Ch155 – Start of the Treasure Appraisal Convention
Seeing Leng Jixue readily agree, Huang Fujin felt a little better. He nodded his head and replied “Senior Disciple can go first, I will also go back to the sect.”
“Alright.” Leng Jixue made a gesture, then smiled and winked at Lin Xuanzhi before saying, “I’ll see you again.” He summoned a white spirit crane before jumping onto the crane’s back.
The Spirit Crane spread open its wings and flew towards the sky, leaving behind a white figure.
Leng Jixue walked back. Huang Fujin watched Lin Xuanzhi with a profound gaze, then said to Ji Yunwei who was standing a little bit further away, “Young Master Ji, don’t tell me you and Fellow Lin know each other?”
Ji Yunwei nodded and replied “Yes. The two of you should also know each other too ba, I’ve heard about what happened at the city gates.”
Huang Fujin nodded, not hiding anything from Ji Yunwei about his and Lin Xuanzhi’s relationship. In a cold voice, he replied “Since you already know about it, I’d like to request of Young Master Ji to please tell Fellow Lin, what kind of person I, Huang Fujin, am.”
Once he finished speaking, Huang Fujin did not wait for Ji Yunwei to reply before flinging his sleeves and leaving.
The corners of Ji Yunwei’s mouth twitched involuntarily. Huang Fujin had already gone out of bounds with how he acted today, and appeared a bit petty. This was hardly like how he normally acts.
Ji Yunwei said, “Ignore Huangfu Jin. His temper is usually alright, it’s just that when certain people are involved, he tends to lose control.”
Lin Xuanzhi gave Ji Yunwei an understanding look and spoke simply, “ I understand what he means. I’ll keep my distance from Leng Jixue, he doesn’t need to worry about that. However, does Leng Jixue have that kind of intention towards him?”
Ji Yunwei sighed, “I didn’t think that it’d be so obvious that even you would be able to tell. Yet the one who should know is completely unaware and knows nothing.”
Lin Xuanzhi calmly replied, “I’m afraid that it’s not that he doesn’t know, but that he’s pretending not to.”
Ji Yunwei raised an eyebrow and shrugged. “Don’t say that in front of Huangfu Jin, otherwise he’d be struck with so much grief that he might even vent his anger out on you.”
“Do you think Huangfu Jin himself doesn’t know?” Lin Xuanzhi shook his head, “No one’s a fool.”
Ji Yunwei squinted and replied, “Actually, Huangfu Jin has already hid it very deeply. The number of people throughout the whole Sky Peak Sect who knows about his feelings for Leng Jixue can be counted on just one hand. The only reason I know about it is because the Ji and Huangfu families have been family friends for a long time, and we grew up together so our relationship isn’t bad, but……”
“He is already targeting me like this, wouldn’t I be the idiot if I still couldn’t tell?” Lin Xuanzhi calmly asked in return, then smiled, “But, what I didn’t know was that you shared such a good relationship with Huangfu Jin.”
“At the very least, we’re all elite families. The Huangfu family has helped us a lot in capturing demonic beasts, so throughout our interactions over time, we came to know each other well.”
Ji Yunwei thought about it for awhile and realised that that was indeed the case. He didn’t know why Huangfu Jin was suddenly acting like such a deranged person; usually, there were countless people surrounding Leng Jixue, but he had never once went right up to their doorstep this rashly to warn them. He didn’t expect Huangfu Jin to keep an eye on Lin Xuanzhi.
This won’t do. He’ll have to properly ask what the deal was between Leng Jixue and Lin Xuanzhi someday.
However, this short episode didn’t cause Lin Xuanzhi much trouble. The Treasure Appraisal Convention formally started not long after.
The outdoor field had attracted the attention of many, such that a huge crowd had gathered around. Boss Bai looked at the hundreds of people below the platform and grinned. “The competition will begin now. Everyone should have an Answering Talisman crafted by the Bai family; only one person can fight to answer each round. Materials considered quite common will appear in the first round, and the winner who answers the most quickly with the most accurate answers will get the right to sit at our table and participate in the next round of the competition.”
Both Lin Xuanzhi and Yan Tianhen held a circular, spherical object handed to them by a female attendant. Lin Xuanzhi used his soul force to sense it — this was a mid grade auxiliary magic tool and only had one use: it was to be used in tandem with the magic tool on the platform that looks like a bronze mirror.
Soon, everyone had an Answering Ball like this in their hands.
Boss Bai clapped his hands, and someone carried a plate onto the platform.
When the black cloth on the plate was lifted, a white spot lit up on the bronze mirror.
Boss Bai’s eyes lit up. He said, “No. 004, please answer.”
“This is a Fire Silkworm Chrysalis, a primary grade third level material; it can be used to forge fire elemental attack, defense and auxiliary tools.” A young man said aloud.
Boss Bai nodded. “That is the right answer. May I invite this young swordsman to come onto the platform? This Fire Silkworm Chrysalis belongs to you now!”
The young man looked at the other youngster next to him who resembled him a little.
The youngster smiled and patted his back. “Go ba.”
The young man ran up to the platform, looking very excited, and sat on the first seat. He kept the Fire Silkworm Chrysalis in his storage bag.
Ji Yunwei raised an eyebrow and said, “Those two are from the Baili family. The younger one is the genius craftsman of his generation from the Baili family, called Baili Yunshan. He’s only 12 or 13-years-old, but he’s already at his introductory stage’s fifth soulfire stage. The one next to him is his older brother, Baili Yunsong, an elemental cultivator.”
Lin Xuanzhi nodded, “Those from the elite family are widely knowledgeable indeed.”
Yet Yan Tianhen pursed his lips, “I can’t see anything from where we’re standing. They can see much more clearly from where they’re standing.”
Ji Yunwei looked at Yan Tianhen and said, “You may not know, but this Treasure Appraisal Convention itself is jointly organised by several families.”
“Although it’s said to be conducted by the Bai family, the other families also have their share in providing the materials and forking out money for the convention. It’s not as simple as you may think it is.”
Lin Xuanzhi asked, “The Ji family chipped in as well?”
“Well, no.” Ji Yunwei shook his head and said regretfully, “The Ji family has no craftsmen, so we don’t even have the right to fork out money.”
Lin Xuanzhi, “…”
Yan Tianhen felt a little indignant. “Isn’t that too unfair?”
Lin Xuanzhi smiled. “Ah Hen, don’t get angry. This world has never paid much mind to fairness. However, in the face of absolute strength, the greatest unfairness is strength itself.”
Ji Yunwei instantly saw Lin Xuanzhi in a different light. He stroked his chain and said, “Why do I have a hunch that the Bai family is about to encounter a calamity?”
Lin Xuanzhi said with a laugh, “I’m afraid that your hunch is right.”
Ji Yunwei, “…”
When the second material was carried onto the platform, Lin Xuanzhi used his soul force to probe it. His soul force had just circled around it once before Lin Xuanzhi judged what the material was merely through its texture and attribute.
When the black cloth was lifted, Lin Xuanzhi pressed down on the Answering tool in his hands.
Boss Bai looked at the bronze mirror — it wasn’t the person he had expected, so he was instantly stunned. However, accidents often occurred during a competition, and the show must go on, so Boss Bai said, “No. 235, please answer.”
Lin Xuanzhi looked at the Answering tool in his hands that had the numbers ‘235’ written on it and said, “It’s an Empty Wooden Shell, primary grade seventh level, wood attribute; it can be used to craft boxes for storing spiritual plants.”
Boss Bai nodded and said, “Correct. May I please invite this cultivator onto the platform?”
Yan Tianhen cheered with both joy and pride evident on his face.
Ji Yunwei raised an eyebrow, “Your Dage’s really amazing.”
Yan Tianhen cast a glance at him. “I thought you already knew that when you realised that the wine cups were made by my Dage.”
Ji Yunwei, “…”
Yan Tianhen was right.
Lin Xuanzhi went onto the platform and sat beside Baili Yunshan.
Baili Yunshan looked at Lin Xuanzhi’s face without blinking, then covered his mouth and laughed, “Da Gege, you’re so good-looking.”
