Chapter 250. Fan Jialuo: My Judgment Has Never Failed

After the pen holder entered the scanning chamber, a dark blue cylindrical object appeared on the scanner’s display screen.

No one knew what the two were up to. The technician in charge of the machine ran over angrily, slammed the power button, and made the conveyor belt return the pen holder.

Fan Jialuo slowly put on white gloves, picked up the pen holder, and sensed it slightly.

Song Rui pointed to the display screen and said, “A beam of light shines on it, revealing a deep blue color——porcelain is an inorganic material, and inorganic materials will appear blue when exposed to X-rays. The scene that Teacher Fan saw during his spiritual communication corresponds to an X-ray scanner.”

“So what? Does the X-ray scan have anything to do with the results of this assessment?” The technician took out a piece of velvet cloth and carefully wiped the machine’s control panel, as if the machine would be defiled if Song Rui touched it.

Fan Jialuo took a pack of disinfectant wipes out of his pocket and handed it to Dr. Song, saying gently, “Wipe your hands.” Finally, he handed the pen holder to another technician, saying calmly, “Give it a thermoluminescence analysis.”

The technician didn’t take the pen holder; instead, he retorted sarcastically, “What right do you have to order me around? The stuff in our lab isn’t your toy.”

Fan Jialuo showed no anger whatsoever, and slowly said, “Would you believe me if I said this pen holder is four thousand years old?”

“Huh? Are you out of your mind? How about we send a car to take you to the mental hospital? Our lab will cover all the expenses.” The technician spoke very politely, but his expression was anything but. He raised his eyebrows, his lips drooped, and his eyes, hidden behind his eyelashes, were full of disdain and contempt.

Fan Jialuo’s expression remained calm. He turned to Chief Yan and said gently, “If you want the truth, have someone test this pen holder. I’m right here, can’t run away. After the test, I’ll take full responsibility.”

Chief Yan was moved by the sincerity in his eyes. Others might not know what kind of person Teacher Fan was, but he did. Words like alarmist, making a mountain out of a molehill, and seeking fame were completely irrelevant to him. On the contrary, he was a broad-minded, pure-hearted, and sincere person who would never utter a lie.

Anyway, it’s just a test, it won’t take much time.

With that thought in mind, Chief Yan waved his hand and said, “Test it!”

He had the highest authority in the laboratory, and although the technician was full of complaints, he could not refuse any longer. He could only take the pen holder and put it into the machine’s scanning chamber.

“A pen holder with a four-thousand-year history this joke is enough to make me laugh for a whole year. Look what’s written on it———’The harder you work, the luckier you get.’ So this motivational saying was already popular four thousand years ago? Hahaha……”

While awaiting the test results, the technician spoke with nothing but sarcasm. Director Sun and the others also curled their lips into disdainful smiles.

“The combined expertise of dozens of experts, along with dozens of state-of-the-art appraisal machines, can’t compare to a single sentence from you. Who do you think you are? A god? Do you know the immense risks involved in transporting so many national treasures around? How much manpower, resources, and money will it cost? Perhaps you are indeed capable, but don’t overestimate yourself. Ultimately, whether your abilities are genuine remains to be verified——”

The technician’s incessant chatter abruptly turned into an unspeakable silence when the test results appeared. He stared wide-eyed and mouth agape at the display screen in disbelief.

Director Sun and dozens of experts stood behind him. When they bent down to take a look, they all gasped in shock.

The display screen showed a number that no one could have imagined——four thousand years! The modern-looking pen holder, engraved with ‘The harder you work, the luckier you get,’ had inexplicably acquired a history of four thousand years after being scanned by the machine!

“How……how could this be?” The technician was so shocked that his tongue almost flew out.

“No, no, the scan results must be wrong! I bought this pen holder at the supermarket. There were dozens of them in a row. It’s a wholesale product, definitely not an antique!” The pen holder’s owner hurriedly explained.

Chief Yan was stunned, dozens of experts were stunned, and the smug expressions on Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu’s faces were completely frozen.

Fan Jialuo casually handed a ceramic water cup from the desk to Dr. Song and said gently, “Try scanning another one.”

Song Rui placed the water cup on the conveyor belt and pressed the start button.

A few dozen seconds later, Fan Jialuo picked up the water cup, sensed it, and handed it to the technician whose jaw was almost falling off, saying calmly, “Do you believe me if I say this cup is three thousand years old?”

The technician couldn’t utter a single sarcastic remark, he simply took the water cup with a blank expression and placed it into the testing chamber.

Not long after, the test results came out. The water cup, which was covered with pink pigs and had the word ‘sweety’ written on it, was found to be three thousand years old according to the machine test.

Fan Jialuo could accurately report the machine’s identification result simply by touching the pottery with his hand, even though both pieces were clearly products of modern industry and had absolutely no possibility of originating from antiquity. So, is this machine reliable? Why would it come to such an absurd conclusion?

Everyone was stunned, except for Song Rui, who pointed to the X-ray scanner and calmly revealed the answer, “When exposed to X-rays, the thermoluminescence dating results are interfered with. The pen holder was exposed to X-rays for forty seconds and was found to be four thousand years old, the water cup was exposed for thirty seconds and was found to be three thousand years old. This shows that placing porcelain under X-rays can age it by a hundred years in just one second. If you master this technique, as long as you make the imitation 100% realistic, put it in the X-ray scanner, and set the appropriate time, it can pass the thermoluminescence test without any problems.”

Song Rui slowly walked to the famille-rose ‘God of Longevity’ porcelain vase and sighed, “The counterfeiters have already cracked what you call the most advanced technology. Whether this vase is real or fake still needs further examination.”

Fan Jialuo picked up another water glass and said calmly, “Would you like to try it a few more times?”

Faced with the undeniable facts, these technicians, who had been so arrogant, including the experts who had spoken with absolute certainty, were now speechless, panicked, and disoriented.

“No, no need to try anymore. We’ll conduct further testing on this porcelain vase immediately. But the problem is, we’ve used all the non-destructive testing methods available, yet we still can’t get a definitive result.” The technician, who had just been 100% confident in his judgment, now denied all the previous assessment work.

He glanced at Fan Jialuo, his eyes filled with unspeakable awe. To be able to capture so much hidden information simply by sensing with his hand, even surpassing the world’s most advanced scientific instruments, was this person even human? His abilities were simply terrifying!

The technician looked away, composed himself, and continued, “To further determine the authenticity of this porcelain vase, we must examine its trace elements. However, trace element testing requires sampling, which necessitates destroying the vase’s integrity. We do not have the authority to do that.”

After saying that, he looked at Chief Yan.

Chief Yan gritted his teeth and thought for a moment before finally saying decisively, “Collect samples—conduct trace element analysis!” Without a certain amount of courage, he wouldn’t have reached his current position.

“Okay.” The technician, already awestruck by Fan Jialuo’s divine prophecy, buried himself in taking samples. Another technician, who had contributed a water cup and a pen holder, volunteered to be his assistant.

While the two men were busy, Fan Jialuo approached the two bronze tripods cauldrons and asked, “Why are you so certain that they are genuine?”

The technician in charge of testing the two bronze tripods had long since suppressed his disdain and contempt, explaining, “We took a sample of the rust, analyzed its chemical composition, and determined that it is exactly the same as bronze tripods from the same period.”

“Where did you get the rust from?” Song Rui pressed.

“From the handle.”

Song Rui’s eyes flashed, and he was about to speak when the expert in charge of visually authenticating the two tripods interrupted him, “I know you’re going to bring up the issue of them being pieced together and fake again, but you’re overthinking it. These two tripods are absolutely genuine. We have complete data on them, including thousands of photos and hundreds of videos.”

“We compared these data and conducted an extremely detailed examination of the two tripods. The result is definitely correct. They were cast using the mold-making method, and many mold lines are left on their surface. We compared each mold line with a magnifying glass and found no errors.”

“Their weights are 876.23 kg and 696.71 kg respectively, exactly as recorded in the data, and their volume remains unchanged.”

“The most direct evidence is these rust spots. If you wipe them with a cotton swab, you’ll find that they all have rust roots, completely integrated with the body of the tripod, rather than just a layer on the surface. You should understand what that means, right?”

Song Rui was very knowledgeable and naturally understood what the expert was saying.

Seeing that Fan Jialuo was completely clueless, he couldn’t help but curl the corners of his lips and explained, “What he means is that these two tripods are definitely original. The presence of a distinct mold line is a positive sign, indicating that the objects were cast from an original mold. A feat that counterfeiters can achieve, though it presents a significant challenge.”

“Look at their weight. Due to thousands of years of oxidation and corrosion, bronze artifacts of the same volume would definitely be lighter than them. This is something no counterfeiter could do.”

“For counterfeiters to ensure that the size of the imitation is the same as the genuine article, they cannot maintain the weight, to ensure the weight is the same, they must increase the volume. These two things cannot be done at the same time, thus eliminating the possibility of counterfeiting. Look at these X-ray scans. The density of these two tripods is very uniform, without any cavities. Chemical element analysis also shows that they are indeed made of bronze. The density is fine, the material is fine, so they are genuine.”

Fan Jialuo understood and asked further, “Of two bronze artifacts of the same volume, the one with a longer history will definitely be lighter than the one made more recently. This is something that cannot be achieved without the polishing of time, right?”

“That’s right.” Song Rui nodded and continued, “Look at this rust. It grew out of the body of the tripod little by little, like a tree. Even after wiping away the bark, you can still see the inside. It has taken root. But imitation bronzes can’t do this because the greenish-blue rust on their surface is dyed with corrosive chemicals. It can be wiped off with a single touch, without any roots.”

Dozens of experts and scholars had already gathered around the two bronze tripods. Upon hearing Song Rui’s words, they immediately added, “The growth of rust is like the growth of trees, it must go through the accumulation of time. Tree roots grow once a year, while the rust on bronze artifacts grows once every hundred years. Such thick rust could not have been achieved without thousands of years of accumulation, which is why we dare to conclude that these two bronze tripods are genuine.”

Only then did the ever-silent Elder Lu sigh, “Although the development of science and technology has indeed enriched the methods of authenticating antiques and cultural relics, the skill of visual inspection will never be lost. The judgments made by our eyes are often irreplaceable by machines. Teacher Fan, you really misjudged this time.”

Fan Jialuo gently stroked the rust roots deeply embedded in the cauldron with his fingertips clad in white gloves, and shook his head, saying, “My eyes, from birth until now, have never misjudged a person, thing, or event. I have always trusted my own judgment.”

“You’re being way too arrogant! We might have mistaken that porcelain vase, but we’d swear on our lives that these two tripods are absolutely genuine! Their weight, size, and patina alone are enough for us to make that judgment. The entire academic community of cultural relics agrees on this point. You’re just an amateur, you can’t even understand what we’re saying. What gives you the right to question us?” The young expert, who had just been stunned by the authentication results of the pen holder and water cup, now stood up again, retorting defiantly.

Fan Jialuo slowly removed his gloves and said slowly, “If I said I could make a piece of new copper grow rust that would take thousands of years to form in just a few minutes, would you believe me?”

The young expert initially intended to belittle or ridicule him, but then suddenly remembered his two earlier questions ——If I said this pen holder is four thousand years old, would you believe me? If I said this cup is three thousand years old, would you believe me?

Nobody believed it at the time, but after the results came out, everyone’s faces burned with embarrassment.

The young expert gasped for breath, unable to refute this utterly absurd statement.

Director Sun pushed him away and sneered, “I don’t believe it! You try it and show us! Making a piece of new copper grow rust that’s thousands of years old in just a few minutes, do you think you’re a god?”

Fan Jialuo was not annoyed, but instead stretched out his hand to Chief Yan, “Give me a piece of new copper, preferably 1 Kg.”

Chief Yan immediately ordered preparations to be made.

A dozen minutes later, a technician brought over a piece of new, bright yellow copper.

Fan Jialuo took it and asked, “Do you have an electronic scale?”

Another technician immediately brought over an electronic scale.

Fan Jialuo placed the square copper block on the electronic scale, bent down to look at the display screen, and reminded, “Look carefully, it weighs 1000 grams now. I will not only make it grow rust roots that take thousands of years to form, but I will also control its weight to 988.88 grams.”

His words were utterly absurd, drawing skepticism from everyone. Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu even snorted, their expressions utterly disdainful. They were waiting to see Fan Jialuo make a fool of himself!

Fan Jialuo didn’t care about the reactions of others. He simply used Ma You’s ability to create a transparent space, envelop the new copper, and then poured his own magnetic field into the space, gradually compressing it.

His magnetic field was inherently corrosive, its effects no less than those of rain, snow, wind, and frost in nature. Due to the confinement and pressure of space, it maintained a certain concentration and thickness, pushing this destructiveness to a level that had existed for thousands of years in just a few minutes.

Thus, in everyone’s eyes, the new copper was visibly growing green rust. It spread inch by inch, thickening layer by layer, overlapping each other, and soon merged with the copper block, becoming a rust root that could never be removed.

Meanwhile, the numbers on the electronic scale’s display screen were decreasing little by little, first to 999.99, then to 999.98…… When the number reached 988.88, Fan Jialuo withdrew his hands, and the copper block remained unchanged.

A few minutes ago, it was a bright, shiny, and solid yellow, a few minutes later, it was covered with the marks of time. Its entire body was covered with greenish rust, and it had lost its former luster, also losing some weight due to oxidation and corrosion.

Without seeing the truth firsthand, nobody would have believed that it’s actually just newly cast copper

The experts and technicians were all speechless at that moment, their mouths agape and eyes wide, unable to utter a single word. The facts were undeniable, leaving them no room for disbelief or rebuttal. When a person’s power surpasses technology, imagination, and common sense, ordinary people can no longer judge them using their own ways of thinking, or even have the right to converse with them.

Chief Yan’s heart sank, knowing that something terrible had happened.

Fan Jialuo gently stroked the rusty bronze block and asserted, “See? Only someone like me can create bronze artifacts that are indistinguishable from the real thing. Therefore, the mastermind behind this case must be someone from the Taoist sect. What you consider impossible can become possible here.”

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Chapter 249. Your Judgment Has Failed, Teacher Fan

The laboratory’s test results were in, and they were very encouraging. Everyone was very happy, except for Fan Jialuo, who insisted that the technician had made a mistake.

Upon hearing his baseless words, Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu were furious and almost abandoned their scholarly image to hurl insults at him on the spot.

Chief Yan is a meticulous person, and having had close contact with Teacher Fan in previous cases, he knows his character well. He’s the kind of person who doesn’t talk much, but when he does, his words are always profound and unequivocal. If you take his words lightly or ignore them, you will definitely pay an unimaginable price.

The prophecies he posted online are still being frantically shared to this day and of all those who engaged in psychic communication with him, not a single one has managed to escape the predetermined fate he foretold.

What Chief Yan found even more unforgettable were the 256 innocent victims who died unjustly. If he had listened to Teacher Fan’s advice and kept the disciples of the Tianshui Sect in check, preventing them from acting on their own, the outcome would not have been as tragic as it became.

Thinking of this, Chief Yan felt a pang of pain in his heart, so he immediately reached out and invited, “Teacher Fan, let me take you to the laboratory to see those cultural relics.”

Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu were the ones most eager to settle things peacefully. Seeing that Chief Yan was still willing to believe this charlatan, they hurriedly chased after him, constantly sarcastically saying, “Do you know where these cultural relics were sent? They were sent to the Central Laboratory, which is the most technologically advanced laboratory in our country. All the equipment and personnel are the best in the world. The results from that assessment are absolutely infallible. Who do you think you are? You lack the necessary knowledge and professional qualifications, how can your assessments be more accurate than those of experts and scientific equipment?”

Fan Jialuo continued on his way without saying a word.

