If she could truly win the heart of this Xiao Clan ancestor

Morning sunlight spilled through the window, lighting the room brightly.

On the bed, the boy sat up, his eyes still bleary with sleep.

After a moment in a daze, he climbed out of bed with a string of yawns and quickly washed up.

"Yao Lao, when are we setting out?" Xiao Yan asked casually as he wiped the water from his face.

"That ancestor of yours hasn't said yet. Probably in the next couple of days." Yao Lao's illusory figure suddenly appeared in the chair beside the table as he spoke calmly.

"Hehe, I'm looking forward to it." Xiao Yan grinned as he swiftly pulled on his clothes.

Watching Xiao Yan's eager expression, Yao Lao raised his brows and said softly, "Your ancestor was right. From birth until now, you've never experienced a life-and-death battle. Only when a person's life is threatened will their potential erupt like a volcano. With that lukewarm training of yours before, I'm afraid you'd never become a true powerhouse!"

"You don't lack talent for cultivation. What you lack is tempering through iron and blood!"

Xiao Yan slowly clenched his fists and raised his face toward Yao Lao with a smile. "I believe I can make it through."

"It's good to have confidence." Yao Lao nodded with a soft chuckle, quite pleased with Xiao Yan's confidence.

Half a month had already passed since Xiao Chen's meeting with Ya Fei.

While Xiao Yan and Yao Lao were talking, Xiao Chen was already out on the street, slowly making his way toward the auction house in the city center.

The auction house's reception room.

Ya Fei sat elegantly in a chair, her right leg crossed over her left, a tempting stretch of snowy skin showing beneath her long qipao.

At that moment, Ya Fei held a long roll of paper in her delicate hand. Only after quite some time did she finish reading through the supplies listed on it.

She drew a deep breath, a hint of astonishment appearing on her alluring face.

Looking up at Xiao Chen beside her, Ya Fei asked in surprise, "Senior, why are you getting so many wilderness supplies?"

"I'm planning a long journey," Xiao Chen replied with a faint smile.

"With your strength, you still need these things?" That was what puzzled Ya Fei most.

Xiao Chen shook his head. "Of course, these aren't for me."

"Xiao Yan?" Ya Fei understood at once.

"Didn't I say you were clever?" Xiao Chen chuckled, taking a small sip of tea.

"Yes, I'm planning to take him out to see a bit of the world."

"For how long?"

"At least half a year, I suppose."

Ya Fei froze at his words and exclaimed, "That long?"

"There are some matters I need to deal with. The Xiao Clan can't remain trapped in this tiny Wutan City forever. You need to understand that," Xiao Chen said with a faint smile.

"I understand." Ya Fei nodded and spoke softly.

"Help me get the supplies ready as soon as possible. As for the money needed..." As he spoke, Xiao Chen took a purple-gold card from inside his clothes.

Five rippling patterns of different colors shimmered on the card.

The Five-Patterned Purple-Gold Card-on the Dou Qi Continent, one needed at least the strength of a Dou Ling to qualify for this gold card that represented one's status.

Of course, certain transcendent powers also possessed that qualification.

Naturally, Xiao Chen now had one as well.

"I'll cover the cost."

Ya Fei did not take the Five-Patterned Purple-Gold Card. She merely beckoned a maid over, handed her the paper, and instructed her to attend to it at once.

As though he had expected this all along, Xiao Chen put away the Five-Patterned Purple-Gold Card. Looking at the alluring woman before him, a peerless beauty by any measure, he smiled. "After I leave, discuss anything you need with Xiao Zhan. Helping the Xiao Clan is helping yourself. I won't let you lose out."

"I'm fortunate to have your regard, Senior. Naturally, I won't disappoint you. Besides, with your status and strength, even if you asked me to do something else, I'd find it very hard to refuse." Hearing Xiao Chen's promise, Ya Fei's long, beautiful eyes curved into enchanting arcs of delight. Resting her cheek on her delicate hand, she gazed at his handsome face, her long lashes fluttering in a light blink.

A faint, alluring temptation surfaced on that enchanting, mature face.

Her tingling voice, laden with temptation, made Xiao Chen's heart tremble.

As expected of a woman who still appeared in the grand finale. She truly was a born enchantress.

With a slight smile, Xiao Chen looked up at the maid hurrying over beyond the gauze curtain. He slowly rose, waved a hand, and said with a smile, "I'm off. This should be my last visit here before I leave Wutan City."

Rising gracefully, Ya Fei stood prettily before Xiao Chen.

Looking at this youth, whom she had known for only a little over half a month, Ya Fei already felt a somewhat different kind of fondness for him, even though his true age was wildly at odds with his appearance and he was an ancestor of the Xiao Clan.

She wasn't sure whether this counted as romantic affection.

In any case, she had never felt anything like it before.

Just then, Xiao Chen suddenly chuckled, stepped forward, and reached out, gently wrapping his arm around her temptingly slender, supple waist.

With his arm around that perfect waist coveted by who knew how many men in Wutan City, Xiao Chen could feel Ya Fei's body stiffen the instant they touched.

Only a moment later did it soften again.

Standing frozen in place, Ya Fei blushed faintly at Xiao Chen's unusual gesture of "farewell."

Fortunately, however, Xiao Chen made no further move.

Otherwise, she really would have thought that this Xiao Clan ancestor had also succumbed to her charms and was overcome with lust.

"Ya Fei, I know you're more than just a chief auctioneer. That's why I promised you the entire Mittel Family that day."

Resting his chin on Ya Fei's fragrant shoulder, Xiao Chen breathed deeply of her faint natural fragrance, a teasing smile curling his lips. "Don't ever let another man hold you like this. Because apart from me, any other man holding you would probably have nothing clean in his head."

Ya Fei froze at his words, then an enticing blush flew across her pretty face. In the end, however, she gave no response.

"Haha." Laughing twice, Xiao Chen stopped lingering over the softness beneath his hand and withdrew it without reluctance.

So this was how Xiao Yan had felt back then?

Chuckling inwardly, Xiao Chen waved to Ya Fei, then turned and left.

Reaching the dumbstruck maid by the doorway, he smilingly picked up two small Storage Rings from the silver tray, then walked out through the doors without looking back.

Only as she watched his retreating figure gradually disappear around the corner did the blush on Ya Fei's face slowly fade.

Her delicate hand brushed the spot where Xiao Chen's hand had rested, where a faint warmth seemed to linger.

The unfamiliar sensation sent a tingling feeling all the way to Ya Fei's toes.

"If I could truly win the heart of this Xiao Clan ancestor, that might not be so bad..."

A long while later, a low murmur quietly sounded in the hall.

After leaving the auction house, Xiao Chen glanced behind him.

He didn't know what Ya Fei was thinking at that moment.

But he did admire her as a person.

Come to think of it, this seemed to have been his first embrace with a woman.

The feeling was rather marvelous.