This tattoo design was a southern border voodoo spell, meant to make a woman fall hopelessly in love with the caster. But fate is fickle—love doesn't guarantee marriage...
Before breaking the curse, I called Grandpa, who said he was busy in Jilin. When I told him about the situation, he just sighed and told me to do what I thought was right. The Zhaos asked what to do next. I told them to stay put.
I could neutralize curses, but real exorcism was beyond me. Holding my compass, I circled the villa, dividing it into a nine-square grid. The center was the Fifth Yellow Position, also known as the Five Ghosts Position or Fifth Yellow Lianzhen. As the strongest earth (earth evil), it couldn't have objects that stirred filthy energy—hence why toilets shouldn't be in the center.
Li Qian's case was an external curse: Rat Resentment targeted Zhao Na, then stole the fetus's spirit through their blood bond to control Li Qian. If untreated, the baby would die in the womb.
I had Zhao Zhiyong carry a bathtub to the Fifth Yellow Position, placed Li Qian in it with warm water, and covered her with red cloth. Sweaty from the effort, he asked, "Is that all?"
I told Zhao Na to turn off the lights and light oil lamps, then said to Zhao Zhiyong, "She's your wife, so you must break the curse. Can you endure the pain?"
He hesitated. "What pain?"
"Your organs might feel like they're churning, or worse."
After a pause, he gritted his teeth. "How sure are you?"
"90%."
"Fine, I'll do it."
I held back—if he knew how many affairs his wife had, would he still act? But to my surprise, the baby was his.
I had Zhao Na cook rice and sat in the living room, watching the bathtub. As night fell, a cold wind blew in despite the (dog days). Wild cats scratched the windows, wailing—hundreds of cats meant hundreds of ghosts. One mistake, and the family would die out, turning this into a haunted mansion.
Zhao Na shivered beside me. "Master, why is it so cold?"
"Put on more clothes," her father said, then whispered, "Is my wife okay in the tub? The water's cold."
"She's fine, just waiting." As midnight approached, I took a chipped ceramic bowl—for ghosts—and filled five bowls with rice.
Zhao Zhiyong approached nervously. "What's this for?"
"Come here."
Annoyed by his hesitation—this was his wife and child—I grabbed his hand and slashed it with a knife. "Ouch! It hurts!"
"Bear with it!" I dripped his blood into each bowl.
Incense burned slowly, the room dead silent. Zhao Na yawned, her father's eyelids drooped. I knew this was just the beginning...
Suddenly, the living room TV flashed on! Zhao Na screamed and clung to me. Zhao Zhiyong swallowed hard. "What's happening?"
I shushed them. Static filled the TV, and tapping footsteps echoed on the floor. My heart pounded—though I knew about the "three vital fires" of the human body, who wouldn't be scared?
"Giggle~ Hehe, don't run, come play," a little girl's voice said.
My hair stood on end. Zhao Na hugged me tighter. I pinched her. "Let go—time to act."
"I'm scared..." she teared up.
Undeniably, she looked beautiful in tears. Composing myself, I knelt before the five rice bowls at the Fifth Yellow Position and waved toward the room. "Come... come eat."
"Play with us," the voice insisted.
"Enough playing—it's time to eat."