Battle Through the Heavens: Flame Emperor, Please Restrain Yourself—Your Brother Is Truly Quite Simple

Auction items did not necessarily have to go up for auction; they could also be purchased in advance, provided the auction house or the seller was willing.

However, to achieve this, one either needed extensive connections, high status, and great strength; or the seller had to be desperate for resources or money; or one had to be willing to pay more simply to avoid showing their face and competing with others.

The auction house would open tonight, and the Wind Elemental Core was originally an item the Mittel Auction House planned to auction. The chances of them agreeing were very low.

"This will be difficult." Xiao Zhan shook his head. "If it had been two years ago, I could still have swallowed my pride and asked. But now, the person in charge of the Mittel Auction House is Ya Fei, a young woman with considerable means and intelligence. She will not be easy to persuade."

"If we reveal our intentions too early, she may even fix her sights on us and make us pay a greater price."

The future Golden Empress—a woman whose business acumen was as exceptional as her cultivation talent was poor—had certainly earned her reputation.

Zhang Yuan revealed a confident smile. "Precisely because Ya Fei is in charge, this matter is easier to discuss."

Xiao Zhan, his son, and Old Yao:?

More than an hour later, after finishing dinner, Xiao Zhan and his son, Zhang Yuan, and Xun Er arrived at the Mittel Auction House together.

Zhang Yuan had taken a bath, removed his heavy armor, and changed into a special black robe of magical beast silk trimmed with gold. He seemed like a flawless jade figure cast from pure jade, his bearing shifting from that of a young general to that of a nobleman—lofty and refined.

Along the way, he drew the gazes of countless women, who cast him flirtatious looks.

Yet Zhang Yuan never once glanced aside, speaking only with Xun Er.

He had no desire to hear Xun Er ask, "How do these women compare to Xiao Yi Xian?"

That would leave him sitting on pins and needles, with thorns in his back and a bone stuck in his throat.

"Inform Miss Ya Fei that I have an important matter to discuss with her."

The group received dedicated service as soon as they entered the auction house, and Xiao Zhan directly requested to see Ya Fei.

As the head of the Xiao family and a Da Dou Shi, he naturally had the qualifications to do so.

The maid led them to a private room, where pastries and tea were brought out.

Zhang Yuan took some for Xun Er. The pastries here truly were distinctive.

Before long, the private room door opened, and a woman wearing a black qipao, black silk stockings, and high heels swayed in with a twist of her waist. Her features were exquisite, and her eyes alluring.

Xun Er frowned instinctively, but when she noticed the clarity in Zhang Yuan's gaze, she revealed a satisfied smile.

"Gulp!"

The sound of someone swallowing rang out abruptly.

It was Xiao Yan. At the height of youthful vigor, he had suddenly encountered such a peerless beauty and could not help himself for a moment.

However, he quickly straightened his posture and kept his eyes forward.

It was not that he was putting on a prim act. He simply was not sure what relationship Ya Fei had with Zhang Yuan.

Based on his "understanding" of Zhang Yuan, such a stunning beauty might well become his "future sister-in-law."

Xiao Yan's reaction left Ya Fei slightly surprised, but her gaze lingered longest on Zhang Yuan. She then gracefully took the main seat and said with a parting of her red lips, "There is still an hour until the auction begins. Clan Head Xiao has come quite early."

She did not directly ask why Xiao Zhan had wanted to see her in advance. In short, she was keeping control of the situation.

Xiao Zhan said nothing and instead looked toward Zhang Yuan.

Zhang Yuan set down his teacup and smiled. "Miss Ya Fei, it has been two years. I hope you have been well."

A gleam flashed through Ya Fei's beautiful eyes as she chuckled. "I was wondering who could be so handsome and so distinguished in bearing. So it is little brother Zhang Yuan. Come to think of it, you have not come to see your sister for two years. You truly are a heartless man."

Pfft—little brother Zhang Yuan?

Xiao Yan turned his head away, forcing himself not to laugh aloud.

That form of address was truly interesting. He had soaked in a hot spring with his Cousin before, completely bare before each other, and afterward his only thought had been never to soak in a hot spring with him again.

He considered himself exceptionally gifted as well, yet he had still been thoroughly defeated when compared to Zhang Yuan.

Ya Fei surely had never seen it, or how would she dare say such a thing?

But what he truly wanted to laugh at was that Zhang Yuan had brought Cousin Xun Er along. Was he not afraid of getting the knife?

Xun Er set down her teacup and looked at Zhang Yuan with a faint smile at the corner of her lips.

Zhang Yuan met her gaze openly and said with a hint of apology, "I did not expect that our few meetings two years ago had made Sister Ya Fei fall for me and suffer the pain of longing. I apologize."

"The next time I come to visit, I will certainly wear a mask beforehand, so Sister will not have the regret of wanting something she cannot have."

Ya Fei's smile stiffened. "..."

Was that what I meant?

She had originally wanted to tease him and casually dig a pit, only to bury herself in it instead.

Still, such a verbal disadvantage was nothing to her.

Her smile grew even brighter as she rested her cheek on one hand. "There is no need to go to such trouble. Seeing your face is like seeing a beautiful flower—it delights both body and mind. When you have time, you should come chat with your sister more often."

"Certainly, certainly," Zhang Yuan agreed without the slightest sincerity.

But whether he truly wanted to come was known only to himself.

Ya Fei smiled sweetly and asked, "So, little brother, what is it that you want to see your sister about? Surely you did not come seeking something after so many years apart?"

If it had been an ordinary thin-skinned young man, those words would have put him on the spot.

Zhang Yuan did not care about that and said bluntly, "I do have a favor to ask. I want to purchase the two Fourth-tier Wind Elemental Cores in your auction house's possession."

Ya Fei's smile stiffened again before she said, "Little brother, this is an auction house, not a shop. Those two Fourth-tier Wind Elemental Cores are the grand finale of this auction. They can't be sold in advance."

Sure enough, she was a merchant. She had started driving up the price already.

But Zhang Yuan had come prepared. He said directly, "Sister Ya Fei, do you know where I've been these past two years?"

Ya Fei stared at Zhang Yuan with her beautiful eyes and smiled. "Does little brother wish to have a heart-to-heart talk with big sister?"

Zhang Yuan's expression did not change as he said lightly, "Sister Ya Fei, you wouldn't want Mu Zhan to know you're here, would you?"

Ya Fei's smile froze instantly.

Xiao Yan blinked.

For some reason, Zhang Yuan's question gave him a strange sense of familiarity.

A neon flavor?