Original and most updated translations are from volare. Please don't read elsewhere and stop supporting theft.

　　TL: Zhao

　　Editing: Krisaia

　　"This stone tablet…" Chen Quan's countenance gradually grew serious as he stood up from his seat to get a better view of the object. It was slightly blue and resembled stone used for pavement, with a rough surface covered with scratch marks.

　　The stone tablet depicted three different scenes. The panel on top portrayed a scene of a giant monkey roaring while beating its own chest with a man standing on a sword beneath its feet. The panel below showed a beast resembling a lion possessing wings. Lastly, the panel on the right was in ill.u.s.tration of a phoenix.

　　Chen Quan had no doubt that just like many stone tablets he had seen before, this artifact was retelling a legendary tale. However, what perplexed Chen Quan was the aging of the object; although there was nothing noteworthy about the material, he deduced that the tablet itself had been sculpted over ten thousand years ago.

　　Chen Quan squatted down and examined the back and the edges of the tablet meticulously. 'These cuts… they're fresh? Was this taken off a wall?'

　　"Professor Chen… This…" Lao Dai finally could not quell his curiosity. Seeing Chen Quan scrutinize the tablet so painstakingly made him extremely nervous while also giving him a sense of a.s.surance about the accuracy of the appraisal.

　　"I know that I'm not supposed to ask you about the origins of this, but…" Chen Quan wrapped the black cloth around the artifact. Studying the slate with such concentration was enough to make him sweat.

　　"We bought this for three million yuan in the black market. They said that it was some kind of precious artifact. What do you think?" w.a.n.g Youfa revealed the truth without a second thought.

　　'The black market? This tablet… It precedes human civilization! This has the power to rewrite history!' Chen Quan pondered about the ramifications of the discovery as he sat down.

　　"Professor Chen…" Lao Dai waited impatiently for a verdict, as he had been the subject of ridicule by his friends for splurging on the artifact.

　　Chen Quan reached out for the tea kettle, only to find it empty.

　　"More tea please!" w.a.n.g Youfa immediately cried out.

　　"Right away!" Chen Jiaw.a.n.g picked up the heating kettle and ran toward the table.

　　"You can put the kettle here. We'll take care of it." w.a.n.g Youfa dismissed Chen Jiaw.a.n.g immediately, afraid that the latter would disturb Chen Quan.

　　Although Chen Jiaw.a.n.g was getting a little curious about the artifact, he shrugged his shoulders and thought that it was good that he was spared the trouble.