"Why did it take so long?" Qin Yueyao looked at the two people arriving late, her beautiful eyes landing on Xiao Yan. "Is this kid still dreaming?"
Xiao Yu bit her lip gently—how was she supposed to explain what just happened…
"Nothing much, Cousin Xiao Yu is about to break through to become a Dou Practitioner, so we were talking about cultivation." Xiao Yan smiled and casually took a seat beside Xun'er, pulling Xiao Yu along.
Qin Yueyao scrutinized Xiao Yu's figure: her legs were quite long, and she was a few years older than Yan'er. But she was still too young—it was hard to tell if she would be a good child-bearer.
Watching Xiao Yan eat heartily, Xun'er's bright, water-like eyes widened slightly. She lowered her voice and asked, "Brother Xiao Yan, have you broken through to become a Dou Master?"
Even though she had always known Xiao Yan had extraordinary talent, she hadn't expected his cultivation speed to be this fast.
In just about a month, he had advanced from a Dou Practitioner to a Dou Master.
Such cultivation speed would be rare even among ancient families.
"Just a lucky break." Xiao Yan chuckled.
Seeing the two whispering to each other, Qin Yueyao's brows furrowed slightly in concern.
Xun'er was undoubtedly the most outstanding girl she had ever seen, but her background far exceeded that of the Xiao Clan. This was wishful thinking…
After the meal, Xiao Yan finally realized he had been overthinking—Nalan Yanran hadn't come after all.
It turned out that Ya Fei, that enchantress, had decided to distribute the Blood Coagulation Powder business among the three major families in Wutan City.
The Mittel Auction House supplied the Blood Coagulation Powder, while the three families leveraged their markets to sell it.
Today was the day Ya Fei came to collect the profits.
This arrangement made perfect sense.
The Mittel Auction House specialized in high-value auctions.
If they got into the Blood Coagulation Powder business, they would be swamped by mercenaries every day, and their auction business would suffer—losing the watermelon while picking up sesame seeds.
After the meal, the younger generation gradually left, while Xiao Yan accompanied several elders to the Xiao Clan's reception hall.
Leaning against the chair, waiting for Ya Fei's arrival, Xiao Yan couldn't help but think of another captivating beauty—the Medusa of the Snake-People Tribe.
He needed to gather more Ice Spirit Cold Springs.
Next time, he wasn't just going to claim the Green Lotus Core Flame—he wanted double!
Of course, double didn't mean two Green Lotus Core Flames.
It meant both the Green Lotus Core Flame and the Bone Spirit Cold Fire.
Medusa, not being an alchemist and lacking the knowledge of Yao Lao, had used an extremely extravagant method to seal the Green Lotus Core Flame.
She had sealed it using an entire pool of Ice Spirit Cold Spring.
Considering the exchange rate of Ice Spirit Cold Spring to the Companion Amethyst Source, this meant she had used an entire pool of the latter as well.
If a Purple Crystal Winged Lion were to consume it, it might directly evolve from Tier 4 to Tier 6.
Such an abundant resource of Ice Spirit Cold Spring was the best material for refining the Bone Spirit Cold Fire.
That was one of the main reasons Xiao Yan wasn't in a hurry to enter the Tageer Desert.
While he was lost in thought, a charming and bone-tingling laugh floated into the hall.
"Hehe, Clan Leader Xiao seems to have made quite a fortune recently."
Following the voice, a graceful figure slowly entered their sight.
A woman dressed in a tight-fitting red cheongsam strode in, her voluptuous curves wrapped perfectly in the fabric. Her snake-like waist swayed with an enticing rhythm.
The slit of her cheongsam extended all the way to her thigh, revealing flashes of fair skin as she walked—enough to make anyone's heart race.
Xiao Zhan stood up with a smile, exchanging pleasantries. "Miss Ya Fei loves to joke. This is all thanks to the Mittel Auction House for providing the mercenaries' favorite healing medicine—Blood Coagulation Powder. We're simply prospering together."
Ya Fei giggled. "Clan Leader Xiao, you're too modest. The Mittel Auction House supplied the same amount of Blood Coagulation Powder to all three families, yet the Xiao Clan's market has outperformed the other two—everyone can see that. This is a testament to your business acumen."
She gave a respectful bow to the three elders in the hall before turning her alluring gaze toward Xiao Yan, blinking in surprise.
"I heard Young Master Xiao Yan has already broken through to a Dou Practitioner. Reaching that level at just eleven years old—his future as a Dou King is practically guaranteed."
Xiao Yan rarely showed himself in public, so Ya Fei had only met him once or twice. She took a closer look at him now.
Thinking about how she hadn't broken through to a Dou Practitioner even in her twenties, Ya Fei sighed inwardly—comparison truly was infuriating.
