Chapter 111: A Succession of Treasures

As the mayor finished speaking, the applause in the venue echoed incessantly. The mayor of JK City had no choice but to raise his hands, signaling for silence. Only then did the audience stop clapping.

Seeing that the room had quieted down, the mayor picked up his microphone and continued: "For this Jade Gambling Convention, we have gathered one thousand of the highest-quality raw jade stones mined over the past five years from Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos. Each one is a treasure, and many likely contain jade of exceptional quality..."

Listening to the mayor's description, the participants felt their blood boil. They were eager and ready to place their bets. In the world of jade gambling, striking a piece of high-quality jade can lead to overnight wealth, with investments skyrocketing a hundredfold. Conversely, failing to do so can result in immediate bankruptcy. That, in essence, is the allure of jade gambling.

Once the opening address concluded, the host took the stage and announced loudly, "And now, please welcome our three master auctioneers!"

Three middle-aged men in suits and glasses, exuding an academic air, stepped onto the platform—which had now become the auction stage. The attendees turned their eyes toward the auctioneers as the neon lights dimmed.

After the host introduced the three experts, staff pulled back a curtain at the rear of the stage, revealing a vast array of raw jade stones, numbered from 1 to 1,000. Although the audience was too far away to see the fine details of the stones, their eyes burned with a fervent intensity, as if they were staring at legendary beauties. In their eyes, these one thousand stones represented the hope of becoming rich overnight. While the risk of losing everything loomed, no one dwelled on the possibility of failure. It is human nature to seek gain and avoid harm.

At this moment, Chen Xian, sitting in the audience, stared at the stones with equal fervor. He hoped to bid on one or two pieces containing spiritual energy, which would be invaluable for setting up future formations.

Quietly, Chen Xian drew two wisps of energy from the spiritual wheel in his inner space and channeled them into his eyes, activating the "Divine Eye of Destruction." Deep within one of his pupils, a white light emerged, while the other turned pitch black and infinitely profound, like an abyss. It was a mysterious and unsettling sight, but fortunately, it was dark, and everyone else’s attention was fixed on the stage.

As the Divine Eye took effect, all obstructions vanished. The rough outer skins of the jade stones seemed to dissolve, stripping away the exterior to reveal the true essence within. Chen Xian could clearly see that among the thousand stones, 890 contained jade, while the remaining 110 were barren. Furthermore, among those 890, there were 90 pieces—including numbers 5, 19, 66, and others—that held jade of the highest quality, vastly superior to the rest in terms of both clarity and texture.

Moreover, as Chen Xian focused his gaze, he discovered that two of the stones were emitting faint, elusive wisps of gas. This was spiritual energy, emanating directly from the jade hidden inside.

"I must win these two!" Chen Xian thought with delight. He secretly noted their numbers: 666 and 999—two auspicious figures.

Having finished his survey, Chen Xian withdrew his gaze, ready for the auction to begin. Possessing the Divine Eye was like having an invincible cheat code; while others gambled for their lives, he already knew the outcome, standing in an unbeatable position. Even the most advanced technology could not peer inside the raw stones, yet he had done it with ease. The feeling of having everything under control was immensely satisfying.

"Excuse me, sir, would you be willing to trade your VIP seat with me?" A soft, alluring voice drifted from beside him, accompanied by a faint, captivating fragrance. She spoke in the local language, though her pronunciation was slightly clumsy and hesitant.

Chen Xian recognized the scent and the voice immediately. He looked up to see a charming, delicate face. It was Guo Xinzi, who had changed out of her provocative red leather outfit into the black leather trench coat, cashmere sweater, skirt, stockings, and long boots she had worn earlier that day.

The man sitting next to Chen Xian instantly recognized her and eagerly requested an autograph. As for the seat swap, he was more than happy to oblige; the VIP section was not only closer to the stage but also far more comfortable. The arrival of this sexy goddess caused a stir among those nearby.

Fortunately, the auctioneer’s voice cut through the noise: "Ladies and gentlemen, we now begin the auction for the first piece, Stone Number 1. It features... for detailed information, please look at the big screen."

The crowd’s attention was instantly captured; after all, the gambling was the main event. Four massive LED screens above the stage displayed Stone Number 1, along with its weight, origin, and other details.

"This stone's..."
"..."

Many gamblers began whispering, sharing their expertise.

"Why are you here?" Chen Xian asked curiously.

Guo Xinzi’s red lips curled into a charming smile. "It was quite boring sitting in the VIP section alone, so I came to join you for the betting. Aren't you going to welcome me, Mr. Chen?"

Chen Xian grinned. "You are welcome!"

Just as he spoke, the auctioneer declared, "The starting bid for Stone Number 1 is $100,000, with a minimum increment of $10,000. Let the bidding begin!"

"I bid 100,000!"
"110,000!"
"150,000!"
"..."

Fierce bidding erupted around them. Chen Xian remained silent. He knew Stone Number 1 contained jade, but it was small and of mediocre quality; the profit margin would be minimal even if he won it at a high price. To prepare for the convention, Chen Xian had purchased numerous e-books on jade and gambling, devouring them all on his way to JK City. With his extraordinary intellect, he had mastered the subject completely. He could now value a piece of jade at a glance, rivaling the experts. Thus, he couldn't be bothered to bid; he would let someone else have it.

"Mr. Chen, do you think there is jade in Stone Number 1?" Guo Xinzi asked, looking at him curiously.

"Yes," Chen Xian replied.

"Then why aren't you bidding?"

"Because the jade inside isn't worth much," Chen Xian said confidently.

Guo Xinzi was intrigued. "How could you possibly know?"

"I can see it," Chen Xian chuckled.

Guo Xinzi remained skeptical. She knew little about jade gambling, but she understood that without cutting a stone open, it was impossible to determine the value of what lay inside.

Before long, Stone Number 1 was purchased for a staggering $1.2 million by a bald jade merchant. He stepped onto the stage and immediately asked the staff to cut it open. All eyes were glued to the stone. Guo Xinzi also stared with wide, unblinking eyes, eager to see if Chen Xian’s words held true.