Chapter 79: No Sooner Has One Wave Subsided Than Another Arises

Zhan Shaohua pinched his brow, feeling a headache as he looked at the man before him. Wanbao Pavilion, one of the three major auction houses on the StarNet, was a business under the Zhan family, and the man standing here was its supervisor, Zhan Ze.

“Have you found out where that item came from?” Another crisis arose before the previous one had settled.

“No,” Zhan Ze replied, bowing his head slightly. Yesterday afternoon, someone sent in a bottle of potion, with no indication of its purpose, but paid the appraisal fee. Wanbao Pavilion’s appraisal department usually paid little attention to such things—after all, countless items were sent in daily for auction and appraisal, and they hardly had time to focus on every single one.

But there was a minor accident. The chief appraiser at Wanbao Pavilion and the chief appraiser at Rare Treasure Auction House had once been good friends, but now worked for rival auction houses, making their rivalry even fiercer. They often competed by appraising unknown potions or special items, and as fate would have it, they chose to appraise that very potion sent in for auction.

Strangely, neither could identify what it was. Wanbao Pavilion’s appraiser, with a stubborn streak, drank half the potion himself to personally verify its effects.

That sip turned out to be a problem—the potion instantly restored a large amount of mental and physical energy. The others, sensing something unusual, downed the rest. Now the issue was grave.

The item hadn’t even been auctioned yet, and it was already consumed. If it had been something common, it wouldn’t matter, but this was something rare, never seen before, perhaps even unheard of. How could they explain this to anyone?

Zhan Ze was dumbfounded.

But what made him even more stunned was the appraisal report left by Wanbao Pavilion’s appraiser, declaring that the potion could instantly restore thirty percent of an A-ranked individual’s abilities, and then gradually restore another twenty percent—whether mental or physical. Without delay, Zhan Ze came to report to Zhan Shaohua.

“Can’t get in touch with the seller?” Zhan Shaohua asked.

Zhan Ze nodded, “The item was submitted anonymously. I worry it might not be clean.”

Zhan Shaohua waved his hand dismissively. “That’s not the main concern. If there’s a problem, it’s not our responsibility—we only handle the auction, not the provenance. Try to contact the seller; if you succeed, buy it internally. If not, proceed with the auction, but keep a close watch and don’t let it fall into the wrong hands and damage Wanbao Pavilion’s reputation.”

“Yes, understood,” Zhan Ze replied.

He shook his head slightly. The chief appraiser was not someone to be trifled with, a figure of legendary status within the Federation, only coming to StarNet for leisure after retirement. Rare Treasure Auction House likely knew of the situation as well.

“For matters on StarNet, contact Zhan Yu from now on—he’ll take charge,” Zhan Shaohua said suddenly, recalling that Zhan Yu had been spending a lot of time there recently.

Zhan Ze assented and withdrew.

So much turbulence lately. The real storm was yet to come.

Soon after, Zhan Yu arrived at Zhan Shaohua’s study. “Grandfather.”

“Hmm? What brings you here at this hour?” Zhan Shaohua asked. “Is it about StarNet? You’ve been spending more time there lately. I’m assigning you full responsibility for our StarNet businesses, including Wanbao Pavilion. Take the opportunity to hone your skills.”

Zhan Yu nodded and said, “I had someone replenish that potion. But I’ve instructed them to try and buy it internally.”

“Replenished?” Zhan Shaohua didn’t immediately grasp his meaning.

“The potion was made by a friend of mine, but she probably wasn’t the one who sold it this time,” Zhan Yu explained.

“The friend who told you about the insect race?” Zhan Shaohua’s eyes lit up as he looked at Zhan Yu.

Zhan Yu awkwardly changed the subject. “Grandfather, anything else?”

“Haha.” His grandson was so steady, rarely showing any levity. “Just make your arrangements on StarNet.”

After Zhan Yu left, Zhan Shaohua’s expression grew grave again as he instructed others to investigate the matter with the insect race thoroughly. If this potion amazed both Wanbao Pavilion and Rare Treasure Auction House, it was no ordinary item; whoever could make it was surely no ordinary person.

If this matter were confirmed, Zhan Shaohua sighed quietly.

Meanwhile, Xuan Xuan had no idea her potion had been exposed, nor did she know that Zhan Yu was aware. At present, she was being ordered by her father to begin practicing physical arts.

With a bitter face, her precious morning for sleeping in was wasted. Watching her two brothers squatting in horse stance nearby, Xuan Xuan doubted whether physical cultivation was anything worth learning.

Weighing the consequences of running away, she feared the Manqi family would leave her without a morsel of meat for months.

She looked helplessly at her father, wanting to crawl into his arms for another nap.

