Chapter 26: Physical Exorcism

Then, it kept getting hotter and hotter. Recalling Li Yanchu’s warning, Head Constable Wang instantly felt a chill run down his spine.

Without sparing another glance at the lovely wife and concubines in his room, he ran straight to Qingyun Temple.

After hearing what Head Constable Wang said, only two words popped into Li Yanchu’s mind,

Death Knight?

Li Yanchu said, “Let’s go, Head Constable Wang. I’ll go with you to take a look.”

Head Constable Wang nodded and quickly dragged Li Yanchu out the door.

Although there was a curfew in place at this hour, Wang Zhongshan, as the head constable of Wei City, wasn’t bound by it in the slightest. When the city patrols saw Head Constable Wang, they even had to salute him.

Before long, Head Constable Wang and Li Yanchu arrived at his home courtyard. There, they saw the delicate and lovely Yue Niang.

To be fair, Li Yanchu showing up at this hour was a bit inappropriate. After all, the two men were of the same generation, and Yue Niang was Head Constable Wang’s concubine.

However, Li Yanchu's status easily dispelled that impression. Clad in a simple Daoist robe and cloth shoes, he cut the figure of an otherworldly immortal. Only the large saber hanging at his waist lent this young Daoist an extra edge of a wandering

jianghu

warrior’s fierceness.

Li Yanchu then employed his Qi Sight. Sure enough, a heavy undercurrent of yin qi permeated Head Constable Wang’s home. There really was something unclean lurking within.

With saber at his side, Li Yanchu now beheld Head Constable Wang’s concubine, Yue Niang. She was indeed young and fair, looking delicate and captivating.

At that moment, Yue Niang had no idea what had transpired. She only knew her master had rushed out in terror, then returned accompanied by a young Daoist.

“My Lord, what has happened?” Yue Niang asked in a soft, lilting voice.

Her tone was tender and sweet, yet unlike the madam’s—it carried a subtle note of allure.

When Head Constable Wang explained that his household might have encountered a demonic disturbance, Yue Niang’s face instantly drained of color. She tried to fling herself into his arms, but he stopped her with a firm command. Left standing alone, she couldn’t hold back her sobs.

Li Yanchu shook his head toward the constable and said, “It didn’t seem that Yueniang was possessed by an evil spirit, but rather that something unclean had latched onto her, causing this heavy accumulation of malicious qi.”

𝒻𝑟ℯℯ𝑤𝑒𝑏𝑛𝘰𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝒸𝑜𝘮

Head Constable Wang’s face went grave. “Then what should we do?”

Li Yanchu gazed at Yue Niang and asked softly, “Have you encountered any strange people or odd happenings lately?”

Struggling to suppress her tears, Yue Niang drew a shaky breath and said, “These past few days, I haven’t gone out, save for a visit to the Lady Qingyi Temple with one of the maids.”

Li Yanchu and Head Constable Wang exchanged a knowing glance. Could there be something amiss at the Lady Qingyi Temple?

Li Yanchu had also been to the Lady Qingyi Temple before, back when Constable Zhao was cultivating there. But at the time, he hadn’t sensed anything sinister or abnormal.

A thought struck Li Yanchu, and he asked, “Did you happen to buy anything there? Something like a talisman or a jade pendant for protection?”

As a disciple of Daoist Master Xuancheng, he was somewhat familiar with these ghostly tricks used to harm people. After all, dealing with such matters was his area of expertise.

Yue Niang furrowed her delicate brows in deep thought. Then, as if remembering something, she said, “Now that you mention it, Daoist Master, I recall that I once requested a protective talisman outside the Lady Qingyi Temple.”

As she spoke, she removed a talisman she had been wearing closely around her neck.

The moment Li Yanchu took it in hand, Head Constable Wang suddenly exclaimed, “That’s it! That must be it!”

The talisman on his own chest had begun to heat up; it was clearly reacting.

Li Yanchu frowned. “This is most likely black magic, not a protective talisman at all.”

He studied the talisman closely and then unfolded it.

Upon seeing the symbol and design on the talisman, Li Yanchu’s expression darkened, and he said coldly, “This is a ghost-rearing talisman.”

