Chapter 353 This kid is really a top-grade appraiser?!

"High-Grade Appraiser?!"

When those four words lightly escaped Jiang Yun's mouth, the entire courtyard fell into a deathly silence.

What kind of silence was it?

It was as if time had been frozen and the air had been sucked dry.

The bald, burly man who had been mockingly laughing his head off just a second ago still had his mouth open, but his laughter was stuck in his throat, making his face turn beet red.

The expressions of the mercenaries beside him who had been joining in the jeering were even more spectacular.

Some had eyes bulging out, some had jaws that nearly hit their feet, and others subconsciously dug at their ears, doubting if they were experiencing auditory hallucinations.

"Gulp."

Someone swallowed hard, and in this silence where a pin drop could be heard, the sound was piercingly clear.

A High-Grade Appraiser?

That was an existence second only to a Grand Tutor Level Appraiser!

They were the powerful guarantee for appraising various ancient relics, cracking ruin Restrictions, and identifying Heaven And Earth Treasures!

In the entire provincial capital, there were fewer than twenty publicly known High-Grade Appraisers in total!

Every single one was an honored guest whom major powers scrambled to recruit.

Every single one was respectfully addressed as Great Master wherever they went.

And this youth before them, who looked to be only sixteen or seventeen years old...

He said he was a High-Grade Appraiser?

"This... how is this possible?"

Someone muttered to themselves, their voice filled with utter disbelief.

If this youth before them really was a High-Grade Appraiser, what would that imply?

It would mean his appraisal talent was terrifying beyond imagination!

It would mean his value was enough for any major power to go all out to recruit him!

It would mean a person like him was simply not someone they could afford to provoke!

Naturally... they had to be more respectful.

However, the crowd wasn't so foolish as to believe whatever Jiang Yun said.

Behind the long table.

The Blood Thorn Mercenary Group's Deputy Group Leader, Deputy Group Leader, stood up abruptly, his gaze fixed intently on Jiang Yun.

The thin, withered old man to his left.

Tuoba Qingshan, a Medium Grade Rank Three Appraiser, also sat up straight now, a sharp light bursting from his cloudy old eyes.

The seductive woman to the right likewise put away her lazy expression, her beautiful eyes filled with astonishment.

Deputy Group Leader took a deep breath and said in a heavy voice, "Little brother, are you serious?"

Jiang Yun's expression was indifferent: "Naturally, I am serious."

Tuoba Qingshan stared at Jiang Yun for a few breaths before slowly speaking, "Little friend, since you say you are a High-Grade Appraiser, do you have a way to prove it?"

Jiang Yun nodded: "I do."

As those words fell.

From the crowd, a cold sneer suddenly rang out.

"Heh."

A middle-aged man wearing gray robes stepped out, his face wearing an undisguised sneer.

He wore a badge on his chest.

It was the Rank badge of the Appraisers Guild.

Two golden lines were engraved upon it.

A Medium Grade Rank Two Appraiser.

It was the one who had already passed the recruitment earlier and had been standing aside watching.

His name was Zhou Ming.

Zhou Ming walked up to Jiang Yun and sized him up, the mockery at the corners of his mouth growing thicker.

"Prove it? How are you going to prove it?"

"A sixteen or seventeen-year-old youth claims to be a High-Grade Appraiser out of nowhere? What boastful nonsense!"

He turned and cupped his hands to the surrounding crowd: "Everyone, I am Zhou Ming, a Medium Grade Rank Two Appraiser with over twenty years of experience in the appraisal industry. Today, I'll put it bluntly: at such an age, it is fundamentally impossible to reach High Grade!"

"Because if there truly were a sixteen-year-old appraisal Genius in this world, there would only be one!"

He paused, a trace of awe flashing in his eyes.

"The newly appointed Grand Elder of the Appraisers Guild, Grand Tutor Dongxuan!"

Grand Tutor Dongxuan!

