CHAPTER 279: CHAPTER 279: NOT SOMEONE TO MESS WITH

Xie Chengming pondered for a moment, weighed the pros and cons, and then spoke with a smile, "Miss Xia, if you don’t want to take something from our auction house for free, then give us a purchase price! Three thousand Heavenly Spirit Stones."

"How much?" Xia Mian was stunned for a moment. She wanted to buy a handy tool, but she didn’t want to go bankrupt to get something like this.

"How about you just give it to me?" Xia Mian said with a dark face, not feeling the least bit embarrassed about going back on her word.

Xie Chengming was taken aback for a moment, then burst into laughter, "The lady is truly a person of character! Fine, I’ll give this furnace to the lady!"

Xia Mian’s face looked a bit strange, "I won’t take it for free. When I make another batch of elixirs, I can give you two bottles."

Xia Mian was principled; she could owe a debt but drawing something for free would be shameless for her.

Xie Chengming immediately nodded, "Then it’s settled!"

Having seen Xia Mian’s alchemy skills, Xie Chengming had no doubts that Xia Mian would be able to make elixirs.

Xia Mian nodded slightly and was about to leave when Song Ke spoke up, "Miss Xia, I’ll cover the cost of the furnace for you. In the future, could you give me the elixirs you produce?"

Xie Chengming’s gaze turned as sharp as a knife. Was this guy here just to mess with him?!

If it weren’t for his brother’s sake, he wouldn’t let him leave the auction house today!

"Mr. Song!" Xie Chengming squeezed out his words between his teeth, "We, at the auction house, can afford to gift a furnace!"

Song Ke raised his hand to scratch his head, "I can afford it too! Why, is it only okay for you, Mr. Ming, to give Miss Xia things, and not for me?"

Song Ke had an honest and simple face, and his sincere eyes made those who questioned him start to doubt their own values.

"Mr. Song, Miss Xia is my friend!" Xie Chengming squinted his eyes, already very impatient with Song Ke.

"Miss Xia is also my friend!" Song Ke still wore an honest and simple expression.

Xie Chengming sighed in frustration. How could there be such a foolish and reckless guy in this world!

If it weren’t for his good brother, he would have died countless times!

"Miss, please follow me inside to take the Treasure Cauldron!" Xie Chengming simply ignored Song Ke and turned to smile at Xia Mian.

Xia Mian nodded slightly.

Upon returning to the top-grade Alchemy Room, seeing the Treasure Cauldron once more, Xia Mian felt deeply amazed.

It was also Lu Zechuan’s first time seeing an alchemist’s furnace, which resembled the large incense burners in the temples of the current world, except this cauldron had a lid.

"Miss, unlike other items, a furnace has its own spirit. Taking a furnace away isn’t just a matter of affording it." Xie Chengming pursed his lips, "Especially the furnace in front of you, whose previous owner was a Heaven-level Alchemist and had a high affinity with it. Though the alchemist later died in an accident, a trace of his will remained inside this furnace..."

"If you want to take the furnace, the remnant will of the alchemist in the furnace might cause trouble." Xie Chengming said with a serious expression.

Before this, Xia Mian only used the top-grade Alchemy Room for alchemy, and perhaps the remnant will within the furnace didn’t strongly resist her. Now, taking this furnace away was a different story.

It was one thing to borrow, but another to claim ownership.

Xia Mian slightly squinted her eyes. She had used the furnace for alchemy before and felt nothing unusual, but now, hearing Xie Chengming’s words, she could tell he wasn’t speaking baselessly.

Understanding this, Xia Mian nodded gently, "Thank you for the reminder, Mr. Ming."

Alchemists had the lowest cultivation in this world, not to mention a deceased one. The remnant will couldn’t be that strong.

However, Xia Mian wanted to take someone’s possession, and she preferred doing it graciously. She wasn’t one to seize by force.

So, Xia Mian tentatively injected a hint of her Spiritual Sense into the furnace to establish a connection with it.

The moment Xia Mian’s Spiritual Sense entered, the furnace reacted.

The originally placid furnace after alchemy immediately became agitated, its four legs trembling as if it wanted to leap off the ground.

Xia Mian lightly frowned and injected another trace of her Spiritual Sense.

This time, her Spiritual Sense was more assertive and dominant. The furnace seemed to be provoked and became more restless.

Xia Mian gently hooked the corner of her mouth, "This furnace is a treasure. Leaving it here is wasting a good thing. You should be grateful that I’m taking it!"

After a pause, Xia Mian continued, "For an alchemist to be fallen to this state is truly a disgrace to your legacy!"

With disdain in her voice, Xia Mian said, "The Treasure Cauldron, following me, will never see its value wasted! I will ensure it achieves its full potential!"

Her words carried confidence and dominance, and the furnace gradually calmed down, as if the trace of the Heaven-level Alchemist’s will inside was slowly dissipating.

For so many years, his will had remained within the furnace due to dissatisfaction and reluctance to part with it.

Now, witnessing Xia Mian’s ability, he finally entrusted the furnace to a new owner with peace of mind.

As the remnant will of the Heaven-level Alchemist dissipated, the furnace’s size began to shrink slowly until it became as small as a teapot ornament.

As if aware of its fate, the Treasure Cauldron flew automatically into Xia Mian’s hand.

Looking at the petite and exquisite Treasure Cauldron in her hand, Xia Mian’s eyes were full of amazement at its grand and majestic larger form and its exquisite and splendid smaller form.

Seeing the Treasure Cauldron automatically fly into Xia Mian’s hand, Xie Chengming was once again overwhelmed with amazement.

Since the auction house acquired the Treasure Cauldron, many alchemists had tried to claim it but were either defeated by the remnant will within or found the cauldron unwilling to accept a new master!

Today, witnessing the cauldron willingly submitting was a first for Xie Chengming in so many years!

"A treasure knows how to find its rightful owner!" Xie Chengming sighed, casting a complex look at Xia Mian.

Xia Mian smiled contently, put away the Treasure Cauldron, and turned to smile at Xie Chengming, "Thank you, Mr. Ming, for your generosity!"

Xie Chengming gave a wry smile, "As long as the lady likes it."

If possible, he wouldn’t want to give it up, but he couldn’t afford to offend Xia Mian.

Xia Mian might be reasonable, but the Divine Master Xia Liang was a rogue he couldn’t afford to cross.