Bronze Cauldron

"Be careful. Although these treasures underwent Baleful Intent Cleansing three years ago, the larger they are, the stronger their ability to gather Killing Intent. Know your limits."

While registering them, Lin Qi gave him a rare reminder.

"Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Lin. I understand."

Chen Shaojun did not explain further.

"It's good that you understand."

Lin Qi nodded. He also knew that everyone had heard about the Treasure Fair during this period. Taking this chance to improve their Divine Gaze Technique as much as possible in order to protect themselves was the thinking of most pawnshop apprentices.

He assumed Chen Shaojun was the same, so he did not try to persuade him further.

At the very least, appraising treasures in the pawnshop was far safer than during the Treasure Fair.

At the entrance to the appraisal room.

Chen Shaojun noticed Ayong subtly signaling to him. Startled, he handed the tray in his hands to Guo Haiwang and the others, then walked over.

"Did you see Zhang Ke's complexion this morning?

"If I'm not mistaken, Killing Intent has wounded his spirit."

Ayong lowered his voice as he spoke.

Chen Shaojun remained silent.

He knew that Killing Intent wounding the spirit was also a kind of Killing Intent backlash, only milder than Killing Intent entering the body. Usually, one merely needed to recuperate for a while to recover.

However, he knew full well that Zhang Ke was not merely suffering from Killing Intent wounding his spirit—he was also entangled by a Yin ghost.

He likely would not even last two days before being drained dry.

"I already knew Zhang Gao had no good intentions when he invited him to Water Cloud Retreat. Now it seems it has indeed come true.

"We all need to be careful from now on.

"This time it was Zhang Ke. Next, it will probably be you or me.

"I have the most seniority among us, while your Divine Gaze Technique is at the highest level among the apprentices. We are both excellent shields against misfortune and calamity."

Ayong spoke with a grave expression.

With the Treasure Fair so close, he should have some reservations, shouldn't he?

Chen Shaojun's heart tightened, but he was not particularly afraid.

His Divine Gaze Technique had now reached minor accomplishment, and his martial cultivation had reached the Body Tempering Realm, Eighth Layer. He might not necessarily be weaker than Zhang Gao.

If the other man truly provoked him, he was not without means to deal with it.

"Reservations?

"The more it is like this, the crazier they become.

"In their eyes, we are nothing but consumables."

Ayong sneered, his eyes filled with the indifference and weathered weariness of one who had seen through everything.

"If one does not become a formal appraiser, one is ultimately just an ant."

Chen Shaojun could not help sighing.

"So, I have decided to ask the shopkeeper for permission to enter seclusion and advance my level."

Seeing this, Ayong seized the chance to speak.

"Enter seclusion and advance my level?"

Chen Shaojun looked at him in surprise.

As Chen Shaojun understood it, entering seclusion to advance one's level meant continuously using the Divine Gaze Technique until one's mental strength was exhausted, then recovering and continuing, over and over again... It was a tedious process that also greatly harmed the body.

After all, exhausting one's mental strength also consumed a tremendous amount of vital energy and blood.

The only advantage was that one did not have to worry about Killing Intent backlash entering the body.

In other words, unless one's vital energy and blood were exhausted to the point of sudden death, it would not endanger one's life.

"That's right, entering seclusion and advancing my level.

"Actually, I raised my Divine Gaze Technique to the proficient level a long time ago. I only kept it hidden because I was afraid the three appraisers would notice me.

"This time, I plan to confess to the shopkeeper and then request to attempt a breakthrough to minor accomplishment in the Divine Gaze Technique.

"Although there is still quite a gap, at a time like this, the shopkeeper will definitely agree.

"After all, during the Treasure Fair, the difference between having three formal appraisers and four formal appraisers is enormous. It also concerns the rankings of the many pawnshops in Shengjing City.

"Moreover, I have not come unprepared. I have spent all my savings over the years on Spirit-Calming Incense.

"It is a kind of ritual incense that can quickly restore my mental strength and stabilize my mental state.

"With some other preparations as well.

"Even if I ultimately fail to break through, I can still successfully avoid Zhang Gao's persecution, as well as that of the other formal appraisers, until the Treasure Fair begins.

"So, I hope you can enter seclusion and advance your level with me, breaking through to become a formal appraiser."

