"Three thousand spirit stones? What are you waiting for? "
Elder Chen nearly fainted on the spot.
He could afford to fork out so many spirit stones if he were to fork out everything he had, but if he were to do so, he would be bankrupt.
To think that a single bet would cost so much. Are you insane?
"Three thousand spirit stones... Do you have that much to bet?" Seeing his old friend's awkwardness, Elder Lu stepped forward to help him out.
"Of course I don't!" The fatty shook his head.
"You don't?" Everyone was speechless.
To think that he would dare to make such a bet despite having several thousand or even ten thousand spirit stones in his possession... and yet, he still dared to make such a bet? Isn't he a little too gutsy?
By the side, Zhao Feiwu slapped her forehead as well.
She had seen the fearless and foolish side of this fatty many times. To think that he would actually dare to make a bet with a 4-star appraiser... and more importantly, he didn't have the money to do so!
The heck, you sure are fearless!
"Like master, like servant..."
She couldn't help but shake her head.
This fatty was Sun Qiang's young master, and he was a fellow who loved to stir up trouble. He dared to teach Master Sai a lesson in public without fear of being beaten to death. Yet, this fellow seemed to be even more vicious than before. She really couldn't help but wonder where these freaks came from.
"If you don't have the money, what are you betting on?" Elder Chen's face turned livid.
"I don't have the money, but Master Sai does. It's only three thousand spirit stones, he'll lend it to you!" Fatty Sun Qiang smiled.
"..."
Master Sai, who was watching the commotion by the side, didn't expect the flames of war to spread to him. He nearly spurted blood.
He did say that he would lend money to Zhang Xuan, but that was just a polite request to befriend the other party. Yet, this pair of master and servant actually dared to make a bet with one another … I was just being polite, and you actually took it for real?
Do you all have to be so conned?
"I..."
Just as she was about to explain herself, the fatty waved his hands and said, "Even if Master Sai is stingy and doesn't care about young master's kindness to him, it doesn't matter. Zhao Feiwu gongzi will surely lend me the money. It's only three thousand spirit stones, I don't think it means much to gongzi!"
"..." Zhao Feiwu.
I'm just a bystander. Why is the fire burning on me …?
Master Sai's eyes turned white.
What do you mean I'm stingy and don't care about Zhang Xuan's kindness? Didn't I give him a stalk of Calming Spirit Grass? In fact, he even wasted a hundred spirit stones to send him into the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets.
Wasn't this repaying a debt of gratitude?
Just as the two of them were about to interject, Sun Qiang waved his hand again. "Look, they didn't object. That means that three thousand Spirit Stones is nothing to them! Don't worry, as long as I lose, I'll definitely be able to take it out. More importantly, you … It can't be that you don't dare to do it despite your confident words earlier, right? To think that you are a 4-star appraiser, you can't even fork out such a small amount of money. How embarrassing... "
"You …"
Not expecting to be looked down upon by a mere servant, Elder Chen's face steeled. He was on the verge of exploding.
"What do you mean by 'you' and 'me'? If you really don't dare, then forget it. However, you should watch your mouth and not spout nonsense. Our young master possesses unparalleled talent. A mere Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets means nothing at all! "
Harrumphing, Sun Qiang tilted his head upward. He was filled with confidence in Zhang Xuan.
"Fine, I'll bet with you!" Seeing the other party's attitude getting more and more arrogant, Elder Chen couldn't hold himself back any longer.
Logically speaking, as a 4-star appraiser, it wasn't right for him to get angry with a servant. However, this fatty was simply too much.
His tone was frivolous and his attitude was arrogant. Especially at this moment, his face was filled with disdain … It was as though he, a respected 4-star appraiser, was a shameless beggar.
He could tolerate being looked down upon by a 5-star appraiser, 4-star master teacher, or even the pavilion master. However, to be looked down upon by a lowly servant, he couldn't swallow it!
"That's right. Is there anyone else who dares to make a bet? Do you all doubt that our young master will be able to clear the trial? It's not too late for you to make a bet now. Otherwise, you won't be able to find another opportunity like this … "
Seeing the other party agree to the bet out of anger, Sun Qiang chuckled. He scanned the surroundings, and the greedy look of a businessman appeared on his face.
"…"
Seeing how this fellow wasn't satisfied with his bet with Elder Chen and even wanted to bet with everyone else, the crowd was speechless.
"Look, the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets is starting …"
Sun Qiang urged loudly, trying to see if he could dupe a few more people into betting with him. At this moment, a voice sounded from the crowd. Lifting his head to look at the wall in front of him, he saw that the light was getting brighter and brighter, as though some kind of formation had been activated.
…
In the formation.
Walking through the door, what one entered didn't seem like a room but a garden. Flowers bloomed all around, and a faint fragrance assailed one's nostrils. A stream flowed slowly from afar, and 'ding dong!', it sounded as though a piece of music was being played.
The stream flowed slowly, forming an arc that was just large enough for one to stand on.
Walking up to the stream, a certain formation was activated, and a leaf flowed from the depths of the stream.
Placed on the leaf was a strangely shaped object. It was irregular in shape, making it difficult for one to discern what it was.
