Yao Lao pressed the jade bottle into Xiao Yan's hand. Its warm, smooth touch and the immense energy contained within made Xiao Yan's heart skip a beat.
Yao Lao's illusory figure looked somewhat dimmer. Clearly, refining this fifth-grade pill had taken a tremendous toll on him.
"Boy, stop standing there! Your father is probably tearing his hair out right now. This pill is your Xiao Clan's greatest bargaining chip! With it in hand, Mittel's attitude will be entirely different. There's no time to lose. Go!"
Xiao Yan nodded firmly, then quickly rummaged through his wardrobe for a loose black robe, covering his slight frame completely before pulling down the hood to conceal his still-boyish face. In an instant, the Xiao Clan's Third Young Master vanished, replaced by a mysterious Black-Robed Man whose aura was tightly restrained.
Although Wutan City appeared peaceful, an oppressive tension hung in the air, like the hush before a mountain storm. Few pedestrians walked the streets, and the occasional Family Guard Team hurried past with wary expressions. Keeping low, Xiao Yan darted along the shadows at the foot of the walls like a black shade, heading swiftly toward the most lavish building in the city center-the Mittel Auction House.
Before he drew near, Xiao Yan spotted an opulent carriage parked outside the auction house's side entrance. Several Xiao Clan guards were nervously unloading heavy wooden chests. One chest had accidentally cracked open at a corner, revealing a glittering assortment of treasures and thick stacks of banknotes inside. Clearly, this was the "sincerity" his father intended to offer the Mittel Family.
Xiao Yan's heart sank, and he quickened his pace. The moment he stepped into the magnificent VIP reception room, scented faintly with sandalwood incense, he saw his father, Xiao Zhan, fidgeting restlessly in his seat, with