Song Rui spoke with a half-smile, “To the best of my knowledge, the current art authentication market in China can only be described as rife with chaos. So-called experts are nothing more than money-driven brokers. As long as the owner pays enough, a counterfeit costing only a few dozen yuan can be appraised by these experts as a priceless treasure worth tens of millions, resulting in the Chinese art market being flooded with counterfeits. The art of connoisseurship, as a technique of authentication, relies on subjective judgment and so-called reputation and qualifications. If you experts say an antique is genuine, then it is genuine, other people’s opinions are completely disregarded. Your monopoly on this knowledge is tantamount to a monopoly on the market. Whether your judgment is accurate or not, you should know best. Foreign collectors have withdrawn from the Chinese art market in recent years, leaving it to your own devices. You surely know why, don’t you?”

The reason, of course, is that the appraisal market in China is too chaotic. Appraisal experts here don’t have specialized professional licenses, and they don’t bear any legal responsibility for appraisal errors, nor does it affect their reputation. As a result, many experts have been bribed to compromise their conscience and spout nonsense. In contrast, appraisal experts abroad are licensed, and they bear full responsibility for appraisal errors, so they dare not act recklessly.

When you pit a group of rule-abiding people against a group of rule-breakers, the outcome is bound to be unpleasant. After being scammed too many times, foreign art collectors have abandoned the Chinese market.

Outsiders have a hazy understanding of the chaos in the art market, but Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu are well aware of the inside story. So, they blushed and refrained from making any more sarcastic remarks. Anyway, once they arrived at the lab and saw the definitive authentication results, they’d have plenty to talk about.

Fan Jialuo was not a person who liked to argue, consequently, so when he was misunderstood, questioned, or even insulted, he rarely spoke up for himself. But things are different now. He has Dr. Song, and so, much like those silent treasures, he has found his own voice. Dr. Song could hear the voices within him, Dr. Song could speak the words he left unspoken. This man had long since transformed into a suit of armor, enveloping him layer upon layer.

Fan Jialuo’s hurried steps suddenly stopped, then he turned to the side, staring intently at Dr. Song. When Dr. Song got close, he grasped his hand and never let go.

When the young man took his hand for the first time, Song Rui’s expression showed a hint of surprise, but he quickly recovered, lowered his eyes and smiled, and closed his fingers.

Feeling the unwavering strength emanating from Dr. Song’s fingertips, Fan Jialuo gently stroked the back of his hand with the pad of his thumb, then used the conductivity and locking properties of the magnetic field to steal a bit of his body heat, warming his own palms that he had never been able to warm no matter what.

To feel warm, to feel secure, and to walk life’s path together——maybe that is exactly what it means to be alive.

When Meng Zhong saw the two of them suddenly holding hands, his eyes almost popped out of their sockets.

Chief Yan was also somewhat surprised, but he didn’t inquire much about it. It was their private matter, and he had no right to interfere.

Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu felt their disdain and loathing for these two individuals deepen yet another notch. Just wait until we get to the laboratory and secure the irrefutable evidence, they vowed inwardly. We will engage them in a verbal duel, humiliate them completely, and, ideally, provoke such intense displeasure in Chief Yan that he has them dragged into court!

The group, each with their own thoughts, arrived at the central laboratory, only to find Elder Liang and Elder Lu each holding a magnifying glass, examining a famille-rose ‘God of Longevity’ porcelain vase. They didn’t speak, but nodded frequently, their expressions relaxed. It was obvious they both believed the artifact to be genuine.

After observing their expressions, Director Sun suddenly felt no pain in his heart or weakness in his legs. He straightened his back more than ever before, strode over, and asked knowingly, “Two Seniors, is there anything wrong with this artifact?” As he spoke, he glared fiercely at Fan Jialuo and Song Rui.

“The rim, glaze, pigments, base, and degree of calcification are all fine. We can guarantee it’s genuine.” The two elders said in unison.

Fan Jialuo did not know this, so he remained silent.

Song Rui questioned, “Today’s counterfeiters use high technology. With just a few photos and a video, they can make imitations that are exactly the same as the real thing. Let alone the external features that are easy to identify at a glance, such as the rim, glaze, pigments, base, and degree of calcification, they can even replicate the chemical composition of the internal porcelain perfectly. You two experts must have seen many of these indistinguishable imitations. How can you guarantee its authenticity 100% by sight alone? Among the antiques on the market today that are identified as genuine, a 60% accuracy rate is considered very good. You two should be well aware of this situation, right?”

Neither Elder Liang nor Elder Lu felt offended. Instead, they produced an authentication report and earnestly explained, “Dr. Song, you are right. Visual examination is indeed a very subjective discipline with a very high error rate. But this result is not only the result of the dozens of experts present, but also the result of the world’s most advanced appraisal technology. If you don’t trust our eyesight, you should at least trust science, right?”

With a stretch of their arms, the two elders encompassed dozens of experts and dozens of advanced scientific devices scattered throughout the laboratory.

These experts, each examining a cultural relic, looked up at Song Rui’s words, their expressions displeased. They were all top talents in their field, possessing both integrity and experience, their excellent reputations having stood the test of time. When had they ever been questioned like this before?

They all put down the artifacts and glared angrily at Song Rui and Fan Jialuo.

“Elder Liang, are these the two people who filed a false report, making us work for nothing?” The youngest expert stepped forward, his tone very cold and hard, “Do you know that because of your words, these cultural relics are at risk of being moved by various machines? If they are accidentally damaged during the moving process, can you afford to compensate for it? You will go to jail for this.”

The young expert held up the appraisal report in his hand and said sarcastically, “You all have eyes, can’t you see for yourselves? The report clearly states that the composition of the bottom of the porcelain is the same as that of old porcelain from the same period.”

Fan Jialuo, unfamiliar with high technology, looked at Dr. Song.

Song Rui did not disappoint him, retorting, “As far as I know, there is a forgery method called ‘assembling,’ which involves using the base of an old porcelain piece to attach to a new porcelain piece, easily fooling the machine’s authentication.”

A vein throbbed at the young expert’s temple, he slammed his hand down on the report and abruptly raised his voice, “Are you trying to pick a fight with me? Can’t you read? Take a good look at this final paragraph. We employed one of the most advanced technologies currently available in the world to date this porcelain vase. This technique is called thermoluminescence, by analyzing the timing of the object’s last exposure to fire, it can precisely determine when the artwork was fired in the kiln. Its accuracy rate stands at a staggering 100%, while the margin of error for the estimated date falls within a mere 5 to 10 percent. This single machine alone costs upwards of ten million, it is the latest equipment we have imported from abroad, used worldwide. How could it possibly be wrong? You claim that visual assessment is too subjective and refuse to trust the collective judgment of dozens of our experts. Surely, then, you must place your faith in the power of science and technology?”

Song Rui stared intently at the last paragraph of the report, reading it carefully, without responding to the young expert’s questions.

Chief Yan also received a report, and he breathed a sigh of relief as he read it.

Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu gazed at the room filled with experts, their inner excitement all but inexpressible. Not only were Elder Liang and Elder Lu national treasure-level caliber, but the other dozens of experts were also renowned figures in the cultural relics field, their expertise and reputation absolutely trustworthy. They had all signed the authentication report, reaching a unanimous conclusion, this famille-rose ‘God of Longevity’ porcelain vase was definitely genuine! With their combined expertise, how could they possibly be wrong?

Moreover, this place has the world’s most advanced scientific equipment, and its identification results will be more accurate than those obtained manually. This report can be described as definitive and unshakeable, even if you bring together all the big names in the cultural relics field, they would not be able to utter a single word in rebuttal.

Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu were completely relieved. Their tight and dry throats suddenly relaxed, and they immediately burst out laughing.

Fan Jialuo stepped forward, hovered his hand above the porcelain vase, lowered his eyes to sense it for a moment, and said firmly, “From it, I can’t feel the weight of history or the accumulation of years, only a lingering coldness. It is new, yet it is also dead.”

“Mr. Fan, I know you’ve become quite famous lately, but everyone has their own expertise. Your fame isn’t a tool to mislead others. You should cherish your reputation more. You know, reputation is something that can be quickly squandered if it’s not carefully protected and managed.” The young expert threw the report at Fan Jialuo’s face and said angrily, “Here you go, although I don’t expect you to understand it.”

While the two were talking, the two Nine Tripod Cauldrons, which were being appraised in a hurry, also yielded definite results.

A technician waved the authentication certificate, still warm from the printer, and exclaimed excitedly, “Both of these bronze vessels are genuine!”

“Let me see the report.” The young expert immediately went over.

Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu quickly followed.

The group passed the appraisal report around and then eagerly handed it to Chief Yan.

Chief Yan carefully examined all the data, and his heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down. He grinned and laughed heartily.

Seeing his delight, Director Sun pressed on, saying, “Chief Yan, so many precious treasures have been moved around, increasing the risk of damage. You can’t just turn a blind eye and pretend this never happened, can you? We accept that the bronze tortoise was indeed replaced, but these are all national treasures. How can they be arbitrarily accused of being counterfeit by some random person? Now even the highest leader has been alarmed. You should at least give your superiors an explanation, shouldn’t you?”

As he said this, his eyes were fixed on Fan Jialuo, as if he wanted to burn several holes through the man.

The fact that the case turned out to be a hoax is indeed cause for celebration, however, drafting the official report on the matter is proving to be a tricky business. A national treasure is not something just anyone can move, even when foreign nations wish to borrow one for an exhibition, they must submit applications through layer after layer of bureaucracy, a process that often culminates in a personal phone call between heads of state to address security protocols.

However, they hastily transported this batch of national treasures based solely on a few baseless remarks from Teacher Fan. The higher-ups will surely be furious upon learning the truth. Who will bear this responsibility?

Chief Yan wasn’t the type to kick someone when they’re down, but he knew that even if he wanted to take full responsibility, the higher-ups wouldn’t let Teacher Fan off the hook. Teacher Fan’s hard-won reputation would be ruined in an instant, and he would be severely reprimanded by the national leadership, making it very difficult for him to survive in the country.

In his heart, Chief Yan really liked Teacher Fan and couldn’t bear to see him fall into that situation. However, he couldn’t find a way to exonerate him, and a layer of sweat broke out on his forehead.

Seeing that he remained silent for a long time, Director Sun said confidently, “Very well, it seems you want to protect Fan Jialuo and cover for him. Then I will write this report. I have connections with several leaders, and I will definitely make them deal with it seriously. This matter has had a very bad impact on our Central Museum, and we will never let it go!”

Deputy Director Liu echoed his sentiments, insisting that his name should also be added to the report.

The dozens of experts hastily gathered together, except for Elder Liang and Elder Lu, all surprisingly gathered around, demanding that they jointly write a letter of accusation. Fan Jialuo’s irresponsible actions had put these national treasures at enormous risk and nearly destroyed the entire cultural relics field, they absolutely had to teach him a profound lesson.

Seeing the increasingly agitated group of experts and scholars, Meng Zhong secretly felt a chill for Teacher Fan.

Meanwhile, Fan Jialuo, who was in the eye of the storm, was still intently holding his hand up, sensing the porcelain vase.

“I saw a beam of light shining on it, giving it a deep blue hue. It was originally new, but it gradually aged within this beam of light, acquiring the marks of time. This beam of light is somewhat similar to my magnetic field, possessing both radiation and penetrability, it is right here.” Fan Jialuo opened his eyes, his sharp gaze sweeping over the machines placed in the laboratory, finally locking onto an X-ray scanner.

Hearing his inexplicable words, everyone thought he was making a last-ditch effort. Only Song Rui strode towards the scanner, looked around, then put a ceramic pen holder from a technician’s desk into the scanning chamber and pressed the start button.

“Hey, what are you doing! Don’t touch the machines in our lab. Can you afford to pay for them if you break them?” A technician shouted angrily.

Meanwhile, Fan Jialuo and Song Rui stood calmly beside the machine, awaiting the scan results. No one knew what trick they were up to.

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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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Chapter 247. The Case Escalates

If Fan Jialuo hadn’t spoken up, who would have ever thought that the national treasure kept inside the Central Museum could be a fake?

Unbelievable, truly unbelievable! Who would possess the audacity to tamper with cultural relics of such magnitude? To do so is undermining the nation’s heritage, its civilization, and even its very foundations! Should this scheme be exposed, the fate awaiting the perpetrator would undoubtedly be far more gruesome than that of Ma You, who was summarily executed just a short while ago!

It is no exaggeration to say that the person who did such a thing is a sinner against the country and the nation, and deserves to be engraved on the pillar of shame and be infamous for ten thousand years!

“I can’t believe something like this could happen in our museum, I absolutely refuse to believe it!” Director Sun quickly rallied from the devastating blow, stating emphatically, “Those of us in this line of work understand the meaning and value these artifacts represent better than anyone else. We cherish them more than our own lives. Two years ago, there was a fire in the museum, and one of our staff members risked his life to save over a dozen artifacts, but he himself was burned beyond recognition. When we visited him in the hospital afterward, guess what the first thing he asked me was?”

Director Sun, tears streaming down his face, sobbed uncontrollably, “He asked, ‘Director Sun, were those artifacts damaged in the fire?‘”

“I told him, look, you’re practically burning up right now. Drop this whole thing already and go get some sleep.”

“He said he couldn’t just ignore it. The thought of those national treasures being mercilessly destroyed by fire made him want to give his own life in their place. Seeing how worried he was, I told him that all the artifacts were safe and had been rescued. He burst into tears on the spot, not because of his extensive burns and disfigurement, but because he was overjoyed!”

“As long as the cultural relics are safe, he can completely forget the pain he suffered. In his heart, the nation’s heritage, civilization, and treasures are more important than life itself. Every staff member in our museum shares this belief, we care for these cultural relics as if they were our own children. Let me ask you this, how could we possibly abuse our positions to steal from within? How could we take our own children and sell them off? Especially since these two bronze tripod cauldrons are so significant. They stand here like two pillars supporting the sky, stabilizing our country, our continent, and our land. We could never touch them, absolutely not!”

As Director Sun spoke, he wept bitterly. His sincere and heartbroken expression moved many people, bringing tears to their eyes as well.

Fan Jialuo stood silently before the display case, not even glancing at Director Sun. His heart seemed made of stone.

Song Rui adjusted his glasses and said calmly, “It’s not uncommon for parents to sell their own children, in fact, it happens quite often. So nothing is impossible.”

Director Sun, who was weeping bitterly, suddenly found himself unable to continue crying.

Chief Yan was even more ruthless than Song Rui, and waved his hand directly, saying, “Open the display case and send these two tripods to the laboratory for authentication.”

Director Sun didn’t believe Fan Jialuo’s judgment at all, but Chief Yan represented the state and had far more authority than him, he had no choice but to agree. So the huge display case was quickly opened. Elder Liang and Elder Lu had already notified their teams to take over the artifacts, and they strictly forbade the staff of the Central Museum from touching them again.

Before the case was fully investigated, everyone here, including the cleaning staff and the elderly gatekeeper, was taken into custody by the military. Those who had direct contact with the artifacts had to be registered one by one, then summoned to the police station for separate interrogations.

Because the National Museum of China has numerous cultural relic protection institutions and a large number of people who have had direct contact with cultural relics, this investigation is extremely complex and challenging.

While Elder Liang and Elder Lu’s teams were busy devising a plan to move the two tripods, Meng Zhong had already taken the staff to an empty meeting room to take statements.

Fan Jialuo continued to sense the remaining artifacts.

Seeing him move forward, walking from one display case to another, each containing legendary national treasures, Chief Yan broke out in a cold sweat. If the final authentication results showed that Teacher Fan’s judgment was correct, then this case wouldn’t just be a sensational scandal, but it would have shaken up the entire Nine Provinces!

Who exactly is the forger? Why is he so audacious? Is he really Chinese? What Chinese person would do something so ungrateful and utterly immoral?

Chief Yan was lost in thought when Dr. Song whispered in his ear, “Tell me, what did the person who swapped those two tripods were after? Everyone knows these two cultural relics are national treasures. If they were lost abroad, the whole country would do everything in its power to recover them. They can’t sell them, so what, are they just going to display them at home for show?”

“It’s probably some foreign forces trying to create chaos in our country.” Chief Yan shook his head immediately after saying that, “I still don’t believe those two tripods are counterfeits. Who would dare to touch cultural relics of this level? Let’s wait for the authentication results before we talk about it.”

