He smiled , then lifted his gaze to the night sky.
Judging the time about right, he said, "It's nearly time for the banquet."
Attending was simply a waste of time.
Xiao Feng understood it perfectly.
He didn't care for crowds either, but when people throw a welcome feast in your honor, it's hard to refuse.
"Cousin Xiao Feng, the banquet is about to begin."
Xiao Chen's voice came from outside the courtyard.
"Let's go." Xiao Feng led the way out.
Outside, Xiao Chen waited; seeing Xiao Feng, he smiled.
"Cousin, it's time—let's head to the hall together."
"After you."
Chatting as they walked, the three soon reached the banquet venue.
The moment they stepped inside—
the formerly noisy hall fell silent; every gaze fixed on the trio at the door.
"The tall man in Xiao robes is Xiao Chen, so the handsome youth beside him must be Xiao Feng?"
Though few recognized Xiao Feng, Xiao Chen's face was well known, making the identification easy.
Yet though their target stood before them, Wutan's powers dared not approach; they stayed rooted, not daring a sound.
The reason was simple: while the Xiao Family claimed Xiao Feng had an amiable nature, that was only hearsay.
They needed to observe; rashness might offend him.
After all, to Xiao Feng crushing them would be easier than crushing an ant.
The silence did not last long.
The silent atmosphere did not last long. The Grand Elder, who was sitting at the main table, immediately stood up to greet Xiao Feng upon his arrival.
"Hehehe, you've finally arrived. It's time, please take your seats."
He glanced at the guests at the other tables who were not wearing Xiao Family attire and were clearly not Xiao Family members.
Ignoring their gazes, which held both fear and curiosity, Xiao Feng nodded and walked toward the main table.
At the main table, most were internal members of the Xiao Family; only one man and one woman were not wearing Xiao Family attire.
Because they weren't wearing Xiao Family attire, Xiao Feng immediately noticed the two of them.
He didn't bother mentioning the man—just an old person. Even though he wore an Alchemist's robe and had a Two-Rank Alchemist Badge pinned to his chest, he was no different from an ordinary person in Xiao Feng's eyes.
The woman, however, was quite eye-catching. On her lightly smiling, pretty Face was a hint of seductiveness. She wore a set of bright, striking red robes—a luxurious gown of exquisite craftsmanship—and a silver sash cinched her slender waist, highlighting its delicate curve perfectly.
"What a seductive beauty. Her looks could easily compete for the top spot among all the women I've seen over the years. This person must be Ya Fei, right?" Xiao Feng thought to himself after taking a look.
Ya Fei's identity was easy to discern; her characteristics were too distinct.
Seeing Xiao Feng's gaze fall upon her, Ya Fei revealed a charming smile.
When Xiao Feng saw the seductive smile on Ya Fei's face, he was momentarily stunned.
Even across two lifetimes, this was the first time he had encountered such a naturally charming and alluring woman.
For a brief moment, a faint flush appeared on his face.
However, Xiao Feng quickly regained his composure.
His gaze calmly moved toward Ya Fei, observing her with a trace of curiosity.
His eyes were clear and calm like still water, without the slightest hint of improper thoughts. There was only a simple appreciation for beauty, much like admiring a beautiful painting.
Seeing Xiao Feng's reaction, Ya Fei was slightly taken aback.
She was well aware of the charm of her own beauty.
Although she was only sixteen years old, her natural allure and mature temperament were already enough to make most men lose their composure in front of her.
Moreover, she had actually arrived in Wutan City earlier than in the original timeline.
One of the main reasons for this was the news of Xiao Feng's astonishing achievements.
A young genius with powerful cultivation and outstanding alchemy talent was exactly the type of person worth investing in early.
For someone like Ya Fei, who had grown up within the complicated environment of the Mittel Auction House, making connections with powerful individuals was extremely important for securing her own future.
However, when Xiao Feng looked at her just now, she did not see the usual greed or lust that she was accustomed to seeing in the eyes of most men.
Instead, there was only calm curiosity and polite appreciation.
This surprised her greatly.
Because with her experience, she could easily distinguish between genuine respect and hidden desire.
And from Xiao Feng's gaze, she could clearly see that there were no impure intentions at all.
Because of this, the respect Ya Fei felt toward Xiao Feng increased greatly in her heart.
A young man who possessed great strength, extraordinary talent, and yet such calm self-control…
Such a person was far more terrifying—and far more valuable—than ordinary geniuses.
After Xiao Chen sat down right next to Xiao Feng, Xiao Zhan began the introductions.
