The Mystical Feng Shui Files - Chapter 4 - She Was Being Haunted By A Ghost.

“Quick, get me a pair of chopsticks and a bowl of white liquor!” I shouted.

“What are you standing there for? Hurry up and get it!” The village head snapped out of his daze and smacked Shi Zhu on the back.

Shi Zhu scrambled off, nearly tripping over himself as he went to fetch the items.

I glanced at my master. His face was solemn, but he gave me a nod. That gave me some confidence. I reached into my bag and pulled out a bundle of red thread.

This thread had been soaked in a mixture of black dog blood and cinnabar, specially prepared to deal with malevolent ghosts.

I tore off a piece and, taking advantage of the woman’s hand reaching out past the railing, grabbed her wrist and quickly wrapped the red thread around her middle finger.

The woman went berserk, flailing wildly. Her other hand shot out toward me, but I ducked just in time and pinned her arm under mine. “Hurry up!” I yelled at Shi Zhu, who was hesitating and too scared to approach.

“What are you afraid of at a time like this?” The village head stomped his foot in frustration, then ran over and snatched the bowl of liquor and chopsticks from Shi Zhu’s trembling hands. “Here!”

I took the chopsticks, dipped them into the liquor, and stepped to the side, releasing the woman’s other hand. With a swift motion, I clamped the chopsticks onto the finger wrapped with the red thread.

Immediately, I formed a finger seal and pointed directly at her forehead.

The woman shuddered violently and suddenly let out a piercing scream.

“Ahhhhhh…”

The sound was so sharp and grating that it made my teeth ache. Even my master frowned slightly.

The village head and Shi Zhu backed away in terror, covering their ears with their hands.

I held onto the woman’s finger with all my strength, but her force was overwhelming, and I was struggling to keep my grip.

“Argh!” I couldn’t help but let out a shout, taking a deep breath and sinking my energy into my Dantian¹. Planting my feet firmly in a horse stance, I steadied myself.

The woman screamed hysterically, clawing at the windowsill with her other hand. Her fingers were bleeding profusely, and her face twisted into a horrifying expression, resembling a malevolent ghost.

“Boom!”

Suddenly, a low rumble of thunder echoed across the sky. The once-clear heavens turned dark in an instant, and rolling clouds descended, casting a shadow as black as a pot’s bottom.

The woman’s eyes flashed with an eerie red light.

I froze in shock. This was a clear sign that the malevolent spirit was gaining the upper hand. If I didn’t drive it out soon, the woman would be beyond saving!

“Not good!” My master shouted abruptly, rushing forward. He bit his finger and pressed it against the woman’s forehead.

With a resounding “bang,” a thick black aura exploded out of the woman’s body, its force so powerful that it sent me flying backward onto the ground.

Even the village head and Shi Zhu, standing behind me, were thrown against the courtyard wall.

“Ahhh! A ghost!” Shi Zhu screamed in terror, scrambling to his feet and bolting out of the courtyard.

I didn’t have time to worry about him. My heart was pounding so hard it felt like it might burst out of my chest.

I quickly got up and rushed to my master’s side, peering through the window.

The woman lay collapsed on the floor, her face pale and lifeless. She had fainted.

The village head, trembling uncontrollably, asked, “Master, is… is it over?”

“Every grievance has its source, and every debt its debtor. We must find the root of the malevolent spirit to resolve this completely,” my master said gravely.

I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was seriously wrong.

I had followed my master on countless journeys and seen him handle similar situations before.

Even I could easily deal with minor cases of malevolent spirits possessing someone.

But the situation in Stone Village seemed far more severe than anything I had encountered before.

Raindrops began to fall, one by one, tapping against the ground.

“What do we do now?” The village head seemed to have regained some composure.

“Let’s head back for now. We won’t be able to resolve this today, especially with the rain coming. We’ll deal with it tomorrow.”

“Alright, alright, let’s hurry back then!” The village head was more than eager to leave, quickly heading toward the door.

As soon as we stepped outside, we saw Shi Zhu curled up in a corner by the wall, trembling all over. His eyes darted around in terror, and he kept muttering under his breath, “She’s back! She’s back!”