"Just call me by my name, Sister Ya Fei. No need for 'Young Master'—I'm not that young." Xiao Yan smiled innocently, though he was anything but.
Hearing this, Ya Fei chuckled. It was true—Xiao Yan was taller than most kids his age.
Qin Yueyao also scrutinized Ya Fei, nodding slightly. "She's a good child-bearer, but her talent is a bit lacking."
Breaking through to Dou Practitioner was already old news.
Her little monkey had already become a Dou Master.
If she were to pick someone for him, talent had to be a priority.
Though Xiao Yan was once engaged to the Nalan family, ever since his grandfather was gravely injured and chose to retire to focus on cultivation, the Xiao Clan had abandoned their plans to move to Jia Ma Sacred City.
The Xiao and Nalan families had barely interacted for years—the engagement was practically nonexistent.
Moreover, Qin Yueyao had never met this supposed daughter-in-law and had only heard of her talent. She had no idea what she even looked like.
She preferred to personally inspect her son's future wife.
Ya Fei pursed her red lips and elegantly sat down beside Xiao Yan, smiling as she got straight to the point.
"Clan Leader Xiao, what are your thoughts on the Blood Coagulation Powder sales?"
Xiao Zhan didn't rush into details. Instead, he retrieved a crystal card from his storage ring and handed it to Xiao Yan.
"This is Mittel Auction House's share."
Shrugging helplessly, Xiao Yan stood up to deliver it to Ya Fei.
Father, you're exposing my identity here…
Only then did Xiao Zhan start discussing the business.
"The Blood Coagulation Powder is of excellent quality and can quickly heal mercenary injuries. Mercenary groups love it, so demand is overwhelming. The Xiao Clan has carefully managed the supply to prevent riots."
Ya Fei smiled gently at Xiao Yan as she accepted the crystal card, but her expression subtly changed.
Her beautiful eyes locked onto Xiao Yan's unusually fair hand.
The black ring and the faintly red storage ring confirmed her suspicions.
Seeing her special gaze, Xiao Yan casually sat back down beside Ya Fei without saying anything.
Even so, Ya Fei already felt immense pressure.
She dared not offend someone who was destined to become a Dou King. Her charming expression quickly returned to its usual composure.
"Before coming here, I visited the other two families. The mercenaries' frantic competition has actually hurt their own businesses, and their overall revenue increase is far less than that of the Xiao Clan.
I'll discuss this with the alchemist back at Mittel Auction House to see if we can increase production."
Ya Fei sipped her tea, glancing sideways at the young man beside her.
Xiao Zhan naturally paid attention to the situation of the other two major families. Seeing his rivals suffer losses was something he was more than happy to witness.
After chatting idly with Xiao Zhan and the others for a while, Ya Fei prepared to take her leave. Xiao Yan, who had remained silent the entire time, accompanied her as she departed.
Walking side by side with Xiao Yan, Ya Fei felt slightly nervous. Her tightly clenched jade-like hands were damp with sweat.
Biting her red lips gently, she stole a glance at the young man beside her. He had a tall and well-proportioned build, a delicate yet sharp face, and was draped in a black robe. No matter how she looked at him, he didn't resemble an eleven-year-old boy at all.
Perhaps geniuses were destined to be extraordinary.
Ya Fei chuckled softly. "Xiao Yan, it seems we've walked quite far from the Xiao family."
"You know exactly why I followed you." Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow, grabbed Ya Fei's hand, and led her into a nearby forest.
With her lack of cultivation, Ya Fei, who wasn't even a Dou Zhe (Fighter), naturally had no power to resist Xiao Yan's domineering actions.
Despite it being midday, the dense foliage made the forest particularly dark and secluded.
Tidying her silky hair in front of her forehead, Ya Fei hesitated before timidly saying, "You're not planning to silence me, are you?"
"I'm planning to rape you first, then kill you." Xiao Yan glared at her viciously.
Hearing such crude and indecent words, Ya Fei's delicate face flushed slightly. She rolled her charming eyes at him and scolded, "Where does a little brat like you learn such bad things?"
"The Xiao family's genius has not only broken through to become a Dou Zhe at an early age but has also become a talented alchemist." Ya Fei's gaze rippled with admiration, clicking her tongue in wonder.
Even a fool could see that with a genius like Xiao Yan, the Xiao family was destined to rise in the future.
She couldn't help but wonder—who was Xiao Yan's alchemy teacher? That person was truly fortunate to have such a gifted disciple.
Xiao Yan crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Our cooperation remains the same, but I'd prefer if you kept my identity a secret."
"Do I look like a brainless fool with only a big chest?" Ya Fei raised an elegant eyebrow.
"They certainly look big. But whether they're real or not still needs verification." Xiao Yan's gaze swept over Ya Fei's ample curves with interest, and he suddenly reached out with his hand.
