The flow of words brought immediate enlightenment to the crowd, stirring continuous gasps of admiration. Those who had initially shown dismay upon hearing Elder Qian bring a set of the Twelve Monthly Flower God Cups suddenly bloomed with color, relentlessly praising Elder Qian’s noble character and consideration for others.

After all, it was truly disheartening when one had painstakingly hunted for a treasure, even triumphing over rivals to win the appraisal competition, only to find that their prize paled in comparison to what the judge had brought.

How could Elder Qian’s gesture of catering to everyone’s feelings not inspire gratitude? Respect for him deepened simultaneously. True eminence is not proclaimed; it is demonstrated. Seeing it firsthand convinced everyone, heart and soul.

Amidst the chorus of praise, Elder Qian smiled slightly and suddenly posed a question: “Did you all examine them closely? Are all twelve cups counterfeits?”

“Yes…”

Most answered out of habit, many still marveling at how exquisitely crafted the replicas were—so realistic they could fool even the most novice experts.

However, one or two people sensed something amiss.

Just then, Elder Qian slowly rose, his expression growing solemn. He shook his head and sighed, “To be honest, you have all disappointed me greatly.”

As he spoke, Elder Qian approached the small display stand, gently reaching out to lift the central June Lotus Flower God Cup, setting it aside. Then he asked, “Now look again. Do you still feel the same way?”

In an instant, many faces changed.

At a single glance, Wang Guan felt an intense certainty: “That June Flower God Cup is genuine.”

Under the light, the cup, white as jade, depicted a pond of lotus blossoms—cobalt blue for the water, polychrome for the flowers and leaves—a perfectly harmonious composition that exuded an indescribable, ultimate elegance.

Several seasoned collectors, with only a brief comparison, could easily distinguish this Lotus Flower God Cup from the other eleven.

After a pause, someone finally managed a wry laugh: “Elder Qian, you set a trap for us all along.”

“So what if I set a trap for you?”

At this point, Elder Elder Zhang, who had remained silent, reprimanded them with a strong, vigorous voice: “You call yourselves experienced collectors, yet you’ve never encountered small ruses and trifling games like this? Fakes mingled with the genuine, and the genuine laced with the fake—this sort of trickery should be utterly stale by now. Why did you still fall for it?”

“You must have assumed Old Qian was too honorable to deceive you, and with time running short, you didn't look closely enough.” Elder Zhang, with his hot temper, showed no mercy, his voice booming as if roaring: “These are excuses! If every one of you thinks this way, I might as well team up with Old Qian and bankrupt you all. Otherwise, you are bound to meet such an end sooner or later.”

For a time, the dozens of people present, regardless of age, lowered their heads to listen obediently. They couldn't help it; he was a seasoned veteran of the field, and more importantly, what he said held irrefutable truth.

Many, including Wang Guan, asked themselves if they had truly observed the Flower God Cups with diligence. Or had they merely glimpsed a few fakes and then subconsciously generalized the entire set?

After a moment, seeing everyone deep in thought, clearly absorbing his words, Elder Qian stepped forward to smooth things over, smiling gently: “Don’t blame us for setting the trap; it was mainly meant to serve as a warning. Especially since quite a few young people here are likely new to collecting and lack experience. We hope that after today, you will keep this lesson firmly in mind when appraising artifacts. If even we old codgers are willing to sacrifice face to trick you, what about others?”

“Clap, clap…”

After a brief silence, applause broke out, expressing sincere gratitude.

Elder Qian smiled, raised a hand lightly, and when the enthusiastic clapping subsided slightly, he announced: “That was merely casting out a brick to attract jade; please forgive our poor show. Now, we will begin appraising the treasures you have brought. The first item is… a Boxwood Carving of the Eighteen Arhats.”

As Elder Qian spoke, someone entered and carefully collected the set of Twelve Monthly Flower God Cups. Then, a piece of classical music began to play again, and a magnificent wood carving was slowly elevated.

“Oh, what a fine piece.”

“It’s quite large, seems to be seventeen or eighteen centimeters—very rare…”

“The carving is exquisite; the expressions and drapery of the Eighteen Arhats are vividly lifelike. It must be the work of a master.”

Since the wooden sculpture, unlike the set of Flower God Cups, was less fragile and less likely to shatter, it was handled with slightly less extreme caution. Wood, after all, is comparatively durable. Thus, many people crowded around, occasionally reaching out to touch and closely examine it.

Wang Guan and Yu Feibai naturally kept pace, observing from the side and listening to others’ assessments.

“A pity. Judging by the color and patina, they are shallow and sparse, showing it hasn’t been aged for very long,” one person remarked. “And the scent is faint, elegant rather than garish, but still noticeable. From this, we can deduce it is a new piece; the carving was likely completed no more than three months ago.”

“Yes, it’s new,” someone nearby agreed. “But Boxwood grows slowly, and large blanks are hard to find; it usually takes hundreds of years for a tree to mature. Even then, the tallest reaches only seven or eight meters, earning it the name ‘Thousand-Year Dwarf.’ So, an ornament of this size, over ten centimeters, is still considered a relatively rare large piece. Calling it a treasure is not an exaggeration.”

While others discussed, Wang Guan was more curious about whether this precious wood contained any Bao Qi (Treasure Aura). With this thought, Wang Guan quietly activated his special ability.

Wang Guan focused his gaze, and the entire surface of the Boxwood carving was clearly imprinted in his vision.

He could even feel his sight penetrating the dense grain of the boxwood, seeping inward by several millimeters, allowing him to see the interior of the sculpture. Boxwood is known for its extremely fine texture; the pores are invisible to the naked eye, and its density is even greater than ordinary ceramics. To be able to penetrate several millimeters now was evidence of the progress in Wang Guan’s special ability.

However, upon detailed scrutiny, Wang Guan discovered that this boxwood carving did indeed harbor Bao Qi. Yet, the aura was extremely thin, not even comparable to antiques from the Republic of China era.

“As expected, the age is too shallow; it’s remarkable that it possesses any Bao Qi at all,” Wang Guan thought to himself, withdrawing his special ability. His interest waned, and he slowly stepped back.

Meanwhile, the reactions of others were similar. After close inspection and verifying the authenticity, they dispersed. After all, the piece was too new; despite its high collectible value, it lacked the unique spiritual charm of true antiques. Under normal circumstances, many might have enjoyed examining it closely, but this was the treasure appraisal round, and there was no need to waste time.

“Alright, let’s move on to the second treasure…”

................. Third update, still seeking collections and recommendation votes, please support widely. C