With a crack of thunder, a bolt of lightning struck Zhao Lun, the protective barrier derived from his divine realm vibrating slightly.
"This thunderbolt has some power," Zhao Lun remarked.
He directed the remaining electricity away, ensuring that what was left wouldn't harm the tree but rather invigorate it, so he decided not to take any further action.
The severed tree trunks scattered on the ground were impressive; although the outer bark was blackened, the interior had transformed, storing a significant amount of electrical energy.
The sheer intensity of the lightning had caused the tree to snap.
"Almost thirty meters tall, and now there are just four stumps left…" Zhao Lun reflected with a sense of pity for the tree.
Reality was harsh; even a tree could be struck down by the heavens.
With a wave of his hand, he collected the wood. "Let's head back."
Having taken care of everything here, he felt there was nothing more to see. Zhao Lun gathered his belongings and called for the others as he made his way back to the house.
The journey back was swift, and they soon arrived in the living room.
Maria and the others were waiting for them, eagerly rushing forward to see the lightning-struck wood.
"Where's the lightning wood? Hurry! Show us!"
"Brother! The lightning wood! Maria wants to see it!"
"Allen?"
The girls were curious about the lightning wood, and their excitement overcame any restraint as they approached.
"Here! But be careful when looking at it; don't get shocked by the residual electricity!"
Zhao Lun waved his hand, and the four pieces of lightning-struck wood appeared in the living room.
"This is lightning wood?"
Upon seeing the charred wood, the group looked momentarily disappointed, as it didn't match their expectations.
"It looks so ugly!"
Despite their complaints, their hands moved eagerly. Ignoring Zhao Lun's warning, one of them reached out to touch a piece of the blackened wood.
A small spark flew out, zapping her hand.
"Ouch!" The owner of the small hand jumped back, feeling a tingling sensation as she stumbled backward.
Just as she was about to fall, a nearby arm shot out, catching her.
"Little girl, you should know better; now you've learned a lesson, haven't you?"
Zhao Lun chuckled at Maria's startled expression and couldn't resist reaching out to playfully pinch her nose.
Seeing that Maria was unharmed, Nicole and the others laughed.
Maria, embarrassed, buried her face in Zhao Lun's chest and playfully punched him with her small fist. "Humph! Bad brother!"
The punches were so gentle it felt like a playful massage.
"Alright, enough of that. Are you going to look at the lightning wood or not? If not, I'll put it away," Zhao Lun teased.
"Hmph! What's so great about that ugly wood? I'm not looking at it anymore!"
A moment later, after recovering, Maria dashed back to the charred wood, inspecting it closely. This time, without the threat of lightning, she could examine it thoroughly. As she did, she was astonished; the wood was as heavy as stone. When she tapped it, it produced a resonant sound.
As she peeled away the charred outer layer, revealing the core, she discovered the inner part was beautifully transformed, resembling petrified jade—orange and translucent, a rare sight indeed.
The wood displayed intricate patterns, but it had undergone a transformation, becoming something unique—neither quite gold nor quite jade.
"This is perfect! I can use it to make some protective charms for you all."
This wood, altered by the lightning, needed no special modifications to serve as protective charms. With Zhao Lun's enhancements, they could easily become high-level protective artifacts.
They already had bulletproof gear; with the addition of protective charms, they wouldn't have to worry about malevolent spirits or other dark entities in the future.
"Will the boss also make magical items? That sounds amazing!"
"Just a little, nothing too special."
As the rain began to lighten and the hour grew late, everyone decided to take a break.
The next day dawned with thin layers of gray clouds overhead.
At the site of the lightning strike, Maria returned to the remnants of the tree stump, examining it closely. She spent some time there, and soon her shoes were caked with mud. She was joined by Nicole, Angela, Monica, and Penelope. Having missed the scene the night before, they felt a sense of regret and were eager to see it in the morning light.
"Alright, you all should take a break. You can come back after breakfast," Zhao Lun said.
"Okay, we'll be right there."
Zhao Lun smiled and didn't rush them, leisurely making his way toward the dining room, with the others following closely behind. Maria even jogged up to him, wrapping her arms around his.
"You all really have a childlike spirit," Zhao Lun remarked, glancing at the girls' muddy feet with amusement.
They shot him a playful glare before rushing off to the restroom to clean themselves up. When they emerged, not only had they changed their shoes but they had also switched into fresh outfits.
After breakfast, during morning tea, the sound of flapping wings filled the air as a large owl landed next to Zhao Lun, clutching a newspaper in its beak.
Zhao Lun set his teacup down, took the newspaper, and gave the owl a coin before it took off. He opened the paper to read.
On the cover of the *Daily Prophet*, a striking photo of a man laughing maniacally dominated the page.
"Is this a follow-up on Black?"
The escape of Sirius Black from the terrifying Azkaban prison sent shockwaves through the wizarding community, akin to a massive earthquake, capturing the attention of many wizards.
However, the Ministry of Magic was intentionally downplaying the situation, stifling reports. The newspapers complied, refraining from sensationalizing the story.
The reason for today's article was that some wizards had sighted Black. The report stated that Aurors were currently pursuing him, and they would soon apprehend him.
"This is just the Ministry's spokesperson, Cornelius Fudge, trying to save face," Zhao Lun remarked after reading the article.
Well-organized institutions often control media outlets to spin narratives in their favor. The *Daily Prophet* was no exception, being under the Ministry's influence.
"Brother! Hurry up! Everyone is waiting for you!"
A voice called out, urging Zhao Lun to get moving.
"Okay, I'll be right there!"
He grabbed the newspaper and headed to the garage, sliding into one of the cars.
"Hey? Aida, you're driving?"
Zhao Lun was surprised to see Aida at the wheel. Though she often kept a low profile, blending into the background when they were together, today she was taking an active role.
"Perfect timing; everyone's going together."
With their time together becoming increasingly rare, Zhao Lun felt delighted.
Setting off, their destination was Chinatown! Today marked a gathering in Chinatown, where many people would come together, bringing with them a plethora of delicious foods and fun activities.
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**To be continued...**