A faint smile appeared on Lin Xiaotian's face. "When it comes to appraisal, you're much better than your brother. I heard Master Zhang say that you've been studying very diligently recently, and your appraisal skills are definitely not limited to his. If even you can't identify it, it seems you've encountered something truly good!"
"It is indeed a good thing, but so far, we don't know if it's genuine. Even if it's a replica, it definitely possesses enough historical depth."
Wu Gaoyang's voice was filled with excitement. "I can feel that this item is no ordinary object."
Lin Xiaotian's smile widened. "I'll head over there immediately."
After hanging up the phone, he drove directly to Building 1, Antique Street.
For powerful martial artists, learning appraisal has inherent advantages. They can sense a resonance with any antique that has historical depth, though this ability only manifests after reaching a certain cultivation level.
Especially after reaching the Xiantian realm, they become very sensitive to the surrounding Qi. Antiques are sought after because of their rich historical heritage and the cultural aura they carry, which even martial artists beyond the Xiantian realm can clearly perceive.
Wu Gaoyang's strength had already broken through to the peak of Xiantian. Coupled with his keen interest in antiques, he chose not to return to Dian Cang Mountain and instead remained here, enjoying the pleasures of the secular world.
Cultivation had become secondary to him. His current life was quite pleasant.
When Lin Xiaotian arrived, he saw Wu Gaoyang sitting in a rocking chair at the entrance of the antique shop, leisurely fanning himself.
"Your life is getting more and more leisurely. Perhaps a beautiful woman should be by your side, fanning you and massaging your shoulders."
Upon seeing Lin Xiaotian, Wu Gaoyang immediately jumped off the chair, a fawning smile on his face. "Young Master, you know I don't really like cultivating. Here at the antique shop, as long as I acquire a treasure, I get a commission."
"Earning money and living my own life, what could be better!"
Lin Xiaotian smiled. "If all martial artists had your mindset, many troubles could be avoided. Unfortunately, few people are as clear-minded as you."
"This is also why you cultivate faster than your elder brother. In fact, haste makes waste, but your brother is always stuck in a rut. When you have time, you should drag him to this vibrant world and let him have some fun."
Wu Gaoyang shook his head like a rattle drum. "Don't even mention it. The last time I tried to take him out to have some fun, he lectured me as soon as we entered the bathhouse, saying that one's primal yang must not be broken, otherwise it would be difficult to break through to the Grandmaster realm."
"In my opinion, reaching the peak of Xiantian is enough. Otherwise, even living another five hundred years would be meaningless. Constantly cultivating in boredom is simply torment. It's better to enjoy life to the fullest for a hundred years."
Lin Xiaotian actually valued Wu Gaoyang more. Despite his minor flaws, his disposition was one of detachment from worldly pursuits, and such individuals were more likely to reach deeper realms.
Upon entering the antique shop, Wu Gaoyang went to the back and returned with an exquisite wooden box.
He opened it to reveal an incense burner about the size of a fist.
"Young Master, when I first mentioned this item, I thought it was just a small object with a long history. But upon closer inspection, I realized this incense burner isn't for burning incense. If you smell it carefully, there's an indescribable medicinal fragrance. And this thing has been buried underground for at least several hundred years, yet this medicinal fragrance hasn't dissipated."
"This suggests that this item might have been used for alchemy in the past, but I can't imagine how such a small object could be used for alchemy."
"This is why I'm unsure. Young Master, you are skilled in refining medicines. See if this item is of any use to you. If not, I can simply put it on display for sale."
As Lin Xiaotian picked up the incense burner, he immediately felt a reaction from the spiritual energy within him. His heart was slightly startled. He couldn't tell what era this item was from. The design of the incense burner was peculiar.
Based on his historical knowledge, it didn't exhibit characteristics of any specific era.
As his spiritual energy flowed into it, it felt like a stone sinking into the sea. The incense burner in his hand seemed like a bottomless pit. The spiritual energy he input didn't even create a ripple.
"This thing is a bit strange. How much did you buy it for?" Lin Xiaotian asked casually.
Wu Gaoyang held up one finger. "One million. The seller insisted on this price, and I didn't want to miss out on such a treasure, so I agreed to the deal. Moreover, I feel this item should be of great use to you, Young Master."
"After all, just smelling the medicinal fragrance from the incense burner made my mind clear. I originally intended to input my internal energy into it to see if there was any reaction, but it turned out to be useless."
Lin Xiaotian raised an eyebrow. "You mean your internal energy couldn't be inputted at all, or that it couldn't pass through the incense burner when you inputted it?"
Those who reached the Xiantian realm could use certain substances as mediums. With the augmentation of internal energy, even ordinary iron could be cut like mud.
Wu Gaoyang shook his head. "It couldn't be inputted at all. Even a piece of ordinary iron wouldn't be able to block my internal energy. This thing feels very strange. I'm sure it won't be a loss. Young Master, your strength is far greater than mine. Do you know what this thing is for?"
Lin Xiaotian held the incense burner, observing it carefully for a moment. A smile appeared on his face. "I haven't figured it out yet. I'll tell you its specific use once I've researched it."
"However, you did well this time. We don't lack money now; what we lack are these peculiar and rare items. With such a long and rich history in this world, who knows when a strange item might appear. It could be a treasure."
Although he couldn't discern the origin of the incense burner yet, its mysterious aspects alone were beyond monetary value.
He was also eager to test what kind of reaction would occur if he inputted all his spiritual energy into it. He had a feeling that this item was a treasure.
The cultivation technique he practiced was far beyond what Wu Gaoyang could compare to. Wu Gaoyang cultivated internal energy, while he cultivated spiritual energy, which was of a much higher quality.
Most importantly, this incense burner could block internal energy while rapidly absorbing spiritual energy.