However... Mu Han Yan, who was following behind him, clearly saw that the old god-man’s hands, which he held behind his back, were vigorously rubbing against his clothes, rubbing and rubbing and rubbing. His hands turned out clean indeed, but the back of his clothes was just a greasy mess.
Mu Han Yan looked at the old god-man’s greasy clothes and couldn’t help but recall Wenren Qingqiu’s similarly greasy sleeves. It was a pity Wenren Qingqiu had left early; otherwise, the two would certainly have had a lot to talk about. Follow current novᴇls on novelꜰire.net
"Youngster Yang Hong pays his respects to Elder Qu," Yang Hong also respectfully bowed to Qu Shanling.
"No need for formalities," the old god-man mustered the air of an elder and waved his hand dismissively.
"I’ve heard that Senior Qu has a discerning eye to observe the heavens and earth. I dare to ask for your assistance in appraising this griffin egg," Yang Hong continued.
"You’ve already named it a griffin egg; what else is there for me to appraise, hehe. Come with me," the old god-man chuckled, wearing the tolerant and kind countenance of a moral elder, making it clear he was joking.
Yang Hong followed Qu Shanling into the auction house, with the others trailing behind. Some individuals of high status entered further in, while most of the crowd squeezed at the entrance to enjoy the spectacle.
Mu Han Yan and Mu Nan weren’t keen on drawing too much attention, but their curiosity about the griffin egg lured them inside as well.
"You are aware of the rules for treasure appraisal in the Nanyan Chamber of Commerce, aren’t you?" Housekeeper Sun was the first to speak, asking Yang Hong.
Of course, appraising treasures incurred a fee. According to the rules of the Nanyan Chamber of Commerce, this was to be paid by the buyer, but this came with a condition: the item must be auctioned by the Nanyan Chamber of Commerce. Should the item not sell, Nanyan would not take a penny. However, with the items going through the appraisal process, it was highly unlikely they would not sell; even if at a lower price, there would always be a buyer. After all, the Nanyan Chamber of Commerce would never lose out.
"Rest assured, steward, I’ve made careful inquiries and am fully informed, which is why I have come to Nanyan," Yang Hong responded.
"That’s good to know. Master, you may begin," Housekeeper Sun nodded and addressed Qu Shanling.
Qu Shanling adopted a solemn expression, adjusted his collar, approached the incense table, and lit three tall sticks of incense. After silently praying for a moment, he returned to the table.
His demeanor was so earnest and solemn that the crowd of onlookers couldn’t help but become serious. No one whispered anymore, and the entire atmosphere of the auction hall grew heavy.
What a god-man! Mu Han Yan chuckled inwardly. While others didn’t notice, she saw clearly that during the incense offering, his fingers gleamed with grease. When he prayed with a hand over his chest, he subconsciously touched the pork leg hidden in his robe and swallowed discreetly, likely feeling hungry once more.
Qu Shanling’s eyes sparkled with Divine Light as he cast several mysterious and profound mantras. A faint mist emerged between his fingers, caressing the "griffin egg" like floating silk floss.
"Such a magical treasure identification skill! I’ve seen many Treasure Appraisal Masters and their techniques before, but never anything as mystical as this," someone blurted out in awe, despite the somber mood, witnessing Qu Shanling’s show of skill.
"You don’t understand, do you? Master Qu isn’t just a Treasure Appraisal Master; he is also a Star Divination Master. His treasure appraisal and Star Divination skills complement each other, so his methods are naturally far superior to those of an ordinary Treasure Appraiser," someone said dismissively, glancing their way and taking pride in their knowledge of Master Qu’s true status.