Song Rui said softly, “Escaping reality is useless. You should prepare yourself for the worst.”

Chief Yan: ……

I understand the logic, but could you please stop talking like that? It’s really annoying!

As the two whispered among themselves, Fan Jialuo stood before a bronze cauldron adorned with four mythical beasts, his palm resting on the glass display case. He closed his eyes, sensing the surroundings, and slowly said, “If it’s an ancient artifact, my magnetic field, once released, will flow like a river into the ocean, stirring up a profound echo and surging tides. If it’s a replica, my magnetic field will only sense a cold, silent, lifeless object. This is just a lifeless object.”

Chief Yan’s knees buckled, and he almost knelt down, but fortunately Song Rui caught him quickly.

Director Sun quickly pressed a nitroglycerin pill under his tongue, his voice muffled but his tone resolute, “Impossible!”

Impossible! The origin of this bronze cauldron adorned with four mythical beasts is extremely mysterious. It comes from an ancient kingdom in Sichuan that has long since vanished from history and has no written records whatsoever. Its craftsmanship is superb, and its fantastical and exquisite design is truly a masterpiece of nature. There are even rumors that this mysteriously disappeared ancient kingdom was a civilization from outer space, and these artifacts were gifts from extraterrestrial visitors. This demonstrates the immense heights of their artistic achievement and value!

This bronze cauldron adorned with four mythical beasts is a top-tier cultural relic that is in no way inferior to the Yong tripod and Qing tripod, it is also a national treasure! Who would dare to replace it?

Director Sun waved his hands repeatedly in denial, saying only one thing, “As long as you are a descendant of the Chinese nation, you would never do such a heinous thing!”

Song Rui said coldly, “During the war against Country R, there were countless Chinese descendants who became traitors for Country R. Nothing is impossible.”

Director Sun: ……

Who is this person? Why is he talking so rudely? He’s really going to hit someone!

Chief Yan waved his hand and said, “Open the display case and send this bronze cauldron to the laboratory for authentication. Also, investigate all the laboratory staff. Anyone who has worked at the Central Museum must recuse themselves and be investigated!” His breathing became increasingly rapid, his tone increasingly cold, and his composure was clearly on the verge of collapse. To say this case was “world shattering” was insufficient to describe its severity, someone was attempting to destroy the very foundation of China!

Elder Liang and Elder Lu responded in trembling voices, their hearts clenching uncontrollably. They sensed that a catastrophe was sweeping through the cultural relics world, and also engulfing this great nation with thousands of years of civilization.

Fan Jialuo’s face was as cold as ice in the dead of winter, yet he had to continue walking. He knew that no one could accept reality, and they would rather cover it up as if it had never happened. But others could pretend not to hear, he couldn’t. If even he didn’t speak up for these treasures, then who would be aware of their quiet passing?

Cultural relics are antiques, and antiques equal money, this is a consensus among everyone. They only see their added value, but they are unaware of the true meaning they represent.

They are not inanimate objects, not money, but the crystallization of civilization. Civilization is a country’s most precious yet most intangible wealth, the bond that unites a nation, and it must never be shaken! The most terrifying thing is not the destruction of civilization, but that it destroys its people, its country, its homeland, its roots, and yet remains unaware, even indifferent.

There will always be one or two things in the world that are more important than life itself, and civilization is one of them!

Unusually, tears welled up in Fan Jialuo’s eyes as he stood before the bronze cauldron adorned with four mythical beasts, remaining motionless for a long time.

Song Rui walked to his side, patted him on the shoulder, and whispered, “They have no way to call for help, and you are their only voice. You must persevere.”

Fan Jialuo naturally understood this principle. At this point, he knew Chief Yan must have regretted it, because even someone as powerful as him couldn’t cover up such a shocking case. Suppressing the case was in everyone’s interest, even in the country’s interest. As long as the outside world didn’t know, these fakes could continue to substitute for the genuine articles, after all, they had no practical value, they were just there for people to admire.

But who will continue the traditions that this country has lost? If a nation can turn a blind eye even to its own ancestors and the very roots of its lineage, does it still hold any hope of flourishing once again?

Fan Jialuo also had the blood of the Chinese people flowing in his veins, so he continued to the next display case. Even if everyone else remained silent, he would not.

“This one is fake too.” He spoke in a deep voice after sensing it for only a moment.

Director Sun stared intently, and another sharp pain shot through his heart. This artifact, like the previous bronze cauldron adorned with four mythical beasts, also came from the mysterious ancient kingdom of Ba-Shu. It was an exquisitely crafted golden human mask, with bulging eyes, a high nose, and wide ears, its appearance strikingly different from that of a human. It was discovered in a massive ancient tomb, covering the face of a mummified corpse, whose identity was later confirmed to be the king of that ancient kingdom.

Because it’s unclear whether the mask is exaggerated or realistic, rumors circulate that the ancient kingdom was created by an extraterrestrial civilization. Its artistic and archaeological value is extremely high, making it a national treasure.

Director Sun clutched his chest and collapsed, his face deathly pale and his lips turning blue-purple, unable to bear it any longer.

“Don’t try to scare this old man! This is no joke! If the final appraisal proves that these artifacts are genuine, I will sue you! I will put you in jail!” Director Sun transformed his fear into hatred for Fan Jialuo.

If Fan Jialuo were a timid person, he would have chosen to remain silent upon seeing the bronze tortoise. Therefore, he ignored Director Sun’s threats and continued walking towards the next display case.

“Fake.”

“Fake.”

“Fake.”

……

He walked back and forth through the exhibition hall where the national treasures were kept several times, and pointed out a total of ten counterfeits. Aside from the Yong tripod, the Qing tripod, the bronze cauldron adorned with four mythical beasts, and the golden human mask, the list included an inscribed oracle bone, 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.

Director Sun was so angry he lay down on the stretcher, his arm still attached to an IV drip, but he absolutely refused to be taken to the hospital. He wanted to see what other outrageous things this Fan Jialuo would come out with, stirring up such a massive commotion, yet showing absolutely no fear of being held accountable by the state!

Chief Yan dispatched a fully armed army to escort the national treasures. He originally intended to wait for the authentication results before reporting to his superiors, but the case had now become so serious that he could not act on his own. Moreover, his authority was simply insufficient to cover this matter.

Those two Nine Tripod Cauldrons alone were more important than his General’s title. In that era of war and chaos, tens of thousands of people sacrificed their lives to safely move them to the rear.

The higher-ups were indeed alarmed, and even the highest-ranking leader personally called to inquire.

Chief Yan originally thought they would work together to suppress the case and prevent further investigation, because everyone was not stupid and knew very well that the person behind the scenes who could reach into the Central Museum and replace so many national treasures must have tremendous power.

But the leader told him firmly, “I’m giving you the highest authority. Just investigate and see it through to the end! Anyone who shakes our nation’s civilization and heritage will not be tolerated! Anyone who tries to cover this up is an enemy of our country!”

Chief Yan’s tears immediately fell, and he nodded repeatedly in agreement. However, he also understood that while an investigation was necessary, confidentiality had to be maintained. If the public learned of this news and it spread abroad, their country would truly lose face.

After hanging up the phone, Chief Yan’s tone hardened considerably, and he sternly rebuked, “What are you all standing there for? Take all the cultural relics that Teacher Fan pointed out away! I’ll take responsibility if anything goes wrong!”

The administrator, who had been holding the key to the display case but hesitated to open the door, finally unlocked it with trembling hands.

While everyone else was busy, Fan Jialuo was standing in front of a glass display case, gazing intently at the artifact inside.

Chief Yan was filled with apprehension as he watched him remain motionless and silent.

Director Sun lay on the stretcher, his neck stretched out, and as he made out the items in the display case, his vision blurred. Without a doubt, this was another national treasure, named the Sovereign Sword of the Eight Horizons, the sword of the first emperor in Chinese history to unify the nine provinces. Despite having weathered the vicissitudes of thousands of years, its blade remains resplendent with a cold, gleaming light, capable of slicing through iron without a sound and severing a strand of hair with a mere breath.

Its value is in no way inferior to the two Nine Tripod Cauldrons. With one stabilizing the land and the other stabilizing the state, their sheer importance is undeniably clear.

Seeing that Fan Jialuo’s lips twitched slightly as if he was about to speak, Director Sun hurriedly shouted, “Quickly give me an injection of a heart stimulant, I’m afraid I won’t be able to hold on!”

Knowing the seriousness of the situation, the doctor standing by immediately opened his medical kit, took out a large syringe, and was ready to administer the injection at any time.

Chief Yan wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, his upper and lower teeth chattering uncontrollably as he spoke, “Teacher Fan, what problem have you spotted this time?”

Fan Jialuo nodded and said, “There is indeed a problem.”

Chief Yan and Director Sun both felt dizzy for a moment.

Fan Jialuo added, “This legendary blade is genuine.”

Chief Yan and Director Sun almost fainted from shock due to his dramatic pause.

Fan Jialuo glanced at them and said solemnly, “It’s precisely because it’s genuine that there’s a problem.”

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Chapter 246. The World Shaking Case

Both Elder Liang and Elder Lu are leading experts in cultural relic appraisal, otherwise, they wouldn’t have taken on the important task of restoring the Ziwei Palace. And coincidentally, they themselves unearthed this bronze tortoise, conducting an extremely thorough appraisal at the time. The data is still clearly stored in their minds, so they would never mistake it.

But now, with just a light tap, Fan Jialuo shattered their lifetime of reputation and experience. Deputy Director Liu and the others felt a profound sense of impending doom. They were responsible for the safekeeping and restoration of these artifacts, if anything went wrong, they would bear full responsibility!

“How is this possible!” Deputy Director Liu rushed forward, trying to snatch the bronze tortoise whose belly was still continuously flowing with sand.

Fan Jialuo sidestepped to avoid his collision, then placed the bronze tortoise on the open glass case.

Elder Lu and Elder Liang quickly raised their magnifying glasses and examined the artifact again. They simply couldn’t believe that they could be so mistaken.

Hearing that the police had arrived, Su Zhenrong had the security guards grab the father and son and ran to the Legacy Hall to file a complaint. When he saw Meng Zhong, his cheeks flushed, and he was even a little afraid to face him.

The two had been friends for over a decade, knowing each other inside and out, sharing resources and support, and maintaining a very good relationship. Having heard that this auction could potentially impact Su Zhenrong’s entire career, Meng Zhong, seeking to provide him with an extra layer of security, proposed asking Teacher Fan for assistance.

Su Zhenrong outwardly agreed, but behind his back, driven by his own petty thoughts, he completely disregarded the warning. Now that the painting is ruined and his career is over, he truly doesn’t know how to explain the whole story to Meng Zhong, it would be such a betrayal of his good intentions.

Su Zhenrong’s hurried steps suddenly stopped, and then he slowly walked over with an extremely ashamed face. His gaze swept over the open glass case and he saw a bronze tortoise with a hole in its belly and sand flowing out of the hole. He was immediately stunned.

“This, what’s wrong with this?” In his fear, his tongue was tied in knots.

“Zhenrong, you’ve come at the right time. We’d like to access your surveillance footage. Could you please cooperate? Teacher Fan discovered that this bronze tortoise is a fake,” Meng Zhong immediately requested.

“Okay, I’ll have security check the security footage right away. Our auction house staff didn’t touch these artifacts at all, the Central Museum handled everything themselves. This has nothing to do with us.” Su Zhenrong replied while wiping the fine sweat from his forehead. Suddenly, he caught sight of Teacher Fan standing under the light, his skin almost translucent white, as if he were radiating an ethereal aura. He immediately regretted his actions.

He only knew that Teacher Fan had a great reputation, but he didn’t know that his abilities were even greater than his reputation! If he had listened to the other party’s advice earlier, none of this mess would have happened now!

Su Zhenrong felt increasingly distressed as he thought about it, and his fake smile was almost impossible to maintain.

Meng Zhong glanced at the emergency call log from the command center and asked, “By the way, your auction house also called the police. What happened?”

Su Zhenrong’s pale face suddenly turned purplish-red, and he stammered incoherently for a long time. His assistant, thinking he was anxious, quickly explained the whole situation to him.

Meng Zhong was stunned for a while before he came to his senses. He subconsciously looked at Teacher Fan and saw that he was not paying attention to the situation here, but instead walked to a display case and focused on sensing. Only then did he secretly breathe a sigh of relief.

“You, ah, you, I don’t even know what to say to you.” Meng Zhong pointed at his old friend with his index finger, his tone full of helplessness, “I told you long ago that Teacher Fan is 100% trustworthy, and I told you to listen to his advice carefully, but why didn’t you listen? Would I betray you? Teacher Fan is the pillar of our Special Cases Investigation Department. He can even handle a murderous monster like Ma You, so how could he not handle a few small antiques? Don’t you even use your brain? If you could trust the experts, would this bronze tortoise have been replaced with a fake?”

His voice unconsciously grew louder, causing Deputy Director Liu’s face to flush red with embarrassment. Elder Liang and Elder Lu also coughed awkwardly and walked a little further away, carrying the bronze tortoise.

In just twenty minutes, Su Zhenrong had become emaciated and barely recognizable. After being scolded by his old friend, he was so dejected that he couldn’t even lift his head. He pointed at the father and son and said in a hoarse voice, “If I sue them in court, can the company’s losses be recovered?”

“You’ll definitely win the lawsuit, but the financial losses will be hard to recover. The price you marked on the exhibits was the starting bid, right? You said it was 50 million, and with bidding at the auction, it would easily reach 100 million. But the court won’t take that premium into account when they appraise it. Your company will definitely have another lawsuit with the owner of the exhibits. Old Su, you’d better prepare yourself.” Meng Zhong patted his old friend on the shoulder, his face full of helpless frustration.

Su Zhenrong wiped his face, his voice trembling with tears, and said, “I understand, I’ll consider the worst-case scenario. Old Meng, this time it was my own fault for messing things up, it’s not your fault, I should thank you for your kindness. You introduced Teacher Fan to me for my own good, if I had listened to Teacher Fan, I, I wouldn’t have ended up like this……”

At this point, Su Zhenrong’s throat tightened, and he almost burst into tears.

Meng Zhong couldn’t bear to see him in such a disheveled state, so he waved to a police officer and said, “Take Director Su to the side room to take his statement.”

“Yes, Director Meng.” The young officer led Su Zhenrong and the anxious father and son away. As he stepped out of the hall, he glanced at Teacher Fan with reverence and whispered, “You can invite a great figure like Teacher Fan, so why don’t you believe him? Do you have any idea how many people are currently clamoring to consult with Teacher Fan? Wealthy tycoons are already bidding astronomical sums online just for the chance to meet him or share a meal. Would he really bother using a painting worth tens of millions just to pull your leg?”

Su Zhenrong touched his trousers, really wanting to unbuckle his belt and hang himself on the spot!

There were many people even more terrified than Su Zhenrong. After examining the bronze tortoise repeatedly, several experts from the Central Museum were slumped in their chairs, barely able to hold their magnifying glasses.

“Judging from its appearance alone, this bronze tortoise is absolutely flawless! If we didn’t crack open its belly, we would never have been able to tell that it was a fake,” Elder Liang exclaimed in amazement.

Elder Lu further explained, “However, while the surface appearance can be perfect, the internal cavity can never be exactly the same. The genuine bronze tortoise was cast using the lost-wax casting method, a relatively primitive technique. Therefore, the internal cavity was not fully formed, but rather partially filled with molten copper. However, the lost-wax casting method has been lost, and forgers cannot replicate the technique of that time. They can only use the more advanced lost-wax casting method, making the internal cavity perfectly fit the outline of the bronze tortoise, thin and regular. Naturally, the weight is much lighter than the genuine article. Those sand and copper beads were probably used to make up for the weight. Because museums maintain these cultural relics every once in a while, weighing is a necessary procedure. If forgers do not want to be exposed, they must make the weight of the counterfeit exactly the same as the genuine article.”

Elder Liang chimed in, “Yes, if I’m not mistaken, these grains of sand are to prevent the copper beads from rolling and making noise. These copper beads are weights used for precise weighing.”