As soon as these four words were spoken, the scene instantly erupted into a frenzy.

"Right, right, right! Grand Tutor Dongxuan!"

"A sixteen-year-old Grand Tutor Level Appraiser! That is the true Prodigy!"

"I heard about it! On the day of the Grand Tutor assessment, the top powers of the entire provincial capital were shaken!"

"More than that! It's said that even Hidden Familys like the Liu Family and the Huang Family sent people to observe the ceremony!"

"When Grand Tutor Dongxuan appraised an Ancient Remnant Tool, he only took three looks to clearly state its origin, era, and purpose. The white-haired old woman who is the Vice President of the Appraisal Institute was stunned on the spot!"

“Hiss!!! A sixteen-year-old Grand Tutor! Is he even human?”

"It's a pity I haven't had the chance to meet the Immortal Master. They say Grand Tutor Dongxuan is elusive and very mysterious!"

"Naturally! How could someone like us see such a figure just because we want to?"

Everyone chimed in, their eyes filled with admiration and yearning.

Zhou Ming waited for the discussion to die down slightly before turning to Jiang Yun and sneering, "Kid, did you hear that? There indeed is a sixteen-year-old appraisal Genius in this world, but that person is Grand Tutor Dongxuan! He is Grand Tutor Level! What about you? Who do you think you are? Do you think you're worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as Grand Tutor Dongxuan?"

Jiang Yun: "..."

His expression instantly became extremely subtle.

He wanted to laugh.

But he couldn't.

He wanted to cry.

But he couldn't do that either.

This group of people was using me to step on me right to my face?

The corners of Jiang Yun's mouth twitched slightly; he was truly caught between laughter and tears.

He took a deep breath, suppressed that absurd feeling, and said calmly, "Are you finished?"

Zhou Ming was stunned.

Jiang Yun continued, "If you're finished, can we get to the main point?"

He looked at Tuoba Qingshan behind the long table: "Senior, whether I truly have the ability can be known with one test. Why engage in pointless verbal disputes here?"

A strange look flashed in Tuoba Qingshan's eyes.

What a composed youth!

Faced with so much doubt and mockery, he remained unruffled, neither humble nor arrogant. This Heart-Nature far surpassed his peers.

And...

The composure and confidence he showed when he said it could be known with one test...

It didn't seem faked.

Tuoba Qingshan nodded slightly.

"The little friend makes sense."

Zhou Ming grew anxious.

"Senior Tuoba! You really believe him? Isn't this a waste of time? Does a mere brat really think he's an extraordinary figure like Grand Tutor Dongxuan?"

Quite a few people chimed in.

"Yeah! There's no need to waste time on him!"

"Great Master Zhou is right, this kid is definitely a fraud!"

"Just tell him to get lost!"

Tuoba Qingshan raised his hand, suppressing those voices.

He looked at Jiang Yun, his expression becoming serious.

"Little friend, I can give you a chance."

He paused, his tone growing heavier.

"However, I must remind you. Here, rules are rules. If you cannot prove you are a High-Grade Appraiser, it's not just a matter of being unable to join the team; you will be blacklisted by the Blood Thorn Mercenary Group. In the future, you will find it impossible to move an inch in the Barren Bone Region. Furthermore, if you are intentionally impersonating one, the consequences will be extremely severe! At best, your beast will be crippled; at worst, you will be executed immediately."

Jiang Yun nodded.

"I am naturally aware."

At this moment, he suddenly turned his head to look at Zhou Ming.

That gaze was as calm as water.

Yet it made Zhou Ming feel a mysterious chill in his heart.

Jiang Yun said indifferently, "However, before we begin, I have one thing to ask."

Zhou Ming forced himself to speak: "What do you want to ask?"

The corners of Jiang Yun's mouth curled slightly: "If I really am a High-Grade Appraiser, how should the person who repeatedly provoked me and slandered me be dealt with?"

Zhou Ming's expression changed.

