A scene flashed through Li Bai's mind. He realized what the boards were, and understood what these "villagers" were planning.
They were deadwood, specially coated with tung oil to conceal the Evil Spirit clinging to them. Since ancient times, deadwood had been used to ward off evil and prevent decay. In the past, nobles often used it to make coffins, and it was also used to suppress certain wicked corpses.
The piece of deadwood standing before them like a tombstone was clearly being used for the latter purpose. It had been set up here to suppress corpses.
It was suppressing these things right in front of them!
Looking at the dozens upon dozens of boards before him, Li Bai realized that only a small portion were deadwood. The rest were usable lumber. If they accidentally pulled out one of the pieces of deadwood hidden among them, the vengeful ghosts trapped beneath would be freed, with unimaginable consequences.
As if they knew Li Bai had seen through their ruse, the burly woman leading them and the people around her all stood up. Their previously calm faces turned faintly feral, and they glared at the group with venomous hatred. Wu Qiang froze at the sight. He watched helplessly as the face of the woman nearest him turned a livid blue.
Suddenly, a hand reached out and blocked his view. "Don't look. Keep your mind steady!" Lü Zhangyuan turned his gaze away from the distance and shot Wu Qiang a warning look.
"Don't touch this one. Pull out the three from before. Remember, none of you are to pull out any boards without my permission."
Wu Qiang and Lü Zhangyuan could handle the physical labor. Li Bai's task was to identify the deadwood hidden among the boards, and he chose to ignore the