Start from a baby to become a Taoist

Chapter 581, Section 600: Counterfeit Goods
Chapter 599

Commanding the wind and rain? Changing the weather? Causing a downpour in the city would only make delivery drivers like him, who are busy on the go, curse the weather.

Turning lead into gold? He could try to change the microscopic structure of matter, but that would require an unimaginable amount of mental energy, and the origin of gold created out of thin air would be inexplicable.

He needs a way to integrate into the rules of this society and to be "rationalized".

One is the ability to transform his extraordinary perception and understanding of "Tao" into...money.

His steps stopped in front of a shop.

It was a very small shop with an old storefront that bore the four characters "Jubaozhai".

Through the glass door, you can see that the room is filled with all kinds of bottles and jars, wood carvings and stone carvings, and calligraphy and painting scrolls.

It is an antique shop.

Jiangcheng is an ancient city with a long history. There are at least eighty to a hundred antique shops of all sizes hidden in the old city.

Xu Ran's gaze pierced through the glass door and landed on an inconspicuous wooden shelf in the corner of the shop.

On the wooden shelf, there were some miscellaneous items that the owner himself felt were of little value.

There were rusty copper coins, broken porcelain bowls, and Buddha statues with missing arms.

To the average person, it was a pile of worthless garbage.

But in Xu Ran's "worldview," it was a completely different scene.

He could "see" that each item was surrounded by a faint, invisible halo.

Those are the traces left by "time".

It is the unique "qi" formed on these objects by the long river of time, after being washed and settled.

Just as a tree has growth rings and a person has a breath, these old objects also have them.

The glow on most of the items appears dull, mottled, and superficial. This indicates that they are either modern imitations or made of inferior materials with little historical value.

But among that pile of clutter, there was one thing that exuded an aura that was quite different from the others.

It was a wooden Buddha statue, only the size of a palm.

The Buddha statue has a simple and ancient shape, and the carving is a bit rough. The surface is covered with dust and cobwebs, making it look unremarkable.

However, in Xu Ran's perception, the interior of this Buddha statue contained an extremely pure, gentle, and peaceful "qi".

That "qi" was like the warm sun in winter, or the gentle breeze on a summer night.

It told Xu Ran that the wood used to carve this Buddha statue was extraordinary. It was a type of submerged wood called "Golden Silk Nanmu," which had become extinct.

It also tells Xu Ran that the person who carved this Buddha statue was a devout craftsman who incorporated his understanding of Buddhism and his compassion for all beings into every cut.

It also tells Xu Ran that this Buddha statue has existed quietly in this world for at least four hundred years.

Four hundred years of time, four hundred years of incense offerings, four hundred years of trials and tribulations.

All of this condensed into that invisible yet real "Daoist charm".

Xu Ran's heart skipped a beat.

He thought that perhaps he had found his own path.

The next day, Xu Xiaoyu went to school early in the morning.

Before leaving, she carefully placed a few dozen yuan under Xu Ran's pillow. It was what she had earned the night before from tutoring, and it was the living expenses for the two of them for the next few days.

Xu Ran stared at the few slightly crumpled banknotes and remained silent for a long time.

He didn't touch the money.

He leaned on his cane and came to the antique shop called "Jubaozhai" again.

It's morning now, and there aren't many customers in the shop, except for an elderly man wearing reading glasses who is engrossed in reading a thread-bound book.

"Boss." Xu Ran walked in.

The old man raised his head, adjusted his glasses, glanced at Xu Ran, and when he saw the cane in Xu Ran's hand, a hint of pity flashed in his eyes.

"Young man, what would you like to see?"

"just looking around."

Xu Ran didn't look at the shiny porcelain and jade artifacts on display, but went straight to the corner where miscellaneous items were piled up.

He crouched down and slowly rummaged through the pile of things.

His movements were very light, as if he were not touching a pile of garbage, but brushing away the dust of history.

The shop owner glanced at him, then ignored him and continued reading his book. In his eyes, this was just another young man trying to "find a bargain" and dreaming of getting rich quick. He'd seen plenty of people like this.

Soon, Xu Ran picked up the dusty wooden Buddha statue.

"Boss, how much is this?" He stood up and placed the Buddha statue on the counter.

