C21 Goodbye Zhang Yaxin

The bronze sword harbored a unique mist within its core, a stark contrast to the murky gray mist found in the jade artifact. This was a radiant golden mist that enveloped the green mist from Liu Gaang's wrist as soon as it entered. Within seconds, the green mist emerged from its golden cocoon and surged back into the mark on his wrist.

Liu Gaang was taken aback. He hadn't anticipated the golden mist within the sword to possess such remarkable properties. The green mist, once spent during the appraisal, had not only been fully replenished but was now even more vigorous than before.

"Liu Gaang, snap out of it! The auction's about to start," Lee Wei nudged him, bringing Liu Gaang back to reality. They returned to their seats as the auction continued.

"Next up is the bronze longsword, with a starting bid of 100,000, and increments of no less than 10,000," announced the auctioneer, bringing down his gavel.

Liu Gaang was resolute in his pursuit of the bronze sword. Beyond being China's premier blade, the Xuanyuan Sword, its ability to restore and amplify the mist within him made it an invaluable asset.

"One hundred thousand," Liu Gaang called out the moment the auctioneer finished.

The auction for the bronze longsword proceeded without a hitch. Despite its appearance as an aged relic, its excessive corrosion meant its value was finite.

Ultimately, Liu Gaang secured the sword for a mere two hundred thousand yuan.

"Why spend two hundred thousand on such a battered sword?" Lee Wei inquired, bewildered.

With a secretive smile, Liu Gaang responded, "Mr. Lee, let's keep it under wraps for now."

"You and your secrets!" Lee Wei scoffed.

Liu Gaang just chuckled, offering no further explanation.

As the auction carried on, Liu Gaang's interest waned; his thoughts were consumed by the Xuanyuan Sword, China's preeminent ancient blade.

With Liu Gaang's assistance, Lee Wei acquired two more treasures before the auction concluded. The party then departed from the Royal Family Number One Club.

Du Weiwei was set on visiting Elder Mo, so she and Mo Xiaoyu hopped in the car and drove off together.

Meanwhile, Liu Gaang was eager to get home. His mind was consumed with figuring out how to strip away the corrosion encasing the bronze sword and extract the Xuanyuan Sword within.

Despite Lee Wei's attempts to persuade him to stay, Liu Gaang bid a quick farewell and made his way back home by car.

Arriving home at five in the afternoon, Liu Gaang was immediately greeted by the sight of his parents, their faces etched with worry.

"Dad, Mom, what's the matter? I thought the factory issue was resolved. Why the long faces? Has something else happened?" Liu Gaang inquired as he approached them.

Liu's father gave a nod, followed by a shake of his head.

"Dad, what's really going on?" Liu Gaang pressed, a sense of urgency in his voice.

"Gaang, don't worry. In truth, this should be good news for our family. But given our recent experiences, your dad and I are being extra cautious. We're concerned it might be a scam. However, considering the size of Lee's Group, it's probably legitimate," Liu's mother explained.

Liu Gaang's confusion only grew, prompting him to give his mother a questioning look as she continued.

With the full story out, Liu Gaang finally grasped the situation. His father, Liu Lei, had received an unexpected phone call at the factory earlier that day. The caller, with a commanding tone, claimed to be a manager from the business department of Lee's Group, looking to place an order for a batch of high-end leather bags.

Lee's Group was a top-tier enterprise in Pingnan and nationally renowned. Any company would leap at the chance to connect with them, as it would be like securing support from a towering mountain—ensuring stability as long as Lee's Group stood firm.

The idea of such a windfall seemed too good to be true to his parents, who were naturally skeptical. Their own factory had never had any dealings with Lee's Group.

Lee's Group? This had to be Lee Wei's doing.

Liu Gaang wasn't taken aback that Lee Wei knew about his family's leather factory. Given Lee's Group's prominence, it would be difficult for anyone in Pingnan to keep secrets from them.

"Dad, Mom, there's no need for you to worry about this. I'll handle it," Liu Gaang assured them with a smile.

"You...?" Liu's father responded, taken aback and clearly surprised by his son's confidence.

"Sure, I've got this. You and Mom just relax; I'll handle it well," Liu Gaang assured them.

Liu's father gave him a look, as if he wanted to add something, but Liu's mother cut in, "I think it's a good idea. Since our son is willing, let's let him take the reins. Our leather factory will eventually be his to run anyway. It's a good opportunity for him to get some practice."

"Alright then, Gaang, you'll visit Lee's Group tomorrow," Liu's father conceded.

With a nod, Liu Gaang retreated to his room.

Watching his son's retreating figure, Liu's father sensed a change in him. Since the family's recent ordeal, Gaang seemed to have matured a lot, becoming increasingly inscrutable.

After the meal, Liu Gaang hurried back to his room, eager to unbox the bronze sword.

