QT- I’m Almost Died
Chapter 248. Stripped Of Spiritual Luck
Chief Yan didn’t understand what Teacher Fan was saying. Shouldn’t it be a great thing that the Sovereign Sword of the Eight Horizons wasn’t replaced by a counterfeit? Why would Teacher Fan say there was a problem?
“Teacher Fan, what do you mean by that?” Chief Yan immediately pressed.
“Let’s go check out the other exhibition halls first, and then we’ll discuss it later.” Fan Jialuo walked towards another exhibition hall.
“Alright, alright, we’ll talk about it later.” Chief Yan followed closely behind him, holding a crumpled piece of tissue paper that was already soaked with sweat.
Director Sun, lying on a mobile stretcher, still ordered the medical staff to move him over immediately. He wanted to keep a close eye on Fan Jialuo the whole time, to see how much trouble he could cause. If the authentication results showed that the artifacts were genuine, he would definitely use his influence to make this man pay the price! Moving so many national treasures at once, did he think this was a child’s playground?
After viewing all nine exhibition halls, Fan Jialuo finally picked out five counterfeits, two scrolls of court beauties from separate dynasties, a celestial-blue Ru ware ceramic vase, a statue of the six-armed guardian deity Mahakala, and a pair of gilded ornaments featuring twin dragons clutching pearls. While not classified as national treasures, they were nonetheless peerless masterpieces of unparalleled rarity
Xiao Li compiled a list of all the replaced cultural relics and handed it to Chief Yan and Director Sun for review. The two men stared at the dense text on the list, feeling as if their heads were about to explode.
To their absolute horror, a closer look revealed that the corruption ran far deeper, the swapped artifacts altogether reached a staggering total of twenty-two pieces. Among them, a staggering nine were national treasures——specifically, the Yong tripod, the Qing tripod, the bronze cauldron adorned with four mythical beasts, and the golden human mask, a golden phoenix ornament, a piece of mythical black jade of Mountains and Seas, an ivory Shakyamuni relic stupa, a scroll of dragons surging across a vast sea, and a tree sculpted entirely from pristine crystal.
There are thirteen treasures handed down through generations, namely—— bronze tortoise, ivory seated Buddha, bronze sword, a human-shaped palace lanterns cast from solid gold, a scroll depicting flying celestial goddesses, famille-rose ‘God of Longevity’ porcelain vase, and a bronze tripod cauldron adorned with mythical beasts, an inscribed oracle bone, two scrolls of court beauties from separate dynasties, a celestial-blue Ru ware ceramic vase, a statue of the six-armed guardian deity Mahakala, and a pair of gilded ornaments featuring twin dragons clutching pearls.
If all these cultural relics are identified as counterfeits, then the Central Museum, as Deputy Director Liu previously stated, could truly go bankrupt. For a national-level cultural relic protection unit to embezzle and replace so many national treasures is far more serious than Ma You’s rampage of murders in Beijing.
“What has happened to this world? Why has it become like this?” Chief Yan asked from the depths of his soul, clutching the list with trembling hands.
“The great upheaval has already begun.” Fan Jialuo said slowly, “Long ago, the world began to change quietly, but the undercurrents were hidden beneath the calm surface, and no one could detect them. But those who were meant to awaken have now awakened, and they will stir up the deep waters, raise the undercurrents to the surface, and unleash a raging storm. This case of artifact switching is just the beginning.”
Chief Yan said in disbelief, “Even this kind of case is just the beginning, and a small wave before the storm. What will happen next? Teacher Fan, what exactly did you see? What do you mean by the great change you mentioned? By the way, do you know the inside story of this case?”
“I just have this feeling, but I can’t say for sure what the specifics are.” Fan Jialuo slowly walked towards the central exhibition hall, stopped in front of the Sovereign Sword of the Eight Horizons, and continued, “I don’t know the details of this case, I’m just making reasonable inferences based on the existing evidence.”
This phrase was Dr. Song’s favorite saying, which he put into practice.
