With another crisp sound, the thin paper fell, and an elegant smile appeared on Ye Fan's face.
Hearing his insights, Elder Lei and Ji Nanshan exchanged glances.
While they were not masters of repair, they had some knowledge. However, they had never heard of such theories.
Soon, as the third thin paper fell, Ye Fan took down the damaged painting.
"It will be fine once it cools down."
Placing the damaged painting on the table, Ye Fan breathed a sigh of relief.
Although the entire process appeared simple and easy, the mental effort required was far from apparent.
"Is it done?"
Picking up the painting, the lines were clear, and even the details were handled with extreme care.
Furthermore, the inlaid part blended seamlessly with the original painting, making it impossible to tell it was a later addition.
Elder Lei leaned closer, examining it carefully, his expression growing increasingly shocked.
"I've lived most of my life, and I've never seen a painting so perfectly restored. Young friend Ye, I am completely convinced by you."
There was no choice but to be convinced. Whether it was appraising treasures or restoring them, Ye Fan had brought him too many surprises.
At this moment, apart from his reputation, which couldn't compare to his own, he felt he had to bow down in all other aspects.
Ye Fan graciously accepted Elder Lei's praise. Earning the sincere admiration of this old man was no easy feat.
"You two take a good look. I'm going back to work on the handicrafts."
With heavy steps, Ye Fan left the room.
...
Time flew by. In half a month, Ye Fan had worked day and night, finally grinding away the outer layer of the meteorite to reveal its true form.
It was a key no bigger than a palm, with a semi-circular handle and an irregularly shaped tip.
Even with his extensive knowledge, Ye Fan had never seen such a key.
He shook his head with a wry smile and put the key away.
At this moment, Elder Lei also emerged from the room. Seeing that the large stone had vanished without a trace, he couldn't help but frown.
"Young friend Ye, where did that stone go? Did you grind it away?"
His face was filled with confusion, and his gaze towards Ye Fan held a hint of doubt.
"The handicraft is done, so the stone naturally disappeared."
Ye Fan smiled, then stretched. "I've figured out how to find the treasure. I'll rest today, and we'll set off tomorrow morning."
Leaving Elder Lei with a tired silhouette, Ye Fan returned to his room and fell fast asleep...
After sleeping for a day and a night, his energy and spirit were finally restored.
The next morning, bringing Ji Nanshan and Shen Tianyin, they headed directly to the Antique Association with Elder Lei.
"Young friend Ye, we've studied this Buddha statue many times, but we haven't found any problems. Where is the treasure?"
Seeing Ye Fan approach the Buddha statue, Elder Lei couldn't help but ask.
Ye Fan didn't speak but circled the statue, observing it. Finally, he stopped at its toes.
"Since this Buddha statue opening one eye indicates the treasure's location, the other eye should represent the treasure's distance. As long as we make the other eye open, everything will be revealed."
"The other eye?"
Elder Lei frowned. "But how can we make it open?"
This Buddha statue was inanimate, unlike a living person whose eyes could open and close at will.
Ye Fan smiled mysteriously, then pressed the smiling bulge on the statue and applied a little force.
The bulge immediately receded.
The next moment, a rumbling sound came from within the Buddha statue, and the tightly closed Buddha eye slowly moved.
"This is miraculous."
Elder Lei was shocked, his voice trembling.
"There is actually a mechanism here. It's truly mystical."
"The wisdom of the ancients surpasses our imagination."
"As expected of someone Elder Lei values. Mr. Ye is truly remarkable."
The people around them began to discuss, all with expressions of disbelief.
The Buddha eye only opened halfway and then stopped moving.
"We just need to calculate the distance the center of the Buddha eye is looking at. This shouldn't be difficult, right?"
Ye Fan asked Elder Lei with a smile.
Elder Lei nodded heavily and immediately assigned his subordinates to calculate.
Within a few minutes, the result was out: "South of Jiangcheng, about twenty kilometers away. We've already checked. There's a mountain range there."
"Thousand Buddha Mountain?"
Shen Tianyin and Ji Nanshan exclaimed simultaneously.
"You know it?"
Elder Lei asked, startled.
They both nodded, and then Ji Nanshan sighed, "Thousand Buddha Mountain is a rather unique existence in Jiangcheng. Several villages reside there. It is said that the people there have eccentric personalities and are unwilling to interact with the outside world. Moreover, Thousand Buddha Mountain itself is full of numerous steep mountains and dense forests. If one is not familiar with the local environment, it is easy for outsiders to get lost inside. Thus, over time, fewer people go there. However, some adventure enthusiasts have gone in, and it is said they had conflicts with the locals and almost lost their lives."
"Legend has it that there are many Buddha statues in Thousand Buddha Mountain, but their era and builders are unknown."
As natives of Jiangcheng, Ji Nanshan knew these legends and anecdotes like the back of his hand.
"I see. It seems we need to be well-prepared for this exploration to avoid danger."
Elder Lei frowned and said solemnly, his expression very grave.
At the same time, he glanced at Ye Fan and gave a signal to the adjacent conference room.
Ye Fan was momentarily confused, not knowing why Elder Lei wanted to see him, but he nodded and followed him to the conference room.
"If what Ji Nanshan said is true, then this trip will be fraught with danger. We shouldn't bring too many people. I plan to leave some members of the Antique Association behind. What about Miss Shen...?"
After all, Shen Tianyin was a young lady, and it might be difficult to look after her if danger arose.
Ye Fan frowned. He was unsure how to handle this matter for a moment and could only ask for Shen Tianyin's opinion.
As a result, Shen Tianyin stubbornly insisted on going, claiming she could protect herself.
Looking at her stubborn demeanor, Ye Fan was helpless and could only yield to her, no longer forcing the issue.
Thus, along with Ji Nanshan and a few members from the Antique Association, a total of ten people, after preparing sufficient supplies, drove towards Thousand Buddha Mountain.
Because it was located in a mountainous area, the car drove very slowly along the way. It took until noon to reach their destination for a short twenty-kilometer journey.
This was the nearest township to Thousand Buddha Mountain. Further in, it would be considered entering the territory of Thousand Buddha Mountain.
The ten people found an inn to stay. After their journey, they needed to replenish their energy and rest well for the night before entering the mountain early the next morning.
After eating and drinking their fill, Ye Fan wandered alone in the town, focusing on the parks and leisure areas.
Because there were many idle people here, he could gather some information about Thousand Buddha Mountain from them.
...
The next morning, the ten people, each with their backpacks, parked their car at the inn and hurried into the mountain.
Little did they know that Thousand Buddha Mountain was fraught with hidden dangers!