C26 Another Way of Appraisal

This item could be traded for two weapons and fifty thousand crystals—a fortune that would require several young aristocrats to pool their resources to afford. And yet, he dared to spit on such a valuable object!

Everyone was visibly shocked, but Wang Fei's reaction was beyond that; his face had darkened to the point where it couldn't get any darker.

Xiao Yu had just spat on the treasure Wang Fei had brought. Was this not an overt attempt to shame him and make him uncomfortable?

Imagine how it would feel if someone spat on something you held as precious. That's exactly what Xiao Yu had done.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please take a look," Xiao Yu said, completely disregarding the crowd's reaction as he lifted the cup for all to see.

The cup was clear, allowing everyone to see the Beast Spirit Bead inside—and Xiao Yu's spit!

The thought of examining Xiao Yu's spit was revolting to the onlookers, and hardly anyone was willing to do so. Although Xiao Yu's physical body had reached the Innate Realm, meaning his spit contained no impurities, it was still repulsive to the others.

It was clear to them that Xiao Yu was intentionally trying to disgust Wang Fei. No one had expected this seemingly modest and well-mannered individual to harbor such malice.

"Brother, what exactly are you demonstrating here?" Ye Wenxuan couldn't help but smile, particularly amused by Wang Fei's look of disgust, which only added to his excitement.

He hadn't anticipated that Xiao Yu would outdo him in mischief, deliberately provoking Wang Fei to this extent.

"As for the Beast Spirit Bead, the essence within it has transformed into a primitive force, brimming with vitality. While a cultivator's saliva contains only a trace of essence energy, it still carries a hint of the body's essence. Hence, when the Beast Spirit Bead comes into contact with human saliva, it will naturally absorb the essence from it, allowing the saliva to permeate the bead," Xiao Yu explained calmly to the crowd.

Despite understanding Xiao Yu's explanation, the group still felt uneasy. They were all from prestigious families, unaccustomed to witnessing or performing the act of spitting in public. Yet here was Xiao Yu, not only spitting but also expecting them to watch it intently!

"So, it turns out that Young Master Wang's Beast Spirit Bead didn't absorb your saliva. Does that mean it's a fake?" Ye Wenxuan was fully engaged in the act, playing along with Xiao Yu.

Upon hearing this, the crowd fought back their revulsion and peered into the cup, confirming that Xiao Yu's saliva had indeed not been absorbed by the Beast Spirit Bead.

"That's nonsense! What kind of verification method is this?" Wang Fei's face darkened with anger. Were it not for his wariness of the Drunken Star Spirit's presence, he might have lost his temper by now.

Ye Wenxuan's remark had particularly irked him. What did he mean by his Beast Spirit Bead 'eating' Xiao Yu's saliva? It was a distasteful way to put it!

He strongly suspected that Xiao Yu was incapable of making a proper distinction and had concocted this elaborate ruse just to repulse him.

"I know you're skeptical, but I can prove that this method works," Xiao Yu said with a chuckle, turning to Ye Wenxuan. "Do you have a Beast Element on you? Even the most common kind will suffice."

"Of course!" Ye Wenxuan was more than happy to help.

While Beast Elements could not be absorbed and refined, they could replenish the elemental energy lost from one's body at times. It was common for cultivators to carry a few on them, and Ye Wenxuan was no exception.

Quickly, he produced a Common Rank Lower Grade Beast Element as Xiao Yu had requested.

"You're aware that a Beast Spirit Bead is a mutated form of Beast Element, right? Although it undergoes a quality transformation, enabling direct refinement and fusion by a person, its essence remains that of a Beast Element."

Xiao Yu then spat onto the Beast Element once more.

This time, the Beast Element rapidly absorbed his saliva, leaving no trace behind.

Had it been anyone else's saliva, the outcome would not have been the same. Saliva typically contains only a trace amount of essence energy, and it would be impossible for the Beast Element to also absorb the impurities within it.

Xiao Yu, however, was an exception. His physical body had attained the Innate Realm, and although the essence energy in his saliva was minimal, the rest was free of impurities, akin to the purest substance. Hence, it was entirely absorbed by the Beast Element.

A Beast Spirit Bead and a Beast Element, both subjected to Xiao Yu's saliva, yielded entirely different outcomes.

"This..."

The group was taken aback. Despite their discomfort, it was clear from the current scenario that Xiao Yu's earlier statements weren't ramblings but were instead well-founded.

Even Yan Ziyu's face took on an odd look.

Xiao Yu's approach to identification was certainly... unconventional.

According to Xiao Yu, the Beast Spirit Bead could absorb a person's vital essence, which meant that blood could have been used as a substitute. Yet, he chose saliva, clearly intending to repulse Wang Fei.

While the method was somewhat revolting, it effectively achieved its purpose of making Wang Fei uncomfortable. At that moment, Wang Fei's face was as ghastly as if he had swallowed something foul.

"Haha, the results are clear for all to see, and the logic has been laid out. I find this method of identification quite trustworthy," Ye Wenxuan remarked, clearly delighted by Wang Fei's grimace.

Though Xiao Yu had also spat on his Beast Element, the situation was markedly different.

Wang Fei's Beast Spirit Bead was far more valuable than his Common Rank Lower Grade Beast Element, which was worth merely around a thousand crystals—a trivial sum to the scions of noble families.

By contrast, Wang Fei was in dire straits. His Beast Spirit Bead, now tainted by Xiao Yu's saliva, not only brought him shame but was also irretrievable. Who would want to reclaim something that had been spat upon?

Moreover, this outcome proved his Beast Spirit Bead to be worthless. The two weapons and fifty thousand crystals he was supposed to receive in exchange had vanished like a mirage.

Most crucially, the revelation of this result shifted the crowd's gaze toward him with a mix of dissatisfaction and scorn, particularly from the youths who had considered trading with him.

Had they gone through with the exchange, they would have incurred significant losses, unable to afford resources for cultivation and falling behind in strength.

In that moment, Wang Fei had become a pariah, a swindler despised by all. Although his status protected him from direct confrontation, it was likely that no one would choose to associate with him going forward.

"Mr. Wang Fei, can you accept this appraisal result?" Yan Ziyu asked, barely containing her amusement.

She was increasingly baffled by Xiao Yu. He seemed so mild-mannered at first, yet he had managed to utterly humiliate her.

Wang Fei, at this point, was likely on the verge of a breakdown.

"This Beast Spirit Bead was acquired from someone else. I wasn't aware of any issues with it!" Wang Fei declared, his face thick with shamelessness.

But everyone present was no fool; nobody believed his claim.

Would Wang Fei have parted with such a treasure if he hadn't known it had lost its power? With the Imperial City Martial Academy selection looming, wouldn't he need it to bolster his strength?

"Xue Han, we're leaving!" Overwhelmed by the judgmental stares, Wang Fei could no longer bear the embarrassment. He summoned Lin Xuehan, and they both rose to leave, indifferent to whether the Treasure-seizing Organization's event had concluded. He even abandoned the Beast Spirit Bead.

After all, who would want it with Xiao Yu's saliva on it? Was he supposed to retrieve it?

This episode had left Wang Fei in a dire state: not only had he been publicly shamed, but he had also suffered a significant loss.

Even though the Beast Spirit Bead had lost its potency, without Xiao Yu's interference, he could have traded it for goods worth 90,000 crystals. Now, all those prospects had evaporated, and he faced the scorn of everyone present.

The more he dwelled on it, the more Wang Fei's expression darkened, and his pace quickened.

"Just wait. It won't be long before I make you pay a price tenfold, a hundredfold!" Wang Fei stormed off, his heart seething with murderous intent.