Chapter 129: Top Treasure of the Hall!
Chapter 129: Top Treasure of the Hall!
Jia Lang was fully absorbed in appraising treasures. Finally, on a delicate wooden rack, he discovered a bronze dagger with a glossy surface adorned with intricate patterns of dragons flying and phoenixes dancing. Without hesitation, he reached out and retrieved it.
"Ahaha, this treasure must be the top treasure of the hall!"
Jia Lang exclaimed excitedly, clutching the dagger and eagerly offering it to Lin Xian'er. With unwavering confidence, he declared, "Miss Xian'er, take it. With my discerning eye, there's no mistake. This is the most precious treasure in Side Hall 6."
"But..." Lin Xian'er hesitated, casting a glance at the small black stone in her hand.
Observing the inconspicuous stone in Lin Xian'er's possession, Jia Lang furrowed his brows. "Miss Lin, is this also a treasure from the hall? Perhaps the servants didn't clean the floor properly. This thing, it's not a treasure at all. You'd better dispose of it."
Lin Xian'er found herself trusting Ling Feng's choice, despite her suspicion that the stone in her hand was far from valuable.
As she hesitated over whether to exchange it for the bronze dagger, hearty laughter echoed from outside the door.
"Haha, Brother Jia, your presence truly adds luster to my Treasure Pavilion!"
Approaching them was a man in a light golden robe, boasting a robust stature and somewhat handsome features, though with a hint of ferocity in his brows and eyes.
"It's Brother Ouyang!" Jia Lang acknowledged the newcomer with a casual raise of his hand.
The newcomer was none other than Ouyang Yu, the young master of the Treasure Pavilion in Hanwu County, and also a student of the Tianwei Academy. Ouyang Yu had always been on friendly terms with Jia Lang at the academy, often seen as his loyal follower.
To put it bluntly, he was nothing more than Jia Lang's lackey.
Ouyang Yu smiled obsequiously, his gaze falling upon Lin Xian'er beside Jia Lang, instantly captivated. He couldn't help but exclaim, "Brother Jia, you're so fortunate. Your wife is truly stunning, possessing the charm to captivate a nation!"
"Hehe..." Jia Lang's smug expression showed his obvious pleasure at Ouyang Yu's words.
Lin Xian'er's brows furrowed slightly as she intervened, stating, "Jia Lang and I are merely acquaintances."
Jia Lang's expression shifted slightly to awkwardness, his lips twitching, yet he maintained his composure, chuckling. "Hehe, this is Miss Lin Xian'er, also a student of our Tianwei Academy. You could say she's like a junior sister to us. Xian'er, this is Ouyang Yu. The Treasure Appraisal Convention is hosted by the Ouyang family."
"Mr. Ouyang." Lin Xian'er nodded in greeting with a cool demeanor, showing no interest in making acquaintances.
Ouyang Yu forced a smile, then turned to Jia Lang, his expression obsequious, "How is it, Brother Jia? Have you made your selection? Let me help you take a look and secure front-row seats for you."
Jia Lang closed his folding fan and gestured imperiously. "I haven't made my choice yet. Let me take a closer look."
He then gestured to Lin Xian'er with a glance. "Xian'er, quickly dispose of that useless stone. You wouldn't want people to question the taste of an accomplished disciple like you under Vice-Director Huo of the Tianwei Academy."
Lin Xian'er felt a surge of displeasure, furrowing her brows. She thought to herself, Why does it matter whether I have taste or not? It's none of your business! I just don't want to trouble everyone too much. Don't assume I'm afraid of your Jia family!
With that in mind, Lin Xian'er opened her palm and presented the black stone to Ouyang Yu, saying calmly, "Mr. Ouyang, I've made my choice. It's this thing."
"You!" Jia Lang frowned, ready to speak, but he observed Ouyang Yu's astonishment as he gazed at the black stone in Lin Xian'er's hand. Ouyang Yu exclaimed, "Wow, I didn't expect Miss Lin's appraisal skills to be so impressive! Truly unexpected!"
Jia Lang appeared bewildered, asking incredulously, "Brother Ouyang, what do you mean?"
Ouyang Yu chuckled. "Indeed, it's this treasure. Initially, even our senior appraisers at the Treasure Pavilion couldn't identify it as a third-grade high-tier treasure. It wasn't until our ancestors personally examined it that this treasure avoided being neglected. But you know, this treasure has been in Side Hall 6 for four or five years, and no one has been able to find it."
"W-What?" Jia Lang looked utterly shocked. "This thing?"
Ouyang Yu nodded confidently, "Exactly, it's this stone. It's an extremely rare Thunder Vein Cloud Stone and it’s the top treasure of Side Hall 6. Miss Lin, your discernment is truly remarkable!"
"Oh, not at all," Lin Xian'er's face flushed slightly, instinctively glancing towards Ling Feng's direction.
This treasure was clearly found by Ling Feng.
Ouyang Yu praised, "Miss Lin's appraisal skills are undoubtedly superior to mine, despite me being the young master of the Treasure Pavilion. I'm truly humbled."
Jia Lang's complexion darkened, resembling someone who had just swallowed a cockroach. Despite his earlier caution against presenting anything embarrassing, Ouyang Yu had now hailed it as the top treasure of the hall. Jia Lang, feeling somewhat indignant, displayed his bronze dagger with a creased brow. "Brother Ouyang, what about mine? How does its quality compare?"
Eyeing the dagger, Ouyang Yu's lips twitched slightly, and he awkwardly responded, "Um... Well, Brother Jia, your item might be slightly inferior. It's only of first-grade low-tier rank, so... you might have to sit separately from Miss Lin later."
First-grade low-tier, the lowest tier of quality within the treasure appraisal hall.
Jia Lang's face flushed with embarrassment, feeling as if he had swallowed a fly. Despite boasting about his skills, he had only managed to select a first-grade low-tier item!
This is so embarrassing, utterly embarrassing!
Seeing his dejected look, Ouyang Yu couldn't resist a chuckle. "Brother Jia, don't fret. If you wish to sit with the lady, there's a solution."
"Oh?" Jia Lang's eyes brightened immediately, and he patted Ouyang Yu's shoulder, smiling. "Brother Ouyang, how could I possibly accept such a gracious offer?"
"Come on, Brother Jia," Ouyang Yu replied, a hint of cunning in his eyes. While the Treasure Pavilion held some influence in the county, the Jia Family was one of the three major families in the area, making them incomparable.
Befriending Jia Lang was akin to climbing the Jia family's large tree, a golden opportunity not to be missed.
"In Side Hall 6, there are two third-grade high-tier treasures. Let me point them out to you," Ouyang Yu chuckled.
Upon hearing their conversation, Lin Xian'er's face immediately showed a hint of disdain.
Ouyang Yu, as the heir of the Ouyang family, blatantly disregarded the rules set by the Treasure Pavilion by disclosing information directly to Jia Lang. Such behavior is simply shameful!
After scanning the hall for a while, Ouyang Yu pointed to a square-shaped vessel on a shelf to the right, wearing a sycophantic expression. "Jia Lang, that's another third-grade high-tier treasure. If you hand this treasure to the appraiser at the entrance, you'll get the best front-row seat."
"Very well, thank you."
Jia Lang smiled faintly, about to reach out for the square-shaped vessel, only to discover that a large hand had already grabbed it.
"Huh?"
Jia Lang's brows furrowed, and anger surged within him. As he looked up, he was surprised to see that the person holding the square-shaped vessel was none other than Ling Feng!
The sourc𝗲 of this content is free(w)𝒆bnov(𝒆)l