Transcending Dreams - D2 - Chapter 43

“It’s alright,” William smiled, “I was the one who interrupted. I overheard that there was a lecture on formations here? Are these buildings all for that purpose?”

“Where’s your mentor?” Ningyu Zhou asked after realizing Wang Xiaoling wasn’t even part of the sect.

“At the auction,” William replied, adding more when they frowned. “I wanted to explore while he was busy.”

“Hm, I guess your mentor can be excused with the circumstances,” Liu Xin’s expression said the opposite. “I’m Liu Xin, but you can call me Sister Liu. And this is Ningyu Zhou. You can call him Annoying Zhou.”

“You don’t speak for me!” Ningyu Zhou stood in anger, but it was obviously shallow. “You can call me Brother Ningyu. Since your mentor is busy, would you like us to take his place? We don’t have much to do today anyway.”

William could already see Wang Xiaoling shaking her head. He agreed with her. “I wish we could, Seniors, but we must get to the Administrative Peak soon. The most I could do right now is look around on the way there.”

They seemed curious about why it was necessary to go to the peak but didn’t ask about it.

“Then we won’t keep you,” Liu Xin nodded. “As for the buildings, yes, most are lecture halls. You are free to join any lecture being held if you get there before the start.”

“Thank you, Sister Liu,” William bowed slightly. “Do you know when the next lecture about formations will take place? I’m a complete beginner, so it would need to be basics only.”

“A beginner,” Ningyu Zhou repeated with a slight frown. “You might need self-study then.”

“Or you can ask an elder to give you permission to return to the Outer Court. The lecturers there focus on the basics,” Liu Xin added.

“Oh, that’s also an option,” Ningyu Zhou nodded. “However, it will be tough to get that permission. The sect tries to separate outer and inner disciples unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

William didn’t think he would have much trouble with that. Elder Yu was in his corner. Even without that, he already had free access to the Outer Court.

“Thank you again, Seniors,” he smiled. “We’ll take our leave.”

Liu Xin waved. “Come find us in the future if you need any help!”

William stayed silent until they walked out of earshot. There was another reason he didn’t want to take them up on their offer.

“That was rude of them. I apologize, Sister Xiaoling.”

“For what?” Wang Xiaoling asked, apparently clueless.

“… They completely ignored you.”

“And?” She questioned with a raised brow. “How is that a surprise. In their view, I’m a short-lived mortal. Cultivators, especially ones belonging to a sect like this, couldn’t care less about people like me even if they tried.”

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

That was mostly true. But something else stood out to William. “What do you mean, in their view. Are you not a mortal?”

It was a question he had for a long time, but one he didn’t dare to bring up. Now that there was a natural reason to, he jumped at the chance to ask.

“Do you really think I’m just a mortal? I’ve seen your face whenever I surprise you. In fact, you deserve an award for not bringing it up before now.”

“I didn’t want to push,” William lied. “Though I did wonder how you could overpower me so easily.”

“Keep wondering, brat,” Wang Xiaoling grinned. “You won’t get anything out of me.”

That basically confirmed she wasn’t a mortal, which made her level all that more suspicious. Just like her claims when they met.

“Sure, but there is something I deserve to know. How much of what you claimed was a lie, Sister Xiaoling?” When she stared at him with a blank face, he expanded. “When we met. You claimed many things that don’t fit what I now know.”

“Ah, you remember that,” Wang Xiaoling chuckled awkwardly. “They are mostly true, even if I did twist them to fit the circumstance.”

That did little to clear up his confusion. If anything, it added more. “Does this mean you’re a cultivator?”

“No,” Wang Xiaoling denied firmly. “I never was, and I never will be a cultivator.”

William thought he heard a bit of disgust there, but he couldn’t be sure. The reluctance to allow the sect to have a share of the merchant house suddenly had a different possible reasoning other than purely business sense.

Then again, Wang Xiaoling treated him pretty well, and he was a cultivator, so the disgust might have been imagined.

“I hope you know that doesn’t help, Sister Xiaoling,” William said dryly.

“It wasn’t supposed to, brat,” she looked aggressively proud of that. “Anyway, let’s go meet your elder. I know what to do.”

He looked at the massive courtyard they were walking toward, the building at the center larger than the auction house. It was a bigger version of the library in the Outer Court.

It was a shame he could only look at it from a distance, but there would be plenty of time to go through it at his leisure later.

He needed to replace his most basic martial skills, [Thunderous Palm], [Thunderous Kick], and [Earth-Shaking Stomp]. As useful as they were when he was in the Qi Gathering realm, they would quickly become obsolete.

Even now, the diminished effect of the skills was noticeable.

Besides that, William needed to find a way to create an Earth-Tier version of [Force Multiplier]. It was still highly effective, but just like his basic martial skills, his trump card would lose more and more effect as his cultivation rose.

Not to forget about formations. That was something William intended to study to the best of his abilities.

… There was a lot to do. It made him feel good.

“What are you smiling about?” Wang Xiaoling asked suspiciously.

“Nothing,” he smirked for no reason whatsoever. “You have your secrets. So do I.”

She rolled her eyes as they left the library’s courtyard.

William took a quick path that led them to the entertainment district. He wondered if they would run across Mei Lingxi as they walked into the bustling street.

They didn’t. It was an uninterrupted walk through the street and into the residential area. Then came the market with stalls set up by the disciples, though it was far emptier than when he was here with the Grand Elder.

Like most of the other decreases in traffic around the sect, he blamed it on the auction.

“Well, I didn’t expect this,” Wang Xiaoling commented as they approached the Administration Peak.

“You haven’t come across any of the peaks?” William asked with doubt. After all, they were hard to miss.

“I had no reason to visit the edges of the common grounds. Not like I was allowed to in the first place.”

“Ah, right,” William muttered distractedly as they stopped. He wasn’t sure if they were supposed to just walk up or wait.

Thankfully, he didn’t have to make a decision.

A willowy woman appeared before them, wearing silver robes that threw him off.

[Name: Xiu Jing | Level: ?]

“Welcome to the Administration Peak, disciple and guest. Do you have an appointment?”

“Er, no?” William grimaced. “I didn’t know we needed one. I wanted to speak with Elder Yu.”

Xiu Jing tilted her head, looking like she was communicating with someone, before nodding. “Elder Yu will meet with you. Follow me.”