9: The Olive Branch at the Auction House and the Energy Dilemma

The next day, at the first hint of dawn, Xiao Chen was already up. He didn't disturb anyone, and with the two bottles of blood coagulation powder he synthesized last night and the remaining gold coins, he once again left the Xiao Family.

Unlike yesterday's apprehension, today his steps were steady, his goal clear—the Mittel Auction House.

Arriving at the magnificent building again, Xiao Chen didn't linger outside but walked directly to the side entrance, which was the passage for consigning and acquiring items. Steward Li seemed to have given specific instructions yesterday, as when Xiao Chen announced his name, the guards' attitude became noticeably more respectful, and someone quickly led him into a quiet reception room.

Before long, Steward Li pushed open the door, a smile on his face.

"Little Brother Xiao Chen, you're here! Do you have more good things to consign?" Steward Li's gaze fell eagerly on Xiao Chen. Yesterday, Xiao Chen's discerning eye and that bottle of high-quality blood coagulation powder had left a deep impression on him.

Xiao Chen didn't waste words, placing two small jade bottles directly on the table: "Steward Li, it's still blood coagulation powder, two bottles, the same quality as yesterday."

Steward Li's eyes lit up, and he quickly picked up the jade bottles to inspect them. Sure enough, the medicinal fragrance was pure, the powder fine, identical to yesterday's bottle.

"Good! Good! The quality is still excellent!" Steward Li nodded repeatedly, his estimation of the 'Elder' behind Xiao Chen rising a few more points in his heart. Being able to consistently provide elixirs of such quality was something no ordinary Alchemist could achieve.

"The price is still thirty gold coins per bottle. What do you think, Little Brother?"

"That works." Xiao Chen nodded. This price was very fair, even preferential.

Steward Li promptly paid sixty gold coins, then asked casually, "Little Brother Xiao Chen, I wonder if your family's Elder... can refine other elixirs? Such as qi recovery powder? Or even higher-grade ones?"

Xiao Chen's heart stirred, knowing this was the auction house testing his 'value.' He remained outwardly calm, pretending to ponder, "The Elder is devoted to pharmacology and has little interest in these mortal-grade elixirs. When he refines some occasionally, it's merely on a whim. As for higher-grade ones... this junior dare not speculate."

His words were ambiguous, hinting at a master behind him, raising the value of the blood coagulation powder (as it was 'merely refined on a whim'), and leaving room for possibility (that higher-grade ones might exist).

Upon hearing this, Steward Li's eyes gleamed brighter. If he could achieve the peak of mortal-grade low-tier elixirs on a whim, what could he accomplish if he were serious? He became even more convinced that Xiao Chen had an extraordinary background.

"Understood, understood!" Steward Li's smile widened. "In that case, our auction house won't force the issue. However, Little Brother, if you have similar elixirs in the future, or need to appraise any items, please prioritize our Mittel Auction House! We will certainly offer the fairest price!"

"Naturally." Xiao Chen agreed, this was precisely the outcome he desired. Establishing a stable cooperative relationship with the Mittel Auction House was his best option currently.

With the transaction complete, Xiao Chen was about to take his leave, but Steward Li suddenly seemed to remember something, lowering his voice, "Oh, Little Brother Xiao Chen, there's something... I don't know if I should mention it."

Xiao Chen's heart tightened: "Please speak, Steward Li."

Steward Li leaned closer and whispered, "Our auction house's Miss Ya Fei is very interested in you, Little Brother. She also knows about your appraisal of the 'crimson blood phoenix essence' yesterday. She asked me to tell you, Little Brother, that if you have time, you can go to the private room on the second floor for a chat."

Miss Ya Fei?

Xiao Chen's heart jolted. This chief auctioneer of the Mittel Auction House was a renowned figure in Wutan City, not only captivatingly beautiful but also highly skilled, the object of admiration for countless young talents. She actually specifically asked to see him?

Was it because of yesterday's appraisal? Or because of the blood coagulation powder? Or... both?

This was an opportunity! An opportunity to directly access the core figures of the Mittel Auction House! If he could gain Ya Fei's appreciation, his situation in Wutan City would greatly improve.

But similarly, this also meant he would officially enter the sights of certain important figures, and whether it brought fortune or misfortune was hard to say.

In an instant, Xiao Chen had made his decision. Risk and opportunity coexisted; being timid would prevent great achievements.

"I am honored by Miss Ya Fei's regard, this junior is deeply privileged." Xiao Chen cupped his hands and said, "Please lead the way, Steward Li."

Seeing Xiao Chen agree readily, Steward Li's smile grew wider: "Good! Little Brother, this way, please!"

