Volume Nine: The Sin of Enchantment Chapter Four: The Bewitched

As they entered the Qingya Studio, Huo Mingkun paused in surprise, “Master, that magnetic field is here.”

Yaoguang nodded and, led by Sister Feng, walked directly into a bedroom. A man lay on the bed, eyes closed, a faint smile at his lips, as if lost in a pleasant dream. Yet his face was pale and unsettling. “Sister Feng, what’s going on with your eldest brother?”

“It happened like this,” Sister Feng explained, “The day before yesterday, he brought home a scroll painting. He sat in his room gazing at it, smiling all the while. He’s always loved these things, so I thought he’d just fallen for the painting. I even told him, if we couldn’t find the owner, maybe we could try to buy it. But he didn’t respond, just kept staring at that painting, so I didn’t take it to heart. That night, he fell asleep holding the scroll. Seeing him sleep so soundly, I didn’t disturb him and slept in another room. But in the morning, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t wake him. I called 120, and the doctor said nothing was wrong. Still uneasy, I took him to the hospital for more tests, but they said he was fine and wouldn’t keep him. So I brought him back, but I can’t wake him up, and that’s made me uneasy. Everyone who deals in antiques has encountered strange things, so I thought maybe we’d offended something and decided to find an expert. Through some contacts, I found a Taoist priest, but he turned out to be a fraud.” She broke into tears.

“Don’t be afraid. Let me take a look,” Yaoguang said.

“Aren’t you a police officer? How do you know about these things?” Sister Feng asked, suspicious.

“Ah, I dabble a bit in my spare time,” Yaoguang replied evasively. She placed her hand on Feng Zhisheng’s forehead and infused some spiritual energy. His soul was weak—it was a state of soul enchantment. “Sister Feng, your brother’s mind has been ensnared.”

“What can we do?” Sister Feng asked anxiously.

“Don’t worry, I have a way. Professor Zhou, Boss Sun, please take Sister Feng outside and leave this to me,” Yaoguang said.

“Let’s go wait outside,” Sun San said with a grin, gently ushering Sister Feng out.

“But—” Sister Feng hesitated.

“No buts, this is the real expert. Come on, let’s go,” Sun San said, half-dragging her out. Professor Zhou closed the door behind them.

“Master, what’s the situation?” Huo Mingkun asked. “There are magnetic fluctuations here.”

“It’s soul enchantment. His spirit is trapped in another realm. But he hasn’t been under long; I can still call him back,” Yaoguang replied.

“Is it because of the painting?” Jiang Yun asked.

“It’s all connected. Let’s save him first—once he wakes, we’ll know more,” Yaoguang said.

“Be careful, Sis. There’s still that strange aura here,” Chen Haixu warned.

Yaoguang nodded, formed a seal with her fingers, and placed her index and middle finger together on Feng Zhisheng’s forehead, channeling spiritual energy. With her energy focused in her dantian, she called out, “Feng Zhisheng, return! Feng Zhisheng, return! Feng Zhisheng, return!”

Outside, Sister Feng heard the shouts and stared at Sun San and Professor Zhou, bewildered. “How can a young woman have such a powerful voice? It’s like surround sound in a theater. She really is an expert.”

“Don’t worry, Madam. My young friend is unassuming but extremely capable. With her here, you can rest assured,” Professor Sun said with a smile. Sun San nodded along.

Inside, Yaoguang’s voice rang out repeatedly, “Feng Zhisheng, return! Feng Zhisheng, return!” Over and over, as if a phoenix was calling. With each call, Feng Zhisheng’s brow furrowed on the bed.

“Feng Zhisheng, wake up! Feng Zhisheng, wake up! Wake up, quickly!” Yaoguang’s voice was relentless, making Jiang Yun and the others dizzy. She finally stopped and waved her hand in front of the three, clearing their minds.

“Who are you people? Why are you in my bedroom?” Feng Zhisheng said slowly, sitting up in bed.

“Go call Sister Feng,” Yaoguang said. “Don’t be afraid, we’re here to help,” she reassured Feng Zhisheng.

“He’s awake!” Huo Mingkun called, opening the door.

“Oh, Feng! You’re awake!” Sister Feng cried, rushing in to see him sitting up. “You scared me half to death.”

“What’s wrong? Why are you crying?” Feng Zhisheng asked, confused.

“You have the nerve to ask? You’ve been asleep for two days! If not for this expert, who knows when you’d have woken up,” Sister Feng scolded.

“Two days? That long?” he murmured.

Yaoguang took out a talisman, recited an incantation, and let it burn to ash. She put the ashes into a glass of clean water and handed it to Feng Zhisheng. “Drink this. You were bewitched. This will stabilize your spirit and keep evil at bay.”

Feng Zhisheng, without question, drank it all.

“How do you feel?” Sister Feng asked anxiously.

“Much better.” Feng Zhisheng threw off his covers. “Let’s talk outside. My back is killing me from lying down so long.”

They moved to the outer hall and sat.

“Brother Feng, can you tell us what happened while you slept?” Yaoguang asked.

