Ya Fei closed the pill box gently, almost reverently.
Even for her—someone who saw treasures every day—this level of refinement on a first-tier pill was rare.
"Before the auction begins," she said, lowering her voice, "I will have my appraisers verify its grade. But…" Her eyes flicked toward Max with a deeper glint. "I can already tell this will attract attention."
"That's fine," Max said. "Attention on the pill. Not the alchemist."
"Of course."
Ya Fei smiled, though her mind was clearly racing.
A new alchemist had appeared out of nowhere.
Silent, hidden.
Yet capable of producing such quality.
Such people did not remain small for long.
She tucked the pill box into a secure jade container.
Then she paused—her crimson eyes widening slightly as something clicked in her mind.
"If you want to auction more pills, do please have them delivered before the day of Auction" She said as Max nodded and left.
Max gave Ya Fei a polite nod, turned on his heel, and walked out of the evaluation room.
The door closed behind him with a soft click.
Ya Fei watched the empty space for a long moment.
"…Is he the alchemist? Or just the messenger?" she muttered.
She couldn't tell.
His steps were too steady.
His aura was too clean.
His presence was… too controlled.
No ordinary assistant carried themselves like that.
But she didn't voice her suspicion.
Everyone had secrets.
And in her line of work, pushing too hard only scared away valuable clients.
She exhaled and smirked faintly.
"Well… if he is the alchemist, then he's even more terrifying than I thought."
On the Way Back
As Max walked through the market streets, he could already feel eyes drifting toward him.
Not hostile.
Just… curious.
Some noble brats, some merchants, and a few low-ranked cultivators sensed the faint medicinal scent on him. It clung to his sleeve from the pill box.
There were even whispers:
"Is he an alchemist?"
"Maybe a new one? He's hiding his face…"
"Could be someone important."
Max ignored them completely.
The mask worked.
No one recognized him.
And more importantly—
none of it will lead to Xiao Yue.
The ingredients Ya Fei had given him were tucked safely in his storage ring. High-quality, stable, perfectly suited for beginner refinement.
Exactly what Xiao Yue needed to grow fast without drawing attention.
When Max returned, the first thing he sensed was heat.
Controlled. Focused.
Familiar.
Xiao Yue was in the courtyard, sitting cross-legged, a tiny controlled beast flame floating above her palm. Beads of sweat dotted her forehead, but her expression was firm.
She didn't even notice him until he stepped closer.
"Back already?" she asked, keeping her eyes on the flame.
"Yeah. The pill will be auctioned tonight."
She smiled—small but proud—and extinguished the flame with a flick of her wrist.
Max placed the bundles of herbs and jade boxes on the table beside her.
"These are for you."
Xiao Yue's eyes widened.
"This… this is a lot. Where did you get these?"
"Part of the auction agreement."
He didn't mention Ya Fei's "investment." That kind of attention could make Yue nervous—or worse, careless.
Xiao Yue touched the ingredients gently, admiring them.
"These are perfect for Tier 1 practice… and even early Tier 2 attempts."
"Exactly."
She stood up and faced him.
"…Brother, you're planning something, right? All this… feels too smooth."
Max placed a hand on her head, ruffling her hair.
"I'm planning your future. That's all."
Her cheeks reddened slightly, but she didn't protest.
She took the herbs, sorted everything by type, and set aside a few stalks.
"I'll refine again," she said. "This time I'll try for a higher purity grade."
Max nodded approvingly.
"Good. Build speed and precision."
Xiao Yue inhaled deeply and lit the Purple Cloud Crane Flame again.
This time it was steadier, brighter—she was improving far faster than normal.
Max watched her for a moment and nodded, then turned to leave.
"Keep going, sis. I'll cultivate too," he said before dashing away, leaving Xiao Yue smiling softly as she returned to her flame.
Max sat in his room and crossed his legs, beginning his own cultivation.
Blue and purple Dou Qi swirled around him—two colors that weren't normal for any cultivator.
They were Spatial Dou Qi and Temporal Dou Qi, rare and terrifying types he alone could cultivate.
They danced around him like twisting ribbons, warping the air slightly as they pulsed.
He exhaled slowly and sunk deeper into the cultivation state.
While Xiao Yue worked on refining her foundation, Max refined his own—polishing it, stabilizing it, and making it even more robust.
Max cultivated for nearly an hour, the room humming faintly as space and time bent subtly around him. When he finally opened his eyes, the blue–purple glow faded, retreating into his meridians like obedient serpents.
He stretched his neck and stood.
"Alright. Time to check how things are going at the auction house."
He wrapped the face mask back over his features, pulled up his hood, and concealed his aura. His presence flattened instantly—like an ordinary passerby with no cultivation to speak of.
[ Concealment complete. No one will notice you unless you allow it. ]
"Perfect."
He stepped outside. The morning sun had just begun to rise fully, painting the streets in gentle gold. Merchants were opening their stalls, and the flow of people grew steadily as he walked.
By the time he reached the Miteer Auction House, the main doors were bustling.
Colorful banners hung at the entrance.
"Mid-Tier Auction – Begins Soon!"
Max smirked.
"Let's see how far one little pill can shake this place…"
He slipped inside with the crowd, moving up the staircase to the viewing balcony. From there, he could watch the preparations below without drawing attention.
Down on the main floor, staff were arranging items, setting up displays, adjusting spirit lamps. Ya Fei stood at the center, issuing instructions—her red dress flowing like a wave of flame.
She carried herself confidently, but Max could tell something was different today.
Her movements were sharper.
Her eyes gleamed with anticipation.
"She's expecting it," Max murmured.
[ Of course she is. A pill of that quality will draw every wealthy clan scion in the city. She knows this auction will be explosive. ]
***
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