My Lord, Are You a Fifth-Rank Alchemist?

The woman immediately put on a flattering smile and spoke soothing words.

"What are you saying, sir? Please, come in."

Li Xingluo shot the woman a sidelong glance, his cold gaze sending a shiver down her spine.

The woman vented her inner frustration on the guards, snapping at them twice before leading Li Xingluo and Xiao Yi Xian into the main hall, turning through a corridor, and entering a room.

"May I ask what item you wish to auction? Could you please present it for appraisal so we may determine its value?"

A maid served tea and exited, closing the door behind her, and Li Xingluo stopped putting on airs.

He took a bottle from his black ring and placed it on the table.

"This is it. Just a medicinal pill."

"A pill?" The woman seemed particularly surprised, staring blankly at the bottle on the table.

"What? Is there a problem?"

"No, no problem at all. I will go fetch the auction house's alchemist immediately. Please, wait a moment."

The woman waved her hands repeatedly to hide her loss of composure, but as she walked out of the room, she still glanced back at Li Xingluo.

Before long, rapid footsteps echoed outside, and the woman led the auction house's only alchemist in, treating him with great deference.

The alchemist, however, was rather arrogant and remained unmoved by the fact that Li Xingluo was only auctioning a single pill. With disdain and haughtiness etched into his eyes, he strode into the room with an insufferable gait.

"Who wants to auction a pill? Where is it?"

Li Xingluo eyed the alchemist, who appeared to be in his forties or fifties. Seeing his insufferably arrogant demeanor, Li Xingluo couldn't even be bothered to acknowledge him.

He picked up his teacup and took a light sip, ignoring the alchemist's question entirely.

This made the alchemist's expression turn even uglier. The woman, acting as the auctioneer, immediately smiled brightly to smooth things over, picking up the bottle from the table and handing it to the alchemist.

The alchemist did not immediately take the bottle from her; instead, he sat in the main seat. The woman had no choice but to follow suit, respectfully offering it with both hands.

From beginning to end, Li Xingluo remained cold and indifferent, not holding the alchemist in any regard at all.

The alchemist took the bottle, examined its unremarkable exterior, and a look of triumph appeared on his face.

"Just this? What kind of good pill could this possibly be?"

"Sir, won't you open it and take a look?"

The woman noticed the alchemist had casually set the bottle on a side table, showing no intention of appraising it.

Li Xingluo knew clearly that this man was simply trying to deflate his ego.

The woman's words were met only with a disdainful look from the alchemist, which served as a warning.

Li Xingluo slowly stood up and walked straight toward the alchemist. The alchemist felt a surge of joy, unable to hide the smirk on his lips.

But the next second, Li Xingluo did not do what the man expected; instead, he picked up the pill from the table and turned to leave.

"Insolent! Do you think my Aus Auction House is a place where you can come and go as you please?"

Li Xingluo swept a glance at the alchemist from the corner of his eye. That chilling look made the alchemist feel as if he had fallen into an ice cellar.

Li Xingluo slowly opened the stopper, and a thick, rich medicinal fragrance instantly permeated the entire room.

The alchemist, who had been so arrogant just a moment ago, saw his expression turn incredibly complex following that simple, unassuming gesture.

Although the woman was not an alchemist, her extensive experience told her that this pill was definitely extraordinary.

Li Xingluo put the pill back into his black ring and headed toward the door.

The alchemist rushed to catch up, blocking Li Xingluo's path with a look of slight embarrassment.

He raised his hands in a respectful bow and said, "This lowly one was blind and failed to recognize a master. I beg for your forgiveness."

From the moment the man entered, Li Xingluo had seen that he was merely a second-grade alchemist. Perhaps he was a somebody in this tiny Maple Forest City, but in Li Xingluo's eyes, he was truly nothing.

Seeing the stark contrast in the man's attitude, Li Xingluo felt a wave of disgust.

The woman was quite capable; seeing her alchemist bow and admit his mistake, she also stepped forward with a bright smile and bowed sincerely.

"Sir, it was just a misunderstanding. Please, don't take it to heart."

"Oh? A misunderstanding?"

The pressure Li Xingluo exerted was more than sufficient, especially with those cold eyes that made one feel he was unfathomable.

"Yes, it was all a misunderstanding. I was rude just now; please, do not take offense."

Watching the man before him, Li Xingluo found it truly comical. He had tried to suppress him just moments ago, and now he was fawning over him—it was laughable.

Forget it. If he weren't in need of money, Li Xingluo would have walked out directly.

"Very well, let us consider it a misunderstanding. However, this old man hopes such misunderstandings do not happen again."

Seeing Li Xingluo change his mind, the alchemist wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

He realized that the moment Li Xingluo opened the stopper and the fragrance wafted out, he—as a second-grade alchemist—could never have refined such a pill. He recalled smelling such a rich fragrance once at the Alchemist Guild; that had been a fifth-grade pill.

If the person before him could refine a fifth-grade pill, he was not someone a mere second-grade alchemist could afford to offend.

Li Xingluo took out the pill, and this time, the alchemist carefully received it with both hands, holding it as if it were precious treasure.

Uncorking the vial, a rich medicinal fragrance wafted out once more. He took out the pill inside; it was crystal clear and bright in color, without a single impurity mixed within.

As a second-tier alchemist, he was completely unable to identify the grade of the pill in his hand and could only look toward Li Xingluo for help.

"My lord, this humble one is merely a second-tier alchemist; I truly cannot identify the grade of your medicinal pill."

He had essentially cast aside his old pride. In truth, Li Xingluo did not know the grade of this Breakthrough Pill either. Firstly, it did not exist in the original story, and secondly, the pill formula provided did not list a grade.

The only thing Li Xingluo was certain of was that one Breakthrough Pill could allow a Dou Shi to rise five stars in a row without any side effects. He had tried it himself; otherwise, he could not have advanced to a seven-star Dou Shi in the short span of a month. Such a cultivation speed was like riding a rocket.

Li Xingluo could not stop the joy bubbling in his heart; not being able to identify it was exactly what he wanted.

"This pill is fifth-tier."

"Fifth-tier?" The woman and the auction house alchemist both wore expressions of utter disbelief.

"Indeed."

"Might I ask what effect this pill has?"

Li Xingluo began to put on an act. He knew that no matter what, he could never reach the level of a fifth-tier alchemist, but since none of them recognized it, pretending was perfectly fine.

Li Xingluo cleared his throat and returned to his seat, while the two followed behind him very respectfully and remained standing.

"This pill can help a Dou Shi rise five stars in a day, a Dou Grandmaster four stars, a Dou Ling three stars, and even a Dou King can advance."

Li Xingluo started boasting directly. In truth, other than knowing it could boost a Dou Shi, he had no idea if it was useful for the others.

However, it was enough to bluff them. Besides, he wouldn't be staying in Maple Forest City for long, and with his disguise, he wasn't afraid of anyone coming to cause trouble.

But as soon as these words left his mouth, the woman and the auction house alchemist were stunned.

"This..."

"Why, do you not believe what this old man says?"

"No, no, no, that is not it, my lord, you have misunderstood. This humble one simply finds it inconceivable. I never imagined such a pill could exist in this world."