"Quick, check the list!" Hai Bodong didn't confirm or deny, quietly sipping his tea as he urged.
Hearing this, Ya Fei nodded slightly and carefully examined the list. After a moment, she shook her head regretfully and said, "Apologies, sir. The herbs listed here are all rare and difficult to find. Apart from the Purple Spirit Fruit that you just acquired, none of the items are in stock at our auction house. However, the main branch of the Miteer Auction House has four of the items in its inventory. If you need them, I can contact the headquarters, and they can be delivered within three days. As for the missing herbs, I can ask our clan leader, Tengshan. With the Miteer Auction House's network, it shouldn't take long to find them."
"Only four?" Hai Bodong sighed softly and shook his head. "No need, I don't have that much time. I'll write a letter to that useless Tengshan of Miteer later. Please deliver it as quickly as possible."
Hearing Hai Bodong's words, even Ya Fei's calm demeanor faltered, her expression darkening. If she hadn't seen the purple-gold card, she would have thought he was crazy, daring to insult one of the top ten experts in the Jia Ma Empire, Miteer Tengshan, as a "useless person."
After respectfully returning the list, Ya Fei called over two maids. They took Xiao Se's jade card and Hai Bodong's purple-gold card and hurriedly left after Ya Fei whispered some instructions to them.
During the brief waiting period, Ya Fei pulled Xiao Se aside and whispered, "Xiao Se, is this Dou Wang senior your mysterious teacher? How does he know our Tengshan clan leader?"
Xiao Se smiled and shook his head, "He's just a friend of mine, not my teacher. As for whether he knows your clan leader, I really can't say."
Ya Fei didn't seem disappointed with Xiao Se's answer. She took a step back, her arms at her waist, and examined him from head to toe. Smiling, she said, "It seems like you're becoming more and more mysterious, Xiao Se. Not only have you become a second-tier alchemist at such a young age, but you've even made friends with a Dou Wang."
"Just luck," Xiao Se replied with a light smile, glancing at the maid who had returned with his jade card. He turned to Hai Bodong and said, "Elder Hai, I need to take care of some personal matters. Please wait for me here at the Miteer Auction House."
Hai Bodong waved his hand casually.
"Farewell, Sister Ya Fei," Xiao Se said as he greeted Ya Fei before taking his jade card from the maid and leaving the waiting room.
As Xiao Se's figure slowly disappeared, Ya Fei murmured to herself, "Thirteen years old, already a second-tier alchemist. If the Xiao family knew that this genius had become disillusioned with them due to their dark dealings, those old fossils in the Xiao family would surely regret it bitterly."
Ever since Xiao Se left Wu Tan City, Ya Fei had deliberately investigated him. Who would have thought that a former outcast of the Xiao family would grow so quickly into someone the entire Xiao family would have to look up to?
After leaving the auction house's waiting room, Xiao Se used his soul power to ensure no one was following him before turning into an empty alley. There, he removed his alchemist robe and mask, placing them into his storage ring, and followed the familiar route back to the Xiao family.
As soon as he approached the Xiao family gates, it was no surprise that two guards blocked him.
"Young man, this is the Xiao family estate. Outsiders are not allowed entry. If you're here to see someone, I can notify them for you," said one of the guards, noticing Xiao Se's distinguished aura.
Xiao Se shook his head, pulled out a standard Xiao family disciple token, and tossed it to the guard, saying, "No need. I'm Xiao Se, just returning from training."
The guard inspected the token closely, and after confirming its authenticity, stepped aside to let him pass.
As Xiao Se walked away, the other guard couldn't help but ask, "Hey, who's Xiao Se? Does our Xiao family even have someone by that name?"
The guard shrugged. "I don't know either. The Xiao family has hundreds of young disciples, but who cares? As long as the token's real, it doesn't matter."-
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Walking through the Xiao family estate, Xiao Se reflected on his five years here, shaking his head with a sigh. His parents and the old steward had passed away, and he no longer had any emotional ties to the Xiao family. If there was one person who mattered, it would be Xiao Yu, his childhood friend.
His sole purpose in returning was to see Xiao Yu. It had been a year, and if she had returned from Jia Nan Academy, they could reunite.
Recalling the scene when Xiao Yu left for Jia Nan Academy, crying as she hugged him, Xiao Se couldn't help but smile. Perhaps, like Long Kui, this childhood friend had become more than just a paper-thin relationship and had found a place in his heart.
"Xiao Se!" A loud, familiar voice interrupted Xiao Se's thoughts. He stopped and turned to see a familiar figure, walking with the swagger of a young master. Xiao Se chuckled to himself. "Xiao Ning."
"Whoa, no way, it really is you!" Xiao Ning ran over, eyes wide in disbelief as he looked Xiao Se up and down. "It's only been a year, and you've grown so much. I almost didn't recognize you!"
"Maybe I just grew taller," Xiao Se replied with a shrug, dismissing it casually.
"Man, you're making everyone jealous. No wonder my sister keeps thinking about you," Xiao Ning said enviously, eyeing Xiao Se's now-handsome features.
Hearing the mention of Xiao Yu, Xiao Se couldn't help but ask, "Has Xiao Yu come back?"
Xiao Ning nodded. "She came back last night. As soon as she returned, she went looking for you. When she found out you'd been gone for a year, she locked herself in her room. I bet she's crying right now."
"Alright, I'll go find her then," Xiao Se said, turning to leave.
"Wait a second!" Xiao Ning grabbed his shoulder.
"What now?" Xiao Se asked, a bit impatient.
"Hehe, it's just that, since you're back, we haven't sparred in a year. I want to see how much you've improved outside," Xiao Ning said with a grin.
By this time, it was almost noon, and since this was the main path to the Xiao family's dining hall, many young disciples of the Xiao family had gathered to watch, curious about the potential match.
Xiao Se glanced around, unsure. "Is it okay to fight here?"
Xiao Ning proudly pointed at himself and replied, "Don't worry about it! Just so you know, I recently broke through to the seventh stage of Dou Disciple!"
"Uh..." Xiao Se twitched slightly. Xiao Ning, two years older than him and Xiao Yan, was fifteen and at the seventh stage of Dou Disciple, which was considered quite talented in the Xiao family. However...
"Let's start, then." Xiao Se straightened his posture, placing his left hand behind his back and beckoning Xiao Ning forward with his right hand.
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