Three Great Clan Leaders

"Master Gu Ni, was he an alchemist?" Only after Xiao Xie had disappeared did the middle-aged man ask in a low voice.

"Mm, he was indeed an alchemist. That keen soul perception couldn't be wrong..." Gu Ni nodded, then frowned slightly and muttered in puzzlement, "But which faction's alchemist is he? I've never heard of Utan City producing an alchemist capable of refining Rank 2 Pills. And this kind of special Rank 2 Pill isn't something even an ordinary Third Grade Alchemist could refine. Unless there's an even higher-ranking alchemist behind him providing the pill formula—or he himself is a high-grade alchemist."

"Should we investigate his background?" the middle-aged man asked softly.

Gu Ni narrowed his aged eyes and considered for a moment before lightly shaking his head. "Not for now. Alchemists tend to have strange tempers. If an investigation draws his attention, it may leave him with a poor impression of the auction house. Casually offending a mysterious alchemist whose rank we don't know would not be a wise move."

Turning his head, Gu Ni glanced at the middle-aged man and said blandly, "You know what to do to make him think favorably of us, don't you?"

"Hehe, understood."

"Remember, even if we can't befriend him, we absolutely must not offend him. Otherwise..." Leaving behind those faintly chilling words, Gu Ni drifted away.

Led by a female attendant, Xiao Xie and Arno entered the auction currently underway.

The moment they stepped inside, the bright surroundings dimmed. Waves of clamor poured into his ears from all directions, making the peace-loving Xiao Xie furrow his brow.

The auction house was huge, easily capable of holding thousands of people. At that moment, beneath the lights in the center of the hall, a beautiful woman in a red gown was using a delicate, seductive voice that could make one's bones go soft to explain the functions of the item in her hand.

Finding a secluded seat, Xiao Xie sat down quietly. His gaze swept over the beautiful woman in the hall, and with his eyesight, he could naturally tell that most of the people present had come for her.

The Mittel Auction House's chief auctioneer, Ya Fei—an unparalleled beauty known throughout Utan City. Her mature and alluring charm had made countless men fall at her feet.

Staring at the red-dressed woman's full, exquisite, enchanting curves, Xiao Xie muttered softly, "She really is a bewitching temptress capable of toppling a nation."

Xiao Xie casually glanced at the item in Ya Fei's hand, then lost interest. He did not have that much money to buy some useless thing and bring it home.

"Hmm? Xiao Zhan!" Xiao Xie caught sight of a middle-aged man seated in the very front row. His face immediately showed astonishment, before understanding dawned on him. "Xiao Yan's talent returned a year early. Xiao Zhan must be here to buy him some pills to improve his cultivation!"

It had to be said that Ya Fei was an expert at stirring up the atmosphere. Every smile and frown of hers sent the prices below soaring, and whenever that happened, she would give a seductive smile toward whoever had raised the price. Instantly, those who had been aching over the expense would perk right up.

Amid the alluring woman's hand-covered giggles, the atmosphere in the hall remained at a constant peak.

"Hehe, everyone, the auction house has just received a new item for auction. I believe you will all be interested." After auctioning off the item in her hand, Ya Fei suddenly said with a smile. With a wave of her jade-like hand, an attendant hurriedly brought over a Jade Plate holding a small white Jade Bottle.

"This is a Rank 2 Pill." Delicately picking up the small white Jade Bottle, Ya Fei's alluring voice made the auction hall fall briefly silent. A moment later, a burst of noise erupted. On the Dou Qi Continent, the most sought-after items were the various pills refined by alchemists.

"This item is called the Dou Zhe Pill. It can directly raise a Dou Zhe by one star. Just think—if an eight-star Dou Zhe takes this pill and rises directly to nine stars, how much time would that save? And how much would it increase their chances of breaking through to Dou Shi?" Her tempting red lips parted slightly, and the sweet, velvety voice that emerged made everyone in the hall feel their bones go numb.

"Miss Ya Fei, this pill should have restrictions, right?" There were no shortage of calm-minded people in the hall. After a brief silence, someone asked.

