Chapter 23: I

Suddenly illuminated, the Auction Stage drew countless gazes as Ya Fei, clad in a red qipao, stepped forward with graceful strides; her curvaceous figure, tightly hugged by the fabric, instantly ignited burning stares from some in the crowd.

Only Xiao Yu could rival those long, beautiful legs.

With just a smile and a few teasing jokes, the entire Auction House burst into lively energy; young boys like Xiao Ning, before Ya Fei's fox-like charms, would likely be charmed into buying useless collectibles with flushed heads and empty pockets.

"Ya Fei deeply appreciates everyone for taking time from your busy schedules to attend our Mitel Auction House's quarterly auction," Ya Fei murmured, her red lips parting in a light laugh as she clapped her jade hands; beautiful young maidens emerged, each bearing jade trays to the center of the Auction Stage, displaying one auction item after another.

These auction items included treasures acquired by Wutan City's Mercenary Groups and various clans in the wild, goods that had failed to sell in other Mitel regions, and high-grade Second-Rank Pills personally refined by Master Gu Ni.

Even the three bottles of Foundation Building Spirit Liquid Xiao Yan had previously sold to Ya Fei were among them.

Pills were always the most sought-after; even Xiao Yan bought two: the Second-Rank Flamefire Pill to accelerate fire-based Cultivation Method practice, and the Second-Rank Qi-Recovery Pill to restore combat energy. Though cheaper than Qi-Condensing Powder, together they cost tens of thousands of Gold Coins.

"Alright, the next auction item is interesting—it's a rare treasure transferred from headquarters: a three-mouthed Alchemy Furnace."

Ya Fei clapped her hands, and three burly men carried onto the stage a reddish-blue Alchemy Furnace with three openings.

The moment the Alchemy Furnace appeared, everyone's expressions turned listless.

This was only natural: though refining Pills required a good Alchemy Furnace, Pills were consumables—eaten, gone. But an Alchemy Furnace could be passed down through generations.

And the most crucial reason was that Alchemists were far too rare.

"This is a three-mouthed Alchemy Furnace, a top-tier model. Starting bid: one hundred thousand Gold Coins."

Even Ya Fei's composure cracked; internally, she cursed the old bastards at headquarters.

This was, in truth, a failed auction item shipped from headquarters to Wutan City—plainly meant to trick some country fool into buying it.

But no matter how Ya Fei called out, no one bid. Though Liu Xi was a One Grade Alchemist, he already owned his own Alchemy Furnace and had no intention of replacing it.

Just as Ya Fei prepared to declare the item unsold, a hand slowly rose. Xiao Yan asked calmly: "Miss Ya Fei, may I inspect the item?"

?

Ya Fei's eyebrows slightly furrowed; an unusual feeling stirred within her.

"Normally, auction items cannot be touched—but since it's the request of Young Clan Leader Xiao Yan, Ya Fei will make an exception today," Ya Fei replied, her tone as soothing as spring breeze—perfectly balanced, neither overly flattering nor offensive.

"Inspect it?"

"How do you even inspect an Alchemy Furnace?"

"Tap it to check for cracks?"

High above, Liu Xi sneered, watching Xiao Yan climb the stage: "Fool. Thinks he can snatch a bargain, buy an Alchemy Furnace cheap, and resell it for profit. Doesn't know Alchemists despise secondhand Alchemy Furnaces."

Amid murmurs and skeptical glances, Xiao Yan stepped before the Alchemy Furnace and placed one hand upon its fire opening.

"This is!?" Master Gu Ni's expression changed instantly upon seeing Xiao Yan's action.

The next instant—puff—a muffled sound; yellow energy flowing through the fire opening abruptly transformed into solid yellow flames, churning within the furnace, then a thread of green wood-element combat energy merged into the fire, tinting it faintly green.

!!!!? Ya Fei's face flushed with shock—she knew exactly what Xiao Yan was doing!

"Holy shit!" Xiao Yu leapt to her feet, cursing aloud.

