Chapter 466: Treasure Appraisal Pavilion

Along the way, I hadn't seen many professionals of this kind, so I didn't pay it much mind. I didn't expect Honghai City to have an Appraiser Pavilion, which means there must be official appraisers and methods for evaluating them.

If nothing else, I could try taking the exam just for fun and earn some extra money. Otherwise, even if I knew where to find a Soulless Golden Figurine, I probably wouldn't have enough money to buy it.

If others knew about this idea, they would surely be speechless. Although appraisers are not among the top nine professions, passing their examination is extremely difficult, requiring a profound understanding of treasures. No official appraiser can succeed without decades of research into various artifacts. Yet this person, simply because he lacked money, considered taking the exam. Anyone hearing that would be utterly dumbfounded.

“To the Appraiser Pavilion!”

With this idea in mind, Zhang Xuan wasted no time. He asked for directions and, along with the others, headed straight there.

The Appraiser Pavilion was magnificent and opulent. More than just an appraisal center, it was a massive trading market. A dazzling array of goods filled the stalls, and people bustled everywhere. Even before they reached it, they were awestruck by the splendid scene.

“This is a trading firm operated by the Appraiser Pavilion. Many items found here are genuine. As such, it has become the largest trading market in the entire Alliance of Ten Thousand Kingdoms!” Zhao Feiwu explained, a touch of pride in his voice, as he saw the super genius before him look astonished.

Due to the unique nature of the appraiser profession, it naturally inspired deep trust, allowing the trading firm to flourish. Many people were willing to pay high prices for items, simply for peace of mind. Precisely because of this, although appraisers were not among the top nine professions, they were genuinely one of the most lucrative. Many master teachers, when choosing an auxiliary profession, often favored this one.

However, to appraise, one must possess extensive knowledge of history, lore, artifacts, materials, origins, and more. Innumerable pieces of knowledge must coalesce to achieve success. While examining for a one-star rank was easy, higher ranks were incredibly challenging. Therefore, many people aspired to become appraisers, but very few reached three stars or higher. In fact, their numbers were far fewer than even master teachers.

For this very reason, Appraiser Pavilions were not numerous; even a place like Tianwu Royal City didn't have one. An imposter like Mo Yang, who claimed to be a master, could still attract so many followers.

“So appraisers can guarantee a correct judgment?” Sun Qiang, standing beside them, couldn't help but ask. He had owned a shop in a marketplace and knew many tricks of the trade. What good was an appraiser, anyway? They must make mistakes sometimes; they couldn't guarantee every judgment was correct! After all, humans weren't machines; they were bound to misjudge occasionally. As the saying goes, 'He who walks often by the river cannot keep his shoes dry.' Even the most formidable appraiser couldn't guarantee a lifetime without a single mistake.

“Appraisers, limited by their rank and discernment, indeed cannot guarantee every item is correctly judged! However, in such cases, the item is usually sealed, and other appraisers are invited to examine it. If the invited appraisers also cannot give a definitive answer, then only a comprehensive opinion is provided for reference.” Zhao Feiwu explained.

“That’s as good as no answer at all!” Sun Qiang shook his head.

“An appraiser only gets three chances to make a wrong judgment in their lifetime. Exceed that, and their professional qualification is automatically revoked. They wouldn't dare to give a conclusion lightly unless they were certain about an item!” Jin Conghai interjected.

“Three times?”

“Yes. From the moment one becomes an official appraiser, every treasure they appraise is recorded and archived. If a problem arises with an item, it counts as a mistake. If they exceed three such mistakes, regardless of what star-rank they achieve later, their qualification is immediately revoked!” Jin Conghai continued. Over the years, he had seen many appraisers disqualified due to misjudgments, and it filled him with a sense of sorrow. Many who had built a lifetime of reputation faced ruin in their old age.

Everyone fell silent. It seemed that while everyone envied appraisers, the profession itself was not so easy after all. Disqualification after more than three mistakes—but who could guarantee every appraisal would be absolutely flawless?

“Actually, it’s the same for every profession, even more so for master teachers. One wrong piece of guidance can completely ruin their reputation, and no one will trust them again!” Seeing everyone sympathize with appraisers, Zhang Xuan shook his head. Before he transmigrated to this world, his predecessor had caused a student to suffer qi deviation due to erroneous guidance. That incident had stirred up a huge scandal, leaving him unable to recruit even a single student.

