The Miteer Auction House was the largest auction house in Wu Tan City. It was also owned by the richest clan in the Jia Ma Empire: the Miteer Clan.
Within the Jia Ma Empire, the Miteer Clan was second to none when it came to wealth.
The Miteer Clan, along with the Nalan Clan and the Mu Clan, were known as the three largest clans. These three families had their hands in the commercial, military, and various other sectors of the empire. The amount of influence they wielded was immense.
"Yan Er, how come you have the time to come to the auction house with your father today?" Xiao Zhan arrived at the Miteer Auction House accompanied by several elders and Xiao Yan.
Today, the auction house had a prized item for bid: the High Xuan Qi Method, Hurricane Chant. Xiao Zhan absolutely could not allow this High Xuan Qi Method to fall into the hands of the Jia Lie or Ao Ba Clans.
Currently, the highest-class Qi Method possessed by the three clans was only a Mid-Level Xuan Class. Whoever acquired a High Xuan Class Qi Method could potentially raise their entire clan's strength to a new level.
Xiao Yan casually mentioned, "I found a mountain cave outside that was left by someone from the past. I found some items there that I plan to sell."
His gaze swept across the opulent and spacious hall before he walked towards a room on the side. The door of the room bore three big characters that shone in a golden color: Treasure Inspection Hall.
Upon entering, the room was somewhat empty, with only a middle-aged man sitting boredly at a table. The man's eyes opened as he looked up at the sound of the door opening. His face immediately changed when he saw that it was Xiao Yan, and he happily said, "Young Master Xiao Yan, are you here to inspect some treasures?"
Xiao Yan replied with a smile, "I've come across some items and thought to sell them all at this auction."
He took out three bottles of Foundation Building Pill from his storage ring and placed them on the appraisal table.
Xiao Yan had already refined a 2nd-tier medicinal pill a month ago. However, refining a 2nd-tier medicinal pill did not make one a 2nd-tier alchemist. One also needed to ensure a consistent success rate in order to be recognized as a 2nd-tier alchemist.
"What is this?" The middle-aged man blinked in confusion.
The middle-aged man carefully picked up a white jade bottle and lightly sniffed at its opening. After a moment, his expression subtly changed. There was a hint of awe in his gaze as he looked back at Xiao Yan: "Young Master Xiao Yan, are you an alchemist?!!"
However, after thinking about it for a moment, he shook his head. Xiao Yan was only fifteen years old; the entire Wu Tan City knew about his fifteenth birthday celebration.
It would be time for the Xiao Clan's collective coming-of-age ceremony in another three or four months.
A fifteen-year-old with a high cultivation and also an alchemist? How could that be possible?
Xiao Yan shook his head and explained, "This is something I discovered in a cave. It's called Foundation Building Pill. It can increase the cultivation speed of Dou Qi. However, it's only effective for those below the Dou Practitioner realm."
"Moreover, it has no side effects. The medicinal power is mild."
Hiss! The appraiser took a deep breath.
A 2nd-tier medicinal pill! This thing was not cheap at all!
"Young Master Xiao Yan, please wait for a moment. I need to invite Master Gu Ni from our auction house to appraise this pill!" The starting price for a 2nd-tier medicinal pill was over ten thousand gold coins. If it was as good as Xiao Yan had described it, then the price would be even higher.
The price for three bottles could be as high as one hundred thousand gold coins!
After waiting in the room for a while, the middle-aged man returned with a green-robed elder with slightly whitened hair. He was Master Gu Ni.
On Master Gu Ni's chest were not gold stars, but something resembling a medicinal cauldron with two silver lines on its surface that shone with an elegant luster.
This was the mark of a 2nd-tier Alchemist.
Upon seeing Xiao Yan, even the usually proud Master Gu Ni set aside his airs as a 2nd-tier alchemist and greeted him with a smile, "Young Master Xiao Yan, it has been a long time. Allow me to do the evaluation."
Given Xiao Yan's talent, it was inevitable that he would become a Dou Spirit. The reason a 2nd-tier alchemist like him could walk sideways in Wu Tan City was simply because there were no Dou Spirits around.
The ability of a 2nd-tier alchemist was not enough to tempt a Dou Spirit.
