Chapter 22 – Transfer

The jade cicada itself wasn’t very large, and its design was quite simple. Casually held in Wei Yang’s hand, it didn’t seem particularly eye-catching. However, Heipi let out a surprised gasp after just a glance and quickly snatched it over.

“Tsk tsk! What a treasure… Ah, ruined, ruined!” As soon as Heipi touched it, he couldn’t hold back, pointing at the hole in the cicada’s body and cursing, “Who the hell has such poor taste to wear a jade han? Why didn’t they just put it in their mouth? Damn it, look at the craftsmanship, the patina—this is absolutely top-notch! How could someone treat such a treasure like this… Sigh!”

His sigh was genuinely heartfelt, as if someone had ruined his own treasure. Wei Yang couldn’t help but smile. “Brother Ming, is this thing pretty good?”

“More than just good!” Heipi replied quickly. “I can’t pinpoint the exact era, but it looks like it’s from the late Eastern Han Dynasty. The cicada body uses intaglio lines, but it’s slightly different from the standard ‘Han Eight Cuts.’ It has the simplicity and boldness of Han burial artifacts but also pays attention to detail. What’s even more impressive is the jade quality—it’s pure mutton-fat white jade. Back then, the whole country was at war, so families who could afford such fine jade were rare. To have such high-quality jade with such a beautiful patina is truly one in a million. But damn it, someone had to drill a hole in it. What a waste!”

As a member of the Liu family, Heipi’s craftsmanship aside, his discerning eye was top-notch. When it came to jade, he could talk for hours, showing a bit of obsession. However, after praising it, he frowned slightly. “Ah Yang, where did you get this? It doesn’t look like it came through proper channels, does it?”

Indeed, jade cicadas weren’t particularly rare, and any experienced seller could tell at a glance whether it was a pendant cicada or a burial cicada. Drilling a hole in a standard burial cicada to pass it off as a pendant could only mean the item’s origin was questionable. It couldn’t be sold through official channels, so someone had deliberately drilled a hole in it to trick some unsuspecting buyer into taking it off their hands.

This method, though crude, did have some logic behind it. At the very least, it suggested that the average tomb robber wouldn’t think of such a trick. In other words, this jade cicada had passed through genuine underground channels and was likely part of some larger operation. And if a mere burial cicada could be so exquisitely crafted, the quality and value of the other burial goods in the same tomb were beyond imagination. Who knew how powerful the forces behind this were? With Wei Yang’s limited resources, how could he have gotten his hands on it?

Wei Yang, of course, understood the deeper meaning behind Heipi’s words, but he just smiled faintly. “It was more of a coincidence, something I stumbled upon by chance. So, Brother Ming, are you interested in this?”

This was clearly an evasive answer, but Heipi didn’t care. He replied firmly, “Absolutely! Are you planning to sell it?”

“Of course. I’m not particularly interested in these things. It’s more practical to exchange them for money.” Wei Yang chuckled. “Brother Ming, are you planning to keep it for yourself or sell it on?”

If he was keeping it for himself, they could negotiate a friendly price. If he was selling it on, they’d have to split the profits. This kind of item couldn’t be sold through official channels, but the Liu family had extensive connections and wouldn’t have trouble finding a buyer. However, the commission fee might be higher. Wei Yang wasn’t new to dealing with Heipi, so he wanted to clarify things upfront.

Heipi was even more straightforward this time. “200,000, and I’ll take it. How does that sound, Ah Yang?”

If the jade cicada were intact, 200,000 would be a steal. But since it was damaged and a black-market item, 200,000 was already a very fair price. Wei Yang waved his hand generously. “No need to stand on ceremony between us. Just transfer the money to my account later.”

In just a few words, the deal was done. The young swindler hadn’t spent a penny but instead made a 190,000 profit. However, Heipi, who had spent a small fortune, seemed even happier than Wei Yang. He patted Wei Yang on the shoulder, clearly grateful.

After closing one deal, Wei Yang suddenly remembered something and glanced toward the workshop. “By the way, isn’t Uncle Qi here today?”

“He went out with some old friends. He’ll be back in a few days.” Heipi smiled. “It seems to have something to do with the item you left behind last time. Don’t worry, I’ll let you know as soon as it’s sold.”

“No need to worry about that.” What Wei Yang was really concerned about wasn’t the money but the fact that he had now truly witnessed the supernatural. He was starting to worry that the so-called bone formation might be the real deal. If it was, it wouldn’t be safe for Uncle Qi to have it. What if something went wrong?

Thinking this, he couldn’t help but say, “Brother Ming, let me know as soon as Uncle Qi gets back. I need to talk to him about something. As for that item, let’s hold off on selling it for now. There’s no rush.”

