Reflection

The term "wax shell skin" refers to a layer on the surface of the raw stone that resembles wax, giving it a luster and a dark, shiny "color." If this wax shell skin isn't removed, it's difficult to observe the stone's quality, texture, and internal features. Furthermore, the areas beneath the wax shell skin often have more fine cracks and are relatively less mature.

Wax shell skin black tungsten sand, especially the piece Chu Chen saw that lacked a sand skin, is considered a relatively difficult variety of black tungsten sand to gamble on for a profit. This is why it was left here, attracting no attention.

Although there were so many "raw" stones with good outward appearances, nearly half of them elicited no reaction from his special ability. This meant that even a tiny bit of valuable jade was absent from these "raw" stones. As for the other half, their quality was unknown, but the internal situation was likely not optimistic either.

This scene made Chu Chen sigh once again, truly living up to the saying that gambling on stones is "nine losses out of ten."

Next, after a period of careful selection, Chu Chen chose two full gamble stones that he was relatively satisfied with. However, one of them gave him some pause.

This was a piece from the Mowanji field area, weighing about ten kilograms. This field area began production in the 1970s, making it a so-called new field area. It is famous for producing black tungsten sand, and the piece in Chu Chen's hand was indeed black tungsten sand.

Black tungsten sand is famous because the chance of yielding high-quality jade from these "raw" stones is very high, making them highly sought after. However, there's a catch: if these "raw" stones turn out to be duds, they are complete failures. Thus, people have a love-hate relationship with them. Among them, the black tungsten sand from the Old Pakan in the old field areas and Nanqui in the small field areas are the most likely to yield profitable results.

In reality, Chu Chen usually kept his distance from "raw" stones from new field areas because the quality of jade they yielded was relatively less ideal. However, he hesitated with this particular "raw" stone. The reason was that although this raw stone had blemishes, they were all sleeping blemishes. Moreover, when a strong flashlight was shone on the "raw" stone, the green tint looked promising, and the water content appeared sufficient.

Blemishes refer to the variously sized and shaped spots, streaks, patches, or blocks of weathered marks in black, gray, or light gray colors on the surface of jade raw stones.

Generally, the presence of blemishes can indicate the presence of "color," but blemishes can also consume "color." However, as long as one can distinguish the types of blemishes, there can be gains. Among them, sleeping blemishes tend to stay on the surface and pose little threat. Straight blemishes (like nail-shaped black blemishes) can easily penetrate the interior of the jade, affecting its quality.

This "raw" stone, being black tungsten sand and having sleeping blemishes, was naturally appealing to Chu Chen. However, he suddenly noticed a detail and quickly took out a magnifying glass. Upon closer inspection, he discovered that some of the sleeping blemishes in a few areas seemed somewhat like straight blemishes. This introduced significant uncertainty to the raw stone.

After some thought, Chu Chen decided that this black tungsten sand was too risky. Moreover, considering that stones from the Mowanji field area generally have a short water content, meaning the value of the jade yielded might not be much higher than the price of the "raw" stone itself, he ultimately set it aside.

There was another "raw" stone he fancied: a yellow sand skin material. Although it also had blemishes, Chu Chen observed carefully. In the middle of the blemishes, there was a scar-like area resembling a boil. This is called a withered blemish, and withered blemishes generally do not cause significant damage to the raw stone. The reason he paid such close attention to this "raw" stone was also because of a beautiful white python pattern on its surface.

Python pattern, colloquially speaking, is when a raw stone suddenly exhibits a surface with a different arrangement of sand grains that forms a line, a patch, or even wraps around half the stone. It looks like a new "pattern" created by something pressing or burning it, and this is called a python pattern.

Python patterns are one of the primary bases that gambling on stones players use to judge whether there is "color" inside the jade, and how intense or light that "color" is, based on the stone's exterior.

White python pattern, or white python, is a white python pattern. The white python on Chu Chen's "raw" stone was grayish-white. A white python of this color has a very high probability of yielding a profit. Coupled with the withered blemish, it's no surprise that he took a liking to it.

Encountering such a good "raw" stone, if Chu Chen didn't have his special ability, he would have gone straight to the cashier. However, since he had the ability, he wouldn't feel completely at ease without testing it, given that this was gambling on stones. Still, he believed that even if this "raw" stone didn't yield a huge profit, a small profit was very secure.

But the result poured cold water on him. The marked price for this "raw" stone was 150,000. Even with some bargaining, it would cost at least 100,000. Yet, his special ability indicated that the value of the jade inside was only around 50,000 to 60,000.

This result was like a thunderbolt, making him doubt if his judgment was truly that flawed.

This isn't right! There must be something else wrong with this "raw" stone that he hadn't discovered!

Chu Chen rallied his spirits and used his magnifying glass and flashlight to examine it carefully twice more. After that, he shook his head and let out a bitter smile.

It turned out that this "raw" stone not only had withered blemishes but also some scattered grayish-white blemishes mixed within the white python pattern. At the time, he had overlooked them due to his focus on the white python pattern, leading to a misjudgment. Ultimately, it was caused by his own carelessness, which was truly regrettable.

