12: Yipinxuan's Trial and the Clues to the Soul Technique

It was almost noon, and Xiao Chen closed the "Common Medicinal Herbs of the Continent Illustrated Guide" in his hand, a hint of lingering satisfaction in his eyes. This morning's intensive study, combined with the system's assistance, had allowed his understanding of common medicinal herbs to advance by leaps and bounds. He could even deduce simple medicinal property pairings between some herbs, applying what he learned to new situations.

He changed into his cleanest laundered clothes, carefully fastened the silver token from the Mittel Auction House conspicuously at his waist, and then hid five portions of blood coagulation powder and all his gold coins close to his body. Only then did he get up and leave.

First Grade Pavilion was one of Wutan City's most famous restaurants, located in the most prosperous area of the city center. Its luxurious decor and high prices made it a frequent haunt for officials, nobles, and wealthy merchants. Ya Fei choosing this as their meeting place spoke volumes—it demonstrated both her Pay attention to and an unspoken display of strength.

When Xiao Chen arrived at the imposing entrance of First Grade Pavilion, a sharp-eyed attendant immediately came forward to greet him. The attendant, seeing Xiao Chen's simple attire, was initially a bit dismissive, but when his gaze swept over the prominent Mittel Family token at Xiao Chen's waist, his expression instantly became incredibly respectful.

"Young Master, do you have a reservation?" the attendant asked, bowing with a humble tone.

"The spot reserved by Miss Ya Fei," Xiao Chen said calmly.

The attendant's face grew even more reverent, and he quickly said, "So it's Miss Ya Fei's esteemed guest! Miss has already been waiting in the private room 'Listening to the Rain Pavilion' on the second floor. Young Master, please follow me."

Following the attendant, Xiao Chen passed through the bustling main hall, ascended the red-carpeted stairs, and arrived on the second floor. The environment here was quiet and elegant, with independent private rooms, each bearing a tasteful nameplate. The attendant stopped in front of the "Listening to the Rain Pavilion" door and gently knocked.

"Come in," Ya Fei's languid and charming voice drifted out.

The attendant pushed open the door, stepped aside to let Xiao Chen enter, and then gently closed the door behind him.

The private room was exquisitely decorated, with fragrant incense wafting through the air, and from the window, one could overlook much of Wutan City. Ya Fei had changed into a light purple cheongsam today, losing some of yesterday's allure and gaining a touch of dignified mystery. She sat by the table, her slender hands toying with a delicate teacup. Sunlight filtered through the window lattice, casting a soft halo around her, making her breathtakingly beautiful.

Seeing Xiao Chen enter, Ya Fei put down her teacup, her charming eyes sweeping over him, finally resting on the token at his waist. A meaningful smile played on her lips: "Young Brother Xiao Chen is quite punctual. Please have a seat."

"With Miss Ya Fei's invitation, how could this junior dare to be late?" Xiao Chen bowed neither obsequiously nor arrogantly, then sat in the seat opposite Ya Fei. His gaze quickly swept over the table, where several exquisite pastries and a pot of fragrant hot tea were already laid out.

"Try this 'Cloud Mist Spirit Tea.' It's a specialty of the Cloud Mist Mountains in the southwest of the Jia Ma Empire, with only a few jin produced each year. It has some benefits for calming the mind and spirit." Ya Fei personally poured a cup of tea for Xiao Chen. The tea was a light golden color, with a delicate fragrance that invigorated the spirit upon smelling it.

Xiao Chen thanked her and took the cup, gently sipping. The tea was slightly bitter upon entry, then transformed into a mellow sweetness, a warm current flowing down his throat. It indeed calmed his mind a few points. He even felt that his slowly recovering soul power seemed to become a tiny bit more active.

"Good tea!" Xiao Chen praised sincerely. This tea was probably quite valuable; Ya Fei's generosity was indeed considerable.

"As long as Young Brother likes it." Ya Fei smiled faintly, then asked casually, "I heard that yesterday, the Xiao Family's enforcement team went to Young Brother's residence? You didn't suffer any grievances, did you?"

News travels fast! Xiao Chen's heart tightened, but his expression remained calm: "Thank you for your concern, Miss. It was just a misunderstanding. Fortunately, Third Elder presided over justice, and it has been resolved."

"Third Elder?" A flash of understanding flickered in Ya Fei's beautiful eyes, and she nodded gently. "Elder Third Elder's Attendant is an upright person; with him stepping forward, no one would dare to wrong Young Brother. However..." She changed the subject, her tone carrying a hint of concern, "Young Brother, being alone, still needs to be extra careful. Wutan City may seem peaceful, but it's not quiet beneath the surface, especially... when it involves some family grudges."

Her words were pointed, clearly indicating that she knew the Xiao Family's First Elder's faction was behind the incident.

"Thank you for the reminder, Miss. This junior will keep it in mind." Xiao Chen nodded, knowing that the other party was showing goodwill and also reminding him of the complexities within the Xiao Family.

