A calm yet deep voice echoed through the silent hall, carrying an air of inevitability and unshakable authority.
The crowd felt a jolt, as if a current had surged through their bodies, their blood boiling with excitement.
"This is how a true man should be!"
Xiao Yan clenched his fists, his breathing quickening, his heart surging with exhilaration. This was the feeling he craved.
From childhood to now, he had always admired this quality in Bai-Ge. On ordinary days, he was as tranquil as still water, but when the moment called for action, his sharp edge would shine through. That calm yet commanding demeanor was utterly captivating.
"Heh, this is the confidence of the strong, Little Yan. Keep working hard!"
Seeing Xiao Yan's flushed face, practically radiating fanboy energy, Yao Lao couldn't help but chuckle softly. "I believe one day, you'll stand just as tall. No need to envy others!"
On the other side, Ya Fei's breath caught in her throat. Her glistening peach-blossom eyes locked onto those deep, dark pupils, her delicate frame trembling slightly.
In this moment, Xiao Bai loomed infinitely large in her eyes. A pang of inexplicable jealousy flared in her heart toward the little girl by his side.
In her twenty-plus years of life, Ya Fei had been surrounded by transactions driven by profit, never once experiencing the sensation of being protected.
No one had ever said to her, "If you can't handle it, just call me!"—not even when facing a Dou Ling or Dou Huang!
Take the man sprawled on the floor, for instance. He had always harbored disgusting intentions toward her, yet she could only endure the humiliation and navigate around him, unable to simply eliminate him.
Why? Because his grandfather was a member of the clan's elder council, a Dou Ling powerhouse with real influence within the Miteer family. Against him, she was powerless.
Almost as if guided by some unseen force, Ya Fei felt a sudden impulse. She stepped forward, her slender hands reaching out to smooth Xiao Bai's collar. In a soft voice, she said, "Do what you need to do, but be quick. Once it's done, leave immediately. A Dou Huang supreme elder, long absent from the clan, has recently returned. If this escalates, no matter how strong you are, one pair of fists can't fend off four hands!"
From Xiao Bai's earlier display, she knew he was formidable, but she couldn't gauge his exact level.
Given his age, she reasoned, no matter how strong he was, he couldn't possibly match a Dou Huang, as he had so boldly claimed!
Xiao Bai's expression flickered with surprise. He hadn't expected this woman to make such a gesture. A trace of warmth softened his gaze as he asked quietly, "Aren't you afraid I'll drag you into this?"
If he killed the man and left, her public display of closeness to him could make her life difficult in the days to come.
"Afraid?" Ya Fei nodded slightly, her delicate face breaking into a radiant smile. With a carefree shrug, she said, "My whole life has been spent navigating profit and schemes. I rarely act on impulse like this. So…"
"You'd better hurry, or this little lady might change her mind and sell you out!"
"Haha, if you're going to sell me out…" Xiao Bai patted her slender shoulder, grinning. "Make sure you get a good price. If it's too low, I'll come back to settle the score with you!"
With that, he strode toward the figure lying in the center of the hall.
Behind him, Ya Fei froze for a moment, gazing at the black-robed silhouette. Her red lips curved into a smile, her spring-water eyes rippling with an enchanting warmth.
Cough, cough… "You want to kill me?"
On the floor, a pale-faced youth, blood staining the corners of his mouth, glared at the approaching black-robed figure. His eyes held no fear, only a cold sneer. "Heh, do you even know where you are? This is the Jia Ma Holy City, the heart of the Miteer family's headquarters. Kill me, and you'll die too!"
If Xiao Bai hadn't known Ya Fei, the youth might have felt some fear after the little girl's punch. But since he was acquainted with Ya Fei, it meant he was from the Jia Ma Empire.
And as long as he was from the Jia Ma Empire, the youth had no reason to fear. With the Miteer Auction House's influence in the empire, unless he offended the royal family or the Yun Lan Sect, this was a trivial matter.
"Done talking?" Xiao Bai cast him a cold glance, his voice flat. "Is that your last will and testament?"
"Last will?" The pale-faced youth laughed mockingly, seeing Xiao Bai approach without acting. His lips twisted into a sneer, his eyes brimming with disdain as he lay on the floor, cackling. "Ya Fei, is this the man you've taken a liking to? This spineless coward, can he even satisfy you? Why don't you—"
Crack!
A sharp sound of breaking bone cut through the air, followed by the youth's face draining of color, then turning ashen.
His body convulsed violently, his words cut off as he let out a pig-like scream of agony.
"Your mouth is too foul," Xiao Bai said, slowly retracting his foot. With a casual wave, a chair flew through the air and landed behind him.
He swept his robe aside and sat down, casting a cold glance at the writhing youth. "I'm waiting for your grandfather to show up so I can send you both on your way together. A family should stay united, don't you think? Otherwise, making a second trip for a mere Dou Ling ant would be too much trouble."
