16: Chapter 16 Exhibition Exchange

In an instant, a dense swarm of halos surged forth like a tide, instantly filling Hu Tian's field of vision.

The scene was like a galaxy flowing backward, so dazzling that it left one mesmerized, as if he were submerged in an ocean of light woven from spiritual energy, with the scent of historical dust in every breath.

Blue light spots were the most numerous; these were ordinary antiques, mostly valued between tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands.

Although they were not top-tier masterpieces, each had its own merits, like countless stars in the night sky, flickering with faint yet real light.

Green halos were interspersed among them, scattered in a dozen or so clusters.

These were the "boutique" grade antiques marked by the system, with a starting price of at least a few million. Each piece was a rare masterpiece, like the bright moon in the night sky, shining brilliantly and drawing one's gaze.

Hu Tian narrowed his eyes slightly, forcibly ignoring these ordinary colors.

His gaze, like two tangible bolts of lightning, pierced through the bustling crowd and finally locked onto two extremely dazzling yellow halos deep within the exhibition hall.

Those were rare items!

And they were top-tier among the rare ones!

Each piece was priceless and enough to shake the entire antique world, like two scorching suns, burning brightly against the dim background.

"This is getting interesting!"

Hu Tian couldn't help but cheer inwardly, the corners of his mouth curling up uncontrollably. "Today's haul is likely to far exceed my expectations! Besides the plum vase I'm planning to sell, there are actually two yellow-tier treasures hidden here. It seems today isn't just about selling goods for cash, but also taking the opportunity to 'restock'! Is God finding ways to send me money? Haha, as long as I acquire these two, my system upgrade is just around the corner!"

At this moment, collectors and association appraisers were gathered in small groups throughout the exhibition hall.

Some were critiquing in low voices, their tone carrying the reserve of experts; others were clicking their tongues in admiration, their faces full of astonishment.

Still others pulled out professional tools like flashlights, high-magnification magnifying glasses, and even portable microscopes to carefully observe the objects they favored. Their expressions were focused, as if facing a formidable enemy, as if they were performing a silent surgery.

An elderly appraiser with gray hair was focusing intently on a xuande incense burner.

The magnifying glass in his hand was almost pressed against the surface of the bronze, and he even deliberately lightened his breathing, fearing that his exhaled warm air would interfere with his judgment.

Fine beads of sweat seeped from his forehead, but he didn't bother to wipe them away, his entire body and mind immersed in that microscopic world within the square inch.

Another middle-aged expert was holding a high-intensity flashlight, shining it from the side onto the silk of an ancient painting.

He carefully examined the layers of ink wash and the fiber direction of the paper, his expression so focused that it felt as if the entire world had collapsed, leaving only him and that painting.

All the noise of the outside world had nothing to do with him; in his eyes, there was only the battle between authenticity and forgery.

After all, in the antique business, one buys with their eye, and competes with their knowledge.

One glance at heaven, one glance at hell; it all lies in the judgment of that single moment—a matter of life and death, where thousands of gold can be lost in an instant.

Just as Zhou Lao stood steady in the hall with Hu Tian and Zhou Waner, before they could carefully examine the treasures around them, a series of somewhat hurried and deliberately heavy footsteps approached from a distance, "da, da, da". Each step seemed to tread on one's heartstrings, breaking the brief tranquility and sounding exceptionally jarring.

"Yo, isn't this Boss Zhou? What kind of treasure did you bring to the association to hold down the fort today?"

A shrill and somewhat sarcastic voice rang out abruptly, like fingernails scraping against glass, making one feel uncomfortable, causing goosebumps to rise and teeth to ache.

Hu Tian turned his head to look and saw an elderly man with a goatee walking over with two attendants, acting aggressively as if he were a victorious rooster.

The old man was in his early sixties, dressed in a dark blue long gown. Although the fabric was exquisite silk, wearing it on him revealed an irrepressible vulgarity, looking just like a nouveau riche trying hard to pose as a man of letters.

He was rolling a string of shiny old beeswax in his hand, spinning it fast, making a "clack-clack" noise that was annoying and distracting.

His eyes were as sharp as a falcon's, yet they exuded an aggressive, mercenary air. With more whites than pupils, he appeared mean and ungrateful.

