"Oh? Something that magical?" Li Yang found it somewhat strange. He had never seen or even heard of such a thing.
Driven by curiosity, he finally couldn't resist opening the wooden box.
The moment he opened it, he was stunned!
Inside lay a precious bronze seal, carved with a bronze lion whose eyes were sharp and full of ferocity.
Beneath the lion's paws was a strange-looking beast, a "four unlike" (si bu xiang).
The artifact was mottled with rust, a testament to its age.
Li Yang meticulously examined the treasure with his clairvoyant eyes. He saw that it was consistent inside and out, not a modern imitation, but a genuine Western Zhou antique.
However, its design was peculiar. It resembled a jade seal, but during the Western Zhou Dynasty, royal seals were made of jade, and there was no record of such bronze material being used.
There were no similar accounts even in ancient texts.
"Li Yang, can you tell its origin? My grandfather said this bronze seal was a war token bestowed by the Western Zhou royalty upon a great general. This token could command the world, control millions of troops, and it contained a powerful, battle-ready lion within."
"If you soak it in blood, you can revive it and bring it back to the world," Hao Yanyan explained earnestly to Li Yang.
In reality, her primary purpose was to have Li Yang authenticate the item.
She had previously sought appraisals from many antique appraisers and even participated in local appraisal events, but none had recognized the artifact.
They considered it an imagined replica, with some even claiming it was no more than fifty years old.
However, Hao Yanyan knew that it had been in her grandfather's possession for much longer than fifty years, making it a truly valuable treasure. She dismissed the appraisers' opinions as unreliable.
As for offering it to Li Yang, it was because the artifact recognized its owner. If it didn't wish to be with someone, they couldn't take it. Anyone who attempted to take it would suffer a backlash.
Within half a day, something would happen, and there was another peculiar phenomenon: the artifact seemed to grow legs, as it would inexplicably be found again after being lost for half a day.
She believed Li Yang was not a greedy person, hence her offer to give it to him as a lure to help her ascertain its authenticity.
After a thorough examination, Li Yang smiled and turned to Hao Yanyan, saying, "Sister Yan, you're deliberately trying to trick me into appraising this for you, aren't you? If I'm not mistaken, you've had people appraise this treasure before, but the results were unsatisfactory."
"Never mind that, just tell me, is this thing real or fake?" Hao Yanyan, seeing Li Yang's confident smile, was eager to know the outcome.
Li Yang put down the brocade box and looked at Hao Yanyan seriously. "This is a genuine item, and I can tell you a big secret: the lion hidden inside this artifact is also real."
"What? There's really a lion inside? So, if you soak it in blood, it can really revive the lion?" Hao Yanyan's expression changed in shock.
However, Li Yang shook his head and explained earnestly, "That's just an exaggerated statement. In reality, this item isn't that dramatic. The lion I speak of is merely a latent airflow within."
"That airflow can indeed be activated by absorbing blood, but upon activation, a lion won't appear. Instead, a very mysterious aura will be generated. This aura can strengthen a person's physique, but only if they are a martial artist."
"If an ordinary person absorbs it, they will definitely suffer a backlash in a short period."
"So that's how it is. Without soaking it in blood, will it still cause a backlash?" Hao Yanyan quickly asked.
The people who had taken it before didn't seem to soak it in blood, yet they had all encountered various accidents.
Therefore, she felt that the backlash Li Yang mentioned wasn't solely dependent on soaking it in blood.
Li Yang nodded seriously and continued, "Besides blood, if a person possesses strong malevolence or wicked intentions, it will stimulate this bronze seal, causing it to emit a backlash aura."
"The reason you haven't suffered a backlash from keeping it by your side for so long is that it can sense the goodness within you."
"I see. No wonder my grandfather said this item was meant for someone destined to have it. My grandfather probably didn't know about the secret it contained."
Hao Yanyan suddenly understood. With Li Yang's explanation, she finally grasped everything.
She had kept the bronze seal at home, feeling somewhat worried that it might turn on its owner one day and implicate her.
After all, it was quite spiritual, and many people had died by its hand before.
Now that she knew everything, her worries were significantly reduced.
After pondering for a moment, her eyes suddenly lit up. She turned to Li Yang and said, "Li Yang, I've suddenly thought of a good way to deal with the Black Mountain Dragon King."
"What way?" Li Yang asked, confused.
"By using this item to deal with him!"
Hao Yanyan smiled and said, "The Black Mountain Dragon King has a lot of malevolence. If we give this bronze seal to him, won't he suffer a backlash from it?"
"At that time, the Black Mountain Dragon King will meet with an accident, and we won't have to lift a finger to deal with him."
"This..."
Hearing this plan, Li Yang's mind suddenly sparked, and he felt it was indeed a good idea.
After thinking it over carefully, he nodded and said, "Alright, I'll listen to you. I'm going to meet the Black Mountain Dragon King tonight. Why don't I take this opportunity to give it to him?"
"Yes, that's what I mean. If you can get rid of the Black Mountain Dragon King, it will be equivalent to solving a scourge for our provincial city," Hao Yanyan said confidently, snapping her fingers.
"I have to thank you for this. I never imagined you had such a magical item. If utilized properly, this thing is an excellent artifact in Feng Shui."
Li Yang smiled and explained, "After I use it to deal with the Black Mountain Dragon King, I'll craft it into a treasure for attracting wealth and prosperity. If you keep it by your side, your career will surely flourish."
"Really? It seems inviting you here today was the right choice. Your abilities are indeed greater than I imagined."
Hao Yanyan was inwardly thrilled. As she put away the box, her gaze drifted to Li Yang's eyes, which were fixed on her chest.
After putting the box away, she suddenly revealed a faint smile, moved closer to Li Yang, and sat down. Placing a hand on his shoulder, she said, "Li Yang, if you like it, come on over. I won't resist."