Jiang Mingyuan took his bank card out of his Storage Soul Tool, held it between his fingertips, and handed it to the attendant. Without the slightest hesitation, he said, "Charge it!"
When the attendant saw the purple bank card, a gleam flashed in his eyes. Which family's young master had come out to have some fun?
Ten million Federation Coins was no small sum, even in Eastsea City.
The attendant deftly took out a card reader. Once the deposit had been paid successfully, he enthusiastically showed Jiang Mingyuan and Tang Wulin the way to the exhibition hall.
There were fewer people in the exhibition hall on the second floor.
The auction house in Eastsea City ranked the items it collected by quality and value. Items unworthy of the auction stage, those that had failed to sell, and those temporarily unsuitable for auction were placed in display cases.
If several people took a liking to the same exhibit, they could hold a small bidding contest when paying. If too many people joined the bidding, the staff would put it straight into an auction.
Jiang Mingyuan and Tang Wulin walked past row after row of display stands.
Rare metals, Soul Tool design blueprints, ancient Soul Tools, and antiques that were completely useless for improving one's strength.
Jiang Mingyuan shook his head. None of these things were of any use.
The attendant read his expression and noticed that Jiang Mingyuan seemed uninterested in these items, so he stepped forward and asked, "Sir, may I ask what you're looking for?"
Jiang Mingyuan glanced at him and thought, Right, I should ask whether they have those three things first. I can take my time looking at anything else that interests me afterward.
"A Hundred-Year Ice Crystal Fruit, a Hundred-Year Scarlet Flame Fruit, and fresh blood from a hundred-year soul beast with a dragon bloodline. Do you have those here?"
The attendant searched his memory for those three items. After about three seconds, he smiled and said, "Your timing couldn't be better, sir. A shipment we received the day before yesterday did indeed include blood from a Hundred-Year Dragon-Bloodline Soul Beast and a Hundred-Year Ice Crystal Fruit. We also have a Hundred-Year Scarlet Flame Fruit in stock. However..." His tone shifted.
"However what?" Tang Wulin asked excitedly. Please don't let anything go wrong with these three things.
"Here's the situation," the attendant explained slowly.
"The Hundred-Year Ice Crystal Fruit has, in a sense, already been reserved. A regular customer often comes here to buy ice-attribute spiritual treasures and spends generously. So we usually keep an eye out for ice-attribute spiritual treasures and hold them for that customer's purchase."
Jiang Mingyuan understood. They wanted him to bid against the other party. If the Hundred-Year Ice Crystal Fruit had already been firmly promised to someone else, the attendant would not have brought this up only to invite a rebuff.
"All right, I understand. Bring me the other two items first. I need at least ten drops of the hundred-year dragon-type soul beast's fresh blood. Could you contact the other buyer for me? I'm willing to pay double."
The attendant hurriedly nodded in agreement. These items were far from cheap; together, they would cost at least three or four million. If he really closed this sale, his commission would be considerable.
The attendant left in high spirits.
Jiang Mingyuan took Tang Wulin's hand to continue looking around the exhibition hall. But when he stepped forward, Tang Wulin did not budge.
He turned and found Tang Wulin standing with his head lowered, apparently preoccupied.
"What's wrong, Wulin?"
Tang Wulin pulled his hand free and clasped his hands in front of him. He seemed a little embarrassed.
"Brother Yuan. I'm sorry you're spending money on me again. Am I really useless? I awakened the weakest Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul, and I cultivate so slowly. I haven't even paid you back for the soul spirit yet, and now you're buying these three spiritual treasures for me. I can't do anything to help you, but I keep troubling you. I've been dragging you down all along." Tang Wulin did not dare look up at Jiang Mingyuan. He truly felt he was a burden to him.
If Jiang Mingyuan had not come to Eastsea Academy to stay with him, he might already have been studying in another, bigger and better city.
Hearing those words, Jiang Mingyuan did not rush to lecture him as he usually did. He simply watched the child before him, who had sunk into self-doubt.
After a few seconds passed without the usual response, Tang Wulin cautiously raised his head. He saw the corners of Jiang Mingyuan's mouth slowly lift into a gentle, unburdened smile.
It was not pity. In Jiang Mingyuan's eyes, Tang Wulin saw warmth like spring waters thawing. It was acceptance.
Jiang Mingyuan reached out and gently patted Tang Wulin's shoulder, comforting him in the most natural tone imaginable. "Silly, what are you thinking? You've never been a burden to me. I don't help you because I think you're pitiful, or because I want anything in return. It's simply because-you're my friend."
Jiang Mingyuan leaned forward slightly, closing the distance between them. Then he raised both hands, his palms reassuringly warm, and cupped Tang Wulin's cheeks with a touch that was gentle yet impossible to resist.
Their eyes met. Tang Wulin saw Jiang Mingyuan's smile deepen a little as he said firmly and sincerely, "You've never been anyone's burden. Friendship can't be measured by what you stand to gain. You're what friendship means."
The gloom in Tang Wulin's eyes gradually melted away. He remembered an inspirational passage he had once read in a magazine.
True friendship was never just about looking up to each other in moments of dazzling brilliance. It was when you felt mediocre and utterly worthless, yet your friend was still willing to mend your wings with patience and catch you with companionship.
At the entrance to the exhibition hall, the attendant looked pleadingly at his colleagues, but every one of them turned away. In that moment, he finally saw this pack of fair-weather friends for what they were.
He held two spiritual treasures in his hands. Just moments ago, he had seen them as gleaming Federation Coins-as his house and his car.
In all his thirty-odd years, he had never found Federation Coins so hot to handle.
These damned legs of mine! Couldn't you have run a little slower?
Jiang Mingyuan took a tissue from his bag and handed it to Tang Wulin, telling him to wipe away his tears himself.
Jiang Mingyuan beckoned to the attendant.
Thank heavens! The attendant felt as though the heavy mountain weighing on him had finally flown away. He hurried over, yet the tray in his hands did not wobble in the slightest.
"Here are the two spiritual treasures you requested, sir. We've also contacted the customer interested in the Hundred-Year Ice Spirit Fruit. If you have time, you can come tomorrow morning, and we'll arrange for you to meet."
Jiang Mingyuan looked at the tray in the attendant's hands. There were two boxes on it. He opened them one after the other. One contained a fruit with fiery-red skin covered in strange patterns, while the other held a small bottle filled with red liquid.
Jiang Mingyuan actually could not tell whether these two items were the right ones, but he figured the auction house would not cheat him.
After all, its reputation mattered most.
"All right, put them by the checkout counter. I'll look around some more. If anything else catches my eye, I'll pay for everything together when I leave."