Holding this stone in his hand, Zhang Yang could sense the refreshing spiritual energy emanating from the grooves on its surface—energy naturally given off by the moss within.

Just by holding it, Zhang Yang could perceive the spiritual aura the moss emitted. The stall owner, being an ordinary person, naturally couldn't grasp the stone's true value. Any master of Inner Strength who held it, however, would instantly detect its strangeness.

Although the moss was nestled deep within the stone's crevices, and Zhang Yang couldn't immediately ascertain the treasure's identity, anything that drew Wu Ying's attention certainly couldn't be ordinary.

Seeing Zhang Yang take the stone, Wu Ying, nestled in the canvas bag, immediately cried out, its two small eyes locked onto the rock, filled with an intense longing for the moss hidden inside.

"Boss, where did you source this stone?"

Zhang Yang pondered for a moment before asking.

"Esteemed customer, this is no mere stone. It's a piece of jade I discovered at a jewelry shop near the foot of the Kunlun Mountains when I went to Xinjiang for supplies a few days ago. Look at its shape—doesn't it closely resemble an eagle's claw? Do not mistake it for a product of artificial carving; this is a pure, natural form, completely unworked. I was captivated by it immediately, recognizing it as jade, and paid a hefty sum for it!"

Seeing Zhang Yang’s interest, the vendor hastened over with a grin, eager to introduce his wares.

To secure a good price, he would never admit he’d merely picked this up as a common rock near the Kunlun Mountains; he had to spin a convincing tale. After all, the stone was entirely dark cyan and uniquely shaped, bearing no resemblance to ordinary mountain stones, allowing him free rein in his fabrication.

It was this cunning vendor’s conviction that Zhang Yang had taken a liking to the stone that emboldened him to weave such a story. With such a presentation, he figured the stone could fetch a respectable price of several thousand yuan.

"Boss, what do you say? If you fancy this piece of jade, I'll part with it reluctantly!"

The vendor deliberately feigned a look of heartache before magnanimously addressing Zhang Yang: "I won't overcharge you. I spent nearly five thousand yuan acquiring it. I'll let it go for five thousand now; consider the difference my travel expenses!"

"Five thousand yuan? That’s so expensive! This just looks like an ordinary stone to me. While the shape is certainly nice, it doesn't look like jade at all!"

Hearing the vendor’s asking price, Mi Xue was startled. Though she knew little about jade, the object in Zhang Yang’s hand certainly didn't strike her as valuable.

"My beautiful young lady, you mustn't say that. If it weren't a good item, would I have spent over four thousand to purchase it?"

Hearing Mi Xue, the vendor faltered momentarily but quickly regained his composure, his smile broadening even further.

Mi Xue's words confirmed she was no expert on jade. Looking at the young man, he didn't appear to be a connoisseur either. Such out-of-town tourists were simply plump sheep delivered right to his doorstep! The vendor was ecstatic inside. If he sold this stone, it would cover all his earnings from the past month and more.

"Five thousand yuan?"

Zhang Yang frowned. He had picked up the stone from the corner of the stall's table—it had been sitting there simply to hold down the tablecloth, not as a precious item, contrary to what the vendor claimed. If it were truly that valuable, he wouldn't have placed it in such an inconspicuous spot.

This vendor clearly took him for an ignorant traveler, hoping to fleece him soundly.

"Esteemed customer, the fact that you immediately recognized this jade suggests you have discerning eyes. Surely its value is worth five thousand yuan, isn't it?"

Seeing Zhang Yang frown, the vendor’s heart jumped. He wondered if he had set the price too high, as he himself wasn't entirely certain what the stone could actually sell for. He immediately pivoted: "However, seeing you are a straightforward man, how about this? I’ll drop the price further. Consider it compensation for my wasted trip—this jade, I’ll sell it to you for my original purchase price of four thousand seven hundred. Not a cent more!"

This brought the price down by three hundred yuan.

The surrounding crowd noticed the exchange and gathered closer, murmuring as they pointed at the stone in Zhang Yang's hand.

Nearby stall owners edged closer too, observing how intently Zhang Yang examined the rock; they knew the vendor had snagged a fat one. Their gazes toward the vendor were filled with envy.

With a slight chuckle, Zhang Yang remained silent. He had long recognized it as a common stone, likely just something the vendor had casually picked up in Kunlun. Now, at a discounted rate of three hundred yuan, he was still effectively paying four thousand seven hundred for a simple rock.

Zhang Yang lowered his head, continuing to scrutinize the stone, keen to examine the moss within the grooves to fully determine what treasure it was before making his final decision.

The Kunlun Mountains were rumored to soon yield a Ten-Thousand-Year Peach, and this stone hailed from that very region. Zhang Yang surmised the moss inside must be connected to the impending birth of the Ten-Thousand-Year Peach.

As an ancient, wondrous natural treasure prepared to emerge, could it be…? Zhang Yang’s eyes widened suddenly, a realization dawning in his mind—he finally knew what the moss in the stone was.

Jade Spot Spirit Fungus!

In the Spring and Autumn Warring States period, the famous story of "Returning the Jade Intact to Zhao" featured blemishes on the Hetian Jade; those blemishes were, in fact, Jade Spot Spirit Fungus, from which it derived its name.

Jade Spot Spirit Fungus is an exceptionally rare Heavenly Treasure, often found growing only on ancient, spiritual jade gems. It is brimming with spiritual energy and serves as a superlative auxiliary ingredient for concocting many world-altering elixirs. Elixirs supplemented with Jade Spot Spirit Fungus often see their efficacy enhanced by thirty to forty percent.

Initially, Zhang Yang failed to identify it because he hadn't expected such a thing to appear on a common stone. But recalling the imminent Ten-Thousand-Year Peach emerging from Kunlun, Zhang Yang immediately recognized it.

This stone must be linked to that forthcoming Ten-Thousand-Year Peach, which is why the Jade Spot Spirit Fungus had materialized within its grooves.

Once he understood the nature of the treasure, Zhang Yang felt reassured. He certainly would not allow such a treasure to remain here. However, this did not mean he was willing to be severely exploited by the deceitful vendor.

"Zhang Yang, is this stone really worth that much? What exactly is this treasure?" Mi Xue, seeing how Zhang Yang couldn't bear to put the stone down, approached him, her curiosity piqued.

Zhang Yang shook his head slightly, placed the stone down, and told Mi Xue, "This isn't some treasure; it's just an oddly shaped, ordinary stone. It's not worth much."

"What!"

Hearing Zhang Yang's words, the vendor, who had been joyfully anticipating a massive windfall, froze instantly. He hadn't anticipated that Zhang Yang would actually be someone who knew its worth.