Chapter 2017: Bloodstained Stone

“How dare you!” He Lao’s face flushed red with anger.

He had been in charge of the auction house for nearly a century, having handled at least seven or eight thousand treasures, if not ten thousand. Even if there were occasional minor mistakes due to a lack of knowledge, no major problems ever arose. Yet, the other party claimed that trusting his words would lead to death within three days—this was a blatant insult!

“You’re the audacious one! Appraising a treasure incorrectly, causing someone to go berserk, and even die… I don’t need to elaborate on the consequences, do I? You understand them well enough…”

Zhang Xuan calmly stated, lifting his eyelids slightly.

After reading countless books in the Lingyun Sword Pavilion, he had gained a great deal of understanding about the Heavens. Although the Appraiser profession here didn’t have a special system like on the Master Teacher Continent, where one only had three chances to make a mistake in a lifetime, it was still very strict.

Once a mistake was made, one would lose their reputation, be unable to appraise treasures ever again, and have to pay substantial compensation. In severe cases, they could lose their entire fortune or even face criminal charges.

For instance, in this situation, if someone died due to his appraisal error, it was highly probable that his cultivation would be stripped away, and his life would no longer be his own.

“Nonsense!”

Seeing the young man utter those words, He Lao’s expression changed. He flicked his sleeve, his voice filled with fury, “The consequences of an incorrect appraisal are indeed severe, but do you know what kind of punishment one receives for ruining another’s reputation? If you don’t give me an explanation today, I won’t fear it even if you take this to the Lingyun Sword Pavilion or to Sect Leader Han!”

While an appraiser making a mistake had serious consequences, casually ruining someone’s reputation was also a grave offense.

Even if the other party was a disciple of the Lingyun Sword Pavilion, they would surely face severe punishment!

“Ruining a reputation?” Zhang Xuan revealed a playful smile and couldn’t help but shake his head. “You’re overthinking it!”

With that, he took a few steps and stood before Manager Wang.

At this moment, Manager Wang was also somewhat stunned, unsure whether to stay or leave.

He dared not offend either the Lingyun Sword Pavilion disciple or He Lao; he couldn’t afford to offend either of them.

“You claim my teacher made an appraisal error, do you have proof? If not, then it’s slander!” The young man named Yuan Qing, though greatly fearing disciples of the Sword Pavilion, gritted his teeth and stepped forward.

Insulting his teacher, as a disciple, meant he was also humiliated.

The tradition of respecting teachers was as strict in the Heavens as it was on the Master Teacher Continent; no one dared to defy it.

“Proof?” Zhang Xuan chuckled softly. “That’s simple!”

With that, he looked around. “Do you have any test subjects here, like a test mouse for medicine?”

In places where alchemy was practiced on the Master Teacher Continent, creatures specifically used for testing medicine were usually kept to check newly refined drugs. Zhang Xuan himself had used them when debating pills in the Tianxuan Kingdom.

Although alchemy wasn’t practiced here, drugs and treasures obtained from ancient tombs and ruins were auctioned, so test subjects of this kind should be available.

“Yes!”

Yuan Qing glanced at his teacher, and seeing no objection, turned and left. Soon after, he returned with a sacred beast that looked like a rabbit.

It was only a Saint 1-dan beast, considered to have little power here.

Zhang Xuan ignored the other party and turned to Manager Wang, smiling slightly. “Would you mind placing the statue you’re holding back on the table?”

After a moment of hesitation, Manager Wang placed it down.

Without touching the statue, Zhang Xuan casually took out a brush and lightly drew a circle of strange patterns around it.

Seeing his actions, He Lao was momentarily stunned, then scoffed, “Is that a Mind-Calming Formation? Using… a brush to draw a formation?”

He recognized what the other party was drawing: a formation that calmed the mind and spirit, which, when combined with this statue, could maximize its effect.

He had just specifically told Manager Wang about it.

But…

Setting up a Mind-Calming Formation required formation flags and various treasures for arrangement. What effect could drawing it casually with a brush possibly have?

This wasn’t how you made a joke!

“Drawing the formation with a brush makes its power somewhat weaker; otherwise, I fear this sacred beast wouldn’t be able to withstand it for even a single breath…”

Zhang Xuan quickly finished drawing, retracted his brush, and with a gentle tap, channeled a stream of true qi into the patterns.

The patterns drawn with the brush immediately shone with dazzling light, perfectly merging with the statue. In an instant, within the drawn area, a power that calmed the mind emanated, making it seem as though cultivation within it would be much faster.

“This…”

He Lao’s eyebrows twitched, surprised that a formation could be drawn with an ordinary brush.

This required not only an extremely profound understanding of formations but also an extremely deep comprehension of the surrounding environment and the statue before him. Even the slightest mistake would render it impossible. Let alone him, even the person most skilled in formations in Wuhai City might not be able to accomplish it.

The other party handled it with such ease and proficiency… How did he do it?

In an instant, an ominous premonition arose in his heart.

With the formation activated, Zhang Xuan looked at Yuan Qing. “Please put that sacred beast inside!”

Yuan Qing remained silent, handed over the rabbit he was holding, and placed it within the patterns drawn by the brush. The calming power immediately engulfed it.

Feeling this power, the rabbit, which had initially been somewhat agitated, calmed down, closed its eyes, and seemed on the verge of falling asleep.

