At the same moment, the perception some people held of Yu Feibai began to shift subtly. At the very least, their distaste for his domineering behavior regarding the painting lessened somewhat.

"And what have you deduced?"

Yu Feibai countered, his eyes alight with anticipation.

"Me?"

Wang Guan hesitated, then shook his head. "I don't know much about Qi Baishi's calligraphy and painting; I can't really verify authenticity."

Had it been anyone else, they certainly wouldn't have pressed the matter. Yet, Yu Feibai frowned, clearly displeased. "Are you just placating me?"

"When have I ever placated you?" Wang Guan felt a surge of exasperation mixed with amusement.

"You still deny it," Yu Feibai pouted. "Knowing you this long, I know your style. Whatever the matter, you always hold something back."

Overhearing this, the others exchanged dubious glances, largely unconvinced of Wang Guan’s actual ability. More importantly, they couldn't fathom where Yu Feibai derived such confidence when Wang Guan himself admitted he couldn't tell the painting's origin.

Just then, Ding Yang, who had been standing by the dais guarding the painting since it was brought up, suddenly smiled and intervened. "Gentlemen, if you still can't discern anything, perhaps take a moment to think carefully, and let others have a look too."

"Exactly!"

The young people nearby nodded in unison, casting grateful looks toward Ding Yang. They had been thinking the same thing but were too embarrassed to speak up, secretly wishing someone would step in to mediate.

Hearing this, Yu Feibai frowned, about to retort, when Wang Guan discreetly pulled him away.

Stepping back a few paces, Wang Guan murmured quietly, "This is a public setting. Give Uncle Qi some face and don't stir up trouble."

"Stir up trouble? What trouble?" Yu Feibai was annoyed. "Didn't you see the look in that guy's eyes just now? He was clearly looking down on you. He definitely thinks I was lying."

"You must have misread him," Wang Guan replied casually, entirely unruffled. "Besides, whether the painting is good or bad, I truly can't tell."

"Who are you trying to fool?"

Yu Feibai naturally didn't believe him. He suddenly lowered his voice. "Wang Guan, I have a feeling this painting is far from ordinary."

"How so?" Wang Guan asked, a bit confused. "Do you really think it's Qi Baishi's work?"

"Of course, I do," Yu Feibai affirmed. "Didn't you see? The seven or eight people who accompanied Elder Ren—at least five or six of them are bodyguards. Such solemnity speaks volumes about the painting's value."

"That does seem to make some sense," Wang Guan murmured to himself, glancing around. He noticed that the few men accompanying Elder Ren were indeed positioned around the dais, maintaining a vigilant posture.

"Don't let their plain clothing fool you; they look like ordinary folks, but look at their stance and their sharp eyes. They’re just like the security detail my father keeps," Yu Feibai whispered. "I think those few men could take down everyone in this hall."

"Are they really that capable?"

Wang Guan felt a flicker of doubt, but as he surveyed the hall, he started to believe it. After all, the dozens of people in the grand hall were overwhelmingly refined scholars. While not exactly defenseless, they certainly couldn't compare to professional bodyguards. With the element of surprise on their side, plus whatever auxiliary tools the bodyguards might carry, taking down a large group wouldn't be an issue.

Their hushed conversation went largely unheard.

This was because, at that moment, they weren't the only ones talking. Once the projection of the painting was displayed on the large screen mounted on the wall, the rest of the crowd fell into animated discussion, grouping up and murmuring amongst themselves.

Due to the distance, finer details were impossible to make out clearly. Consequently, the opinions among the crowd roughly split into two camps. One side insisted it was a masterful copy, something Elder Ren had deliberately brought out to test everyone's discerning eye.

The other side believed that given Elder Ren's stature, he wouldn't engage in such a pointless exercise. The painting he presented must surely be an authentic masterpiece, meant for everyone to appreciate the work of a master and elevate their appreciation skills.

However, before the final verdict was revealed, neither side could convince the other, leading to a stalemate.

Time slipped by quickly. Half an hour had passed, and the younger attendees clustered near the dais had all scrutinized the painting on the stand.

At the opportune moment, Elder Ren rose, leaning on his cane, and walked forward slowly with a kindly smile. "Now, can anyone tell me what they have observed from this painting?"

In that instant, the dozen or so young men looked at each other, falling into silence.

Perhaps some among them truly grasped something from the artwork, holding their own unique insights, but they were afraid to speak out and be ridiculed. Thus, they opted for silence—silence being golden.

"Young people, you should be full of vigor. Don't always be so hesitant," Elder Ren said, shaking his head slightly in mild disappointment. He then turned to Yu Feibai, smiling gently. "Young man, you mentioned earlier that this was Mr. Baishi’s work. What evidence supports that claim?"

"There is certainly evidence," Yu Feibai, never one to falter in any setting, immediately squeezed up to the edge of the dais when questioned. He pointed at the shrimp on the painting and spoke fluently: "Only Baishi Old Man could paint shrimp with such liveliness, agility, and vividness. I truly cannot imagine a second person capable of it."

