"I think it's possible," Lin Chi said. "Besides trading with the Mohe, this company might also be trading with other companies. It's all about buying and selling antiques and cultural relics. They mainly acquire them and offer very high prices."
"If that's the case, then it's not necessarily all demon cores," I said. "They might really be in the business of antiques and cultural relics."
"But looking at the national market, the prices for antiques and cultural relics have been high recently, even historically high. Them buying in large quantities at high prices right now is clearly a huge loss!" Lin Chi said.
"Wait, are you saying this phenomenon is happening nationwide?" I asked.
"I misspoke," Lin Chi corrected. "It's worldwide. I don't know if you watch the news, but at the recent major auction houses like Christie's and Sotheby's, not a single antique went unsold. Everything was sold at high prices."
"Hmm, I don't understand much. What does your Shabia think about this?"
"We're not clear either. We can't get involved in such transactions, only investigate and understand," Lin Chi said.
Yao Yao and I exchanged glances. I wanted to ask for her opinion. Yao Yao pondered for a moment, then her eyes lit up suddenly. She gestured for me to hang up the phone first.
"Alright, we'll follow up on this as well and see what progress we can make," I said.
"Okay, let's stay in touch. Also, thank you for what happened at noon."
"You're welcome. It's my duty." I hung up the phone and asked Yao Yao what she was thinking.
"Do you know why antiques are expensive?" Yao Yao asked.
"Because... because they're old?"
Yao Yao shook her head. "More than that. Well-preserved antiques contain true qi. It can be seen through physiognomy. The higher the aura of an antique, the more expensive it is."
"But what does this have to do with the recent market boom?" I asked.
"Think about it, if this true qi were transferred into a human or a demon, what would happen?"
"...Is that possible?" I frowned.
"Oh my god, transferring true qi is a basic skill for all purple qi masters, isn't it? Didn't I transfer true qi to you before?"
I nodded. Not only Yao Yao, but Lin Xi (on the soccer field) and Jing Shen (in the restaurant when beating up Seryozha) had also transferred true qi to me.
Looking at it this way, it really is the case. All three of them are purple qi masters. Since they can transfer true qi outwards, they can probably absorb true qi from external sources as well.
"What does that imply?" I asked again.
"The Bai Ze and Shan Hai tribes are both preparing for war. Could it be that someone has already mastered the method of obtaining true qi from antiques, and that's why they are acquiring them on such a large scale to enhance their own strength?"
"It must be the Shan Hai demon tribe, then," I guessed.
Yao Yao nodded. She is a Bai Ze, and she doesn't know this method. It's likely that the Bai Ze demon tribe is also unaware of it.
"Let's go," Yao Yao pulled me up from the embrace of warmth. "Let's go to the antique market and see if we can have some unexpected gains."
"Are we buying antiques?" I asked.
"No need to buy, just need to try and see if I can extract true qi from antiques for my own use!" Yao Yao said.
"Right, right, right!"
The two of us left the Zhenjiang Building. We called Zheng Bingbing and found the local antique market, which was a small street with about a dozen antique shops. However, upon arriving, Yao Yao was greatly disappointed and said, "Let's go."
"What's wrong?" I asked.
"Not a single one is genuine," Yao Yao sighed.
Although I don't understand antiques, my physiognomy didn't detect the presence of any demons here.
"Then what do we do?" I asked.
"Who would have antiques in their possession?" Yao Yao seemed to be talking to herself.
"Hey, I suddenly thought of someone!"
"Who?"
"Prefect He of Fucheng!" I chuckled.
"Who?" Yao Yao frowned.
She didn't know Prefect He. I had met him twice. Once was at Jiuxian Cave when I was preparing to save Yao Yao. I saw him bringing his wife to Jiuxian Cave to worship, specifically "Huang Xian." Later, I encountered him again at Li Jingxiang's place on Qipan Mountain, though he didn't recognize me.
From his conversation with the young monk Xingyao when he was visiting Jiuxian Cave, I learned that this man was very interested in antiques. Given his abilities and status, he was likely a high-level player, and he probably had many rare treasures at home.
"We can go to his house and try our luck," I said.
"...A dignified prefect, would he see you?" Yao Yao pouted. "Or should we ask Lin Chi to introduce us?"
I waved my hand. "No need. We just need to bring one person."
"Who?" Yao Yao asked.
"A demon he once revered like a god, La Ba, Huang Xiaoxian," I said with a smile.