Chapter 7

In these times, knowledge is what matters most.

As long as the knowledge remains undisclosed, it is pure profit.

However, could the method for identifying Torchlight-grade minerals really be this simple?

If it were truly this simple, surely I would have heard of it by now.

No, that's not right; perhaps some merchant guilds know this secret but have guarded it so tightly that no outsider is aware.

Those large merchant guilds likely know as well, given that they employ many appraisers.

Although the Minghuo Merchant Guild is not small, it is not the only major guild.

Countless thoughts raced through Tingyun's mind, one idea following another.

Regardless, she had to try.

If it proved true, she would indeed have gained enormously.

Immediately, Tingyun smiled brightly at Lin Mo and said, "Then this humble woman thanks her benefactor for now."

With that, Tingyun returned to stand before the merchant.

"How is it, Miss Tingyun?"

Seeing Tingyun return, the merchant's face lit up with excitement. "Have you decided to buy them all?"

"No, I merely wish to have them appraised."

Tingyun nodded gently. "These three top-grade ores; we need to appraise these Torchlight-grade minerals."

"Um, may I observe from the side?"

Hearing Tingyun's words, the merchant was stunned, his expression turning hesitant.

Although he had anticipated that the Minghuo Merchant Guild would need to appraise the goods, he did not know if they would allow him to watch.

"What do you think, sir?"

Tingyun looked at the merchant with a smile. "Do you think any merchant guild would reveal their appraisal methods to you?"

"Fine, very well."

Hearing Tingyun's words, the merchant was not surprised, yet thinking that these three acquired ores would briefly leave his hands made him hesitate again.

However, considering the trading partner was the Minghuo Merchant Guild, they surely would not bully a customer or swap the goods; after a moment's hesitation, he nodded. "Very well."

"But I cannot hand over the entire stones; I will take a sample from each of these three minerals. If I lose a little, so be it; consider it a gesture of friendship."

In an instant, the merchant decided he certainly could not give the entire jade stones to the Minghuo Merchant Guild; he could take a small portion from these minerals for himself.

Hearing this, Tingyun subconsciously looked at Lin Mo; seeing him nod slightly, she immediately felt relieved, as being able to appraise them this way was acceptable.

Immediately, Tingyun also nodded and said, "Naturally, I understand the rules of the merchant world; as long as it proves to be good ore, we certainly will not let you suffer a loss. Our Minghuo Merchant Guild has carving masters who can take some samples right before your eyes."

"Mm."

Hearing Tingyun's words, the merchant nodded.

He immediately handed over the three stones, allowing Tingyun to observe them closely in her hands.

At the same time, Tingyun had someone summon a carving master, while she toyed with the Torchlight-grade mineral in her hand.

The merchant also hurriedly handed another piece to Lin Mo, gesturing for him to examine it closely as well.

If he could satisfy this person by letting him handle it up close, perhaps he could sell everything, so the merchant was extremely attentive.

Lin Mo casually picked up this Torchlight-grade jade stone, and surprise immediately flashed in his eyes.

He actually sensed an affinity with the earth from this mineral, an affinity belonging to the rock attribute between heaven and earth.

The Zhongli mineral knowledge reward he had obtained seemed to be more than just simple knowledge.

Moreover, the power he had acquired seemed different from what he was familiar with, as if it had been infinitely strengthened.

Whether it was the familiar ability to contain and accumulate everything, or this top-tier knowledge of antique minerals, everything felt different; furthermore, with this affinity for minerals, he could clearly distinguish the quality of each piece upon personal inspection.

This was far more than just simple knowledge.

This so-called acting role was far greater than he had imagined.

As Lin Mo held that piece of Candle-Illumination grade jade stone in deep thought, the merchant felt a surge of anticipation in his heart.

If he could really get this person to buy all of them, he would truly have made a killing.

Soon, the engraving master from the Minghuo Merchant Association arrived.

Right before the merchant's eyes, he gently took small samples from the three pieces of Candle-Illumination grade jade stone and marked them accordingly.

However, while taking the samples, the merchant kept shouting, "Gently! Slowly! Scrape off less!" acting even more nervous than the Minghuo Association's engraving master himself.

