Looking at the medicinal ingredients in his hand, the black-robed man left the room with satisfaction. Ya Fei's strained body finally went limp, leaning back into the chair. Her full, graceful, and soft figure, like a little fox, exuded an unusual charm.
"This old gentleman... he's really too generous." Leaning her head back on the chair, Ya Fei smiled bitterly and shook her head.
Gu Ni, who was beside her, also wiped her forehead and sighed, "Five Qi Gathering Pills, he just threw them out like that. Even for a fourth-grade alchemist, that's a bit much."
Ya Fei nodded, her small mouth curving into a self-deprecating smile. "I even thought I could hold out and restrain myself. I really didn't expect..."
Gu Ni chuckled, "If it were me, I'm afraid I wouldn't have been able to resist agreeing when he brought out three pills. For you to hold out until five pills was already beyond my expectation."
"It wasn't that I was holding out! I was so stunned by him that I lost my composure, so I didn't dare to speak. I didn't expect... he would have such courage, directly increasing it by two pills." Ya Fei rolled her eyes and couldn't help but laugh.
"Because you were stunned and lost your composure, the auction house earned nearly four hundred thousand gold coins more." Hearing this, Gu Ni chuckled teasingly.
Covering her red lips with her jade hand, she chuckled charmingly a few times, then stood up from the chair and sighed, "The Jia Lie Clan has really hit a brick wall this time."
Gu Ni nodded in agreement.
"However, what makes me a little suspicious is that the old gentleman doesn't seem to have any acquaintance with the Xiao Clan, does he? Why is he so enthusiastic about helping them? He even didn't hesitate to use five Qi Gathering Pills as a price, completely ruining the Jia Lie Clan's medicinal path." A hint of doubt flashed in her eyes, Ya Fei said softly.
"Who knows... This lord's background is extremely mysterious. In the Jia Ma Empire, I've never heard of such an alchemist." Gu Ni shook her head and said.
Ya Fei nodded slightly, her eyes shifting. After a moment of contemplation, she smiled and said, "It seems that from now on, we should strengthen our relationship with the Xiao Clan. With this old gentleman's elixirs, I believe the profits from auctions in Wu Tan City will double. When it comes time to evaluate contributions within the clan, who can surpass me?"
At this point, Ya Fei's delicate red lips showed a hint of pride. With her hands clasped behind her back, she hummed a small tune, then leisurely walked out of the reception room.
Stepping out of the auction house, Xiao Yan let out a sigh and whispered, "Thank you, Master."
"What's there to thank? If we don't overthrow the Jia Lie Clan, how can you wholeheartedly follow me in cultivation?" Yao Lao said helplessly.
"Heh heh..." Xiao Yan grinned, saying nothing more. He wandered around the vicinity for a long time, then went to a secluded spot to take off his black robe. He carefully slipped onto the main road and ran towards the Xiao Clan.
Upon returning to the clan, he occasionally encountered clansmen. Xiao Yan could see that these people looked at him with eyes full of envy and jealousy. Evidently, the events in the great hall today had already spread.
Xiao Yan acted as if he didn't see such gazes, walking directly to his room. After turning a corner, a young girl in red suddenly rushed out. Fortunately, Xiao Yan managed to dodge in time, otherwise, it would have been embarrassing to collide.
"Xiao Yan, cousin? I finally found you." The girl in red took a step back, looked up, her small, pure face revealing a fleeting hint of charm and many contradictions. Compared to other girls her age, she was somewhat more attractive, an attraction that even Xiao Yan couldn't help but notice a few times.
This small face, currently showing joy, belonged to Xiao Mi.
His gaze swept over Xiao Mi's beautiful face a few times, then Xiao Yan rubbed his nose and said indifferently, "What is it?"
Hearing the somewhat aloof tone, Xiao Mi's voice softened, and her smiling face turned slightly sad as she whispered, "The patriarch wants to see you, Cousin Xiao Yan. He's waiting in the room."
