Chapter 1994 Bloody Stone

"How dare you!"

Crane Elder's face flushed with anger.

He had presided over the auction house for nearly a century, handling no fewer than seven or eight thousand treasures, if not ten thousand. Even if he occasionally made mistakes due to insufficient knowledge, they were never major issues. Yet this man dared to say that following his advice would lead to death within three days—it was an outright insult!

"You're the one who's out of line! Giving a flawed appraisal that leads to someone's cultivation going awry and causing death... I don't need to spell out the consequences, do you understand?"

Raising his eyelids, Zhang Xuan said calmly.

Having read countless books in the Lingyun Sword Pavilion, he had gained much understanding of the Upper Firmament. Although the appraiser profession here did not form a special system like on the Master Teacher Continent, where one only had three chances to make mistakes in a lifetime, it was still extremely strict.

Once a mistake was made, one would lose all reputation, be unable to appraise again, and have to pay heavy compensation, potentially losing everything. In severe cases, one might even face criminal penalties.

For instance, if someone actually died because of this man's appraisal error, he could very well have his cultivation stripped away, losing control over his own life.

"Nonsense!"

Hearing the young man's words, Crane Elder's face changed. He flicked his sleeve and said angrily, "The consequences of a wrong appraisal are indeed severe, but do you know what punishment awaits those who defame others? If you don't give me an explanation today, even if we take this to the Lingyun Sword Pavilion or to Sect Leader Han, I won't back down!"

An appraiser making a mistake had serious consequences, but casually ruining someone's reputation was also a grave offense.

Even if the other party was a disciple of the Lingyun Sword Pavilion, they would still face severe punishment!

"Ruining reputation?" Zhang Xuan revealed a playful smile and shook his head. "You're overthinking it."

With that, he walked over to Guild Leader Wang.

Guild Leader Wang was also stunned at this moment, unsure whether to leave or stay.

He dared not offend either the Lingyun Sword Pavilion disciple or Crane Elder; neither was someone he could afford to provoke.

"You say my master made a mistake—can you prove it? If not, it's slander!" The young man named Yuan Qing, though very afraid of the Sword Pavilion disciple, still stepped forward, gritting his teeth.

Insulting his master was an insult to him as well.

The tradition of master-disciple inheritance was as strict in the Upper Firmament as on the Master Teacher Continent; no one dared to violate it.

"Prove it?" Zhang Xuan smiled lightly. "That's simple."

He looked around. "Do you have any test animals, like test rats, here?"

On the Master Teacher Continent, places where pills were refined often kept creatures specifically for testing newly made medicines. Zhang Xuan had used such methods during the pill debate in the Tianxuan Kingdom.

Although this place didn't refine pills, it auctioned medicines or treasures obtained from ancient tombs and ruins, so such test subjects should be available.

"Yes."

Yuan Qing glanced at his master, and seeing no objection, turned and left. After a short while, he returned with a sacred beast that looked like a rabbit.

It was only at the first level of the Saint Domain, considered weak here.

Ignoring the other party, Zhang Xuan looked at Guild Leader Wang and smiled. "Would you mind placing this statue back on the table?"

Hesitating for a moment, Guild Leader Wang set it down.

Without touching the statue, Zhang Xuan casually took out a brush and lightly drew a strange pattern around it.

Seeing his action, Crane Elder was startled and then sneered. "A calming array? Drawing an array with a brush?"

He recognized the pattern—it was a calming and mind-soothing array, which, when combined with the statue, could maximize its effect.

He had just explained this to Guild Leader Wang.

But...

Setting up a calming array required array flags and various treasures for array formation. Using a brush to casually draw—what effect could that have?

This was no way to joke!

"Drawing the array with a brush reduces its power; otherwise, I'm afraid this sacred beast couldn't withstand even a single breath."

Zhang Xuan quickly finished drawing, put away the brush, and lightly tapped, channeling a stream of true energy into it.

Hum!

The pattern drawn with the brush immediately shone with dazzling light, perfectly merging with the statue. Instantly, within the range of the drawing, a force that calmed the mind rippled out, as if cultivating inside would be faster.

"This..."

Crane Elder's eyebrows twitched. He hadn't expected that an ordinary brush could be used to draw an array.

This required not only a profound understanding of arrays but also a deep knowledge of the surrounding environment and the statue itself. Missing even a single point would make it impossible. Even the most skilled array master in Wuhai City might not be able to accomplish this.

The other party handled it with ease, as if it were nothing... How did he do it?

Suddenly, a foreboding feeling arose in his heart.

With the array activated, Zhang Xuan looked at Yuan Qing. "Please place the sacred beast inside."

Without a word, Yuan Qing handed over the rabbit and placed it within the brush-drawn pattern. The calming force instantly enveloped it.

Feeling this force, the rabbit, which had been somewhat restless, calmed down, closed its eyes, and seemed about to fall asleep.

"You said it was fake?"

