Physician's Odyssey Chapter 480 - Possessed

Due to her asthma, Wang Qiaozhen had been paying attention to her health. Although she would occasionally suffer an outbreak, she had a rough idea of when the outbreak would come. So by taking medication and the puffer beforehand, she could relieve her condition swiftly. However, the outbreak at this moment that exploded without any signs had startled Ni Jingqiu. Under Su Tao's help, the two of them laid Wang Qiaozhen on the couch.
Taking out his belt of needles from his medical box, he pulled out a needle and inserted it into the Tiantu Acupoint that was located at the chest. Roughly ten-odd seconds later, he then sat on the table and wrote down a weird talisman before patting it on Wang Qiaozhen's forehead. "Ha!"
After that, Wang Qiaozhen was seen letting out a breath and her pupils started to move. Her purplish countenance had started to turn normal with a rosy flush returning.
Walking back to his seat, Su Tao asked, while looking at Ni Jingqiu rubbing Wang Qiaozhen's chest to ease the pain, "It doesn't feel that terrible anymore, right?"
"It's so much better now." Wang Qiaozhen slowly sat up as she slowly breathed.
"Did you feel a huge stone on your chest that made you feel suffocating like a nightmare?" Su Tao patiently asked.
"That's right!" Although Wang Qiaozhen had no idea of the talisman's effect used by Su Tao, she was filled with respect for the latter in her heart at this moment.
"Your mind is clear, but you feel suffocating, as if there's a rope around your neck." Su Tao continued.
Wearing a complicated expression, Wang Qiaozhen nodded her head. "That's the feeling."
"I've already given you a visualisation through the Witchcraft Art, and you should have seen the reason for your pain." Su Tao took a sip of tea.
On the other hand, Ni Jingqiu felt a chill down her spine. The conversation between her mother and Su Tao creeped her out.
"Su Tao, don't keep us in suspense. What's my mom's condition?" Ni Jingqiu anxiously asked with the brim of her eyes turning red.
Tapping his finger on the table, Su Tao's gaze looked directly at Wang Qiaozhen's eyes. At this moment, he couldn't be the one to reveal it, but he had to ask Wang Qiaozhen about it.
Truth be told, this method was similar to conmen using specious questions to let Wang Qiaozhen reveal her heart and make her trust him at the same time.
This tactic was especially effective when used with Witchcraft Art.
Su Tao had researched Witchcraft Art in the past. Although it's already lost in present times, it's still useful when used as a psychological treatment.
Even if he managed to discover the other illnesses in Wang Qiaozhen's body, it's impossible for her to open up with her phobia for doctors. Hence, he resorted to the Witchcraft Art to slowly open up Wang Qiaozhen's heart for her to speak her heart.
Although the whole talisman episode seemed like complete nonsense, it's actually using the patient's revere for supernatural beings to make an indirect approach to decipher the real reason for their illnesses and guide their psychology back to normal.
"Aunty, I should know your illness by now, right?" Su Tao slowly said.
However, Wang Qiaozhen bit on her lips and remained silent as she felt complicated feelings in her heart.
Balling her fists, Ni Jingqiu snapped, "Talk!"
Seeing that Wang Qiaozhen's lips finally moved, Su Tao immediately cut in and spoke first, "Aunty, aside from your inherited asthma, you also have evil in your body. Putting it in a nutshell, you're possessed."
"What nonsense!" Ni Jingqiu's face turned red as she continued, "My mom is a believer of Buddha, and she goes to the temple every year. How can she possibly be possessed?"
"If she isn't possessed, then why would her asthma break out when I used my talisman earlier?" Su Tao refuted with a question and continued, "Furthermore, her asthma calmed down after I retrieved the talisman. That person who was suffering from the asthma attack wasn't aunty, but someone else."
As goosebumps rose on her body, Ni Jingqiu became totally creeped out as she shivered and asked, "Who else can it be if it's not my mother?"
"Since it's a ghost, then it must be someone who has already died. When this ghost was still alive, this ghost must have had asthma as well." Su Tao patiently explained, "You guys don't have to worry since that ghost is definitely someone who has feelings for aunty. The ghost only appeared because it wanted to help aunty. It must have felt that aunty was too exhausted in her life, so that ghost would occasionally appear to accompany her."
Hearing his explanation, Wang Qiaozhen's eyes widened and her lips started to tremble. Her emotions were extremely agitated.
Actually, Su Tao was hinting to Wang Qiaozhen that the one possessing her body was one of her relatives, which Wang Qiaozhen naturally thought of her parents.
Her inherited asthma came from her parents, and her mother must have had asthma.
Thus, Su Tao's hints seemed reasonable for her.
Before Wang Qiaozhen and Ni Jingqiu could speak, Su Tao continued, "If you want to recover, then we have to conduct a ritual by letting that relative of yours to listen to the voice in your heart and that you have already resolved your grievance. After that, it will naturally leave, which your illness will have recovered by half. All you need to do after that is to take the medications that your previous doctors have given you along with some supplementary medicine from me. You will see a distinct improvement within a month, and you will recover fully in three months."