"Oh?" Briefly stunned, Xiao Yan nodded and smiled, "Understood, thank you." As he spoke, he waved his sleeve and turned to walk towards the front courtyard.
"Cousin Xiao Yan, thank you for last time." Watching Xiao Yan walk away decisively, a look of disappointment flashed across Xiao Mi's eyes. She bit her lip and said softly.
Stopping his steps, Xiao Yan casually waved his hand behind him and said indifferently, "It was just convenient."
Staring at Xiao Yan's retreating back, Xiao Mi suddenly mustered up her courage and asked, "Cousin Xiao Yan, are you participating in the student recruitment for Jia Nan Academy?"
"Probably!" The young man clasped the back of his neck, slowly walking further away, leaving behind a faint sound.
Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Xiao Mi's beautiful, dim face finally brightened a little. Her hands clenched, and only after Xiao Yan disappeared from sight did she let out a soft, resentful sigh, then turned and left.
..................
After walking around the family compound a few times, Xiao Yan finally arrived at a spacious area in front, then slowly pushed open the door and entered.
Inside the room, Xiao Zhan and three elders were present, talking about something. Seeing Xiao Yan arrive, they immediately stopped.
"Father, you were looking for me?" Smiling and nodding, Xiao Yan stepped forward and asked with a smile.
Nodding with a smile, Xiao Zhan and the three elders exchanged glances, then whispered, "You must have met that old gentleman, right?"
"Yes." Xiao Yan nodded. He knew who Xiao Zhan was referring to.
"Do you know his background?" Xiao Zhan said thoughtfully.
"I only just met him not long ago, how would I know his background?" Xiao Yan's words came from the heart; he truly still didn't know Yao Lao's background.
"But I know he's an alchemist," Xiao Yan said, scratching his head and smiling.
"Nonsense," Xiao Zhan said, rolling his eyes and laughing.
Shaking his head with a smile, Xiao Zhan was clearly in a very good mood. He asked Xiao Yan about Yao Lao again, but Xiao Yan confused him every time, and in the end, he couldn't get any information.
"You little rascal, I wonder if you're pretending." Unable to get any answers, Xiao Zhan shook his head helplessly and waved his hand, saying, "Go do your own thing. If you meet that old gentleman again in the future, don't anger him. The Xiao family's future still depends on him."
Xiao Yan shrugged, neither admitting nor denying it.
"Ahem... Xiao Yan, I see your aura now seems a bit stronger..." The First Elder, who was watching Xiao Yan from the side, suddenly said with some hesitation.
Hearing the First Elder's words, Xiao Zhan was also stunned. His gaze focused, slowly sweeping over Xiao Yan. A moment later, his mouth slowly opened wide, and he said in surprise, "You... you broke through to a Dou Practitioner?"
Hearing this, the corners of the Second Elder's and Third Elder's mouths twitched, staring incredulously at the young man before them.
"Uh..." Scratching his head, Xiao Yan said innocently, "It seems so. I was cultivating, cultivating, and somehow I broke through..."
Xiao Zhan's eyelids twitched rapidly. He was even more surprised and a little dumbfounded. What exactly do you usually cultivate?
During this period, Xiao Yan had created a miracle that almost left Xiao Zhan speechless. Xiao Zhan waved his hand and said with a bitter smile, "It's good that you broke through. When you have time, go to the guild to test your rank and get your rank badge."
Xiao Yan nodded, a playful smile on the corner of his mouth. "Can I go? Honestly, I really don't know how I cultivated and just directly broke through..."
"You can scram..." Rolling his eyes, Xiao Zhan laughed and scolded. This brat was purely trying to provoke others. Didn't he know that the three elders sitting here, back in their Qi Condensation period, all failed twice before successfully becoming Dou Cultivators?
Seeing the three elders' somewhat stiff expressions, Xiao Yan let out a loud laugh, and only when Xiao Zhan started scolding did he run out of the room.
Hearing the teenager's laughter fade into the distance, the three elders exchanged glances, a bitter smile involuntarily appearing on their faces.