Come to think of it, if this "raw" stone had appeared as he initially saw it, would it still be here waiting for him to pick it out?

If he had gone ahead and cut it open excitedly without the help of his special ability, the impact on Chu Chen would undoubtedly have been immense. It would have made him doubt his own judgment and, in the worst-case scenario, could have eroded his confidence. Confidence, however, is precisely what is most needed and crucial in the gambling on stones business.

Chu Chen stood up with a wry smile, feeling fortunate to possess his special ability. He then noticed Liu Zhiqing, who was selecting "raw" stones in the thousand-yuan area. He observed how meticulously and earnestly Liu Zhiqing examined the stones and, recalling his own past experiences, immediately felt that he still had much to learn.

He thought to himself that his special ability wasn't omnipotent. What if this ability, like its sudden appearance, suddenly disappeared? What would he do without the corresponding knowledge? As the old saying goes, it's better to rely on oneself than on others. With extensive knowledge, he could live comfortably even without his special ability.

In recent days, due to his reliance on his special ability, he hadn't studied as diligently as before. Thinking back now, it was truly regrettable. On the contrary, since he had the ability of photographic memory, he should have studied even harder. Moreover, he could now access the internet, where information was virtually limitless, making his studies even more convenient.

The two reflections, one from yesterday morning and the current one, had undoubtedly been immensely helpful to Chu Chen. Yesterday's reflection severed the mental chains he was bound by, while the current one made him confront his attitude. These two reflections had undoubtedly laid a solid foundation for his future colorful collecting career.

Having figured this out, Chu Chen no longer wished to stay in the ten-thousand-yuan area. He felt that with his current skill level, it would be better to go to the thousand-yuan area. Although the "raw" stones in the thousand-yuan area were not as valuable as those in this area, they were comprehensive, making them ideal for research by gambling on stones players with some foundation, like himself.

Afterward, in the thousand-yuan area, Chu Chen was no longer as superficial as before. After nearly half an hour of selection, he meticulously examined every "raw" stone he handled, combining it with his past experience to make judgments.

If his special ability showed no reaction, he would analyze why it was placed in the thousand-yuan area. If his special ability did react, he would determine whether it would yield a profit or be a dud, and if it yielded a profit, what the quality of the jade would be.

With this purposeful observation, Chu Chen felt that the experience gained in these thirty minutes was at least two to three times faster than the same amount of time spent studying previously, which greatly satisfied him.

Glancing at the time, it was almost ten o'clock. If he wanted to achieve anything in the morning, he needed to speed up. Of course, the current Chu Chen would certainly not be careless for the sake of speed. Thus, he picked a gray sand skin "raw" stone weighing about eight kilograms and began to examine it meticulously.

Jade yielded from gray sand skin "raw" stones is characterized by good quality. This "raw" stone looked good at first glance. Firstly, his special ability reacted, indicating the presence of jade inside. Moreover, its surface had pine flower that resembled pine needles, known as "needle pine flower."

As mentioned earlier, python patterns are one of the important bases for gambling on stones players to gamble on "color," and pine flower is another important basis. Pine flower is the residual manifestation of the jade's internal green "color" on the weathered skin. It varies in intensity, size, and shape. Among gambling on stones players, there is a saying regarding pine flower: "The greener and fresher, the better."

"Raw" stones with needle pine flowers are prone to containing high-grade and full green jade. Of course, if this were the only factor, it wouldn't be placed in the thousand-yuan area. Indeed, Chu Chen flipped it over and found a patch of green on the back.

Some might ask, isn't this a good thing?

There's a saying in the gambling on stones community: "Better to buy a line than a patch." Patch-like colors are often "color" that has bled onto the skin, resulting in explosive pine flower. Generally, they are very thin. Line-shaped green bands, however, can easily seep into the interior. Therefore, some have summarized, "Patch color is like paper, line color is deep."

Putting aside this patch of green for now, the key issue was that the green "color" was mixed with blemishes, specifically fly dung blemishes that tend to follow the green. How could one gamble on this?

As for why it was still placed in the thousand-yuan area, firstly, it was an eight-kilogram gray sand skin material. Secondly, it was also because of the needle pine flower. However, Chu Chen guessed that the price shouldn't be high. Upon checking, it was indeed only 1,200 yuan. It seemed that everyone generally did not have high hopes for this "raw" stone.

Despite the appearance of this "raw" stone, Chu Chen still followed his previous practice and examined it thoroughly. This examination revealed a faint python line. Upon closer inspection, there was indeed a faint line python next to the pine flower.

"The best and worst features are together. Could this 'raw' stone be made of two pieces joined together?" Chu Chen thought with a smile.

"Wait!"

Chu Chen suddenly frowned. It was unlikely that this "raw" stone was fake, but it could very well be skin-attached green. Perhaps those fly dung blemishes were just clinging to the skin-attached green? This was indeed very possible. Thinking of this, although Chu Chen was reluctant to use his remaining special ability, he decisively used it on this "raw" stone.