But how could the old man have known that this breathing technique actually caused a mutation in David Carter. Ever since that ancient jade he wore around his neck suddenly disappeared, one night David Carter just couldn’t hold back and decided to go sleep in the village. What he liked most were the ancestral hall and those old houses in the village. Every time he went to those places, he slept especially soundly, and when he woke up the next day, he felt even more refreshed than after a month of practicing qi.

Along the banks of the Tan River, many pavilions and corridors had been built. The gentle river breeze made it a great place for people to relax. There were those exercising, some playing chess or cards, and others singing opera or teasing birds. Of course, wherever there are people, there are bound to be small vendors. Besides those selling water and drinks, he also saw some street stalls selling general merchandise, southern goods, Japanese products, and even antiques and old items.

He looked over the items at the antique and old goods stalls but didn’t find anything he liked. Besides, he didn’t have much money in his pocket—he hadn’t even settled dinner and lodging yet. But right now, David Carter was only worried about the former; as for lodging, he figured with this weather, spending a night in a riverside pavilion by the Tan River shouldn’t be a problem. He’d even spent nights in trees before, tying himself to branches with ropes made from bark—that was what you’d call a truly nerve-wracking sleep.

Walking north along the riverbank, he suddenly saw a crowd of people setting up stalls across the street, with plenty of onlookers too. It was bustling and lively. David Carter crossed the street and saw that most of these stalls were similar to those by the river. But as he continued down this road called Qingshui Road, the number of stalls increased, and most of them specialized in antiques. David Carter didn’t know it, but this was actually the famous antique street of Tanzhou.

Others were looking at the items, but David Carter was there for the excitement. He wasn’t keen on old things; if given a choice between something old and something new, he’d always pick the new one. As the saying goes, “Out with the old, in with the new.” In his view, people bought old goods mainly because they were cheap and couldn’t afford new ones. Of course, if there was an old item that truly caught his eye, that would be a different story.

He did spot a rice noodle shop up ahead, which whetted his appetite. But just as he was about to go in, something on a stall at the entrance caught his attention. Of course, the so-called “stall” was just a piece of velvet cloth spread on the ground as a counter, with all sorts of odds and ends laid out, and the vendor sitting on a small stool behind it—that was business.

What caught David Carter’s eye was a figurine caked in mud, with a child on top and what looked like a cow underneath. From the outside, there was nothing special about it. The vendor didn’t seem to care much for it either; it was placed in a corner with a bunch of other figurines, even pressed at the very bottom. As soon as David Carter picked up this “Child Bathing the Ox” figurine, a vague image flashed in his mind, somewhat resembling the figurine itself.

This startled David Carter. It felt as if the “Child Bathing the Ox” figurine had suddenly flown into his brain. Shocked, he immediately put it down, and the image vanished. He hesitated, then slowly picked it up again, and the image reappeared. This time, the image seemed a bit clearer than before—not by much, but he was sensitive enough to notice.

This time, David Carter didn’t put it down right away. He carefully “looked” at the image in his mind: it was a transparent, glowing, three-dimensional “Child Bathing the Ox” figure. He also noticed that inside the belly of the cow at the base of the figurine, there seemed to be something else. But separated by the bamboo root, he couldn’t see it clearly. Based on David Carter’s guess, it was probably a piece of jade. He didn’t know much about jade, but the glow from that piece was stronger than the figurine itself.

He put the figurine down and picked up other items, but nothing like that happened again. When he picked up the “Child Bathing the Ox” figurine once more, the image immediately reappeared. This amazed him, but he couldn’t explain it. After the initial panic, he now felt a pleasant sensation, just like when he slept in the ancestral hall in the mountain village. It was a strange feeling, and with David Carter’s current knowledge, he couldn’t make sense of it. But one thing he was sure of: this wasn’t an illness, and it wasn’t harmful to his body.

“How much is this?” David Carter put down the “Child Bathing the Ox” figurine and asked. The worst thing when buying something is to seem too eager—if the seller sees through your intentions, you’ll never get a good deal.

“You’ve got a good eye—this is a fine piece.” The vendor, about forty years old with a square face, looked honest but had a shrewd glint in his eyes. He didn’t say what was good about his item, just that it was good, waiting to see the buyer’s reaction. He was very clear about the origins of his goods, and when he saw someone interested in his wares, it was like seeing the God of Wealth walk through the door.

“What’s good about it?” David Carter asked. He wasn’t an expert; his interest in the figurine was purely due to a mysterious feeling, not because of any expertise.

“Look at the quality—this is an old piece.” The vendor liked dealing with outsiders like David Carter the most. But judging by his clothes, he didn’t look like someone with money, so the vendor felt a bit disappointed.