Chapter 82: Priceless Treasure

Before his death, Pan Wu specialized in crafting various types of talisman seals, but his greatest skill was the Spirit Gathering Talisman, followed by the Safety Talisman. He occasionally made Wealth Gathering and Feng Shui Talismans, though he practiced those less, resulting in a lower success rate.

Xiao Yao had spent the past few days honing his skills in making Safety Talismans, reaching a success rate of about sixty percent. He had not yet begun practicing the creation of Wealth Gathering or Feng Shui Talismans; today, he planned to select two completed talismans made by Pan Wu during his lifetime to use in his office.

His consciousness entered the Sacred Soul Ring, and he quickly made his selection. In the blink of an eye, two new items appeared on his desk: an ivory cabbage and a Hetian jade mountain ornament.

Wealth Gathering and Feng Shui Talismans were not suitable for carrying around; they were usually placed in the owner's home or office. Pan Wu had preferred to engrave these talismans onto decorative objects.

On a leaf of the ivory cabbage, a faintly inscribed Wealth Gathering Talisman could be seen, while the base of the Hetian jade mountain bore a Feng Shui Talisman.

Having carefully positioned these two talisman ornaments, Xiao Yao began to anticipate what changes they might bring in the future.

Chen Xingwen and Zhou Xiaobai worked for the same boss, and since the rent was set by their employer, there was little to negotiate in the lease contract. The framework of the agreement was quickly settled.

Afterward, the two of them went together to Xiao Yao’s office. As they entered, Chen Xingwen immediately noticed the two new decorations on the boss’s desk.

Chen Xingwen possessed a certain appreciation for jade objects, having once collected ivory and rhinoceros horn carvings and was something of an expert on ivory.

From his perspective, the two new pieces on the desk were masterpieces among their kind, each exceptionally precious.

The most eye-catching item was, of course, the lustrous and sizable Hetian jade mountain ornament.

“Boss, carving such a large piece of Hetian jade into a mountain ornament is truly extraordinary!” Chen Xingwen exclaimed.

“This is Hetian jade? I know little about jade, but this piece looks so white and delicate, lustrous like mutton fat. Is this what they call mutton fat jade?” Zhou Xiaobai asked curiously.

“Good things speak for themselves—even if you don’t know the trade, you can see at a glance this is top-quality jade.” Suddenly confronted with such a large chunk of premium mutton fat jade carved into a mountain ornament, Chen Xingwen’s expression grew excited. “This is indeed the finest grade of mutton fat jade. I’ve seen pieces like this a few times, but never anything this big. I’d estimate the weight is about six kilograms?”

“It weighs over six thousand three hundred grams,” Xiao Yao replied.

“Jade of this caliber, even small pieces fetch thirty thousand yuan per gram. For such a massive piece—over six kilograms—there’s nothing comparable on the market, so the price is hard to determine. But I’d guess fifty thousand per gram is certainly possible,” Chen Xingwen said. He was not a professional jade collector, and with such a rare, enormous piece of top-grade mutton fat jade, even estimating its value was difficult.

Zhou Xiaobai’s eyes widened. “Just this one piece of jade is worth over three hundred million? And you casually leave it on your desk, boss? The world of the wealthy is truly beyond my understanding.”

“In terms of value, this Hetian jade mountain ornament is worth at least five hundred million. It was crafted in the imperial palace during the Qianlong era, with exceptionally refined workmanship—extremely rare,” Xiao Yao added.

Chen Xingwen stepped closer, carefully admiring the piece. “This is indeed a remarkable jade carving. The mountain ornament depicts the thirty-six peaks of Huangshan. The overlapping ridges, pavilions, floating clouds, ancient pines, and rugged rocks are all rendered in high relief, with masterful skill and flowing artistry. It’s truly breathtaking.”

The longer Chen Xingwen looked, the more he admired the jade carving. “A craftsman cherishes his material and honors his work, skillfully utilizing the natural shape and grain of the jade. The composition is ingenious, the arrangement harmonious, with clear layers and a vivid sense of dimension. One feels immersed in the lush mountains. Its form is ancient, the carving bold and powerful, the lines strong, solemn, majestic—a splendid display of imperial style. It’s an eye-opener, a feast for the senses.”

Zhou Xiaobai remained preoccupied with a different concern. “Such a priceless treasure, just left out in the office without any security measures—aren’t you worried someone might steal it, boss?”

“I trust the security of this building. My office is a high-security zone; unless a world-class thief targets it, there’s adequate protection,” Xiao Yao replied. It was precisely for this reason that he hadn’t chosen an even more expensive ornament. After all, a desk ornament too low in grade would not fit his status, but a piece worth several hundred million was presentable enough.

Zhou Xiaobai’s gaze shifted to the nearby ivory carving. “If that Hetian jade mountain is so valuable, this lifelike cabbage must also be a treasure, right?”

“If I’m not mistaken, this is a replica of the ivory cabbage from the Henan Museum, only larger and more vibrantly colored. But as far as I know, modern ivory carving doesn’t achieve such vivid coloring, so I’m uncertain,” Chen Xingwen said with a frown.

“Your eye is good—this is indeed an ivory carving, but not a modern replica. It’s a rare piece from the Qianlong era,” Xiao Yao explained. He had a personal fondness for this ivory work and placed it on his desk for easy viewing.

Chen Xingwen took another careful look at the ivory cabbage.

The piece was exquisitely natural, capturing both the form and spirit of a real cabbage. Even the fine root hairs were meticulously rendered, with the veins of the leaves clearly visible, brimming with vitality. A plump cricket rested on a leaf, so lifelike it appeared to be greedily sucking sap, adding a touch of vibrant life to the work.

Beside the cricket was a crawling ladybug and a vividly carved wild chrysanthemum, infusing the entire piece with rustic charm and transporting the viewer to a country vegetable garden.

The craftsmanship was so true to life it could easily be mistaken for the real thing; its artistic level was truly astonishing.

“To think this is a Qianlong-era ivory carving—I thought it was a modern master’s imitation of the museum’s ivory cabbage. The two pieces look similar, differing only in size and color. If this is an authentic Qianlong piece, it’s even more precious than the one in the museum. If it’s genuine, it’s literally priceless,” Chen Xingwen said, though he was not entirely convinced by his boss’s claim.