Chapter 24: Everyone will die!

After all, a high-quality magical artifact is not only the bread and butter for those who practice the Tao, but also a crucial life-saving tool in times of crisis.

Upon hearing the term "lightning-struck wood," many remained skeptical.

Lu Jiahui, for instance, scoffed, "What lightning-struck wood? Isn't that stuff everywhere? You search for it online, and you can buy a whole pile for a few dozen bucks!"

Qin Chong glared at her, annoyed. "What would a little girl like you know?"

"Those fake pieces of wood hit by ordinary lightning, or even those struck by man-made lightning, have no effect at all! Real lightning-struck wood can truly ward off evil, bring good fortune, and protect its owner or a household. A single warding talisman can sell for hundreds of thousands or even millions; how could a piece of lightning-struck wood this large be cheap? Forget about being rich—even if you offered a mountain of gold, you might not be able to buy this."

Lu Jiahui dared not retort to Qin Chong, so she turned back to Lu Yan, looking sullen. "Brother, is this thing really that good?"

Lu Yan frowned. Lightning-struck wood? He had no interest in it. As a graduate of a top-tier international university, he had always held these mystical, superstitious matters in disdain. In this world, only the incompetent placed their hopes in gods and Buddhas. He did not believe in gods, because he was his own god.

However, it was unfortunate that his grandfather, the elder of the Lu family, happened to be a devout supporter of theology. While he couldn't understand it, his commitment to science didn't stop him from having to attend such events to pick out a gift for his grandfather.

Lightning-struck wood? Since even a master of antiquities like Qin Chong praised it so highly, it would make a decent gift for his grandfather.

At this moment, under the enthusiastic explanation of Qin Chong, everyone gained a clear understanding of the wooden box's value. They immediately regretted their hesitation, slapping their thighs in frustration. How could they have let it go so easily? The two strangers didn't look particularly wealthy; had they just taken a chance, they could have turned a bicycle into a motorcycle. Even if they couldn't sell it for a high price, given Qin Chong’s love for the item, using it to curry favor with him would have been a smart move.

Alas!

Finally, amidst the burning gazes of the crowd, Jiang Zhiyue refused to let Pei Heng pay, instead pulling a one-dollar coin from her small purse to settle the bill. Seeing that single coin, the frustration in the crowd only deepened. One dollar! Such a precious item had been snatched away by this young girl for just one dollar; they were truly unwilling to accept it.

***

When Qin Chong handed the item over to Jiang Zhiyue, he tried to negotiate: "Young lady, may I ask what you intend to do with this item? If you plan to break it down into wooden plaques, could you sell one to me?"

Jiang Zhiyue held the box tightly, smiling as she shook her head. "Sorry, I have my own plans for it."

The wooden box was small, and some parts were already decaying. But that was fine; she could use the remaining sound parts to craft a miniature lightning-struck wooden sword and a Five-Thunder Command Token for herself. Perhaps she could even use the scraps to make a warding and safety talisman for her generous new benefactor, Pei Heng. Even the decaying wood was of great use; after all, this was millennium-old lightning-struck wood. Grinding it into powder and mixing it with cinnabar to draw talismans would be excellent.

Qin Chong shook his head in regret and turned back to appraise the bronze box Lu Yan had won.

Jiang Zhiyue took a glance, felt no interest, carefully placed the wooden box into her backpack, and stepped aside with Pei Heng.

Jiang Qingyan watched as Jiang Zhiyue managed to pick up such a massive bargain at such a low price, her heart churning with turmoil. However, having taken several proactive strikes today without success, she decided to lie low for now. She leaned toward Lu Yan and tugged gently on his sleeve. "Brother Yan, my sister is so lucky. Unlike me, I haven't even thought of what gift to get for Grandpa Lu yet."

Lu Yan looked puzzled. "What do you mean?"

Jiang Qingyan gave a bashful, blushing smile. "Isn't Grandpa Lu's birthday coming up? I’m sure Sister snuck into this auction for the same reason as us—to pick out a birthday gift for him. It's just a shame we haven't found anything yet, while she stumbled upon a treasure. Since this lightning-struck wood is so precious, I think Grandpa Lu would really like it, don't you?"

After saying this, she sighed with feigned annoyance.

Hearing her words, Lu Yan grew thoughtful, then revealed a look of disdain. "Don't worry, Yanyan, it's just a gift. No matter how much she tries to curry favor with Grandfather or earn his approval, I will never marry her."

"But, after all, she is the true heiress of the Jiang family. And I..."

Lu Yan took Jiang Qingyan’s hand and stroked it gently. "Don't worry, I am the future heir of the Lu family. If Grandfather approves of Jiang Zhiyue so much that he wants her to join the Lu family, then he can marry her himself."

Jiang Qingyan looked at Lu Yan in shock. He was a man of few words and little humor, and she knew he was serious. But how could this be? Even though Grandpa Lu was nearly ninety, his status was immense, and she would never allow Jiang Zhiyue to become her future grandmother!

Just as Jiang Qingyan was reeling in shock, Qin Chong carefully pried the bronze box open by a sliver.

***

The entire hall fell silent. Everyone stared intently at the bronze box on the display stand; with the lightning-struck wood as a precedent, their expectations for this box were sky-high!

"Snap."

The bronze box opened completely.

"Eh?" Qin Chong exclaimed in confusion.

Jiang Zhiyue snapped to attention. "Put that thing down!" she shouted sharply!

But clearly, she was a step too slow. Qin Chong had already lifted the object from inside the bronze box. Startled by Jiang Zhiyue's urgent cry, his hand shook, and the item slipped back into the box.

Jiang Zhiyue lunged forward and slammed the lid of the bronze box shut. Not only that, but she nimbly pulled out a talisman and slapped it onto the box with a loud *thwack*. Only then did she let out a long sigh of relief.

Qin Chong’s eyes widened. "Little girl, what are you doing?"

That shout of hers had startled him so much he hadn't held the object firmly. Had it been something fragile, that slip could have destroyed it instantly.

Those nearby chimed in as well:

"Exactly, what is wrong with this girl? She scared the life out of me."

"What just happened? I didn't even see what was in the box before she slammed it shut again!"

"Young lady, this is improper. After all, this is an item Mr. Lu won; how could you just reach out and touch it? What if you had broken it?"

At this moment, Jiang Zhiyue offered a rare explanation: "This thing cannot be opened! If what is inside sees the light of day again, everyone present here today, every single one of you, will die!"

The crowd was stunned, inexplicably intimidated by Jiang Zhiyue's grave expression.

"Enough!"

Lu Yan let out a cold shout and strode out from the partition. In his flawless, high-end tailored suit, with long, powerful legs, every step seemed to carry a surge of fury.