"How may I address you, sir?" Sitting opposite Du Fei, the middle-aged man's gaze shifted from the elixir on the table to Du Fei, taking a moment to assess him before he finally spoke lightly.

"If I could reveal my identity freely, do you think I would dress like this?" Du Fei knew clearly that he couldn't expose his identity at a time like this. He curled his lip slightly and responded indifferently.

"Hehe, I understand. But let me introduce myself. I am Yuan Hong, a ninth-grade alchemist. I'm in charge of affairs in this auction house... Hehe, even though I'm considered a ninth-grade alchemist, I can only create one or two types of pills. Truly, it's quite embarrassing! ... As for the elixir, I've just tested it. Although I've never heard of it, it indeed reaches the quality of a ninth-grade pill, and its effect is as you've described... What do you plan to do with this? Do you intend to sell it directly to our auction house or put it up for auction?" Yuan Hong said with a broad smile and eager tone.

"Auction it! But when's the earliest it can be done?"

"Hehe, if you need the money fast, I'll have it arranged as soon as possible. Why don't you take a rest in the VIP section on the second floor of the auction hall?" As he spoke, Yuan Hong took out a jade plaque from his pocket and gently placed it on the table.

"Hmm!" Du Fei glanced at the jade plaque and immediately took it, striding out of the room.

After Du Fei had left, Yuan Hong slightly furrowed his brows and muttered to himself, "When did Buyue City produce another alchemist?... This is a huge deal... If those three families find out, wouldn't Buyue City be thrown into chaos again?"

"I hope he's just a passing prodigy."

Rubbing his temples, Yuan Hong sighed, then clapped his hands, signaling someone to take the item to the auction house.

Sitting in the VIP section on the second floor of the auction house, Du Fei slightly furrowed his brows.

The auction house was split into two floors. The first floor was open to everyone, but the second was reserved for those of higher status.

Within Buyue City, only a select few people could enter the second floor, so they were all familiar with each other.

Du Fei's arrival as an outsider indeed attracted quite a few glances.

However, Du Fei didn't mind their gazes. He found a corner seat and sat down, his gaze sweeping across the auction house.

On the central platform of the auction house, a middle-aged man dressed in a white robe held an exquisite small hammer as he introduced various items with an emotive tone. Regardless of the item's value, everything seemed magnificent when he described it. Therefore, the appearance of any item would lead to a scramble among the bidders.

Of course, even though these items were decent, they couldn't capture the attention of those seated in the VIP section. Thus, although the atmosphere in the auction house was good, it couldn't be described as fervent.

As time passed, several valuable items appeared in the auction house. There was even an eighth-grade martial technique scroll that caused contention among various parties, and it eventually sold at an extremely high price. However, it seemed that the truly remarkable items hadn't appeared yet.

Those in the VIP seats occasionally glanced at a few empty seats in the middle, clearly waiting for the arrival of certain individuals.

After frowning for a moment, Du Fei's gaze finally swept over those seats.

"The Du Family, Lian Family, Gongsun Family, and various other forces from the city seem to have representatives here. I wonder who hasn't arrived yet, making everyone wait for their appearance... I guess, if this person doesn't show up, the real treasures won't be presented."

After pondering for a moment, Du Fei became quite curious about the person who hadn't yet appeared, occasionally glancing at the empty seats.

Just a few moments after Du Fei's attention shifted to the matter, he heard footsteps from behind. Almost immediately, everyone in the VIP section stood up.

Several figures slowly appeared behind the VIP section.

Among those figures, the most eye-catching was a woman in a purple robe leading the group. She appeared to be in her mid-twenties, and she was tall and slender with skin as white as snow. What was most striking about her was a natural aura of nobility that she possessed. It was hard to describe, but it gave off an intimidating vibe, making people hesitate to look directly at her.

The several individuals following her were mostly young women. While they didn't stand out as much as she did, each one of them were quite pretty.

