"Why are you standing here alone? Are you waiting for someone?" A clear voice suddenly came from behind Han Li, startling him.
Han Li turned around slowly and saw six or seven people standing not far behind him. The one speaking was a Daoist in his late twenties, with a clean-shaven face, handsome features, and a whisk draped over his arm. He smiled at Han Li.
"Is there something you need from me, Daoist?" Han Li ignored the man's question and instead asked with a neutral expression.
"Hehe! Don't misunderstand, we have no ill intentions. We just noticed you standing here alone, looking curious about everything, so we guessed that you're a lone cultivator attending the gathering and wanted to come and make friends. We are all lone cultivators ourselves, just like you." The Daoist explained kindly.
"All of you are lone cultivators?" Han Li was slightly surprised.
"Yes, if you're a lone cultivator, it's best to travel with us. That way, we can look out for each other during the gathering." This time, it was a scar-faced woman speaking, with a clear complexion but a noticeable scar on her face. Beside her stood a bearded man, seemingly a couple.
"Indeed, lone cultivators who attend the trade fair alone often get bullied by members of large cultivation families!" The Daoist said solemnly.
Upon hearing their words, Han Li began to understand their intentions.
These lone cultivators attending the gathering were afraid of being bullied by members of cultivation families, so they naturally gathered together to form small groups in an attempt to protect themselves, hence their search for lone cultivators like him.
Now that Han Li understood their intentions, he didn't mind joining them. After all, he did need a protective group, even if it was only temporary.
Before joining them, however, he had a few questions to ask to ensure he was making the right decision.
"Now that you've seen through me, I have nothing to hide. I am indeed a lone cultivator. But before I join your group, could you introduce yourselves? And could you tell me what I need to do to become a member?" Han Li admitted to being a lone cultivator but immediately made a request.
"It seems you still have some concerns! Haha! That's fine. When the others joined, they said similar things." The Daoist and the others heard Han Li's words and instead of showing displeasure, they exchanged glances and burst into laughter before the Daoist spoke again.
"Let me introduce my friends to you!" The Daoist pointed to the other cultivators and introduced them to Han Li with a friendly smile.
"These two are brothers from the Canglang Ridge, Heimu and Heijin." The Daoist introduced two young men who looked alike.
The two brothers clasped their fists in greeting, and Han Li returned the gesture calmly.
"This is Honglian, a solitary cultivator from the Flying Lotus Cave, and Kusan, a master from the Putuo Mountain." This time, a plain-looking girl and a grim-faced young monk were introduced.
"As for this couple..."
"We're from the Tianshui Village, Huping and Xiong Dali." Before the Daoist could finish, the scar-faced woman chuckled and took over the introduction.
The Daoist didn't mind being interrupted and just smiled.
"I am Daoist Songwen, also known as Songwen of the Qingniuguan Temple. Hehe, I initiated this group and am currently its leader, although I rarely give orders. I only speak up when resolving external disputes." The Daoist finally introduced himself humbly and briefly explained the nature of their group.
This Daoist seemed quite gracious, and most of the others had considerable strength, with most of them appearing to be at the seventh or eighth level of Qi Condensation. Daoist Songwen was formidable too, though not quite as strong as the man in blue.
After considering this, Han Li concluded that joining this group would be more beneficial than harmful. Thus, he said:
"Since you're all lone cultivators like me and it's easier to work together, I, Han Li, will temporarily join your group."
"That's great! With Brother Han's joining, our group's strength has increased!" Daoist Songwen was delighted to hear Han Li's decision.
The others also showed happiness. After all, Han Li seemed to possess considerable power, which could be of great help to them.
"Are all members of our group here?" Han Li glanced around and asked.
"There are two more. One is sleeping in the house, and the other went wandering around." Huping rolled her eyes, seeming displeased.
"They're not as bad as Hufu said. One is just a bit lazy, and the other likes to wander around!" This time, the bald little monk defended the missing members.
"You..." Huping was about to retort, but seeing Kusan's intervention, she refrained from further arguing. After all, Daoist Songwen's strength was indisputable, so she had to give him some face.
"Enough! Let's not argue. We agreed before that, except for unified action and obedience during external disputes, everyone is free to act according to their preferences!" Daoist Songwen quickly intervened to defuse the situation.
Huping, though somewhat unhappy, didn't continue arguing. After all, Daoist Songwen's strength was evident, and she couldn't afford to offend him.
"When we meet later tonight, Brother Han will meet those two, and I'll introduce them to you. They are indeed a bit different!" Daoist Songwen looked somewhat helpless, as if those two were causing him headaches.
Although Han Li was curious, he didn't want to pursue the matter further.
Next, Daoist Songwen asked Han Li if he wanted to accompany them or wander alone. Han Li chose the latter, which didn't surprise Daoist Songwen. After all, newcomers to the Tai Nan Valley were naturally curious and preferred to explore on their own. However, they would eventually gather with the group after satisfying their curiosity.
Daoist Songwen was quite responsible. After explaining some taboos and common practices, he gave Han Li a brief understanding of the Tai Nan Valley. Then, he handed Han Li a talisman.
Pointing to a small building within the complex, he told Han Li it was their lodging, where he could rest if he got tired. The talisman was the key to breaking the restriction on the building.
Afterwards, Daoist Songwen and the others bid farewell to Han Li and disappeared into the night, perhaps to search for other lone cultivators.
Han Li watched them leave, then lowered his head and looked at the talisman in his hand. It shimmered with silver light and was inscribed with some unfamiliar symbols, seeming quite mystical.
After a moment of contemplation, Han Li chuckled.
He folded the talisman and put it in his bosom, then glanced in the direction Daoist Songwen had disappeared before turning decisively and heading towards the square.
Once in the square, Han Li, like the other cultivators, slowly perused the goods at each stall, absorbing the bustling atmosphere of the gathering. According to Daoist Songwen's earlier explanation, the lone cultivators conducted trades in two main ways: bartering items directly or using spirit stones as currency. Han Li was determined to make the most of this opportunity.
