A few bottles of medicine sold for a chest of gold?

Two days later, at the Mittel Auction House.

Draped in a black robe, Xiao Yan sat in a VIP seat off to the side, his gaze passing through the half-lowered curtain to the auction stage below.

Ya Fei stood at the front of the stage, smoothly explaining the origins and uses of a Dou Technique scroll.

Rather than simply urging people to bid, she first explained which types of Dou Qi it suited and where its strengths lay. Once several guests had taken an interest, the price naturally climbed.

After watching for a while, Xiao Yan nodded inwardly. The same item really does fare differently in the hands of someone who knows how to sell.

In the front rows below the stage.

Both the Jia Lie Family and the Ao Ba Family had sent representatives.

He did not see his father, which came as a relief.

Before leaving home, he had already explained that he was going to collect the money from selling his medicine. If his father came along to bid, their money would truly have taken a great circuit through father and son's hands.

A little while later, a maid brought a tray onto the stage.

On it stood a familiar medicine bottle, quiet and still.

Xiao Yan unconsciously sat a little straighter.

Here it comes.

"Next, we have a bottle of second-tier Origin-Nourishing Spirit Liquid."

Ya Fei raised the small bottle, her voice carrying throughout the hall.

"As appraised by Master Gu Ni, this medicine is suitable for Dou Zhe and those who have recently become Dou Shi. It can gently nourish the meridians and accelerate cultivation. Each bottle contains ten doses. Detailed instructions will be provided to the successful bidder."

Several people below who had seemed rather casual now raised their heads.

Second-tier medicines were not uncommon in Wutan City, but high-quality ones that aided cultivation always drew competition. What family did not have a few younger members eager to improve?

Taking in everyone's reactions, Ya Fei paused briefly before announcing the starting price.

"Eight thousand Gold Coins."

Almost as soon as she finished speaking, someone below raised a bidding paddle.

"Ten thousand!"

Xiao Yan's fingers stirred inside his sleeves.

He knew refining medicine was profitable, but he had never expected the very first bid to far exceed his material expenses over the past few days.

"Eleven thousand!"

"Thirteen thousand!"

The price continued to climb.

The Jia Lie Family's Steward turned his head slightly and exchanged a few quiet words with the person beside him, then raised his paddle.

"Sixteen thousand Gold Coins."

The hall grew somewhat quieter.

Ya Fei did not rush to bring down the hammer. Following procedure, she asked twice more, and only awarded the first bottle when no further bids came.

Xiao Yan leaned back in his chair and let out a long breath.

Sixteen thousand.

He knew those medicinal ingredients well. Processing them had left him steeped in the smell of herbs for half a day, yet now, bottled up, they had become such a sum of money.

The person who refined them into medicine was what truly made them valuable.

"Be happy all you like, but don't make your chair creak."

Bodhi's voice came from the ring.

Xiao Yan looked down and realized that, at some point, he had shifted half an inch forward. He quickly settled himself.

"It's my first time earning money, Master. I can hardly help getting excited."

Bodhi said:

"To me, it looks more like your first time seeing money."

"This much? It certainly is."

Xiao Yan answered without a trace of shame.

The next two bottles sold for eighteen thousand and twenty-one thousand Gold Coins respectively.

By the time the hammer fell on the final bottle, Xiao Yan had already calculated the total three times in his head.

Fifty-five thousand!

Three little bottles had brought in fifty-five thousand Gold Coins! If he had not still been wearing his black robe, he would have wanted to go straight home and polish that Bronze Cauldron until it gleamed.

Everything he ate and wore from now on would depend on it.

After the auction ended, Xiao Yan was led to a reception room in the back.

Ya Fei personally brought him the settlement statement and a gold card, saying with a smile:

"Mr. Origin Return, these are the proceeds from today's three bottles of spirit liquid. The commission and all other amounts are listed on the statement. Please take a look."

Xiao Yan did not pretend to be indifferent. He picked up the statement and checked it item by item.

If it needs checking, check it.

Putting on the airs of a venerable senior is no reason to let your own money disappear.

After confirming that everything was correct, he set the statement down.

"Good."

