"You're quite young, yet you've got some nerve. You dared to threaten someone from the Mittel Family. Do you think becoming a Black Armored Guard and currying favor with the Mu family means you can look down on everyone?"
Master Gu Ni stared coldly and arrogantly at Zhang Yuan, making Xiao Zhan break into a cold sweat.
It was true that strength reigned supreme on the Dou Qi Continent, but there was also a system and a set of unwritten rules. Powers would not easily escalate matters to the point of annihilating clans or destroying sects, especially when a stronger force dealt with a weaker one.
If you could wipe someone out today just because you were stronger and harvest their resources, then tomorrow, someone stronger could casually wipe you out. Would there still be any peace in this world?
There was only one place on the Dou Qi Continent where people could do such things without restraint: the Black Corner Region.
Thus, whether it was the Misty Cloud Sect, the Nalan family, or the Mittel Family, none of them could casually strike hard at the Xiao Clan. Otherwise, others would brand them as heretical scum and band together to attack them. The loss would outweigh the gain.
But given the Mittel Family's scale, they did not need to act personally to deal with the Xiao Clan. They had a hundred, even a thousand methods available to them—for instance, supporting the Jia Lie Family and Ao Ba Family with commercial intelligence.
That was why Xiao Zhan feared Zhang Yuan would offend Master Gu Ni too deeply.
"Master Gu Ni—"
Xiao Zhan wanted to smooth things over, but before he could finish, Zhang Yuan stood and said, "The threat was just a joke between Sister Ya Fei and me. I'm not so tasteless as to mean it."
Ya Fei immediately let out a silver-bell laugh, her eyes clearly saying, "Keep making things up. Go on."
She had lost her composure earlier only because Zhang Yuan had frightened her. Now, she remembered that she had someone to rely on as well.
Mu Zhan might have been irritating, but the Mu family had already punished him, and the Mittel Family was willing to give her a chance to prove her worth. She had no need to be too afraid.
Still, in the spirit of avoiding trouble, she was willing to sell the Mittel Family's Fourth-tier Wind Elemental Core at a low price.
"Actually, I came to see you from the very beginning, Master Gu Ni." Zhang Yuan smiled.
Ya Fei's narrow, beautiful peach-blossom eyes narrowed slightly. She could not quite figure Zhang Yuan out.
She crossed her arms over her chest, making her slender willow waist seem even thinner and her cleavage all the more eye-catching.
Xun Er frowned slightly and silently called her a vixen.
Zhang Yuan did not let his gaze wander and simply looked at Master Gu Ni.
The latter could not help asking, "You came to see me? Do you think I would step forward to help you secure this Fourth-tier Wind Elemental Core?"
The market price of a Fourth-tier Wind Elemental Core was two hundred thousand gold coins, but if one came from the Mite'er Auction House, the Jia Lie Family would generally purchase it for three hundred thousand.
If Xiao Zhan joined the bidding, then four hundred thousand would only be the starting point. That was already double the price.
And if Ya Fei used some rhetoric and tactics to provoke the bidders, then who knew how high it could go?
"Why not?" Zhang Yuan asked in return.
"Young man, you are somewhat ignorant." Master Gu Ni said arrogantly, "If it were Xiao Zhan, I could perhaps ask on his behalf. But asking me to use a favor owed by the Mittel Family is absolutely impossible."
"What if I offer something that interests you, Master?" Zhang Yuan asked again.
"Not only are you ignorant, you're also quite conceited." Master Gu Ni shook his head. "If you had something that could interest me, why not auction it directly for money, then compete for that Magic Core yourself? Why make me go through the trouble?"
"Besides, I do not believe you can produce anything that would interest me."
Zhang Yuan smiled without saying anything else. He simply took a scroll from his Storage Ring and handed it to Master Gu Ni.
The surrounding people were utterly confused. Only Xiao Yan heard Old Yao's suddenly enlightened voice by his ear: "So that's how it is. This boy really is cunning to the point of being monstrous."
Xiao Yan really wanted to ask Old Yao what he meant, but the occasion did not allow it.
Master Gu Ni did not understand what Zhang Yuan was up to, but he still accepted the scroll and opened it to inspect it.
At first glance, he instinctively frowned.
At the second glance, his pupils contracted.
By the third glance, his eyes turned fiery, and his expression became serious.
He unrolled more of the scroll and continued reading.
After about the time it took to drink a cup of tea, he became more and more engrossed. From time to time, he muttered, "So that's how it is," "It can actually be done this way," "This old man understands," and "A stroke of genius."
When he had unrolled nearly a tenth of the scroll, a hand suddenly reached over.
"How daring!"
The scroll was snatched away. Master Gu Ni, who had been reading with great enthusiasm, roared and immediately activated his Dou Qi Armor, reaching out to seize it back.
Boom!
Thunder rumbled as Zhang Yuan, standing before Master Gu Ni, transformed into a silver-purple afterimage.