"Is that your sole basis for judgment?"

Elder Ren knitted his brow slightly, then smiled faintly. "Your courage is commendable, but perhaps a bit too hasty."

"Ha! I knew it! It definitely isn't Qi Baishi's painting," one voice piped up.

"I guessed that too. Even with Elder Ren's broadmindedness, he wouldn't bring out a Qi Baishi painting to show everyone in a venue like this. It’s not that Mr. Baishi’s work is subpar, but this is a gathering for the Bashu School of Painting. The work presented should surely represent the characteristics of our Bashu School."

"Then you mean the painting must be the work of Mr. Zhang Daqian?"

"I didn't say that. It could also be Elder Ren’s own work..."

A fresh wave of debate erupted below.

Meanwhile, Yu Feibai’s face fell, especially when he noticed the suppressed snickers from the young people nearby, which made him feel intensely embarrassed. He quickly appealed for help. "Wang Guan, your eyesight is better than mine. Hurry up and take a look. What exactly is going on with this painting?"

Yu Feibai's shout thrust Wang Guan onto the main stage. Instantly, a dozen pairs of eyes fixed upon him, brimming with a complex mixture of wonder, suspicion, disdain, and scorn—a host of distrustful expressions.

Seeing this scene, Wang Guan managed a wry smile, feeling a degree of annoyance himself. Why was it that they all assumed he was incapable?

A man couldn't just admit he was no good. Moreover, Wang Guan had his own advantage, so he responded to Yu Feibai’s plea with confidence, walking slowly and deliberately toward the dais, lowering his head to examine the work.

In an instant, his special ability activated. The 'Aura of Treasure' shot out like lightning, sweeping around the entire painting, gathering copious amounts of information that flooded back into Wang Guan's eyes.

As for the areas obscured by slips of paper on the painting, they became a mere joke. To Wang Guan's sight, they were completely transparent, revealing square seals of vivid red and lines of accompanying inscriptions and signatures.

The information gleaned from the painting stunned Wang Guan. He had never imagined that the story behind this work would be so utterly unexpected and difficult to conceive.

However, due to Wang Guan’s momentary distraction, his observation time appeared longer than necessary. In the eyes of others, this clearly signaled that he was at his wit's end, completely stumped, and merely posturing to maintain a façade.

"If you can't figure it out, get down quickly. Don't strain yourself and cause further embarrassment."

"Indeed, pretending to know when you don't is the most annoying thing."

Some people couldn't help but murmur softly, but as several voices joined in, their complaints grew louder.

"Hmph, perhaps you are the ones who don't understand," Yu Feibai scoffed coldly. "Since no one is stopping you, if you have the guts, come up and look at the painting. What skill is there in criticizing from the sidelines?"

Under Yu Feibai’s sweeping gaze, some people looked away guiltily, avoiding his eyes.

Naturally, others were indignant. "If you can't see anything, stop putting on an act and wasting everyone's time. Others need to come up and view it too."

"Right!"

Several others chimed in agreement.

"Whether it's a waste of time is not for you to dictate," Yu Feibai retorted dismissively. "Elder Ren hasn't even said anything; what right do you have to clamor?"

Nearby, Elder Ren's expression slowly cooled. It wasn't directed at anyone in particular, but rather a deep sense of disappointment. If this was the demeanor of the younger generation of artistic talents, what hope was there for the future?

"Feibai, stop arguing,"

At that moment, Wang Guan snapped back to attention and stopped Yu Feibai's outburst.

Yu Feibai quieted down immediately and urgently asked, "Wang Guan, did you see anything?"

"I've gathered a few things,"

Under everyone's watchful eyes, Wang Guan pondered for a moment, then smiled. "It seems this painting was not done by a single person."

"What?"

"Impossible! You must have misread it."

Everyone froze, reflexively denying the statement. Even Yu Feibai looked half-convinced, asking quietly, "Wang Guan, how did you arrive at that conclusion?"

Yet, in their focus on doubt, they failed to notice the flicker of surprise that crossed the faces of Elder Ren and Ding Yang beside him upon hearing Wang Guan's words.

How did he reach that conclusion? By cheating, of course.

Wang Guan mocked himself internally, but outwardly remained composed, smiling faintly. "Everyone needs to observe closely to see it. The three lotus leaves on the painting were clearly rendered using a large brush dipped in heavy ink, applied with a splashing technique. However, the two pink lotus blossoms seem to have been outlined and detailed with a fine brush, achieving a very lifelike form."

"The lotus leaf and the lotus flower share the same root and origin; they should be by the same hand. But the fine brushwork used for the small shrimp, the aquatic plants, and the ripples, upon close inspection, seems stylistically different from the treatment of the lotus. Therefore, I suspect someone painted the lotus and flowers first, and then another person added the shrimp and aquatic growth..." (To be continued) RQ