“Yes, it’s true for physicians too; one mistake could very well cost a life...” Zhao Feiwu nodded in agreement, then looked at the young man before her. This fellow seemed to be roughly her age, yet how could he effortlessly cure congenital muscular dystrophy, a condition even four-star and five-star physicians couldn't resolve? And in doing so, cure her illness?

“So many things...”“So beautiful...”

Just as she was wondering how he had learned medicine and what his reliance was, she heard the excited voices of Yuan Tao and the others. While they were talking, the group had already entered the magnificently decorated hall. Before them were vendors selling items for dozens of professions. Medicines, pills, cauldrons, weapons, formation plates... they were spread out like stars, dazzling and overwhelming to the eye. Countless treasures, rarely seen in everyday life, shimmered with light, stimulating the senses.

“Step right up, everyone! Come take a look! The latest treasure-seeking mirror! It can automatically determine the value of any treasure, giving you a basis and assurance for your purchase! Only ten spirit stones! You won't lose out, and you won't be fooled!” a young man shouted loudly.

“Treasure-seeking mirror?” Zhao Ya and the others blinked, wanting to go closer.

“Just an ordinary broken iron mirror, it’s a scam. If a real treasure-seeking mirror could be bought for ten spirit stones, he wouldn’t be here selling mirrors!” Zhang Xuan shook his head. Even without using the Library of Heaven’s Path, his Eye of Insight could discern the origin and value of simple treasures. The so-called treasure-seeking mirror in the young man's hand was clearly fake at a glance.

“A scam? Didn’t you say… everything here was genuine?” Zheng Yang couldn’t help but look at Zhao Feiwu. He had just mentioned that with the Appraiser Pavilion's guarantee, most items here were genuine, so how could a fake one suddenly appear?

“How many treasures are here?” Without answering, Zhao Feiwu rolled her eyes and gestured around.

“At least tens of millions, perhaps even hundreds of millions!” Zheng Yang glanced around. “And that’s just what I can see. There must be even more that aren’t visible inside!” The entire trading firm had thousands of stalls, each displaying countless treasures. The total quantity was truly astonishing.

“Exactly. With so many items, if appraisers had to verify them all, they’d be exhausted to death! Plus, tens or even hundreds of thousands of items flow in and out daily. How could they possibly appraise each one individually?” Zhao Feiwu smiled. “When I said genuine, I meant items with an appraiser’s authentication mark. It’s best not to buy anything without one, or you might be swindled without even knowing it!”

“Oh!” Everyone nodded.

As the largest trading market in the Alliance of Ten Thousand Kingdoms, the Appraiser Pavilion’s firm saw an immense number of buyers and sellers. If every single item required appraisal, even the most skilled appraiser would likely be worked to death.

“Of course, if you see something suitable, you can buy it. If you’re unsure, you can pay a higher price to have a genuine appraiser upstairs examine it. If it’s real, you profit; if it’s fake, you lose,” Zhao Feiwu continued. Similar to gambling on appraisals, buying unverified items tested one’s discernment and luck. Without that luck, one could only grin and bear the misfortune.

“Appraisers really do make a lot of money...” Not to mention the commissions from running the trading firm, people willingly allowed themselves to be exploited by going to appraisers after buying items. Truly one of the most profitable professions.

“Come quickly, take a look! I have the Amphibious Fish! Just hold this fish in your mouth, and you can breathe freely underwater for three days and three nights without suffocating. Absolutely wonderful stuff!”“Come, take a look! Genuine Detoxifying Grass! It can neutralize seventeen common types of poisonous miasma! Not expensive, boundless uses!”“I have Star Stones here! Take them out at night, and they shine like stars, illuminating everything around! Don’t miss out!”

A cacophony of voices filled the air, and treasures were everywhere. Without guidance, anyone entering alone would struggle to distinguish good from bad, making choices difficult!

Walking slowly past the numerous stalls, Zhang Xuan suddenly frowned and stopped. At a nearby stall, a palm-sized gray object caught his eye. Though his Eye of Insight hadn't reached its highest level, nor was it comparable to that possessed by advanced master teachers, it could still easily discern the origin and value of ordinary treasures. However, for some reason, he couldn't see through this particular scale, no matter what.

“Strange!” Zhang Xuan turned and furrowed his brow. He couldn't see through it. Did that mean it was valuable? Beyond what his current ability could analyze?

