Transcending Dreams

B2 - Chapter 30: Anomaly

William stayed silent, smartly choosing to let Lan Yang calm himself down.

Thankfully, Xia Qing had started speaking on the next item. A white flower that resembled a tulip with a soft purple glow on the edges.

“This grade two lot is from His Highness, Prince Rong Yun!” The wall behind her showed Rong Yun sitting next to Wei Ming. When the prince noticed he was on display, he smiled and gave a small wave.

“The Tranquility Tulip is exclusively grown by the Imperial Family in the capital. They are usually given out as gifts to dignitaries of sufficient status, but now, you have a chance to own one yourself!”

William saw Xu Feng hurrying back with three different drinks. For some reason, he had returned to the bar to replace the shakes he had previously. Now, it looked like a cocktail.

“Tranquility Tulips are perfect for creating a calming atmosphere for cultivating more efficiently. For the lucky few, it might even help you understand Dao! The bidding starts at ten Spirit Stones, with bids in minimum increments of five Spirit Stones!”

“Ten Spirit Stones!” Xu Feng called out the moment he arrived in their little area.

“The opening bid is from the Red Floor!” Xia Qing announced with a blinding smile. “Use the ten bids left wisely!”

The price quickly climbed, but thankfully for Xu Feng, it didn’t seem out of his reach. At least, his body language suggested that to William.

“The final bid was for six hundred and forty! Original bidder, would you like to beat that bid?”

Xu Feng nodded rapidly before realizing he had to speak. “Yes.”

“Sold!”

“Congratulations, Brother Xu,” William said with a confused smile, unsure why he rushed to buy the flower. It didn't seem practical for someone in the Foundation Establishment Realm.

Xu Feng collapsed into his seat with a wide smile while carefully balancing the drinks he held without spilling a drop. “Brother Wei, I’ll be able to give you those fifty Spirit Stones earlier than I thought.”

William was tempted to accept. He really was, but as good as the offered money seemed, was it worth it?

If Xu Feng had access to so much even when he was barely older than him, and Lan Yang seemed to have the capacity to borrow a truly ridiculous sum, how valuable was it really?

It also couldn’t be forgotten that Ren Bo also had access to a surprising amount of wealth.

Spirit Stones might not be as challenging to acquire as William had assumed, especially not for someone like him.

He no longer fooled himself by thinking he wasn’t considered a ‘genius.’ It might have resulted from his cheat of a system, but it still didn’t change the obvious.

The Jade Healing Sect was ready to heavily invest in him, and they showed no signs of hesitation in showing him how much. Not when he was able to meet the Grand Elder, who was apparently usually aloof with sect matters. Not when Elder Yu pulled all the strings she could to get him into favorable situations.

No, William decided he didn’t have to worry about Spirit Stones. At least, not to a point where he had to accept them in a situation where it might be better not to.

“Brother Xu,” he raised a hand to stop Xu Feng from insisting, “I already said that I don’t need it. Unless you don’t see me as a friend.”

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There was another reason William was willing to forgo the Spirit Stones. It might make him sound mercenary, but it was hard not to think about the benefits of forming a friendly connection with a cultivator like Xu Feng.

Though, the boy’s low Luck attribute did baffle him.

Even if Xu Feng turned out ordinary in the future, the sect he belonged to sounded impressive. With Lan Yang recognizing some disciples, it wasn’t some elaborate scam.

“If you insist,” Xu Feng sounded reluctant as he backed down, but that sullen expression didn’t last long. “Oh, Senior Lan, Brother Wei, I bought you some drinks. That man called it the Ice Berry Cocktail! If you won’t accept the Spirit Stones, you must let me treat both of you.”

Lan Yang raised a brow before he nodded, taking a sip of the red drink with a slight smile. Looked like this calmed him a little. Good.

William decided to follow suit.

“Thank you,” William accepted the offered cocktail and sniffed it discreetly. It didn’t smell like alcohol. A small sip chilled his entire body with surprising quickness. It didn’t seem like there was any other effect. “Good pick, Brother Xu. Guess you made the right decision when you switched drinks.”

“Ah, that,” Xu Feng glanced to Lan Yang, “The credit belongs to Senior. He said he disliked the Sweet Jade Lotus Shake, so I got these instead.”

William couldn’t stop the small laugh that escaped if he tried. Not when Lan Yang also struggled to keep a straight face.

So that was why Xu Feng froze when Lan Yang was panicking about the Jade Lotus teahouse.

“Yes, an excellent choice,” Lan Yang cleared his throat and stood up, drink still in hand. “Junior Wei, you needed help with the Qi Refining room, correct? I’ll get the manager here so you don’t waste time watching the auction… unless you wanted to stay here?”

“Oh, no,” William denied quickly. “I'd rather go back to the room, Senior Yang.”

“I’ll be back shortly.” Lan Yang left them quickly.

“Looks like Senior doesn’t detest me as much,” Xu Feng said with a smile.

“Hm,” William thought of the strange way Lan Yang acted around the boy. There was something more behind it. “Is Senior Yang close to your senior brother and sister?”

“You mean Brother Zhou and Sister Xue?” Xu Feng frowned. “This is the first I’ve heard about it. I don’t think they ever mentioned Senior.”

William nodded as he stared at the next item prepared to be auctioned, taking small sips of his cocktail.

It wasn’t a surprise that he didn’t know. It was entirely possible that they only met by chance and considered each other acquaintances. Still, it felt off.

“I suppose it doesn’t matter,” he shrugged.

“That’s true,” Xu Feng agreed, pausing for a little, staring at the stage before asking, “Brother Wei, do you not intend to bid on anything? You seemed uninterested in everything so far.”

“Well, I guess it depends on what will be auctioned,” William chuckled uneasily. The only way he would bid was with Lan Yang’s grace, which was no longer available. “I’m mostly here to enjoy the auction itself.”

“I see,” Xu Feng nodded with admiration. “It is no wonder Brother Wei has such a high cultivation. My Master tells me that gazing at the myriad of mysteries will lead me to the Dao. This enjoying of the auction must be similar.”

Xu Feng said that with such confidence, all William could do was smile in response.

… He was dragged into the auction so Lan Yang could convince some girl to become his Dao partner. Poor girl. There was no myriad of mysteries in that.

“Right, Brother Xu, what made you buy that Tranquility Tulip?” William was desperate to change the attention from cultivation wisdom, which he had little of.

“I wanted to buy something that would benefit all my seniors, and the Tranquility Tulip was perfect!” Xu Feng’s eyes gleamed. “I’ve heard it is still effective for Nascent Soul Realm cultivators.”

“Ah, I see. So you were sent here to buy for your seniors?”

“… Not exactly. This was meant to be my gift from advancing to the Foundation Establishment Realm, but what’s the point of buying something that will only benefit me?”

William blinked in surprise. He didn’t expect that. Either Xu Feng was an elite brown noser, which could be true with how polite he was to Lan Yang no matter the disregard, or it could also be possible that Xu Feng was precisely what he looked like.

Something William discarded due to his recent trust issues and the unlikelihood of it being true with the nature of cultivators.

The possibility that Xu Feng was kind.

“Junior Wei!”

William tore his eyes away from Xu Feng’s visage to see Lan Yang calling for him. He stood from his seat and downed the rest of his drink, “I’ll be heading back in, Brother Xu.”

“I’ll follow after today’s auction ends, Brother Wei.”

He nodded before returning to the room, wondering if someone like Xu Feng could exist without getting killed. Then again, the boy was quick to touch his hilt when teased about his sect.

Not a doormat, but also not endlessly prideful.

William was interested in getting to know Xu Feng better.