Chapter 275: Vicious Malice

When Yaphira raised her head, she just happened to see Xiao Yan’s slightly flushed face. A look of amusement and surprise flashed across her exquisite, breathtakingly beautiful face. She then covered her mouth and laughed charmingly, “Little Brother Xiao Yan, I didn’t expect that in three years, you not only grew more mature but also became quite shy.”

“I’ve always been very reserved,” Xiao Yan nodded seriously.

“Three years ago, you weren’t like this. Did Little Brother Xiao Yan forget? When I recognized your identity back then, you were quite rude,” Yaphira said with a hint of a smile in her peach-blossom eyes.

Looking at Yaphira, who exuded a seductive allure with every smile and frown, Xiao Yan felt a bit helpless. After three years, this mature woman seemed to have become even more alluring. Perhaps it was because of their different statuses now, but when speaking to him, she no longer showed the same caution as before. Instead, the conversation between old friends had become more intimate.

“Are you here in Jia Ma Holy City… because of that agreement we made back then?” The smile on Yaphira’s face slowly faded as she fixed her gaze on Xiao Yan and asked softly.

Xiao Yan smiled and nodded slightly. “I must have been a fool back then to make such an agreement. These three years, I’ve endured a lot for that promise.”

Looking at the face that had lost some of its youthful innocence and gained a sense of maturity and steadiness, Yaphira sighed softly. Although Xiao Yan did not elaborate on his experiences over the past three years, she knew in her heart that he must have suffered unimaginably.

“Little Brother Xiao Yan, after three years of training, you should be aware of the power of the Yunlan Sect within the Jia Ma Empire, right?” Yaphira asked in a low voice, her delicate brows furrowed slightly.

“Of course, they are a big entity. They could easily crush the Xiao Family with just one finger,” Xiao Yan replied calmly with a smile.

“Ah.” Yaphira shook her head helplessly, looking at his calm expression. “After three years, you’re still as stubborn as ever. But don’t worry, with the status and position of the Yunlan Sect, even if they are deeply entangled with you, they won’t move against the Xiao Family. Those arrogant old men of the Yunlan Sect can’t afford to lose face.”

“If they dare to touch us… I’ll disappear for ten years, and when I return, I’ll kill every single person in the Yunlan Sect,” Xiao Yan said with a chilling smile.

The sudden cold and murderous intent in Xiao Yan’s eyes made Yaphira shiver, and she involuntarily crossed her arms in front of her chest. This inadvertent gesture made the onlookers around her feel a strong urge to pull her into their arms and caress her.

“Sorry, I forgot that you don’t really like cultivation,” Xiao Yan apologized, looking at Yaphira’s frail appearance and feeling a bit regretful.

“Who said I don’t like cultivation? I’m also a Dou Fighter, you know. It’s just that after three years of training, your killing aura has grown stronger. You’re almost as fierce as that person from our family who crawled out of a pile of corpses on the battlefield,” Yaphira said, shooting a dissatisfied glance at Xiao Yan.

“Hey? What’s this? You’re a second-grade Alchemist now?” Her gaze suddenly stopped on the emblem on Xiao Yan’s Alchemist robe, and she couldn’t help but exclaim in surprise.

“Hehe, just luck,” Xiao Yan said casually.

“Luck? Sigh, for ordinary people, it takes at least five or six years to go from a beginner to a second-grade Alchemist. To reach this step in just three years, it can’t be just luck,” Yaphira sighed, gazing at the youth who always seemed to amaze her.

Shaking his head with a smile, Xiao Yan decided not to dwell on the topic. He glanced around the hall and, noticing that they had become the center of attention, he asked in a low voice, “Do you manage this auction house now?”

“That’s quite a blow to my pride…” Yaphira sighed, a bitter smile on her face. “The headquarters of this auction house is entirely controlled by the old men in our family. It’s their lifeblood; how could they possibly hand it over to me? Right now, I’m just the acting supervisor elder here.”

Glancing at Xiao Yan, Yaphira smiled and said, “Although I don’t run the place, I do have some authority. You didn’t come here just to see me, did you? What do you need?”

“Can we talk somewhere quieter?” Xiao Yan looked around at the eavesdroppers and said helplessly.

“Of course, follow me,” Yaphira nodded with a smile. As she turned to lead the way, she noticed Hai Bo Dong, who was idly examining items on the crystal counter behind Xiao Yan. She hesitated and asked, “Is this old gentleman with you?”

“What? Want to talk alone? Want to leave me out? It’s not like you’re planning anything secretive,” Hai Bo Dong heard Yaphira’s soft voice and turned around, grinning.

