Appraiser's Secret: A Treacherous Path

Not to mention, most of the 'biomaterials' appraised by the Chaofeng apprentice actually passed through the hands of two people.

Although the "shengcal" were handpicked by the official court officials in the renowned **** shop, it was usually the responsibility of these two individuals to hand over the selected "shengcal" to the apprentices.

Having spent numerous years in the **** shop, the duo understood the precarious nature of their work. A single misstep or an inadvertent offense could drastically increase the difficulty and danger associated with appraising the 'raw materials' they would subsequently handle.

"Has it been appraised?" Shen Lang asked nonchalantly, his gaze fixed on the item in question.

"Yes," replied Chen Shaojun, as he hesitated momentarily before continuing. "This sapphire is of middle-to-lower grade, produced in Dianyang, with a shape that has remained unchanged for over 30 years. Its craftsmanship, however, falls within the middle-to-high range."

Chen Shaojun handed over the sapphire, intentionally withholding certain information about its true nature, as revealed by the Psychic Mirror. He chose not to disclose the fact that the sapphire possessed the unique quality of gathering yin energy after being exposed to 30 years of yin qi invasion.

None of these aspects could be identified by his apprentice.

Chen Shaojun merely sought to sustain his livelihood in this establishment, gradually appraising treasures and earning rewards along the way. He had no desire to draw excessive attention or cause any unnecessary commotion.

In this world, being low-key didn't necessarily guarantee safety. However, being excessively high-profile often resulted in a swift demise, especially when lacking the strength to back it up.

"Very well," Shen Lang remarked, diligently recording the appraisal results in his notes. Meanwhile, Xu Hongtao, standing beside him, retrieved a wooden box and carefully sealed the sapphire inside. He labeled the box and handed a bamboo stick to Chen Shaojun.

"Thank you, Uncle Xu!" Chen Shaojun expressed his gratitude.

The bamboo stick he received was essentially equivalent to a porter's identification. By presenting this stick at the end of each month, he could claim his monthly benefits. Despite being just an apprentice under the court, Chen Shaojun was entitled to a monthly wage based on the items he successfully appraised and signed off on.

Although the amount wasn't substantial, each signing would amount to a total of 30 essays. Over the course of a month, even if he appraised only one item a day, it would accumulate to a mere nine hundred words—equivalent to less than a tael of silver.

With the bamboo stick in hand, Chen Shaojun turned and made his way toward the backyard. As he turned, his gaze couldn't help but drift toward the side hall, in the direction of an arch.

There, connected to the main lobby, was the location of Lin's pawnshop. A raised platform belonging to the pawnshop obscured his view, effectively trapping him within the confines of the pawnshop premises.

Despite the absence of explicit restrictions from the pawnshop, Lin's establishment had erected high walls in both the backyard and the front shop, effectively blocking any passage. Exiting was strictly forbidden, and individuals within the pawnshop were required to go through the front door for any ventures outside.

Given the nature of the pawnshop, where individuals dealt with valuable items, anyone wishing to leave had to report to the shopkeeper, undergo body searches, instrument inspections, and face inquiries. Such rigorous protocols discouraged casual outings, and very few people within the pawnshop ventured outside willingly.

In Chen Shaojun's recollection, his predecessor hadn't stepped foot outside for three months.

The backyard of the pawnshop boasted ample space, resembling a quadrangle courtyard with a large, open ground surrounded by various rooms of varying sizes.

Chen Shaojun entered one of the rooms, where a sizable bed stood against the wall, with several tightly packed cabinets occupying every available space. The arrangement made movement within the room quite challenging.

This was his residence.

The room accommodated twelve beds, each connected to the other, and currently housed a total of seven individuals, including Chen Shaojun. They were all apprentices working in the pawnshop.

At that moment, a few of the Chaofeng apprentices had already returned and gathered together.

"Brother Chen, you're back. Did anything happen?" one of the younger apprentices asked, showing genuine concern upon Chen Shaojun's arrival.

"It's all right," Chen Shaojun reassured, shaking his head. He recognized the person in front of him as Zhao Hu. They had only briefly crossed paths before, back when they were both in the Lin family's old house. Six months ago, they were both assigned to join Lin's pawnshop, and over time, they had become acquainted.

