129: Join the White Horse Chamber of Commerce

Yao Delong ignored those gazes and beckoned.

A clever waiter immediately jogged over, a professional smile plastered on his face:

"Guest, what would you like to order? Our restaurant's signature spirit wine 'Green Bamboo Brew' and 'Charcoal Grilled Rock Goat Meat' are absolute delicacies!"

"We'll talk about food and drink later."

Yao Delong ignored the signature dishes the waiter was enthusiastically promoting and scanned the noisy, bustling lobby of the restaurant.

He lowered his voice slightly, carrying the caution one should have when traveling abroad.

He flicked his finger on the table, and several Low-Grade Spirit Stones, warm in color and brimming with Spiritual Qi, slid in front of the waiter.

"Bring out some of your best Spirit Food first, and be quick."

He paused, his voice deepening.

"Additionally, I'd like to ask something. Are there any merchant caravans or groups lately..."

"...preparing to cross the Heavenly Demon Mountain Range toward Canglan City?"

The waiter quickly pocketed those few Spirit Stones.

The professional smile on his face instantly became much more sincere and eager, and he bowed even lower:

"Yes, yes! You've come to the right place, guest! This Qingshan Town is the gateway to the Heavenly Demon Mountain Range."

"Lately, several merchant caravans have been resting here, preparing to enter the mountains!"

As he spoke, he briskly poured coarse tea for the two of them.

His eyes lingered on those Spirit Stones, hinting that he had more to say.

Yao Delong understood. With a slight movement of his fingertips, two more Low-Grade Spirit Stones silently landed in the waiter's palm.

The smile on the waiter's face almost overflowed. He glanced quickly to his left and right.

He leaned closer to Yao Delong and whispered in a low, mysterious tone:

"Guest, if I may be so bold. For safety, you'd best choose the White Horse Merchant Association!"

"They are an old name specifically running this route. They know every nook and cranny of the Heavenly Demon Mountain Range and the habits of the Yao Beasts like the back of their hand!"

"Moreover, every time they enter the mountains, they are sure to invite at least one Golden Core Perfection Great Cultivator to oversee the journey!"

"That safety factor is incomparable to other temporary groups!"

"White Horse Merchant Association?"

Yao Delong nodded slightly; this information was exactly what he wanted. "Understood. Hurry with the food and drink."

"Right away! Please wait a moment!"

Having received the benefits, the waiter's movements became even more agile as he dashed toward the kitchen.

Before long, several steaming plates of spirit dishes, shrouded in Spiritual Qi, were served.

The Charcoal Grilled Rock Goat Meat was charred on the outside and tender on the inside, the fat sizzling and the aroma filling the air.

The stir-fried Spirit Vegetables were a vibrant green, and there was a pot of warm 'Green Bamboo Brew' with a crisp wine fragrance.

Xin Yuelan looked at the Spirit Food before her, perfect in color, aroma, and taste.

Thinking back to the hard, tasteless dry rations she had been gnawing on, her stomach growled uncontrollably.

She hesitated for a moment, then seeing Yao Delong had already started eating, she cautiously picked up her chopsticks.

That mask was quite miraculous; when she needed to eat, a phantom would naturally manifest at the mouth and nose area, not hindering her from tasting the food.

As the first bite of tender, juicy rock goat meat entered her mouth, the rich meaty flavor and the faint Spiritual Qi it contained melted on her tongue.

She was almost moved to tears—this was finally food fit for a human!

Yao Delong appeared much calmer, taking a few sips of the Green Bamboo Brew.

Feeling the gentle Spiritual Qi within the wine dissolve into his body, he silently circulated his Cultivation Technique to absorb it.

While eating, he kept an eye on the activity in the restaurant, his Divine Sense like an invisible spiderweb.

He captured the conversations of the surrounding Cultivators.

Most were about the dangers of the Heavenly Demon Mountain Range and information about forming groups, which indirectly confirmed that the waiter's words were true.

Seeing that Xin Yuelan had mostly finished eating, Yao Delong put down his wine cup: "Let's go."

The two left the noisy restaurant. It was now dusk, and the sunset's afterglow painted the town in a layer of warm gold.

There was an open square in the center of town, which was now bustling with people and brightly lit.

Large and small caravans, pack animals, and groups of Cultivators gathered here.

Shouts, bargaining, and the neighing of Spirit Beasts mixed together, filled with the restlessness before departure.

