The auction was still ongoing, with many more treasures yet to come.
The batch of cauldrons from the Zhuge Family was undoubtedly the one with the highest starting price in the entire auction. Once the bids reached the maximum, it was also bound to have the highest final price. But everyone knew this was all just for two rising stars in the Elixir Realm.
For most people, it was just a spectacle to watch. The main event was still to come.
However, Zhao Ci's part in the show was over.
"Tenth Prince, are you no longer bidding?"
The auction house's manager greeted him enthusiastically.
Zhao Ci patted the coin purse at his waist and smiled. "No more bidding for me. I'm deep enough in debt as it is."
After that, he went straight to the second floor.
This was where the private rooms of the auction house were located. If there were truly great treasures on the block, the private rooms would be filled with distinguished guests, but it wasn't the peak season.
As such, only Gu Xiangzhu had requested a room to rest.
Standing before the door, Zhao Ci composed himself. The joy of his victory quietly receded beneath the surface, replaced by a somewhat distracted and absent-minded expression.
KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!
He knocked on the door.
"Come in!"
Gu Xiangzhu's voice came from inside the room.
Only then did Zhao Ci push the door open and walk up to her.
An irrepressible smile graced Gu Xiangzhu's face as she looked at him with considerable admiration. "Ci! You did splendidly just now. You actually managed to secure that deal!"
To be honest, she was pleasantly surprised.
After all, she hadn't been confident in closing that deal herself.
Zhao Ci's tactic was that of an utter street scoundrel, but the result was surprisingly effective.
She even found herself thinking that if she'd had a falling out with Zhao Huan sooner, she might have been able to scoop this kid up for the Demon Sect. His style of doing things was truly to her taste.
'So what if his cultivation talent is a bit low!'
'As long as he's got a good head on his shoulders.'
However...
She asked, puzzled, "Ci, why are you looking down and not saying anything?"
"Mother..."
Zhao Ci's voice was a bit hoarse. He looked up, revealing a face full of exhaustion.
He forced a smile. "I didn't think much of it before, but now that it's done, I feel a bit... despicable. I feel so tired..."
As he spoke, he took a step forward, half-knelt before Gu Xiangzhu's chair, and rested his head on her lap with incredible naturalness.
It was as if he had found a warm harbor.
Gu Xiangzhu: "..."
Her pupils suddenly widened, and her body tensed up.
'Th-this...'
'Why does this feel so natural?'
Being approached so forcefully made her instinctively want to smack Zhao Ci.
But it didn't feel quite right.
The little bastard had just rendered a great service. And he'd changed his previous ways, using a strategy that hurt himself before his enemy to secure the deal.
'I can't just strike him now.'
Zhao Ci smelled the faint, sweet fragrance on her body and felt her long, voluptuous yet firm legs through her dress. It was getting to be too much for him to handle.
'Damn this mature, sophisticated charm!'
After a moment,
Gu Xiangzhu felt his warm breath through her clothes, brushing against her skin. It was like a swarm of ants crawling all over her, and she was losing her composure. "Ci?"
Zhao Ci sounded weary and helpless. "Mother, my heart is so weary..."
"You..."
Gu Xiangzhu gritted her teeth. "Rest as quickly as you can. I still have important matters to discuss with you."
Zhao Ci: "Mmm..."
'As quickly as I can?'
'Can a man ever be quick?'
'Quick my ass!'
'I'm one step closer to my plan. The Gongdan Conference is in a few days. If I succeed, I'm bound to show a flaw.'
'If Gu Xiangzhu's guard is up, I might not be able to maintain this "good son" facade.'
'Who knows how she'll torture me then!'
'I only have these few days to take advantage of the situation. I have to make the most of it, right?'
'I'll set a small goal.'
'Before my cover is blown, I have to at least give her a foot bath.'
「After a long, long time.」
Zhao Ci finally stood up. It wasn't that he'd had enough, but that just lying there wasn't very interesting, and he couldn't take things any further.
Besides, this Demon Sect woman's figure was just too damn good. He didn't want to stand up and have to speak while hunched over.
HUFF...
Gu Xiangzhu secretly breathed a sigh of relief and offered a faint, comforting smile. "Don't blame yourself. There are far more shameless people in this world than you."
Zhao Ci's expression froze. "Mother, you really have a way with words."
Gu Xiangzhu's expression turned quite serious. "I'm not just comforting you! Ci, look at this city of Lingge. How many scholars are there who sing the praises of the court officials?
If you only listened to them speak, you'd think every official in the imperial court was incorruptible.
But in reality? Aside from that grandfather-in-law of yours, which family isn't decked out in gold and silver?
Compared to them, you're not despicable at all!
On the contrary, because you're able to cast aside your useless pride, you will surely gain far more than them in the future."
Zhao Ci pretended to ponder this, then nodded with a serious look. "You're right, Mother! By the way, Mother, why did you have me secure that Fire Manipulation Pill, and what did you mean by securing Zhu Li as well? Is that girl useful to us?"
"Of course she's useful!"
Gu Xiangzhu smiled faintly. "Didn't you feel that the girl's flame was very hot?"
"I think so... Is her flame special?"
"I'm not entirely sure either."
