"Tee-hee, are you that certain?" A voice echoed from behind Granny Fan. Village Head Tian slowly managed to pull himself up from the ground, his expression bizarre, a bit of white foam still clinging to the corner of his mouth. However, the usual wisdom in his eyes was replaced by a strange, dull blankness.

"Huh?" Granny Fan's eyebrows shot up. A white blur flashed past her eyes, and the female ghost had vanished. Only when she heard the Village Head—a big, burly man—speak with a feminine voice did she know things had gone awry. The entity had possessed Tian. This was going to be a serious mess.

"Hee hee hee hee..." Village Head Tian swayed his hips, covering his mouth with one hand, striking a shy pose only a young woman might adopt. His voice was lusciously soft, but pairing such a melodious tone with a man from Northeast China was deeply unsettling, strangely effeminate, sending shivers down everyone's spines.

Young Master Liu, who moments ago had been prepared to die bravely, let out a sudden burst of laughter at the Village Head’s action, nearly doubling over: "Village Head Tian, oh my heavens, you... you can actually act? And you're even playing a huadan [female role]! Hahaha, I can't take it, ha ha ha..."

"Village Head, Village Head! What's wrong with you?" Old Man Liu stammered timidly, patting Village Head Tian's back with his grubby, dog-like paw, assuming the man was merely "stunned" by fright. But when his hand touched the Village Head's skin, it felt ice-cold, completely lacking any normal body warmth.

"Damn it, Village Head, did you stay up all night watching dirty movies? You must have caught a chill!" Old Man Liu cried out anxiously, even preparing to call Doggy's Dad to fetch a stretcher and carry the local official away; he was exceedingly helpful. Being unworldly, once he saw the female ghost disappear, he assumed Granny Fan had vanquished it, making him bold enough now to offer service. But instead of the Village Head’s repeated thanks, what met him was a long, slick, greasy tongue. Village Head Tian's jaw was wide open, his tongue stretched impossibly long, much like that of a hanged ghost. The tip of the tongue was tracing circles on Old Man Liu’s nose, sticky saliva dripping down both sides of his nostrils, emitting a thick, bloody stench.

"Uh, Village Head, did a dog bite you? You don't have rabies, do you?" Old Man Liu asked weakly, staring at the Chief's enormous tongue.

"Dad!" Young Master Liu didn't hesitate; he slammed the oil bottle onto the ground, shattering it into a row of sharp glass shards, and immediately lunged toward Old Man Liu. Throughout his childhood, Young Master Liu had acquired numerous comic books through theft and trickery, and he hadn't missed listening to the elders’ endless gossiping in the village square. Naturally, he knew Village Head Tian was probably possessed by some ghoul, just like in Strange Tales from a Chinese Studio. His father was truly dense; someone was about to attack him, and he was just standing there dazed, acting like he was courting someone! You might know him, but he certainly doesn't know you now! Once possessed, they target anyone and attack without hesitation.

But Granny Fan and Young Master Liu were a step too slow. By the time they reached Old Man Liu, Village Head Tian’s tongue had already whipped out and coiled around his neck, causing his legs to kick uselessly, his face turning blue, his mouth emitting muffled sounds—a mix of gasping and groaning—rendering him unable to speak.

"Damn it, try touching my dad, I swear I’ll kill you!" Young Master Liu roared, waving the oil bottle.

"Da Shao, don't be rash," Granny Fan pulled him closer, her eyes warily tracking Village Head Tian.

"Little punk, quite brave, aren't you?" Village Head Tian didn't seem angry; he merely chuckled, glancing sideways at Doggy's Dad and Little Ma's Mother shrinking nearby. They immediately scrambled away on all fours, not daring to meet his gaze.

"Whether I'm brave or not is none of your damn business! Get lost, you bastard!" Young Master Liu shouted.

"Hmph hmph," Village Head Tian let out a cold snort through his nostrils. "Do you believe I'll kill him?" As he spoke, he tightened his grip with the tongue. Old Man Liu’s expression grew more pained; if the force increased by another fraction, even an immortal couldn't save him.

"You..." Because of his concern for Old Man Liu, Young Master Liu dared not move again, slowly lowering the hand holding the oil bottle.

"Good, now I’m pleased," Village Head Tian nodded in satisfaction. In response, he slightly eased the restraint on Old Man Liu’s neck. As soon as he could gasp for air, Old Man Liu breathed deeply several times, then yelled at the top of his lungs, "You brat, forget about me! Get the others and run!"

"Seeking death!" Village Head Tian’s gaze turned cold, and he instantly tightened his tongue again, pulling Old Man Liu close: "It's been a while since I ate a living person. Swallowing him whole like this... I imagine the taste will be quite something!" Saying this, Village Head Tian even cast a flirtatious wink at Old Man Liu, disgusting everyone nearby until they felt nauseous; even Old Man Liu broke out in goosebumps.

"Wait!" Granny Fan waved her hand, cutting off Village Head Tian: "What exactly do you want?"

"What do I want?" Village Head Tian let out a hysterical laugh: "Who told you, you old fossil, to force my hand? If I can't live on, you all must come along to accompany me!"

