Chapter 158: Chapter 158: Human Obsessions _1
After crossing an exaggeratedly large parking lot, Xia Ningning led two people into a luxuriously decorated building.
The interior of the exhibition venue was extravagantly furnished, exuding an air of high-end sophistication all around.
Attendees who had arrived early were gathering, and it was apparent that everyone knew each other. They had already started chatting and greeting one another, creating a harmonious scene.
Xia Ningning’s arrival immediately sparked a flurry of excited discussions.
"The heiress of the Xia Family has actually returned to the capital? And she’s attending the exhibition, too?"
"Oh my, is that Miss Xia? She’s so beautiful!"
"Who’s that man with her? Could he be her new boyfriend? How come I’ve never heard about him?"
To these whispers, Xia Ningning was already accustomed and didn’t find anything unusual.
As the Xia Family’s heiress, she became the center of attention wherever she went.
Today, she was dressed in simple casual wear, walking by Ye Ming’s side, and they seemed a perfect match.
Ye Ming, after attending big events a few times, had also gotten used to being the center of attention and didn’t feel awkward.
But Lin Bingqing was somewhat apprehensive and just quietly followed behind Ye Ming.
The trio hadn’t roamed for long when a middle-aged man in a suit hurried over to them.
He was Mister Chen, the person in charge of today’s exhibition. He had just received a report from his subordinates that a distinguished guest had arrived and he rushed out to welcome them.
"Miss Xia, it has been such a long time. I am Chen Fu, the person responsible for this exhibition!"
Chen Fu approached with great politeness, offering his business card with both hands.
Xia Ningning nodded and said, "I’m just here to show my friends around. I’ve heard that you have some valuable antiques and Magic Artifacts. Let us have a look."
Chen Fu immediately nodded with a happy smile on his face.
He organized exhibitions naturally to make money, and with wealthy clients like Xia Ningning, it was even more likely that they would spend a lot of money on these treasures.
Then, he also saw the friend mentioned by Xia Ningning, Ye Ming, walking by her side.
He guessed that this man was probably Xia Ningning’s new boyfriend.
Being involved with the Xia Family’s heiress, he didn’t dare to underestimate Ye Ming’s status and also offered his business card with both hands, "I am Chen Fu."
Ye Ming responded politely and then asked, "Mister Chen, where are the Magic Artifacts you mentioned? I’ve been inside for quite a while and haven’t seen them."
Chen Fu replied with a beaming smile, "Mr. Ye, treasures are naturally hidden in special places. You can’t expect to see them as soon as you walk in."
"Please, follow me," he said.
After that, Chen Fu led the way, guiding the three deeper into the exhibition.
It was just as Chen Fu had said, the more precious items were displayed inside the exhibition—the deeper they went, the more valuable the artifacts Ye Ming saw.
However, in his eyes, they were all just mundane items without any Spiritual Energy attached, at most, some antiques worth a little money; nothing yet had caught his eye.
Meanwhile, Chen Fu continued his enthusiastic introduction, "This Taishi Chair dates back to the Qing Dynasty, belonging to a minister’s home. It is finely crafted using high-quality Phoebe zhennan wood."
"This Luminous Pearl from the imperial palace has calming properties..."
"There’s also a portrait of a beauty, rumored to be of a concubine from the royal palace!"
Mister Chen emphasized his introduction when it came to the portrait of the beauty.
"I heard it was personally painted by a famous painter in the palace back then..."
Xia Ningning and Lin Bingqing were immediately captivated by the portrait of the beauty.
Upon closer inspection, they were astonished to find that the beauty in the painting actually began to blink her eyes, as if she had come to life.
Xia Ningning, puzzled, while Lin Bingqing hastily asked Ye Ming, "Master, this painting is moving, could it be possessed by Spiritual Energy?"
Lin Bingqing didn’t feel the presence of any Spiritual Energy herself, but she found it extremely curious and, uncertain, she posed the question to Ye Ming.
She had never seen such beautiful imagery nor experienced such a magical phenomenon.
As they watched, the beauty in the painting seemed to be beckoning to them, signaling for them to come closer.
Just as the two were about to step forward, Ye Ming’s hand appeared on their shoulders, pulling them back slightly.
After being pulled back, they were returned to reality.
"Wow, what is this marvelous thing?" Xia Ningning came back to her senses and realized that she had been completely immersed in it, as if she had entered into some kind of strange dream.
It was the first time she had such a wonderful experience, and she immediately found it incredibly fascinating and fun.
Mister Chen said with a smile, "There’s a little story behind this portrait of the beauty. It’s said that the painter was the concubine’s childhood sweetheart, and the two of them had a special relationship; however, for various reasons, they could not be together."
"Later, while painting, the painter infused his emotions into the artwork, and right after he finished, he passed away, making it his final masterpiece."
"The painting has been preserved to this day, and both its price and its background story are very touching!"
Xia Ningning quickly asked, "Mister Chen, how much for this painting?"
Mister Chen replied in a hurry, "Thirty million!"
His face was full of anticipation as he looked at Xia Ningning, hoping she would buy it immediately.
Truthfully, thirty million was not much for Xia Ningning; such an entertaining object with such a moving story seemed worth the price to her.
Just as Xia Ningning was about to express her wish to purchase and was preparing to pay for the painting, Ye Ming suddenly appeared beside her and said, "Although this painting is well done, I suggest you think it over."
"Why? Don’t you find it moving?" Xia Ningning asked in surprise, "Such a touching love story, it’s very worthwhile."
Ye Ming smiled faintly and explained, "To tell you the truth, there is no Spiritual Energy attached to this painting. It cannot be considered a Magic Artifact; instead, it could be called an ill-omened object."
"Just watch."
With that, Ye Ming focused his True Qi in his hand, gave a light wave and swept it across the painting with the True Qi.
The next moment, the woman in the painting suddenly looked much less radiant, no longer as vivid as before, and however closely they observed, she would no longer move.
"What’s this about?" Xia Ningning and Lin Bingqing were both exceedingly amazed.
Ye Ming was also very surprised, and he explained, "I’ve never seen such a phenomenon before. I guess that the painter’s obsession might have been condensed in the painting, causing it to change and affect people’s minds."
"Human obsessions, in some respects, are terrifyingly powerful, able to transcend the mundane world, and even resist the ravages of time, enduring till this very day!"
Ye Ming’s explanation left the group puzzled, with some not quite understanding.
