Gu Ni's Shock

"Miss Ya Fei, since both sides are willing to cooperate, when will the Mittel Auction House be able to finish purchasing this batch of medicinal ingredients and deliver them to me?" Jia Lie Bi asked respectfully.

Ya Fei's soft, sultry laugh rang out. "Does Clan Leader Jia Lie Bi not trust our Mittel Auction House? As long as the Jia Lie Family has enough gold coins, I can have them transferred from other Mittel Auction Houses within three days!"

Though Ya Fei's words were somewhat arrogant, considering the Mite'er Family's status in the Jia Ma Empire, they were indeed true.

Jia Lie Bi's aged face twitched slightly as he cursed inwardly, What a shrewd woman—she won't act without seeing the profit! Naturally, he did not dare say such things aloud. This woman held no low status within the Mite'er Family; dealing with a Jia Lie Family in Wu Tan City would be absurdly easy for her. Jia Lie Bi was not foolish enough to provoke her.

Jia Lie Bi smiled. "Miss Ya Fei is right. Once I return, I'll immediately arrange for someone to coordinate with you. The gold coins will be delivered shortly!"

Ya Fei nodded slightly. "Clan Leader Jia Lie Bi is too courteous!"

Their conversation reached Xiao Yu, who was still in the hall. That old fox Jia Lie Bi is buying medicinal ingredients from the Mittel Auction House? What is he planning? Could he be trying to swallow up the Xiao Clan's business in Wu Tan City?

Jia Lie Bi said no more. After exchanging a greeting with Ya Fei, he prepared to leave. As he passed Xiao Yu, he glanced at him and frowned slightly. This person seemed somewhat familiar, but he was in a hurry to return and gather gold coins, so he gave it no further thought and hurried away.

At that moment, Ya Fei also noticed Xiao Yu standing in the hall. However, she paid him no mind and was about to turn away when Xiao Yu spoke. "I have business for you. I wonder if Miss Ya Fei is interested?"

Hearing Xiao Yu speak, Ya Fei replied with interest, "Oh? Little fellow, what good thing do you have?"

Xiao Yu did not disguise his voice, so it was clear that he was quite young. "A second-grade medicinal pill—Snow Jade Spirit Liquid!"

"You're an alchemist?" Ya Fei's previously languid posture straightened slightly as she asked with visible surprise.

Xiao Yu chuckled softly. "Why? Is that not allowed?"

Ya Fei quickly composed herself and turned to the maid beside her. "Go invite Master Gu Ni."

The maid hurried out of the hall. Xiao Yu naturally knew that the Mittel Auction House also had a second-grade alchemist, Gu Ni, but he was not worried and simply stood there calmly.

Ya Fei walked curiously up to Xiao Yu. "Could you introduce this second-grade medicinal pill you mentioned, sir?" Since Xiao Yu was an alchemist, Ya Fei had unconsciously begun addressing him respectfully. After all, alchemists were always worthy of respect.

"Snow Jade Spirit Liquid contains extremely pure energy. Taken internally, it restores Dou Qi; applied externally, it tempers the body," Xiao Yu said.

"There's actually such a miraculous medicinal pill? It works so well whether taken internally or used externally?" Ya Fei said in surprise, her delicate lips parting slightly.

The corner of Xiao Yu's mouth curved upward. "If it weren't good, I wouldn't have come looking for you."

Seeing Xiao Yu's smile, Ya Fei's heart trembled faintly, and a trace of blush rose to her face. "Looking for me?"

"Yes. Isn't the Mittel Auction House the best auction house in Wu Tan City? Naturally, this is where I can maximize my profits." Xiao Yu smiled lightly.

Yet upon hearing Xiao Yu's words, Ya Fei's expression froze. A trace of disappointment unexpectedly rose within her. She hurriedly cast aside the absurd thought and once more wore a seductive smile. "Naturally. If your medicinal pill truly has the effects you described, the Mittel Auction House will certainly offer you a satisfactory price!"