The engraving master who came to take the samples looked speechless; it was his first time seeing someone take mineral samples in such a manner.

But since Miss Tingyun did not mind, he simply followed what this fellow said.

At this moment, Tingyun looked at the sample, which was thinner than paper, and her eyelids twitched involuntarily twice.

This was thinner than an insect's wing, so thin it was nearly transparent; could its quality really be appraised?

Tingyun was highly skeptical, but seeing Lin Mo's calm expression, she could only choose to believe.

"Phew, as expected of an engraving master from the Minghuo Merchant Association."

At this moment, the merchant watched the engraving master withdraw his hands and let out a long sigh of relief: "These few mineral stones are the apples of my eye; if too much had been cut away, it would truly have cost me my life."

Saying this, the merchant stored the three pieces of jade stone back into their box.

Next, they only needed to wait for the Minghuo Merchant Association to finish the appraisal and make their selection from these.

Of course, he would prefer it if they selected all of them.

Meanwhile, Lin Mo had already been pulled by Tingyun into the interior of the Minghuo Merchant Association.

Looking at the thin sample before her, Tingyun hesitated: "With it this thin, wouldn't it turn to ash instantly upon encountering fire-attributed power? Is this really feasible?"

Tingyun felt that she could crush this thing into powder with a casual pinch of her hand.

If one used fire-attributed power to burn it, wouldn't it just turn to ash?

"Getting a businessman to give up profit is like getting a hungry wolf to regurgitate meat it has just swallowed."

Hearing Tingyun's words, Lin Mo smiled faintly: "There is no other way; under special conditions, these thin slices are sufficient."

"Special conditions?"

Hearing Lin Mo's words, Tingyun's eyes lit up: "Please elaborate, Benefactor, on what kind of special conditions."

"While applying fire-attributed power, use water-attributed power to envelop these samples; this will prevent the samples from instantly burning into trash."

Lin Mo spoke slowly: "Given the strength of the Minghuo Merchant Group, you should have talents who possess a deep understanding of manipulating fire-attributed power."

"Is that so."

Hearing Lin Mo's words, Tingyun nodded thoughtfully: "I understand; I will try it now."

Saying this, Tingyun immediately ordered someone to send people over.

Soon, two fox-eared maidens arrived.

As an Extra-Heavenly Traveling Merchant Association that had also established a branch on Luofu, they naturally possessed certain resources.

After understanding the situation, the two arriving fox-eared maidens followed Tingyun to the rear of the Minghuo Merchant Association, where they directly retrieved a fine pot from the warehouse, set it up, and started a fire.

Then, they used water-attributed power to envelop the samples and fire-attributed power to heat them.

Immediately, the liquid began to boil and churn; initially, there was no change, but gradually, a crystalline brightness appeared.

"It appeared! Miss Tingyun, it really appeared?!"

Seeing this scene, the little maid who had always stayed by Tingyun's side spoke with an excited expression: "It really works."

At the very beginning, when there was no movement at all, she had felt somewhat disappointed, but now the sample had truly emitted light!

This meant that the method for appraising Candle-Illumination grade ore truly existed and was indeed feasible!

At this moment, watching this scene, Tingyun's face was filled with immense joy; this appraisal method had truly exceeded her expectations and instantly allowed her to make a huge profit!

She could now continuously purchase ore and use this method to identify whether Candle-Illumination grade ore existed within.

Any Candle-Illumination grade ore would emit light, and the brilliance of that light would represent the finest quality even among Candle-Illumination grade ores!

And all of this had been casually spoken by that person, Lin Mo.

Although she had previously spent a full four million credit points on that person, this secret was already completely worth it, even multiplying the value of those credit points several times over!

For a moment, brilliant light flowed within Tingyun's beautiful eyes; this person had truly exceeded her expectations, and those credit points had not been spent in vain at all.

At this moment, within the boiling liquid, the brilliant light grew brighter and brighter.

Time quietly passed until finally, the light emitted by the three samples ceased to change.

In this pot of boiling liquid, among the three samples, the light emanating from the third sample was like a source of illumination itself, far brighter than the light from the two samples beside it.