"Indeed, whether this inscription names Li Tinggui, or perhaps bears the seal of the Later Lord Li."

"Or perhaps this inscription reveals the true provenance of the inkstone, which is why it was deliberately obscured."

As soon as one person raised a doubt, others immediately chimed in, especially with conjectures that were clearly bordering on conspiracy theories.

"Elder Zhou, what is your view?"

Of course, some people argued back. After a round of debate, as they still reached no conclusion, they naturally fell silent and turned to Elder Zhou for guidance.

"You all have fallen into a cognitive trap," Elder Zhou sighed, shaking his head. "In fact, this blurred red-copy inscription precisely proves that this inkstone is neither a fake nor a reproduction, but a genuine Li ink."

"Why?"

The crowd was greatly surprised and perplexed. However, some vaguely sensed they were beginning to understand, yet couldn't quite grasp the thread of logic yet.

Elder Zhou smiled faintly, not rushing to explain. Instead, he opened his mouth and said, "Before I reveal the answer, I would first like to ask, who brought this piece of Li ink to the gathering?"

"It should be... Old Gao's."

This was the last piece in the collection, and by glancing at each other and observing everyone's expressions, they could deduce who had brought this item.

"Little Gao's item?" Elder Zhou looked back at Elder Qian, somewhat surprised.

"Don't look at me," Elder Qian shook his head slightly, also somewhat bewildered. "He didn't mention this to me; I have no idea when he acquired this thing."

"Brother Gao, congratulations."

"Ah De, that's unfair. To quietly acquire such an item without making a sound or giving a hint."

Instantly, Gao Dequan was surrounded by people.

Seeing their genuine congratulations mixed with teasing complaints, Gao Dequan gave a wry smile and spread his hands, "Don't misunderstand. The item isn't mine. I was merely entrusted by someone to bring it here so Elder Zhou and the others could help authenticate it."

"What?"

"Is that for real?"

Some expressed doubt, but others believed Gao Dequan and continued to press him, "Then tell us, whose item is it?"

"His."

Originally, Gao Dequan did not wish to say more, but being badgered became too tiresome, so he turned and pointed directly.

At that moment, in a corner of the crowd, Wang Guan also felt a surge of happiness. After all, based on Elder Zhou's initial assessment, it was basically confirmed that the inkstone was genuine Li ink.

However, just then, Wang Guan suddenly noticed that the room seemed to have fallen quiet. He looked up in surprise, only to find over thirty pairs of eyes fixed upon him with uncanny uniformity.

"What's going on?"

Wang Guan was startled, utterly confused about the situation.

"Brother Gao, you’re not trying to trick us, are you?" At the same time, some people voiced their suspicion, reasoning that by all appearances, Wang Guan didn't look like someone who could afford a Li inkstone.

"What benefit would I gain from lying to you?"

Gao Dequan frowned slightly, then suddenly waved toward the corner, "Wang Guan, come up here. Elder Zhou needs to speak with you."

"Uh..." Wang Guan paused, then quickly walked onto the display platform.

At this moment, he once again became the focal point, the object of mass attention.

"It's him again..."

"What is this kid's background?"

"How did he, being so young, manage to procure a Li inkstone?"

"He looks unfamiliar, and I've never heard his name. He isn't among the known 'Second Generation' figures in the domestic circle."

In that instant, many minds raced. If Wang Guan revealing the wondrous symbols on the Jade Buddha had previously introduced him to the crowd, now he had left an indelible impression.

At the very least, from this day forward, everyone knew there was a young man who possessed a genuine Li inkstone.

Setting aside the complex thoughts swirling in their minds, when Elder Zhou saw Wang Guan approach, there was a trace of surprise in his eyes. It seemed he hadn't expected the owner of the Li inkstone to be such a young man as Wang Guan.

Never mind Elder Zhou; even Elder Qian was momentarily stunned. He quickly looked toward Gao Dequan, and seeing him nod slightly, all his doubt vanished. The item truly belonged to Wang Guan.

"Today's young people are increasingly remarkable," Elder Qian mused inwardly, then asked gently, "Wang Guan, did you acquire this item?"

"Yes, I did," Wang Guan nodded. After a brief thought, he felt there was no need to conceal anything. Even if he didn't disclose it, Gao Dequan would surely report the specifics to Elder Qian later.

Wang Guan then recounted the truth: "A few days ago, I acquired a crate of Qing Dynasty ancient ink from an elderly gentleman in the countryside. After bringing it back, I discovered the box had a hidden compartment. Inside this secret space, I found this inkstone. Uncle De initially authenticated it as Li ink but wasn't completely certain. So, I brought it to the gathering to seek the guidance of the three masters."

"A hidden compartment in the box... That's almost too lucky."

"It seems all the good things are out in the countryside."

At this point, many people shared the same sentiment as Yu Feibai.

Simultaneously, Yu Feibai whispered quietly to Gao Dequan, "Uncle De, have you noticed? That kid Wang Guan's luck seems inexhaustible. Later, I must ask him to help me pick a lottery number; maybe I can win the grand prize."

"Don't talk nonsense. Didn't I tell you before? No matter how good your luck is, it's useless without capability," Gao Dequan admonished, though his own heart felt a slight stir of temptation.

Of course, Elder Zhou and the others had weathered far greater storms and were not overly concerned with Wang Guan's luck; they were merely slightly envious, then settled down. Besides, there were quite a few people with good luck these days; Wang Guan wasn't the only one. Furthermore, the fortunes of some others were even more bizarre and heaven-defying... (For specific details, one might reference the protagonist model of Qidian novels).

Thus, Elder Zhou collected himself and then smiled, "The young man's good fortune is certainly enviable. Actually, what I wanted to ask is, after obtaining this Li inkstone, did you conduct any experiments on it?"

"Experiments?"

Wang Guan looked surprised and quickly shook his head. "I did think about it, but after Uncle De told me it was Li ink, I felt the item was too precious to risk any damage whatsoever."

"Mmm."

Elder Zhou nodded in satisfaction and said with a smile, "You haven't owned this Li ink for long, so you naturally held that thought. But the previous owner of this Li ink, or perhaps the owner before that, they certainly didn't possess it for a short time. After collecting it for so long, yet still being unable to determine its authenticity with 100% certainty, what do you think they would do?"

Wang Guan considered for a moment, then realized with a flash of understanding, "If even the three masters aren't completely sure this Li ink is genuine, I might actually try to verify it myself."

"Exactly so," Elder Zhou stated happily. "And how would you verify it?"

At this, Wang Guan seemed to grasp the point and chuckled lightly, "I heard that the ink made by Li Tinggui has a rich texture and a lacquer-like luster. It is also hard as stone—so hard it can shave wood, and if dropped into a trench, it remains undamaged for months..."

................. Thanks to the reader Sui Tan~ for the reward. Hoping to remain on the New Book Chart tomorrow, please give lots of support, asking for collection and recommendations. C