Though he didn’t understand why Wei Yang had suddenly changed his mind, Heipi was in a good mood after acquiring such a fine jade cicada and readily agreed. The two chatted and laughed as they walked toward the door. Behind them, Zhang Xiuqi carried the Mount Tai stone, his expression wooden, like a dutiful bodyguard, following them steadily. As they stepped out of the courtyard and saw Xiao Wang holding a wooden box, Zhang Xiuqi stopped, walked straight over to the young assistant, and held out his hand.

Xiao Wang had originally intended to give the box to Wei Yang, but seeing the cold, aloof tycoon come to collect it himself, he awkwardly twitched his mouth. “Boss, 20 pieces. Count them if you’d like.”

Zhang Xiuqi didn’t seem to have any intention of opening the box. He just gave it a light shake and then walked back without a word. While he didn’t check it, Wei Yang did. He took the box from Zhang Xiuqi and opened it, finding it filled with pieces of jade. Most were uncut scraps, and the few that were carved weren’t particularly attractive. However, they were all unprocessed, clearly genuine low-quality pieces.

Heipi, standing nearby, also saw the contents of the box and couldn’t help but ask curiously, “Why did you buy so many scraps? Planning to practice carving?”

“Not at all. Brother Qi wanted some dead jade, so I picked these up for him.” Wei Yang sighed and closed the box, handing it back to Zhang Xiuqi.

“Dead jade?” Unlike Xiao Wang, Heipi was a true jade connoisseur. Hearing this, he raised an eyebrow and leaned in to whisper to Wei Yang, “Is your friend here someone with real skills?”

Dead jade had another use—containing vengeful spirits. Jade itself had spiritual properties, but to capture and dispel evil spirits, the lowest quality dead jade had to be used. High-quality jade nurtured spirits, and using it to contain vengeful spirits could lead to disaster. Dead jade, on the other hand, could sever the connection between the spirit and the world, preventing it from absorbing spiritual or malevolent energy. Additionally, dead jade containing vengeful spirits was often buried deep underground. If someone dug it up, the lack of collectible value meant it wouldn’t be sold or used as a treasure, reducing the risk of the vengeful spirit causing harm. Therefore, regardless of the sect, dead jade was preferred as a one-time-use ritual item—it was both cost-effective and practical.

However, true practitioners of the Dao were becoming increasingly rare, and in the jade trade, very few people knew about this. But experts did exist, and Heipi was one of them. Today, Wei Yang had specifically instructed this cold, aloof man to pick out the Mount Tai stone and had also bought dead jade. Heipi couldn’t believe that this man didn’t know what he was doing.

Wei Yang smiled faintly and whispered back, “He’s from the Zhang family, the Longhu Mountain branch.”

There was a hint of pride in his tone, and Heipi couldn’t help but feel a bit envious. “Tsk, you should’ve said so earlier! If I’d known he was an expert, I would’ve kept that Mount Tai stone for myself…”

“Come on, don’t put on an act.” Wei Yang waved his hand dismissively. “I’ll come back if I need anything else. Brother Ming, don’t forget to tell Uncle Qi about that matter.”

“Don’t worry.”

Having purchased what they needed, Wei Yang and Zhang Xiuqi left Treasure House and headed across the street. Jieshui Studio was only half a block away, but before they reached the entrance, Wei Yang noticed three cars parked in front of the shop—a BMW 7 Series and two Audi A6s—giving off an imposing aura. Raising an eyebrow, Wei Yang couldn’t help but wonder: who was this important guest?

Sure enough, as soon as they stepped into the shop, Sun Muhua came rushing over, looking anxious. “Brother Yang, I was just about to call you! Damn it, someone’s here to challenge us!”

A challenge? Someone was challenging Jieshui Studio? Even though he had some idea of what to expect, the answer still caught Wei Yang off guard. The old swindler was a low-key guy, an outsider who never clashed with the local feng shui bigwigs. Why would someone suddenly come knocking?

Stopping Sun Muhua’s panic with a gesture, Wei Yang asked calmly, “Don’t panic. Who’s here?”

“Tiande Culture!”

Hearing this name, Wei Yang immediately understood why Sun Muhua was so nervous. Tiande Feng Shui Culture Co., Ltd. was one of the major players in the metaphysical world of Shanxi Province. Not only did they have close ties with developers and the municipal government, but they also had the legendary Master Guo as their ace. Master Guo had once helped a high-ranking official relocate their ancestral grave, and now that official had risen to a provincial leadership position. Naturally, Master Guo’s reputation had soared, making him a golden brand. Even his disciples weren’t people to be trifled with. Combined with their savvy business strategies, Tiande had become a force to be reckoned with, far surpassing the average feng shui shop.

However, such a corporate-style feng shui company had little to do with Jieshui Studio. Why would they suddenly show up? Before Wei Yang could figure it out, several people emerged from the reception room—tall, short, fat, thin—flanking a middle-aged man who seemed to be the center of attention. The man was around 35 years old, slender with graying temples, and carried himself with an air of elegance—one could say he had an extraordinary presence.

Seeing Wei Yang enter, the man smiled faintly. “The main event has finally arrived.”