Chapter 2175: Chapter 2030: Snow Lotus

Snow Lotus can be used for medicinal purposes and also has high ornamental value. It is now listed as a national third-level endangered species, and the collection of wild Snow Lotus is prohibited. This has led to a situation where Snow Lotus has a high price but no market, only appearing occasionally at auctions, each time causing a sensation.

The Snow Lotus is mainly distributed on the plateau areas of the Xinjiang Tianshan Region, generally growing below the snow line in various harsh and complex climatic environments. Its living conditions are extremely tough and harsh, where most plants cannot survive, but the Snow Lotus possesses a strong Life Force, able to grow proudly in environments of minus dozens of degrees and high altitudes with low oxygen.

Because of this unique growth environment and survival habit, the Snow Lotus has a very special medicinal value. Its yield is very low, requiring five years for vegetative growth. Seeds germinate in environments below zero degrees, seedlings can continue to grow in harsh conditions of minus twenty degrees Celsius, reaching heights five to seven times that of other plants in just two months.

Snow Lotus is now extremely rare. After the 20th century, it became basically impossible to find it in areas below 3500m altitude. Also, not only does the total resource continue to decrease, but the diameter of the Snow Lotus flower is also getting smaller. The largest Snow Lotus flower can reach a diameter of 30 centimeters; rounding up, that’s half a meter, but now, the diameter of a Snow Lotus flower only reaches 10 centimeters.

Zhang Yanran followed Song Xiaodong’s gaze, feeling a surge of surprise. You must know that nowadays, the Snow Lotus has become a legendary medicine, regardless of size, but just its existence. Zhang Yanran herself has spent some time in the Beijing Chinese medicine wholesale market, but this was also the first time she saw this thing.

The crowd also noticed the direction Zhang Yanran and Song Xiaodong were looking at, where inside the glass cabinet lay a gigantic withered flower, and they exclaimed in disbelief.

"Is this a Snow Lotus?"

"Is this really a Snow Lotus?"

"I don’t know, I’ve never seen a real one before!"

"Me either, I’ve only seen an illustrated version in my master’s medical books."

"How much could this be worth?"

"I don’t know, since it’s never appeared at an auction before, there’s no past transaction record, I don’t know how much it might sell for."

Zhang Yanran glanced at the item in the glass cabinet, then turned her head to look at Song Xiaodong and said, "This Tianshan Snow Lotus is hard to come by for many years, unfortunately today Mr. Song has no fate for it, who knows whose hands it will fall into."

"Of course, it will fall into Miss Zhang’s hands, a bet is a bet, I have nothing to regret," Song Xiaodong said.

"That of course, but, I can give you a chance," Zhang Yanran said.

"Hmm?" Song Xiaodong asked.

"You and Mr Fang can help me appraise the authenticity of the medicinal materials, and I will let you buy items here, how about that?" Zhang Yanran also took a liking to Song Xiaodong’s discernment.

Song Xiaodong didn’t say anything, he went straight to the Tianshan Snow Lotus, and stared at it, looking closely again and again.

Zhang Yanran and Mr Fang came over as well.

"What does Mr Song think of this item?" Zhang Yanran asked Song Xiaodong.

Song Xiaodong looked closely again and couldn’t help but click his tongue in wonder.

"Snow Lotus flowers mainly come in three varieties, the most beautiful of which is the Jellyfish Snow Lotus Flower. The flower has no pedicel, the involucre is spherical, with white flowers, and has mist-like flower wisps inside, just like an ice cream ball sprinkled with icing sugar. The one in front here is a Jellyfish Snow Lotus Flower, it’s the most rare of the three main varieties: the Cottony Head Snow Lotus Flower, the Large Bract Snow Lotus Flower, and the Jellyfish Snow Lotus Flower," Song Xiaodong praised the Snow Lotus Flower endlessly.

"And what does Mr Fang think?" Zhang Yanran asked Mr Fang.

Mr Fang waved his hand and said to Zhang Yanran, "Miss, Tianshan Snow Lotus is extremely rare, in my lifetime, I’ve only seen very few, so I really don’t know if it’s good or bad."

"If you appraise the quality of the medicinal materials for me, I’ll let you buy this Snow Lotus, how about it?" Zhang Yanran asked Song Xiaodong.

Song Xiaodong, after looking enough at the Snow Lotus Flower, stood up, adjusted his appearance, and coldly replied to Zhang Yanran, "You hire me?"

"Yes," Zhang Yanran looked into Song Xiaodong’s eyes without a trace of fear or evasion, nodding lightly.

"You hire me? Are you even worthy?" Song Xiaodong widened his eyes, his tone becoming more intense, looking up at Zhang Yanran.

"Then, I’m afraid this Snow Lotus Flower will just be out of your reach, sir," Zhang Yanran looked at the withered Snow Lotus Flower inside the glass cabinet and gently sighed.

"Do I need you to let me buy it? This Snow Lotus doesn’t necessarily need to be bid up to how much money, can you even afford it? I’ll come again tomorrow, this Snow Lotus Flower will surely still be here!" Song Xiaodong pointed at the glass cabinet and shouted at Zhang Yanran.

"Hmph, do you know who I am?" Zhang Yanran was finally about to reveal her identity.

"Why should I care who you are? This Snow Lotus Flower, to say the least, will be bid up to a million, which of you poor fools can afford it?" Song Xiaodong pointed at the crowd watching the fun.

"Young man, don’t be arrogant, this is Miss Zhang Yanran, who is..." Zhang Yanran waved her hand, signaling the bystander not to speak.

"Dragon Three, let’s go."

Song Xiaodong then left with Dragon Three.

"Sect Leader, are we just leaving like this?" Dragon Three asked Song Xiaodong while driving.

"How else can we leave?" Song Xiaodong retorted.

Dragon Three dared not answer.

Back at the Xianling Family, Chu Xianling was no longer there, having left a note that said:

"I’ve gone home, you can go find your Teacher Wang."

Song Xiaodong thought for a moment, then called Yang Yushi: "Hello?"

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