Upon drinking the water, Du Jun’s wife immediately stopped crying and just gulped it down. But what happened next made everyone in the yard dumbfounded, and they felt even more reluctant to leave.

As Du Jun’s wife gulped down the water, her forehead, neck, and body began to sweat profusely, as if the water entered her mouth and immediately burst out through her blood vessels.

In just a few breaths, after she finished drinking the water in the ladle, she looked as if she had been fished out of water. Moreover, everyone could see large beads of sweat still bursting from her body, non-stop.

Du Ping and the village head stood together. At this moment, they couldn’t help but exchange a glance. They couldn’t leave. If they did, this woman would probably be tormented to death by this family.

After finishing the water, Du Jun’s wife began to laugh again. Even though she was left sitting on the ground on the platform, she laughed happily and... creepily.

"Has she gone mad?"

"I don’t think so. I think she’s been possessed by something unclean."

"I think so too. She probably ate half of that yellow weasel."

"Obviously! Just looking at the fur and blood on her mouth tells us she ate it."

"The yellow weasel is a magical creature."

"Yes, she must be possessed by something unclean."

These people weren’t speaking quietly, and Du Jun’s family heard them clearly. Knowing that the woman had eaten the yellow weasel raw, their gazes towards Du Jun’s wife filled with even more disgust.

Du Ping had been somewhat influenced by Du Heng, so when everyone said she had been possessed by something unclean, he was rather skeptical.

Looking at the woman sweating profusely, Du Ping couldn’t help but stand up and say, "Du Jun, should we take her to the Hospital?"

But Du Jun was past caring about face at this point and flatly refused Du Ping’s suggestion. "Brother, no need. She’s just possessed by something unclean. I’ll call Banxianer. Banxianer can treat illnesses and is a Yin and Yang master. He can take care of it."

Seeing Du Jun so resolute, Du Ping knew he could not be persuaded. He then said, "Then let’s help carry your wife to the bed. Just sitting on the platform like this doesn’t look good."

Du Jun was about to speak when his mother gasped. "Don’t take her inside," she said. "She’s so dirty, covered in shit and urine, and smeared with blood. I just changed the sheets. If they get dirty, I’ll have to wash them again.

"And later when Banxianer comes, we’ll have to set up the altar and burn paper. If we take her inside, it’ll be a mess.

"Let’s just wait outside for now. After everything is done, we can carry her in."

As she spoke, she touched her own face, her expression dark. Discovering it was already swollen, the gloom in her eyes seemed on the verge of overflowing like water.

Once again gently touching her face, Du Jun’s mother looked at Du Jun gloomily and said, "What are you looking at? Waiting for me to clean this up? Hurry and call your sister-in-law out to wash and tidy up her sister. Just standing there like a statue, utterly shameless."

It was only then that Du Ping and the others remembered there was still a younger sister-in-law who had been sent to Du Jun’s house.

This family had lost all shame. When Du Jun’s mother told him to call the younger sister-in-law, Du Jun actually went. And the sister-in-law in question actually came out. Then, in front of everyone, she began to wash and change her sister’s clothes.

****!

Du Ping and the others were instantly resigned and could only turn around and walk out the door one by one.

At the entrance, the village head took out cigarettes and handed them around, then asked Du Ping, "Do we leave or not?"

Du Ping’s hand hesitated as he lit his cigarette. "This family is too despicable; it’s uncomfortable to stay here," he said. "But if we leave, I’m afraid this woman will be killed by them before Banxianer arrives."

The village head took a deep drag on his cigarette. "I feel the same way. This family has no shame at all."

"Then let’s wait."

And so they waited until dusk when Banxianer, the one everyone was talking about, finally arrived leisurely.

Banxianer was also from Duke Village and could treat illnesses as well as examine Feng Shui. As long as it involved superstition, everyone would seek out Banxianer.

However, since Du Fei began practicing medicine in Duke Village, Banxianer’s income from medical treatments had significantly decreased. But his income from demon-slaying and exorcism hadn’t lessened at all. Moreover, as he got older, his business became better and better.

When he arrived at Du Jun’s house, he carried himself like a highly accomplished Taoist.

