C26 Golden Light

Startled, I stumbled backward. Ms. Xiaofeng's forehead was ominously dark, her gaze fierce and unsettling, as if she were exuding a chilling presence indicative of ghostly possession.

Could it be the rope's doing?

Lacking the protective black dog hair, the rope seemed to harbor the vengeful spirit of a restless soul or the resentment of a corpse, manipulating the emotionally unstable Ms. Xiaofeng.

I remembered having cinnabar and other ghost-repelling items in my room. I had intended to retrieve them, but unexpectedly, the ghost had no plans to attack me. Instead, it looped the rope around Ms. Xiaofeng's neck.

In the flickering light, Ms. Xiaofeng turned to me with a disturbing smile. Her hands were clasped tightly around her throat, her complexion swiftly turning a reddish-purple, her tongue nearly protruding.

A sense of dread washed over me. The ghost was seeking a replacement!

What was I to do? My foster father had taught me numerous methods for banishing spirits, but they all required specific talismans.

As the shackles behind Ms. Xiaofeng grew increasingly tight, my anxiety mounted. Left with no other choice, I resorted to the most basic tactic—physical struggle against the spectral force.

Summoning all my strength, I grappled with Ms. Xiaofeng's hands, surprised at how easily they came apart. I surmised that perhaps the ghost had not yet fully manifested its power, remaining weak.

But my actions had provoked the spirit. It ceased its assault on Ms. Xiaofeng and turned its malevolent gaze upon me, reaching out to claw at me.

In a panic, I dodged aside, only to be tripped by the rope at my feet, crashing to the ground. By the time I scrambled to my feet, escape was no longer an option.

Ms. Xiaofeng lunged, her fingers clawing at my neck, but before I could muster any defense, something miraculous occurred.

The moment Ms. Xiaofeng made contact with me, a brilliant golden light burst forth from my forehead, banishing the ghost from her body entirely. To my astonishment, the spirit began to dissipate before my eyes.

Incredulously, I felt my forehead, still warm from the mysterious light. What had just happened?

Before my foster father passed away, he mentioned something inside me. Could it be that very thing that has been protecting me?

"Changsheng... How did I end up lying in the courtyard? What's going on?" Ms. Xiaofeng regained consciousness, pulling me from my reverie.

Glancing up, I noticed Ms. Xiaofeng's shackles were back to normal. Breathing a sigh of relief, I helped her to her feet, determined to prevent any further misfortune. "Ms. Xiaofeng, I'll accompany you back to the village tomorrow to rescue Xiaohu," I told her.

Ms. Xiaofeng expressed her gratitude profusely. I gave her a brief rundown of the recent events before we each retired to our rooms for the night.

The night passed quietly, and morning arrived swiftly. I stuck to my plan, heading to the county town not only to send money to Old Master Jiaang's children but also to purchase a few items.

With 100,000 yuan remaining after the remittance, I bought two mobile phones, a set of dark clothing suitable for nighttime, and some lime and fire-starting materials.

By afternoon, Ms. Xiaofeng and I had grabbed a bite to eat in a county city restaurant. I handed her one of the phones and shared our rescue strategy.

Ms. Xiaofeng's brows furrowed with concern as she whispered, "Changsheng, can we really pull this off without causing harm?"

"None of the Sunn family are decent folks. Rest assured, I won't let Xiaohu come to harm. But if I don't make it to the village entrance with Xiaohu within an hour, go ahead and call the police—110 or 119 will do," I assured her.

She nodded, though her worry was palpable. Truth be told, I had my own concerns—not about the Sunn family, but about the Evil Taoist lurking in the shadows.

"Ms. Xiaofeng, are you aware of what that Taoist hired by the Sunn family has been up to since my father and I left the village?" I inquired. Her response left me utterly astonished.

Indeed...