Everyone present turned their heads simultaneously.
The old man looked stern, a strong killing intent flashing in his eyes, clearly determined to defeat Lou Dong.
Upon stepping onto the stage, he casually took out an antique from his person and presented it to Lou Dong, saying sternly, "Boss Lou, you truly have a commanding presence. Old man here wishes to challenge your appraisal skills today."
"If you can appraise this item in my hand, I will concede. If you cannot, you will concede. Do you dare to compete with me?"
"What is there to fear!"
Lou Dong glanced at the item in his hand. It was merely a bronze wine cup, seemingly unremarkable. He readily agreed.
However, Li Yang, watching from below, frowned deeply, as if he had discovered a secret within the wine cup. He couldn't help but shake his head and say, "This old fellow is well-prepared. Boss Lou might be in danger."
"What? Could it be that Boss Lou cannot appraise the wine cup?" Huang Bai asked with some surprise.
"It's not clear yet. Boss Lou has extensive appraisal experience and might have seen such an item before. If he has, it shouldn't be difficult," Li Yang said seriously.
"Then it should be fine. I've witnessed Boss Lou's appraisal skills before. From the Qin Dynasty to the Qing Dynasty, he knows bronze wares like the back of his hand. Nothing can escape his discerning eye. Bronze wares are his forte," Huang Bai said confidently.
Following this, Lou Dong on stage took the bronze wine cup from the old man. After a brief examination, he laughed heartily, "Haha, what's so special about this? This is merely a defective piece crafted during the Eastern Zhou period when bronze casting was not yet mature."
"Esteemed elder, are you trying to test my knowledge of Eastern Zhou bronzes? You truly underestimate me. Lou Dong has been exposed to bronze wares since childhood and has never made a mistake in appraisal."
"Is that so? Boss Lou, are you sure the item in your hand is from the Eastern Zhou? And a defective piece?" the old man asked profoundly.
"Of course. Have I appraised it incorrectly?" Lou Dong replied dismissively.
"Haha, Boss Lou is indeed mistaken. This item is not from the Eastern Zhou at all, but from the Ming Dynasty. This vessel was a water cup used by Zhu Yuanzhang when he was still a beggar before conquering the land."
"After he became emperor, he recalled his beggar days and ordered someone to meticulously craft an identical one using bronze. However, the style was modeled after the Eastern Zhou period, and it was a perfect replica. Most appraisers would make the same mistake."
"If you don't believe me, pick up the wine cup again and examine the inner wall. You can feel faint spiral patterns with your fingers, a typical Ming Dynasty bronze craftsmanship technique, which did not exist in the Eastern Zhou period."
The old man stroked his beard, confidently explaining to Lou Dong.
Lou Dong's expression instantly turned serious. He couldn't believe he had made a mistake and immediately picked up the wine cup for another appraisal.
The result of this appraisal shocked him!
"How is this possible? The inner wall of this wine cup actually has a hidden needle technique. This is from the Ming Dynasty!"
Lou Dong's overconfidence had led to a mistake!
The small wine cup contained as many as five or six traps. Lou Dong had identified these traps and repeatedly believed them to be fakes, only to have them confirmed as Eastern Zhou. This gradually made him lose patience and overlook the interior, leading him to conclude it was an Eastern Zhou item.
The outcome was a misjudgment!
"Alas, it seems Boss Lou was too hasty."
Li Yang sighed deeply. He had seen Lou Dong appraise it very carefully and thought he could discern the authenticity, but unexpectedly, he was still a bit off.
Huang Bai and President Feng, along with others, couldn't help but feel regret for Lou Dong.
Lou Dong stood on the stage, looking disappointed. After a moment, he regained his composure and said, "I lost this wager. I concede."
"Please, Boss Lou!"
The old man stood tall on the stage, directly allowing Lou Dong to step down, ready to defend the arena next.
Watching Lou Dong descend the stage, Situ Jue, not far below, couldn't help but sneer, thinking, "Just a small antique shop owner like you, and you want to compare yourself to the Gambling God of Southern Province? Truly overestimating yourself!"
"President Feng, Mr. Li, I sincerely apologize. I made a mistake just now and have disappointed you."
Lou Dong returned to President Feng and the others, expressing his deep remorse.
"It's alright. The opponent was too cunning this time, so it's not your fault. You've already won three matches in a row, which is very good," President Feng said, patting his shoulder to comfort him.
Following this, President Feng turned to the other appraisers and asked, "This old fellow on stage is very cunning. Does anyone else want to challenge him?"
"I will!"
Master Wang Zhongsheng, an appraisal master from Northern Province, stepped forward decisively and said, "I know this person. He is Zhou Kun, the Gambling God of Appraisal from Southern Province. This man is insidious and cunning. I have competed with him before and lost. Today, I will win back everything I lost."
"Excellent. Since Master Wang is so confident, Master Wang will be the next contestant to challenge the Gambling God of Southern Province," President Feng said seriously.
Wang Zhongsheng quickly walked towards the stage. Zhou Kun recognized him at a glance and couldn't help but mock, "Heh, I didn't expect a defeated opponent to show up. Wang Zhongsheng, you've already lost to me once, and you still want to contend for today's championship?"
"Zhou Kun, don't be so arrogant. My loss to you last time was an accident. Today, I will reclaim everything I lost," Wang Zhongsheng said indignantly.
"On your own? Even if you bet with me a hundred times, you'll still lose. If your skill isn't good enough, get off the stage early and don't embarrass yourself here," Zhou Kun taunted contemptuously.
"Then try me and see if you can win."
Wang Zhongsheng was furious. After speaking, he immediately approached him and openly challenged him.
According to the rules of the arena, if they did not set their own rules, they would follow the gameplay of the Spring and Autumn Chaotic Battle Assembly. They would randomly select three items from the eighteen categories of antiques on stage, choosing one from each.
Whoever appraised more accurately would be the winner.
The loser would be directly eliminated.
Wang Zhongsheng, filled with anger, vowed to defeat Zhou Kun on this stage.
He walked to the eighteen categories of antiques and selected a jade item, a cloisonné enamel porcelain, and a calligraphy and painting, asking Zhou Kun to appraise them.
However, as he selected the items and was about to finalize his choice, he saw Li Yang from below subtly shake his head at him, signaling him not to choose these three items. Through eye contact, Li Yang re-selected three other items for him.
Wang Zhongsheng was momentarily confused. The three items chosen by Li Yang seemed to have a lower appraisal difficulty than what he had initially selected.
Why did Mr. Li choose these three items?