My Ares Son-in-Law

The driver glanced at Xiao Chen through the rearview mirror and sighed, "Sigh, ordinary people like us probably won't even have the chance to go in and see it in our lifetime, let alone spend any money inside. We can only listen to the excitement."

Xiao Chen didn't speak, but simply closed his eyes again, leaned back in his seat, and remained calm, as if everything the driver said had nothing to do with him.

Outside the car window, the city lights rushed past, neon lights flashing, reflecting the light and shadow inside the car, creating an exceptionally quiet atmosphere.

Suddenly, he remembered a message Qin Xianglan had just sent him, about keeping the matter of the Heavenly Palace a secret.

[Mr. Xiao, everything regarding the Top of the Sky Pavilion has been arranged. All employees have signed strict confidentiality agreements and have been verbally assured that no one will disclose your identity or details of the private event. Please rest assured.]

He simply replied with one word: "Hmm."

After recalling all this, Xiao Chen slowly opened his eyes, took out his phone, found his chat history with Qin Xianglan, deleted it with one click, then put the phone back in his pocket, his eyes returning to calm.

Soon, the taxi stopped at the entrance of the residential area. This was a top-tier luxury residential area in the provincial capital, with tight security and a tranquil environment.

Xiao Chen paid the fare, got out of the car, and walked straight into the residential area.

Behind him, the taxi driver watched Xiao Chen walk into Platinum Mansion and couldn't help but mutter to himself, "This young man looks so ordinary, yet he lives in such a high-end neighborhood. You can't judge a book by its cover..."

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, Xiao Chen got up, quickly washed up, changed into ordinary casual clothes and a pair of inconspicuous sneakers, and went out.

He didn't drive or take a taxi; he just walked slowly and leisurely, taking his time as he enjoyed the morning air, his expression serene.

The antique street in the provincial capital is located in the east of the city. It is an old street that is not very wide. Both sides of the street are crowded with antique shops of all sizes, so densely packed that you can't see the end of it.

The shop signs are all different and antique, the banners flutter in the wind, and the air is filled with the old woody smell and the earthy smell of porcelain, exuding a strong retro atmosphere, as if you have traveled back to the old days.

As Xiao Chen walked along the old street, his gaze casually swept over the signs and windows of each shop. Seemingly casual, he was actually carefully sensing the fluctuations of spiritual energy around him with every step.

He came here today for only one purpose... to find an antique, an antique imbued with spiritual energy.

Not all antiques possess spiritual energy.

Only those objects that are ancient, have stood the test of time, and have been handled and passed down by countless people, absorbing enough "human interest," will accumulate a subtle spiritual charm over the long years.

This spiritual energy was extremely faint, and ordinary people could not perceive it at all. Even veteran players who had been in the antique circle for many years might not be able to detect it. But for Xiao Chen, it was as conspicuous as a firefly in the dark, and he could clearly sense it as soon as he got close.

He walked slowly, concentrating his mind on sensing the fluctuations of spiritual energy around him, his pace neither fast nor slow, his expression calm.

Suddenly, he paused, and raised an eyebrow slightly...

A faint fluctuation of spiritual energy emanated from a shop not far to the left; though weak, it was clearly discernible.

Xiao Chen raised his head and looked at the shop, taking a closer look at the signboard at the entrance... Jubaozhai.

The name sounds grand, and the storefront is indeed quite large, more spacious than the shops next door. Several pieces of blue and white porcelain are neatly displayed in the window. They have simple and unadorned shapes and lustrous glazes, and look like folk kiln wares from the mid-Qing Dynasty. Although they are not top-tier treasures, they are still quite high-quality.

Xiao Chen withdrew his gaze, pushed open the door, and walked into the store.

The air conditioning in the store was on full blast; as soon as you entered, you felt a refreshing coolness that dispelled the heat outside.

Several sales assistants in matching uniforms were gathered in a corner of the store, chatting amongst themselves with their heads down, their laughter ringing out from time to time, creating a lively atmosphere.

When they saw Xiao Chen push the door open and come in, they just glanced at him casually, their eyes quickly sweeping over him.

Seeing his ordinary casual clothes, unbranded black cloth shoes, and not a single designer accessory, a hint of disdain flashed in their eyes for a moment, but they lowered their heads and continued talking to themselves, and no one took the initiative to come up and greet him.

Xiao Chen didn't care at all. His expression remained calm as he strolled around the shop, his gaze slowly sweeping over the antiques on the shelves, sensing the fluctuations of spiritual energy as he looked at them.

The slight fluctuation of spiritual energy he had just sensed came from the display shelf behind the counter.

Several pieces of porcelain and jade were neatly arranged on the display shelf, each with a different shape and from different eras. Among them, the porcelain piece at the very back exuded a faint spiritual charm, which was exactly what he was looking for.

Xiao Chen walked slowly to the antique shelf, stopped, and looked at the porcelain piece carefully.

It was a blue and white plum vase with a lotus scroll design, about 30 centimeters tall. The vase had a regular shape, smooth lines, and a smooth and delicate glaze without any flaws.

The cobalt blue is rich and bright, and the lotus scroll pattern is vividly depicted with exquisite brushwork. Judging from the shape and decorative style, it should be an artifact from the Yongle to Xuande period of the Ming Dynasty.

Although it is not a rare official kiln piece, it is still a fine example of folk kiln craftsmanship, and it contains a touch of spiritual charm, which is perfect for his cultivation.

Xiao Chen pointed lightly at the plum vase and asked in a calm tone, "How much is this plum vase?"

The sales assistants in the corner stopped chatting when they heard his question. They slowly raised their heads and all looked at him with impatience and disdain in their eyes.

The leader was a young woman in her twenties, with exquisite makeup, but she exuded a snobbish air. She sized Xiao Chen up and down.

Seeing that he was still dressed in the same ordinary clothes, she curled her lip in disdain, leaned lazily against the shelf, and said in a perfunctory tone, "That one? Not for sale."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chen raised an eyebrow slightly, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes. His tone was calm yet carried a touch of rhetorical question: "Not for sale? If it's not for sale, why display it as a sample and let customers see it?"

A flicker of panic crossed the young saleswoman's face, but she quickly regained her composure, crossed her arms, and said dismissively, "Those are samples, just for display. If we're not selling them, we're not selling them. Why all the nonsense?"

Xiao Chen didn't press further, but merely glanced at her. His gaze was calm and unwavering, yet it carried an inexplicable sense of pressure, causing the saleswoman to instinctively clench her clothes and feel a strange unease rising in her heart.

He didn't say another word and turned to continue looking at the other items. (End of Chapter)