Half a Jiazi Added to His Lifespan

The appraisal was complete, and he received two rewards.

Chen Shaojun was already satisfied deep down.

His long preparations had not been in vain.

However, when he looked at the treasure he had appraised this time, his eyes could not help but flicker.

The Jade Ruyi itself was nothing special.

But the pearl embedded atop the Jade Ruyi—

The Primordial Spirit Pearl!

Low-Grade Treasure Rank.

It could gather spiritual energy, concentrate qi, temper the body, extend one's lifespan, establish one's foundation...

"This is absolutely a rare treasure."

Chen Shaojun knew full well that the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror had never made a wrong judgment.

Since it said the Primordial Spirit Pearl possessed these effects, there could be no falsehood in it.

Just the two effects of gathering spiritual energy and concentrating qi were enough to make people green with envy.

Not to mention that the Primordial Spirit Pearl could also temper the physique, increase one's lifespan, and forge a Dao Foundation...

Chen Shaojun had every intention of pocketing this treasure.

After all, that scar-faced man surnamed Peng was no good person. He had originally been one of Zhao Quan's friends, yet because he coveted this treasure, he had ruthlessly murdered for it.

Though the man might have been related to the Jade Ruyi's previous owner, perhaps even his son or nephew.

The Jade Ruyi did not belong to him, after all.

After hesitating briefly.

What Heaven bestowed, if not taken, would bring calamity instead.

There was no way he could let something capable of strengthening his own power and foundation slip away.

So long as he ensured that the Jade Ruyi remained intact and the Primordial Spirit Pearl did not shatter, it would be fine.

At most, he would leave behind a thread of primordial spirit essence to preserve the treasure's integrity.

"There isn't much time. I need to hurry."

Chen Shaojun glanced at the sky outside.

He knew that the scar-faced man surnamed Peng was likely waiting in the pawnshop to collect the treasure, while Shen Lang could come to the appraisal room at any moment to urge him on.

He hurriedly picked up the Jade Ruyi.

The Jade Ruyi had now been stripped of all its yin Baleful Intent. Its jade was cool and warm to the touch, exceedingly comfortable in his hand.

No wonder so many wealthy households loved handling jade artifacts. Such crystalline, smooth, mild, and cool jade truly was a great pleasure to touch.

Without lingering over it, Chen Shaojun guided it with his spiritual power. At once, a special spiritual energy within the Primordial Spirit Pearl was drawn forth, turning into a stream of flowing water that surged into his body.

Immediately afterward, Chen Shaojun's body jolted.

He instantly felt a fierce, powerful, overwhelmingly tyrannical force threatening to utterly destroy his body. Yet within that force seemed to be boundless vitality, doing everything in its power to repair him at the same time.

From the very instant it entered his body, that force rushed through his limbs and bones, flooding every corner of him.

Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle...

Like being boiled in a wok of oil, and also like being tempered within flames, Chen Shaojun clearly felt pain.

The destructive, tyrannical force slowly broke apart his skin, flesh, meridians, and bones... then slowly repaired and reassembled them.

Pain, tingling itchiness, a sour exhilaration... followed by a warmth like returning to the womb.

Chen Shaojun continuously guided and absorbed the primordial spirit power within the Primordial Spirit Pearl, while continuously enduring that agony-laced ecstasy.

He felt as though he were undergoing a transformation and welcoming rebirth.

It seemed to have been a long time.

Yet it also seemed to have lasted only an instant.

Only when he sensed a hollow emptiness from within the Primordial Spirit Pearl, along with a faint hint that it was about to collapse, did he cut off the guidance.

"Golden Bones, Jade Flesh—Body Tempering complete.

Spirit Fullness, Qi Harmony—Dao Foundation forged."

Chen Shaojun slowly opened his eyes. As he carefully sensed the changes in himself, he could not help but feel a trace of emotion.

At this moment, he could clearly sense how different he had become.

His condition had never been better.

No true qi or Dao essence had formed within him, but when he exerted himself and threw a punch—

Bang!

The punch struck the air and produced a muffled boom.

At the same time, a white wave burst forth from his fist, traveling a full three inches beyond his body before dispersing.

For martial artists, a single ringing blow was worth a thousand gold.

If outsiders saw the muffled boom produced by this punch, they would know that his Body Tempering had succeeded, that the muscles, bones, and tendons of his limbs had been trained to perfection.

That white wave, meanwhile, was force.

Pure fist force could generally only leave the body when a martial artist had trained their martial arts into the five viscera and six bowels, allowing their strength to course through their entire body.

Yet in truth, Chen Shaojun had not trained his martial arts to that stage.

He had not even managed to enter the gate of martial arts.

He could not be considered a martial artist at all.

What he relied on was merely the pure strength of his physical body.

"This Primordial Spirit Pearl has improved me far too much.

Not only has it spared me countless years of grueling practice in terms of a martial artist's Body Tempering.

I estimate that before long, my martial cultivation realm will rapidly rise to an extremely profound level.

It has also expanded my meridians, tempered my dantian and Qi Sea, and forged my Dao Foundation.

It has swept away countless obstacles for my future cultivation.

But most importantly, my lifespan has increased.

Half a jiazi has been added to my lifespan.

That is thirty years.

If, under normal circumstances, free of illness and disaster, I could live to be a hundred, then with the Primordial Spirit Pearl, my upper limit of life has directly risen to one hundred and thirty."

Chen Shaojun's heart surged with excitement, and he was thrilled beyond measure.

Had he not been wary of his surroundings and afraid that people in the pawnshop might notice something amiss, he would have nearly thrown back his head and let out a long howl.

After quite a while.

He gradually calmed down.

He could not bring his excitement beyond Appraisal Room Seven.

Besides, he also needed to clean up the black dog blood, virgin boy's urine, and other items in the room.

Thus.

When Chen Shaojun stepped out of Appraisal Room Seven, he had already resumed his former dullness. His expression and demeanor were no different from before.

He arrived at the storeroom.

Shen Lang seemed to have been awaiting his arrival for some time. He hurriedly called out, "You're finally out. How was it? Have you finished the appraisal?"

"I did not fail my mission."

Chen Shaojun remained unruffled as he took out the tray. All eight treasures, including the Jade Ruyi, were present upon it.

"Good, good. I knew you were no creature of the shallow pond.

I never expected you to appraise all eight treasures.

I'll register them in the records for you right away.

As it happens, Mister Peng outside has long been waiting in the shop."

Shen Lang gave Chen Shaojun a surprised look.

He had originally thought that Chen Shaojun had taken all the treasures from the tray merely to collect more tally sticks and earn more silver. To actually finish appraising every treasure would have taken at least two days.

Yet unexpectedly, in no more than two hours.

All eight treasures had undergone appraisal and Baleful Intent Cleansing?

"Yes, Mister Shen."

Chen Shaojun nodded, watching as the other man picked up each treasure in turn, assessed it according to the standards, and entered it into the records.

When Shen Lang picked up the Jade Ruyi, Chen Shaojun grew slightly nervous.

There was no problem with the jade quality of the Jade Ruyi itself.

But the primordial spirit power within the Primordial Spirit Pearl at its tip had been almost completely "drained" by him.

He truly feared that the Primordial Spirit Pearl would shatter the moment Shen Lang touched it.

Fortunately, his fears did not come to pass.

.