His goatee twitched with the rhythm of his speech, as if every whisker was clamoring with provocation, revealing the arrogance of a petty man who has achieved his goal.

"Boss Wang."

Zhou Lao nodded faintly in greeting, his tone neither cold nor warm, with a standard polite smile on his face.

His posture was upright, his hands hanging naturally, fully displaying the composure and mature etiquette of someone who remains calm even if Mount Tai collapses before him, as if the person standing opposite him was not a challenger, but an ordinary junior.

Zhou Waner immediately leaned into Hu Tian's ear, like a kitten guarding its food, and whispered quickly, her tone full of disgust: "This is old man Wang from Boguzhai; he is my grandfather's old rival in the association. This person hates seeing others do well and loves to pick fights whenever we meet. He must have sniffed out a chance to bring trouble today. Look at his beard, it's shaking like a sieve, so annoying! I really want to use tape to stick it down!"

As she spoke, she secretly made a tiny grimace in Boss Wang's direction, looking cute and a bit mischievous.

Hu Tian understood, silently observing the other party, and thought to himself: This is a typical villain character—jealous, envious, and narrow-minded.

Such people often have a bit of petty cleverness but lack great wisdom, and they love to belittle others to elevate themselves, thereby filling the emptiness in their hearts.

The goatee of that Boss Wang twitched even more violently, and his triangular eyes flashed with calculating light; clearly, he had no good intentions.

Boss Wang's gaze fell directly on the tightly wrapped wooden box in Hu Tian's hand. A trace of inquiry flashed in his eyes, and then the corners of his mouth curled into a sneer, with deep malice hidden in the smile lines at the corners of his eyes.

The smile was full of mockery and contempt, as if he had already seen through something, convinced that the box contained fakes.

"Boss Zhou, this time it wouldn't be another case of letting a junior pick up some common items to make up the numbers, right?"

Boss Wang deliberately raised his volume to ensure everyone around could hear clearly.

His tone was smooth, but his words hid knives. "Our occasion here is full of experts and hidden talents; we can't tolerate inferior goods just to make up numbers. If you happen to misjudge and it gets out, it would ruin Boss Zhou's lifelong reputation—not good to hear. Don't say I didn't warn you; this circle is small, and bad news travels fast, hehe."

As soon as he finished speaking, the two attendants behind him immediately echoed him, their tone extremely contemptuous, singing in harmony like trained actors.

"Exactly, exactly. I heard Boss Zhou recently took on an apprentice. Could it be he's letting a novice use our exchange meeting to practice?"

"That's a hefty tuition fee, buying a lesson with real gold and silver. Tsk tsk, what a big spender; rich people are so willful."

Boss Wang laughed heartily, his goatee trembling wildly, looking very smug.

A person like him may not necessarily have high discernment himself, but he loves to step on others to elevate himself. He cannot stand seeing others in the spotlight, especially his mortal enemy Zhou Lao.

Hearing this, several collectors nearby cast curious and even slightly scrutinizing gazes. Whispers began to rise, and the air was filled with the restlessness of those waiting to watch a spectacle.

Zhou Lao, however, remained calm. He picked up his teacup and gently blew away the foam, his movements elegant and composed, and said unhurriedly: "Boss Wang has always been known for his high standards and unique eye; who in Binhai City doesn't know this? Since that's the case, why not take a look for yourself later, so we can all learn something. Real gold fears no fire; everyone knows how to appreciate good things."

These words were needles hidden in cotton; they both complimented the other party and implied confidence, fully displaying the demeanor of a master.

"Oh?"

Boss Wang raised his eyebrows, a flash of shrewdness in his eyes, smiling without smiling. "Then I must take a good look; I hope it won't be disappointing when the time comes, hehe."

After saying this, he gave Hu Tian a meaningful look, as if to say, "Let's see what tricks you can pull." Then he walked away slowly with his attendants, his back revealing the craftiness and insidiousness of someone waiting to see a good show.

After Boss Wang and his group walked away, Zhou Lao shook his head gently, his tone as calm as water, as if the previous episode was just a breeze brushing his face: "That old man is just like that—narrow-minded, and he'll be like that his whole life. Don't pay any attention to him."