Meng Zhong and others took careful notes, while Song Rui immediately grasped the key point, “To be able to make the bronze tortoise look so real and to know its weight so precisely, this forger must be a professional who works at the Central Museum, has had frequent contact with the bronze tortoise, and has all its data. This case must be investigated from within the Central Museum.”

Meng Zhong nodded and said, “That’s right, it would be impossible for someone other than an insider to replace the bronze tortoise. Xiao Li, is there a problem with the auction house’s surveillance system?”

Xiao Li, who was engrossed in fiddling with his laptop, immediately said, “Director Meng, these cultural relics were placed directly into the display case by security personnel from the Central Museum, and no one has touched them since, so the problem is definitely not with the auction house.”

Meng Zhong put down his pen and scanned the experts sent by the Central Museum with a scrutinizing gaze. These people had already turned pale and their faces were twitching, as if they were about to have a heart attack at any moment.

However, the matter was not over yet. Standing alone not far away, Fan Jialuo pointed to several display cases and calmly dropped a bombshell, “These are all fake.”

Meng Zhong was so frightened that he dropped his pen. If his eyesight wasn’t off, these cultural relics were all national treasures featured in documentaries, any one of them could represent the wisdom and crystallization of thousands of years of brilliant Chinese civilization, they were priceless, unparalleled, and exquisitely crafted masterpieces! Who the hell would dare to replace these things with counterfeits? Did they think having just one life isn’t enough to be executed?

“Teacher Fan, you’re not seeing things, are you?” Meng Zhong’s voice was trembling.

Deputy Director Liu struggled to his feet, leaning back in his chair, and shouted, “Impossible! These cultural relics absolutely cannot be fake! What do you take our Central Museum for? If we can’t even protect these national treasures, we might as well just close down! We are a national institution, we are the inheritors and protectors of Chinese civilization, we would never do such a heinous thing!”

However, the bronze tortoise had indeed been replaced, so no matter how he tried to justify it, his righteous words lost credibility.

Meng Zhong didn’t even look at him directly, he simply took out his phone and decisively dialed Chief Yan’s number.

Chief Yan has been promoted and has now assembled an army specifically to deal with supernatural beings or extremely serious paranormal events. He originally thought he could finally take a good rest and catch his breath, but before he could even settle into his new position, Meng Zhong reported a major case.

Seven national treasures were secretly replaced with fakes. If the news were to reach the outside world, it would shock the entire nation and tarnish its reputation. Imagine, if a country cannot even protect its own civilization, how can it have any legacy? How can it have a future? How can it maintain national cohesion and pride?

Thinking of the tangible and intangible losses, Chief Yan broke out in a cold sweat.

“Bring these cultural relics back immediately for authentication. I will report the situation to my superiors.” Chief Yan slammed his hand on the table.

Meng Zhong readily agreed, but unexpectedly, Teacher Fan suddenly walked up to him and said in a solemn tone, “Let’s go to the Central Museum first. I suspect that more relics have been replaced.”

Meng Zhong’s phone fell to the ground with a thud.

Deputy Director Liu stammered that it was impossible, then slumped back into his chair, clutching his chest as if overwhelmed by the weight of the situation.

Meng Zhong quickly picked up his phone and reported Teacher Fan’s guess to Chief Yan.

Chief Yan remained silent for a long time before saying, “Have Teacher Fan investigate, investigate each case one by one! This kind of thing absolutely cannot be tolerated! Those are our country’s priceless treasures, the wealth left to us by our ancestors, and no one can take them away!”

“We’ll go investigate right away!” Meng Zhong waved his hand, and all the police officers surrounded Fan Jialuo, leaving in a grand procession.

Although Su Zhenrong’s case involved tens of millions of yuan, it was just a drop in the ocean compared to the museum’s case, and was immediately handed over to another investigation team.

The police arrived at the Central Museum as quickly as possible. As soon as they got out of the car, they saw Chief Yan leading a heavily armed army waiting at the entrance, accompanied by a terrified Director Sun.

Director Sun kept insisting that such a thing was absolutely impossible, even raising his hand to swear a solemn oath. He then summoned all the museum’s staff to the scene to cooperate with the police and military investigation. He knew all too well that if the artifacts pointed out by Fan Jialuo were indeed fakes, let alone the Central Museum being a national-level institution, even if it were a world-class one, they couldn’t bear the responsibility.

Chief Yan completely ignored his explanation and forbade the experts from the Central Museum from touching any more artifacts. Seeing the handsome, exceptionally refined young man step out of the car, he immediately went to him and said solemnly, “Teacher Fan, I have to ask you for help with this case. The higher-ups have given a strict order, investigate to the end and find the national treasure.”

Fan Jialuo frowned, his tone grave, “I have a very ominous feeling. You should prepare yourself for the worst.”

“What do you mean?” Chief Yan’s voice trembled.

“No, nothing. Let’s go in and take a look.” Fan Jialuo’s thin lips parted slightly, but he didn’t completely rule out the possibility of a definitive answer.

Chief Yan felt a pang of unease, and his head suddenly throbbed with pain. If these national treasures couldn’t be recovered, he would be a sinner against the country! But now was not the time to think about that, he should first assess the true magnitude of this case, even though it had already reached a point of widespread outrage.

The group walked with a shaky gait, their hearts filled with anxiety and unease. Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu, in particular, were sweating profusely as they walked, as if they were in a furnace.

Fan Jialuo skipped the other exhibition halls and went straight to the central hall where priceless treasures were stored. He walked along the outermost glass display cases, his hand hovering over each one, sensing their weighty history and ancient atmosphere. Calligraphy, paintings, bamboo slips, gold and silver artifacts, burial objects, he could sense the profound sense of age and rich antiquity emanating from them simply by casually brushing his hand over them.

In just a short time, he had examined more than half of the artifacts in the exhibition hall, but none of them could make him stop and look at them.

Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu’s hearts, which had been pounding with anxiety, slowly eased. As long as the case didn’t escalate further, that was the most comforting news for them. Besides, only the bronze tortoise had been confirmed as a fake, the other six had been sent to the laboratory, and no one could say for sure whether they were counterfeit or genuine. What if they were genuine?

It must be genuine! Thinking this way, the two curators looked at each other and felt much better.

However, at this very moment, Fan Jialuo, whose steps were slow but never faltered, suddenly stopped. His unfathomable eyes stared intently at a huge display case in front of him, which contained the sole surviving pair of the Nine Tripod Cauldrons crafted by Yu the Great——The Yong Tripod and The Qing Tripod.

In the early years of the Xia Dynasty, Yu the Great divided the country into nine provinces, appointed governors for each province, and ordered all the skilled craftsmen in the world to jointly cast nine tripod cauldrons. Famous mountains and rivers, scenic spots, and strange objects were engraved on them, representing the unification of the country, the supremacy of imperial power, the mandate of heaven, and the symbol of the Chinese nation.

Just as the saying goes——All lands under heaven belong to the sovereign, and all people across the land are his subjects. From that moment forward, ‘Nine Provinces‘ came to represent the Chinese nation, while ‘Setting the Tripod Cauldrons‘ was established as a specialized term signifying the rise and consolidation of a state power.

The other seven tripods were lost during the changes of dynasties, with only two remaining, the Yong Tripod and the Qing Tripod. It is no exaggeration to say that even if most of the cultural relics from all dynasties were combined and valued together, they would still not match the value of these two tripods, because they are symbols of the Chinese nation’s transition from a barbaric era to a civilized era, and are the source of history.

If they are also replaced……

Director Sun and Deputy Director Liu hurriedly dismissed this terrifying thought, but their wildly beating hearts were tearing at every nerve.

Chief Yan, Meng Zhong, Song Rui, and others were all familiar with this history, so they involuntarily held their breath and stared intently at Fan Jialuo’s back.

Time ticked by, and the hall was so quiet one could hear sweat dripping onto the floor. Finally, Fan Jialuo lowered his raised hand and said, word by word, “They are fake.”

A collective gasp filled the hall, and Director Sun’s legs buckled, causing him to collapse to the ground.

Even the national treasure is counterfeit? How is that possible!

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Chapter 245. Counterfeit Cultural Relics

TN:- While translating this chapter, I found out that I’ve missed some texts in previous chapter. I’ve edited it that chapter now. It’s after Fan Jialuo entered the auction house. Please check it. This arc was a bit difficult, so I didn’t do daily posting. I have accumulated the chapters to make it sure I don’t make the same mistake.

Posting 6 chapters today.!!!!

In the auction industry, Qingcheng Chunqiu is a relative newcomer, having worked hard for many years to finally connect with the Central Museum and co-organize this antique auction. Led by the cultural relics department, the antiques collected for this auction are naturally extraordinary. There are seven or eight items priced as high as 50 million yuan, and each one can be considered a priceless treasure.

The painting 《Listening to the Zither Amidst the Sound of Pines》, which was singled out by Fan Jialuo, is one of them. It was painted by Yuan Qingzi, a painting saint of the Song Dynasty. Its brushstrokes are delicate, its style is extraordinary, and its elegance and spirit are clear. Not to mention experts, even ordinary people can easily appreciate its extraordinary artistic conception.

Su Zhenrong went to great lengths to acquire such an item for auction, so he placed it in the most conspicuous place and dispatched many security personnel to patrol the vicinity, keeping a close eye on it.

Therefore, when Fan Jialuo told him to hang the painting elsewhere and even predicted that it might be damaged, Su Zhenrong absolutely refused to believe it. But even the most stubborn man couldn’t withstand Fan Jialuo’s unwavering conviction. Sure enough, not long after the prediction was made, before the heat of the prediction had even dissipated, 《Listening to the Zither Amidst the Sound of Pines》had already met its tragic end.

Upon hearing the staff’s words, Su Zhenrong was momentarily incredulous, and several experts also wore expressions of disbelief, as if asking, are you kidding me?

The staff member’s eyes were red with anxiety, and he said in a trembling voice, “Director Su, please go and take a look first, I’ll explain everything to you on the way.”

“Let’s go!” Su Zhenrong stood up so suddenly that he felt dizzy for a few seconds, his vision blurred, and he almost fell. He grabbed the staff member’s hand and staggered towards the calligraphy and painting hall.

The experts looked at each other and quickly followed suit.

Before the group even stepped into the calligraphy and painting hall, they heard a commotion and the heart-wrenching cries of a child, interspersed with excuses such as, “Don’t go too far,” “We didn’t mean it,” and “The child doesn’t understand.” Once inside, they finally understood the truth, and their heads spun again.

This was a really strange story.

The calligraphy and painting hall arranged by Su Zhenrong was open to all guests attending the auction, allowing them to freely tour and admire their favorite items up close, giving them more confidence when bidding later. This arrangement was very thoughtful, and the security measures were also very thorough.

The trouble lay in the fact that Su Zhenrong had overlooked one crucial detail, guests attending the auction were permitted to bring their families. Consequently, one guest brought along his five-year-old son, once inside the hall, he became so engrossed in the surroundings that he neglected to keep an eye on the child, allowing him to wander unchecked right up to the painting 《Listening to the Zither Amidst the Sound of Pines》

The security guards in the hall were only focused on the adult guests, fearing that suspicious individuals might be mixed in, and were not particularly wary of a small child. Unexpectedly, the child had very good motor skills. At first, he stood at a distance and watched, but suddenly he went crazy and rushed up like a bull, tearing the painting to shreds in a few strokes, and then stomping on it a few times.

Security guards noticed the child’s unusual behavior, but unfortunately they were standing too far away and it was too late to rush over and stop him.

The child’s father, who was invited to the auction, was not a wealthy man who could easily spend tens of millions to buy a painting. He had initially promised to compensate, but upon seeing the price tag on the painting, he immediately changed his mind and was now arguing with the security guards.

Upon entering the hall and seeing the priceless ancient painting torn in two and covered in footprints, Su Zhenrong’s mind went blank. This painting wasn’t the auction house’s property, it had been entrusted to them for auction by an internationally renowned collector. Now that this had happened, they still had to give that collector an explanation.

Compensation cannot solve the problem. The value of this painting was not how much it can be sold, but in that it was the inheritance of Chinese civilization, the condensation of beauty, the crystallization of the wisdom of the ancients, and the only unique thing in the world that cannot be copied. If it is destroyed, it will be completely destroyed, no matter how much money it costs, it will not be made up for it.

Su Zhenrong was also someone who cherished calligraphy and paintings. When he saw this scene, tears welled up in his eyes. He remembered that the collector treasured this item even more than he did. At first, the collector was unwilling to consign it, and it was only after he used some means that the collector reluctantly agreed. Now, how could he explain this to the collector?

If this matter blows up, the reputation of Qingcheng Chunqiu Auction House will plummet, and it will probably be difficult for it to gain a foothold in this field in the future.

Su Zhenrong’s mind became increasingly confused. He walked over and pushed away the persistent father and son, shouting in a hoarse voice, “Call the police! Let the police handle this! I don’t care how old your child is or whether he understands anything. You damaged this painting, so you must take responsibility! I’m too lazy to waste words with you. Call the police, and we’ll go to court and sue you directly. Let’s see how the court rules.”

The exhibition hall was full of security cameras, making it very easy to collect evidence. The parent knew they were in the wrong and would definitely lose in court, so they stopped making a scene and just kept pleading for leniency while holding their child.

Su Zhenrong wouldn’t listen to a word. His eyes were bloodshot as he stared at the painting, and Teacher Fan’s prophecy echoed repeatedly in his mind——Hang this painting in the highest place…… Simply move it as instructed. Should this painting remain unscathed by the end of the auction, I shall never again speak of viewing the bronze tortoise.

If he hadn’t been dismissive or stubborn at the time, and had instead immediately listened to Teacher Fan’s advice and moved the painting to the highest position, wouldn’t this situation be avoided? He had seen Teacher Fan’s prophecies online, one by one, all of which had been verified. It’s just a pity that this didn’t happen to him, he didn’t understand the gravity of the situation and made the same mistake as those fools, ignoring Teacher Fan’s warnings.

The higher-ups will definitely hold him accountable for this, and as the organizer of this event, the best outcome for him is being fired, while the worst outcome will likely be having to pay some compensation. He’s just an ordinary person who worked his way up to where he is today, where will he get so much money for compensation? How will he repay his car loan, mortgage, and children’s tuition fees?

Everything that happens in life is interconnected, often, a sudden storm can lead to a whole host of troubles. The more Su Zhenrong thought about it, the more panicked he became, and the more panicked he became, the more regretful he felt. The man in his forties actually shed tears on the spot.

The security guards, who had failed to protect the ancient painting, also felt apprehensive and uneasy.

The father and son were even more terrified and had huddled together in a corner.

This matter originally had nothing to do with the experts, but their expressions were even more grim than Su Zhenrong’s, simply because Fan Jialuo had said that if the painting could be preserved, he would never mention the bronze tortoise again. Conversely, if the painting was ultimately destroyed, his earlier statement that the bronze tortoise was a fake would most likely be true.

The experts had never believed in superstitions, but since things had already happened right before their eyes without any warning, they had no choice but to believe it.

This is the epitome of accurate prediction. Fan Jialuo isn’t arrogant, he truly possesses exceptional skill!

“Director Liu, what do you think of this matter……” One of the experts said, his face pale.

“Let’s take a closer look at that bronze tortoise, but not now. We’ll talk about it when we get back.” The leading expert was the deputy director of the Central Museum, and if anything went wrong while leading this team, he would be fully responsible. Deep down, he naturally didn’t want to.

“How could something stored in a museum be fake?” He said, emphasizing his point.

The experts understood immediately, nodding in agreement, their initial surprise fading. To absolve themselves of responsibility, they knew that even if the bronze tortoise was fake, they had to portray it as genuine. After all, they were the authorities in this field, possessing knowledge that ordinary people couldn’t comprehend, whether an artifact was real or fake was entirely up to them to decide.

This is the benefit of knowledge monopoly.

With this in mind, their chaotic hearts settled down and became calm.