Under such a stellar scene, the woman at the forefront naturally became the center of attention. Even those who usually acted domineering in Buyue City, after one heated glance, showed a hint of reverence towards her. Many seemed to want to approach her, but none dared to, only greeting her from a distance.

"This woman is no ordinary person..." While having this thought, Du Fei didn't stand up to greet her like the others. He continued to sit in his corner, glancing briefly at her before turning his attention back to the auction house.

It wasn't that he was being arrogant, but Du Fei believed that the actions of those in the VIP seats would be closely watched by the owner of the auction house. In such a place, if one didn't maintain an aura of mystery and showed even a hint of weakness, they might be easily taken advantage of by others.

Moreover, Du Fei firmly believed that with the mysterious title of an alchemist hanging around him, no matter who the woman was, she wouldn't dare to offend him!

However, even though Du Fei made no moves and remained silent, his demeanor set him apart from the rest. Many of the influential figures of Buyue City inadvertently frowned at his behavior. Still, anyone bold enough to act this way must have some skills. Therefore, nobody voiced any criticisms at that moment.

Even the woman looked over with a hint of surprise in her eyes, not expecting someone to blatantly ignore her presence.

Du Fei seemed oblivious to these strange glances as he maintained his relaxed demeanor, occasionally smirking slightly. His nonchalant attitude made the atmosphere in the VIP area even more awkward.

A moment later, a man who had arrived with the woman stepped forward, slowly walking to Du Fei's side, and coughed slightly.

However, upon hearing the cough, Du Fei acted as if he had heard nothing, his intrigued gaze still fixed on the auction stage below.

"Cough—" The man coughed softly again, his handsome face twitching slightly. It seemed that in Buyue City, no one had ever dared to disrespect him like this.

"Excuse me..." After a moment of hesitation, the man finally spoke in a low voice.

"Yes?" Du Fei said indifferently as he slowly turned his head, a mocking smile in his eyes as he peered through the drooping veil of his bamboo hat, landing on the man's face.

"Hehe... How should I address you?" Seemingly shaken by Du Fei's tone, the man asked with a hint of respect.

"You're not worthy to ask for my name," Du Fei responded lightly. "I have no interest in what you all are up to, just don't bother me."

Having said that, Du Fei ignored the man, turning his attention back to the stage.

"You—" The man's expression froze slightly, his fist tightening involuntarily. Glancing back to see the mocking expression on a purple-robed woman's face, he sneered. "Sir, don't push your luck... This auction house is not a place for suspicious people like you!"

"Are you implying that this auction house is owned by your family?" Du Fei asked calmly, slowly withdrawing his gaze.

"Well—"

"If it's not owned by your family, then save your breath... If you want to impress a woman, figure it out yourself. With your limited abilities, bothering me is beneath you!" As the last word fell, Du Fei slowly stood up, his gaze coldly settling on the man, looking as if he might strike at any moment.

Though there wasn't anything unusual about Du Fei's appearance, the sudden oppressive aura he exuded, combined with his mysterious attire, put significant pressure on the VIP attendees.

"You must have a death wish!" The man growled, his face flushing red. With gritted teeth, he stepped forward, launching a punch towards Du Fei's chest.

Seeing the man suddenly make a move, the corner of Du Fei's mouth twitched slightly. He couldn't help but find the situation somewhat amusing, thinking he might have taken the game a bit too far this time!

However, despite his thoughts, he showed no sign of backing down. His feet quivered slightly as his true breath instantly began to circulate within his body, a gleam flashing in his eyes.

"Bang—"

However, just as Du Fei was about to make his move, a figure darted out from one side, striking the man's fist with an open palm. Instantly, the man's punch was blocked, and amidst a loud explosive sound, both individuals quickly retreated.

"It's Qi! Could these two be Ninth-grade Martial Artists?" The sudden turn of events caused Du Fei to slightly furrow his brow. However, such an unexpected event was still within his anticipations, so he displayed no surprise. He just let out a soft cold laugh, still appearing incredibly mysterious.