He examined the rust-covered blade, pondering how to break through the outer layer and reveal the Xuanyuan Ancient Sword within.

Despite racking his brain, Liu Gaang couldn't devise a better strategy than to resort to brute force.

He fetched a wrench from the garage's tool room and returned to his room to begin his work. Thanks to the villa's excellent soundproofing—and Liu Gaang's careful approach—no noise escaped the room.

Persistent hammering with the wrench gradually chipped away the rust and bronze. After half an hour of determined effort, the encasement around the Xuanyuan Ancient Sword finally fell away, unveiling a pristine blade that gleamed brilliantly, commanding an instinctive reverence.

The sword was just as he had anticipated: one side of the blade depicted the celestial bodies, the other side, landscapes. The hilt bore the art of agriculture and animal husbandry on one side, and on the other, strategies for uniting the lands.

"Truly worthy of being China's most renowned sword. To remain in such perfect condition after thousands of years is extraordinary, a feat that seems impossible even with today's advanced industry," Liu Gaang mused aloud. Gazing at the Xuanyuan Ancient Sword, he felt an irresistible urge to test its legendary sharpness.

Liu Gaang grasped the Xuanyuan Ancient Sword and positioned it roughly thirty centimeters above the table before letting go, allowing it to drop freely.

To his astonishment, the sword silently plunged straight into the table, embedding itself up to the hilt.

Liu Gaang was taken aback by the sight. His table was crafted from premium mahogany, renowned for its durability. Yet, the Xuanyuan Ancient Sword had effortlessly penetrated it with a mere free fall. How incredibly sharp must it be?!

…

A night passed in quiet reflection, with Liu Gaang oscillating between shock and thrill.

Come dawn, he rose early, grabbed a quick breakfast, and set off for the headquarters of Lee's Group.

Lee's Group was headquartered in the towering Rising Industry Building at the heart of Pingnan's central district. With sixty-six stories, it was undeniably the tallest building in the city.

Liu Gaang had seen the Rising Industry Building before, but this was his first time stepping inside.

Upon entering, he approached the reception with a friendly smile, "Hello, I'm here to see Manager Sun from the business department."

The receptionist gave Liu Gaang a once-over and returned the smile, "Sir, are you here for Manager Sun? Do you have an appointment?"

"No, just tell him someone from Liu's Leather Factory is here. He'll know," Liu Gaang responded cheerfully.

"Of course, just a moment, please." The receptionist nodded, picked up the phone, and dialed a number.

After a brief conversation, she hung up.

"Sir, if you could please wait. Manager Sun will be right with you."

Liu Gaang acknowledged with a nod and settled into a seat in the adjacent lounge area.

The receptionist watched Liu Gaang's retreating figure with curiosity. Who was this man that could prompt Manager Sun to personally come down to greet him? Such occurrences were indeed rare.

A few minutes later, Liu Gaang spotted a portly middle-aged man hurrying toward him. If he wasn't mistaken, this had to be Manager Sunn.

"Mr. Liu, a pleasure to meet you. I'm Sunn Jin, the manager of the business department," the man said, approaching with a hand outstretched in greeting.

Sunn Jin was intrigued by Liu Gaang's identity, especially since the Crown Prince had personally made arrangements for their meeting—a first in his experience. As such, Sunn Jin knew he couldn't afford to take Liu Gaang lightly, which is why he made it a point to greet him personally at the door.

"Liu Gaang, I appreciate you coming," Manager Sunn said with a welcoming smile.

After a firm handshake, the two made their way to the VIP room.

There, they conversed for about half an hour. Once Sunn Jin had a grasp of the Liu family's leather factory operations, the conversation shifted to more personal topics.

Sunn Jin was well aware of the Crown Prince's direct involvement in this matter. Building a rapport with Liu Gaang could pave the way for a promising future within Lee's Group.

Liu Gaang clearly understood Sunn Jin's intentions. With the contract signed, he offered an encouraging smile and said, "Keep up the good work, Mr. Sunn. I'll put in a good word for you with Mr. Lee. But remember, your success ultimately hinges on your own efforts."

Sunn Jin beamed at the remark, his eyes brimming with gratitude as he looked at Liu Gaang.

After departing from Lee's Group headquarters, Liu Gaang called his father to share the exciting news, followed by a call to Lee Wei to express his thanks. Then, he took to the roads in his car, savoring a sense of freedom he hadn't felt in a long while. With the opportunity at hand, he was determined to enjoy some much-needed relaxation.

Before he knew it, Liu Gaang found himself at Pingnan High School. Deciding to stay, he parked the car and waited. It had been ages since he last picked up his sister from school.

"Liu Gaang, is that you? Is it really you?" a familiar voice called out, sending a shiver through Liu Gaang's heart.

Could it be her? Yaxin?