A thousand enlightenments in one night, starting from being a menial apprentice.

Chapter 266 Old Monster
A-mo's big hand clamped like an iron claw, and the pickpocket reached out for Lu Qingzhu's hand. With a scream from the pickpocket, A-mo's hand loosened.

The pickpocket's face turned pale, and a layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on his forehead.

His right hand drooped like a boneless chicken claw. He looked at Lu Qingzhu and A Mo with fear on his face, then quickly walked away.

The pickpocket looked at his drooping right hand, thinking that it was just a broken bone. In fact, he didn't know that after being clamped by Ah Mo, his hand was completely disabled.

Although there were no visible scars on the skin, the bones inside had been broken into pieces.

Although Ah Mo was born with supernatural powers, he was not limited to using brute force.

The hoop she just made actually changed into twelve different types in an instant.

It's not that she used her strength to crush the bones directly without hurting the flesh. But to crush the bones, that is the ability to hit objects through the air, which Amo does not have.

She exerted force instantly, causing the pickpocket's hand joints to grind against each other, like a mill grinding against each other, grinding themselves into pieces.

To accomplish this, one needs to have a thorough understanding of every inch of human bones, and both strength and ingenuity must be coordinated perfectly, in order to be able to break them with one hoop!

Duan Rong stood on the street and saw Ah Mo's strength. His eyebrows jumped slightly. He was afraid that he would find it difficult to dodge that speed!
Duan Rong couldn't help but feel a little curious about Lu Qingzhu. A woman with such a strange person by her side must have some background.

Duan Rong's mind moved, and he suddenly released his spiritual sense. He wanted to see the martial arts level of the master and servant!
The results of the investigation shocked Duan Rong!

The ugly strange man who looked like a mountain of flesh had an empty dantian, and it turned out that he had never practiced internal energy at all.

However, the graceful woman holding the long sword has already reached the first level of the true Qi realm. Judging from the might of her true Qi, it has even surpassed Wei Yutian and Jie Daohan.

But these two people are obviously not from Xiangu County.

Moreover, it was at this time that he appeared in Xiangu County.

Duan Rong's heart moved slightly. When he stepped into Gu Yue Zhai, he had already guessed it. He guessed that the woman might be the sect's envoy who came to monitor the examination of registered disciples in three days.

Strong people in the Qi realm are not common in this remote Xiangu County, and they appear just when the assessment is about to begin. It is no wonder that Duan Ronghui made such an inference.

Lu Qingzhu was not affected by the pickpocket's approach, and A-Mo had already chased away the flies for her, so she just needed to have fun.

Lu Qingzhu visited a few more stalls.

She stopped in front of a stall selling used books and almanacs, flipped through them casually, and felt little interest. At this time, Lu Qingzhu raised her eyes and saw a shop facing the street behind the used books stall. Above the shop hung a plaque with the three words "Gu Yue Zhai" written in vigorous and powerful characters.

Lu Qingzhu's eyes moved, and she walked in. She just saw that the "touch" entered this store.

Guan Kui was behind the counter, wiping the items on the shelf when suddenly a figure flashed at the door. Apparently someone came in. Guan Kui immediately put down the rag in his hand and turned to look.

Guan Kui looked at the two people who came in and was slightly surprised, especially A'mo's fleshy body and ugly and ferocious face.

However, Guan Kui was able to work as a clerk in an antique shop because reading people's expressions was his basic skill.

He could tell at a glance that Lu Qingzhu was the more prominent of the two. Lu Qingzhu came in first, followed closely by Amo.

The material and workmanship of Lu Qingzhu's clothes were obviously of top quality. Moreover, Lu Qingzhu had an elegant and cool temperament, and her eyes were clear and steady. She was obviously different from ordinary women from secular families.

Guan Kui calmed himself down, looked at Lu Qingzhu, and said with a smile: "Miss, what do you want to see?"

Lu Qingzhu glanced at the shelf behind Guan Kui and said, "I'll just take a look. If you have any good stuff, you can show it to me."

Guan Kui's eyes moved as he looked at Lu Qingzhu. He felt that this girl was quite arrogant.

