"If you really wish to participate, I'll bring you around to take a look!" Seeing the other party's determination, Sai Xiaoyu said.
Even though the young man before him was able to see through the problems that even he was unable to, deep in his heart, he still thought that it was impossible for him to pass the examination. Thus, he paid no heed to Sai Xiaoyu's offer of double the compensation. In fact, he was already prepared to throw away the hundred spirit stones.
After keeping the items they had bought, the group walked out of the First Grade Pavilion and headed up the stairs.
The two floors below the Appraiser Hall was the market while the upper floor was their branch. Upon entering the main hall, they saw dozens of people lined up in two rows with all kinds of artifacts in their hands.
The value of these artifacts wasn't high, and they were most likely from the stalls on the first floor, which could be bought with just a few spirit stones.
At the front were two young men appraising the artifacts carefully. Every time they appraised an artifact, they would mark it down and create an appraisal form.
Some of those who had been appraised were excited while others were despondent.
There were both real and fake artifacts on the first floor. If one bought the right item, they would have profited. If one bought the wrong item, they could only blame it on their bad luck. Looking at the expressions of the crowd, it was clear that the unlucky ones were the majority.
"There are quite a few people who are worried after buying an artifact, so they would come here to have it appraised. The appraisers who appraise them are all 1-star appraisers who have just passed the 1-star appraiser examination!" Sai Xiaoyu said.
"Un!" Zhang Xuan nodded his head.
He had also seen the emblem on the chests of the two young men. There was a dazzling golden star embroidered on it.
1-star appraisers were already capable of appraising some simple artifacts. Clearly, the artifacts that they had sent over weren't beyond that range.
"The Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets is right ahead, let's head over!"
Under Sai Xiaoyu's lead, they soon arrived at a room.
"Master Sai!"
"Teacher!"
Upon entering the room, a few elders immediately walked up to him respectfully.
As the head of the Appraiser Hall, Sai Xiaoyu possessed great prestige. Many 3-star appraisers were his students, and he owed them a debt of gratitude.
"How many appraisers are there in the Appraiser Hall?"
Looking around, there were only six to seven people in the room. Out of curiosity, Zhao Feiwu asked.
Hearing the question, Sai Xiaoyu shook his head with a bitter smile. "The Appraiser Hall sounds impressive, but including me, there are only three 4-star appraisers and eight 3-star appraisers. The rest are all 2-star and 1-star!"
"So few?" Everyone was taken aback.
He thought that there would be at least a dozen 4-star appraisers in the Appraiser Hall, but to think that there would only be three of them.
It was no wonder why the appraiser examination was so difficult. From the looks of it, the number of appraisers was pitifully small.
"Yeah!" Shaking his head, Sai Xiaoyu turned to the two 3-star appraisers and said, "Call Elder Chen and Elder Lu over. Tell them that someone wishes to challenge the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets!"
"Challenging the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets?"
The two of them were startled and hurriedly turned around and walked out.
As an appraiser, he was well aware of the difficulty of the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets. No one had succeeded in so many years, and yet, someone still dared to challenge it.
Not too long later, two white-bearded elders walked over. Before they even got close, a coarse voice sounded, "Master Sai, someone wants to challenge the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets? Was it Old Hu or Old Du? Could it be that these two fellows haven't given up yet? "
The Old Geezer Hu and Old Geezer Du whom Zhang Xuan spoke of didn't belong to the Honghai City branch. As 4-star appraisers, they were on par with him.
They had tried the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets several times in the past, just that they were unable to clear it.
In the past few years, only these two fellows had challenged the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets. Knowing how difficult it was, the others didn't even have the intention to do so. Thus, upon hearing that someone wanted to challenge the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets, he immediately thought of them.
"Hmm? Where is he? "
The old man with the coarse voice looked around, but he did not see any familiar figures. Thus, he was filled with doubt.
"Alright, Elder Chen. This time, it isn't the two of them who wants to challenge the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets. It's this young man over here, Zhang Xuan!"
Seeing that the fellow was still looking around aimlessly, Sai Xiaoyu shook his head and interrupted him.
"Him?"
Not only were the two elders taken aback, the other appraisers in the room were also perplexed.
They thought that the person challenging the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets would be a formidable figure, but to think that it would be a young lad who wasn't even twenty yet!
Ignoring the reactions of the crowd, Sai Xiaoyu introduced with a smile, "Brother Zhang, this is Elder Chen Yu, and the other one is Elder Lu Xilu. They are the two remaining 4-star appraisers that I mentioned to you!"
Zhang Xuan nodded his head.
Even without an introduction, it was clear that even though the two elders weren't wearing the unique robe of an appraiser, the aura they exuded was incomparably deep. With a single look, it was clear that their cultivation was on par with Jin Conghai.
Given their strength and the fact that they dared to make a fuss before Sai Xiaoyu, it was obvious that they were the remaining two 4-star appraisers.
"Pavilion master, what did you call him? Brother? "
Elder Chen was the first to recover from his shock.
As the pavilion master of the Appraiser Hall, Sai Xiaoyu's standing was extremely high. Other than them, almost everyone had to address him as teacher. Yet, at this moment, he was addressing a young lad who wasn't even twenty as brother... What in the world was this fellow's background?
"Un. Even though Brother Zhang is young, in terms of appraising, he isn't beneath me!" Sai Xiaoyu chuckled.
"Aren't beneath you... Aren't those words a little too exaggerated?" Elder Chen shook his head. The others also had looks of disbelief on their faces.