The surrounding crowd also looked at each other.

Is he... going to settle the score?

Zhou Ming's face flushed red as he stiffened his neck and said, "You! Stop putting on an act here! Talk after you can actually prove you're a High-Grade Appraiser!"

Jiang Yun ignored him and looked directly at Tuoba Qingshan.

Tuoba Qingshan pondered for a breath before slowly speaking.

"If the little friend really is a High-Grade Appraiser, then this person who repeatedly provoked and spoke rudely must naturally give an account."

He looked at Zhou Ming with a piercing gaze.

"After all, with a High-Grade Appraiser presiding, the significance of a Medium Grade Appraiser's presence is indeed not great. At that time, I will take charge and remove you from the team."

Zhou Ming's pupils shrank, and his face instantly turned deathly pale.

He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out.

Tuoba Qingshan continued, "Besides that, according to the rules of the Appraisers Guild, offending a High-Grade Appraiser can lead to the revocation of one's appraisal qualifications at best, and at worst... being expelled from the guild, never to be employed again."

Zhou Ming's body began to tremble.

Tuoba Qingshan looked at him and said indifferently, "Great Master Zhou, this is merely my disposal. As for whether the little friend himself wants to pursue the matter, that is his business."

Zhou Ming's legs went soft, and he nearly knelt on the spot.

He suddenly looked at Jiang Yun, his eyes filled with terror.

Jiang Yun only gave a faint smile and withdrew his gaze.

That smile, in Zhou Ming's eyes, was more terrifying than any threat.

Tuoba Qingshan stopped looking at him and turned to Jiang Yun.

"Little friend, are you satisfied with this answer?"

Jiang Yun nodded slightly.

"The Senior is fair."

Tuoba Qingshan nodded, his expression solemn.

"Very well, I shall now present the test."

He turned around and carefully took something out from an exquisite wooden box behind him.

The moment that item was taken out, everyone's gaze was drawn to it.

What was that?

It looked like a stone.

But it was definitely no ordinary stone.

It was greenish-gray all over, about the size of a fist, with eerie flows of light slowly moving across its surface as if it were breathing with life.

Even more startling was that the surface of the stone was covered in dense, intricate patterns.

Those patterns were not naturally formed but were man-made carvings, each one flickering with a faint golden light like living runes!

From within the stone, an extremely special aura faintly emanated.

Ancient.

Vast.

As if it came from the distant primordial wilderness.

Everyone present felt a vague sense of pressure.

Is that... pressure from ancient times?

Tuoba Qingshan held the stone, his expression solemn.

"I have had this item for three years."

"In those three years, I have consulted more than ten fellow Appraisers, from Low Grade to Medium Grade, yet not one could identify its origin."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the crowd.

"I am only a Medium Grade Rank 3; I am not at the peak of the path of Appraisal. However, I can assert that this item is definitely not something a Mid-grade Appraiser can recognize."

"It wasn't until half a year ago, when I had the honor of visiting an old friend who is a reclusive High-Grade Appraiser, that I learned its true identity from his mouth."

He looked at Jiang Yun, his eyes full of scrutiny.

"Young friend, my test is very simple. If you can state this item's name, origin, and use, I will acknowledge you as a High-Grade Appraiser. If you cannot..."

He did not continue.

But the meaning was self-evident.

Zhou Ming's eyes lit up, and he stepped forward quickly, staring intently at the stone for several moments.

However, the more he looked, the uglier his expression became.

What on earth is this?

The material seemed like stone but wasn't; it felt as warm and smooth as jade, yet was incredibly hard.

He didn't recognize a single one of the runes on it.

The power contained within was something he had never even heard of.

That ancient pressure made his heart tremble.

He, a dignified Medium Grade Rank 2 Appraiser, actually...

Could not see through it at all!

Cold sweat seeped from Zhou Ming's forehead. He looked a few more times, unwilling to give up, but eventually conceded in dejection.