"It seems like this is the artifact for the examination …"
Activating his Eye of Insight, Zhang Xuan realized that he was unable to see through the artifact.
As expected of an artifact that stumped 4-star master teachers. Even with his Eye of Insight, he was still unable to discern what it was.
The Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets was actually a type of wine cup, a term used by scholars. They would sit by the stream, and the wine would float along with the water. Whoever came before the wine would compose a poem and drink it.
Due to the weight of the artifact, it was impossible for it to float along the water like a wine cup. Instead, it was carried by the leaves of the Violetjade Tree.
The leaves were extremely light, and they could easily carry one or two people while floating on the water. As such, the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets was also known as the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Leaves.
"What in the world is this?"
The leaf had yet to reach Zhang Xuan, so he could only see the shape and appearance of the artifact.
It was around the size of a watermelon, and its entire body was dark purple. It seemed to be forged from some kind of unique metal.
After taking a closer look, Zhang Xuan couldn't help but shake his head.
He had never read any books on appraising, so he didn't have a clear understanding of the occupation.
Given that even so many skilled appraisers were unable to discern what it was, how could a person like him, who had never appraised an artifact before, possibly understand it?
"Forget it!"
Putting the artifact aside, Zhang Xuan casually picked up a brush and paper that he had prepared beforehand. When the leaf arrived before him, he stretched his hand out and touched it.
Weng!
A book appeared in the Library of Heaven's Path.
The main reason why he dared to challenge the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets was because he had the backing of the Library of Heaven's Path. Otherwise, with his limited knowledge of appraising, he wouldn't have been able to identify even half an artifact.
Flipping open the book, Zhang Xuan picked up a brush and began writing on the paper.
"Bronze Hammer, forged by 5-star Blacksmith Duanmu Yiguang from three thousand years ago. It was forged using Violetgold Metal, Hundred Battle Silver, Clear Dust Sand … A total of thirteen rare ores, and it took forty-nine days to forge …"
…
While Zhang Xuan was scribbling furiously, the crowd outside was staring at the wall nervously.
Sun Qiang went around looking for people to bet with him, but no one paid any attention to him. Everyone wanted to see if this young man who wasn't even twenty yet would be able to appraise a treasure and clear the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets.
"Judging from the time, the first artifact should be here by now. Do you think that he will succeed?" An appraiser in the crowd couldn't help but ask.
"Succeed? You must be joking! Even Master Sai of the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets has challenged it several times, but he wasn't able to identify a single artifact. This shows how difficult it is. How can an insignificant figure like him succeed? "
"Putting everything aside, just look at the arrogant look on that servant's face. How can a true appraiser be so arrogant?"
"That's hard to say. Since he dares to bet, it means that he is confident …"
…
The crowd lowered their voices as they discussed fervently.
The youngest of the appraisers present was already in their thirties. A person who wasn't even twenty yet was going to challenge the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets.
"Don't worry. If the artifacts in the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets could be appraised so easily, it wouldn't have become the benchmark for the 5-star appraiser examination!"
Seeing Elder Chen staring at the wall anxiously, Elder Lu walked over and consoled him.
He didn't think that this Zhang Xuan would succeed either.
He had challenged the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets before, and not only were the artifacts difficult to identify, the time he had to examine them was simply too short. At most, ten breaths would pass by him. How could he possibly succeed in appraising an artifact that he had never seen before?
"Worry? What's there to worry about? He's just an ignorant fellow. He doesn't even know whether he is an appraiser or not, yet he dares to boast so shamelessly … "
Elder Chen harrumphed. Just as he was about to continue speaking, his body suddenly jolted. A bell chimed.
Dong!
The sound penetrated through the wall, as though it came from the depths of one's soul.
"Bell chime? Did he fail? "
"That's not right. Only when all of the artifacts are appraised will the bell chime to indicate that he has failed the examination. Judging from the time, he should have only seen the first artifact. Even if the bell chimes, it shouldn't be time yet!"
Taken aback, the crowd was bewildered.
The bell chime in the Harmonious Stream of Flowing Goblets signified that one had failed the examination.
But Zhang Xuan had only just entered, and he should have only seen the first artifact. How could the examination end so quickly?
"It's said that if one fails to identify the first artifact without leaving behind any words, the examinee will be automatically judged as unable to answer the question!"
"There's such a saying?"
"Indeed, there's such a saying in the past. I've read about it in books!"
Someone in the crowd shouted, and a bizarre expression appeared on the faces of the crowd.
Even if the examinee was unable to identify the first artifact, he should at least be able to make a rough guess. If the examinee were to fail without leaving anything behind, that would be embarrassing!
Hualala!
Everyone turned to look at Sun Qiang with sympathy in their eyes.
Needless to say, that fellow had lost terribly this time.
Dang lang!
Before the examination ended, the sound of a teacup falling to the floor echoed.
Following which, they saw Master Sai's body trembling non-stop, and his face paled.
"This isn't … the bell chime, but … the spirit of the artifact. In other words, not only did he manage to identify the artifact, he even received the acknowledgement of the artifact's spirit!"
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