First Encounter

After several twists and turns in the middle, the auction even concluded with the clash between Lu Zhi and He Kui. It could be said that regardless of whether the participants bought anything or not, being able to witness so many good items and see a Dou Zun powerhouse make a move meant their trip was well worth it.

Xiao Yan, Xu Yingwu, and the others walked along a designated passage of the Gold Alliance Chamber of Commerce to collect their auctioned items. Although there was no need to rush, Zi Yan put on a look of being on the verge of tears, leaving Xiao Yan with no other choice but to go and retrieve them immediately.

After all, the Echo Sect was a major faction of great wealth and also used an exclusive passage. Naturally, Xu Yingwu led the way, and after Lu Zhi bid a astronomical sum for the Emperor Essence Fruit, Xu Chengzze had left with a grave expression.

Not long after, they walked to the end of the passage, pushed open a rustic door, and what came into view was a room with an elegant layout and a fresh fragrance. Sitting in the very center of the room were Xue Ningyi, He Kui, and Tang Huang, the master of the Ten Thousand Medicines Pavilion.

Xu Yingwu smiled and said, "This junior greets President Xue, Pavilion Master Tang, and Senior He!"

Xue Ningyi swept her gaze over them, smiled gracefully, and saluted, "Welcome, Young Sect Master Xu. Well, didn't Sect Master Xu come?"

"Hehe, what, is President Xue afraid that this junior of mine won't be able to afford the payment?" Xu Yingwu asked with a frivolous smile.

"How could Big Sister look down on Young Sect Master Xu? The person behind you is probably Master Xiao Yan, who tops the Medicine Ranking."

Xiao Yan touched his nose. Although Tang Huang had met him, being recognized directly by Xue Ningyi showed that her management of the Gold Alliance Chamber of Commerce was indeed well-deserved and her intelligence-gathering ability was top-notch.

"It's just sheer luck; I truly dare not accept the title of master."

Xue Ningyi took a Storage Ring from the attendant beside her, handed it to Xu Yingwu, and said, "The items won at the auction by the Echo Sect are all right here."

As she spoke, she also cast a meaningful glance at Xiao Yan.

After counting the items over, Xu Yingwu also handed a Storage Ring to Xue Ningyi and said, "President Xue, you should check them as well!"

"No need, I still trust the reputation of the Echo Sect."

With that, she put away the Storage Ring. Who would have thought that Xu Yingwu would mutter, "If I had known the Echo Sect's reputation was so useful, I would have bid tens of millions less."

Xue Ningyi shot him a blank look. "You little fellow, you never act serious day or night. Look, the title of number one has been snatched away from you, hasn't it?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Yingwu placed both hands behind the back of his head and said, "That fellow Lu Zhi is too monstrous. Among the younger generation, who is his match?"

A trace of admiration flashed in Xu Yingwu's eyes. As a genius of the Echo Sect, he was confident he was inferior to no one, yet only toward Lu Zhi did he lack confidence.

At this moment, He Kui, who had been standing silently to one side, suddenly spoke up, "In my view, among the youths around you, there are probably more than one who can surpass Lu Zhi."

Hearing these words, Xu Yingwu raised an eyebrow. He Kui's implication was that among the few people present, there were two who could match Lu Zhi, and in all likelihood, he was probably not referring to himself.

However, before Xu Yingwu had time to voice the doubt in his heart, someone else entered, leaving Xu Yingwu with no choice but to let the matter drop.

The group withdrew from the room. All along the way, Xu Yingwu did not stop pondering who He Kui had been talking about. Xiao Yan? But Xiao Yan's alchemy was superior to his, his cultivation was stronger than his, and he was even younger than him—was there any justice in this?

As for the three lasses beside him, he felt nothing at all. The prettiest one was Xiao Yan's girlfriend, who held him in absolute reverence, while that little purple-haired girl and the saintess of the Heavenly Snake Mansion probably hadn't even advanced to the Dou Emperor stage yet, making it even more impossible.

While Xu Yingwu walked with his head bowed in thought, he ran unexpectedly into a group of people. Dressed in brand-new wide white robes, accompanied by four elders at his back and Lu Chen, who else could it be but Lu Zhi, who had shone brilliantly at the auction?

