168: Chapter 168: The analysis and appraisal were completed in just a few minutes?!

Outside the venue.

The dead silence lasted for less than ten seconds.

It was broken by an even more turbulent wave of voices.

Everyone could clearly see.

After selecting the item, the black-robed person calling himself Dong Xuan actually closed his eyes directly, standing in place like an old monk in meditation, without any further movement.

"He... what is he doing? Has he given up on himself?"

A shrill voice rang out with disbelief.

"Heh!"

Someone immediately responded, their tone full of ridicule.

"What else could he be doing? He's just putting on an act! He knows he's bragged too much and can't back it up, so he's just playing tricks to stall for time!"

"I think so too. He definitely chose a piece of junk he doesn't understand at all, and now he's racking his brains trying to figure out how to make up some nonsense later!"

An Appraiser wearing a Low Grade Rank Two robe spoke with conviction, his face full of the superiority of someone who had seen through everything.

"Make things up? Make things up in the Appraisers Guild's assessment? Does he think the database is just for show? Just wait, in an hour, his reputation will be in tatters!"

Another person said through gritted teeth.

It was as if Jiang Yun's arrogance had offended the sacred Dao of appraisal in his heart.

A portion of the neutrals were relatively calmer.

But they were equally pessimistic.

"Sigh, still too young and impulsive. Is the chasm between Low Grade Rank One and Medium Grade Rank One really that easy to cross? I think he's eighty percent likely to fail."

"Guess? How can he guess? This thing looks obscure; there isn't even a decent reference. I'm afraid he won't even be able to guess the name correctly."

Of course.

There were still a very few people in the crowd who held a faint glimmer of expectation for Jiang Yun.

"Perhaps... he really has some unique method?"

"Don't forget his performance downstairs. What if?"

Amidst the chaotic discussions.

Near the front of the viewing area.

A young man dressed in luxurious clothes and possessing an extraordinary aura.

He turned his head slightly and whispered to the old man behind him, "Elder Hai, you are experienced. Do you think this fellow... is just putting on a show, or does he have some genuine talent?"

The gaze of the old man known as Elder Hai fell upon Jiang Yun's still figure.

After staring for a moment, he slowly shook his head.

"I cannot see through him."

Elder Hai's voice was low and steady.

"This person's behavior seems flamboyant and reckless, defying common sense. However, his tone and posture exude a confidence that radiates from his very bones; it is not mere bluster. Although his face is hidden by a mask, that composed aura cannot be faked. I fear... he truly possesses something to rely on, some other trick up his sleeve."

"A trick?"

A sharp light flashed in the young man's eyes.

"Could he really be a disciple from some Hidden Family or ancient Legacy out for worldly experience? If so, it would be interesting. Let's see what kind of tricks he can pull off."

...Inside the examination hall.

Master Zhang, Zhang Yuan, had long since lost the mind to continue searching for items.

He folded his arms, an undisguised sneer hanging on his lips. His gaze was like a nail, fixed firmly on Jiang Yun, as if he wanted to burn through Jiang Yun's black robe with his eyes.

"Keep pretending! Keep pretending for this old man!"

He thought viciously to himself.

"I want to see how you endure this one hour! When the time is up, if you can't produce a decent report or if you start talking nonsense, watch how I criticize you until you're utterly humiliated in front of everyone! I'll let a braggart like you know that the title of Appraiser isn't earned by seeking attention!"

He had already begun to formulate in his mind.

How, in an hour's time, he would use the sharpest and most professional language to crush this ignorant boy into the mud, both to vent his frustration over his repeated failures and to defend the rigorous standards of appraisal he held supreme.

Even the chief examiner, Steward Li.

At this moment, he was also looking at the still, eye-closed Jiang Yun with great interest, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the registration book.

He also wanted to see.

This youth who had been constantly breaking conventions since he appeared.

What exactly he would do next.

Would he ultimately produce a shocking appraisal report?

Or would he, as most people expected,

End up becoming a joke?

Almost.

Everyone thought.

Jiang Yun's closed-eye meditation would last at least half an hour, and he might even wait until the very last moment to speak.

However.

Less than half a minute had passed!

The black-robed figure suddenly opened his eyes.

His gaze was clear.

There was not a hint of hesitation or struggle.

He turned toward Steward Li.

He spoke calmly.

His voice once again spread clearly throughout the examination hall and beyond.

"Steward Li! I have finished my appraisal and analysis."

"I would like to provide the appraisal report orally."

...As these words fell.

Boom!

The scene immediately erupted into chaos once more.

"What?!"

In the viewing area.

Countless people sprang up from their seats.

Their necks were craned long.

Their eyes were wide like copper bells!

"Fi... finished? What did he say? The appraisal is finished?"

A middle-aged Appraiser dug at his ear.

His face was full of the absurd.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible! How long has it been? Half a minute? From the time he chose the item until now, has it even been half a minute?!"

Another person cried out in shock.

His voice had even changed pitch.

