C9 Something Strange Happened

Guo Yong was momentarily speechless, taken aback by the arrival of Lei Tai, the proprietor of the Purple Cloud Pavilion.

Lei Tai approached Liu Gaang and inquired, "Excuse me, are you Mr. Liu?"

Liu Gaang nodded, "How did you know?"

With a smile, Lei Tai responded, "You're here to see Elder Mo, aren't you? He's upstairs waiting for you."

He then instructed an attendant to escort Liu Gaang upstairs.

Once Liu Gaang was out of sight, Lei Tai fixed Guo Yong with a frosty stare and demanded, "Explain to me, what exactly happened here?"

A shop assistant quickly recounted the recent events.

"Guo Yong, since when are you qualified to authenticate calligraphy? I recall your expertise is in contemporary collections, am I right? Have I not made it clear that items like ceramics and paintings should always be assessed by Elder Lin? Did you forget, or did you simply disregard my instructions?" Lei Tai chided.

Elder Lin, mentioned by Lei Tai, was Lin Qingyu, the chief appraiser at the Purple Cloud Pavilion.

Realizing his boss's growing discontent, Guo Yong hastily defended himself, "Boss, that wasn't my intention. I knew Elder Lin and you were busy with important guests upstairs, and I didn't want to interrupt. Besides, I've examined the calligraphy piece. It's indeed from the Republic of China era, but it's no work of a master. The script is mediocre, the seal is indistinct, and it's not well-preserved. It's hardly valuable."

Lei Tai fell silent, well aware of Guo Yong's capabilities. Despite his vanity, pettiness, and envy, Guo Yong was hardworking and eager to learn. After more than three years under Elder Lin's tutelage, he had acquired substantial knowledge. If he deemed the calligraphy unremarkable and not by a renowned artist, he was likely correct.

"Let it go, come upstairs with me," Lei Tai sighed, "It's an opportunity for you to expand your knowledge."

Considering Elder Lin's advancing age, the future of the Purple Cloud Pavilion might rest on Guo Yong's shoulders. It was beneficial for him to gain more exposure and experience now, preparing him to eventually succeed Elder Lin.

Upon hearing the news, Guo Yong breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that he had temporarily cleared this hurdle.

As Liu Gaang entered the third floor of the Purple Cloud Pavilion, he was captivated by the display. Shelves lining the walls were adorned with calligraphy, jade, ceramics, and porcelain.

Oh, to own such a treasure trove!

"Liu, you're here! Come over here; I have some jade pieces to show you. As a newcomer, it's crucial to observe and learn—that's how you build experience," Elder Mo called out warmly upon noticing Liu Gaang.

Elder Mo was quite pleased with Liu's humble demeanor. It was rare to find young people who weren't rash these days, and even rarer to find someone like Liu Gaang, who was always eager to learn.

Elder Mo genuinely wanted to assist Liu Gaang by showing him the jade pieces. For some reason, despite having known him for less than two days, Elder Mo felt a strong affinity towards Liu Gaang, treating him as he would a younger member of his own family.

"Sure thing, Elder Mo," Liu Gaang responded with a smile, nodding to the others in the room before taking a seat.

"Little brother, we meet again," Lee Wei greeted him with a grin.

"Indeed, Mr. Lee!"

"Here, Mr. Tang has already had a look. Could you check out these jade pieces for me?" Lee Wei asked, sliding a jade pendant across to him.

As Liu Gaang examined it, that familiar voice chimed in: "A jade pendant from the Liao Dynasty, crafted from top-grade Hetian jade from Xinjiang, carved by a master using the Liao Nine Palace Sword Technique. The craftsmanship is exquisite. Evaluation: It has significant collectible value."

Simultaneously, Liu Gaang noticed an odd occurrence. The moment he touched the jade, the gray mist within the mark on his wrist began to swirl, as if drawn to something within the pendant.

Curiosity piqued, Liu Gaang held the jade up close for a thorough examination, though he was actually monitoring the changes in the mark on his wrist.

Sure enough, the mark's gray mist began to rotate, creating a small vortex with a bright white sword-shaped symbol at its core. A similar gray mist emanated from the pendant, steadily flowing into the mark, mirroring the mist within.

Moments later, the mist within the pendant had been entirely absorbed. The mist that Liu Gaang had used up in the mark on his wrist was fully replenished, and there was a subtle shift in color. The once uniformly gray mist now contained hints of green, the two hues intertwining, although the green was significantly less prevalent.

Could it be that his superpower could evolve? Liu Gaang's heart swelled with excitement. Since acquiring his superpower, he had constantly wondered about its potential for growth. Now, it appeared that such an upgrade might indeed be possible.