Chief Yan immediately said, “Please tell me your speculation.”
Director Sun, lying on a mobile stretcher, said angrily, “The forensic results aren’t out yet, what case are you analyzing? There’s no case for you to analyze right now!”
Song Rui adjusted the drip rate of the IV drip for Director Sun and said calmly, “It seems you’ve forgotten about that counterfeit bronze tortoise? Isn’t its value enough to warrant a case? So, it’s lost, and that’s it? You certainly are generous, aren’t you? And you stand so tall and unyielding, one would think you represent the entire nation.”
Director Sun was trembling with anger, but he couldn’t utter a single word in rebuttal. He had almost forgotten that the bronze tortoise had already been identified as a fake by Fan Jialuo on the spot.
After taking the statements, Meng Zhong handed over the museum staff to the military for control. Then, he and his subordinates rushed over to listen to Teacher Fan’s case analysis. As usual, they took out notebooks and pens and surrounded Teacher Fan and Dr. Song in a circle.
Fan Jialuo stared at the sword lying quietly on the shelf and said slowly, “Everything in the world has a spirit. Heaven and earth have spirits, people have spirits, animals have spirits, plants and trees have spirits, and even stones have spirits. These cultural relics naturally have spirits as well.”
Chief Yan and the others nodded repeatedly, but they did not understand the purpose of his words.
Song Rui walked to the display case, stared intently at the sword that had weathered thousands of years of wind and frost yet remained as sharp as ever, and said with certainty, “You mean, this sword contains spiritual qi.”
Fan Jialuo shook his head and said, “It’s not just about spiritual qi, it’s also about luck. The Sovereign Sword of the Eight Horizons has an aura of spiritual luck soaring to the heavens.”
This wasn’t the first time Fan Jialuo had mentioned the phrase “aura of spiritual luck soaring to the heavens,” so Song Rui’s eyes flashed, as if he had made a connection to something.
Chief Yan and Meng Zhong, among others: ? ? ?
Fan Jialuo continued, “To my shame, my eyes are accustomed only to divine herbs and heavenly treasures, I have never once beheld an artifact that anchors a nation or a masterpiece passed down through generations.”
Chief Yan and Meng Zhong: ……No, no, no, you don’t need to feel ashamed. We haven’t even seen a glimpse of any rare and precious herbs!
“Before I came here, I had expected that the so-called national treasures and legacy must be full of spiritual essence and great fortune. But when I entered this exhibition hall full of treasures, I only felt the weight of history and the accumulation of time, but I could not feel the fluctuation of spiritual essence and fortune. It was not until I saw this that I finally confirmed my guess.”
Fan Jialuo pointed to the sword in the glass display case and said slowly, “If those genuine artifacts hadn’t been switched, the feeling they gave me would be the same as this sword, a vast and boundless spiritual sea, a magnificent purple aura, an overwhelming divine charm, and a sharpness that rivals the creation of heaven and earth. If I were fortunate enough to commune with them in spirit, it would be an honor I would never forget for the rest of my life.”
“But sadly, they have all vanished, leaving only this legendary sword, lying here forlornly. I can feel its sorrow and loneliness.” Fan Jialuo said in a low voice as he released his magnetic field, “Listen, this is it’s crying.”
A gentle magnetic field, like a spring, enveloped everyone in the exhibition hall. Through the influence and connection of the magnetic field, they could vaguely hear a long and sharp metallic sound, like the sound of a sword breaking, ice shattering, or the aftersound of lightning striking the sky.
Director Sun was the first to break down, covering his ears and wailing. The sound he heard seemed sharper than anyone else’s, because he was supposed to be the protector of these national treasures, yet he had failed to fulfill his duty in the slightest.
Fan Jialuo removed the magnetic field, and in an instant, the sound that seemed like weeping and shouting disappeared. Everyone looked at each other, their eyes reddening without them realizing it, and their hearts were filled with a sorrow that was hard to dispel and hard to let go of.
Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu, who had previously insisted that all the national treasures were genuine, were now speechless. Although they still did not believe Fan Jialuo’s words, they dared not speak recklessly again.
“Can you sense its spiritual essence?” Fan Jialuo asked in a deep voice.
“We felt it!” Everyone nodded in unison, a strange shock still lingering in their chests.
“Not all cultural relics can generate spiritual essence and luck.” Fan Jialuo further explained, “Only objects that gather the fortune of a nation, the fortune of an emperor, and the fortune of an outstanding person can generate spiritual essence and luck. Look at this list.”
Fan Jialuo took the list from Chief Yan’s hand.
Song Rui also took the list from Meng Zhong’s hand.
The two seemed to have noticed the problem, but the others remained confused.
“The nine national treasures, when gathered together, represent the fortune of the nation,” Song Rui guessed.
“That’s right, like the Sovereign Sword of the Eight Horizons, they possess spirit and fortune, that’s for sure.” Fan Jialuo pointed to the list and asked, “What is a luminary of the age?”
Chief Yan and others took out their phones and searched on Baidu.
Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu knew about it, but they didn’t want to talk to Fan Jialuo, that troublemaker.
Song Rui replied, “A luminary of the age is someone with a brilliant mind or figure who lights up an entire era.”
Fan Jialuo nodded and said, “That’s right, a luminary of the age are those with exceptional talent and wisdom. Look at the artifacts on this list. They were either created by outstanding individuals, such as the Sage of Calligraphy, the Sage of Painting, or the Sage of Craftsmanship, or they were carried by outstanding individuals for many years, such as the Buddha, the Great Shaman, or the enlightened monk. I know without seeing the originals that their spiritual essence and aura are comparable to the finest natural treasures. Now, do you see the problem?”
Chief Yan and others pondered intently.
Song Rui understood after a moment’s thought, “The person behind this switch case seems to only want cultural relics with spiritual essence and good fortune, they didn’t even look at any that lacked such qi and good fortune.”
Deputy Director Liu seemed to have discovered a major bug, pointing at the Sovereign Sword of the Eight Horizons and shouting, “Then how do you explain why this sword wasn’t switched?”
Director Sun glanced at his old partner, a look of embarrassment crossing his face. However, he knew that the other man had only said such foolish things out of anger.
But others didn’t seem to think this statement was foolish, so they all pressed on, asking, “Yes, all the treasures with spiritual essence were switched out, so why wasn’t this sword switched out?”
Song Rui glanced at Meng Zhong and explained, “Because this sword is impossible for counterfeiters to replicate. Its alloy composition is beyond the analysis capabilities of our current scientific technology. Thousands of years have passed, yet it remains rust-free and sharp as ever. The entire blade is covered with a dark blue grid pattern, resembling water ripples and ice cracks. No metal can achieve this effect. Its forging technique has been lost. If a fake were to be made, the flaws would be immediately apparent, so counterfeiters have given up on targeting it.”
Song Rui held back for a moment, but still managed to ask, “Don’t any of you read history books?”
Chief Yan’s face flushed slightly, but Meng Zhong retorted, “Are you expecting us to treat that as common knowledge?”
Song Rui turned his head and continued to stare at the legendary Sword, too lazy to talk to these ignorant people.
Fan Jialuo placed his palm on the glass display case and said in a deep voice, “Yes, it is precisely because of its uniqueness that it escaped disaster. These cultural relics are all treasures of China, either national treasures or legacy. Even if they were taken to the outside world, they would be impossible to sell because no one would dare to buy them. Whoever buys them would be an enemy of China. So what was the purpose of the person who tried to steal them?”
“Yes, why?” Chief Yan was stumped by the question.
Director Sun said angrily, “That’s why no one dares to mess with these cultural relics, they are all genuine!”
Fan Jialuo didn’t even spare Director Sun a glance, but stared at the sword for a long time before continuing, “Judging from the counterfeiters’ motives, I can roughly guess who they are.”
“What are their motives? What kind of people are they?” Meng Zhong stared intently at Teacher Fan’s back.