"Hehe, this pill was personally appraised by Master Gu Ni of our auction house. It is indeed Rank 2, and there will absolutely be no problems, so everyone may rest assured," Ya Fei said with a smile. "However, each person may only take this pill once in their lifetime. Taking it a second time will have no effect."

Hearing that it had been personally appraised by Master Gu Ni, the noise in the hall immediately died down considerably. Everyone knew that Master Gu Ni was a Second Grade Alchemist. In all of Utan City, even the Clan Leaders of the three great families would not dare show him the slightest disrespect. As for the limitation that it could only be taken once, everyone understood. Without that restriction, the Dou Zhe Pill could not possibly be merely a Rank 2 Pill.

"Hehe, the starting price for the Dou Zhe Pill is ten thousand Gold Coins. Please begin your bids!" Ya Fei said with a smile. Her gaze swept around the hall before finally settling on the Clan Leaders of the three great families seated at the front. She knew well that these three were the main competitors.

"Eleven thousand!" The instant Ya Fei finished speaking, someone called out a bid.

"Twelve thousand!" Another bid followed immediately.

The price in the hall continued to climb. In only a short while, it had already reached seventeen thousand.

Although excitement showed on Xiao Zhan's face, he did not immediately call out a price. With his eyes slightly closed, he waited for the little fish to finish their commotion.

The bidding continued for a while longer before the voices finally weakened. At the same time, an old man seated beside Xiao Zhan spoke indifferently. "Twenty thousand!"

As soon as the bid was called, the hall fell quiet. Some people looked at the expressionless old man and could only sit back down in disappointment. They did not have the power to compete with the Jia Lie Family.

"Hehe, Jia Liebi, my son just happened to advance to Dou Zhe recently. How about yielding it to me?" A middle-aged man turned his head and said with a smile that did not reach his eyes.

"Ao Ba Pa, it's not just your son who's a Dou Zhe. My son is one too!" Jia Liebi clearly did not get along with the middle-aged man and sneered directly.

"Then we'll each rely on our own abilities!" Ao Ba Pa sneered inwardly before calling out, "Twenty-three thousand!"

"Twenty-five thousand!"

In less than ten minutes, beneath the astonished gazes of everyone present, the two had actually pushed the price up to thirty-one thousand.

"Forty thousand!" Xiao Zhan, who had been sitting with his eyes closed, suddenly spoke.

The hall fell abruptly silent. Every gaze instantly shifted to Xiao Zhan. Even Ao Ba Pa and Jia Liebi were shaken by his sudden high bid.

"Hehe, it seems Clan Leader Xiao is determined to obtain this Dou Zhe Pill! Your son isn't a Dou Zhe, is he?" Jia Liebi said with a smile.

Xiao Zhan glanced at him and said calmly, "If you want it, bid for it. I definitely won't follow." Although Xiao Yan had recovered his talent, Xiao Zhan had not publicized the matter. Xiao Yan's cultivation had now broken through to the seventh stage of Dou Qi, and Xiao Zhan believed this Dou Zhe Pill would soon come in handy.

Jia Liebi's face twitched as if he were considering whether Xiao Zhan's words were true. After a moment, he shook his head. His goal this time was that item, not the Dou Zhe Pill.

Ao Ba Pa, seated on the other side, saw Jia Liebi withdraw and merely shrugged. Though the Dou Zhe Pill was enticing, it was not his goal either.

"Clan Leader Xiao Zhan has bid forty thousand Gold Coins. Is there anyone willing to bid higher?" Ya Fei asked with a smile as she looked over the quiet hall.

"Since no one is bidding further, this Dou Zhe Pill shall be purchased by Clan Leader Xiao Zhan!" Ya Fei looked around, then brought down the small hammer in her hand, officially confirming the buyer.

"Hehe, next is the highlight of this auction!" After putting away the Jade Bottle, Ya Fei waved her jade-like hand, and the lights on the platform dimmed. Bending slightly, she took out a silver tray from within the platform. Resting on the tray was an ancient, simple azure scroll.

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