Guan Kui bent down, took out three paintings from under the counter, and spread them on the counter.

These three paintings were the same ones he had used to test Duan Rong. This was a fixed routine of his. He used them to test the quality of this girl.

Lu Qingzhu stood in front of the counter and looked at the three paintings carefully one by one, but her expression showed almost no change. Although Guan Kui paid attention to her expression, he could see nothing.

In the back hall of Guyuezhai, when Duan Rong saw Tang Wanhong again, his opinion of him was completely different.

He killed the group of people who massacred the village in the Quan family manor. They were instructed by Tang Wanhong to rob the Quan family manor.

Duan Rong originally thought that Tang Wanhong was the one who managed the Guyuezhai for Shen Yanliu. Now it seems that Tang Wanhong is a confidant who is deeply involved in Shen Yanliu's core secrets.

Although, in Duan Rong's opinion, Shen Yanliu and Tang Wanhong were both people who deserved to die, but in Xiangu County today, the two people he feared the most were Shen Yanliu and Ruan Fengshan.

Since Tang Wanhong is Shen Yanliu's confidant, he needs to be more careful in dealing with him.

After Duan Rong finished checking the things for Tang Wanhong, Tang Wanhong clasped her fists and said with a smile: "Thank you for taking this trip, Master Duan. I am really grateful to you."

Duan Rong said, "Manager Tang is too polite. We have known each other for a long time. We are old friends. If you need me, just ask Guan Kui to call me."

Tang Wanhong said: "Master Duan, I am grateful for your kindness."

Duan Rong clasped his fists and said, "Manager Tang, please stay. I'm leaving now!"

Duan Rong said this as he walked out of the back hall, lifted the thick blue silk curtain, and entered the front hall.

When Duan Rong walked into the front hall, his eyes jumped. He saw the strange man who looked like a mountain of flesh and the graceful woman holding a long sword standing in front of the counter.

Just as Lu Qingzhu finished looking at the three paintings, she saw Duan Rong lift the curtain and walk out. She suddenly smiled and said, "Touch it. Come and look at these three paintings."

Lu Qingzhu stood in front of the stall and listened to the boss's story about touching something. He said that this guy spent several days looking at everything on all the stalls in the entire antique street.

After listening to the boss's story, Lu Qingzhu felt that the man who touched it must be either an antique connoisseur or a lunatic.
She was very curious, was he an expert or a lunatic?
Guan Kui's heart skipped a beat and his face showed slight surprise.

Later, he also knew Duan Rong's nickname in the antique street. However, the girl in front of him directly called Duan Rong by his nickname and asked him to help look at it. Her tone was also quite familiar. Guan Kui immediately determined that this girl knew Duan Rong.

Duan Rong saw Lu Qingzhu, who suddenly became familiar with him and talked to him with a charming smile, and his face was slightly startled. Of course he wanted to refuse, as this was Gu Yue Zhai's business, and he couldn't interfere.

However, he changed his mind and thought that this girl might be one of the sect's envoys who would monitor the assessment of registered disciples in three days. If he rejected her just like that, would it make her unhappy and make trouble for him during the assessment?
The assessment for registered disciples is the most important thing for Duan Rong right now and he cannot afford to make any mistakes.

Duan Rong thought about it for a moment and decided that since the girl had invited him, he couldn't refuse even if it would offend Guan Kui. After all, Guan Kui was just a clerk, and this girl might have something to do with whether he could successfully enter Taiyi Sect!

Which one is more important is clear at a glance!
After Duan Rong finished his thought, he took two steps forward and looked at the three paintings in front of the counter.

Duan Rong took one look and realized that they were the three paintings that Guan Kui showed him when he first entered Gu Yue Zhai. Duan Rong looked at Guan Kui, smiled, and said, "This painting of black chrysanthemum is an authentic one!"

Guan Kui touched his nose. If he had known that this girl knew Duan Rong, he would not have bothered with this. How could his skills be enough to impress Duan Rong?

Seeing that Duan Rong could tell the truth from the falsehood with just one glance, Lu Qingzhu's eyes lit up and he thought to himself: He is indeed an expert!