The shopkeeper put down his book, picked up the Buddha statue, glanced at it casually, wiped the dust off with his sleeve, and said somewhat impatiently, "This thing was just a pile of rotten wood when I bought it. If you like it, give me fifty yuan and take it."

He had seen this Buddha statue before. The material was ordinary and the carving was rough. Its only advantage was that it looked old, but it didn't have much value.

Fifty yuan wasn't even enough to cover the favors he paid when he received it.

Xu Ran frowned slightly.

It wasn't because of the price, but because... he didn't have the money.

All he had on him was a one-yuan coin that his sister had given him for bus fare yesterday.

He was silent.

The most awkward thing in the world is seeing a treasure mountain, but not even having a hoe to dig it up.

Just then, Xu Ran's gaze fell on the thread-bound book next to the boss.

That was a book called "The Classic of Tea".

However, his senses clearly told him that his boss's body was suffering from excessive liver fire and restlessness, which was obviously caused by long-term consumption of strong tea and lack of sleep.

"Boss, lately, have you often felt thirsty, had many dreams at night, and felt irritable?" Xu Ran suddenly asked.

The boss paused for a moment, looked up, and asked him with some surprise and uncertainty, "How did you know?"

These ailments have been bothering him for a long time. He has seen several traditional Chinese medicine doctors, all of whom said it was due to old age and deficiency of qi and blood. They prescribed a lot of tonics, but his condition has not improved.

"The book you are reading is Lu Yu's 'The Classic of Tea,' so you must be a tea lover as well." Xu Ran's tone was unhurried, with a convincing calmness. "However, your constitution is more prone to yin deficiency and excessive internal heat, so it is not suitable for you to drink over-fermented black tea or ripe Pu'er tea, as that would only add fuel to the fire."

"I suggest you switch to white tea, such as Baihao Yinzhen or Fuding Bai Mudan. Take three grams, brew with water at 85 degrees Celsius. Use the first brew to rinse the tea, and start drinking from the second brew onwards. One cup every afternoon is sufficient. Your symptoms should be relieved within half a month."

His words were clear, logical, and well-founded, unlike what a young man in his early twenties would say.

Chapter 600

He seems more like a seasoned traditional Chinese medicine practitioner who has been immersed in this field for many years.

The boss was completely stunned. He looked at Xu Ran with a scrutinizing and astonished expression.

"You...you even know medicine?"

"I know a little about health preservation," Xu Ran said casually. He knew far more than just that.

In his "dream," he was the creator of life. Everything in the human body—the balance of yin and yang, the circulation of qi and blood—was as clear and distinct in his eyes as the lines on his palm.

The shopkeeper fell silent. He looked at the Buddha statue in his hand, then at the young man in front of him who was leaning on a cane but had an unusually deep gaze. He began to have some doubts.

Could this kid really be some kind of expert?
Or perhaps, there's something about this Buddha statue that I haven't noticed?

He picked up the Buddha statue and examined it carefully again, even taking out a magnifying glass. But no matter how he looked at it, it was just an ordinary, somewhat old wooden carving.

"Young man, who exactly are you?" The shopkeeper put down the Buddha statue, his tone becoming serious.

"Someone who needs money to treat his sister's illness." Xu Ran wasn't lying; it was just that he was the one who was sick.

This reason is clearly more likely to garner sympathy than "I need to pay off my debts".

Looking at Xu Ran's pale face and the cane in his hand, the boss believed him to some extent.

He pondered for a moment and said, "How about this, consider this Buddha statue as payment for your medical consultation. You can take it."

He was also a businessman, and he had his own plans.

These words were said without a single flaw.

If the Buddha statue is truly worthless, then he can consider it a good deed done daily, creating a positive connection.

If this Buddha statue is truly a treasure, then it was obtained by the other party in exchange for "consultation fees," so I haven't misjudged it or lost face.

"Thank you boss."

Xu Ran didn't stand on ceremony. He picked up the Buddha statue, thanked him, and then, leaning on his cane, turned and left.

He knew that his actions today were almost like "getting something for nothing," but he had no other choice.

He remembered this favor.

One day, I will repay you handsomely.

Watching Xu Ran's departing figure, the boss rubbed his chin, picked up the phone, and dialed a number.

"Hey Lao Zhang, can you help me take a look? This is some golden nanmu ebony, from the Ming Dynasty. What's its approximate price?"

