Why is my anime art style so weird?

"Ming, sealing the holy relic is more dangerous than you think, so please be careful!"

Looking at Kato Megumi's serious and earnest eyes, Xu Ming couldn't help but nod.

"I will."

Xu Ming stood up and said something to Shiina Mashiro beside him.

"Let's go, Shiina."

However, he received no response.

Xu Ming was a little puzzled. He looked down and found that Shiina Mashiro had her eyes slightly closed and her little head was nodding.

She actually fell asleep...

Kato Megumi covered her mouth and chuckled softly, then composed herself and instructed Xu Ming:

"Akira, protect Shiina well; her 'eyes' can help you."

Xu Ming glanced at Zhenbai, who was sitting asleep, with some surprise, and nodded.

"I see."

Xu Ming woke Shiina Mashiro and took her away from the temple.

Unexpectedly, the shrine maiden who brought them here was still waiting outside.

"His Highness the Divine Prince instructed me to escort you on your way."

Meeting Xu Ming's questioning gaze, the priestess explained.

The two then got into the car, and the shrine maiden took them directly to their destination.

As soon as Xu Ming got out of the car, he saw a simple and elegant building in front of him.

This two-story building is in the style of the Edo period, with square paper lanterns hanging from the eaves, hexagonal stone lampposts on both sides of the door, and walls made of bamboo strips and painted brown.

However, the main entrance of the building consists of two transparent glass doors. Above the doors hangs a plaque with three traditional Chinese characters written in a flowing, elegant style: "Drunken Mountain Residence".

As Xu Ming led Shiina Mashiro past, a maid dressed in an Edo-style kimono quickly opened the door.

"welcome!"

Then a middle-aged man dressed in a yukata, looking like a general store owner, came forward.

"Do you two need any help?"

His attitude was extremely respectful and polite, showing no contempt or disdain whatsoever for Xu Ming and Shiina Mashiro, who were only high school students and wearing cheap school uniforms.

Xu Ming subtly observed everything in the antique shop.

The store displays all kinds of antiques, from warrior armor from the Warring States period to stone sculptures and bronzes from ancient Rome, to ornaments, bronze mirrors and music boxes from medieval Europe, to porcelain from China, as well as calligraphy and paintings by famous artists.

It's clear that the shop's decor was created by a master; it's diverse yet orderly, perfectly blending Eastern and Western classical beauty.

Xu Ming saw all of this and secretly rejoiced.

The shop assistants are highly professional and well-trained, clearly having undergone extensive training. The shop's decor and layout are obviously designed by a renowned designer.

All these details suggest that this auction house has considerable influence behind it.

Fortunately, he obtained the 'tiger skin' from Kato Megumi before he arrived.

Xu Ming didn't waste any words and directly showed his identification.

"Excuse me, there are some things I need to discuss with your store manager."

The middle-aged man's expression immediately changed.

He carefully took the document from Xu Ming's hand, looked at it, and then secretly glanced at Xu Ming, a hint of suspicion in his eyes.

He quickly regained his composure and bowed to Xu Ming.

"Sir, I am the manager. Could you please wait a moment? I need to consult with you about something."

Xu Ming knew that he wanted to take this opportunity to check the authenticity of the documents and, incidentally, consult the person behind him.

After all, the documents looked too impressive, Xu Ming looked too young, and with the sleepy-eyed Shiina Mashiro beside him, they didn't seem very reliable at all.

Xu Ming didn't expose his little scheme, and simply made a "please go ahead" gesture.

The middle-aged man breathed a sigh of relief and waved to the female greeter at the door.

"Hua Ling, take the two guests to the VIP room."

"Hi!"

The female hostess immediately jogged over and led Xu Ming and Shiina Mashiro to an elegantly decorated room on the second floor, serving them tea and wagashi (Japanese sweets).

Ten minutes later, the store manager entered the VIP room and immediately bowed to Xu Ming.

"Guests, is there anything I can do to help you?"

Xu Ming smiled slightly, thinking to himself.

It seems this tiger skin isn't bad.

Chapter 147 Finding Clues

Kato Megumi sat in a quiet courtyard, her legs dangling over the edge of the corridor, her delicate pink feet dangling back and forth, humming a lullaby softly, looking very relaxed.