Ni Jingqiu was a non-believer of gods, but she couldn't help hesitating a little upon seeing her mother's hesitation.
Wang Qiaozhen's expression turned grave as she asked, "Physician Su, are you sure you want to do that?"
"If I was in your shoes, then I would give it a try. You've tried so much medication, and a ritual wouldn't bring any harm to your body anyway, so why don't you give it a try?" Su Tao appeared to be extremely confident and his speech sounded like a salesman instead.
No one would reject a hope that wouldn't bring any harm. Grabbing onto this mindset, it's easy for them to be hooked with some persuasion.
Then again, Su Tao wasn't lying to Wang Qiaozhen because he wanted her to fall for it.
Wang Qiaozhen had seen many doctors in the past and even took tons of medicine. Not only were those ineffective to her condition, it even brought harm to her body instead. Thus, it was natural for her to gain a phobia.
So Su Tao's method of not using any medicine to resolve Wang Qiaozhen's condition made her lower her guard and believe in him. The moment he gains the trust of his patient, the patient won't have any doubts, even if he prescribed them with medicine; this was psychological warfare.
"I've said everything that needed to be said, so it's up to you if you believe in my words. I'll be taking my leave first." Su Tao pretended to be leaving.
Looking at him, Ni Jingqiu had flames blazing in her eyes as if she wanted to incinerate Su Tao. How is he a doctor? He seems more like a conman instead!
But the moment Su Tao stood up, Wang Qiaozhen suddenly called out, "What's needed for the ritual?"
Hearing her words, Ni Jingqiu wryly smiled. She knew that her mother had been hooked.
Wearing a smile, Su Tao sat back down and took out a pen and paper from his medical box then wrote down ten props.
"Remember, the wooden sword must be genuine peach wood, the talisman paper has to be yellow paper, and top-notch ink has to be used. As for the sacrifices, all of them have to be prepared to express your sincerity."
"When is the appropriate time?" Wang Qiaozhen pursued after taking the list over.
As Su Tao pinched his fingers, he figured that it wouldn't be tough to find the materials needed and frowned. "Tonight at You, is the best opportunity. Otherwise, we will have to wait until the fifth of next month."
"What time is You?" Ni Jingqiu asked.
"5 to 7 in the evening!" Su Tao explained.
Nodding her head, Wang Qiaozhen wore a solemn expression and replied, "Then we'll get it done today!"
Wang Qiaozhen then left first to prepare the materials, so Ni Jingqiu wanted to send Su Tao off. When the two of them got into the vehicle, Ni Jingqiu curiously asked, "Is my mom really possessed?"
Staring at Ni Jingqiu, Su Tao smiled. "Why are you so silly today? You're someone who received overseas education. You've been educated overseas, so even if you were to believe, shouldn't you believe in the likes of werewolves, vampires, and demons instead? Why would you believe in gods and ghosts?"
Looking at Su Tao, Ni Jingqiu was shocked.
"You actually lied to my mom?"
Letting out a sigh, Su Tao explained, "Your mother has taken too many medicines, and she will definitely not accept if I prescribed medicine for her. So I have to convince her first."
"Then, what about my mom's asthma attack earlier?" Ni Jingqiu asked.
Well, Su Tao couldn't possibly confess to Ni Jingqiu that he had used drugs to knock her mother out, so he diverted the topic, "Your mother has been hiding something in her heart, and she hasn't been happy all these years. Furthermore, she must have been agitated by someone that injured her heart and liver."
"You actually managed to guess even that?" Ni Jingqiu sighed and she was stunned, looking at Su Tao with a complicated gaze.
Waving his hand, Su Tao smiled. "I'm a physician, so it's not surprising for me to analyse a person's experience through their complexion."
"I'm afraid that my mom might discover this. She's not someone who's easily fooled, and she has suffered all these years because of my little aunt." Ni Jingqiu sighed.
Su Tao's heart trembled. He immediately inquired about the details between her mother and little aunt. Initially, Ni Jingqiu wasn't willing to tell since it was a family matter, but out of her worries for her mother, she revealed everything to Su Tao.
After a brief silence, Su Tao smiled. "Your mother has a rich experience in life, so how can she not see through my little tricks? But you don't have to be too worried. Since she's willing to accept my ritual, then she must know my intention."
"What's your intention?" Ni Jingqiu curiously asked.
Jabbing her on her forehead, Su Tao replied, "Don't be so pesky, you'll know later. Remember to pick me up around 3 p.m. later. Beijing's traffic is slow, and I'm afraid that I might miss the time."
Letting out a sigh in her heart, Ni Jingqiu came to a conclusion of taking one step at a time.
At about 3 p.m., Ni Jingqiu picked up Su Tao and they headed for the Ni Family's courtyard, where a ritual altar was placed at the center beneath a locust tree.
Standing before the altar, Su Tao started to act by brandishing his wooden sword, chanting incantations, and all sorts of performances before the altar.