……

Instead of going home, Xu Ran, leaning on his crutches, boarded a bus and arrived in downtown Jiangcheng.

This place is a completely different world from Willow Leaf Lane.

High-rise buildings stand tall, traffic flows like a river, and well-dressed men and women hurry by.

Xu Ran's destination was a street called "Wenchang Street" located in the most bustling part of the city center.

This is a famous antique street in the entire city of Jiangcheng, and even in several surrounding provinces and cities.

Those who can open shops here are all experts with keen insight and abundant financial resources.

Xu Ran walked into a shop that was decorated in the most antique and elegant style, and whose storefront was the most impressive.

"Chengyuntang".

A slender female shop assistant dressed in a cheongsam came up to greet her. When she saw Xu Ran's attire and the cane in her hand, a hint of disdain flashed in her eyes, but her good professionalism kept her smiling.

"Hello sir, how can I help you?"

"I'm looking for your boss. I have something I'd like him to see," Xu Ran said, getting straight to the point.

"I'm sorry, sir, our boss doesn't usually see customers. If you have something to sell, you can take it to our appraiser first." The saleswoman's smile became somewhat formulaic.

She had seen far too many people who came here every day, carrying a fake item, hoping to achieve instant success.

Xu Ran didn't argue with her. He simply took the wooden Buddha statue out of his pocket and gently placed it on the valuable tea table in front of him, which was made from a single piece of golden nanmu wood.

"Take this to your boss. Tell him it's an old friend visiting."

His voice wasn't loud, but it had a strange penetrating power.

The female shop assistant paused for a moment. She looked at the grayish-looking Buddha statue, then at Xu Ran's excessively calm gaze, and nodded as if possessed.

"Okay, please wait a moment."

She picked up the Buddha statue, turned around, and went into the inner hall.

Xu Ran sat down quietly by the tea table.

He didn't look at the passing guests, nor did he admire the priceless antiques displayed in the glass cases.

He just sat quietly with his eyes closed, as if he were dozing.

But his invisible perception had already enveloped the entire shop.

He could "hear" suppressed gasps of shock coming from inside the room.

Then came a series of hurried footsteps approaching from afar.

An elderly man dressed in a Tang suit, with gray hair but a vigorous spirit, strode out from the inner hall. He was wearing white gloves and was carefully holding the wooden Buddha statue, as if it were a rare treasure.

Behind him were the female shop assistant from before and a middle-aged man wearing gold-rimmed glasses.

At this moment, all three of them wore expressions that were a mixture of shock, excitement, and disbelief.

"May I ask... which gentleman brought this... this treasure?" The old man in the Tang suit's voice trembled slightly with excitement.

Xu Ran slowly opened his eyes.

His gaze, calmly, fell on the old man's face.

"it's me."

The old man walked quickly to Xu Ran and bowed deeply.

"I am Qian Chengyun, and I was blind to your greatness. I hope you will forgive me!"

His action completely stunned the female shop assistant next to him.

Qian Chengyun, the owner of Chengyuntang, is a towering figure in Jiangcheng's antique world, with a net worth far exceeding one billion. Even important figures in the city would respectfully address him as "Old Qian."

But now, he's actually giving such a grand gesture to a poor boy with a cane.

"Mr. Qian, you're too kind." Xu Ran accepted the bow with composure. "Have you seen the items?"

"I've seen it, I've seen it!" Qian Chengyun excitedly placed the Buddha statue carefully on the table. "It was made by a member of the Ming Dynasty imperial family, using thousand-year-old golden nanmu wood, hidden in an ancient temple deep in the mountains, and worshipped with incense for four hundred years... This... this is no ordinary object, but a Buddhist treasure! A Buddhist treasure!"

He looked at Xu Ran with eyes full of awe.

"But I don't understand what you meant by 'an old friend visiting' just now?"

A meaningful smile appeared on Xu Ran's lips.

His gaze fell on a simple, antique-looking jade pendant hanging from Qian Chengyun's waist.

"Twenty-five years ago, Mr. Qian met a wandering old monk at the Wofo Temple in the western suburbs."

"At that time, your business failed, you were heavily in debt, and in despair, you wanted to spend the rest of your life in a temple."

(End of this chapter)