Of course, the primary reason for the sheer impossibility of securing a ticket was the museum's own restrictions. With visitor numbers surging, certain throttling measures had to be implemented to ensure the safety of the collection.

The scene truly resembled the atmosphere of the Olympics, a World Expo, or a national holiday week. Nearly a thousand people gathered at the museum gates, naturally drawing significant attention. Instantly, the major press outlets mobilized. The quickest to arrive were reporters from the major web portals, whose editors, prioritizing timeliness, uploaded reports directly from the scene.

With accompanying photos, text, and even live-interview video footage, the reports were overwhelmingly persuasive and served as a stark, undeniable rebuttal. Those who had minutes ago dismissed the newspaper reports as false news immediately vanished, too embarrassed to speak further.

Naturally, there were those with stubborn pride still clinging to denial, insisting the whole affair was a farce. The crowd, they argued, were just uninformed masses being duped by the museum. The resourceful reporters, having considered this angle, contacted the museum director immediately, seeking to get inside and see the truth for themselves.

Wang Guan, who already had a contingency plan, approved everything without hesitation, instructing the staff to cooperate fully. As for himself, it was inconvenient to show his face. He planned to direct operations from behind the scenes, staying hidden in his office to avoid accidentally becoming a public figure.

With Wang Guan's directive, the staff naturally opened the doors wide for access, and the reporters flooded in.

Although those waiting patiently to buy tickets were somewhat displeased, no one voiced an objection. After all, they were journalists, inherently enjoying certain advantages in such matters. If you weren't satisfied, you could always change careers and become a reporter yourself.

Setting aside the thoughts of others, once inside the museum and under the guidance of the staff, the contingent of reporters realized the sheer richness and value of the artifacts. They even randomly interviewed several connoisseurs touring the exhibits, and upon learning the specific worth of these items, they too couldn't help but marvel.

Truly, one should not compare themselves to others; even a single item here was worth more than their entire bank savings. As for some of the peerless treasures, their value was enough to secure a lifetime of comfort and ease. Yet, amidst their awe, the reporters did not forget the Spirit-Communicating Jade and the Pearl-String Curtain, quickly inquiring about them.

"The items are on the fourth floor."

Led by the staff, the reporters eagerly followed. Soon, they arrived at the fourth-floor exhibition hall and became utterly lost in waves of dazzling light.

"...Words fail me; here are the pictures. But I must also responsibly inform everyone that the resulting photographs fail to capture the reality and sheer impact of witnessing these items in person..."

After one web reporter uploaded his article, curiosity among the public naturally surged.

"What in the world is that?"

"Black and white, it clearly looks like a soccer ball."

Upon opening the photo, everyone was bewildered and confused. They strongly suspected the reporter had made a mistake in the rush and uploaded the wrong picture.

"It's not a soccer ball; I heard it's some kind of Changhua Stone."

"I know Changhua Stone—one of China's Four Great Famous Stones, incredibly expensive."

"That's not the main point. The article says you can see a Tai Chi halo on the stone. But due to equipment limitations, they couldn't capture the light and shadow. I wonder if the reporter is just making things up?"

At this point, the public was cautiously skeptical. The adage 'three people make a tiger' applied: if only one person said it, they wouldn't believe it, but since reporters from other outlets were reporting the same news on different websites, disbelief became difficult.

"I've decided I'm going over there to see for myself. If it's fake, I'll smash the thing."

"Support you in exposing the truth..."

"Where do you live? How about we go as a group?"

No matter how much chatter dominated the online sphere, its overall impact was limited. However, that evening, a news item broadcast on the national flagship program, Xinwen Lianbo, truly exploded, sending shockwaves across the nation.

The segment lasted about three minutes. It began by showing the scene of the impossible-to-get tickets, followed by an introduction to the museum, specifically highlighting that the museum director was the same mysterious major collector who donated Zhang Xianzhong's Imperial Seal last year. Next came a brief overview of the museum’s collection, accompanied by several shots showcasing the layout of the first three floors.

Finally, the camera flashed to the fourth-floor exhibition hall, sequentially focusing on treasures like the Spring Returns to Dead Wood Vase, the Zhong Kui Subduing Ghosts Painting, the Spirit-Communicating Jade, the Pearl-String Curtain, and the Crystallized Stone Sphere.

It was evident the cameraman was an experienced master; under his lens, each treasure appeared incredibly detailed, proving quite captivating.

Of course, there was narration accompanying the footage. However, instead of detailing the origins of these rare artifacts, the female anchor—with a voice both sweet and rigorously professional—offered praise, asserting that under the care of the leadership, the people's standard of living was continuously improving, leading to increasing cultural demands...

The anchor swiftly glossed over the topic in a few sentences, and the camera shifted again, seemingly capturing other things. But just as the audience tried to focus, the screen cut abruptly to the Middle East, showing people still living in deep hardship.

