Everyone's eyes turned towards Lin Xiaotian, disbelief etched on their faces.
Lin Xiaotian smiled, placing his hand on the Yuzhou Ding. With a sudden surge of spiritual energy from within him, the next moment brought about a scene that left everyone astonished.
The imagery on the Yuzhou Ding flickered and shifted. Following this, Lin Xiaotian let out a soft, dragon-like sound.
Immediately, the patterns on the Yuzhou Ding transformed, as if countless bronze pieces were reassembling to depict a dragon soaring through the heavens. A dragon's roar echoed from the Yuzhou Ding.
This spectacle completely stunned everyone present. Their eyes were filled with disbelief, and their gazes towards Lin Xiaotian were laced with awe.
Lin Xiaotian's smile widened. "How is it? Do you find this scene surprising?"
Tang Jingde stepped forward, his hand reaching out to caress the patterns on the bronze cauldron. His eyes were wide with wonder. "I never imagined I would witness a legendary artifact in my lifetime."
"Xiaotian, you have truly opened my eyes. Compared to you, I feel like a complete novice."
Chu Nianxue also moved closer, examining the patterns on the Yuzhou Ding. Her beautiful eyes were filled with incredulous shock.
Lin Xiaotian's smile grew more pronounced. "Didn't I tell you all before that this is indeed a legendary treasure? Do you believe me now?"
No one nodded. The shock in their eyes lingered, unable to subside.
Zhao Feipeng was utterly dumbfounded. He had never imagined that an antique he had found would turn out to be a legendary artifact. If given another chance, he would have immediately dedicated himself to studying it. Now, his eyes blazed with fervent obsession.
He had even forgotten the original purpose of his association with Lin Xiaotian. He hurried forward, his eyes brimming with irrepressible excitement.
"I want to replicate the Jiuzhou Ding!"
Lin Xiaotian playfully smacked him on the back of the head.
The blow jolted him back to his senses. He turned, his eyes filled with a mixture of frustration and helplessness. "Please, can you let me fully understand the changes in the Jiuzhou Ding before we go find those people?"
Lin Xiaotian's smile became even more radiant. "Once we find them, you can study it however you wish. Even if you become a chief appraiser in our company, I will have no objections."
"My wife might also agree with me, after all, I am the head of the household."
Upon hearing this, Chu Nianxue cast him a charming glance, her eyes filled with tender affection, showing no sign of disagreement.
Just then, Tang Jingde exclaimed, "The position of chief appraiser is mine!"
"This girl mentioned it to me before, but I didn't immediately agree because I was concerned that if I became chief appraiser, people might question my impartiality. However, now that I've seen such a magnificent treasure, I have no other thoughts. As long as I'm given an appraiser position, I will dedicate myself wholeheartedly to the company."
Tang Jingde spoke with genuine sincerity. He had known of Lin Xiaotian's capabilities from the beginning but had never imagined them to be so profound. He had read in an ancient text that the Jiuzhou Ding changed in response to a person's strength, and the beings it reacted to were invariably powerful, often involving legendary entities. The true purpose of the Jiuzhou Ding was to suppress the luck of the Nine Provinces. Placing it within the Chu Group would essentially anchor one-ninth of the Nine Provinces' fortune to the company. An astute elder like Tang Jingde would naturally not let such an opportunity slip away.
At this moment, Zhao Feipeng shouted, "Old Master, don't think your age makes you stronger than me. I can tell you clearly, if I wanted to forge something, you would be no match for me."
"I believe the position of chief appraiser belongs to me. As long as I can study this Jiuzhou Ding every day, I'll do anything you ask."
"I will not give up this position easily. Don't think about competing with me. Besides, Lin Xiaotian already promised me that if I'm willing to do anything for him, you can do that, can you?"
Tang Jingde immediately straightened his neck. "Who says I can't? I can bring all my collections to the Chu Group. Do you have that many collections?"
Hearing this, Zhao Feipeng's eyes widened in anger. "Do you know I brought this item here? If Lin Xiaotian hadn't discovered its true nature, I wouldn't have been sure it was the Jiuzhou Ding."
"After all, it's a legendary artifact. Even if it were placed before you, you wouldn't recognize it."
"Moreover, this item was originally given to me. If I leave the Chu Group, my younger sister might be in danger. I've been staying in the basement here, and I doubt many people can do anything to me."
Lin Xiaotian's face broke into a wide smile. He had anticipated Tang Jingde's choice, but he hadn't expected Zhao Feipeng to be so infatuated with antiques. However, upon reflection, he understood. Without such dedication, how could he have replicated so many precious artifacts, even to the point of being indistinguishable from the originals, with few others besides himself being able to discern the fakes?
Just as Tang Jingde was about to speak again, Lin Xiaotian gave him a look and his smile widened. "Since Old Zhao wants to continue studying the Jiuzhou Ding here, I don't mind giving you the opportunity."
"The position of chief appraiser has been abolished. My wife said that all appraisers in the company are on equal footing. We are currently recruiting for appraiser positions, so why don't I give you a chance?"
Zhao Feipeng's face immediately lit up with excitement. "Don't worry, if you give me this chance, I will absolutely not disappoint you."