"Ahem, let me introduce you. These two are Young Miss Ya Fei and Great Master Gu Ni from the Mittel Auction House. They specifically came to visit today after hearing you, Xiao Feng, returned from your studies. Hehe, Young Miss Ya Fei is the person in charge of the Mittel Auction House. Her methods are extraordinary; since she arrived in Wutan City, the Mittel Auction House's business has more than doubled."
When Xiao Zhan introduced Ya Fei and the other person, he focused heavily on Ya Fei, because he felt Xiao Feng should be interested in her. After all, young men are full of vigor.
Since Ya Fei was so seductive and beautiful, it was only natural for him to show some interest.
This was also the main reason he placed Ya Fei and Gu Ni at this table.
Although the reputation of the Mittel Family was involved, the Mittel Family's Face alone could not justify the two of them sitting at the same table as a 4th Grade Alchemist.
Hearing Xiao Zhan introduce her, Ya Fei, who was completely unaware of Xiao Zhan's intentions, smiled even more charmingly. Her rosy, cherry lips parted slightly, and a soft, tingling voice sounded across the table.
"Hahaha, I've long heard that the Grand Elder is a young hero. Seeing you today, you truly possess an extraordinary Aura, just as the rumors say."
Ya Fei's long, beautiful eyes curved into a charming arc. She rested her jade hand on her fragrant cheek, her gaze fixed on Xiao Feng's handsome Face. Her long eyelashes fluttered lightly, and a faint, seductive charm emerged on her mature, alluring Face.
The soft, tempting voice entered their ears, causing the Faces of several people at the table to flush red.
Fortunately, they were all influential figures in the Xiao Family and possessed a certain degree of self-control, so none of them made a fool of themselves.
Regarding Ya Fei's tempting voice, Xiao Feng merely smiled calmly and said nothing.
After all, he had heard such words too many times, and his mind had habitually learned to filter them out.
He couldn't really say anything about this praise. If he admitted it directly, it would seem arrogant; if he denied it, it would seem hypocritical. It was better to just smile.
To be honest, Xiao Feng was somewhat surprised that Ya Fei dared to approach him.
Given Ya Fei's beauty, if he were a lecherous fiend and decided to take her tonight, she would have no recourse.
It was possible that after he took Ya Fei, if he revealed his Fourth-Rank Alchemist identity, the Mittel Family might even cheer enthusiastically.
Sacrificing a Family member whose Cultivation talent wasn't outstanding just to establish a connection with a Future Fifth or Sixth-Rank Alchemist would be an absolute windfall.
Although he could easily possess the beauty before him if he wished, Xiao Feng did not harbor such thoughts.
This wasn't because he was a Saint who had no interest in women; mainly, this kind of behavior didn't align with his values.
Ya Fei didn't know Xiao Feng's thoughts. Regarding Xiao Feng's silence, she thought it was the arrogance of a powerful expert.
Looking at Xiao Feng's calm Face, the beauty she usually took pride in failed to work on him, giving Ya Fei a sense of frustration.
During the years she spent gaining experience outside, she had deeply understood how strongly her beauty attracted men.
Up until now, she had never encountered a youth like Xiao Feng who seemed completely indifferent to her.
"Brother Xiao Chen, it's been a year since we last met, and you still look as impressive as ever."
She and Xiao Chen had met once, a year ago.
Unlike the calm Xiao Feng, Xiao Chen scratched his cheek somewhat shyly, a faint blush appearing on his honest Face, and he whispered.
"Young Miss Ya Fei is the one who is as beautiful and moving as always."
Seeing Xiao Chen's reaction, a faint, almost imperceptible look of satisfaction appeared on Ya Fei's Face. Sure enough, her charm was still effective; it was only Xiao Feng who was the anomaly.
Although Ya Fei had come to that conclusion, her sharp eyes soon noticed something else.
While Xiao Feng maintained a calm expression when speaking to her, the tips of his ears had turned slightly red, and from time to time he would subtly divert his gaze away from her.
Seeing this small reaction, Ya Fei could not help but smile inwardly.
It seemed that her beauty had not completely failed after all.
However, she could also clearly tell that Xiao Feng possessed strong self-control and a firm bottom line that he would not easily cross.
He was not someone who would lose his composure just because of a woman's charm.
Instead of feeling disappointed, Ya Fei actually felt more interested.
A man who could remain composed in front of her charm was far rarer than those who immediately revealed greedy or lustful expressions.
Still, Ya Fei also understood the situation well.
After all, this was a public family feast of the Xiao Clan, and many eyes were watching them.
If she acted too boldly or made her intentions too obvious, it might damage her own reputation.
Therefore, she decided to advance carefully and subtly, using this opportunity to slowly build a good relationship with Xiao Feng without attracting unnecessary attention.
With a gentle smile, she continued the conversation naturally, her movements elegant and graceful, as if everything she did was simply part of ordinary social etiquette.