Yao Delong's Divine Sense swept out, quickly locking onto the largest and most prominent team on the east side of the square.

A large black flag embroidered with a galloping white horse flapped in the evening breeze. Beneath it, the carriages and horses were orderly, and the guards were elite.

They were well-organized, forming a sharp contrast with the other somewhat disorganized groups. It was indeed the White Horse Merchant Association.

As Yao Delong and Xin Yuelan approached, a burly man wearing the association's standard leather armor and possessing a fierce aura came forward.

His eyes were like lightning as he quickly scanned Yao Delong and Xin Yuelan behind him, who wore a mask and had a weak aura like a Mortal.

A hearty smile appeared on his face as he cupped his fists:

"Brother, are you looking to cross the Heavenly Demon Mountain Range with our White Horse Merchant Association? I am Ma Lei, the captain of the association's guard."

"Indeed."

Yao Delong nodded.

"Very well!" Ma Lei said in a loud voice as he began the introduction.

"There are two ways to go with us."

"First, each person pays five hundred Low-Grade Spirit Stones. Just follow the team, and we will be responsible for your safety."

"You won't need to act during the journey, but if we encounter danger, you must follow our unified commands."

"Second, join the guard team temporarily. You'll need to fight alongside us to fend off Yao Beast attacks."

"After the task is done, there will be a generous reward based on your cultivation and contribution! The higher the cultivation, the greater the reward!"

While introducing, his gaze lingered on Yao Delong again. With his Middle Golden Core Stage cultivation,

he could naturally sense the Late Foundation Establishment Stage aura fluctuations that Yao Delong was deliberately displaying.

As for the "Mortal maid" behind him who had no Spiritual Qi fluctuations, she was directly ignored.

Ma Lei thought to himself: This young man is carrying a burden, and his aura isn't top-tier.

He's likely a disciple from some small Family out for experience. To save trouble and ensure safety, he should choose the first option.

Sure enough, Yao Delong didn't hesitate at all. He directly took out a heavy small cloth bag from his storage ring.

Without even counting, he handed it over: "One thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones for two people."

Ma Lei took the bag and swept it with his Divine Sense; the amount was exactly correct.

The smile on his face grew even wider, and he became more certain of his judgment—

this youth was generous and didn't even bother to count the Spirit Stones; he was undoubtedly a disciple from a noble clan.

A typical Loose Cultivator, even with a Foundation Establishment Early Stage cultivation, would mostly choose to join the guard team to earn extra Spirit Stones.

"Straightforward!"

Ma Lei put away the Spirit Stones and took out two black wooden tokens engraved with a white horse pattern from his waist, handing them to Yao Delong:

"These are your Passage Tokens. Keep them safe. We assemble and depart from here at the start of the Hour of the Rabbit tomorrow. We won't wait for latecomers!"

"Understood." Yao Delong took the tokens and gave one to Xin Yuelan.

Ma Lei cupped his fists in a salute and turned to attend to other guests.

Yao Delong led Xin Yuelan to a relatively quiet corner at the edge of the square.

He efficiently took out a light gray tent from his storage ring,

and set it up in a few moments. The tent wasn't large, only enough for two or three people to sit cross-legged.

"Go in," Yao Delong gestured to Xin Yuelan.

Xin Yuelan looked at the simple and cramped tent, then at Yao Delong, her brow furrowed under the mask.

He wanted her to squeeze into a tent with this detestable fellow?

But looking around, the square was noisy, with various gazes scanning back and forth, many of them scrutinizing or even ill-intentioned.

Having lost all her cultivation and being like a Mortal, she couldn't shake off the sense of unease and tension in this chaotic border town.

In contrast, staying by Yao Delong's side seemed... actually a bit safer?

At least this guy didn't seem to have any immediate plans to do anything to her.

She bit her lip and finally lowered her head, silently crawling into the tent.

Yao Delong entered afterward and casually set up a simple soundproofing and warning Restriction at the entrance.

The space inside the tent was small. The two sat facing each other, very close, and the atmosphere was a bit subtle and awkward.

Yao Delong, however, seemed completely oblivious.

He sat cross-legged and took out several Mid-Grade Spirit Stones from his storage ring, which were clearly of higher quality and had richer, purer Spiritual Qi than Low-Grade Spirit Stones.

His fingers flew as he quickly carved a simple but effective miniature Spirit Gathering Array on the ground in front of him,

and precisely embedded those Mid-Grade Spirit Stones into the array's nodes.