Lu Fei's brows twitched slightly as he listened to the sobbing from the small coffin, akin to a child's cry.
"They actually used a boy and a girl for a soul-binding pillar? Those people were beyond cruel!"
It was said that for rituals involving soul or life pillars, the most effective sacrifices were boy and girl pairs. The more merciless the ritual, the stronger its supposed outcome.
Lu Fei suspected that this inhumane practice didn't originate from the famous Luban Book, but rather from certain sinister practitioners who misused its name for their own ends. The true purpose of the Luban Book was to protect craftsmen from exploitative employers.
"This poor pair of children was harmed by malevolent rituals."
He shook his head slightly.
However, he would not show mercy. These children, now filled with intense resentment, had transformed into vengeful spirits. If they claimed lives, they would be damned for eternity.
"Waaaah..."
The eerie, pitiful sobbing of children echoed through the dark excavation site. It was both sorrowful and jarring, like nails scraping against glass.
The sound made Chen Jinfa's hair stand on end, cold sweat drenching his back.
Ah Long's expression turned grim.
Tiger, having faced many malevolent spirits before, stood firm with his ghost-head knife, remaining composed.
Lu Fei maintained his calm, channeling his energy to sharpen his senses and stay fully alert to any movement.
He sensed a chilling aura drifting closer, weaving in and out around them.
The creature was lurking, waiting for its chance!
Lu Fei held his position.
The sobs stirred everyone's nerves and agitated the clay doll.
In the shadows, a small, malevolent face emerged from a concrete pillar, glaring at Lu Fei with venom, as if it wished to devour him whole.
Sensing something, Lu Fei glanced in that direction, and the face retreated back into the wall.
A moment later, the clay doll reappeared from another wall, looking anxious as it listened to its partner's mournful cries.
It darted from wall to wall, trying to find an opening to approach.
Several times, it got close only to back off quickly, intimidated by the lightning-struck jujube rod in Lu Fei's hand.
Frustrated, the doll bared its tiny, jagged teeth. Suddenly, it scurried up the tallest concrete pillar and disappeared inside.
Crack!
Moments later, a fissure spread across the pillar, expanding rapidly into a web of cracks. The enormous structure began to shake, with dust and debris raining down.
"What's that sound?"
Lu Fei immediately searched for the source of the noise.
Ah Long and Tiger noticed it at the same time, scanning their surroundings.
Only Chen Jinfa, still unaware, was confused.
A sinister face emerged on the swaying pillar, and then the clay doll leaped out, pushing with all its strength.
Boom—
The massive pillar wobbled and started to topple toward the group.
"Run!!"
Lu Fei shouted, clutching the small coffin and sprinting away.
The air seemed to vibrate with pressure as the pillar fell, a behemoth weighing thousands of pounds that could flatten anyone beneath it to pulp.
Everyone raced desperately, weaving through debris and stumbling over stones. The resounding crash of the pillar hitting the ground shook the pit and sent up a cloud of dust and dirt.
Chunks of rubble flew through the air, pelting their backs with painful force.
They collapsed amid the debris, bruised and battered from the impact.
"Everyone okay?"
Lu Fei, wincing from the pain, struggled to stand and surveyed the scene.
"I'm fine!" Tiger was the first to respond, his arms marked with scrapes.
"We're okay too." Chen Jinfa, with Ah Long's protection, was relatively unscathed.
Ah Long, though bloodied, showed no sign of pain.
Seeing everyone safe, Lu Fei felt a slight relief and began searching for the small coffin.
During the chaos, it had slipped from his grasp and rolled away.
"There it is!"
The coffin was wedged between chunks of debris, miraculously intact.
In the dust-laden air, a tiny shadow dashed forward, racing toward the coffin.
"Not good!"
Ignoring the sharp rubble, Lu Fei lunged, shielding the coffin with his body.
At that moment, the clay doll reached them.
Its eyes burned with hatred, its broken fingers hurling stones at Lu Fei with surprising force.
"Boss!"
Tiger shouted, charging over with his ghost-head knife and swinging it furiously at the clay doll.
The nimble creature dodged the blade, leaping aside.
Tiger continued to swing, keeping it away from Lu Fei.
With Tiger's help, Lu Fei freed a hand and gripped the jujube rod.
Fixing his gaze on the clay doll, he waited for the right moment. When it came, he infused the rod with his energy and struck the top of the doll's head.
Thunk!
The doll froze, a faint electric arc crackling through its tiny frame as fissures spread across its head.
It fell to the ground, shattering into pieces.
"Rest in peace."
Lu Fei panted, the jujube rod proving its worth.
With a single blow, the formidable spirit was subdued.
"Waaaah!!"
The crying from the coffin turned sharp and furious before it started shaking violently.
Lu Fei quickly applied another talisman to calm it.
The crying softened, then ceased entirely.
"It's done!"
Lu Fei exhaled, collapsing into the rubble with exhaustion. Only then did he feel the myriad aches across his body, grimacing in pain.
"Boss, you're hurt!" Tiger lowered his knife, eyes full of concern.
"It's nothing, just scratches. A bit of our special ointment back at the Evil Pawnshop will fix me up in no time." Lu Fei smiled reassuringly.
Tiger, although marked with wounds, was in better shape due to his stronger build.
"Shopkeeper Lu!"
Chen Jinfa, supported by Ah Long, stumbled over.
"Shopkeeper Lu, is everyone alright?"
"We're fine, and that clay doll is dealt with." Lu Fei wiped the sweat off his forehead, smearing dirt across his face in the process.
The pillar's collapse had left them all covered in dust.
"Shopkeeper Lu, you're truly amazing! Your skills and integrity... I, Chen Jinfa, am convinced!" His eyes gleamed with gratitude and respect.
He felt this young shopkeeper was different from the rest.
"Don't celebrate too soon, Brother Fa. We've only handled one doll; there's still one left."
Lu Fei took a deep breath, holding the small coffin tightly as he stood up.