Ya Fei nodded with a smile, then explained that if he had more medicines of this kind in the future, Mittel would be happy to continue selling them on his behalf and could also help find any medicinal ingredients he needed.

That was exactly what Xiao Yan had been waiting for. He took a list from his sleeve and placed it on the table.

"Take a look at these first."

Ya Fei accepted it and, after only a few glances, summoned the Steward responsible for medicinal ingredients. Most of the materials were already in stock. The remaining two could be brought in from nearby cities, though that would take some time.

Their quality and prices were also explained clearly on the spot. No one took advantage of a customer who had just received a sum of money to inflate the prices.

Quite pleased, Xiao Yan said:

"Prepare everything on the list. Notify me when the missing items arrive."

"You need only leave us a delivery address, sir, or you may collect them yourself." As Ya Fei spoke, she slid a VIP token in front of him.

"With this, you won't need to wait in the front hall in the future."

Xiao Yan nodded and accepted it. He made no promise to supply the auction house with a fixed quantity of medicine, saying only that he would come to collect ingredients and refine medicine whenever he had time, with the cost of the ingredients deducted from future auction proceeds.

Ya Fei did not press him either.

With a first transaction, there was room to discuss a second.

Although she was curious about this black-robed gentleman's background, she did not question him to his face.

A short while later, the Steward brought over the ingredients they had in stock. As Xiao Yan had requested, he also deposited the funds separately and exchanged a thousand Gold Coins, placing them in a sturdy little wooden chest.

When the lid opened, golden light filled his vision.

Xiao Yan remained composed on the surface, but inwardly, his heart had burst into bloom.

That sound, that color.

So much prettier than a roomful of medicinal dregs.

He put the items into his Storage Ring, then rose to take his leave. Ya Fei escorted him to the door, and only after the black-robed figure had turned the corner of the corridor did she say softly to Gu Ni:

"This gentleman is certainly straightforward in his dealings."

Gu Ni smiled and said:

"Sell his medicine well and prepare his ingredients properly. That will be enough."

Ya Fei nodded slightly and put the ingredient list away again.

Back at the Xiao Clan, Xiao Yan went to see his father first. Once the study door was closed, he set the little wooden chest beside the desk.

Seeing how carefully he carried it, Xiao Zhan assumed he had bought some new medicinal ingredients. He casually lifted the lid, then froze.

It was filled to the brim with Gold Coins.

Beside it, Xiao Yan slid over a gold card.

"There are another ten thousand Gold Coins on this."

Xiao Zhan raised his head and remained speechless for quite some time.

Smiling brilliantly, Xiao Yan first recited the amounts he had previously noted down for medicinal ingredients and spending money:

"First, I'm paying back the initial investment. Keep the rest for yourself, Dad."

Xiao Zhan was somewhat puzzled:

"How much did those three bottles sell for?"

Xiao Yan held up five fingers, then added the extra amount.

After hearing the answer, Xiao Zhan finally leaned slowly back in his chair. His son had gone out once and brought back far more money than he had ever expected.

But once the delighted surprise passed, he still pushed the gold card back. "Your cultivation costs money. Keep this."

"I've already bought the ingredients I need." Xiao Yan pushed the gold card toward him again, his tone easy.

"I've kept enough for myself. With a little more money on hand, if something really does come up in the clan, you won't have to squeeze every expense out of your own allowance."

As Xiao Zhan looked at him, his eyes gradually softened, his expression filled with emotion.

This child not only knew to give his father medicinal pills first, but had also kept in mind the difficulties his father had never spoken of.

"Yan'er..."

"Dad, just keep it."

Xiao Yan stood up and stretched with a smile.

"There should be more later."

He said it casually, but Xiao Zhan stared at the wooden chest on the desk for a long time before finally laughing.

"All right. I'll keep it."

As soon as Xiao Yan left the study, he found Xun'er approaching him.

The girl looked at his now-empty hands, then at the smile he could not hide, and asked softly, "It looks like they sold well?"

Xiao Yan raised his hand and shook the other money pouch he had kept.

"Let's go."

Xun'er was a little puzzled:

"Where?"

Xiao Yan said:

"I'm treating you to a meal."

This time, his answer came with particular readiness.

"Just a meal. No visiting medicine shops today!"