Wang Kai was startled by my shout.
He only then reacted, staring at my master and me with a subservient gaze:
"Yes, yes! And, every, every night, I do it many, many times!
I, I don't want to.
But, but in my dreams, I just can't control myself."
I listened, my face twitching. This kid was a tough one, with a serious addiction.
My master showed little change in expression, merely nodding:
"Then I roughly understand what you've encountered. It's highly likely you've met a wood spirit.
Every time you're with her, your vitality and yang essence decrease by a fraction.
The wood spirit's energy will also transfer into your body.
Over time, your skin will begin to grow like this old tree bark.
Once it covers your neck, you'll lose your life.
However, as long as you can restrain yourself.
Given enough time, this old, bark-like skin will naturally shed."
Wang Kai's face was filled with terror. He touched his neck, already half covered in dark bark.
He became entirely anxious.
But I was a little confused and spoke to my master:
"Master, what kind of existence is this wood spirit?"
Wang Kai also widened his eyes, looking at my master.
My master refilled his pipe, replying:
"A wood spirit is just the essence of a tree, a soul."
"Master, is this wood spirit easy to deal with?"
I continued to press, as I had never seen or heard of it before.
My master lit the tobacco, took a puff, and said:
"Spirits are not demons, they are merely souls, not difficult to handle.
Find the tree that is the wood spirit's origin, nail a few nails into it, and that's it."
My master said this nonchalantly, as if it were simple.
Wang Kai, however, frowned:
"Master Gu, why have I gotten involved with such a thing?
What should I do next?"
My master paused, then explained his conjecture.
He said Wang Kai likely became entangled with this thing because he was drunk and sleeping on the streets that night.
These spirits, which have suddenly gained a soul, need to constantly absorb the essence of the sun and moon to stabilize that wisp of energy.
But there's also a shortcut: absorbing human energy.
Wang Kai, exposed on the street and drunk, likely became a target.
Therefore, he was ensnared by that wood spirit.
The next step is simply to find that tree, dissipate its energy, and the matter will be resolved.
Without the wood spirit's entanglement, the dead tree bark growing on Wang Kai's body.
Will naturally shed after a while, and his skin will return to normal.
Hearing this, Wang Kai's joy knew no bounds.
Knowing he had found the right person, he thanked my master repeatedly.
Finally, he cautiously inquired about my master's travel expenses.
My master didn't speak, but looked at me and said lightly:
"Xiao Qin, Xiao Wang was your former colleague.
I'll leave this matter to you to handle.
For the expenses, give Xiao Wang a 20% discount!"
Seeing my master's expression and hearing his words, I understood two things.
First, this matter was not difficult to handle, and my master wouldn't act directly; I had to do it.
Second, my master saw that there was some discord between Wang Kai and me. He offered a discount without mentioning the price, clearly letting me set the rate.
Whether to rip off Wang Kai or not was entirely up to me.
I understood my master's meaning and a cold smile curved my lips.
When Wang Kai saw me smile, he shivered all over.
Forcing a smile, he said:
"Brother Qin, this matter, this matter is entrusted to you!"
"No problem. How about this, you pay twenty thousand.
Master said to give you a 20% discount, so sixteen thousand is fine!
WeChat or Alipay?"
This kid Wang Kai was a stingy one. Back at the factory, he'd even mooch off of grilled sausages, and he had saved a lot of money privately.
Slipping him for sixteen thousand at once would be heart-wrenching for him.
Wang Kai saw my fake smile and knew he was being fleeced, and also understood why.
He looked as if he regretted his past actions.
But his life was more important, so he could only grit his teeth, take out his phone, scan the code, and pay sixteen thousand on the spot.
After receiving the money, my master asked Wang Kai to sit in the room for a while.
He called me into the inner room and said with a smile:
"You're quite ruthless with your pricing, aren't you?
You charged him sixteen thousand for just nailing a few nails!"
I scratched my head, wanting to laugh.
Thinking of Wang Kai's liver-colored expression made me feel very pleased.
"Fine! Since you've taken so much money from him, you must handle this matter properly and not tarnish the reputation of our Wanfu Hall."
I nodded:
"Master, you can rest assured about this.
I was just fleecing him to vent my pent-up resentment from working at the factory.
I definitely won't be careless with the dirty business."
My master grunted, then took a small box and a ball of red thread from a shelf in the inner room and handed them to me.
He said the box contained three coffin nails soaked in black dog blood, and this ball of red thread was woven from mulberry bark and soaked in yellow chicken blood.
He told me to take these two items with me to help Wang Kai resolve the wood spirit issue.
At the same time, he meticulously explained the usage and operation steps for the coffin nails and the red thread.
I listened carefully, memorizing everything.
This was true skill in exorcism.
"Master, I've remembered everything. I will definitely handle this matter well!"
My master exhaled a puff of smoke:
"Then you go back with him. Do what needs to be done.
If you encounter any problems you can't handle, don't act rashly. Remember to call me."
"Okay, Master!"
After speaking, I took the items and left the inner room.
Wang Kai, sitting outside, saw me emerge and immediately stood up, looking at me nervously.
I waved to him:
"Let's go! I'll go back with you, and tonight we'll get rid of the wood spirit that's bothering you..."