After finding an excuse to part ways with Xun'er within the family, Xiao Yan quietly slipped out and, after a moment's thoughtful pause, headed toward the nearest small market of the Jiale family. Though he had no interest in mediating the concerns of the elders, he hoped to offer some support to his father within the limits of what he could do. To help effectively, he needed to first understand where to begin—thus, he needed to investigate the Jiale family's market firsthand. Though this small market of the Jiale family was somewhat remote and usually saw sparse foot traffic, the bustling crowds and the deafening clamor that greeted him upon entering were quite unexpected, leaving him momentarily stunned. On the broad streets, crowds surged in every direction. Some large men, bare-chested, shouted loudly as they pushed fiercely through the throngs. The faint scent of blood wafting from their bodies suggested they were mostly mercenaries—soldiers who frequently battled for survival—deeply passionate about healing medicines, as even a small supply of such remedies could mean the difference between life and death when venturing into perilous regions. Standing at the marketplace entrance, Xiao Yan watched as several mercenaries carried wooden boxes through the crowd, then burst out of the marketplace with joyful faces. After finally pushing through the crowd once more, Xiao Yan finally exhaled in relief, recalling the seller's proud yet impatient expression, and couldn't help but chuckle inwardly—such a self-important creature. With the box in hand, Xiao Yan stepped out of the marketplace and lifted the lid to reveal ten small bottles inside. The bottles were made of coarse material, clearly crafted from the lowest-grade jade, which was not ideal for preserving the potency of medicinal substances. Opening the bottle caps, a faint, delicate aroma of medicine wafted out. "Master, is this really considered a healing medicine?" Xiao Yan was surprised by the thinness of the medicinal essence in the liquid, and asked himself in wonder. "Yes, this would be the most basic level of healing medicine. It can provide some healing effects. This kind of simple healing medicine isn't particularly difficult to prepare. However, since healing medicines are common and sold at affordable prices, only first-tier alchemists usually take the time to craft them. "Indeed quite affordable—one hundred coins for ten bottles, coming out to ten coins per bottle. For a pharmacist, that's rather modest." Nodding slightly, Xiao Yan hesitated a moment before asking, "Master, do you have any slightly better healing prescriptions?" Xiao Yan licked his lips, his face full of eager anticipation. He casually tossed the box in his hands into a nearby gutter and then hurried toward the Mitel Auction House at the city's central location. Just before reaching the auction hall, he changed into a bulky black cloak at a quiet corner, moving slowly and deliberately toward the venue. Xiao Yan's appearance had become familiar to all the internal staff of the Mitel Auction House. As soon as the black cloak figure approached slowly, someone quickly entered the hall to inform Yafu and Gu Ni. Upon hearing the message, both Yafu and Gu Ni promptly set aside their current tasks and rushed to the auction hall entrance, where they warmly welcomed Xiao Yan into the waiting lounge. "This time, I'd like to ask you to arrange a slightly better medicine cauldron," said Xiao Yan, lifting the teacup beside him and taking a light sip. The deep, resonant voice came from beneath the cloak. Yafei, who knew the guest's identity, showed no surprise at the request. She smiled, nodded, and called over a maid, whispered a few words to her, then waved her away. "Ah, how convenient! The auction house just received a medicinal cauldron crafted by the Flame Spirit today. It was forged by Master Hore, a renowned figure from the Gamma Empire. This cauldron not only enhances the power of qi flames but also contains some rare metals that improve the success rate of potion-making. Recently, such cauldrons have become particularly popular among the pharmacists of the Gamma Empire." Yafei said with a warm smile, her eyes gliding gracefully and captivating. "Hmm." "There was a touch of satisfaction in his aged voice, and after a slight pause, he added: 'Please prepare another low-grade 'Nagets' seal, and also bring five hundred stems of coagulating herb, six hundred blooms of bone-forming flower, five hundred blooms of poppy flower, and five hundred grains of vital-energy fruit...' Hearing these requests, Gu Ni's eyes briefly widened. Even at the lowest grade, each 'Nagets' seal cost around seventy-eight thousand gold coins. While the herbs weren't particularly rare, the sheer volume required would still amount to at least one hundred thousand gold coins. Moreover, the refined fire essence cauldron mentioned by Lady Ya-fei—should it be auctioned off, it would fetch at least fifteen thousand gold coins. Combined, these items would certainly require at least thirty thousand gold coins. With the current auction hall not entirely under her control, most profits had to be remitted to headquarters. To move thirty thousand gold coins independently, though feasible, would certainly draw the attention of the upper management." Gently biting her red-lipped lips, Yafei assessed the benefits a fourth-rank pharmacist could offer, then smiled lightly. "Sir, within one hour, everything will be ready." "Ah, excellent..." For the first time, the soft, weathered voice revealed a satisfied smile before Yafei. From within her black robe, she withdrew a blue jade card from her sleeve, placing it on the table. The pharmacist chuckled, "The funds here, I know, are not sufficient to cover the items previously mentioned. However, could you please add one more set of materials for the Qi-accumulating Powder during the upcoming herb procurement?" Upon hearing this, Gu Ni's face slightly tightened—adding another set of Qi-accumulating Powder materials would mean an additional fifty thousand gold coins! Yafei's delicate, rosy lips parted slightly, and a subtle irritation stirred within her heart. Though the man was a fourth-rank pharmacist, such persistent demands seemed increasingly unreasonable. Yet there was a touch of irritation in her heart, but the graceful, alluring face of Ya Fei remained bright with smiles. After a moment's pause, she sighed softly, murmuring to herself, "It's just that I can't bear to let go of the children without catching the wolves," and then nodded with a quiet resignation. "Ah, it seems we've misunderstood. This material is not mine to begin with. All I wish to do is assist you both in preparing a 'Qi-Collecting Powder.' You only need to pay for the materials—shouldn't that be reasonable?" The voice, weathered yet gentle, carried a quiet smile. The alluring face blinked in surprise, then suddenly burst with joy, so overwhelmed by the unexpected delight that she momentarily lost her composure. Only after a few moments did Ya Fei regain her composure, her cheeks flushed, and she looked steadily at Gu Ni, who too was beaming with happiness. With a slightly nervous tone, she said, "Then, thank you so much, Master."