Chapter 12: The Auction; Xiao Yu

"Today's the auction, and I still have to host it, so I won't stay and argue with you..." Ya Fei covered her mouth with a soft laugh, then rose and headed backstage in her high heels, her slender waist swaying. She clearly knew Master Gu Ni's temperament.

To her, that young man was extraordinary.

Since she had come here to gain experience, she might as well take a bold gamble and seize this chance. That was why she had given Gu Ni no opportunity to change his mind and had supplied only the finest medicinal herbs. All for the sake of...

"Xiao Yan?"

Before Ya Fei could recover from her surprise, she saw a figure in fitted black clothes striding toward them with a smile.

"Young friend! Have you come to change your mind? It's fine! I, Gu Ni, will pretend this never happened. How many pill recipes and sets of ingredients are left?" Gu Ni rushed over excitedly and clasped Xiao Yan's hand.

Xiao Yan: "..."

Confusion flashed through his eyes. He had no idea what had gotten into Master Gu Ni.

Then he shook his head. "None. I refined them all."

"..."

Gu Ni stood rooted to the spot as though struck by lightning.

It was over. They were finished!

There had been forty sets of ingredients in all. Even a Fourth-Rank Alchemist would need at least three months to refine them, let alone a boy of fifteen or sixteen.

Of course. He had been a fool. How could a place this small produce a fifteen-year-old Second-Rank Alchemist?

The boy had probably become a One-Rank Alchemist through some stroke of luck, then claimed to be Second-Rank to build the Xiao Clan's reputation. In his youthful arrogance, he had fooled Gu Ni too...

Now even Ya Fei was uncertain. Her narrow, beautiful eyes flickered with doubt as she stared at Xiao Yan in disbelief.

Only two months had passed...

How could he possibly have refined them all in two months?

Most of the ingredients had probably been ruined.

They were finished, and so was the Xiao Clan.

Once the Mittel Family Headquarters investigated, not one of them would escape.

Xiao Yan, however, could not follow their train of thought. He frowned slightly and waved a hand. Twenty-five bottles of pills appeared from his Storage Ring and landed on the table.

"Master Gu Ni, as we agreed, three pills are yours. Please auction the rest for me."

"..."

A sudden, almost eerie silence fell.

Ya Fei and Gu Ni exchanged a glance.

Gu Ni approached hesitantly and carefully pulled the stopper from a bottle. A rich medicinal fragrance drifted out. It was a Second-Rank Blood-Melting Pill!!!

And as a Second-Rank Alchemist, he knew that pills of this quality would likely require an alchemist one or two ranks higher to produce.

"D-did you really refine these yourself, young friend Xiao Yan?" Gu Ni asked, dumbstruck.

"Yes." Xiao Yan remained calm and closed his eyes to rest.

Gu Ni swallowed and swiftly inspected the other twenty-odd bottles. He could not hide the shock in his eyes. Had Xiao Yan really refined them?

Gu Ni cast a complicated glance at Xiao Yan, who sat on the sofa with his eyes closed, then let out a long breath.

Whether Xiao Yan had refined them himself or the "mysterious alchemist" behind him had done it, the Mittel Family had to win him over!!

"Ya Fei, put all these pills up for auction. Start every Second-Rank pill at ten thousand gold coins, and those Third-Rank pills at no less than a hundred thousand each!"

He no longer wanted the three pills set aside for him.

He would give Xiao Yan the full benefit.

If Xiao Yan truly was a Third-Rank Alchemist, then even if Mittel Family Leader Teng Shan came in person, he could find no fault with Gu Ni for giving away a few pill recipes.

Besides...

Gu Ni narrowed his eyes and smiled. "Young Master Xiao Yan, the Alchemist Association has a branch in Black Rock City, the nearest place to Wutan City where alchemist examinations are held. If you're interested in going there in half a year, I can use my position in the Mittel Family to recommend you for the examination..."

Xiao Yan calmly toyed with a gold coin in his hand.

He glanced at Gu Ni.

Naturally, he knew there was a hint of probing behind the man's words.

If he had time, he could indeed take the examination.

After all, being a certified alchemist would be quite convenient.

He nodded slightly. "All right. Sorry for the trouble, Master Gu Ni. Please write me a letter of recommendation."

"I wouldn't dare call myself a master in front of you, Young Master Xiao Yan." Gu Ni grinned.

Whatever happened, his gamble had paid off!

Mittel Auction House.

When Xiao Yan walked in, he was surprised to find that nearly every notable figure in Wutan City had come, particularly those from the Xiao Clan and the Jia Lie Family.

The moment Xiao Zhan saw him, he could not hide his smile. He patted the empty seat beside him, beckoning Xiao Yan over. The other elders smiled warmly too. Even Xiao Ning had a look of mingled indignation and disbelief in his eyes.

Clearly, while the Xiao Clan's mysterious Second-Rank Alchemist remained a mystery to outsiders, almost everyone within the clan knew who he was.

But as Xiao Yan walked past, he spotted someone he had not expected to see... Xiao Yu, the pretty girl glaring fiercely at him.

He rubbed his nose awkwardly. How long ago had he seen her bathing? Did she really have to remember it so clearly?

Besides, he had not been spying. They had simply both been on Back Mountain and run into each other by accident. It was not as if she had not chased him down afterward.

"Heh, Jia Nan Academy is on break. Her instructor handles admissions for the Wutan City area, so she asked for leave and came home early," Xiao Zhan explained with a smile.

So that was it. Xiao Yan nodded slightly.

But...

"Father, why have we turned out in such force? Is some rare treasure going up for auction?" Xiao Yan asked, bewildered.

"That's right. From what I've heard, an Advanced Black Rank Cultivation Method will appear at today's Mittel auction. If we can win it, then..." Xiao Zhan stroked his beard, smiling broadly.

An Advanced Black Rank Cultivation Method was indeed important to a Da Dou Shi. Even a Dou Shi who obtained it might, decades later, stand on equal footing with Wutan City's three great families.

It really was...

Xiao Yan could not be bothered to comment. He shook his head.

Nearby, Jia Lie Ao looked at Xiao Yan with envy tinged by malice. Xiao Yan enjoyed the devotion of everyone in the Xiao Clan, even though he had long since become a good-for-nothing.

Why?!!

Why did Xiao Yan get everything he wanted, with a beautiful childhood companion at his side, while Jia Lie Ao had to play second fiddle to Liu Xi?

But when Liu Xi came to mind, Jia Lie Ao suddenly curled his lips. He leaned toward the man beside him, who was idly waving a paper fan, and whispered a few words in his ear.

Liu Xi turned an intrigued gaze toward Xiao Yan.

Jia Lie Ao laughed inwardly.

Now that you've caught his attention, Xiao Yan, you're in serious trouble!

As for the Xiao Clan's supposed Second-Rank Alchemist, Jia Lie Ao considered it utter nonsense. All the other families were waiting to laugh at the Xiao Clan. Five months had passed, and everyone had heard of this alchemist, but no one had seen him.

Even some guards who had recently joined the Xiao Clan were growing impatient and leaving one after another.

Just wait, Xiao Clan.

Trying to bluff your way through? Let's see who can hold out longer!!

Xiao Yan naturally noticed none of his scheming.

His gaze settled on Ya Fei onstage. So fair... Ahem. She was truly graceful and alluring in her pale purple qipao. Her voice was enough to make a man go weak in the knees as she glided forward.