MITTER AUCTION HOUSE

In the back mountains of the Xiao family estate, at a certain moment, the air began to ripple strangely.

A dark figure slowly emerged, and within an instant, a person dressed in a black robe appeared out of thin air on the ground.

"Strange, there seems to have been a powerful aura here," the newly arrived black-robed figure muttered to himself as he looked around. His face was aged and darkened, revealing a weathered expression. "Could a strong expert have visited the Xiao family?"

"It seems I should inform the young lady. She needs to be more cautious in the coming days."

With that, the black-robed figure tapped his foot lightly on the ground, and his body flickered several times before vanishing into the night, leaving only a trace of his shadow behind.

---

Meanwhile, in a luxurious inn within Wutan City, Xie Tianxiao was seated cross-legged on the bed, his eyes closed as he appeared to be deep in meditation.

"This 'Devouring Soul Seal' is indeed remarkable, truly worthy of being a battle technique comparable to those of the Heaven rank."

"But unfortunately, I already have the Devouring System. Otherwise, this technique would have been a perfect fit for me."

After a while, Xie Tianxiao exhaled slowly and opened his eyes, a trace of regret flickering within them.

After leaving the Xiao family estate the previous night, he had checked into a decent inn in the city, both to rest and to take a closer look at the battle technique that his predecessor couldn't cultivate.

 The 'Devouring Soul Seal' was an high Earth-ranked battle technique focused on the soul.

Mastering it not only increased one's soul strength but also allowed for a sudden surge in soul power during battle, significantly boosting combat effectiveness. It was even capable of ripping apart and devouring weaker souls!

This powerful technique had been a fortuitous find by his predecessor in a Dou Saint's secret realm. However, the method of cultivating it was extremely esoteric, requiring the practitioner to possess a Heavenly level soul, which was why his predecessor had been unable to practice it.

"It's somewhat of a waste. How many people out there have a soul strength at the Heavenly level? Even if they get this technique by chance, they wouldn't be able to cultivate it…" Xie Tianxiao shook his head slightly, silently criticizing the limitations of the technique.

"Never mind, there is no point dwelling on it."

Just as he was about to continue delving into his mind to study more cultivation techniques and battle skills, Xie Tianxiao suddenly sensed something, and his brows furrowed in surprise. "Hmm? Xiao Yan?"

Immediately, he released his powerful soul force outward.

On the street outside the inn, a young girl could be seen pulling Xiao Yan along, her face full of excitement.

"Hurry up, Brother Xiao Yan!" she urged.

"Coming, coming! I'm walking, aren't I? You little rascal…" Xiao Yan responded with a wry smile as he quickened his pace to keep up with her.

The girl ahead of him was dressed in a light green dress with delicate decorations. The fresh color added a sense of purity, infusing her with youthful vitality and a charming, elegant aura.

"Hmph, Brother Xiao Yan, this is the first time in two years you've taken Xun'er out. Ofcourse I'm going to make the most of it!" Xiao Xun'er playfully stuck out her tongue, her eyes brimming with joy.

Two years had passed, and it seemed her Brother Xiao Yan had regained his confidence.

Seeing the vitality and determination in Xiao Yan's demeanour, the girl felt as though she was seeing the spirited and courageous Xiao Yan of the past.

"Xun'er, can't you be a bit more ladylike? You're going to scare people off acting like this," Xiao Yan said with a helpless smile.

"Hehe, how am I not ladylike?" Xiao Xun'er pouted in response.

"Alright, alright, you must be tired by now. Let's find a place to eat, and after lunch, I'll take you for a stroll," Xiao Yan said, gently patting her head.

"I'll do whatever Brother Xiao Yan says," Xiao Xun'er agreed, nodding sweetly.

"Let's go then." Xiao Yan smiled and took her soft, delicate hand in his.

"Mm-hmm," Xiao Xun'er murmured shyly, a blush creeping into her cheeks as she followed Xiao Yan down the street…

Meanwhile, observing from the upper floor of the inn, Xie Tianxiao couldn't help but marvel at the sight of the retreating figure of the young girl. "So that's Gu Xun'er… She really is as stunning as a lotus in bloom, beautiful beyond words."

"It's a shame, though. Xiao Yan got lucky with her."

Thinking about Xiao Yan, a hint of envy flashed in Xie Tianxiao's eyes.

If he had crossed over into this world earlier, he might have pursued Gu Xun'er himself. Given her immense wealth and his own Half-Saint strength, winning the approval of her family wouldn't have been impossible. But now…

Shaking his head, he dismissed the idea. Not only was Gu Xun'er deeply in love with Xiao Yan, but Xie Tianxiao wasn't the type to waste time chasing after a woman who was almost certainly out of reach.

That simply wasn't his style.

So, he had no intention of meeting Gu Xun'er, otherwise, he would have sought her out while he was still at the Xiao family estate. It was just an unexpected coincidence that she happened to pass by his inn.

"Speaking of which, if Gu Xun'er is this beautiful, I wonder how Ya Fei compares."

"Although it's still a year early, she should have already arrived in Wutan City for her training."

Xie Tianxiao rubbed his smooth chin thoughtfully. "Maybe I should go take a look?"

As someone who had crossed over from another world, Xie Tianxiao knew that besides Gu Xun'er, the main female lead of "Battle Through the Heavens," there were several other prominent women!

All of them were stunningly beautiful and exceptionally talented!

Ya Fei was one of them, known for her exceptional commercial acumen. In the later stages of the story, she even earned the title of the Golden Queen!

 "Well, since I'm here, I might as well check things out."

Having made up his mind, Xie Tianxiao stood up and, with a flicker of his figure, vanished from the inn.

---

Mittel Auction House Branch.

This was the largest auction venue in Wutan City and belonged to the most affluent family in the Jia Ma Empire, the Mittel family.

The Mittel family had a long and storied history, having developed in the Jia Ma Empire for hundreds of years. Their influence was widespread, with branches and auction houses in nearly every medium and large city within the empire.

"Hey, did you hear? The auction house is putting up some valuable items for auction again!"

"Really? I remember they just auctioned off an advanced Yellow-rank battle technique last time, didn't they?"

"Of course. I heard there are also some rare second-tier pills this time, so even members of the major families are attending!"

"Oh, and I heard that this time the auction will be hosted by Miss Ya Fei herself!"

"What? Miss Ya Fei will be there too?"

"Hehe, in that case, I've got to go join the fun!"

…

Hearing the excited chatter of the crowd, many people were shocked.

This Ya Fei was not only stunningly beautiful with a tall, voluptuous figure, but she was also the chief auctioneer of the venue! There were even rumors that she was a disciple sent from the imperial capital's Mittel family to gain experience. Anyone who could win her favour would be incredibly fortunate!

"Sir, are you here to appraise some treasures?" a middle-aged man approached Xie Tianxiao and asked respectfully, smiling warmly.

Xie Tianxiao hadn't headed directly to the center of the auction house. Instead, he had made his way to the Treasure Appraisal Pavilion. Although he had already scanned the auction house with his soul power and knew that Ya Fei was present, he wanted her to come to him, not the other way around.

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