Lu Changfeng had just left the Jia Ma Imperial Family and was walking alone through the streets of the imperial capital, planning to head straight back to his residence. After all, Xiao Xun'er was still waiting for him at home.
As he passed the entrance to the Mittel Auction House, a voice suddenly called out to him from nearby.
"Lord Lu! Lord Lu, please wait!"
Lu Changfeng stopped and turned to look. The person who had called out to him was none other than Mittel Tengshan.
Mittel Tengshan strode out of the auction house entrance, his face wreathed in smiles, and jogged up to Lu Changfeng.
"Lord Lu, what a coincidence to run into you here! I happen to have some things to give you. If you aren't busy, might you come inside the auction house and sit for a while?"
Lu Changfeng glanced at him and thought that he was in no particular hurry anyway, then nodded.
"All right."
Seeing him agree, Mittel Tengshan smiled even more brightly and hurriedly stepped aside, gesturing for him to enter.
"Please come inside, Lord Lu."
After following him into the Mittel Auction House, Lu Changfeng crossed the main hall and entered a reception room at the back.
Once the two had sat down, Mittel Tengshan took a Storage Ring from inside his robes and offered it to him with both hands.
"Lord Lu, the medicinal ingredients you requested earlier are all in here. I've gathered everything for you. Please check whether anything is missing. If there's anything short, I'll find a way to get it."
Lu Changfeng accepted the Storage Ring and examined it with his soul power. Finding that all the varieties of medicinal ingredients were present and their quality was quite good, he nodded. "That's right. These are the ones."
He was somewhat surprised, though. He hadn't expected this old fellow to work so quickly. Earlier, he had said the goods would take a day or two to arrive, yet so little time had passed, and he had already gathered everything.
After putting away the Storage Ring, Lu Changfeng looked up at Mittel Tengshan.
"How much do these ingredients cost altogether? Name your price."
At those words, Mittel Tengshan hurriedly waved his hands, his expression instantly turning flustered.
"Lord Lu, what are you saying? How could our Mittel Auction House dare charge you for the ingredients you need? Please consider these a gift. Your visit alone honors our auction house. How could we possibly ask you for money?"
Lu Changfeng thought nothing of his flustered manner. This old fellow was clearly trying to curry favor with him. After all, he believed Lu Changfeng was a seventh-tier alchemist. He couldn't curry favor fast enough; who would be foolish enough to charge him?
And that was indeed what Mittel Tengshan was thinking. His heart trembled, afraid that Lu Changfeng would mistakenly believe he meant to charge him.
Offending a seventh-tier alchemist would be courting death. The entire Mittel Auction House couldn't bear the consequences.
So he couldn't accept payment no matter what. Even if he gave these ingredients away for free, it would be worth it as long as he could forge a favorable connection with Lord Lu.
Seeing his attitude, Lu Changfeng shook his head.
"There's no need for this. What ought to be paid must still be paid. Running a business isn't easy for you, either. I can't take your things for nothing."
Mittel Tengshan grew even more anxious at those words and waved his hands repeatedly. "No, no, no, Lord Lu, what are you saying? It is our auction house's honor to place these ingredients in your hands. How could we charge you?"
They went back and forth several times. Seeing that the old fellow was truly adamant, Lu Changfeng stopped insisting.
Still, he said, "Since you're determined not to accept money, I won't force you. But taking your things for nothing isn't my style, either. How about this? I can do one thing for you in return."
His eyes immediately lit up at those words. A seventh-tier alchemist offering to do something for him was a blessing as great as the heavens, so he hurriedly asked, "Lord Lu, on behalf of the Mittel Family, I promise that whenever you have any use for our auction house in the future, you need only give the word."
Lu Changfeng thought for a moment, and a figure surfaced in his mind: the angel investor, Hai Bodong. Back when he had read Battle Through the Heavens, he had been quite fond of Elder Hai.
That old man had a bold, forthright personality and was a decent person, too. He also had some ties to Mittel.
Since Mittel Tengshan belonged to the Mittel Family, and Hai Bodong was the Mittel Family's supreme elder, Lu Changfeng said as that thought occurred to him, "How about this?"
"Gather some medicinal ingredients, and I can refine a seventh-tier pill. This pill can break Queen Medusa's seal on your Mittel Family's supreme elder, Hai Bodong, and restore his strength to the peak of Nine-Star Dou Emperor."
The instant those words fell, Mittel Tengshan froze. He sat there blankly, his expression gradually turning to shock.
"Hai Bodong? There has been no word of Elder Hai's whereabouts for a very long time. We all thought he had already..."
At that point, Mittel Tengshan paused and swallowed before continuing.
"Lord Lu, are you saying Elder Hai is still alive? And that Queen Medusa sealed his strength?"
Seeing his astonished reaction, Lu Changfeng nodded. "That's right. Queen Medusa's seal sealed away his strength. He should be hiding somewhere in the Jia Ma Empire now."
"The reason your Mittel Family hasn't been able to find him all these years is that his strength has been sealed."
After hearing this, Mittel Tengshan was utterly dumbfounded. The news had come too suddenly for him to fully digest it. Hai Bodong was their Mittel Family's supreme elder, a figure who had once commanded the winds and clouds. Later, he had suddenly vanished without a trace, and the family had searched for years without finding him.
Everyone had thought he was dead. They hadn't expected him to still be alive, or that his strength had been sealed by Queen Medusa, which was why he had remained in hiding, not daring to show himself.
At that moment, Mittel Tengshan felt both shocked and curious. How did Lord Lu know these things?
Since even those within the Mittel Family knew nothing of Hai Bodong's situation, how could Lord Lu, an outsider, know it in such detail?
He couldn't help asking, "Lord Lu, how do you know these things about Elder Hai? Our Mittel Family has searched for Elder Hai for many years without any news. How could you..."
However, Lu Changfeng glanced at him, with no intention of explaining much.
"How I know isn't important. What matters is that I can help him break the seal. Breaking it requires a seventh-tier pill. You gather the ingredients, and I'll handle the refining."
"Once the pill is ready, go to the Tagor Desert, find Hai Bodong, and have him take it. His strength will recover."
At this, Mittel Tengshan trembled all over with excitement. He abruptly rose to his feet and bowed deeply to Lu Changfeng.
"Lord Lu! The Mittel Family will never forget your immense kindness, for all eternity! Rest assured about the ingredients. I will gather every last one as quickly as possible!"
"As long as we can save Elder Hai and bring him back, the Mittel Family is willing to pay any price!"
Lu Changfeng then waved his hand. "There's no need to get so excited. Just consider it payment for these ingredients. Once you've prepared the ingredients, deliver them to the residence where I'm staying. I'll make time to refine the pill."
Mittel Tengshan nodded repeatedly, his eyes reddening slightly with excitement. Never in his dreams had he imagined that he would hear news today that Supreme Elder Hai Bodong was still alive.
And they would even have a chance to help him break the seal, allowing the Mittel Family to once again have an expert at the peak of Nine-Star Dou Emperor. This was simply joyous news as great as the heavens!
Meanwhile, Lu Changfeng smiled at his reaction, then stood up to leave.
Mittel Tengshan hurriedly followed and escorted him all the way to the entrance, his manner more than ten times as respectful as before. "Take care, Lord Lu! I'll deliver the ingredients as soon as possible!"
Lu Changfeng nodded and walked toward the Xiao Clan residence without looking back. At the auction house entrance, Mittel Tengshan stood motionless for a long time, the excitement on his face lingering long afterward.