The Mystical Feng Shui Files - Chapter 22 - Ghost Talisman

The moment the woman’s voice fell, the temperature in the hallway plummeted.

I was startled; I had never encountered a living person who could alter their surroundings like this. There was something off about this woman.

Knocking echoed from upstairs, “Teacher Hu, it’s me!”

I hurried upstairs, my footsteps silent. I ascended the staircase in just two strides.

An elderly lady on the third floor was sitting on the ground, her head buried in her hands.

I only glanced at her briefly before heading towards Hu Tieming’s door.

Hu Tieming opened the door, and the light from inside spilled out, illuminating the doorway and restoring the temperature to normal.

“You Li, you’ve come? What brings you here so late?” Hu Tieming let her in, but the door wasn’t shut tightly, as we had agreed beforehand.

Once inside, You Li smiled, “Didn’t you message that the teacher’s wife wasn’t feeling well and that you and Lei would be out of town for a few more days? Are you feeling lonely here by yourself?”

“Ah, that’s what I said, just making conversation. I didn’t mean anything by it!” Hu Tieming sounded a bit uneasy.

I peeked through the crack in the door.

You Li seemed comfortable here, pouring herself a drink and then pushing Hu Tieming back towards his room, “You should go to bed then; I’ll take a shower!”

“No, You Li! Listen to me, this isn’t right…”

“Teacher Hu, you know, I’ve admired you for so many years, and later, I realized I’ve fallen in love with you!”

“You Li, stop this, let go of me, I am your teacher!”

“So what if you are?”

“I am over twenty years your senior!”

“I don’t care, as long as there’s a place for me in your heart, I’m satisfied. I won’t compete for the teacher’s wife’s position. I just want you to hold me, Teacher Hu…”

Voices of their relentless entanglement came from the room, with Hu Tieming continually pushing her away and You Li persistently advancing.

Honestly, it was becoming unbearable for me. Why did I have to witness this?

My thoughts suddenly drifted to what it would be like if it were me and Tang Lian…

I quickly shook my head; how could I think of that at a time like this!

Just then, something seemed to change inside.

You Li appeared to have pushed Hu Tieming back into his room.

“Teacher Hu, now that I’m here, I won’t leave. If you make me, I’ll scream, and let the neighbors see me here in the middle of the night. Guess what they will think?”

“You Li!” Hu Tieming’s voice suddenly became stern, “I’ll say it one more time, we cannot be together. Please leave!”

“Ah… Ah… Teacher Hu, be gentle…” Suddenly, You Li cried out loudly, her voice laden with innuendo, making even me blush.

“Shut your mouth, don’t make those sounds!” Hu Tieming was furious, probably covering her mouth with his hand.

“Hehe… Teacher Hu, I truly love you, please accept me!”

“You Li!” Hu Tieming suddenly shouted, “Get out!”

The room fell silent for a while until You Li’s voice could be heard again.

“Fine! I can leave, if you don’t mind your teacher’s wife falling mysteriously ill. I’ll go right now!”

“Wait, what did you say?”

“See, I knew you couldn’t bear to let me go. You’ve always been so kind to me, I knew you liked me, just couldn’t say it because of the teacher-student relationship. Teacher Hu, Teacher Hu…”

“Explain yourself!” Hu Tieming spoke through gritted teeth, suppressing his anger. “Is this your doing?”

A sinister chuckle escaped from You Li.

“You… you’re not You Li. Let go of me! What are you doing? Help!”

I kicked the door open and rushed into the room, only to see Hu Tieming suspended in mid-air, as if held by some invisible force, his feet dangling above the ground.

You Li held a knife, poised to cut open his shirt.

“Stop!” I shouted, forming a finger seal and flicking it towards her.

Startled, You Li turned to face me. “Who are you?”

Her eyes were unnaturally dark, the whites barely visible-a clear sign of possession.

The ceiling light flickered ominously, then with a final “pop,” plunged the room into darkness.

“Was it you?” You Li’s voice echoed. “Did you ruin my plans? Burn my talisman?”

I scoffed, “Talisman? That ghost talisman, what a joke…”

Suddenly, I realized the symbols on the silk cloth weren’t random scribbles.

It was a ghost talisman!

Being targeted by a ghost and accepting the ghost talisman was akin to making a pact with it.

I was at a loss, still too inexperienced!

“Yes, it’s a ghost talisman, with my blood. Teacher Hu has already agreed. He’s mine, in life and death. Burning it won’t change a thing!”

Hu Tieming, still suspended, began to thrash wildly at these words, his feet kicking desperately.

You Li soothed him, “Teacher Hu, don’t worry. Once I deal with him, we can be together forever.”

Behind You Li, two shadowy figures emerged, merging into her body. She laughed, her voice low and eerie.

I pulled out a red thread from my bag, stretching it taut. “In your dreams!”

With a swift flick, the red thread snapped towards You Li.

Caught off guard, You Li was flung backward, crashing into the bookshelf.

I stepped forward, tapping several points on Hu Tieming’s body.

With a thud, he fell to the ground, freed from his invisible bonds.

I dragged him by his shirt, pulling him into the living room.

Blocking the doorway, I faced You Li, who struggled to her feet. “You Li, where did you learn such dark arts? Don’t you know this could kill someone?”

Her face twisted, standing rigidly. “Mind your own business!”

She lunged at me with outstretched arms.

I sidestepped, swinging the red thread again.

With a sharp crack, You Li was slammed against the wall, sliding to the floor.

The shadowy figures around her flickered, attempting to reattach to her.

Quickly, I covered her head with a red cloth, capturing the entities within. With a firm grip, I sealed them inside a red cloth bag.

You Li lay motionless, eyes closed.

The lights flickered back on.

Hu Tieming sat against the bathroom door, trembling with fear.

“Teacher Hu!” I called out. “It’s over!”

He pulled himself up, leaning on the table, his legs shaking uncontrollably, unable to speak.

I poured some water from a glass on the table, handing it to him. He drank it in one gulp.

“Master Jiang, what on earth happened?” he asked with difficulty.

“Your student was infatuated with you and somehow learned dark arts, harboring improper thoughts. It’s all over now.”

“What about her…”

He looked at his student lying on the floor, her fate uncertain, his expression conflicted.

“She’ll likely be weak for a while. She’s been carrying something unclean, and women, being naturally yin, can’t withstand it.”

“I understand. I’ll handle it from here.”