But immediately after, a surge of wild joy rose in his heart.

If even I can't see through it, how could this brat?

Haha!

This kid is dead meat!

He immediately turned around and shouted to the crowd, "Everyone! I can't see through this either! If something is unrecognizable even to me, a Medium Grade Rank 2, how could a wet-behind-the-ears brat possibly know? If he can identify it, I, Zhou Ming, will eat this stone on the spot!"

A burst of mocking laughter erupted from the crowd.

"Great Master Zhou is right!"

"This kid definitely won't recognize it!"

"Keep pretending, you're about to be exposed, aren't you?"

Jiang Yun ignored those voices.

His gaze fell upon the stone.

Deep within his eyes, a blue light quietly emerged.

Innate Talent Skill: Entry Manifestation.

[Ancient Rune Stone Fragment]

[Era: Approximately 30,000 years ago, late Archaic Era]

[Material: Refined from a Meteor Heart core mixed with the essence blood of a Heaven-Reaching Demonic Ape]

[Status: Contains a drop of sealed Heaven-Reaching Demonic Ape essence blood; runes are approximately 67% incomplete]

[Uses: ① Formation core eye, can increase Formation stability by 300%; ② Beast taming evolution material, suitable for beasts with ancient Bloodlines; consumption can purify Bloodlines and has a chance to awaken Legacy memories]

[Notes: This item originates from the ancient ruins of God Burial Abyss. It is a leftover scrap from an ancient Qi Refiner's production of rune Formation Plates, possessing a special pressure due to the Vicious Beast essence blood within]

After Jiang Yun finished reading, the corners of his mouth curled slightly.

Just this thing?

He withdrew his gaze and was about to speak.

Seeing his silence, Zhou Ming thought he was stumped and became even more smug.

"What? Not talking? Weren't you quite the poser just now? Are you mute now? Go ahead and identify it! If you can't, then get lost while you still can!"

Right at that moment.

"Ancient Rune Stone."

Those three words were calmly uttered from Jiang Yun's mouth.

Zhou Ming's words came to an abrupt halt.

His mouth remained open, and the smug expression on his face froze.

It solidified bit by bit.

Finally, it turned into a comical daze.

"You... what did you say?"

Jiang Yun didn't look at him, his gaze still fixed on the stone, his tone as flat as water.

"This item is called an Ancient Rune Stone. To be precise, it is a fragment of an Ancient Rune Stone."

"It comes from ancient ruins and is at least 30,000 years old."

"The runes on it are inscriptions from the ancient era, used to record a certain Cultivation Technique or secret art. However, because it is so old and the runes are incomplete, the specific content can no longer be determined."

"This item has two main uses."

"First, as a core eye for a Formation. Because Ancient Rune Stones naturally contain spatial power, they can greatly enhance the stability of a Formation."

"Second, it can be used as a beast taming evolution material, especially for beasts with an ancient Bloodline. Consuming it can purify the Bloodline and even awaken part of their Legacy memories."

After Jiang Yun finished speaking, the entire place fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone looked as if they were being strangled, staring at Jiang Yun with wide eyes, unable to say a single word.

Zhou Ming's expression was even more spectacular.

First red, then white, then green, and finally turning a hideous shade of liver-purple.

His lips trembled; he wanted to say something, but not a single word would come out.

Tuoba Qingshan suddenly stood up, an unprecedented light erupting in his eyes.

He stared fixedly at Jiang Yun, his voice trembling.

"This... how is this possible?"

"You... how do you know such details??!"

Tuoba Qingshan was utterly shocked.

What Jiang Yun said was even more detailed than what his old friend had told him back then.

Jiang Yun gave a nonchalant smile.

"I saw it through appraisal."

Saw it through appraisal?!

Saw it through appraisal?!

Everyone's minds went blank.

They looked at Jiang Yun, then at the stone, and then at Tuoba Qingshan's shocked and undignified expression...

Even the stupidest person understood at this moment.

