Ya Fei

After searching through the reception hall, Xiao Yun finally arrived at a door labeled Appraisal Room.

Xiao Yun decided to get some money first. Besides, he had come to buy things—he couldn't do that without money.

Actually, if Xiao Yun went back and said a word to Xiao Zhan now, Xiao Zhan would immediately give him a large sum of money. But Xiao Yun did not do that. As for the reason...

No way, no way, no way. Surely no one nearing thirty still wanted to ask their family for money, right?

Pushing open the door to the Appraisal Room, Xiao Yun took in the scene within.

It was different from what he had expected. The room was spacious and empty, with only one person sitting leisurely beside a table.

Xiao Yun's appearance had remained that of a twenty-year-old. Seeing that the visitor was someone so young, the man frowned.

Those who came to the Appraisal Room were usually elderly figures. Seeing Xiao Yun now, the man felt disappointed. It looked like he would not meet this month's performance target.

However, the man did not put on any arrogant, condescending act. He quickly adjusted himself and revealed a professional smile. "Hello, sir. Are you here to have something appraised?"

Even in his form of address, the staff member used an honorific.

Xiao Yun nodded. Reaching into his chest and withdrawing his hand again, he now held a scroll.

Though he had no money on him, Xiao Yun was not poor. Every day, he received a rather useless reward from the system.

Selling any one of those rewards would let him become modestly wealthy.

Handing the scroll to the man before him, Xiao Yun said, "This is a mid-level Black Tier Battle Skill. Please appraise it for me, then auction it off."

In the Jia Ma Empire, Xiao Yun was probably the only one who could casually pull out a Black Tier Battle Skill with such extravagance.

The staff member, who had not been particularly invested before, immediately perked up upon hearing Xiao Yun's words.

He slightly opened a corner of the scroll, and the words "Mid-Level Black Tier: Earth-Shattering Foot" entered his sight.

The staff member was startled and promptly said, "Please wait a moment, sir. I need to find a professional to appraise it. By the way, may I know your name?"

Xiao Yun nodded and casually replied, "Xiao Yun."

Xiao Yun had a whole pile of Black Tier Battle Skills. He truly did not think much of them.

The staff member clutched the Battle Skill and hurried excitedly out of the room.

A Black Tier Battle Skill already qualified to be auctioned at the Mittel Auction House Headquarters in the Imperial Capital, yet he had encountered one here. His performance for the entire year was practically secured!

Once the man had left, Xiao Yun casually found a chair and sat down, boredly looking around.

Fortunately, Xiao Yun did not have to wait long. Before long, the man who had just left returned with two others.

One was an elderly man in green robes with somewhat graying hair, while the other was a beautiful woman dressed in a red gown.

"Sir, this is Master Gu Ni of our auction house. He is a Three-Star Great Dou Master! At the same time, he is also a Second-Grade Alchemist and a highly experienced appraiser!" the previous staff member introduced respectfully beside the green-robed elder.

Gu Ni was a public figure in Wutan City. Many people knew this sole Second-Grade Alchemist of Wutan City.

"Hello." Gu Ni smiled at Xiao Yun.

"Hello." Xiao Yun answered flatly, then said nothing more.

The atmosphere became somewhat awkward. Gu Ni looked at the staff member beside him and said, "You may leave first. Leave this place to me from here on. Don't worry, you will not lose your credit."

Hearing Gu Ni's words, the man instantly smiled and withdrew.

Only Xiao Yun, Gu Ni, and the woman in the red gown remained in the Appraisal Room.

Gu Ni looked at Xiao Yun and took the initiative to break the silence. "Mr. Xiao Yun, your Battle Skill has already been appraised. Do you wish to auction it? We can arrange an auction for you at any time."

Xiao Yun nodded. "Can it be auctioned right now? I need money urgently."

Gu Ni smiled and nodded. "That will not be a problem. I can make the arrangements immediately. However, there are no particularly wealthy bidders at today's auction. If this Black Tier Battle Skill is promoted for a few days before being auctioned, your profits will be somewhat higher."

"It's fine. I don't care. Just arrange the auction." Xiao Yun waved his hand indifferently.

Seeing Xiao Yun like this, the woman in red finally could not hold back any longer. She stepped forward and smiled. "Hello, Mr. Xiao Yun. My name is Ya Fei."

The woman's sweet voice was crisp and soft, enough to make anyone who heard it feel fondness and drift into reverie.

Yet Xiao Yun's heart remained as still as an ancient well. He stared at Ya Fei and asked, "You seem to know me?"

Xiao Yun was somewhat surprised by Ya Fei's behavior. Her expression just now seemed to indicate that she knew him, but he had spent years staying within his own small domain and never managed the affairs of the Xiao Clan. Very few people in Wutan City knew him.

Besides, ordinary people would not remember Xiao Yun.

Ya Fei nodded in acknowledgment and smiled. "I have heard Mr. Xiao Yun's name a few times."

"Heh. And where did Miss Ya Fei hear it?" Xiao Yun looked at Ya Fei with a hint of coldness in his eyes.

He was certain that Ya Fei had investigated him.

The atmosphere instantly grew tense. Gu Ni hurriedly said from the side, "Mr. Xiao Yun, Miss Ya Fei actually wishes to make a deal with you."

"A deal?"

Pulling herself free from Xiao Yun's gaze, Ya Fei hurriedly said, "Yes, a deal. I have a large number of first-tier Wood-Element Magic Cores in stock. I believe Mr. Xiao Yun will be interested."

A year ago, the Xiao Clan had suddenly begun buying large quantities of first-tier Magic Cores.

The move caught Ya Fei's attention.

Being clever, she immediately saw the business opportunity in it.

She knew that the first-tier Magic Cores in Wutan City were limited and would eventually be bought out.

At that point, the Xiao Clan would either have to hunt Magical Beasts in the Magical Beast Mountain Range to obtain Magic Cores themselves, or come to the Mittel Auction House to purchase them.

Needing to make some achievements urgently, Ya Fei chose to take a gamble. Through her investigation, she discovered that eighty percent of the Magic Cores the Xiao Clan purchased each time were first-tier Wood-Element Magic Cores.

Thus, she had transferred in a large number of first-tier Wood-Element Magic Cores early on, waiting for the Xiao Clan's arrival.

As for how she came to know Xiao Yun, someone extremely low-key in Wutan City, she had learned of him by chance while investigating the Xiao Clan's Magic Core transactions.

"How about this? To save Mr. Xiao Yun time, our auction house will purchase that Black Tier Battle Skill for three hundred thousand gold coins. As for the Wood-Element Magic Cores, I can give you a twenty percent discount," Ya Fei continued.

Three hundred thousand gold coins was already slightly above the value of a mid-level Black Tier Battle Skill. Ya Fei was using this to apologize for investigating Xiao Yun.

Giving Xiao Yun a twenty percent discount on the first-tier Wood-Element Magic Cores in her possession was a further expression of her apology.

Ya Fei truly was a clever woman. Her mind worked quickly; the moment a client became upset, she was already expressing her apology through practical action.

Xiao Yun remained silent for a long while. Just as Ya Fei thought this deal had fallen through, he suddenly said, "Fine. Let's do it that way."

Seeing Xiao Yun relent, the stone Ya Fei had just felt rise in her heart finally fell.