(Wow! Just got online today and found myself on the list. Wen Yu doesn't waste any time—she's fully committed, so everyone, please keep writing and supporting the book! That's all it takes to keep it ranked.) "Why are you standing here alone, waiting for someone?" A clear, resonant voice suddenly came from behind Han Li, startling him. Han Li slowly turned around and saw six or seven people standing not far behind him. The one speaking was a cultivator in his twenties or early thirties, dressed in a Taoist style. He had a pale face, no beard, a well-proportioned face, and a bamboo fan slung over his arm, smiling gently at Han Li. "May I ask what brings you here, Master?" Han Li didn't answer the question directly, but simply said it with a neutral expression. "Ah, don't misunderstand—our visit isn't at all meant to be intrusive." "Simply seeing you standing alone here, looking so curious about everything around you, I assumed you were a solitary cultivator attending the gathering for the purpose of making new connections. We all, too, are independent cultivators like yourself," the Taoist explained with a kindly expression. "All of you are independent cultivators?" Han Li was slightly taken aback. "Indeed. If you are an independent cultivator as well, it would be best to join us, so that we can support and look out for one another during the event," said a young woman with a refined appearance, though she bore a scar across her face. Beside her stood a bearded man with a broad back and a sword strapped to his shoulder, clearly a couple. "Indeed, over the years, independent cultivators who attend the trade fairs alone have often been treated unfairly by the members of larger families," the Taoist said solemnly. Upon hearing their words, Han Li now began to understand the meaning behind their remarks. These independent cultivators, fearing they might be bullied by the established immortal families during the gathering, have naturally come together to form small groups, striving to build a certain level of mutual protection—thus seeking out individuals like him, who are alone and unaffiliated. Now that he understands their intentions, Han Li naturally has no reason to decline such a favorable opportunity. After all, he truly needs a small, protective group—whether permanent or temporary—to serve as a shield. Nevertheless, before joining them, he still wishes to carefully ask a few questions to feel confident in his decision. "Since you've already noticed that I am an independent cultivator, I have nothing further to conceal. Indeed, I am one. However, before I join your group, could you please introduce yourselves? And what specific commitments would I need to make once I become a full member?" Han Li openly acknowledged his status as an independent cultivator, but as soon as the faces of the several individuals before him brightened with approval, he promptly raised his requirements. "It seems you still have some reservations! Haha!" "This isn't surprising—when the others first arrived, they said exactly the same thing!" Upon hearing Han Li's words, the Daoist and the several others didn't show any sign of displeasure. Instead, they exchanged glances and suddenly burst into laughter. Only then did the Daoist speak the above. "Allow me to introduce you to these friends!" the Daoist smiled at Han Li and pointed to the several cultivators. "These two are brothers from the same family—Black Wood and Black Gold from the Canglang Ridge." He led Han Li to a pair of young men who looked very similar and introduced them with great confidence. The two bowed to Han Li, who in turn returned the courtesy with ease. "These are Red Lotus, the resident of Fei Lian Cave, and Ku San, the abbot of Pu Lu Mountain." This time, Han Li was introduced to a plain-looking young woman and a small monk who looked rather serious. "As for this couple—" "We are from Tianshui Village—Hu Ping and Xiong Dali." "The Daoist was about to speak, pointing at the young woman who had just conversed with Han Li and the bearded man, when the young woman suddenly chuckled and took the lead in speaking. Though the Daoist had his turn interrupted, he remained calm and merely smiled gently. 'I am a guest Daoist at Wuni Mountain, holding the title of Songwen. Heh, I am actually the founder of this small group, and though the others currently elect me as the leader, I rarely issue commands—only when handling external disputes do I step forward to speak on behalf of the group!' The Daoist concluded by modestly introducing himself and briefly outlining the nature of this small gathering. Indeed, he showed great composure and seemed quite amiable. Moreover, the others' spiritual powers were generally strong, most of them possessing the level of spiritual strength typical of the seventh or eighth levels of Changchun Technique. Even Songwen, though not yet at the level of the blue-robed Daoists, was clearly far superior to the speaker himself." Han Li mentally weighed the situation and concluded that being with these people truly brought benefits without any drawbacks. He then said, "Since all of you are independent practitioners and working together proves to be quite convenient, I shall temporarily join your group!" "Excellent! With Brother Han joining us, our group's strength has grown even stronger!" Upon hearing Han Li's words, the Songwen Daoist immediately expressed his delight. The others also looked pleased, as Han Li appeared to possess strong magical abilities and could undoubtedly offer significant support. "Are all the members of our group here?" Han Li glanced around, asking. "There are still two others— one is sleeping soundly in the room, the other has gone off to wander around." Hu Pinggu lightly frowned, as if not particularly fond of the two. "Neither is as bad as Lady Hu described— one simply sleeps a bit more than usual, the other enjoys a bit more leisurely pursuits." This time, it was the young monk with the bald head who stepped in to defend the two. "You...," Hu Pinggu heard Ku Sang the monk say this, and felt somewhat displeased, wanting to say more. "Enough! Everyone, please stop arguing. After all, we all agreed at the beginning that, except when facing external powers and needing to act in unison under unified command, everyone else should be free to act according to their own preferences and inclinations!" Master Songwen quickly stepped forward to mediate. Seeing this, the Lady Hu, though somewhat unhappy, did not insist further—after all, Master Songwen's strength was evident, and she could not afford to overlook that. "By the time we gather again in the evening, Brother Han will have the opportunity to meet those two. I'll introduce them to you then—indeed, they are a bit special!" Master Songwen looked rather helpless, as though he found the two particularly troublesome. Han was eager to learn more, yet felt hesitant to press for further details. Then, Master Songwen asked Han whether he intended to join them in their endeavors. Or would he prefer to wander alone? Naturally, Han Li chose the latter, and the Long-Silk Daoist showed no surprise. Fresh visitors to the Tai Nan Valley naturally felt curious about the place and preferred to move independently. However, once they had seen enough, they would gather together like the others. The Daoist was quite attentive, sharing with Han Li some customary precautions and basic practices, giving him a solid understanding of the Tai Nan Small Guild. Then he handed Han Li a scroll. Pointing to a small building among the pavilions, the Daoist explained, "That is where they will be staying. If you grow tired, you may rest there. This scroll is the key to unlocking the magical restrictions of that building." After that, the group said their goodbyes and disappeared into the night, possibly heading off to seek out other independent practitioners. Han Li kept gazing at their retreating figures until they were truly out of sight, then lowered his gaze to examine the scroll in his hands. The yellow scroll shimmered with silver light, bearing some incantations that he couldn't decipher—seeming truly useful. Han Li paused thoughtfully, then smiled lightly. He folded the scroll neatly and tucked it into his chest. After glancing deeply in the direction where the Songwen Daoist had disappeared, he turned without hesitation and walked toward the plaza. Once inside the plaza, Han Li moved like the other cultivators, slowly walking from stall to stall, inspecting the goods displayed at each. As Songwen had mentioned earlier, the transactions among these cultivators generally took one of two forms. One was the traditional barter system, where some cultivators wished to exchange items they no longer needed for those they urgently required. As a result, these individuals often set up stalls for several days without securing a single transaction—a common occurrence.