Chapter 126: The Young Master of Qingshan Jewelry

"I probably understand it better than you do," Ye Tianci said without turning his head.

He had previously learned jade identification from Ghost Hand, and now he possessed the Spirit-Hidden Eel. The creature was currently tucked inside his sleeve; having been completely subdued by Ye Tianci, it possessed an innate ability to seek out treasures. With this, Ye Tianci was like a tiger granted wings, making the exploration of jade as effortless as reaching into his own pocket.

"Haha, you're killing me! Ye Tianci, you really know how to brag. Did Lin Qingqian not tell you what I do for a living?" Zhao Xiujie laughed with a look of mockery, his expression thick with a sense of superiority.

"And what is it that you do?" Ye Tianci asked, playing along to satisfy his ego.

"My family specializes in the jewelry business! I am the heir to a family of jewelers!" Zhao Xiujie boasted about his status.

Ye Tianci glanced at him with indifference, a flicker of disdain that deeply irritated Zhao Xiujie.

As they spoke, the two arrived in front of a jade shop just as a small truck pulled up.

"Fresh goods have arrived!" two shop assistants shouted as they emerged.

People on the street swarmed toward the truck. Whenever a jade shop received a new shipment, it attracted a crowd, as everyone hoped to find a few quality pieces to make their fortune.

The shop, known as "Mingyu Pavilion," was large and opulent, its nameplate gleaming prominently. The assistants worked quickly, and within minutes, they had unloaded all the raw jade pebbles into the shop. The crowd surged forward to pick through the new arrivals.

Seeing that Ye Tianci didn't rush to join the scramble, Zhao Xiujie sneered, "Ye Tianci, I can tell at a glance that this is your first time buying jade, right?"

Ye Tianci chuckled coldly, "You're quite clever."

"Ha! I can tell how deep or shallow someone's expertise in jade and jewelry is with just one look. You keep claiming you're here to buy jade, but I can see you don't know the first thing about it!" Zhao Xiujie continued to ridicule him.

Ye Tianci replied coldly, "Think what you want, just stop bothering me."

The mockery in Zhao Xiujie’s eyes deepened as he said smugly, "Ye Tianci, I am quite an expert at selecting jade. If you beg me, I might consider helping you pick a few pieces for Lin Qingqian's sake."

Ignoring him, Ye Tianci reached out and picked up a piece of raw jade that had been discarded by the others into a pile of rejects. It looked terrible—black, ugly, lusterless, and cracked, resembling nothing more than a common stone. That was why it had been abandoned. Had it not been for the Spirit-Hidden Eel in his sleeve, even Ye Tianci would have dismissed it as worthless.

The Spirit-Hidden Eel reacted intensely, guiding him to choose this specific stone. Ye Tianci was certain that it contained a top-tier treasure.

Seeing his choice, Zhao Xiujie rushed over and burst into laughter. "Ye Tianci, did I see that right? Why would you pick a piece like that?"

"I just picked one at random," Ye Tianci said, tired of this buzzing fly.

"Ha! Do you think this is a vegetable market, where you can just grab a head of cabbage and eat it?" Zhao Xiujie rolled his eyes and put on the airs of an expert. "Let me tell you, there is a method to selecting raw jade. First, you look—at the appearance, the color, and the water content. Second, you discern—whether there is any potential for jade inside. Third, you shine—using light to test transparency, which requires experience."

"Look at the piece you chose. It's ugly, has no color, no water, and most importantly, it has cracks!" He pulled a small flashlight from his pocket and pressed it against the dark stone. His sneer intensified. "Zero transparency. I told you, this is just waste!"

Hearing Zhao Xiujie’s words, the surrounding crowd turned toward him.

"Young man, the way you talk, you must be an expert, right?"
"You speak with such authority! You clearly have great skill in jade appraisal."
"I heard an expert lecture once, and it sounds exactly like what this young man is saying."
"Who would have thought we had such a talented young expert here in Shucheng!"

People began giving Zhao Xiujie thumbs-up. Floating on the praise, he waved his hand with feigned humility. "You're too kind. I only know a little bit. I've just studied some identification knowledge and followed my father, Zhao Qingshan, to buy jade a few times." Though he sounded humble, he was clearly showing off.

"Zhao Qingshan? Could it be the boss of Qingshan Jewelry?" someone exclaimed.

"That is my father." Hearing his father's name, Zhao Xiujie grew even more arrogant.

"So he's the young master of Qingshan Jewelry! No wonder he’s so knowledgeable, he’s a true expert!" The crowd fawned over him, with some even offering business cards to curry favor.

Zhao Xiujie, reveling in his superiority, flaunted it at Ye Tianci. "See? That’s what real talent looks like. Why don't you beg me? I’ll help you pick some."

"Why would I beg you?" Ye Tianci said, his anger rising. No matter how good his temper, this pest was becoming insufferable.

Zhao Xiujie puffed out his chest. "Ye Tianci, I’m only offering to help for Lin Qingqian’s sake. Don’t be ungrateful!"

"That’s right, young man. This Mr. Zhao is clearly an expert; you should let him help you," someone chimed in. "Even I wouldn't touch that piece you picked. It's clearly trash."

Ye Tianci ignored them and reached out to retrieve two more pieces of raw jade that had been discarded by the crowd. Like the first, they were ignored by everyone, yet he knew both contained jade.

"What an idiot!" Zhao Xiujie scoffed with contempt.

Noticing the commotion, a chubby middle-aged man approached and greeted Zhao Xiujie with a smile. "Mr. Zhao, I spent a lot of money on this new batch; there must be some treasures in there. Since your appraisal skills are so high, why not pick a couple of pieces and show my customers what you can do?"

The man was Zhang Mingyu, the owner of Mingyu Pavilion. His words were a mix of flattery and a challenge. The crowd gathered around, urging Zhao Xiujie to pick. He had become the center of attention.

"Mr. Zhang, you’re too kind. I came here to find treasures; I would have picked some even without you asking!" Zhao Xiujie laughed and stepped forward. He didn't forget to shout at Ye Tianci, "Ye Tianci, don't be so stubborn. Watch carefully and learn; I'll show you how to select raw jade."

"Everyone stop, let Mr. Zhao pick first!" Zhang Mingyu commanded. The other customers stepped back, leaving the floor to Zhao Xiujie.

He began to examine the stones with a practiced air, weighing them in his hand, rotating them, and shining his light through them. He picked one up, put it down, picked up another, and put it down again. He looked through every single piece in the batch. After ten full minutes, he finally selected two pieces of raw jade.