The entire surface of the jade was covered in blood, and then, to everyone’s stunned amazement, the jade began to absorb the blood.
It was like a parched sponge encountering fresh water, greedily soaking it up.
“What, what is happening?” Feng Xiao stammered, his face etched with terror.
“There’s something wrong with this jade. It’s absorbing human blood.”
Chen Fatty’s eyes were wide with shock, unable to believe what he was witnessing was real.
Those with guilty consciences, like themselves, naturally couldn’t remain calm.
As for Jiang Zhong and Old Lei, they marveled, “A miracle, a true miracle.”
“Is this the legendary ‘soul-nurturing jade’? No wonder there are so few jade nurturers in legends. If every beautiful jade needing nurturing requires fresh blood, one person could likely only nurture a few in a lifetime.”
After all, the amount of blood is limited. If it were absorbed so carelessly, no one could afford it.
However, Old Lei was even more curious about what this jade would look like after absorbing human blood.
Among everyone present, only Ye Fan remained composed.
Blood as a conduit, soul for nurturing jade – this was dual nurturing with blood and soul, the only way for such ancient jade to gain sentience.
“Although the method is correct, the technique seems very clumsy. If those expert jade nurturers were present, they could precisely feed the jade according to how much blood it could absorb, and then, in turn, nurture themselves with the jade. This way, not only would the nurturer’s body not be harmed, but it would actually be strengthened.”
This was also why jade nurturers were known as the most esteemed profession.
However, Mr. Fu’s methods were clearly insufficient. Such extensive bloodletting was detrimental to his health.
A moment later, Mr. Fu finally clasped his finger, swiftly stopping the bleeding.
At this very instant, the blood on the jade had been completely absorbed.
The once cloudy and yellowish jade had, in a flash, become crystal clear.
Not only that, but the surface of the jade began to gradually display a seven-colored sheen, the colors brilliant and exceedingly beautiful.
Under these circumstances, let alone simpletons like Feng Xiao, even Old Lei and Jiang Zhong couldn’t help but widen their eyes in astonishment.
“Is this magic?”
Jiang Zhong murmured to himself.
“So, so beautiful.”
Wang Feng was mesmerized, staring at the exquisite jade motionlessly.
“A treasure, truly a great treasure.”
Old Lei couldn’t help but exclaim.
The fact that it could elicit such praise from these individuals demonstrated just how perfect this piece of jade was.
Ye Fan narrowed his eyes and, through the seven-colored light, seemed to see a bloody imprint within the jade.
Without a second thought, Ye Fan chuckled, “There’s still room for improvement. The blood wasn’t fully consumed; otherwise, the radiance should be even stronger than this.”
It wasn’t that Ye Fan was being picky, but rather that he understood jade nurturers too well. In his past life, he had witnessed expert jade nurturers perform the process of jade shedding multiple times, and the spectacle was far more magnificent than this.
If it weren’t for this, Ye Fan wouldn’t have recognized Mr. Fu’s identity.
“This is an ancient jade I’ve been nurturing for thirty years. It originates from the tomb of King Xian and is famously known as Huang Jade. It looks unremarkable when left out normally, but once nurtured, it emits a seven-colored glow, which is breathtakingly beautiful.”
“Indeed, it is exceptionally beautiful, and such a treasure is practically unseen in the market today. If not for encountering a master like Mr. Fu, one might never have the chance to see it in their lifetime.”
Jiang Zhong stood up, lavishing unsparing praise.
The fact that he, the vice president of the Antiques Association, would utter such glowing words spoke volumes about the profound shock Mr. Fu had inflicted upon them.
Hearing Jiang Zhong’s words, Mr. Fu smiled, “Thank you all for your compliments. This object cannot be exposed to the air for too long, so Mr. Fu will put it away now.”
With that, Mr. Fu carefully placed the item back into its box.
He then slowly descended from the stage.
Ye Fan was the first to stand and applaud, followed by Old Lei, Jiang Zhong, and the others.
Ye Fan’s applause stemmed from his respect for jade nurturers, while Old Lei and Jiang Zhong applauded purely out of admiration for Mr. Fu’s masterful performance.
Mr. Fu’s face bore a faint smile. This time, he represented the City Lord’s Mansion and had certainly brought them honor.
Originally, Mr. Fu’s goal was to win the competition. However, he hadn’t expected to encounter a prodigy like Ye Fan. Winning the championship was now out of the question, but bringing glory to the City Lord’s Mansion and making a name for himself was a successful completion of his mission.
Not only would the City Lord’s Mansion become renowned throughout Jiangnan, but he, as a disciple of a jade nurturer, would also become a sought-after figure in Jiangnan City.
The lineage of jade nurturers had been dormant for too long; it was time to make a grand appearance and let the world know of their existence.
“Congratulations to Mr. Fu. Participating in the appraisal fair as a jade nurturer, your fame will soon spread across the land,” Ye Fan said with a smile.
“Thank you, Brother Ye. Tonight, I’ll be treating, let’s have a drink together.”
Mr. Fu’s eyes held a smile.
Mr. Fu’s intention was simple: with Ye Fan’s capabilities, if he could persuade Ye Fan to join the lineage of jade nurturers, it would undoubtedly lead to the lineage’s great prosperity.
As for whether Ye Fan had other identities, it no longer mattered. Regardless of his background, as long as he joined the jade nurturers, nothing else was important.
Ye Fan smiled and nodded, “Absolutely.”
At this moment, Old Lei stepped onto the stage again, his face still beaming with smiles.
To witness such a divine spectacle in his lifetime was a blessing beyond compare.
Originally, Old Lei had felt somewhat displeased with this appraisal fair due to the excessive number of fakes.
Such a thing had never happened since the inception of the appraisal fair.
Therefore, Old Lei was already quite unhappy.
However, to his surprise, he had encountered a talent like Mr. Fu, which was a truly unexpected joy.
Ye Fan, seeing the smile on Old Lei’s face, found the old man even more amusing.
“Esteemed guests, this appraisal fair has truly been an eye-opener. Not only have we encountered many treasures, but we have also witnessed the legendary jade nurturer. It is indeed the greatest fortune in life. Everyone should be feeling delighted, for such miracles are not seen by everyone.”
Old Lei’s words had essentially elevated Mr. Fu to the highest pedestal.
Below, Mr. Fu gave an awkward smile. Old Lei, when he praised someone, was truly difficult to bear.
Although the words were all flattering, they were indeed hard to accept.
Mr. Fu considered himself not a shy person, but being praised so excessively made it truly difficult to endure.
After a round of accolades, Old Lei continued, “Now, the appraisal fair will proceed.”