Tired, I'll rest a bit. Two updates today, please bear with me and ask for monthly votes. Your support gives me motivation.

The two elders seemed to be arguing, but in reality, they were each stating their own viewpoints and then confirming them against the other's.

The saying goes that truth becomes clearer the more it is debated; only in the collision of ideas can sparks of wisdom be struck. After listening for a moment, Director Jiang couldn't help but interject: "Besides, the object is just a legend; whether it even exists is still an unknown."

"That is true..." Elder Zhou mused, "But legends aren't necessarily false; it could still be real. After all, Wang Guan has collected quite a few things mentioned in legends."

As he spoke, Elder Zhou, showing genuine interest, asked, "Wang Guan, you brought the item back, so what is your take on it?"

"I don't even know what you are talking about, so how can I have an opinion?" Wang Guan wore an expression of innocence, looking utterly bewildered. "I don't even know the specific background of the item yet, so I wouldn't know what to say even if I wanted to."

"Playing dumb."

Elder Zhou narrowed his eyes, unwilling to believe him, and instead inquired, "Tell us, where did you obtain the item? You went to England, didn't you? If it was discovered there, it would align somewhat with the legend."

"That's right, I obtained it in England, in a noble's treasure vault..." Wang Guan began to narrate, clarifying the item's origin, emphasizing the thousand-year history of the Hill family and the legends passed down through generations.

"...The glory of the Lord endures forever!"

At this moment, a look of pleasant surprise shone in Elder Zhou's eyes. "It doesn't sound like a prophecy, but rather a cryptic message. The ruins of the anchorites, a thousand years of family legacy—this seems rather credible."

"I can't claim a hundred percent certainty, but the item is definitely linked by countless threads to the legendary Holy Grail. Perhaps it's the cup Jesus used at the Last Supper, or the vessel that received his blood."

At this point, Elder Zhou finally voiced his thoughts clearly, believing the item might very well be a holy relic of the Western Church—the Holy Grail.

Hearing this, everyone fell silent, hesitant to pick up the conversation. The issue was that the records concerning the Holy Grail were too numerous: some said it was the Communion Cup, some a stone, some a plate, and others an allegory. Such legends had persisted for two millennia without any definitive or unified consensus.

However, the most traditional view held that when Jesus was crucified, someone used a cup to collect his blood, and that cup was naturally the Holy Grail. Thus, during communion in Western churches, it is customary to drink wine from the chalice, symbolizing the drinking of the Lord's sacred blood...

Furthermore, amidst the myriad legends, there were descriptions of the Grail's whereabouts. It was rumored that after Jesus died, the Church suffered severe persecution from the Romans, and a man named Joseph took the Holy Grail to England. Since then, the Grail's location became a mystery.

Later accounts in the various legends across European countries frequently mentioned the reappearance of the Holy Grail. The problem was that most of these accounts were fictional narratives, insufficient to be accepted as truth; to this day, no one has seen the true Holy Grail.

"In a side chapel at the Valencia Cathedral in Spain, there is a cup rumored to be the Holy Grail."

At the same time, Director Jiang suddenly remarked, "However, the Church has never officially recognized it as a holy relic, and its provenance remains somewhat doubtful, leaving uncertainty as to whether it is the true Holy Grail. I have seen that cup; it is cast in gold, set on a pure gold base inlaid with twenty-eight pearls, two rubies, and two emeralds."

"Some experts have analyzed it and determined that the cup's maker was likely a Byzantine goldsmith, crafted around the first century AD, precisely the era when Jesus lived."

Having said this, Director Jiang hesitated. "Generally speaking, the Holy Grail should be made of gold, or at the very least, silver. But this cup appears to be made of stone, which differs somewhat from the legend."

"That's normal. Since it's a legend, there are bound to be some discrepancies," Elder Zhou dismissed the concern. "When the true appearance of the Holy Grail is uncertain, anything is possible. The main thing is to produce convincing evidence."

"Exactly, conclusive evidence is key," Elder Qian agreed. "Without evidence, anything we say is wasted effort."

"Does the inscription count as evidence?" Wang Guan asked, offering a reminder.

"The inscription is authentic."

At this, Director Jiang nodded. "This inscription is also present on the Holy Grail in the Spanish church. It is said to be Arabic script, but no one has been able to translate it accurately. Some believe it means 'Bestowed upon the bringer of glory,' others suggest 'Lord of Mercy,' 'Lord of Prosperity,' and so on; there are many different translations..."

"If the inscription is inconclusive, then we can only search for evidence within the cup itself," Wang Guan pondered, returning to the original question: "Is the cup's material truly stone?"

"It's not stone, so what else could it be?" Elder Zhou wasn't questioning him aggressively, merely expressing confusion.

"I mean to ask, is the item truly made from ordinary stone?" Wang Guan smiled. "After all, you have seen it; the material of the cup must differ from common rock."