This kid...

Was actually right!

And he described it in such detail!

So detailed that it surpassed what Tuoba Qingshan's High-Grade Appraiser friend had said!

"Im... Impossible!"

Zhou Ming suddenly shrieked, his voice cracking.

"You must have heard about it somewhere! It must be a coincidence! A blind cat finding a dead mouse!"

His face was flushed red, veins bulging; he had completely lost his composure.

Jiang Yun finally turned his head and glanced at him.

That look was as indifferent as water.

Like looking at an ant struggling in its death throes.

"A coincidence?"

The corners of his mouth curled slightly.

"Fine, let me tell you three more points."

"First."

He pointed to the golden patterns on the stone.

"The reason these runes still flicker after 30,000 years is that they weren't drawn with Common Materials, but with ancient Gilded Sand mixed with the blood of a Meteor Beast."

"This technique was lost at the end of the Archaic Era, 20,000 years ago. Unless one has seen the real thing with their own eyes, it's impossible to know."

Zhou Ming's face turned a shade whiter.

"Second."

Jiang Yun pointed to the bottom-left corner of the stone.

"There is a tiny crack here. It wasn't caused by a bump, but by someone forcibly snapping it off from a larger rune stone."

"The person who snapped this stone was at least a Falling Star Rank powerhouse. Because only the force of a Falling Star Rank could produce this kind of spiral fracture pattern in a rune stone."

Zhou Ming's face was now as white as paper.

"Third."

Jiang Yun looked at the stone, a trace of depth flashing in his eyes.

"Inside this rune stone, there is still a drop of blood sealed."

"If I'm not mistaken, it should be the essence blood of the ancient Vicious Beast, the Heaven-Reaching Demonic Ape."

"That is also why you can feel pressure; it is the Bloodline suppression from an ancient Vicious Beast."

Boom!

These words were like a clap of thunder, exploding in everyone's minds!

The courtyard was deathly silent.

One could hear a pin drop.

Tuoba Qingshan stumbled back a step, nearly knocking over the chair behind him.

He looked at Jiang Yun, then at the rune stone in his hand. His old face flushed red, and his beard trembled with excitement.

"Miraculous! Simply miraculous!"

"The High-Grade Appraiser friend I consulted only recognized it as an Ancient Rune Stone, and its uses were merely guesses!"

"Not one of these details you mentioned was seen by him!"

"You... your appraisal level is far beyond High Grade!"

He took a deep breath and bowed deeply to Jiang Yun.

"I, Tuoba Qingshan, have been blind!"

"Your appraisal skills, young friend, far exceed my own!"

"I was negligent before; I hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me!"

The crowd erupted in an uproar!

A Medium Grade Rank 3 Appraiser bowing deeply to a sixteen years old youth?!

What did this mean?

It meant this youth's appraisal level had truly reached High Grade!

Or even... higher!

Those who were mocking Jiang Yun just now were all struck dumb, as if hit by lightning.

The bald burly man's legs went weak, and he slumped directly onto the ground.

Who had he just been mocking?

A High-Grade Appraiser!

A being who could make a Mid-grade Appraiser bow in respect!

And he had been mocking him?

The bald man's face was deathly pale, his whole body shaking.

As for Zhou Ming...

He was now completely stupefied.

Standing there like a wooden post.

His head was buzzing, his mind a total blank.

Only one thought echoed...

Finished.

It's all over.

Just now... he had offended a High-Grade Appraiser.

And it was the kind of offense that was beyond repair.

Jiang Yun turned around to face Zhou Ming.

His gaze was still calm.

But it was precisely this calmness that made Zhou Ming feel a bone-chilling fear.

"Great Master Zhou."

Jiang Yun smiled slightly.

That smile, in Zhou Ming's eyes, was more terrifying than a demon's grin.

"You said just now..."

"If I could identify it, you would eat this stone?"

Zhou Ming's legs gave way, and he fell to his knees with a thud.