The sun set, and the moon rose. Two months passed in the blink of an eye.
Inside the mountain cave, the fiery cauldron formed by the Qilin Heaven-Burning Flame dissipated, revealing a single crimson pill. With a wave of his hand, Xiao Tian summoned the pill to his palm, inspected it briefly, and stored it in a bottle.
Exhaling deeply, Xiao Tian gazed at the four bottles on the ground, a weary smile spreading across his face. "Alchemy is exhausting, but the rewards are worth it. One Tier 2 Beauty-Preserving Pill and one Tier 2 Bone-Cleansing Pill."
Over the three months of seclusion, Xiao Tian's greatest achievement was reaching the rank of a Tier 2 Alchemist. Moreover, his cultivation had advanced from Four-Star Dou Zhe to Five-Star during the process.
Stowing all the pills in his system space, Xiao Tian emerged from the cave where he'd spent three months. Noticing it was nighttime, he hurried back to his room, washed up briefly, and collapsed onto his bed, falling asleep instantly. Though cultivators could forgo sleep, a proper rest restored one's spirit and vitality.
The next morning, Xiao Tian woke, freshened up, and lounged on his bed. "System, open my status panel."
Host: Xiao Tian
Physique: Thunder God Body
Realm: Five-Star Dou Zhe
Cultivation Technique: Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Art (Five Strands of Yi Wood Thunder)
Dou Techniques: Heavenly Thunder Halberd, Thunder Burst, Thunder Lion, Thunder Bird
Items: Beauty-Preserving Pill *4, Alchemy Tome, 1,000,000+ Gold Coins, Healing Blood Pill *120, Beauty-Preserving Pill *1, Bone-Cleansing Pill *1
Glancing over the panel, Xiao Tian tidied his clothes and headed out. He made his way to Wu Tan City's Miteer Auction House, located on a bustling street. The auction house's golden, opulent facade gleamed at the street's end. Truly a den of wealth, he thought, before slipping into a secluded alley. There, he donned a black hooded cloak and a mask he'd purchased earlier. Emerging from the alley, he strode toward the auction house.
Under the wary gazes of the guards, Xiao Tian entered and headed straight for the appraisal room. Inside, a bored middle-aged man sat at a desk. Seeing Xiao Tian, he asked, "Sir, are you here to have something appraised?"
"Mm," Xiao Tian replied, lowering his voice to a hoarse rasp. He reached into his cloak and placed two white jade bottles on the table.
The appraiser picked up one bottle, opened it, and saw a crimson pill inside. Recognizing it as a pill, he said, "Sir, I can't appraise this myself. Please wait a moment while I fetch Master Gu Ni from our auction house to evaluate your pills."
"Mm. Be quick."
The appraiser returned the bottle to Xiao Tian and hurried out, closing the door behind him. Alone, Xiao Tian muttered, "System, check in."
[Ding! Location: Wu Tan City Miteer Auction House. Check-in successful. Rewards: Dou Huang Summoning Card *1, Qi-Gathering Powder *2]
Just as Xiao Tian was about to inspect the summoning card, a knock sounded. The appraiser returned, accompanied by a man and a woman. The man was an elderly figure in green robes, his hair streaked with white, a cauldron emblem on his chest bearing two ripples. The woman wore a striking red dress, exuding both elegance and allure.
The appraiser introduced them respectfully. "Sir, this is Master Gu Ni, a Three-Star Da Dou Shi and a Tier 2 Alchemist. He'll appraise your pills."
"Mm," Xiao Tian acknowledged.
Gu Ni bowed slightly. "May I ask, sir, what grade these pills are and what are their effects?"
Xiao Tian handed over the jade bottles. "The red pill is a Tier 2 Bone-Cleansing Pill. It can elevate a person's talent to the level of a Da Dou Shi, but the drawback is that they'll be capped at Da Dou Shi for life. The milky-white pill is a Beauty-Preserving Pill, which locks a person's appearance at the moment of consumption, preserving it for forty years."
At the mention of the Beauty-Preserving Pill's effects, a flicker of longing crossed Ya Fei's face. For a woman, few things were more enticing than eternal youth.
Gu Ni took the bottles, opened one, and inhaled the pill's fragrance. He examined its color, luster, and energy fluctuations carefully before repeating the process with the Beauty-Preserving Pill. Closing the bottles, he nodded. "Sir, your pills are indeed Tier 2. No issues."
As Gu Ni finished, Ya Fei's soft, melodious voice chimed in with a charming laugh. "Sir, would you like to auction these? Our auction house can directly purchase the Beauty-Preserving Pill for 70,000 gold coins. As for the Bone-Cleansing Pill, we can list it for auction. Tomorrow, we're holding a major auction event with a large crowd. We'll promote the pill in the meantime to fetch a better price. Both payments will be settled with you after the auction."
What a vixen, Xiao Tian thought, cursing inwardly at her enchanting voice. His gaze subtly swept over the captivating Ya Fei before he considered her offer. In his hoarse tone, he replied, "Fine. Arrange it. I'll return after the auction tomorrow."
"Thank you, sir," Ya Fei said, her smile radiant as she produced a crystal card. "This is our Miteer Auction House's VIP card. It grants you privileged treatment at any of our branches, and the tax rate on your auctioned items will be reduced from 5% to 2%."
Xiao Tian reached for the card. As his hand emerged from the cloak—slender, fair, and unmistakably youthful—Ya Fei's eyes flickered with surprise.
Before she could dwell on it, Xiao Tian's raspy voice cut through. "It's settled, then. I'll take my leave."
"Safe travels, sir," Gu Ni, the appraiser, and a now-composed Ya Fei said respectfully.
Xiao Tian left the appraisal room without looking back.
As his figure faded into the distance, Ya Fei's smile vanished, her brows knitting slightly. "Gu Ni, is he really an alchemist?"
Gu Ni sighed. "Based on my perception, his alchemy skills surpass mine. The quality of those pills—I couldn't refine them myself."
Ya Fei fell silent, her mind replaying the image of those youthful hands. They looked like a young man's, but with the Beauty-Preserving Pill, I can't be sure.
In a secluded alley, Xiao Tian shed his cloak and mask, then strolled back to the Xiao Clan. At his courtyard gate, he paused, glancing toward a nearby wall's corner. "Xun Er, stop hiding. I can see half your body sticking out."
"Hehe, caught by Brother Xiao Tian again," Xiao Xun Er giggled, stepping out gracefully from the corner. She approached him, then leaned in, sniffing lightly. "I heard you came out of seclusion last night. I came by this morning, but you weren't here. Where'd you go? And why do you smell like a woman's perfume?"
"Just wandered around, bought some herbs," Xiao Tian said, deftly changing the subject. "Might've picked up the scent then. Oh, and during seclusion, I became an alchemist."
"An alchemist?" Xiao Xun Er tilted her head, puzzled. "How did you suddenly become an alchemist, Brother Xiao Tian? Aren't you lightning-attributed?"