As he spoke, Ayong looked at Chen Shaojun with a solemn expression.

After a moment of silence, Chen Shaojun still shook his head. "I have only just raised my Divine Gaze Technique to the proficient level. I am still far from minor accomplishment."

If he were merely an ordinary pawnshop apprentice, he truly would have been very tempted by Ayong's suggestion.

But he was different.

He possessed the Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror and needed to rely on appraising treasures and obtaining rewards in order to grow faster.

Simply practicing the Divine Gaze Technique was meaningless to him.

Not to mention that he had long since raised his Divine Gaze Technique to minor accomplishment. Once it was verified, he would immediately be promoted to a formal appraiser.

He simply did not want to expose that fact too early.

Besides.

The ghostly thing entangling Zhang Ke had yet to be dealt with. Once night fell, it would appear...

After refusing Ayong, Chen Shaojun returned to Appraisal Room Seven.

At this moment, Guo Haiwang and the others had already begun appraising the treasures.

They lit candles and burned incense.

Then, one after another, they used the Divine Gaze Technique.

After their practice, everyone had become much more proficient in this mental secret art.

Only after the three had completed their appraisals did Chen Shaojun begin his own.

He first looked toward the first large item on the tray, the Bronze Cauldron.

It was a Bronze Cauldron one chi seven cun tall, standing on three legs. Several fire dragons coiled around it, baring their fangs and brandishing their claws as though they were about to spew flames.

"As expected of large items. Even though they underwent Baleful Intent Cleansing three years ago, each one still contains abundant Killing Intent. The least has more than twenty strands, while the most has as many as seventy.

"They are practically about to form the momentum of Killing Intent blanketing the crown."

Chen Shaojun had always been cautious. Before appraising treasures, he naturally would not forget to use the Spirit Eye Technique.

With a single glance, the Yin Killing Intent within every treasure had almost nowhere to hide.

Then, he began lighting candles and burning incense.

After one stick of incense.

The candle went out, and the bamboo incense burned away. Chen Shaojun officially began the appraisal.

The Divine Gaze Technique instantly unfolded.

A strand of nearly tangible mental power transformed into a streak of light and shot directly toward the Bronze Cauldron.

Sizzle!

The Killing Intent coiled around the Bronze Cauldron seemed to have been provoked. It was immediately stirred up as well, transforming into a surging river that rushed upward.

Yet in an instant, it was scattered and worn away by the force of his mental will, all of it turning to ashes.

The Spirit-Seeking Treasure Mirror, Origin-Tracking Search.

Chen Shaojun immediately saw a series of images related to this Bronze Cauldron.

A hundred years ago, an alchemist in a black Daoist robe forged it. He fired it fiercely for several days, then used knife-work and burning to carve fire dragons upon it... When the Bronze Cauldron took shape, it was further tempered with spirit water... Then it fell into the hands of an old monk.

The old monk gathered herbs, ground them into pulp, poured them into the Bronze Cauldron, burned them over flames, and formed hand seals to invoke alchemy formulas...

The Bronze Cauldron remained in the old monk's hands for several decades before being passed to his disciple, a young monk. The young monk used it for ten years, only to die in an accident. Thus, the Bronze Cauldron was sealed away in the temple where the monks lived.

After some time, a group of people dressed in blood-red robes stormed into the temple. The temple was shattered, while its disciples fled in all directions carrying various treasures.

One fat monk wrapped up the Bronze Cauldron, a Buddha statue, and other items in his kasaya. He fled all the way to Shengjing City and, forced by necessity, pawned them all...

Recommending a new book by my friend Whitebeard Xu Timo

My Roommate Turned into a Beautiful Girl

Synopsis:

My name is Lü Lin. When I woke up, I discovered that all my roommates had turned into beautiful girls.

But what could I do?

After all, we had slept together for so many years. We were all family, so I could only support them.

But unexpectedly, my life was plunged into "deep waters and scorching flames" because of this.

—Because these roommates were simply clinging to me too tightly!

This book is also known as <After My Roommates Turned into Beautiful Girls, They Actually Wanted to Pounce on Me!>, You're Forcing a Man into a Corner!, There Really Isn't Any Left, Not Even a Little