They were still worried about the bronze tortoise and impatient to listen to Su Zhenrong arguing with the father and son, so they went to the Legacy Hall. There they saw Fan Jialuo standing in front of the glass cabinet containing the ivory seated Buddha, his fair hands pressed against the sides of the cabinet, his eyes lowered as he sensed it.

Song Rui stood aside, carefully observing the seated Buddha, unsure if he could discern anything from it.

Hearing footsteps, Fan Jialuo turned around and said calmly, “This seated Buddha is also fake.”

Several experts: !!!

Fan Jialuo slowly walked to the glass case containing a bronze sword, shook his head and said, “This is fake too.”

“Fake, fake, fake, fake.” He walked slowly along the glass display case, pointing out several cultural relics with his slender fingertips, 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. Every single item was a timeless masterpiece, steeped in history and worth a fortune

Several experts practically wanted to grab him by the collar and yell: Are you ever going to stop?!

“We will have these cultural relics appraised by experts after we get back. Teacher Fan, you are not an authority in this field, so we find it hard to believe your one-sided account.” Deputy Director Liu forced an awkward smile.

“There’s no need to take it back for expert evaluation. I’ve already called the police, and they’ll send someone to investigate.” Song Rui waved his phone, his ambiguous smile deeply stinging the eyes of the experts.

“Why didn’t you discuss it with us before calling the police……” Deputy Director Liu roared angrily.

Song Rui casually interrupted him, “Protecting cultural relics is everyone’s responsibility. Given that these artifacts were substituted while in your museum’s custody, allowing your team to conduct the follow-up authentication seems like a major procedural violation, doesn’t it?”

Deputy Director Liu understood that Song Rui suspected them of embezzlement. He was initially annoyed, but then realized that if these artifacts were indeed fake, then they, as experts who had easy access to artifacts on a daily basis, would be the prime suspects and could potentially face serious charges.

Thinking this, his knees buckled, and he almost lost his balance. The other experts were also terrified, their faces turning pale and their hearts filled with apprehension.

“These cultural relics cannot be fake. We conduct a detailed inspection every once in a while and have also kept video and photographic records. You can check the records if you don’t believe me!” Deputy Director Liu shouted as if he had grasped a lifeline.

“Yes, yes, yes, we have surveillance footage in our museum, as well as information files on the artifacts. You can check whether they are real or fake. These artifacts are definitely genuine!” The other experts immediately echoed, their panicked minds gradually calming down.

Ultimately, they still refused to believe Fan Jialuo’s words, even though his reputation outside was already at its zenith.

Song Rui smiled and nodded, saying gently, “The police will investigate thoroughly. We can’t take anyone’s words for granted right now.”

Fan Jialuo had no time to pay attention to these people. He simply walked slowly along the display stand, his pale hand hovering above the glass cases, sensing each exhibit one by one. Every time he stopped to carefully examine an exhibit, the experts’ hearts would pound for a moment, fearing that he would say something shocking again.

Fortunately, he didn’t say anything more before the police arrived.

Meng Zhong hurriedly entered the exhibition hall with several national treasure-level experts, followed by a long line of police officers. Seeing this, Deputy Director Liu broke out in a cold sweat. He had thought the police would at most come to take a look, take some photos, and then contact their museum’s experts for authentication, little did he expect they would actually bring in a titan of expertise.

This shows how much the police valued Fan Jialuo’s words! But this is not surprising, as Ma You’s case has only just ended, and as the biggest contributor, Fan Jialuo’s relationship with the police is at its closest.

Deputy Director Liu hurriedly went to greet them, extending his hand from a distance, and said with great embarrassment, “Elder Liang, Elder Lu, I really didn’t expect the police to bring you two here.”

Two elderly men with gray hair and vigorous spirits casually shook hands with him, and then walked straight to Fan Jialuo, taking turns shaking hands with him and reminiscing warmly.

After listening to a few words, Deputy Director Liu learned that Fan Jialuo had actually participated in the reconstruction of the Ziwei Palace and was a close friend of the two bigwigs despite their age difference.

Seeing the situation growing increasingly unfavorable, Deputy Director Liu was trembling with fear, despite the cold weather, beads of sweat wouldn’t dry on his forehead. The other experts also sensed something was terribly wrong, and their faces showed expressions of alarm.

Unexpectedly, after opening the glass case and carefully examining the bronze tortoise, the two seasoned experts confidently stated, “This artifact is genuine. Teacher Fan, are you perhaps mistaken?”

Deputy Director Liu’s heart skipped a beat, and he almost collapsed to the ground. He quickly steadied the person beside him, a wide grin spreading across his face, a smile that was both smug and triumphant. This was a false police report, their museum could hold Fan Jialuo accountable!

He was about to shout a few words to embarrass Fan Jialuo when he saw the other man put on white gloves, pick up the bronze tortoise, turn it over, bend his knuckles, and forcefully strike the weakest part of its shell.

Elder Liang and Elder Lu were horrified and rushed to stop him, but it was too late. With a crisp clang, Fan Jialuo’s finger struck a hole in the belly of the bronze tortoise. With a slight tilt of his hand, fine sand and a few copper beads flowed out of the hole.

The copper bead fell to the ground and rolled around. Its surface was polished very smoothly and shone like gold. It was obviously a new thing that had been made no more than five years ago.

Song Rui put on gloves, picked up a copper bead, and rubbed a grain of sand between his fingers. He said in a calm tone, “The bronze artifacts of the Western Zhou Dynasty and modern bronze artifacts will have differences in composition. Take these beads to be tested, and the results should be available soon. The composition of the sand can also be tested, and the place of origin is not difficult to find.”

He handed the evidence bag to the forensic technician and instructed them to get the results as soon as possible. But everyone knew that doing so was just to solidify the evidence and wasn’t really necessary. Everyone present knew that a real bronze tortoise couldn’t possibly contain sand inside, the cultural relics bureau had already conducted an X-ray scan when it was unearthed and confirmed that it was semi-solid and semi-hollow.

Without a doubt, the real bronze tortoise has been replaced with a fake!

Deputy Director Liu looked at the yellow sand covering the ground, then at the other artifacts that Fan Jialuo had pointed out were fakes, and felt a wave of dizziness wash over him.

Now, things are really getting out of hand!

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Chapter 244. Teacher Fan’s Divine Prophecy

Once the seed sprouts, Fan Jialuo’s magnetic field will have no effect on it, instead, it will become fertilizer, causing it to grow stronger and branch out. Ma You’s spatial isolation power will be of great help, firmly imprisoning the wildly growing vines within his dantian. As long as he strengthens it with one layer each day, there shouldn’t be any major problems in the short term.

However, Fan Jialuo had no idea how to remove it.

He stared at the mountain valley where a sliver of golden-red sun was peeking out, watching the thin mist gradually dissipate as the dawn broke. His voice was so faint it seemed it might dissipate at any moment, “Do you know? Ever since I woke up, I’ve been asking myself almost every moment——Fan Jialuo, are you doing the right thing? Is the path you’re taking the path to your destination?”

He paused for a moment, then said, “Only today have I finally confirmed that I am right, and I must continue down this path. As long as I live, this world cannot be handed over to anyone else. It belongs to no one, yet it belongs to everyone.”

At this point, he chuckled softly, rubbing his forehead, “I suppose the pain has made me lightheaded, I can’t even speak clearly anymore. Can you understand what I’m saying?”

Song Rui handed him a pack of disinfectant wipes and instructed, “Your hands are covered in blood, and your face is dirty too.”

Fan Jialuo took the tissue and wiped the blood from his forehead.

Song Rui took off his own coat and handed it over as well, “Patch up the wound on your abdomen.”

Fan Jialuo crumpled his coat into a ball and used it to cover the wound. Both remained entirely calm from start to finish, neither shed a tear nor let out a single groan of pain. This atmosphere rendered the deadly crisis——so grave in itself——seemingly mundane and inconsequential, yet at the same time, it filled them with courage.

Fan Jialuo sniffed the faint sandalwood scent emanating from his coat and, for some reason, felt a little like laughing.

Song Rui glared at him fiercely and warned, “Save your energy and don’t cause trouble.”

Fan Jialuo tilted his head to look at him, a slight smile playing on his lips, his eyes crinkling, his gentle demeanor like that of an innocent young boy. Only in front of Song Rui would he reveal his most authentic and vulnerable side.

Song Rui glanced at him quickly, and for some reason, his nose felt a little sore.

“I understand what you’re saying.” He said in a hoarse voice, “You’re trying to say that this world belongs to everyone, right?”

“Yes.” Fan Jialuo nodded weakly, then his expression turned cold as if he had thought of something, “Yet, there are always those who suffer from a god complex, believing they control the world and are superior to the rest of humanity. If we were to let them run unchecked, ordinary people would have no way to survive. Just now, did you get a clear look at Lin Nianci?”

“I see clearly, she’s back to normal.” Song Rui turned up the air conditioner temperature. Regardless of whether Fan Jialuo needed it or not, he would always subconsciously consider his needs.

“Restoring her shattered life force to what it was moments ago demands a sacrifice of no less than thousands of souls.” Fan Jialuo’s tone grew colder with each word, “Her black hair was soaked in the blood of ordinary people, her teeth held the souls of countless wronged souls, her smooth skin had plundered the vitality of others, and her fortune was enough to sever a region’s land and water, turning it into a wasteland. I don’t know what method she used to restore her original appearance, but I know that the price she had to pay was unimaginable to ordinary people. If there were a few more people like her in the world, ordinary people would lose their space to survive.”

Song Rui pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said, “If that’s the case, it means there’s a bloodbath involving thousands of people hidden behind her. With so many people dying in such a short time, it’s impossible for the police not to have noticed at all.”

“You’re right.” Fan Jialuo said, closing his eyes in thought, “She is now not only full of spiritual qi and vitality, but also has incredible luck. Vitality can be plundered from ordinary people, but spiritual qi and luck are not things that can be easily obtained. Otherwise, those people in the Taoist sects would have achieved enlightenment long ago. Her path to gaining faith has been cut off. Where can she find spiritual qi and luck? What is her source?”

After pondering for a long time, Fan Jialuo finally shook his head and sighed, “So many years have passed, and my ShiJie seems to have gained a little more brains.”

Song Rui asked curiously, “What kind of person was she originally?”

“She was well protected by my Shifu. She was innocent, kind, and naive, yet she was also arrogant and ambitious.”

“A naive and kind-hearted ambitious person?” Song Rui chuckled and shook his head, “It’s quite contradictory. Such a person is like a child. Once they are no longer under the supervision of their parents, they will do some mindless things without restraint. Due to their lack of independence and judgment, they can turn good things into bad things.”

Fan Jialuo nodded and said, “As long as Shifu is alive, she will never grow up, nor does she need to. No matter how many troubles she gets into, Shifu will always cover for her.”

At this point, Fan Jialuo clasped his hands together, forming a pyramid shape, and pressed them against his chin, pondering, “Tell me, does my Shifu know that Lin Nianci is Song Enci?”

After a moment’s thought, Song Rui decisively denied it, “He doesn’t know. According to you, since your Shifu cherishes Song Enci so much, he would never leave her out alone and go into seclusion by himself.”

“Is that so?” Fan Jialuo said, lost in thought, then chuckled softly, “I suddenly find myself looking forward to meeting my Shifu.” ——

Fan Jialuo appeared to be badly injured. He returned to the Fan family’s old residence, slept on the dragon’s mouth for one night, and fully recovered the next day.

The vines were contained within his dantian using a small spatial technique, temporarily preventing them from causing trouble. Lin Nianci and her group also left Longyin Temple, hiding in a corner of the capital, not daring to confront him.

After returning to the police station, Song Rui told Meng Zhong about Lin Nianci’s inexplicable return to youth and asked him to investigate whether there were any large-scale missing persons cases in Beijing and its surrounding areas.

Learning from Ma You’s experience, the police station takes missing persons cases very seriously. Previously, a missing person could only be reported after 24 hours, but now a missing person can be reported after 12 hours.

Ma You’s killing spree completely exposed the group of supernatural beings to the public eye. Public opinion could not be suppressed, so it could only be guided. Fortunately, many people had watched 《World of Extraordinary People》 and their ability to accept such supernatural things had increased. Apart from occasionally being suspicious, their lives did not change much.

Song Wennuan’s consulting firm suddenly became incredibly popular, simply because Yuan Zhongzhou and others had also been officially certified and gained public trust. With their assistance, the pressure on the police was greatly reduced.

He issued a notice to police in various regions to assist in the investigation, and within just one hour he received feedback, ultimately confirming that no large-scale missing persons cases had occurred in Beijing and the surrounding areas.

Song Rui immediately sent the information to Fan Jialuo, urging him to consider a different approach.

The Fan family’s old residence has a library, filled with ancient books on metaphysics. For the past few days, Fan Jialuo has been spending his time there, poring over materials, trying to find out why Song Enci was reincarnated as an infant and then grew up again as Lin Nianci.

No matter how innocent Lin Nianci appeared, or how flawless her memories seemed, he always firmly believed in his intuition. It was precisely this intuition that allowed him to navigate life and death to reach where he is today.

These few words, written so simply and directly, convey a meaning that achieving the desired outcome is as difficult as ascending to heaven. Leaving aside everything else, the very first five words are beyond the capabilities of ordinary people: “The convergence of universal energy“——how can someone without even a Tao heart gather the power of heaven and earth?

Fan Jialuo closed the ancient book and visited Abbot Changjing that very day. It is said that Song Enci died in that battle to protect the dragon, and Abbot Changjing was one of the participants in that battle. In order to protect the dragon vein of China from the Yin-Yang Masters sent by the Japanese invaders, the metaphysical society at that time spared no effort and mobilized every last one of their ranks.

He had assumed that the harsh treatment he had inflicted on Lin Nianci would surely result in Abbot Changjing refusing him entry, but to his surprise, the Abbot personally came out to greet him. Abbot Changjing not only described the battle in detail but also engaged him in a lively discussion about Buddhism! As he left Longyin Temple, Fan Jialuo glanced back at the smiling Abbot Changjing, sensing that the Abbot seemed to know something.

In the end, the battle to protect the dragons was a Pyrrhic victory for China. On this vast continent, only seven dragon veins survived, each scattered in a distant place. Fan Jialuo requested a week’s leave for Xu Yiyang and took him to tour the vicinity of the Dragon Vein. Upon their return, his expression was very solemn, and he locked himself in the basement for three days and three nights.

During these three days, no one knew what he had done. Only Xu Yiyang noticed that the black dragon carved in the basement seemed even more lifelike, with its dark eyes radiating divine light at all times, as if it could roar into the sky as soon as it opened its mouth.

Xu Yiyang was afraid of the black dragon, but he would run over to see it every day, and occasionally he would bring the skull and the Minion and stand far away to talk to it.

“What’s the matter?” Fan Jialuo went out into the courtyard to bask in the sun. He seemed to be increasingly fond of the warmth.

“My friend is planning an antique auction and would like to invite you to be the appraiser. You should be able to distinguish between genuine and fake antiques, right?” Meng Zhong wasn’t quite sure about this.

“I can. When and where is the auction?” Fan Jialuo agreed immediately. He always acted on his intuition, and at this moment, his intuition told him that he had to attend this auction.

Overjoyed, Meng Zhong immediately sent his friend’s phone number so he could contact him directly. Two days later, Fan Jialuo and Song Rui arrived at the Qingcheng Chunqiu Auction House, walking hand in hand and met the person in charge, Su Zhenrong, who was also Meng Zhong’s good friend.

Pointing to several glass cases displayed side by side, Su Zhenrong said, “This celadon carved bowl is from the Song Dynasty. The workmanship is exquisite. Look at the luster and the color, doesn’t it resemble a washed sky? This ivory seated Buddha is an antique from the Ming Dynasty. It is said to be a relic of a highly accomplished monk, and it has long been imbued with Buddhist essence, making it quite extraordinary. This bronze tortoise has an even more impressive history. Its exact year is impossible to verify, but experts say it existed at least before the Western Zhou Dynasty and was used by shamans for divination. The inscriptions carved on its back remain undeciphered to this day. And then there’s this gilded bronze pot with eight auspicious symbols……”

What Su Zhenrong said next, Fan Jialuo had no interest in listening. He just stood in front of the glass cabinet containing the bronze tortoise, not moving for a long time, his hands pressed against the left and right sides of the cabinet, concentrating on sensing.