He first pinched Du Jun’s wife’s ankle. Then he told Du Jun it was just a sprain and no bones were injured, so he needn’t worry.

After observing her crazed state, he slowly furrowed his brows, then put on his Taoist robe, and took out a compass and a yellow talisman.

After a series of incomprehensible operations, he said coldly, "There is a very ominous Southern qi. It is a great misfortune, bringing with it a bloody light. It seems she has provoked something unclean."

Then he took the compass and walked around Du Jun’s wife, pinching his fingers and calculating constantly. Suddenly, he said, "This isn’t just a bloody light; your wife has encountered blood. This resentment is too strong."

Banxianer withdrew his mystical powers and looked at Du Jun in disbelief. "What did your wife do to provoke such great hatred?" he asked. "This is a life-and-death struggle against your family."

Du Jun’s face turned pale, and he explained the whole story. Upon hearing it, Banxianer frowned even more. When Du Jun asked for a solution, Banxianer kept his head low and didn’t speak, but his hands continued their ceaseless calculations.

As for what he was calculating, no one knew. Nevertheless, everyone’s hearts were in their throats, and the atmosphere was so tense no one dared to speak.

It was only after a long while that Banxianer spoke. "Now, go find a sieve, three red papers, and catch a big rooster—preferably one that has lived a long time.

"Also, prepare three bowls of steak, ten sticks of incense, five sheets of yellow paper, and an ink and brush.

"However, I need to make it clear: the thing your wife provoked carries great resentment. I cannot guarantee success in dealing with it, but I will do my best to protect your family from harm.

"If you are willing to let me perform the ritual, then go and prepare. If you do not believe in me, then find another Master."

Du Jun became visibly flustered. He had no intention of finding another Master, so he promised without hesitation and hurriedly left to prepare. 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺

The villagers watching the commotion in the courtyard suddenly felt a chill down their spines and shivered.

Since they hadn’t eaten all day, they were hungry. Using the excuse that it would be inconvenient to stay while a ritual was being performed, they all left one by one. Even the village head, who was initially afraid that Du Jun’s wife would be killed, slipped away with the others, laughing along.

Seeing this, Du Ping sighed softly and also left the courtyard.

He did not believe a word Banxianer said. The villages were just a stone’s throw apart, separated only by a ditch; if someone farted in one village, the next would hear it. He didn’t believe Banxianer could have been ignorant of today’s explosive events. Since he knew, then everything he said was purely nonsense.

But Du Jun believed it. His whole family believed it. Even these people from the village believed it. What could one person like him do?

However, Du Ping’s house and Du Jun’s were neighbors, their doorsteps almost facing each other. Standing at his own door, he could still see Du Jun’s yard.

So, Du Ping went home and grabbed something to eat. He then stood on his doorstep looking down, curious to see how this Banxianer would perform the ritual for Du Jun’s family.

Shaking a bell, burning yellow paper, Banxianer circled Du Jun’s wife, who was still outside, chanting continuously. After a while, he would scatter some steak and slam the red-paper-wrapped sieve onto the ground a few times.

Then, he repeated the same standard procedure in the four corners of the courtyard.

Finally, over the head of Du Jun’s wife, who was still alternating between loud crying and laughing, he began to douse her with cold water. Then he poured rooster blood over her. After all this was done, he burned several more bowls of yellow paper ash mixed with water and made Du Jun’s wife drink it.

When Du Jun’s wife refused to drink, Du Jun and the younger sister-in-law forcibly held her down and made her drink.

Du Ping found it unbearable to watch and went back into his house.

Sitting in his room, Du Ping felt deeply uncomfortable. Thinking of Du Jun’s wife, whom he himself had struck with two branches, he finally couldn’t bear his conscience any longer and called Du Heng.

"Xiao Heng, Du Jun’s wife has been found."

Xiao Heng, who was eating, chuckled. "That’s good news she was found. Does that mean you can come down tomorrow?"

Du Ping sighed and recounted the day’s events. "You should come and take a look," he urged. "Our words don’t count. Du Jun won’t listen, and I’m afraid if this continues, his wife will be tortured to death by them."