Su Chen withdrew his spiritual sense from the distant tent, retracting it to only cover the area immediately around him. He wasn't some perverted eavesdropper, and that little drama back there — fantasy or not — had nothing to do with him. He quickened his pace, silently weaving through the remaining section of the forest.
Before long, he reached the edge of the campsite — a temporary stronghold made up of numerous large tents, erected by the cultivators who had gathered here. These tents weren't just fabric and poles; many of them were reinforced with basic defensive formations and concealment seals. It was clear that this place had been occupied for some time.
But instead of rushing out in relief, Su Chen came to a stop just before the final row of tents.
He narrowed his eyes.
There was no way it would be this easy.
No way his luck would let him stroll right out of the most tightly monitored zone in the entire forest without incident.
After all, this wasn't some backwater village — it was the heart of an active gathering ground where experts from every major sect had assembled. Even if the tents ended here, it didn't mean surveillance did. In fact, he was certain this was the most dangerous part — the perimeter beyond the camp was likely under heavy watch.
He'd made it this far by avoiding patrol routes and suppressing his aura with the help of the outsider effect, staying hidden from cultivators around his level. But once he left the cover of the forest and took to the skies?
That was a completely different matter.
There would be Nascent Soul experts — maybe even stronger — monitoring the airspace, and his little tricks wouldn't be enough to fool them.
Su Chen exhaled slowly.
Clearly, it was too risky to take to the skies now. The best option was to remain hidden nearby and wait for a proper opportunity to slip out — ideally when the attention of the sects was drawn elsewhere.
He began glancing around, searching for a suitable spot to lie low. Somewhere inconspicuous, yet close enough to the edge of the encampment so he could move quickly when the time came.
As he scanned the area, his gaze landed on a young boy, no older than nine or ten. The boy's cultivation was barely in the Qi Refining Realm, but he was moving energetically between makeshift stalls.
"Tents! Tents! High-quality tents for rent or sale!" the boy shouted, waving his arms. "Come take a look! Only the finest materials — waterproof, windproof, even beast-repellent!"
Despite his enthusiasm, very few cultivators were stopping to buy.
It wasn't that the tents were bad — in fact, Su Chen could tell at a glance they were decent quality, even reinforced with basic spirit inscriptions. The problem was simple: the boy had jacked up the prices to absurd levels, clearly trying to squeeze profit from the chaos and influx of people.
Still, the boy had guts.
When he saw a pair of cultivators — a man and a woman — passing by together, he immediately called out with a grin, "Hey, hey! Brother! Sister! This tent right here will make your night unforgettable!"
The man didn't even look at him.
"Shameless," the woman muttered under her breath as they kept walking.
Su Chen smirked faintly. The boy was a little too bold for his own good, but his stall might actually serve Su Chen's purposes. The area around him was noisy and busy, a perfect place to blend in for a while without drawing attention.
Su Chen strolled casually toward the shop and came to a stop just in front of it. Until now, no one had noticed his presence.
Then he spoke, his voice calm and clear, "What's the price of this tent?" He raised his finger, pointing at an expensive-looking one on display.
The sudden voice startled the young boy attending the shop. He had been watching the road the entire time but hadn't seen anyone approach so closely.
He turned to look at Su Chen carefully. The man wore a clean robe and sturdy shoes, his face striking and composed—he looked like a young master from some sect.
Even though he was a little surprised, he quickly composed himself and said with a smile, "Hehe, Young Master, you've got a good eye. This is the best tent I have. It's not just soundproof and waterproof—it also has a beast-repelling function and even a basic protection formation."
He spoke like a little street vendor who'd just spotted his golden goose.
Su Chen didn't respond. He picked up the tent and scanned it with a calm expression. Sure enough, all the features checked out. After a brief pause, he asked flatly, "How much?"
"Hehe, normally it's 800 low-grade spirit stones," the boy said, rubbing his hands together with a grin. "But since you're my very first customer today, I'll give you a special price—just 700!"
He looked so sincere, you'd think he was taking a loss out of brotherly love.
Even though Su Chen knew the little guy was overcharging him, he didn't say a word. Instead, he asked casually, "Do you have change?"
As he spoke, he slipped one hand into his robe, pretending to rummage around. In reality, he was reaching into his storage space. A moment later, he pulled out a single high-grade spirit stone and held it up for the boy to see.
The little merchant's eyes widened instantly. His smile froze, and a bead of sweat trickled down his back. A high-grade spirit stone—something he had only heard about in stories. Even if he sold every single item in his stall, he still wouldn't be able to afford one, let alone give change for it.
He glanced around nervously, half-expecting a crowd to form or someone to try and snatch the stone. But oddly enough, no one nearby even seemed to notice. It was as if the stone was invisible to everyone but them.
The boy swallowed hard. Though he didn't understand how it happened, he was certain it had something to do with the calm young man standing before him.
"Ah… Young Master," he said awkwardly, his voice suddenly much more respectful, "even if I sold everything I have, I still wouldn't be able to give you change for that."
He looked genuinely distressed, worried the deal might fall through.