Divine Eye Appraisal: Starting with a Lucky Pickup of a Beautiful CEO's Family Heirloom

Xuan Kongzi disappeared at the end of the passage, his footsteps fading into the stone chamber until they were completely silent. Wen Zhaoye remained kneeling before the bronze cauldron, his forehead pressed against its body, motionless. The coolness of the bronze seeped into his bones through his skin, but he felt no cold. The golden light within the cauldron continued to flicker, slowly and steadily.

The bronze key and jade pendant hung side by side on his chest, gleaming darkly in the dim light of the cauldron. The notch at the end of the key seemed to be waiting for something to fill it in.

Gu Qinghan stood at the entrance of the stone chamber, her hand on the hilt of her sword, saying nothing. She watched Wen Zhaoye's back, watched him kneel before the cauldron, and watched his shoulders stop trembling.

After a long time, Wen Zhaoye made a move.

He slowly straightened up, but didn't stand up. He stretched out his hand, his palm against the body of the cauldron, and felt the faint vibration at his fingertips, like a heartbeat.

"Dad," he said, his voice hoarse, "I'm leaving."

The cauldron trembled slightly, as if in response.

Wen Zhaoye withdrew his hand and looked down at the key and jade pendant on his chest. He reached out and touched the jade pendant, his fingertips lingering on the smooth jade surface for a moment, then stood up. His legs were a little weak, numb from kneeling for too long, so he steadied himself by holding onto the cauldron. Gu Qinghan watched him but didn't go to help him.

Wen Zhaoye steadied himself and turned to look at the bronze cauldron. Its surface was covered in verdigris, and his father's jade pendant was embedded in the cracks, golden patterns slowly meandering within it. He stared at it for a long time, then pulled out the bronze talisman from his robes.

The talisman was engraved with dense patterns, exactly the same as those on the cauldron. His finger stopped on the small characters on the inner wall of the talisman—"Winter Solstice, Midnight, Blood as the Guide."

Seven characters, the strokes shallow, but the inscription deep. "Three hundred and seventy-six days," he said, his voice soft but steady.

Gu Qinghan loosened the hilt of her sword, walked to his side, and stood still.

"I'll stay with you," she said, her voice low but clear. Wen Zhaoye didn't turn around. He put the talisman into his inner pocket, attaching it to the letter. Then he took out his father's letter from his pocket, folded it, and put it back in his inner pocket. His fingers paused on the paper; it was cool, but he felt the letter in his palm was warm. He turned around and looked at Gu Qinghan.

"Your master said it needs to be activated once a year on the winter solstice, otherwise the seal will collapse," he said. "What if I don't come?"

Gu Qinghan looked at him and remained silent for a while.

"Your father will remain in the cauldron forever."

Wen Zhaoye didn't speak. He looked down at the key on his chest, the notch at the end of the key seemed to be missing something. He reached out and touched it, his fingertips pausing at the notch.

"Your dad said that his greatest fortune in life wasn't protecting the seal," Gu Qinghan said softly, "but having you."

Wen Zhaoye's fingers tightened on the key, his knuckles turning white.

"I know," he said, his voice dry, "but I still want him to come out."

Gu Qinghan remained silent.

Wen Zhaoye raised his head and looked at the bronze cauldron. The cauldron sat quietly on the stone platform, its surface covered with verdigris, jade pendants embedded in its cracks, and golden light flickering faintly. He looked at it for a long time, then turned around and walked towards the passage.

When he reached the entrance of the stone chamber, he paused and looked back.

The light inside the cauldron was still flickering.

He turned and walked into the darkness. Gu Qinghan followed behind him. When they reached the doorway, she paused, drew her short sword from her waist, and carved a horizontal line into the stone wall.

The carving was deep, almost embedded in the stone. Wen Zhaoye heard the sound and turned around. "The first one," Gu Qinghan said, sheathing his sword. "You'll know how much time has passed when you return."

Wen Zhaoye looked at her without saying a word.

Gu Qinghan walked to his side and stood side by side with him.

"I'm leaving," she said.

The two walked into the passage, their footsteps echoing between the stone walls, one in front of the other, very steady.

The passage was long and dark. The beam of a flashlight cut a narrow path through the darkness. The stone steps were covered in dust, and in some places, moss grew. Wen Zhaoye walked ahead, the key and jade pendant on his chest swaying gently with each step, making a soft clinking sound in the darkness.

After walking for a long time, I finally saw the light of the exit.

The light was faint, seeping in through the cracks in the ruins of the Taoist temple and falling on the stone steps. Wen Zhaoye stood in front of the hidden door, watching the light without moving.

"Your dad is right," Gu Qinghan's voice came from behind. "You're better than him."

Wen Zhaoye didn't turn around. He took a deep breath, then stepped out of the dark door and into the sunlight.

The snow on Kunlun Mountain was dazzlingly white under the sunlight. He squinted as he stood before the ruins of the Taoist temple, gazing at the distant, continuous snow-capped mountains. The wind blew from the mountains, carrying the scent of snow and a hint of pine.

Gu Qinghan followed behind him and stopped as well.

The two stood there silently. After a long while, Wen Zhaoye took out the bronze talisman from his pocket and looked at the small characters on it: "Winter Solstice, Midnight, Blood as the Guide".

"Gu Qinghan," he said.

"Um."

"Your master said the seal isn't permanent, right?"

"right."

"How much longer can my dad hold on?"

Gu Qinghan did not answer.

Wen Zhaoye gripped the talisman, his fingers tightening. He recalled the human-shaped silhouette deep within the cauldron, curled up like an infant, its chest glowing slowly, slowly.

"I have 376 days left," he said, his voice soft but steady. "After 376 days, I will come back."

Gu Qinghan looked at him without saying a word.

Will you come with me?

"I'll stay with you."

Wen Zhaoye put the talisman into his inner bag and turned to look into the distance. The snow on Kunlun Mountain was dazzlingly white in the sunlight. He took a deep breath and said, "Let's go back."

The two walked down the stone steps side by side, behind them was the abandoned Taoist temple and below it, the bronze cauldron that had been sleeping for three thousand years.

The wind blew in from the mountains, carrying the scent of snow.

Wen Zhaoye walked ahead, the key and jade pendant on his chest gleaming with the light of bronze and jade in the sunlight. He didn't turn around, but he knew someone was following him.

It's not surveillance, it's not a mission. It's simply being there.

He gripped the key tightly, his knuckles turning white, then released it. "Sixty years," he said, his voice soft, as if speaking to himself, "Year after year, we'll always find a way."

Gu Qinghan walked beside him without saying a word. But her hand remained on the hilt of the sword, and she didn't let go.