Leaving auction room number one, Xiao Yan returned to the appraisal room, silently waiting under the awestruck gaze of the middle-aged man.
A moment later, hurried footsteps sounded from outside, and two figures pushed open the door and entered.
"Oh, is this the owner of the Foundation Elixir? It seems this is sir's first time in Wu Tan City?" A fragrant breeze wafted over, and a delicate, charming chuckle suddenly sounded next to Xiao Yan's ear, making his heart skip a beat.
Cursing 'seductress' in his heart, Xiao Yan's face was hidden deeper within his cloak, his gaze subtly shifting towards the woman in the red dress beside him.
At close proximity, Xiao Yan had to re-evaluate this woman's mature charm and allure. On her face, a pair of moist, beautiful eyes seemed to constantly draw men in. His gaze subtly swept over her long, elegant, jade-like neck, and was almost drawn into the deep cleavage. Her waist was like a water snake, swaying with infinite allure, making one wish they could pin her to the ground and unleash their desires.
His face felt a little hot, but luckily, his cloak concealed it, and Ya Fei didn't notice. He immediately forcefully suppressed the thoughts in his mind, and Xiao Yan nodded slightly. At the same time, Yao Lao's dry voice came through: "Auction successful? Give me the money, I still have things to do!"
Seemingly a little surprised by the age of the black-robed figure, Ya Fei's jade-like hand covered her crimson lips as she chuckled softly, her ample bosom revealing breathtaking curves. Ya Fei giggled and said, "Please wait a moment, venerable sir, some procedures are still being completed."
Nodding slightly, Xiao Yan didn't speak further. He averted his gaze from the woman and remained silent.
Looking at the figure completely shrouded in black robes before her, Ya Fei frowned slightly. It seemed her beauty had no effect on this mysterious person. She helplessly licked her rosy lips, her gaze sweeping over the mysterious person, hoping to find clues about his identity from small details.
After observing, Ya Fei felt a little disappointed. Her gaze met Master Gu Ni's beside her, and her teeth lightly bit her crimson lips as she gently asked in a soft voice, "Venerable sir, Ya Fei rarely sees alchemists without badges. May I know your esteemed name?"
"What? Little girl, even here, you still have to reveal your identity?" From beneath the black robes, Yao Lao said indifferently.
"Oh, Ya Fei is just curious, that's all. If venerable sir doesn't wish to say, Ya Fei naturally wouldn't dare to ask further." Ya Fei chuckled.
His gaze, piercing through the cloak, fell upon the pair of fair legs hidden within the tight red dress. Xiao Yan felt a little helpless. For Ya Fei to become the chief auctioneer of the Primer Auction House, she was naturally no ordinary person. It was said that beautiful women bring disaster, and countless people in Wu Tan City coveted her beauty, but to this day, no one had ever succeeded in their intentions. Although it wasn't entirely due to her backing from the Primer Auction House, no one dared to think that this woman was merely a beautiful vase.
Beside such an astute woman, Xiao Yan felt like he was treading on thin ice. He was only afraid that this perceptive woman would discover something, but luckily, Yao Lao spoke up to resist. This old fox would not be swayed in the slightest by the seductress beside him.
Given the alchemist's somewhat indifferent words, Ya Fei found herself with nothing useful to say. In the end, she had to abandon her initial thoughts, letting out a light chuckle as she produced a crystal card bearing the Tedmier Clan's emblem.
"Old sir, this is a VIP card for the Tedmier Auction House. With it, you will receive VIP treatment at any Tedmier Clan auction house, and the commission rate will be reduced from five percent to two percent."
Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan furrowed his brow. Compared to the previous heap of useless chatter, he much preferred these more tangible benefits. After a brief moment of contemplation, he casually accepted the crystal card.
Gazing at the fair hand that emerged from beneath the black robe, a flicker of surprise crossed Ya Fei's eyes. The voice was clearly old and dry, yet the hands were like those of a youth. What kind of identity did this person truly possess?
Just then, a maid entered from outside and respectfully presented a green card to Ya Fei.
"Old sir, the Foundation Elixir was auctioned for forty thousand gold coins. After deducting the two percent commission, the remainder is all here." Ya Fei smiled as she offered the green card.
Accepting the green card, Xiao Yan finally breathed a sigh of relief. His future cultivation resources were all contained within this card. This sum was enough for him to cultivate peacefully until he reached the Dou Zhe rank...
Once the money was in hand, Xiao Yan had no intention of lingering. He casually waved a hand at Ya Fei, and his faint, aged voice asked, "I can leave now, can't I?"
"Ah, of course. Old sir, should you wish to auction any more elixirs in the future, please do consider the Tedmier Auction House." Ya Fei said with a serene smile.
"Mhm." He responded indifferently, then Xiao Yan stood up and, without a backward glance, exited this room that felt as if it could claim one's life.
Watching Xiao Yan's figure vanish, the smile on Ya Fei's face slowly faded. She furrowed her brow, walked to the table, and leaned against it slightly, her curves subtly revealed.
"Uncle Gu Ni, is he truly an alchemist?" After a brief silence, Ya Fei asked softly.
"Yes, and his alchemy skills are even stronger than mine. At the very least, I cannot refine that second-grade Foundation Elixir." Gu Ni said respectfully to Ya Fei, sighing.
"Even with the elixir formula, it's not possible?" Her eyes narrowed, and her rosy lips curved slightly upward, as if speaking casually.
Hearing Ya Fei's words, Gu Ni's expression changed to one of shock. He hastily warned, "An elixir formula is an alchemist's lifeblood, Young Miss. You absolutely must not harbor any designs on it. If an alchemist of unknown rank were to become enraged, even our Tedmier Clan would find it difficult to withstand. Decades ago, the Tie Ke Clan, renowned throughout the Jia Ma Empire, was utterly annihilated because they coveted the elixir formula of Pill King Gu He. He summoned four Dou Wang powerhouses, who razed their clan to the ground. In the end, even the imperial family of the Jia Ma Empire dared not intervene further!"
"Although our clan's power now far surpasses that of the former Tie Ke Clan, it's still best not to offend certain mysterious alchemists. You must understand that alchemists are essentially a hornet's nest. If you sting one, they can instantly summon countless allies. Moreover, many powerhouses are more than willing to have an alchemist owe them a favor."
Seeing Gu Ni's alarmed reaction, Ya Fei helplessly rubbed her forehead and said with a bitter smile, "Uncle Gu Ni, what are you talking about? I have no designs on him. Do you think Ya Fei's years of experience have been for nothing?"
“I was only reminding you.” Hearing Ya Fei’s words, Gu Ni breathed a sigh of relief. He was truly afraid this girl would do something foolish.
Licking her lips, Ya Fei’s jade-like hand lifted her hair as she took a light breath. Alchemists, they truly were a terrifying bunch, but why didn’t she possess this kind of talent? Moreover, this person was extremely mysterious, clearly very young, but why did they have to act this way? Ya Fei was confident in her charm; no young man could resist being captivated by her beauty.