"Which sect do you belong to, Brother?" The youth, excited after reading through the mist in front of him, seemed to remember something and turned to ask.
Han Li had already learned during his casual conversation with the youth earlier that besides various sects and clans in the cultivation world, there were also many independent cultivators.
Independent cultivators, Han Li knew, were mostly descendants of declining cultivation clans, ordinary people who accidentally obtained some cultivation techniques like himself, or individuals from small sects on the verge of extinction. These cultivators generally had low cultivation levels, usually hovering around the Qi Condensation stage. As a result, independent cultivators were often looked down upon by members of cultivation clans, akin to wealthy families in the mortal world looking down on impoverished households.
"I am not from any particular clan but have been cultivating on my own," Han Li replied honestly after some thought. After all, pretending to be from another clan would easily be exposed.
"Oh, you're an independent cultivator!" The youth was somewhat surprised, but there was no hint of disdain on his face; instead, he seemed pleasantly surprised.
Excitedly, he circled around Han Li as if appraising a rare treasure.
"Brother, didn't you say earlier that cultivation clans look down on independent cultivators? Why are you so happy?" Han Li asked, somewhat surprised.
"They are them, don't lump our Wan Family together with other cultivation clans. Our clan has always had good relations with independent cultivators!" The youth replied proudly. It seemed he was quite proud of his clan's practices.
"Our Wan Family's ancestor was originally an independent cultivator, but later he was fortunate enough to enter a cultivation sect and became an official disciple of the Giant Sword Sect, which led to the founding of our Wan Family. Therefore, there has always been a tradition in our Wan Family's rules not to discriminate against independent cultivators." The youth smiled and explained.
"Actually, not only our Wan Family but also some other clans' ancestors were independent cultivators. That's why they don't have any aversion to independent cultivators. It's just that these clans make up a small proportion of all cultivation clans, which is why there's talk of cultivation clans discriminating against independent cultivators." The youth shook his head as he spoke.
"I see! It seems I'm quite lucky to encounter someone from the Wan Family like you on my first visit." Han Li's wariness towards the youth diminished after understanding his background.
"But, Brother, you've been asking about common knowledge in the cultivation world. Are you also a newcomer who just started out?" The youth suddenly seemed to catch on, displaying a sudden understanding.
Han Li smiled faintly and, with a hint of apology, patted the youth's shoulder. "I didn't mean to deceive you, but I've just entered the cultivation world recently and had some concerns."
"It's okay, I don't mind! But, Brother, you should tell me your name now! And you can just call me Xiao Shan from now on." Wan Xiao Shan, evidently someone who easily makes acquaintances, replied nonchalantly.
"Hehe, I'm Han Li. Indeed, I've just recently entered the cultivation world. I hope Xiao Shan, you can take care of me more." Han Li's fondness for Wan Xiao Shan grew, and his tone became more amiable.
"No problem, Brother Han. Feel free to ask if you have any questions. Hey, I never thought I'd be teaching others?" Wan Xiao Shan said with a lively expression.
"If I have any questions, I'll definitely ask for your guidance, Xiao Shan. But, shouldn't we enter the valley?" Han Li pointed to the sky, smiling softly.
"Oh! I almost forgot about the main thing." Wan Xiao Shan looked up at the sky, then hurriedly rummaged through his belongings and pulled out a piece of talisman paper from his pocket.
After gesturing and murmuring a few words, he tossed the talisman paper into the air, and it turned into a flame, rushing into the mist and disappearing.
"Brother Han, please wait a moment. My communication talisman will transmit to the valley, and the people in the valley will release the formation to welcome us." Wan Xiao Shan explained when he saw Han Li staring at the direction where the flame disappeared, appearing somewhat absent-minded.
"Ah!" Han Li nodded, indicating his understanding.
"Brother Han, did you bring many exchange items with you this time to Tai Nan Valley? Can you tell me about them? Let me listen. Don't be shy; I'll start by telling you about my own items!" "I brought a dozen blank talisman papers of lower-grade, two invisibility talismans of lower-grade, two earth travel talismans, a mid-grade lightning talisman, a dozen ice projectile talismans of lower-grade, a piece of iron mother, a bottle of mid-grade cinnabar, the whiskers of three-tailed cats, medicinal herbs..." Wan Xiao Shan rattled off a list of items without noticing Han Li's stunned expression, counting them on his fingers.
"Alright! It's your turn, Brother Han. Huh? Why is your face so pale? Are you..." Wan Xiao Shan blinked, looking puzzled as he stared at Han Li.
"Is it necessary to prepare items when entering Tai Nan Valley?" Han Li's expression was grim.
"It's not a requirement, but since you've come to Tai Nan Valley, you must be here for the Tai Nan Meeting, right? Who wouldn't bring items for exchange? This is a trading event held every five years, specifically for the younger generation in Lan Province! Especially with the Ascension Conference coming up in Lan Province in a month, there will be even more people attending Tai Nan Meeting. Didn't Brother come here to participate in the Tai Nan Meeting?" Wan Xiao Shan exclaimed, astonished, his eyes filled with disbelief as he looked at Han Li.
Han Li smiled bitterly.
"I indeed didn't know about the Tai Nan Meeting and didn't specifically prepare any items. I just happened to hear about other cultivators living here and wanted to make some acquaintances. I didn't come here with any special preparations." Han Li spread his hands, expressing his helplessness.
"Oh, I see! That's a pity. Brother Han can only miss out on this opportunity. You know, opportunities to obtain materials one lacks are not easy to come by." Wan Xiao Shan expressed his regret for Han Li.
"However, it's not like I have absolutely nothing to exchange. At the very least, I have two talismans, right?" Han Li thought wryly.
At this moment, the mist in front of Han Li and Wan Xiao Shan suddenly churned, and like being cut by a knife, it split open, revealing a small path wide enough for the two to walk side by side. At the other end of the path, it seemed to stretch into the distance, appearing quite far away.
"Alright, let's go!" Wan Xiao Shan, excited, made a face at Han Li and dashed ahead, disappearing into the path.
Han Li, on the other hand, calmly observed the path for a moment before stepping forward steadily. This path seemed quite long, but after walking for a short while, they reached its end.
As Han Li walked out of the path, he felt a sudden brightness before him, and a valley filled with exotic flowers and plants appeared in front of
him. The valley was surrounded by mountains on three sides, with the only exit being the slope Han Li entered from, which was now blocked by mist.
The place was quite large, covering over a hundred acres, with a grand palace-like building in the center, where people dressed in unusual attire were coming and going.
In front of the building, there was a spacious square paved with blue bricks. Many people were setting up small stalls around the square like merchants. Occasionally, one or two people would approach and inquire or haggle quietly, but Han Li didn't see many immediate transactions taking place.
Seeing this scene, Han Li couldn't help but take a deep breath. This was the cultivation world; everyone here was a cultivator. Being able to see so many cultivators at once made Han Li feel somewhat dreamy.
Shaking his head slightly to clear his mind, Han Li reminded himself that he was entering a world he had never imagined before. Here, anyone could easily overpower him, so he must be cautious and low-key.
With that in mind, Han Li turned to look back at the path that had now completely disappeared and stepped into the light-filled area.