Jia Lie Bi, Oba Pa, Liu Xi, and others who had witnessed Spirit Refining before all rose, eyes wide with astonishment.

"Y-you-you-you-you're an Alchemist?!!" Liu Xi pointed at Xiao Yan in terror, voice trembling with disbelief.

How could an Alchemist appear in such a remote city?!

Even at Jia Nan Academy, Alchemists were exceedingly rare.

The moment Liu Xi spoke, even those who'd never seen Spirit Refining understood what Xiao Yan was doing.

He was refining a Pill!

Is this how you inspect an item?!

Xiao Yan flicked his fingers; one Blood-Consolidating Herb, one Vitality Fruit, two Poppy Flowers—three medicinal materials flew into the furnace at speeds invisible to the eye, instantly engulfed by flames, hiding the Pill Formula from view.

Within the fierce furnace heat, several threads of Bone Spirit Cold Fire lay hidden. Xiao Yan had already refined the One Grade Pill Blood-Consolidating Powder dozens of times—he knew it by heart—and with even a trace of Bone Spirit Cold Fire aiding him, his refining speed and quality soared.

In just thirty minutes, Xiao Yan sealed a lump of paste-like Blood-Consolidating Powder into a box; an instant wave of medicinal fragrance flooded the entire Auction House.

Not a single person felt impatient during those thirty minutes—they all knew they were witnessing the future of Wutan City.

Xiao Yan smiled faintly, handing Ya Fei the full box of Blood-Consolidating Powder: "Sorry to disrupt your work, Miss Ya Fei. This box of Blood-Consolidating Powder is my gift to you as apology."

"This Alchemy Furnace is excellent. I bid one hundred thousand Gold Coins."

Ya Fei automatically took the box—she'd forgotten the entire bidding ritual of "one hundred thousand, once, twice." She was utterly stunned.

Xiao Yan can refine Pills!

You can refine Pills?!

What can't you do?!

WHOA!!! The entire Auction House erupted!

"Send word immediately! Xiao Clan's Young Clan Leader Xiao Yan is an Alchemist!"

"Jia Lie Clan and Oba Clan are finished!"

Jia Lie Bi and Oba Pa slumped helplessly into their chairs, utterly drained.

Xiao Yan wasn't just an Alchemist—he was also Xiao Clan's Young Clan Leader. This would be a deathblow.

Liu Xi, a foreign One Grade Alchemist, had plunged Wutan City into chaos—but he didn't refine for free; he charged exorbitant fees, making his Pills absurdly expensive.

But Xiao Yan? He's Xiao Clan's Young Clan Leader! Meaning, every Pill Xiao Clan sells—after deducting medicinal material costs—is pure profit!

Excessive profit! Absolute excess profit!

Oga Market's Pills couldn't compete with Xiao Clan's; they had a natural price advantage. Not to mention Xiao Yan's Pill Formulas and Pill Refining Method were superior to Liu Xi's.

From the moment Xiao Yan refined a Pill publicly, this Pill war was already over.

Ya Fei suddenly remembered the contract signed by the two clans: a five-year medicinal material supply agreement. She didn't need to guess—the prices of the herbs Liu Xi needed would plummet; his Pills would be crushed under Xiao Clan's flood of cheaper alternatives.

As long as Xiao Yan kept his Pill prices within a set range, Oga Market's Pills would be unsellable—even if sold, each one would mean a loss, and they'd need none of the medicinal materials.

Using capital to harm rivals!

He has the capital!

Ya Fei knew that the two great families, in order to purchase more Medicinal Materials and prevent the Xiao Clan from monopolizing the Heavenly Origin, had mortgaged many of their assets and reached cooperative agreements with medicinal dealers, paying deposits.

"This was arranged by him from the very beginning!" Ya Fei's lips parted slightly as she gazed at Xiao Yan, brilliant as a star, and suddenly understood many things.

Xiao Yan had intended to utterly destroy the two great families and make the Xiao Clan the sole power in Wutan City!

(End of Chapter)