Seeing Xiao Chen's appropriate response, Ya Fei's estimation of him rose again. She stopped beating around the bush, put down her teacup, and said seriously, "Actually, I invited Young Brother here today for two matters."

"Please speak, Miss," Xiao Chen straightened his posture, knowing the main topic had arrived.

"The first matter," Ya Fei looked at Xiao Chen, her gaze becoming somewhat sharp, "After a senior appraiser from our auction house carefully studied the two bottles of blood coagulation powder Young Brother brought yesterday, he found that their medicinal potency and refinement almost reached the theoretical limit for Xuan Rank Low-Tier, and their impurity content was astonishingly low. Such skill is definitely not something an ordinary Alchemist can achieve. Might Young Brother be able to reveal who this Elder who refined this pill is? Perhaps our auction house would be honored to cooperate with this master."

As expected, it was still about the "hidden expert" behind him. Xiao Chen had already prepared for this, and a perfectly natural look of difficulty appeared on his face: "To be honest, Miss, this Elder has a detached nature, dislikes worldly affairs, and is even unwilling to reveal his name. Refining these pills was merely a whim, so I'm afraid... I will have to disappoint you, Miss."

He had used this excuse twice already; though old-fashioned, it was effective. The more mysterious he made it, the less the other party would dare to offend him lightly.

A hint of disappointment flashed in Ya Fei's eyes, but she quickly concealed it, smiling, "No matter, a master has his own temperament; we were presumptuous. However, if Young Brother can obtain more pills refined by this Elder in the future, our auction house will still welcome them, and the price will definitely be fair."

"That's natural," Xiao Chen agreed, then took the initiative to ask, "Miss just mentioned two matters; what is the second matter?"

Ya Fei's expression subtly hardened, and she lowered her voice: "This second matter might be even more important for Young Brother yourself."

She paused, seemingly organizing her thoughts, then slowly said, "Observing Young Brother's aura, it seems... you are not a Dou Qi cultivator?"

Xiao Chen's heart jolted. He hadn't expected Ya Fei's insight to be so sharp! He indeed had no Dou Qi, but ordinary people usually couldn't tell directly unless their soul perception was particularly keen, or their strength far surpassed his. Ya Fei clearly belonged to the former; her soul power was probably not weak.

"Miss has keen insight." Xiao Chen didn't deny it; there was nothing to hide. "This junior's aptitude is dull; I haven't been able to sense Dou Qi to this day."

Ya Fei nodded, a hint of sympathy flashing in her eyes, but more so, a sense of inquiry: "Dou Qi cultivation depends on innate talent and serendipity; it cannot be forced. However, on this Dou Qi Continent, without strength to protect oneself, it is ultimately difficult to make progress. Young Brother has exceptional discernment and a clever mind; if you can find another path, perhaps you can still achieve something."

"Another path?" Xiao Chen's heart stirred, and he vaguely guessed something.

"Precisely." Ya Fei looked at him with burning eyes. "For example... soul power!"

Xiao Chen's pupils contracted slightly, and his heart involuntarily sped up. Soul power! This was precisely what he most urgently needed to improve right now!

Ya Fei took in Xiao Chen's reaction, becoming even more certain of her conjecture, and continued, "Soul power is incredibly profound. Powerful Alchemists, formation masters, and even some special professions all rely on the support of soul power. If one's soul power is strong enough, even without Dou Qi, one can still possess a considerable status and the ability to protect oneself."

She lightly tapped the table, her tone laced with temptation: "Our Mittel Family, as a commercial family, has extensive connections and has collected some fragmented secrets regarding soul cultivation. Although not a complete system, perhaps... it could offer some inspiration to Young Brother."

Here it was! The real olive branch! Not to rope in the "expert" behind him, but to invest in him personally! Ya Fei had seen his "defect" of being unable to cultivate Dou Qi, but at the same time, she had also seen his potential for "soul power" (perhaps stemming from his previous appraisal performance), and thus she threw out this extremely tempting bargaining chip!

Xiao Chen forcibly suppressed the excitement in his heart, trying to keep his tone calm: "Miss's meaning is...?"

Ya Fei's red lips slightly parted, her breath like orchids: "I can share the fragmented information about souls that our family has collected with Young Brother. In exchange... I hope Young Brother can become a true 'insider' of our auction house."

"Insider?" Xiao Chen frowned slightly; this term could have deep or shallow meanings.

"Young Brother, there's no need to be nervous." Ya Fei smiled. "It's not about you joining the Mittel Family, but rather hoping that we can establish a closer cooperative relationship. For example, any pills or treasures Young Brother obtains or discovers in the future would be prioritized for our auction house. At certain times, Young Brother might be needed to use your 'discernment' to help the auction house appraise some special items. Of course, the remuneration will definitely not be small, and the auction house will provide you with necessary protection and resource support."

This was a long-term, mutually beneficial cooperation proposal. What Ya Fei valued was Xiao Chen's future potential and the resources that might exist behind him.

