As she watched the black-robed figure carrying medicinal ingredients, walking out of the hall with satisfaction, Yaphira tried her best to keep her shoulders straight, but finally let them drop. Her voluptuous and delicate figure was somewhat limp, curling up in the chair, looking like a curled fox, with a lazy demeanor that had a peculiar charm. “This old gentleman… is truly full of vigor,” Yaphira said, shaking her head with a bitter smile as she leaned against the cool backrest.
Gunny, beside her, had the same expression, rubbing his forehead and sighing, “Five Qi Gathering Pills… this scale, even if he were a fourth-grade alchemist himself, it would still be quite significant.”
Yaphira nodded, pressing her rosy lips together, and said with self-deprecation, “I thought I could hold on, but I didn’t expect…”
Gunny smiled and said, “If it were me, I would have given in when he offered the third pill. You held out until the fifth, which was quite unexpected.”
“I wasn’t holding out; I was stunned by the price he offered. So, I didn’t dare to speak. But I never expected… he would be so bold, directly offering two more pills,” Yaphira rolled her eyes and laughed.
“Your being stunned added nearly forty thousand pure income to the auction house,” Gunny teased, amused.
Yaphira covered her red lips with her hand and giggled, then slowly straightened up from the chair and stood, sighing, “The Galley family has really hit a hard wall this time.”
Gunny nodded in agreement.
“But what puzzles me is that this old gentleman doesn’t seem to be familiar with the Xiao family. Why would he help them so enthusiastically? And even go so far as to offer five Qi Gathering Pills to cut off the Galley family’s supply of medicines?” Yaphira murmured, her eyes flashing with a hint of confusion.
“Who knows… This elder’s origins are extremely mysterious. I’ve never heard of such an alchemist in the Jia Ma Empire,” Gunny shook his head and said.
Yaphira nodded slightly, her eyes flickering, and after a brief pause, she smiled, “It seems we need to strengthen our relationship with the Xiao family. With this old gentleman’s pills, I’m confident I can double the auction profits in Wu Tan City. Let’s see who can surpass me in the next family performance evaluation.”
At this, Yaphira proudly lifted her red lips, placed her hands behind her back, and hummed a little tune, strolling leisurely towards the living room.
…
After leaving the auction house, Xiao Yan took a deep breath and said softly, “Thank you, teacher.”
“What’s there to thank? If I hadn’t taken down the Galley family, would you have focused on training with me?” The Pharmacist Elder said helplessly.
“Hehe.” Grinning, Xiao Yan didn’t say anything further. After wandering around the area for a while, he found a secluded spot, took off his black robe, and carefully dashed out onto the street, heading towards the Xiao family.
Returning to the family compound, Xiao Yan noticed that the glances he received from some of the clansmen carried a bit more envy and jealousy. Clearly, the incident in the hall had already spread throughout the family.
Ignoring these glances, Xiao Yan headed straight for his room. As he turned a corner, a girl in red collided with him. Fortunately, Xiao Yan managed to stop in time, avoiding an awkward collision.
“Cousin Xiao Yan? Finally found you,” the girl in red stepped back, looked up, revealing a slightly innocent and pure face, but also a subtle hint of coquettishness. This mix of contradictions made the girl more alluring than her peers, and Xiao Yan couldn’t help but take a few more glances.
This girl, whose face was filled with joy, was Xiao Mei.
Xiao Yan glanced at Xiao Mei’s pretty face, touched his nose, and said indifferently, “Something up?”
Hearing this somewhat distant greeting, Xiao Mei’s face dimmed slightly, and she said softly, “The clan leader wants you to go to the study.”
“Huh?” Slightly taken aback, Xiao Yan nodded and said, “Got it, thanks.”
With a casual wave, Xiao Yan turned and headed towards the study.
“Cousin Xiao Yan, thank you for last time,” Xiao Mei’s eyes flashed with a hint of disappointment, biting her lip, and said softly.
Pausing, Xiao Yan waved his hand casually, “No problem, just a small favor.”
Staring at Xiao Yan’s back, Xiao Mei suddenly gathered her courage and asked, “Cousin Xiao Yan, will you participate in the enrollment for the Gan Nan Academy?”
“Probably,” Xiao Yan, hands behind his head, walked away slowly, leaving light words behind.
Hearing this, Xiao Mei’s previously dimmed face brightened inexplicably. Clenching her small fists, she watched Xiao Yan disappear from sight before letting out a soft, melancholic sigh and turning away.
…
Wandering around the family compound, Xiao Yan finally arrived at a spacious room. He knocked lightly and entered slowly.
Inside, Xiao Zhan and three elders were discussing something. Seeing Xiao Yan enter, they stopped talking.
“Father, you called for me?” Xiao Yan approached with a smile and asked.
Smiling and nodding, Xiao Zhan glanced at the three elders, hesitated, and said in a low voice, “You’ve met the old gentleman, right?”
“Mm,” Xiao Yan nodded, knowing what Xiao Zhan was referring to.
“Do you know where he comes from?” Xiao Zhan mused.
“I’ve only just met him; how could I know his origins?” Xiao Yan’s words were sincere; he truly didn’t know the Pharmacist Elder’s exact background.
“But I do know he’s an alchemist,” Xiao Yan scratched his head and smiled.
“Figures,” Xiao Zhan shot him a look and laughed.
Shaking his head with a smile, Xiao Zhan, clearly in a good mood, asked Xiao Yan a few more questions about the Pharmacist Elder, but Xiao Yan evaded them with feigned ignorance, ultimately not revealing anything.
“You, this little rascal, I wonder if you’re really pretending,” Xiao Zhan shook his head, seeing Xiao Yan’s cluelessness, and waved his hand, “Forget it, go play. If you meet that old gentleman again, try not to anger him. The Xiao family’s future depends on him.”
Shrugging, Xiao Yan remained noncommittal.
“Cough… Xiao Yan, your aura seems a bit… strong,” the eldest elder, who had been watching Xiao Yan, said hesitantly.
Hearing this, Xiao Zhan was also surprised, his gaze focusing on Xiao Yan, sweeping over him. After a moment, his mouth gradually opened wide in astonishment, “You… you’ve broken through to Dou Zhe?”
Upon hearing this, the second and third elders’ mouths twitched, staring at the young man in disbelief.
“Heh… seems like it. I was just cultivating, and somehow, I broke through,” Xiao Yan shrugged, looking innocent.
Xiao Zhan’s eyes twitched, both surprised and bemused, “As long as you’ve broken through, go get a level badge from the Union.”
Xiao Yan nodded, a mischievous smile on his lips, “Can I go now? I did break through just by cultivating…”
“You can get out of here…” Xiao Zhan rolled his eyes and laughed, this little guy was really trying to provoke them. Didn’t he know that the three elders present had failed twice each before succeeding in becoming a Dou Zhe?
Seeing the stiff faces of the three elders, Xiao Yan grinned widely and, amidst Xiao Zhan’s scolding, dashed out of the study.
Listening to the fading laughter of the young man, the three elders’ faces relaxed slightly, and they exchanged glances, both with bitter smiles.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage