Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor
Chapter 400: Four hundred Appraisal

Chapter 400: Four hundred Appraisal

Treasure Pavilion is an extremely bustling place in Xuri City, especially during the monthly Treasure Identification Conference which attracts countless cultivators with a unique eye.

Because during this conference, if you can identify the details of any three treasures, you can obtain one of them, and these treasures are all rare and precious beyond compare.

When Yun Xiao entered the Treasure Hall, the place was already bustling with noise and excitement. However, with a quick glance around, he saw many people with faces full of indecision, staring intently at certain treasures as if they wanted to pop their eyes out.

Clearly, those people were identifying a certain kind of treasure but couldn’t make up their minds, which is what made them so troubled. But if even the Treasure Pavilion couldn’t be sure of these treasures, how could these outsiders stand a chance?

Upon looking around, Yun Xiao immediately noticed that the Treasure Hall was divided into two areas. One side was the identification area where those people were previously identifying treasures; the other was for the identified treasures that were now available for people to bid on and buy.

Regardless, the Treasure Pavilion is a place of business. Some powerful cultivators, in need of certain treasures, would come here to find them. Even if the prices were higher, as long as the items were worth their value, the visit would be worthwhile.

Now completely broke, Yun Xiao naturally wouldn’t wander around the selling area. Even if he saw something he liked, he couldn’t afford it. After all, situations like those of Ding Hao are rare and hard to come by.

Thus, Yun Xiao set his sights on the identification area. With his knowledge as the former Dragon Cloud Battle God, he didn’t believe that anything in the Hidden Dragon Continent could deceive his eyes.

"Huh?"

As Yun Xiao casually walked past the first identification counter, he stopped in his tracks, for the item before him greatly piqued his interest.

Around this identification counter, four or five people were already gathered, all with furrowed brows and fixed gazes on the object inside the counter, unwilling to look away even for a moment.

The object appeared to be a piece of dry, nearly dead wood. If it were placed outside, perhaps none of these formidable cultivators would even spare it a glance.

However, everyone present knew that if the Treasure Pavilion had placed it here with such importance, it might not be an ordinary object. This piece of dry wood, must hold some secrets unknown to them.

"Alas, it seems I’ve thought too much!"

Originally somewhat interested, after closely examining the dry wood, Yun Xiao showed a disappointed expression and murmured, "It seems that not everything at this Treasure Identification Conference is a rare and valuable treasure."

Seeing Yun Xiao turning to leave after less than a moment, an elder nearby suddenly asked, "Young man, did you discern anything?"

To know, these people, especially the elder who had been studying the piece of dry wood from the moment he entered the Treasure Hall, felt there was something extraordinary about it but couldn’t figure it out.

Now, observing Yun Xiao’s actions and sigh, the elder shamelessly inquired. Even if he was unable to see through it, knowing more about this dry wood could let him sleep well tonight.

"I saw... well, I did notice!"

Being asked by someone, and the fact that they were quite polite, Yun Xiao didn’t just walk away. However, his tone was somewhat hesitant, as if he wasn’t sure how to phrase his words.

"I wonder, what exactly is this treasure?"

The elder looked determined to get to the bottom of it. After all, there were guards from the Treasure Pavilion nearby to ensure that if the young man could reveal the details, it would be considered a successful identification by him and wouldn’t steal any credits.

"A treasure? What treasure? That’s just a piece of ordinary dry wood!"

With a lift of his eyes, the words Yun Xiao said left the elder and the others dumbstruck. This outcome was not what they wanted.

After all their analyzing and scrutinizing, it turned out they had just been examining a piece of ordinary dry wood. After all, these were reputable individuals of Xuri City, and if word got out, wouldn’t it turn into a big joke?

The elder was skeptical, but the others were disbelieving. However, just as they were about to retort, they noticed that the guard by the identification counter remained motionless, which shocked them.

If this piece of dry wood was truly a treasure, then surely the guards of the Treasure Pavilion wouldn’t allow such casual misinformation. Looking at it this way, could it really be just a piece of dry wood?

Yun Xiao wasn’t an overly kind person, and after giving his brief input, he didn’t bother to argue further and simply continued forward, shaking his head inwardly and thinking to himself that the Treasure Pavilion truly was a place of discernment between the real and the fake.

As he advanced, Yun Xiao’s heart grew increasingly disappointed because, out of ten items, only two or three were real. Moreover, the fake items were exquisitely made, nearly indistinguishable from the real ones.

Such things couldn’t possibly be naturally occurring. The most likely explanation was that the Treasure Pavilion created them intentionally. This method was indeed very clever.

If it were only the Treasure Pavilion making forgeries to sell again, once discovered, it would undoubtedly ruin their reputation.

