When Xiao Yan finally awakened from his deep slumber, the day was already well advanced. Warm sunlight streamed through the gaps in the window, casting dappled patterns across the floor and illuminating the room with a soft glow.
Sitting up in bed, Xiao Yan blinked groggily, his mind still foggy with sleep. It took him a few moments to shake off the lingering drowsiness, tossing his head to clear his thoughts before lazily getting out of bed and freshening up.
Just as he finished washing, a gentle knock sounded at the door, followed by a girl's soft voice: "Brother Xiao Yan, are you not up yet?"
At the sound of that voice, Xiao Yan's brow arched slightly. He quickly wiped the water from his face and walked to the door, slowly pulling it open.
The sudden influx of bright sunlight made him squint instinctively. After a moment, he gradually adjusted his gaze, focusing on the young girl in green standing gracefully at the doorway.
Today, Xun'er still wore her characteristic simple green attire. The well-fitted dress, combined with her ethereal, lotus-like elegance, made the young man inside the room silently admire her beauty.
His gaze casually swept over her slender, graceful figure before finally settling on her slightly pale, delicate face. A frown creased his brow: "What happened?"
Her large, clear eyes were fixed intently on Xiao Yan's expression, searching for any sign beyond reproach. Finding none, Xun'er smiled sweetly: "I'm feeling a bit unwell. It's nothing serious."
"Unwell?" Xiao Yan's brow lifted. He stepped out of the room, closed the door behind him, then suddenly took her small hand in his. A faint, warm flow of Dou Qi, guided by his spiritual perception, slowly circulated through her body.
A moment later, Xiao Yan withdrew his Dou Qi, his expression impassive, though he sighed inwardly. It seemed that the secret technique Xun'er had used last night had indeed been extremely draining. Her body now contained only a few thin wisps of Dou Qi circulating sluggishly—the aftereffects of that technique were clearly evident.
At this early hour, quite a few clan members were already up for morning training. Seeing Xun'er and Xiao Yan standing together at the door, hands intimately clasped, they couldn't help but look on with envy.
"Brother Xiao Yan." Xun'er's cheeks flushed slightly as she tried to pull her hand away, her voice soft with reproach.
"I really have no idea what you were doing to become this weak." Xiao Yan released her hand, his face stern as he scolded in a low voice.
Her lively eyes scanned his stern face, still finding nothing beyond concern. Xun'er secretly relaxed, smiling: "Yesterday I practiced some advanced Dou Techniques beyond my level. That's why I ended up like this. I just need to rest for a few days. Brother Xiao Yan doesn't need to worry."
Rolling his eyes, Xiao Yan could only shake his head helplessly. After accompanying Xun'er to breakfast with the family, he made an excuse and quietly slipped out of the compound.
...
Wandering through Wutan City, Xiao Yan casually inquired about the Jia Lie family's situation. Liu Xi's disappearance would certainly cause some upheaval within the Jia Lie family, yet to Xiao Yan's surprise, he found nothing unusual about them today. Their market stalls were open as usual, their medicines being sold just like any other day—there was virtually no difference from their normal routine.
"Heh, Jia Lie Bi really lives up to his reputation as clan leader, managing to suppress this news. But can you keep it suppressed for a day? What about a month? Once your remaining healing medicines are sold out, let's see what you'll do then." Xiao Yan chuckled coldly, pondered for a moment, then headed toward the Mitel Auction House in the center of the city.
In a secluded spot outside the auction house, Xiao Yan donned the same large black cloak as always, completely concealing his figure before entering the bustling auction house.
Upon entering, he was respectfully led by a pretty attendant to the reception lounge. After waiting there for a short while, the graceful figure of Ya Fei appeared before him with a charming smile.
"My, what a distinguished guest. What brings Brother Xiao Yan to the auction house today?" Ya Fei personally poured him a cup of tea, her movements elegant and alluring.
