Elder Lei looked at Feng Xiao displeasedly, clearly unhappy with his actions.
Upon hearing Elder Lei’s words, Feng Xiao’s brow furrowed, his face grim.
Though unwilling, he could only step aside helplessly. He couldn't let Ye Fan win so easily. Despite Ye Fan's actions making him uneasy, he could only brace himself and continue watching.
"I won't stop him, but if he damages this treasure, he must compensate. That's the rule."
After stepping aside, Feng Xiao gritted his teeth and said.
Ye Fan sneered, "Naturally."
Saying so, Ye Fan stepped forward again, placing his hands on the cosmetic box, his slender fingers moving nimbly beneath it.
Then, everyone heard a crisp cracking sound.
...
"It's ruined, the cosmetic box has broken."
Someone exclaimed in shock.
"This scoundrel, such an exquisite item, just ruined like this. He deserves to die."
Someone cursed.
"She is committing a crime. We can't let him get away with it."
Someone criticized.
But the few people on stage remained silent, for they were all astonished at this moment.
As that crisp sound echoed, the cosmetic box slowly split open from the middle with a seam.
The seam was very neat, clearly not caused by Ye Fan’s brute force, but rather something that was already there. Ye Fan had merely triggered a mechanism, and the cosmetic box had activated itself.
The box slowly moved to both sides, revealing a hidden compartment in the middle. Within this compartment lay a statue of Guanyin.
One hand held a jade vase, while the other clenched a willow branch.
Her posture was natural, her presence sacred and solemn. Even more remarkable was that the entire Guanyin statue was carved from a single piece of Putian jade.
"Guanyin of Pure Water, crafted with a jade heart. The sculpting is exquisite, the quality extremely high. Furthermore, Putian jade is no longer mined domestically. Such a large piece of Putian jade is immeasurably valuable, it would be no exaggeration to call it a national treasure. Coupled with the red leaf purple sandalwood base and such ingenious design, it is truly rare."
Having lived two lives, Ye Fan rarely praised an object so highly.
But this cosmetic box deserved Ye Fan’s praise.
Even though he had seen countless treasures, this was the first time he had encountered an object designed with such ingenuity.
If not for his firm disposition, he would likely have been completely overwhelmed by this item.
Hearing Ye Fan’s words, everyone showed shocked expressions, never expecting such immense value to be hidden within this mere cosmetic box.
How laughable that they had been mocking Young Master Feng earlier, calling the item too ordinary.
Elder Lei was also full of surprise. While he had recognized the cosmetic box as extraordinary, he hadn't discerned the Guanyin of Pure Water statue within.
"Masterful craftsmanship, breathtaking beauty."
After a long while, Elder Lei finally offered these eight words of evaluation.
Jiang Zhong and the other appraisers nodded and sighed repeatedly.
They too were experienced individuals, yet this was the first time they had witnessed such an ingenious design.
"To witness such a treasure in my lifetime is a life well-lived," Jiang Zhong sighed.
Ye Fan slowly shifted his gaze to Feng Xiao’s face.
"Young Master Feng, I have not damaged this item. The appraisal is complete. I wonder if my appraisal result matches the result you already know? If there are any discrepancies, please point them out, so I may learn from you."
Ye Fan smiled lightly, appearing harmless, but this smile was an undisguised provocation in Feng Xiao's eyes.
You've already seen this item so clearly, and you're still asking me? Isn't this provocation?
Let alone him, Feng Xiao, the young master of the Feng family, even an ordinary person would have been enraged by now.
He gritted his teeth tightly, his eyes reddened, and anger burned fiercely.
"Ye Fan, don't push your luck too far."
In the past, he was the one who bullied others. When had he ever been so humiliated?
Elder Zheng snorted, "Ye Fan, considering your youth and lack of worldly experience, I must tell you, show mercy when you can. Leave a way out for others, and you may meet them again in the future. Otherwise, you will eventually die in a foreign land."
Ye Fan was instantly angered. This old fossil was cursing him.
"Elder Zheng, at your age, you still engage in verbal disputes with a junior like me. Aren't you afraid of dying on stage from a surge of breath? If so, it would truly be considered utmost respect, dedicating all your energy to the appraisal profession."
Although Ye Fan couldn't resort to physical violence here, he would never let them gain an advantage.
Liu Piaoxu, who had been slightly annoyed by Feng Xiao’s words, actually showed a hint of a smile on her cold face after hearing Ye Fan's sharp retort.
Truly a smile that could topple a city.
However, the smile was shallow and fleeting, gone in an instant, unnoticed by anyone.
Ye Fan's words were incredibly satisfying. Not only did they leave the two speechless, but they were also devoid of any vulgarity, leaving them with no grounds to retaliate even if they wanted to deal with Ye Fan.
Elder Lei felt a headache coming on and rubbed his forehead. Ye Fan was like a hedgehog, covered in thorns, untouchable by anyone.
But this was Jiangnan, after all. If he truly incurred the wrath of the crowd, it might be detrimental to his long-term development here.
After some thought, Elder Lei cleared his throat.
"Alright, let's stop here. Appraisal relies on true skill, not verbal sparring. Now that Ye Fan has successfully appraised this cosmetic box, the next step is to see if Elder Zheng can appraise the item Ye Fan brought. If Elder Zheng also succeeds in his appraisal, then this round will be a draw, and we will proceed to the third round. However, if Elder Zheng fails this round, then Ye Fan will win this contest."
As soon as Elder Lei finished speaking, the crowd below held their breath.
Now, Feng Xiao's side had no retreat. Elder Zheng absolutely had to succeed in this appraisal.
Otherwise, they would lose.
As the crowd tensed, Feng Xiao also felt nervous. Although losing only meant forfeiting three items and returning Liu Piaoxu's goods, which was not much for the affluent Feng family, he couldn't afford to lose face.
The esteemed young master of the Feng family, losing to a roughneck from a desolate place, where would his Feng family dignity go if this were to spread?
His face grim, Feng Xiao gritted his teeth and looked at Elder Zheng.
"This round, we absolutely cannot lose."
His gaze carried a fierce warning.
Although Elder Zheng was a first-class appraiser and did not fear Feng Xiao, given the circumstances, seeing Feng Xiao's murderous glare, Elder Zheng felt a pang of fear.
Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't care, but the stakes were too high now. If Feng Xiao were to fly into a rage, he might suffer along with him.
Who in all of Jiangnan didn't know that this young master Feng was a complete madman?
His face darkening, Elder Zheng nodded heavily.
"This appraisal, I must win, otherwise my reputation of a lifetime will be ruined."