Transcending Dreams

B2 - Chapter 23: Top Treasures

Even if the timing was suspiciously obvious, he was happy to join Rong Yun and Lan Yang. The less talk about visiting a powerful cultivation clan, the better.

As if William was stupid enough to start competing with the members for resources. Being the outsider with no relationships, he would be targeted immediately.

… On second thought, he might actually be stupid enough if a good enough bait was dangled in front of him.

“What do you think, Junior Wei? Lan Yang doesn’t seem too interested in it.”

William could see why. It was a cauldron, an impressive one, but still a cauldron. Lan Yang was a sentinel, not an alchemist. He leaned forward slightly to read the placard on the podium.

Five Dragons Cauldron

A replica of the legendary Nine Dragons Cauldron. While it cannot handle Light, Dark, Time, or Space, it can nearly match the legendary cauldron in the other elements. The five dragon heads carved on this cauldron’s surface each represent a different element: Earth, Water, Wind, Fire, and Lightning.

“I’m with Senior Yang. It would be wasted in our hands.” He had no idea if this was impressive, but Rong Yun’s expression certainly made it seem so.

“Hmm, I’ll have to try and win this one,” Rong Yun commented, “It’s not often the Jade Healing Sect would be willing to part with one of these.”

William absorbed that information silently. No wonder Lan Yang wasn’t interested in the cauldron. If the sect had several of these, it was likely possible to buy from the catalog at a far lesser price than what it would sell for at the auction. That was if he wanted to buy one in the first place.

“I won’t fight with you on that, Brother Yun. As long as you leave this to me,” Wei Ming’s voice was further than expected. He was no longer behind them but near the next podium, staring intently at the large egg placed on it.

“You willingly give up on a treasure?” Rong Yun said incredulously before abandoning the cauldron to check what had interested Wei Ming so much.

“Senior Yang,” William said when they were left alone, not that they had any privacy. Though, the suspected guards tried their best to make themselves seem invisible. “Is that what you wanted?”

“No,” Lan Yang sounded miserable, “But it’s already lost. I know it.”

All he could do was give him an apologetic look. The poor guy was likely getting fleeced by Mei Lingxi. On top of that, he was getting the item he wanted stolen by true Young Masters who appeared in the sect because of him.

Lan Yang could have lessened the bleeding of wealth if he had let Mei Lingxi take up the other guest spot in the auction, but for some reason, he didn’t want that to happen… or he didn’t know two people could be allowed in, which was unlikely.

“So you wanted the last one?” William asked as he peered at the mentioned item. It just looked like a pair of bracelets. “… Senior Lan, is this for a girl?”

“That isn’t important,” Lan Yang grumbled, sounding even more miserable. He might as well hold up a sign saying that he was definitely buying it for a girl.

William glanced at the prince and the Wei Clan member, seeing that they were ignoring everything in favor of arguing amongst themselves. He didn’t care much about the egg, even though it would be nice to have a pet of some sort, but to have that desire, he would need wealth.

He didn’t have that, so he didn’t care.

It would be more interesting to see what Lan Yang wanted so badly.

“Wait!”

William ignored Lan Yang and went straight to the podium with the bracelets.

Soul Binding Bracelet

Bind the souls of two willing partners, allowing both to travel the path of cultivation together. Share in fortunes and misfortunes, bear each other’s burdens, and lend your strengths to each other in dire times. Perfect for dual cultivation.

His jaw dropped. This was the first time he had seen anything about dual cultivation. Of course, he hadn’t exactly been looking for it, but he hadn’t expected it to appear as a headliner item at an auction in his sect.

Dual cultivation, as he understood it, had a terrible reputation. It generally ended with one partner becoming a parasite, ruining the other. This bracelet implied it was more like a marriage, except with far more benefits.

“Really, Junior Wei?” Lan Yang hissed when he reached his side, “Now I’m definitely not going to have a chance.”

William actually felt terrible. If whatever relationship Lan Yang had was this serious, it was the equivalent of missing the chance to buy the perfect engagement ring.

“I’m sorry, Senior—” he was cut off.

“Oh, Junior Wei!” Rong Yun practically teleported beside him, “This is what interests you?” He read the placard and frowned, “I recommend that you stay away from such artifacts at your age. You should be sure your partner’s potential can match your own to avoid tragedy.”

It was nice that William had his assumption about one partner turning into a parasite immediately confirmed. Still, it was odd to pretend that Rong Jun hadn’t heard his conversation with Lan Yang. Nor did he know why the prince was acting oblivious.

“It’s not for me, my prince.”

“Ah, then it’s for Lan Yang,” Rong Jun nodded, “Who is the lucky woman?”

“Nobody of consequence, my prince,” Lan Yang replied stiffly.

“Then you wouldn’t mind if I bid for this trinket, would you?” Wei Ming suddenly interjected, appearing next to Rong Jun.

At this point, this was simply bullying. William had already felt bad enough that Lan Yang couldn’t propose… or whatever the equivalent was called when it ended with literally melding souls. Wei Ming needling him was going too far.

So. This was a genuine Young Master.

“Brother Ming, Lan Yang isn’t used to your personality. He will think you are being serious.”

William noticed a flash of something appear on Wei Ming’s face before it was wiped away. “Well, that’s boring. I wouldn’t want something like this, Yang. You can have at it.”

“Well, this worked out perfectly. There are no conflicts between us with the items we want!” Rong Jun paused, “Well, with these items. The others are up for grabs.”

“My prince. It’s time.” The same nascent soul realm cultivator stepped forward to remind Rong Jun it was time to leave.

“Hm,” Rong Jun frowned, “If we don’t meet again during the auction, I’ll see you both after it.”

Wei Ming stared at William before walking away from the stage beside the prince, the guards following closely behind.

“… What the hell was that, Junior Wei?” Lan Yang asked, sounding just as confused as he was.

“I think you just won those bracelets,” William commented, “as long as you can win it from the others.”

“That’s true... but why?”

He didn’t know the answer to that. He had a feeling that Wei Ming had actually wanted to buy the bracelets, but Rong Yun had put a stop to it. The most obvious guess was that it was a small favor to him, with Lan Yang benefiting by proxy, but he couldn’t be sure.

William shook his head in frustration. He didn’t want to deal with the whirlwind that was Rong Yun and Wei Ming at the moment. Some time to absorb what happened would greatly help get more clarity, and there was a perfect way to do that in their reserved room.

He wanted to cultivate and distance himself from all the annoyances. The joy of knowing Princess Jin successfully passed her tribulation had been killed far too quickly.

“Senior Yang, I’m returning to the room. Could you let me know when the auction starts?”

Lan Yang was staring longingly at the bracelets but was paying enough attention to nod.

William let him be and moved to leave the stage, glancing at the placard for the egg as he passed by.

Spirit Beast Egg

The Jade Healing Sect guarantees that the spirit beast inside the egg is not from a low-class species. The size signifies that it is at the edge that separates the eggs of a mid-tier and high-tier spirit beast. The sect estimates an even chance of hatching either type from this egg.

He stopped to stare at the egg, his desire to own it spiking momentarily before he ruthlessly crushed it. He ripped his eyes away and sped up his walk back to the room.

The temptation has already started. Luckily, Rong Yun wasn’t here for him to do something stupid.