Seeing the rabbit's state, Crane Elder snorted.

His appraisal had concluded that the statue, combined with the array, could calm the mind and aid cultivation. The other party claimed it was fake and would cause death... Now the rabbit in the array was so peaceful, clearly proving he was right.

"Don't rush. Watch slowly."

Smiling faintly, Zhang Xuan stepped back a few paces, sat down calmly on a stool, and looked at the young man nearby. "Aren't you going to brew me some tea?"

"..." Yuan Qing was taken aback, his fists clenching.

"Go ahead."

Crane Elder snorted.

Although he was displeased with this fellow, the other was a Lingyun Sword Pavilion disciple, and until the results were clear, he dared not be too disrespectful.

With his master's order, Yuan Qing withdrew and soon returned with a pot of tea.

Sipping the tea, Zhang Xuan waited for about half an hour. The rabbit, which had seemed asleep, slowly opened its eyes, appearing somewhat restless.

"What's going on?"

Crane Elder was startled.

Normally, under the influence of a calming artifact, one would remain very peaceful, free from distracting thoughts. But now it showed restlessness—clearly something was wrong.

Whoosh!

Without answering his question, the rabbit on the table suddenly stood up, its eyes turning red. Then, with a sudden leap, it jumped toward the statue.

Crack!

It slammed its head into the statue, its legs twitching a few times.

Then it stopped breathing.

Everyone's pupils contracted simultaneously. Guild Leader Wang, who had also been sitting and drinking tea, crushed the teacup in his hand with a crack, tea spilling onto the floor.

"Crane Elder... what is this?"

It was foreseeable that if he had used this for cultivation earlier, he would have ended up like the rabbit, crashing to his death.

Crane Elder was also dumbfounded.

According to his appraisal, there was no problem at all. Why did this happen?

He had witnessed the entire process. The Lingyun Sword Pavilion disciple had only drawn the array and done nothing else.

Although the array was unusual, he recognized the pattern—it was meant to better harness the statue's power without any side effects.

In other words...

The other party hadn't interfered at all!

The rabbit's death must be related to the statue!

"What's going on?"

Seeing Crane Elder unable to answer, Guild Leader Wang hurriedly looked at the young man.

"Want to know the reason?"

Zhang Xuan smiled faintly.

"Yes."

Guild Leader Wang nodded.

This was too terrifying!

He had spent a fortune on the statue to calm his mind and eliminate inner demons, aiming to break through to a higher realm. But after seeing this... how could he continue cultivating?

If he couldn't understand, he would never dare use this statue again!

"If you want to know, it's simple... Pick up the statue."

Zhang Xuan said.

"Alright..." Guild Leader Wang picked up the statue from the table.

Although the rabbit had bumped into it, the statue was undamaged, its lifelike figure seeming ready to come alive at any moment.

"Raise it above your head." Zhang Xuan said.

Guild Leader Wang raised it.

"Now, use all your strength and smash it on the ground!" Zhang Xuan continued.

"Smash?"

Guild Leader Wang was stunned.

Although the statue was carved from calming stone and very sturdy, smashing it like this would shatter even the toughest material!

He had spent half his life's savings on this—just smash it?

"That's right... Don't you want to know why? Then smash it." Zhang Xuan took a sip of tea and smiled faintly. "If you can't bear to part with it, take it back and use it as Crane Elder advised."

"..."

Guild Leader Wang's face twitched. Crane Elder, standing nearby, also stiffened, wanting to retort but unable to speak.

Having just seen the rabbit dash itself to death, who would dare continue using it?

"If it breaks and you can't explain, will you compensate Guild Leader Wang?"

Crane Elder said.

"And if I explain, will you compensate him?" Zhang Xuan looked at him.

"If you can explain and prove I was wrong, I am willing to compensate." Crane Elder nodded.

If the other could truly prove his mistake, compensation was nothing.

After all, for an appraiser, making a mistake meant accepting punishment.

"If I can't explain, I'll also compensate." Zhang Xuan said.

"Good..."

Seeing the two at odds and the matter pushed to this point, Guild Leader Wang gritted his teeth and flicked his wrist.

Crack!

The statue fell to the ground and shattered into pieces.

Whoosh!

As the stone broke apart, a dense aura of killing intent surged out, making everyone shiver.

Crane Elder quickly looked down. At the cracks of the shattered statue, the color was crimson like blood. His pupils contracted, and his face turned pale.

"This is... Bloody Stone?"

Bloody Stone often appears in frenzied battlefields or slaughterhouses, stained by blood over the years. The blood seeps in, carrying a dense aura of slaughter.

Most importantly, it is entangled with vengeful spirits. Those with weak strength cannot even approach it; from a distance, they will be burned by its killing intent, leading to qi deviation at best, or depression and suicide at worst.

This thing was the complete opposite of Calming Stone...

He had clearly identified it as the former. Why did it become the latter after being smashed? What had happened?

In an instant, Crane Elder was completely bewildered.