The Tycoon's Enchanted Mermaid

Chapter 104: Chapter 104: Xiling

“If there is a next time, you must stop me.”

Ah Da grabbed his hand, as the sweet taste in her throat kept surging up. She faintly felt addicted, becoming more and more obsessed, and she didn’t want to turn into a bloodthirsty demon.

She had no confidence in herself and could only rely on Qin Yu.

The biting girl was nervous, while the “victim” of her bite seemed indifferent, just lazily humming and looking at her with a hint of interest.

Ah Da couldn’t help getting angry, huffing and breaking away from his grip, “Forget it, the one who got bitten isn’t me.”

Might as well bite him to death since he doesn’t care.

Watching the girl’s retreating figure dashing away, Qin Yu touched the wound on his neck and chuckled lowly.

She was foolish enough to completely forget about being “bullied” just by biting through the skin.

After running away for a while, Ah Da remembered the incident, annoyed and turning around, staring at the closed door. In the end, she chose not to go back; she couldn’t defeat him.

Each time, it was she who suffered losses; Qin Yu’s deep thoughts and strong desire for control emanated from his bones. Ah Da couldn’t have failed to notice it—not just his personality, but his spirit was also potent, having been repelled the first time she forcefully entered his dream.

Ah Da thought that if he were a cultivator hunting demons, he would likely be invincible.

…

Morning brought a two-hour heavy rain that left the carefully groomed exotic flowers in the garden wilted.

Wei Lan was playing video games at home, only getting dressed and taking the keys to leave after the rain had completely stopped. Since he returned from Wuqiong Water Pavilion, he had sent photos of the incense burner to two old fellows at the appraisal firm, who expressed great interest upon receiving them.

Thinking it had been quite a few days, and considering their usual speed of work, there should have been some results by now. With no replies to his messages, Wei Lan could only visit in person.

The Wei Family’s appraisal firm was not in the downtown area, but in a specially designated area outside Capital City’s fourth ring. Known colloquially among insiders as the Treasure Pavilion, Wei Lan preferred this name himself.

The Treasure Pavilion held a prestigious position, with appraisal certificates of relics from museums all over the country originating from here.

Cobblestone paved the way, with pavilions, towers, and elegant, delicately adorned roofs stretching as far as the eye could see. Since childhood, Wei Lan had enjoyed playing at Treasure Pavilion, often staying the entire day. His eyes were special, naturally feeling an affinity for antiques.

Over time, Wei Lan became close friends with the renowned appraisal masters who long resided at Treasure Pavilion, whom he considered not just as teachers but also as friends.

Driving directly into Treasure Pavilion, he got out of the car and headed straight for Chenxi Garden, where the old fellows would gather every day to drink tea and watch the lake—a pleasure without which they’d feel uncomfortable for the day.

According to them, the older they got, the more they enjoyed sitting in one place, quietly reflecting.

“Old guys, I’m here!”

Wei Lan pushed the door open excitedly, his smile abruptly halting when he saw not a single person in Chenxi Garden.

“Where is everyone?”

Wei Lan turned and hurried down the stairs, seeing a patrol officer in a blue-striped uniform and immediately pulling him over to ask.

“Where did Master Qin and Master Yu go?”

The patrol officer naturally recognized Wei Lan and quickly replied respectfully, “Mr. Wei, the masters rushed toward Star Rain Pavilion just now, seeming to be in a hurry over some urgent matter.”

What urgent matter could there be? Could it be the incense burner?

“Okay, I got it.”

Wei Lan patted his shoulder, grabbed his phone, and turned hurriedly towards Star Rain Pavilion. Only a serious situation could make two battle-hardened old men look so anxious.

There hadn’t been any news of treasures arriving at the Treasure Pavilion recently, except for Qin Yu’s incense burner. He was truly impatient.

Wei Lan had never expected that when he excitedly reached the entrance of Star Rain Pavilion, what he would see were two elderly men with graying hair and reading glasses, sitting straight like students in class, engrossed in watching…

Watching a live stream?!

And it was the trending online artifact appraisal live stream.

Weren’t they always indifferent to the internet?

Previously, they had scoffed at people who had pioneered online artifact appraisal streams, considering it a violation of conventions, and mocked it as nonsense concocted for entertainment that deceived the viewers.

Indeed, self-staging was common in live artifact appraisal because how else could one ensure daily, punctual viewership without arranging for insiders to participate? It’s something unspoken.

As the saying goes, cutting off someone’s livelihood is akin to killing their parents.

Wei Lan didn’t see anything wrong; no matter what industry, it ultimately boiled down to making money. Rules, set by beneficiaries, are important and yet, not that important.

But today, had the sun risen from the west? The two rigid old-timers suddenly embracing the live stream they disliked was indeed strange.

Wei Lan touched his chin and quietly slipped in, sitting between them, and tilted his head to ask, “Old friends, what are you watching in broad daylight?”

Qin Hongyun wasn’t surprised by his arrival, gave him a glare, twitched his eyebrows, and with a cold snort said, “Stop making a fuss, the situation now is very serious, you have no idea!”

“What’s so serious? It’s just a live stream. I’ve seen it too.” Wei Lan spread his arms and leaned back in his seat, dismissing it with a smile.

“It has nothing to do with the live stream.” Master Yu Yuan spoke steadily, picked up the remote control to pause the projection, and said to Wei Lan, “Xiao Wei, take a good look at this item here.”

Wei Lan glanced sideways and suddenly his smile vanished, his body bolted upright, “This Jade Ring… how could it…”

Qin Hongyun chuckled and said, “When Old Yu and I saw this recording, our minds went blank just like yours.”

Wei Lan’s expression intensified; he grabbed the remote control and replayed the video from start to finish, eyes glued to the screen, afraid of missing a single frame. Only after the third time did he finally confirm.

“I can only say it’s eighty percent genuine, the remaining twenty percent, I believe we need to get it in hand to make a final judgment. But, how could this item suddenly appear? It shouldn’t be possible.”

Wei Lan frowned deeply, looking back at the two elders.

Master Yu Yuan sighed, his gaze on the Dragon-shaped Jade Ring displayed on the screen: “We were also very astonished. This design of the Dragon-shaped Jade Ring has never been publicized; actually, the whole period of Xiling’s history has never been disclosed.”

“Proof of the existence of this dynasty, which existed a thousand years ago, is too scarce. There is only a plundered underground palace, the emergency excavation of the Xiling underground palace which was conducted secretly; Old Qin and I were almost fully involved in this significant mission, but sadly, only a shell of it was left, and a jade ring shattered into countless pieces.”

Saying this, Yu Yuan took a piece of photocopaper showing a Dragon-shaped Jade Ring, with two dragons connected head-to-tail, finely carved, but unfortunately with its cross-section showing numerous cracks, indicating it had been repaired.

Qin Hongyun cursed, “I said back then this ring surely had a twin—there are clearly two indentations on the stone altar in the underground palace. Clearly, the thieves accidentally broke one, thinking it worthless, discarded the broken pieces, and took the intact one. Those damn rogues.”

“Not even wanting the broken jade, just imagine how stunning the antiquities in the Xiling underground palace must have been. Damn their mothers, not leaving a single piece, it just makes my blood boil.”

Qin Hongyun gritted his teeth, his palm slapping the table, his aged face turning red with anger.