Ya Fei

It wasn't that he disliked Ya Fei's voice. He simply had no resistance to pleasant voices, which was why he reacted that way.

Xiao Peng secretly wondered whether he should avoid having too much contact with Ya Fei in the future.

While Xiao Peng was lost in thought, it was time for his Clear Wind Pill to be auctioned.

Ya Fei pinched the Jade Bottle containing the Clear Wind Pill between her slender fingers, her fingertips gently stroking its smooth, warm surface. Her red lips parted slightly, and her voice carried just the right amount of allure. "Everyone, the next item is today's little surprise: a Second-grade Pill, the Clear Wind Pill."

She tilted the Jade Bottle and poured out an emerald-green pill. Under the light, the flowing sheen across its surface was clearly visible. "This pill was refined by a mysterious alchemist. Its medicinal properties are mild and have no side effects. According to the appraisal of our Mite'er Auction House, it can accelerate cultivation from Dou Qi to the Dou Zhe realm by at least thirty percent."

"At least thirty percent?" A wave of sharp breaths immediately rose from below the stage.

Ordinary supplementary pills were already considered decent if they offered a twenty-percent effect. At least thirty percent was simply unbelievable.

"Ya Fei, is that true?" someone could not help but call out.

Ya Fei covered her lips and laughed softly, her eyes glimmering with charm. "Do you doubt the reputation of the Mite'er Auction House?"

As soon as those words were spoken, all doubts vanished.

The Mite'er Family held an extremely important position in Wu Tan City. They would never make a joke of their reputation.

"The starting bid is ten thousand Gold Coins!"

"Thirteen thousand!"

"Fifteen thousand!"

The price rose in an instant, more fiercely than for any of the previous auction items.

Sitting in the back row, Xiao Peng watched the people fighting until their faces turned red over the pill, lightly tapping his fingers against the table.

He remembered that Xiao Yan's Foundation Establishment Fluid had sold for around forty thousand Gold Coins. This one should be able to fetch over eighty thousand, right?

Xiao Yan's Foundation Establishment Fluid was only useful for Dou Qi, while his was useful even to Dou Zhe. It might sell for even more.

"Eighty thousand!"

A cold shout instantly silenced the noisy auction hall.

The bidder was Jia Lie Bi, patriarch of the Jia Lie Family, one of Wu Tan City's three great families.

The moment Jia Lie Bi finished speaking, he leaned back in his chair, casually tapping the armrest with his fingers. His gaze swept across the hall, carrying a condescending arrogance.

In his eyes, a price of eighty-five thousand was enough to force everyone else out.

Other than the three great families, who in Wu Tan City could produce so many Gold Coins at once?

Sure enough, the audience fell silent. Several merchants who had been eager to bid turned pale and quietly lowered their hands.

Ya Fei's eyes shifted slightly, her gaze drifting seemingly by chance toward the back rows. Her red lips parted. "Patriarch Jia Lie has bid eighty-five thousand. Is there anyone offering more? You should know that this Clear Wind Pill is also effective for Dou Zhe. Across all of Wu Tan City, I fear it would be difficult to find a second one."

There was a subtle incitement in Ya Fei's voice, like a stone cast into a still lake, sending ripples through the auction hall that had just fallen quiet.

Jia Lie Bi's brows creased almost imperceptibly. He had not expected Ya Fei to specifically emphasize the pill's effect on Dou Zhe.

Though the Jia Lie Family was one of the three great families, pills that could increase cultivation speed were extremely scarce. He had intended to suppress the room with his authority, but now he faintly sensed that things were becoming unstable.

Sure enough, a steady voice rang out from the left. "Ninety thousand."

It was Xiao Zhan, dressed in a fitted black outfit.

The Xiao Family and the Jia Lie Family had always been at odds. Naturally, they would not easily yield such an opportunity to increase their strength to the other side.

Jia Lie Bi's expression darkened as he sat upright. "Ninety-five thousand!"

"One hundred thousand." Xiao Zhan followed without hesitation. His voice was not loud, but it carried unquestionable resolve.