So that was it. Granny Fan let out a breath of relief, suppressing the backlash from using her divine channeling just moments ago. She managed to speak in a steady tone, "Esteemed Great Immortal Snake, I have already performed the rites, please show mercy and spare these children. I promise due compensation later; you certainly won't suffer a loss. For someone in my line of work, offering this much is already going above and beyond." As she spoke, her brow furrowed, and her tiny, three-inch bound feet took a few steps forward. She pointed at Village Head Tian with righteous indignation: "It is you who refuses to let things go, time and time again! Then don't blame this old woman for being merciless; I will use my great spiritual power to beat you down into the cycle of reincarnation, into the eighteenth layer of hell, to be crushed by evil spirits, never to be reborn!"

Hearing Granny Fan's words, the veins on Village Head Tian's face visibly twitched, and his hand trembled slightly. He was clearly intimidated. For a moment, he couldn't speak.

Granny Fan was an old hand at worldly affairs. Seeing this, she knew there was hope. She immediately hardened her wrinkled face, adopting a ferocious look again. Her left hand moved as if reaching into her underpants, pretending to pull out some treasure: "All living beings in the vast universe have their own paths. I see it wasn't easy for you to cultivate to this level. This old woman doesn't want to see your efforts go to waste. I'll give you one more chance: release him, and then go back where you came from. I absolutely won't stop you. Otherwise, hmph hmph..." Granny Fan's hand shifted further out from her underpants, making it look noticeably bulged, which made the possessing snake spirit even more suspicious and unsteady.

"You... what are you getting?" Village Head Tian took a step back, using Old Man Liu as a human shield, and cautiously asked while ducking his head. In truth, even without asking, it knew that whatever was in there must be a powerful magical implement, something capable of dealing with it. Otherwise, this ugly old hag wouldn't be this confident. After all, that handful of salt and that thin needle earlier were both pulled from those very underpants, and each was more potent than the last—especially that thin, fine needle, which nearly destroyed its core essence.

Yes, the ultimate treasures are always saved for last. By that logic, whatever the old woman held now must be far more potent than what came before. The snake spirit thought it over and over, and the more it reasoned, the more sense it made. Granny Fan's gaze fixed on it was filled with profound meaning, becoming sharper and more venomous. Good heavens, could it be that she was about to attack me?

In reality, the spirit had misunderstood. The reason Granny Fan's expression kept shifting wasn't some deep meaning; it was because her stomach was cramping fiercely. Why did she, at seventy or eighty, insist on playing Shaman Possession? The fact that she wasn't crippled already was a miracle. Right now, oh dear, her stomach hurt so much, her intestines were twisting, her organs churning, causing Granny Fan inner tears to well up, but she absolutely couldn't show it. She had to endure, but it was agonizingly painful, causing her face to twitch involuntarily and her eyes to flicker—all misinterpreted by the snake spirit as something else entirely.

Granny Fan took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in her gut, and advanced one more step in a feigned retreat: "Have you decided? I don't wish to cause bloodshed; otherwise, I wouldn't have held back my power earlier. I only used thirty percent of my spiritual strength." Not to mention, there’s a benefit to being a village shaman: after years of practice, they all become Oscar-winning actors. Her mannerisms, her movements—they were incredibly convincing! Even Young Master Liu stared blankly, genuinely thinking the old woman possessed some magnificent, kingly aura. Damn, there are few truly formidable people these days, and even fewer formidable old women, especially one as utterly, completely formidable as this one...

That was his thought process. But Granny Fan’s little heart was pounding like a drum with every step forward. Don't be fooled; she was terrified. She had merely recognized the snake spirit's weakness: it bullied the weak and feared the strong, being inherently suspicious. She was using a strategy of yielding to advance.

"Thirty percent? You only used thirty percent of your power?" The possessed Village Head Tian was dumbfounded, nearly strangling the semi-conscious Old Man Liu with a sudden tense spasm of his tongue. So, this inconspicuous old woman was actually an expert? Thirty percent of her power had brought me to this state; if she used her full strength, would I have any chance of survival? The snake spirit finally began to waver, and even its tone softened considerably.

"Of course!" Granny Fan deliberately tilted her head up, casting a scornful glance at it, as if the snake spirit were an ant beneath her, easily crushed underfoot or drowned with a single spit. She hadn't done so merely because it wasn't worth the effort.

"As the saying goes, it’s best to part amicably. Although this great immortal deals in demon-slaying and righteousness, I don't wish to kill needlessly. Heh heh, the wise know when to yield; surely you understand, yes? If you're truly smart, then scram quickly! Stop bothering your old mother here!"

In her heart, however, Granny Fan was thinking: Damn it, hurry up and leave! I can’t hold it in anymore! Why does my stomach hurt so bad? Am I about to defecate? If we actually fought, you could probably crush me with one finger.

"This... I need to consider it," the snake spirit mumbled, locked in fierce internal struggle. Meanwhile, Granny Fan’s heart was flooded with tears again. Oh, great demon auntie, what is there to consider! My stomach is killing me, and my whole body feels like it’s been thrown into a washing machine! If this farce continues, the game will truly be up.

"If I release him, you truly will let me go?" The snake spirit looked at Old Man Liu, who had briefly passed out from suffocation, and asked with some impatience, still hesitant in its core.

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