Ya Fei's heart clenched. Her cherry lips parted slightly, but being groped by a boy several years younger than her, she found it hard to muster any true anger, especially when faced with his handsome features.
As his soul power gently rippled through her body, Xiao Yan gained a clear understanding of her physique.
In ancient times, cultivation wasn't limited to just Dou Qi. However, as time passed, many cultivation techniques were lost, leaving only Dou Qi as the most widely spread path.
Aside from improving Dou Qi, enhancing physical constitution and soul power were also viable paths of cultivation.
Ya Fei's Dou Qi cultivation was indeed mediocre, but her greatest potential...
If she had a suitable soul cultivation method, she could undoubtedly maximize her natural charm.
[Based on your cultivation experience, you have gained enlightenment and comprehended the "Sacred Demonic Soul Refining Art."]
**[Sacred Demonic Soul Refining Art – A unique soul cultivation technique tailored for women. Outwardly demonic, inwardly sacred. The more alluring one's beauty, the easier the cultivation process. At its peak, one can reach the pinnacle of the Soul Realm.
Once cultivated, the practitioner can control souls to launch attacks. However, the effectiveness depends on both the practitioner's and the target's strength.]**
Leaning weakly against a tree, Ya Fei's gaze grew hazy. "Xiao Yan, not here…"
"I'll let you off for now." Xiao Yan gave her a couple of firm squeezes before leisurely withdrawing his hand.
Ya Fei gasped softly, her flushed cheeks exuding a bewitching charm as she hurriedly adjusted her cheongsam.
After struggling with the stubborn creases in her dress for a while, she let out a soft curse, "Little pervert."
"Wasn't the Blood Coagulation Powder refined by you? Right now, Wutan City has an enormous demand for this healing medicine." Ya Fei looked at Xiao Yan with slight apprehension.
"That depends on how many ingredients the Mittel Clan can provide." Xiao Yan retrieved a storage ring from his robes. "Here's next month's supply of Blood Coagulation Powder. What about the materials I requested?"
Ya Fei, regaining her composure, replied efficiently, "They've long been prepared. However, Beast Flames are hard to come by. They don't just appear on demand—it will probably take another month before we obtain a batch. Tomorrow, when I deliver this month's materials, I'll also bring additional ingredients for the Blood Coagulation Powder."
After a brief pause, Ya Fei mused, "To be honest, my influence within the clan is quite limited. Beast Flames are highly sought after in the imperial capital—either they're unavailable, or the prices are outrageously high…
"If we could sell something that enhances Dou Qi cultivation at the foundational stage, it would significantly speed up the process."
Xiao Yan pondered for a moment before replying, "Selling it widely in Wutan City is out of the question. However, through the Mittel Auction House's channels, we can occasionally sell it nationwide."
"Really?" Ya Fei hadn't expected Xiao Yan to agree so easily to her test suggestion.
A cultivation aid for Dou Qi practitioners—this would be a first in the entire Jia Ma Empire!
Xiao Yan flexed his fingers with a smirk. "Do you want to test its authenticity again?"
"If you keep this up, I might really get angry." Ya Fei crossed her arms protectively over her chest, feigning indignation.
Xiao Yan's eyes flicked toward her exaggerated curves, which seemed even more pronounced due to her defensive posture. He smiled slightly. "The Mittel Clan values profit above all else, but in the Dou Qi Continent, strength reigns supreme. You still need power."
"You make it sound easy. But how would a genius like you understand the struggles of those of us with poor cultivation talent?" Ya Fei sighed, resting her delicate chin on her hand.
Xiao Yan replied slowly, "Your Dou Qi cultivation may be weak, but that doesn't mean your soul cultivation has to be."
"Soul cultivation?" Ya Fei muttered, rolling her eyes. "You must be joking. Everyone in the Jia Ma Empire knows that soul power is innate."
"The Dou Qi Continent is vast. The Jia Ma Empire is but a drop in the ocean." Xiao Yan extended his finger and tapped Ya Fei's forehead, transmitting the Sacred Demonic Soul Refining Art into her mind.
Fortunately, his soul power had reached the Mortal Realm Intermediate Stage; otherwise, this technique transmission would have been impossible.
As the information surged into her mind, Ya Fei's head throbbed slightly. It took a long while before she recovered, her expression dazed. "This… this is truly a soul cultivation technique…"
"Train well. I wouldn't want such a promising business partner to be married off by her clan for some political alliance." Xiao Yan waved casually and slowly made his way back to the Xiao family.
Standing still, Ya Fei watched his figure gradually fade into the distance. Her heartbeat inexplicably quickened.
"What am I thinking? I'm several years older than him…"
(End of Chapter)
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