The Old Madam pressed her lips together, still worried. “Master Hu, Ke’er only suffered yesterday. His body hasn’t recovered yet… is this really alright?”
Hu Wang looked calm and composed. “Old Madam, rest assured. It is precisely because the Second Young Master is weak that the evil spirit dares to act so boldly. Tonight is the full moon, when yin and yang converge. I will borrow the power of heaven and earth to drive it out in one stroke. From then on, the Second Young Master will sleep in peace.”
The Old Madam felt slightly reassured and nodded to Nanny Zhang.
Nanny Zhang quickly withdrew. Before long, Pei Ke was brought out.
He wore a pale moon-white robe, his small face still somewhat pale. The moment he stepped into the courtyard, his brows furrowed tightly, and he refused to go further inside.
Nanny Zhang said gently, “Second Young Master, it’s alright. It will only take a moment…”
Pei Ke did not listen. He shrank back even more, fear evident in his eyes.
The servants dared not drag him by force, afraid of triggering a violent reaction. For a moment, no one knew what to do.
“Ke’er, come—come to your grandmother,” the Old Madam said, rising and personally taking his hand.
Pei Ke trembled as he was led forward step by step.
“Be good, Ke’er. Just stand here for a while and follow the master’s instructions. Don’t worry, Grandmother will protect you.”
Frightened by the scene, Pei Ke shook his head repeatedly and tried to run toward the door, only to be blocked by the servants.
The Old Madam’s heart ached, and she was about to speak when Hu Wang took out a small bell from his sleeve.
“Ding…”
The sound was crisp, not harsh, yet carried an indescribable strangeness.
Pei Ke’s steps froze as if he had been immobilized, his body stiffening.
Hu Wang shook it again.
“Ding… ding…”
Pei Ke’s eyes gradually turned vacant. His earlier resistance, fear, and struggle receded like a tide.
He stood there, expressionless, like a puppet stripped of its soul.
The Old Madam was startled. “Master Hu, this…”
“It’s nothing. Just to calm the Second Young Master so the ritual can proceed,” he said, then instructed the young attendant. “Bring him over.”
Soon, Pei Ke was placed on a stool before the altar.
Seeing her grandson like this, the Old Madam felt uneasy, though she could not pinpoint what was wrong.
Hu Wang stepped onto the altar, lit three sticks of incense, and placed them into the burner.
Thin streams of smoke rose, and soon the courtyard filled with a heavy scent.
He then picked up a peachwood sword and began chanting, “Heaven above, earth below, by decree of the Supreme Lord…”
When Shen Lingwei arrived, this was the scene she saw.
From outside the courtyard gate, she saw the Second Young Master sitting there, his eyes unfocused and lifeless, as if his mind had been controlled. Her heart sank.
Without hesitation, she stepped inside, only to be stopped by two old women at the entrance.
“Stop! The Old Madam has ordered that no one is to enter!”
“Please inform the Old Madam that I have an urgent matter to report.”
Seeing that Shen Lingwei was unfamiliar and dressed like an ordinary servant, they refused to budge.
“The Old Madam is receiving an honored guest inside. She has no time to see you. Wait until the ritual is over.”
Shen Lingwei clenched her teeth. If they waited until it was over, the Second Young Master would truly be ruined!
With a serious expression, she said firmly, “This concerns the Second Young Master’s life. If it is delayed, can you bear the responsibility?”
The two women exchanged glances, hesitating, but still refused to let her pass.
“No. The Old Madam has given clear instructions. Unless you can state exactly what the matter is, we cannot let you in.”
Suddenly, Shen Lingwei raised her voice and called out toward the courtyard, “Old Madam! I have an urgent matter concerning the Second Young Master’s life to report!”
The two women were startled and hurried to cover her mouth. “Silence! If you disturb the ritual, can you bear the consequences?”
Struggling free, Shen Lingwei raised her voice even louder:
“Old Madam! There is something wrong with that talisman water! The Second Young Master must not drink it!”
Her voice quickly caught the attention of those inside, including Hu Wang, who was performing the ritual.
But Hu Wang had reached a critical moment and could not stop. He shook the bell more vigorously, chanting louder to drown out her voice.
Moments later, Nanny Zhang appeared at the entrance, her expression grim.
“What is all this noise?”
Shen Lingwei broke free and stepped forward. “Nanny Zhang, the ritual must be stopped immediately. Otherwise, the Second Young Master will truly be in danger!”
Nanny Zhang was startled. “What did you say?”
Shen Lingwei lowered her voice and whispered a few words into her ear.
In the next instant, Nanny Zhang’s face changed drastically. “Is that true?”
Shen Lingwei’s expression was solemn. “I am willing to stake my life on it. If you trust me, in a moment, I can expose that fraudulent priest.”
After weighing the situation, Nanny Zhang gritted her teeth. “Fine. Go make preparations. I will inform the Old Madam.”
Meanwhile, Hu Wang caught sight of Shen Lingwei leaving from the corner of his eye and felt secretly pleased.
He circled the altar once more, then stopped in front of Pei Ke. Taking out several yellow talisman papers, he pointed at them in the air, and they ignited as if by magic.
He then dropped the burning ashes into a bowl of dark red liquid. The water immediately sizzled, releasing wisps of white smoke.
“Have him drink this sacred water. After a sleep, when he wakes, the evil spirit will be gone.”
Pei Ke stared blankly at the bowl, still unresponsive.
Hu Wang snorted coldly, as if addressing something within Pei Ke. “Wretched thing, you occupy another’s mortal body, disturb his mind, and damage his health. I am offering you salvation, yet you refuse to cooperate? Do you truly think I cannot deal with you?”
With that, he raised the peachwood sword again and pointed it directly at Pei Ke’s chest, moving swiftly.
The Old Madam leapt to her feet in shock, her face turning pale.
“Ke’er!”
But the sword stopped less than an inch from Pei Ke’s chest.
Hu Wang continued chanting, “Heaven and earth, primordial chaos. I will count to three. If you do not reveal yourself, do not blame me for being merciless!”
“Three!”
“Two!”
“One!”
As the final word fell, he swept the sword forward, stirring a gust of wind.
At the instant the wind passed over Pei Ke’s face, his small body jerked violently, as if struck by something.
Then he clutched his head with both hands, trembling intensely, broken whimpering sounds escaping his throat.
It was the sound of despair, fear, and panic.
Hu Wang drew another talisman, lit it in the candle flame, and waved it around Pei Ke’s head.
“Boundless heaven and earth, lend me your power! Evil spirit, leave this body at once, or I will reduce you to ashes!”
Pei Ke trembled even more violently, his eyes growing increasingly unfocused, his throat releasing piercing screams.
The kind of scream that comes from the brink of collapse, completely uncontrollable.
“Ah! Ah…”
The Old Madam’s face turned deathly pale. She could neither sit nor stand in peace, her heart clenched tight, her eyes brimming with tears.
“Master, what is happening to Ke’er?”
Hu Wang did not turn around. “Do not panic, Old Madam! This is the evil spirit resisting. Once it is forced out, the Second Young Master will be fine!”
He turned his head and ordered two sturdy servant women, “Hold him down. I will forcibly expel the spirit!”
The two women trembled, not daring to step forward.
In his current state, was this really appropriate?
Hu Wang’s gaze sharpened as he shouted, “Quick! If you delay and the spirit retaliates, can you bear the consequences?”
The two women closed their eyes in distress and prepared to reach for Pei Ke.
At that very moment, a cold voice suddenly rang out from behind—
“Wait!”