“My friend, do you see anything you like? I can guarantee everything here is genuine...” Seeing someone approach, the stall owner eagerly greeted him, a wide smile on his face.

“Genuine?” Smiling, Zhang Xuan looked around. There were indeed many items at this stall, no less than several thousand: weapons, pills, armor... everything imaginable. Many were genuine, but just as many were fake. All genuine? The words of a merchant truly couldn’t be trusted. Patterns flickered in his eyes as he quickly scanned them again. He could mostly see through these items at a glance; there weren’t many valuable treasures. Without much hesitation, he pointed to the gray object nearby and asked directly, “What is this thing?”

“This?” The stall owner paused, then grinned. “Young master certainly has good taste! This is the most valuable item at my stall. I got it from a tomb raider, but I’m not sure what kind of treasure it specifically is. However, I once tried to refine it with fire, and it remained completely undamaged. I also soaked it in water, and it showed no marks. It’s incredibly hard—definitely a top-tier treasure...”

“Most valuable? Who are you trying to fool?” Hearing his endless boasting, Zhao Feiwu snorted. Stall owners like him would always say this whenever someone showed interest in an item, hoping to sell it at a high price. Most valuable, most precious? If you believed that, you'd truly be a fool.

“How dare I fool you? This item is truly precious. I even had a two-star appraiser examine it, and they couldn’t make heads or tails of it!” The stall owner declared earnestly.

“Alright, how much for this item?” Too lazy to waste time with the seller, Zhang Xuan looked at him.

Upon hearing the inquiry about the price, the stall owner’s eyes lit up, and he chuckled. “Since young master has taken a liking to it, it means you’re fated to have it. I’ll sell it to you cheaply, for one hundred spirit stones!”

“What did you say?” Zhang Xuan was stunned, almost spitting blood. He had thought items from such stalls could be bought cheaply, at most one or two spirit stones, or a few gold coins... He never expected it to be so valuable.

One hundred spirit stones... His few existing ones had been used up on the road these past few days. Even if he sold himself, he wouldn’t have enough money! As expected of the Alliance of Ten Thousand Kingdoms; prices were shockingly high right from the start.

“These kinds of street stall items are always overpriced to bluff people; don’t fall for it!” Seeing his dumbfounded expression, Zhao Feiwu chuckled and transmitted her voice to him.

“Bluffing?”

“Watch this, I’ll help you bargain. In a moment, you’ll definitely be able to buy it cheaply!” Zhao Feiwu said with a confident expression.

“Okay!” Zhang Xuan nodded. One hundred spirit stones was an exorbitant price for him, completely out of his reach. Since the person before him offered to help lower the price, he was naturally happy to go along with it.

“There’s no need to speak so wildly here. It’s not our first time buying things from the Appraiser Pavilion, nor our first time here. One hundred spirit stones? That’s equivalent to ten hours of a three-star jade token! Is this flimsy thing really worth that much? Are you trying to rob us?” With a wave of her hand, Zhao Feiwu adopted the demeanor of a regular customer, her eyes wide. “Give us a real price!”

The stall owner gave a dry laugh, then gritted his teeth. “Young master jokes, but what I said is the real price. Although this item is inconspicuous, I bought it at a high price, and even a master artisan tried to forge it, though without success. Even if I don’t know what it specifically is, I know for sure it’s a treasure... However… since you’re a regular customer and often come here, I won’t dawdle. How about this: you name a price, we can discuss it, and if it’s acceptable, you take it. If not, then forget it!”

“That’s more like it. Alright, I’ll give you fifteen spirit stones!” Seeing her ‘regular customer’ strategy succeed, Zhao Feiwu waved her hand, a smug look on her face.

“Fifteen? Fine, I’ll take a loss. Fifteen it is!” The stall owner made a pained expression.

“That’s all it took?” Zhao Ya and the others staggered simultaneously, their eyes wide with disbelief. The asking price was a hundred, and she countered with fifteen. They had expected him to be beaten to death on the spot, but he actually agreed... That was simply ruthless! Unless they had experienced it themselves, they wouldn't have believed it.

“Mm!” Having successfully haggled and seeing the other party agree, Zhao Feiwu looked at Zhang Xuan with a triumphant expression, as if she had won a battle. “Alright, pay up!”

