Capítulo 55: Chapter 55: The Warning
Bai Chen exhaled slowly, pushing the image of the mysterious girl from his mind. He had no time for distractions, especially not one as peculiar as her. Turning his focus back to the shopkeeper, he gestured toward the counter where the antiques he had requested were placed. "Are these the items I asked for?"
The shopkeeper, still a bit rattled from his earlier encounter with Feng Yan, quickly regained his composure and nodded. "Yes, sir, these are the antiques you asked for—a porcelain vase from the Qin dynasty and a calligraphy piece from the Ming dynasty. Please, take a look."
Bai Chen stepped forward, his sharp eyes scanning the delicate porcelain vase and the calligraphy scroll. There was something more to these antiques than met the eye. As he picked up the vase, he could sense the faint traces of spiritual energy, a remnant of their ancient history. His fingers brushed the smooth surface, and he felt a small wisp of power, as though the object itself still held some of the essence from its time. But he couldn't say this out loud—not without revealing more about himself than he wanted to.
"These are remarkable pieces," he remarked casually, hiding the depth of his thoughts behind a neutral expression. "However, do you have someone who can appraise them? I'd like a second opinion."
The shopkeeper, eager to please, nodded quickly. "Of course, sir. We have an appraiser on staff. Please wait here, and I'll call him right away." He fumbled with his phone, making a quick call. Within a few minutes, an elderly man wearing round glasses and carrying a leather briefcase entered the shop.
"Ah, Mr. Zhang," the shopkeeper said, motioning to Bai Chen. "This gentleman would like you to appraise some antiques for him."
Mr. Zhang gave a respectful nod to Bai Chen before moving toward the counter. With the practiced hands of an expert, he carefully examined the porcelain vase, turning it over and inspecting every detail. Then he moved on to the calligraphy scroll, unrolling it with precision and studying the ink strokes.
After a few minutes, Mr. Zhang straightened up and adjusted his glasses. "These are genuine," he said, his voice calm and confident. "The vase is from the late Qin dynasty, and the calligraphy is indeed from the Ming dynasty. Both are authentic and in excellent condition."
Bai Chen nodded, satisfied with the confirmation. "Thank you," he said, pulling out a stack of neatly folded cash and handing it to the shopkeeper. "You've been very helpful."
The shopkeeper, delighted by the sale, thanked him profusely as he packed the antiques carefully into protective wrapping. But as Bai Chen prepared to leave, something nagged at him. His eyes flicked back toward the cursed painting at the corner of the shop. The dark energy it emitted was growing stronger, almost as though it were feeding off the atmosphere around it.
Before he could stop himself, Bai Chen turned to the shopkeeper again, his voice low and serious. "That painting over there," he said, nodding toward the ominous artwork. "It's dangerous."
The shopkeeper, visibly surprised, followed Bai Chen's gaze toward the painting. "The painting? What do you mean, sir?"
Bai Chen hesitated for a moment, considering how much to reveal. "It carries a heavy yin energy," he finally said. "If you don't deal with it, it could cause serious problems for you—and for your shop. It's likely disrupting the flow of yang energy in this place. And by the look of you, it's already affecting your health."
The shopkeeper blinked in astonishment, suddenly recalling Feng Yan's earlier words about his symptoms. "Yin energy, you say?" he asked, his voice shaky. "But... where did the painting come from? How could this be?"
"That's what you need to find out," Bai Chen replied. "It's not an ordinary piece. You'd better be careful."
The shopkeeper scratched his head, still trying to wrap his mind around the situation. "Well, the painting was sold to us by tomb raiders," he admitted reluctantly. "A lot of antiques in shops like mine come from both legal and... less-than-legal means. It's how this business works."
Bai Chen wasn't surprised. He had expected as much. "I understand. But this one is different. The energy it carries is beyond what most can handle. It's not just an old relic—it's a dangerous artifact. You might want to think twice before keeping it on display."
The shopkeeper, pale and trembling, nodded, glancing back nervously at the painting. "I'll... I'll see what I can do about it. Maybe I'll take it off the floor for now."
Bai Chen gave a curt nod, satisfied that he had delivered the warning. Without another word, he turned on his heel and left the shop, the antiques securely in his possession. As he walked back onto the bustling street, he couldn't help but feel a lingering sense of unease. The girl, the painting, the spiritual wisp on the antiques—it all felt connected somehow. But for now, he would have to push those thoughts aside.
There were more important matters at hand.
Back in the shop, the shopkeeper stood in silence, staring at the cursed painting. He believed Bai Chen's warning, but uncertainty gnawed at him. He resolved to remove the painting from display—but whether or not he would act on that resolve remained to be seen.
Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder