The clay doll dashed away swiftly, covering several meters in the blink of an eye.
The excavation pit was filled with rubble and bricks, creating numerous obstacles that made the chase difficult for Lu Fei. A moment of carelessness could lead to a fall.
But Lu Fei was fully focused, his eyes locked on the clay doll. With his ability to sense yin energy, he managed to keep up and avoid being shaken off.
The clay doll, sensing it was being cornered, suddenly turned and lunged fiercely at Lu Fei.
Lu Fei, instead of retreating, felt a surge of excitement. He swung the lightning-struck jujube rod forward to meet it.
Before the rod could even touch it, the clay doll recoiled in panic, twisting its small body desperately to dodge the weapon.
Landing with a thud, the doll glared at Lu Fei with apparent malice before diving into the concrete wall, vanishing instantly.
"Gone?"
Lu Fei, panting, stood by the wall, bewildered.
"Can it really hide within the walls?"
He furrowed his brows and kicked at the wall with force.
The wall, already unstable, crumbled further under Lu Fei's kicks, collapsing into rubble.
From a corner, a small dark head peeked out, giving Lu Fei a furtive glance before scurrying along the base of the wall.
"Yin energy!"
Sensing the presence, Lu Fei stopped kicking and chased after it.
However, after using all his strength to kick down the wall, his legs were momentarily sluggish, slowing his pursuit.
The clay doll seized the opportunity to run toward Chen Jinfa and his group.
Chen Jinfa, seeing Lu Fei struggling to catch the clay doll, became anxious and asked, "Brother Tiger, do you need to help Shopkeeper Lu?"
"If the boss didn't say so, we stay put." Tiger stood guard over the two small coffins, unwavering.
Chen Jinfa, fidgeting, was about to instruct Ah Long when he saw Lu Fei running toward them, followed closely by a chilling gust of wind.
"Get out of the way!"
Lu Fei's urgent shout echoed as the clay doll disappeared into a wall beside Chen Jinfa, dislodging a plank of wood riddled with nails that fell toward him.
The sharp, glistening nails reflected the dim light, their menace unmistakable.
Before Chen Jinfa could react, Ah Long grabbed his shoulder and yanked him backward with force.
At the same time, Tiger swung his ghost-head knife, intercepting the falling plank.
The impact was loud. The plank, covered in long nails, would have torn through flesh if it had landed on Chen Jinfa.
Chen Jinfa's heart pounded, cold sweat beading on his forehead.
"You okay, Brother Fa?" Lu Fei rushed over, but the clay doll had vanished once again.
"Yes... I'm fine. That was close!" Chen Jinfa's voice was hoarse, his shoulder aching from Ah Long's grip—proof of how hard the bodyguard had pulled him.
Ah Long nodded to Tiger in gratitude. "Thanks."
Tiger shrugged, resting his knife on his shoulder. "No problem."
"Good to hear," Lu Fei said, glancing at the protective ash on the ground. His expression turned serious. "This thing is too elusive, using objects to attack. Even the safe circle isn't reliable. Brother Fa, it's better if you retreat to safety."
"I can't believe this thing is so fierce!" Chen Jinfa wiped his sweat, steadied himself, and gritted his teeth. "But I can't let it run wild on my turf. I need to see it defeated with my own eyes!"
"Then be careful. Stay away from the walls and any hazardous items." Lu Fei handed them two protective talismans and moved the nailed plank aside, weighing it down with bricks.
Channeling his energy, Lu Fei cautiously navigated the ruined area, searching for the clay doll.
The pit was cold, with an eerie silence.
A brick fell nearby with a thud, and Lu Fei dashed toward the sound.
From the crumbling wall behind him, a concrete face emerged, glaring at him hatefully before following him silently.
At the foot of the stairs, small grayish-white hands, like those molded from cement, pushed at his back.
"Yin energy!"
Sensing the chill, Lu Fei ducked.
The hands missed their target and withdrew quickly.
At that moment, Lu Fei swung his lightning-struck rod back.
"Ah!"
The rod grazed the tiny fingers, making the clay doll shriek like a distressed cat. The tips of its fingers snapped off, and the rest of its arm retreated into the wall.
Crouching, Lu Fei saw that the broken fingers were indeed molded from clay.
"It really is a clay doll. No wonder it can meld with the walls."
He frowned.
The clay doll could move freely through the walls, making it nearly impossible to catch. He needed a new plan.
Suddenly, Tiger's voice broke through.
"Brother Fa, watch out!"
Turning around, Lu Fei saw Tiger swing his ghost-head knife at a wall, where a ghostly face appeared briefly before a cascade of bricks fell.
The debris landed on the opened coffin, smashing it to pieces.
Before anyone could react, the unopened coffin began to shift and rattle.
"No! The doll wants to release the second spirit!" Lu Fei shouted, sprinting back.
"Tiger, guard that coffin!"
Tiger rushed forward, striking behind the coffin to keep the clay doll at bay.
The face vanished again.
Tiger wrapped the small coffin in cloth, denying the clay doll any opportunity.
Lu Fei examined the coffin, exhaling in relief.
"Good, it didn't get it open. If both dolls were released, things would be much worse."
An idea sparked in Lu Fei's mind.
Since the clay doll was so protective of the spirit in the coffin, why not use it as bait?
"Tiger, place the coffin on the ground."
"Got it."
Tiger complied.
"Shopkeeper Lu, what are you planning?" Chen Jinfa, puzzled, asked when Lu Fei seemed to stop pursuing the doll to work on the coffin.
"I'm using this ghost in the coffin to lure it out. They share a connection, so if one is in danger, the other will come to help," Lu Fei explained, applying a protective talisman to the coffin.
A mournful wail rose from inside, sounding like a child's weeping, pitiful and haunting.
"A child?" Lu Fei's eyes widened. "Could it be... a boy and a girl?"