"Oh? From what you're saying, it seems you know quite a lot about me, Lord Xie," Ya Fei responded with a slight pause, a bit surprised by Xie Tianxiao's statement.
Although she was well-known, her fame was largely confined to Wutan City. If she were to return to the imperial capital, her status would be much lower, and she might even be mocked as a frivolous woman. Moreover, she couldn't recall ever meeting this young man who could casually produce a fourth-tier pill.
"Not entirely," Xie Tianxiao replied with a slight shake of his head. "As I mentioned earlier, I came here simply to confirm whether Miss Ya Fei is as I imagined."
"And now that you've met me, do I meet your expectations, Lord Xie?" Ya Fei asked, her heart relaxing a little as she met Xie Tianxiao's gaze.
"You're quite impressive," Xie Tianxiao responded simply, then fell silent.
"Is the lord playing a riddle with me? I don't quite understand what you mean," Ya Fei said with a smile, though she was puzzled by Xie Tianxiao's sudden praise.
"It's alright if you don't understand now; you will in due time," Xie Tianxiao replied calmly. He then reached into his storage ring and retrieved a finely crafted wooden box, which he slowly opened to reveal a green pill with a hint of blue—a Gathering Qi pill.
"This is the fourth-tier Gathering Qi pill I promised you earlier," Xie Tianxiao explained as he gently flicked his finger, sending the wooden box containing the pill floating toward Ya Fei.
Seeing this, Ya Fei set aside her earlier doubts and instead was shocked as she said, "Are you truly giving such a high-quality Gathering Qi pill to me for free, Lord Xie?"
She had assumed that his earlier words were mere flirtation, never expecting that he genuinely intended to give her the pill, and of the highest quality at that.
Despite her heritage from the Mittel family, her status within the family was not particularly high. On the contrary, she was considered expendable. So, this fourth-tier Gathering Qi Powder was extremely precious to her.
"Do you think I would use something so lowly to deceive you?" Xie Tianxiao shot her a glance.
"I know your status is extraordinary, Lord Xie. I wouldn't dare question your word," Ya Fei replied, feeling conflicted but maintaining her composure. "However, I truly cannot accept such a generous gift. It's far too valuable, and someone of my standing doesn't deserve such an offering."
Though Ya Fei was inwardly excited, she kept her expression one of polite refusal. She understood that this man's status was not ordinary, but she had her own principles. Moreover, Xie Tianxiao had made it clear from the start that he had a personal interest in her. Accepting the Gathering Qi pill so hastily would be akin to lowering her own worth in his eyes.
"I know what you're thinking, and yes, my intentions are exactly as you suspect," Xie Tianxiao said, his tone growing more assertive. "But you… have no choice."
With those words, Xie Tianxiao's powerful aura suddenly enveloped Ya Fei, causing her body to tremble uncontrollably.
"What's happening?!" Ya Fei gasped, trying to escape the overwhelming pressure.
However, no matter how much she struggled, she couldn't break free from the oppressive force. It felt as though some kind of mystical power was restraining her, making it impossible for her to move.
Fear gripped her heart. This aura was far more terrifying than anything she had ever encountered, even more so than the presence of her family's Dou king-level patriarch! She realized that the man before her might be a Dou emperor, a powerhouse of unimaginable strength.
"Lord Xie, please forgive me if I've offended you. I only hesitated to accept such a precious gift because I'm not worthy," Ya Fei said, gritting her teeth and forcing herself to remain respectful despite the terror gripping her.
"You don't have the luxury of refusal," Xie Tianxiao stated coldly, giving her no chance to argue further. In an instant, he appeared right in front of her.
Staring at her breathtakingly beautiful face and her alluring eyes, Xie Tianxiao felt a surge of desire. He smirked slightly, lifting her chin with his hand to force her to meet his gaze.
"What do you think you're doing?! I warn you, I'm a member of the Mittel family! If you dare to lay a hand on me, my family will make you pay!" Ya Fei cried out, her face flushed with a mix of anger and shame as she glared at Xie Tianxiao.
She was truly furious now. It was clear that he intended to take advantage of her, a helpless woman! But there was nothing she could do; she was utterly powerless against Xie Tianxiao.
"Oh, really? Let me show you that if I want something, you'll have no choice but to accept it," Xie Tianxiao said with a sneer. He pressed his other hand to her lips, prying them open, allowing a seductive breath to escape.
This action left Ya Fei utterly shocked.
"You can't do this… This is an insult!" Ya Fei protested, her eyes brimming with anger and humiliation.
"I'm not insulting you. You simply refused to listen, so I have to use another method," Xie Tianxiao replied nonchalantly. He removed the hand lifting her chin and waved it forward.
The blue Gathering Qi pill that had been floating nearby immediately flew into Ya Fei's mouth.
"Mmph!" Ya Fei's body trembled violently as tears of frustration welled up in her eyes, silently protesting Xie Tianxiao's actions.
"In time, you'll thank me for this," Xie Tianxiao said with a calm smile, releasing the pressure on her. He flicked his finger, causing the blue Gathering Qi pill to instantly dissolve into liquid and flow into her stomach.
"Thud…" Ya Fei's body collapsed to the ground, unable to support herself.
"I told you I would give you an opportunity, and I always keep my promises," Xie Tianxiao said, paying her no further attention as he returned to his seat, closing his eyes to rest.
A short while later, Ya Fei slowly opened her eyes, a flush of heat evident on her face.
She realized that the oppressive force Xie Tianxiao had placed on her had been lifted.
"My… my cultivation… it broke through?" she murmured in astonishment, "I've reached the level of a Two-Star Dou practitioner!"
She had always believed that with her talent and the resources available to her in Wutan City, she wouldn't break through to the Dou practitioner stage until the year after next, or perhaps even later. Yet here she was, not only having broken through but reaching the second star of the Dou pratitioner stage. It was almost unbelievable.
"You consumed a high-quality Gathering Qi pill, and with the accumulation you've built up over the years at the ninth stage of Dou Qi, it allowed you to break through to the Two-Star Dou practitioner level," Xie Tianxiao explained, his eyes now open as he observed her.
---
_______________
_________________
END