"Oh?" Shen Bai said, intrigued. "And what might you mean by that, Daoist? I am but a common Ding Shou in the Observatory."

Daoist Chongling said slowly, "Ever since Lord Shen’s rise in Shengyun County, the Celestial Purity Daoist Temple has been aware of your origins. You were also the one who resolved all the crises during the various incidents in Fenglin State, protecting its people from great peril."

"Such deeds alone make you an exceedingly rare individual in all of Fenglin State. The Celestial Purity Daoist Temple has always taken it upon itself to protect the common folk, and we hold those who do the same in high esteem."

Shen Bai shook his head. "I’m no great protector of the people. I’m simply doing the job I was appointed to do."

Daoist Chongling clutched his Floating Dust. "Even so, to perform one’s duties so thoroughly and flawlessly is worthy of my admiration, and that of the Celestial Purity Daoist Temple."

The two of them engaged in another round of professional flattery.

After all, in the Jianghu, when two like-minded people get together, it’s not uncommon for the conversation to veer off-topic.

For instance, they might be discussing a major event in the Jianghu, only to get sidetracked by some minor detail and end up showering each other with praise.

Such things were quite common in the Jianghu.

When Shen Bai felt they had exchanged enough pleasantries, he brought the conversation back on track. "In that case, I will accept this task, so long as Daoist Chongling isn’t concerned about the Deceitful Object being damaged."

Daoist Chongling nodded and performed a formal Daoist salutation. "Lord Shen, I will be staying in Fenglin State for the next few days. Once you have an answer, you can find me at the Yuelai Inn. I will be available anytime."

Shen Bai nodded. "Rest assured, Daoist Chongling. I’ll have a result for you within the next few days. And of course, I will inform you of the details, for better or worse."

"In that case, I shall take my leave. The Observatory is a busy place, and I won’t disturb Lord Shen’s work any further." Daoist Chongling stood up and set his teacup back on the table.

Shen Bai rose as well. "This way, Daoist. I’ll see you out."

Daoist Chongling did not refuse and left the Ding Twenty-Third Division with Shen Bai.

They continued to chat and laugh on their way out.

After watching Daoist Chongling leave the Observatory, Shen Bai gazed at the Copper Mirror in his hands, lost in thought.

The Observatory members nearby saw Shen Bai standing pensively at the entrance, but none of them disturbed him. They all went about their own business.

’The Observatory isn’t a good place to appraise a Deceitful Object,’ Shen Bai mused. ’I don’t know what secrets this Copper Mirror holds. If something strange happens during the appraisal and exposes my Golden Finger, that would be very bad. I’d better wait until I get back home to do it.’

Having made up his mind, he kept the Copper Mirror wrapped in cloth, tucked it inside his robes, and headed back into the Observatory.

Back inside, Shen Bai wasted no time. He went directly to the Martial Arts Arena, found an empty room, and began to grind the Skill Level of his Mystic Heart Spell.

...

Time trickled by, and before he knew it, the afternoon was over.

He stepped out for a meal at one point, and only left the Observatory when it was time to get off duty.

Qin Shuang was on a mission today and still hadn’t returned by nightfall, so Shen Bai skipped his usual late-night snack.

Of course, he still had to eat dinner.

After grabbing a quick bowl of rice from a street vendor, Shen Bai returned to his residence.

...

On a remote and shabby street, Shen Bai opened the door to his home, locked it behind him, and lit the oil lamp on his desk.

"Go on, go play. Don’t disturb me."

Shen Bai set Amber down on the desk, letting it play on its own. He then used the lamplight to unwrap the white cloth around the Copper Mirror.

As Shen Bai pulled back the cloth, the Copper Mirror once again began to radiate a sinister, cold aura.

’I wonder what kind of Divine Power I’ll get after appraising this thing,’ Shen Bai thought.

Of course, Shen Bai didn’t let his guard down during the appraisal.

After a moment’s consideration, Shen Bai decided to go all out, bringing himself to his peak condition before starting the appraisal.

The Qi in his body surged, and a brilliant white light enveloped him completely. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

First, he activated the Flawless Ten Layers Body, ensuring his defense. At the same time, a gleam of golden light emerged, coating his left hand.

As the golden light spread, a Dharma Golden Body over three meters tall materialized behind him.

His right hand held Cold Moon, its blade sheathed in a blood-red Sword Qi that was contained but ready to be unleashed.

Simultaneously, Shen Bai began to chant a Magic Formula, and the Dao Text of the Mystic Heart Spell materialized faintly in the air.

In the corner of the room, shadows stirred at Shen Bai’s mental command, swirling around his body.

Thanks to the Mixed Element Array-Breaking Technique, the Qi within him formed a self-contained Array.

Shen Bai even widened his stance, assuming the opening form for Divine Hundred Miles, ready to unleash a Burst Speed at a moment’s notice.

Amber, who had been playing off to the side, was absolutely stunned.

It stared at its master, who was now a whirlwind of special effects, his actual figure no longer visible. Its little head was filled with confusion.

Amber couldn’t figure out what its master was doing, but he looked very serious. It felt that in such a tense atmosphere, it ought to do something too.

So it leaped off the desk, let out a low growl, and transformed to the size of a tiger, emitting the sinister aura of a Deceitful Beast.

When Shen Bai saw this, he chuckled and chided, "You’re such a meddlesome little thing."

Amber let out a little "AWOO" and trotted to Shen Bai’s side, wanting to nuzzle his leg. But it found the terrifying white light blocked its advance, forcing it to retreat a couple of steps in frustration.

"If anything strange happens, be ready to strike," Shen Bai said, finally picking up the Copper Mirror from the desk.