Chapter 131: Master Cheng Yuan

Silence!

The bustling mall suddenly fell silent.

Really?

Did I hear that right?

Not only did this guy have someone smash Lord Ling's stone lion, but he also directly cursed his entire family?

What nerve...

Sun Qiang on the side stumbled, nearly turning and running away.

Boss, are you a master or here to mess with me?

Lord Ling doesn't know you; you can just turn and leave, but I have a family to support in this Tianxuan Royal City...

"What did you say?"

Already barely restraining his anger, Ling Tianyu nearly exploded upon hearing those words.

We don't know each other, and you directly curse my whole family—this is no longer provocation but outright abuse, insult!

"Oh? Didn't understand? Then let me put it another way: Is your family in good health?" Zhang Xuan's expression remained unchanged as he saw the other man about to explode at any moment.

"Whether my family is well or not is none of your concern!" Ling Tianyu's eyes flashed like lightning, ready to erupt at any moment.

"None of my concern? I was thinking of saving a life, which is better than building a seven-story pagoda, but since you don't need it, forget it!"

Zhang Xuan shook his head.

"You... what do you mean?"

"Nothing much!" Zhang Xuan drained his tea in one gulp. "Tinan jade is a good thing—not only beautiful, but worn constantly, it can invigorate blood, smooth meridians, and keep one healthy. However... Tinan blood jade is different."

"This thing devours a person's vital energy as nourishment to evolve into jade essence. You've reached the early stage of the Seventh Level of Martial Artist, the Penetrating Mystery Realm, with roaring true energy and a strong physique, so you have nothing to fear from its negative effects. But your family can't withstand it. If I'm not mistaken, since you've been in constant contact with this blood jade, its aura has seeped into your home, and someone there is already gravely ill, on the verge of death."

"Alright, Xiao Qiang, let's go!"

Having said that, Zhang Xuan put down his cup, straightened his sleeves, and stood up. Without paying further attention to the other man, he clasped his hands behind his back and slowly walked out of the shop.

Sun Qiang walked beside him, looking around nervously, afraid that others might rush over and beat him up again.

"Sir, please wait..."

Just as everyone expected Ling Tianyu to detain this reckless man who had insulted him and teach him a lesson, his tall frame trembled slightly, and he called out hastily.

Zhang Xuan stopped in his tracks.

"Sir, are you saying... this stone lion is not Tinan jade, but... Tinan blood jade? Yu Rou... Yu Rou's illness is because of this?"

Ling Tianyu's face turned pale, losing his earlier composure, and he couldn't help asking.

Others knew him as a billionaire, treated with deference even by nobles, basking in glory, but only he knew that the past six months had been a nightmare, and he was barely holding on.

Yu Rou was his wife.

Back when they were poor, even if there was only one pancake, this virtuous woman would leave it for him, claiming she had eaten outside.

Later, his business grew, and his cultivation improved, but he knew that without this woman, he would have long been a pile of unclaimed bones in the wilderness.

For that reason, despite his wealth, he did not indulge in debauchery but remained faithful to the wife who had shared his hardships.

But who could have foreseen misfortune? Half a year ago, she suddenly fell gravely ill, bedridden, on the verge of death.

He had sought out every healer in Tianxuan Royal City, even inviting Master Yuanyu to personally diagnose her.

All returned without success, declaring her beyond cure and that she should await death.

Especially these past few days, she could barely hold on, her breath fading at any moment.

He had been by her bedside until today, when urgent business at the mall forced him to come. Irritated, he had rushed over upon hearing that his stone lion had been smashed for no reason, losing the calm of a successful businessman.

He had thought the man was simply causing trouble, never dreaming he would say such things.

To mention his family's illness at once...

To say the stone lion was not Tinan jade but blood jade...

"Your wife is just an ordinary person, right? Her cultivation doesn't exceed the Second Level of Martial Artist," Zhang Xuan said calmly without turning around.

"You... how do you know Yu Rou is my wife? And how do you know her cultivation level?"

Ling Tianyu was shaken again.

He had only mentioned Yu Rou, yet the other man spoke of his wife and directly stated her cultivation—such judgment was too accurate.

"Tinan blood jade devours vital energy. Those below the Second Level of Martial Artist have no resistance. Once exposed, their bodily functions rapidly decline: hair turns white, skin sags, speech becomes slurred... lifespan no more than half a year!" Zhang Xuan said flatly.

"This..."

Ling Tianyu's pupils contracted.

What the man described matched his wife's symptoms exactly, without the slightest error.

"I passed by here and saw this thing. To prevent it from causing harm, I had my steward smash it. If Lord Ling thinks it was rash, I'll have compensation sent tomorrow!"

Zhang Xuan waved his hand, said no more, his tone neither sad nor happy, as if not angered by the misunderstanding, only somewhat weary: "I'm sure with your abilities, Lord Ling, finding my residence won't be difficult. No need to worry that I'll run away!"

With that, he ignored the other man and walked on.

"Boss..."

Seeing his boss about to leave after just a few words, Sun Qiang hesitated, then hurried after him.

"My lord, shall I stop them?"

As the two walked away, about to disappear from sight, the enforcement team leader approached.

"No need!" Ling Tianyu stood still, his face alternating between pale and green, lost in thought.

He was a merchant, unlike the students and teachers Zhang Xuan had encountered before, who were simple-minded and easily trusting. He had weathered countless storms and was no longer so quick to believe others.

Though the middle-aged man who had appeared from nowhere spoke accurately and shocked him deeply, he still did not impulsively rush over to detain him.

After all, his wife's illness had been discussed with countless healers; anyone with interest could easily inquire about it.

"Go fetch Master Cheng Yuan!"

Master Cheng Yuan was the Tianyu Trading Company's in-house appraisal master, a First-Class Appraiser, one of the three great appraisers of the Tianxuan Kingdom, far more capable than the fraud Yang Mo. All treasures purchased by the company required his personal inspection.

Before long, Master Cheng Yuan arrived.

"Brother Ling, why the urgent summons?"

As a formal master, even Ling Tianyu addressed him as an equal.

"Take a look at this stone lion and tell me if it's Tinan jade or blood jade!"

Ling Tianyu pointed at the shattered stone lion on the ground.

"I already examined this; it's Tinan jade," Master Cheng Yuan said with a light laugh, stroking his beard.

Since the item had been brought here, he must have appraised it before.

As he spoke, he approached and looked down at the broken pieces of the stone lion. Suddenly, his pupils contracted, and he stumbled backward: "This... this... how is this possible?"