Following Steward Li, Xiao Chen stepped onto the second floor of the Mittel Auction House for the first time. The decor here was far more luxurious than the first floor, with soft carpets, valuable oil paintings on the walls, and a faint aroma of incense in the air.

Arriving before a carved redwood door, Steward Li gently knocked.

"Come in." A lazy and alluring voice came from inside the door; just the sound of it made one's heart flutter.

Steward Li pushed the door open, gestured for Xiao Chen to enter, and respectfully remained outside the door.

Xiao Chen composed himself and stepped into the private room.

The room was elegantly furnished, with incense smoke curling. By the window, on a velvet-covered soft couch, reclined a peerlessly beautiful woman.

She wore a tight-fitting red cheongsam, perfectly outlining her graceful, undulating curves. The slit of the cheongsam revealed a segment of her fair, slender leg, inviting reverie. Her face was alluring, and in the shifting gaze of her eyes, a captivating charm naturally emerged. It was Ya Fei.

Seeing Xiao Chen enter, Ya Fei put down the book in her hand, her alluring eyes sweeping over him. Her red lips slightly parted, a playful smile on her face: "So this is Little Brother Xiao Chen? Indeed, a handsome talent, no wonder his discerning eye is so extraordinary."

Her gaze seemed to penetrate, making Xiao Chen feel a bit uncomfortable, but he steadied himself and bowed neither humbly nor arrogantly: "This junior, Xiao Chen, greets Miss Ya Fei. Miss, you flatter me."

"Sit." Ya Fei gestured to a nearby chair, her posture lazy, yet possessing an undeniable aura of authority.

Xiao Chen sat as instructed, his back straight.

Ya Fei gently swirled the red wine glass in her hand, her gaze still fixed on Xiao Chen's face, as if trying to discern something beneath his calm exterior.

"Little Brother Xiao Chen isn't from Wutan City, is he?" Ya Fei asked directly.

"This junior is from out of town, traveling here." Xiao Chen had already prepared his answer.

"Oh? Traveling?" Ya Fei chuckled softly, her laughter as melodious as silver bells. "There aren't many places that can cultivate such a discerning eye as yours, Little Brother. Yesterday's 'crimson blood phoenix essence,' even our auction house's senior appraiser couldn't be sure about it, yet you saw through it at a glance and even revealed the secret of 'nine phoenix patterns.' It's truly astonishing."

Xiao Chen's heart tightened slightly, knowing the other party was probing his background. His expression remained unchanged, and he calmly said, "This junior merely had the good fortune to read a few miscellaneous books and has a slight interest in medicinal materials. Yesterday was also just showing off in front of an expert, making Miss Ya Fei laugh."

"Good fortune?" A glint of shrewdness flashed in Ya Fei's beautiful eyes. "Then what about these two bottles of blood coagulation powder today? Pure quality, almost no impurities—this isn't something that can be refined by chance. The Elder behind you, Little Brother, must be an extraordinary Alchemist, right?"

She had indeed hit the nail on the head. Xiao Chen was prepared and followed her lead: "The Elder is a recluse, disliking worldly disturbances, so his name is inconvenient to reveal. Refining these elixirs is merely a whim, a pastime."

"Merely a whim..." Ya Fei repeated the phrase, the smile at the corner of her red lips deepening. "It seems your Elder, Little Brother, has very high standards. Even elixirs of such quality are just a pastime for him."

She then changed the subject, no longer pressing for Xiao Chen's background, but instead threw out an enticing proposal: "Little Brother Xiao Chen, our Mittel Auction House loves to connect with promising young talents like you, as well as the capable and extraordinary individuals behind you. I wonder if Little Brother is interested in a deeper cooperation with our auction house?"

"Deeper cooperation?" Xiao Chen's heart stirred.

"Precisely." Ya Fei straightened up, her curves becoming even more breathtaking. She said seriously, "Little Brother, your discerning eye is exceptional, and you must have unique insights into medicinal materials and treasures. Our auction house often receives items that are difficult to appraise, or rare treasures that need their value assessed. If Little Brother is willing, you can become our auction house's 'Special Invited Appraiser.' You won't need to be in the office; you'll only need to appear when required. As for remuneration, it will definitely satisfy you."

"Furthermore," Ya Fei paused, a hint of cunning flashing in her alluring eyes, "if Little Brother needs any special medicinal materials, magic cores, or cultivation resources, our auction house can also prioritize looking out for them for you, and even provide them at internal prices. What do you think?"

Special Invited Appraiser! Priority access to resources!