"You… you…" The youth, ignoring the pain in his leg, stared at Xiao Bai in stunned disbelief, pointing a trembling finger at him.
"Don't need that hand anymore?" Xiao Bai's eyes flashed with chilling light. With a slight flick of his finger, a beam of light shot out, followed by a spray of blood.
"Ah! My hand's gone!"
Another scream echoed through the hall. The youth stared at his now-empty wrist, blood gushing forth. His peripheral vision caught the familiar sight of his severed hand lying on the floor, his eyes filled with terror.
"Don't worry, you've still got one left," Xiao Bai said from his chair, his tone gentle, almost comforting.
But to the onlookers in the hall, his voice carried no warmth—only a bone-chilling dread. They paled, swallowing hard, careful not to make a sound that might draw the attention of the black-robed youth on the chair.
"Good grief…"
Not far away, Xiao Yan swallowed hard, his eyes wide with shock. He muttered under his breath, "Is this still our Bai-Ge?"
In the past, when he'd seen Xiao Bai act, it was always clean and decisive—a single strike to end it. This… this was more like the ruthless style of some demonic cultivator from his previous life.
"Tch, tch, Little Yan, looks like your Bai-Ge has been going easy on you all this time!"
Watching the scene, Yao Lao recalled the times Xiao Yan had recklessly provoked Xiao Bai. He chuckled.
"Teacher, don't joke like that!" Xiao Yan's face was the picture of righteous indignation. "I've never provoked Bai-Ge. That was just… sparring! No, guidance—yes, guidance!"
By the end, he nodded solemnly, as if confirming it to himself.
… Yao Lao stared at his disciple, brimming with survival instincts, and suddenly felt an inexplicable itch to give him a good smack.
The sound of footsteps approached, accompanied by a fragrant breeze. Xiao Bai tilted his head slightly to see the enchanting figure beside him. She bit her red lip, her captivating peach-blossom eyes looking at him with a mix of exasperation and amusement.
"What, you really want me to leave?" Xiao Bai studied her for a moment, a faint smile on his face. "I don't have a habit of dumping trouble on others."
Ya Fei sighed softly. "Young Master Xiao's strength is formidable, and I, Ya Fei, am but a humble voice. Since you've already made your plans, I won't overstep my bounds and meddle."
… Xiao Bai.
Such resentment!
This perfectly fine woman was turning into a master of passive-aggressive jabs!
Ya Fei's gaze shifted to the youth lying on the floor, his eyes vacant and lifeless. A trace of satisfaction flickered across her lovely face.
"He's crossed you before?" Noticing her expression, Xiao Bai asked calmly.
"Mm." Ya Fei nodded, her tone detached. "His name is Lei Le, and he is also a member of the Miteer family, with a powerful backer. That alone wouldn't concern me."
"But this man is obsessed with lust and has harbored disgusting thoughts about me. When I refused to indulge him, he constantly made trouble for me, spouting nonsense."
"I've put up with him for a long time. Seeing him reduced to this today naturally feels… gratifying."
She lowered her head to look at Xiao Bai, seated beside her, and blinked with a charming smile. "Do you think I'm petty?"
Xiao Bai's eyes instinctively flicked to a certain prominent feature before quickly looking away, shaking his head.
Petty? Not at all!
"Tch!" Ya Fei's cheeks flushed, and she shot a covert glare at the man whose expression remained infuriatingly calm. Hmph.
Though his glance had been fleeting, as a woman—and a beautiful one at that—she was keenly aware of such things. How could she miss the subtle shift in his demeanor?
A wave of shyness washed over her, and she fell silent, standing quietly by the chair. Her enchanting eyes occasionally lingered on Xiao Bai, who seemed to be resting with his eyes half-closed.
As their conversation ceased, the atmosphere in the hall grew heavy, like the calm before a storm.
Sensing the tension, Ya Fei felt uneasy, her brows furrowing slightly, a glimmer of worry in her clear eyes.
Time passed, and Xiao Bai's half-lidded eyes cracked open slightly, glancing toward a side door of the auction hall.
"Who dares harm my grandson?!"
The voice arrived before the person did.
A hoarse, aged shout, laced with icy killing intent, shattered the oppressive silence of the hall.
Ya Fei's expression shifted at the sound. Her hands, resting at her waist, clenched tightly. She turned her head, her gaze cold as she looked toward the source of the voice.
Bang!
The side door of the hall was kicked open with force, and a group of people poured in. Leading them was an old man in ornate robes, his face sharp and hawkish.
"Elder Lei Ou, you may be a clan elder, but you have no authority over the auction house. Kicking down my auction hall's door like this—what are you trying to do, stage a rebellion?"
Ya Fei's eyes lingered on the blatant footprint on the door, her expression darkening as she spoke coldly.
