Hearing the voice, Wang Guan snapped awake, feeling a dizzy spell. He instantly knew it was overuse of his special ability. He quickly closed his eyes, eased the strain, and began to recover.

"You've been staring blankly for ages, what were you thinking about?" Yu Feibai asked with a smile.

"I was thinking..."

Wang Guan rubbed his temples, regaining some energy, then walked with natural ease over to the box. He tapped the wooden panel and said with a smile, "These are all ancient ink sticks. I wonder if the box holding them is an antique too."

"Hmm, that's certainly possible."

Yu Feibai's eyes lit up, and he stepped forward to examine the box closely.

The box wasn't very large, nor was it small. It stood a little over a chi high and was cubical. However, it was coated in a thick layer of dust and cobwebs, obscuring its original appearance.

"Thump, thump!"

He reached out and tapped the lid. Hearing a rather muffled sound, Yu Feibai nodded. "I can't see the wood grain, but judging by the sound, it's solid and hard—a fine piece of timber."

"Let me take a look."

Gao Dequan also showed some interest. He took a towel and gently wiped away the dust and cobwebs from the box.

It didn't take long. Once the grime was gone, the box revealed its true form. Overall, the craftsmanship was quite simple, lacking excessive ornamentation.

However, thin copper sheets were inlaid at the four corners of the lid and at the location of the lock clasp. These were shaped like bats, symbolizing the auspicious wish of 'Five Blessings Descend Upon the Gate' (Wufu Linmen).

"The workmanship isn't exactly exquisite," Yu Feibai chuckled. "Now, it all depends on the wood. If it’s Zitan or Huanghuali, then we've really hit the jackpot."

"Heh, I wouldn't dare to dream of that," Wang Guan laughed. "Look, there are wormholes right here. If it were a precious timber, how could this happen?"

"Indeed, it's a bit porous," Gao Dequan confirmed, touching the spot Wang Guan indicated. He added with a touch of approval, "You are very meticulous, your observation is sharp. This box is likely made of peach wood. The material is good, which is why it hasn't rotted in over a hundred years. It’s a pity it wasn't stored and maintained well, or these signs of borers wouldn't be so evident."

"Over a hundred years—that means it qualifies as an antique, dating back to the late Qing or Republic era," Yu Feibai mused. "As long as the dust is completely cleaned off and the damaged spots are repaired, some collector should be interested."

"Must we go to all that trouble?" Wang Guan asked with a smile. "I suspect the cost of repair will be close to what we can sell it for."

"Then you can factor the restoration cost into your selling expenses," Yu Feibai suggested.

"You are overestimating the severity of the borers' damage. Peach wood has a fine grain and a natural faint fragrance, which already offers some resistance to insects. So, while these spots are porous, it’s not that bad."

Gao Dequan advised, "A simple repair, perhaps a coat of wax lacquer, should suffice."

"The lid and the four walls seem fine. I only worry that the bottom, having rested for so long, might be decaying internally." Just then, Wang Guan bent down and deliberately tapped one corner of the box bottom. A dong-dong sound immediately echoed out.

This sound had a subtle variation. Yu Feibai didn't notice, but Gao Dequan heard it and immediately showed a hint of surprise.

"Eh!"

Simultaneously, Wang Guan also exclaimed in amazement, "This sounds hollow."

"Hollow?"

Yu Feibai paused, then suddenly realized, crying out in surprise, "Could there be a hidden compartment?"

"Wang Guan, don't touch it, let me see," Gao Dequan said seriously. "You lack experience and don't know how much force to apply. If you act rashly, you might ruin things."

"Uh..."

Wang Guan scratched his head and, seeing the opportunity, moved to the side to observe.

"Thump-thump! Dong-dong!" Gao Dequan was not in a hurry. He first tested various spots on the bottom of the box, comparing the sounds before nodding in confirmation. "It is indeed hollow in one corner."

After studying it for a while, Gao Dequan sighed again. "You see, the exterior bottom of the box is flat. But the interior bottom has a slight incline. However, because the lid is slightly domed, when opened, the lid hooks at the back, creating an overall equilibrium. This is a subtle visual effect that tricks the eye into perceiving the internal bottom as flat."

"If you didn't examine it closely, you'd never notice this angle of inclination," Gao Dequan marveled, revealing the secret. "The front part of this box bottom is an inch thick—perfectly normal. Then it slowly rises toward the middle, reaching about two inches thick, and the very last section is three inches thick."

"Finally, they hollowed out a secret compartment in that three-inch-thick section," Gao Dequan gestured inside the box, growing slightly excited. "Now it all depends on Wang Guan's luck; let's hope this compartment isn't empty."

"My luck shouldn't be that bad," Wang Guan laughed. Finally unable to bear it any longer, he activated his special ability again, allowing it to penetrate the tiny gaps in the box bottom to view the treasures within the secret compartment.

A dazzling, intensely brilliant light—gold mixed with purple—flashed into Wang Guan's eyes, making it almost impossible to look directly at it. Especially the aura contained within the object, which inspired in him an inexplicable craving.

At this moment, Wang Guan felt immensely fortunate that his ability had been upgraded, allowing him to see through the minute cracks into the hidden compartment. Otherwise, he would have nearly missed out on a great treasure.

While Wang Guan was secretly appreciating the treasure and absorbing its aura, Yu Feibai, not wanting to be left out, leaned in to examine the bottom of the box and said curiously, "Uncle De, didn't you say there was a hidden compartment? Why can't I see any seams?"

"It's been cleverly concealed; they applied a layer of wax oil to the bottom. Furthermore, storing the ancient ink sticks has caused a fair amount of dust and debris to settle, creating a natural protective film."

As he spoke, Gao Dequan took a clean towel, dampened it with water, wrung it out, and then carefully wiped the bottom of the box. In a short while, a distinct crack became clearly visible.

"There really is something..." Yu Feibai exclaimed in pleasant surprise. "Get me a blade to pry it open!"

"Crude!"

Gao Dequan shook his head. "What if we damage what’s inside the compartment by prying?" After giving a brief reprimand, Gao Dequan stood up and fetched a rubber suction cup from a drawer. He pressed it down lightly onto the box bottom.

"Uncle De, hurry up!"

Yu Feibai urged excitedly, as if the treasure hidden beneath the bottom belonged to him. Wang Guan, however, already knew what the object was, so he remained very calm. Still, a small smile of joy bloomed at the corner of his mouth.

Pop!

At that moment, Gao Dequan slightly adjusted his breathing and gently lifted the suction cup. A light, thin piece of wood from the box bottom was immediately pulled upward. Within the secret compartment of the box bottom, an object wrapped in yellow silk was immediately exposed to the air.

"There really is something hidden!" Yu Feibai shouted happily and reached out to take the item.

However, Gao Dequan extended his hand to stop him, turning back to say, "Wang Guan, you take it."

"Hehe..."

Yu Feibai then realized his mistake—he had tried to take charge where he wasn't needed. He gave an embarrassed smile and stepped back.

"Good!"

Wang Guan accepted without hesitation, carefully retrieving the object from the compartment. At the same time, he used this opportunity to completely absorb every last drop of the aura contained within the item.

...................

Third chapter update, asking for collection and recommendations. Please give lots of support.