Su Zhenrong’s voice gradually softened, and his tone turned anxious, “Teacher Fan, why are you staring at this bronze tortoise? Is there something wrong with it? That shouldn’t be the case. Our auction house has never handled these artifacts. They were all brought here by people from the Central Museum and locked in a cabinet. Their experts are currently in the front hall helping us appraise antiques. If there’s a problem, they should know.”

“Where are the experts from the Central Museum?” Fan Jialuo immediately asked.

“It’s in the calligraphy and painting exhibition hall up ahead. I’ll take you there.” Su Zhenrong wiped his sweat as he pressed on, “Is there something wrong with that bronze tortoise?”

Su Zhenrong’s heart skipped a beat, and he almost lost his footing. Among the treasures they had borrowed from the museum, the bronze tortoise was undoubtedly the most mysterious and precious. It had been listed as a national first-class protected cultural relic as soon as it was unearthed. If something were to go wrong, they probably wouldn’t be able to afford to lose all the antiques in their auction house.

Su Zhenrong grew increasingly anxious, and his pace quickened considerably. As soon as he entered the hall, he pointed at Fan Jialuo and hurriedly said, “Experts, this is my consultant, Teacher Fan. He wants to take a closer look at that Western Zhou bronze tortoise. Is that alright?”

The leading expert refused without hesitation, “No, that bronze tortoise is a national top-level protected cultural relic. No one can touch it without approval from higher authorities. Isn’t it enough for you to see it through the glass case?”

Fan Jialuo nodded to the experts and calmly said, “What if I said that the bronze tortoise is fake?”

One of the experts stated unequivocally, “The artifacts in our Central Museum cannot be fake. When we took it out this morning, each of us carefully examined it and found no problems. During the transportation process, it never left our sight or the cameras. Moreover, we restore the bronze tortoise every now and then, carefully weigh it, and record every minute change. Even if it has an extra millimeter of rust due to oxidation, we can detect it quickly. It cannot be fake!”

Regardless of their arguments, Fan Jialuo simply repeated his previous request, “May I open the glass case and take a look?”

“Absolutely not.” The leading expert already showed a look of disgust. Seeing Song Rui take out his phone to dial, he couldn’t help but sneer, “Using connections won’t work. I know you. You’re the son of the second branch of the Song family. Your background can’t shake the authority of the Central Museum.”

Fangaluo grasped Dr. Song’s wrist, shook his head slightly at him, and finally pointed to a painting titled 《Listening to the Zither Amidst the Sound of Pines》hanging on the wall saying, “Hang this painting at the very highest point.”

“Why?” Su Zhenrong stood still.

Every painting in this exhibition hall has its own fixed position. If one of them were moved arbitrarily, leaving an empty space on the wall, it would definitely look unsightly. This is the most important auction ever organized by Qingcheng Chunqiu Auction House, so naturally they wanted to make it as perfect as possible.

“Simply move it as instructed. Should this painting remain unscathed by the end of the auction, I shall never again speak of viewing the bronze tortoise.” After saying this, Fan Jialuo went to the auction hall, making no further mention of assisting with the antique appraisal. The experts’ skepticism and disdain were practically written all over their faces, there was no need for him to fawn over them.

Sure enough, after he left with Song Rui by the hand, several experts sneered, “What kind of monsters and demons dare to try and target the Central Museum? Do you think he can just look at a national-level protected cultural relic whenever he wants? President Su, why did you bring this kind of person here? Appraising cultural relics relies on professional knowledge, not some kind of supernatural intuition.”

“Yes, yes, I was worried you guys would be too busy, so I thought I’d find someone to help. How was I supposed to know he’d just glanced at it and said the bronze tortoise is fake?” Better to avoid trouble, Su Zhenrong had calmed down by now and certainly didn’t want Fan Jialuo examining the bronze tortoise on his turf. What if he caused trouble, and the auction house had to take responsibility?

“He said the bronze tortoise is fake after just one glance?” Several experts were indeed angered by his words and rebuked him sharply, “Who is this person? He can joke about a national-level protected cultural relic! Has his fame gotten too big lately and he’s become arrogant?”

“Who knows what he’s thinking. Most people like him are a bit eccentric.” Su Zhenrong tried his best to belittle Fan Jialuo, attempting to gloss over the matter. He now deeply regretted inviting him over, it had really caused too much trouble.

“Move it? Why move it? Just leave it right here! I’ve never heard of an antique being damaged while safely stored at an auction house before, do you take the security guards I’ve hired for dead weight?” Su Zhenrong pointed to the rows of security personnel standing at attention in the lobby, his expression one of utter disdain, then, plastering a smile back onto his face, he escorted the experts toward the appraisal room.

They had barely sat down when a staff member rushed in, panting, and shouted, “Director Su, something terrible has happened! The painting 《Listening to the Zither Amidst the Sound of Pines》 has been torn!”

Su Zhenrong: !!!

Several experts: !!!

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Chapter 243. Seed That Suddenly Sprout

In just one night, Lin Nianci had already recovered to her peak condition, and the fluctuations of her spiritual energy were even more active than before, as if her strength had even jumped a level. However, she herself was still dazed and confused, not knowing what was going on. She was carried outside by Fan Jialuo, and only after being blown by the cold wind did she gradually wake up. First, she looked at her fair and smooth arms, then touched her long, black hair that hung down, and then raised her head, revealing a surprised yet young and beautiful face.

“What happened to me?” She opened her mouth and found that her voice had returned to its usual clear and melodious tone, as if the previous aging, weakness and near-death struggle were just a nightmare, and everything was fine after she woke up.

Overjoyed, she touched her cheek, feeling the delicate and smooth skin, and tears welled up in her eyes.

Judging from her excited yet puzzled expression, she seemed unaware of what had happened last night.

Fan Jialuo observed her intently, and only after she had finished expressing her joy did he say calmly, “Song Enci, stop pretending.”

Lin Nianci then remembered what had happened yesterday, and considering her current situation, she suddenly felt speechless.

Finding her two senior brothers and junior brother Nian’en scrutinizing her with suspicion, and Abbot Changjing even starting to calculate with his fingers as if he too was wary of her, she quickly protested, “I’m not pretending! I really don’t know why I’ve become like this! I’m Lin Nianci! Da ShiXiong, Er ShiXiong, you’ve watched me grow up, surely you wouldn’t fail to recognize me, would you?”

None of them spoke, but the doubt on their faces lessened slightly.

Abbot Changjing continued to scrutinize Lin Nianci with a look of astonishment and uncertainty, for he had never seen or heard of such a situation before. How could someone be resurrected and rejuvenated after a night’s sleep? Unless Lin Nianci was a god, not a human.

If her true identity is Song Enci, then it makes sense. Everyone in the Taoist sects knows that Song Enci and her master are the two cultivators closest to the gods, they must have a way to prolong their lives and achieve immortality.

“Who exactly are you?” Abbot Changjing couldn’t help but ask.

Faced with such skepticism from her kind elder, Lin Nianci was so anxious that tears welled up in her eyes. Pointing to her chest, she hurriedly said, “I am Lin Nianci, I really am Lin Nianci, Abbot, please believe me. I, I……” Her gaze swept across everyone’s faces, and when she met Fan Jialuo’s unfathomable eyes, she couldn’t help but shrink back. Then, she shouted desperately, “If you don’t believe me, you can look at my memories. I really am Lin Nianci.”

She was so desperate that she said those things, but the composed Chang Sheng immediately stepped in front of her and sternly warned, “ShiMei, don’t let him get close to you, and don’t let him perform channeling for you! He almost killed you yesterday, have you forgotten?”

Lin Nianci then remembered her last breath of life! The desperate memory of being robbed of her life by this person. At that time, she was like a traveler clinging to a rope hanging on the edge of a cliff, with a bottomless abyss below her and an insurmountable precipice above her. Already lonely, fearful, and helpless, she had to watch helplessly as this person took out a file and slowly cut the rope that sustained her life.

At that moment, she was crying inside, but she couldn’t utter a sound. She almost scared herself to death before her life was cut off.

After remembering Lin Nianci cried out in alarm and hurriedly hid behind her two senior brothers. However, she did not expect that the moment she shouted, Fan Jialuo also moved.

Even without Lin Nianci mentioning it, Fan Jialuo wanted to check her memories, so he released a fierce magnetic field like a dragon and tiger, shoving Chang Sheng and Chang Zhen aside. He took a step forward and pressed his palm hard against Lin Nianci’s face, slamming her against the wall.

He always presented a gentle facade, but when it came to Lin Nianci, he showed absolutely no gentlemanly manners. Since he had already decided that this person was Song Enci, and that she had an extremely strong fate, how could he possibly show any mercy?

He exuded a fierce and chilling aura, so much so that no one dared to approach him. Abbot Changjing raised his staff to stop him, but was also sent far away by a vast magnetic field. He pressed Lin Nianci’s head down hard, almost shoving her into the wall, because he was certain that this person could not die no matter what, so she could withstand any brutal methods.

His magnetic field no longer invaded in just a few strands, but crashed over like a tsunami, sweeping away all the memories hidden deep in Lin Nianci’s heart.

He saw her soaking in the water vat, saw her toddling up under her master’s care, saw her learning Taoist arts, acquiring knowledge, and studying abroad…… Finally, he saw her lying on the altar last night, surrounded by monks chanting sutras with their eyes closed. In the middle of the night, her life force slightly returned, her soul and life stabilized, and she was sent back to her room……

Since Chang Sheng and the others were all grown men, it was not convenient for them to take care of her closely. So the two novice monks slept on the floor and watched over her at all times…… Later, all that remained in her mind was a dark fog, she must have fallen asleep.

Judging from these fragments of memory, she did indeed grow up gradually, and truly had no idea what happened last night. It was as if she had simply taken a nap, and her body had automatically regained its vitality.

Fan Jialuo withdrew his hand, and Song Rui immediately handed him a disinfectant wipe.

Fan Jialuo slowly wiped his palms, but his eyes were fixed on Lin Nianci. His gaze, sharp as a knife, cut and searched inch by inch, as if he wanted to peel her skin and dissect her bones to see her clearly.

Finally, he threw away the tissue that wasn’t stained at all and left without saying a word.

As soon as he left, Lin Nianci, who had been standing stiffly against the wall, slumped down like dough, cold sweat beading on her forehead, tears streaming down her face. She hugged her trembling body tightly, feeling both wronged and terrified. The feeling of having her memories extracted was unbearable, as if her very soul had been dissected.

“ShiMei, are you alright?” Chang Sheng and the others quickly gathered around her, their gazes still filled with astonishment and doubt.

Lin Nianci was stunned for a long while before she said in a trembling voice, “Da ShiXiong, is my mother not dead at all? Did she secretly come back to save me last night?”

Chang Sheng was stunned, then a look of sudden realization dawned on him. Yes, his ShiMei was a premature baby, her body was already weak, and with her spiritual energy completely dissipated, she couldn’t possibly have saved herself unless someone had saved her last night. But who could that person be?

Thinking of this, Chang Sheng hurriedly went to investigate whether any strangers had entered Longyin Temple the previous night.

Abbot Changjing glanced at Lin Nianci’s face, then at the direction Fan Jialuo had left in, before returning to his meditation room without a word. He pulled out a yellowed scroll from the bottom of a cabinet, carefully unfurled it, and gently stroked the painting of an old monk and a child being led by the hand.

The child was very young, only about four or five years old, but his expression lacked any childish innocence, instead, he was very peaceful and serene, with extremely handsome features, like a little celestial child under the seat of a Bodhisattva. The old monk bent down and gazed at the child, his eyes filled with kindness and affection. The atmosphere between the two, where they were both teacher and friend, as close as father and son, is vividly portrayed.

In the blank space next to the painting, there is a line of tiny characters——In the month of Jiaxu in the year of Ji-Mao, discussing Zen with a Buddha’s son.

“A Buddha’s son?” Abbot Changjing was completely stunned, his mind replaying his master’s regretful description before his death. Was benefactor Fan the Buddha’s son his Shifu had so longed for? Two hundred years had passed since the year of Ji-Mao, and he was still alive?

Abbot Changjing was lost in thought when his fingertip accidentally pressed against the side of the scroll, causing the yellowed paper to crack softly. This startled him. He rushed out of the meditation room to chase after him, only to learn that Fan Jialuo had already left.

The monk he questioned recounted in detail, “When he left, he asked me if any strangers had entered or left the temple. Since monks don’t lie, I could only tell him that Benefactor Jian and her several assistants were still living there. He asked me to take him to see them. I wanted to refuse, but somehow, I vaguely led him there, only to find that one of Benefactor Jian’s assistants had already driven down the mountain and left not long ago. He then inquired about that assistant! Benefactor Jian couldn’t give a clear answer either. After asking each other, we realized that the person wasn’t an assistant at all, but someone who had fraudulently joined the temple.”

Abbot Changjing nodded and remained silent for a long time.

Chang Sheng said with certainty, “The assistant who ran away must be my Enci Shibo! She’s the one who saved ShiMei.”

Abbot Changjing closed his eyes and recited a Buddhist phrase.——

“From what I’ve observed, Lin Nianci isn’t lying, she genuinely doesn’t know how she recovered. The assistant who ran away is very suspicious. Do you think it could be Song Enci, who isn’t actually dead? Do you remember the seed that Lin Nianci and Lin Nian’en had Bai Mu bring you? They also said that the seed mysteriously appeared in the side room of Longyin Temple, which is somewhat similar to today’s situation. Could the mastermind behind this be Song Enci as well? Besides her, who else would be so determined to target you?” Song Rui speculated.

“Based on the limited clues available, your judgment should be correct.” Fan Jialuo tapped his temple with his fingertip and shook his head, “But I don’t need these clues and evidence. I trust my intuition more. The moment I saw Lin Nianci, I knew she was Song Enci.”

“If you say she is, then she is.” Song Rui echoed without any principles.

Fan Jialuo, who had been frowning and looking serious, was suddenly amused by him. He smiled as he faced the rising sun, his eyes crinkling, and said firmly, “Once everyone who is supposed to come has arrived, I will make the whole truth come to light.”

Suddenly blood splattered across the windshield, blurring Song Rui’s vision and nearly causing him to drive the car off the cliff. He was frantic, but dared not slam on the brakes. He could only turn the steering wheel left and right, constantly adjusting the car’s position, and then slowly reduce speed, pulling the car toward the side of the road.

A few minutes later, Song Rui parked the car in an open space, while Fan Jialuo was still vomiting blood and clutching his abdomen tightly.

“What’s wrong with you?” Song Rui tried to hug him, but he was pushed away by him forcefully.

“Stay away from me, it’s dangerous.” Fan Jialuo warned, panting heavily. As soon as he finished speaking, a green vine sprouted from his abdomen and pierced his palm like an arrow. Several thin vines probed the bloody wound before burrowing deeper into the flesh.

Song Rui could clearly hear the sound of them piercing bones, and it wasn’t hard to imagine how they would wreak havoc inside Fan Jialuo’s body.

“It’s that seed!” In a flash, he grasped the truth.

Fan Jialuo was covered in blood and sweating profusely from the pain, but he showed no fear on his face. Instead, he chuckled briefly a few times, “It’s that seed. It turns out that only anger can make it sprout. No wonder it hasn’t moved for so long.”

Song Rui! What an astute mind. Hearing those words allowed him to instantly comprehend the whole story from beginning to end. Fan Jialuo’s body is a soul vessel that feeds on yin qi or evil thoughts, so his body is full of the aura of death. It was impossible for him to provide the conditions for that seed to take root and sprout, so it remained dormant.

Unfortunately, Fan Jialuo absorbed Lin Nianci’s life force yesterday, which ironically put him in a dangerous situation.

