The Mittel Auction House Invites Him!

The elders were still seated in the chairs in the Xiao Clan's main hall, their faces filled with utter shock.

The Mittel Auction House, Ya Fei—she was one of the most distinguished figures in Wutan City. Why would she send someone to invite Xiao Chen?

"Clan Chief, what do you think Ya Fei wants with Xiao Chen?" the Second Elder asked.

Xiao Zhan shook his head. "I have no idea."

"Xiao Chen is only at Three-Stage Dou Qi... How could Ya Fei know him?" the Third Elder said.

"The invitation is to the Mittel Auction House, too," the Fourth Elder added.

The elders all speculated about Ya Fei's intentions.

The Great Elder sat in the seat of honor, his brow furrowed. He couldn't make sense of it either.

Although Chen'er was his grandson, his strength was plain to see: Three-Stage Dou Qi. He couldn't even rank among the best in all of Wutan City. How could Ya Fei...

"All right, stop guessing," Xiao Zhan said. "We can ask Xiao Chen when he gets back."

The elders nodded and said no more.

Xiao Chen walked into the hall from the rear courtyard and saw the elders all looking at him.

"Grandpa." He walked up to the Great Elder. "You wanted to see me?"

The Great Elder nodded. "Chen'er, someone from the Mittel Auction House came by just now."

Xiao Chen's heart stirred at that. The Mittel Auction House? Ya Fei?

"They said Miss Ya Fei would like to invite you to the auction house for a visit," the Great Elder said.

Xiao Chen looked at the Great Elder, a puzzled expression on his face.

"Ya Fei? What does she want with me?"

"We don't know," the Great Elder said. "You'll find out when you get there."

Xiao Chen thought it over, then nodded.

The Great Elder looked at him, seeming to want to say something but holding back.

"Chen'er, be careful," he said.

"Don't worry, Grandpa," Xiao Chen replied.

With that, Xiao Chen turned and headed out of the hall.

The elders watched his back, exchanging glances.

"Why do you think Ya Fei invited him?" the Second Elder asked.

"Who knows?" the Third Elder said. "Maybe she mistook him for someone else."

"Could be," the Fourth Elder said. "Xiao Chen is a good-for-nothing. Why would Ya Fei take an interest in him?"

At the words "good-for-nothing," the Great Elder's expression darkened.

Seeing this, the elders immediately fell silent.

Xiao Chen walked out of the Xiao Clan's gate and saw a maid standing there.

She wore a pale green dress and had delicate features. As soon as she saw Xiao Chen, she hurried over.

"Young Master Xiao Chen." The maid bowed.

Xiao Chen looked at her. "And you are?"

"This servant is a maid from the Mittel Auction House. Miss Ya Fei sent me to invite you over," she said.

Xiao Chen nodded. "Let's go."

The maid walked ahead, with Xiao Chen following behind her as they headed toward the Mittel Auction House.

Walking ahead of him, the maid felt a little nervous. She sneaked a glance back at Xiao Chen.

The young man looked no older than fifteen or sixteen, but Miss Ya Fei had said he might be a Dou Wang expert.

A Dou Wang expert could manifest wings from Dou Qi. There were only a handful in the entire Jia Ma Empire.

The maid took a deep breath and quickened her pace.

Xiao Chen walked behind her, watching her back without saying a word.

He wondered why Ya Fei had invited him. Yesterday, when he'd come to buy medicinal ingredients and paid with a Fifth-Tier Magic Core, she must have noticed something and wanted to test him.

Xiao Chen weighed it over. So be it. I'll go. I'm a three-star Dou Emperor now, and no one in Wutan City can do anything to me.

In a VIP room at the Mittel Auction House, Ya Fei and Gu Ni sat together.

"Do you think he'll come?" Gu Ni asked.

"He should."

Gu Ni nodded.

"Once he gets here, how should we test his strength?" he asked.

Ya Fei considered it. "We'll chat with him first and see how he reacts."

"What if he really is a Dou Wang expert?" Gu Ni asked.

"Then we'll report him to the family," Ya Fei said. "A Dou Wang expert of only fifteen or sixteen must have a powerful faction behind him."

Gu Ni nodded. The Mittel Family was one of the Jia Ma Empire's three great families, with immense power. Befriending a Dou Wang expert could only benefit the family.

"And if he really is a Dou Wang expert, we mustn't offend him," Ya Fei added.

"Of course," Gu Ni said.

As they spoke, footsteps sounded outside the door.

"Miss Ya Fei, Young Master Xiao Chen has arrived," the maid called from outside.

Ya Fei and Gu Ni exchanged a glance, then immediately stood up.

"Please, come in," Ya Fei said.

The door opened, and Xiao Chen walked in.

A smile appeared on Ya Fei's face as she went to greet him.

"Young Master Xiao Chen, welcome!"

Xiao Chen looked at Ya Fei and replied mildly, "You're too kind, Miss Ya Fei."

"Please, have a seat," she said.

Xiao Chen sat down in a chair. Gu Ni came over and took the seat opposite him.

Gu Ni looked at Xiao Chen, curiosity flashing in his eyes. Was this the young man who had hunted a Fifth-Tier magical beast? He didn't look like anything special.

"Young Master Xiao Chen, I'm Gu Ni, the chief alchemist of the Mittel Auction House," he said.