After using some special instruments for inspection, Master Gu Ni nodded and said. "In fact, it has reached the 2nd-tier medicinal pill just like Young Master Xiao Yan said. Currently, Ya Fei is presiding over the auction. I will arrange for it to be included in the auction right away."
...
Xiao Yan entered the auction hall and took a seat next to Xiao Zhan. At this moment, under the central spotlight of the auction hall, a beautiful woman in a red gown was explaining the functions of the item in her hands to everyone present with that charming and slightly seductive voice that made one's bones go numb.
The chief auctioneer of the Miteer Auction House: Ya Fei. She was an extremely famous beauty in Wu Tan City. Her mature and seductive charm had caused many men to fall under the spell of her pomegranate-colored skirt.
Xiao Yan had visited the auction house several times before and couldn't help but admire Ya Fei. She was seductive by nature, a born enchantress.
Upon seeing Ya Fei, Xiao Yan somehow understood King Zhou's predicament.
Who wouldn't want to have such a fox spirit by their side?
TL/N: This is in reference to Daji, the favorite consort of King Zhou of Shang, who is usually portrayed as a malevolent fox spirit. She is considered a classic example of how a beautiful femme fatale can cause the downfall of a dynasty in Chinese culture.
"Hehe, everyone, the auction house has just received a new auction item. I have a feeling that it will be of interest to everyone." After auctioning off the latest item, Ya Fei suddenly paused and said aloud to the audience.
She even winked at Xiao Yan as if to thank him for bringing her a piece of business.
Xiao Yan kept his composure and mentally recited Xun Er's name to resist the enchantress' temptation.
Xiao Zhan showed little interest when he heard Ya Fei's introduction. The Foundation Building Pill was practically useless to him now that his son had already reached the Dou Practitioner realm. He had to save his gold coins to compete for the Hurricane Chant.
In the end, the Foundation Building Pills that Xiao Yan refined himself were sold for a total of 105,000 gold coins. Xiao Yan was able to experience firsthand how lucrative being an alchemist could be. Materials that cost less than 10,000 gold coins sold for ten times that amount!
In the end, Xiao Zhan was the undisputed winner of the Hurricane Chant. The Jia Lie Clan and the Ao Ba Clan were left seething with frustration in the face of the wealthy Xiao Zhan.
After leaving the auction hall, Xiao Yan returned to the Treasure Inspection Hall, where Master Gu Ni and Ya Fei were already waiting for him.
The red-clad Ya Fei laughed lightly when she saw Xiao Yan arrive, "Little Brother Xiao Yan, how kind of you to visit your Elder Sister's auction house."
Ya Fei's pair of watery, slender, beautiful eyes stared directly at Xiao Yan as she walked with cat-like steps, swaying her waist as she approached him. The first time Xiao Yan saw Ya Fei, he even mistook her for a member of the Snake-People Tribe; her waist could twist even more than a snake's!
Xiao Yan cursed inwardly, this fox spirit!
"Sister Ya Fei is exceptionally talented. Entrusting the auction to Sister Ya Fei is indeed the best decision."
Ya Fei took out a gold card and handed it to Xiao Yan, bending slightly to approach him and whispering, "Little Brother Xiao Yan, how about introducing the alchemist who helped you refine the pill to Elder Sister?"
Master Gu Ni had already discovered during the inspection that the Foundation Building Pill was not obtained from a cave as Xiao Yan had claimed, because the pills were still very fresh.
Xiao Yan felt a tingling sensation all over his body. If not for his strong will, the enchantress' whisper alone would have been enough to make any man submit.
However, his face remained unchanged as he calmly accepted the gold card and smiled, "Sister Ya Fei, to be honest, I did the refining myself."
Ya Fei giggled and covered her mouth, "Don't tease Elder Sister. You're only fifteen years old. Even Pill King Gu He was only an apprentice at your age, not even a 1st-tier alchemist. How could you possibly refine a 2nd-tier medicinal pill?"
Xiao Yan shrugged and put on an innocent expression as he said, "Since Sister Ya Fei doesn't believe me, there's nothing I can do about it."
Ya Fei used her index finger to gently lift Xiao Yan's chin, locking her eyes with his as she said, "If you are a 2nd-tier alchemist, I'll hand over the auction house to you."