Lin Xuanzhi said lightly, “Thanks to my parents.”
Baili Yunshan, “…”
Below the platform, Baili Yunson was always watching Baili Yunshan. When he saw his own younger brother staring at someone else’s face with starry eyes, he really wanted to rush onto the platform and pull him back down.
So rude, he’s being too rude!
When will this starry-eyed problem of his be cured?!
The Treasure Appraisal Convention continued. Yan Tianhen has no soul force, so he couldn’t discern the materials through the air like Lin Xuanzhi did. Even though he was quite knowledgeable on various materials, due to the distance and the little tricks played behind the scenes, he couldn’t find an opportunity to answer.
Apart from lin Xuanzhi, the other nine people who were selected were either craftsmen from major families who were about to participate in the competition or the disciples of renowned sects. There wasn’t a single person there who wasn’t famous.
Not far away, a carriage passed by, and even stayed for a moment.
Someone on the carriage smiled. “Zixing, why didn’t you take part in this convention?”
The one called Zixing said with a very cold voice, “It’s merely a clown’s juggling show performed on the streets. I, Su Zixing, won’t bother with such cheap performances.”
“Hehe…” A laughter rang out, and the one beside him said, “You are right. You, Su Zixing, are the strongest craftsman in the world. As for the rest…they exist only to make you stand out or act as your stepping stones, am I right?”
Su Zixing opened his pair of starry eyes, his beauty overwhelming everything else. His cold glance swept across the man who was smiling mischievously next to him and uttered a soft hng. “As long as you know that.”
The curtain that was adorned with all sorts of exotic treasures was lowered, and the carriage slowly headed towards the East side of the city.
After the first round, contestants who were selected to enter the second round were all sitting on the seats on the platform. Although all of the ten contestants sitting on the platform weren’t any older than 25, aside from Baili Yunshan who was looking around everywhere curiously, the others all had stern countenances as they looked straight ahead, afraid of making their own family lose face.
Boss Bai soon announced the start of the second round.
There were still ten types of materials in the second round. Everyone had to appraise one of them, and they must cite their names, attributes, functions, as well as the magic treasure it was commonly used to refine.
As the person who was the first to stand out, Baili Yunshan was now also the first to select a material.
Moreover, because he was a craftsman who was trained with painstaking efforts by the Baili family, all these materials that looked particularly unique to ordinary craftsmen didn’t pose much of a problem to Baili Yunshan. Thus, he quickly gave his answer.
Lin Xuanzhi followed closely behind, and gave his answer easily as well.
This made Boss Bai cast a few more glances at Lin Xuanzhi.
After the second round, four contestants left the platform helplessly because they made mistakes regarding some details. However, these people had just participated for fun. Standing out amongst a hundred over people and obtaining good materials had already satisfied them greatly.
After the third round of material identification, only Baili Yunshan and Lin Xuanzhi remained on the platform.
Boss Bai came out from behind the screen and grinned as he scrutinised Lin Xuanzhi. “I may have eyes, but I . I couldn’t tell that Your Excellency is the one named by Profound Sky Sect to be the top person in the world for both the past and future 500 years — Lin Xuanzhi!”
Baili Yunshan’s eyes widened and said in surprise, “You’re actually Lin Xuanzhi?! I’ve heard of you before! You have an alias — Yu Huarong, the one who makes others forget about immortals at first sight, and you’re the head of the Profound Sky’s Four Swords!”
Lin Xuanzhi’s expression didn’t change, but he had other thoughts in mind. He said calmly, “I don’t dare accept such a great honour, that is merely a circulation of false rumours.”
“Isn’t Lin Xianshi being too modest? I didn’t expect Lin Xianshi to not only be so exceptional in the attainment of the swordsman path, but to possess such keen eyesight as well.” Boss Bai narrowed his eyes and stroked his beard, “Looks like Lin Xianshi will definitely be giving Profound Sky Sect quite some face this time.”
Author’s gossip:
Okay, Boss Bai is going to stir up some trouble now~ another important person’s name has appeared