"Orally? He's not even writing a report? What does he think this is? Storytelling in a teahouse?!"

Someone was trembling with rage.

Feeling that their profession had been subjected to unprecedented insult.

The area outside the venue instantly boiled over.

Doubts and ridicule surged like a tsunami.

"Who is he kidding! He's bragging without even preparing a script! Appraising a Medium Grade exam item in half a minute? Does he think he's a High Grade Great Master Appraiser?!"

"Hahaha, you're killing me. I think he knows he can't make anything up, so he's just giving up and saying whatever to fool people before finding a hole to crawl into!"

"Arrogant! Ignorant! This is the most ridiculous examinee I've ever seen! The Guild should disqualify him immediately!"

All sorts of unpleasant discussions and accusations pelted down like hailstones.

Hardly anyone believed.

That someone could complete a deep appraisal and origin tracing of an unknown Medium Grade item in half a minute.

This had completely exceeded their scope of understanding.

The young man in luxurious clothes was also momentarily stunned.

His face was written with shock and the unexpected.

"He... he actually... in half a minute... Elder Hai, this..."

On Elder Hai's normally calm face.

A visible stir appeared for the first time.

He leaned forward slightly.

A sharp light flickered and vanished in his cloudy eyes.

He stared fixedly at Jiang Yun and murmured, "Half a minute... oral report... this kid is either crazy, or he's a... Prodigy!"

...Inside the examination hall.

The moment Master Zhang heard Jiang Yun's words.

He was first stunned.

Then, the muscles on his face twitched violently due to extreme absurdity and anger.

He could no longer maintain his arm-folding, spectating posture. He stepped forward abruptly and pointed at Jiang Yun, his voice becoming shrill due to the peak of sarcasm and fury.

"You arrogant brat! How dare you play with the assessment like this! Half a minute? Do you think appraisal is child's play?! I have studied the Dao of appraisal for decades and have never seen such an absurd thing! You haven't even performed the most basic observation, measurement, or comparison, yet you dare to boast that the appraisal is finished? It's simply the world's biggest joke!"

He turned to Steward Li.

Waving his arms emotionally.

"Steward Li! You heard it! This boy clearly disdains the Guild and disdains all of us Appraisers! I strongly suggest terminating his assessment immediately to set the record straight!"

Steward Li was also full of shock and disbelief at this moment.

He looked at Jiang Yun.

As if he were looking at a monster.

He had presided over assessments for many years.

He had seen many Geniuses.

But someone like this... who could not be measured by common sense, was definitely the first!

"Little friend Dong Xuan, are... are you sure you've really finished the appraisal?"

Steward Li's voice carried a hint of dryness that he hadn't even noticed.

"Only half a minute has passed. You still have a full fifty-nine minutes to observe and think carefully. How about..."

"No need."

Jiang Yun interrupted indifferently.

His tone was still frighteningly steady.

"The information of this item is already clear in my mind. I can provide the oral report immediately."

"This..."

Steward Li was momentarily at a loss for words.

Looking at the gaze hidden behind the mask that seemed to radiate absolute confidence.

He actually couldn't find any words to refute or persuade him.

"Hmph! Let him speak!"

Seeing this, Master Zhang.

He laughed out of extreme anger, his voice bone-chillingly cold.

"Since he's seeking his own death, why should we stop him? I would like to hear what kind of shocking nonsense he can appraise in a mere half-minute—a time in which he might not even have seen the patterns on the item clearly! Does he really think he's a once-in-a-millennium appraisal Genius? What a joke!"

He crossed his arms.

His chin tilted slightly.

He assumed a posture of waiting to see a good show.

Ready to launch a critique at any moment.

Steward Li took a deep breath.

Forcing down the stormy waves in his heart.

Since things had come to this, he could only act according to the rules.

"Fine! Since you insist, then we shall proceed as you wish."

Steward Li's expression turned solemn.

"Examinee Dong Xuan has chosen to provide an oral appraisal report. Every word you say next will be recorded by the examination hall's appraisal Formation and compared with the existing appraisal information of this item in the Guild's headquarters database, and a comprehensive score will be given by the Formation System."

"A score of eighty or above counts as passing. The Formation appraisal is fair and just. Now—begin!"

As Steward Li's voice fell.

The entire examination hall and even the viewing area outside.

Instantly became silent.

All eyes, all attention—whether it was doubt, ridicule, shock, curiosity, or that imperceptible sliver of expectation—were all fixed dead on that black-robed figure standing proudly beside the display stand.

Master Zhang wore a cold sneer on the corner of his mouth.

He was already prepared to interrupt and refute at any time.

Steward Li held his breath and concentrated.

Waiting for the content that was about to come out of Jiang Yun's mouth.

The people outside the venue strained their ears even more.

For fear of missing a single word.

At the center of the storm.

Jiang Yun cleared his throat slightly.

His calm and clear voice.

Slowly spread out.

"The item I have chosen is named beast taming armor condensation, the left arm component..."