Whether intentional or not, the cheongsam-clad Ya Fei, in the act of bending to pour tea, revealed glimpses of her stunning curves, making it nearly impossible to look away.
*Ahem...* Xiao Yan's gaze also nearly became trapped in that magnificent valley, but his self-control was, after all, quite strong. He coughed lightly, forced his gaze away, and stared straight at the slightly greenish tea. From his pocket, he produced the dark-red Spatial Ring and withdrew five small jade vials, saying casually: "Here, I'm here to fulfill our agreement today." Since Ya Fei already knew his identity, Xiao Yan no longer had Yao Lao speak for him, and instead used his own youthful, clear voice.
From the moment the small jade vials appeared, Ya Fei's eyes had been fixed upon them, delight surfacing on her enchanting face.
She sat elegantly in the chair beside Xiao Yan, carefully picking up one jade vial and examining it closely. She then tilted the vial slightly, and a round pill with a faint greenish luster rolled out playfully.
Taking a deep breath of the rich medicinal fragrance, Ya Fei's eyes narrowed slightly, her full chest rising to display a captivating silhouette. After a long moment, she cautiously returned the pill to the vial and turned to Xiao Yan with a smile that could only be described as mesmerizing: "It seems Brother Xiao Yan is preparing to take action against the Jia Lie family? Otherwise, why would you come to complete our agreement ahead of schedule?"
At this, Xiao Yan simply shrugged noncommittally. He produced a paper scroll from his pocket, listing several medicinal ingredients known for their qi-nourishing properties. Of course, these were all for that girl Xun'er. Seeing her pale, weak face, Xiao Yan genuinely felt distressed.
Having received such scrolls from him several times before, Ya Fei understood his meaning without a word. She called an attendant and instructed them to prepare the items immediately.
Sitting quietly in the reception lounge, Xiao Yan was silent for a moment before asking softly: "It seems the Jia Lie family has found a new source of medicinal supplies in another city?"
"Yes, the Jia Lie family is now cooperating with a medicinal family in Telan City. However, the herbs they purchase there are forty percent more expensive than those in Wutan City." Ya Fei nodded with a smile.
"They really are willing to pay." Xiao Yan shook his head with amusement, smiling: "Can you provide me with some intelligence about their herb transport routes?"
Hearing this, Ya Fei's hands, holding the teacup, trembled slightly. Her beautiful eyes widened in surprise as she stared at the young man beside her: "What are you planning to do now?"
"Rob them."
Ya Fei smiled wryly, sighing: "The Jia Lie family really is unlucky to have provoked you, this little scourge."
Shaking her head, Ya Fei pondered for a moment, then rose and entered the back of the lounge. After a short while, she returned with a scroll and handed it to Xiao Yan, whispering: "I received intelligence from the Telan City auction house. Two days ago, the Jia Lie family purchased another batch of medicinal herbs worth four hundred thousand gold coins. These herbs should arrive in Wutan City this afternoon."
"The Jia Lie family has only paid a deposit of one hundred thousand gold coins for these herbs. The remaining three hundred thousand is still on credit. The escort team consists of Jia Lie family guards, including three Dou Masters, one Great Dou Master, and several dozen Dou Warrior-level guards."
"Four hundred thousand? Quite the investment." Xiao Yan laughed softly, storing the scroll in his Spatial Ring. His laughter gradually turned cold: "If this batch of herbs disappears, let's see how they explain it to the medicinal family in Telan City. The current Jia Lie family is already on the verge of bankruptcy, and this three hundred thousand in credit will be the final straw that breaks the camel's back!"
Looking up, he saw the attendant returning with the medicinal ingredients. Xiao Yan nodded gratefully to Ya Fei, stepped forward to accept the herbs, and left the hall without looking back.
Watching his decisive departing figure from her chair, Ya Fei shook her head with a wry smile, sighing softly: "This young man's methods are completely mismatched to his age. Jia Lie Bi, that old fox, is probably going to suffer a real setback this time..."