Xiao Chen looked at Gu Ni and nodded.

"Master Gu Ni, I've heard much about you."

Gu Ni's heart stirred slightly. The young man was neither humble nor overbearing. Faced with a Second-Rank Alchemist like him, Xiao Chen showed no sign of nervousness or deference, as if Gu Ni were just an ordinary person.

Gu Ni murmured to himself.

"Young Master Xiao Chen, yesterday you bought medicinal ingredients and paid with a Fifth-Tier Magic Core," Ya Fei said. "May I ask where you got it?"

Xiao Chen looked at Ya Fei and replied evenly, "I hunted it."

Ya Fei's heart jolted. He hunted it? A Fifth-Tier magical beast? Was he really a Dou Wang expert?

"Young Master, you're quite formidable," she said. "A Fifth-Tier magical beast isn't something just anyone can hunt."

Xiao Chen said nothing.

Seeing that he didn't want to say more, Ya Fei didn't press him.

"Young Master, I invited you here today to have you stay as our guest," she said. "I'll have a banquet prepared this evening. I hope you'll honor us with your presence."

Xiao Chen looked at Ya Fei and nodded.

"Then I'll trouble you."

Ya Fei was delighted.

"You're too kind, Young Master," she said. "It's our honor to have you here."

Xiao Chen looked at Ya Fei and sneered inwardly. She had invited him here to probe his background, to see if he really was a Dou Wang expert and whether he had a powerful faction behind him.

Women in business were never simple.

But Xiao Chen didn't care. He was a three-star Dou Emperor now, and only a handful of people in the entire Jia Ma Empire could threaten him. If Ya Fei wanted to test him, let her.

"Master Gu Ni, please keep Young Master Xiao Chen company while I go arrange this evening's banquet," Ya Fei said.

Gu Ni nodded. "Go ahead."

Ya Fei stood up, smiled at Xiao Chen, then turned and left the VIP room.

Only Xiao Chen and Gu Ni remained in the VIP room.

"Yesterday, you bought ingredients for Energy Storage Grass. They're used to refine Energy Storage Pills," Gu Ni said. "Energy Storage Pills are Second-Rank pills. May I ask who you bought those ingredients for?"

Xiao Chen looked at Gu Ni. "For myself."

Gu Ni's heart jolted. For himself? Could he refine pills?

"Can you refine pills yourself, Young Master?" Gu Ni asked.

Xiao Chen nodded.

Gu Ni sucked in a breath. A Second-Rank Alchemist of only fifteen or sixteen? There were hardly any like that in the entire Jia Ma Empire.

"Young Master is truly extraordinary," Gu Ni said.

Xiao Chen said nothing.

Seeing that Xiao Chen didn't speak, Gu Ni found it difficult to ask anything else.

The two sat in the VIP room without saying a word.

Ya Fei stepped out of the VIP room into the corridor, shock flashing in her eyes.

He had hunted a Fifth-Tier magical beast, was a Dou Wang expert at fifteen or sixteen, and could refine pills. Just who was Xiao Chen?

Ya Fei took a deep breath and calmed herself.

Whatever the case, she had to befriend this young man. If he truly had a powerful background, it would be a tremendous boon to the Mittel Family.

Ya Fei turned and headed downstairs. She needed to arrange the evening banquet and make sure Xiao Chen was satisfied.

At dusk, Ya Fei had a banquet laid out in the auction house's rear courtyard.

The courtyard wasn't large, but it was tastefully decorated. A round table and several chairs stood amid a spread of dishes and fine wine.

With Gu Ni accompanying him, Xiao Chen arrived in the rear courtyard.

Ya Fei stood beside the table. When she saw Xiao Chen, a smile appeared on her face.

"Young Master Xiao Chen, please have a seat."

Xiao Chen nodded and sat down.

Ya Fei took the seat across from Xiao Chen, while Gu Ni sat beside them.

"Young Master, these dishes were prepared by the best chefs at our auction house. Please, try them," Ya Fei said.

Xiao Chen picked up his chopsticks and put a bite of food in his mouth.

"Not bad," he said.

Ya Fei's heart eased.

"I'm glad you like it," she said.

Ya Fei picked up her wine cup. "Young Master, allow me to offer you a toast."

Xiao Chen picked up his cup. He clinked it against Ya Fei's and drained it in one go.

Ya Fei also drained her cup.

Gu Ni sat beside them, watching Xiao Chen with a hint of puzzlement in his eyes. This bearing didn't seem like that of a fifteen- or sixteen-year-old boy.

Xiao Chen looked at Ya Fei and said mildly, "Miss Ya Fei, you didn't invite me here just to eat, did you?"

Ya Fei was taken aback. She hadn't expected Xiao Chen to call her out so directly.

"You jest, Young Master," she said. "I only wanted to make a friend."

"Make a friend?" Xiao Chen looked at Ya Fei.

Xiao Chen knew full well that Ya Fei's purpose went far beyond making friends.

But it didn't matter. He needed the connections and resources of the Mittel Auction House. They could each get what they wanted.

Ya Fei picked up her wine cup and offered Xiao Chen another toast.

Xiao Chen finished his wine and looked at Ya Fei.

They exchanged smiles, each harboring their own thoughts.