One hundred thousand Gold Coins!

A chorus of gasps rose from below the stage. They all felt it was not worth the price, yet Xiao Zhan had actually dared to bid one hundred thousand Gold Coins.

Jia Lie Bi's fingers suddenly clenched the armrest, his knuckles turning white.

He glanced at Xiao Zhan, who was calmly looking back at him without the slightest hint of retreat in his eyes.

The Jia Lie Family had recently been at a slight disadvantage in its commercial conflict with the Xiao Family. If they could not even win a single pill, they would become a laughingstock to the other families.

"One hundred and two thousand!" Jia Lie Bi gritted out.

"One hundred and five thousand." Xiao Zhan remained utterly calm.

The price soared all the way up, quickly breaking one hundred and ten thousand.

The auction hall was so quiet that a needle dropping to the floor could have been heard. Everyone's gaze was fixed on Jia Lie Bi and Xiao Zhan, and even their breathing had grown softer.

Sitting in the back row, Xiao Peng's fingers stopped tapping.

He had not expected things to develop this far, but he naturally knew what Xiao Zhan's goal was.

To drive up the price.

Xiao Zhan clearly had no intention of buying it. No one in the Xiao Family currently needed this pill.

Even if it was for Xiao Yan, they could not spend so much money.

Fine beads of cold sweat appeared on Jia Lie Bi's forehead. There was not much liquid capital left in the family accounts, and one hundred and fifteen thousand was already his limit.

"I'll let you have it."

Xiao Zhan smiled as he looked at Jia Lie Bi.

Xiao Zhan's casually spoken words pierced Jia Lie Bi's heart like a needle.

He abruptly looked up, a flash of astonishment appearing in his eyes before it was replaced by towering fury. This was not yielding at all—it was clearly mockery!

The entire hall was watching him, their gazes carrying amusement and ridicule.

Jia Lie Bi's cheeks flushed red. His fingers clawed tightly into the armrest, his knuckles nearly embedding themselves in the wood.

He knew that Xiao Zhan had played him.

If he backed down now, the Jia Lie Family would lose all face.

But if he stubbornly accepted the price of one hundred and fifteen thousand, the family's already strained finances would only worsen.

"Good... very good, Xiao Zhan!" Jia Lie Bi ground his teeth, forcing out the words through the gaps. "One hundred and fifteen thousand. My Jia Lie Family will take this pill!"

He slammed his hand onto the table. As he rose, he stirred a gust that fluttered his robes, but it could not conceal the embarrassment in his eyes.

Ya Fei raised her wooden hammer at just the right moment, her voice crisp. "Patriarch Jia Lie bids one hundred and fifteen thousand! Is there anyone offering more?"

No one answered.

A faint smile rested on Xiao Zhan's lips, as if he had merely done something insignificant. He leaned back against his chair and let his gaze settle on the Clear Wind Pill on the stage, his expression deep and unreadable.

"One hundred and fifteen thousand, going once!"

"One hundred and fifteen thousand, going twice!"

"One hundred and fifteen thousand, going three times! Sold!"

The hammer fell, but there was not the slightest joy on Jia Lie Bi's face. He shot Xiao Zhan a cold glance, then flicked his sleeve and said to the guards behind him, "Pay up. Take the pill!"

With that, he strode out of the auction house without looking back, his retreating figure stiff with determination.

At last, the auction hall erupted into the discussions it had been suppressing for so long. No one had expected this outcome.

Xiao Peng had no interest in the items that followed. He got up and left Auction Hall Number One.

Xiao Peng returned to the Treasure Appraisal Room and quietly lowered his head to wait beneath the respectful gaze of the middle-aged man.

"Little brother, you're the owner of the Clear Wind Pill, aren't you?" After a while, Ya Fei pushed open the door and entered.

Ya Fei was somewhat surprised when she saw Xiao Peng, but she quickly regained her smiling expression.

Xiao Peng nodded. "That's right. The auction is over, isn't it? Give me the money. I still have things to do."