Yang Mian gently patted Aunt Yang’s hand. Her voice was soft, yet carried a calming strength.
“Aunt Yang, don’t worry. Since I’m here, I’ll see this through to the end.”
With that, she stepped steadily to the bedside and fixed her gaze on the girl lying there.
The girl’s brows were tightly furrowed, cold sweat beading on her forehead, as if she were trapped in a terrifying nightmare, tormented by endless pain.
Yang Mian took a deep breath and slowly extended her hand. It carried both the gentleness and steadiness of a healer as she lightly placed her fingers on the girl’s wrist.
Then she slowly closed her eyes. Her eyelashes trembled slightly as she entered a completely ethereal state, focusing all her senses on the sinister energy hidden within the girl’s body.
In an instant, a bone-chilling cold surged up her arm like it came from an ice cellar. Her face paled slightly, and her muscles instinctively tensed—but only for a moment. With her strong willpower, she quickly stabilized herself.
Deep within her mind, Yang Mian silently chanted an ancient and mysterious incantation. Each syllable seemed to carry an unusual power, attempting to communicate with the resentful evil energy and trace its origin.
In the depths of her consciousness, a faint image slowly emerged, like a ghost shrouded in mist.
It was a woman in modern clothing, her long disheveled hair whipping wildly in the air. Her face was twisted with extreme pain and hatred, almost feral. Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly, emitting piercing cries.
Yang Mian questioned her:
“Why are you haunting this innocent girl?”
The woman’s voice sounded like a ghostly wail in a cold night—shrill and mournful.
“I was framed and died unjustly! I cannot accept it! By chance, I found this body and wanted to use it for revenge!”
Yang Mian patiently continued to persuade her:
“This girl has nothing to do with your grievance. If you continue like this, you will not only take her life, but also sink yourself deeper into sin. Why not tell me everything in detail? I will help you seek justice.”
The woman fell silent.
The air seemed filled with her inner struggle and hesitation, as if she were weighing whether this was her only way out.
“…Can you really help me?” Her voice trembled slightly—hope and doubt intertwined.
“I never lie to people, and I don’t lie to ghosts either.” Yang Mian’s tone was firm and sincere. Every word landed like a stabilizing force.
“Alright… but I’ve been inside her body for too long. I can’t get out anymore.”
The female spirit had stayed too long within the girl’s body. If not for Yang Mian’s arrival, she would have almost completely fused with her host.
At that moment, Aunt Yang stood nearby like an ant on a hot pan, hands tightly clasped, knuckles turning white. She didn’t dare breathe loudly, afraid to miss a single detail.
Yang Mian suddenly opened her eyes, a sharp light flashing within them.
“Aunt Yang, I need to perform an exorcism on her.”
Aunt Yang nodded hurriedly.
Yang Mian methodically arranged an altar in the room. Her movements were skilled yet solemn, then she lit incense and candles.
The flickering flames cast wavering shadows in the dim room, adding a layer of mystique to the ritual.
She held a peach wood sword and began chanting under her breath. The incantation seemed to come from ancient times, carrying a suppressive force that made one’s heart tremble.
As the chanting continued, the air in the room grew heavier, as if an invisible hand were compressing it, making it hard to breathe.
The evil presence sensed the threat and began to stir uneasily, emitting low, guttural roars as if making its final struggle.
Yang Mian seized the moment. Her eyes sharpened like an eagle’s as she ignited a yellow talisman and shouted loudly, swinging it toward the girl.
In an instant, a brilliant golden light flashed.
The possessed evil spirit let out a heart-rending scream, as if struck by lightning, and was forcibly pulled out of the girl’s body.
With lightning-fast reflexes, Yang Mian quickly sealed it inside a small gourd using prepared talismans. The glowing runes on the talisman flickered with strange light, binding the spirit tightly and preventing any escape.
This gourd was a treasure from her sect.
She hadn’t expected it to have followed her into this world as well.
After the evil spirit was extracted, the girl’s pale face gradually regained a hint of color. Her brows relaxed, her long eyelashes trembled, and she slowly opened her eyes.
“Mom… what happened to me?” the girl asked weakly, still groggy from waking.
Seeing this, Aunt Yang burst into tears of relief. She rushed to the bedside and tightly held her daughter’s hand, as if holding the most precious thing in the world.
“It’s okay, my child. You just slept for a long time.”
She didn’t dare tell her daughter the truth. She only wanted to shield her from fear and pain with her embrace.
Yang Mian looked at the sealed spirit in the gourd and said solemnly:
“Don’t worry. I will keep my promise and investigate your injustice. I will give you justice—but you must not harm others again.”
The spirit seemed to understand her words. Its violent struggle gradually calmed, and the gourd fell into temporary stillness.
After everything was settled, Yang Mian said to Aunt Yang:
“Your daughter is fine now, but she still needs proper recovery. I’ll write a prescription—make sure she takes it on time.”
Aunt Yang was overwhelmed with gratitude, holding Yang Mian’s hand as tears streamed down her face.
“Thank you, Miss! From now on, I will definitely help you in the Jiang family!”
“Don’t,” Yang Mian immediately refused. “I don’t need your help. Don’t get involved in my matters with the Jiang family—you’ll only make things worse. I’m here to cut ties, not to reconnect.”
“Huh?” Aunt Yang didn’t understand.
Yang Mian didn’t bother explaining further.
“Just remember what I said. I won’t let myself suffer losses. If I don’t come home for dinner, just save me some food.”
“Alright, alright! Leave that to me!” Aunt Yang quickly agreed. Food was something she could at least handle as repayment.
“I’ll be leaving now. Talk to your daughter properly.”
“Goodbye, Miss.”
After leaving Aunt Yang’s house, Yang Mian felt no sense of relief.
The sunlight was already warm and harsh, yet it could not dispel the gloom in her heart.
She knew—
this matter of seeking justice for the wronged soul had only just begun, and behind it, there might be even more hidden secrets.