Chapter 5

The guest at table thirty-two was a middle-aged man in his forties, with a ruddy complexion and a shiny, bald head. He had a broad back and thick arms, which were even more muscular than the thighs of an average person.

What a mighty and imposing figure he was.

However, upon closer inspection, something seemed off. Not only did his face glisten with oil, but his exposed arms also had a bright red hue, much more vivid than that of other middle-aged men. It was as if his entire body was brimming with energy, ready to burst out at any moment.

The onlookers seemed a bit wary of this man, stopping a few meters away and not daring to get any closer.

Only a man in his thirties, with a refined appearance and a calm demeanor, approached the big man and said with a smile, "Brother Deng, what good things have you brought this time?"

From his tone, it was clear that he was quite familiar with the big man.

However, the big man did not show much appreciation. He glanced at him and said, "The stuff is here, take a look yourself."

His tone was hard and unyielding, not at all polite.

Xiao Fan remembered that the big man had not brought anything up to the stage for appraisal by Yin Zhengzhong earlier.

The refined man seemed to have anticipated this attitude and did not get angry. He glanced at the box on the table. The box was not large, made of some kind of vine, with a dull yellow color and a black border, also made of vine. It was quite unremarkable.

Many of the onlookers smiled knowingly.

The ruddy-faced big man had appeared at this trade fair a few times. His surname was Deng, and his full name was Deng Tongtian, a rather imposing and domineering name. Deng Tongtian was neither a herbal medicine merchant nor a government official. It was said that he came from a certain ethnic autonomous county in the southeast of Mountain City, where he was a herbalist, frequently entering and exiting the mountains. He often dug up some good things and brought them to the trade fair for transactions. However, Deng clearly did not understand business management and had no concept of packaging. Although most of the things he brought were treasures, their packaging was quite poor. This time, he had used a crude box from somewhere, which was considered quite good. Most of the time, his items were "naked," like the ninety-year-old Polygonum multiflorum he brought last time, which he had simply placed on the coffee table, as if it were a rotten sweet potato, not paying much attention to it. If it didn't sell, he might just eat it himself.

The most critical issue was that Deng Tongtian had a bad temper. If you wanted his items, you had to name your price right away. If it met his satisfaction, he would sell it to you. If anyone tried to haggle, he would glare at them, raise his head high, and ignore them, telling them to go stand somewhere cool. If they continued to nag, he might even resort to physical violence.

This man was a wild brute from the mountains, as strong as an ox. The others were all prominent figures, wealthy bosses, and it would be dishonorable to fight with such a crude mountain man. If he were to slap or punch someone, there would be no place to seek justice. Even Chen Seven, it seemed, did not want to offend him and always treated him politely whenever he came.

For some unknown reason.

It was likely that this man named Deng was also quite capable.

The calm man smiled and said, "Brother Deng, may I open it and take a look?"

Deng Tongtian grunted but did not stop him.

No matter how bad his temper, since he was here to trade, he had to let others see the goods.

The calm man smiled, not minding his attitude, and casually opened the dull yellow box with a black border. Instantly, a warm sensation surged out.

"Huh..."

Several exclamations of surprise echoed around.

Inside the box was a yellowish-orange stone, shiny and smooth, similar in color to yellow jade. The warm sensation was emanating from this yellow stone. Upon closer inspection, the stone seemed to have the shape of a Maitreya Buddha.

"Fire Rock Warm Jade?"

The calm man was also surprised and quickly reached in to pick up the yellow stone. The warm jade was not very large, only about three inches on each side, an irregular shape resembling a Maitreya Buddha, clearly a natural formation with no signs of carving.

Strictly speaking, warm jade is not a true jade but a mineral formed under high temperature and pressure. Fire Rock Warm Jade is considered a high-quality type of warm jade with medicinal value. Wearing such a warm jade accessory can greatly replenish yang energy and treat cold and weak conditions, making it highly prized by men who indulge in excessive drinking and sexual activities.

Moreover, this warm jade was of an appropriate size and naturally resembled a Maitreya Buddha, making it a tasteful accessory to wear, enhancing one's appearance and status.

The calm man was initially very excited. He was a successful businessman, handsome, and charming, with a great appeal to women. Despite his polished appearance, his face was actually grayish, and his health had been severely compromised by his indulgences. He had been relying on potent medications for years. Now, seeing this rare Fire Rock Warm Jade, he felt it was just what he needed.

