Chapter 110: The Thousand-Handed Buddha Statue

Chapter 110: The Thousand-Handed Buddha Statue

"Young master, you truly are an expert. This Buddha statue—though even we are unsure of its exact age—is intricately crafted and exquisitely detailed. It’s a rare and priceless treasure!"

The tall, elegant beauty beside him spoke with admiration.

Her words immediately drew the attention of the onlookers, but as soon as they recognized Wu Hong, their gazes silently withdrew.

Wu Hong’s return to the capital had already become known among the city’s nobles, and those well-versed in the martial world were even more familiar with him. At present, Wu Hong was a figure no one dared to provoke.

Everyone was curious about what kind of object someone of Wu Hong’s status would be interested in. Yet, when they saw that it was just an ordinary Buddha statue, a wave of disappointment washed over them.

The Tianxing Antique Market was not only home to various antiques but also housed a collection of ancient weapons. Most martial men came here in search of a weapon to call their own.

Only true connoisseurs of antiques would select such exquisite relics, and among the spectators, there were indeed some who understood their worth.

"This Buddha statue looks finely crafted, with delicate carving," whispered a few experts. "But upon closer inspection, it’s riddled with flaws in the patterning. It’s clearly not a masterpiece. Even if it is ancient, it wouldn’t be very valuable."

Wu Hong frowned slightly. He cared little for the statue’s craftsmanship or beauty. What truly occupied his mind was whether the subtle energy he sensed earlier still lingered within the statue.

The tall beauty overheard the experts’ murmurs and felt momentarily embarrassed. "Ah—today’s commission is lost again. It’s so hard to find an outsider like this. We can’t even trick him into buying it!"

Just as Wu Hong was deep in thought, a youthful voice rang out from behind him.

"This Buddha statue looks great! How much? I’ll buy it!"

A young girl appeared—dressed scantily, her figure petite yet shapely, her cheeks flushed with a rosy charm. Behind her stood a group of warriors clad in gleaming golden armor, exuding an imposing and fierce aura—clearly veterans of many battles.

Yet it was obvious none of these people belonged to the Great Qian Dynasty. Although they spoke the common language of the realm, their accents were slightly off.

Their attire was subtly different as well: the men were tall and imposing, while the young woman’s revealing clothing was disconcertingly immodest.

The girl stepped before Wu Hong, locking eyes with him as she shifted her gaze from the Buddha statue. "Oh! What a handsome brother you are! Such extraordinary presence! You really are remarkable, a true son of the Great Qian Dynasty! Would you be interested in going on a date with me?"

Without hesitation, she openly flirted with Wu Hong.

Wu Hong froze. He had never encountered such an uninhibited girl before, especially one from a foreign land, and for a moment, he was completely at a loss.

Hearing this, Wu Songran, standing nearby, frowned sharply. Proud and dignified, she was a woman of grace, yet this girl seemed even more brazen than herself.

The girl’s words instantly sparked a flurry of whispers among the merchants, most of whom were from the Great Qian Dynasty. Having traveled extensively across the continent, they were well-informed, and yet, a woman so wild and unrestrained was indeed rare to see.

"Who is that girl? How can she be so bold, approaching Wu Hong like that? Doesn’t she know his reputation?"

"Brother, you don’t know? Judging by her clothes, she’s definitely not from the Great Qian Dynasty. Most likely, she’s from the Eastern Tang Dynasty."

"The Tang Dynasty is said to hold women in the highest esteem, and their views on relationships are incredibly liberal."

Among the crowd, a few knowledgeable voices revealed the girl’s background.

The warriors behind her narrowed their eyes, emanating a vague but palpable killing intent that silenced the murmuring crowd immediately.

"Little sister," the girl teased, "this handsome brother is your lover, isn’t he? In our Tang Dynasty, polygyny is not forbidden, nor is polyandry, and multiple spouses are perfectly acceptable."

"Men hold no special prestige. Since you’re so naturally beautiful, why don’t you tell me how much you’d sell this handsome guy for? I’ll borrow him for a while. Once I’m done, I’ll return him to you."

Wu Songran was dumbfounded by the girl’s shameless words, standing rooted to the spot.

Wu Hong’s face flushed deeply, a flash of anger rising within him. "This girl may be beautiful, but she’s so careless with herself. It reminds me of those years when I was a worthless nobody, enduring others’ scorn. Now I feel like I’ve become a frivolous playboy once more."

"Little sister, since you admire brother so much, how about letting him kiss you first? A little gesture of affection, what do you say?" Wu Hong said with a playful grin.

The girl in green was not shy at all. "Sure! Come on! I’ll even close my eyes for you."

Wu Hong was taken aback, thinking bitterly, "I have done so many good deeds that even a young girl like this dares to bully me. Did people not fear me when I was that arrogant scion of the capital?"

He clenched his teeth and moved forward to kiss the girl in green.

Suddenly, a figure stepped in front of him.

"Hong-ge—" Wu Songran’s arms spread wide, blocking him. Tears shimmered in her large eyes.

Wu Hong snapped back to reality, feeling ashamed. "How did I become so lustful? Ever since Ran and I… my character has grown rather frivolous."

At that moment, the golden light of the Great Sun Buddha’s true essence still faintly glowed in his mind, stimulating his nerves and setting his blood ablaze.

Wu Hong suddenly embraced Wu Songran’s waist with both arms, lowering his head to press a kiss upon her cherry lips.

A ripple of soft gasps arose from those nearby, some even whispering about the secret relationship between the siblings.

Wu Songran tried to push him away, but Wu Hong’s kiss left her body weak and tender. Memories of the past few days flooded her heart, and her tension melted away. She yielded to him without reservation.

Only when they both found it hard to breathe did they finally part.

"Clap, clap—impressive, impressive. I always thought the Great Qian Dynasty was conservative with their views on men and women, but I never imagined such openness. Today, my eyes have truly been opened."

The girl in green had overheard the crowd’s chatter and gained a rough understanding of their identities.

She immediately burst into applause.

Wu Hong and Wu Songran’s faces burned crimson as they separated.

"But handsome brother, your aura is truly extraordinary," the girl said. "If you agree to date me, I’ll even give you this Buddha statue as a gift. I won’t fight you for it."

"Hmph! You shameless woman! Is this Buddha statue even yours?" Wu Songran said angrily.

"Oh? Just moments ago you were kissing your brother in public, and now you call me shameless? People really are such hypocrites!" The girl in green teased.

"You—" Wu Songran trembled with fury, unable to retort. Though she dared to love and hate openly, compared to such a libertine woman, she felt somewhat lacking. This was the result of differing national customs and social mores.

"Ahem—both of you! The rule at Tianxing Antique Market is simple: when bidding on the same item, the highest price wins!" The tall beauty, flushed from the tense scene between Wu Hong and Wu Songran, interjected.

"Fine! In our Tang Dynasty, the land is rich and wealth abundant. Money is no obstacle. As long as the price is right, it’s best to avoid disputes!" the girl in green declared.

"This Buddha statue is ancient, with a starting price of ten thousand gold! Both parties may raise their bids freely. The highest offer takes it," the tall woman announced.

The crowd all gasped in surprise, secretly thinking, "This Tianxing Antique Market is truly ruthless! Seeing a big buyer, they jack up the base price to the limit? This item is worth at most a thousand gold, if that."

The air was thick with tension, and the bidding was about to begin.