Auctioning Pills

Just then, Ya Fei stepped forward from the side with a radiant smile. "The pills you wish to sell are third-tier pills. Why not put them up for auction? I believe you would receive a satisfactory price."

"Oh?"

Gu Ni slapped his forehead. In his excitement, he had forgotten to introduce Ya Fei. He hurriedly said, "Sir, this is Ya Fei, the chief auctioneer and general manager of the Mittel Auction House."

"Ya Fei is right. Today's auction is quite special. Almost everyone of standing in Wutan City has come for the high-grade Xuan-class Dou Technique, the Wind Scroll Technique. I'm sure they would be very interested in third-tier pills and would spare no expense bidding for them."

The Wind Scroll Technique?

Xiao Yu remembered. This was the auction where Xiao Yan sold his Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid.

In that case, auctioning his pills now really would maximize his profits.

With money to be made, Xiao Yu certainly would not miss the opportunity. After all, money was what he needed most at the moment, so he nodded in agreement. "Very well."

Ya Fei was delighted. With eleven third-tier pills added to the lineup, this auction was bound to be an even greater success, strengthening the Mittel Auction House's influence in Wutan City. When she eventually returned to headquarters in the Imperial Capital, she would have another achievement to her name.

Ya Fei took the jade bottles, her eyes shimmering like rippling water as she smiled charmingly. "I'll arrange for them to be auctioned right away. You certainly won't be disappointed."

"Would you be interested in watching the auction? If so, I can arrange a private room for you."

Every movement of this enchantress brimmed with captivating charm. Xiao Yu did not want to have too much contact with her, so he agreed. "Mm, I'll take a look."

The group left the appraisal room, and Ya Fei arranged a private room for Xiao Yu. A transparent partition inside allowed him to watch the auction floor.

Once everything was arranged, Ya Fei left to prepare for the auction, while Gu Ni stayed behind, intending to attend to Xiao Yu personally.

Xiao Yu did not refuse. After all, Gu Ni had been a great help, and he could hardly slight him.

After a long wait, the auction finally began. People streamed into the hall, and soon every seat was filled.

Three sections had been set aside for Wutan City's three major clans.

From upstairs, Xiao Yu could see clearly that Xiao Zhan and the Xiao Clan's elders had already taken their places in the clan's section.

Just as Xiao Yu was growing bored, someone knocked on the door.

"Come in."

Xiao Yu spoke up; otherwise, Gu Ni probably would not have dared let anyone enter.

The person who pushed open the door was an appraiser from the Mittel Auction House's appraisal room.

He first bowed to Xiao Yu with his hands clasped, then approached Gu Ni and whispered in his ear.

Xiao Yu paid little attention. He had no interest in Mittel's other affairs.

After listening, Gu Ni nodded, then clasped his hands respectfully toward Xiao Yu. "Sir, something in the appraisal room requires this old man's attention."

"If you have business to attend to, Brother Gu, go ahead. There's no need to concern yourself with me."

"Please excuse me, then. I'll be going."

Gu Ni stepped outside. Afraid that Xiao Yu might be neglected, he instructed the servants stationed at the door, "Whatever the gentleman inside needs, do your utmost to provide it. Stay sharp."

"Yes, Master Gu Ni."

Only then did he leave, satisfied.

Inside the private room, Xiao Yu suddenly remembered something. If the appraisal room needed Gu Ni at this particular moment, it was most likely because Xiao Yan had arrived with that inferior Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid.

In the original auction, Xiao Zhan had ended up buying that bottle of inferior Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid. Xiao Yan had essentially extorted his own father. He certainly had a knack for fleecing his old man.

"I wonder how this auction will turn out with my pills in the mix."

Xiao Yu could already picture the bidding when his pills went up for auction. After all, third-tier pills were rare in Wutan City. The Spirit Ascension Pill could accelerate a Da Dou Shi's cultivation, so the three major clans would undoubtedly scramble for it. The Qi-Replenishing Pill might fare a little worse, but the Spring-Rejuvenating Pill could treat injuries and illnesses, and even eliminate the hidden injuries accumulated by anyone at the Da Dou Shi level or below. It, too, was a rare treasure.

