"Crystal?" Since Shuijing (Water Spirit/Essence) sounds the same as Shuijing (Crystal), Wang Guan and Yu Feibai naturally misunderstood.

However, after Elder Qian explained that it referred to the Jing in Jing Qi Shen (Essence, Vitality, Spirit), Wang Guan was still perplexed. "Elder Qian, didn't the ancient Shuijing mean the same thing as modern crystal?"

"That is certainly true."

Elder Qian nodded. "After all, according to modern terminology, whether it's Shuijing, Shuiyu (Water Jade), Shuibi (Water Beryl), or Yuying (Jade Fluorite), they all point to modern crystal."

"Wow, so many alternate names."

Yu Feibai blinked. "I think the name Shuibi sounds quite nice."

"It's not just a few synonyms. There are also names like Linan, Jingyu, Pusashi (Bodhisattva Stone), Mayashi (Horse Tooth Stone), Yanjing Shi (Eyeglass Stone), Fangguang Shi (Light-Emitting Stone), Qiannian Bing (Thousand-Year Ice), Gaoshan Dong (High Mountain Frost), Yunaodong (Fish Brain Jelly), and so on."

Elder Qian continued his lesson.

Wang Guan sighed slightly but was also curious. "But from what you are saying, Elder, the ancient Shuijing seems to have some difference from modern crystal?"

"Broadly speaking, they are the same, but there are indeed some subtle distinctions."

Elder Qian chuckled. "As you know, the ancients' understanding of things was often vague.

Or perhaps, due to insufficient knowledge, they preferred to lump similar items into one broad category.

Most of the time, Shuijing certainly referred to crystal.

But there must have been a very small minority of Shuijing that were not the same as crystal."

"Is that the material for the Five-Color Brush?" Yu Feibai asked curiously. "Are there ancient records regarding this?"

"Of course, there are."

Elder Qian smiled. "The Tang Dynasty poet Wang Jian once wrote a Shuijing quatrain: Reflected water, indistinguishable in hue, Toward the moon, the light passes through. Poured onto a lotus leaf, Sometimes it looks like dew. In my view, this poem is describing this type of substance."

"Is it?" Yu Feibai scratched his head. "To me, it still sounds like a description of crystal."

"Then it’s a matter of opinion—what the benevolent see, and what the wise perceive."

Elder Qian smiled serenely. "You think it describes ordinary crystal, but I believe it is the material for the Five-Color Brush, what the ancients called Shuiyu essence—thus clearer than crystal, yet possessing the texture of jade."

"Shuiyu essence..." Yu Feibai pondered, then nodded and smiled. "That phrase is much better; it sounds much nicer than Shuijing."

"A name is just a label; there's no need to dwell on it."

At this moment, Elder Qian chuckled lightly. "The crucial point is the cultural value this object carries. Its significance is immense. Nearly two thousand years of cultural accumulation directly elevate this brush to a priceless treasure."

"Indeed."

Wang Guan wholeheartedly agreed. Setting aside the intrinsic value of the object, the sheer sentiment held by literati across ages was enough to send the monetary value of the Five-Color Brush skyrocketing—beyond estimation. It was much like the famous Imperial Seal of China. The object itself was, fundamentally, just a seal carved from jade. But through two millennia of transmission, it gradually became mythologized, elevated onto a pedestal, becoming a national artifact in the minds of the people. If someone were to truly put the Imperial Seal up for sale, no one would likely find a transaction price reaching tens of billions too exaggerated; they might even think it was sold too cheaply. That is the true priceless treasure, its value immeasurable by mere money.

"In any case, you’ve gotten off with a massive bargain this time."

Yu Feibai sighed. "If the people of Longhu Mountain knew about this, they would regret it so much their guts would turn green."

"Mutual benefit, mutual benefit," Wang Guan beamed, his face splitting into a smile. "If it weren't for me, the Five-Color Brush would probably still be hidden away in some old art collection, an unappreciated jewel. That I discovered it can be considered a great meritorious deed."

"Stop acting so virtuous," Yu Feibai retorted, pouting. "Just keep your mouth shut and enjoy your wealth quietly. Flaunting it will bring you bad karma."

"I am being extremely low-key. I specifically asked Elder Zhang not to spread the word."

Wang Guan said with a smile, "But hearing those words from your mouth, I detect a hint of sarcasm."

"Scram."

Yu Feibai glared at him good-naturedly. Of course, he recognized Wang Guan was teasing him. Comparatively speaking, Yu Feibai was the more ostentatious one; once he acquired a treasure, he almost wished he could beat gongs and drums to announce it to the world.

"Don't you know what excessive joy leads to sorrow, and what extremes bring about a reversal?" At this moment, Yu Feibai huffed, "You obtained two treasures. Following the iron rule that things rarely happen just three times in a row, the third item must be a disaster."

"Hearing you say that..." Elder Qian sounded somewhat surprised. "Wang Guan, you brought something else?"

"That’s right."

Yu Feibai stated bluntly. "When we were in Hanzhong, he didn’t just acquire the Luminescent Tree Finger; he also bought an ancient Han Dynasty sword, which he claims is the famous sword Chixiao. I don't think so, but he is absolutely certain."

"Chixiao?" Elder Qian was both surprised and delighted. "Really?"

"Hard to say."

Since the secret was out, Wang Guan decided there was no point in hiding his excitement. He pulled the ancient sword out of his luggage bag. Since the sword lacked a scabbard, and due to the heavy rust and the haste of the moment, he hadn't bothered to commission one, simply wrapping the blade in thick cloth.

