Young Noble Be Monster Slaying

Chapter 96: The Appraisal of Precious Items

The next day, he went to the hill and actually dug up a mysterious ancient jade. This gave him a sense of God-given destiny, and he declared himself emperor.

In the era of the Yu Dynasty, the hill where the ancient jade was discovered became known as Emperor's Mound. Atop this revered site, the capital city of Panyang was established, earning the illustrious title of the capital of Yu and the Jade Capital...

Today, Panyang City has become the largest city on the continent, teeming with an abundance of citizens and exuding an undeniable aura of prosperity.

As the city continued to expand relentlessly, the once-small Emperor's Mound found itself encompassed within its borders. It became the location of the imperial family's ancestral temple.

The imperial court was situated in the imperial city, and the offices of important government officials were all located here.

If individuals skilled in aura reading were present, they might observe a vast purple energy hovering over this location.

Further inward was the palace city.

The most powerful dragon energy in the world remained enclosed within layer upon layer of high walls and deep moat. Feng shui masters once claimed that if the continents were likened to a dragon's veins, then Emperor's Mound was undoubtedly the dragon's head. This palace city symbolized the dragon pearl cradled within the dragon's mouth.

It was late at night and lights illuminated within the palace city walls.

A tall elderly man was hunched over a desk, engrossed in his writing. After a while, he paused, placed the pen on a jade stand, and let out a sigh.

"Is there anything else?" he inquired.

"There is an urgent secret report from the Southern Regions," a palace attendant reported with a high-pitched voice, bowing respectfully.

"Is it that urgent? Read it to me," the tall elderly man requested.

"This evening, a disciple from the South Melody Conservatory held a performance outside the South Gate City. Before the show began, several disciples from the Mount Shu Sect caused a disturbance at the venue and... they killed the Mountain-Subjugating Marquess on the spot! They also captured Lord Xia and bound him."

The old man's brow furrowed, and his breathing grew heavier.

The palace attendant, visibly frightened, continued, "The cause appears to be collusion between the House of the Mountain-Subjugating Marquess and the Eastern Whale Division in trafficking women. A disciple of the Mount Shu Sect discovered this and that was what initiated the conflict. Subsequent events are still under investigation, and the reports from the South Gate City should be submitted tomorrow."

"Those cultivators of the Divine Nine and Terrestrial Ten sects..." The old man closed his eyes briefly, murmuring to himself in a deep tone, "They are displaying an increasing disregard for the authority of the imperial court. Even if the criminal has committed grave offenses, being a member of the imperial family... How dare they resort to violence and commit murder without adhering to the procedures of the imperial court..."

The palace attendant seemed to sense a hint of suffocation and immediately knelt down, whispering, "Your Majesty, please don't be angry..."

"It appears that we must maintain firm and decisive measures. Otherwise, over time, the immortal sects may act recklessly, jeopardizing the meticulously established order of this world..." The old man contemplated aloud. He then paused and inquired, "The Mountain-Subjugating Marquess is also a sixth-realm cultivator. The individual from Mount Shu who took action must hold a high position. Who was it?"

"It was Peak Master Di Nufeng of Mount Shu," the palace attendant replied.

"Eh?"

At the mention of this name, the old man's eyes widened suddenly, gleaming with intensity.

The palace attendant trembled once again in fear.

"It was her?" The old man murmured, "Well, besides her, no one else would act this recklessly..."

After a prolonged silence, he spoke again, "Convey this message: The House of the Mountain-Subjugating Marquess has committed heinous crimes. All members of the House of the Mountain-Subjugating Marquess shall be executed tomorrow. Order Jiang Shenting to conduct a thorough investigation. Anyone implicated in this crime shall be beheaded publicly. All co-conspirators, if found guilty, shall face severe punishments! Ensure a thorough investigation, sparing no one!"

As the night clouds dispersed, the aura of a dragon surged above the palace and a crescent moon revealed itself.

