620: Chapter 615 Burning Something

Less than three meters in front of him, that celadon color paused momentarily amidst a swirling eddy.

He exerted all his strength, leaning forward and stretching out his hand.

The instant his fingertips touched that warm, cool piece of porcelain.

A new flow of mud, mixed with a head-sized stone, violently slammed into his back.

Pfft—

Shen Yan couldn't catch his breath, and his entire body was smashed into the muddy water.

The world spun.

Suffocation and intense pain surged into his brain simultaneously.

But he still didn't let go.

He tightly clenched the small piece of porcelain in his palm.

This was his bargaining chip for a comeback, the foundation of his future.

Using the last of his strength, he pulled the rope, dragging himself inch by inch back from the edge of death.

By the time he climbed back onto the slope, he was covered in mud and utterly wretched.

His back burned fiercely; he knew it was a bloody mess.

In the distance, the two guards seemed terrified out of their wits, frantically making phone calls, probably reporting the situation to their boss.

They failed to notice that the 'madman' who had seemingly appeared out of thin air in their eyes had already taken the most precious secret buried beneath this land.

Shen Yan didn't linger. He untied the rope and dragged his exhausted body back to the car.

He took off the mud-caked raincoat and opened the sample collection box.

He spread his palm open.

Three fragments of varying sizes lay quietly in his palm.

He carefully rinsed the mud off them with mineral water.

When the legendary celadon color was completely revealed before his eyes, Shen Yan’s breathing hitched.

As blue as the sky, as bright as a mirror, as thin as paper, as resonant as a chime.

The ancients' description held not a shred of exaggeration.

This was no longer mere pottery; it was an artwork condensed from time and craftsmanship, created by seizing the fortune of heaven and earth.

And at that very moment, the familiar sound echoed in his mind.

[Ding!]

[Acquired Key Mission Item: 'chai kiln' Celadon Glaze Fragment * 3]

[Chain Mission 'Ancient Charm Reborn' First Stage Activated!]

[Mission Name: Fire of the Dragon Kiln]

[Mission Description: The disappearance of the chai kiln is not just the loss of an artifact, but a break in the continuity of skill. True rebirth means allowing the lost flame to burn again on this land.]

[Mission Objective: Within one month, construct a functional traditional Dragon Kiln in C City and personally fire a 'Celadon' piece that achieves over eighty percent of the 'chai kiln' craft standard.]

[Mission Reward: One piece of advanced wealth intelligence.]

Shen Yan looked at the mission panel and slowly exhaled a breath of stale air.

Rebuild a Dragon Kiln?

Fire it personally?

Was the system asking him to transform from a software tycoon into a ceramic artist?

The leap was unusually large.

Shen Yan picked up the largest fragment and held it up to the light.

Beneath the warm glaze, it seemed to hide a sky—a clear sky from the Song Dynasty.

The corner of his mouth slowly curved into an arc.

It's only interesting when there's a challenge.

He started the car, the roar of the engine sounding through the curtain of rain.

Simultaneously, he dialed a familiar number.

The call was connected quickly, and Ning Ke's magnetic voice, tinged with a hint of laziness, came through.

"President Shen, what a rare visitor. You just turned the Qi family's pond upside down; how do you have time to contact a small broker like me?"

"Mr. Ning.", Shen Yan's voice was hoarse from exhaustion, but still steady, "Help me find someone."

"Oh? What kind of person can catch the eye of President Shen?"

"In C City, or rather, the entire country, the best master craftsman in building ancient kilns."

Shen Yan looked at the world washed clean by the torrential rain outside the window and said calmly.

"I need to burn something."

Ning Ke on the other end fell into a brief silence.

His mind, which toyed with capital at will, was spinning rapidly.

Burn something?

The best master craftsman in building ancient kilns?

These two phrases combined carried a strange, almost sinister feel.

"President Shen, your hobbies are becoming increasingly incomprehensible to me.", Ning Ke's voice held a probing smile, "What, is Future Technology planning to expand its territory into the art collection field?"

He tried to find a trace of the matter within Shen Yan's business logic.

"If President Shen is interested, I do know several heads of top domestic auction houses, and those specializing in antique funds..."

"Mr. Ning.", Shen Yan interrupted him.

His voice was calm, but carried an unquestionable power.

"I just need a name, a phone number."

"As for what I need to burn, you can interpret it as burning money."

Ning Ke let out a light chuckle on the other end.

It was simple talking to a smart person.

Stop at the hint; asking more would be disregarding the rules.

"Understood.", Ning Ke's tone immediately became relaxed, "I like the speed and manner in which President Shen burns money."

"Money is meant to solve problems."

"Well said. In C City, there is only one master kiln builder at the national level."

Ning Ke stopped being coy.

"Gao Shou Zheng, Master Gao. He is seventy-three this year and has built kilns his entire life. The restored Imperial Kiln at the C City Museum was restored under his leadership. If he claims to be second, no one dares to claim first."

"But he has a strange temper and is stubborn. No matter how much money you offer, if he dislikes the person or the task, he'll turn around and leave."

"Do you have an address?", Shen Yan asked.

"Of course. I'll send his information and address to your phone. But I must remind you, Master Gao seems to have run into some trouble recently and is in a bad mood. You should be mentally prepared."

"Trouble?"

"I'm not clear on the specifics, but I heard he took on a huge job that got stuck, causing him to lose a lot of money, nearly having to mortgage his ancestral home."

Shen Yan's eyebrows twitched slightly.

"Got it."

After hanging up, the information Ning Ke sent quickly appeared on the screen.

Gao Shou Zheng lived in Old Kiln Worker Alley in the southern part of the city.

A place that sounded steeped in history just by its name.

Shen Yan didn't go over immediately.

He first drove back to Junyue Mansion and washed off the mud and fatigue in the presidential suite.

The wound on his back sent sharp stabs of pain as it was washed by the hot water.

He looked in the mirror and applied some simple medicine to himself.

The gash inflicted by the giant stone was ferocious and deep.

Yet, he seemed unable to feel the pain.

Compared to the pain of his wife's betrayal, his company being hollowed out, and his daughter being taken away, this minor flesh wound counted for nothing.

The night passed without incident.

The next day, the torrential rain had just subsided.

The entire C City looked as if it had been fished out of water; the streets were still flooded, and the air was filled with the damp smell of earth.

Shen Yan did not drive.

He changed into a set of clean casual clothes and took a taxi to Old Kiln Worker Alley.