As An Antique Shop Owner, It's Only Reasonable That I Know A Bit Of Magic - Chapter 13

Su Fan struck suddenly, catching Marianne completely off guard. She had no time to react as he seized her by the neck and lifted her from the bench.

The others were equally stunned, and it wasn’t until Old Walker snapped out of his daze that anyone moved.

“Su, have you lost your mind?!” Old Walker rushed forward in alarm.

“Stay back!” Su Fan barked, turning his head to glare at him.

As for the detective and Jamie, they stood frozen, unsure of what to do.

The three of them were so focused on Su Fan’s actions that they failed to notice the flicker of malice and mockery in Marianne’s eyes. By the time their gazes returned to her, that eerie glint had already morphed into pain and terror.

“Save me… Walker…”

His wife’s plea sent Old Walker into a frenzy. Despite being in his seventies, the old man lunged forward, ready to pull Su Fan away. Jamie and the detective quickly blocked him, preventing him from getting any closer.

“Move! Have you all gone mad?!”

Su Fan ignored the commotion behind him, instead flashing a chilling grin.

“You’re quite the actress, aren’t you? If you’re so good at playing the victim, how did you end up getting your tongue cut out in the first place… Mary Shaw?”

The moment those words left his mouth, the three men behind him felt as if a bucket of ice water had been poured over their heads. In an instant, countless pieces of the puzzle fell into place—their faces paled in horror.

“What… are you talking about…?” Marianne’s expression twisted in confusion.

But Su Fan only sneered and began reciting the Taoist Purifying Heaven and Earth Incantation:

“Heaven and Earth, pure and natural, disperse all foul energies.
The mysteries within the void, bright and vast.
The divine might of the eight directions, let nature take its course.
The sacred decree of the Numinous Treasure, proclaimed throughout the Nine Heavens.

Qian Luo Da Na, Dong Gang Tai Xuan, slay demons and bind evil.
Destroy countless malevolent ghosts…”

Su Fan’s chanting was steady and unhurried, and the others felt nothing unusual. The Purifying Heaven and Earth Incantation targeted all impurities, evil spirits, and demonic entities in the world, leaving ordinary humans unaffected.

But for a vengeful ghost like Mary Shaw, it was a natural nemesis.

Not only that, but Su Fan had also altered the incantation, replacing the original “deliverance” with “slaying,” making its effects even more potent.

Sure enough, as Su Fan continued, Marianne’s expression finally twisted. The gentle, kind facade she had worn was torn away, replaced by the ghastly, pale visage that had haunted countless nightmares.

“Mary Shaw!”

Old Walker’s legs nearly gave out beneath him in terror.

As a child, he had sneaked into his father’s workshop where Mary Shaw’s corpse was being handled—only to witness her sitting up with that same grotesque grin. It was a nightmare he would never forget.

And now, that same horror had resurfaced—possessing his wife.

The detective and Jamie, who were restraining Old Walker, now regarded Su Fan with unprecedented awe.

He had seen through Mary Shaw’s disguise in an instant—what else could he be but a true master?

If not for Su Fan, would any of them have stood a chance against such a cunning and malevolent spirit?

They would have all ended up as her puppets.

Under their stunned gazes, Mary Shaw writhed in agony.

“I curse you, Su Fan! I curse you to die a wretched death!”

Su Fan smirked inwardly.

I won’t be dying today, but you sure as hell will, you old hag.

Unfazed, he continued chanting:

“The Divine Incantation of Zhong Shan, the primordial jade script.
Recite it once, and ailments vanish; life is prolonged.
Traverse the Five Peaks, the Eight Seas bear witness.
The Demon Kings bow their heads; guardians stand by my side.

All evil dissipates; the Dao’s energy endures.
By the decree of the Jade Emperor, so it shall be!”

As the final syllable left Su Fan’s lips, a surge of black energy erupted from Marianne’s body, taking the form of Mary Shaw’s true spectral visage in midair.

With a final ear-splitting shriek, her soul shattered into nothingness—completely erased from existence.

