Chapter 232 - Sticking the Voodoo Doll

The fortune teller and his disciple finished arranging the ritual items and the fortune teller then began conducting the ritual for tonight.

It was already past midnight, and being in a high-rise, bursts of wind that blew in made Zhang Dogliang and Liu Ying feel an increasingly sinister sensation.

As Zhang Dongliang and Liu Ying watched from the side, the fortune teller began pacing around the hall and living room, his expression entirely different from before.

He circled countless times, chanting nonstop, “Heaven’s spirit, Earth’s spirit, Lord Lao Zi of the Great Monad, quickly manifest.”

Zhang Dongliang and Liu Ying had no idea what he was muttering, but just then, when he waved the Magic Sword over the incense candles, both saw the incense candles suddenly ignite.

The two knew then that this fortune teller must possess some real skills.

This kind of airy fire lighting, if not witnessed with their own eyes, they would have thought it was seen in a movie.

The fortune teller opened his eyes and then continued pacing around the hall, living room, and the table used for the ritual, not knowing how long he walked, he once again gently waved the Magic Sword and the Incense Burner lit up again.

Now, in the living room and hall, the air was filled with the smell of ritual paper money, and the fortune teller’s disciple rhythmically struck the gong, creating a sound like that used in funeral rites, which made Zhang Dongliang and Liu Ying’s skin crawl.

Zhang Dongliang had already gone to inform the residents of the same floor, as well as those above and below earlier.

Even so, the neighbors to the left and right and above and below could hear that spine-chilling sound.

If Zhang Dongliang had not gone to talk to them in advance and obtained their consent, they would have really wanted to call the police.

Now, that startling sound was heard, and not only adults felt frightened, children couldn’t sleep, and many elderly felt that the house was unclean.

The only solution was to close all the doors and windows, turn on the air conditioning, and play other music before they could stop hearing that terrifying sound.

However, with the fortune teller jumping around, those downstairs could clearly feel the footsteps, but now it was not appropriate to speak out directly.

It was unknown how much time had passed before the fortune teller stopped moving, and Zhang Dongliang and Liu Ying looked over and saw the fortune teller drenched in sweat.

It was already the end of May, and they had entered the summer season, which was quite hot.

Now, with Zhang Dongliang and Liu Ying having closed the doors and windows, even though the air conditioning was on inside, the fortune teller, wearing a thick Taoist Robe and moving around, could hardly bear it.

When he stopped, he turned to Zhang Dongliang and said, “Benefactor, turn down the air conditioning a bit, it’s too hot.”

Zhang Dongliang hurriedly set the air conditioning in the hall and living room to fifteen or sixteen degrees.

Now, the fortune teller and his disciple felt much more comfortable all over, but Zhang Dongliang and Liu Ying felt even more uneasy.

Under the psychological effect and the influence of the low air conditioning temperature, both felt that there really was something unclean in the room.

“Benefactors, I have just been possessed and asked Lord Lao Zi, ‘This community is built on a cemetery, and your son’s room is right in the center of that cemetery.

There is a female ghost haunting your son, causing him to be continuously unwell and always sick recently.'”

A female ghost haunting him?

Zhang Dongliang and Liu Ying were even more astonished.

Although they had heard early on about problems with this community, the developer had always covered up any unfavorable news.

Even so, both had heard that this community was indeed built by cutting through a hilltop.

This mountain top might have been a burial ground back in the day.

It was said that there had been accidents while workers were building residential buildings.

“Benefactor, what should we do now?”

Zhang Dongliang asked.

“Don’t worry, we will continue with the ritual and banish that female ghost.

This will clear the negative energy from your son’s room and he will recover from his illness,” the master reassured them.

Zhang Dongliang and Liu Ying could only wait.

The fortune-teller and his disciple, after having some tea, jumped into action, mimicking those who perform spirit-invocations.

The disciple now also played a flute and occasionally struck a gong.

After an indeterminate amount of time, a thick white smoke suddenly erupted from the incense burner.

The fortune-teller shouted, “Female ghost, where do you think you’re going?”

Armed with the Magic Sword, he first came out of Zhang Wei’s room, then pursued into the room of Zhang Dongliang and his wife, continued to the guest room, and then to the kitchen, finally entering the bathroom.

A true cry of a woman echoed at that moment, and the chilling sound frightened Zhang Dongliang and Liu Ying who were outside, turning their complexions even paler.

The couple couldn’t understand why there were other female voices coming from inside the room — was that the voice of the female ghost the fortune-teller had mentioned?

Once the woman’s voice died out, and they heard the toilet flush, and saw the fortune-teller emerge from the room, he said, “I’ve just chased down the female ghost and subdued her.

She has been burnt to ashes and flushed down the toilet.”

The pair didn’t dare to look inside the bathroom, but they could smell a burnt odor coming from it.

“Now, this apartment, especially your son’s room, is clear of negative energy and the female ghost is gone.

All that’s left is to deal with the backstabber who has been harming your son,” said the fortune-teller.

Zhang Dongliang and Liu Ying already knew that their son was not only troubled by unclean spirits but also vexed by backstabbers.

The term ‘backstabber’ is broad, but it generally refers to an unseen, unknown antagonist who could strike from anywhere, at any time, and potentially harm one’s own interests.

The fortune-teller now took out a puppet he had prepared from his tools, placed it on the ritual table, and began to chant.

As Zhang Dongliang and his wife watched, they felt as if the bound puppet might stand up on its own.

The fortune-teller, holding the puppet — about the size of a fist — from his tools, brought out more talismans, furiously stabbing the puppet before it fell apart, then lighting it on fire in a dish.

When he opened his eyes and looked towards Zhang Dongliang and his wife, he said, “I have just dealt with the backstabber behind your son and burnt him.

Rest assured, your son will no longer have to face such enemies.”

For Zhang Dongliang and his wife, tonight was truly an eye-opening experience.

They felt the money was well spent.

It was now three o’clock in the early morning, and the ritual was complete.

After the fortune-teller had packed up the ritual props, he turned to Zhang Dongliang and his wife and said, “Benefactors, if there are any problems later on, you can contact me directly.”

“Thank you, master, for your hard work,”

Zhang Dongliang quickly said.

After the fortune-teller’s disciple had packed up all the tools, and they followed the fortune-teller out, Zhang Dongliang and his wife personally saw them out the door.