The Mittel Auction House.
In a tastefully furnished room.
"Elder Meng, you're saying the Jalie Clan was wiped out by an ancestor of the Xiao Clan?"
"And that terrifying celestial phenomenon just now was also caused by that Xiao Clan ancestor?"
Candlelight flickered behind the red curtains.
A woman in a red dress, with a graceful figure and alluring features, lounged lazily on the bed. After hearing Elder Meng's account, she abruptly sat up, her beautiful face stricken with shock.
"Yes, miss," Elder Meng replied respectfully.
"How is that possible?"
"When did the Xiao Clan gain such a powerful ancestor?" Ya Fei's eyes widened. Her rosy lips parted slightly, her face filled with disbelief.
To wipe out the Jalie Clan with ease and unleash such a chilling attack—just what level of cultivation did this mysterious Xiao Clan ancestor possess?
At the thought, her chest heaved. The red gown clung tightly to her body, outlining her full, graceful curves. Her mature, seductive air would make anyone who saw her call her a "seductress."
"This..." A flicker of hesitation crossed Elder Meng's eyes. "In any case, it was the Xiao Clan patriarch who said so. As for whether it's true, this old man doesn't know."
"But in my opinion, it's probably true."
Ya Fei furrowed her delicate brows, her captivating, almond-shaped eyes rippling with light. "Why?"
Elder Meng explained, "First, if the one who acted wasn't an ancestor of the Xiao Clan, then the Xiao Clan patriarch's words would surely offend that powerful figure."
"Second, when this old man rushed over, I saw most of the Xiao Clan's experts there. It's obvious that their being able to appear at the scene so quickly must have had something to do with the battle just now..."
"Lastly, even if the mysterious expert who acted wasn't an ancestor of the Xiao Clan, they must have close ties to the clan. Otherwise, with the Xiao Clan's strength, how could they have reached the battlefield so quickly?"
"Therefore, I believe the Xiao Clan patriarch was telling the truth."
After hearing Elder Meng's explanation, Ya Fei remained unsettled for a long while. At last, she parted her red lips and slowly breathed out a fragrant sigh.
"Is that so? It seems this mysterious expert really is connected to the Xiao Clan..."
She rose gracefully, her supple waist swaying like a water snake. Beneath her long, elegant neck lay a dazzling expanse of pale skin and cleavage, a naturally breathtaking sight.
She stood by the porthole, her long, limpid eyes gazing down at the auction hall. Her expression grave, she asked, "Elder Meng, do you think this ancestor's appearance is good news or bad news for the Mittel Auction House?"
"This..." Elder Meng fell silent for a moment. "This old man doesn't know."
"Alas..." Ya Fei sighed, her soft, tender voice echoing sadly. "A storm is coming."
The Xiao Clan's sudden acquisition of such a powerful ancestor was undoubtedly bad news for the Mittel Auction House.
After all, no one knew whether the Xiao Clan's ancestor might suddenly take it into his head to swallow up the Mittel Auction House.
With their current strength, they would probably be unable to withstand that ancestor.
"Elder Meng, in your opinion, just how powerful is the Xiao Clan's ancestor?" Ya Fei asked gravely. "Could my Mittel Family deal with him?"
As a member of the Mittel Family, Ya Fei had no choice but to consider the worst-case scenario.
If the Xiao Clan's ancestor really planned to move against the auction house, she needed to know whether her Mittel Family could resist him.
"This..." Elder Meng hesitated before answering, "This old man didn't see that Xiao Clan ancestor with his own eyes, nor did I see him act."
"So I can't estimate his cultivation."
"But judging from the sword energy he unleashed just now, which was powerful enough to overwhelm an entire city, his strength must be unfathomable. At the very least, he's a High-Rank Dou Wang!"
A High-Rank Dou Wang?
Ya Fei drew in a sharp breath.
The publicly known Dou Huang experts in the Jia Ma Empire could be counted on one hand. With no Dou Huang experts making a move, Dou Wang experts were already among the most formidable figures in the Jia Ma Empire.
Even a Peak Dou Wang like Pill King Gu He could rank among the Ten Great Experts of the Jia Ma Empire.
That showed just how terrifying Dou Wang experts were.
Although the Mittel Family she belonged to was one of the Jia Ma Empire's three great families, the only publicly known Dou Wang expert in the family was its patriarch, Teng Shan.
Yet even he was only a five-star Dou Wang.
And now she was being told that in a remote place like Wutan City, a High-Rank Dou Wang stronger than the patriarch had appeared?
The news dealt a heavy blow to her fragile heart.
"A High-Rank Dou Wang?" Ya Fei exclaimed in shock. "Elder Meng, are you sure?"
"There can't be many High-Rank Dou Wang experts in the entire Jia Ma Empire."
"And the Xiao Clan has an ancestor who's a High-Rank Dou Wang?"
Seeing Ya Fei's shocked expression, Elder Meng could only offer a bitter, helpless smile. In truth, there was an even more frightening possibility lurking in the back of his mind.
"Miss, if I told you that this Xiao Clan ancestor might be a Dou Huang expert, would you be so frightened you'd run straight back to the imperial capital?"
Elder Meng looked at the young woman in red before him. He hesitated, but ultimately didn't voice his suspicion.
He feared it would frighten her terribly. After all, she had only just arrived in Wutan City to serve as the auction house's chief auctioneer.
If she learned that a Dou Huang expert was now in Wutan City, it would surely deal a crushing blow to her fragile heart.
"Whew..." Ya Fei let out a helpless breath.
Now that things had come to this, she could only accept it.
After all, Wutan City had been her choice. Now, even if she had to crawl, she would see out these three years of training.
"Forget it. Since I'm here, I'll make the best of it."
She figured the Xiao Clan's ancestor probably wouldn't move against the Mittel Auction House anytime soon.
Ya Fei silently resolved herself.
Later... no, she would write to the imperial capital right away and report everything that had happened in Wutan City to the patriarch. Better yet, she would ask him to send a few more experts from the family to take charge.
"All right, Elder Meng. I understand."
"You may go about your business."
"Yes, miss. This subordinate takes his leave..." Elder Meng didn't linger. After a brief farewell, he turned and left.
Watching the old man's departing figure, Ya Fei sighed deeply. She clasped her hands together and prayed silently, "Heavens, please just let me get through these three years safely!"
"I'm begging you—"
News of the Jalie Clan's destruction spread throughout Wutan City in next to no time.
It stirred up endless discussion among the people.
Along with it spread word of the Xiao Clan's sudden, mysterious ancestor. Some said the Xiao Clan ancestor was responsible for the Jalie Clan's destruction.
Some believed the rumor, while others did not.
But either way, Xiao Ze's reputation grew rapidly throughout Wutan City, earning him Trust Points from people outside the Xiao Clan.
The Trust Points they provided were far fewer than those offered by the Xiao Clan members.
But there were so many of them that, after the rumor spread a few times over, Xiao Ze still gained a substantial number of Trust Points.
Before you continue