Though Gu Xiangzhu said she wasn't sure, her eyes were frighteningly bright. "I once read about the Ten Great Miraculous Flames in an ancient text. One of them, a Divine Fire called the Yu Xin Flame, burns the heart when contained within the body and becomes explosive when released. When cultivated to mastery, it becomes a conflagration that can incinerate cities.
That little girl is still a long, long way from incinerating cities, but for her flame to be so scorching and explosive before she's even unlocked her Physical Body Divine Treasure... it's very likely the Yu Xin Flame.
The Zhu Family has the empty title of the number one Alchemy Clan, yet they let such a prodigy be held back on the path of an Alchemist. It's utterly ridiculous!"
'Whoa!'
'This woman is surprisingly knowledgeable!'
'Compared to her, the Zhu Family really does seem pathetic. They clearly didn't recognize the Yu Xin Flame, and might not even know it exists.'
However...
He thought of Zhu Li's wish and couldn't help but ask, "Is the Yu Xin Flame not suitable for Alchemy?"
Gu Xiangzhu shook her head. "Of course not. You've observed the Alchemy process, so you should be well aware that fusing medicinal properties requires extremely precise temperature changes. The Yu Xin Flame is scorching and explosive, so its wielder is destined to never achieve anything in Alchemy."
Zhao Ci felt a little disappointed.
'From the sound of Gu Xiangzhu's tone, the Yu Xin Flame is definitely a divine tool for a destructive Fire Mage.'
'If Zhu Li's dream of becoming an Alchemist can't be fulfilled, does that mean my Yuxin Flame Seed reward is gone too?'
He asked, confused, "If it's not suitable for Alchemy, why did we help her get the Fire Manipulation Pill?"
Gu Xiangzhu shook her head and smiled. "Not being suitable for Alchemy doesn't mean it isn't suitable for assisting in Alchemy. During the Closed Furnace Quenching Pill process, a higher flame temperature can improve the pill's quality. For this stage, the Yu Xin Flame is perfectly capable."
Zhao Ci was surprised. "But from the moment the ingredients enter the furnace, the rest of the process has to be done in one go. Wouldn't switching people at the last step cause a major problem?"
"Who said anything about switching people?"
Gu Xiangzhu's smile didn't fade. "The Yu Xin Flame is explosive because it can incinerate anything and everything. It doesn't just burn the user's True Qi. Even an outsider's True Qi will be assimilated upon contact."
Zhao Ci instantly understood. "You mean, at the final step, we have Zhu Li assimilate our Alchemist's flame?"
"Precisely!"
Gu Xiangzhu thought for a moment, then took out a brush, ink, paper, and an inkstone. She wrote down a series of incantations and handed the paper over. "These are fragmented verses about the Yu Xin Flame from that ancient text. You have the Fire Manipulation Pill. Our Xiang's Pill Workshop needs this fierce general. Poaching someone from the Zhu Family is no easy task. You'll need to put some thought into it."
"Yes!"
Zhao Ci took the paper and tucked it into his robes. "Mother! I'll take my leave then?"
The people of the Zhu Family were notoriously difficult to poach.
Even though Zhu Li wasn't an Alchemist, luring her away would be no small feat.
But this Yu Xin Flame was just too tempting.
'I have to snatch her away!'
"Mmm..."
Gu Xiangzhu nodded slightly but then asked, "How are things with the Wine Refining Technique?"
Zhao Ci smiled. "I can definitely handle the amount needed for the Gongdan Conference. However, the current method is too cumbersome for the Pill Workshop to produce at scale. I already have some ideas for improvement, though. It should be ready for the Pill Workshop within a month. I'll need you, Mother, to find a few trustworthy artisans to manage the operation."
"Excellent!"
Gu Xiangzhu beamed with a satisfied smile. "You've worked hard, Ci!"
"It's my duty, Mother!"
Zhao Ci bowed respectfully and left the private room.
Once his back was turned, the corners of his mouth lifted slightly.
'Damn it!'
'A big shot from the Demon Sect thinks she can just freeload off a new entrepreneur like me?'
'Completely shameless!'
'Does she really think I'm such a pushover?'
'She can underestimate me, fine.'
'But she can't underestimate Old Deng, Zhao Huan!'
After the door closed,
the warmth and motherly affection on Gu Xiangzhu's face vanished once more, but the smile at the corners of her eyes did not fade.
At first, she had been on guard.
But after weighing the situation over and over, she felt it might not be necessary.
Although Zhao Ci had invented the Wine Refining Technique, his foundation was still shallow. Once it went into production, he certainly wouldn't be able to handle everything himself.
And this small-scale elixir alliance was entirely under her control. Zhao Ci had also promised not to tell anyone the secrets of the Alchemy of Wine. The technique was, without a doubt, already in her pocket.
...
The second floor of the auction house was specially designed for distinguished guests. Some of them disliked meeting strangers, so the second floor had a direct passage to the carriage courtyard at the back.
Zhao Ci didn't go down to the first floor. He left by another route, thinking about how to poach Zhu Li as quickly as possible.
But unexpectedly, as soon as he descended the stairs, he saw a familiar figure.
His heart tightened, and he silently mobilized the True Qi in his body.
A warm smile spread across his face. "Yo! Brother Huang, you're done with your business already?"