“It was that painting. There’s something wrong with it,” Feng Zhisheng said. “I brought it home from Sun San, hung it up, and started looking at it. Then, somehow, the scenery in the painting seemed to come alive. I saw a beautiful woman smiling at me, and I couldn’t look away. When I got tired, I lay down, and in my dreams, that woman came to me, called to me, wanted me to follow her. When I refused, she got angry and blew a breath at me. I couldn’t move and ended up following her, through gardens in full bloom, into a grand house with maids and food and wine. The woman danced and spoke to me, and I let myself be led around like a fool, dazed and muddled. Then, from a great distance, I heard someone calling me, as if another force was pulling me. Somehow, I woke up. That’s what happened.”

“It’s clear you were bewitched by a spirit. What’s called soul enchantment is actually one of your souls being drawn into the illusion conjured by a demon. The voice you heard calling was me, calling your soul back. If I hadn’t, you’d have been trapped in that illusion forever,” Yaoguang explained.

“It’s terrifying to think about. If I hadn’t met you, I’d never have come back. Thank you, Master,” Feng Zhisheng said gratefully. “Dealing in antiques, you see strange things now and then, but this was truly uncanny.”

“It’s all over now. And I’m not a master, I’m a police officer. The painting is tied to a murder case. I’m here to collect it as evidence. Do you still have it? I need to take it away,” Yaoguang said.

“Murder? What murder?” Feng Zhisheng asked. “Sun San found the painting, I just borrowed it out of curiosity. We have nothing to do with any crime.”

“Of course you don’t. Don’t worry, I’m after the painting, not you. And I just saved your life. No need to be nervous,” Yaoguang said, laughing at his unease.

“Oh, the painting is in the other room. I’ll get it,” Feng Zhisheng said, rising.

“I’ll fetch it,” Sun San said, grinning as he went to the bedroom and returned with the scroll. “Feng, you really liked this painting, didn’t you? You slept hugging it. Is it really that good?”

“I don’t remember sleeping with it,” Feng Zhisheng said, puzzled.

“You deny it, but we found it under your blanket,” Sun San said, handing the painting over.

As Yaoguang reached for it, a wave of magnetic force surged up her arm. Startled, she traced a spell in the air. “Seal!” The energy dissipated instantly.

“There really is something wrong with that painting?” Everyone in the room was stunned.

“It’s fine now,” Yaoguang said.

“Officer, you said this painting is linked to a murder. What’s going on?” Feng Zhisheng’s voice trembled.

“Heh, just a poor soul who got bewitched. That’s all I can say. Like you said, dealing in antiques, you run into strange things. Here, take these two protective charms—keep them, and you won’t have to worry anymore,” Yaoguang said, handing over two lucky pouches.

“Thank you. How come a police officer knows so much?” Feng Zhisheng wondered out loud.

“Well, after a while on the force, you come across all kinds of oddities. Anyway, thank you for your help today. Oh, and one more thing—please keep today’s events confidential,” Yaoguang said, clasping her hands in a gesture of thanks.

“Of course, of course. If anyone asks, I’ll just say I was sick and slept a bit longer than usual,” Feng Zhisheng promised.

“Good, good. Sister Feng, you didn’t pay that fake Taoist, did you?” Yaoguang asked.

“No, I hadn’t yet. You exposed him just in time. Thank you. Who would have thought that so-called master was a fraud?” Sister Feng said, laughing.

“No need for thanks. Take back the offerings outside—let your brother use them to regain his strength. We’ll be leaving now. Farewell,” Yaoguang said as she walked out.

“So you’re the real expert after all. I apologize for earlier. Here, the wine I promised—I had my staff bring it over. Take it,” Sun San handed her an exquisite wine jug.

“Thank you, Boss Sun. Until we meet again. May your business prosper,” Yaoguang said, paying before getting into the car driven by Yitian.

“Professor Zhou, how did you meet that fake Taoist?” Yaoguang asked, curious.

“A year ago, strange noises kept coming from my house. I couldn’t find the source. Then one day, that Taoist—Old Luo—showed up, said my house had unclean things, performed a ritual, and after that, the noises stopped. Grateful, I became friends with him,” Professor Zhou replied.

“Didn’t you notice anything odd about his incantations?” Huo Mingkun asked.

“I didn’t really listen closely,” Professor Zhou admitted.

“How did he know something was wrong at your house? Divination is a tricky business. These people find out who has money, sneak into your house at night to make mischief, then show up to offer their services. They put on a show, take your money, and leave. When the mischief stops, you’re convinced they’re genuine. Classic trickery. You’re usually sharp—how did you fall for it? Remember that blue-and-white porcelain incident? Why didn’t you call him then?” Yaoguang laughed.

“I did, but he was unavailable. That’s when Old Zheng introduced you. Looking back, I’m glad it was you and not him. Otherwise, I’d have been doomed. Truly fortunate,” Professor Zhou said, shaking his head.

“Master, I don’t get it—why wasn’t Sun San bewitched by the painting? Normally, he should have been the second victim, but he wasn’t affected, while Feng Zhisheng was. Why is that?” Jiang Yun asked.

“I’ve observed Sun San—he’s no ordinary man. Doesn’t he remind you of a laughing Maitreya Buddha? I noticed his magnetic field is unusual, tinged with golden light. He’s likely destined for Buddhism. It’s not that the painting didn’t try to bewitch him—it simply couldn’t. Didn’t you hear him say the painting made him uncomfortable?” Huo Mingkun explained.

“Haha, exactly right,” Yaoguang laughed. “Let’s head back to the station, get this painting analyzed, and figure out what’s really going on here.”