Lu Qingzhu was in a very good mood. She looked at Guan Kui and asked, "How much is this painting of black chrysanthemum by Taoist Cang?"

Guan Kui's face changed when he heard this. Although this black chrysanthemum painting was an authentic one, it did not have any seal or signature. Duan Rong did not reveal it either, but this girl could tell that the artist of this painting was Cang Dao Ren. It was obvious that this girl had already seen whether this painting was authentic.

Duan Rong certainly didn't reveal it, because he didn't know the artist of this painting was that Taoist Cang. He had never heard of this name.

Guan Kui looked at Duan Rong and Lu Qingzhu, and an embarrassed look appeared on his face. He felt that he was showing off his skills in front of an expert today...

Guan Kui said, "This painting costs four hundred taels."

Lu Qingzhu nodded. She thought the price was fair, so she said, "I want this painting. Please pack it for me."

Guan Kui was delighted when he heard this. Antique shops usually close for half a year, but they make a profit for half a year after opening. Four hundred taels was a big order. If he succeeded in getting this order, he would have completed his task for the first half of this year.

Lu Qingzhu does have some knowledge about antiques, but she doesn't like them herself. It's just that her grandfather particularly likes to play with these old things.

She often played with her grandfather since she was a child, and through gradual learning, she gained some skills in identifying these toys.

She didn't buy this black chrysanthemum painting for herself, she was going to take it back and give it to her grandfather!
Duan Rong saw that the girl bought the painting and was in a very good mood. Guan Kui also looked happy. Duan Rong felt that everyone was happy and prepared to leave.

Guan Kui picked up the painting and prepared to put it into the wooden box.

As soon as Guan Kui stood up, Lu Qingzhu saw a black object placed in the corner of the shelf behind Guan Kui.

Lu Qingzhu's eyes suddenly lit up like stars, and he said, "Let me see that Xun first."

Guan Kui was stunned for a moment, then followed Lu Qingzhu's gaze to the corner of the shelf, where he saw an object slightly larger than a goose egg, with smooth streamlines, a flat bottom, six holes in the lower part, and an opening at the top.

Guan Kui was slightly surprised.

He didn't recognize this thing when he first saw it, and it was the shopkeeper who told him about it.

This thing, called the xun, is a musical instrument from ancient times. However, the method of playing this instrument was lost more than a thousand years ago. The music score and the artist who could play it were lost in the long river of history.

Today, it has become purely a decoration.

Guan Kui didn't know why the girl was interested in this thing, but he still put down the wooden box in his hand, took the xun and handed it to Lu Qingzhu.

Lu Qingzhu took the xiao and felt it was very light. She took a look at it and felt that the xiao seemed to be made of the bones of some animal.

Lu Qingzhu looked at the xiao with a glimmer of anticipation in her eyes. She wiped the xiao with her hand, put the mouthpiece at the top to her lips, and began to play.

A powerful and melodious voice suddenly sounded in Guyuezhai. Guan Kui was startled and almost dropped the painting in his hand...

Duan Rong had already stepped half a foot out of the door of Guyuezhai when he suddenly heard an ancient and vast sound, like the desolate footsteps of a giant on the dull and lonely land...

Duan Rong's heart was shaken, and he turned his head...

The winter sun shines through the window, illuminating Lv Qingzhu's profile. She holds the xiao, which is slightly larger than a goose egg, in both hands. Her fingers move deftly on the six holes...

Duan Rong was surprised that such an ancient and vast sound could come from such a small thing.

Lu Qingzhu played for a while, then stopped and said with a smile, "Not bad, you can actually play it." She looked at Guan Kui and asked, "How much is this xiao?"

Guan Kui was stunned behind the counter. Didn't the shopkeeper say that no one knows how to play this anymore?

"Twenty taels of silver."

Guan Kui actually didn't know how much the Xun should cost. It was originally just a decoration to make up the shelf. The shopkeeper never told him how much the Xun should cost. It seemed that in the shopkeeper's opinion, no one would buy this thing.

Guan Kui just randomly mentioned a price.

Lu Qingzhu looked at the xiao in her hand with a puzzled look in her eyes. She turned her head and found that Duan Rong was standing at the door.