But now, placed here for outsiders to evaluate, even if the evaluation is wrong, it is not the Treasure Pavilion’s problem. They can clear themselves completely, and the person who bought the fake item only needs to find the person who evaluated it.

Yun Xiao even saw several treasure cabinets being opened on the spot, and the people from the Treasure Pavilion admitted their evaluations were correct, and then moved them to the selling area to start selling.

It was only because Yun Xiao had an astonishingly keen eye that he could discern the authenticity of those things. In his view, there might be numerous people duped by those items that were moved to the selling area.

However, regarding these trifles, Yun Xiao really had no interest in meddling. He had no grievances with the Treasure Pavilion, nor any acquaintance with those who bought the fakes, saving himself the hassle.

"Hmm? What are those people doing up ahead?"

As Yun Xiao delved deeper, he saw a group of cultivators with profound auras not far ahead. However, in front of these people, there wasn’t a treasure cabinet, but only a long, narrow table.

Yun Xiao squeezed into the crowd and immediately saw that on this long, narrow table were placed ten peculiar items. These items were not covered by a cabinet surface but were casually placed on the table.

"This is the Mystery Zone, specifically for displaying items that even the Treasure Pavilion can’t evaluate. Each Treasure Conference, the Treasure Pavilion will bring out ten such items!"

As Yun Xiao was wondering, a familiar, pleasant voice rang in his ear. Without looking, he knew it must be the voice of the red-dressed young girl who had somehow followed him again.

From the explanation of the red-dressed young girl, Yun Xiao also understood that the items in those earlier cabinets, true or false, were nominally acknowledged by the Treasure Pavilion before being evaluated by others and entered for sale.

But the ten items on this long table now were even beyond the Treasure Pavilion’s sure judgment. Among these items, there might be worthless local goods, or treasures of incalculable value.

"Is it also ’identify three items, get one free’ here?"

Yun Xiao turned his head and asked. He was far more interested in these ten items than in the mostly fake ones he had seen earlier.

"Hehe, that’s not the case!"

The red-dressed young lady smiled sweetly, then said: "For these items, as long as you correctly identify them, explaining their origins and effects, you can take them directly without any cost.

"Take them directly?"

Upon hearing this, Yun Xiao was overjoyed, and his impression of the Treasure Pavilion surged. Although there were many fakes in this place, this benefit was still very humane.

In the midst of talking, Yun Xiao had already approached the first peculiar item on the left. He looked up to see what seemed to be a dried-up sheep’s head that had only bones left, but those two Sheep Horns appeared rather extraordinary.

"This looks like an ordinary sheep head; is there something special about it?"

Seeing Yun Xiao examining it closely, the red-dressed young lady couldn’t help but ask. After the previous incident outside treating Ding Hao, she had developed a great interest in this young man, knowing that despite his young age, he possessed insights beyond ordinary people.

Hearing the red-dressed young lady asking, several people not far away also turned their heads. These people all had unique insights; after their examination, they had unanimously believed it was just a common mountain sheep’s head with nothing out of the ordinary.

It seemed that Xuri City had no lack of knowledgeable people. Although the Treasure Pavilion had many fakes, it couldn’t fool these discerning individuals’ eyes. Therefore, most people who were experienced and perceptive gathered in this Mystery Zone, and they wouldn’t easily trust the judgments of the Treasure Pavilion.

Even though most of the items in those cabinets were fakes, not to mention this Mystery Zone, where a successful evaluation allows taking an item immediately, the Treasure Pavilion isn’t foolish. Even if they’re unsure, they probably had to thoroughly study it before putting it up.

"An ordinary sheep head?"

Hearing this, Yun Xiao shook his head and then reached out with his right hand, grabbing one of the Sheep Horns. With a thought, a streak of blood-red flame erupted.

"What are you doing?"

Not only the bystanders were startled, but even the red-dressed young lady was taken aback, muttering that you’re supposed to evaluate the treasure, not burn it.

The items placed here may seem like they can be taken away if correctly identified, but before the verification is precise, they still belong to the "treasures" of the Treasure Pavilion. If damaged by accident, one would have to compensate at the price stated.

Moreover, the treasures in this Mystery Zone weren’t even priced. When it came to compensation, it would still be up to the Treasure Pavilion to decide. This reckless action was definitely going to be heavily penalized.

Sure enough, just as the Ancestral Vein Fire erupted from Yun Xiao’s right hand, an inappropriate familiar voice followed, letting him know without looking who it was.

"Boy, how dare you damage the treasures of the Treasure Pavilion? What should be your punishment?"

This voice was naturally that of Qiao Lin, who had already had a grudge against Yun Xiao at the entrance of the Treasure Pavilion. Having been thwarted twice before, now he had finally found an opportunity. How could he not kick a man when he’s down?