First visit to the auction house! Ya Fei?

Before long, the door to the appraisal room opened again.

An elderly man in a pale robe walked in, the Second-Rank Alchemist badge on his chest gleaming faintly beneath the lamplight.

Gu Ni.

Xiao Yan glanced at him, then withdrew his gaze and remained seated upright.

Playing an old senior for the first time was otherwise easy enough, but his legs refused to behave. He kept wanting to shift into a more comfortable position, as he would at home.

He restrained himself and planted his feet firmly.

Gu Ni approached the table and first cupped his hands toward the black-robed figure. Only then did he pick up the bottle and ask, "Sir, may I take a small amount of this medicinal liquid to examine?"

"You may."

Xiao Yan nodded.

Using a jade spoon, Gu Ni took out a single drop and placed it in a small white dish, then slowly extended his spiritual perception into it.

At first, his expression remained fairly calm.

A moment later, however, his brows stirred slightly.

He could distinguish the warming, nourishing properties of Woodheart Fruit, the gentle moistening power of Jade Dew Leaf, and a pure energy that bound their medicinal properties together.

But when he examined it more closely, things were different.

Several ingredients that ordinarily required repeated balancing had blended together remarkably well within this drop. None was too strong, and none had been suppressed to the point of losing its effect.

Even more surprising was how astonishingly few impurities it contained. With his discerning eye, he could naturally tell that this was a second-rank medicinal liquid.

Yet even he had no confidence that he could reproduce such clean, precise refinement.

Gu Ni studied it for a long time, then could not resist drawing the Jade Plate closer. Beside him, the middle-aged man stood ramrod straight, scarcely daring to breathe.

After all, even Master Gu Ni had spent so long examining it. Could this bottle be worth even more than he had thought?

Beneath his black robe, Xiao Yan was quietly observing as well.

The more seriously the other man examined it, the more confident he felt. But seeing Gu Ni stare motionlessly at that single drop, he could not help asking inwardly:

"Master, has he figured it out or not?"

"He knows what medicine it is, but not how you refined it," Bodhi answered simply.

Hearing that, Xiao Yan nearly failed to suppress the upward curl of his lips.

Just a few days ago, he had still been worrying over a scorched piece of medicinal herb. Now, what he refined could already leave Master Gu Ni pondering for ages.

Of course, most of the credit for that skill belonged to the formula and guidance his master had provided.

But he had, after all, refined the liquid with his own hands.

That alone was enough to delight him.

"Sir, is this medicinal liquid intended to aid cultivation?" Gu Ni finally looked up and asked.

"Correct. It is called Origin-Nourishing Spirit Liquid."

Xiao Yan explained its purpose and usage in an even tone.

"Each bottle should be divided into ten doses. Mix a dose into warm water and circulate your cultivation method to absorb it. It can increase cultivation speed. There is no need to hurry to use another dose before the medicinal power has been fully assimilated."

Gu Ni nodded. What the other man had described largely matched the medicinal properties he had detected.

After considering it, Xiao Yan added:

"It should be quite suitable for a Dou Zhe to absorb. Those who have just become a Dou Shi should also benefit from using it to nourish their meridians."

"Precisely." Gu Ni nodded again.

Seeing this, Xiao Yan inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. He had said everything his master had taught him.

If this master suddenly asked about some ingredient he had never heard of, he would have to call on his own master to rescue his old-senior act on the spot.

Fortunately, Gu Ni did not probe into the formula and merely looked at the liquid in the dish.

In the end, however, he could not resist asking somewhat hesitantly, "Forgive my impertinence, but Woodheart Fruit is drying while Jade Dew Leaf is moistening. How did you make them blend so smoothly, sir?"

As soon as the words left his mouth, he realized his mistake and hastily added:

"If it concerns the secrets of your lineage, there is no need to answer."

Xiao Yan recalled the step the Grandmaster had pointed out during the refining process. After a brief pause, he replied:

"Use a little less heat when extracting the juice from Jade Dew Leaf."

Gu Ni froze.

Then he lowered his head toward the medicinal liquid, a thoughtful look gradually appearing in his eyes.

He had grown accustomed to refining according to the old formula, believing that Jade Dew Leaf had gentle medicinal properties and would suffer no harm from a little extra time over the flame. But if that trace of moistening power was lost during the final heating, compensating with supplementary ingredients afterward would naturally be less effective than preserving it in the first place.

