27: Yafei

"Young... Young Master!"

Galeo's dazed followers and other unaffected attendants finally snapped out of their shock. They scrambled to the ruins, frantically digging through shattered wood and scattered medicinal ingredients.

When a pale, blood-stained Galeo, with his front teeth knocked out and already unconscious, was dragged out, a wave of fear initially gripped his followers' hearts.

Their Young Master had been beaten to such an extent that even if he didn't die, he would at least lose a layer of skin when he returned to the Jia Lie family. Fierce flames instantly ignited in their eyes, and their gazes, filled with malice, shot towards Mo Yuhan and the two others.

"You little beast! How dare you harm our Young Master! Brothers, let's go, chop him up!"

The leader, a burly man who was a Three-Star Dou Zhe, had a ferocious, twitching face. He roared, and Dou Qi surged within him.

He, along with several equally fierce companions, pounced on Mo Yuhan and the two others like hungry wolves.

At this moment, all reason was thrown to the wind, leaving only the mad desire to tear this brat to shreds and vent their anger. If they could just bring Mo Yuhan and the two others back, it would be considered an atonement for their failure.

However, as soon as they moved, a clear voice, like a solid rock, suddenly rang out: "Stop!"

Xiao Yan stepped forward, his figure firmly blocking the space between Mo Yuhan and the two others and the Jia Lie family thugs.

The last trace of childishness on the young man's face completely faded, his eyes sharp as a drawn cold blade. The imposing Aura of the Xiao Family's Third Young Master emanated powerfully.

Payne and the other Xiao Family guards simultaneously took a step forward. With a 'clang,' their weapons were uniformly pointed at Galeo's subordinates, and Dou Qi subtly surged. A cold, Killing Intent instantly permeated the air, freezing the market's atmosphere slightly.

"This place is my Xiao Family's market!"

Xiao Yan's voice wasn't loud, but it clearly cut through all the noise, carrying a heavy sense of oppression. "Young Master Galeo provoked first, and being inferior in skill, he brought this upon himself. No one else is to blame."

His gaze, like lightning, swept over the Jia Lie family thugs, whose movements were stiffened by his Aura. He spoke slowly, enunciating each word: "If you dare to cause more trouble on my Xiao Family's territory and harm the innocent... do you really think the blades of my Xiao Family guards won't taste blood?"

His last sentence was filled with chilling Killing Intent. Coupled with Payne and the others' poised stance, like leopards about to pounce, the invisible pressure made the thugs' faces turn pale, and cold sweat instantly beaded on their foreheads.

The Three-Star Dou Zhe strongman's face twitched violently. He looked at the Xiao Family guards, who were full of Killing Intent and in a strict formation, then at his Young Master, who lay on the ground like a dead dog.

Finally, his gaze swept over the terrifyingly calm child, and a surge of anger shot from his spine straight to the crown of his head.

He knew that the Jia Lie Family could only swallow this humiliation today. If they continued to provoke, not only would they fail to save face, but their own lives would likely be forfeit!

"...Good! Very good! Xiao Yan! Xiao Family! The Jia Lie Family will remember this debt!"

The strongman squeezed out a few words through gritted teeth, each word steeped in venom, yet he dared not make any further moves.

He glared fiercely at Xiao Yan and Mo Yuhan, then almost shrieked an order to his subordinates: "Carry the Young Master! Let's go!"

The followers, as if granted a great pardon, awkwardly and frantically lifted the unconscious Galeo. Under the countless gazes of disdain and mockery from the surrounding crowd, they stumbled like stray dogs, pushing through the people, and hastily disappeared around the corner of the market.

The taut air suddenly relaxed.

Xiao Yan then slowly turned around, his gaze complex as it fell upon Mo Yuhan.

The eight-year-old child still stood quietly beside the cloaked figure, as if the earth-shattering punch and the subsequent surging undercurrent had nothing to do with him.

The small figure in Xiao Yan's eyes seemed to be shrouded in a deep, unfathomable mist.

Mo Yuhan also looked up, meeting Xiao Yan's scrutinizing gaze.

His tender face remained expressionless. Although he didn't understand why Xiao Yan would stand up for him, Mo Yuhan still nodded at Xiao Yan and smiled slightly: "Thank you."

