Under the guidance of a female attendant, Xiao Yan entered the ongoing auction. As soon as he stepped inside, the bright surroundings dimmed, and a constant stream of bustling noise poured in, overwhelming the usually quiet Xiao Yan, who furrowed his brows in annoyance. The auction hall was spacious enough to accommodate hundreds of guests. At the central stage, illuminated by bright lights, a beautiful woman dressed in a red gown delivered a soft, alluring voice—so delicate and enchanting that it made one's bones feel pleasantly tingling—describing the functions of the items on display. Amid her clear, melodic narration, the price of an item that was far from rare rose rapidly, gaining momentum with each passing moment. Finding a quieter spot, Xiao Yan settled down and quietly observed the graceful woman. With his keen eye, he could easily discern that most of the attendees had come specifically to see her. Master Auctioneer of Mittel Auction House: Yafei, the renowned beauty of Utan City, exudes a mature, graceful charm that has made many men fall deeply in love with her flowing gown. His gaze casually swept over the items held by Ya Fei, and instantly, Xiao Yan lost interest. He didn’t have the funds to buy a useless thing back, no matter how beautiful the woman was who was auctioning it—once his eyes moved away from her, they slowly drifted across the auction hall. “Hmm… Father?” His gaze paused suddenly as he spotted a middle-aged man seated in the front row. Xiao Yan looked utterly astonished and puzzled: “Does Father also have an interest in this woman?” The strange thought lingered for just a moment before fading away, as he realized his father’s gaze wasn’t fixed on Ya Fei at all—it was calm and composed, as if waiting for something. “What is Father doing here?” Xiao Yan murmured to himself. As he scanned further, he was struck by surprise to find that the two heads of two other prominent families—Jia Lei and Oba—were also present. Something here is drawing their attention. "Her brow lifted slightly, and Xiao Yan, curious, rubbed his nose. What on earth could have drawn the heads of the three great families here? ... Indeed, this woman, Ya Fei, is a master at setting the tone. With every subtle expression and gesture, the prices on the floor surge dramatically. And whenever this woman offers a graceful smile to the bidding participants, those who had been struggling with the rising prices instantly regain their energy. Under her gentle, restrained smiles, the atmosphere within the hall remains consistently vibrant and charged. 'Hehe, everyone, just now the auction hall received a new item for bidding—believe me, I'm sure all of you will find it interesting,' Ya Fei said with a warm smile, raising her jade hand. A servant hurried forward with a jade tray, upon which stood a small jade bottle. 'This is a second-rank elixir.'" The delicate hands gently picked up the white jade bottle. Yafei's graceful voice caused the auction hall to momentarily hush, and soon after, the bustling noise surged once again. On the Continent of Qi, nothing commands more admiration than the various pills crafted by alchemists. "This is known as the Foundation-Enriching Elixir. It is effective only for those below the level of Combatants. When immersed in this elixir and used for cultivation, those below the Combatant level will experience a significant acceleration in their cultivation pace! Hehe, if any of you wish to see your descendants become young prodigies, do not miss this opportunity!" Her inviting lips parted slightly, and the soft, velvety tone of her voice sent a shiver through the audience. "The Foundation-Enriching Elixir? It truly enhances cultivation speed for Combatants? Yet, I wonder if those at that stage might not be able to withstand the impact of such a pill?" Though Yafei was indeed beautiful and alluring, there were also several composed attendees who, after a brief silence, began to question. "Hehe, this elixir has been personally appraised by Master Guini of our auction hall, and is rated as a second-grade elixir—there's no doubt it will be flawless. Everyone can feel confident," Lady Yafu smiled. Hearing that it had been personally assessed by Master Guini, the crowd's voices gradually quieted down. All knew that Master Guini was a top-tier alchemist of the second rank, and even the heads of the three noble families in Wutan City would never dare to show any lack of respect when in his presence. Xiao Yan lounged comfortably in his chair, observing the lively atmosphere within the hall. A sense of relief washed over him—he now believed this foundational elixir would surely bring him significant gains. His gaze subtly shifted toward his father, only to notice that his father's expression had suddenly become noticeably excited. A slight pause came over him, as though remembering something. Xiao Yan felt a deep sense of warmth. "Hehe, the initial bid for the elixir is eight thousand gold coins. Please, everyone, raise your bids!" "Yafei smiled gently, her gaze sweeping across the hall before settling on the three clan elders seated at the front. She knew clearly that these three were the true contenders." "Eight thousand five!" As soon as Yafei spoke, someone immediately called out the price. "Nine thousand!" The bidding followed swiftly. ... The bidding price surged continuously, and within just a few moments, it had climbed to thirteen thousand. Although Xiang Yan's father appeared somewhat excited, he did not immediately raise his voice. Instead, he closed his eyes, patiently waiting for the smaller bidders' clamor to subside. The bidding continued for a while, then gradually quieted down. At the same time, an elder seated beside Xiang Zhan spoke calmly, "Twenty thousand!" As soon as the price was announced, the hall fell silent. Some of the audience, gazing at the composed elder, sighed and settled back in their seats, realizing they lacked the strength to compete with the Jialie clan. "Hehe, Galib, hasn't your son already advanced to the Battle Rank? Why is he still eyeing that Foundation Elixir?" said the middle-aged man, smiling at the surface but not truly amused. "Oh, I can't buy it for my future grandson, can I?" Galib clearly didn't see eye to eye with the man, and shot back a sharp, cold retort. "Then you'll have to wait until you're blessed with that fortune—after all, your son might one day have his life's essence cut off by someone else..." muttering a silent curse under his breath, Obapa called out, "Twenty-three thousand!" "Twenty-five thousand!" ... In less than ten minutes, under the astonished gazes of everyone present, the two had raised the price like fierce dogs fighting over a meal, pushing it all the way up to thirty thousand. "Forty thousand!" suddenly, Xiao Zhan, who had been closed-eyed, spoke up. The hall fell instantly silent. All eyes turned sharply to Xiao Zhan, even Obapa and Galib were momentarily stunned by the unexpectedly high price he had demanded. "Hehe, it seems Master Xiao is determined to secure this Foundation Elixir," added Jialebi with a smile. Xiao Zhan glanced at him and said calmly, "If you want it, make your bid—there's no way I'll hold back." Jialebi's face flushed slightly, as though pondering whether Xiao's words were sincere. After a moment, he shook his head. His real objective was the item itself, not this Elixir. Spending funds haphazardly now would be a poor strategic move. Meanwhile, Omapa, observing Jialebi retreat, shrugged. Though the Elixir was appealing, it wasn't his primary goal either—so, he decided to step aside. "Master Xiao has offered four thousand gold coins for the Foundation Elixir. Is there anyone willing to increase their bid?" asked Yafei, smiling at the calm atmosphere. "Since no one has stepped up, the Foundation Elixir shall be acquired by Master Xiao," Yafei declared, as no one responded. With a light tap of her small hammer on the table, she sealed the transaction. In a remote corner, Xiao Yan found himself both embarrassed and helpless, having unexpectedly ended up being pressured by his own father. "Heh, now, let me present the final highlight of this auction!" After receiving the jade vial, the elegant Lady Ya raised her hand, and the lights on the stage dimmed. With a slight bow, she reached into the platform and retrieved a silver tray. On the tray lay a scroll of ancient, delicate green hue. The scroll subtly shimmered with a gentle glow, standing out in striking contrast against the silver tray, exuding an air of mystery. "A mid-tier divine stage technique: Wind-Scroll Technique!"