In the field of appraising, what mattered wasn't talent but knowledge.
Only by possessing boundless knowledge and practical experience would one be able to reach a higher level of proficiency.
This fellow looked to be around eighteen or nineteen. Even if he had started studying in his mother's womb, he would have only been a dozen years old. How could he possibly compare up to Master Sai, a 4-star appraiser who had spent his entire life studying?
"It's true. Teacher appraised a Verdant Bead just now, but a problem occurred..." Seeing the doubtful gazes of the crowd, Liu Chang recounted the matter.
"You're saying that... with just a glance, the Verdant Bamboo contained lethal poison, making it unsuitable for pill forging?"
"This isn't the means of an appraiser, right?"
After hearing the explanation, not only was the crowd not impressed, they felt even more bewildered.
An appraiser would have to examine a Verdant Bamboo carefully and even take a few samples to test it out. To be able to deduce it with just a glance... Why did it feel as though he was a fortune-teller?
"Alright, Brother Zhang, we'll open the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets for you now. You'll be entering alone, and there will be a total of ten artifacts. As long as you can appraise one, you'll pass! "
Seeing the doubtful gazes of the crowd, Sai Xiaoyu waved his hands and interjected.
"Un!" Zhang Xuan nodded.
It didn't seem too difficult for him to appraise one artifact.
"Let's begin!"
Sai Xiaoyu beckoned for Elder Chen and Elder Lu to walk up to the wall, take out a medicinal spoon, and insert it into the wall.
Jiya!
The wall parted, and a door appeared.
The Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets contained an indestructible treasure. Unlike the Mingshi Tang tests, which required three keys to open simultaneously, the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets required one to open it.
Otherwise, even a Transcendent Mortal 4-dan expert wouldn't be able to enter.
Flicking his wrist, Zhang Xuan took out a pile of spirit stones and inserted them into the door. In an instant, as though a formation had been activated, a brilliant glow emanated from the dark gray wall.
"Go in!"
Sai Xiaoyu waved his hands.
Thus, before Zhang Xuan could reach the door, Elder Chen had already stopped him.
"Do you know the difficulty of the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets?"
Even though Master Sai had praised the other party, he still didn't think too highly of this young man.
If the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets was that easy, someone would have long succeeded. How could there be no one who had managed to clear it?
"I don't know!" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "I just heard that anyone who clears it will receive a reward of five thousand spirit stones. Thus, I came here to give it a try!"
"Just heard of it... and you dare to challenge it?"
Elder Chen's vision darkened.
He thought that the other party was a genius who had prepared for a long time, which was why he troubled Master Sai. To think that the other party would come here as soon as he heard of it...
Furthermore, what does a reward of five thousand spirit stones mean? It can't be that you are here for the reward?
Elder Chen flew into a rage.
The Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets wasn't just a trial, it was also a trial for the 5-star appraiser examination. Only those who had reached 4-star were qualified to attempt it. Yet, you dared to challenge it just because you heard that there was a reward? Do you have to treat it so lightly?
"Master Sai, isn't it disrespecting the dignity of the Appraiser Hall to allow a person who wishes to challenge the trial just for the reward to enter the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets?"
Unable to stand it any longer, Elder Chen turned to look at Zhang Xuan.
To challenge the 5-star appraiser examination just for the reward, wasn't he looking down on the appraiser occupation?
"Elder Chen, you're being too serious. Brother Zhang, even though... even though his motive is spirit stones, he is still capable!"
Sai Xiaoyu wanted to put in some good words for Zhang Xuan, but after a moment of hesitation, he realized that this fellow... was really here for the spirit stones.
"Capable? The Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets is also known as the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Leaves. That is to say, in order to discern the artifact's type, name, origin, and value... To challenge the trial just for the spirit stones, this... "
Elder Chen panicked.
"Alright, since the trial has already been activated, there's no point in talking anymore. Let him give it a try. Perhaps, this Brother Zhang might be able to create a miracle?"
Interrupting Elder Chen's words, Sai Xiaoyu said.
Even though he didn't harbor much hope for this Zhang Xuan, since he had already agreed to it, he might as well give it a try. If he failed, he would just give up.
Otherwise, after doing him such a huge favor, if he couldn't even fulfill this request of the other party, how could he face him in the future?
"Un!"
Seeing Sai Xiaoyu stop Elder Chen, Zhang Xuan couldn't be bothered to waste time with the other party. Thus, he walked into the room.
Weng!
As soon as he entered, the door to the room closed.
"Nonsense, this is utter nonsense!"
Elder Chen flung his sleeves.
"Elder, do you mean that our young master will be unable to clear the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets?"
Just as Elder Chen was thinking that Master Sai's actions were a little inappropriate, a nonchalant voice sounded. Turning around, Elder Chen saw a fatty standing not too far away. His rotund body was trembling non-stop.
"Indeed. The Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets requires one to have an extremely deep understanding of appraising. Even Old Geezer Hu and Old Geezer Du are unable to do so. How can an eighteen to nineteen-year-old brat like him succeed?"
Elder Chen harrumphed.
"Since you're so certain, then... why don't we make a bet?"
The fatty said.
"Bet?" Elder Chen was taken aback.
"That's right. I bet that our young master will be able to clear the trial, and you bet that he will fail. As for the stakes... Let's not make it too big. How about three thousand spirit stones?"
The fatty looked at Elder Chen with a smile.
(Today is the Fan Festival, so you can bet on the Library of Heaven's Path. Laoya has made a profit of two thousand Starter Coins. Not bad, hehe!)
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