Miter Auction House, First Meeting with Ya Fei

Dressed in a vivid red, form-fitting Brocade Robe, exquisitely crafted and lavish in design, she had her beautiful curves outlined to perfection. A stretch of dazzlingly white, slender legs showed beneath the robe, stirring a fiery impulse in one's heart. A silver sash cinched her willow-thin waist, highlighting its delicate curve to the fullest.

Even Zi Yu, who had long since seen countless peerless beauties, had to admit that this woman, radiating charm and seduction from head to toe, was exactly the kind of temptress who could make a man's bones go weak.

But she did not hold that much appeal to him.

After all, none of the women around him were inferior to her; some even surpassed her.

Thus, he would not deliberately try to grow closer to her. He would simply let things take their natural course.

As for the old man, there was an emblem resembling a medicinal cauldron on his chest. Two silver ripples adorned the cauldron's surface, gleaming brightly.

This was unmistakably the mark of a Second-Grade Alchemist!

This old man was a genuine Second-Grade Alchemist.

When Zi Yu noticed the arrivals, his expression remained unchanged.

Because he already knew who they were.

Miter Yafei and the Second-Grade Alchemist Gu Ni.

But judging by the timing, Miter Yafei should have only recently arrived in Wutan City for training.

At this time, the protagonist Xiao Yan did not yet know her. They would not meet and begin interacting until two years later.

After arriving, Ya Fei first turned her gaze toward Zi Yu.

Being skilled in social graces and possessing a delicate, perceptive mind, she saw at once that he was the leader of the group.

When she saw Zi Yu's handsome, radiant features and his otherworldly temperament, her beautiful eyes briefly went unfocused.

Even the well-traveled Ya Fei could not help sighing, "What an Immortal Youth!..."

After that brief daze, Ya Fei quickly recovered.

Then, in a soft and sweet voice, she asked, "May I ask if it is you, Young Master, who wishes to trade Second-grade Pills?"

"That's right! It is I!..."

Zi Yu replied calmly, utterly unmoved.

When Ya Fei saw that he was unaffected by her beauty, she immediately became deeply curious!

She muttered inwardly, Has my charm declined? Why is it having no effect today on a boy who looks only thirteen or fourteen?...

In the past, whenever she appeared within a man's sight, many men would come up to strike up conversations with her, their eyes filled with greed and desire.

If not for her birth into the Mite'er Family, many men would likely have come directly to harass her.

Thus, she possessed an innate confidence in her own beauty. It was precisely because of this that she had been able to navigate every side and borrow strength to rise step by step to where she was today.

Yet today, the beauty she had always taken pride in had suffered its first major defeat.

This could not help but fill Ya Fei with a profound sense of frustration.

At the same time, it made her intensely curious about the Immortal Youth before her.

However, who was Ya Fei? A business prodigy who had struggled in the marketplace for several years, she had long cultivated the ability to remain calm and handle all manner of situations.

Thus, she quickly composed herself.

Zi Yu took in every change in Ya Fei's expression.

The best way to deal with a woman like Ya Fei was to ignore her beauty and charm.

Only then could he make her lose the composure of believing that "everything is under control."

As long as that state of mind faltered, the rest would become much easier!

Having regained her composure, Ya Fei spoke again in a clear voice, "Oh? May I ask your honored name, Young Master, and what kind of Second-grade Pills you wish to trade? Would you allow this little woman to inspect them?..."

"My name is Zi Yu. Zi as in purple qi coming from the east, Yu as in commanding the ten directions."

Zi Yu replied blandly.

"Zi Yu! A fine name! It suits Young Master's appearance and temperament perfectly! This little woman is Ya Fei, the person in charge of this auction house."

Ya Fei praised.

Then she asked again, "What kind of Second-grade Pills does Young Master Zi Yu wish to trade? May Ya Fei examine them?"

"Here. These six bottles contain Clear Heart Pills, Qi Tempering Pills, and Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid!"

"Second-grade Clear Heart Pills! Any Dou Master or cultivator below that level who consumes one will be able to calm their heart, clear their mind, eliminate distracting thoughts, and swiftly enter a cultivation state!"

"Second-grade Qi Tempering Pills! They can temper Dou Qi and refine and solidify one's foundation for Dou Masters and cultivators below that level!"

"Second-grade Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid! It can accelerate cultivation for Dou Qi cultivators below the Dou Practitioner realm!"

"Take them and inspect them!"

Zi Yu introduced them blandly.

After hearing Zi Yu's introduction, Ya Fei was somewhat surprised.

Then she hurriedly accepted the six jade bottles with great care.

She handed them to the Second-Grade Alchemist who had arrived with her—Gu Ni—for appraisal.

"Master Gu Ni! I'll trouble you!..."

"Hehe! Miss, this is simply my duty. Why call it trouble?..."

Gu Ni replied with a smile.

With that, he opened the jade bottles and began examining them.

When Gu Ni saw the quality of the Second-grade Pills inside the jade bottles, he was greatly shocked!

"Hm?..."

Seeing Gu Ni's expression, Ya Fei hurriedly asked from beside him, "Master Gu Ni! What is it? Is there a problem?"

Hearing Ya Fei's question, Gu Ni said bitterly, "Miss! Every one of the Second-grade Pills this young master wishes to trade is smooth and lustrous, of exceptional quality! They have reached top-grade quality, and their effects are far stronger than ordinary Second-grade Pills!"

At those words, Ya Fei was immediately astonished!

Top-grade Second-grade Pills!

Pills of such quality were exceedingly rare even in the imperial capital of the Jia Ma Empire!

Who would have thought they would appear in a small place like Wutan City?

For a moment, waves of shock surged endlessly through her heart!

Ordinary Second-grade Pills naturally would not have caused Ya Fei to lose her composure like this, but Second-grade Pills that had reached top-grade quality were entirely different.

Because to refine Second-grade Pills of this quality, at the very least, a Fourth-grade Alchemist had to take action.

Even an ordinary Third-grade Alchemist would fall somewhat short!

As for a Second-Grade Alchemist, there was no need to even consider it!

Yet she had complete faith in Gu Ni's words!

Although his alchemy level was only at the Second-Grade, he had indeed seen an enormous number of pills!

Moreover, though she herself had never seen top-grade Second-grade Pills, she had seen high-grade Second-grade Pills, one level below them.

The quality of the Second-grade Pills before her was far superior even to high-grade Second-grade Pills, so she could naturally tell the difference.

At that thought, Ya Fei resolved to befriend him.

She absolutely could not slight him!