Chapter 29: Getting Straight to the Point

Chapter 29: Straight to the Point

The auction concluded successfully, and Xiao Se once again found his pockets overflowing with wealth. Thanks to the intense rivalry between the three major clans, the price of his spirit refinement liquid had soared. In total, the ten bottles sold for nearly 760,000 gold coins, a sum that made it hard for Xiao Se to keep a smile from spreading across his face.

Having no intention of lingering, Xiao Se turned to Xiao Ning and said, "Xiao Ning, the auction is over. I should head back to cultivate."

"You really are a cultivation maniac," Xiao Ning remarked with a scoff. A mischievous grin then tugged at the corner of his mouth as he tempted him, "Do you really not want to see Miss Ya Fei? You’ll have a chance for a close encounter when you go to collect your earnings."

"I thought you were in love with that girl, Xiao Xun'er? Why are you suddenly interested in Ya Fei? She isn’t a simple woman; aren't you afraid of being picked clean to the bone?" Xiao Se shot him a sidelong glance and said calmly.

Xiao Ning chuckled, "Heh, domestic flowers are never as fragrant as the wild ones. Besides, Xun'er won't even give me the time of day, so it’s nice to feast my eyes here. But you, you’d better not wrong my cousin. She is..." He hurriedly covered his mouth, his voice trailing off into a whisper.

At the mention of Xiao Yu, the image of the girl—outwardly sharp-tongued but inwardly shy—flashed through Xiao Se’s mind. He smiled faintly but said nothing more.

"Alright, I’m leaving. You can stay and watch," Xiao Se said, patting Xiao Ning on the shoulder before rising to leave.

He slipped out of the auction house unnoticed, took a walk through the nearby market, and then ducked into a deserted alley. Donning the heavy black robe from before to conceal his figure completely, he made his way back to the auction house.

Ya Fei, anticipating his return, had already stationed an attendant to watch for him. As soon as he arrived, a delicate-looking maid respectfully ushered him into a reception room.

Xiao Se sat quietly in a chair, took a sip of the fragrant tea on the table, and glanced at the timid girl standing nearby. He said nothing. Familiar with the unwritten rules of the workplace, he knew full well that this maid was meant to entertain honored guests and cater to their more private needs. Xiao Se, however, held such things in disdain; he had no such depraved tastes.

After about seven or eight minutes of the girl standing there in nervous silence, rapid footsteps echoed from outside the door.

The girl let out a heavy sigh of relief.

"Hehe, Master Pu, you’ve arrived quite early. It took some time to finish the handover with the customers. I hope Aili hasn't caused you any trouble!"

The voice came before the person. The soft, intoxicating tone sent a faint tremor through Xiao Se’s heart. The door opened, and Ya Fei walked in with an elegant gait. With every step, the pride of her bosom rose and fell, tracing a breathtakingly perfect arc.

"A succubus," Xiao Se cursed inwardly before setting his teacup down and giving a slight nod.

Seeing the nod, the maid named Aili sighed with relief, bowed, and retreated from the room.

Noticing Xiao Se’s calm demeanor, Ya Fei also felt a weight lift from her heart. A charming smile blossomed on her face as she subtly scrutinized him. Ever since she had guessed that "Master Pu" was likely just an obscure youth from the Xiao clan, she had regretted following Gu Ni's advice and arranging a maid for him. A boy of only twelve or thirteen was still in the early, ignorant stages of romance; how could he possibly be interested in such a girl?

Yet, she hadn't expected "Master Pu" to return so quickly. This only strengthened her suspicions. Because of the sword-shaped pattern she had noticed earlier, she had been keeping a close eye on Xiao Se from the auction stage. For Master Pu to appear so soon after Xiao Se’s departure—such a coincidence was impossible.

"The auction is over, then?" a hoarse voice sounded from beneath the black robe.

"Yes." Ya Fei smiled, her beautiful chin tilting slightly. She stopped her appraisal, raised her hand to touch her storage ring, and produced a gold card. "Master Pu, the ten bottles of spirit refinement liquid sold for a total of 765,000 gold coins. After deducting the two percent commission, the cost of the medicinal ingredients, the field supplies, and the three low-tier Xuan-rank battle techniques you requested, the remaining balance is all on this card."

Xiao Se took the card and nodded slightly. It was a rare feat for second-grade medicinal pills to average over 70,000 gold coins each.

However, noticing Ya Fei’s eyes scanning his hands, Xiao Se frowned. His hoarse voice spoke slowly, "I am very satisfied with the price, but Miss Ya Fei, are my hands really that interesting to look at? And what about my herbs and field supplies?"

The first half of his hoarse sentence made Ya Fei’s face brighten, but the second half caused her expression to change instantly.

Fortunately, she possessed a strong temperament and quickly recovered, her face returning to its charming mask. She pursed her red lips and smiled, "Master Pu, you misunderstand. I simply noticed that you are accustomed to wearing black robes and gloves, and I thought it must be inconvenient. So, I had someone custom-tailor a set of robes for you. As for your supplies, they are ready."

Ya Fei clapped her hands, and two maids entered, each carrying a silver tray. They placed them on the table before Xiao Se and retreated.

"Master Pu, these are your herbs and supplies, separated into two low-level storage rings. And this robe is woven from the black silk of a second-tier demonic beast, the Black Silkworm. It is resistant to ordinary blades. Please, take it as a gift from our auction house; I hope you will not refuse." Ya Fei gestured to the trays and smiled.

"You are thoughtful." Xiao Se took the rings and the robe. Suddenly, a young, boyish voice echoed from beneath the hood, "But Miss Ya Fei, you have clearly guessed my identity. Isn't this probing exhausting?"

The sudden shift in Xiao Se’s voice startled Ya Fei. She covered her lips with her hand, exclaiming, "Master Pu, you..."

"Shh!" Xiao Se made a silencing gesture and slowly pulled back his hood, revealing a delicate, youthful face. "Lower your voice. I have no desire for this to become common knowledge."

Staring at the refined, youthful face before her, Ya Fei took a deep breath and sighed, "Should I call you Master Pu, or should I call you little Xiao Se?"

Watching the somewhat anxious Ya Fei, Xiao Se’s gaze sharpened. He countered, "What do you think?"

Under Xiao Se’s piercing stare, Ya Fei felt a tightness in her chest. The smile on her face faded, and she threw the question back to him: "What would you like me to call you?"