These two conditions were like a timely help in the snow for Xiao Chen's current situation! Appraisal work would allow him to legitimately access a large number of energy-rich items, using the system's Scan function to accumulate knowledge and energy. And priority access to resources would greatly alleviate his current predicament of capital and energy shortage!

Ya Fei's actions were clearly an investment. An investment in him, and in the mysterious 'Elder' behind him.

Xiao Chen barely hesitated, rising to cup his hands and solemnly say, "Thank you for Miss Ya Fei's high regard; this junior is willing to give it a try!"

"Good!" Ya Fei's face broke into a satisfied smile, blooming like a spring flower, bright and captivating. "Then it's settled! For the specific details, I will have Steward Li liaise with you. This is your identity token. With this token, you can freely enter certain areas of the auction house and will also receive corresponding protection from the auction house."

She handed over a silver token engraved with the Mittel Family crest.

Xiao Chen took the token; it felt weighty in his hand, knowing that this was not just a symbol of identity, but also a heavy promise and protection.

"Thank you, Miss Ya Fei!"

After a few more polite exchanges, Xiao Chen wisely took his leave. He knew that too much was as bad as too little; the benefits he gained today had already far exceeded his expectations.

Watching Xiao Chen's retreating figure, Ya Fei's smile gradually faded, replaced by a thoughtful expression.

"Mortal-grade low-tier elixirs refined on a whim can reach the peak... seeing through the disguise of a four-grade medicinal material at a glance... This Xiao Chen is far more mysterious than he appears." She murmured to herself, "Who could be the person behind him? The famous Alchemist Grandmasters of the Jia Ma Empire don't seem to have such eccentric habits..."

"However, it doesn't matter." Ya Fei picked up her wine glass, took a small sip, and a shrewd glint of a businesswoman flashed in her eyes. "As long as he can bring value, that's enough. It's time to stir up the waters of Wutan City."

Leaving the private room, Xiao Chen, accompanied by Steward Li's enthusiastic farewell, walked out of the Mittel Auction House. Carrying the newly acquired sixty gold coins and the silver token, he felt his steps were much lighter.

However, as he reached a corner, preparing to head to the medicinal materials shop for a big purchase, the system's prompt suddenly sounded in his mind, with a hint of urgency:

【Warning! Detecting abnormal fluctuations in host's energy pool!】

【Energy is slowly draining! Current energy: 32.1 / 10000 ... 32.0 / 10000 ...】

Xiao Chen's face changed drastically, and he abruptly stopped!

Energy draining?! What's going on?

He immediately focused his mind to view the system interface, only to see the energy pool's value decreasing little by little at a visible rate!

31.9 ... 31.8 ... Although the draining speed was slow, it was indeed decreasing! At this rate, he would probably lose several points of energy in a single day!

He acquired energy with such difficulty, every drop was precious, how could he let it drain away for nothing?

"System! What's going on? Why is the energy draining?" Xiao Chen urgently asked in his mind.

【Analyzing...】

【Reason determined: Host's soul and system binding is not yet completely stable. Daily maintenance of basic system functions (such as Scan, inventory slots) and host's life activities will continuously consume a faint amount of energy. Previously, due to the energy pool always being at an extremely low level (below 10 points), the consumption was not obvious. With current energy exceeding 30 points, basic consumption can no longer be ignored.】

【Solution: 1. Enhance host's soul strength or system authority to reduce maintenance consumption. 2. Acquire a stable external energy source for replenishment. 3. Use energy as soon as possible to convert it into physical items, avoiding natural drainage.】

Xiao Chen's heart sank.

So, this system was not without cost! Maintaining it itself required continuous energy consumption! It was like a machine that needed fuel; previously, there was too little fuel, so the consumption wasn't noticeable, but now that there was a little more fuel, the consumption became apparent!

Enhancing soul strength? System authority? These were not things that could be done in a short time. Acquiring a stable external energy source? He hadn't even fully understood what energy was yet.

The only way was to use up the energy as quickly as possible! Convert it into physical items like elixirs and medicinal materials!

But this brought him back to the initial problem—he needed more capital to buy raw materials to efficiently convert energy into profit. And now, energy was continuously draining!

He had originally planned to use sixty gold coins to buy a large amount of medicinal materials and synthesize more blood coagulation powder. But now, he had to race against time! Complete the procurement and synthesis before the energy drained to a certain extent!

"I must act immediately!" Xiao Chen dared not delay any longer, rushing to the largest medicinal materials shop in the market at the fastest speed.

The energy predicament, like the Sword of Damocles, hung over Xiao Chen's head, just as he had seen a glimmer of hope. His path to rise was destined to be full of unexpected challenges.