375: Chapter 375 Conflict at the Source of Evil Qi

The sound of a table being slapped attracted the gazes of the people at the nearby tables in the tea stall.

The one who slapped the table was a burly Cultivator with the aura of an Early Stage Nascent Soul Stage. He wore an outer robe adorned with blood-patterned motifs, and a deep, bone-visible old scar ran across his forehead. His aura carried a faint hint of Evil Qi; one look was enough to tell he was no pushover.

Sitting opposite him were five or six people of varying cultivation levels, the highest being Middle Stage Nascent Soul Stage, and the lowest being Soul Transformation Stage. At this moment, they all had tense expressions, their hands already resting discreetly on their respective Magic Treasures.

"I've said it how many times now? That source of Evil Qi is already the territory of our Blood Pattern Camp. You ignorant outsiders, pay the toll and we'll let you go. Don't pay, and don't even think about leaving this town."

When that Blood Pattern Camp Cultivator spoke, his tone carried a resolute air of tyranny, filled with confidence.

Among the five or six people opposite, the one who spoke was a thin, neatly dressed middle-aged Cultivator at the Middle Stage Nascent Soul Stage. His demeanor didn't look like that of a local; rather, he seemed like a Disciple from some Sect.

"Brother, we are Cultivators from the Cangxuan Dao Domain here to travel. We were gathering natural treasures at that source of Evil Qi and didn't know that someone had already claimed it. If we have caused any offense, we apologize, but regarding the money..."

"If apologies were useful, what would we need money for?"

The burly man interrupted him, slamming a palm onto the table, causing it to emit a dull cracking sound.

"Fifty high-grade Spirit Stones per person, in total..."

He counted the heads of the people opposite him.

"Two hundred and eighty, not a single one less. Pay the money and our brothers in the Blood Pattern Camp will let you leave. Don't pay, and you can stay in this town; you aren't leaving tonight."

The expression of that thin middle-aged Cultivator turned ugly. He pursed his lips, ultimately deciding not to lash out immediately.

They were at a disadvantage in numbers. There were five people on the Blood Pattern Camp side, all at the Middle Stage Nascent Soul Stage or higher. They were backed by the Blood Pattern Dragon Demon, Tu Lie, who carried weight on the Dragon Vein Ancient Continent. If these few outsiders started a fight here, the subsequent trouble would only be greater.

Zhao Tian huddled in the corner, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the two tables. He lowered his voice and leaned in close to Su Changge.

"Junior Martial Uncle, those Cultivators from the Cangxuan Dao Domain are in trouble."

Su Changge didn't look over there; he held his teacup, his gaze fixed on the tea inside.

[I see.]

[But what does this have to do with me? I just came to drink some tea, listen for news, and get a feel for the situation on the Dragon Vein Ancient Continent. I have no obligation to meddle in other people's business.]

[Besides, the Blood Pattern Camp are Tu Lie's subordinates. Getting into a conflict with them now would be too costly.]

[Running is the best plan.]

Su Changge set down the teacup, preparing to stand up.

Ye Qingyao placed a hand on the table.

She didn't speak, just placed her hand there, quietly watching the conflict over there. Her profile was calm, and in her eyes was that faint meaning he had seen before.

She was waiting for him to make a decision.

It wasn't an order, nor was it a prod; it was just a silent gaze.

Su Changge glanced at her, sat back down after having already pushed himself halfway up, and thought for two seconds.

[She means for me to step in.]

[Step in to do what? Fight? Those Blood Pattern Camp people are at the Nascent Soul Stage; for me, at the Qi Refining First Layer, fighting them would be courting death.]

[But if it's not to fight, then...]

Su Changge's gaze landed on the burly man's face.

The burly man was pressing his hand onto the table, his face full of flesh, looking very arrogant.

[Use my mouth.]

Su Changge sighed in his heart, picked up the teacup again, leisurely finished the last sip of tea, and set the bowl aside.

Then, he stood up.

With just this act of standing up, his temperament changed. He went from an ordinary passing Cultivator to something else—it was hard to say what, but the few Cultivators closest to him in the tea stall unconsciously shifted half a step to the side.

Su Changge walked to the space between the two tables and stood still. He didn't speak, just quietly watched the burly man from the Blood Pattern Camp.

The burly man didn't take him seriously at first, casting a sidelong glance at him. Just as he was about to tell him to get lost, his gaze lingered on Su Changge's face for two breaths, and the words that had already formed in his mouth dissipated silently.

He couldn't explain why they dissipated, but suddenly, a subtle sense of unease quietly crept up his spine, suppressing all the words he wanted to say.

The few Cultivators from the Cangxuan Dao Domain also stopped their low-voiced discussion and turned to look at the person who had stepped out.

The area around the tea stall fell silent.

The System's passive effect was running quietly. The few Blood Pattern Camp Cultivators instinctively wanted to use their Divine Sense to scan this stranger who had suddenly stepped out, but the Divine Sense they swept out felt like it had plunged into a vast, boundless deep water—it had no bottom, no boundaries, and dissipated silently, detecting absolutely nothing.

The burly man's hand froze in mid-air.

Su Changge withdrew his gaze, lowered his head, and flicked a speck of dust off his sleeve.

"Pack up."

The burly man was stunned for a moment.

"What?"

Su Changge's voice was steady.

"The stall you, the Blood Pattern Camp, have set up here today—pack it up."

The burly man's face darkened. He stood up and waved his large hand to the side.

"Where did you come from? Don't you know whose territory this is?"

Su Changge didn't answer this question; he just shifted his gaze away from the burly man's face and landed it on the few Cultivators from the Cangxuan Dao Domain.

"Let's go."

Just those two words.