As soon as the auctioneer’s voice fell, applause erupted in the venue. The young female guests, in particular, looked at Leo with heated gazes. In their eyes, this young man must be a hidden second-generation wealthy individual; otherwise, he wouldn’t have outbid Antony.
After winning the dagger, Leo let out a long sigh of relief. This trip was definitely worth it.
“Miss Wilde, thank you,” Leo expressed his gratitude to Coral beside him.
“Leo, who are you really?” Coral scrutinized him with a different look in her eyes.
When Coral first saw Leo, she thought he was just an ordinary person who got a bit lucky. From his demeanor alone, she could tell that Leo definitely didn’t come from a wealthy family.
But today, Leo was able to throw sixty million in an instant. That wasn’t something an ordinary person could achieve. So Coral was having trouble figuring him out.
Coral’s question left Leo momentarily unsure how to answer. He couldn’t possibly tell her that he was a son-in-law who married into a wealthy family, could he?
If an in-law were to spend sixty million, it would not be seen as admiration but extreme contempt.
Fortunately, at that moment, the auctioneer spoke again, “Next up is the final item in this antique and jade auction. It is an item from legends, something you might have only known from ancient texts and folklore. And now, it’s here!”
“Now, please welcome our beautiful hostess as she presents this last treasure!” The auctioneer made a grand gesture, his voice loud and vibrant, raising the atmosphere in the room to its peak.
Curiosity appeared on everyone’s faces. What could this legendary treasure be?
When the small cart reached the auction stage, the auctioneer personally lifted the red cloth covering it.
As the red cloth was unveiled, a humanoid sculpture appeared.
On the large screen, the sculpture became clearer. It was an old man with long hair and a long beard, slightly hunched over, holding a cane in his hand with a gourd hanging from the top.
The entire sculpture was the size of an adult fist, made of bronze except for the gourd, which was made of jade and the size of a little fingernail.
The form, expression, and facial features of the sculpture were so lifelike that it looked like an old man leisurely walking forward, neither hurried nor slow.
Especially the serene expression on the old man’s face. When viewed from different angles, one could notice slight differences. It seemed like he was smiling, worried, or lost in a state between drunkenness and sobriety…
Seeing this object, the expressions on everyone’s faces varied.
The biggest reaction came from Mr. Tyler and Mr. Kipling. Their mouths hung open, their eyes showing a profound shock.
“This is…”
Mr. Tyler actually had an answer in his mind, but he didn’t dare to say it outright.
The camera on the screen focused on the gourd hanging from the top of the cane, and then gradually zoomed in.
One time, two times, three times…
It seemed like there were words on the gourd.
Four times, five times, six times…
There were indeed words on the gourd.
Seven times, eight times, nine times…
The words on the gourd were now clearly visible: “The Way that can be told of is not an Unvarying Way；The names that can be named are not unvarying names.”
When people saw these words, their expressions changed to disbelief and astonishment. This thing actually existed, only in legends. Who would have thought it was real?
The auctioneer was pleased with the expressions on everyone’s faces and spoke loudly, “I believe many of you here have already recognized it. This extraordinary item is none other than the sculpture of Laozi (a semi-legendary ancient Chinese Taoist philosopher ) by the renowned Tang Dynast (between 690 and 705) sculptor Yang Huizi!”
“Yang Huizi, honored by later generations as the ‘Sculpting Saint,’ possessed incredible sculpting skills. It is said that he sculpted three works of Laozi in his lifetime, but all three sculptures disappeared into the river of history, unseen by anyone. Today, Laozi Laozi at the Border has emerged, proving that legends are more than just legends!”
Mr. Tyler finally snapped out of his shock. “I thought the depiction of Laozi Laozi at the Border recorded in ancient texts was just an invention of the ancients. I never expected it to be real.”
“Old Tyler, could this thing be fake? Do you remember the news that caused a sensation in the antique world last year, about someone buying one of Yang Huizi’s three treasures, the Laozi Reclining Drunk sculpture, from Fortune Store ? It turned out to be a fake.” Mr. Kipling expressed his doubts.
Mr. Tyler shook his head. “At a large-scale auction like this, during the Gem Festival, it shouldn’t have counterfeits unless the organizers have lost their minds.”
The entire venue became lively. After a brief moment of shock, everyone shifted their attention to the authenticity of this legendary treasure.
The auctioneer also heard the discussions among the crowd. He looked at Mr. Tyler and Mr. Kipling and spoke into the microphone, “Ladies and gentlemen, to ensure the authenticity of this Laozi Laozi at the Border sculpture, the organizers have not only invited authoritative domestic experts for authentication but also utilized advanced technology for comprehensive testing. The results confirm its genuineness.”
“However, since this treasure is appearing for the first time, for the sake of fairness, I propose to invite the renowned antique appraisal expert Mr. Tyler and the president of the Collectors Association, Mr. Kipling, for an on-site reevaluation. What do you all think?”
“Good! We trust Mr. Tyler and Mr. Kipling!”
“As long as Mr. Tyler and Mr. Kipling say it’s genuine, it can’t be wrong!”
The crowd responded enthusiastically, revealing the weight that Mr. Tyler and Mr. Kipling held in the antique world of Langstel.
Mr. Tyler stood up from his seat, clasped his hands around him, and said, “To be honest, this is the first time even an old man like me has seen something that exists only in legends. I’m itching with curiosity. Since the auctioneer has suggested it and everyone trusts me, I’ll do my best.”
Mr. Kipling also stood up from his seat, took out a magnifying glass from his pocket, and said, “Please, gentlemen.” The auctioneer made a gesture inviting them.
As Mr. Tyler and Mr. Kipling walked up to the stage, the discussions among the crowd gradually subsided. All eyes were fixed on the two elderly gentlemen.
Mr. Tyler and Mr. Kipling put on the gloves handed to them by the hostess and each stood in a different direction. They began to meticulously examine every inch of the Laozi Laozi at the Border sculpture with their magnifying glasses.
Time ticked away, and the crowd waited in silence, without any signs of impatience.
After more than ten minutes, Mr. Tyler and Mr. Kipling finally finished their appraisal. They slowly straightened their bodies, rubbing their lower backs with some difficulty.
After all, their age made it difficult to bear bending over for a long time.
The two of them exchanged a glance and nodded simultaneously.
The auctioneer was sharp and immediately handed them a wireless microphone. Mr. Tyler took it and spoke loudly, “I believe most of you are familiar with the origin of the Laozi Laozi at the Border.”