When Ye Chen saw that Qin Xiao agreed so readily, he was first taken aback, then a more ferocious sense of pleasure flashed in his eyes, convinced that Qin Xiao was just pretending to be calm and stubborn.
Qin Xiao, however, seemed oblivious to the malice in his eyes, turning and walking towards the pile of raw stones. Unlike Ye Chen, he didn't activate his divine eye to scan them carefully; he simply strolled a few steps, his gaze lingering on a half-person-high bluish-gray stone. The stone's surface was covered in moss, its shape irregular, and it was inconspicuous in the corner, like scrap material that had been picked over.
"This one will do," Qin Xiao said, pointing to the stone and speaking to the jade craftsman from Jubaoge who was waiting beside him, his tone as casual as if he were picking out cabbages at a market.
Seeing this, Ye Chen couldn't help but sneer, his voice filled with undisguised contempt. "Ha, trash is trash. Even choosing a stone is so careless. Are you blind? Just wait until you lose everything!"
Although the craftsman also felt that the stone was not of good quality, he still moved the bluish-gray rough stone onto the stone-cutting machine as instructed.
The water jet started, hissing and spraying mist. The onlookers craned their necks, most holding little hope.
As the stone skin was peeled away layer by layer, a warm yellow hue gradually appeared.
"It's turned green?" someone exclaimed instinctively.
"No, it's yellow jade!" someone knowledgeable nearby immediately corrected.
Soon, the entire piece of jade was cut open, revealing a piece of fine-textured, brightly colored yellow jade. Although it wasn't top-grade, it was still quite good, and the translucency was also decent.
The craftsman examined it carefully and estimated its value. "This piece of yellow jade has decent texture and color, and its market price is probably around seven or eight hundred thousand."
Seven or eight hundred thousand? Although that's not a small amount, it's nothing compared to the ice-type jadeite that Ye Chen casually obtained before.
Ye Chen's mockery deepened. He stepped forward, practically pointing his finger at Qin Xiao's nose. "That's it? Qin Xiao, is that all the insight you have? You think you can gamble with me for seven or eight hundred thousand? That's laughable!"
He burst into laughter, then whirled around and walked to the unremarkable, fist-sized gray stone he had previously carefully selected with his X-ray vision. "Look closely! Open your dog eyes and see what real top-grade jade looks like!"
Ye Chen didn't even let the craftsman do it; he snatched the cutting tools and started operating them himself. His movements seemed rough, yet they carried an absolute confidence stemming from his ability to see through things. The cutting lines were drawn with unparalleled precision along the edge of the jade.
Swish——
A blinding green light burst forth from the cut, so intensely green it seemed to drip water, casting a green glow on the faces of those around them!
"Imperial Green! My God! It's Imperial Green!" An incredulous exclamation erupted from the crowd, everyone was stunned by this ultimate shade of green.
Once the stone was completely cut open, a crystal-clear, vibrant green top-grade emerald appeared before everyone's eyes. Its perfect color and clarity, with almost no flaws, left everyone speechless and breathless.
Ye Chen's lackey, Scorpion, immediately fawned over him like a lapdog, obsequiously presenting the emerald with a trembling voice. "Young Master's divine might is unparalleled! This emerald is of the highest quality, with perfect translucency and flawless clarity—a truly rare gem, one in a hundred years! Its market value is at least five hundred million! No, even more!"
Five hundred million!
This number was like a bombshell, bringing the atmosphere to a fever pitch. Countless greedy, envious, and jealous gazes were focused on that small piece of jade.
Ye Chen was extremely pleased with himself. He enjoyed the attention and amazement of everyone, feeling like he was the master of the world. He snatched the priceless emerald from the scorpion's hand and tossed it onto the ground in front of Qin Xiao like a worthless piece of trash, making a crisp sound.
"See that? Trash!" His voice was filled with condescending contempt and boundless pleasure. "That's the difference between us! Like heaven and earth!"
"Now, right now, immediately! Kneel down and kowtow to me! Call me grandpa!"
"Then, hand over five billion! If you're short even a penny, I'll make sure your Qin family is completely wiped out of the capital, reduced to ashes!"
The intense killing intent and extreme humiliation hit me like a tangible force.
Liu Qingyou's face paled, her delicate body trembling slightly. Unable to hold back any longer, she stepped forward to shield Qin Xiao, her beautiful face displaying a resolute and unwavering determination. "Mr. Ye, please show mercy! The bet is void. I'll pay for the jade on Qin Xiao's behalf..."
"Get out of my way!" Ye Chen only wanted to humiliate Qin Xiao and crush him under his feet. He wouldn't listen to any advice. His face darkened, his eyes flashed with a fierce light, and he shouted sharply, "Miss Liu, this is none of your business! Don't be so shameless and bring trouble upon yourself!"
Just as tensions were running high and the air seemed to freeze, Qin Xiao gently pulled Liu Qingyou, who was standing in front of him, aside, signaling her to relax.
His face remained expressionless, even carrying a hint of helplessness, as if to say, "Look, the mad dog is biting people again." He calmly bent down, but instead of picking up the dazzling emerald from the ground, he slowly and methodically pulled out an antique brass magnifying glass from the inside pocket of his suit.
The [Listening to the Spring Treasure Appraisal System] is now activated. Item locked: Imperial Green Jadeite.
“Five hundred million? That’s certainly a considerable sum.” Qin Xiao’s voice was calm and even. He squatted down, holding a magnifying glass that looked cheap in one hand, and brought it close to the emerald that Ye Chen had praised to the skies. With his other hand, he solemnly adjusted his non-existent glasses, as if he were conducting an extremely rigorous appraisal.
"However, something this valuable should be examined carefully and inspected, right? Just in case there's a problem."
His gaze became focused behind the lens, and the magnifying glass moved slowly across the smooth surface of the emerald, as if searching for something.
Suddenly, Qin Xiao's hand, holding the magnifying glass, stopped at an inconspicuous spot on the jade.
He raised his head and looked at Ye Chen, who was grinning maliciously and waiting for him to kneel down. A playful, even slightly pitying, smile appeared on his lips.
"Tsk tsk tsk, what a pity, what a real pity..."
His finger lightly touched the point focused by the magnifying glass; the sound was soft, yet it clearly resonated throughout the silent scene.
"Young Master Ye's emerald is indeed of top quality, with excellent translucency, it's just a pity..."
Qin Xiao's voice carried a perfectly measured hint of regret, as if he genuinely felt sorry for this peerless jade.
"Oh dear, how could there be such a large, continuous crack here! Tsk tsk, now it's probably not even worth 50,000 yuan, right?"
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