The proceedings of the appraisal fair, it must be said, were a rollercoaster of twists and turns, an incessant drama.

The appearance of the Ming Guang Armor and the Tang Saber, in particular, absolutely stunned the entire assembly. Through the experts' introductions, the audience grasped the immense value of these two artifacts, truly the fighter jets of Tang Dynasty armaments.

Even the most ignorant must surely know the stature of the Tang Dynasty in Chinese history. With the Han as their ancestral people and calling themselves the 'Tang people,' one can gauge the deep yearning Chinese people hold for the Han and Tang eras. The unveiling of Tang armor and weaponry naturally commanded exceptional attention.

Aware of how much focus these two items commanded, even after verifying their authenticity, Gao Dequan did not hastily reclaim them, allowing the crowd ample time to admire them. It was only after more than ten minutes, once the initial fervor had somewhat subsided, that he permitted the attendant in armor to carry the items away.

However, at that precise moment, the internet had already erupted.

"I’m losing it, I really am. Didn't they say the Tang Saber was lost to history? How can there be a physical specimen..." This person, a fervent admirer of the Tang era, was green with regret upon seeing the saber, his face a mask of internal conflict. He desperately wanted to grab his phone and book a flight to the capital, but his lingering rationality reminded him that by the time he arrived, the appraisal fair would likely be over.

Instead of leaving now, it was better to stick with the live broadcast, especially since the Chixiao Sword hadn't even been revealed yet.

"Brothers, let’s form a group to visit the treasures! Sign up now..."

Instantly, across major forums and social circles, posts like this began to appear, echoing instantly and drawing a massive wave of replies; eight out of ten were signing up to participate. The other two were either just observing or were broke and soliciting sponsors for aid...

The online commotion, however, failed to derail the flow of the appraisal fair.

At this juncture, watching the Ming Guang Armor and the Tang Saber descend from view, many sighed with regret while simultaneously looking toward Gao Dequan with burning anticipation, wondering what rare and exotic treasures would appear next.

Yet, Gao Dequan made no move. Instead, several experts had the broken table cleared away, replaced with a fresh low table, upon which they settled themselves with a surprising air of leisurely grace, clearly preparing for tea.

Witnessing this, the crowd naturally paused, but the director's professional instincts told him there must be some hidden intrigue. He immediately signaled the cameraman, with subtle discretion, to shift the focus.

As the camera panned, it first swept over the experts and then slowly settled on the low table. The cameraman then spotted two rather special items on the table and naturally focused the lens on them.

"A cup, and a large bowl..."

There were many astute individuals present, and upon seeing the items displayed on the massive screen, they immediately realized these two objects were likely far from ordinary.

"Wrong, that’s not a large bowl; that’s also a cup—a Peach Cup."

The layman watches the spectacle; the expert discerns the true nature. Seeing the shape of the objects, some connoisseurs instantly recognized what they were dealing with.

"A Peach Cup? What in the world is that?"

Some didn't understand and naturally sought clarification. However, before an expert could reply, one of the main specialists picked up an item with profound emotion, examining it while sighing, "I had always believed Xiang Shensi's Peach Cup was unique. I never imagined seeing another one here, and in such pristine condition—truly priceless."

"Expert Li, who is this Xiang Shensi?" The host, quick-witted as ever, chimed in with a relevant question.

"Xiang Shensi was a master potter. Legend has it he was a Taoist priest, and he specialized in crafting Peach Cups..."

Expert Li spoke eloquently, clearly detailing Xiang Shensi's background and the precious nature of the Peach Cup. Some connoisseurs nodded frequently upon hearing this, but the laymen felt little impact. After the barrage of spectacular treasures, a mere 'ordinary' artifact wasn't enough to jolt their senses anymore.

"Brothers, what are you waiting for? It’s bathroom break time, hurry up and take care of business!"

Someone called out, commending the experts for their "consideration" in giving them a moment to relax. But when these individuals returned a few minutes later, they felt they had missed witnessing a miracle.

Because during their brief absence, Elder Zhou picked up the water kettle, beckoned a cameraman to focus the lens on the empty interior of the Peach Cup, and gently poured water in until it was about seven-tenths full, the water splashing lightly.

Elder Zhou stopped pouring and set the kettle down, but the water inside the cup continued to ripple before slowly settling. At first, everyone was confused about what Elder Zhou wanted them to observe, but the very next second, a marvel appeared.

Amidst the shifting patterns of the water's surface, a distinct image suddenly emerged within the cup’s smooth, fine walls.

"No way, am I seeing things? Did something just pop up?"

For a moment, many people rubbed their eyes; even several experts leaned in with shock, peering incredulously at the cup, inadvertently blocking the camera lens—which earned them a chorus of muted curses from the audience.

After a quiet reminder from the cameraman, the experts snapped back to attention, offering awkward smiles. Expert Li exclaimed in amazement, "Brother Zhou, what is happening here?"

