Gazing at the black-robed man carrying the herbs and satisfied as he stepped out of the hall, Yafei finally managed to ease herself down from the chair. Her full, graceful figure, now slightly weak, sank into the seat with a softness, resembling a coiled fox, languid and yet possessing a unique charm. "This old gentleman... simply has such determination," Yafei murmured, shaking her head with a wry smile as her head rested against the cool back of the chair. I was so startled by the price he opened that I couldn't even speak up—yet I never expected him to be so decisive, raising the bid for two of the items right away." Yafei rolled her eyes, chuckling. "While you were standing there stunned, you've already added nearly forty thousand to the auction house's pure revenue." Hearing this, Guini smiled and quipped. With a delicate hand covering her rosy lips, Yafei slowly straightened herself from the chair and stood up, sighing, "The Galle family has truly run into a wall this time." Guini nodded in agreement. "What puzzles me, however, is that this elderly gentleman seems unfamiliar with the Xiao family. How could he be so eager to assist them, even going so far as to use five doses of Qi-Enhancing Powder to sever the Galle family's medicinal pathway?" A hint of curiosity sparkled in her bright eyes as she spoke softly. "Who knows? This official comes from a most mysterious background. I've never heard of such a person among the alchemists in the Gama Empire." Guini shook his head. Yafu nodded slightly, her eyes gliding gently, and after a brief pause, smiled, "It seems our relationship with the Xiao family will have to be solidified. With this elder's medicine, I'm confident we can double the auction profits in Utan City. When the next family performance review comes around, I wonder who will still be able to outperform me?" As she spoke, Yafu lifted her red lips with pride, her hands resting behind her back, humming softly as she strolled leisurely toward the lounge. Back at the family, occasionally encountering relatives, Xiao Yan could sense that their glances toward him now carried an added touch of envy—clearly, the incident in the grand hall had already spread throughout the family. Ignoring these looks, Xiao Yan steadily made his way toward his room. As he passed a corner, a red-robed girl suddenly collided with him. Fortunately, Xiao Yan braked in time, otherwise an awkward collision would have been unavoidable. "Xiao Yan, cousin? Finally found you!" The girl stepped back, lifting her head with a slightly shy, pure-faced expression that subtly carried a gentle grace—this blend of innocence and charm created a unique allure that made her stand out among other girls her age. This subtle appeal naturally drew Xiao Yan's attention, prompting him to glance at her several times. The girl, now beaming with joy, was Xiao Mei. His gaze swept over Xiao Mei's lovely face, and Xiao Yan rubbed his nose, speaking softly, "Is there something?" Hearing this somewhat formal greeting, Xiao Mei's delicate features slightly dimmed, and she murmured, "The Clan Elder has asked Xiao Yan to go to the study." "Hmm?" Xiao Yan blinked slightly, nodded, and smiled, "Got it, thank you." Then, with a casual wave of his hand, he turned and walked toward the study in the front hall. "Xiao Yan, thank you again for last time," Xiao Mei said, her eyes reflecting a touch of disappointment as she watched Xiao Yan move with purpose. She bit her lip and spoke softly. Xiao Yan paused, waved gracefully behind him, and replied lightly, "Just something I did casually." Staring at Xiao Yan's retreating figure, Xiao Mei suddenly gathered her courage and asked, "Xiao Yan, will you be attending the recruitment event at Gan Nan College?" "Probably," the young man said, resting his hands behind his head, and slowly walked away, leaving only a light, unassuming reply. Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Xiao Mei's previously dim, beautiful face suddenly brightened a little. She clenched her small fists, stood still, and only after Xiao Yan had disappeared from sight did she sigh softly, a touch of resentment in her tone, before turning and walking away. "Xiao Yan's words actually come from the heart—he truly doesn't know the exact origins of Yao Lao." Xiao Yan tilted his head slightly and smiled. "Nonsense," Bai looked at him with a sigh, laughing. Shaking his head with a pleasant expression, Xiao Zhan clearly felt very cheerful and asked Xiao Yan several more questions about Yao Lao, only to have them all brushed off by Xiao Yan's feigned ignorance, until finally, he had learned absolutely nothing. "You little guy—do you really not know, or are you just pretending?" Watching Xiao Yan's repeated inability to answer, Xiao Zhan shook his head in resignation and waved his hand, saying, "Well, go on then, enjoy yourself. Whenever you meet that old man again, try not to upset him—Xiao Family's future still depends on him." Xiao Yan merely shrugged, making no comment. "Hm... Xiao Yan, I notice your aura seems a bit... stronger now," the senior elder, who had been observing Xiao Yan closely all along, suddenly hesitated and remarked. Hearing the elder's words, Xiao Zhan was also momentarily stunned, his gaze growing steady as he slowly scanned over Xiao Yan's figure. After a moment, his mouth gradually widened in astonishment. "You... you've broken through to the Battle Rank?" The second and third elders exchanged a brief, incredulous glance, staring at the young man before them. "Uh..." Xiao Yan shrugged helplessly, hands outstretched with a sense of innocence. "I suppose so. I've been refining and refining—how exactly did I manage to break through?" His eyes darted rapidly, and though amazed, Xiao Zhan couldn't help but feel a mix of amusement and exasperation. What exactly were they refining? Over the past period, Xiao Yan's remarkable achievements had become almost routine. With a sigh, Xiao Zhan waved his hand and offered a weary smile. "Good. Just go ahead and schedule a time to collect your rank insignia at the Guild's Evaluation Office." Xiao Yan nodded, a touch of amusement playing at the corner of his lips. "Then I can leave now?" In truth, I've been diligently practicing and refining—until I finally broke through... "You can go now," Xiao Zhan muttered, rolling his eyes. How could this young man be so dismissive? Didn't he know that the three elders here had each failed twice consecutively when attempting to stabilize their spirals before finally becoming duelists? Observing the three elders' stiff expressions, Xiao Yan cracked a wide smile and then burst out of the study amidst Xian's scolding. As the youthful laughter faded into the distance, the three elders relaxed slightly, exchanged glances, and both broke into quiet, wry smiles.