Hai Bodong's expression froze. He stared at Miteer Tengshan before him, utterly astonished.
"In a little place like Wutan City, there's actually a fifth-grade pill? Teng Shan, don't you dare deceive me," Hai Bodong said.
He currently had only Dou Ling strength. Years ago, his battle with Queen Medusa had resulted in his strength being sealed, leaving him with nothing but Dou Ling power.
The Ice Emperor of old had been renowned throughout the Jia Ma Empire. Now he had fallen to the level of a Dou Ling.
If he hadn't recovered his strength, he would never have left this desert.
But now, if there was a way to restore his Dou Wang strength, he could at least give it a try.
"It's true," Miteer Tengshan said firmly.
"Very well, I'll believe you this once. No matter where it is, if there's any chance of restoring my strength, I have to try," Hai Bodong said, though he was reluctant to leave this desert.
But there was no point in staying here and letting time pass.
He might as well try Wutan City. Perhaps they really could help him regain his Dou Wang strength.
At the very least, once he became a Dou Wang, he would have the ability to form Qi Wings. Traveling around the continent would be much easier.
With his current Dou Ling strength, going anywhere was extremely inconvenient.
"Let's go!" Miteer Tengshan and Hai Bodong set off together toward Wutan City, leaving behind the vast, boundless desert that stretched beyond sight.
The news that the Miteer Auction House in Wutan City had acquired a fifth-grade pill
had already caused quite a stir throughout the Jia Ma Empire.
Not only had Teng Shan, the head of the Mittel Family, and the former Ice Emperor Hai Bodong set out for Wutan City,
but the Nalan Family in the Imperial City of the Jia Ma Empire had also been shaken by the news.
Just then, Nalan Jie was seated in the main hall, having a cup of tea while entertaining his guests.
He saw his son, Nalan Su, walk in. "Father, I have something important to tell you. Could I speak with you in private?"
"Very well." Nalan Jie nodded, then excused himself to the elderly man sitting beside him, a guest with whom he had been chatting.
Then he left the hall.
Once they were outside, he turned to his son, Nalan Su, and asked,
"What's the matter? Those people in the hall were all old friends of mine from my younger days. We haven't seen each other in years, and now that we're old, there's so much to reminisce about. They even held you in their arms when you were little—they're practically family. What could you possibly need to tell me that you can't say in front of my old friends?"
Nalan Su's expression was serious as he replied,
"Father, I just received word that the Miteer Auction House in Wutan City recently acquired a fifth-grade pill."
"It's going to be auctioned in the next few days. I heard that Teng Shan of the Mittel Family has already set out for Wutan City."
"Should we go as well? A fifth-grade pill is bound to attract plenty of powerful bidders. Our Nalan Family is wealthy and can afford it. Shouldn't we make the trip too?"
"What? A fifth-grade pill? How is that possible?"
Nalan Jie looked stunned. He had met a Sixth-grade Alchemist before.
Pill King Gu He, the honorary elder of the Misty Cloud Sect and the foremost Alchemist in the Jia Ma Empire, was a Sixth-grade Alchemist.
But the claim that a fifth-grade pill had appeared in a tiny, remote place like Wutan City still shocked Nalan Jie.
Thinking he might have misheard, he looked at Nalan Su and asked, "Is this true? Is the information reliable?"
"Father, the information is extremely reliable. Several of our family's guards saw people from the Mittel Family leave the Imperial City with their own eyes," Nalan Su said.
"If that's true, then our Nalan Family can't afford to fall behind. We'll set out for Wutan City at once!"
Nalan Jie declared firmly.
"But, Father..." Nalan Su suddenly looked troubled. He stared at his father, Nalan Jie, stumbling over his words as he struggled to speak.
"I know what you're worried about. A few days ago, Yanran defied my objections as her grandfather and rashly broke off her engagement with that boy from the Xiao Clan. That did anger me, and I really don't want to swallow my pride and go to Wutan City."
"But a fifth-grade pill is an extraordinarily precious thing."
"Our Nalan Family has to get ahead of the others and secure it. Now that we know about this, it won't be long before plenty of factions and families throughout the Jia Ma Empire hear of it too."
"We leave at once."
"Yes, Father." Nalan Su nodded. He was also surprised that a little place like Wutan City had an Alchemist of such a high rank.
Though he couldn't compare with Pill King Gu He, a Sixth-grade Alchemist, a fifth-grade Alchemist was still among the very best in the Jia Ma Empire.
As he flew toward Wutan City with Qi Wings, Nalan Jie made up his mind.
If possible, he would make a point of befriending that fifth-grade Alchemist from the Jia Ma Empire.
The resources of a fifth-grade Alchemist could bring limitless benefits to the Nalan Family in the future.
If that Alchemist advanced to the sixth grade, even Pill King Gu He would have to take him seriously.
Earlier, Nalan Jie had fought a sixth-tier magical beast to improve his strength and had been poisoned. The poison had lingered in his body for years, flaring up from time to time.
Recently, especially, Nalan Yanran's broken engagement had angered him so badly that he had collapsed countless times, and the poison in his body had worsened.
He could still manage to hold on for now, but he had no idea when it would erupt completely.
If that fifth-grade Alchemist could purge the poison from his body and rid him of this hidden danger—a time bomb liable to go off at any moment—
that would be wonderful.
Several days passed in Wutan City, in Xiao Yan's room.
Under Yao Chen's instruction and guidance, Xiao Yan's strength had already reached the Eighth Stage of Dou Qi.
He was still some distance from breaking through to Dou Zhe, but he was steadily getting closer.
Yao Chen was looking forward to Xiao Yan reaching Dou Zhe strength. Once he did, Yao Chen would receive the mission reward too.
In a few days, the Miteer Auction House would begin auctioning the fifth-grade pill, the Heavenly Nourishing Gold Pill.
That day, Wutan City was more lively than ever. Many influential figures had even traveled all the way from the Jia Ma Empire's Imperial City to Wutan City.
They had come to attend the auction of the fifth-grade Heavenly Nourishing Gold Pill.
Ya Fei was excited too. She hadn't expected that the fifth-grade pill would draw not only the attention of the family patriarch, Miteer Tengshan, who had come in person,
but also the Nalan Family.
Before the auction began, Miteer Tengshan and Hai Bodong came backstage and looked at Ya Fei.
"Ya Fei, where is the Alchemist who refined this fifth-grade pill, the Heavenly Nourishing Gold Pill? Take me to meet him."
"Since he's a fifth-grade Alchemist, my Mittel Family naturally has to treat him with due respect. I'll receive him personally as the family patriarch!" Miteer Tengshan said.
"Patriarch, that esteemed gentleman is in the VIP room. I'll take you to see him now,"
Ya Fei said, then led Teng Shan and Hai Bodong to the entrance of a VIP room.
"Mr. Yao, our Mittel Family's patriarch would like to meet you," Ya Fei said.