Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
“Be careful. These treasures might have been cleansed three years ago, but the larger a treasure is, the more powerful its ability to accumulate baleful auras. You must act accordingly and be prepared for anything.”
As Lin Qi registered the treasures, he gave a rare reminder.
“Thank you for your reminder, Mr. Lin. I understand.”
Chen Shaojun did not explain further.
“I’m glad you understand.”
Lin Qi nodded his head. He also knew that during this period of time, everyone had heard about the Treasure Gathering. Thus, most of the apprentice pawnbrokers thought of this as an opportunity to increase the strength of their Divine Vision Technique as much as possible in order to protect themselves.
He thought that Chen Shaojun was the same, so he stopped persuading him.
At the very least, appraising treasures in the pawnshop was much safer than doing so at the Treasure Gathering.
At the door of the appraisal room…
Chen Shaojun noticed that Ah Yong was giving him a slight signal and was stunned. He handed the tray in his hand to Guo Haiwang and the others before walking over.
“Did you see Zhang Ke’s expression this morning?”
“If I’m not wrong, he must have been affected by the baleful aura.”
Ah Yong lowered his voice and spoke.
Chen Shaojun remained silent.
He knew that being affected by the baleful aura was also a type of backlash from the baleful aura. However, it was slightly less severe than if the baleful aura entered one’s body. Typically, one only needed to recuperate for a period of time to recover.
However, he knew very well that not only was Zhang Ke affected by the baleful aura but he was also being haunted by a ghost.
His qi would probably be sucked dry by the ghost in less than two days.
“I knew that Zhang Gao had ulterior motives for calling him to the Water Cloud Room. Now, it seems like I was right.”
“Next, we have to be careful.”
“This time, it was Zhang Ke. It will probably be our turn next.”
“After all, I’m the most qualified among the apprentices. As for you, your mastery of the Divine Vision technique is highest among all the apprentices. Thus, you’re a suitable cannon fodder for them.”
Ah Yong spoke with a solemn expression.
“The Treasure Gathering is around the corner. He should have some reservations, right?”
Chen Shaojun’s heart trembled, but he was not afraid.
Currently, he had achieved the Lesser Mastery-Level in the Divine Eye technique and his martial arts had reached the 8th Stage of the Body Tempering Realm. Thus, he was not weaker than Zhang Gao.
If the other party really provoked him, he would not be helpless.
“Reservations?”
“The official pawnbrokers are especially crazy during this period.”
“After all, we are just consumables in their eyes.”
Ah Yong sneered. His eyes were filled with indifference and vicissitudes.
“As long as you’re not an official pawnbroker, you’re just like an ant.”
Chen Shaojun could not help but sigh.
“Thus, I’ve decided to ask the shopkeeper for permission to train in seclusion and breakthrough.”
Ah Yong took the opportunity to say this.
“Train in seclusion and breakthrough?”
Chen Shaojun looked at him in surprise.
Based on what he understood about training in seclusion and breaking through, it involved continuously executing the Divine Vision technique until one’s spirit was exhausted. Then, one would recover, continue, and repeat the process over and over again… It was a tedious process that would severely hurt one’s body.
After all, depleting one’s spirit was also extremely draining on one’s qi and blood.
The only benefit was that one did not have to worry about the baneful aura entering their body.
In other words, unless one’s blood and qi were exhausted and they suddenly died, their life would not be in danger.
“That’s right. I’m going to train in seclusion and breakthrough.”
“Actually, I had already raised my Divine Vision technique to the Proficient-Level a long time ago. However, it was because I was afraid of being targeted by the three official pawnbrokers that I kept it a secret.”
“This time, I plan to be honest with the shopkeeper and propose to reach the Lesser Mastery-Level in the Divine Vision Technique.”
“Although the gap is still a bit large, the shopkeeper will definitely agree at this time.”
“After all, there is a huge difference between having three and four official pawnbrokers during the Treasure Gathering. It also affects our ranking among the many pawnshops in the capital.”
“Furthermore, I’m not completely unprepared either. I used all my savings over the years to purchase some Spirit Concentration Incense.”