“I’ll take you to the hospital right away.” Song Rui immediately started the engine and drove off. He knew he couldn’t help in any way, so he naturally wouldn’t touch the vines recklessly. If he got infected too, who would be able to get Fan Jialuo back to safety?

“Going to the hospital is useless.” Fan Jialuo leaned back in his chair, a smile still playing on his lips, as if he were in a good mood, “I plotted against Lin Nianci, yet in a flash, the tables were turned, and I became the one being played. This is karma. I’ve said it before, everything in this world is predetermined, and no one can escape the arrangements of fate.”

Looking at his tense profile, Fan Jialuo chuckled softly, “You may not believe it, but I do. Karma is the natural law of cause and effect, the truth and driving force behind reincarnation. Every action we take, even the smallest one, will, under the impetus of karma, brew into cause and effect, which is what is commonly known as retribution.”

Song Rui retorted in a hoarse voice, “You saved so many people, you deserve blessings and longevity, not retribution.”

Fan Jialuo coughed up a mouthful of blood, panting heavily, so weak that he could no longer speak.

Song Rui desperately wanted to look directly at him, yet feared that his lack of focus might cause a car accident and inflict even greater harm on him, so he could only stare intently ahead. But he was trembling all over, his shoulders, his hands, his lips, and even the tears welling in his eyes, looking as if he would break down at any second.

“You can still smile?” Song Rui simply couldn’t understand his thought process.

After resting for a while, Fan Jialuo said with difficulty, “I have never done anything evil in my life, so naturally I will not suffer any retribution.” He ran his palm over his body, and the vines writhing in his flesh were blocked by an invisible wall of energy, as if they were being tightly gripped by two hands and slowly pulled back, gradually being drawn into his dantian, rolled into a ball, and finally completely imprisoned in a small, square space.

Only then did Fan Jialuo exhale and chuckle, “Every sip and every bite is preordained, every cause and effect has its reason. If it weren’t for Ma You’s gift, I would be dead by now.” He turned to Song Rui and comforted him, “You’re right. I’ve saved so many people, Heaven will reward me.”

Song Rui looked him over carefully and, finding that he was truly safe and sound, said with a wry smile, “What you were saying about fate and retribution was just to scare me!”

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Chapter 242. Who Exactly Is Lin Nianci?

Lin Nianci was too weak to speak, and could only mouth the words, “I don’t understand what you’re saying.”

Fan Jialuo crouched down, extended his slender fingertips, and gently plucked out one of Lin Nianci’s few remaining white hairs, chuckling softly, “I knocked down the sculpture in the Holy Maiden Hall, do you understand now?”

Standing behind him, Song Rui added casually, “It wasn’t just in Beijing, the Holy Maiden Hall across the country were demolished.”

Chang Sheng stared at them in disbelief, his voice filled with anger, “What right do you have to demolish the Holy Maiden Hall of our Tianshui Temple? The golden statue of our venerable Enci Shibo is enshrined there. You are committing sacrilege!”

Fan Jialuo’s lips, which had been pursed in a slight smile, slowly straightened, and his gentle voice suddenly took on a chilling tone, “Sacrilege? Is Song Enci worthy of such a word? There will never be any gods in this world, because I will not allow it.”

Lin Nianci shook her head from side to side, tears streaming down her face. Her expression was anxious and helpless, but she couldn’t utter a single word. She could only mouth the words, “I’m not, I’m not, I’m Lin Nianci.”

Fan Jialuo blew away the strand of white hair, slowly stood up, looked down at her, and said in a deep voice, “I just knocked down the statue, and you’ve already suffered a backlash. Do you think I’d believe you?”

“I’m really not Song Enci, that’s my mother. I don’t understand a word you’re saying.” Lin Nianci’s aged face was already submerged in tears. She began to fear this inexplicable person in front of her, and also began to feel helpless and confused about her situation. She truly didn’t know why she had become like this.

Unable to speak, she could only mouth her words to defend herself, her nose emitting soft sobs, her fragile and helpless appearance making her seem so innocent.

Even Song Rui, who possessed the ability to read minds, wavered after carefully observing her micro-expressions. However, this professional judgment was far from enough to overshadow his trust in Fan Jialuo, so he simply stood aside without saying a word.

Chang Sheng finally understood the whole story and was instantly enraged, “Fan Jialuo, you’ve gone too far! Just because you suspected Nianci was Enci Shibo, you destroyed our Tianshui Temple’s Holy Maiden Hall! You’re truly ruthless! Let me tell you, Nianci is Nianci, and Enci Shibo is Enci Shibo, they can’t possibly be the same person. When Shizu found Nianci, she was covered in blood, still connected by an umbilical cord, clutching half of Enci Shibo’s sleeve, and was so small, barely the size of Shizu’s palm. She was carried for ten months by Enci Shibo and given birth, and her soul was kept in a water vat for decades to stabilize. Shouldn’t you know better than anyone where Enci Shibo went and what happened to her? You killed her, and now you’re trying to find an excuse to kill Nianci? What deep-seated hatred do you have for those two women? Have you gone mad?”

As Chang Sheng questioned them, Chang Zhen and Lin Nian’en had already taken out their magical artifacts and were ready for battle.

However, Fan Jialuo ignored them completely, only lowering his eyes and staring at Lin Nianci for a long time until she was trembling all over before slowly saying, “I don’t know what method you used to turn yourself into an infant and grow up again, but I will find evidence to prove that you are Song Enci.”

He tapped his temple, his tone so matter-of-fact, “My intuition tells me that you are Song Enci, and you should know that I have never been wrong in terms of intuition.”

Lin Nianci opened her parched, bloodied lips and silently replied, word by word, “You’re completely out of your mind.”

Fan Jialuo smiled dismissively and glanced at Chang Sheng and the others.

The three men holding the peach wood swords couldn’t help but take a few steps back, then quickly stood still after realizing they had shown their fear.

Fan Jialuo bent down, reached out and gently stroked Lin Nianci’s pale and sparse hair, and asked softly, “When will your Shifu be able to come and save you?”

Lin Nianci naturally couldn’t answer, while Chang Sheng threatened him with a fierce but weak tone, “Shifu and Shizu will be arriving in Beijing soon, and they will naturally come looking for you then! Let go of ShiMei and stay away from her!”

Chang Sheng brandished his peach wood sword and charged forward, only to be horrified to find himself trapped in an invisible space. He could see others, and others could see him, but six walls made of air inexplicably rose up around him, isolating him.

Chang Zhen and Lin Nian’en encountered the same situation. They were fiercely attacking the transparent walls with their magical artifacts, but they couldn’t break through. They still existed in the mortal world, yet they were trapped within it. This ability was clearly a variant of Ma You’s spatial manipulation, yet it seemed to surpass it!

The Tianshui Sect also possesses techniques for trapping people, but they must draw talismans or arrays, making it impossible to achieve what Fan Jialuo does so effortlessly. With just a casual glance, a brief breath, or even a flicker of his will, he can silently activate his abilities to trap and kill several people. He seems even more powerful than when they first met!

Let alone the fact that he was only facing three people, even if there were thirty more, they would probably be completely subdued by him in a single exchange.

Just as Chang Sheng thought of this, he saw that the senior monks were also blocked by an invisible wall. They wanted to go up to the altar to help, but they could only stand still. Even Abbot Changjing’s staff could not break through this barrier.

Now, the only ones who could move freely were Lin Nianci, Fan Jialuo, and Song Rui. But Lin Nianci was too weak to move, so how could she save herself?

Chang Sheng broke out in a cold sweat, pounding his fists into the invisible space while shouting, “Fan Jialuo, if you dare touch a hair on ShiMei’s head, our Tianshui Sect will hunt you down to the ends of the earth!”

Upon hearing this, Fan Jialuo showed no hesitation. Instead, he plucked a strand of Lin Nianci’s white hair with his fingertips, waved his hand, and let it drift away in the wind. His actions infuriated Chang Sheng and the others, and also completely destroyed the fragile sense of acceptance they had painstakingly developed toward him

How could Fan Jialuo be a good person? He is just too good at pretending!

“Fan Jialuo, release ShiMei at once! Otherwise, Shizu will kill you with his own hands! Shizu will arrive in the capital soon, you can’t escape!” Chang Sheng shouted hoarsely, while Chang Zhen and Lin Nian’en were also frantic.

Song Rui shook his head and chuckled, “Don’t believe them. They themselves don’t even know when that so-called Shizu will arrive.” Lying to his face, these people are really amusing.

Having received a definite answer, Fan Jialuo squatted down and examined Lin Nianci’s aged face with great interest.

Faced with absolute power, Chang Sheng and the others had no power to resist and could only watch helplessly as he placed his hand on Lin Nianci’s forehead, extracting the last bit of life from her.

Lin Nianci trembled with fear, her low sobs turning into broken moans, her mouth opening and closing in silent pleading, “Please let me go, I beg you!”

The response she received was Fan Jialuo’s serene smile and even faster absorption.

This was the first time Song Rui had ever seen Fan Jialuo absorb someone else’s life force and he couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows, showing a surprised look. Unless he loathed someone to the absolute extreme, he would never commit an act so contrary to his principles, it appears that the animosity between him and Song Enci runs incredibly deep, to the point of becoming a bitter, life-and-death struggle.

After a short while, Fan Jialuo withdrew his hand and placed his fair palm flat in front of Dr. Song’s eyes.

Song Rui immediately put aside those chaotic thoughts, took out a pack of disinfectant wipes from his pocket, and carefully wiped him down, glancing at Lin Nianci out of the corner of his eye.

Surprisingly, Lin Nianci had lost all her hair and teeth, and her body was as withered as a skeleton. Yet, a breath remained in her nasal cavity, intermittent and very weak, and it was unknown when it would suddenly stop.

Fan Jialuo took away her life, but left her with a chance to linger on.

Having done all this, he jumped off the altar and strode away. As he walked away, the invisible walls gradually thinned and then disappeared completely, freeing those who had been trapped. Chang Sheng and the other two rushed to Lin Nianci, knelt down, and their eyes immediately welled up with tears.

Her condition was already extremely critical, and with Fan Jialuo’s actions, she was already halfway to death, with no chance of her master and grandmaster coming to save her.

“Abbot Changjing, please come and see my ShiMei!” Chang Sheng cried out helplessly.

Chang Zhen and Lin Nian’en knelt beside the dying Lin Nianci, wanting to touch her but not daring to reach out, for fear that she would disappear like a grain of sand in the wind.

Abbot Changjing gave Fan Jialuo a deep look before quickly stepping onto the altar, taking Lin Nianci’s pulse, and shaking his head, saying, “Amituofu, even this humble monk cannot save Benefactor Lin, her life force is about to be cut off.”

“Didn’t you restore her youth by chanting sutras for her before? Keep chanting!” Lin Nian’en urged anxiously.

“The blessing of prayers takes time.” Abbot Changjing waved his hand, “Benefactor Lin does not have enough time.”

“How could this be? It’s impossible!” Lin Nian’en burst into tears as he spoke, then suddenly looked at Fan Jialuo, his eyes flashing with deep-seated hatred.

Abbot Changjing knew that Lin Nianci was beyond saving, but he still gathered all the monks in the temple to chant sutras and bless her.

The ethereal chanting of Buddhist scriptures rose and swirled, shaking the heavens, yet it couldn’t shake Fan Jialuo’s cold expression. He ignored Lin Nian’en’s hatred and paid no heed to the murderous aura emanating from Chang Sheng and Chang Zhen. He simply said slowly, “Song Enci holds the other half of the Double Fish Pendant. That jade pendant belongs to Yang, to Truth, and to the birth of all things, so she will never die. I’ll bet you all that by tomorrow morning, she will naturally be back to normal. Unless we push her to the brink, how will she willingly reveal her identity?”

“You’re out of your mind!” Chang Sheng roared, “You’re willing to toy with human lives just for a conjecture?”

Fan Jialuo chuckled, “I’m not toying with a human life. I am toying with Song Enci. Don’t worry, her life is tougher than anyone else’s.” The implication was that he absolutely refused to acknowledge Song Enci as human, so he could manipulate her fate without any qualms.

He really is the murderer who killed his ShiShuzu and Shibo! He is utterly depraved! Chang Sheng was filled with anger and hatred, clearly wanting to kill him with his own hands, but he was powerless to do so.

Chang Zhen and Lin Nian’en had already decided to perish together with Fan Jialuo, and they took out all their most treasured magical artifacts.

Seeing that a bloody battle was about to break out, Abbot Changjing immediately stepped forward to separate the two groups of people, and said gently but firmly, “Amituofu, please give me face, Benefactor Fan, and refrain from resorting to violence within the precincts of Longyin Temple, otherwise this old monk shall personally see you off the mountain premises.” He had fully expected that he would inevitably have to take action, yet, much to his surprise, Fan Jialuo merely cast a deep, penetrating glance at him before turning away and departing, without uttering a single word of provocation or difficulty.

Abbot Changjing was stunned.

Without turning his head, Fan Jialuo said, “I’ll be waiting for Song Enci outside the temple. Even if you don’t chant sutras, she won’t die.”

Abbot Changjing didn’t believe him at all. After getting rid of this big trouble, he immediately sat down cross-legged under the altar and sincerely chanted sutras for Lin Nianci. He could see that she was already burdened by evil karma and her life was coming to an end, but this evil karma came from elsewhere and had little to do with her personally, so she still had to be saved.

As soon as Fan Jialuo and Song Rui stepped out of Longyin Temple, the gate behind them slammed shut and was locked, as if afraid that they would force their way in.

“What do we do now?” Song Rui asked in a light tone.

“Wait here tonight.” Fan Jialuo casually found a stone bench to sit on, took out his phone and said, “I’ll call Director Meng and ask him to help pick up Yangyang.”

“Let Wennuan pick him up, she’s better at taking care of children.” Song Rui also took out his phone.

“Okay. I’ll send Yangyang an apology text message.” As he said this, a hint of guilt inevitably showed between Fan Jialuo’s brows.

“He’ll understand. We’ll make do in the car tonight, and I happened to bring a blanket.” Song Rui took a down comforter from the trunk and laid it out on the back seat.

“Don’t come near me, you’ll get the cold.” Fan Jialuo stared at his cold hands, a hint of obscurity appearing in his dark eyes.

“I’m not afraid of the cold.” Song Rui took off his trench coat and wrapped himself and Fan Jialuo together, his laughter low and cheerful, “I’m lending you my body heat, you should keep it safe.”

Upon hearing this, Fan Jialuo’s pursed lips couldn’t help but curve into a smile. He proactively closed the gaps in his coat, leaned against the warm chest behind him, and then released a magnetic field, tightly locking the intense heat onto his body. As a result, his originally lifeless and cold body slowly warmed up, as if it had come back to life in another way.

It turns out that living is not a state of being, but a state of mind.

He lowered his head and smiled silently.

Feeling that the body in his arms was no longer as cold as usual, but instead grew warmer the more he held it, Song Rui couldn’t help but let out a soft sound of surprise, then lowered his head to take a look.

Just then, Fan Jialuo extended his slender fingertip and tapped the back of his hand. This silent exchange immediately stopped Song Rui’s investigation, making him burst out laughing.

After a long while, Song Rui finally suppressed his smile and asked, “Are we just going to wait here like this?”

“I possess the other half of the fish pendant, which is yin and associated with death. I will immediately sense if Song Enci uses yang jade.”

“Then we barge in and catch her red-handed?”

“Yes. She values her life very much. Even if she knows I’m lying in wait outside, she will still find a way to save herself.”

“Valuing one’s life is all to achieve godhood?”

“Yes, this is the dream of every Taoist practitioner.”

“Is that also your Shizu’s dream?”

“Um.”

“And what about you?”

After a long silence, Fan Jialuo said firmly, “I will not allow gods to exist in the world.”

Song Rui understood something and couldn’t help but shake his head and chuckle, “You think you’re a savior?”

“I never thought that way. I was just doing what I thought I should do.” Fan Jialuo looked up at the night sky and sighed almost imperceptibly.

He originally thought that Lin Nianci would not be able to endure it for long and would take out the Yang Jade to save herself, but to his surprise, there was no movement in Longyin Temple after a whole night.

