Chapter 127

After eating dinner at home, the three closed up shop and went out for a walk. 

Today's route took them past Chihu Rock.

After walking a while, they reached Wanmin Restaurant, where they could see many people queuing outside.

"Miss Xiangling and Chef Mao must be working so hard today."

"If this continues, they'll probably need to hire two more helpers."

"Could they do like Xinyue Kiosk and require reservations?"

"I don't think Chef Mao would agree to that. After all, this is their ancestral shop - with a name like 'Wanmin' (Ten Thousand People), it welcomes all people to dine. If they required reservations like Xinyue Kiosk, it would go against their original intention."

"Boss makes so much sense!"

Walking further, they reached the teleport waypoint area.

There were many street stalls here, with lots of people getting off work gathering to eat barbecue, chatting and laughing, creating a lively atmosphere.

There were also some old shops here, including one called "Jade Mystery" that was full of rough stones.

The owner was a kindly-looking chubby man standing at the door calling for customers.

"Customer, you look radiant today - surely your luck is coming!"

"Customer, want to try your luck with some rough stones?"

Xia Zhi thought for a moment and led Zhu Zi and Shenhe inside.

"Boss, what is this place?"

"Oh, is this your first time at Jade Mystery?"

"Mm."

"We've been dealing in jewelry and jade for generations, quite well-known in Liyue. But business has been tough lately - the Ministry sealed off The Chasm where we get our materials. Now the raw materials are almost worth more than the finished products..."

Xia Zhi's interest was piqued - this was the second time he'd heard about "the official sealing of The Chasm," the first being at Mingxing Jewelry.

"So I thought why not just sell the rough stones directly - it's exciting, fun, and you might make money... Now all my card-playing friends come to buy rough stones, and business is much better than Mingxing Jewelry, haha..."

"Boss, do you sell anything besides rough stones?"

"We also have various minerals! Here! Please look around! These all came from rough stones. Though they're not jade, you might find something you like!"

Xia Zhi "looked" at the various minerals on the shelves - all common stones, nothing interesting. "How do you price these rough stones?"

"These rough stones are all stock from The Chasm, high-grade jade material. Pick any you like, from a few hundred to tens of thousands of mora. The bigger and heavier, the more expensive."

"Know jade's presence in stone by touch, one cut reveals win or loss."

"Don't worry about wasting money, there's another industry saying—"

"Come today or come tomorrow, good luck will come eventually!"

The owner was quite the smooth talker, spouting old sayings effortlessly.

Zhu Zi couldn't help asking: "What's the chance of finding jade?"

"Oh my, that's quite a question! If I could tell you for sure, what would be the fun? It's all about luck! I can see you all looking radiant - surely luck is on your side today! How about it? Want to pick one and try your luck?"

Xia Zhi nodded and said casually: "Well, let's pick a few to try."

The owner smiled even more broadly: "Great! Pick whatever you like!"

Xia Zhi told the two girls: "Zhu Zi, Shenhe, take a look too. Pick whichever rough stone you like, one each, my treat."

"Boss, I don't know how to choose."

"It's fine, just trying something new. I'm blind and even less able to choose than you."

"Oh."

Zhu Zi looked around and finally picked a very small rough stone for 700 mora.

Shenhe also picked a small one for 800 mora.

The girls probably felt there was no need to waste his money, so they just participated casually.

Xia Zhi "looked" and with his Geo expertise, without needing to cut them open, he could tell Zhu Zi's stone contained worthless iron ore, while Shenhe's had a decent quality white jade inside.

"Have you both chosen?"

"Yes!"

"Let me feel them... Zhu Zi, this one doesn't feel very good, maybe pick another?"

"Ah? Oh! Then I'll change! How about this one?"

"Doesn't feel very good either."

"Then this one?"

"This seems okay."

"Then I'll take this one!"

Xia Zhi himself "randomly" picked a rough stone for 5000 mora.

After paying.

"Customer, would you like to cut them open?"

"No need."

"Don't worry! We cut stones for free!"

"No thanks, we'll cut them ourselves."

"Then let me help you find someone to carry..."

Before the owner could finish speaking, he saw the tall, beautiful, cold girl pick up the rough stone with one hand and even toss it lightly, making him swallow his unfinished words.

"Goodbye customers! Come again!"

Since they bought rough stones and couldn't easily walk around carrying them, the three returned to the shop early.

Shenhe put the rough stone down.

Zhu Zi looked curiously at the three unremarkable stones: "Boss, how do we cut them? Do we need to buy tools?"

Xia Zhi shook his head: "No need, I happen to have a set of carving knives in my room. Let me go get them."

Back in his upstairs room, he bought a set of carving knives from the [Shop].

[Seven-Wonder Carving Knives]

Quality: Silver

Type: Auxiliary Item

Property: None

Effect: Carving focus +20%, Perfect product chance +10%

Hidden Effect: None

Price: 30 points

This was a beautiful set of carving knives with decent effects, increasing perfect product chance - useful even for a Sculpture Grandmaster like him. Plus with the powerful boost from [Shadow Hands] (hand skills effect +100%), Xia Zhi's carving skill had actually surpassed Zhongli's.

Back downstairs, under the curious gaze of both girls, Xia Zhi used the knives to cut open the two small rough stones.

Unlike Jade Mystery's cautious probing method, Xia Zhi's technique was more fluid and natural, as if he already knew exactly what shape of jade was hidden inside, his knife just following its contours to gently scrape away the excess stone.

Soon, two pieces of jade - one white, one green - were revealed.

"Wow, we really got jade!"

"Your luck is pretty good."

"Can we sell them?"

"They're too small, wouldn't sell for much. Better to carve something you like as a memento. What would you like? I can carve it for you."

"Boss, you can carve too?"

"I happen to know a little bit."

"Let me think..."

"How about a raccoon? I remember you really like raccoons?"

"Yes please!"

"Shenhe, what about you?"

"A crane, if possible?"

"Of course."

Xia Zhi nodded, picked up the carving knife and began working, his posture relaxed.

The two girls watched intently.

Soon, a lifelike raccoon appeared in his hands.

"Amazing! It's like there was already a raccoon hidden inside the jade!"

"Here you go."

"Thank you, Boss!"

A while later, a vivid female crane appeared in his hands.

Shenhe looked at it and murmured: "Mas...ter..."

"This one's done too, here."

"Thank you, Boss."

Next, it was time to open the larger rough stone he bought.

Xia Zhi picked up the largest carving knife, walked to the rough stone, and made a direct cut.

A soft creamy white color showed at the cut, looking beautiful under the quadrangular lamp light.

"Boss, there's jade!"

"Mm."

Xia Zhi continued cutting, quickly revealing a large piece of creamy white jade.

"Boss, what kind of jade is this?"

"Should be snow cream jade."

"Is it precious?"

"A blank this large could sell for over a hundred thousand mora. If carved into a masterpiece, it could be worth over a million."

"Wow! We struck it rich!"

"Indeed."

"Boss, what are you planning to carve it into?"

"Mahjong tiles."

"Huh? (?)"

Both girls wore puzzled expressions.

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