Master Gu Ni's vision blurred. He immediately released his soul power and chased after him.
Sounds constantly rang out within the private room, but Ya Fei and Xiao Yan could only see two flickering points of light.
"This kid's movement technique is quite good. His speed should surpass that of most Da Dou Shi," Yao Chen commented to himself.
Xiao Yan was so envious he could practically die.
Although he knew his cousin was incredibly impressive, he wanted to be that impressive too.
"Senior, shouldn't you have calmed down by now? Don't tell me you intend to seize it by force?"
Zhang Yuan reappeared in his original spot and lifted his teacup. The scroll had already vanished.
Two breaths later, Master Gu Ni appeared beside Ya Fei. Looking at Zhang Yuan, he said, "Good boy. Your speed is faster than that of ordinary Da Dou Shi. As expected of the Black Armored Guard captain—you truly are outstanding."
Everyone: "..."
Master Gu Ni, that was not what you were saying just now.
Could you please bring back that arrogant air of a Second-grade Alchemist?
"Am I qualified to ask for your help now, Master?" Zhang Yuan blew on his tea.
"Qualified. Of course you're qualified." Master Gu Ni rubbed his hands together. "As long as you're willing to give me that scroll, I'll immediately help you obtain that Wind Elemental Core. I can even cover the cost myself."
Ya Fei was instantly dumbfounded.
That was not what Master Gu Ni had said when he first arrived.
Zhang Yuan smiled. "I told you Master Gu Ni was such a warmhearted person. My judgment of people truly was not wrong."
"Correct. You really are a good judge of character." Master Gu Ni nodded in agreement.
Zhang Yuan discreetly observed Xiao Yan and found his expression unchanged.
Clearly, this cousin of his had transmigrated quite early and did not know the joke behind "you really are a good judge of character." Otherwise, he would definitely have laughed out loud.
"Master Gu Ni, I think it would be more appropriate for you to secure the Fourth-tier Wind Elemental Core first, then return to discuss matters with me. What do you think?" Zhang Yuan stared at Master Gu Ni.
"My mistake, my mistake." Master Gu Ni immediately nodded. "I'll go now."
Without greeting anyone, he hurriedly turned and left, as though he feared that slowing down would cost him his life.
"..."
Ya Fei bit her lip. After Master Gu Ni left the private room, she asked in confusion, "Good little brother, what exactly is written on that scroll of yours?"
Anything that could make a Second-grade Alchemist react so intensely was certainly no ordinary thing.
Curiosity also filled Xiao Zhan and the others' eyes, but they did not ask. After all, they were outside.
"It's not anything particularly valuable. To you, Sister, it might not even be worth as much as a pretty dress." Zhang Yuan raised his teacup, and his meaning was obvious.
Ya Fei picked up the teapot and poured him tea with a reproachful expression. Her peach-blossom eyes seemed capable of stealing souls.
"It's merely a Third-grade Alchemist's notes, written by a high-ranking Alchemist," Zhang Yuan said.
Ya Fei's pupils abruptly constricted.
Xiao Yan suddenly understood. Before dinner, Zhang Yuan had asked Old Yao for a small favor. It must have been about these notes.
Xiao Zhan's eyes lit up, while Xun Er remained the calmest of all.
What a lavish move. Ya Fei was secretly shocked.
Indeed, these so-called Third-grade Alchemist's notes were useless to her and truly not worth as much as a pretty dress.
But they were useful to Alchemists. Using them to befriend an Alchemist was worth more than any number of beautiful dresses.
"Little brother, you're teasing your sister." Ya Fei moved close to Zhang Yuan and breathed fragrant air as she said, "If you'd brought this out directly, I would have presented that Fourth-tier Wind Elemental Core to you with both hands."
"But then Master Gu Ni's favor would belong to you, wouldn't it?" Zhang Yuan ignored Ya Fei's little movements.
If something could be settled with money, then it should naturally be settled with money. Wasn't it better to use Old Yao's perfected version of Third-grade Alchemist's notes to make Master Gu Ni owe him a major favor?
Ya Fei feigned hurt. "Are you really going to draw such clear lines between us?"
As expected of a stunning beauty—she really knew how to act.
But Zhang Yuan had had enough fun. He casually waved out a strand of Dou Qi.
A force pushed Ya Fei backward, and she staggered before sitting down on a stool.
"Sister Ya Fei, stay quiet for a while. Once Master Gu Ni returns, we can discuss things properly." Zhang Yuan said this expressionlessly, then picked up the teapot and smiled as he poured tea for Xun Er.
Ya Fei once again felt the urge to bite something.
Why did she pour tea for Zhang Yuan, while he poured tea for another woman?
What did she lack!?
Ya Fei herself did not notice that the woman who usually toyed with men's hearts was being freely toyed with by Zhang Yuan.
(End of Chapter)
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