Xiao Chen fell into deep thought. For him, at present, this proposal had more advantages than disadvantages. He urgently needed a method for soul cultivation, and the resources and protection of the Mittel Auction House could also help him through the initial weak stage. The cost was that a portion of his future output and appraisal abilities would be tied to the Mittel Auction House.

The risk was that once the binding became too deep, it would be more troublesome to break away in the future. Moreover, Ya Fei was meticulous; cooperating with her required constant caution to avoid exposing the system's secret.

Weighing the pros and cons, Xiao Chen quickly made a decision. At this stage, he needed external help.

He looked up, meeting Ya Fei's expectant gaze, and said solemnly, "Given Miss Ya Fei's high regard, if this junior were to decline again, it would be ungracious. As long as it does not violate morality, within this junior's capabilities, I am willing to establish deeper cooperation with the auction house."

"Good!" A bright smile bloomed on Ya Fei's face, as if the entire private room brightened a few shades. "Young Brother is indeed straightforward! Since that's the case, let us use tea instead of wine to toast to a pleasant cooperation!"

The two clinked their cups.

Putting down her teacup, Ya Fei took out a thin, aged leather scroll from her sleeve and handed it to Xiao Chen: "This contains some fragmented information about soul cultivation collected by the family, as well as records of several known medicinal herbs and pills beneficial to the soul. There isn't much, and it may not be entirely accurate, but I hope it can offer some inspiration to Young Brother."

Xiao Chen took the scroll with both hands; it was cool to the touch, and he could feel the extraordinary material. He suppressed the urge to open it immediately, carefully put it away, and thanked her again: "Thank you, Miss!"

"No need to be polite; from now on, we are partners." Ya Fei seemed to be in a very good mood. "Oh, and at the auction three days from now, there will be a batch of good medicinal herbs and a Xuan Rank Low-Tier Dou Technique scroll. If Young Brother is interested, you can come and see. I will have Steward Li reserve a good seat for you."

After a few more casual chats and tasting the exquisite dishes of the restaurant, Xiao Chen rose to take his leave. Ya Fei personally escorted him to the entrance of First Grade Pavilion, drawing the attention of many passersby.

Leaving First Grade Pavilion and walking along the bustling streets, Xiao Chen touched the leather scroll in his embrace, feeling his heart still beating a little fast.

A clue to soul cultivation! It was finally in his hands!

Although it was only fragmented information, for him, it was undoubtedly a beacon in the darkness!

He couldn't wait to go back and study it. At the same time, he also knew that this meeting with Ya Fei meant he had officially stepped into Wutan City's power game. The road ahead would be more complex, but also full of more possibilities.

Returning to his small house in the Xiao Family, Xiao Chen locked the door, immediately spread the leather scroll on the table, took a deep breath, and began to read with excitement and anticipation.

The writing on the scroll was somewhat blurry, clearly ancient. The content, as Ya Fei had said, was very scattered, more like an excerpt from a notebook.

It recorded illustrations and descriptions of several rare medicinal herbs, such as "Soul Infant Fruit" and "Spirit Dragon Heavenly Ganoderma," all legendary spiritual items with miraculous effects on the soul, but for the current Xiao Chen, they were out of reach.

There were also some vague divisions of soul realms, such as "Mortal Realm," "Spirit Realm," "Heaven Realm," and "Emperor Realm," but the descriptions were unclear.

What interested Xiao Chen most was a small passage of incantation at the end of the scroll, written in another, older script, with annotations in the common language of the Jia Ma Empire. It seemed to be a basic soul meditation method, titled "Soul Condensing Technique" (fragment)!

Although it was only a little over a hundred words and noted as a fragment with limited effect, this was the first time Xiao Chen had encountered a concrete method for soul cultivation!

He treasured it as if it were a priceless gem, immediately concentrating and attempting meditation according to the method described in the incantation.

At first, he had no clue, and his mind struggled to focus. But when he subconsciously activated the system's Scan function to assist in perceiving his own soul fluctuations, something strange happened!

The progress bar in his mind representing soul strength actually flickered slightly, and the recovery speed seemed to accelerate a tiny bit!

"System Scan can assist in soul cultivation?" Xiao Chen was both surprised and delighted!

This was simply an unexpected bonus! Although the effect was subtle, it was indeed effective! This meant he had found a way to accelerate soul recovery and improvement!

He suppressed his excitement and began to cultivate diligently, combining the "Soul Condensing Technique" (fragment) and the system's Scan.

Unconsciously, night fell.

When Xiao Chen opened his eyes again, although he still felt a bit mentally fatigued (cultivating the soul also consumed mental energy), the soul strength progress bar in his mind clearly showed: [Elementary (45/100)]!

An afternoon of cultivation had an effect comparable to more than a day of natural recovery before!

At this rate, in at most one more day, he would be able to return to a state where he could perform system synthesis again!

Hope, clearer than ever before!

Xiao Chen clenched his fists, a determined flame burning in his eyes. A soul cultivation method was now within reach, and the cycle of energy accumulation was about to restart.

The winds and clouds of Wutan City also seemed to begin swirling faster, due to the quiet growth of this young man.