Ya Fei wanted to say something else, but she found her mouth wrapped in Dou Qi, leaving her unable to make a sound.
She tried to stand, only to feel her entire body go numb and weak, completely unable to move.
She could only glare at Zhang Yuan with humiliated eyes, but he ignored her entirely.
At that moment, Zhang Yuan's level of "annoyance" in her heart nearly caught up to that irritating Mu Zhan.
Xun Er smiled faintly and held her teacup as she asked curiously, "Brother Zhang Yuan, although the insights of a Third-grade Alchemist are only useful to Alchemists, if they were auctioned off, their price would exceed that of many Fourth-grade Pills. Trading them for a Fourth-tier Wind Elemental Core would be too much of a loss."
Alchemists held esteemed status, but not just anyone could establish a connection with one.
Things such as the insights of high-level Alchemists and certain special pill formulas could move an Alchemist.
"Mmph!" Ya Fei's peach-blossom eyes widened.
She had realized the same thing. She had even thought that Zhang Yuan was simply too young.
She had kept talking to Zhang Yuan because she wanted to disrupt his train of thought, but Xun Er had unexpectedly ruined her plan.
"I understand that, of course." Zhang Yuan glanced at Ya Fei and smiled. "I wasn't lying earlier. The person I truly came here to see was Master Gu Ni. The Fourth-tier Wind Elemental Core was merely incidental."
Hearing this, Xun Er said nothing more. Her reminder had come from concern, but she would not interfere with Zhang Yuan's decision.
Ya Fei also stopped struggling and lowered her head to ponder Zhang Yuan's true intentions.
Not long after, Master Gu Ni returned and placed a jade box on the table beside Zhang Yuan before rubbing his hands together.
Zhang Yuan released his soul power to scan the contents. After confirming that the items in both jade boxes were correct, he stored them in his Storage Ring and said, "Master Gu Ni, do you think a mere Fourth-tier Wind Elemental Core can possibly match the insights of a Third-grade Alchemist written by a high-level Alchemist?"
"It can't." Master Gu Ni shook his head honestly.
Just one-tenth of the scroll's contents had already benefited him immensely. There was no need to mention the complete version.
"Mmph!" Ya Fei wanted to say something, but she could not break free of the Dou Qi restraining her.
Zhang Yuan acted as though he had not noticed and continued, "Then what else can Master Gu Ni offer?"
"What do you need?" Master Gu Ni considered briefly. "As long as I can provide it, I can use it in this transaction."
At his age, he was still only a Second-grade Alchemist. Aside from his mediocre inheritance, his talent for alchemy was also rather poor.
A Third-grade Alchemist might be a height he could never reach in his lifetime, yet the scroll in Zhang Yuan's hands had allowed him to see a glimmer of hope.
For that hope, he was willing to give up most of what he possessed.
"What I need is very easy for you to accomplish, Master." Zhang Yuan smiled. "We need the Mittel Auction House to share most of its intelligence with the Xiao Clan, and to provide the Xiao Clan with certain medicinal ingredients over the long term."
Using Old Yao's insights of a Third-grade Alchemist to trade for a Fourth-tier Magical Core was naturally not worthwhile. Even using them to win over Master Gu Ni was somewhat wasteful.
But if he could also bring the Mittel Family of Wutan City into the arrangement, then things would be different.
"This matter is not something I can decide alone." Master Gu Ni turned to look at Ya Fei.
The Mittel Family's method of controlling auction houses in various regions was to assign two or three decision-makers depending on the circumstances.
For example, at the Wutan City auction house, Ya Fei was a direct descendant of the Mittel Family. Though her strength was low, she had a head for business. She could contact the family and managed the auction house's daily operations and commercial affairs.
Master Gu Ni was an outsider. As a Second-grade Alchemist and a Da Dou Shi, he oversaw the auction house, handling appraisals and security.
The two cooperated with each other while also keeping each other in check.
"This is impossible!" Zhang Yuan released Ya Fei from his control, and she immediately rose to her feet. "The foundation of the Mittel Auction House is neutrality. We will not interfere in the struggles between families within any city."
"We can pay money, or use resources the Xiao Clan needs to purchase that scroll from Master Gu Ni."
Master Gu Ni's expression did not change. He only looked at Zhang Yuan without speaking.
Zhang Yuan smiled. "Sister Ya Fei, you have misunderstood two things. The Xiao Clan is not seeking cooperation with the Mittel Auction House. We are seeking cooperation with the two of you. And we do not need you to participate in Wutan City's power struggle."
"You're deceiving yourself." Ya Fei's aura changed, and her tone sharpened. "Master Gu Ni and I are the people in charge here. If we cooperate with you, then the auction house is cooperating with you, and we would be indirectly participating in the struggle."
Could one's stance truly not be changed?
