Setting Out for Wutan

Mittel Auction House, Great Elder's office.

"Ya Fei, you did well this time."

The Great Elder sat in his elder's chair, unable to hide the smile on his face in the slightest. "I hereby declare your family trial complete. From now on, remain at auction house headquarters.

In a few days, when the Council of Elders convenes, come along as well. Elder Lei Ou is gone, so you can take his place.

You will serve as an elder of the auction house!"

Listening to the Great Elder below, Ya Fei found that the position she had dreamed of for so long had fallen into her hands so easily?

Yet Ya Fei felt no joy at that moment, only a sense of dazed unreality.

And amid that daze, a figure she had seen only yesterday flashed through her mind—Gu Fang!

Ya Fei knew full well why the Great Elder had ended her trial early, and why he had granted her an elder's position ahead of time. It was all because of Gu Fang.

Because she had emerged from Gu Fang's room, the Great Elder thought that...

Gu Fang had taken her body.

At that thought, Ya Fei looked at the Great Elder. The man she had once known and respected now seemed somewhat unfamiliar.

"Great Elder, yesterday was actually just an accident. Gu Fang summoned me to look after Zhan Xue..." Ya Fei recalled what had happened yesterday.

Then she spoke softly. Only after finishing the final word did Ya Fei let out a long breath.

She then looked into the Great Elder's eyes, only to discover...

The delight on his face had already vanished, replaced by an expression of confusion mixed with worry.

"Ya Fei, are you telling the truth?"

"Great Elder, it's true. Nothing really happened yesterday." Ya Fei answered him. Though her beautiful face showed no unusual expression,

bitterness was spreading through her heart.

She had long understood the nature of this world, but when she saw that someone she respected also viewed her as nothing more than a card to be played, she could not help but feel suffocated.

"Is that so? What a pity!"

The Great Elder shook his head before dropping heavily back into his chair. With his hands clasped together, he pondered for a moment. "Ya Fei, stay at headquarters for now.

As for the elder's position, it will have to wait a while longer. After all, your trial has not yet ended.

If you take the position now, people will inevitably gossip.

Also...

As for that Zhan Xue you mentioned, bring her into the inner district. Give orders for her to be properly nurtured.

Don't use those petty tricks anymore. Say that it was my order."

"Yes!"

Ya Fei gave a slight bow. "However, Great Elder, I request permission to return to Wutan City and continue my trial. We can discuss everything else after it is complete.

I ask that you grant this request!"

"Hm?"

The Great Elder cast Ya Fei a puzzled glance, but only one. He casually waved his hand. "As you wish. But wait until Young Master Gu has left

before you return!"

"Young Master Gu has already left!"

As Ya Fei spoke, she took out the jade bottle Gu Fang had given her from her chest and presented it to the Great Elder. "This is a gift Young Master Gu left behind before departing.

He asked me to pass it on to you, Great Elder."

"Hm? He's already left?"

The Great Elder was visibly stunned after hearing Ya Fei's words. Yet as he looked at the jade bottle, a faint smile gradually appeared on his face!

Taking the jade bottle, he said, "If he has left, then so be it. Ending things this way is not bad.

At least we did not offend him. That is a blessing amid misfortune."

Listening to the Great Elder's muttering, Ya Fei watched the leader of the Mite'er Family sitting in his chair and turning the jade bottle over in his hands.

One of the Jia Ma Empire's ten greatest experts, a Dou Wang powerhouse—

where was his imposing presence now? He was clearly just a child who had received his favorite candy.

And all of this was because of that youth.

The youth who had come like the wind, then left like the wind.

"Great Elder, I'll be leaving first!"

After speaking, Ya Fei pulled open the door and left without waiting for a response.

The Great Elder did not care in the slightest. At that moment, all his attention was fixed upon the pill in his hand, marked with three strange patterns!

One month later, Wutan City!

Teams of mercenaries gathered at the city gates. These bare-chested men joked with one another, carrying enormous Magic Beast corpses or pelts on their backs.

Magic Beast blood soaked their bodies, yet they did not care in the slightest, because...

These were their spoils of war.

Once inside the city, the furs and Magic Crystals of those Magic Beasts could be exchanged for gold coins. And with those glittering coins, they could buy delicious food and...

curvaceous beauties who would writhe beneath them in bed.

Yet amid these burly men, a handsome youth appeared utterly out of place!

The youth wore a long gray robe. He had star-like brows and sharp eyes, and although his face looked youthful, it seemed to carry traces of maturity. Whenever the mercenaries passed by him,

they could not help but glance at him before moving a few steps away,

as if afraid that the bloodstains on their bodies would soil him and ruin his flawless bearing!

"So this is Wutan City? After a month, I've finally arrived!"

Gu Fang raised his head to look at the inscription above the city gate and muttered, "I wonder where exactly the Xiao Family is. But...

before going there, I should first find a place to break through to Nine-Star Dou Shi."

In truth, Gu Fang could have arrived here much sooner, but he had not traveled at full speed along the way. Instead, he had devoted most of his time to cultivation.

For that reason, Gu Fang's strength had already reached the peak of Eight-Star Dou Shi.

He was only one step away from reaching Nine-Star Dou Shi.

"Once I break through to Nine-Star Dou Shi and stabilize my cultivation for a while, I'll take the Three-Pattern Green Spirit Pill to break through to Da Dou Shi. Then I'll head to the Monster Mountain Range,

to Monster Town!"

Gu Fang muttered to himself, but the moment his words fell, a shrill voice abruptly rang out beside his ear.

"Young master, are you heading to the Monster Mountain Range?

The Magic Beasts there have no eyes and know nothing of cherishing beauty. Why not come with me? I guarantee you'll be safe and sound!"

Gu Fang raised his head and saw a tall, thin middle-aged man standing before him.

Those sunken eyes were sizing up his body from top to bottom, and within them...

was a trace of lecherous lust.

As the tall, thin man came to a stop, the mercenaries who had originally kept two steps away from Gu Fang all retreated another four or five steps, then cast pitying looks toward him.

"What a shame. Diao Yu has taken an interest in him. He's done for."

"Isn't that right? What a pity."

"Diao Yu's skills are pretty good, but he's a little too rough.

The last time, he messed me up so badly that my ass still hurts. That damned bastard!"

As the final sentence rang out,

the chatter abruptly stopped. Everyone turned to look at the speaker, their eyes filled with extremely strange expressions.

"Fuck off. I'm not into men!"

Ignoring the surrounding discussion, Gu Fang turned his gaze toward Diao Yu and spoke coldly.