"Swish!"
Min Ziqiong's father's face instantly turned pale.
"Impossible, absolutely impossible! How could it be ivory powder? It was clearly fragments of a magic artifact!"
Min Ziqiong's father turned to Hu Daheng, "Hu Daheng, you were there, you can testify that those were genuine magic artifact fragments... Master Daozang personally verified them, how could they be fake?"
Hearing this, Hu Daheng became instantly enraged. "You scoundrel, you still have the nerve to mention that despicable person Daozang? You two clearly colluded and deliberately swindled me! Daozang pretended to verify the authenticity of these powders, and then, knowing they were fake, deliberately called them rare treasures with thousand-year spiritual essence. His aim was to make me a fool, spending a billion to buy this pile of worthless powder!"
"I bet Daozang is laughing his guts out by now, hiding somewhere and mocking us for having holes instead of eyes on our faces!"
"Damn it, I can't do anything to Daozang, but can't I do anything to you?"
Hu Daheng grew angrier as he spoke, suddenly stepping forward.
He raised his palm and fiercely slapped Min Ziqiong's father across the face.
Instantly, half of Min Ziqiong's father's cheek turned red, the five distinct finger marks like brands seared onto him, exceptionally conspicuous.
"How can you hit people? How dare you hit people? You insist it's fake when the item is clearly real! I understand now, you want to renege on the deal, to pull a double-cross and steal our magic artifact fragments!"
Min Ziqiong's mother shouted.
She was once again preparing to unleash her folk intangible cultural heritage skills.
However, this time she clearly targeted the wrong person.
*Slap!*
Hu Daheng, without a word, also slapped Min Ziqiong's mother.
"Bah! Double-cross? You're not worthy! For a mere billion, you think I, Hu Daheng, would resort to such low tricks? You think too little of my name!"
"Let me be clear: I'm not here for the money today! I can still give you a billion. But you must provide magic artifacts worth a billion! Otherwise..."
A cold glint flashed in Hu Daheng's eyes.
"Your Min family will be wiped from Jianghai!"
Min Ziqiong's parents shivered simultaneously.
They were on the verge of tears.
They couldn't comprehend how genuine magic artifact fragments became ivory powder in the hands of Hu Daheng and this Yang Zhenren.
Could Master Daozang have deliberately set a trap for Hu Daheng?
If so, Master Daozang was too malicious! This had implicated them for no reason!
What Min Ziqiong's parents didn't know was that Master Daozang hadn't actually set any deliberate traps.
Master Daozang had indeed detected extremely pure spiritual essence at the time.
That's why he was willing to offer eight hundred million for the fragments.
However, that so-called pure spiritual essence wasn't inherent to the fragments but was left behind when Ying Chen used his techniques to drive these fragments.
In fact, what Master Daozang had detected was Ying Chen's residual spiritual power.
This was why Master Daozang believed this spiritual essence was different from the current era and likely originated from a thousand years ago.
He was also misled into mistaking the fragments for artifacts of a powerful ancient being from a millennium ago.
Little did they know, this residual spiritual power was unsustainable. By the time Hu Daheng handed the fragments to Yang Zhenren, it had already dissipated.
Hu Daheng and Yang Zhenren then believed they had been deceived, that they had been set up by Min Ziqiong's parents and Master Daozang.
"Alright, Xiao Hu. Don't be too impulsive. If you act too menacing, what if you scare these two into a stupor and they can't remember where they hid the real magic artifact fragments?"
At this point, Yang Zhenren spoke up to stop Hu Daheng.
Hu Daheng then stepped back, but the killing intent in his eyes remained undiminished.
"I don't care, nor do I want to know about any illicit dealings between you and Daozang."
"However... I believe you wouldn't dare to publicly claim a pile of powder as magic artifact fragments, and furthermore, invite guests from all over. Unless you truly have a death wish."
"So, stop hiding things. Quickly bring out the real magic artifact fragments! You should have heard what Xiao Hu just said; as long as you produce the genuine fragments, he can still give you a billion."
Yang Zhenren said to Min Ziqiong's parents with a smile.
But the cold killing intent behind his smile was no less than Hu Daheng's.
Hearing this, Min Ziqiong's parents, struck by both fear and greed, instantly thought of the remaining powder they had hidden.
"Zhenren, do you stand by your word?"
Yang Zhenren scoffed, "In my eyes, you are nothing but two dogs digging for dung. Would I bother playing mind games with you? If I had that kind of time, wouldn't it be better to cultivate and improve my Dao?"
Despite the insult, Min Ziqiong's parents felt reassured.
"Then please, come to our humble abode. I will present the real fragments immediately!"
Min Ziqiong's father invited Hu Daheng and Yang Zhenren.
Soon, the group arrived at the Min family's living room.
A few minutes later, Min Ziqiong's father emerged holding a small wooden box.
Upon seeing the box, both Hu Daheng and Yang Zhenren raised their eyebrows in surprise.
It seemed the quantity of real magic artifact fragments was far greater than the fake ones.
Wouldn't that mean they had struck an even bigger fortune?
Even Yang Zhenren's usually calm eyes showed a flicker of excitement.
Like Master Daozang, his cultivation had plateaued, and he had to rely on magic artifacts.
If he could obtain these fragments and forge them into a complete artifact, his combat power would immediately double!
Then he would use Master Daozang as a sacrifice to avenge today's humiliation!
"Two gentlemen, this is..." Min Ziqiong's father held the wooden box, intending to introduce it.
But Yang Zhenren could no longer hold back, and snatched the box.
*Crack!* He opened it!
Like an addict, he thrust his nose into the box, greedily inhaling the scent of the powder within.
This was Yang Zhenren's unique skill: he could discern the density of spiritual essence in magic artifact fragments by their scent.
"How is it?" Hu Daheng asked after a moment.
Min Ziqiong's parents also looked at Yang Zhenren expectantly.
Hoping for a positive confirmation from Yang Zhenren.
"Not right!"
To their surprise, Yang Zhenren uttered these two words.
Upon hearing this, Min Ziqiong's parents and Hu Daheng froze.
This scene seemed oddly familiar.
They remembered!
Master Daozang had also said these two words after examining the fragments!
Everyone had thought the fragments were fake, but Master Daozang had actually meant that the spiritual essence was not right!
Therefore, Yang Zhenren must be following Master Daozang's script, right?
Knowing the script in advance, Min Ziqiong's parents were not flustered at all. Instead, they wore complacent smiles.
They were ready to accept Yang Zhenren's praise.
But what Min Ziqiong's parents never expected was that Yang Zhenren did not follow the script!
Yang Zhenren's face turned ashen, and a murderous look shone in his eyes.
Suddenly, he struck out with a slap!
*Slap!*
Min Ziqiong's parents spun in the air like 720-degree spinning tops, then fell to the ground with a thud!