Tales of Folk Feng Shui Mysteries

As soon as I entered the door, a large teacup brushed past my shoulder, crashing loudly—almost hitting me. I pretended to be surprised and said, "What's going on? Not doing business anymore?"

The old woman sighed and was about to greet me, but her daughter interrupted, pointing at me and shouting, "Go away, go away, I'm annoyed just seeing you."

The elderly lady turned to scold her daughter, but I smiled and said, "Sister, I'm here to buy something. Why are you scolding me? Besides, I haven't done anything to you. I'm just being patient; if it were someone else, they might have smashed your shop by now."

Hearing this, the woman lowered her head, rolling her eyes with a look full of suspicion and hostility. She didn't speak. Clearly, something was wrong with her.

Her mother, trying to smooth things over, smiled weakly and said, "Anyone who comes here to buy things is a believer, we're family. Young man, please forgive my daughter's mood—don't take it personally. What do you want to buy? Auntie will get it for you."

I noticed the mother's face was pale, the area between her eyebrows shadowed and dull, the ridge of her nose broken—signs that her lifespan was short. Despite this, her face showed kindness and benevolence, proof of a lifetime of doing good deeds. Her palm lines were clear and well-marked—another sign of accumulated virtue.

"No rush," I waved my hand and sat down on their chairs. The daughter immediately grew agitated, shouting, "Go away! Don't come to my house!"

I suddenly slammed the table with a 'bang,' glaring at her and saying, "Shut up! Can't you see I'm talking to your mother?"

"Don't hurt her," the old woman nervously blocked me, then looked back at her daughter with surprise and said, "This is strange. She usually would have hit a customer by now. Why is she scared today?"

During the conversation, the daughter was hiding in the corner, clutching a Guanyin statue tightly. Her eyes were wary and nervous, lips pale, body trembling as if terribly frightened.

Just after I scolded her, I subtly made the "Dao Tao" hand seal—a gesture symbolizing a divine blade to sever evil spirits. Because I spoke invoking family morality and filial duty, the natural divine power behind my words scared her.

"Auntie, I'm just a humble Taoist. Passing by, I sensed your daughter was off. From what I see, she's possessed by a spirit, her mind lost. If I'm right, she used to be especially filial, didn't she?" I said.

The woman sat down crying. Her daughter's name was Han Xiaolan. Since a class reunion ten days ago, she had changed completely. At first, the mother thought it was heartbreak, but after a few days, Han Xiaolan stopped working and began mistreating her mother.

At first, it was just orders. Then it worsened—she even hit her mother. The old woman's heart was broken but she couldn't say anything. She had been diagnosed with liver cancer and had perhaps only two or three years to live.

The "Dao Tao" seal and my authoritative words made Han Xiaolan dizzy and agitated. I told her mother: "Since I've seen it, I cannot ignore it. When your daughter faints, take that bamboo stick," I pointed at the corner, "and hang her jacket on it. Go to the door and call her name. Keep calling until she wakes. If she doesn't wake all night, keep calling."

A possessed person's soul body remains near but in a confused state, only close family can call her back—this is what people call "lost soul."

After explaining everything, I slowly approached Han Xiaolan. "You've been acting up long enough. Come willingly, or I'll make you."

"Go away! I'm not going anywhere! This is my home!" she screamed, looking at her mother pitifully, "Mom, can't you stop her from hurting me?"

The old woman closed her eyes, ignoring her daughter. A person who sells incense and Buddhist statues surely believes in spirits.

At that moment, I took out a talisman paper—a Soul Capture Talisman—lit it with a thunder strike.

Han Xiaolan shouted fiercely, "Who are you! Why are you interfering?" Her face twisted grotesquely, hair floating wildly, face pale and eyes wide with dilated pupils, as if soulless.

"Stubborn fool!" I snorted, throwing a copper coin at her. She raised the Guanyin head to block, which shattered with a crisp sound.

She lunged at me wildly, yelling, "I'll fight you!"

