The Great Treasure Appraisal

The Great Treasure Appraisal is a long-form urban supernatural web novel by Luo Xiao (real name Ding Daobing). It was first serialized on the 17K Novel Network on November 11, 2014, and concluded in February 2016, spanning approximately 2.59 million Chinese characters. The protagonist, Xu Dong, begins at the lowest point in life, burdened by poverty and beset by misfortune. One day, while pawning his late parents' belongings, he unexpectedly acquires a special supernatural ability: he can perceive the "treasure aura" emitted by precious objects, enabling him to discern the authenticity and value of antiques and jewelry. With this gift, Xu Dong embarks on a path of treasure appraisal and discovery, navigating the intertwined worlds of jewelry and antiques, becoming entangled with various parties, and maturing through love, hatred, perilous encounters, and repeated trials. The work blends elements of treasure appraisal, detective fiction, and mystery exploration, offering gripping tales of intrigue in the world of treasure hunting and authentication while enriching the narrative with extensive knowledge of jewelry, antiques, and classical Chinese culture. The book was selected for the State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television's "2016 Recommended List of Outstanding Original Online Literary Works" and was included in the China Writers Association's 2016 Annual Ranking of Online Novels (completed works category).