Wang Guan felt the burly man’s collection paled in comparison to his own, and this wasn't simple narcissism. Everyone must remember that although Wang Guan only possessed two cold weapons, both were legendary artifacts recorded in historical annals.

There was the Dragon Scale dagger, ordered by Cao Cao to be forged under the supervision of his son Cao Pi during the Three Kingdoms period, and the Great Xia Dragon Sparrow, meticulously cast by artisans for Helian Bobo in the Northern and Southern Dynasties. Just presenting one of these weapons would be enough to drive cold weapon enthusiasts into a frenzy. Thus, quantity often means nothing; quality is the key.

However, it was clear that while the quality of the weapons in this vault was decent, there was nothing that truly caught Wang Guan's eye. Of course, this was understandable; not everyone could be blessed with such extraordinary luck...

Just as Wang Guan was thinking this, a flash of purple-gold treasure light suddenly shimmered, dazzling and brilliant like midday sun, instantly extinguishing the sliver of smugness in his heart.

“What treasure is that?”

In an instant, Wang Guan was filled with both surprise and joy, rushing to look over. But the situation was also somewhat contrary to his expectations. He had anticipated seeing a rare, divine weapon emerge, yet what he saw was merely an ornament.

At the same time, Cai Peng quickly leaned closer and asked, “Big Brother, how are these things?”

“Not very good,” Wang Guan replied offhandedly, coming back to his senses and shaking his head slightly. “They’re only marginally better than the fruit knives sold in department stores, probably not even as good as kitchen knives.”

“That bad?” Cai Peng’s face immediately fell into an expression of disappointment, laced with anxiety. “Then what should we do?”

“It’s not entirely without options.” Just then, inspiration struck Wang Guan, and he smiled. “Go ask Mr. Xin if he would be willing to lend you a weapon.”

“Lend?” Everyone present was naturally astonished and surprised.

“Exactly, lend,” Wang Guan said with a smile. “You and Young Master Hu agreed to a duel; there’s no rule stating that your weapon must be your own, or that you can’t rent someone else’s property.”

“Right, why didn’t I think of that?” Cai Peng’s eyes lit up, overjoyed. “If I can’t buy one, I can borrow one!”

With this turn of events, the matter became much easier to handle. Cai Peng immediately turned back, brandishing his checkbook again: “One hundred thousand Hong Kong dollars, to rent your weapon for one day. Deal or no deal?”

It seemed Cai Peng wasn't foolish, understanding the difference between renting and buying. Yet the burly man was even sharper, immediately holding up two fingers, doubling the price: “Two hundred thousand.”

“Done!”

Cai Peng didn't even haggle, immediately writing the figure on the check, tearing off a page, and shoving it into the burly man’s hand. He then resumed his arrogant demeanor: “Here’s your money. Bring the item to… after noon tomorrow.”

After stating an address, Cai Peng emphasized, “Remember to bring the best weapon you have. Don’t try to fool me, or your end will be very, very miserable.”

“Got it.” The burly man pocketed the check, entirely unconcerned by Cai Peng’s threat.

Indeed, such threats were common tropes in Hong Kong cinema, appearing in almost every gangster movie. Everyone was tired of them; who would genuinely be afraid? Cai Peng felt helpless about this—why did no one ever believe him when he spoke the truth? He really was capable of carrying out such threats...

Setting aside Cai Peng’s inner lament, the burly man, having accepted the check, made no pretense of courtesy in ushering them out.

“Wait a moment.”

At this juncture, Wang Guan didn’t want to leave so quickly. He casually pointed toward an ornament in a corner nearby and asked, “Mr. Xin, forgive my presumption, but why do you keep this thing in your armory?”

Hearing this, everyone turned to look. The ornament Wang Guan indicated turned out to be a statue, housed in a small niche case, about forty to fifty centimeters tall, clad in a long robe with a flowing beard...

If described solely in this manner, contrasting it with the burly man’s physique, many people would instinctively assume the statue was the famous Guan Erge (God of War, Guan Yu). Unfortunately, it was not; the statue bore no resemblance to Guan Yu, which is why everyone found it peculiar.

“Something a friend gave me. What’s so strange about that?” The burly man looked puzzled. This was a world of freedom of belief; there was no rule stating he must worship Guan Yu. Couldn’t he believe in another deity?

“It’s not strange.”

Wang Guan cut straight to the chase. “I just want to ask if you’d be willing to part with this statue of Lü Zu?”

Indeed, the statue was no ordinary object; it was the famous Lü Zu, Lü Chunyang, also known as Lü Dongbin.

As the foremost of the Eight Immortals, Lü Dongbin was also one of the Five Northern Patriarchs of the Quanzhen School of Taoism in authentic history, the founder of the school, and a representative figure of the integrated thought of Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism through internal alchemy (Neidan), associated with Zhongli Quan and Lü Dongbin.

Of course, what everyone knew best were anecdotes like “The dog bit Lü Dongbin,” or “Three tricks on White Peony.”

In fact, it wasn't just on the mainland; in Hong Kong, a significant number of people venerate Lü Zu. For instance, the Yun Quan Ancient Temple in the New Territories primarily enshrines Lü Zu and is a famous, bustling temple and scenic spot in Hong Kong.

Considering this, Old Meng and the others felt somewhat relieved, assuming the burly man was also a follower of Lü Zu, and were instead curious why Wang Guan had taken a liking to this particular item.