Her attack was strong, so I took a step back to dodge, bit my finger, knelt, bowed, pointed my left hand at her and shouted:

"Heaven pure, Earth clear, I invite the Eastern Five Thunder Gods, Thunder explodes with lightning's sound, thunder strikes the demon, cast out evil spirits and ghosts, by the decree of universal thunder, so be it!"

A deafening thunder rolled in my ears, and Han Xiaolan let out a sharp scream.

Only I could hear this thunder; to others, I looked like a crazy man, but this finger technique is called the "Five Thunder Finger".

Taoist exorcisms often use the Five Thunders — metal, wood, water, fire, earth — combining shock and control. The blood on my finger represents yang energy, able to drive out possessing spirits.

Suddenly, all the lights in the shop went out. I heard dripping water sounds—then I realized this evil spirit was a water ghost.

Because of the pitch-black darkness, I wasn't sure if the Five Thunder Finger drove the ghost out or not.

Outside, dogs barked fiercely—seems the golden retriever had found companions to help.

Han Xiaolan's mother sobbed nervously, calling her daughter's name, fearful for her safety.

Using my spiritual eye, I saw two drops of water fall on my cheek.

I sneered, "Stubborn fool, force me and I'll destroy your soul."

I drew the Seven-Star Sword, pointed it skyward, and shouted, "Last chance!"

A faint voice whispered, "Why catch me? I didn't harm anyone, I'm innocent!"

Han Xiaolan's mother cried out, "Please release my daughter! I don't have long to live. If you want me to die, I'll die now!"

Amid her wails, I made hand seals, stepped into the Tiangang formation, took out a talisman, pierced it with my sword, swung it left and right.

The talisman ignited.

On the ceiling, Han Xiaolan somehow climbed up, clutching a beam. Her long hair dripped water.

"Strike!" I shouted angrily.

The Seven-Star Sword flashed faint golden light.

Han Xiaolan screamed, lunging at me.

Water ghosts are the most powerful evil spirits because their bodies rot underwater away from sunlight. Water nourishes yin, and the yin breeds yin. Wherever someone drowned, a second death will follow.

I barely dodged and struck her with the sword's flat side. She screamed and stumbled back.

Not daring to slacken, I pulled out a talisman and stuck it on her forehead.

"Turn on the light!" I shouted to her mother.

Her mother swiftly flipped the switch.

The room lit up.

Han Xiaolan lay on the floor soaked, eyes shut, face pale, lips purple.

"Quick, call her soul back. Before dawn, she must wake." I instructed and rushed outside.

This blocking formation only stops spirits from escaping. While fighting her inside, we feared the ghost might escape as a soul body.

If it fled, it would possess an animal outside.

Outside, dogs barked non-stop.

The golden retriever and companions chased three dark shadows.

I searched for water—water ghosts cannot survive without it, like fish.

But the ghost's body was somewhere nearby.

Using my compass to scan the energy, I found nothing.

After 10 minutes, the golden retriever returned with three stray dogs—each holding prey: two rats and a kitten.

I set a formation on the ground, placed the three animals inside.

"Go home. Your master is safe. Help call her soul back before dawn," I said.

The big dog affectionately rubbed me, barked, and ran home.

Dogs help catch because they can see spirits invisible to humans—the light in the darkness.

Among the three animals, only one was possessed; the others just touched yin energy, confusing the dogs.

Inside the formation, they ran around like headless flies.

I said, "I know you hear me. Before you cause more trouble, surrender."

No response.

I continued, "Do you think I can't find your body, so I can't exorcise you?"

As I finished, the kitten stopped, its glowing green eyes staring at me, the corners of its mouth twitching like a human's.

This was a clear bare-faced provocation.

I wasn't going to back down, not now, not ever.

"Fine, I'll find you myself!" I grumbled, turned and rode my bike off.

After more than an hour with no luck, I knew the water ghost's body was within a one-kilometer radius.

Suddenly, I remembered a wishing pond near the temple—originally set up by shopkeepers to scam money.

It was near Han Xiaolan's house.

I hurried back, passing the kitten, pretending to be annoyed, and casually arrived at the wishing pond.

The pond's surface was tightly covered by fishing nets.

Among the colorful koi, in the far corner, a thirty-centimeter-long black carp lay unnoticed.