Night of the Broken Gliph

Thus, a gliph weapon and a robe weren’t equal. Now, it seemed that a sculpture was worth more than a gliph weapon! 

Rarity was the main reason behind its price. There were more than twenty grandmaster blacksmiths in this world, but sculptors were as rare as a hen’s tooth. Grandmasters aside, there probably weren’t more than five great master sculptors. Now, it was obvious that this was a grandmaster’s work!  

The second reason would be the sculpture’s use. No matter how powerful a gliph weapon was, it could only be used by one person, but a sculpture could support the growth of an entire clan, organisation or institution! It was said that the presence of a sculpture would allow the next generation to improve at lightning speed, forming a virtuous cycle which strengthened the clan.

In short, it was an item which would help the entire clan prosper! This explained its extreme price. 

“Six million!” somebody shouted. 

He captured the crowd’s attention in no time, with those in black grade private rooms wearing ugly expressions. Kam Chin Kee turned around to see that the bidder was also a red-grade guest, but he didn’t activate the gliph formation to hide his identity, allowing everybody to see who he was. 

In the private room were two people, one standing while the other remained seated.  

The man seated looked extremely old, yet he gave off an oppressive aura. He wasn’t like an elderly man, but a mighty tiger. He might look aged, yet everyone he passed by was scared of him! 

“The Wong Clan…”  

“After Sir Chor passed on, the Chor Clan is no longer as dominant. It’s no surprise that it’s been overtaken by the powerful Wong Clan.”  

“The Mad Tiger Wong Clan… Look, that’s a tiger sculpture. No wonder they’re so desperate for it!”  

Wong Pak rested his eyes, not sparing the crowd even a look. Who was he? He did not need to fight with them; he only had to call a price nobody else could afford!  

Even to large clans, 6,000,000 wasn’t a small amount. With that much money, one could afford a top-tier grade four gliph weapon on the condition that you could find a blacksmith willing to sell one.  

Six million was an astronomical amount. It was the amount the Wong Clan decided to bid after much consideration, even though it might hamper them temporarily.  

But Wong Pak didn’t care. They were the mad tiger, and they were renowned for their madness. Without their madness and strength, no amount of silver taels was enough to support them. On the other hand, this sculpture would help their disciples cultivate, birthing a stronger powerful Wong Clan, which no amount of money could buy! 

It was simple to understand, but not many had their determination.  

“Six million going once! 

“Six million going twice!  

“And six million going three times! Sold!”  

Madame Yuen heaved a sigh of relief. Despite being an experienced auctioneer, it was an exciting auction even for her. Due to the great master’s status, the service charge they collected from him was only ten per cent of the item’s selling price. Even so, they earned six hundred thousand taels just from this sale. 

Seeing that the sculpture was theirs, Wong Pak turned to the man standing behind him slowly. “It’s ours. Get the disciples to escort it back to the clan. There should be no mishaps, as that will be one of our clan’s guarding treasures!” 

“Yes, clan leader.” With a nod, the person left.  

At the same time, somebody spoke up. “May I know how to address this great master?” 

The crowd turned to the black grade private room to see the speaker. It was Mok Muk, the great master that gained some fame today. However, he wasn’t as special when compared to the mysterious grandmaster. Still, nobody stopped him from asking this question as everyone was just as curious.

He would be the first sculptor to reach the grandmaster rank in centuries!  

Expecting this question, Madame Yuen answered without hesitation. In fact, she had asked the great master the same question too. “We will not reveal it as the great master hopes to keep his identity a secret. But he has mentioned that he can be addressed as Craftsman Kam.” 

Craftsman Kam!  

A name that would be widely renowned starting today!  

Kam Chin Kee was also surprised by how much the sculpture was sold out for. Well, maybe it’s a tiger sculpture, and the Wong Clan felt a sense of familiarity with it?  

To be honest, this sculpture should cost four million taels at most. It was being sold at such a high price because sculptors were rare, and the Black Tortoise Auction knew how to gather many rich and extravagant figures. Thirdly, the Wong Clan enjoyed dealing with things in an overbearing manner.  

He heaved a sigh of relief. It’s a good sale. I’ll not have to worry about money for a while.  

The gliphic plants and materials required to practise his craftsmanship and the unique Thousand Mechanism Sect’s puppetry required a lot of money. He wasn’t going to ask those in the Evergreen Palace for help, as he was sure he was just a temporary tenant and nothing more. 

Now, it’s time for me to leave.  

This thought made him turn to Chui Yim, his future landlord, only to see him in a daze.    

When he saw the Predatory Ferocious Tiger, a sense of familiarity washed over Chui Yim. It was an odd feeling, as he was sure he had never come across a divine rank sculpture during his time in this world!    

“Where have I seen this!?” Chui Yim pondered hard. He couldn’t recall, leaving him in pain as he somehow felt this was a critical memory. Even by the end of the auction, Chui Yim still couldn’t place it, which troubled him. That was until…

“We will not reveal it as the great master hopes to keep his identity a secret. But he has mentioned that he can be addressed as Craftsman Kam,” Madame Yuen said. 

Craftsman Kam!  

Craftsman Kam!  

Chui Yim’s jaws fell as he recalled something from the depths of his memory.  

“Big brother flame, have you heard of Craftsman Kam? 

“Of course. That mysterious sculptor, right?”  

“Rumours have it that the Windy Sword Sage, Windy, was Craftsman Kam’s best friend. He was also the one that killed Craftsman Kam out of anger.” 

“So what does this have to do with me?”  

“Such an exquisite mask. Who made it?”  

“Don’t touch it. It’s my elder brother’s work.” 

“Wow, he has skills that are out of this world! I’d like to meet him and have a discussion if we have the chance to meet.” 

“You won’t. He’s dead.”  

“Your elder brother…”  

“He’s Craftsman Kam. And this mask is said to be the symbol of a guardian back in his hometown.”  

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