Ya Fei's Worries

After reaching an agreement with Xiao Cang, Ling Ying leaped away, concealing himself outside the Xiao Family and silently guarding Xun'er.

"Brother Xiao Cang, why did you suddenly agree to spar with Uncle Ying? Uncle Ying is very strong." Xun'er held Xiao Cang's hands in both of hers, her voice filled with concern.

"Don't worry, Xun'er. Since I agreed to spar with him, I naturally have my reasons. I'm doing this for our future too." Xiao Cang gently stroked Xun'er's soft little hand and spoke tenderly.

He had his own purpose for doing this.

He could not guarantee that Ling Ying would only discover Xun'er's pregnancy after three months.

So he needed to defeat Ling Ying and make him owe him a favor.

If the truth came to light then, he could ask Ling Ying to keep it secret for the time being and report it to the Gu Clan later.

Of course, Xun'er's pregnancy was a matter of great importance, and Ling Ying might not agree to conceal it. Still, there was at least a chance.

Xun'er vaguely guessed Xiao Cang's intentions. She nestled against his chest, tracing circles in his palm with her finger as she softly said, "Brother Xiao Cang is so good to me. Then... I'll go back to my room."

"Mm."

Xiao Cang nodded lightly and gave Xun'er a gentle kiss on the forehead.

Xun'er's pretty face flushed red. She turned and walked away with light, happy steps, looking back every few paces.

"Brother Xiao Cang, remember to miss me."

"Remember to miss me."

"Remember..."

"Got it. I'll miss you."

Xiao Cang said indulgently.

"I'll miss you too."

Xun'er immediately flashed a playful smile and returned to her room in contentment.

The next morning.

After waking up and washing up, the first thing Xiao Cang did was leave the city to look for the Human-Demon Puppet.

When he reached the city gates, he spread out his Spiritual Sense and located the Human-Demon Puppet. With a thought, he had it automatically walk toward him.

"Good. Ling Ying didn't catch up to it yesterday, so it wasn't damaged."

Xiao Cang looked the Human-Demon Puppet over. Apart from some mud on its feet, it looked no different from the night before.

Of course, Xiao Cang knew that while the Human-Demon Puppet showed no external wounds, its bones and muscles had sustained some damage.

The Human-Demon Puppet was not a living being. Its body had long become a dead object, and forcibly digesting the medicinal power had inevitably caused some damage.

With a thought, Xiao Cang stored the Human-Demon Puppet back into his Storage Ring and returned to the city.

However, he did not head back to the Xiao Family. Instead, he made his way toward another highly renowned place in Wutan City—the Miter Auction House.

The Miter Auction House was one of Wutan City's foremost powers, and its standing was in no way inferior to that of the three great families.

In fact, because it had remained neutral all year round, most people considered its status to be even higher than that of the three great families.

At that moment, a steady stream of guests passed through the auction house entrance.

Not one of those entering or leaving came from an impoverished background. Among them were quite a few young masters from prominent families in Wutan City.

After all, nothing sold at the Miter Auction House was ordinary. Ordinary people simply could not afford its goods.

Even those who merely wanted to come and watch the excitement had to meet a certain threshold.

Amid the noisy crowd, a figure in white robes slowly approached.

His steady footsteps rang in everyone's ears, and the crowd could not help turning to look at him.

"What a young man. Which family's young master is he?"

"The white robes he's wearing seem to be exclusive to alchemists. Could he be an alchemist?"

"Hiss... Such a young alchemist? Which family produced such an outstanding junior?"

"Wait! Look at the stars on his collar... There are five of them!!!"

"What?! Five stars? Then doesn't that mean..."

"A Fifth-grade Alchemist?!!!"

Xiao Cang's arrival caused an uproar among the surrounding crowd.

After recognizing the white robes as those exclusive to alchemists, everyone looked to his collar and revealed expressions of utter shock.

Such a young Fifth-grade Alchemist...

Several wealthy young men nearby stood dumbfounded, their throats dry.

In the past, they might have cried impossible, or even assumed that the white robes before them were counterfeit.

How could there possibly be such a young Fifth-grade Alchemist?

But now, things were different.

Everyone knew that the Xiao Family's peerless genius, who had reached the Dou Wang realm and become a Fifth-grade Alchemist at only eighteen years old, had returned to Wutan City!

"So he's the Xiao Family's genius?"

"I actually got to see the true face of a Fifth-grade Alchemist..."

"I thought it was just a rumor people had spread around. I never expected it to be true."

"This young man's future is boundless!"

"..."

Listening to the astonished praise, Xiao Cang's lips curled up slightly.

He had deliberately changed into the robes of a Fifth-grade Alchemist before coming here.

Since he was visiting the Miter Auction House, while winning over Ya Fei, he also intended to bring the Miter Auction House under his control.

Thus, revealing his identity as a Fifth-grade Alchemist right from the start would make the auction house show him the utmost sincerity and respect.

Sure enough, the moment Xiao Cang reached the entrance, a maid approached with a flirtatious smile.

"Young Master, this way, please."

The maid's smile was extremely fawning. With every movement, she deliberately revealed flashes of snowy cleavage, hoping Xiao Cang would spare her a few more glances and favor her.

Yet Xiao Cang could not even be bothered to look at her.

What a joke. He had already tasted the charms of exceptional beauties like Yun Yun, Yao Ye, and Xun'er. How could he possibly care for such vulgar women?

After following the maid into the auction house, Xiao Cang said, "Please inform Gu Ni that Xiao Cang has come to visit on business."

"Yes."

After curtsying, the maid hurried off to report it.

Advanced Appraisal Room.

Gu Ni, dressed in green robes, had hair that was somewhat gray, yet his complexion was exceptionally rosy. At that moment, he was speaking with a woman of boundless charm before him.

The woman was seductive, enchanting, and breathtakingly beautiful.

She wore a fitted crimson brocade robe that perfectly outlined her exquisite, voluptuous curves. Seated in her chair, her pair of slender, jade-like legs were pressed tightly together without the slightest gap. A patch of smooth, fair thigh was exposed through the slit at the hem of her robe, enough to make anyone who saw it burn with desire.

Even Gu Ni, who had worked with Ya Fei for years, could not help inwardly calling her a temptress at the sight.

"Young Lady Ya Fei, have you decided what to do about the matter the Mite'er Family informed you of?" Gu Ni asked.

"Just mentioning it gives me a headache."

Ya Fei propped her fragrant cheek up with a jade-like hand. Her alluring face carried several traces of worry.

"Xiao Cang is not only the Xiao Family's genius, but also the husband of the Misty Cloud Sect's sect leader. Later, he even married a Royal Family princess. I'm merely a junior of the Mite'er Family. Though I have some looks, how could I possibly be confident of moving Xiao Cang's heart and marrying him as a concubine?"

"Forget marrying him. Even if I wanted to meet him now, I can't find a suitable reason."

Ya Fei sighed helplessly.

"That... is indeed the case." Gu Ni was also at a loss after hearing this.

They could meet the Xiao Family head whenever they wished, but Xiao Cang was a Dou Wang powerhouse and a Fifth-grade Alchemist... How could they meet him just because they wanted to?

Just then, a maid entered.

"Master Gu Ni, Young Lady Ya Fei. A Fifth-grade Alchemist has come to the auction house. He appears to be Young Master Xiao Cang of the Xiao Family."

"What?!"

Gu Ni and Ya Fei's eyes immediately lit up, their spirits soaring.

They had been worrying over how to meet Xiao Cang, and now Xiao Cang had come to them on his own?