Ye Fan's expression was relaxed, a faint smile gracing his face.
"You..."
Elder Lu raised his hand, about to make a move against Ye Fan.
But in an instant, Ye Fan raised his own hand, firmly grasping Elder Lu's arm, which was strong yet withered.
"What? Elder Lu, are you becoming enraged from embarrassment?"
Squinting, Ye Fan's eyes seemed capable of piercing through people's hearts.
Elder Lu's actions spoke volumes; he was guilty.
Meanwhile, Elder Lei and the others wore stern expressions.
"As a senior in the antique appraisal circle, to lay hands on a junior, Mr. Lu, have you truly no shame?"
Elder Lei reprimanded sternly. If not for their respective statuses, Elder Lei might have stepped forward to deliver a few slaps.
But at this moment, he couldn't do so.
As the Vice President of the Antique Association and the organizer of this appraisal fair, any action on his part would be criticized.
Especially since Elder Lu was from the Heavenly King's Mansion, which meant Elder Lei couldn't easily act against him.
Jiang Zhong, standing beside them, also chimed in with a cold sarcasm.
"As the Chief Appraiser of the Heavenly King's Mansion, if you lack such composure, you not only disgrace yourself but also the Heavenly King's Mansion. If I have the opportunity, I will certainly ask your Mansion Lord how such an incompetent person like you managed to climb to the position of Chief Appraiser!"
Because of their close relationship with Ye Fan, they naturally sided with him.
Enduring the taunts from Elder Lei and Jiang Zhong, Elder Lu felt as though he was about to go mad.
At this moment, the anger within him burned fiercely.
"You conspire together and dare to oppose the Heavenly King's Mansion. I tell you, you will never have a good end."
Elder Lu's hair bristled with rage, even his eyebrows perked up.
But Elder Lei and Jiang Zhong paid no heed to Elder Lu's anger.
Ye Fan scoffed, "To fly into a rage after being exposed, it's truly laughable. However, a disgrace to the antique world like you has the audacity to attend an appraisal fair. This is utterly ridiculous."
Elder Lei instantly reacted, "Ye Fan is right. A scoundrel like you doesn't deserve to participate in the appraisal fair."
Saying this, Elder Lei moved to expel Elder Lu.
However, Elder Han, who had remained silent until now, stood up.
"According to the rules, any participant in an appraisal fair cannot be expelled midway. This is the rule of the appraisal fair. Even the organizers have no right to revoke the qualifications of already registered participants. Elder Lei, your actions might invite mockery from everyone in the Jiangnan antique circle."
Elder Han, unless he spoke, his words always hit the nail on the head, leaving no room for rebuttal.
Frowning slightly, Elder Lei's eyes flashed with anger.
He intended to retort, but Ye Fan smiled.
"Elder Han speaks the truth. Although Elder Lu is disrespectful in his old age and employs rather base tactics, he still represents the Heavenly King's Mansion, and some respect must be given. As for the outcome of the appraisal fair, with his abilities, it is hardly a cause for concern. What harm is there in letting him continue to stay here? Moreover, if we truly drive him away, wouldn't it be less entertaining? Only by defeating him fair and square can it be said that the Heavenly King's Mansion has truly been defeated."
Ye Fan's last sentence was spoken with deep implication.
Hearing Ye Fan's words, Elder Lei paused for a moment, then his face broke into a smile.
This Ye Fan fellow was truly wicked.
It wouldn't have been difficult to have Elder Lu expelled, even if his misconduct was caught, he was still a member of the Heavenly King's Mansion.
No matter how grave his mistake, they could only offer a reprimand and let him go. Doing so would surely incur the displeasure of the Heavenly King's Mansion, and then the Heavenly King's Mansion would retaliate, leaving the Antique Association in a difficult position.
But Ye Fan's words not only allowed Elder Lu to stay but also severely embarrassed him.
Even if Elder Lu guessed correctly a few times, it was merely due to sheer luck.
Even if he achieved a good result, outsiders would only attribute it to his fortune.
Therefore, regardless of the outcome, the Heavenly King's Mansion was destined to suffer a significant setback.
Furthermore, afterward, the Heavenly King's Mansion would only offer their apologies to the Antique Association and Elder Lei, silently swallowing this bitter pill.
Elder Lei nodded, maintaining a semblance of anger on his face.
"If not for Elder Han and Ye Fan's pleas, I would not have let this matter go so easily today. Very well, Elder Lu may stay for now. However, in the previous competition, Elder Lu has already lost. As the adjudicator, the Lóng Zhū pearl shall belong to Ye Fan. Elder Lu, hand over the Lóng Zhū pearl, and this matter will be concluded. As for the Dragon-ear Vase, it will be confiscated by the Antique Association. Does anyone have any objections?"
Elder Lei scanned the faces of the crowd.
Although his words were a question, his tone was one of undeniable authority.
Allowing Elder Lu to remain was already giving him ample face. If anyone dared to step forward and voice dissent now, Elder Lei would likely erupt in fury.
Therefore, no one dared to cross him at this moment.
Seeing that no one below spoke, Elder Lei nodded with satisfaction.
Then, he handed Elder Lu's Lóng Zhū pearl to Ye Fan.
As Ye Fan received the Lóng Zhū pearl, no one noticed a sinister glint flash in the depths of Elder Lu's eyes.
Originally, this Lóng Zhū pearl was intended to frame Ye Fan.
Now that Ye Fan had obtained it legitimately, it saved him a lot of trouble.
Although he had lost the appraisal fair this time utterly and with almost no room for maneuver, as long as he delivered this Lóng Zhū pearl to Ye Fan, his mission would be accomplished.
With a somber face tinged with frost, Elder Lu sat silently, his thoughts unknown to anyone.
And as this interlude concluded, the appraisal fair continued.
After witnessing the previously displayed gap, almost everyone began to look at Ye Fan with newfound respect.
This young man, despite his age, possessed terrifying appraisal skills.
It seemed that in his eyes, no counterfeit could escape detection.
Feng Xiao and the others had long witnessed Ye Fan's prowess, but at that time, they had only seen a glimpse and not Ye Fan operating at full capacity. Even in the previous rounds, when they deliberately made things difficult and Ye Fan resolved them one by one, they had only attributed it to his luck.
However, after this episode, they finally faced reality.
Ye Fan's formidable nature was beyond their imagination.
Feng Xiao's expression grew increasingly grim, "Damn it, we should have ordered someone to eliminate this bastard earlier."
Chen Pangzi, standing beside him, also had a cold look in his eyes.
"A person like this, left alive, will sooner or later become a menace. As long as he is here, it will be impossible for us to thrive in the antique circle."
If Ye Fan hadn't caused trouble before, Chen Pangzi wouldn't have been arrested, nor would his factory have been sealed.
Ye Fan was the instigator of all this, which was why Chen Pangzi harbored a hatred for Ye Fan far exceeding Feng Xiao's.
"After the appraisal fair concludes, go and contact the Dongfang family. This fellow must not be allowed to live."