Lie He moved through the massive tribal market with tension, attracting many gazes from the surrounding Gu Masters. He could clearly feel their curiosity from their sharp looks, yet whenever his eyes met theirs, those Gu Masters would quickly avert their gaze and return to what they were doing.
Lie He was the son of the Lie Tribe Leader and its young master—this position was far from easy. With his first-grade aptitude and Rank three cultivation, he held a vital position within the Lie Tribe and was being personally groomed by the Tribe Leader to become the next leader.
Because of this important status, and after the Lie Tribe had finally arrived at the tribal market and caught their breath, he had been assigned the task of exchanging refinement materials and Gu worms—obtained from battling beast groups—for primeval stones or other useful resources.
Lie He was not particularly suited for such work, but there was no choice. The Lie Tribe needed most of its elders to guard the surroundings and reorganize themselves in preparation for departure after several weeks. Thus, this responsibility fell upon Lie He, who was highly trusted by the Tribe Leader.
Father places great importance on this task. With the continuous attacks from beast groups, we have gained large quantities of refinement materials and Gu worms—skins, fangs, bones, blood, and other parts. We have so much that even our warehouses are full… After every great calamity comes even greater wealth.
Lie He reached the central area of the tribal market designated for Gu Masters. Even Rank three Gu Masters were common here, which made him less conspicuous—a good thing in his eyes. At the very least, he could carry out his task with relative discretion.
At the edge of the market's center, Lie He found a massive shop composed of several thick white leather tents intricately connected together. Reinforced steel pillars protruded through the hides, visible even from a distance.
This shop was his destination.
At the entrance, Shadow Curtain Gu and White Script Gu had been used to form a large sign that read:
"Ruo Tribe Shop."
Lie He was not surprised. This was, after all, a tribal market established by the gathering of several Tribes. While it appeared open and welcoming to all, the truth was quite the opposite.
The greatest beneficiaries were the Tribes themselves—they obtained what they needed, disposed of surplus materials, and earned a considerable amount of primeval stones. In second place were lone cultivators and a handful of bold demonic path cultivators.
Thus, it was not unusual to see many Rank three Gu Masters with strange and unusual auras.
Lie He paid it no mind and approached the entrance of the large tents, where ten Rank two Gu Masters stood guard. His aura immediately drew their attention, and their leader stepped forward to question him.
"Senior, may I know your name and your purpose in visiting our Ruo Tribe's shop?"
Lie He did not mind answering.
"I am the young master of the Lie Tribe and a Rank three elder. As for my purpose—what business is it of yours?!"
The Gu Master's face flushed with anger, but he suppressed it and stepped aside.
Lie He snorted disdainfully as he passed by and entered the white tent.
Inside, the atmosphere was completely different from the gloomy, cloud-filled sky outside.
Within the tent, a large number of Gu Masters had gathered in groups, discussing deals or pointing at Gu worms and bundles of materials while negotiating prices.
In some areas, transactions were concluded satisfactorily, while in others, Gu Masters stomped the ground in frustration and left without being stopped.
No one paid attention to Lie He—he was just another person entering among many others. Even being Rank three did not matter here. What truly mattered was his identity as an elder of the Lie Tribe and its young master.
However, someone in a corner of the tent watched him with nearly exhausted patience.
This man appeared to be in his thirties, with long black hair reaching his shoulders. A long scar ran from his cheek down to his neck, and a light beard covered his chin and jaw.
His thick arms, like tree trunks, rested on his thighs as he casually drank wine.
Naturally, it was Fang Tian.
It seems the moment is approaching… Most likely, Lie He will go and speak with an elder of the Ruo Tribe. Once he leaves, that will be the perfect moment for me.
He had not missed the news of the Lie Tribe's arrival at the market. Before leaving their caravan, he had planted several hidden Gu worms to track their location in case things did not go as planned.
Thus, he had been the first to know of their arrival. However, his planning depended on the Lie Tribe's next move.
Fang Tian had observed all of the Lie Tribe's actions—as had the other Tribes—but unlike them, he possessed deep knowledge of the Lie Tribe. This allowed him to predict their next step.
As expected, the Lie Tribe did not disappoint him.
After arriving at the market, they rested for several days, organized their camp and internal affairs, and communicated with surrounding Tribes before finally sending Lie He to assess their resources and primeval stone reserves.
Fang Tian had not anticipated which person the Lie Tribe would send, but he was very pleased now.
From the souls of Lie Tribe Gu Masters he had previously searched, Lie He was not known for exceptional intelligence or cunning. Although he possessed decent experience, his current position was largely due to his talent and his status as the Tribe Leader's son.
On the contrary, there were even hints that he was simple and kind by nature—making him a perfect target for Fang Tian.
At the entrance of the tent, Lie He still stood there, cautiously observing his surroundings. Suddenly, he felt a chill, a shiver running through his body that made his hair stand on end.
He turned his head several times, scanning the area, but he could not activate his Gu worms without consequences.
Thus, he ignored the suffocating feeling and walked deeper into the tent.