Lin Fei and Xue Mei

The woman was slender, with clear eyes and brows like an icy spring atop a snow-capped mountain.

Beyond her exquisite face, delicate eyebrows, and slender, graceful figure, she wore a form-fitting silver robe. The silver fabric complemented her skin, smooth as warm jade, lending her an unconcealable cold charm like that of special metal.

Most astonishing of all was that this silver-robed woman possessed a long cascade of silver hair that fell to her waist!

This silver was not the pale, sickly shade produced by some illness or mutation. Soft as silver threads and drifting lightly, it instead gave the silver-robed woman a peculiar allure.

Compared to her, the woman called Lin Fei lacked some of that ethereal quality. In particular, that head of soft, lustrous pure-silver hair, three thousand strands strong, was truly full of charm.

Seemingly sensing Lin Ran's undisguised gaze, the silver-robed woman frowned slightly and walked to Lin Fei's side. "You cut in line, Lin Fei."

"It doesn't matter. What could he possibly have to auction?"

Lin Fei snorted unhappily and muttered as she glanced at Lin Ran, whom she had squeezed behind her. In the end, however, she returned behind him and stuck out her small tongue. "Sorry, you go first."

"My, my, aren't these the Young City Lord and Master Frank's disciple? Come in, come in!"

Before Lin Ran could speak, the people in the Treasure Appraisal Room had clearly noticed the commotion and recognized the two women's identities. They hurriedly called out and respectfully ushered them inside.

Leaving Lin Ran standing alone at the doorway.

"Young Master."

Xiao Yi Xian arrived belatedly. Seeing the person in charge behave like that, she immediately stamped her foot. "He really has no eye for people. He actually served those two line-cutters first!"

"It doesn't matter."

Lin Ran smiled calmly and stepped inside as well.

That earlier exchange had stirred Lin Ran's memories. Those two women seemed to be the ones from the original story who had competed with Xiao Yan in alchemy.

One was the daughter of Black Rock City's City Lord, while the silver-haired girl should have been the disciple of Frank, president of the Black Rock City Alchemist Guild.

In the original story, Xiao Yan had met them when he went to the Alchemist Guild to obtain his rank. Lin Ran had never expected that, after casually picking a city and auction to pass the time, he would run into the two of them. He truly didn't know whether to call it coincidence or fate.

"I didn't expect them to be fourth-grade Azure Spirit Pills. What dense medicinal potency! Master Otto's alchemy has improved greatly again."

"Hm? These are fourth-grade high-tier Weather Pills? Master Frank is truly still as capable as ever!"

As Lin Ran led Xiao Yi Xian into the Treasure Appraisal Room, he immediately saw the person in charge cradling two treasure boxes as if they were priceless treasures, praising them endlessly.

Lin Fei placed her hands on her hips, her pretty face brimming with pride. "Of course. Who in all of Black Rock City doesn't know of my master's alchemy?"

"Quite right, Young City Lord, quite right. Then I'll add these two pills to this Black Rock Premium Auction?"

"Of course. Why else would I have brought them?"

Lin Fei was immensely proud. At her side, Xue Mei nodded slightly. "Then we'll trouble you. Oh, and Master instructed us that these two pills are only to be exchanged for medicinal ingredients, with Atractylodes Wood Fruit, Sichuan Pepper Flower, and Cinnamon Heart Cardamom taking priority... If those aren't available, here is a list of alternative ingredients."

As she spoke, Xue Mei took out a list of medicinal ingredients and handed it to the person in charge.

"Understood, understood. Please rest assured."

"Then we'll be leaving first."

The person in charge carefully put away the list. Xue Mei nodded as well, then pulled Lin Fei toward the exit of the Treasure Appraisal Room.

However, as they passed Lin Ran and Xiao Yi Xian, Xue Mei still gave Lin Ran an apologetic smile, as though apologizing for using her privilege to cut in line with Lin Fei.

"She has some manners, at least."

Lin Ran smiled faintly and said nothing more, leading Xiao Yi Xian to the person in charge.

The person in charge had just put away the two treasure boxes. The respectful expression he had worn toward Xue Mei and Lin Fei had vanished completely, replaced by a sharp gaze that swept over Lin Ran and Xiao Yi Xian.

Naturally, he could not discern anything about Lin Ran. Xiao Yi Xian's constitution was unusual, and coupled with Lin Ran's methods, she was clearly beyond his ability to perceive. However, the ice-crystal bracelet on Xiao Yi Xian's wrist made his eyes widen abruptly.

"This is the Magic Core of a Fifth-tier Monster Beast, an Ice Crocodile?!"

The person in charge's attitude changed instantly. He hurriedly put on a smiling face and said to Lin Ran and Xiao Yi Xian, "Honored guests, please sit, please sit. May I ask what you wish to auction?"

"Tch, what a snob."

Xiao Yi Xian muttered. Though her voice was soft, it was perfectly clear in the enclosed room. Yet the expression on the person in charge's face did not change in the slightest, and he remained just as respectful.

Seeing this, Xiao Yi Xian said nothing further. With a flick of her slender jade hand, three small jade bottles appeared on the table.

"Pills as well?!"

Hearing the jade bottles strike the tabletop, the person in charge froze slightly. He looked up, his gaze settling on the three small jade bottles as surprise flashed through his eyes.

The appearance of two fourth-grade pills earlier had already been exceedingly rare. He had not expected to see more pills today.

Though he did not believe these three bottles of pills could compare to the two fourth-grade pills from before, these people used the Magic Core of a Fifth-tier Monster Beast as an accessory. Their background was undoubtedly extraordinary. He immediately put on a thin pair of transparent gloves and carefully picked up one of the small jade bottles.

He tilted the bottle, and an emerald-green pill rolled into his palm.

The pill was entirely emerald-green and contained an extremely dense pill fragrance. The fragrance had even condensed into substance, forming a layer of green radiance over its surface.

"This... this!"

Staring at the dense pill fragrance, the person in charge's expression changed drastically as he let out an incredulous growl. "Condensed pill fragrance—a fifth-grade pill?!"

"Indeed. It's a Fifth-grade Recovery Pill."

Xiao Yi Xian huffed, a trace of pride in her voice. "This Restoration Pill can specifically heal severe injuries. Its medicinal properties are gentle and will not cause even the slightest damage to an already injured body. It is an exceptional pill for treating grave wounds."

"A treasure! What a treasure!"

The person in charge's hands trembled. This was a fifth-grade pill! Not to mention Black Rock City—even in the entire Jia Ma Empire, it was a top-tier treasure.

Fifth-grade pills were extremely difficult to refine. Even fifth-grade alchemists had terribly low success rates. Only the legendary Pill King Gu He possessed sufficient ability to refine them, yet even his success rate was not high.

The person in charge carefully placed the Restoration Pill back into the jade bottle. Looking at the other two jade bottles, he gulped and respectfully said, "My lord, could you please wait a moment? I need to invite Master Otto and Master Frank of Black Rock City to appraise these pills."

"Go ahead."

Xiao Yi Xian huffed, then glanced at Lin Ran and added, "But please hurry!"