The sun set, the moon rose, and two months passed in the blink of an eye.
The flame of the alchemic cauldron in the Mountain Cave gradually dissipated, revealing a red pill. Xiao Zhitian waved his hand, and the pill flew into his grasp. After a glance, he carefully placed it into a bottle.
Xiao Zhitian exhaled, surveying the four bottles on the ground. A weary smile tugged at his lips as he said, "Alchemy is truly exhausting, but the harvest is considerable: one second-grade Ding Yan Dan and one second-grade Marrow Cleansing Pill."
After three months of secluded cultivation, Xiao Zhitian's greatest achievement was reaching the second-grade Alchemist status. Furthermore, during the alchemy process, his cultivation realm had broken through from Four-star Dou Zhe to Five-star.
After storing all the pills in his system space, he exited the Mountain Cave where he had stayed for three months. Realizing it was already nighttime, he hurried back to his room, quickly washed up, and collapsed onto the bed, falling asleep instantly. Three months of sleepless nights had left their mark; although cultivators could go without sleep, proper rest was still essential to restore one's spirit and energy.
The next morning, Xiao Zhitian woke up, washed, and reclined on his bed. "System, open personal panel," he commanded.
Host: Xiao ZhitianPhysique: Five Elemental Thunder God Body, MoonStar Prison Suppressing Soul BodyRealm: Five-star Dou ZheCultivation Method: Five Elements Heavenly Thunder Art (Five strands of Extreme Wood Lightning), MoonStar Soul Refining ArtDou Techniques: Heaven Smiting Thunder Halberd, Thunder Blast, Thunder Lion, Thunder BirdItems: Youth Preservation Pill *4, Pill Scroll, over one million gold coins, Blood Recuperation Pill *120, Ding Yan Dan *1, Marrow Cleansing Pill *1
After a quick glance at the panel, Xiao Zhitian tidied his clothes and left. He made his way to the bustling street where the Wutan City Mitel Auction House was located. Staring at the grand structure at the end of the street, he couldn't help but exclaim, "What a wealthy establishment!"
He turned into a secluded alley, donned the black hooded robe he had bought earlier, put on a mask, and then walked out toward the Auction House.
Under the watchful eyes of the guards, Xiao Zhitian entered and proceeded straight to the appraisal room. Inside, a middle-aged man sat idly, looking bored. Seeing Xiao Zhitian, he asked politely, "Sir, are you here for an appraisal?"
"Mm," Xiao Zhitian replied in a low, hoarse voice, then reached into his arms and took out two white jade bottles, placing them on the table.
The appraiser picked up one of the bottles, opened it, and saw a red pill inside. "Sir, I cannot appraise this pill," he said. "Please wait a moment. I need to invite Master Guni from our Auction House to appraise your pill."
"Mm, make it quick," Xiao Zhitian said.
The appraiser returned the jade bottle to Xiao Zhitian and hurried out, closing the door behind him. As soon as the room was empty, Xiao Zhitian murmured to the system, "System, check in."
System: Ding! Location: Wutan City Mitel Auction House. Check-in successful. Obtained: Dou Huang Summoning Card *1, Qi Gathering Powder *2.
Before Xiao Zhitian could examine the summoning card, a knock sounded. The middle-aged man returned, leading a man and a woman into the room.
The man was an elderly figure in a green robe, with white hair showing at his temples. A medicinal cauldron emblem adorned his chest, with two ripples etched inside it. The woman wore a flowing red gown, exuding nobility while radiating alluring charm.
The middle-aged man respectfully introduced them. "Sir, this is Master Guni of our auction house. He is a three-star Da Dou Shi and also a second-grade Alchemist. Master Guni will help you appraise your pills."
"Mm," Xiao Zhitian replied.
Guni cupped his hands toward Xiao Zhitian and asked politely, "May I ask the grade and type of pill the esteemed sir wishes to have appraised?"
"The red pill is a second-grade Marrow Cleansing Pill. Its effect is to raise a person's aptitude to that of a Da Dou Shi, but it has a side effect: the person who takes it can only ever reach the Da Dou Shi realm. The milky-white pill is a Ding Yan Dan, which preserves a person's appearance at the moment of consumption for forty years without change." Xiao Zhitian extended the jade bottles toward Master Guni.
Upon hearing the effects of the pills, Ya Fei's face revealed a flicker of emotion. For women, nothing was more tempting than eternal youth.
Master Guni carefully examined both pills. He opened a bottle, inhaled its fragrance, observed its quality and luster, and felt the energy fluctuations. After returning the first pill to its bottle, he repeated the process with the Ding Yan Dan. Finally, he said, "Sir, your pills are indeed second-grade, with no issues."
As his voice faded, a soft, seductive chuckle rang out. "Sir, are you looking to auction these? Our Auction House can directly purchase this Ding Yan Dan for seventy thousand. Does that sound acceptable? As for the Marrow Cleansing Pill, we can arrange a consignment auction. Tomorrow, during our large-scale auction event, more people will attend. This will allow it to sell for a higher price. Payment for both will be given to you then, sir."
Xiao Zhitian inwardly cursed her as a "Fairy." He subtly scrutinized the charming Ya Fei before him, briefly weighing the price. "Alright, you arrange the rest. I'll come back after the auction ends tomorrow," he said hoarsely.
"Thank you, sir. This crystal card is our Mitel Auction House VIP card. It grants you VIP treatment whenever you visit and reduces commission fees from five percent to two percent," Ya Fei said, smiling as she handed over the card.
Xiao Zhitian took it, noticing the long, fair, and very youthful hands beneath her black robe. A flash of surprise crossed Ya Fei's eyes.
Before she could react further, a hoarse voice cut through. "This matter is settled. I should leave now."
"Alright, sir. Please take care," Master Guni, the appraiser, and Ya Fei said respectfully.
Xiao Zhitian left the appraisal room without looking back.
Watching his receding figure, Ya Fei's radiant smile faded. She frowned slightly. "Guni, is he really an Alchemist?"
"Mm. From my perception, his alchemy skills are stronger than mine. At the very least, I cannot produce pills of that quality," Guni said with a sigh.
Ya Fei fell silent, recalling the long, fair hands. They looked so young, yet the Ding Yan Dan he possessed made her doubt her initial impression.
Outside, Xiao Zhitian removed his cloak and mask in a secluded spot by the roadside and slowly walked back to the Xiao Family courtyard. Stopping at the entrance, he looked toward a corner of the wall. "Xun'er, stop hiding there. Half your body is showing."
"Hehe, Xiao Zhitian Ge Ge still found me," Xun'er said, stepping out gracefully. "I knew you came out of seclusion last night. I looked for you this morning, but you weren't home. Where did you go? And… there's a woman's scent on you!" She leaned in lightly, sniffing teasingly.
"I went out for a stroll and bought some medicinal ingredients. Perhaps that's when you noticed it. By the way, during my seclusion, I became an Alchemist, you know!" Xiao Zhitian quickly changed the topic.
"An Alchemist? Xiao Zhitian Ge Ge, how did you suddenly become an Alchemist? Aren't you lightning-attributed?" Xiao Xun'er asked, tilting her head in confusion.