“Didn’t you say it was fake?”

Seeing the rabbit’s appearance, He Lao snorted softly.

His appraisal concluded that this statue, combined with a formation, could calm the mind and spirit, benefiting cultivation. Yet the other party claimed it was fake and would cause death… Now, the rabbit in the formation was so peaceful, clearly proving his own appraisal was correct.

“Don’t be impatient, just watch!”

With a faint smile, Zhang Xuan took a few steps back and calmly sat on a stool, looking at the young man nearby. “Haven’t you brewed me a pot of tea yet?”

“…” Yuan Qing was stunned, clenching his fists.

“Go!”

He Lao snorted.

Although he was annoyed with this fellow, he was a disciple of the Lingyun Sword Pavilion. Before the results were clear, He Lao dared not treat him too lightly.

With his teacher’s word, Yuan Qing withdrew and soon returned to the room with a pot of tea.

Sipping his tea lightly, Zhang Xuan waited for about half an hour. The seemingly sleeping rabbit slowly opened its eyes, and its demeanor appeared somewhat agitated.

“What’s going on?”

He Lao was startled.

Normally, under the influence of a mind-calming treasure, it would remain very quiet, free of distracting thoughts. Yet, at this moment, it was showing signs of agitation, which was clearly abnormal.

Without answering him, the rabbit on the platform suddenly stood up, its eyes turning red. Then, it abruptly leaped towards the statue.

*Crack!*

It crashed head-first into the statue, its legs twitching several times!

Then it stopped breathing.

Everyone’s pupils simultaneously contracted. Manager Wang, who had also been sitting and drinking tea, crushed the teacup in his hand with a “crack!”, tea spilling onto the floor from between his fingers.

“He Lao… what is going on?”

It was foreseeable that if he had used this for cultivation earlier, he would have likely ended up like the rabbit, crashing to his death.

He Lao was also dumbfounded.

According to his appraisal, there was absolutely no problem, so why did this happen?

He had witnessed the entire process; this disciple from the Lingyun Sword Pavilion had only drawn the formation and done nothing else.

Although the formation was strange, he recognized the diagram. It simply enhanced the statue’s power, with no other side effects.

In other words…

The other party hadn’t interfered at all!

The death of this rabbit was definitely related to the statue!

“What’s going on?”

Seeing that He Lao couldn’t answer, Manager Wang hurriedly looked at the young man before him.

“Want to know the reason?”

Zhang Xuan smiled faintly.

“Yes!”

Manager Wang nodded.

It was truly terrifying!

He had spent a fortune on this statue, intending for it to calm his mind, dispel inner demons, and help him break through to higher realms. Yet, he had just witnessed this scene… How could he possibly continue cultivating with it?

If he didn’t understand what happened, he certainly wouldn’t dare to use this statue again!

“If you want to know, it’s simple… pick up the statue!”

Zhang Xuan said.

“Okay…” Manager Wang picked up the statue from the table.

Although the rabbit had crashed into it, the statue showed no damage, its lifelike figure appearing as though it could come alive at any moment.

“Hold it above your head!” Zhang Xuan instructed.

Manager Wang raised it.

“Now, use all your strength and smash it onto the ground!” Zhang Xuan continued.

“Smash it?”

Manager Wang was stunned.

Although the statue was carved from Mind-Calming Stone and was very sturdy, if it were smashed like that, even the most formidable object would shatter!

To directly smash something he had bought with half a lifetime’s savings?

“Exactly… Don’t you want to know why? Then smash it!” Zhang Xuan took a sip of tea and smiled faintly. “If you can’t bear to, then take it back and use it as He Lao suggested!”

Manager Wang’s face twitched. He Lao, standing beside him, also stiffened, wanting to retort but finding himself speechless.

After just seeing the rabbit crash to its death, who would dare to continue using it?

“If you smash it and can’t explain why, will you compensate Manager Wang?”

He Lao said.

“And if I explain it, will you compensate Manager Wang?” Zhang Xuan looked at him.

“If you can explain it and prove I was wrong, I am willing to compensate!” He Lao nodded.

If the other party could truly prove he was mistaken, compensation was nothing.

After all, for an appraiser, making a wrong call meant facing punishment.

“If I can’t explain it, I am also willing to compensate!” Zhang Xuan said.

“Alright…”

Seeing the two of them at loggerheads and having pushed the conversation this far, Manager Wang gritted his teeth and flicked his wrist.

*Crack!*

The statue fell to the ground and instantly shattered into pieces.

As the stone broke apart, a dense aura of malevolence immediately spread out from within, causing everyone to shiver simultaneously.

He Lao hurriedly looked down. He saw that the cracks in the shattered statue were a deep, blood-red color. His pupils contracted, and his face turned deathly pale.

“This is… Bloodstone?”

Bloodstone typically appeared in battlefields or slaughterhouses where mass killings had occurred. Stained red by blood, over years and months, the blood seeped into it, imbued with a potent aura of slaughter.

Most importantly, it was often entwined with vengeful spirits. Those with weaker power, let alone approaching it, would be scorched by its malevolent aura even from a distance. In minor cases, it could lead to qi deviation; in severe cases, it could cause depression and even suicide.

This object was the complete opposite of a Mind-Calming Stone…

He had clearly seen the former just now, so why did it turn into the latter when shattered? What exactly happened?

In an instant, He Lao was utterly bewildered.