CHAPTER 509: 508

The two found a relatively quiet cafe to sit down and ordered two cups of Nescafe. Ye Tian didn’t drink coffee; he only knew the name from TV commercials. He knew nothing about other types like mocha or cappuccino.

"This coffee here is quite bitter; it’s better to add some sugar."

Ye Tian added two spoons of sugar to his own, but Tang San added sugar cubes. Being able to decide what he wanted showed that things hadn’t reached a critical point, and Ye Tian relaxed a bit.

"Mr. Liu, tell me honestly, where did you hear about this item?"

Tang San took a sip of his coffee, his mood seemed to lighten, and he took out several photos from his coat, selecting one and sliding it across the table. It was a Ge Kiln chicken blood vase, purportedly played with by Emperor Qianlong himself; it was one of a pair. Originally, there were three produced from the kiln, but to keep an even number and for good luck, one was destroyed, leaving only this pair.

One of the vases was sold at Christie’s Auction House in 2005 for thirty-six million dollars, setting a new record for porcelain auctions. Note that the vase sold was even slightly damaged, whereas the one in the photo was intact.

Ye Tian’s lips curved into a faint smile, "Do you always dig into the details of your business deals like this, Tang? It’s not exactly a good habit."

Tang San seemed a bit helpless, "Mr. Liu, you don’t know, this piece has already caught someone’s attention... and that someone is not someone we can afford to mess with. So, this task..."

The $100,000 check was pushed back towards him.

Ye Tian didn’t take it but instead took another set of photos from him, flipping through one by one, "Has someone reserved these items already, or just some of them?"

"They’ve all been reserved."

Looking at his face, Ye Tian continued, "Could you help me get in touch with those people? Money is not an issue; I can pay double their asking price to buy these items from them. I was hoping you could help me out."

The check was once again presented to Tang San, its string of zeros quite eye-catching. However, Tang San didn’t take the check back this time.

"I’m sorry, Mr. Liu, I really am... erm, I’m really sorry."

Ye Tian waved his hand nonchalantly, "We’re all family here, let’s not talk about it. After we finish this cup of coffee, we’re still friends."

Tang San finished his coffee, bowed his hands in thanks, and left.

Ye Tian looked through the photos in front of him but the Ghost Seal was missing.

Someone is behind this!

Suddenly, he felt a sharp pain on his wrist, swiftly rolled up his sleeve, and a red bug rolled off his arm onto the ground where it struggled desperately before quickly lying stiff and motionless.

The bug resembled a leech from the rice fields but was smaller and had a sharper tail. Seeing a red dot where his wrist hurt, it was clear he had been bitten by the bug, but the bug was unlucky to have met someone like Ye Tian who had just obtained Small Zen. Poison and bugs couldn’t harm him.

"Is it a Gu?"

Ye Tian looked at the bug on the ground, then back at the photos on the table which had a similar aura. Someone had already made a move against him.

Was he being too conspicuous?

Ye Tian shook his head, not feeling he had done anything wrong.

He gathered the photos from the table and returned to his hotel. It was getting late, and it wasn’t suitable to disturb the Esoteric Master. He had already spent a day at the temple which was a miracle in itself, staying any longer at night might get him blacklisted.

Calling Gui Xiao and Chu Tianying to his room, Ye Tian explained his meeting with Tang San and cautioned them to be careful, especially around strangers near the museum. As he spoke, he saw Gui Xiao suddenly go quiet, his face turning pale.

"What’s wrong?"

Ye Tian was puzzled; Gui Xiao was usually optimistic and straightforward, and this wasn’t like him.

"Boss, did that guy use a control Gu on you?" Gui Xiao stuttered, seemingly reluctant to speak of it.

Ye Tian nodded, "It was someone I met at the museum, named Tang San. I’ve mentioned him to you before."

"But you didn’t say he would use control Gu!"

Gui Xiao’s voice had a cry in it, which made Ye Tian realize the situation was bad; Gui Xiao might be affected too. He quickly took Gui Xiao’s wrist, pressing two fingers against his pulse, identifying a trace of deadly energy mingling within, disturbing the normal pulse and continuously consuming Gui Xiao’s essence blood.

"How long have you been in contact with that person?"

Gui Xiao’s face was ashen, his teeth chattering too violently to speak. Ye Tian looked at him, a slight smile on his face as he gently tapped Gui Xiao’s shoulder, instantly calming him down. Gui Xiao’s racing heart stabilized, and his breathing smoothed out. But Chu Tianying at his side was shocked.

The power emanating from Ye Tian was the most powerful he had ever seen. Though not sharp or aggressive, it was precisely this kind of gentle but deep-seated power that was the most terrifying. It transcended mere killing to a more profound advancement in cultivation, akin to what Huaxia people called Inner Strength.

This was odd. Chu Tianying was confused as he was a man who had died once; he obviously understood these unique traits. Some traits being more resilient than others, like his own which was not dying unless his skull was crushed or heart was stomped. But to encounter someone with as deep and tranquil a presence as Ye Tian was a first for him.

"Feeling better?"

Ye Tian asked softly, seeing Gui Xiao nod. He continued, "Tell me how long you’ve been in contact with the person who used the control Gu on you, and describe his features. Maybe the person we know is the same one."