“This is a magical incense that can quickly restore my spirit and stabilize my mental state.”
“I have also made some other preparations.”
“Even if I am unable to successfully make a breakthrough, in the end, I will still be able to effectively avoid threats from Zhang Gao and the other official pawnbrokers until the Treasure Gathering begins.”
“Therefore, I hope that you’ll enter seclusion with me. Let’s make a breakthrough and become official pawnbrokers together.”
As he spoke, Ah Yong looked at Chen Shaojun seriously.
After a moment of silence, Chen Shaojun eventually shook his head and said, “I’ve just broken through to the Proficient-Level of the Divine Vision technique, and I’m still far from the Lesser Mastery-Level.”
If he was just an ordinary apprentice pawnbroker, he would be very tempted by Ah Yong’s suggestion.
But he was different…
He possessed the Psychic Treasure Mirror and needed to rely on appraising treasures to obtain rewards for his development.
Thus, simply practicing the Divine Vision technique was meaningless to him.
Furthermore, he had already raised the Divine Vision technique to the Lesser Mastery-Level. As long as this was verified, he would immediately be promoted to an official pawnbroker.
He just didn’t want to expose this point too early.
Besides…
He still had not dealt with the ghost that was pestering Zhang Ke. When night fell, the ghost would appear…
After rejecting Ah Yong, Chen Shaojun returned to Appraisal Room No. 7.
At this moment, Guo Haiwang and the others had already started their appraisal.
Chen Shaojun lit a candle and burned some incense.
Then, they executed the Divine Vision technique one after another.
After some practice, everyone had become much more familiar with this mental technique.
After the three of them completed the appraisal, only then did Chen Shaojun begin with his appraisal.
He first looked at the first ‘great treasure’ on the tray, the copper cauldron.
This was a copper cauldron that was 1.7m tall and had three legs. There were a few fire dragons surrounding it, and they bared their fangs and brandished their claws as if they were about to spit fire.
“As expected of a great treasure. Even though they have been cleansed three years ago, all of them still contain a significant amount of baleful aura. Even the great treasure with the least baleful aura contains over twenty wisps of it, while the one with the most baleful aura contains over seventy wisps.”
“It’s almost like the baleful aura is about to cover the entire treasure.”
Chen Shaojun had always been a cautious person. Before appraising, he would naturally not forget to use the Spiritual Eye technique.
At a glance, the baleful auras within the various treasures were revealed.
Then, he began to light a candle and burn incense.
After five minutes…
The candle was extinguished and the bamboo incense burned out. Chen Shaojun then started his appraisal.
The Divine Vision technique was instantly executed.
A wisp of spiritual energy that was almost tangible transformed into a stream of light that charged directly towards the copper cauldron.
Chi!
The baleful qi that resided within the copper cauldron seemed to have been stimulated. Then, it was drawn out at the first possible moment, causing it to transform into a surging river that surged straight up.
However, in an instant, the baleful aura was dispersed by Chen Shaojun’s willpower and turned into ashes.
The Psychic Treasure Mirror traced the source of the treasure.
Chen Shaojun immediately saw a series of images related to the copper cauldron.
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A hundred years ago, an alchemist in a black Daoist robe created the copper cauldron. Then, it burned for a few days in a raging fire. After that, the alchemist carved it with a knife and drew fire dragons on it. When the copper cauldron was formed, it was watered with spirit water. Then, it eventually fell into the hands of an old monk.
The old monk picked herbs, crushed them, and poured them into the copper cauldron. Then, he burned the copper cauldron in flames and performed alchemy incantations.
The copper cauldron was in the hands of the old monk for decades and was passed on to his disciple, a young monk. The young monk used it for ten years but he died in an accident. Thus, the copper cauldron was sealed in the temple where the monk once lived.
After a period of time, a group of people dressed in blood-colored robes rushed into the temple. When the temple was destroyed, the disciples of the temple ran away with various treasures from the temple.
One of the fat monks used his kasaya to retrieve the copper cauldron, Buddha statues, and other treasures. Then, he fled all the way to the capital before being forced to hand them over to the pawnshop..