"This is the genuine Holy Pottery Cup."

At this, admiration shone through Elder Zhou's eyes. "Inside the cup is a depiction of Lu Yu brewing tea, along with a poem about tea. This was drawn using a special substance that reveals itself upon contact with water..."

"Ah! It's just like the Zhong Kui Subduing Ghosts painting—it's an invisible drawing!"

"I knew that thing wasn't simple..."

"Hindsight is 20/20!"

Amidst the murmurs, everyone marveled, instantly concluding that the seemingly plain Peach Cup was, in fact, an artifact of the highest caliber. Yet, this was merely the prelude; greater wonders awaited them.

At this point, Elder Zhou suddenly stood up and casually asked, "Is anyone thirsty? Would you like a sip of water..."

Instantly, most people froze, but the quicker-witted quickly raised their hands. Others, lagging slightly, snapped to attention and followed suit. In their minds, drinking the water was secondary; the primary goal was getting a close-up view of the cup.

Following the established protocol, a few people were randomly selected to come on stage to closely examine the object and share their impressions. However, unlike before, Elder Zhou genuinely produced several disposable cups, evenly distributing the water from the Holy Pottery Cup before inviting them to taste it.

These people took their cups. Some looked hesitant, perhaps feeling that since it was an antique, the water might not be sanitary. But others, possessing a more straightforward nature and disregard for formality, immediately downed the contents of their cup in one gulp.

"Huh."

After drinking, one person exclaimed in surprise, "It’s sweet? Did they add sugar?"

"Take another sip and savor it; this isn't just sugar water."

As he spoke, Elder Zhou also took a sip, smacked his lips slightly, and laughed, "If it tastes good, drink a bit more. Otherwise, once this is returned to its owner, you won’t have another chance to sample it."

"What do you mean?"

Many were utterly perplexed by Elder Zhou's words. However, several experts suddenly seemed to grasp something, quickly raising their own cups for a light sip, followed by an immediate jolt.

"This is tea!" Expert Li shot up from his seat. "That's right, it’s tea!"

"It’s just tea; why such a fuss?"

Of course, that was the sentiment of others. But the experts sitting nearby had clearly witnessed Elder Zhou pouring plain boiled water into the Peach Cup, with no tea leaves added whatsoever.

To confirm this, one expert quickly inspected the kettle, verifying that it indeed contained unflavored boiled water.

"Quick, pour more water into the Peach Cup to see!"

Simultaneously, Expert Li seemed to recall something and motioned for an attendant to refill the Peach Cup. By this time, others realized something unusual was happening and focused intently on the cup.

The boiled water was warm, sending up wisps of light steam. As the water infused, the patterns within the cup naturally emerged once more. Yet, despite the wonder, people's attention was somewhat divided.

After two or three minutes, Expert Li felt the time was right and carefully sipped the water from the Peach Cup. In that instant, all doubt vanished, replaced by astonishment: "Pouring water into an empty cup produces the aroma of tea—this is the true Holy Pottery Cup!"

At that moment, a meticulous individual inquired, "Why do both experts emphasize it's the true Holy Pottery Cup? Is there a fake one?"

"I don't care if it’s fake or not, I just want to know how boiling water turned into tea! Are they messing with us?"

"That seems unlikely. I once heard that ancient masters possessed a special technique for making pottery, seemingly involving fermenting high-grade tea leaves mixed in with the clay used to form the vessel. Once the cup was finished, no extra tea needed to be added; simply pouring water would release the flavor and aroma of tea..."

"Yes, yes, I heard about that too! I always thought it was just some fictional legend, but I never expected to see a physical example today."

The common folk were resourceful; through their collective deduction, the secret of the Holy Pottery Cup was largely cracked. If only they knew about the existence of the Essence of White Jade, they would understand the mechanics completely.

Still, this alone was enough to astound everyone. In an instant, not only the audience below but also the other experts on stage could no longer remain seated, eagerly crowding forward to test the magical properties of the Holy Pottery Cup.

Since there was a shortage—more people than cups—some relied on seniority, naturally unable to compete with the elder masters, and could only watch anxiously from the sidelines. However, someone’s gaze shifted, and they spotted the other cup resting on the low table, their eyes instantly lighting up. An item placed alongside the Holy Pottery Cup couldn't possibly be ordinary, could it?

With that thought, action was taken, and one expert picked up the other cup to examine it. Given the size of the stage, this expert’s movement did not escape the notice of others. The others were not dense; seeing this person scrutinizing the cup, they immediately understood the implication and also gathered around with keen curiosity.

A few individuals huddled together, creating a significant stir that naturally caught the director's eye. He quickly motioned for the cameraman to follow, and the lens shifted to focus on the cup held by that expert, its clear image appearing on the big screen.

At the same time, the attention of the entire audience shifted, their gazes now fixed curiously on the second cup...