"It is a foreign stone, after all; some differences are understandable."

Though he said that, Elder Zhou still appeared thoughtful. "But you are right, the material is certainly a direction worth investigating. I'll have the item taken to the laboratory later for a comprehensive analysis."

"No problem," Wang Guan readily agreed.

The excitement slowly subsided, and everyone regained their rational mindset, proceeding to meticulously examine the cup, from its shape to the artistry of its carving and polishing, leading to various debates.

However, one point was universally acknowledged: the cup was indeed ancient, certainly not a modern artifact.

"Oh."

Just then, Elder Zhou exclaimed in surprise, "Look, there seems to be some residual substance inside the cup."

"What?"

Everyone crowded closer to observe, and magnified by the high-powered lens, they could clearly see the interior of the cup. At the bottom, there was indeed a layer of dark red material, looking like sediment left over from frequent use.

"Could it be wine residue?"

At this moment, Elder Zhou gently reached in to touch it, feeling it carefully, then frowned. "It does feel a bit rough, but it doesn't quite feel like mere grime..."

"Wang Guan, bring some water."

Simultaneously, Elder Zhou gestured, "Wash the sediment at the bottom of the cup and see if it cleans off."

"Maybe it's dust accumulated from being stored for a long time," Wang Guan said casually, but he still followed Elder Zhou's instruction, fetching clear water and dripping a small amount into the cup. He then found a small brush resembling a writing brush, gently swirled it inside the cup to see if the sediment could be scrubbed away.

A moment later, Wang Guan stopped, casually pulling out the small brush, and lowered his head to examine the situation inside the cup. In that instant, he suddenly noticed something was wrong.

"Ah!"

Wang Guan started in shock after glancing down. He wasn't the only one; the others who looked over were equally stunned.

"Wang Guan, what is going on here?"

After a long pause, everyone reacted, staring in astonishment at the small brush in Wang Guan's hand. The soft bristles seemed coated in bright red blood. At that moment, the viscous blood was slowly dripping down; the gruesome sight sent a chill down the spine just looking at it.

"...The cup, the cup!"

To be honest, seeing this sudden sight, Wang Guan also felt a sudden wave of fear, with a cold shiver seemingly crawling up his spine, nearly making him drop the brush. Fortunately, at the critical moment, he withstood the test, conquering his fear with a strong and fearless conviction...

"Stop flattering yourself,"

At this, Elder Zhou said, his expression wavering between shock and suspicion, "Is this the sediment from inside the cup?"

"It should be," Wang Guan calmed down, picking up the brush to examine it closely. He even gave it a quick sniff but detected no odor, clearly indicating the crimson substance was merely an illusion.

"Something seems off."

Sensing a turn of events, Elder Zhou's face brightened with excitement. He immediately picked up the cup for a closer look. Indeed, he found that the water inside the cup had completely changed. The once clear and transparent water had now turned a vivid crimson, indistinguishable from actual blood in color.

Of course, only the color was the same; there was no real, metallic scent of blood. Otherwise, anyone looking at it would mistake the contents for blood.

"Lingxi..."

Elder Zhou reacted swiftly, immediately looking at Elder Qian. "The cup is strange."

"Mmm,"

Elder Qian nodded slightly, raising his eyebrows. "Pour out the substance in the cup, and then pour in clear water to see what happens."

"Good."

At this point, Wang Guan didn't need to move; Elder Zhou took charge himself, pouring the crimson substance from the stone cup into another vessel, then filling the stone cup to the brim with clean water.

In that moment, everyone remained silent, staring intently at the clear water in the cup, seemingly waiting for a miracle to unfold.

One second, two seconds, three seconds... In the blink of an eye, over ten seconds passed. The clear water remained perfectly still, with no abnormality whatsoever appearing.

Elder Zhou frowned slightly and muttered softly, "Perhaps it needs to be stirred?"

"Gurgle, gurgle..."

Before Elder Zhou's words even finished, at that very instant, the clear water in the cup suddenly began to churn. Initially, it started with subtle ripples, then waves began to roll, escalating into a tempest, finally boiling violently as if it were water reaching a rolling boil.

Amidst the boiling, everyone could clearly see that the once clear water was slowly showing a tinge of crimson, which then gradually spread, assimilating the water in an instant. Or perhaps, transforming it—converting all the clear water into a thick, viscous, bright red substance, just like blood.

Witnessing this, everyone was somewhat stunned, speechless for a long time.

The transformation process seemed long, but in reality, it was completed in just a few short tens of seconds. Then, the boiling substance gradually cooled down, eventually returning to calm. But the brilliant crimson, even radiating an oily sheen, was so bizarre and uncanny that it was impossible to ignore...

〖∷Fast Update∷No Pop-ups∷Pure Text∷www.〗RS