However, after carefully examining the warm jade, his expression turned puzzled, his brows furrowed, and he muttered to himself.

"Strange, how could this be..."

The onlookers also became curious.

The calm man was a regular at the trade fair, known to be from Mingzhu, a seasoned herbal medicine merchant with a keen eye. Could there be something wrong with this warm jade? To properly appraise warm jade, one must not only look at its appearance but also feel it, relying on extensive experience.

"Brother Deng, has this warm jade been out of the ground for quite some time?"

The calm man's expression changed, and he looked up to ask after a moment.

Deng Tongtian, towering over him by more than half a head, had to be looked up to. He replied coldly, "Seven months ago."

Deng Tongtian spoke coldly, not adding a single extra word.

The calm man was taken aback and then forced a smile. "Brother Deng, you're joking. This is indeed high-quality Fire Rock Warm Jade, and its shape is particularly beautiful. However... the spiritual energy inside the warm jade has dissipated significantly. Based on my experience, it has at most one or two percent left... If it was mined seven months ago, I really can't believe it. It must be at least five or six years old. Otherwise, how could the spiritual energy have dissipated so much?"

Fire Rock Warm Jade is both a decorative item and a medicinal herb. To ordinary people, it is just a stone and has nothing to do with medicine. However, from the calm man's words, it was clear that he had a deep understanding of Fire Rock Warm Jade, able to determine the amount of spiritual energy it contained upon handling it.

"Take it or leave it!"

Deng Tongtian reached out and took the warm jade back from the calm man, dropping it on the coffee table with a "thud," seemingly unconcerned about damaging it. To him, this valuable Fire Rock Warm Jade was just a piece of broken stone.

Xiao Fan, who had been watching from the side, smiled slightly.

Deng Tongtian was indeed skilled, his movements as swift as lightning. The warm jade returned to his hand before anyone could react, yet his actions were smooth and fluid, seamless.

The calm man's expression changed, a hint of ferocity flashing in his eyes. He had never been treated so rudely and arrogantly in all these years. However, this was Yidong, not Mingzhu, and he was not on his home turf. Facing a fierce and intimidating man like Deng Tongtian, he could only suppress his anger and force a self-deprecating smile. "Brother Deng, I do want it. I'll offer this price."

He held up three fingers.

"Thirty thousand."

Deng Tongtian did not even bother to respond, completely ignoring him.

The calm man could no longer contain his frustration, letting out a cold "hmm" and his face darkening, his jaw muscles twitching, as if he might explode at any moment. Deng Tongtian did not care.

The others wore smug expressions, eager to see if this man from Mingzhu would dare to confront Deng Tongtian. If a fight broke out, it would be quite a spectacle. This Mingzhu merchant, weakened by his indulgences, would likely be no match for a strong man like Deng Tongtian.

"Hey, this is indeed high-quality Fire Rock Warm Jade. Let me take a look, Old Wang here."

Just as the calm man was at a loss, someone came to his rescue. It was the plump Wang Zhigang. Wang Zhigang pushed his way in, not bothering to ask Deng Tongtian's opinion, and carefully examined the warm jade, his chubby face gradually showing surprise. He also looked up and asked, "Old Deng, is this jade really mined seven months ago?"

Deng Tongtian still did not say a word.

Earlier, when he was talking to the calm man, Wang Zhigang had been standing nearby, and he had clearly heard the conversation. Asking this question again would be redundant.

"Strange, how could the spiritual energy of jade mined seven months ago be reduced to just this much? Well, it's still genuine Fire Rock Warm Jade, and it's quite good. I'll give you fifty thousand."

Wang Zhigang said this generously, playing with the warm jade.

In the current market environment, jade was not very valuable in the antique and jewelry market. A mere warm jade accessory could fetch at most fifty thousand, and even that required good luck. Wang Zhigang's offer was quite fair.

However, this did not mean that the fat man was a decent person. He himself did not need this warm jade, but he could still take it home and sell it to other unsuspecting buyers. After all, there were many wealthy people in Lingnan, and even more men who had been weakened by their indulgences. He would not have trouble finding buyers. Moreover, the average person would not notice the significant loss of spiritual energy inside the warm jade. With his sales skills, he might make a profit of ten or twenty thousand by reselling it.