The second-tier treasures, likewise, sparked no controversy. Given the discernment of everyone present, identifying second-tier treasures posed no real difficulty.
Moreover, the second-tier treasures they had selected were essentially ones everyone could agree upon without much debate.
As for the controversial items, or those that proved harder to read, they had been set aside and not classified into the second tier.
Once the second-tier selections were complete, everyone discovered there were a full fifty-two items — exceeding their earlier expectations.
However, no one was particularly concerned about the second-tier treasures. A few extra pieces were hardly a cause for surprise.
What everyone cared about most was that there were still twenty-four treasures remaining. That number had already surpassed their previous upper estimate for first-tier items.
They had said earlier that first-tier treasures would number twenty at most.
Yet here there were a full twenty-four!
How should they be classified?
Most importantly, several of these treasures were ones that many people simply could not recognize. Even someone as experienced and well-traveled as Emperor Jingzhong did not dare venture a reckless opinion.
And
Perhaps the decision now would have to rest with Young Master Zhen and Master Dongye.
"Master, do you see any among these treasures that are particularly outstanding? Why don't we select a few more and designate them as super-grade?"
Master Dongye pondered for a moment. "Particularly outstanding — that is rather difficult to define. Young Master Zhen, this humble monk's eyesight is limited. How should 'super-grade' be determined?"
Master Dongye assumed
Jiang Chen smiled. "I have my eye on three items that I would designate as super-grade. The remaining twenty-one I would place in the first tier. What does everyone think?"
Emperor Jingzhong offered a reminder. "Young Master Zhen, are you selecting three because they are genuinely outstanding, or are you worried that the number exceeds the upper limit and therefore forced to create the super-grade category?"
Jiang Chen replied with a smile. "Naturally, it is because they are genuinely outstanding. If five items were particularly exceptional, I would毫不犹豫 select five without a second thought."
Master Dongye looked somewhat taken aback. "Young Master Zhen, you are that certain — that three treasures are distinctly superior, surpassing all the others?"
In truth, Master Dongye felt a touch of disbelief. Though a monk should not give way to competitive urges, Master Dongye was, after all, a practitioner of the martial path, and the desire to measure oneself against others was hard to suppress entirely.
Moreover, he had always been quite confident in his own discernment. He had absolutely no objections to the twenty-four items rated first-tier. He could even spot one or two that stood slightly above the rest. But to say with certainty that exactly three were definitively super-grade — that he found harder to accept.
He suspected the Young Master was playing mysterious on purpose, simply to elevate his own reputation as an appraiser.
Jiang Chen smiled. "Allow me to present these three treasures first, and let everyone examine them together. My word alone is not enough — we need everyone's agreement."
With that, Jiang Chen reached into the twenty-four first-tier treasures and, one by one, withdrew the three he had designated as super-grade.
The first of the three was a jade slip, its surface inscribed with ancient runes that looked exceptionally abstruse and difficult to decipher.
This was something that none of the people present had been able to appraise. Yet the jade slip itself was clearly no ordinary object, so when the others had been sorting items into the various tiers, none dared classify this one. Since none of them could identify it, they feared placing it among the others might mean overlooking something truly valuable.
That was why it had been left until the end. Everyone understood this tacitly — no one had deliberately brought it up, since clearly no one wanted to show their ignorance before the others, preferring to wait until someone else spoke up first.
Now that Jiang Chen had singled out the jade slip, a ripple of surprise passed through the group, accompanied by burning curiosity.
Could it be that Young Master Zhen truly recognized what this jade slip was?
Without question, everyone's curiosity was thoroughly piqued.
Of the remaining two, one was a type of spiritual medicine. When Su Huanzhen saw Jiang Chen select it, her delicate brows furrowed ever so slightly.
Master Dongye's lips twitched as well, clearly indicating that he regarded this particular choice of spiritual medicine with some measure of skepticism.
Observing this from the side, Emperor Jingzhong quietly worried for Jiang Chen. He did not recognize this spiritual medicine either, but judging from the expressions of Su Huanzhen and Master Dongye, it seemed they both did — and they clearly did not agree with elevating this herb above the other treasures.
Jiang Chen paid no attention to their expressions and proceeded to select the third treasure.