Now that they were up close, Chen Mo could truly appreciate this woman's mature charm. That alluring smile on her beautiful face, coupled with those long, watery eyes, seemed to exude seduction with every glance.
If Queen Baby was a little enchantress...
Then Ya Fei was an absolute vixen.
Of course, that was just in terms of seductiveness.
In Chen Mo's heart, Queen Baby still reigned supreme.
At the moment, Ya Fei's fox-like face was filled with surprise. It seemed she hadn't expected to run into him here. But from what Gu Ni said earlier, it appeared he had come specifically for her.
That left Ya Fei a bit puzzled. But she was no ordinary woman—she'd long been immersed in the world of auctions, having dealt with all kinds of people. She had become adept at reading the room and handling things with grace and poise.
She'd already heard rumors from the capital that Chen Mo had passed the test to become a Tier 3 Alchemist at the age of only nineteen—two years younger than herself.
A nineteen-year-old Tier 3 Alchemist was completely unheard of in the Jia Ma Empire.
Back when Gu He was nineteen, he had only been a Tier 1 Alchemist.
In other words, this young man's future achievements might very well surpass those of Pill King Gu He.
A peerless genius with limitless potential.
Now that he had come to her on his own accord, this connection was worth cultivating. She might even be able to rope him in.
Ding! Favorability +3. Gained 3 Favor Points.
As Ya Fei pondered quietly, the surprise faded from her face. She gracefully covered her red lips with a delicate hand and gave a soft chuckle. Her ample chest arched in a mesmerizing curve as she said, "May I ask what important business Master Chen Mo has with me?"
Chen Mo marveled inwardly—one, at how easy it was to earn favor from Ya Fei. Just like that, he'd gained three points. But the reward felt a little underwhelming.
Well, it made sense. The system issued rewards based on the goddess's status, talent, background, beauty, and other such factors.
The second thing that amazed him was... well, her chest. Literally.
Chen Mo's gaze subtly drifted across her elegant, slender neck, down to the snowy-white cleavage just beneath.
With a light smile, Chen Mo said, "Calling me 'Master' is too formal. You can just call me by name. As for why I came, I have a big business deal I'd like to discuss with you."
Ya Fei was momentarily stunned. She hadn't expected him to be so approachable. This added a few more points to her impression of him. She lightly bit her lip and asked in a soft voice, "C-Chen Mo, what kind of business deal?"
Ding! Favorability +2. Gained Insight for one incense stick's time.
Seeing another bump in favorability, Chen Mo raised an eyebrow. He then retrieved several pills from his storage ring—the Accumulation Pills, Foundation Establishment Liquid, Bone-Growth Pills, Iceheart Pills, and others—and laid them out on the table.
"I'd like Miss Ya Fei to auction off these pills for me. Also, in a few days, I'll be refining a batch of Qi-Gathering Powder. I'd like you to handle the auction for those as well."
As soon as he said this...
Both Ya Fei and Gu Ni behind her were shocked. When they heard "Qi-Gathering Powder," their pupils shrank.
On the Dou Qi Continent, to become a true Dou Practitioner, one first had to form a Dou Qi Whirlpool within the body.
But condensing the Dou Qi Whirlpool carried a high chance of failure. If one failed, their 9th Stage Dou Qi would fall back to the 8th Stage. Some unlucky individuals might have to try more than ten times before succeeding.
This cost them precious time and significantly harmed their cultivation potential.
That was where Qi-Gathering Powder came in—it allowed a 9th Stage Dou Qi practitioner to guarantee successful formation of their Dou Qi Whirlpool.
Even in the imperial capital, this item sold extremely well. In a small place like Wu Tan City, it would be nothing short of explosive.
As the auction house selling these, the Mittel Auction House stood to earn an enormous profit.
But Ya Fei didn't let the excitement cloud her mind. This opportunity seemed like a pie falling from the sky—why had he chosen her, specifically?
Judging by his tone... "In a few days"... so he was planning to stay in Wu Tan City for a while?
Ya Fei tested the waters. "Are you planning to stay in Wu Tan City for long?"
Chen Mo understood this was her way of probing, so he replied, "Yes, I'll be staying for a while. I've also bought a large batch of medicinal ingredients recently, and I'm running low on funds. That's why I'm selling all this. As for why I came to you—well, for one, we've met before. And two... I prefer working with beautiful women."
Ding! Favorability +2. Gained 2 Favor Points.
Hearing this, Ya Fei's cheeks flushed. Not only had he answered her question, he'd also anticipated and answered the next one she'd been about to ask.
Her blush deepened, but her doubts faded. She couldn't help but glance at Chen Mo a few more times. For a young, handsome, and incredibly talented Alchemist, it was only natural that women would be drawn to him.
Ding! Favorability +1. Gained 1 Favor Point.
"Since that's the case, as per our rules, we'll need to inspect these pills first," Ya Fei said with a smile, pursing her lips.
"Go ahead," Chen Mo replied with a shrug.
Ya Fei turned her head slightly and exchanged a look with Gu Ni. The elderly man stepped forward, picked up one of the white jade bottles from the table, and began his examination.
First, he took a sniff to check the pill fragrance, then poured one out for closer observation.
His old eyes narrowed, and soon his expression shifted. One after another, he examined each of the remaining jade bottles.
With each pill, his expression grew more astonished.
When he finally reached the Foundation Establishment Liquid, he poured out a single drop to float in his palm, then stirred it gently with a silver needle.
Moments later, he gasped softly, bowed toward Chen Mo, and said to Ya Fei, "Miss Ya Fei, these pills—and the Foundation Establishment Liquid—all surpass standard auction quality. They've reached the flawless tier."
"In other words, there's not a trace of impurity in them."
Ya Fei was shocked. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. Having handled countless transactions, she knew just how rare it was for pills to reach the flawless tier.
Yet every single pill Chen Mo brought out had reached that level.
This would undoubtedly drive their auction prices even higher.
Which also meant the Mittel Auction House would earn even more profit from them.
"Master Chen Mo, this truly is a major deal. Since you've extended such generosity to me, I'll make the call—originally, the auction house takes a 5% handling fee..." Ya Fei paused, bit her lip, and continued, "But I'll reduce it to 3% for you."
"No need. Let's stick with the original 5%," Chen Mo replied calmly.
Ya Fei froze. He didn't even want the discount? That made it even better for her.
"In that case, since these pills are incredibly valuable, I'll need a few days to build up the publicity before the auction. That way, we can maximize the final selling price."
"Alright. We'll go with your plan," Chen Mo nodded.
Ding! Favorability +1. Gained 1 Favor Point.
Seeing how easy he was to work with, Ya Fei's smile became even more radiant. She pulled out a gold-plated iron token bearing the Mittel Clan's insignia and handed it to him.
"When the time comes, simply bring this token with you to attend the auction."
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