At her words, the old man named Lei Ou's face twitched with displeasure. The accusation of rebellion was one he couldn't afford to bear. His murky eyes flickered, and he sneered, "Heh, Ya Fei, what grand authority you wield. Do you truly think of yourself as an elder? You're just a temporary overseer. Wait until you shed that 'temporary' title and hold real power—then you can speak to me like this!"
"But after today, I doubt you'll have the chance—"
His mocking words faltered as his gaze landed on the youth lying on the floor. Disbelief flashed in his eyes, and he abruptly cut off his words. In a few strides, he reached Lei Le's side, a wail of grief erupting from him.
"My grandson…"
His trembling, withered hands examined Lei Le's body. The once-vibrant boy now lay with vacant eyes, unresponsive even to his grandfather's arrival.
At this sight, a powerful aura surged from Lei Ou's body.
"Who… did… this?"
His voice, cold and furious, spat out each word deliberately. His gaze swept the room, finally settling on Ya Fei.
Her delicate frame trembled under the weight of his aura, but she gritted her teeth, refusing to speak or give him the satisfaction of compliance.
"Tch, tch. Such an obvious question, and you still need to ask?" Xiao Bai waved a hand, and Ya Fei instantly felt the pressure lift, her body lightening.
"It was you! You vicious little beast!" Lei Ou's hair and beard bristled with rage, his eyes venomous as he glared at Xiao Bai. Then, turning to Ya Fei, he spat, "And you, you wretched woman, colluding with an outsider to reduce my grandson to this state in the auction hall. I'll see you dead!"
"Heh, Lei Le was harassing another woman in the auction hall. He brought this on himself," Ya Fei retorted with a cold laugh. Since the rift was already irreparable, she saw no need to feign caution as she had before. She might as well let loose.
"Nonsense! My grandson is pure and innocent. He'd never harass anyone!" Lei Ou roared.
"Haha, your grandson, pure? Old man, it seems for the sake of your precious grandson, you've thrown away all shame!" Ya Fei scoffed, her face full of disdain.
She wasn't afraid of Lei Ou killing her. Her previous caution stemmed from her precarious position in the clan. But now, with her life openly threatened, if she didn't push back, how could she ever hold her ground in the family?
Xiao Bai's gaze shifted from a certain direction, and he raised a hand to stop Ya Fei from continuing her verbal assault. Slowly, he said, "Since both grandfather and grandson are here, it's time to hit the road."
With that, he extended a palm, crackling with arcs of lightning. With a casual flick, a massive palm print materialized, surging toward Lei Ou and Lei Le with devastating force.
"Dou Wang!!"
Sensing the overwhelming energy radiating from the palm print, the fury on Lei Ou's face vanished, replaced by sheer terror. His pupils dilated, and his expression froze.
He tried to grab his grandson and flee, but an inexplicable pressure pinned him in place, rendering him immobile.
Ya Fei, hearing the old man's exclamation, widened her eyes in shock. She covered her alluring lips and whipped her head around to stare at the calm black-robed youth beside her.
If she remembered correctly… he wasn't even twenty yet, was he?
To reach such a level before the age of twenty—what kind of monstrous talent was this? Compared to him, the so-called prodigy of the Na Lan family, the young mistress of the Yun Lan Sect, was utterly insignificant.
Even the clan's grand elder was only at this level, and he was how old? In terms of cultivation time, he was likely three or four times Xiao Bai's age!
Based on her earlier assumptions, she had thought—at most—that he was a Dou Ling. That was already a bold guess, fueled by her prior knowledge of him and his fearless attitude toward Dou Ling.
But… a Dou Wang! A Dou Wang so young!
No wonder he had been so unshakably confident, dismissing a Dou Ling as beneath him. Amid her astonishment, a hint of playful reproach flickered in her mind. She shot him a coy glance.
This guy hid it too well! I was so worried he'd get hurt, and it was all for nothing!
"Now that's more like it!" Xiao Yan slapped his thigh, leaping to his feet in excitement. He laughed, "Bai-Ge's finally using his lightning techniques! A perfectly good lightning attribute, and he's always messing around with fire instead!"
… Yao Lao.
Has Xiao Bai's antics rattled this disciple? All this shouting and jumping—he's starting to seem a bit unhinged!
The crowd in the hall watched the scene with a mix of shock and uncertainty, unsure whether the black-robed youth was an old monster with a youthful face or truly as young as he appeared.
If he was genuinely that young, the entire Jia Ma Empire was about to be turned upside down.
As the crowd marveled, an aged voice rang out, reverberating through the air above the auction hall.
"I don't know how my Miteer family has offended you, but please, restrain your thunderous wrath and sit down to talk."
"If our clan has indeed been remiss in some way, I swear to give you a satisfactory resolution. How does that sound?"
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