Chapter 10: The Paper Doll

Chen Feng’s methods exceeded my expectations, and the jade ruyi talisman he carried made me envious.

At this moment, the paper doll possessed by a vengeful spirit in midair had already set its sights on me.

With a pointed gesture from that lecherous old man, it howled and lunged toward me.

“Overestimating yourself,” I growled softly, clutching the Soul-Calming Bell in my palm.

Ding-ling-ling—

As the clear chime of the bell rang out, the possessed paper doll halted midair.

“Well! Looks like I’ve met my match this time. You’re quite the expert,” the lecherous old man said in shock, clearly not expecting me to block the paper doll.

“Your little trick might scare a young girl, but it won’t work on me,” I said coolly to the old man, silently reciting the Spirit Nourishing Technique as I sent a thread of my consciousness into the paper doll.

With that, the paper doll came under my control.

The paper doll, absorbing my consciousness, suddenly awakened as its long-restrained intelligence seemingly returned in an instant.

“Giggling... giggling...”

Her mouth emitted piercing cries, a sound both laughable and mournful, chilling even me to the bone.

Before I could issue any command, the paper doll frenziedly charged at the lecherous old man, her ink-black fingers quickly grasping his throat.

The old man, named Wang Bo, was terrified out of his wits, flailing his arms in panic—no longer resembling a feng shui master.

Chen Feng, who had been fending off the spectral attacks with his jade ruyi talisman, was clearly shaken by the scene. He hadn’t expected Wang Bo to be so frightened by the spirit he had summoned.

This was simply unbelievable.

“Wang Bo, what’s wrong? How did things turn out like this?” Chen Feng tried to advance, waving his jade ruyi talisman, but the spirits and ghostly hands blocked his way.

Though the jade ruyi was a rare artifact mainly for protection, under the combined assault of the spirits and ghostly hands, he couldn’t reach Wang Bo.

Wang Bo seemed to realize the gravity of the situation and grabbed a peach wood sword from his desk.

He formed a sword finger with both hands and stabbed at the paper doll, but it had no effect. The peach wood sword he had pinned his hopes on shattered into two pieces.

Now, the trouble had grown serious.

This lecherous old man’s cultivation was shallow compared to mine.

His failed strike made him sense the severity of the situation.

The paper doll, now fully lucid, had no intention of forgiving them so easily.

She continued attacking Wang Bo, her former master, ignoring the many talismans he slapped onto her.

“What now, Wang Bo? Why isn’t this vengeful spirit obeying us anymore?”

---

Chen Feng used his jade ruyi talisman to repel the spirits closing in on him, his voice tinged with fear.

“This is truly sinister. I just dispelled the malevolent energy on her—why has she suddenly gone rogue?”

“Young master, I know what’s happening. This time, we’re doomed to fail.”

Wang Bo suddenly knelt before me, begging me to intervene.

This move caught Chen Feng completely off guard.

He never imagined someone as unassuming as I could possess such power.

“Wang Bo, are you out of your mind? This kid’s cultivation is on par with ours. Begging him is as useless as begging ourselves.”

With those words, Chen Feng pulled out his phone, intending to call for backup.

Unfortunately for him, the paper workshop was already enveloped in a sinister aura.

Trying to make a call was impossible.

“Why is there no signal? It was fine just a moment ago.”

Chen Feng fiddled with his phone, unaware that the paper doll had fixed her gaze on him.

“Young master, kneel quickly. This young man’s cultivation far surpasses ours. Don’t be reckless.”

Wang Bo, ever perceptive, had guessed the young man’s strength exceeded both him and Chen Feng as soon as he failed to subdue the spirit.

If they didn’t kneel and plead, their lives could be in danger.

“Young master, kneel now. It’s the only way to survive.”

The pressure in Chen Feng’s eyes grew as Wang Bo spoke.

Reluctantly, he knelt down with a thud.

“Master, please help us. Subdue this paper doll.”

Both Chen Feng and Wang Bo pleaded in unison—the oppressive presence of the paper doll was too overwhelming.

“Return,” I said, shaking the bell in my hand, drawing back the ghostly hands and spirits into the bell.

The paper doll, whose face had twisted into a grimace, ceased her attack at the bell’s chime.

My actions left Wang Bo and Chen Feng wide-eyed.

Neither expected me to control such a fearsome paper doll with just a single bell.

“Who exactly are you? Your skills seem so profound,” Chen Feng looked up at me, puzzled.

“I am Chen Qiyue—the very one you’ve been talking about,” I said, glancing at Chen Feng with little fondness.

I stepped forward and helped Liu Qingqing, who was sitting on the sofa, to her feet.

She was completely unconscious.

---

Like a marionette on strings, I supported her upright.

Seeing Liu Qingqing in this state, my anger flared.

Chen Feng must have frequently employed such dark arts to harm others.

“Remove the curse from Liu Qingqing. Only then might I consider going easy on you,” I said coldly to the kneeling Chen Feng—a despicable man, a disgrace to the practitioners of esoteric arts.

“You can’t take her away. She’s my girlfriend—we’re engaged to be married!”

Chen Feng spoke with false sincerity, as if I would believe his lies.

“I’ll give you two choices. One: lift the curse from Liu Qingqing and restore her consciousness, and I might be lenient.”

“Two: I remove the curse myself, and you will die.”

I sneered at Chen Feng. Though my grandfather taught me to avoid killing, dealing with scum like Chen Feng made it hard to restrain myself.

“Who do you think you are, threatening to kill me? My grandfather is Chen Yanlong, the top feng shui master in the provincial capital. If you harm me, your life is over.”

Perhaps humiliated by my words, Chen Feng suddenly stood up.

“Believe what you will,” I said, my gaze icy and unyielding.

I knew full well that death was not far from him.

“You really dare kill me? If anything happens to me, my family won’t let you live.”

“Young master, don’t be impulsive. Just lift the curse on Miss Liu for now. Staying alive is our priority.”

Wang Bo hurried forward to restrain Chen Feng, sensing the situation was spiraling out of control.

Because moments ago, a murderous aura had flickered in my eyes.

This man, using such vile methods, had ruined countless young women.

Now he dared to lay his hands on my former fiancée. There was no way I could spare him.

If he obediently lifted the curse on Liu Qingqing, I might consider sparing him.

If not, he would surely die.

After much urging from Wang Bo, Chen Feng reluctantly lifted the curse.

A black mist drifted from Liu Qingqing’s body, and the dark fog that had shrouded her vanished completely.

Cough—cough—

With coughing, Liu Qingqing’s consciousness gradually returned.

“Qiyue, where am I? Why does this place feel so eerie?” she asked weakly.