Zhou Waner pouted unconvincingly and made a big grimace, muttering in a low voice: "I knew old man Wang had no good intentions. He's never satisfied unless he steps on my grandfather a few times during every association exchange. So annoying! Hmph, wait until brother Hu Tian's treasure blinds his dog eyes later!"

Hu Tian, however, kept his expression normal, but his heart was clear, and he even felt a sneer.

Just a clown.

Later, there will be real evidence to make you shut up.

Your noise is just a prelude to the brilliance I am about to display.

He just swept his gaze again toward the two dazzling yellow halos deep in the exhibition hall, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly, and thought to himself: Stay steady, watch this show first.

About a quarter of an hour later, the association staff began to guide everyone to move to the central appraisal area to be seated.

In the center of the exhibition hall, there was a long display table covered with red velvet cloth. The lights gathered from above, illuminating the entire table brightly, as if it were the center of a stage, waiting for the protagonist to appear.

The association vice president, Li Wenbo, was the host today.

This was a refined middle-aged man in his fifties, wearing gold-rimmed glasses, with his silver hair combed meticulously. His every gesture exuded the demeanor of a scholar, and he spoke slowly and methodically, yet every word was clear.

He cleared his throat and said loudly: "Dear collectors and appraisers, it is rare to be able to gather here today. Without further ado, let's begin our treasure display session. You may voluntarily come on stage to display your collections, or you may invite our association's appraisers to evaluate them on the spot, exchange ideas, and make progress together."

As soon as his voice fell, a middle-aged man wearing a gray Tang suit stood up impatiently, holding an exquisite brocade box in his hands, his face full of smiles.

"President Li, fellow senior collectors, I will make a fool of myself first."

The man in the Tang suit walked onto the stage, carefully opened the brocade box, and took out a blue and white porcelain bowl.

He held it in his hand and turned it slowly so that everyone present could see it clearly, his movements as gentle as if he were holding a newborn baby.

"This is a ming dynasty blue and white bowl with lotus scroll patterns that I collected from an old collector last month. The body is delicate, the blue and white glaze color is pure, and the patterns are smooth. Please take a look, everyone."

The man in the Tang suit placed the blue and white porcelain bowl gently on the display table, stepped back, and looked at everyone expectantly.

Li Wenbo put on white gloves, picked up the blue and white porcelain bowl from the display table, examined it carefully for a moment, and then put it back on the display table, his movements standard and professional.

Then, several appraisers beside him also stepped forward one by one to examine it; some used magnifying glasses to look at the bubbles, and others looked at the glaze surface with side lighting, their expressions serious.

The crowd appraised it and discussed it with each other for a while; the atmosphere was enthusiastic and professional.

One of the highly respected old appraisers stroked his beard, stepped forward, pointed at the blue and white porcelain bowl, and praised: "The body and glaze are tightly combined, the brushwork of the patterns is seasoned, and the characteristics of the Sumali blue are obvious. It is indeed an object from a ming dynasty imperial kiln. The condition is excellent, and the valuation should be around three million."

The man in the Tang suit was overjoyed upon hearing this, bowed repeatedly to thank them, and returned to his seat with a glowing face, as if he were floating.

Next, several other collectors came on stage one after another to display their respective collections.

Some took out a Qing Dynasty jade thumb ring, full of luster and vibrant green; some displayed famous calligraphy and paintings from the Republic of China era, with fragrant ink and vigorous brushstrokes; others brought a Song Dynasty bronze incense burner, with a warm patina and an ancient air.

Each piece drew bursts of admiration, and the atmosphere became increasingly enthusiastic.

Hu Tian sat in his seat, his gaze sweeping over these collections, but the information fed back by the Treasure Hunting Radar in his mind left him uninterested.

They were all green halos, with at most a few yellow spots mixed in; they were all just boutique items.

Just at this moment, Boss Wang stood up again, with a smug smile on his face—the excitement of a hunter seeing prey, and also as if he had finally waited for an opportunity to show off.

...

A poem says: Treasure light and pearl radiance dazzle the eyes, hard to distinguish true from false, how much sorrow. With a clear heart comes spiritual insight, laughing as mortals mistake the fake for the real.