Chapter 8

After receiving the two bags of mushroom spawn, Wang Hao found that his backpack was already full, barely able to fit anything more. Moreover, with so many people around, he didn't dare to put them directly into his spatial ring, so he could only continue on, carrying the plastic bags.

Wang Hao, who had a bountiful harvest, found a secluded and uninhabited place and quietly placed the bags of mushroom spawn into his spatial ring. He also stuffed the red reishi he had just bought into it. The space inside was large, and it was just right to reduce the weight of his backpack.

After determining his future path, the heavy burden in Wang Hao's heart finally lifted. He made a bow to the statue of the Flame Emperor, thanking his ancestor for giving him a different kind of harvest in Shennongjia.

The scenery was beautiful and grand, the air fresh and natural, carrying a hint of grass fragrance. Strolling through Shennongjia, Wang Hao was reluctant to leave. Druids usually live in forests, and Wang Hao felt a natural affinity for the trees, even wanting to become a wild man and live here permanently.

It was already three days later when he returned to Rongcheng. This trip to Shennongjia took him more than a week. Without mentioning the money and time spent, his mood was not very good. The pollution in the city was too severe, and the air quality in Rongcheng had never been good, with a lot of dust and noise, making it very uncomfortable to live there.

Sitting in the house he had rented for half a year, Wang Hao felt the need to carefully plan his life path. Given the current situation, the city was almost entirely polluted, and as a new-generation druid who loved the environment, he could hardly bear it. Therefore, moving out was a must.

Raising livestock, farming, and keeping a few small animals, living a leisurely rural life. But life required money, and without it, everything was zero. How to convert the gems in the spatial ring into money was still a huge problem. He couldn't just take them directly to a jewelry store and ask if they needed them, could he?

Feeling at a loss, Wang Hao shook his head. He was troubled about how to explain this to his parents. After studying for four years at university, he was going back to farm. Wouldn't that make the two old people die of anger?

He took out the things from the spatial ring and placed them on the ground. After obtaining the complete inheritance, he knew that those farming tools were for labor, and they were quite good, having remained new even after several hundred years of use, with guaranteed quality.

Suddenly, a few paintings in the corner caught Wang Hao's eye. Since this ring belonged to the previous great druid, the things inside it were definitely not ordinary. These paintings were likely to be ancient antiques.

He thought for a moment, took out his phone, and took a photo of the highly abstract painting, preparing to send it to Li Moshuang. Although Li Moshuang was in the same department as him, Wang Hao remembered that she had mentioned studying art for many years. If she wasn't lying, she would definitely recognize the painting. Even if she didn't, she might provide some clues.

The iPhone 5S had already been released, but Wang Hao's iPhone 4 was still working well, with excellent camera quality. After sending the photo through WeChat, he waited quietly for a reply.

A few minutes after sending the message, Wang Hao's phone vibrated, showing an unread message. He opened it and saw that it was from Li Moshuang. Her profile picture looked particularly mature and elegant, with a cold and beautiful expression and prominent features, giving off a strong presence.

"You've been missing for over a week. Why are you sending me this picture? Come clean, what have you been up to recently?"

Smiling, Wang Hao tapped the screen with two fingers and sent a message: "I got fired and went on a trip to clear my mind."

"Have you found a new job? If not, I can help you find one." Li Moshuang, who usually exuded a mature and elegant aura, was now especially considerate, making her seem like a top-notch person.

It felt good to have someone care, but a job was no longer what he wanted. He replied, "Not for now. Look at the photo, do you know which painting it is?"

Li Moshuang, who was at work, held her phone and smiled. She looked around to make sure no one was watching her chat, then opened the large image and studied it carefully.

After several minutes, her reply finally came: "I haven't seen this painting before. From the style, it seems to be Picasso's, but I'm not sure. It looks more like his work from his later years. Where did you see it?"

"I saw it online. I think I have a similar painting at home. I'll find an expert to appraise it."

"Alright, if you haven't found a job, you can come to me. I'll definitely take care of you!"

After ending the WeChat conversation, Wang Hao immediately opened his computer and searched for Picasso's paintings online. He found that they were indeed quite similar, abstract and hard to understand.

"Is it that only what you can't understand is art?" He felt he wasn't cut out to be an artist. When he saw the auction prices of Picasso's paintings, he was completely stunned. The cheapest ones were several million dollars, and the most expensive, "Nude, Green Leaves and Bust," set a world record, selling for $103.4 million.

If the painting in his hands was genuine, would money still be a problem? He stood up, carefully picked up the painting, and examined it closely, looking for any clues.

The painting was in excellent condition, as it had been stored in the spatial ring and was not damaged. When he turned the painting over, he found a small line of text on the back, but he couldn't recognize any of the characters, and he didn't know how to type them into the computer.

Considering that Picasso was a Spanish painter, the text might be in Spanish. Wang Hao took a photo with his phone and uploaded it to a Spanish language enthusiasts' forum, seeking help.

"Is this text in Spanish? What does it mean? Waiting online for an expert to solve the mystery~~"

He keenly realized that this might be the key to identifying the true nature of the painting and how much it could sell for. The gems could be kept for appreciation, but keeping such an abstract work of art in the spatial ring was a waste. It would be better to sell it and buy some land!

"The dedication to my dearest Marie-Thérèse Walter! Where did you get this, OP?"

After receiving this reply, Wang Hao copied and pasted it, thinking that Marie-Thérèse Walter might be the woman in the painting.

Baidu Baike was once again helpful. Marie-Thérèse Walter was born in France and was one of the lovers of Spanish painter and sculptor Pablo Picasso. She was Picasso's muse, inspiring him with endless creativity.

Many paintings related to her are famous, such as "The Beach," "The Bather," "The Reclining Woman," "The Girl Before the Mirror," "The Sleeping Nude," "The Dream," "Still Life with Tulips," and the painting that broke the world record for art sales, "Nude, Green Leaves and Bust."

These paintings are renowned in the art market, with prices often reaching tens of millions of dollars, once again shocking Wang Hao's mind. He felt that the paintings on his table were not just paintings but piles and piles of dollars! If he converted all the paintings into dollars, the spatial ring might not even be able to hold them.

He quickly put them into the spatial ring to prevent any accidents. Wang Hao felt like he was already a billionaire, owning famous paintings and gems, even more extravagant than a tycoon!

Although he didn't know why the great druid came to Shennongjia or why he discarded the ring, Wang Hao really wanted to thank him for leaving so many good things for him, making him a super good person.