Yang Qizhen

The night passed swiftly. After washing up, Xiao Ni completed his task outside Xiao Xun'er's room, then headed to the Xiao Household market.

This time, he had not brought Xiao Xun'er along, because he did not want to reveal his identity as an alchemist just yet. He needed to wait for the right opportunity, then use his status as a Seventh-Grade Alchemist to become famous far and wide.

Although revealing his identity as a Seventh-Grade Alchemist right away would also make him famous throughout the Jia Ma Empire, he did not like the feeling of being protected like a national treasure. At the very least, he would wait until he was strong enough that, aside from the Jia Ma Empire's ten greatest experts, no one could stand against him. Only then would he openly reveal his identity as an alchemist. Of course, before that, he could appropriately display some of his alchemy skills.

"Young Master Xiao Ni, you've come to the market again?" Payne came forward with a squad of guards, his attitude even more courteous than before.

"Uncle Payne, I told you, you don't need to come greet me every time." Xiao Ni smiled gently. He had always had a favorable impression of this minor character from Battle Through the Heavens.

"Yesterday's deeds of Young Master Xiao Ni have already spread throughout Wutan City. Of course I had to come bask in your fame. Look, the moment I called out to you, everyone's attention turned this way." Payne grinned brightly.

"Uncle Payne, I'm just taking a casual stroll. You should get back to work. By the way, did Galeo pay up for what happened last time?" Xiao Ni suddenly recalled something and asked casually.

Last time, he and Xiao Xun'er had caught Galeo bullying an old man and trying to take Aunt Lan's portrait without paying. Afterward, Xiao Ni had knocked Galeo unconscious with a punch and specifically instructed Payne to make sure Galeo paid compensation. He believed Payne had completed the task. He was not asking because he doubted Payne's competence, but because he was curious how badly Galeo had been fleeced.

"Oh, I made him pay three thousand five hundred gold coins. His face was so awful at the time, he looked like he was one step away from needing someone to hold a funeral for him," Payne said solemnly.

"Uncle Payne, you certainly haven't disappointed me. All right, carry on with your patrol. I'm going to browse around."

"Yes." Payne bowed slightly, gave Xiao Ni a brief look over, then led the guards away to continue patrolling.

Watching Payne's departing figure, Xiao Ni let out a quiet breath, a smug smile rising at the corners of his lips.

Fortunately, Payne had not followed behind him on patrol. Otherwise, buying medicinal ingredients and a cauldron would have been far too inconvenient. Still, Payne was pretty humorous. He had actually used funeral rites to describe Galeo. Xiao Ni was getting more and more curious about just how ugly Galeo's expression had been that day.

Xiao Ni searched the market for medicinal ingredients. Many vendors looked at him with admiration and reverence, and some even directly promoted their wares, willing to sell them to him at low prices. Even the old man who sold paintings had somehow gained several portraits of Xiao Ni, and a few starstruck girls were fighting over them. They had forcibly raised the original price of fifty gold coins to more than five hundred, making it seem as though the old man was auctioning off his portraits.

Xiao Ni did not need to think about it. Those portraits were most likely connected to that old geezer Chekenao.

"Using my portraits to make money? I'll have to have a good talk with that old man later." Xiao Ni watched the spectacle from afar for a while, and just as he was about to turn away, a girl suddenly cried out.

"Oh my god, I actually got to meet Brother Xiao Ni in person!" The girl had delicate features. She carried a bow on her back and wore a bamboo tube at her waist containing twelve white arrows.

With the girl's cry, Xiao Ni instantly became the center of attention again. Countless eyes locked onto him, especially those girls who had just been fighting over his portraits. Their eyes lit up as they ran toward him.

"Young Master Xiao Ni, I want to have a little genius with you!"

"Young Master Xiao Ni, don't say anything. Look at me!"

Before long, Xiao Ni was surrounded by several girls. He was only slightly awkward at first, then quickly adapted. Being surrounded by a group of starstruck girls was not so bad, after all. At least it proved he was quite charming.

"Hey, I was the one who spotted Young Master Xiao Ni first. Can you at least follow some rules?" The bow-wielding girl tried to pull away the girls who had rushed forward, only to be shoved aside again and again. She stomped her foot in anger and shouted in a powerful voice, "The young lady has arrived! All of you, move aside!"

The moment she said that, the scene fell silent. The girls glanced timidly at the archer and retreated several steps.

Seeing their reaction, Xiao Ni was stunned.

What the hell? Who is this girl? She actually scared off these starstruck girls with one sentence. He did not remember any girl in Battle Through the Heavens who carried a bow.

"Brother Xiao Ni, may I invite you to a meal? At my house." The bow-wielding girl put away her imposing manner and approached Xiao Ni with a shy smile, leaving him even more confused.

This girl really had excellent control over her expressions. She was sweet and fierce at the same time.

"I have things to do, so I won't be joining you for a meal," Xiao Ni said awkwardly.

He was in a hurry to buy medicinal ingredients and a cauldron, then find a place to refine Foundation Elixir. How could he have time to eat with a starstruck girl?

"Brother Xiao Ni, my name is Yang Qizhen. I'm best at hunting and cooking." Yang Qizhen continued speaking as she naturally hooked her arm around Xiao Ni's.

"I'm sorry, but I really do have something to do." Xiao Ni tried to pull his arm free, but Yang Qizhen's next words immediately stopped him.

"Brother Xiao Ni, are you looking to buy medicinal ingredients? Perhaps my house has something you need." Yang Qizhen casually pointed at the Purple Leaf Orchid Grass in Xiao Ni's hand. He had just bought it from a stall and had not had time to put it into his storage space before spotting his own portrait.

"Your house?" Xiao Ni was doubtful. Yang Qizhen looked just like a hunter. Besides meat, what good things could her home possibly have?

"My family has all kinds of medicinal ingredients needed by alchemists. We even have some magic cores. If Brother Xiao Ni comes back with me, you won't need to spend money buying those things." Yang Qizhen spoke proudly.

"Is that so? Then does your house have Purple Leaf Orchid Grass?" Xiao Ni was somewhat swayed.

"Of course!" Yang Qizhen felt as though she saw hope and hurriedly nodded with a smile. The nearby girls could do nothing but envy her. Without Yang Qizhen's permission, they did not dare approach again.

"Wait for me." Xiao Ni pulled his arm free and turned back to the stall from before. "Sorry, I don't want this Purple Leaf Orchid Grass anymore. Please refund my money."

"Uh... all right." The vendor had already been somewhat wary of Xiao Ni's reputation, and with Yang Qizhen shooting him an imposing glare, he could only obediently return the money.

"Wow, Young Master Xiao Ni is such a thrifty, family-minded man. He actually returned the Purple Leaf Orchid Grass after buying it."

"Young Master Xiao Ni is so gentle even when returning something. He even apologized to the seller."

I'm just returning an item. Do you really have to be this lovestruck? Xiao Ni smiled bitterly inwardly, but his face retained its calm, gentle smile. "By the way, does your house have a cauldron?"

"A cauldron? We do have one that hasn't been used in a long time. Is Brother Xiao Ni an alchemist too?" Yang Qizhen asked curiously.

She had heard of Xiao Ni's deeds before, but she had never heard that he knew alchemy.

"Oh, I'm buying it for someone else," Xiao Ni replied casually.

"So you're running errands for an alchemist. It seems Brother Xiao Ni knows quite a few impressive people."

"Not that many."

Thus, the two chatted as they walked, leaving the market beneath the envious gazes of the girls.