“Rare and precious herbs also contain a lot of spiritual essence, so do you know what their function is?” Fan Jialuo asked without turning his head.
Chief Yan and Meng Zhong are both veteran cadres and lack knowledge in this area. Aren’t rare and precious herbs only found in fantasy novels?
Xiao Li, a typical otaku, quickly raised his hand, “I know, rare and precious herbs can cleanse the marrow and transform one’s body!”
“That’s right. The spiritual essence contained within rare and precious herbs can instantly break through the shackles of mortal form and transform an ordinary person into a spiritual being. A spiritual being is someone like me.” Fan Jialuo’s hand gently traced the blade of the sword within the glass case as he spoke in a deep voice, word by word, “Therefore, these artifacts, like rare and precious herbs, can elevate people to another level, which is what is called transcending the mundane world. However, the spiritual essence within artifacts is not like that of rare and precious herbs, which can be obtained simply by consuming them, it requires special methods. Therefore, I am certain that the person who committed this crime must be a member of the Taoist sects, and their motive was to plunder the spiritual essence within these artifacts for their own use.
“It’s the Taoist sects again!” Chief Yan was furious at the mention of those two words. He had recently fallen out with the Taoist sects, and almost every day cultivators would come to visit him, just to plead on behalf of the Tianshui Sect.
Meng Zhong immediately wrote this down in his notebook.
Song Rui, however, astutely grasped the key point, “What would happen to these cultural relics if their spiritual essence were plundered?”
Fan Jialuo turned around, his face colder than ever before. He walked to a display cabinet, removed a lily from the vase, and said in a deep voice, “Do you see this flower? Why is it so beautiful? Because the life force within it has not completely dissipated. Life force and spiritual essence operate in the same way, in a sense, they are not even different.”
Fan Jialuo stroked the lily with his slender fingers, his movements so gentle, yet his words were utterly cold, “When I rob this flower of its life, it will turn into dust.”
Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu both let out a sneer. Plundering life force and spiritual essence? Is Fan Jialuo telling a fairytale?
However, the next second, their indifferent expressions froze on their faces. Fan Jialuo’s porcelain-white fingertips brushed from top to bottom, and the delicate lilies withered, dried, broke, and scattered inch by inch under his caress. They were then turned into fine dust by the gentle breeze from the air conditioner and drifted into the unseen void.
This bizarre scene stunned everyone, except for Song Rui, who immediately grabbed Fan Jialuo’s wrist and stared at his abdomen with worried eyes.
Fan Jialuo had already reinforced the space inside his abdomen with layers of defenses to prevent the vine from taking effect, so he shook his head slightly to indicate that he was fine.
Song Rui couldn’t let go of his wrist, and a layer of fine sweat involuntarily seeped from his palm.
Chief Yan and his entourage, recovering from their shock, belatedly felt an indescribable fear. If flowers robbed of their vitality turn to dust, then wouldn’t cultural relics stripped of their spiritual essence also shatter into pieces?
Thinking of the consequences, Director Sun immediately clutched his chest and shouted hoarsely, “No, you’re talking nonsense! You’re exaggerating! The artifacts in our museum are definitely genuine! They have absolutely not been replaced!”
Having worked in this industry for decades, he had never been so afraid.
By this point, everyone was more inclined to believe Director Sun’s judgment. Those cultural relics were genuine, absolutely genuine, they would never turn to dust and disappear from this world forever! They were the heritage of China! The wealth left to the entire nation by our ancestors! Who could bear to do such a cruel thing to them?
Just then, the lab called and said cheerfully, “Chief Yan, we conducted an appraisal on that famille-rose ‘God of Longevity’ porcelain vase, and it’s genuine. The other artifacts are still being authenticated, but the experts have all confirmed they’re authentic. This case should be a false alarm.”
Chief Yan made the call over the loudspeaker, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu even laughed heartily, their expressions extremely cheerful.
Fan Jialuo shook his head and said, “Your assessment is wrong. I’ll go and see for myself.”
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