Those few words had struck precisely at the point he had failed to understand.

Gu Ni set down the jade spoon and solemnly cupped his hands.

"Thank you for your instruction."

Xiao Yan settled a little more firmly into his seat.

Outwardly, he merely inclined his head.

Inside, however, he could no longer contain his delight.

Master, the old gentleman you're thanking nearly tripped over his robe before leaving home.

With the appraisal complete, everything afterward proceeded much more smoothly.

Xiao Yan took out the other two bottles as well. Gu Ni examined each, confirmed that their quality was similar, and had someone register them.

Three bottles, listed as three separate lots.

This would allow more customers to bid, rather than leaving only the wealthiest household able to buy them.

"We happen to have an auction the afternoon after tomorrow. If you agree, sir, we can notify our regular clients in advance."

Gu Ni explained the arrangements clearly.

Xiao Yan nodded in agreement, then added one further point.

"Introduce the medicine as usual, but there is no need to say much about its origins."

"Rest assured, sir. That is our auction house's policy."

The middle-aged man immediately agreed, without asking where he had come from, much less where he was staying.

Only then did Xiao Yan fully relax.

When the man asked how they should address him, he thought of the sword scripture and his first batch of pills, and an idea stirred in his mind.

"Origin Return."

The aged voice sounded through the room.

"You may call me Mr. Origin Return."

A receipt was respectfully handed to him, recording the auction lots and settlement arrangements. Xiao Yan examined it carefully and tucked it into his sleeve before rising to take his leave.

Gu Ni escorted him all the way to the door.

Only after the black-robed figure had disappeared did the middle-aged man ask in a lowered voice:

"Master, what rank do you think this gentleman is?"

Gu Ni shook his head and said:

"Three bottles of spirit liquid alone cannot reveal the full picture. But mastery of heat like this deserves to be treated seriously."

With that, he glanced again at the Jade Plate on the table.

The drop of medicinal liquid still lay quietly in the dish, so clear it was almost transparent. Suddenly, he felt the urge to return to his refining room and try working with Jade Dew Leaf again.

It was still early when he returned to the Xiao Clan.

Xiao Yan had already changed back into his clothes and neatly put away the black robe. Even his steps were lighter than usual as he entered the courtyard.

Xun'er was sitting beneath the veranda, leafing through a book. Hearing him, she looked up.

"Did you sell it?"

"Not yet. It's been consigned for auction the day after tomorrow." Xiao Yan sat down beside her, picked up the cup of water on the table, and took a satisfying drink.

"Someone recognized its value. That's half the battle won."

Seeing his brows dance with delight, Xun'er could not help laughing.

"You look even happier this time than when you bought the medicine."

"Naturally." Xiao Yan set down the cup and laughed. "Once I get the money, I'll pay back what I owe first, then buy more ingredients. There'll still be enough left to treat you to a few good meals."

"I'll hold you to that."

The girl closed her book, deliberately speaking with a serious air.

Xiao Yan was about to thump his chest in assurance when he suddenly remembered that he still had no idea how much the medicine would sell for. His hand paused in midair before dropping back down.

He really could not afford to make promises too boldly.

Last time, he had only just declared that he would earn his own money before asking his father for start-up funds the very next day.

The Grandmaster chuckled inside the ring, evidently having witnessed the entire scene.

Inside the Mittel Auction House.

A woman opened the newly delivered auction catalog, her fingertip stopping on the words "Origin-Nourishing Spirit Liquid."

Ya Fei.

She had come from the Imperial Capital to Wutan City to gain experience, and this auction was the first important assignment she had taken over. She read Gu Ni's appraisal word by word, her initially casual expression gradually turning serious.

Second rank, suitable for Dou Zhe and newly advanced Dou Shi, gentle medicinal properties, excellent quality, and capable of accelerating the condensation of Dou Qi!

To the families of Wutan City seeking to nurture their younger generation, those few statements were far more useful than lavish praise.

"Schedule these three bottles toward the end."

Ya Fei closed the catalog and looked up as she gave the order.

"And send word to a few of our regular distinguished guests."

A faint smile curved her lips.

"We certainly have something good to sell at the auction the day after tomorrow."

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