Yao Chen, now serious, still exerted a lot of pressure on the current Xiao Yan. He pursed his lips, wanting to say something, but in the end, he didn't dare to disturb him.
After a long while, Yao Chen finally put down the auction catalog.
"Bid for this map as well. I won't harm you."
He had clearly recognized what the pattern on the incomplete map was related to.
The Purifying Lotus Demonic Flame, ranked third on the Heavenly Flame list!
Even when he was at his peak, he had never obtained such a clue. He hadn't expected that after dying once and hiding for many years before taking another disciple, he would encounter a related incomplete map.
Could it be that this new disciple had such high luck?
Having secretly tested Xiao Yan for many years, Yao Chen had high hopes for him. Even though Xiao Yan hadn't reached the point of choosing a cultivation technique yet, Yao Chen still felt that Xiao Yan's future choices shouldn't disappoint him.
Under this assumption, the clue about the Heavenly Flame was not to be missed.
"I can't bid for it. I don't have the money."
"Your father is the Clan Leader..."
"Father can't spend too many gold coins on these things. In recent years, because of my matters, the Clan Elders have long been dissatisfied. Moreover, there are so many good things appearing this time, how can he still care about such useless items?"
Xiao Yan shook his head decisively.
Useless items?
"Fine, then we'll figure it out ourselves. I'll also show you how fast Alchemists earn money. Prepare as many materials for the Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid as possible, the more the better."
...
Mitre Auction House.
As Hai Bo Dong said, after receiving Teng Shan's message, the person escorting the medicinal ingredients didn't dare to delay at all and arrived in Wu Tan City after only two days of waiting.
The person who came was a Three Star Dou Ling.
Not high in strength, but sufficient.
Looking at the pile of precious medicinal ingredients the other party took out, Zi Yan was quite happy. However, because the quantity brought by the other party was more than she had expected, Zi Yan, who only took things in and never gave them out, hesitated a little and secretly exchanged glances with Chen Xiao.
After seeing Chen Xiao nod, Zi Yan confidently put away the pile of medicinal ingredients and chuckled non-stop.
"Elder Hai, what is the specific level of Pill King Gu He from the Jia Ma Empire?"
Although Chen Xiao remembered that in the original trajectory, when Gu He went to the Tagor Desert to trade with the Medusa Queen, he even offered a seventh-grade Transformation Pill as a bargaining chip, Chen Xiao didn't believe a single word of it.
When traveling outside, who wouldn't brag a few times?
Therefore, seeing is believing, hearing is not!
"I have very little contact with Gu He. Before I was sealed by that woman, he was only a fourth-grade Alchemist. Teng Shan should know more."
Seeing the two look over, Teng Shan didn't beat around the bush and immediately nodded.
"The level of an Alchemist, besides themselves, no outsider can completely determine. Therefore, I can only be eighty percent sure that Gu He is now a sixth-grade intermediate Alchemist."
Hearing this, Chen Xiao nodded slightly.
This level was not much different from what he had guessed.
"What, you want to ask him for help? Dou Ling Pill?"
Hai Bo Dong looked over curiously, sized up Chen Xiao a few times, and then made a guess.
This pill was highly sought after by Dou Wang powerhouses, and its medicinal effects could even be said to be widely known. Even the Dou Ling Pill formula, which should have been an Alchemist's patent, was no longer a secret and was widely spread.
"Yes, I estimate that in about two months, I might break through to Eight Star Dou Wang. I haven't taken a Dou Ling Pill yet, so this shortcut can still be considered."
"That fast?! You don't have any bottlenecks?"
This time, before Hai Bo Dong could speak, Teng Shan couldn't hold back.
He was also a Dou Wang powerhouse and knew how difficult it was to improve in the Dou Wang realm.
Chen Xiao had given him an excuse before, saying he was busy with affairs, but Teng Shan knew very well that those were just excuses.
In the final analysis, it was because of talent issues, which was the reason for his slow improvement.
"I haven't felt any so far."
"..."
Teng Shan fell silent, feeling for the first time how big the gap between people was so directly.