“Shi Zhu!” The village head bellowed.

“Ah!” Shi Zhu jolted, his body shaking even more violently. “Stay away! Stay away! Don’t come for me! Don’t come for me!”

“Shi Zhu, you useless fool! I-” The village head, clearly furious, stepped forward to kick him, but my master stopped him with a firm grip.

Master lightly patted Shi Zhu on the head twice. “It’s fine now.”

I noticed a faint malevolent aura lingering above Shi Zhu’s head, but it dissipated with those two pats. Shi Zhu seemed to snap out of it.

“Village head… I… I saw her…” Shi Zhu stammered.

“Shut up!” The village head barked. “What nonsense are you spouting? I’m taking the master back to rest. You go home and check on your wife! Stop acting all jittery!”

“Crack!”

A bolt of lightning streaked across the sky, its blinding white light illuminating the dim surroundings-and the twisted, ghastly expressions on both Shi Zhu’s and the village head’s faces.

My heart skipped a beat.

When a human face overlaps with a ghostly visage, it reveals a grim and distorted expression. This only happens to those who are fated to die violently, just before their end.

No one else could see it, but my master and I saw it as clear as day.

I instinctively glanced at my master. He showed no reaction, only giving me a calm, fleeting look.

My heart pounded wildly. He had definitely seen it too!

“Master, we should hurry. The rain’s getting heavier,” the village head said, shooing Shi Zhu back home before turning to us with a forced smile.

“Let’s go,” Master said, following the village head.

I trailed closely behind them, but the sudden cacophony of indistinct noises in my ears left me restless.

“Mom! Mom! Wake up!” Shi Dan’s voice suddenly rang out.

“Now what?” The village head, clearly irritated, turned to my master. “Master, Shi Dan’s mother seems to be possessed too. Should we-”

“Let’s take a look.”

We entered Shi Dan’s home. The layout was slightly better than Shi Zhu’s, though still cramped and worn. The sloped ground in the yard gave the place a dilapidated feel.

“Master!” Shi Dan’s eyes lit up when he saw us. “Please save my mother! She suddenly fainted just now!”

We followed him inside. The room was dimly lit. A woman lay on the bed, her hair disheveled and her face deathly pale. Her clothes, however, were clean-likely changed by Shi Dan when he returned.

But the black aura swirling around her body was relentless, trying to seep into her.

“Ziwu,” Master called me.

This was an easy fix. I acknowledged him and stepped forward, tapping several points on Shi Dan’s mother’s body. Then I pulled a yellow talisman from my pocket and stuck it on the cabinet nearby.

“Shi Dan, don’t remove this talisman. Your mother will wake up in a little while,” I told him.

“Got it! I won’t forget!” Shi Dan nodded vigorously, then bowed deeply to both me and Master. “Thank you, Master and… little master, for saving her!”

“Pfft!” I couldn’t help but laugh. “Just call me ‘brother.’ ‘Little master’? What kind of title is that?”

Shi Dan scratched his head sheepishly.

The village head, growing impatient, glanced at the darkening sky outside. “Master, is it done? If we don’t leave now, the rain’s going to pour!”

“Good boy. Your mother will be fine,” Master said, patting Shi Dan on the head before stepping out.

I gave Shi Dan a smile before following suit. Outside, the rain had started to fall steadily. I turned back to see Shi Dan standing at the doorway. When he noticed me looking, he smiled and waved.

I waved back with a grin before turning to catch up with the others.

When we arrived at the village head’s house, his wife had already prepared dinner. She seemed quiet and reserved, quickly lowering her head and retreating when she saw us.

“Don’t mind her. Country women don’t know much,” the village head said dismissively. “This room here is prepared for the master. You’re all soaked-go change first, and then we’ll have dinner!”

Footnote:

1. Dantian(丹田):In traditional Chinese martial arts and Taoist practices, the Dantian refers to an energy center in the body, often located in the lower abdomen. It is considered the focal point for cultivating and storing qi (vital energy).