Just as the two groups were about to pass each other by, Lu Chen stared at Zi Yan and said, "Big Brother, they are the ones who snatched our White Fragrant Berry!"

"Oh?" Lu Zhi looked at the group, also growing interested.

"Who says it's yours? Obviously we got them ourselves..." Zi Yan's retort was cut short as Xiao Yan dragged her away. It wasn't because he was in a rush to leave, but rather out of disdain for Lu Chen.

"Brat, you're tired of living. You want to leave without making things clear."

Feeling Xiao Yan's disdain, Lu Chen's fury soared to the heavens. Condensing Douqi patterns on his arm, he struck toward Xiao Yan.

Xiao Yan casually lashed out with a punch backward. The two fists collided, and Lu Chen was directly blasted flying by the punch, rolling several times down the passage before barely managing to stop.

Seeing this scene, Zi Yan could no longer hold back her laughter, and the expressions of the others were quite colorful as well.

However, Lu Zhi kept his gaze locked on Xiao Yan and said, "Not bad. Try this move of mine."

Gray patterns condensed on Lu Zhi's right arm, and the skin of his right arm also turned a yellowish-gray color. At the exact same angle, the exact same direction, and throwing the punch just like Lu Chen, the only difference was the force behind it.

Xiao Yan's expression also tightened slightly; the pressure Lu Zhi gave him was not insignificant. His right fist trembled weirdly, and the vibrating force generated by the tremor shook the air, emitting a buzzing sound.

Eight Extremities Collapse!

The two fists met, and Xiao Yan only felt as though he were shaking a mountain with brute force. Xiao Yan staggered back three steps before steadying his stance.

Lu Zhi also retreated half a step with his right leg, looked at Xiao Yan, and smiled. "Not bad, you have some strength. But it's still not enough. Work hard these next month and a half, and give me some surprises at the Ten Thousand Beasts Assembly!"

With that, he led the elders away. Lu Chen said, "Big Brother, are we just going to let this brat off like that?"

"I didn't stop you; you can go yourself." Lu Zhi's indifferent words drifted back.

Lu Chen cast a vicious glance at Xiao Yan and the others, and meeting Zi Yan's eager-to-try gaze, he gritted his teeth and hurried to catch up with the departing Lu Zhi.

Xiao Yan and Xu Yingwu exchanged a glance and smiled. Compared to Lu Zhi, this Lu Chen was a spoiled scoundrel through and through.

Xiao Yan looked at his right fist, which already showed traces of blood, and muttered, "This Lu Zhi is indeed a good opponent."

Xu Yingwu threw an arm around Xiao Yan's shoulders and said, "That fellow just now used the Hard Skin Pattern, which can increase one's own hardness. Just remember to watch out for it next time."

"The Mystic Pattern Sect's methods are indeed strange; it's very easy to fall for them on a first encounter."

"Who is to say otherwise? Father even said that this simply doesn't look like a method from the Douqi Continent. There are fifteen types of patterns in total, and pairing them together makes them quite tricky to deal with."

Xiao Yan asked with genuine interest, "Then how many kinds can this Lu Zhi use?"

Xu Yingwu pondered. "According to intelligence, it's seven: the Hard Skin Pattern which enhances defense, the Spirit-Devouring Pattern which devours Douqi, the Wind Control Pattern which enhances speed, the Bloodthirsty Pattern which stirs up vital blood, and the Spirit Chaos Pattern for mental attacks. As for the last two, it's only known that he can use them, but no one has ever seen him use them."

Hearing halfway through, Xiao Yan was also startled. "He can even use mental attacks?"

Xu Yingwu waved a hand and said, "Against others, this Spirit Chaos Pattern has a great effect, but it's useless against alchemists like us. His soul power isn't as formidable as ours, so he would end up getting injured instead."

Even so, Xiao Yan did not let down his guard. After all, the promise he had made to Yang Yue was to take first place at the Ten Thousand Beasts Assembly, and looking at it now, Wan Qing of the Heroes Alliance and Shi Meng of Elephant Rhino Mountain were no pushovers, not to mention having a formidable rival like Lu Zhi.

It's time to increase my own strength.

Xiao Yan looked at the Storage Ring containing vital blood that he had just won back at the auction, thinking to himself.