Freed from possession, Marianne collapsed unconscious.

Old Walker rushed to her side, relieved to find her still breathing.

With Mary Shaw gone, Su Fan—still barely holding himself together—turned to the two men standing dumbfounded nearby.

“Jamie, you two go to the cemetery and dig up Mary Shaw’s grave. Inside, you’ll find a doll made from her remains. Burn it.”

After a pause, he added, “Don’t worry. The ghost is already destroyed—she can’t harm you now.”

“But the doll still carries remnants of her resentment. Though it’s no longer a major threat, leaving it be would be unwise. Just make sure not to touch it directly with your hands, and you’ll be fine.”

Jamie and the detective snapped out of their daze and immediately set off to carry out his instructions.

Once they were gone, Su Fan turned to Old Walker, who was still clutching his unconscious wife.

“Take her to rest. She’s been tormented by Mary Shaw for years, and this possession will have taken a toll. If she doesn’t recover properly, she could suffer lasting damage.”

Old Walker nodded tearfully and carried his wife to their bedroom.

With everyone gone, Su Fan’s face drained of color. He staggered back and slumped onto a chair, drenched in sweat.

This sleepless night had taken him to four different locations, forced him to recite two powerful incantations, and pushed his Wind-Riding Divine Ability to its limits.

The exhaustion was overwhelming.

Just my luck—my first real case as an exorcist, and I’m up against a ghost that’s killed nearly a hundred people.

Still, the relentless battle had honed his mastery of Taoist arts and supernatural abilities far beyond what he’d started with.

[You have vanquished the malevolent spirit, lifting the curse that plagued this town for decades.]

[This exorcism has granted you invaluable experience. You will now find it easier to combat curses and evil spirits.]

[From this day forth, all spells and techniques will be more effective against spectral enemies!]

The system’s voice echoed in Su Fan’s mind, but he was already sitting cross-legged, meditating to recover his energy.

Before long, the first light of dawn crept over the horizon.

Unbeknownst to the townsfolk, the night had passed—and with Mary Shaw’s demise, the dark clouds and thick fog shrouding Ravens Fair had dissipated.

None of them would ever know that their town had been reborn… all thanks to a young man.

One Week Later

“You want to work at my antique shop?”

Su Fan studied Jamie’s serious expression, realizing the man wasn’t joking.

It had been about a week since Mary Shaw’s defeat, and Su Fan had since returned to his antique shop on Starlight Boulevard.

Today was supposed to be the day Jamie delivered his payment, but instead, the man had made this unexpected request.

Su Fan knew what Jamie was really after—his martial arts and supernatural techniques. The man clearly wanted to become his apprentice.

The problem was, Su Fan had learned everything from books. He had no idea how to teach someone else.

Left with no choice, he offered a vague excuse.

“These things depend on fate, Jamie. You… don’t have the right affinity for it.”

“Alright. Worth a shot, I guess.”

Jamie shrugged, not too disappointed, before pulling a check from his pocket.

Su Fan glanced at it—and nearly choked.

Twenty thousand dollars?!

This wasn’t the era of hyperinflation. In the early 2000s, the U.S. dollar’s purchasing power was still strong.

The Ashen family really were loaded.

But then, another check was placed before him—this one for ten thousand.

“This is from Old Walker, his wife, and the detective. They wanted to thank you.”

Jamie explained, “Everyone’s grateful—especially Old Walker. He wanted to apologize for his behavior that night.”

“We owe you our lives, Su. If it weren’t for you, I’d probably be a puppet by now.”

His gratitude was genuine.

Over the past week, Jamie had buried Lisa, sold his father’s estate and inheritance, and begun moving forward. Though the past still haunted him, he was ready for a new beginning.

“Payment for services rendered. If you really want to thank me, just spread the word.”

Su Fan took the checks without ceremony.

“You got it.”

Jamie agreed readily before turning to leave.

Once he was gone, Su Fan began contemplating how to put this money to good use.