Ye Fan's gaze flashed with a cold glint. Since he was already at odds with the Heavenly King's Mansion, there was no need to show respect to Elder Lu.
Elder Lu then slowly walked onto the stage, his gaze sweeping indifferently across the faces of everyone below. He spoke with extreme arrogance.
"Originally, I, this old man, had no intention of attending this appraisal fair. It truly lacked substance, filled with a bunch of arrogant trash. However, since I am here, I will let you all witness the foundation of the Heavenly King's Mansion."
As he spoke, he personally opened a box in front of him.
The box was very ancient, giving the impression that it contained a long-lost relic.
But when the box was opened, the item inside once again caused shock.
Elder Lu's words had already incurred the wrath of the crowd. Even Feng Xiao felt some dissatisfaction with Elder Lu in his heart.
"I know you old man have skills and strength, and hold a respected position in the Heavenly King's Mansion, but even so, you can't be this arrogant, can you?
If it weren't for us major families supporting your Heavenly King's Mansion, what the hell would you be?
This eldest young master of the Feng family was inherently lawless, and never knew what respect was, even when facing seniors from the Heavenly King's Mansion.
Of course, these words could only be thought of in his heart; if he were to say them openly, he wouldn't dare.
After all, the Feng family still relied on the Heavenly King's Mansion as a towering tree.
If they were hated by the Heavenly King's Mansion, their Feng family would likely have no future.
Moreover, the Wang family was currently suppressing the Feng family everywhere, and the Feng family needed the Heavenly King's Mansion to uphold justice for them.
After Elder Lu opened the box, he sat aside, closed his eyes, and rested.
His demeanor was one of great confidence.
In his opinion, no one could discern the treasure he brought.
Jiang Zhong, Mr. Fu, and others frowned at this moment.
They were very displeased with Elder Lu's arrogant demeanor.
Although your Heavenly King's Mansion is powerful, it is ultimately just a force in Jiangnan City.
Both the Antique Association and the City Lord's Mansion had the right to challenge it.
Others might not dare to show dissatisfaction towards the Heavenly King's Mansion, but these two dared.
"It's just a double-eared vase from the Hongwu period. Elder Lu, why be so arrogant? Have the people in the Heavenly King's Mansion become accustomed to looking at the sky from the bottom of a well, and have they already become ossified?"
Mr. Fu, who had remained silent, spoke with a cold laugh.
These words were quite venomous, not only satirizing Elder Lu but also mocking the entire Heavenly King's Mansion.
But Elder Lu still kept his eyes closed, showing no intention of responding to Mr. Fu.
This attitude made Mr. Fu even more enraged.
Just as he was about to vent his anger, Ye Fan suddenly chuckled, "Why should Mr. Fu make such a big fuss? Elder Lu's intention, I'm afraid, is to provoke us. You know, appraisal is supposed to be a calm and peaceful matter. Once we are all angered, it's hard for anyone to calm down, and the appraisal results will naturally have errors. Wouldn't that just suit Elder Lu's wishes?"
Ye Fan's words served as a reminder to everyone.
At this moment, their faces all showed a cold expression.
Their gazes towards Elder Lu were even more unfriendly.
This old geezer was too insidious.
However, his scheme had been seen through by Ye Fan, and from now on, everyone would surely unite to suppress him.
As time passed, Elder Lei stood up and reminded them that the time was up to give the appraisal results.
This time, everyone almost spoke in unison, their steps synchronized, and they gave the same answer.
Fake...
This scene stunned Elder Lei, and even Elder Han frowned at this moment.
Although they both looked down on Elder Lu, subjective emotions were one thing, and appraisal was another.
If subjective emotions influenced the appraisal, the results would definitely be biased.
Clearly, everyone at this moment had been deceived by Elder Lu.
Seeing that everyone had given the answer "fake," Elder Lu finally slowly opened his eyes.
"A bunch of trash."
He said it indifferently, a smug smile gracing his face.
Seeing Elder Lu's demeanor, Wang Feng let out a cold snort. His answer was something Ye Fan had quietly informed him of, and it would never be wrong.
Therefore, Wang Feng shook his head at this moment, finding Elder Lu's arrogance quite unbearable.
Jiang Zhong was even more direct: "Elder Lu's status is noble, and he should be a person of high virtue and prestige. However, today, it seems to be completely the opposite. Whether this item is genuine or fake is not for your Heavenly King's Mansion to decide, nor can it be determined by your words alone, Elder Lu. Since we have given the answer 'fake,' we naturally have our reasons, but Elder Lu has repeatedly made sarcastic remarks, which is truly unacceptable."
Jiang Zhong spoke frankly, giving Elder Lu no face at all.
Upon hearing Jiang Zhong's words, Elder Lu paid no attention. Instead, a cold smile appeared on his face.
"What? Mr. Jiang, are you trying to challenge me? Lu will not decline."
This Elder Lu was clearly provoking a confrontation.
Jiang Zhong frowned, but before he could speak, Ye Fan quietly said, "Since Elder Lu has such leisure, why don't this junior make a bet with you?"
Ye Fan's face was adorned with a faint smile, and his words were filled with calmness.
At this moment, Ye Fan showed no abnormality whatsoever; even the expression on his face was very natural.
He had gambled many times on his journey.
But he had never lost.
Moreover, appraisal itself was a huge gamble. No one dared to say with absolute certainty that an item was real or fake.
This was because many items involved chance.
Take the imperial kiln for example; if Ye Fan hadn't noticed the thin and brittle wall of the kiln, he would have also made a mistake.
Who would have thought it was a gift from the emperor to his concubine?
This was the unpredictability of appraisal, unavoidable.
Upon hearing Ye Fan's words, Elder Lu was stunned, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
Ye Fan's performance had indeed exceeded his expectations.
Originally, in his opinion, this appraisal fair was just a formality, and he could easily win.
However, Ye Fan's several performances had made him feel a hint of worry.
This kid was like a dark horse that had appeared out of nowhere, truly unfathomable.
And at this moment, Ye Fan was so calm, showing no panic or any abnormality, which truly puzzled him.
"What do you want to bet? As the chief appraiser of the Heavenly King's Mansion, I have no interest in items of low value."
These words indeed stunned Ye Fan. He truly didn't have many items he could put forward.
But this did not mean he had no way.
He glanced sideways at Elder Lu and said, "How about my Xiaoran Pavilion and all the items within it as the stakes?"
A gamble of this magnitude, Ye Fan was putting all his assets on the line.