Chapter 44: I Choose One

"What?""That kid actually spoke of Master Moyang like that?""The Master was so kind as to help him choose treasures, and he accused the Master of being a swindler?""What an insolent fellow!"Upon hearing Zhang Xuan's words, everyone present was stunned, then erupted in an uproar."Is there something wrong with that kid's head?""The Master went to such trouble to help him select treasures, and he actually called him... a swindler, a faker?"

"What did you say?" Master Moyang's face immediately darkened, clearly not expecting the young man's words. "Young friend, do you have some misunderstanding about me?"

"Misunderstanding? Don't you know what I'm talking about? You want to scam people? Scam however you like; it's none of my business, and I couldn't care less! I'll choose my treasures, and you can scam your people. We'll each mind our own business, so stop putting on that haughty act in front of me!"Zhang Xuan waved his hand, clearly annoyed.He had always held a strong dislike for swindlers. If the other party didn't provoke him, it would be one thing, but to put on such a pretentious display right in front of him was simply asking for trouble!

"How dare you!" Master Moyang's face turned livid. He flicked his sleeve, radiating an air of righteousness. "I, Moyang, obtained my qualification as a treasure appraiser thirty years ago. I have always appraised treasures and resolved difficulties for people with a clear conscience! No one has ever accused me of deceit. All of you here can bear witness for me; when have I ever cheated any of you?"

"Master Moyang is benevolent and virtuous, rescuing people from hardship; how could he possibly be a swindler?""You junior with a loose tongue, I think you have a death wish!""Master, please don't be angry. I'll teach this fellow a lesson for you, so he learns that while food can be eaten haphazardly, words cannot be spoken carelessly..."Master Moyang's single sentence ignited the fury of everyone present. They all glared at Zhang Xuan as if he were their sworn enemy.

"Obtained a treasure appraiser qualification thirty years ago? With a clear conscience?"Zhang Xuan was speechless."You're just a junior appraisal apprentice, acting like such a big deal."His audacity was truly greater than he had imagined.It was no wonder he was a swindler wanted by the Liuzhu Kingdom; not only was he thick-skinned, but he was also incredibly quick-witted.Other swindlers would undoubtedly be flustered if exposed in public, but this guy was clever; with a single sentence, he shifted the blame onto Zhang Xuan, leaving him in an awkward position.Without the Library of Heaven's Path, seeing such righteous indignation, Zhang Xuan might have even wondered if he had made a mistake. But with the library's verification, if it said he was a swindler, then he certainly was!

"Everyone, please quiet down!" Seeing that he had successfully incited everyone's anger and taken control, Master Moyang waved his hand decisively. "I am a magnanimous person. If you apologize immediately for your recent remarks, I can let the matter go. Otherwise, you should be well aware of the consequences for wantonly insulting me!"

"Punishment?" Zhang Xuan shook his head. "Whether you're a swindler and whether I'm speaking nonsense is very simple to verify. Just polish the items they purchased earlier, and the results will be immediately apparent! What's the use of all this pointless chatter here?"

"Polish them?" Master Moyang seemed to have anticipated his words, stating calmly, "As I mentioned before, I am leaving Tianxuan City tonight. The items I helped them select are large, and they will require at least half a day of polishing to reveal their true nature. I have urgent matters and cannot afford such a delay! What, are you suggesting that my lack of time to remain here is due to a guilty conscience, that I wish to leave to conveniently slander my integrity?"At this, the old man flicked his sleeve, radiating an arrogant air. "I, Moyang, am a man of integrity and fear no false accusation! However, I kindly helped you select a treasure, yet you called me a swindler. Without evidence, that is defamation. Do you understand the consequences of defaming a treasure appraiser?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Xuan finally understood that he had underestimated the other party's level of brazenness.Indeed, he was a professional swindler, having even planned his escape route.He had already laid the groundwork by mentioning he would leave Tianxuan Royal City tonight. Then, before Zhang Xuan could even speak, he counter-attacked. Now, even if Zhang Xuan claimed he was afraid to wait for the treasures to be polished, no one would believe him!Furthermore... there was genuinely no concrete evidence to call him a swindler!The secret of the Library of Heaven's Path could not be revealed, and even if it could, people would still need to believe it!

"Kid, get on your knees and apologize to the Master right now!""How dare you call the Master a swindler? Do you want me to end you in minutes?""Where did this insolent wretch crawl out from, slandering the Master's integrity?"Many people, witnessing the "Master" speak with such righteous conviction, immediately chose to believe him and began shouting at Zhang Xuan.These people were enraged.Those who had been deceived were almost in a state of self-hypnosis, deeply unwilling to admit they had been swindled. Anyone who dared disturb their pleasant illusion would be met with fierce opposition and reprimand!In their eyes, how could someone as virtuous as Master Moyang possibly be a swindler?What a preposterous idea!

