Behind the Mittel Auction House stood a secret estate.
In its garden lay a pool of emerald water, flanked by two towering pines whose branches intertwined beneath graceful sprays of green needles.
A small pavilion stood beside the water, surrounded by bamboo fencing. Its upturned eaves resembled a delicate jade swallow resting above the rippling emerald surface.
"What brings you here so unexpectedly, Xiao Clan Chief? Is there something you need?"
Inside the pavilion, Xiao Zhan sat upright beside a stone table. Ya Fei extended her delicate hand and poured him a cup of hot tea, its faint fragrance drifting through the air.
Xiao Zhan raised the cup and took a small sip. Looking at Ya Fei, whose face wore the same smile as always, he silently praised her.
He had thought that after he killed the Misty Cloud Sect's elder, Ya Fei would take the initiative to submit to him, just like the other factions.
Yet throughout this time, Ya Fei had acted as though nothing had happened, maintaining her usual composure.
Even Xiao Zhan could not help admiring such strength of character.
This woman would surely achieve great things someday!
"I do indeed have business to discuss."
Xiao Zhan slowly set down his teacup and fixed an intent gaze on Ya Fei opposite him, a trace of a smile on his face.
"Please go ahead, Xiao Clan Chief. Since our Mittel Auction House has already submitted to the Xiao Clan, I will certainly carry out whatever you ask."
Although she knew full well that Xiao Zhan's personal visit could hardly mean anything good, she was now beneath another's roof and had no choice but to bow her head. However unwilling she felt, she still had to greet him with a smile.
Xiao Zhan nodded and asked with a smile, "Miss Ya Fei, when does your auction house plan to hold its next auction?"
An auction?
Why was he asking about that?
Did he intend to interfere personally in the auction house's affairs?
Ya Fei's heart sank at his words, but a smile appeared on her lovely face. "I had everything ready for an auction half a month ago, but then your powerful rise disrupted the situation throughout Wu... Xiao City, delaying it until now..."
Ya Fei gave a somewhat bitter smile. "Xiao City has only just stabilized. This really isn't a suitable time to hold an auction."
After the Xiao Clan's bloody slaughter, all of Xiao City had suffered a grievous blow to its vitality.
If they held an auction at this critical moment, few people would likely attend.
Hearing this, Xiao Zhan understood as well. Given Xiao City's current situation, it truly was not a suitable time to hold an auction.
Xiao Zhan said to Ya Fei, "There's no rush to hold the auction. Let me see the list of items you've prepared."
"The auction item list?"
Ya Fei froze briefly, unsure what Xiao Zhan intended, but she still smiled and took the auction item list she had prepared earlier from her Storage Ring.
Xiao Zhan accepted the list and glanced through it, immediately frowning.
In his eyes, the items on this list were far too ordinary.
The most valuable was merely a Profound Tier Low Grade cultivation method.
An auction held with these items would undoubtedly be utterly unremarkable.
"Miss Ya Fei, don't put such inferior items up for auction in the future."
Xiao Zhan set down the list and looked at Ya Fei. "From now on, the auction house will focus on premium goods. Every auction item must be a treasure of exceptional value."
Premium goods?
Ya Fei looked at Xiao Zhan in bewilderment. Once she recovered, she immediately began to think less of him.
This Xiao Clan Chief certainly had some strength and ability, but his vision was far too shortsighted, and he was too eager for quick gains.
In her view, if the auction house focused on premium goods in this tiny Xiao City, it would go out of business sooner or later.
A premium approach was certainly good and could quickly establish the Mittel Auction House's reputation.
But how many people in this tiny Xiao City could afford premium goods?
Apart from Xiao Zhan, who had recently basked in boundless glory, Xiao City did not even have a single Da Dou Shi. How could its people afford expensive treasures at auction?
Thus, in Ya Fei's eyes, Xiao Zhan had proposed this without thinking it through at all.
Had he been one of her own people, Ya Fei would already have given him a harsh reprimand.
But the man before her was Xiao Zhan, someone she could not afford to offend. She could only explain with a smile, "Xiao Clan Chief, focusing on premium goods is a fine idea, but Xiao City is simply too small..."
Before Ya Fei could finish, Xiao Zhan interrupted. "I understand what you mean, Miss Ya Fei. However, the premium auction items I'm talking about aren't intended for the people of Xiao City, but for those outside it."
"Outside it? Xiao Clan Chief, do you intend to invite people from beyond Xiao City to attend the Mittel Auction House's auction?" Ya Fei grew even more astonished.
Xiao City was so remote. What kind of treasures would he have to auction to entice people from elsewhere to travel a thousand miles to attend?
Xiao Zhan, however, looked perfectly serious. "Correct. That is precisely my intention."
"I also know you don't have anything particularly good on hand, Miss Ya Fei. Don't worry about that. I've already made preparations."
With that, Xiao Zhan took a list from his Storage Ring and handed it to Ya Fei, saying confidently, "There's no rush to hold the auction. For now, send people out to spread the information on this list as widely as possible."
Half doubtful, Ya Fei looked at the list in her hands, and her eyes immediately widened.
The list read: auction items are as follows:
1. The whereabouts of Ice Emperor Hai Bodong.
2. The exact location of Heavenly Flames.
3. Whether the Misty Cloud Sect's old sect leader is still alive, and whether he has broken through to the Dou Zong Realm.
4. The appearance of the legendary woeful poison body.
5. ...
6. ...
As she read the information on the list, Ya Fei was utterly stunned.
The information listed here was simply too explosive.
The whereabouts of Ice Emperor Hai Bodong?
He was the Mittel Family's supreme elder, who had been missing for several decades.
All these years, the Mittel Family had been searching for the Ice Emperor's whereabouts, yet had never received any news.
As for the Misty Cloud Sect's old sect leader, Ya Fei had heard something about him as well.
Ya Fei looked at Xiao Zhan in disbelief and asked, "Xiao Clan Chief, the information here..."
Xiao Zhan nodded with absolute certainty. "That's right. I know every detail of the information on this list, and I intend to put it up for auction. Miss Ya Fei, do you think this alone will be enough to attract others to Xiao City to attend?"
Ya Fei took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down, her tone solemn. "If you truly know all this, Xiao Clan Chief, I'm afraid the powerful figures of the entire Jia Ma Empire will converge on Xiao City."
Leaving aside the other factions, the information on Ice Emperor Hai Bodong alone was enough for Ya Fei to be certain that the Mittel Family's senior members would attend the auction, at any cost.
If the Ice Emperor could return, the Mittel Family's strength within the Jia Ma Empire would be second only to the Misty Cloud Sect and the Imperial Family.
"The more people who come, the better."
Xiao Zhan nodded slightly. This was his territory, after all, and he feared no one who entered it.
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