They walked past a long line that seemed to keep growing every time William glanced back. Of course, Lan Yang had some super special pass to skip it.

He looked at his mentor's basic status and wondered what would happen if he used [Observe] on him.

It would also solve his question about how old Lan Yin was. William remembered how he assumed she was hundreds of years old… for some reason, which was very unlikely once he found Mei Lingxi’s age.

The way they interacted implied that they were of similar ages.

Since the system would warn him before using [Observe] if Lan Yang might detect it, he decided that it was of no harm if he gave it a try.

[Use Observe? | Cost: 100 Spiritual Energy]

[Warning | Factoring Luck, there is a 50% chance of the target sensing Observe]

That was interesting. This was really different when compared to Mei Lingxi. With her, it was almost a surety that she would discover [Observe] being used. It was a coin flip with Lan Yang.

William could only assume that Mei Lingxi’s Luck was far greater than Lan Yang’s.

“Senior Yang, do you mind if I used a technique on you?” He almost walked into the older cultivator’s back from the quick stop.

“What technique?” Lan Yang asked as he looked over his shoulder with narrowed eyes.

“Er, I’m not sure,” William didn’t know how to describe [Observe] but figured it wasn’t necessary when namedropping was possible, “The Grand Elder said it was similar to a divination technique?”

“You know the Grand Elder?” Lan Yang lowered his voice, but it was apparent he was shocked.

William blinked when he moved a little too close to his face. “Yes?”

“No wonder you were given permission to enter the red floor,” Lan Yang muttered.

It was William’s turn to narrow his eyes. So it wasn't Lan Yang having some special pass like he assumed.

“Senior Yang, are you using me to gain benefits in the auction house?”

“I wouldn’t say that,” he immediately denied, “You are too, Junior Wei!”

“Really?” William addressed his impoverished state, “I have no sect points. I won’t be able to bid on anything.”

“Not everything is about material benefits,” Lan Yang said sagely, “Sometimes, it’s the experience that matters.”

He stared at Lan Yang, wondering if he was supposed to fall for that.

“Junior Wei, I am your mentor. Trust me,” Lan Yang said earnestly.

“… Right,” William wondered if he would have said that if he knew the last mentor, or rather, tutor, tried to get him killed. Still, he could get something out of this. “Will you take me to the Jade Cauldron Peak?”

Finding an alchemist willing to help out a newbie might be difficult, but with Lan Yang beside him, he might have better luck.

“That’s—” Lan Yang cut himself off, “Sure, Junior Wei. It’ll detract from the planned path, but I can fit it in.”

William sensed that he had just allowed himself to be taken advantage of. Of course, it annoyed him briefly, but he quickly let it go. Their initial meeting didn’t go as either had planned, and there was no reason to have that continue for something as minor as this.

Lan Yang could use his presence to skip the long line, and William might be able to use his presence to get himself an alchemist. Besides, he had no idea why he was given the ability to skip the line in the first place, so he might as well use it to his advantage.

“Sounds like a deal, Senior Yang,” William nodded in agreement as they walked to the large, grandiose entrance of the auction house. He soon realized that Lan Yang had ignored his request to use [Observe], but it was too late to ask again.

They had reached the entrance.

The two guards on either side were at least in the nascent soul realm. Both had a similar basic status.

[Name: ? | Level: ?]

The real question was why it was necessary for two cultivators stronger than most Elders he had seen to act like simple guards. What threat were they protecting against when the auction house was in the center of the sect’s territory?

“Elders,” Lan Yang bowed, “We’re heading to the red floor.”

“Hm?” The guard closest to them, who was apparently also an elder, raised an eyebrow, “I wasn’t aware you have access to that floor, Disciple Yang.”

“Not me, Elder,” Lan Yang stepped aside to reveal William fully. There was a flash of… something in the Elder’s expression before it disappeared.

“A new entrant?” The look on his face was skeptical.

“Junior Wei has the permission,” Lan Yang smiled.

“Hm, very well. Disciple Wei, show me your pass.”

He pulled out the purple jade card Elder Yu had given him.

“Interesting,” the Elder smirked, “You may enter, Disciple Wei.”

“Thank you, Elder! Let’s go, Junior Wei!” Lan Yang said with barely hidden excitement.

“Not you. The only one who may enter is Disciple Wei. If he chooses to give you one of the two spaces he is allowed for guests, that is his prerogative.”

It seemed to William that the Elder and Lan Yang knew each other well.

“Senior Yang can be one of my guests, Elder,” He had no intention of playing around, not when he was still brand new in the Inner Court.

“Excuse me! Does that mean you will have an unused spot?”

They turned in unison to stare at the one who spoke. A boy that looked a little older than him and one that seemed very out of place.

[Name: Xu Feng | Level: 109]

In a place where William had come to assume that green sect robes were the height of fashion, Xu Feng was in pristine white with a blue sash around his middle. Next, he noticed a blue scabbard, a plain hilt implying that it wasn’t just for show and contained a sword.

“A disciple from the Heavenly Sword Sect? What do you need from my junior?” Lan Yang frowned.

William blinked, not aware that members of other sects could be present in the Inner Court. It suddenly made sense why the robes were of a different color… and the sword being present.

It also made sense why nascent soul realm cultivators were acting like guards. Maybe there were equally strong cultivators from other sects.

“Nothing harmful, Senior,” Xu Feng bowed slightly, “I only wish to offer a price for the spot.”

William didn’t miss the sudden attention from the onlookers, who had been content to talk among themselves until the mention of the spot being sold. Most were disciples from the sect waiting in line to enter, and some were like Xu Feng, sticking out with different colored robes and demeanors.

He ignored all of them.

“Is this allowed?” William asked, turning to face Lan Yang and the Elder.

“You may do as you wish,” the Elder shrugged.

Then he would sell it. There was no reason to act like he was above accepting currency, especially since he was shockingly poor.

“What’s your offer?” William asked Xu Feng.

“I can spare two spirit stones for the spot.”

He didn’t know if that was a fair price, and he had no idea how someone who looked barely older than him could have spirit stones to spare. Then again, Ren Bo existed.

With the way the disciples who monitored them hadn’t lost their interest, he leaned toward the idea that this was lower than it was worth. Still, he glanced at Lan Yang and the Elder to see if they had anything to say.

They didn’t. It looked like they couldn’t be bothered to care about this exchange. The Elder, William could understand, but Lan Yang was his ‘mentor.’ So much for that.

“Done,” William nodded, noting some of the onlookers dropping their shoulders. If they wanted it, they should have spoken up. He wasn’t about to look like a money grubber in front of a Nascent Soul Realm Elder, even if he really wanted to start a bidding war for the spot.

Xu Feng didn’t waste time and immediately took out two beautiful stones that were perfectly spherical, clear of any internal defects, and had a drop from pure Qi essence glowing in the center.

He realized that this was the first time he had seen Spirit Stones. Luckily, he had the sense not to gape at them like a moron and quickly stored them in his ring.

“Good, you’re finished,” Lan Yang commented, “We should head in before they remove the headlining items from the stage.”

William nodded before bowing toward the Elder and walked inside with Xu Feng following behind silently.