Chapter 374

"Greetings, Chaos Saint. On behalf of the Ye family, I humbly beg for your assistance."

Ye Xinlan's voice trembled with sincerity as she dropped to one knee before Ye Feng.

Before she could kneel fully, a gentle wave of spirit energy lifted her back to her feet.

"Let's talk business first," Ye Feng said calmly.

"Chaos Saint, if no one in my Ye family ranks in the top three of the Five Great Families' Alchemist Assessment within ten years, we'll lose Dan's protection."

"You want me to represent your Ye family in the upcoming Alchemy Conference?"

"Yes."

"I'm not interested."

"Why not? This is the Alchemy Conference! If you win, you'll be renowned across the Central Plains and even have a chance to compete for the legendary flame—Three Thousand Burning Flames!"

Ye Feng gave a half-smile. "An alchemy meeting? Have you ever seen a tenth-grade alchemist compete in a children's game of brewing pills?"

"T-Tenth grade?!"

Ye Xinlan froze, eyes wide with disbelief.

A tenth-grade alchemist…?

Even the three great Alchemy Masters of Dan were only eighth-grade. As far as Ye Xinlan knew, no one in Zhongzhou had ever refined a ninth-grade pill, let alone reached the tenth grade. Even the famed Medicine Master Yao Chen had only managed eighth-grade.

Yet Ye Feng had just implied he was a tenth-grade alchemist. It was almost blasphemous.

"Three Thousand Burning Flames... If I want it, I'll take it. Not even Dan's ancestral pill can stop me."

Ye Xinlan's heart skipped a beat.

Dan's ancestral pill!

Very few knew that above Dan's three alchemy giants stood a being far more mysterious—Dan's founder, not a human but a ninth-grade spirit pill that had developed consciousness and taken form. As a core member of the Ye family, Ye Xinlan had access to such ancient secrets.

But she never imagined Ye Feng—who wasn't even native to Zhongzhou—would know of Dan's greatest secret.

"As for fame in the Central Plains," Ye Feng continued casually, "just destroy any one of the powers among the One Palace, One Tower, Two Sects, Three Valleys, and Four Towers. You'll be famous overnight. Don't you think?"

Ye Xinlan pressed her lips together. If anyone else had said that, she would've scoffed. But these words came from the Chaos Saint.

And his words… carried weight.

"Ye Xinlan," Ye Feng's tone cooled, "everything you've offered has no appeal to me."

"Chaos Saint, I heard your surname is also Ye. Perhaps… five hundred years ago, we shared the same bloodline. Please, help my Ye family for the sake of our shared name."

Ye Feng raised an eyebrow and chuckled. "Tsk. That's a stretch."

He had no interest in ancient bloodlines. His spirit had come from the Huaxia plane in a past life, later reincarnated into the Douluo Plane. That world, like this one, was a separate plane altogether. Even if his surname was Ye, he had no connection to Ye Xinlan's bloodline from this world.

Ye Xinlan bit her lip, her silver teeth clenching with frustration.

She was at her wit's end.

If the Ye family failed to enter the top three, Dan's protection would be revoked. And in Danyu—where Dan's power entwined with countless factions—the Ye family had no shortage of enemies. Once the protection was gone, those enemies would pounce like vultures. The family could fall into decline, or worse—be erased entirely.

In desperation, Ye Xinlan turned her eyes to Zi Yan, hoping for support.

"Don't look at me," Zi Yan said, stretching lazily. "I'm just his mount. Even if I wanted to help, I couldn't force him."

"Mount…?"

Ye Xinlan was stunned.

She had a thousand questions. How could a human—especially one as powerful and unruly as Zi Yan—become Ye Feng's mount?

Before she could process it, Ye Feng spoke again.

"Do you provide meals?" he asked flatly.

"…Huh?"

"I'm asking, will there be food?"

"O-Of course!"

"Will I be under any restrictions?"

"No, none at all!"

"Do you know where in Zhongzhou I can find good food and entertainment?"

"I… I do."

She lied.

Ye Xinlan had spent her life focused on reviving her family. She had no interest in delicacies or leisure. Still, she nodded, hoping it would be enough.

"Fine," Ye Feng said, stretching his arms lazily. "After the auction, I'll stay at your Ye family for a while."

"Thank you, Chaos Saint!"

Overwhelmed with gratitude, Ye Xinlan tried to kneel again, but the same energy as before held her up.

"Don't kneel so much," Ye Feng said, tone indifferent. "If you really know me, then you should know I hate people kneeling to me."

Ye Xinlan nodded quickly, and the stress melted from her face. Zi Yan pulled her down to sit beside her.

"Mr. Ye," Ya Fei leaned closer and spoke in a low voice, "you're doing this for Zi Yan, aren't you?"

"Nonsense," Ye Feng replied without emotion.

But Ya Fei just smiled.

She had been with Ye Feng long enough to understand his ways. If Zi Yan had pleaded directly for Ye Xinlan, Ye Feng might've refused. But by claiming to be just his mount and not exerting any pressure, she had navigated around Ye Feng's pride.

Cold on the outside, warm on the inside.

He would never admit it, but everyone present knew—Ye Feng had agreed for Zi Yan's sake. The talk of food and fun was just an excuse.

BOOM!

Suddenly, a deep bell chimed in the center of the auction hall.

Its powerful resonance immediately silenced the crowd.

As the echoes faded, a ring of spirit energy unfurled from the auction stage, rising into a glowing dome that enclosed it like a fortress.

It was a necessary defense.

This was the Black Corner Region, after all—a land of outlaws and rogue cultivators. It wasn't unheard of for someone to snatch a treasure before bidding even ended.

Though the Black Emperor Sect was a top-tier force, the items being auctioned today were simply too valuable. They couldn't afford any chances.

As the dome pulsed with light, excitement surged through the crowd.

The show had begun.

"This is what a real auction looks like," Ya Fei said with wonder in her eyes.

"How about I buy the entire place?" Ye Feng offered nonchalantly.

"No need," Ya Fei smiled. "This is just the Black Corner Region. If I ever build an auction house, it'll be in Zhongzhou. That's where the true stage for the strong lies."

"Then it's settled. Once we reach Zhongzhou, I'll build you the largest auction house on the continent."

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