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Xiao Zhan looked at the gold coins in his hand and remarked to Xiao Yan, "Alchemy truly is a lucrative skill."
Xiao Yan nodded with a smile. "Yes, Father. We can auction off our treasures next."
Xiao Zhan furrowed his brow. "Indeed, but we must be cautious to avoid unnecessary trouble."
Xiao Yan reassured him, "Don't worry, Father. I have everything arranged, and there won't be any issues."
Soon after, Xiao Yan and Xiao Zhan took out the treasures from the three major families, preparing for the auction.
Each item was incredibly valuable and unique, capturing the attention of the audience, whose eyes gleamed with excitement.
As the auction progressed, the bidding was relentless, and each treasure sparked fierce competition.
By the end of the auction, these treasures were sold off at high prices, totaling 800,000 gold coins, yielding substantial profits for Xiao Yan and Xiao Zhan.
Outside the private room, Master Zhu, a third-tier alchemist, observed this scene with surprise in his eyes.
He speculated to himself, "These two guests must possess such wealth—could they have stolen the treasures from the three major families?" Reflecting on the recent turmoil in Wutan City, he felt a flicker of understanding.
However, he knew it was best to see and not speak, as he didn't want to stir up any trouble at this auction.
So, he quietly committed the scene to memory and continued to serve the two men diligently.
With a smile on his face, Master Zhu presented a heavy bag of gold coins to Xiao Yan and Xiao Zhan, his attitude polite, as if he were entertaining esteemed guests.
"Honored guests, please accept these gold coins. If there's anything else you need, don't hesitate to let me know, and I will do my utmost to assist you."
Xiao Yan and Xiao Zhan expressed their gratitude for Master Zhu's warmth. Xiao Yan replied with a smile, "Master Zhu, we do have a few things we need your help with. I'd like to buy some herbs and wonder if you have any suitable ones available."
Master Zhu nodded eagerly. "Of course! I have a wide variety of high-quality herbs here that will surely meet your needs."
Xiao Yan smiled slightly and then pulled out a lengthy list from his pocket, handing it to Master Zhu.
The list was filled with various herbs, both numerous and diverse, causing Master Zhu's eyes to nearly bulge in disbelief.
As he received the list, he froze, unable to believe his eyes. So many herbs would practically deplete his inventory! He silently rejoiced that he hadn't misspoken earlier; otherwise, he would be in a dire situation now.
Unable to hold back, Master Zhu asked, "Senior, are you sure you want to purchase all these herbs? It requires a substantial sum of money."
Xiao Yan chuckled confidently, "Master Zhu, do you really think I'm short on cash?"
Master Zhu hurriedly nodded. "Yes, yes, of course!"
This senior was indeed a big spender, having offered a considerable number of treasures, and was certainly not lacking in gold coins.
At this moment, Master Zhu's apprentice stood nearby, his eyes wide with astonishment, thinking that he was truly witnessing a grand spectacle.
Master Zhu smiled and told Xiao Yan and Xiao Zhan, "The herbs you requested are far too numerous and precious. I must call the owner to handle this. Please wait a moment."
With that, he led the two guests into a luxurious room.
Before long, the owner of the Black Rock City auction house, Wang Fugui, rushed in, wearing a smile as he respectfully conversed with the two guests. "Esteemed seniors, I will do my utmost to gather the herbs for you. However, please understand that the quantity and quality of the herbs you require are exceptionally high, and I can't guarantee that I will be able to find all of them."
Xiao Yan smiled faintly, aware that while Black Rock City had abundant resources, finding so many precious herbs was not an easy task.
He nodded and said, "We understand, Boss Wang. Please do your best."
Xiao Zhan also nodded in agreement.
Wang Fugui let out a sigh of relief, feeling grateful for the understanding shown by his two esteemed guests. He suggested, "Honored seniors, please wait here for three days. I will do my utmost to gather the herbs for you.
If you need anything, just let Master Zhu know, and he will contact me immediately."
Xiao Yan and Xiao Zhan were satisfied with this arrangement. They understood that time was crucial for such a task, and having someone like Wang Fugui in Black Rock City to assist them was a form of assurance.
Wang Fugui left the room with Master Zhu and they walked into the hallway.
Looking at Wang Fugui, Master Zhu said with some concern, "Boss Wang, these two seniors are not ordinary individuals. They might attract trouble.
The recent events in Wutan City could possibly be connected to them."
Wang Fugui pondered for a moment before shaking his head. "Don't meddle in unnecessary matters. Our job is to make money.
If we anger these two, it could spell trouble for us.
Notify our staff to spring into action immediately and do everything we can to meet the needs of our esteemed guests."
Master Zhu nodded in compliance, though he felt a twinge of anxiety.
Under Wang Fugui's orders, the largest auction house in Black Rock City sprang into action. Everyone busied themselves gathering herbs to find the precious materials required by Xiao Yan and Xiao Zhan.
Finally, the next evening, Wang Fugui and Master Zhu personally arrived at the residence of Xiao Yan and Xiao Zhan, handing over a glowing storage ring to Xiao Yan.
This storage ring contained half of the herbs they had painstakingly collected.
Wang Fugui explained that he had done his best but had only managed to fulfill half of their request, and he asked Xiao Yan to check the contents carefully.
Xiao Yan took the storage ring, nodded slightly, and then opened it to examine the herbs inside.
Although it only fulfilled half of his requirements, the amount was already substantial, and meeting the full request at once was impossible.
After completing his inspection, Xiao Yan smiled at Wang Fugui and Master Zhu, saying, "You two have worked hard. These herbs are very important. What is their total value?" His gaze reflected a hint of gratitude.
Wang Fugui respectfully replied, "The total value is 1.1 million gold coins."
Without any hesitation, Xiao Yan promptly paid the amount.
He and Xiao Zhan then bid farewell to Wang Fugui and Master Zhu, leaving the auction house with satisfied smiles.
Watching the departing figures of Xiao Yan and Xiao Zhan, Master Zhu couldn't help but feel a sense of unease. He turned to Wang Fugui and said, "Boss, should we send someone to follow them? I'd like to know what's really going on."
Wang Fugui took a deep breath, gazing at their receding silhouettes. After a moment of contemplation, he gently shook his head. "Let it be. The herbs they bought are not ordinary items.
They're looking for not just the materials for the four-tier pills—three-patterned Clear Spirit Pill and Purple Heart Breaking Barrier Pill—but also materials for five-tier and six-tier pills.
This means there's certainly a five-tier alchemist behind them! Such a person is not someone we can afford to provoke."
(End of Chapter)