Chapter 140: The Ghost-Eyed Appraiser
After leaving Xie Ling's side, Su Tianhao made his way out of the Su family estate. With her matter finally resolved, he could now focus on the next step—repairing Blood Grin's spatial ring.
'The money I have right now won't be enough. First, I need to sell those spiritual herbs,' he thought, golden eyes catching the morning sunlight as he moved.
"The best place to sell these herbs would be the Thousand Beasts Pavilion," he noted.
Although the pavilion primarily dealt in beast parts, it also handled other trades—spiritual herbs, rare materials, and rare items among them. The most profitable approach would have been selling to different vendors individually, maximizing returns. But Su Tianhao wasn't in the mood for that kind of hassle.
"The Thousand Beasts Pavilion is legitimate. As long as I can sell them there, I'll have enough to get what I need."
With that settled, he made his way toward the marketplace, azure robes drifting softly around him. Merchants and vendors called out from their stalls along the way, voices enthusiastic and persuasive. Su Tianhao ignored them all, his gaze forward, every step deliberate.
---
Soon he arrived at the bustling heart of the district. He continued until he came to a stop before a grand three-story building with distinctive black-tiled roofing and a rectangular plaque carved with three bold characters above the entrance.
Thousand Beasts Pavilion.
"I'm here," Su Tianhao murmured.
Without hesitation, he stepped through the entrance, striding past the guards without issue.
Inside, the place was as lively as ever. Merchants and cultivators browsed long rows of display shelves lined with beast materials, while attendants in grey robes moved among them as guides.
Less than a minute after his arrival, one approached him—distinct from the others. She was dressed in light blue robes, her demeanor carrying a refined professionalism. A polite smile crossed her features.
"Young Master Tianhao," she greeted.
Su Tianhao blinked. "It's you?"
His brows furrowed slightly as he searched his memory. Then recognition settled.
"Lan Er, isn't it?"
Lan Er nodded, her face flushed slightly, eyes gleaming with a mix of admiration and quiet surprise.
"I never thought you'd remember me," she said.
Lan Er was the attendant who had assisted him during his initial visit to the Thousand Beasts Pavilion. At the time, her courtesy had been standard formality. It wasn't until later—after word spread of him defeating Su Jian and crippling Ye Wenjie—that she understood just how extraordinary he truly was. And now here he stood before her again, not only remembering her name but carrying himself without a trace of arrogance. How could she not be surprised?
As she stole another glance at him, her impression of him rose another notch.
"What brings you to the Thousand Beasts Pavilion today, Young Master?" she asked, eyes bright with enthusiasm.
"I have some spiritual herbs I'd like to sell. Can you help me find an appraiser?"
Lan Er's eyes lit up. "Actually, Master Lu has been expecting you. He instructed me to bring you to him the moment you returned."
"Lu Qingran?" Su Tianhao frowned.
'Could this be about that recruitment offer?' he thought.
As far as he was concerned, he had no business with Lu Qingran—nor did he want any. The only explanation he could think of was the offer he had already declined.
"Young Master Tianhao?" Lan Er asked gently. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes," he said, snapping back. "Please, lead the way."
She nodded and turned, hair swaying behind her as she walked with measured steps.
Su Tianhao followed, his frown deepening. Lu Qingran—the Ghost-Eyed Appraiser—was notoriously difficult. He rarely gave his attention even to wealthy clients, only to those he found genuinely interesting. His appraisals were unmatched in all of Oakwood City.
That was exactly what unsettled him.
For someone like Lu Qingran to actively seek him out after a rejection—it didn't sit right. And beyond that, Lu Qingran's perceptiveness gave Su Tianhao a strange sense of vulnerability—an uncomfortable feeling he had only encountered before in Su Yuntian's presence.
---
They arrived at a small counter tucked into a quieter corner of the building, far from the main crowd. Behind it sat an aloof-looking man with disheveled hair and half-lidded eyes, looking as though he had just woken from a deep sleep. The lazy appearance did nothing to diminish the sharpness of his features.
Lu Qingran—the Ghost-Eyed Appraiser.
His brows furrowed the moment he noticed them approaching, eyes sharpening slightly as they landed on Lan Er.
"Didn't I say I wasn't accepting any more customers today?" Clear displeasure in his voice.
Lan Er smiled bitterly and gestured toward Su Tianhao. "It's—"
"Su Tianhao!"
Lu Qingran's voice shifted completely—pleasant surprise cutting across his earlier irritation, cutting her off mid-sentence.
"Good to see you, boy," he added with a grin, lazy demeanor giving way to genuine interest. "So—what brings you here today?"
