I couldn't tear my eyes away from the pulsing blue crystal nestled within the split stone. The energy radiating from it was unlike anything I'd encountered before—ancient and powerful, practically singing to my senses.
"What is it?" Leopold whispered, his face illuminated by the crystal's glow.
Alvin Ward stepped closer, his expression shifting from dismissive to calculating in an instant. "Just a common phosphorescent mineral. Visually striking but ultimately worthless."
Something about his immediate assessment struck me as off. The energy I felt contradicted his words completely.
"I disagree," I said firmly. "This crystal has significant qi fluctuations."
Alvin's eyes narrowed slightly. "With all due respect, Mr. Knight, I've been evaluating rare stones for over thirty years. This type of mineral often tricks amateurs with its appearance, but it has no practical value."
