Chapter 41: Treasure Speculation
Translator: StarveCleric Editor: Thaddpole&Tortex
“Is that Master Mo Yang you all speak of that incredible?” Zhang Xuan asks doubtfully.
To be capable of inciting the agitation of so many people, causing them to go into a frenzy, who is this Master Mo Yang? Just what kind of magical abilities does he possess?
“Yes, he is extremely incredible!” Reverence can be heard from the vendor’s tone. “He is an expert appraiser!”
“Appraiser?” Zhang Xuan nods his head.
Appraiser and gourmet are both special occupations. However, the former is a Middle Nine Paths occupation.
This occupation may not be as glorious as apothecaries, blacksmiths and formation masters, but it is capable of sending innumerable people into hysteria.
That is because they are able to tell whether an item is a treasure or not just by looking at it. In the field of 【Treasure Speculation】, they possess golden fingers that make them an existence similar to the God of Gambling. Many people would follow behind reverently them the moment they appear in public.
Treasure speculation is a commercial activity similar to Earth’s rock speculation. There are some ancient treasures whose original radiance is buried under the cloak of rock and faunas. Just by the outer appearance itself, the most one could do is to identify what the artifact is. It is impossible to tell the tier of the treasure and the specifications of it.
Rock speculation, information on it left on the bottom.
Its true form will only be revealed when the exterior of the artifact is cleaned!
There are many treasure dealers who choose not to clean up these treasures and sell them in such a form instead. This is similar to the concept of rock gambling. After which, the buyer would purchase the artifact based on their discernment ability and intuition and clean up its exterior afterward.
If they are lucky, it might turn out to be a supreme treasure which would make them millionaires in an instant. On the other hand, it is also possible for them to go bankrupt after investing greatly on some useless object!
Heaven on one side and hell on the other.
It is due to the very unpredictability of the game that many people are obsessed with it, sometimes even going crazy over it.
Appraisers are capable of ascertaining whether a treasure is real or not. Those who are more capable are even able to make a judgment on an artifact before it has been tidied up. Thus, even though the occupation is only of the Middle Nine Paths, the charms of it has attracted many to walk on such a road.
After all, it is the Midas’s touch. As long as they think that it is a treasure, people would buy it no matter how expensive they are.
“This Master Mo Yang arrived here seven days ago. It is rumored that he is an incredible appraiser from some other kingdom. However, back then, no one paid him any notice!”
The vendor introduces Master Mo Yang excitedly. “The first day, when someone wanted to buy a wine bottle-like object that costs about 100 gold coin, Master Mo Yang tried to persuade him otherwise. However, that person refused to listen and in the end, after wiping it clean, it is proven that there is a problem with the object and it isn’t worth a single gold coin!”
“The second day, Master Mo Yang persuaded a fighter to spend 200 gold coins to buy a treasure. That person refused to believe him, so he didn’t buy it. Thus, Master Mo Yang bought it himself and after it is wiped clean, it turned out to be a mortal pinnacle weapon! It is something that cannot be bought even with several thousand gold coins! He profited several dozen folds in an instant! That filled the fighter with so much regret that the thought of suicide even crossed his mind…”
“By the third day, he was already very famous. There are many people who wanted his guidance on what they should buy. However, only a lucky lad was granted that opportunity. He advised him to buy a small jade bottle that is worth 500 gold coins! At that moment, many people thought that he had erred. No matter how incredible that jade vase is, it can’t possibly be worth such a sum… Who knew that the moment it is opened, six tier 6 pills were found inside! Someone even offered to buy that vase for 10000 gold coins on the spot!”
The vendor’s eyes light up, “That is to say, a profit of twenty-fold! That is too incredible! The next few days, he came by the market every day and he only advised a single person on each day. Even so, the person that he chooses is certain strike it rich! Many people went frenzied over this. Thus, they started to camp here from day to night, hoping to win his favor so that he would offer them his pointer! Now that he’s here again, it is not abnormal for those people to be so agitated…”
“Amazing!”
