Chapter 82
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Chapter 82: The Nature of Humanity
At Zhang Yang’s request, Liu Feijue arranged for four experts at the Great Boundless rank to assist.
This left Zhang Yang and the others in awe of the Liu family’s strength. The fact that they could so casually summon four Great Boundless experts demonstrated the family’s terrifying depth.
When the Golden Dragon Shield was brought forth, it stirred a wave of excitement.
Originally displayed in the center of the marketplace to provoke the Mo family, its sudden removal without explanation led to rampant speculation.
Liu Feijue felt a mix of thrill, excitement, and nervousness.
If the seals on the Golden Dragon Shield could be broken, it would mean something entirely different for him, bringing great benefits in the ongoing confrontation with the Mo family.
"Can it really be done?"
He still lacked full confidence, considering that even the entire Liu family had been unable to handle it.
"Brother Liu should know what kind of seals are on the Golden Dragon Shield, right?" Zhang Yang asked.
Liu Feijue replied, "Yes. According to repeated inspections by our Liu family’s grand master appraisers, it was officially determined two years ago to be the Underworld Spirit Forbidden Law. It’s believed that it was cast during the death of an ancestor from the Mo family, using his life as the price to launch this nearly unsolvable forbidden law.
"Our sage once attempted to break it by brute force but ultimately hesitated, fearing that it would damage the fundamental essence of the Golden Dragon Shield and ruin its potential to become a holy weapon. So he didn’t take the risk.
"We even consulted the master of the headquarters of the Divine Forbidden Gate, who advised us to give up. The resources required to break it would equal the value of a holy weapon, making the effort not worthwhile. That’s why it ended up in this state of limbo, making the Golden Dragon Shield little more than a white elephant. That’s why we decided to auction it."
Zhang Yang finally understood the full story.
The sage had been too cautious, the Underworld Spirit Forbidden Law was too unique, and the Divine Forbidden Gate’s methods consumed far too many resources. Indeed, this had turned the shield into little more than a burden.
If he could break the seals, however, this "white elephant" would immediately become a priceless treasure.
"I’ll give it a try," he said confidently, recalling the time he had broken a similar seal in the Vast Forest, which had led to Tang Zhuo and Lang Yaozu, the two Grand Elders, earning promotions to the Great Boundless rank.
He arranged the four Great Boundless experts to stand at the four corners, combining their strength to suppress the Golden Dragon Shield.
This type of suppression resembled the methods the Vast Forest used to limit boundless artifacts. It didn’t affect the artifact’s core essence but did weaken its external power.
The Golden Dragon Shield was effortlessly suppressed.
But the real challenge lay in the Underworld Spirit Forbidden Law.
Zhang Yang’s Soul Binding Power was particularly effective against souls, allowing him to avoid harming the Golden Dragon Shield itself. Of course, his current level of strength alone wouldn’t be enough to shake immeasurable-stage artifacts outside the Vast Forest.
He began to shift his mindset away from relying on the Vast Forest’s unique suppression. With Xue Feishuang and Yuluan’s constant reminders, he gradually entered a state of reverence for martial arts, no longer underestimating it.
He took a deep breath, centering himself.
Yuluan, watching closely, pouted and muttered, "Sure enough, he’s still so ‘innocent.’"
Xue Feishuang looked on with amusement, nearly laughing. She knew that Zhang Yang didn’t actually need to make things so dramatic with his Soul Binding Power. It was hard to tell whether he was trying to make others underestimate him or if he was simply having fun.
Suddenly, Zhang Yang delivered a powerful punch.
Crack!
The Underworld Spirit Forbidden Law on the Golden Dragon Shield trembled violently, cracks visibly spreading across its surface.
"It’s working!"
Liu Feijue’s eyes widened in shock as he pointed excitedly at the Golden Dragon Shield and shouted, "It’s working! It can be opened!"
The four Great Boundless experts exchanged astonished glances, looking at Zhang Yang with disbelief.
They had come with little hope, thinking they were merely here for appearances.
That Zhang Yang could actually break the Underworld Spirit Forbidden Law surprised everyone.
In contrast to their excitement, the two women watched with mild amusement. Zhang Yang always handled things effortlessly. If one punch didn’t work, it only meant he hadn’t gone all out.
“That wasn’t easy,” Zhang Yang muttered to himself.
Yuluan wondered whether he had truly given it his all.
“That was truly impressive,” Liu Feijue exclaimed, feeling exhilarated.
Zhang Yang took a deep breath and struck again.
Bang!
Another powerful punch followed. The Underworld Spirit Forbidden Law crackled violently as more fissures spread across the shield.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Three more punches landed in quick succession.
