After the three were sent to the hospital, they were directly admitted to the ICU. Fortunately, all three survived.
However, every day they were alive was a torment, and every night they were harassed by various grotesque ghosts, experiencing the pain they had inflicted on others.
After more than half a year, Zhao Nanzhuo was the first to recover. When he returned home, he became abnormal. He would stuff grasshoppers, earthworms, and snakes caught in the community greenery into his mouth.
His family stopped him from going out after discovering this, so he began to swallow his own hair, toenails, and quilt batting. Finally, with no other recourse, they tied him up and fed him at regular intervals.
They invited various Taoist priests home to perform exorcisms, and Zhao Nanzhuo drank a lot of talisman water, but it was all to no avail. Instead, his belly became distended and covered with black veins.
Those Taoist priests all said he was carrying a ghost fetus and had provoked something unclean, which they could not deal with. They all told the Zhao parents to prepare for the funeral.
The parents' hair turned white with worry. They used their connections to find many highly respected masters, but none could help.
At this moment, Jun Jiuli, dressed in a Taoist robe and disguised as an old man with a white beard, appeared at the Zhao family's door, holding her jade bone umbrella.
The attendant outside the villa, seeing her attire, directly invited her in without asking any questions.
Zhao's father and mother, perhaps having experienced too many failures, did not show much warmth upon her arrival.
"How do you address yourself, Daoist priest?"
"This poor Daoist is Xuan Qing."
"Aunt Liu, please escort Daoist Xuan Qing to the young master's room." Zhao's mother rubbed her temples, her expression one of great headache.
Jun Jiuli pretended to calculate with her fingers, "The malevolent spirit that Young Master Zhao has provoked is likely a karmic retribution for his own actions that harmed lives."
"You Taoist priest, everyone who comes to our house says the same thing. If you have the ability, show it quickly. Don't waste everyone's time."
Seeing Zhao's mother's dismissive expression, Jun Jiuli knew that in the eyes of this official of Xicheng, a human life was not worth mentioning. However, Zhao's father, standing nearby, showed self-reproach, regret, and disappointment.
"I have a way to save Young Master Zhao's life, but this technique is unfair to the deceased. I will also suffer backlash and lose lifespan..." She gave Zhao's mother a knowing look.
Zhao's mother immediately understood: "We will pay the Daoist priest a reward of 1 million."
Jun Jiuli flicked her horsetail whisk and snorted disdainfully, "If the Zhao family has such little sincerity, I, Xuan Qing, should not take this task and bid you farewell." She then angrily prepared to leave.
"Three, two..."
"Daoist priest, please stay." Zhao's father called out to Jun Jiuli, who was about to leave.
"Daoist priest, how much do you think is appropriate?"
"20 million, no negotiation."
Hiss~ A chorus of gasps erupted from the living room. After all, the Zhao family was not in business, and they genuinely couldn't come up with so much money at once.
Zhao's mother directly slammed the table and roared, "I think you've gone mad for money, you swindling Taoist priest. Be careful, or I'll send you to jail."
"Madam Zhao, what great authority you possess. If I cannot cure Young Master Zhao, I will not accept this money."
Zhao's father, hearing her words, gritted his teeth and agreed. He could still raise 20 million by selling some of his properties.
"Then hurry and gather the money." With that, Jun Jiuli ignored Zhao's father and followed the aunt's guidance to Zhao Nanzhuo's room.
Zhao's mother also followed with hurried footsteps. She wanted to see if this Taoist priest had the capability.
Upon entering Zhao Nanzhuo's bedroom, Jun Jiuli pretended to sprinkle water around the room. She used her horsetail whisk to sweep over Zhao Nanzhuo's belly, muttering incantations. A slight sweat beaded on her forehead.
Shortly after, a ball of black energy was seen floating out of Zhao Nanzhuo's belly. Jun Jiuli took out a gourd and sucked it in. She feigned exhaustion and was helped by Aunt Liu to rest on the living room sofa.
Zhao Nanzhuo woke up, and everything seemed fine, except that the events that had occurred were too unforgettable, leading to his mental instability.
"Daoist priest, my son has not yet recovered?"
"This is a result of his own guilty conscience, and he is too afraid to face it. You can take him to see a psychologist; this is beyond the scope of my metaphysical practices. You should pay the money first."
Zhao's father had just borrowed some money from old friends and had gathered 20 million. As he was about to hand his bank card to Jun Jiuli, Zhao's mother stopped him.
"Daoist priest, I advise you to be sensible. Either 1 million, or nothing at all. Be careful, or I'll make sure you can't survive in the entire city of A."
"Hahaha, Madam, you intend to cross the river and burn the bridge. I have the means to make your son better, and I also have the means to revert him to his original state." Jun Jiuli did not flinch, knowing how to strike at the vital point.
Using her son as a bargaining chip, Zhao's mother had no choice but to give the money to Jun Jiuli, but she resented her in her heart, thinking of investigating this person later to make her suffer the consequences.
As Jun Jiuli stepped out of the Zhao family villa, Zhao Nanzhuo went mad again. He insisted on surrendering himself. The experiences he had in his dreams in the past few days were too horrific to forget.
The pain that went deep into his bones, the suffocating terror. It all felt too real, like hell itself.
He knew that He Xuan was behind everything, that he had caused He Xuan's death, and therefore He Xuan would never let him go. If he didn't confess now, he would live like this every day, and might even implicate his family.
However, Zhao's mother only thought he had gone mad from depression, as he lay in a soft, large bed every night. Who could possibly torture him? Torture in dreams was simply absurd.
Having a murderer in the family was not only shameful, but both he and Zhao's father were prominent figures in politics. Therefore, he tied Zhao Nanzhuo up at home again.
However, the next day, a court summons was delivered to the Zhao family. He Guyuan filed a lawsuit, accusing Zhao Nanzhuo of raping his daughter, He Xuan, which led to He Xuan's suicide.