As she spoke, the maid who had left earlier returned with an elderly man in blue robes, his hair slightly white. Xiao Yu sized up the old man. On his chest was an emblem resembling a medicine cauldron, engraved with two silver ripples, symbolizing his noble status as a second-grade alchemist. He must be Gu Ni!

When Ya Fei saw Gu Ni, she smiled. "Uncle Gu Ni, this gentleman wishes to auction a second-grade medicinal pill, Snow Jade Spirit Liquid. It restores Dou Qi when taken internally and tempers the body when used externally. He would like Uncle Gu Ni to appraise it!"

A smile appeared on Gu Ni's ruddy face. "Very well, Miss!" Then he turned to Xiao Yu. "Sir, please take out your medicinal pill. I need to appraise it."

Xiao Yu directly handed the white bottle containing the Snow Jade Spirit Liquid to Gu Ni. After receiving it, Gu Ni opened the bottle, and a burst of medicinal fragrance immediately spread out. Everyone present felt their spirits lift, while Gu Ni's expression turned serious. Any medicinal pill with such a fragrance was surely extraordinary!

Gu Ni tilted the bottle slightly, and a drop of snow-white spirit liquid fell out, hovering quietly above his palm. Looking at the Snow Jade Spirit Liquid in Gu Ni's hand, Ya Fei revealed a hint of affection. Girls were naturally drawn to such pristine white things. "This medicinal pill is so pretty!" Ya Fei praised it, then muttered, "I wonder if it would work well for bathing!"

Xiao Yu's face immediately darkened. Ya Fei's thoughts really do run wild. Ya Fei seemed to sense the change in his mood, and her face reddened slightly.

Gu Ni was unaffected by the outside world. His eyes remained fixed on the white droplet. With a sweep of his hand, a silver needle appeared in his grasp. He wrapped the needle in Dou Qi, inserted it into the snow-white droplet, and gently stirred. Gu Ni sensed it carefully, and his expression gradually turned solemn. Soon, he withdrew the needle, returned the Snow Jade Spirit Liquid to the white bottle, and looked respectfully at Xiao Yu. "What you said is true, sir. It is indeed a second-grade medicinal pill!"

A trace of shock also flashed across Ya Fei's face. Could this little fellow truly be a second-grade alchemist?

Gu Ni smiled and asked, "Sir, do you intend to auction this bottle of spirit liquid?"

"Yes, but I have ninety-nine more bottles here—one hundred bottles in total. Can the Mittel Auction House take them all?" Xiao Yu asked.

Ya Fei came back to her senses and smiled. "No problem, sir. I believe Mittel will give you the most satisfactory price, but I will need one month to arrange everything!"

Xiao Yu knew that she intended to expand the publicity before holding the auction. He had no reason to refuse, so he said, "That's fine. However, I also have a first-grade medicinal pill. I wonder whether you want it?"

"A first-grade medicinal pill?" Ya Fei glanced at Gu Ni. Gu Ni nodded slightly, and Ya Fei then said, "Certainly. But what effects does this first-grade medicinal pill you wish to auction have?"

Xiao Yu said, "It can restore a Dou Zhe's Dou Qi to peak condition in a short time, with no side effects whatsoever!"

But Gu Ni shook his head from the side. "That's impossible. Medicinal pills always come with some degree of depletion. Restoring one's full strength in a short time may be possible, but having no side effects whatsoever is absolutely impossible!"

Xiao Yu did not argue. Instead, he directly took out the Mysterious Spirit Pill. Gu Ni accepted it with a hesitant expression and opened the bottle. A strange medicinal fragrance filled the entire hall, even richer than the fragrance of the second-grade Snow Jade Spirit Liquid from before!

"This is a first-grade medicinal pill? How can its quality be even better than that of a second-grade medicinal pill?" Ya Fei asked in confusion.

Gu Ni's expression changed. He hurriedly poured out the Mysterious Spirit Pill. A perfectly round green pill the size of a longan rolled out and hovered above his palm. When he saw the single ripple on the Mysterious Spirit Pill's surface, Gu Ni's face filled with horror. "This is... a Pill Pattern?"