Hearing this, Head Constable Wang was horrified.

Li Yanchu explained, “This kind of talisman is part of a folk black magic ritual. It can be used to raise a minor ghost spirit, which in turn can dispel calamities or even attract wealth and fortune.

“But for the wearer of this talisman, a mark is imprinted within the body. Essentially, they become a living source of flesh and blood to feed that little ghost. Over time, not only does the wearer risk death, but those close to them will also be drawn into the curse.”

“It’s all done under the guise of fortune and protection, when in truth, it sacrifices the wearer and their family’s lives and blessings just to change someone else’s fate. And the wearer remains unaware the whole time.”

Head Constable Wang cursed through gritted teeth, “That’s damn vile! Toss that thing out immediately!”

However, Li Yanchu shook his head. “It’s not that simple. Once the mark has been planted on the wearer, even if the talisman is discarded, they’ll still be prone to being haunted.”

“At best, their luck will sour. At worst, it could destroy their family and take their life.”

“What!?” Head Constable Wang turned pale in shock.

He was extremely fond of this newly taken concubine. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have spent a large sum to ransom her freedom.

Head Constable Wang said anxiously, “Daoist Master Yanchu, is there any way to save her?”

Li Yanchu fell silent for a moment before replying, “There is a way. However, completely removing the imprint and dispelling the yin spirit energy from her body must be done with great care, as any misstep could put her life in danger.

“Right now, it’s the middle of the night, conditions most favorable for yin spirits to grow stronger, making the removal of the mark even more difficult.”

With a thud, Yue Niang dropped to her knees, weeping as she pleaded, “Daoist Master, I beg you, please save my life!”

Head Constable Wang’s eyes turned red with emotion. He couldn’t bear to see such a lovely, delicate beauty tormented by a ghostly presence.

Cupping his fists solemnly, he said, “Daoist Master Yanchu, if you can save Yue Niang’s life, I will owe you a great debt. I’ll follow your lead from this day on, come hell or high water.”

Li Yanchu offered some reassurance. “You’re overstating it, Head Constable Wang. Normally, it would be best to remove the mark in broad daylight, when conditions are safest.

“But judging by how recently Yue Niang started wearing the talisman, and since she hasn’t yet drawn the yin spirit to her, I can attempt it now.”

As a disciple of Zhengyi Daoism, Li Yanchu had several methods for dealing with such unorthodox sorcery. Fortunately, Yue Niang had only worn the talisman for a short while, and they had caught it early.

After a moment of thought, Li Yanchu decided on the most stable and reliable method.

He stepped forward and said gently, “Forgive the offense.”

With that, he firmly grasped Yue Niang’s slender wrist.

Head Constable Wang watched with curiosity, wondering what technique Daoist Master Yanchu would use to exorcise the evil.

The Jiaoslayer at Li Yanchu’s waist was saturated with powerful murderous qi, so fierce that even unsheathed, it could suppress any evil spirit within a hundred paces. With it at his side, it served as a natural deterrent. When it came to exorcising evil with physical means, Li Yanchu was especially skilled.

He then began channeling the spirit qi cultivated from the

Yellow Court Classics

into Yue Niang’s body. This wasn’t the acquired true qi of common martial artists, but the innate life essence of Zhengyi Daoism. It could strengthen the vitality of the body’s internal organs and restore balance within.

The calm and balanced spirit qi entered through Yue Niang’s hand and quickly flowed through her extraordinary meridians and eight vessels, reaching all her internal organs. At this time, Yue Niang immediately felt a surge of vitality, her entire body wrapped in an indescribable warmth.

Li Yanchu’s cultivation was still shallow, and he wasn’t yet capable of purging all the yin energy from Yue Niang’s body in a single instant. He could only channel it slowly and steadily. Even so, the innate life essence of Zhengyi Daoism was far beyond what any unorthodox sorcery could match.

Before long, thin wisps of black smoke began to rise from Yue Niang’s body, visible to the naked eye.

At this time, Head Constable Wang’s eyes widened in shock. And when he saw the white mist forming on Li Yanchu’s forehead, he was utterly awestruck.