When the Spirits Rise

　　The weasel with the white-tipped tail glared at my grandpa, eyes bloodshot, teeth bared in a vicious snarl. 

　　It darted across the high ceiling beams, just out of Grandpa's reach. 

　　Granny Liu insisted that the weasel had to be killed. 

　　Zhang's second son, our neighbor, had been acting strange, possessed by the creature. 

　　She said he would be tormented to death unless the weasel was stopped. 

　　Granny Liu even feared for her own safety.

　　Now, my grandpa wasn't afraid of much. 

　　He'd seen this weasel almost every day for years. It, along with a few foxes, would bring food to our house. 

　　Grandpa knew their motives – they weren't doing it for us, but for the Immortal residing in me. 

　　He turned a blind eye to their presence, but with one death and Zhang's second son's life on the line, enough was enough.

　　Grandpa grabbed a chair, hoisted himself up, and took a swipe at the weasel with his big Cleaver. 

　　The creature was too quick, dodging each swing with ease. 

　　Grandpa just ended up carving a few new grooves into the beams.

　　Suddenly, Granny Liu's voice cut through the air, "Lao Wu, come out here! I need your help!" 

　　I watched from the doorway as Grandpa hopped down and ran outside. 

　　Granny Liu was struggling to hold back a crazed Zhang's second son.

　　"Big Sister, the weasel's in the rafters! I can't catch it!" Grandpa exclaimed.

　　"Never mind the weasel! Fetch your grandson! Maybe Xiao Jie can reason with it!" Granny Liu yelled back, her voice strained.

　　Grandpa hesitated, then nodded. He knew these animals were targeting Zhang's family because they had beaten me and even hurt my father. 

　　They had disrespected the Immortal within me, and these creatures were acting out on its behalf. 

　　Maybe I could help.

　　"Lao Wu, what are you waiting for? Hurry! I can't hold on much longer. The weasel's controlling him, I daren't hurt him!" Granny Liu pleaded.

　　Grandpa didn't need to be told twice. 

　　"Hold on, Big Sister, I'll be back in a flash!" He grabbed his Cleaver and sprinted home.

　　The next thing I knew, I was being dragged out of bed and pulled through the village to Zhang's second son's house. 

　　I was utterly confused. When we arrived, the scene shocked me to my core. 

　　The yard was a mess of chicken blood and feathers. 

　　Lifeless chickens were strewn everywhere, and a single weasel, its head crushed, lay amongst the carnage. 

　　Zhang's second son, growling like a wild animal, lunged at Granny Liu, his eyes vacant and wild. 

　　"Xiao Jie, make him stop!" Grandpa shouted at me.

　　Despite my fear, I felt a surge of anger seeing Zhang's second son like this. 

　　The memory of him and his brothers beating my father, leaving him bloodied and bruised, was still fresh in my mind.

　　"Grandpa, he hurt my dad. He split his head open!" I cried.

　　"Now's not the time, Xiao Jie! Just make him stop, we'll talk about it later!" Grandpa pleaded, giving me a little pat on the bottom.

　　I reluctantly walked towards Zhang's second son and said softly, " Uncle, please stop."

　　Zhang's second son's frenzied movements faltered. 

　　He turned his head slowly towards me. 

　　Granny Liu took this opportunity to scramble back, gasping for air. 

　　She was an old woman and had exhausted herself trying to control the possessed Zhang's second son. 

　　 He, under the weasel's influence, showed no signs of fatigue. 

　　He was being pushed to his limit, risking death from exhaustion without even realizing it.

　　Looking at Zhang's second son's bloodshot eyes, his pale irises almost completely obscured, a wave of fear washed over me.

　　"They disrespected the ancestor. I must kill them," Zhang's second son rasped, his voice strained and high-pitched.

　　I glanced back at my grandpa, unsure of what to do. I'd never seen him so helpless.

　　Suddenly, the white-tipped weasel emerged from the house. 

　　It locked eyes with me, a menacing red gaze.

　　 As soon as it appeared, Zhang's second son let out a guttural roar and bolted out of the yard.

　　"Stop him! Don't let him get away!" Granny Liu cried out, scrambling after him. 

　　Grandpa and I blocked the doorway. 

　　Grandpa didn't hesitate. 

　　 He charged at Zhang's second son, but before he could even raise his Cleaver, Zhang's second son sent him flying with a single blow.

　　I don't know where I found the courage, but I lunged and grabbed onto Zhang's second son's pants. 

　　He didn't stop. He kept running, dragging me along the ground. I cried out in pain.

　　My cries stopped him in his tracks. 

　　He turned back, his eyes meeting mine. 

　　He gently picked me up, dusted off my clothes, and turned to leave again.

　　That's when the world tilted. 

　　My vision swam, my ears filled with a strange buzzing. Everything went black.

　　...

　　Grandpa and Granny Liu later told me they were shocked to see a huge shadow emerge from behind me. 

　　It was the shape of a fox, with eight tails swaying behind it. 

　　Zhang's second son must have sensed it too. 

　　He slowly turned back to face me. 

　　In an instant, he dropped to his knees, trembling. 

　　"Go," I commanded. My voice was not my own. It was clear and feminine, with an otherworldly quality. "Do not continue this."

　　"Ancestor, they disrespected you," Zhang's second son stammered, his head bowed low, his tone full of fear and reverence. "How can you forgive them so easily?"

　　"Did you not hear my words?" 

　　"Yes, Ancestor." Zhang's second son kowtowed three times, his forehead thudding against the hard ground. 

　　The white-tipped weasel, mimicking him, also bowed low.

　　Zhang's second son swayed and collapsed to the ground, unconscious.