As Wang Guan began to unwrap the thick cloth, he explained, "I think it’s Chixiao, but the rust stains on the blade are too thick. Feibai thinks it's completely different from the Chixiao he imagined, so he adamantly refuses to acknowledge it."

"Well, that's only natural."

Yu Feibai argued forcefully. "Look, whether it’s the Great Xia Dragon Province Saber, the Dragon Scale Dagger, or the Kumbu Sword, their condition isn't poor; there’s no rust to speak of. A famous sword is famous because its quality is supreme; remaining untarnished for a thousand years is the basic requirement..." Yu Feibai’s words weren't pure sophistry; on the contrary, they held some merit. After all, ancient famous blades and swords were not merely hyped up; they earned their great reputations by passing rigorous tests. In other words, their quality was guaranteed. From this perspective, an ancient sword covered in rust did indeed look vastly different from the legendary Chixiao.

"The thickness of the rust is not the standard for determining authenticity."

However, Elder Qian shook his head. "Don't deify famous swords. Even weapons of the finest quality will suffer severe corrosion if improperly preserved or kept in harsh environments."

"That’s true..." Yu Feibai nodded, but then frowned. "But the rust on this sword is just too severe... Look, as soon as it’s moved, rust flakes off with a huala la sound."

The word huala la was undoubtedly an exaggeration. But as Wang Guan placed the ancient sword on the table, a few reddish-yellow flakes of rust did fall from the blade.

"Let me see first."

At that moment, Elder Qian examined it carefully, getting a clear look at the ancient sword's appearance, and he understood Yu Feibai's feelings. After all, historical records described the Chixiao sword with breathtaking elegance:

"Etched with patterns, adorned with seven-colored beads and Nine-Splendor Jade, its cold light piercing, the edge like frost and snow, radiating brilliance."

"When Liu Bang reigned for twelve years, in the thirty-fourth year of the First Emperor's reign, he obtained a precious sword in the Southern Mountains, inscribed with the name 'Chixiao,' which he used to slay the White Serpent, rising to immortal achievement with a three-foot blade..." Such documents, whether legend or interpretation, could fill the entire room.

Because of this, the public's expectations for this sword, accumulated over centuries, had grown like a snowball. Now, seeing this unremarkable ancient sword that might be Chixiao naturally led to a sense of shattered fantasy. Under these circumstances, Yu Feibai choosing to avoid reality and deny the sword was Chixiao was quite understandable. As for Elder Qian, having weathered many storms, his psychological fortitude was strong. Seeing this ancient sword, he felt little disappointment; instead, he adopted the stance of an objective observer, focusing intently on his examination.

At first glance, Elder Qian nodded. "The sword's form is plausible. Although Chixiao is designated a Han sword, it should technically be classified under the Qin sword style. Since Liu Bang obtained Chixiao before establishing the Han Dynasty, strictly speaking, Chixiao should be a Qin sword. The Han swords we speak of are actually improvements based on Qin swords, only fully taking shape during Emperor Wu of Han’s reign."

"If this sword were of the Han sword typology, then I wouldn't need to bother; it could be definitively ruled out as Chixiao. As it stands now, further research is required."

As he spoke, Elder Qian gently picked up the ancient sword, presumably intending to examine the inscription on the blade. However, as he looked from side to side, he found the inscription completely obscured by thick patches of rust, rendering it invisible.

"Elder Qian, you noticed that too, right?"

Yu Feibai quickly pointed out. "Isn't the rust incredibly thick?"

"Didn't I already say the thickness of the rust isn't the issue?"

Elder Qian replied casually, slightly testing the weight of the ancient sword in his hand. Then, he took out a high-powered magnifying glass and examined the rust patches on the blade inch by inch.

"Strange..." After observing for a moment, Elder Qian frowned slightly, seemingly encountering a difficulty.

"What's strange?" Yu Feibai eagerly pressed. "Elder Qian, did you find any clues?"

"Hmm..." Elder Qian appeared contemplative, not rushing to answer, but meticulously studying the rust spots. He didn't just look; he also extended a finger to pinch off a bit of rust debris and rub it between his fingers.

"Elder Qian..." After a while, Yu Feibai couldn't stand it any longer and urged him again. "What did you find? Give us an answer. Keeping us in suspense like this is quite unethical."

"Don't rush, Elder Qian is still studying it. Just wait a bit longer..." Although Wang Guan was calmer, he couldn't help feeling a flicker of anticipation. After all, if Elder Qian found something that could confirm this was the true Chixiao sword, it would save Wang Guan a lot of effort.

Persuaded by Wang Guan, Yu Feibai forced himself to remain patient. Time ticked by, and just as Yu Feibai's patience was about to wear thin, Elder Qian finally spoke, looking up. "Wang Guan, go pour a cup of hot boiled water."

"...Oh."

Wang Guan startled for a moment, then immediately reacted and quickly fetched a steaming cup of hot water. After setting the cup on a nearby table, he asked with a mix of excitement and confusion, "Elder Qian, what are you planning to do?"

"Are you planning to wash the sword with hot water?" Yu Feibai guessed as well.

"Something like that," Elder Qian smiled. But he wasn't washing the sword; instead, he gently scraped some rust flakes from the blade and sprinkled them into the cup. The rust flakes, hitting the high-temperature hot water, instantly dissolved...