Manqi Lianhao saw his daughter’s pitiful face and felt a twinge of sympathy, tempted to hold her. But seeing her chubby double chin and thinking of her ever-increasing weight, his expression darkened. No, she must train. “Stand properly.”

Xuan Xuan pouted.

“I made you get up early to exercise. Weihao and Weihan are nearly done with their training, and you’re just getting up—still wanting me to hold you?” Manqi Lianhao gestured to the two brothers.

Xuan Xuan said nothing, fiddling with her hands.

“Go run two laps first.”

Xuan Xuan glanced around—which laps, and how big?

She circled Manqi Lianhao twice, eyes wide as she looked at him—was that enough?

“Manqi Xuan Xuan!” Manqi Lianhao’s veins bulged as he shouted. Weihao and Weihan shrank their necks; never had they seen their uncle so angry.

Xuan Xuan’s eyes brimmed with grievance—weren’t those two laps too?

“Run two laps around the small garden!” Manqi Lianhao gritted his teeth.

A glance revealed that the ‘small’ garden was anything but—at least fifteen to twenty acres. Two laps? Weihao and Weihan’s legs went weak; their uncle was ruthless.

Seeing Lianhao’s determined gaze, Xuan Xuan started to move. Her chubby body made it difficult, so she glanced at Lianhao, saw him glaring at the brothers, and quickly cast a lightness spell on herself, followed by a floating spell. Her feet became light as air—thank goodness she’d recently advanced to a level-three mage, or she couldn’t have used the floating spell.

She grinned secretly and began running around the garden.

Weihao and Weihan, under Lianhao’s gaze, squatted obediently, but their eyes stared blankly at Xuan Xuan, filled with disbelief.

Xuan Xuan’s steps were light and swift as she circled the garden, unaffected and not even out of breath. The speed stunned Weihao and Weihan—how was this possible?

Manqi Lianhao, seeing Xuan Xuan obediently go for a run, felt some relief. He turned to watch his sons practice, but their gazes were glued to Xuan Xuan. Puzzled, Lianhao looked over, and his face darkened like a thundercloud—Xuan Xuan’s toes weren’t even touching the ground. He didn’t fully understand, but he knew something was off.

Swift as the wind, he strode over, grabbed Xuan Xuan by the back of her shirt, and lifted her up. As she dangled, Lianhao’s face showed surprise, then grew even darker.

His mental power was nearly at S rank lately, and his abilities had increased greatly. He easily detected the strong wind affinity on Xuan Xuan, clearly indicating she had used wind abilities.

Dangling from Lianhao’s grasp, Xuan Xuan struggled a bit, swinging like a child’s game, but ultimately surrendered.

“Who told you to use your abilities!” Manqi Lianhao spat the words through clenched teeth. She’d insist on staying in bed, then beg to be held. When told to run, she looked aggrieved; when finally sent to run, she used abilities to make it easier—what was the point?

Xuan Xuan stared wide-eyed—what was she supposed to use if not magic?

“No wind abilities allowed. Go run again.” It wasn’t just her weight—it was for her safety, too. Lianhao felt physical training was essential.

He set her down, warning, “If you don’t finish, you won’t get breakfast.”

She was about to protest when Manqi Yi walked over and picked her up, saying to Lianhao, “Lianhao, you’re being too harsh.”

Xuan Xuan hugged Manqi Yi’s neck with a giggle. He was the eldest, and though he couldn’t outmaneuver Tong Wan, subduing Lianhao was effortless.

Manqi Yi patted Xuan Xuan’s hair. “Her abilities are impressive enough—it’s fine.”

Lianhao felt that since returning to the Imperial Capital, Xuan Xuan had become increasingly unruly. He began to wonder if coming back was a mistake. “Father, Weihao and Weihan have been training for over ten years.”

“Teach according to their talents,” Manqi Yi said, glancing at Lianhao. “Weren’t you just as mischievous as a child? Did I ever punish you by withholding food?”

Weihao and Weihan’s eyes widened—so their uncle had been naughty as a child too!

Xuan Xuan nodded in agreement.

Lianhao flushed with embarrassment. “Xuan Xuan isn’t little anymore.”

“It’s not like she isn’t learning physical arts. Go to my study and fetch the family manual. Xuan Xuan has good talent and strong mental power—let her start learning it soon.” Lianhao said. The Manqi family technique focused on internal cultivation, not external, making it suitable for Xuan Xuan. “Her abilities are enough for self-defense, and perhaps her teacher has other plans.”

Weihao and Weihan looked pitifully at their grandfather—could they stop training too?

“What are you looking at?” Manqi Yi glared at his two grandsons. “When your abilities match Xuan Xuan’s, then we’ll talk.”

They wilted instantly, like frostbitten eggplants.

Xuan Xuan stifled a laugh.

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