Finally, the Underworld Spirit Forbidden Law could endure no more and shattered with a deafening explosion.
The ancient Golden Dragon Shield exuded a heavy, lingering air, carrying with it a faint sense of sorrow.
“Hahaha…”
“It worked! It worked!”
Liu Feijue was overjoyed. He grabbed the Golden Dragon Shield, waving it excitedly as he shouted, “The Golden Dragon Shield is mine! I will make it into a holy weapon! From now on, no one can shake my position in the Liu family, hahaha…”
He was so thrilled that he rushed out with the Golden Dragon Shield, not sparing so much as a polite word for Zhang Yang.
The four Great Boundless experts followed closely behind, leaving only Zhang Yang and the two women in the luxurious VIP room.
Yuluan scowled in anger.
Zhang Yang, on the other hand, remained calm. He sat down lightly and directed his energy into his ears, enhancing his already extraordinary hearing to an astonishing level.
Countless sounds flooded in, including Liu Feijue’s excited footsteps.
“Big Young Master, what about that one?” a Great Boundless expert asked quietly.
“Which one? Oh, you mean him?” Liu Feijue replied casually. “Give him some spirit stones as a reward and send him on his way. That fool really thinks I’ll grant him the title of Gold Medallion Appraiser? He even dreams of becoming an Elder Appraiser? Ridiculous.”
“But…”
“What do you mean ‘but’? He’s Zhang Yang. Am I supposed to take on that kind of trouble for him? Even if I don’t care, why would I stick my neck out for someone who just happened to get lucky and now has the nerve to call me brother, even addressing me as ‘Brother Liu’? Does he really deserve that? If I hadn’t needed him to do this, I’d have kicked him out already. Honestly, I should take back the things he bought as well.”
“Big Young Master, actually this person has value. He can break the Underworld Spirit Forbidden Law. If we keep him, that would be a huge advantage for you. The other four families in the Five Elements Commerce Association might also need him. Plus, we have some treasures that are suspected to be sealed by the Underworld Spirit Forbidden Law—items even our family’s sages need. If you manage this properly, your position will be unshakable. So, he’s still useful.”
“Tsk tsk, I suppose I’ll keep him around as a pet for fun.”
At that, Zhang Yang stopped listening.
He recalled Xue Feishuang’s words about "human nature," and before he knew it, a cold smile crept onto his lips.
Not long after, Liu Feijue burst back into the room, still holding the Golden Dragon Shield, laughing loudly.
“Sorry! Sorry! Brother, I was just too excited earlier. From now on, you are the Gold Medallion Appraiser of the Liu family! I’ll also assign you thirty-six Iron Guards—you can command them however you like. And I’ll arrange accommodations for you as well. Oh, and everything you purchased earlier is free, hahaha! I’m off to refine the Golden Dragon Shield now, so I can’t stay, but if you need anything, just ask, and I’ll make sure you get it!”
With that, he left again.
Yuluan huffed in displeasure. “This really is what they call ‘treating talented individuals with courtesy.’”
Soon after, a middle-aged man named Lou Pingfan came to greet them, presenting a solid gold circular plaque inscribed with the character "Gold" and the word "Appraiser" on the back.
This man was responsible for all affairs in Mo City and was naturally bound to follow Liu Feijue’s orders.
Their residence was arranged behind the auction venue, in a secluded courtyard that was beautifully designed, complete with a rock garden, flowing water, and exotic flowers, creating a serene atmosphere.
The thirty-six Iron Guards were led by a top expert named Ming Tiegu, who had reached the ninth level of the Touching Heaven realm.
Once everything was settled, Lou Pingfan took his leave.
Inside the room, Yuluan cast a forbidden law she had learned from the Divine Forbidden Gate. It blocked external spying and eavesdropping while allowing them to observe what was happening outside—a wonderfully mysterious technique.
With this in place, they could finally speak freely.
“You seemed to have quite a chat with Lou Pingfan just now,” Yuluan remarked. “Look at Liu Feijue’s attitude. He clearly doesn’t take us seriously.”
Zhang Yang laughed. “Lou Pingfan mentioned that as a Gold Medallion Appraiser, purchases from the Five Elements Commerce Association under ten million are all free. Purchases over ten million get a fifty percent discount, and those over one hundred million receive an eighty percent discount. Why don’t we go buy some more things? We haven’t even finished exploring the marketplace yet. Who knows what treasures we might find?”
Xue Feishuang and Yuluan exchanged a look.
They both had a strong feeling: Zhang Yang was up to something!