At that moment, the deer in the opposite pond filled with water, and the bamboo tube tilted instantly, making a soft sound.

Boom!

"Hong, you seem to have something to say."

Kato Megumi suddenly spoke up.

At that moment, a woman's voice came from the shadows of the room.

"Your Highness, why did you give him such a valuable gift? Last time, when Prince Chizuru asked you for it, you refused."

Kato Megumi said calmly:

"Didn't I just explain? This is a resolution set by the association, awarding a wise ruler two prizes for successfully handling difficult tasks."

"……Yes."

Sunset Glow realized that her master was unwilling to explain further, so she quickly shut her mouth.

As a ninja, Kurenai was well aware of her duty. She was a poisonous dagger in her master's hand, only required to know what her master wanted her to know, and not to meddle in things that weren't her business.

But duty is duty, and only she knows what she's really thinking.

However, as Kato Megumi's personal bodyguard, Yuhiko knew very well that the association would only reward Xu Ming, an unofficial member, with money, and would never give him such a precious treasure.

As for any decision made by the Exorcist Association, it might not be as important as a single word from her master.

……

After a brief introduction, Xu Ming learned the name of the middle-aged store manager in front of him.

After exchanging pleasantries, Xu Ming, unwilling to waste time, got straight to the point.

"Manager Mota, we're actually here to investigate the whereabouts of a paintbrush."

This paintbrush is likely a relic of Katsushika Hokusai. It was sold to your firm about a month ago by a woman named Nakajima. Do you recall?

"Please wait a moment, let me think about it."

Store manager Mota immediately frowned and began to think.

He seemed to remember something soon, and a look of realization appeared on his face.

“I remember now, there was indeed such a lady. She seemed eager to sell that paintbrush and didn’t really care about the price, so I remember her quite well.”

Where is this paintbrush now?

Upon learning that they had found the right direction so quickly, Xu Ming immediately perked up and asked further questions.

Unexpectedly, a hint of embarrassment appeared on Manager Mota's face.

"This paintbrush was sold two days ago."

As he spoke, he couldn't help but take out a handkerchief and wipe the sweat from his forehead.

"Who did you sell it to?"

Xu Ming's tone unconsciously became urgent.

"This...this is a matter of the guest's privacy, and we really cannot disclose it..."

Shigeru instinctively wanted to decline.

"Manager Mota, I'm not asking you this on my personal behalf!"

Snapped!

Xu Ming suddenly stood up, placed his hands on the coffee table, his expression serious, and stared sharply at the other person.

Manager Mota shuddered, a hint of hesitation appearing on his face.

He quickly recalled his boss's repeated instructions during the phone call to try his best to meet the other party's demands. Furthermore, the buyer of the paintbrushes was only a moderately wealthy person, whose background was still within his means. So, he gritted his teeth and said:

"It's the owner of Chongguang Group, Chongguang Shengyi!"

Xu Ming's expression immediately changed from gloomy to sunny.

Thank you for your cooperation!

"You're welcome."

Mota wiped the sweat dripping from his forehead with a handkerchief. He couldn't understand why he was afraid of a boy who looked like a high school student.

He just felt that the boy had a strange kind of charisma, not the kind of charisma of a superior to a subordinate, but rather the natural oppression of a predator on its prey.

Having obtained the information he wanted, Xu Ming did not intend to stay any longer and directly took his leave. Manager Maotian very attentively escorted the two of them from the VIP room on the second floor all the way to the store entrance.

As Xu Ming passed through the lobby on the first floor, his gaze shifted and he saw a blond young man in a black school uniform selecting items under the assistance of a female shop assistant named Hua Ling.

The blond man seemed to have taken a fancy to a beautifully designed music box.

This music box is like a small jewelry box. It is made of metal and faintly emits a silvery-white light. The surface of the box is engraved with intricate and delicate patterns, and the lid is inlaid with 13 emerald green gemstones that emit a faint green light.

Inside, the mechanism is sealed at the bottom with red crystal. The music box's spring is on the back of the box, shaped like an inserted key.

The entire music box looks incredibly serene and beautiful, full of mystery.