The two words were extremely concise, but they made Xiao Yan's heart skip a beat.

This child... he was too calm, not the Heart-Nature of an ordinary child.

After speaking, Mo Yuhan did not linger any longer.

He steadily held the sugar cake in one hand, and with the other, gently supported Bibi Dong's arm beneath the cloak. His voice was soft: "Auntie, Little Fairy Doctor sister, let's go."

Little Fairy Doctor immediately moved silently closer, her vigilant gaze sweeping over the lingering crowd one last time, tightly guarding them on the other side.

The three turned and merged into the still somewhat sluggish flow of people in the market.

The wide gray cloak almost completely engulfed Bibi Dong's figure, leaving only a mysterious and fragile silhouette.

Little Fairy Doctor's delicate figure pressed close to Mo Yuhan.

And Mo Yuhan, walking at the very front, held his small back straight, his steps steady and firm, as if the mess behind him and the unspent raging waves were nothing more than a trivial speck of dust on the sole of his shoe.

Xiao Yan watched as the three figures melted into the crowd, finally disappearing around the street corner in the direction of the Mittel Auction House. His brows were deeply furrowed, and he remained silent for a long time.

Xiao Xuner moved gracefully to his side, her clear eyes also holding a trace of unresolvable solemnity. She whispered, "Brother Xiao Yan..."

"A Dou Zhe under ten years old..."

Xiao Yan slowly exhaled a turbid breath, his eyes as deep as night. "Xuner, it seems this Wutan City is much deeper than we perceive. That child, and the person he's protecting..."

He paused, his voice deepening, "are no ordinary people."

The magnificent silhouette of the Mittel Auction House stood quietly in the distance. The upcoming special auction for medicinal ingredients seemed to be shrouded in an elusive mist due to the involvement of these three.

The market's clamor and the scent of blood were left behind.

Mo Yuhan and the two others no longer had the inclination to continue browsing and headed straight for the Mittel Auction House.

The Mittel Auction House's arched entrance, built from monolithic blocks of grayish-white stone, stood like the throat of a giant beast, quietly located in the most bustling heart of Wutan City.

Above the lintel, the gilded characters "Mittel Auction House" shimmered with a subtle brilliance in the afternoon sun, silently proclaiming wealth and status.

The three ascended the wide stone steps leading to the entrance. Inside, the light suddenly became soft and bright.

The air was filled with elegant and expensive incense, completely isolating the dust and clamor from outside.

Almost as soon as the door opened, a graceful figure, enough to make any light linger, approached with a waft of fragrance, swaying with exquisite curves as if drawn by the most precise ruler.

The person who came was Ya Fei.

This chief auctioneer of the Mittel Auction House's Wutan City branch was not standing on a high platform, yet she was still like the focal point of a spotlight, instantly capturing all the light and attention at the entrance.

She wore a perfectly tailored, vibrant red cheongsam. The red was not a flamboyant flame, but a premium cinnabar, aged and imbued with the luster of countless treasures, so rich it was impossible to dilute. It accentuated her already frost-white, snow-like skin, making it appear even more radiant and translucent, like fine mutton-fat jade glowing with a warm luster under soft light.

The cheongsam's fabric had a subtle, delicate sheen, clinging to her breathtaking curves like water. From her rounded, fragrant shoulders, it flowed downwards, outlining a full and proud, astonishing curve at her chest.

This curve was not merely ample; it possessed a fullness brimming with vital tension, subtly trembling with her light steps, like a perfectly ripe peach exuding a silent allure.

Her waist, so slender it seemed one could grasp it with a single hand, was hinted at beneath the cheongsam's high-slit side. It connected to a sudden tapering, then a dramatic, full rise of her rounded hip line. The undulating curves were as fluid as a master's meticulous brushwork, breathtaking and inspiring endless reverie.

The cheongsam's slit was very high. As she walked, her two long, straight, flawless jade-like legs, highlighted by the deep red fabric, appeared in a fleeting glimpse, dazzlingly white.

She wore a pair of matching, fine-heeled velvet shoes, which further accentuated her already tall figure, making her even more statuesque. Every step had a natural rhythm, her waist swaying gently, like a red lotus swaying in the wind, languid and deadly.