Naturally, the final shots were minor details—some observers noticed them carefully, while others remained oblivious. But regardless, the Xiyi Museum was famous. Not just famous, but blazing hot, burning with intensity.

Although some people questioned why a private museum was being featured so prominently on CCTV News—suggesting some under-the-table deal—that wasn't the main point. The key features were the Spirit-Communicating Jade and the Pearl-String Curtain.

Especially the Pearl-String Curtain: thousands upon thousands of pearls woven into a drape. Captured meticulously by the cameraman, its shimmering, brilliant luster must have appeared exquisitely beautiful, luxurious, and utterly desirable.

"Are those real pearls or fake?"

"I heard they are real pearls, Dongzhu harvested from Heilongjiang in the Northeast..."

CCTV's influence was not overstated. Even as its viewership declined annually, any news it broadcast immediately became prime material. Instantly, major newspapers, magazines, and web portals reposted the CCTV news, using it as a springboard for deeper investigative dives.

Then, figures from all sectors of society jumped into the fray, voicing their opinions on television, in print, or over the airwaves and internet, interpreting the event from various angles. Some condemned and spat upon it, while others offered support, leading to vicious online arguments between those with differing views—a veritable battlefield of words.

Amidst this war of words, the Xiyi Museum became known to everyone, both domestically and internationally.

News, by definition, is fresh information. By this standard, yesterday's events should not be reported today—that is the timeliness of news. However, definition does not always equate to reality.

This was such excellent material; nobody was willing to abandon it until they had wrung out all its value. Moreover, newspaper and magazine sales, website clicks, and TV ratings all depended on public support. Since the populace was clearly interested in this event, if they didn't report extensively, how would they survive?

With the media firing on all cylinders, even cold rice could be reheated, let alone an event that was already an explosive cache waiting for a spark. The deeper they dug, the more sensational the findings became.

The Pearl-String Curtain and the Spirit-Communicating Jade were naturally the main focus. But some took an alternative route, centering their attention on the Spring Returns to Dead Wood Vase, the Zhong Kui Subduing Ghosts Painting, and the Changhua Stone Sphere.

However, as the saying goes, man proposes, but God disposes, or perhaps plans change faster than expected. Upon finally arriving at the museum, the crowds were stunned to discover that the museum seemed to possess inexhaustible treasures, unveiling yet another rare artifact for exhibition that very day.

"The Wandering Immortal Pillow?"

"What is that thing?"

"No way, you don't even know the Wandering Immortal Pillow? That’s a legendary treasure!"

Whether they had heard of it or not, this was new material, and no one intended to miss it. Immediately, another wave of reports caused yet another heated discussion, carrying the distinct flavor of one wave yet to settle before the next one rises.

Time proved their intuition correct. Before the stir over the Wandering Immortal Pillow subsided, the Five-Colored Brush surfaced. Seeing this treasure—which appeared to shimmer in myriad colors under the sunlight yet was actually transparent and almost invisible—many declared themselves utterly astounded.

Seeing this item, some joked that if they possessed the halo effect of such a brush, they would surely have achieved the highest scholarly rank. Tsinghua and Peking University would be a given; Harvard and Cambridge might even be weeping and begging them to attend...

"That's nothing; the Divine Sword is the true path to the stars."

"Pictures for proof; let me show you what a true Imperial Dao Sword looks like..."

While the aura of the Five-Colored Brush still lingered, a sword—its cold light like snow, its gems and jade resplendent—flashed and blinded many onlookers. Especially the inscriptions on the blade, which, after confirmation by folk experts, were undeniably the characters 'Chixiao.'

Chixiao: the sword forged with seven-colored pearls and nine-luster jade, wielded by the hero who achieved immortal merit by slaying the white serpent.

Once the identification was confirmed, instantly, at least four to five hundred million of the nation's 1.3 billion people could not remain calm. The Pearl-String Curtain, the Wandering Immortal Pillow, the Five-Colored Brush, and the Spirit-Communicating Jade were certainly precious, but still within a generally acceptable range of wonder. The Chixiao Sword was different; it was an object bordering on deification.

Whether the other items were real or fake, people could laugh and enjoy the spectacle without seriously pursuing the truth. But the Chixiao Sword was different; real was real, and fake was fake; a definitive answer was required.

In an instant, massive public opinion rapidly coalesced, demanding that the Xiyi Museum produce evidence or undergo a public verification process to satisfy everyone. If not, they would resolutely refuse to acknowledge the object as the Chixiao Sword.

"It has finally come to this."

At this moment, within the grand mansion, Elder Qian smiled calmly, "Since this is the will of the people, we should comply. Yizhi, this matter will trouble you."

"Don't worry, everything is prepared," Elder Zhou nodded gently.

That evening, CCTV broke news again: several experts from the Palace Museum, having been invited by the Xiyi Museum, were preparing to publicly authenticate the Chixiao Sword, and members of the public were welcomed to participate as witnesses...