too shallow.

Following my master, we passed by Shi Dan’s house. I glanced inside. The door was locked, and the house was pitch dark.

Shi Zhu’s courtyard gate was closed, but there was light inside. The dim, flickering glow cast shifting shadows on the walls, giving the place an inexplicably eerie vibe.

There was no sign of his wife. I had no idea how she was doing.

Soon, my master led me along a narrow path up the mountain. We gradually approached the bamboo forest I had visited earlier with Shi Dan.

I couldn’t help but peer into the forest. The malevolent aura blended seamlessly with the darkness, making the bamboo grove look even more sinister.

I thought I heard something behind us-a faint rustling, like a small animal moving cautiously. Or perhaps… someone was following us.

I spun around abruptly, but there was nothing there.

Still, the oppressive stillness of the remote mountain at night made my skin crawl.

My scalp prickled as I quickened my pace to catch up with my master, though I couldn’t stop myself from glancing back repeatedly.

“Fear no ghosts, and you’ll have nothing to fear,” my master said quietly.

“I understand,” I replied quickly.

Before long, we emerged from the bamboo forest and climbed higher into the remote mountain. We stopped at the very spot I had seen earlier.

“There, that’s the place!” I pointed ahead, speaking to my master.

He nodded and extended his hand. I hurriedly pulled three incense sticks from my bag, lit them, and handed them over.

My master took the incense and walked back and forth across the area, muttering under his breath. With a flick of his wrist, the three sticks plunged into the ground. The smoke rose straight up, but at about a meter high, it suddenly dispersed, as if caught in an invisible whirlwind.

Forming a finger seal, my master took the red thread I handed him and swiftly drew a circle around the area, enclosing it completely.

I added an outer circle for extra protection.

Suddenly, the surroundings fell silent. All sound vanished, replaced by an eerie stillness. Then, without warning, a fierce wind began to howl, forcing me to shield my eyes.

My master’s voice boomed, “Show yourself!”

Through squinted eyes, I saw a shadow materialize on the ground. The temperature plummeted, and a white mist began to rise.

The female ghost had appeared.

My heart skipped a beat. Her appearance had changed significantly since I last saw her.

Her eyes were still completely white, but her nails had grown long and jet-black, sharp as daggers. Even her forehead bore a faint red thread-a sign that she had fully transformed into a malevolent ghost.

This meant her spiritual power had grown stronger, and she was now far more dangerous.

If my master and I hadn’t come, it wouldn’t have been long before the entire village fell victim to her wrath.

I was just about to join my master in casting the exorcism seal when a sudden commotion erupted behind us.

Voices. Footsteps. And the glow of firelight.

Panic surged through me. “This is bad!”