The old man frowned, fixing his gaze on Ye Fan, a hint of suspicion in his eyes.
Ye Fan also noticed the elder, especially the way he looked at him, which felt somewhat familiar.
"Young friend, may I know your name?"
Ye Fan paused, "Does the elder have any advice for me?"
Finding the elder's behavior strange, Ye Fan did not reveal his name.
The old man shook his head, "I am Lei Shi from the Jiangnan Antique Association. I saw that young friend resembles an old acquaintance, so I boldly inquired. I hope you do not mind. Do you have time this evening? I would like to invite you for a cup of tea, how about it?"
Glancing around, knowing this was not the place for a conversation, Lei Shi smiled and invited him.
Before Ye Fan could answer, Ji Nanshan, standing nearby, exclaimed in astonishment, "You are Lei Shi, the 'Thousand-Eyed Dissection' who is famous in Jiangnan, Elder Lei?"
Ji Nanshan's displayed loss of composure indicated that Elder Lei's reputation was immense.
Nodding with a smile, "It's just a false name. Young friend, please do not refuse. I will wait for you at the Jiangcheng Antique Association tonight."
With that, he turned and followed the crowd towards the deep pit to investigate.
Watching Elder Lei leave, Ye Fan was filled with doubt. He didn't recall knowing this person.
"Elder Ji, who exactly is this Elder Lei?"
Turning to Ji Nanshan, Ye Fan asked in a deep voice.
Ji Nanshan stared in the direction Lei Shi had left, his eyes filled with fervor, and murmured, "This Elder Lei is a remarkable person."
"It is said that he was born during the Republic of China era. He was poor in his youth, but after disappearing for over a decade, he returned like a king, possessing extraordinary appraisal skills. However, no one knows who his mentor was or how he acquired such abilities. Currently, he is the most respected figure in the Jiangnan Antique Association and also serves as an advisor to the Jiangcheng City Lord's mansion. He holds considerable influence in the antique circle."
Upon hearing Ji Nanshan's introduction, Ye Fan nodded, but his confusion deepened. Why would someone of such distinguished status invite him?
Moreover, he had just said that Ye Fan resembled an acquaintance. What kind of acquaintance would make him value him so highly?
Shen Tianyin looked at Ye Fan with confusion, "What? You don't know him?"
Ye Fan gave a wry smile, "If I knew him, I wouldn't have been in such a predicament earlier."
A person of such standing was not someone one could easily meet. Furthermore, Ye Fan had always advocated that personal strength was paramount.
External forces were ultimately limited; only by becoming stronger oneself could one maintain lasting prosperity.
"However, since Elder Lei invited you, he must value you. Brother Ye, this is an excellent opportunity."
Compared to Jiangnan, Jiangcheng was merely a small territory. Ye Fan's future endeavors would undoubtedly be in Jiangnan.
With Elder Lei's backing, Ye Fan could navigate the Jiangnan antique circle with ease.
Shrugging, Ye Fan smiled faintly, "That old man seems decent enough. I'll see if I have time tonight."
His expression was calm, undisturbed.
This was not an act; it was Ye Fan's genuine feeling.
No matter how great Lei Shi's reputation, Ye Fan was unwilling to flatter or fawn upon him; this was his bottom line as a person.
Ji Nanshan and Shen Tianyin looked at Ye Fan with surprise, their perception of him being refreshed once again.
With Elder Lei and others involved, soon the excavators rumbled to life again.
As the pit deepened, the Buddha statue was fully revealed.
It was a seated Buddha. Despite its age, it was remarkably well-preserved.
Except for the peculiar eyes, there was nothing unusual about the rest of it.
Elder Lei immediately decided to retrieve the statue and send it to the Jiangcheng Antique Association.
Only after the Buddha was removed could further excavation proceed.
Amidst the flying dust, the combined efforts of dozens of people finally moved the statue. And beneath the seated Buddha, a box was buried.
"Sarira."
The moment he saw the box, Ye Fan exclaimed.
Although his voice was not loud, standing by the edge of the pit, Elder Lei and the others heard him clearly.
Casting an appreciative glance at Ye Fan, Elder Lei smiled, "Sarira hidden beneath the Buddha, pure land gives rise to Buddhist chants. Young friend, you have keen insight."
Ye Fan's expression remained calm, his gaze fixed on the box. The box was made of sandalwood, which could remain uncorrupted even after being buried for thousands of years.
A thousand years ago, sandalwood was merely the best material for preserving important items. Today, however, sandalwood had become a luxury. Just this box alone was likely worth tens of thousands of yuan.
The box was retrieved but not opened, along with other small items found, and transported back.
After all, it had been buried underground for thousands of years, and no one knew the condition of the contents. If it were opened rashly and exposed to the air, the items inside might immediately oxidize and volatilize.
Several excavators continued to clear the area, digging up an area of several tens of meters around it. Apart from some small items, stone statues, and Buddha niches, nothing else of value was found.
However, at this moment, a stone at the edge of the pit deeply caught Ye Fan's attention.
It was simply because, no matter how Ye Fan looked at this stone, he could not discern its material.
Even his divine eyes could not see through it, as if a protective layer that hindered everything covered its surface.
Seeing Elder Lei and the others preparing to pack up, Ye Fan walked over with a smile.
"Elder Lei, may I take back the remaining items as souvenirs after you take what you need? After all, encountering such an event is likely a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence, and it holds significant commemorative value."
Hearing Ye Fan's words, Elder Lei smiled and nodded, "Feel free to take whatever you wish. If you need any assistance, just let me know."
His attitude towards Ye Fan remained consistently kind, a stark contrast to how he treated his subordinates.
"Thank you, Elder Lei." Ye Fan cupped his hands, then beckoned to Ji Nanshan and Shen Tianyin to contact their workers and load the large stone.
Watching Ye Fan have the large stone loaded, Elder Lei frowned. He had a nagging feeling that the stone might be problematic.
Yet, he had examined it several times and found nothing amiss.
"Could it be that this old man's eyes have failed him?"
He murmured to himself before being called away from the scene.
...
This stone was directly ordered by Ye Fan to be transported back to Boguzhai. Boguzhai was now his, and its vast space was perfect for storing items.
Looking at the irregularly shaped stone, which was as tall as a person, Shen Tianyin was completely perplexed.
"Ye Fan, is there anything special about this stone?"
If it were uniquely shaped, it might pass as an ornamental stone, but this one looked extremely ugly, with a rough surface. She truly couldn't understand why Ye Fan had it transported back.
Ye Fan, however, wore a smile, his hands caressing the stone as if it were a treasure, lost in its contemplation.
Ji Nanshan, standing nearby, also frowned. He, too, could not discern anything special about this stone.
However, based on his understanding of Ye Fan, if this stone held no value, Ye Fan would never have brought it back.