Hai Bo Dong, on the other hand, was amused. Seeing that Teng Shan was a bit withdrawn and didn't speak anymore, he took over the conversation.
"The Dou Ling Pill is indeed very suitable for you. I'll have Teng Shan help you contact Gu He later. The Mitre Family still has some face, so it shouldn't be difficult to ask him to take action."
"Okay, thank you, Elder Hai."
Chen Xiao wasn't pretentious and nodded in agreement.
Before returning to the Jia Ma Empire, he had already decided that the Dou Ling Pill could be refined with the help of Gu He or Yao Chen. This was also why he wasn't in a hurry to advance the money, as he wouldn't take it too early even if he did.
Among them, asking Gu He to refine it could utilize the Mitre Family's connections, while using Yao Chen's help would require a more thorough and detailed plan. He only wanted to benefit from Yao Chen and didn't plan to engage in any bargaining with him. The initiative had to be in his hands.
Now that Hai Bo Dong had taken care of this matter, it could save him a lot of trouble.
"In the past few years in the Black-Corner Region, Zi Yan and I have only collected enough materials for two Dou Ling Pills, especially the magic cores, which took a lot of effort to acquire. Please give them to Gu He along with the rest, Clan Leader Teng Shan."
Chen Xiao took out a separate storage ring and handed it to Teng Shan, feeling a bit pained.
According to the rules of alchemists, if you want them to refine pills for you, you have to provide the materials yourself, and not just one set!
Moreover, if the other party succeeds in refining the pill with the first set of materials, the extra materials will not be returned!
Even so, it's still not easy to get an alchemist to refine pills for you; many people are even turned away. This shows how popular this profession is.
Thinking of this, Chen Xiao couldn't help but recall some instructions given when he saw Xun Er off. Now that he was back in the Jia Ma Empire, he wondered if the two promising alchemist seedlings he had his eye on had started their journey yet...
Looking at the storage ring Chen Xiao handed over, Teng Shan didn't refuse.
"Perfect. I was planning to return to the Imperial Capital today anyway, so I can visit Gu He on the way. With me making the request, there's no reason for Gu He to refuse. Just wait patiently for the pill to be delivered," Teng Shan said with a light chuckle.
Being able to take a few days off from his busy schedule to accompany Hai Bo Dong was quite rare for him.
He was the Clan Leader of the Mitre Family and couldn't stay in Wu Tan City indefinitely.
Chen Xiao nodded and cupped his fists in thanks again.
Having this connection with the Mitre Family indeed saved him a lot of trouble.
It was like this before, and it was like this now.
At noon that day, Teng Shan gathered the people from the Mitre Auction House in Wu Tan City, gave them some instructions, and then returned to the Imperial Capital alone.
In the following ten-plus days, as the long-hyped auction gradually approached, Wu Tan City became increasingly lively. Many people from surrounding cities came upon hearing the news, putting considerable pressure on the Xiao Family and the Gale Family, who could only rack their brains to raise more gold coins in preparation.
Chen Xiao, on the other hand, was extremely leisurely. He walked Zi Yan every day and occasionally was pulled by Hai Bo Dong to spar outside the city.
Perhaps because they knew each other's strengths and weaknesses, and because sparring wasn't a life-or-death battle where many moves couldn't be used, Chen Xiao felt no pressure at all when facing Hai Bo Dong, relying on the advantage of the Three Thousand Lightning Movement.
"Don't look for this old man to spar anymore. I know your moves inside and out, but I know very little about your techniques, and that movement technique is utterly shameless!"
After sparring a few times, Hai Bo Dong left these words and said angrily, completely forgetting that he was the one who initiated the sparring.
"Old Hai, why don't you call yourself Little Ice Emperor from now on? When Chen Xiao reaches the Dou Huang realm, he can be the Great Ice Emperor."
Listening to the little dragon girl's teasing, Hai Bo Dong glared at her with wide eyes, but Zi Yan glared back without fear.
After spending these past few days together, the old man and the little one had become quite familiar with each other.
"Let's go, it's time to head back. We can't miss today's auction."
Chen Xiao glanced at the sky. It was almost noon.
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