Su Tianhao's eyes narrowed slightly. The unusually warm greeting caught him off guard, but he answered without hesitation.
"I'm here to sell some spiritual herbs—if that's alright."
His gaze was sharp, tracking every flicker of expression on Lu Qingran's face. There was nothing to find. Completely unreadable.
"Go ahead. Lay them on the desk," Lu Qingran said, gesturing with a casual wave.
Su Tianhao nodded. He retrieved his storage pouch, senses sinking inward in one smooth motion.
Whoosh!
One after another, a dozen or so spiritual herbs dropped onto the desk's surface. Their rich medicinal fragrance filled the air immediately, and the faint spiritual energy radiating from each cast dancing light across the polished wood.
Lu Qingran leaned forward slightly, eyes flashing as he swept his gaze across the entire collection in a single pass.
"Firebloom Root... Soulleaf Petal... Crimson Earth Vine... Verdant Eagle Flower..."
He listed them one by one—names, effects, spiritual grade, age, and even the regions where each was most likely harvested.
Su Tianhao, despite himself, was quietly impressed.
'He really is the Ghost-Eyed Appraiser,' he thought.
Beside him, Lan Er beamed with pride at the expression on Su Tianhao's face. This was her master. How could she not be proud?
Their relationship wasn't that of a formal master and disciple—Lu Qingran had neither the time nor the patience for such bonds. It was closer to the connection between a seasoned appraiser and his most trusted attendant.
"All grade two spiritual herbs," Lu Qingran concluded, leaning back. "Found in Dragonspire Forest, I assume."
"I think you missed one," Su Tianhao said calmly, pointing to the final herb he had deliberately set aside.
It was a coiled, thorny stalk tinged with deep crimson, glowing faintly with concentrated spiritual energy.
"This—!" Lu Qingran's eyes widened. "A Bloodvine stalk?!"
Even Lan Er was startled at the shift in his tone.
"What is that?" she asked, unable to help herself.
Ordinarily, Lu Qingran wouldn't have bothered responding. But whether it was Su Tianhao's presence or the herb itself that held him, he answered—and with surprising patience.
"A Bloodvine stalk," he said quietly. "Although classified as grade two, it stands at the very peak of its rank—not just because of its rarity, but because of its unique nature."
His eyes stayed on the herb as he continued. "Bloodvine stalks grow only in places saturated with killing. They absorb the blood essence and lingering vitality of fallen beasts—and sometimes people. That's what gives them their potency. They're prized for immense vitality and powerful healing properties."
He paused, then added slowly, "If left undisturbed in an area with enough blood energy, a Bloodvine will keep evolving. Given sufficient time, it can reach grade seven—capable of healing even a Martial Grandmaster."
That statement startled even Su Tianhao.
'I had no idea it carried that kind of potential,' he thought, eyes narrowing. His inherited memories were vast, but not infinite. There were still layers he hadn't unlocked—and clearly, still much he didn't know.
"Unfortunately, this one is only a few decades old and hasn't absorbed enough blood energy," Lu Qingran said, a faint note of disappointment entering his voice. "At best, it qualifies as a peak grade two herb. A waste of good potential."
Su Tianhao smiled wryly. He had harvested it casually while tracking Blood Grin, barely sparing it a glance.
"How many years would it need to reach grade seven?" he asked.
Lu Qingran considered for a moment. "At least a thousand years—though less if the blood energy it absorbs is concentrated and potent enough."
"A thousand years?" Su Tianhao muttered, lips twitching.
He quickly gave up the thought of cultivating it himself.
"How much is the entire collection worth?" he asked, getting straight to the point.
Lu Qingran leaned back, settling into his professional bearing.
"The Bloodvine stalk is undoubtedly the most valuable piece," he said calmly. "Judging by its freshness and potency, I'd place it at around five thousand silver coins."
Five thousand silver—equivalent to fifty gold coins. A single grade two pill cost only ten gold, meaning this one herb, despite its grade, was worth five ordinary grade two pills—comparable in value to most grade three herbs.
"That's reasonable," Su Tianhao nodded.
"Aside from the Bloodvine stalk, the Firebloom Root and Soulleaf Petal are both outstanding grade two herbs. Each is worth around two thousand silver coins."
He glanced briefly at the remaining herbs.
"The other grade two herbs are of equal quality—each worth somewhere between three and four hundred silver coins. Nine of them total, which puts their combined value at around three thousand silver coins."
Lu Qingran clapped his hands once, eyes meeting Su Tianhao's directly.
"So the entire collection comes to ten thousand silver coins. One hundred gold coins, if you prefer."