northernbook Chapter 426 Little Karami
Chapter 426 Little Karami
Everyone's attention was drawn to it.
Li Shuchen also put away his folding fan and seemingly casually found a good spot to sit down, but in reality, he was engaging all his senses and silently chanting in his mind.
"Little Jizi, activate 'Microscopic Vision' and 'Structural Analysis'."
The system has executed the command.
The red velvet cloth on the first silver plate was lifted.
In an instant, the entire hall seemed to be illuminated.
It was a fire opal slightly smaller than an adult man's fist, set in an intricate gold setting and surrounded by small diamonds.
The gemstone itself exhibits amazing color variations.
The main color is a deep orange-red, like solidified lava, but it changes slightly with the angle of the light.
Inside, it seems as if crimson flames are flowing and burning, while the edges are occasionally flashed with iridescent colors such as peacock blue, emerald green, and grape purple, making it dazzling and beautiful.
It's as if it simultaneously encapsulates a sunset and the aurora borealis.
"hiss--"
A suppressed gasp of astonishment filled the hall; even the well-traveled merchants from the Western Regions stared wide-eyed.
Azim was smug.
"This is the 'Sunset Heart,' originating from the deepest old vein. Its size and vibrant, stable iridescence are truly rare in the world! Master Hassan used a unique curved cutting and foil-backing technique to bring its colors to their fullest potential!"
Li Shuchen squinted; under "microscopic vision," she could "see" the gemstone's internal structure and the almost invisible foil.
Indeed, the craftsmanship is exquisite.
Her fingers twitched slightly inside her sleeve, as if unintentionally.
Only she knew that last night she had used an extremely small dose of the special essential oil provided by Zoya, with the help of the Auspicious System.
While Hassan was maintaining his special polishing wheel, something quietly got mixed in with it.
This essential oil evaporates extremely slowly; upon contact with the surface of a gemstone, it forms a thin molecular film that is barely visible to the naked eye.
Initially, there were no abnormalities, but under specific lighting conditions, such as strongly focused light or direct sunlight, the condition could change.
It will slightly interfere with light refraction, and after a few days, it will slowly begin to react imperceptibly with trace elements on the surface of some gemstones, causing the luster to gradually become dull.
Hopefully, Hassan used his prized tools when polishing this fire opal.
"Fair"
Amidst the chorus of praise, Li Shuchen's lazy voice sounded particularly jarring.
She waved her fan and pursed her lips.
"The fire is vibrant enough, but the variegation lacks liveliness and appears somewhat dull. The foil used is a bit of a shortcut, ruining the natural charm. In our waters, this kind of quality is only fit for a nouveau riche to adorn their belt buckle."
Azim's smile froze, a hint of displeasure flashing in his eyes, but he quickly suppressed it and forced a smile.
"Young master, you have high standards. I wonder if the seas possess any treasures that surpass them?"
"I'll show you something new sometime."
Li Shuchen picked up the drink offered by the maid, took a sip, frowned, and put it down with a look of disdain.
The second treasure was revealed.
It's a complete set of tourmaline jewelry: a necklace, earrings, and a ring.
The main stone is a large, vibrantly colored tourmaline shaped like a watermelon (emerald green on the outside and pink in the center).
Cut into a perfect teardrop shape, clear and transparent, without any impurities.
The matching tourmaline features a color gradient, transitioning from deep green to light green and then to peach pink, a clever design and exquisite setting technique.
"This 'Emerald Reflecting Red Beauty' set features the finest bicolor tourmalines, meticulously paired and cut by artisans, resulting in a natural color transition, as if created by nature itself."
Azim explained
The crowd once again expressed their admiration.
Watermelon tourmaline is rare to begin with, and to be able to assemble such a complete set of such matching, top-quality stones is even more difficult.
Li Shuchen didn't even sit up straight this time, only pointing with his fan in the distance.
"The color is alright, but the cut... it's too contrived. In pursuit of symmetry and gradation, they sacrificed the gemstone's best optical surfaces. Look at that main stone; the peach-pink part could have been more vibrant, but now it's been cut thinner. Tsk tsk, what a waste!"
Her words elicited slight nods of approval from several knowledgeable businessmen, while Azim's expression darkened further.
The third item, also the grand finale, was solemnly brought out.
When the red velvet cloth was lifted, even Li Shuchen secretly gasped.
It was an aquamarine, not the largest in size, but its color...
It was an indescribable, utterly pure, and profound azure blue, as if it had merged the essence of the clearest sky and the purest seawater into one, carrying a cold yet noble quality.
The gemstone is cut into a classic emerald cut with clean, crisp lines and an interior so clean it's almost nonexistent, except for the base where fine facets are engraved to enhance reflection.
It was placed alone on a crystal stand, without any additional embellishments, yet it seemed to possess its own halo, instantly captivating the entire room.
Is this the "Eye of the Sea God" that Zoya mentioned, possibly originating from the deepest veins of the Wind-Eroded Valley? It truly lives up to its name.
(Please refer to Heart of the Ocean)
Azim's voice rose with excitement.
"'The stillness of the abyss'! A true gift from heaven! Its clarity and color saturation are unlike anything I have ever seen! It has no artificial embellishment, just pure natural beauty. Master Hassan only did the most careful polishing to preserve its original charm to the maximum extent!"
This time, the gasps of amazement turned into a long silence, everyone captivated by that pure azure blue.
Li Shuchen also remained silent for a moment.
Just when Azim thought he had finally intimidated this arrogant and wealthy young man...
She suddenly chuckled, stood up, and strolled to the long table, fanning herself. She leaned closer to examine the aquamarine closely, almost pressing her face against it.
“Hmm…” she drawled, “The color… it’s just so-so, a little less vibrant than the ‘Star Tear Blue Crystal’ from our coast. The clarity is indeed good, but…”
She suddenly pointed to a certain side of the gemstone with her fan.
"Here, facing the light, at a slightly different angle... Yes, right here, you see, isn't there a hint of... um, a cloud-like quality? The internal structure doesn't seem perfectly uniform, what a pity, if it were perfectly uniform, it could be worth some money."
She pointed in a very tricky direction; the light needed to be at a specific angle.
Azim and the others instinctively leaned closer to take a look. Azim's heart tightened, for Hassan had assured them that the aquamarine was flawless inside.
Just as everyone's attention, including the light from the brightest lights in the hall, was drawn to the side of the aquamarine that Li Shuchen had pointed to, at that very moment...
A sudden change occurred!
First, there was the fire opal "Sunset Meltheart," which Li Shuchen described as having "dull, lifeless colors."
Under strong light, its surface seemed to be swept by an almost invisible layer of hazy shadow very quickly.
The vibrant, flowing colors, which had been burning like fire, suddenly stopped, as if something had held them back.
The color shifts become sluggish and blurry in an instant. Although colors are still present, they have lost their vibrant and energetic life force, as if they have aged several years in a flash.