The few others present were originally employed by the Lin family, serving as handymen or domestic servants. However, Chen Shaojun hadn't been familiar with them prior to their arrival at the pawnshop.

At that moment, everyone appeared visibly fatigued and worn out, as if they hadn't slept for three days and nights. Their eyes were either bloodshot with excitement or filled with a dull, gray expression. Dark bags hung beneath their eyes, as black as ink, indicating extreme exhaustion.

This served as a testament to the taxing nature of the Divine Vision technique.

If Chen Shaojun hadn't consumed the Yangyuan Pill and undergone the process of washing the essence, cutting the marrow, and nourishing the qi and spirit, significantly enhancing his spiritual power, he estimated that he wouldn't fare much better than his peers.

"Brother Chen, have you heard about what happened to Zhang Wang today?" Zhao Hu leaned closer, his expression veiled in mystery and nervousness.

"What happened?" Chen Shaojun was taken aback, his mind forming various conjectures.

"When Zhang Wang was appraising the treasure this time, he got contaminated by an evil force. It entered his body, and by the time they carried him out, he was nearly unconscious," Zhao Hu revealed without any hesitation.

"This Zhang Wang may be arrogant, but he is indeed the strongest among us, with the most advanced mastery of the 'God Hope' technique. If even he encountered trouble, then what about the rest of us..." another weary-looking man expressed his worry, his face filled with fear.

There was a sense of taboo surrounding accidents during the appraisal process for pawnbrokers. Such incidents could potentially endanger their lives.

Moreover, each of them had personally witnessed the downfall of the previous five Chaofeng apprentices.

None of them wished to suffer the same fate.

"The 'raw materials' this time do seem somewhat different, mostly consisting of old materials. As the saying goes, the older the materials, the more likely they are to harbor evil energy. Nobody knows what these old materials have been through before reaching our hands," added a relatively tall apprentice Chaofeng, his voice tinged with lingering fear.

"I also sensed a surge of negative energy when I was appraising earlier. Fortunately, it wasn't too strong, and I only felt a moment of dizziness before recovering," he continued, his expression marked with lingering unease.

Chen Shaojun couldn't help but cast a sidelong glance at the apprentice who spoke, a whisper of suspicion stirring in his heart. He had always harbored doubts about the demise of his predecessor.

As thoughts of his own appraisal surfaced, he couldn't help but ponder over the images revealed during the psychic appraisal process.

"Do any of you remember the confrontation between Zhang Wang and Mr. Shen?" the person continued suddenly, causing the expressions of the others to change abruptly.

"What are you implying?"

"Choose your words carefully!"

"Unfounded speculation won't be tolerated."

A cautious individual swiftly intervened, issuing a stern warning.

However, a sense of uncertainty lingered in everyone's hearts.

Some matters didn't require concrete evidence.

While this batch of raw materials had undergone official selection by the court, with most of the more dangerous items removed, the appraisal process had been assigned to Shen Lang for final confirmation.

If someone harbored ill intentions, they wouldn't even need to act overtly. Merely assigning the riskier items to a specific Chaofeng apprentice could easily cause significant harm to the other party.

Despite being aware of the situation, the knowledge itself offers little power to effect any change. Some individuals even contemplate the idea of manipulating the appraisal process, thinking it might make their lives easier in the future.

Life as a Chaofeng apprentice can be incredibly monotonous. Aside from the treasury appraiser, the only area where they can freely move around is the backyard.

After dinner, the group of apprentices eagerly sought the comfort of their beds. The room soon filled with the sound of snoring as they instantly succumbed to sleep. Meanwhile, Chen Shaojun, having consumed the Yangyuan Pill, experienced no depletion of energy. He remained wide awake, his mind buzzing with thoughts about his future.

Undoubtedly, the pawnshop was currently the most suitable place for him, considering the presence of the psychic treasures within his body. However, this didn't mean he would be content with the status quo.

Now that he had arrived in this world and discovered the rampant existence of demons and powerful Dao martial artists, he couldn't fathom living an ordinary life.

"I must become stronger. There's no other option but to become stronger," he resolved inwardly.