“You want it?” The burly man was momentarily stunned.

“Yes, I live in the Porcelain Capital, not far from Longhu Mountain…” Wang Guan began telling a deliberate falsehood. “The Taoist atmosphere in our region is quite thick. Through association, I’ve come to respect the Taoist immortals. Your carving of Lü Zu is excellent, especially the spirited depiction of the eyes and eyebrows…”

After offering a few simple critiques, Wang Guan smoothly changed the subject. “Of course, some of what I say might offend you, Mr. Xin, but I feel compelled to speak. This statue seems to have been sitting here for quite some time, yet its surface is covered in a good deal of dust, and there isn't even half a stick of incense residue in the offering burner. It’s clear Lü Zu hasn't received incense offerings in a long while.”

“Sigh…”

Wang Guan sighed lightly, his expression conveying a sense of 'a bright pearl cast into darkness,' lamenting the situation. Then he looked up again. “Mr. Xin, would you permit me to invite Lü Zu to come back with me?”

“Uh…”

Under Wang Guan’s intense gaze, the burly man became slightly awkward. In a place like Hong Kong, where traditional customs are strong, people might outwardly profess disbelief in deities, but they still held certain reservations deep down.

Now that Wang Guan had silently accused him of disrespecting Lü Zu, the burly man felt a bit uneasy and stammered an explanation: “This belongs to a friend of mine…”

“Didn’t you say he gave it to you? Then it’s yours,” Wang Guan pressed decisively. “Just one sentence: I wish to invite Lü Zu back. Do you agree or not?”

It was quite effective to invoke the name of a revered deity. Not only the burly man but even Old Meng and the others harbored no doubts. Naturally, Pi Qiushui sensed something amiss, but he certainly wouldn't expose it.

As expected, under Wang Guan’s persistent pressure, the burly man didn’t deliberate long, not even asking about the price, and simply nodded slightly. “If you like it, then take it away.”

Seeing this, Wang Guan nodded with satisfaction. He then fumbled in his pocket, pulling out all the Hong Kong dollar cash he had—likely several tens of thousands. Without counting precisely, he thrust it into the burly man’s hand, then called for everyone to help lift the statue of Lü Zu and place it into the car before he truly felt at ease.

“Remember, before noon tomorrow…”

At this point, Cai Peng reiterated his instructions to the burly man one last time before he and Wang Guan’s group drove away.

On the ride back, Wang Guan and Pi Qiushui were riding in Sha Qingfeng’s car, whispering conspiratorially. Mostly, Pi Qiushui was smiling as he asked, “Brother, when did you convert to Taoism?”

“Just now,” Wang Guan chuckled. “I suddenly realized I have a strong affinity with the Taoists, so I might as well believe.”

“It’s not just the Taoists you have an affinity with, is it?” Pi Qiushui chuckled. “You have a strong connection with Buddhism too, especially that Xuande Incense Burner—that’s a supreme Buddhist treasure.”

“Monks are no good; they can’t marry wives, so I don’t believe in them,” Wang Guan replied in a rather pragmatic manner. “If I must believe, I should believe in Tibetan Buddhism. After all, some sects of Tibetan Buddhism don't seem to forbid meat or carnal desires…”

“Right, for instance, those who like the Buddha…” Pi Qiushui gave an ambiguous smile, then reacted, finding it both funny and exasperating. “Brother, you’re deliberately trying to mislead me... Let’s get back to the point. Tell me honestly, what’s the trick with that statue?”

“I don't know. I just felt the statue was quite nice. Since Mr. Xin treated it like junk and left it there, I figured I might as well buy it and take it back to study,” Wang Guan replied with a slight smile, not wanting to appear too mystical.

“Mmm, you must study it thoroughly when we get back,” Pi Qiushui said enthusiastically, placing great faith in Wang Guan’s intuition.

“Excuse me, you two…”

Just then, Sha Qingfeng turned around and smiled. “What are you two chatting about? Don’t mind if I listen in?”

“Nothing much, just…”

Wang Guan started to explain when his mobile phone suddenly rang. Before answering, he already guessed it must be an incoming call from Bei Ye or Qiao Yu. When he pulled out his phone, he saw, as expected, it was Bei Ye calling.

However, when Wang Guan answered, he heard Qiao Yu’s voice instead: “We’re at the beauty salon right now, undergoing the most advanced… what was it called again? Ah, sleep beauty therapy… Anyway, you go have fun by yourself tonight, and come find us tomorrow... That’s it, bye!”

After delivering this monologue, the other party hung up without waiting for Wang Guan’s response, leaving him with a wry smile. He then casually asked Sha Qingfeng what sleep beauty therapy was.

“Never heard of it?” Sha Qingfeng looked completely bewildered and gave a strained smile. “I never pay attention to that kind of stuff, nor do I need to…”

“It’s just about burning some incense, putting on face masks, and then lying down to sleep in milk,” Pi Qiushui said, sounding experienced. Noticing the strange looks from the other two, he quickly explained, “Your sister-in-law forced me to try it once. She said it could help with weight loss, but I felt full just from drinking the milk.”

“Hahaha…”

Wang Guan and Sha Qingfeng couldn’t help but laugh. As they chatted and joked, they slowly made their way back to the hotel.