At dawn, Fan Jialuo, who had completely lost his patience, grabbed Dr. Song’s hand and led him straight to the tightly closed and locked door. But the moment they bumped into each other, a folding space opened up, connecting to the other side of the door, and they appeared out of thin air in the temple.

Upon seeing the two pass through the wall, the monks who were sweeping the floor were so frightened that they dropped their brooms and hurriedly ran to find the Abbot.

Using several interconnected folded spaces, Fan Jialuo instantly arrived at a row of side rooms several hundred meters away. Following a faint, almost imperceptible aura, he pushed open the door to one of the rooms.

At that moment, Chang Sheng, Chang Zhen, Lin Nian’en, and Abbot Changjing arrived upon hearing the news and shouted in unison, “Stop!”

Fan Jialu ignored them, walked straight into the room, and dragged Lin Nianci out.

The two eight- or nine-year-old novice monks who had been tending to the patient at her bedside were startled awake. They rubbed their eyes and looked over, then let out a soft gasp of disbelief. The woman, who had been on the verge of death and looked frail the night before, was now completely recovered. Her skin was smooth, her body was plump, and her hair and teeth had all grown back, as if she had taken some kind of miraculous elixir that could revive the dead and heal the wounded.

Fan Jialuo, however, was not surprised at all. He casually tossed the dazed Lin Nianci to the ground and asked with a half-smile, “How do you explain this phenomenon?”

Chang Sheng, Chang Zhen, and Lin Nianen were dumbfounded.

Abbot Changjing stared at Lin Nianci for a long while, and said in astonishment, “Amituofu, last night Benefactor Lin was clearly burdened by evil karma and her fate was exhausted, but today she is full of vitality and her fate is soaring. What is going on?”

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Chapter 241. Sculpture Of The Holy Maiden Of Zezhou

Ma You was quickly put on a public trial. Survivors came forward one by one to accuse him of his crimes, and there were bloody objects such as fingernails and teeth left by the victims as evidence. The judge sentenced him to death in court, and the sentence was carried out immediately.

As he was being led to the execution ground, Fan Jialuo blocked his path, leaned in and asked, “Do you still think that you can become a ghost after death? Believe it or not, I will obliterate your very soul?”

The once arrogant and domineering Ma You could only be described as a lump of mud. Especially when facing Fan Jialuo, he would shed tears and snot from fear, his body trembling as if it would fall apart at any moment.

“I believe you, I believe you, please spare me, let me die a quick death, waa waa waa……”

The empathy that Fan Jialuo had given him continued to work, his body could no longer feel the pain of the dead, but his soul was trapped in one confined space after another, enduring death again and again. He was trapped in despair, able only to helplessly cry out for help and hopelessly struggle and climb, just like every victim before him.

He gradually realized that the only way to find liberation was through death. As for whether he would become a vengeful ghost after death, or whether he could take revenge on society, his soul was already extremely weak, so how could he dare to even dream of such things? As long as people like Fan Jialuo still existed in this world, he would never return.

Fan Jialuo looked deeply into his tear-filled eyes, seeing through his cowardice and incompetence, before stepping back two steps to clear the way to the execution ground.

Ma You was being led away by two soldiers. Just as he was about to step out of the courtroom, he suddenly turned back and asked, “What exactly are you?”

This question had clearly troubled him for a long time, otherwise he wouldn’t have been so preoccupied with it on his deathbed. He absolutely refused to believe that Fan Jialuo was human, how could a human go five or six days without food or water? How could a human deprive him of his power and use it for his own purposes? How could a human bring hell to the mortal realm?

His mind raced, and without waiting for the man’s response, he felt as if he had found the answer. He shuddered and then staggered away.

Fan Jialuo watched his retreating figure silently, his expression as indifferent as ever.

Song Rui walked over from behind and gently patted his shoulder, “Can we go home now?”

“There’s one more place I’d like to visit.” Fan Jialuo whispered, shaking his head.

“Let’s go then.” Song Rui didn’t ask any more questions, and simply took out his car keys.

More than an hour later, the two arrived at the top of the highest mountain in Beijing and stood in front of a magnificent building. A black plaque hung above the door, on which two large word were written in gold lacquer——Tianshui Temple.

This was the secular stronghold of the sect that once nurtured Fan Jialuo, and also the most prosperous Taoist temple in the capital. Normally, the temple gates would be wide open, welcoming throngs of believers and receiving offerings amidst swirling incense smoke. Many important figures would also quietly come and donate substantial sums of money for incense.

But today, the bronze gate was tightly closed, and a circle had been painted in vermilion on the towering courtyard wall, with a large “Demolish” word written inside. Noisy sounds keep coming from inside the courtyard, as if they are arguing about something, or as if they are praying for something.

“It seems Chief Yan is preparing to take action against Tianshui Temple.” Song Rui stood in the center of the gate, admiring the magnificent Taoist temple with great interest.

No wonder it’s called Tianshui Temple, three massive building complexes are arranged in a triangular pattern, connected by three huge gardens, occupying most of the mountain’s area. Even so, the Tianshui Sect wasn’t satisfied and submitted another application, intending to buy the entire mountain.

Song Rui stared at the plaque hanging above his head for a while, then shook his head and said, “Everyone calls the Tianshui Sect a great reclusive power of the metaphysical world. But having seen their stronghold, I find the term ‘reclusive’ to be nothing more than a joke.”

“They call themselves cultivators, looking down on ordinary people while simultaneously trying to manipulate them. Their so-called seclusion is just talk.” Fan Jialuo pushed open the side door and stepped inside.

Song Rui immediately followed up, chuckling, “Their mentality can be summed up in five words——the arrogance of the strong.”

“Indeed. The moment they gain power, they believe they have detached themselves from the common masses and evolved into a higher order of being. But in fact, every form of life in the universe is the same. Birth, aging, sickness and death are a process that they must go through, and no one can escape it.”

“You can.” Song Rui gave Fan Jialuo a deep look, quite certain of his guess.

“I can’t either.” Fan Jialuo avoided his gaze.

“Your form of existence is unlike any of ours, you can do it.” Song Rui insisted on his judgment.

Fan Jialuo strode forward and said firmly, “One day, I too will face the judgment of fate, and at that time, I will not be able to avoid death.”

“That works out perfectly. I am ready to face judgment at any time. I will go with you.”

Having pressed him to this extent, Song Rui stopped the conversation.

Fan Jialuo turned to look at him, and finally smiled gently, “Alright, let’s do it together.” He stood there waiting for Dr. Song to approach, and said in a calm tone, “Every day we live, we are actually facing death. Perhaps you go to sleep tonight, and tomorrow morning you will never open your eyes again, perhaps you are smiling now, and the next second you will suddenly die. Such situations are not exceptions, but commonplace. The greatest challenge in life is not to search for the meaning of survival, but how to calmly face death. Those eminent monks extinguish all lamps every night before going to sleep, place their empty water glasses upside down by their bedsides, and make sure to finish all their daily tasks, never leaving any trouble for tomorrow. They do this every day without fail. Do you know why?”

After thinking for a moment, Song Rui slowly said, “Because they prepare for their own death every day. They are not sure if they will wake up tomorrow after they fall asleep today, so they will live each day to the fullest and leave no regrets.”

“Yes.” Fan Jialuo said, looking at the magnificent temple ahead, “So death is inevitable, and we must all be prepared.”

Song Rui nodded without saying a word, then grasped Fan Jialuo’s cold hand.

“What are you doing?” Fan Jialuo’s ears turned slightly red.

“Finish today’s work today, and don’t leave regrets for tomorrow. You just taught me that.” Song Rui chuckled in a low, husky voice.

Fan Jialuo withdrew his hand, took a few quick steps, and then, for some reason, suddenly turned back and waved, saying, “Hurry up and follow me.”

Song Rui immediately followed and took the man’s hand again, but the other person couldn’t pull away this time. They seemed to have reached a consensus——to do what they felt in their hearts and leave no regrets.

The two walked hand in hand to the noisiest palace, only to find a group of Taoist priests arguing with a group of people in uniforms, while some workers were smashing the building to pieces with hammers.

“You can’t do this! This land was bought by our Tianshui Temple, it’s private property!”

“All the land belongs to the state. Where is this private land? You say you bought the land, but where is the paperwork? Where are the procedures? Where are the licenses? Produce any one of them, and we’re leaving immediately!”

“The paperwork…it’s still being processed, it’ll be ready soon.” The Taoist priest, who had been so confident just moments before, was now stammering and unable to speak clearly. The Tianshui Sect had quite a few connections with higher-ups, and over the years they had been protected by important figures, to the point that they had long forgotten that this mountain did not belong to them.

“You really think the higher-ups will approve your application? What wishful thinking! Let me tell you, given what your Tianshui Sect has done, the fact that the higher-ups haven’t classified you as a cult and banned you is already a huge favor! You’ve killed so many people just to protect a damn formation, and you still have the nerve to cultivate Taoism? Demolish it, demolish it, keep demolishing it!”

The leader waved his hand, and the workers swung their hammers even more vigorously.

Seeing the two groups inevitably grappling with each other, Fan Jialuo gently tugged at Dr. Song’s arm, “Let’s change direction.”

Song Rui intertwined his fingers with his and whispered with a soft laugh, “Wherever you go, I’ll follow.”

Fan Jialuo glanced at him, didn’t respond, but couldn’t help but smile.

Tianshui Temple covers a vast area, with pavilions and towers built according to the mountain’s contours, arranged in a staggered and seemingly disordered manner, creating a very complex landscape. Walking along this straight path often leads to even more interconnected, spiderweb-like paths, those who haven’t lived here for a long time are sure to lose their way.

But Fan Jialuo did not pause at all, following his heart, and walked unimpeded to a temple with a very unique design.

Song Rui looked up and saw three large golden characters on the plaque hanging on the beam——The Holy Maiden Hall

“What kind of deity is this?” Song Rui asked in confusion, “I only know that Taoist temples usually enshrine the Three Pure Ones, the Supreme Primordial Goddess, the Jade Emperor, and the Queen Mother of the West. Further back, there are also the Thunder God and Lightning Goddess, the Five Directions Goddesses, the Five Directions Spiritual Children, and the Turtle and Snake Generals. But I have never heard of enshrining any holy maiden.”

Fan Jialuo pointed to the sculptures inside the hall and shook his head, saying, “This is not a deity, but my ShiJie, Song Enci.”

Song Rui suddenly realized, and his tone turned several degrees colder, “It seems that your Shifu really liked your ShiJie. Even though she is dead, he still wants to make a golden statue for her so that she can enjoy the incense offerings of the mortal world.”

“As long as it benefits ShiJie, he wouldn’t even mind trading his own life away.” Fan Jialuo walked into the main hall and looked up at the sculpture draped in red silk.

Its features are delicate and lively, its eyelids are slightly closed, its smile is gentle, and it holds a weeping willow in its hand, gently swaying it downwards. Its wide sleeves and flowing skirt seem to be fluttering in the wind. In the blink of an eye, it can transform into a living being and gracefully and lightly walk down from the altar.

It was so lifelike that it inexplicably instilled fear in people.

Song Rui carefully examined the sculpture and pondered, “Don’t you think it’s different from other sculptures? It seems to have a sense of life and appears particularly vivid.”

Fan Jialuo remained silent, his gaze sweeping across the hall. He released Dr. Song’s hand, walked to the offering table, picked up the bronze candlestick with a burnt-out candle, and smashed it against the base of the sculpture. With a muffled thud, the terracotta figure cracked open and toppled over.

Song Rui dodged the sculpture that crashed to the ground, bent down and stared carefully at its delicate face, and said slowly, “I don’t know if I’m seeing things, but I always feel that once this crack appeared, its face didn’t seem as lifelike as before.”

Fan Jialuo remained silent, raised the candlestick high, and smashed the gentle, beautiful face in a few blows.

Song Rui stopped questioning, picked up another candlestick, and silently began smashing the sculpture. He was even more ruthless than Fan Jialuo, quickly breaking the sculpture’s neck and dislocating its limbs. If this person had truly killed Fan Jialuo, he could have torn her to pieces even if he were facing the real thing.

After finishing their work, the two dusted themselves off, went to the outdoor ornamental pool to wash their hands, and then leisurely looked at the messy Holy Maiden Hall.

“She is not worthy to enjoy the pleasures of the mortal world as a deity.” Only then did Fan Jialuo speak calmly.

“Wait a moment, I’m going to make a phone call.” Song Rui took out his phone.

Fan Jialuo nodded, his eyes fixed on the mangled, shattered sculpture. His aversion to the divine was ingrained, anyone associated with the word “God” would become his target.

A few minutes later, Song Rui returned and said casually, “I just sent someone to check. There is a Holy Maiden Hall in Tianshui Temple all over the country, and the statues enshrined in the halls are all your ShiJie. Your Shifu even specially recruited a group of believers for her so that she can enjoy the incense offerings of the world for a long time.”

Fan Jialuo’s already dark eyes darkened even further.

Song Rui rubbed his head and chuckled, “Tianshui Temples all over the country are already being demolished. Chief Yan seems determined to teach the Tianshui Sect a lesson. I’ve already sent people to smash those sculptures, making sure not a single one is left.”

Fan Jialuo paused for a moment, then laughed lightly. Dr. Song was always like this, always able to see into his heart first and then take all the trouble for him.

“I haven’t even had a chance to deal with the Tianshui Sect yet, and they’ve already driven themselves into a corner. Is this fate?” He looked up at the sky, sighed, and finally waved his hand, saying, “Let’s go, let’s go to Longyin Temple.”

“What are we going over there for?” Song Rui asked, taking his hand.

Fan Jialuo touched the back of his hand with his slender fingertips and said frankly, “Go visit Lin Nianci.”

Song Rui raised their clasped hands and said in a gentle voice, “I love it when you tap the back of my hand or somewhere else with your fingertips. That slightly itchy feeling is like tapping on my heart.”

Fan Jialuo cast a sidelong glance at Dr. Song, the corners of his eyes flushed crimson, but did not respond. Instead, his slender fingertips gently touched the back of his hand.

Song Rui couldn’t hold back any longer. He chuckled softly as he gripped the man’s hand tightly and walked forward step by step.

Two hours later, they arrived at Longyin Temple. Guided by a young novice monk, they entered the main courtyard and immediately saw Lin Nianci lying prostrate on the altar. She was vomiting blood, her hands clutching her chest as if in excruciating pain, her body was convulsing uncontrollably, as if she were suffering from hysteria, her already aged face was visibly withering away, revealing deep wrinkles, her bright eyes were filled with turbid tears, and her last remaining energy was continuously draining away.

If it weren’t for Abbot Changjing chanting sutras and blessing her every day during this period, which restored some of her youth, she might have aged and died long ago.

Chang Sheng, Chang Zhen, and Lin Nian’en were kneeling beside her, shouting loudly, while a group of senior monks were chanting scriptures rapidly around the altar.

With the protection of the power of collective prayers, Lin Nianci’s injuries were somewhat alleviated, but her aged face and severely damaged internal organs were difficult to recover. Strands of her white hair began to fall out, and the once gentle and beautiful woman now resembled a decaying corpse.

Upon seeing her appearance, Song Rui felt as if he were seeing another Su Fengxi, and subconsciously frowned.

Fan Jialuo used his magnetic field to push away everyone who blocked his way, and walked step by step to Lin Nianci’s side. He looked down at her and smiled faintly, “Do you know why you suddenly suffered such a severe backlash?”

Lin Nianci was so weak that she couldn’t even open her mouth, she could only stare at him with wide eyes, unwilling to give up.

Chang Sheng suddenly looked up and asked urgently, “Why? Do you know the reason?” Having experienced so much, he dared not take any of Fan Jialuo’s words lightly.

“Because your channels for collecting faith have been cut off.” Fan Jialuo leaned down and said, word by word, “You will never become a god in this lifetime, Song Enci.”

Upon hearing his strange address, Chang Sheng, Chang Zhen, and Lin Nian’en immediately showed expressions of astonishment.

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