Yao Chen rested in the VIP room, studying the System Panel and inspecting his various attributes.
A moment later, he heard Ya Fei's voice outside the VIP room, along with what she was saying.
Mittel Tengshan was the head of the Mittel Family, and Hai Bodong had once been the Ice Emperor.
He was also the greatest angel investor on the Dou Qi Continent.
In the original story, he had taken a liking to Xiao Yan and protected him all the way, proving himself not only loyal and generous but also earning the Flame Emperor's gratitude in return. Elder Hai had stayed by his side from beginning to end.
Whether as the former Ice Emperor or as a member of the Mittel Family, he was a major figure who naturally commanded great respect throughout the Jia Ma Empire.
At that moment, Guni, a Rank 2 Alchemist at the Miteer Auction House in Wutan City, had just brought Nalan Jie and his son from the Nalan Clan to the VIP room door.
"Old Mr. Nalan, the Fifth-grade Alchemist you wish to meet, Mr. Yao, is in the VIP room."
Guni had brought the Nalan father and son here, where they had also happened to run into Mittel Tengshan and Hai Bodong.
Their eyes met. They were all after the same thing.
Fifth-grade pills were precious, but before the auction, they were more interested in earning the goodwill and friendship of this Fifth-grade Alchemist.
If they could build a rapport with a Fifth-grade Alchemist and make him a resource for their families in the future, that would be far more valuable than any number of pills.
Outside the door, Ya Fei and Guni spoke.
"Mr. Yao, besides the head of the Mittel Family, the Nalan Family has also come from the Imperial City to pay you a visit."
"Would it be convenient?" Ya Fei and Guni asked. Without Yao Chen's permission, they didn't dare open the door rashly.
It would be bad if they offended Mr. Yao.
Inside the VIP room, Yao Chen said nothing. The System Panel before him immediately displayed some text and issued a quest.
[Nalan Clan and Mittel Family have learned that you can refine Fifth-grade pills, and both wish to pay you a personal visit.] [Current Quest: Refuse them outright. As a Dou Sheng Expert, ignore these ants.] [Reward: One red treasure chest.] [Accept the quest? Please choose.]
Yao Chen's voice came from inside the VIP room at once. "I won't see them!"
Nalan Jie and Mittel Tengshan were both among the most prominent figures in the Jia Ma Empire.
And the former Ice Emperor, Hai Bodong, was one of the empire's Ten Strongest.
There had been a time when no one in the Jia Ma Empire dared speak to him like that, let alone refuse to see him.
"What a high and mighty attitude!"
Even if the other party was a Fifth-grade Alchemist, there was no need to act so haughty, was there?
Even Pill King Gu He wasn't this arrogant. And let's not forget, he was a Sixth-grade Alchemist, an honorary elder of the Misty Cloud Sect, and a Dou Wang Expert.
Was this Alchemist not being a little too arrogant?
As a Fifth-grade Alchemist, he might not be any stronger than a Peak Dou Ling.
If Alchemists weren't so rare on the Dou Qi Continent—one in ten thousand—any one of them could have slapped this Alchemist surnamed Yao to death. How could they let him act so arrogantly?
But they had no idea that Yao Chen, inside the VIP room, was a Dou Sheng.
With a casual wave of his hand, he could wipe the Jia Ma Empire off the map.
He could turn this entire land into scorched earth, leaving not an inch where anything could grow.
Ya Fei looked at everyone and said, "Very well. Since Mr. Yao isn't willing to meet, please make your way to your seats in the auction hall. The auction is about to begin."
Nalan Jie and his son Nalan Su, along with Mittel Tengshan and Hai Bodong, made their way to the auction hall.
Seated in the audience, Hai Bodong disliked Yao Chen's arrogance too.
If his current strength weren't only that of a Dou Ling, rather than the power of his former Dou Emperor self, he would have taught him a lesson for that attitude, just to show him what a true powerhouse was.
But Hai Bodong didn't know that the arrogant Yao Chen he spoke of was already a Dou Sheng!
Ya Fei stepped onto the auction stage.
She wore a red qipao that showed off her stunning figure and drew everyone's attention.
"Everyone, today's auction has drawn many powerhouses from across the empire. As the chief auctioneer of the Miteer Auction House in Wutan City, I'm honored to welcome you all."
"Among today's many items, the highlight of the auction will be a Fifth-grade pill, the Heavenly Nourishing Gold Pill."
"Next, we'll begin the auction with the first item: a Yellow-tier High-grade cultivation technique with a wood attribute."
"The auction is open!"
"The starting price is 300,000 gold coins."
"..."
Once the auction officially began, the prominent figures seated in the hall showed little interest.
What truly caught their attention was the Fifth-grade pill reserved for the finale.
Time passed quickly. One or two hours later, the finale at last arrived: the Fifth-grade Heavenly Nourishing Gold Pill.
The Nalan Family wanted very much to win this Fifth-grade pill, but they didn't want to cross swords with the Mittel Family over a single pill.
Besides, the old man seated beside them was one of the Jia Ma Empire's Ten Strongest: Ice Emperor Hai Bodong.
For some unknown reason, he had vanished from sight over the years, and no one in the Jia Ma Empire had heard a word about him. Now that Nalan Jie had run into him here, he wasn't foolish enough to offend Hai Bodong, a Dou Emperor, when he himself was only a Dou Wang.
In the end, just as expected,
Hai Bodong won the Fifth-grade pill. Once the sale was announced, he took the pill in hand.
He was eager to find out how effective it was, and how much of the strength sealed away by Queen Medusa it could help him recover.
He was currently a Dou Ling. If he could recover to the Dou Wang level, then the trip would have been worth it.
If that happened, no matter how arrogant Mr. Yao was, Hai Bodong would have to take this Alchemist seriously.
Inside the VIP room, Yao Chen looked at the System Panel. He had just completed the quest and received his reward: a red treasure chest.
"Open the treasure chest now." Yao Chen made his choice.
[Host opened a red treasure chest and drew a reward: a rare medicinal herb, Sand Mandala.]
As soon as the auction ended, Hai Bodong took the Fifth-grade Heavenly Nourishing Gold Pill to a quiet place, swallowed it, and began meditating.
Several hours passed. At a certain moment, Hai Bodong suddenly opened his eyes, and the aura around him surged.
His strength had recovered from Dou Ling to two-star Dou Wang.
After recovering to Dou Wang, Hai Bodong immediately returned to the Miteer Auction House and spoke to Ya Fei.
"The Fifth-grade pill refined by Mr. Yao is indeed effective."
"Ya Fei, make the arrangements at once."
"I want to see Mr. Yao!"