Half an hour later, the auction officially got underway.

The clamor died down as everyone began anticipating the bidding to come.

Ya Fei walked down a passage at the side of the auction hall and onto the central auction stage.

The moment she stepped onto the stage, Ya Fei became the focus of the entire hall. Burning gazes converged on her, and quite a few men with weaker self-control even flushed scarlet.

Xiao Yu remembered that, in the novel, Xiao Yan had even seen someone doing something filthy in the auction seats while staring at Ya Fei's luscious red lips.

That alone made it clear just how captivating this woman was.

"Welcome, everyone, and thank you for attending this auction. I am deeply honored."

"I will be presiding over today's auction. We have quite a few treasures on offer, and I believe you will find them most interesting and leave with your hands full."

"Now, let us begin with today's first item."

Guided by her melodious voice, with its threads of seductive charm, the auction soon blazed into full swing.

Item after item was brought onto the stage, and under Ya Fei's direction, each fetched a respectable price.

Some of the smaller factions fought until their faces were red, but the three major clans made no move. They had come for the Wind Scroll Technique, after all, and saw no need to waste gold coins on unremarkable items.

Xiao Yu had never seen an auction before and found it rather novel, but after watching for a while, he lost interest. These were only petty bidding battles between small clans, with little worth watching.

Bored, Xiao Yu caught sight of someone in a black hooded robe seated in an out-of-the-way corner.

"With that outfit, it should be Xiao Yan, even if I can't see his face."

This was Xiao Yu's first time seeing Xiao Yan, the future Flame Emperor.

Although he was Xiao Yan's older cousin, Xiao Yu had moved out of the Xiao Clan's main compound when he was four. Besides, the current Xiao Yu had only arrived in this world three years ago.

There was barely any trace of Xiao Yan in his memories. After all, who remembered what had happened when they were four, especially when those memories belonged to someone else?

After observing him for a while, Xiao Yu stopped and turned his attention back to the auction.

The impression Xiao Yu had gained of Xiao Yan from the novel and animated adaptation was that he valued loyalty and affection, acted decisively, treated family and friends extremely well, and was ruthless toward his enemies. His moral compass was fairly sound, and he never dragged innocent people into his conflicts. After all, he was also a transmigrator who had grown up beneath the red flag. Even after living on the Dou Qi Continent for over a decade, his memories of the modern world would still influence his personality and values to some extent.

The only things people criticized him for were touching Xiao Xun'er's body when she was little, which had earned him accusations of pedophilia, as well as having several female confidantes and marrying two wives.

Xiao Yu did not find those things particularly objectionable. Whether it counted as pedophilia was debatable; the novel had explained Xiao Yan's motives quite clearly. Moreover, Ling Ying had protected Xiao Xun'er since childhood. If Xiao Yan had actually done anything improper to her, he would have been hacked into eight pieces long ago.

As for the female confidantes and two wives, that was simply a matter of differing opinions.

Overall, Xiao Yan was someone worth befriending. As his friend, one would not have to worry about him turning around and selling them out, and might even reap some benefits from time to time.

After the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid had been auctioned off, Ya Fei finally brought out Xiao Yu's pills.

Then she said with a charming smile, "Everyone, this next item is something you don't see very often."

The people in the auction seats had their appetites whetted as well. Anything Ya Fei described as uncommon was bound to be extraordinary.

"Next, we will be auctioning third-tier pills, divided into eleven lots."

After explaining the auction procedure, Ya Fei took out the four jade bottles containing Spirit Ascension Pills and began her introduction:

"These four jade bottles contain third-tier Spirit Ascension Pills. They can increase a Da Dou Shi's cultivation speed by up to one hundred percent, with effects lasting as long as three months. For those below the Da Dou Shi level, the effects will be even stronger and last even longer."