Exiting the Number One Auction House, Xiao Yan once again returned to the appraisal room, quietly bowing his head in the respectful gaze of the middle-aged man. After a while, the sound of hurried footsteps could be heard from outside, and two figures pushed the door open.
“Ha ha, this must be the owner of the Foundation-Building Spirit Liquid, right? Sir, this should be your first time in Utarn City, no?” A sweet and flirtatious laugh suddenly sounded in Xiao Yan’s ear, causing his heart to tremble slightly. Silently cursing the enchantress, Xiao Yan buried his face deeper into his cloak, his gaze shifting slightly towards the woman in a red dress standing beside him.
In close proximity, Xiao Yan once again experienced the mature allure of the woman. Her smiling face, with its long, alluring eyes, seemed to constantly release a seductive charm to men. His gaze discreetly moved past her slender, elegant neck, but almost got drawn into the deep, milky-white valley. Her willowy waist, swaying temptingly, was naturally seductive, evoking a desire to forcibly subdue and punish her.
His face grew slightly hot, but fortunately, the cloak concealed his blush. Forcing down his lewd thoughts, Xiao Yan nodded slightly. At the same time, the Pharmacist Elder’s voice, dry and hoarse, sounded out: “Was the auction successful? Hand over the money; I have more things to do!”
Somewhat surprised by the age of the person under the black robe, Yaphira covered her lips with her hand and chuckled softly. The pair of full mounds on her chest drew a breathtaking arc. After a light laugh, she said with a smile: “Please wait a moment, Mr. Elder. Some procedures are still being processed.”
Xiao Yan nodded slightly and remained silent, moving his gaze away from the woman.
Looking at the figure wrapped entirely in a black cloak, Yaphira’s eyebrows furrowed slightly. It seemed her pride in her appearance had no effect on this mysterious person. She pouted her rosy lips in frustration, subtly scanning the mysterious figure, trying to discern their identity from small details.
After her scan, Yaphira felt a bit disappointed. Glancing at Master Gunny, she gently bit her lip and asked softly, “Mr. Elder, it’s rare for me to see an alchemist without a badge. May I know your esteemed name?”
“Why? Little lady, do you have to report your identity when coming here?” The Pharmacist Elder replied indifferently from under the black cloak.
“Ha ha, Yaphira is just curious. If the elder doesn’t want to say, I naturally wouldn’t dare to ask.” Yaphira giggled.
Through the edge of the cloak, Xiao Yan looked at the pair of snow-white feet hidden in the tight red dress and felt somewhat helpless. Yaphira, being the chief auctioneer of the Mitterel Auction House, was not an easy opponent. Many in Utarn City coveted her beauty, but no one had ever succeeded. While part of it was due to the backing of the Mitterel Auction House, it was also true that this woman was not just a pretty vase.
Being with such a shrewd woman, Xiao Yan felt like walking on thin ice. He feared that this keen-eyed woman might discover something, but fortunately, the Pharmacist Elder’s resistance kept the old fox from being tempted by this enchantress.
As the Pharmacist Elder gave curt replies, Yaphira failed to extract any useful information. In the end, she had to give up and, with a smile, took out a crystal card. The card bore the Mitterel family emblem: “Elder, this is a VIP card for the Mitterel Auction. With this card, you will be treated as a VIP at any of our auction houses. Additionally, the tax rate for your auctions will be reduced from 5% to 2%.”
Hearing this, Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow. Compared to the previous flattery, he preferred something substantial. After a brief pause, he reached out and took the crystal card.
As a white, slender hand emerged from the black cloak, a look of surprise flashed in Yaphira’s eyes. Despite the hoarse, elderly voice, the hand was as clean and youthful as a young man’s. Who was this person?
At this moment, a maid ran in and respectfully handed a green card to Yaphira.
“Elder, the Foundation-Building Spirit Liquid sold for 40,000 gold coins. After deducting a 2% tax, the remainder is all here,” Yaphira smiled, passing the green card over.
Taking the green card, Xiao Yan finally let out a breath. This was his capital for future cultivation. These funds would be enough for him to reach the level of a Fighter in peace… Now that the money was in hand, Xiao Yan didn’t want to stay. He waved casually at Yaphira, and the elderly voice said indifferently, “Can I leave now?”
“Ha ha, of course. If you need to auction any pills in the future, please remember the Mitterel Auction House,” Yaphira smiled charmingly.
“Hmm.” Xiao Yan replied casually, stood up, and left the room without looking back.
Watching Xiao Yan’s retreating figure, Yaphira’s smile slowly faded. Frowning, she walked to the table and leaned back lazily in a chair, her curves fully visible.
“Uncle Gunny, is he really an alchemist?” Yaphira asked softly after a moment of silence.
“Yes, and his alchemy skills are stronger than mine. At least, I cannot refine a second-grade Foundation-Building Spirit Liquid,” Gunny sighed, bowing to Yaphira.
“Even with the formula?” Yaphira’s eyes narrowed, and her rosy lips curled slightly, speaking in a casual manner.
Gunny’s face paled, and he hastily replied, “A formula is the lifeblood of every alchemist. Miss, you must not set your sights on him. Offending an alchemist of unknown rank can even be too much for the Mitterel family to bear. Decades ago, the Cherk family, famous throughout the Jia Ma Empire, was destroyed by four Dou Wangs because they tried to steal the formulas of Pill King Gu He. The matter escalated so much that even the Jia Ma Imperial Family dared not intervene!”
“Though our family’s power far exceeds that of the Cherk family back then, we should still avoid offending these mysterious alchemists. Alchemists are like a nest of wasps; once you provoke them, they can bring countless friends. Many strong practitioners are very willing to make an alchemist owe them a favor.”
Seeing the panicked Gunny, Yaphira helplessly rubbed her smooth forehead and forced a smile, “Uncle Gunny, what are you saying? I’m not after him. Do you think my years of experience were for nothing?”
“I was just reminding you,” Gunny sighed in relief. He was genuinely afraid that the girl would do something foolish.
Pouting, Yaphira supported her cheek with her hand and sighed softly. Alchemists were truly a terrifying group, but why did she lack such talent?
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