Chapter 24: Possessed

I furrowed my brow, cautiously touching the soul jar, my heart churning like boiling water, truly afraid that he might stab me with the knife. But what grudge or enmity do I have with you? Is it worth it to stab me?

However, for some reason, Zhao Yi didn't seem to have any intention of coming at me. He turned and left the kitchen.

I was puzzled. I thought to myself, this brat, if you're going to take a knife, why scare me?

After he left, I didn't pay much attention and took the dishes to Zhao Qian. Previously, to avoid drawing attention from Zhao Yi and the others, we sat in a slightly secluded spot.

"Come, eat a little. You didn't eat much today. Eat more tonight, be a good girl." I put some dry-sauced fish on Zhao Qian's plate.

"Okay." Zhao Qian nodded, a bit embarrassed, but she started eating happily.

I watched her start eating and turned to see what Zhao Yi was doing with the knife. I noticed he was heading towards the hall, and I thought maybe a master had called him to use the knife for a ritual.

After all, many rural masters have the precedent of using kitchen knives for rituals, so I didn't pay much attention and continued eating.

"Brother Tian, thank you for accompanying me back to the village." Zhao Qian said softly, putting a mouthful of rice in her mouth, her movements very graceful.

"No problem, I promised to stay with you today anyway, and I'm also curious about your grandfather's story." I replied casually, then gave her a piece of spare rib.

Actually, watching a beautiful woman eat is a kind of enjoyment. Zhao Qian blushed a bit, after all, it was her first time eating alone with a man. But it wasn't her fault; later I found out that she used to wear glasses with a high prescription, always holding some mysterious and eerie books, and had no luck with men.

It wasn't until she graduated and had laser eye surgery abroad that she became the beautiful Zhao Qian we see now.

I looked at the other tables and saw that the masters invited by the Zhao family had finished eating and were resting. I took an extra set of bowls and plates and placed them next to me.

Zhao Qian looked at me curiously, but soon she didn't dare to look anymore because I released a small ghost. The small ghost, seeing the food on the table, immediately reached out and grabbed a piece of dry-sauced fish to eat.

Seemingly noticing Zhao Qian's occasional glances, the small ghost stared at her with eyes that had no white.

For a moment, the red dress fluttered without wind, and the expressionless eyes almost made Zhao Qian cry.

"Alright, eat your food. Why do you keep scaring her?" I scolded.

If you haven't practiced the Yin-Yang Eye or have a heavy Yin Qi, ordinary people can't see her. Now, in the village, probably only Zhao Qian and I can see her.

Since there's no one around, it's necessary to let her eat. It's clearly stated in some of my grandmother's books, and I can't keep feeding her with my essence. In the future, I'll even have to buy live chickens for her to eat.

Seeing Zhao Qian's teeth chattering while eating, I sighed. But thinking about it, she's just a feng shui master, not an exorcist, so being afraid of ghosts is normal.

"Why don't you sit next to me, let the ghost sit in your spot, and I can cover her so no one sees." I suggested.

"No, no need." Zhao Qian felt embarrassed sitting next to me, but she felt warm inside.

Unfortunately, her refusal was useless. The small ghost, hearing my words, slowly walked over to her, head still lowered, those terrifying eyes still staring at Zhao Qian.

Zhao Qian was so scared that her soul almost flew away. She picked up her bowl and ran to me, almost falling.

I was about to comfort Zhao Qian, but unexpectedly, something happened in the hall!

"Murder!"

A woman's scream echoed, and I recognized it as Zhao Qian's aunt, Zhao Yuan. I turned back and saw a scene of chaos, it must be a big deal!

I quickly stood up, wanting to see what happened.

The Zhao family relatives who were resting in the guest rooms and lounges all came out and ran to the hall, the scene became chaotic. However, the masters remained calm, none of them came out, probably because they wouldn't go unless invited.

I thought with so many Zhao family relatives around, nothing serious would happen. Plus, Zhao Qian was worried about her family, so I followed the crowd to the hall.

In the hall, two monks were lying on the ground, one bleeding profusely from the back, groaning in pain, the other with a knife wound in the stomach, screaming in agony.

Zhao Yi was pinned down by a group of people and monks, baring his teeth, muttering strange words that I couldn't understand, but they weren't human words.

Zhao Yi was still struggling, and several big monks were holding him down, his bones cracking, which was quite scary.

Zhao Zhou, seeing his son convulsing like a madman, was sweating profusely, wanting to run over to help his son.

But Zhao Xi, with a grim face, said, "Zhou, your son is possessed by a ghost, and it's still on him!"

Zhao Xi is the successor of a feng shui master, though he doesn't have much skill in exorcism, he has a lot of knowledge. Everyone gasped in shock.

Zhao Zhou also knows feng shui, though not as skilled as his older brother Zhao Xi, he's not far behind. He seemed to remember that he had brought a master, so he immediately ran out the door.

Since Zhao Yi had a past with Zhao Qian and me, I didn't plan to get involved and just watched from the door with Zhao Qian.

Zhao Yuan, seeing the monks stunned, immediately started cursing, pointing at them and saying, "You bald bastards, can you do anything? You've been here all day and my nephew Ah Yi is possessed by a ghost!"

Jishi, the monk, twitched his face, not daring to respond, and said to his disciples, "Purify the mouth, body, and mind, purify the three karmas, and purify the body and mind. Follow me and chant: The Universal Light Brightness Pure Radiant Wishful Treasure Seal Heart Unconquerable Great Brightness King Great Aspiration Dharmic Spell."

Saying this, Jishi immediately put his hands in a water basin, clasped them together, and scooped water, not minding the dirt, and started to rinse his mouth and face. Then he lit incense and sprinkled water.

