Xu Yi said, "Yesterday's gathering of refined scholars was for appreciating landscapes and literature and indulging our tastes. Naturally, we needn't discuss status or rank. Now that we meet again today, we are back in the mundane world, so we should greet each other according to worldly etiquette."
Wu Si smiled. "Very well, we'll do as you say, Brother Xu." He thought even more highly of Xu Yi. High-minded discussions at elegant gatherings were not only a pastime for people of their standing, but also a means of socializing.
But, in the end, everything still came down to each person's status and influence—in other words, the value they could offer.
Someone like Xu Yi might be called a "celebrated scholar," a delightful seasoning at an elegant gathering. Everyone would enjoy his company there, but no one would consider him someone worth cultivating.
Wu Si had assumed that after being surrounded by admirers yesterday, Xu Yi would inevitably become conceited. He hadn't expected Xu Yi to have such a clear head.
That being the case, as long as Xu Yi didn't bring about his own ruin, he was bound to prosper and become a figure of some stature.
Head Shopkeeper Lin said, "Mr. Xu, I've already reported your matter to my employer. He said that as long as the treasure is suitable, he is willing to do everything he can to procure the True Dragon Eye and Star Core Marrow for you. Please take out the treasure now and let my employer have a look."
Xu Yi took out the jade box. After a complicated process of opening it, the Starry Sky Treasure Box appeared, releasing a pure, primordial aura. Head Shopkeeper Lin was all right, since he'd seen it before, but Wu Si was seeing it for the first time