The house was quiet after training.
Lin Hao's limbs still ached from the morning routine, but he welcomed the pain. It was proof of movement—proof that the path he'd chosen was real.
Now, with his father resting and Mei sleeping beside their mother, Lin Hao sat cross-legged at his desk with Master Yuan's relic manual open before him. The light from the window cast long golden lines across the pages.
He turned to the first chapter, eager.
"A relic is more than a tool. It is memory given form."
"To understand one, you must observe. Listen. Learn. Let your senses guide what your Qi cannot."
He paused at that.
Unlike many cultivators in stories or legends, Lin Hao had never cultivated his mind. Not in this life. Not in the last. He couldn't move objects with his thoughts, couldn't scan a relic's aura with spiritual energy. Qi remained beyond him.
And yet… Master Yuan had still given him this book.
That meant one thing:
Observation mattered.
I. Identifying Relic Materials
The first skill: recognizing what a relic was made of.
"Spiritual relics are forged with purpose—and from rare, reactive substances. Not all are powerful in combat, but all are rare in presence."
The book listed known high-grade materials:
Soulglass – Light blue and slightly transparent. Whispers when scratched. Found in relics tied to mental clarity or illusion.
Obsidian Heartstone – Deep black, heavier than common obsidian. Absorbs light. Used for mid-grade ceremonial and ritual pieces.
Emerald Crystal – Bright green with layered translucence. Common in decorative relics. When paired with ceremonial symbols, it amplifies spiritual resonance.
Flame Crystal – Appears molten. Warm to the touch. Often found in flame-type artifacts or ritual incinerators.
Star-Iron – Dense, dull gray. Radiates metallic hum when struck. Used in legendary weapon cores.
Silverwood – Pale with metallic streaks in its grain. Common in high-quality scroll tubes or bows.
Blood Jade – Crimson, veined like living tissue. Stores spiritual will when bound in blood.
Void Sandstone – Rough, gray-black. Dulls sound and resists spiritual detection. Rare and dangerous to inscribe.
Cloud-Steel – Silvery-white and unnaturally light. Found in rings, spatial tools, and legacy items from ancient sects.
A note was written in smaller handwriting beneath the list:
"Never judge a relic by its polish. Simplicity often hides survival."
Lin Hao's eyes lingered on two entries: Obsidian Heartstone and Emerald Crystal.
The same as the sculpture I sold.
II. Estimating Age and Craftsmanship
He turned the page.
"Every era leaves behind clues—angle of carving, thickness of polish, shape of stroke."
The book detailed three carving traditions:
Westreach Method: Compact spirals, no wasted space. Used in sect offerings.
Cloud-Forged Craft: Flowing lines, almost calligraphic. Often used in ceremonial sculptures.
Heaven-Sworn Style: Minimalist design with hidden inscriptions.
Lin Hao read carefully.
Tool marks. Surface aging. The way metal or crystal wore down around pressure points.
Not every relic shines. But the ones that endure… they all speak.
III. Hidden Details and Layered Markings
"Most forgeries try to impress. Most real relics try to survive."
This chapter taught him to look for reversed inscriptions beneath base plates, spiritual glyphs burned onto inner surfaces, or intentional imperfections used to guide activation formations—none of which he could use, yet all of which he could learn to detect.
IV. Sensing Without Qi
Lin Hao paused at this final section.
The title was clear:
"For those without spiritual sense."
"Qi is not required to see truth. Though you cannot touch a relic's soul, you can read its scars. You can watch how it reacts to heat, weight, light, or even silence."
Tests included:
Warming an object in the hand and watching for condensation shifts.
Gently knocking it to hear the ring of internal structure.
Comparing known carving wear with residue buildup.
Watching light behavior across curved surfaces.
He closed his eyes and breathed out.
No Qi.
But that didn't mean he was blind.
He summoned the dimensional ring and opened a single compartment.
The first thing he took out was the obsidian dragon sculpture—the same one Master Yuan had bought for fifty million silver coins.
He turned it in the light.
Yes, it was beautiful. The emerald crystal shone with internal light. The obsidian body curved with artistry and balance. He tapped the base—hollow resonance. Decorative weight. Low core density.
Then he reached in and withdrew a second item: a figurine of a curled tiger, carved from black-gold jade.
Smaller. Simpler.
But heavier.
When he tapped it, the echo was deep—solid core, dense structure. He saw faint notches along the bottom—hidden marks. Etched curves on the paws. Deliberate wear.
And the material? Denser than the dragon.
He compared a third item. Then a fourth.
One by one, it became clear.
The sculpture he had sold… was valuable.
But not rare.
Not compared to what lay hidden here.
Lin Hao sat back and closed the ring.
"That dragon was worth fifty million…"
"…and it wasn't even close to the most valuable."