Chapter 40

After Xiao Cang waited for a moment, hurried footsteps sounded from upstairs.

Soon, a plump, lovely figure in red and an elderly figure in green approached.

"Mr. Xiao Cang, after all these years, you have grown from the Xiao Family's little prodigy into someone people can only look up to."

Gu Ni stepped forward, his aged face full of smiles. He clasped his hands toward Xiao Cang, his gaze falling upon the five stars at Xiao Cang's collar.

The instant he saw those five stars, Gu Ni's eyelids twitched. A deeply complicated look flashed through his eyes—envy mixed with amazement.

A Fifth-grade Alchemist!

He had immersed himself in alchemy for decades, yet he was only a second-grade alchemist.

Compared to eighteen-year-old Xiao Cang, the gap was simply too vast.

"Seven years have passed, yet Master Gu Ni remains vigorous and rosy-faced as ever." Xiao Cang smiled warmly and returned the gesture.

At that moment, a soft, intoxicating chuckle rang out from beside them.

Ya Fei was covering her mouth as she laughed lightly. Her seductive eyes drifted over Xiao Cang as she teasingly said, "Little Brother Xiao Cang, it has been so many years. Do you still remember me?"

"What are you saying, Sister Ya Fei? I might forget anyone else, but I would never dare forget Sister Ya Fei."

Xiao Cang's gaze swept boldly over Ya Fei's alluring figure.

After seven years, his gaze was still as domineering as before... Ya Fei marveled inwardly. Having seen countless people, she had rarely encountered eyes as sharp and overbearing as Xiao Cang's.

Fortunately, Ya Fei was extremely adept at handling people, and she did not feel uncomfortable because of Xiao Cang's probing gaze.

This little vixen...

After seven years apart, Ya Fei had grown even more supple, more captivating, and more refined.

Xiao Cang marveled inwardly before withdrawing his gaze.

"Little Brother Xiao Cang, please come to the VIP room. We can discuss whatever you need there." Ya Fei gave a bewitching smile.

"Mm, sounds good."

Xiao Cang nodded and headed upstairs with Ya Fei.

As the three walked, Ya Fei stayed at Xiao Cang's side, chatting with him pleasantly.

"Little Brother Xiao Cang, you have not returned for seven years, and our auction house has undergone quite a few changes as well. Later, your sister can show you around."

As she spoke, Ya Fei charmingly tucked her hair behind her ear, revealing her seductive, snowy-white profile. Whenever her slender jade-like legs moved, the slit in her brocade robe inadvertently exposed large swaths of fair skin.

Before long, the three arrived at the VIP room.

Xiao Cang sat in a chair, while Gu Ni and Ya Fei sat opposite him.

Ya Fei kept her long legs together, her fair skin as flawless as fine jade.

"Mr. Xiao Cang, please have some tea."

Master Gu Ni personally poured tea for Xiao Cang, and a delicate tea fragrance drifted out.

Yet to Xiao Cang, this fragrance was undoubtedly rather bland. Compared with the Tea Pills he had refined, even the finest tea leaves were no different from ordinary things.

Still, after taking a sip, Xiao Cang politely said, "Fine tea, fine tea."

Ya Fei quietly studied Xiao Cang. After all these years, he had become even more heroic and imposing.

Even without an order from her family, she would still be moved upon seeing such an outstanding prodigy. However... marrying Xiao Cang would surely be extremely difficult.

"May I ask what brings you here, Little Brother Xiao Cang?" Ya Fei smiled like a mature, radiant flower.

"What? Can't I come see Sister Ya Fei if I have nothing to do? We have been apart for seven years. I have missed Sister Ya Fei terribly." Xiao Cang teased her.

"Of course you can. But if you missed me, why did you only come today? Your sister has missed you terribly too." Ya Fei rolled her eyes in a beautiful, seductive manner, her tone carrying a hint of reproach.

Xiao Cang felt a pleasant numbness spread through him and could not help clicking his tongue.

Could Ya Fei have cultivated some kind of seduction art? What a vixen!

At that moment, Gu Ni spoke from the side. "If you need anything, Mr. Xiao Cang, please do not hesitate to say so. Our Miter Auction House will certainly do everything in our power to meet your needs."

"It is nothing major. I simply have some items I would like to ask Sister Ya Fei and Master Gu Ni to help auction off." Xiao Cang smiled warmly.

"What items?" Gu Ni asked.

"A Fifth-grade Pill."

With a smile, Xiao Cang took an ornate box from his Storage Ring.

Click!

The box opened, revealing a round, grass-green pill lying quietly within. A pill fragrance containing Dou Qi instantly spread through the room.

"A... a Fifth-grade Pill?!"

Every wrinkle on Gu Ni's aged face was filled with shock as he stared fixedly at the pill.

As an alchemist, being able to personally witness a high-grade pill was an exceptionally fortunate matter.

Especially a Fifth-grade Pill!

It was an Advanced pill that he might not even have the chance to behold in his entire life!

"This... this is..."

Ya Fei's breathing grew heavy, her eyes burning as her charmingly seductive face was utterly moved.

Having trained in Wutan City for years, she had auctioned off countless rare treasures—pills, cultivation methods, Dou Skills, and more.

Yet she had never even seen a treasure like a Fifth-grade Pill, much less auctioned one!

"A Fifth-grade High-level Pill, the Dou King Pill. After consuming it, the user's Dou Qi can temporarily rise to the Dou King level, granting the strength of a one-star Dou King. Of course, it also has certain side effects. It will damage the user's meridians, and if mishandled, it may even cause their original cultivation to fall, leaving behind a lifelong affliction." Xiao Cang spoke slowly.

"Hiss..."

Ya Fei and Gu Ni immediately sucked in a cold breath.

They selectively ignored everything Xiao Cang said afterward and remembered only the first half.

It could temporarily grant someone the strength of a Dou King!!!

What did that mean?

Looking across the entire Jia Ma Empire, even in the Imperial Capital, Dou Kings were absolute top-tier combatants.

This single pill could temporarily grant someone Dou King-level strength. To any family, it was a treasure of earth-shaking importance.

Ever since Hai Bo Dong, the Mite'er Family's strongest expert, had disappeared, only the family head, Miter Teng Shan, possessed Dou King cultivation within the Mite'er Family.

If the Mite'er Family could obtain this pill, then should the family encounter a crisis, they could temporarily double their highest-level combat strength!

If news of such a pill were released, even the great families of the Imperial Capital would likely travel thousands of miles to Wutan City to participate in the bidding!

Thinking of this, Ya Fei's eyes grew even hotter.

She took a deep breath, suppressing the shock in her heart and doing her best to reveal a calm smile.

"Little Brother Xiao Cang, this pill is far too precious. If it were put up for auction, I fear no one in Wutan City could afford the price."

"How about this? Name the price you want. Our Miter Auction House is willing to add fifty percent to that price and purchase this pill internally. What do you think?"

After speaking, Ya Fei could not help staring at Xiao Cang with burning eyes, hoping to hear an answer that would satisfy her from his lips.

Seeing Ya Fei's anxious expression, the corners of Xiao Cang's lips kept rising.

Ya Fei practically had the words "I want this pill" written across her face.

Sure enough, using a Fifth-grade Pill as bait had easily hooked Ya Fei, this plump and tender fish.

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