Undoubtedly, the promotional impact of the Mittel Auction House has been exceptionally strong. Just one day after Xiao Yan delivered the Foundation-Essence Liquid to the auction, nearly every significant faction across Wutan City became aware of the news, sparking waves of excitement and enthusiasm throughout. Unlike the premium items sold at the previous auction—where only a handful of the most powerful factions could afford to bid, while others had to watch in admiration—the Foundation-Essence Liquid proved far more accessible. For many, it represented a practical and realistic investment. To enable their descendants to become combatants as swiftly as possible, numerous elders were willing to make a financial commitment to this cost-effective yet not overly expensive offering. When the news of the Foundation Elixir spread throughout Utan City reached the ears of Xiao Yan, who had been living quietly within his family, he was both astonished and once again struck by the unique appeal of medicinal elixirs on this continent—especially considering that only seven relatively impure bottles had been made a big deal. On the following day, the Xiao family received an invitation from the Miter Auction House. Perhaps due to Xiao Zhan's previous purchase of Foundation Elixirs for Xiao Yan, several elders in the family showed keen interest, particularly those whose descendants had not yet reached the Battle Rank. By afternoon, despite having originally intended to go out alone, Xiao Yan was unexpectedly notified by Xiao Zhan's staff and had no choice but to follow the messenger to the family gates. There, not only was Xiao Zhan present, but several elders had also gathered, making the scene quite lively. Looking up at the slowly approaching Xiao Yan, Xiao Zhan smiled and waved his hand to urge him on. Seeing his father's prompt, Xiao Yan sighed and, as he drew nearer, caught sight of the two figures standing beside Xiao Zhan. His brow furrowed slightly. "Stalling like a woman..." observing Xiao Yan's frown, Xiao Yu, who had been waiting patiently, felt a subtle irritation build up and coldly remarked with a mocking tone. "You're busy attending the funeral, aren't you?" Xiao Yan glanced sideways at Xiao Yu, his calm voice nearly causing the latter to crack his silver teeth. "Pfft." A soft, clear laugh rang out among the crowd, like that of a silver bell. Turning slightly, Xiao Yan glanced at Xun, who stood in the midst of the crowd, and shrugged, smiling, "Are you going to the auction as well?" "Staying within the family would be rather dull—perhaps it's time to see what's happening," Xun said, stepping out of the crowd and walking beside Xiao Yan, her face bright with a pleasant smile. "It's all just basic foundation elixirs—nothing particularly impressive for you, really," Xiao Yan said casually. "Hmm, what's so impressive about it? If it weren't for that thing you're clinging to, how could you have advanced so quickly to my level?" Xue Ning, who had been recovering for two months after being beaten by Xiao Yan, glanced at the warm and intimate way the two were chatting, his face twitching with irritation—once again, he was brushing off the pain of his injuries. "Is your bones itching again?" Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow, speaking with a half-smile. "You—!" Fuming, Xue Ning clenched his fists tightly, then slowly relaxed them, coolly retorting, "Don't get too proud. This time, you've injured me, and I must admit—I'm genuinely grateful. Without this period of rest and recuperation, I probably wouldn't have reached the ninth segment of Battle Qi. With just another seven days, I'd be fully there! Then, who knows—maybe it'll be *your* bones that start itching!" Xiao Zhan furrowed his brows, glancing sharply at the Senior Elder with mild displeasure. Just as he was about to wave his hand to have everyone move, he suddenly noticed the playful smile on Xiao Yan's face, which caused him to pause, and the words he had formed in his mouth to slip silently back into his throat. Sighing and shaking her head, the others silently mused that this youngster clearly had a mind to undermine everyone—especially the unfortunate Xiao Ning. Hearing Xiao Lin's words, Xiao Ning's proud expression instantly stiffened, his mouth twitching as he struggled to find words. He fixed his gaze firmly on Xiao Lin, his throat rolling with effort, before finally sinking into a defeated slump. He had hoped that mastering the current threshold would restore his dignity, only to find himself met with even greater humiliation. "Ha ha..." Seeing the族 members' faces filled with astonishment, the furrows on Xiao Zhan's brows smoothed out as he laughed heartily, glancing at the elderly senior who looked helpless. "Come on, come on! The auction is about to begin. We shouldn't delay anymore—otherwise, we'll miss it and have to watch others snatch the items away." As he watched several elders step out the door, Xiao Zhan turned back, happily rubbed Xiao Yan's head, and exclaimed with satisfaction, "Excellent! Excellent! This time, I've truly brought honor to my father. That old man has praised his grandson no less than ten times in front of me today—listening to him has driven me nearly mad. All he wanted was for the family to pay for a single foundation-essence elixir for his grandson. He went around in circles about it, truly tedious. A real miser." "His hair was all messed up. Xiao Yan smiled sadly, gestured helplessly with his hands, and stepped out the gate, sighing, 'I didn't want to say anything, but that person just kept bringing up the very thing that wasn't ready...' Hearing this, Xiao Ning, who had just stepped a short distance out, couldn't help drawing a faint smile at the corner of his mouth, feeling genuinely frustrated and somber.