Beneath the pitch-black sky, a silver moon hung high, casting a soft glow that draped the earth in a silken sheen, making everything appear especially mysterious. After the bustling noise of the day, Utan City at night had settled into a profound stillness and darkness. From time to time, faint breaths of men and suppressed moans of women could be heard from the homes along certain streets. "Do you want to kill that boy from the day shift?" Seeing Xiang Yan's expression, Yao Lao asked with a slightly surprised tone. "The Galio isn't worth me taking such pains." Xiang Yan smiled gently and said in a calm, quiet voice, "The two-month period is nearly up, and I've grown a bit weary of continuing to hold back against the Jialei family. Therefore, I'd like to quietly eliminate the炼药师 named Liu Xi. Once that pharmacist is gone, the Jialei family—without a source of healing medicines—will lose its last remaining market edge. Even if the family survives, its influence will sharply decline, and it will no longer be able to pose a threat to the Xiao family." "Hmm, truly because you've lost patience? Given your temperament, you don't seem like someone prone to restlessness." After a brief pause, a teasing tone came from within the ring: "It seems you really care about that girl named Xun'er. Even though she merely acted a bit unrefined, you've taken it to heart. You really are a rather petty, touchy little thing." "Heard that, Xiao Yan's face flushed slightly, exposed to the truth of his thoughts. He felt instantly annoyed and embarrassed: 'I didn't have much time to begin with! How could I keep playing games with them? Even if I hadn't met that person today, I'd have already started employing other means.' 'Alright, alright—nothing at all to do with that girl...' Seeing Xiao Yan's expression, Yao Lao chuckled, his tone laced with amusement, which only made Xiao Yan sigh in resignation. 'Since you've decided to act, then let's go. I'm in a spiritual state, so I'll need your assistance to carry out the move.' Stopping his teasing, Yao Lao smiled. Xiao Yan quickly nodded and leapt off the bed, pulling out a dark red storage ring from his sleeve. Then, he swiftly donned a set of black cloak that had been prepared in advance, and with a fluid motion, the slender young man transformed into a stout, mysterious figure in a black robe." "Come on, you need do nothing—just let me take control of your body. With my soul enveloping you, you won't have to worry about your identity being discerned from your aura." Upon seeing Xiao Yan ready, the Yeold smiled and offered a gentle reminder. "Hm." Nodding, Xiao Yan moved silently to the window, glancing around with the careful grace of a thief, before leaping out. As his body plummeted through the air, an unexpected surge of powerful energy surged from the ring on his fingers. This force swiftly enveloped Xiao Yan, causing his descending form to suddenly hover mid-air. With a light touch of his feet against a rooftop, his dark silhouette, like a hawk or eagle concealed within the night, glided silently out of the Xiao family estate and vanished into the deep night. In the brightly lit hall, where Galibis had been feeling deeply gloomy, he was first startled by Liu Xi's confident tone, then quickly beamed with delight. Satisfied with Galibis's enthusiastic expression, Liu Xi raised the teacup beside him, took a sip, and with a proud demeanor said, "Besides healing elixirs, I can also produce a type of pill specifically tailored for mercenaries—called the 'Pill of Enhanced Strength.' It can boost a person's power by approximately ten percent within a short period of time." Hearing this, Galibis's delight deepened even further. If such a unique pill could indeed be produced, the Galibis family could use it as a powerful promotional tool to regain public favor and possibly even reclaim their position over the Xiao family. "However, unlike healing elixirs, which can be produced in large quantities, the Pill of Enhanced Strength cannot be manufactured on a massive scale. Based on my current abilities, I can probably produce no more than twenty pills per day," Liu Xi added, expressing a touch of regret. "Heh, twenty doses, then twenty doses—we can organize it like an auction, the highest bidder wins. After all, healing medicines are our main focus, and we're merely using this to draw in more attention and vitality." Gallebi waved his hand and smiled. "Hey, Gallebi chief, I can certainly prepare the Qi-Storing Pills. But according to our agreement, isn't it only my responsibility to craft healing medicines?" Seeing that the Qi-Storing Pills had sparked Gallebi's interest, Li Xi suddenly twinkled his eyes and chuckled. Gallebi, a seasoned and shrewd elder, immediately sensed the strategy behind Li Xi's words. Yet, at this point, he could only manage a dry, polite smile and ask, "Then, what would Master Li suggest?" "Relax," Li Xi said, his eyes glinting with a hint of amusement as he watched Gallebi exhale in relief. "I understand the current situation of your family, so I won't be asking for too much. All I'd like to ask is that Gallebi chief help me bring over the girl named Xiao Xun'er." The smile hadn't even surfaced yet—his face suddenly went stiff, and a spasm ran through his eyes. He hadn't expected this bold man to directly shift the blame onto the Xiao family. "Mr. Liu Xi, if our Jialei family were to take action against the Xiao family, then Xiao Zhan would have a solid pretext to formally declare war against us. At that point, it wouldn't merely be an economic rivalry—it would truly become a matter of open conflict," sighed Jialei Bi, offering a weary smile. He tapped the table with his finger. "As for these concerns, they're not really mine to think about. Whether the clan leader intends to seize her outright or subtly sideline her, all I care about is the outcome—once the leader has her, I'll begin preparing the tonic for the accumulation pills right away." His eyes flickered again with urgency. Even though Jialei Bi was furious, he had to force a smile. "Could I possibly think this over? Would it be acceptable if I return with a response tomorrow?" "Hehe, well, then, the clan head may as well think it over. Just one more thing—actually, the Galle family and Xiao's family have been at odds for a long time now. What's there to fear from adding yet another grudge?" With a low, dry smile, Liu Xi stood up, brushed off his pants, and strolled out of the hall with a confident stride. Today, the ethereal young lady, as pure as a lotus, had stirred his passion. Now, he longed to find a young, beautiful maid to satisfy his ardor. "The elderly herbalist spoke softly, prompting Xiao Yan to quickly retreat into a concealed corner, his eyes peering through narrow slits to take in every detail of the room. 'Creak...' the wooden door slowly opened, and Liu Xi's signature husky laughter rang out immediately: 'Ha ha, darling, I'm back! Tonight, I'm ready to be thoroughly treated.' 'Such a fool—filled with youthful passion, the herbalist. Let's begin,' Xiao Yan thought, shaking his head with a cold smile. 'Good... wait—something's changed!' As the word 'good' escaped his lips, the herbalist's urgent call sent a jolt through Xiao Yan's chest. A bead of cold sweat formed on his forehead from the sudden commotion, and he remained motionless, unable to move. 'To the left!' the herbalist's soft voice echoed once more in his mind." He listened to the alert sound, slowly turning his head to gaze toward the window on the left side of the room. His eyes widened suddenly—there, the window that had been tightly closed all along was now open, moonlight pouring in. Just a moment ago, the window frame had been empty and bare; now, a young girl dressed in a golden gown sat strangely upon it, her slender, snow-white legs—smooth and porcelain-like—drawing graceful, alluring arcs through the air.