17: Chapter 17 Observing Qi

Han Jingyang really hoped that similar items could stack.

Unfortunately, after walking around the shop, he simply couldn't find a second spot suitable for placing this Bronze Pixiu.

The only spot was the one currently occupied by the root-carved Three-Legged Golden Toad.

There was no other way.

He could only apologize to the root-carved Three-Legged Golden Toad.

Han Jingyang opened the base with a glass cover that Liu Jing had just bought, took out the root-carved Three-Legged Golden Toad, and placed the Bronze Pixiu on it.

What do you call this?

Replacing the bird in the cage, or a cuckoo taking over a magpie's nest?

But it didn't matter. He was a staunch materialist. Although he didn't yet understand the specific existence and operating mechanisms of these items, they objectively existed and followed patterns, so that was fine.

Swap!

After swapping, he covered it with the glass dome.

Han Jingyang stepped back two paces, examined it for three seconds, and nodded in satisfaction. It fit quite well.

Then, he saw a flash of blue light pass over the Bronze Pixiu.

Skill activated.

And it was "Bringing Wealth and Treasure," not "Wealth Pouring In."

After the "Wealth Pouring In" skill activated, he had indeed earned quite a bit of money: Liu Jing's 300,000, Zhou Yucheng's 260,000 to 280,000, and several other gains.

He wasn't sure if these earnings were the result of the skill.

But it was undeniable that these earnings had been made very smoothly.

Under normal circumstances, whether it was Liu Jing, Mr. Shen, or Zhou Yucheng, none of them should have easily trusted a charlatan like him—especially a very young charlatan with no track record.

Yet they believed him, and they paid up readily.

Is it logical?

If one were to make excuses, it could be considered logical; it's a case of a desperate patient seeking any doctor. They were all willing to spend money for the patients, even if they were willing to be deceived.

But if one thought about it from the other side, both old ladies were quite advanced in age; even if they passed away, there would be no regrets. It would have been normal not to spend this wasted money, especially for Liu Jing's family.

But since it had already happened, whether it was logical or not no longer mattered. What mattered was the result; facts speak louder than anything.

Han Jingyang placed the root-carved Three-Legged Golden Toad into the display cabinet.

As soon as it entered the cabinet, the faint white light on the Three-Legged Golden Toad began to recede, as if it had entered a dormant period.

Liu Jing returned after ordering food and saw the Bronze Pixiu on the counter and the Three-Legged Golden Toad inside the cabinet. "Boss, is this an upgrade?"

"Yes, this one is better."

"How much better?"

"Why do you care so much?" Han Jingyang retorted. "This root-carved Three-Legged Golden Toad is priced at 888,888. I won't sell it for a cent less. Got it?"

"So expensive? Is it effective, Boss?"

"Tested and proven effective."

Liu Jing's eyes lit up. "Hey, Boss, come to think of it, ever since we put up this Three-Legged Golden Toad, the shop's business has really picked up. Today's revenue alone is enough to cover our expenses for several years."

Han Jingyang nodded. "Not only is there income for the shop, but I also have a share."

"Really?" Liu Jing asked, as if seeing some delicious delicacy, swallowing a mouthful of saliva. "Boss, can you lend it to me for a few days?"

"You can, but there's no need. It has exhausted its energy now; it will only be effective again once the energy is fully recharged."

"Ah? Does that mean it's useless now?"

"It's not useless, but its utility is very small. Placing it for three or five days won't do anything; it needs to be placed long-term." Han Jingyang thought for a moment and used a very apt analogy. "If you treat it like an archer in a game, it's currently in the skill cooldown phase and can only use basic attacks. Understand?"

"Boss, I understand now that you put it that way, but it's a pity..."

"Pity what? Still want a freebie?"

"Hehe, you saw right through me, Boss."

"Don't dream of such nice things. How could I ever allow that to happen?"

Liu Jing chuckled and changed the subject. "Boss, why did you buy a compass? Is it a front?"

Han Jingyang's expression calmed down. "No, this is also a treasure."

"Ah?"

"You don't understand," Han Jingyang shook his head and picked up the compass to study it carefully.

The body of this compass was made of boxwood and was in quite good condition. In the center of the plate, the Heavenly Pool contained a thin needle, paired with circles of large and small red and black characters and symbols on the outer rim, filled with an ancient and mysterious aura.

In the eyes of an ordinary person, this might just be an ordinary old object—it had some age to it, but it was obscure and not worth much money.

But in his eyes, this compass was emitting a glowing green light.

Seventh Grade: White.

Sixth Grade: Blue.

Fifth Grade: Green.

Hmm, very logical, fitting the settings of most games.

Fifth Grade—this was the highest-grade item Han Jingyang had encountered.

It was also the item with the most peculiar attributes and skills.

He could understand the attributes he had encountered before.

But this "Qi Observation" attribute was a bit... supernatural.

Coupled with the "Dragon-Seeking and Point-Hitting" skill, it looked like a skill from a supernatural or Xianxia novel.

Could it be that this world really had laws concerning Feng Shui, terrestrial energy, dragon veins, and Qi acupoints?

Before this, Han Jingyang had never encountered such matters or information, so he was confused for a moment and didn't know how to use this compass.

Recalling the plots he had seen in movies and novels, he imitated holding the compass, adjusted the orientation, and pretended to wander around the shop.

Then, Jiguang Zhai changed in his eyes. It was filled with some messy auras, as if someone had spilled a paint box in the shop. It was quite chaotic. Those auras were similar to the light he saw on the items, but their state was more gaseous. Some were coiled in a certain position, motionless, while others were slowly flowing inside and outside the shop.

However, the most eye-catching was the blue.

The blue auras came from the "Wu Shaoyun's 'Daiyu Visits the Garden' New Year Painting" hanging on the wall and the "Bronze Pixiu" just placed on the counter.

That New Year painting didn't have any skills, but its attributes were good: Serenity +5.

Although he didn't know the specific effects, ever since he hung this painting up, the shop really did have a bit more of a serene feeling. It actually seemed quiet in the daily noisy antique market, possessing a sense of finding tranquility amidst the hustle and bustle. In Liu Jing's words, when one was irritable, seeing this painting could calm one down.

It might seem unremarkable, but this silent, nourishing effect was truly not to be underestimated.

And sure enough, in Han Jingyang's view, the blue aura emitted by this painting was faint but permeated the entire Jiguang Zhai.

The Bronze Pixiu also emitted a blue aura, but the hue was slightly more intense. Furthermore, these auras were not evenly diffused throughout Jiguang Zhai but condensed into a vortex shape facing the entrance, as if trying to suck everything outside the door into its mouth.

Interesting.

Is this the function of "Qi Observation"?

This isn't an attribute; it's more like a passive skill or a talent skill.

With this ability, being a charlatan with real skills is more than enough.

Just as Han Jingyang was pondering what was going on with the other colored auras, a little old lady carrying a handbag passed by the entrance.

Then, the old lady, who had already walked past, suddenly stopped, looked up at the Jiguang Zhai sign, turned back, and entered Jiguang Zhai. Upon entering, she asked, "Little Boss, do you buy antiques?"

In the eyes of an ordinary person, this was very normal.

As normal as could be.

But in Han Jingyang's eyes, this old lady was clearly sucked in by the big mouth of the Bronze Pixiu.