“Pay?” Zhang Xuan shook his head. He really wanted to pay, but... fifteen spirit stones was still a huge sum for him, and he didn't have that much money on him.

“Fifteen spirit stones, I still think it’s too expensive!” Zhang Xuan looked at them.

“Fifteen spirit stones is expensive? Young master must be joking, that’s already the lowest price...” The stall owner gave a bitter laugh.

“This... it’s really not expensive anymore. If you truly like it, just buy it!” Seeing that she had already haggled it down to fifteen, and he was still hesitant, Zhao Feiwu raised an eyebrow. *You came here this time to buy a Soulless Golden Figurine; that kind of item would cost thousands, even tens of thousands of spirit stones. You wouldn’t be able to get it otherwise. Buying something he liked for fifteen spirit stones, why was he suddenly complaining it was expensive?*

“How about this, let me take a look first to see how much it’s really worth, and then we can discuss it!” Zhang Xuan said.

“Alright!” The stall owner reached out and handed over the gray item.

Zhang Xuan casually took it, holding it in his palm. Only then did he clearly see what it was. It was palm-sized, its surface dark gray. One side was curved, while the other was indented, resembling a large fish scale. The indented part was carved with special, dense patterns, some areas blurry and indistinguishable.

“Flaws!” He quickly scanned its appearance, and without much hesitation, murmured inwardly. While his Eye of Insight couldn't directly identify what it was, the Library of Heaven's Path could certainly reveal its flaws clearly.

A book appeared in his mind. He casually flipped it open, and with just one glance, his eyes widened, and his breathing quickened. “What a treasure...” The book displayed a line of text, detailing the item’s name and flaws.

“Dragon Scale Amulet, forged two thousand years ago by the Six-star Artisan Bai Xi. Can withstand three attacks from cultivators at Transcendent Mortal 9-dan. Flaws: ...”

His fist tightened. Leaving aside everything else, just the ability to withstand three attacks from a Transcendent Mortal 9-dan expert was terrifying enough. It could be said that if he had this item before, Lu Chong would never have been injured, nor would he have fallen into a coma from which he still hadn't woken.

“I must get this!” Originally, he was just curious, but he never expected it to be so valuable. Suppressing the excitement on his face, he was about to speak and say he’d buy it when he heard a voice from nearby.

“Fifteen spirit stones, right? I’ll take it!” He turned his head and saw a middle-aged man looking intently at him, his gaze fixed on the Dragon Scale Amulet in Zhang Xuan’s palm.

“So it’s Grand Appraiser Liu Chang!” Seeing the man, the stall owner seemed to recognize him and quickly said, “If you want to buy it, I should just give it to you. However, this young master saw it first, so perhaps... you two can discuss it?”

“Grand Appraiser?” Hearing the title, Zhang Xuan finally paid attention to the man before him. On his chest was a badge with two dazzling stars. He was actually a two-star appraiser. Appraisers sometimes idled around here, also buying things on the side. If they happened upon something highly valuable, they could make a fortune.

“I’m interested in this item. Transfer it to me!” Grand Appraiser Liu Chang frowned and looked at Zhang Xuan.

“My apologies, but I’m interested in it too, and I don’t wish to transfer it to anyone else!” Zhang Xuan shook his head. *Are you kidding? If he didn’t know what it was, he might have given it away, but now that he knew, he wouldn’t let go even if it meant death! This item was equivalent to three chances to save his life; only a fool would sell it.*

“You won’t transfer it?” Grand Appraiser Liu Chang snorted, ignoring Zhang Xuan, and looked at the stall owner instead. “Although he saw it first, he hasn’t paid yet, has he? For buying things, the highest bidder gets it. How about this, I’ll give you fifty spirit stones; sell it to me!”

The stall owner’s eyes lit up. He had acquired this item by chance and genuinely didn’t know its worth. To him, selling it for fifty was definitely a steal. Excited, he quickly looked at the young man. “Young master, Grandmaster Liu has already made an offer. Look... if you can’t offer a higher price, please return the item to me...”

Zhang Xuan looked at him. “How about this, I’ll give you a price. If it’s acceptable, sell it to me. If not, then give it to him!”

“Alright!” The stall owner nodded.

“Fifty gold coins!” Zhang Xuan said.

“Fifty... gold coins?” The stall owner froze, almost spitting blood. *The other person offered fifty spirit stones, and you offer fifty gold coins? Big brother, are you messing with me?*