...

"Oh no! This damage is very bad..."

In the Hall of Weapons, Wen Yulong wore a pained expression as he delicately traced the crack on the green leaf, Chu Liang's enchanted tool.

Although this tool had nothing to do with him anymore, it was still his first finished product and a creation he had put considerable effort into crafting. How could he not care?

"It's just a small crack..." Chu Liang remarked.

If the green leaf was unfurled, it would be large enough to accommodate multiple people. The crack caused by the saber, however, was only a few cun long. Thus, Chu Liang couldn't help but perceive Wen Yulong's reaction as somewhat dramatic.

"You wouldn't understand," Wen Yulong shook his head, sighed, and explained, "Although it's just a small chip, the extent of the damage is quite severe. It's almost impossible to fully restore it to its original state. If we don't have good materials to fix this, we can only patch it up, and this flaw will always be visible in the future..."

"I see," Chu Liang understood, "It saved my life from a sixth-realm cultivator, which is already quite remarkable. Just try to repair it as best as you can. Restoring it to any functional form will do."

"You have to pay," Wen Yulong lifted his head and said with caution.

He still remembered Chu Liang's haggling last time, so he made it clear in advance.

"Don't worry," Chu Liang said with a smile.

He had saved quite a bit during this period and wasn't really short of money.

Moreover, he had gained a lot through Master Lu and believed that he would continue to make a good profit.

"I've also acquired some extra items this time, and I was hoping you could help me appraise these precious items," Chu Liang said.

"Really?" Wen Yulong's interest was evident as his eyes immediately lit up.

Chu Liang then took out the fragment of a saber and asked, "Could you take a look at the material used in this?"

Wen Yulong took it, felt it, sniffed it, tapped it with his fingers, and then looked up, cautiously saying to Chu Liang, "Ten sword coins."

"... " Chu Liang chuckled.

Why was his junior brother so afraid that he might break their deal? What did he do to make such an impression?

He immediately took out ten sword coins and placed them on the table.

"Very generous of you," Wen Yulong said with a smile as he accepted the payment. Following that, he added, "Having me appraise your precious items is undoubtedly worthwhile."

"This saber fragment is crafted from Black Meteor Essence Iron. Not only is it lightweight and durable, but it can also conceal the foundational qi attached to it, making it ideal for assassination and sneak attacks. Moreover, it possesses the capability to overcome any defense. If you were to sell the material, the material itself might be worth seven or eight hundred sword coins. It's a valuable item," he explained in detail.

"This saber seems somewhat intact. Can you craft a weapon with this?" Chu Liang asked.

"Mm... forging swords and sabers isn't my expertise, huh? But if you have materials of this caliber, I can use them to repair... no, to significantly upgrade..." Wen Yulong said as he took the green leaf and said, "I can add another offensive inscription to this weapon and craft a weapon that excels in both offense and defense without any weaknesses."

As Chu Liang thought about Wen Yulong's craftsmanship skills, he felt hesitant.

However, considering that the green leaf had also saved his life, it would be a pity if it couldn't be repaired. Moreover, given Wen Yulong's claim of a significant upgrade, there might be a pleasant surprise in store.

Since both items were currently unusable, combining two damaged items into one complete tool seemed worth a try.

So, he nodded gently in agreement.

Seeing his nod, Wen Yulong immediately smiled and said, "Two hundred sword coins."

"What?"

"The crafting fee will be two hundred sword coins," Wen Yulong said, "Trust me. It is worth the price."

"Can you give a small discount?" Chu Liang asked.

"The price is fixed. Take it or leave it," Wen Yulong said as he firmly shook his head.

"Junior brother, you've changed..." Chu Liang looked at Wen Yulong intently. "You're no longer the innocent youth with a pure passion for crafting."

There was a subtle flicker in Wen Yulong's eyes.

As if conveying...

Don't you know why I have changed?