As the curtain closed, everyone's curiosity was at its peak. Just as they were eagerly anticipating what mysteries the third treasure would hold and what surprises it would bring, the black curtain was pulled back, revealing only a wooden frame with a string of waist ornaments that looked neither gold nor silver, appearing quite ordinary.
Everyone seemed disappointed, and to be honest, even I was a little surprised: what kind of treasure is this?
Although I was nominally in charge of this exhibition, all seven treasures were personally selected by Gong Feicui, and no one except her knew about them beforehand.
She walked to the shelf and gently stroked the object with her finger, producing a crisp and pleasant sound as the rings collided.
"At this moment, you must all be wondering what this is..." Gong Feicui smiled leisurely and waved to a maid, "Come here."
The maid walked under the lamp, blinking curiously.
Gong Feicui's expression suddenly turned cold, and she said in a deep voice, "Do you know what you did wrong?"
The maid was taken aback, not understanding why.
Gong Feicui turned to me and said, "Sister Qiansu, kill her!"
What? I was taken aback. A murmur rippled through the crowd, and the maidservant collapsed to her knees, trembling, "M-Miss...this servant..."
Gong Feicui didn't even look at her, staring at me and raising her voice, which was icy cold: "What are you waiting for?"
All eyes turned to me, and a tension instantly gripped me. I couldn't disobey her orders in front of everyone; otherwise, what would become of the young master of the Gong family's authority?
I closed my eyes, and when I opened them again to look at the maid, she was expressionless. Her fingers moved lightly, silently, without a sound, without color or smell.
"Suwen," named after the Yellow Emperor's Inner Classic, is another kind of poison I created—deadly, yet gentle.
The maid immediately collapsed limply, her expression serene, as if she were asleep.
Gong Feicui's gaze swept over the stunned faces of the crowd, and she sighed softly, "What a potent poison!" As she spoke, she stepped forward and cut the tip of her maid's finger, the blood flowing from the wound already turning blue.
She took off the necklace and brought it to the wound. The blood seemed to come alive and immediately flowed to it, where it was quickly absorbed.
As the blood turned from blue to red, the maid let out a soft moan and slowly woke up.
No, impossible...
That's Suwen! No one understands its toxicity better than me; it seems gentle but is actually fierce. How could it be like this...?
I stared wide-eyed at the scene, as if I were dreaming.
Gong Feicui ordered the two to help the maid up. Although she was pale and unsteady on her feet, she had truly come back to life!
My hands and feet suddenly felt ice-cold.
Gong Feicui gently stroked the ornament in her hand and said, "Now you all understand its purpose, right? This is the Hualin Lock, which can absorb all poisons. If you wear it regularly, it can also prevent common poisonous miasma."
I stared blankly at her. The string of ornaments on her hand was so dazzling that every sway burned my heart.
Gong Feicui walked up to me and said softly with a smile, "Sister Qiansu was so scared! Don't worry, although the Hualin Temple is magical, it must be used within one hour after being poisoned, and it can only be used once a day."
What can I say when a poison user encounters such a nemesis? I can only offer a bitter smile. In the blink of an eye, I noticed that Baili Chenfeng and Xiao Zuo were both looking at me, and the former's gaze even held a hint of pity.
A thought struck me. Suddenly, I saw him raise his thick eyebrows and ask in a loud voice, "Are there still four treasures that haven't been displayed?"
Gong Feicui was waving for someone to draw the curtain when she heard this. She turned around and said, "Yes."
Baili Chenfeng shook his head and said, "No."
Gong Feicui frowned and said, "No?"
Baili Chenfeng explained, "No means there are no more treasures, not a single one."
Gong Feicui was stunned, and I couldn't help but be surprised as well.
Baili Chenfeng stared intently at me, saying each word with unwavering determination, "Because I have already bought all seven of these treasures."
These words shocked everyone in the room.
Everyone thought he was joking, but in my opinion, he wasn't joking at all.
Gong Feicui stared at him for a long time, then suddenly smiled and asked, "You bought them all?"
"yes."
Gong Feicui said, "It seems you don't care about the price of these seven treasures. Then, should I take a look?"
"What are you concerned about?"
“Your conditions!” Gong Feicui said calmly, “or rather, your true purpose.”
Upon hearing this, I couldn't help but nod—his real intention wasn't what it seemed. While Baili City was undoubtedly wealthy, there was no need for him to spend a fortune on things he could only look at but not eat. So, what did he really want?
But Baili Chenfeng refused to explain, remaining silent for a moment before suddenly asking, "Among the seven treasures, where does the 'Gilded Silver Vase with Three-pronged Vajra Pattern' rank?"
My eyes lit up, and I immediately understood.
Gong Feicui's face showed a wary look, clearly she understood, and she pursed her lips and replied, "Ranked eighth."
Fearing that everyone might not understand, she mimicked Baili Chenfeng's tone and explained, "The meaning of 'eighth' is that it is an extra, final treasure to be exhibited, and it is only on display and not for sale!"
The last four words were spoken with absolute certainty, leaving no room for negotiation, and Baili Chenfeng fell silent once again.
This time he remained silent for a long time before finally saying, "Then, may I borrow it?"
I frowned, countless thoughts racing through my mind. Baili City has always been mysterious and arrogant. For the past ten years, the Gong family has sent them invitations every year, but they have always ignored them. Only this year, they suddenly sent someone, and the city's number one expert at that, focusing their attention on the Gong family's most treasured heirloom. What is their intention?
“I’m sorry, but I can’t agree unless…” Gong Feicui said, “you can give me a good enough reason.”