Hearing the story of Master Mo Yang, Zhang Xuan’s eyes light up as he nods his head in approval.
To be able to appraise the true worth of a treasure under a layer of moss and silt, his eye for discernment must be extraordinary.
“Un, that’s right. I possess the Library of Heaven’s Path, so does it mean that… I am able to do it as well?”
Zhang Xuan’s eyes light up.
The Library of Heaven’s Path allows one to see through the true nature of things just by coming into contact with it. Other people might need some luck in treasure speculation, but he doesn’t need such a thing!
“There is an easy way for me to strike it rich!”
Upon such thoughts, Zhang Xuan is unable to calm his agitated heart.
In rock speculation, before buying a rock, others would need to study the various aspects of the rock to deduce whether jade would come out of it. However, Zhang Xuan is different. Just by touching the artifact with his hands, the Library of Heaven’s Path in his mind would automatically generate an answer for him. Purchasing the artifact after knowing the answer, it would be a simple matter for him to profit out of this trade!
It just happens to his wages are low and he didn’t have much money. So, this is a good opportunity for him to give it a try to earn a sum!
Following the directions given by the vendor, Zhang Xuan soon arrived at the hall where treasure speculation is conducted.
As he expected, the sight in here isn’t much different from rock speculation. All kinds of treasures are placed on an elevated platform and every single one of them are thickly covered by a layer of moss, silt, rust and rock. It is already a difficult task to make out the shape of the artifacts, needless to say, appraise its value.
“Let me give it a try first!”
It is true that Zhang Xuan is unable to discern between them just by sight alone. Although Zhang Xuan suspects that the Library of Heaven’s Path is able to peer into the true nature of the artifact, he is unable to ascertain it. Thus, to verify his theory, he casually touches an artifact that is about the size of a human’s head.
Weng!
His mind jolts and a book appears in the library.
“Ornamental Vase, forged by a 1-mo craftsman from Southern Kiln. Flaws: It has cracks on it and could shatter at any moment…”
The description of the artifact is compiled into a book.
“Despite being massive, it turned out to be a trash!” Zhang Xuan comments impassively as his eyes glitter in excitement.
Just as he thought! As long as he comes into physical contact with it, he is able to receive a detailed introduction on the artifact. Thus, he need not fear no matter how well-hidden these treasures are, he would surely be able to identify them accurately!
He casually touches a few of the larger artifacts before him and realizes that none of them are of great value. He continues on with a dozen of the artifacts by the sides, but they aren’t really valuable either. Zhang Xuan can’t help but shake his head. It is no wonder the sellers of these artifacts are able to profit out of it and that appraisers are so well-received, the probability of a true treasure appearing among them is way too low!
“Ah, master, please give me some pointers!”
“I am willing to pay you for your advice!”
“Master, I’m begging you…”
…
Just as he is randomly touching the treasures casually, piercing screams echo outside the hall as the sought-after Master Mo Yang walks over.
The eyes of those chasing behind him are crimson red, and they look as though they have gone mad.
“Master, as long as you offer me your pointer, this young girl will obey every single command of yours…”
“Master, I am willing to bear your babies, as long as you guide me…”
There are even women who are sticking close to him, trying to seduce him with their physical charms.
Zhang Xuan is flabbergasted.
He is way too popular! It seems as though with a single word of Master Mo Yang, countless girls would be willing to serve him tonight.
“I will be leaving Tianxuan Royal City tonight. In order to show my gratitude for the warmth everyone has welcomed me with, I will appraise for five people today! You all need not vie over it. There is a chance for everyone who is fated with me!”
Upon reaching the treasure speculation hall, Master Mo Yang stops.
This Master Mo Yang has a snowy-white beard, which exposes his advanced age. Yet, his skin is smooth and shiny without a single crease on it, probably because he maintained his skin diligently. His eyes have an aura of superiority, making one feel inadequate in comparison. As such, no one is willing to meet his gaze.