As long as the price was high enough, such a thing did not exist.
A hint of amusement appeared in Zhang Yuan's smile. "Sister Ya Fei, you said yourself that you wanted to achieve something in Wutan City, earn the family's recognition, and gain control over your own fate. Do you think remaining neutral can accomplish that?"
Ya Fei smiled noncommittally and asked, "Then can cooperating with the Xiao Clan accomplish it?"
"Of course." Zhang Yuan nodded. "In fact, the scroll Master Gu Ni just examined was written by the master of my Brother Yan's teacher."
Xiao Yan and the others: "..."
Yao Chen: So I have not only become a Fourth-grade Alchemist, but also my own teacher?
"The Third Young Master Xiao's teacher is an Alchemist?" Ya Fei's gaze flickered.
"Correct." Zhang Yuan nodded. "I believe you both know that my Brother Yan was unable to cultivate. That was actually a test from his teacher. Now that he has passed the test, he has become the disciple of a Fourth-grade Alchemist."
"That Fourth-grade Alchemist comes from the Black Corner Region and has an even stronger teacher. That scroll was written by my Brother Yan's grandmaster."
Hiss!
Master Gu Ni and Ya Fei looked at each other, both drawing in a cold breath.
If Zhang Yuan was not speaking nonsense, then the Xiao Clan had attached itself to a Fourth-grade Alchemist. Wouldn't they be about to rise to prominence?
If that were the case, cooperating with the Xiao Clan would indeed be fine. But what if Zhang Yuan was deceiving them?
"Big Sister has a question." Ya Fei stared intently at Zhang Yuan. "If the Third Young Master Xiao has become the disciple of a Fourth-grade Alchemist, why hasn't the Xiao Clan publicized it?"
If the Xiao Clan truly had a Fourth-grade Alchemist behind them, even a Dou Ling would have to treat them politely.
"Because I am only a nominal disciple for now." Xiao Yan answered on his own. "The rules of my master's school state that I must become a Second-grade Alchemist before I can be formally accepted as a disciple. Before then, I cannot mention my master's name."
Master Gu Ni:?
I suspect you are looking down on me, and I have proof.
"So we cannot meet that Fourth-grade Alchemist either?" Ya Fei asked again.
"Not until Brother Yan becomes a Second-grade Alchemist." Zhang Yuan nodded.
Ya Fei pondered for a moment, then smiled alluringly. "Wouldn't that mean I have to gamble?"
"If you want to change your fate, and you have been given a chance to gamble, why not seize it?" Zhang Yuan countered before taking out the scroll and tossing it to Master Gu Ni.
"Master Gu Ni, the insights are yours. Consider them the Xiao Clan's sincerity in seeking cooperation."
"If you are willing to cooperate, then we will cooperate. If not, consider it a personal favor you owe the Xiao Clan."
After saying that, Zhang Yuan gave Xiao Yan and Xun Er a look, and the three turned to leave.
Xiao Zhan rose with them, but he did not intend to return home. He still had to attend tonight's auction and purchase some valuable items.
Ya Fei did not try to stop them. Only after the four had left did she ask Master Gu Ni, "Master Gu Ni, do you think his words are credible?"
"I think they are." Master Gu Ni held the scroll tightly and said, "I once had the fortune to attend lectures by a Fourth-grade Alchemist and a Rank 5 Alchemist from the Alchemist Guild. Neither was nearly as detailed or easy to understand as these insights."
"Even if those two Alchemist masters concealed some things during their lectures, the difference is still obvious."
"These insights should have been written by an Alchemist above Fifth-grade."
"Moreover, the Xiao Clan wants to purchase medicinal ingredients through the auction house's channels because they likely do not want the Jia Lie Family and Ao Ba Family to discover and obstruct them. They are preparing to refine pills for sale, which proves that there really is an Alchemist behind the Xiao Clan."
Ya Fei nodded solemnly. She was also inclined to believe what Zhang Yuan had said.
Cooperation was a long-term matter. Lies could deceive people for a while, but not forever.
"Do you plan to gamble?" Master Gu Ni asked.
"Of course." An unprecedented seriousness filled Ya Fei's peach-blossom eyes.
"Putting aside everything else, Zhang Yuan's strength and talent as a sixteen-year-old Nine-star Dou Master are enough to make me stake everything on one gamble."
"Tomorrow, I will personally visit the Xiao Clan and discuss the details of our cooperation."
Master Gu Ni nodded. "I fully support you."
Meanwhile, outside the auction house.
Xiao Yan discreetly looked Xun Er over, as though he wanted to speak but hesitated.
Xun Er seemed to sense it. She swept him a faint glance and asked, "Brother, is it really all right to reveal the existence of brother Xiao Yan's teacher?"
Xiao Yan: "..."
That was my line!!!
(End of Chapter)
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