The other monks, sitting cross-legged next to Zhao Yi, began to chant the sutras, and the Sanskrit words came out of their mouths like a song. Jishi started to sprinkle purifying water on Zhao Yi.

Surprisingly, the sutras seemed to have some effect. I could see Zhao Yi slowly stop struggling, as if he was about to recover.

Seeing the situation stabilizing, Zhao Xi planned to comfort his mother, the old lady of the Zhao family, but after taking two steps, the redwood bowl in Jishi's hand cracked, scaring Jishi into a sweat. "How fierce is this ghost?"

"Useless!" Zhao Xi glared at Zhao Yuan, then looked around. When he saw me and Zhao Qian watching from the door, his face immediately turned sour. "Where's Zhao He? Why don't you go get the layman from Sanxian Temple?"

"Right! Quickly get the layman, he'll definitely be able to do it." The old lady of the Zhao family also realized and urged.

"My brother went back to the county." Zhao Qian was startled by her father's question.

"Then what are you standing there for? Go get him!" Zhao Xi glared at Zhao Qian, and when he looked at me, his expression was also unfriendly.

He probably thought I was dating his daughter, and seeing my poor appearance, he didn't think much of me.

After all, the Zhao family is a prominent family in the county, and who they choose as a partner is always from a good family. Look at these young masters, all dressed neatly. You, dressed like that, don't you feel ashamed?

"Oh." Zhao Qian, feeling wronged, turned to go get the layman.

I shook my head helplessly and followed Zhao Qian, as I was a bit worried about her.

Accompanying Zhao Qian to the lounge, we saw Layman Canyun and his disciples calmly drinking tea.

Zhao Qian anxiously told them the situation, and Layman Canyun didn't neglect her, putting down his cup and heading to the hall.

On the way, a group of monks, sweating profusely, carried their injured comrades and escorted a monk who was trying to bite people, running to the parking lot.

Jishi sighed, his head covered in sweat, his beard messy. It seemed either the ghost was too fierce, or Zhao Yuan was too strong, and they were helpless.

"Haha, I thought the monks from Pantian Temple were so powerful, but they were just here for food and drink, right, Master?" The Taoist from Sanxian Temple laughed loudly, very pleased.

"Exactly, they were so arrogant today, but they couldn't do anything and went to their deaths, they must be tired of living." Another Taoist with tools agreed.

"Hmph, if you don't learn the skills, this is what happens when you encounter trouble. You must remember this." Layman Canyun also used this opportunity to teach his disciples.

The remaining disciples nodded and followed Layman Canyun to the hall.

At the hall entrance, I looked inside but didn't see Zhao Zhou. This old guy went to get the master, so why are we here first?

Looking back, I saw Zhao Zhou and the master coming from the parking lot outside the village, talking in low voices. It was dark, and I wondered why the two old men were going to the parking lot outside the village.

Zhao Yi was being watched by Zhao Qian's uncles, not tied up, and was shivering, watching everything.

There were several pools of blood on the ground, and I frowned, thinking Zhao Yi must have been possessed by a ghost.

But where was the ghost that possessed him?

Zhao Xi hurried over and held Layman Canyun's hand, saying anxiously, "Master, you finally came. Please help us. When Ah Yi was possessed, the monks from Pantian Temple chanted sutras and seemed to drive away the evil. But just as it was driven away, the monk who took Ah Yi's knife was possessed, stabbing two of his disciples and almost stabbing Jishi's buttocks."

"Oh? Is that so?" Layman Canyun looked calm and went to see the old man lying in the inner room. He found the old man lying in bed, pale, but not much different from what he saw today.

"The old man is fine, but his body can't take much more. I'll give him a calming talisman to protect his three souls, and a ghost-driving talisman to protect his seven spirits, then I'll set up a ritual to drive away the ghost." Layman Canyun said calmly, taking a few talismans and placing them under the old man.

The disciples, hearing Layman Canyun's words, immediately threw out the tools that Jishi hadn't taken away.

The old lady of the Zhao family had no objections, and was grateful that Layman Canyun first protected the old man before performing the ritual, which made Zhao Xi very happy, showing that the master he invited was considerate and capable, unlike Jishi, who made his father suffer all day without accomplishing anything.

"Mom, Layman Canyun is specifically invited by me, and I didn't spend a penny. I invited him several times, and he was traveling, so it took a few thousand kilometers to get here. Mom, we're not short of money, but if it weren't for the old friendship, he probably wouldn't have come." Zhao Xi said boastfully to the old lady.

"Right, that's how it should be. Only you, as the eldest, are reliable and have a good reputation outside." The old lady was very pleased and almost shed tears of gratitude.

Zhao Xi felt that he had secured half of the family's leadership.

After coming out, Layman Canyun took out a piece of paper with a spell, wrapped the bloody knife, and after examining it, threw it aside disdainfully.

He then went to see Zhao Yi and said, "The knife is fine. He was possessed by a ghost. You can see the ghostly aura on his forehead hasn't dissipated, and there's still residual Yin Qi on his body. Yes, by the way, you don't need to stay here, Zhao Yi. Go to the hospital quickly."

After saying this, he urged Zhao Yi to go to the hospital. Zhao Yi, scared, quickly called the driver and left.

I almost burst out laughing. If they could see like you, Layman Canyun, they would really be seeing ghosts. I didn't see it, but wasn't the ghost that possessed him still on Jishi's disciple?

But just as I was thinking this, the old man lying in bed started to convulse violently!

Before he could convulse a few times, he suddenly sprang up like a zombie! His eyes rolled back, and his tongue stuck out.

I saw this and thought, this time, the old man is dead.