"Since this fellow claims the Master is a swindler, he must surely be proficient in treasure appraisal himself, right? If you're so capable, then choose something for us to see. If what you pick turns out to be worthless, then stop putting on an act and get out immediately!"A cynical voice from the crowd scoffed.

"Precisely. Since you've called me a swindler and refuse to accept the treasure I recommended, I presume you possess some knowledge of treasure appraisal!"Hearing this, Master Moyang nodded and looked at Zhang Xuan. "Alright, I'll give you an opportunity! We will each choose a simple item that can be quickly polished and appraised. As long as your chosen item increases in value and generates profit, I will admit you have some insight and will disregard your false accusation against me! However, if you choose a worthless item, then I'm afraid you'll have to purchase the treasure I just selected for you, and then kneel and apologize!"

"You want to compete with me in treasure appraisal?" Zhang Xuan was just wondering how to produce evidence. Hearing this, he was slightly taken aback and almost burst out laughing."Is there something wrong with this guy's head?!"With the Library of Heaven's Path at his disposal, if he claimed to be second best in treasure appraisal, no one would dare claim to be first. To compete with him... "Are you sure you haven't lost your mind?"However, upon careful consideration, he understood the opponent's rationale.From the other party's perspective, what would an eighteen or nineteen-year-old boy know about treasure appraisal? And since he had successfully helped others profit just days ago, he must have already prepared his tactics. By appraising treasures simultaneously, if Zhang Xuan failed to pick a valuable item, he could seize the opportunity to further boost his reputation, and perhaps even entice a few more naive individuals to invest heavily.

"What? Are you afraid to accept?"Master Moyang wore an expression of absolute certainty."Alright!" Since the other party was looking for a challenge, Zhang Xuan naturally wouldn't refuse.

"Very well, I'll choose first!" Master Moyang flicked his sleeve and strode along the long display table. He soon stopped and picked up a palm-sized item.This object was encased in thick rock, making it impossible to discern its shape, let alone its true value.

"Vendor, how much is this one?"Master Moyang asked as he picked up the item."This one is small and shows no spiritual energy fluctuations. It's two hundred gold coins!" The vendor approached.

"Good, have someone polish it now!"Master Moyang said calmly as he handed over the coins."Yes!"The vendor took the item and sent it to the back. A moment later, he emerged holding a golden toad, his face alight with excitement. "Congratulations, Master! It's the shed skin of a Spiritual Rhinoceros Golden Toad!"

"What is a Spiritual Rhinoceros Golden Toad?""The Spiritual Rhinoceros Golden Toad is a Grade-6 savage beast. The most valuable part of its body is its skin, which it sheds only once in its lifetime. This material can be used in medicine and is exceptionally valuable!""Truly worthy of Master Moyang; his discerning eye is extraordinary, picking a treasure so quickly!"Everyone burst into an uproar upon learning it was the shed skin of a Spiritual Rhinoceros Golden Toad.

"Many people aren't familiar with this item, so simply state its price directly for a clearer understanding!" Master Moyang said casually, head held high, continuously exuding an air of pretentiousness."This item is valued at... 2,000 gold coins!" the vendor announced loudly.

"2,000 gold coins?""Bought for two hundred gold coins and immediately sold for 2,000? A ten-fold increase?""That's incredible!""A Master truly is a Master! He can earn so much from a small item; the large one he selected for me earlier must be an immense profit!"Witnessing this, those who had previously been somewhat concerned now looked on with renewed fervor.The Master remained the Master; his touch was undeniably extraordinary!

"Alright, it's your turn now!"Master Moyang gestured with his hand and cast a cold gaze at him."Me..." Zhang Xuan nodded.

He knew the other party was a swindler and certainly had a backup plan, but he hadn't anticipated such a formidable one!It seemed he would have to choose something of comparable value.

"Can I select the item first, and then pay after it's been polished and its value determined?"Taking a step forward, Zhang Xuan suddenly recalled something and turned to the vendor.

"No! You must pay for the item first before we can polish it for you! That's the rule. Otherwise, if it turns out worthless, you might not want it; or if it's too valuable, we might not want to sell it, and neither scenario is acceptable!"The vendor stated coldly.In treasure gambling, to prevent disputes, once an item is selected, payment must be made immediately. This acts as a binding contract, making it impossible for anyone to back out.

"Alright then..."Understanding the rule, Zhang Xuan could only nod. He then looked up with a confident expression. "Come, show me which items in this pile are priced under eight gold coins! I'll choose one..."