Since ancient times, heavenly lightning has been the bane of all demonic entities.
Thunderstruck wood, trees that have been struck by lightning, harnesses the essence of thunder and serves to ward off evil, exuding a mystical aura and considered a "sacred wood of exorcism" with potent anti-evil properties.
Among all types of thunderstruck wood, jujube wood hit by lightning is the best, followed by peach wood and cypress.
Lu Fei's heart pounded as he leaned closer under the dim glow of a lantern to carefully inspect the charred branch.
Despite its blackened exterior, the intricate wood grain characteristic of jujube wood was visible.
Lu Fei suppressed his excitement and continued his examination.
The surface was scorched with slight signs of carbonization, looking quite plain. Yet, within its cracks, a subtle energy seemed to flow.
This type of energy would usually go unnoticed without direct contact; fortunately, Lu Fei had his yin-yang vision.
"Authentic!"
At this moment, Lu Fei's heart nearly leaped from his chest, but he maintained a composed facade.
He glanced up at the vendor.
The vendor appeared to be a disheveled old man sitting in the shadows beyond the lantern's reach, his aged eyes fixed intently on Lu Fei.
Lu Fei pointed to the thunderstruck jujube wood and pulled out the piece of ebony from his backpack, waving it toward the old man.
The old man shifted, leaning forward, eyes locked on the ebony in Lu Fei's hands.
After a moment.
The old man waved his hand.
"What does that mean? Not interested?" Lu Fei's heart sank.
This thunderstruck jujube wood was a rare find; missing out would mean losing an exceptional opportunity.
Hurriedly, Lu Fei gestured, trying to understand what the old man needed.
After some silent exchanges, Lu Fei realized the old man wasn't rejecting the ebony; he simply found it insufficient.
"Not enough..."
Lu Fei thought for a moment, then took out a half-filled bottle of corpse oil from his backpack.
Such an item was perfect for trading at the ghost market, so he had brought it along just in case.
Ebony was often used to nourish corpses or spirits; if the old man valued the ebony, he might also need the corpse oil.
The old man stared at the oil for several seconds, deliberating before finally nodding.
"Yes!"
Overjoyed, Lu Fei immediately set down the ebony and corpse oil, took the thunderstruck jujube wood, nodded at the old man, and hurried away with Tiger.
As they moved, Lu Fei wrapped the wood in black cloth.
This was called hiding one's wealth.
Rushing out of the ghost market and back into the populated area, Lu Fei wiped the mud off his face and quickly hailed a cab back to the antique street.
As soon as they arrived at the pawnshop, he told Tiger to lock all the doors and windows.
"Tiger, don't let anyone disturb me!"
He took out a small knife and carefully scraped away the charred surface of the thunderstruck jujube wood.
Layer by layer, the burnt wood peeled off, revealing a half-meter-long core.
The wood was smooth, dense, and in excellent condition.
"I hit the jackpot!"
Lu Fei felt so elated that he could jump.
For centuries, many practitioners had sought out thunderstruck wood for their life-bound magical tools.
Such treasures were rare.
Of course, he had to thank the piece of ebony and the corpse oil that Liu Fugui had "borrowed," which turned out to be incredibly useful.
Taking a deep breath, Lu Fei pricked his finger and smeared his blood onto the wood, channeling his energy to imbue it with power.
If successful, this piece of thunderstruck jujube wood would become his life-bound tool.
This process demanded the utmost concentration.
As his blood seeped into the wood, Lu Fei sensed an intense force resisting his energy—a raw, untamed power like a wild stallion.
Sweat beaded on his forehead.
Gritting his teeth, Lu Fei wrestled with the force.
After what felt like ages, his tense body relaxed.
Halfway there!
His blood had fused with the wood, allowing him to harness a portion of its thunder energy.
For a first attempt, this was already a success.
Life-bound tools required nurturing.
The more powerful he became, the stronger his connection and control over his life-bound tool would grow.
The stronger the wielder, the stronger the tool—a symbiotic relationship.
"Hopefully, another case involving the dead will come along soon." Lu Fei wiped the sweat from his brow, anticipation brimming within him.
Energy could be enhanced through practice or by gaining merit.
The last time he completed a ghost's final wish, he must have earned merit, increasing his energy.
Feeling euphoric, he even slept clutching the thunderstruck wood.
This life-bound tool could one day rival his grandfather's Sima Scales!
At the break of dawn.
Lu Fei was awakened by the jarring ring of his phone.
An unfamiliar number.
"Hello, who is this?"
"Lu Shopkeeper, it's me, Brother Fa!"
As soon as he answered, Chen Jinfa's rough voice boomed from the line.
"Brother Fa."
Lu Fei blinked, sitting up.
If Chen Jinfa was calling this early, it meant the issue at the construction site was unresolved!
"Shopkeeper Lu, are you free today to come over?" Chen Jinfa's voice sounded urgent.
"Yes, I am," Lu Fei responded immediately. "Brother Fa, did you not find anyone suitable yesterday?"
"I did, but it's a long story! The problem wasn't solved, and things just got worse. I'm fuming!" Chen Jinfa sounded exasperated.
"Brother Fa, what happened?" Lu Fei's curiosity was piqued.
"Hard to explain over the phone. Just come over quickly; I'm waiting at the site."
"Alright, send me the address, and I'll be there shortly."
After hanging up, Lu Fei washed up and carefully packed the thunderstruck jujube wood into his bag.
Stripped of its outer layer, the wood was now half a meter long, making it easy to carry.
Lu Fei was satisfied.
Today, he'd finally get to test the power of this treasure.
"Tiger, time to work!"
Lu Fei woke Tiger, and they bought some breakfast on the way.
Tiger mentioned that Liu Fugui had spent the night in an internet café and was looking for a place to sleep.
"Let him find a teahouse to rest."
The two didn't bother calling Liu Fugui, instead taking a cab to the construction site.
It was a shopping mall reconstruction project, surrounded by metal fencing.
As soon as Lu Fei stepped out, he felt an off energy in the place, narrowing his eyes as he surveyed the area.
"Shopkeeper Lu, you're finally here." Chen Jinfa and his bodyguard were waiting at the entrance.
Chen Jinfa had dark circles under his eyes and looked exhausted, as if he hadn't slept a wink.
The tall and imposing bodyguard stood behind him as always.
"Brother Fa, what's the current situation?" Lu Fei could see the anxiety in his face and got straight to the point.
"Ah! Last night, we almost had fatalities!"
Chen Jinfa clenched his jaw in frustration. "After leaving your shop, I found a so-called Master Wang. He came over and claimed that the mall's feng shui was off, causing the trouble."
Hearing this, Lu Fei raised an eyebrow.
If this Master Wang had identified a feng shui issue, why did things escalate overnight?