Yaphira’s face turned a light shade of red at Hai Bo Dong’s teasing. However, she was adept at handling such situations and sweetly smiled, “Old Sir, how could you say that? We run a business here and don’t exclude anyone.”

“You little miss sure know how to talk, but I’m not one of those fools who think about women all day. I’m poor and can’t afford anything here,” Hai Bo Dong grinned.

Yaphira’s eyes flashed with surprise, but she maintained her smile. Although her strength wasn’t great, her eyesight was sharp. She couldn’t see through Hai Bo Dong’s background, but she knew that he was no ordinary old man, and that was enough.

“He’s been bored on the journey, so just ignore him,” Xiao Yan said with a smile.

Yaphira smiled and led the way to a staircase. Her elegant steps made a pleasant tapping sound on the polished green stone floor, captivating everyone’s attention.

As she walked, Xiao Yan followed, feeling the intense gazes of the people in the hall.

“Is that old man the mysterious elder from back then?” Yaphira asked in a low voice, smiling and nodding at people who greeted her.

“No,” Xiao Yan shook his head with a smile.

“Oh,” Yaphira nodded slightly and fell silent, leading them to a guarded staircase.

The guards exchanged glances as they saw Xiao Yan and Hai Bo Dong following Yaphira. According to the rules, non-family members were not allowed in, but as the acting supervisor elder, Yaphira had significant authority. None of the guards dared to stop them, and as they were about to enter, one guard reluctantly stepped forward.

Before he could speak, a cold glance from Yaphira made him swallow his words and retreat with a bitter smile.

“They are my friends. I will take responsibility,” Yaphira said coldly, then proceeded to lead them up the stairs. As they ascended, her delicate brows inadvertently furrowed slightly.

As footsteps echoed, several figures appeared at the top of the stairs. The leader was a young man about the same age as Yaphira, with a pale face indicating excessive indulgence. Though not particularly muscular, his body exuded the aura of a newly-ascended Dou Shi.

The pale-faced young man’s gaze swept over Yaphira, full of desire. From his vantage point, her curves were perfectly highlighted, and his breathing grew slightly rapid.

Noticing the change in the young man, Yaphira’s face darkened. She looked up and shot him a cold glance, her eyes, which had always been filled with warmth, now showed unmasked disgust.

“Hehe, Yaphira, this is our family’s office. No outsiders are allowed. As the acting supervisor elder, don’t you know this?” The young man’s face turned sullen as he saw Yaphira’s disdain. Despite his cultivation talent, which made him admired by other women, it only increased Yaphira’s dislike, which frustrated him greatly.

“I said I will take responsibility. Please step aside!” Yaphira said coldly, grabbing Xiao Yan’s hand and heading up the stairs.

Being ignored in front of his subordinates, the young man’s face twitched, especially when he saw Yaphira grab Xiao Yan’s hand. A surge of jealousy flared in his eyes. Although Yaphira was always friendly, he knew she had a natural aversion to men. The fact that she was holding a man’s hand was extremely rare.

“Heh, I wonder why you’re always cold to me. Do you actually like this kind of inexperienced boy? Interesting choice, but I doubt he can satisfy you,” the young man sneered, eyeing Xiao Yan’s calm face.

Yaphira continued up the stairs, seemingly ignoring the young man’s lewd remarks. However, Xiao Yan, whose hand she was holding, could feel her nails digging into his palm.

Sighing, Xiao Yan shook his head and glanced at the pale-faced young man with a cold, emotionless look.

“Boy, are you looking for death?” The young man roared, his voice icy.

Xiao Yan paused, but Yaphira tugged his arm, shaking her head, signaling him to ignore it.

Xiao Yan sighed and nodded, following her.

“Tch, wimp… Yaphira, your taste is getting worse. If you’re really short on men, you don’t need to settle for this, do you?” The young man sneered, becoming even more excited by Yaphira’s tolerance.

Xiao Yan’s steps halted again, and he shook off Yaphira’s hand. Looking at her alluring back, he shrugged and said, “Can you really tolerate this?”

Yaphira’s body stiffened, but she didn’t respond, her fragile figure looking weary.

“Sorry, I can’t…” Xiao Yan spread his hands and turned, glaring at the laughing young man with a sinister look.

“Be careful, he’s a one-star Dou Shi…” Yaphira hurriedly turned, but before she could finish, a loud explosion echoed from the stairs, making her face twist in shock.

“You bastard, what did you eat to grow up?” As the energy exploded, Xiao Yan’s cold and vicious curses echoed.