Lu Qingzhu then looked at Duan Rong, smiled brightly, and said, "Touch it, and help me take a look at this xiao."

Duan Rong was somewhat uncomfortable with Lu Qingzhu's outgoing personality, but due to Lu Qingzhu's status as the sect's envoy, he had no choice but to accept it.

Duan Rong reached out his hand and read the spirit of the xiao, and then he knew whether it was real or not.

"This Xun is an antique, and it's quite old." Duan Rong said, and with the sunlight from the door, he saw that the surface of the Xun seemed to have a layer of fine and shallow scratches. "But it was later polished. It has some damage to its appearance."

After Duan Rong finished speaking, he handed the Xun back to Lu Qingzhu. Lu Qingzhu looked at Duan Rong gratefully and said, "So that's how it is. Thank you for clearing up my confusion."

Duan Rong nodded and said, "Young lady, please stop calling me by that nickname that is not worthy of public display. My name is Duan Rong."

Lu Qingzhu smiled and said, "My name is Lu Qingzhu. But I changed my name recently. You can also call me Lu Qingshan."

Duan Rong smiled. This girl's cultivation level was far higher than that of ordinary people, but she had elegant interests and a childlike innocence. She was also quite interesting when she spoke, and she was not defensive.

At this time, Lu Qingzhu took the Xun, turned his head and looked at Guan Kui, saying: "Since this Xun is an old item, I won't take advantage of you. I'll give you a hundred taels of silver."

"Ah..." Guan Kui was stunned. He didn't expect that business could be done in this way.

Duan Rong looked at the black hair hanging down from the back of Lu Qingzhu's head and thought: This girl is really generous...

Duan Rong immediately turned around and left. He was afraid that if he stayed any longer, Lu Qingzhu would find something else for him to look at.

Lu Qingzhu paid the money, Guan Kui handed over a wooden box, A-Mo took it, and the two left Guyuezhai.

Guan Kui looked at the two men's backs and was immediately overjoyed. In just a short while, he had earned five hundred taels of silver.
Lu Qingzhu and Amo walked out of Guyuezhai. Lu Qingzhu stood at the door and looked around, and found that Duan Rong had already left.

Ah Mo said: "Touch that one, it's pretty powerful."

A Mo knew very well that his young lady had a great appreciation for old things, but the man who asked to touch it seemed to be better than the young lady and could even give her some advice.

Lu Qingzhu nodded and said, "Yes. He is a great expert in antiques!"

Lu Qingzhu looked at the xiao in her hand again. She smiled and murmured, "This thing... Grandfather will definitely like it..."

Lu Qingzhu can play the xiao, and it was her grandfather who taught her.

When she was very young, she knew that Aung could play this thing.

The scene of a lonely old man playing the xun in the moonlight had deeply impacted her young heart.

So, when she was a little older, she pestered Grandpa to teach her how to play...

Not long after Lu Qingzhu and Ah Mo left Guyuezhai, Tang Wanhong came out from behind the curtain. He looked at Guan Kui coldly and said, "I'm going to be out for a while. You take care of the store."

Guan Kui said, "Boss, I just sold the chrysanthemum painting and the xun, and I made five hundred taels."

As Guan Kui spoke, he handed over five silver bills.

"Ink chrysanthemum painting?" Tang Wanhong counted the banknotes, feeling very happy. "Not bad!"

"Yes, the black chrysanthemum painting cost four hundred taels. The xun also cost one hundred taels!"

"What? That xiao was bought for 100 taels?" Tang Wanhong asked with a smile, "Who bought it? You're such a sucker?"

Guan Kui said: "A girl, she can play the xiao."

Tang Wanhong laughed and said, "Are you kidding? She can play the xiao? That thing has been lost for more than a thousand years! She can play it, unless she is an old monster who has lived for more than a thousand years!"

As Tang Wanhong said this, she had already put the banknotes in her sleeve and walked out of the door.

Guan Kui looked at Tang Wanhong's back and muttered, "Is she really good at blowing? That girl is pretty, how could she be an old monster?"

Guan Kui felt that his boss was sometimes not very reliable.

(End of this chapter)