Li Taixing still had other matters to attend to, so after saying his goodbyes to Boss Zhao, he separated from the group. Finding a hidden spot, he took off the Transformation Mask and reverted to his original appearance.
"Phew, it's better to be myself again," he muttered, feeling a sense of relief. Unbeknownst to him, Wang Xuanwu was watching from a distance, her eyes following his every move.
"First, I should shop around the city and pick up some supplies that aren't in my dimensional space," he planned. "Especially delicacies, fruits, drinks, and various condiments—I'll get a little of everything. This way, even in the Forest of Beasts, I can enjoy good food."
With that, Li Taixing began his rounds, visiting snack bars, pubs, and various stores to gather his provisions. Meanwhile, Wang Xuanwu, following closely behind, couldn't help but be curious.
"What is my disciple doing? Can he really eat that much?" she wondered aloud, then paused as a realization struck her. "Wait, could this be... another one of his secrets?"
Smirking, she decided to keep observing. Soon, she disappeared from sight, blending into the crowd with ease.
After spending quite some time shopping and gathering supplies, Li Taixing noticed that the sky was beginning to darken. He had no intention of resting for the night, so he left the city and headed straight for the Forest of Beasts.
This time, he wore his usual appearance, carrying the Qingyue sword on his back. As the sun gradually set, the evening wind picked up, bringing a slight chill that made the few pedestrians on the road shiver. But as a cultivator in the Foundation Establishment Realm, Li Taixing remained unfazed.
"One of the perks of cultivating immortality," he mused, observing the ordinary people around him before continuing on his way.
Though he wasn't actively using the Transformation Mask, he still carried it with him, its mere presence enough to conceal his aura.
As he walked alone, he soon caught the attention of a group of sneaky individuals. They eyed him and his sword, recognizing its value and surmising that he must be a cultivator. However, judging by his youthful appearance, they doubted his strength. The leader, a tall and thin young man, decided to approach him.
"Little brother, where are you headed?" the young man asked, feigning curiosity.
"That's none of your business," Li Taixing replied coldly, glancing at the group that had gathered around him.
"Hey now, no need to be so unfriendly," the young man continued with a smile. "It's dangerous to travel alone. We were thinking you might want to join us. How about it?"
"No," Li Taixing answered flatly.
The young man's smile widened, ignoring the refusal. "Come on, little brother, it's always good to have friends on the road. We can help each other out, make the journey easier. You're young and alone—we just want to lend a hand."
"Yeah, exactly!" another member of the group chimed in.
Seeing Li Taixing remain unmoved, the leader pressed on, "Listen, we're heading to the Forest of Ten Thousand Beasts, but we could use some extra hands. You don't even have to fight; we'll take care of that. You just help us gather what we need, and we'll make sure you're compensated."
Li Taixing eyed the group. Despite their friendly demeanor, something about them felt off. But he decided to play along. "This..." he hesitated, feigning uncertainty.
"Don't worry, you follow us, and we'll guarantee your safety," the young man insisted, pulling him closer.
Li Taixing frowned, his distaste for the group growing. It was clear these people were trouble. The passers-by on the road hurried past, clearly wanting nothing to do with the situation, which only confirmed his suspicions. But now that he had reached the Ninth Stage of the Foundation Establishment Realm, these Qi Gathering cultivators posed no threat to him. He decided to see where this would lead.
"Alright," he finally agreed, pretending to be reluctant and scared.
The group's leader smirked, clearly pleased with himself. "This kid doesn't dare to resist anymore," he thought. "We'll take his sword later, and if he dares fight back, we'll kill him." It was obvious this wasn't their first time pulling such a scheme.
As they walked, Li Taixing played the role of the curious and naive traveler. "Why are you heading to the Forest of Beasts so late?" he asked.
"We're going to collect luminous grass," the leader explained. "It only glows at night, you see. During the day, it looks just like ordinary grass, so we have to go at night."
"And what about you, little brother? What brings you to the forest?" another member of the group inquired.
"I'm here to train," Li Taixing replied simply.
"Alone?" The group exchanged uneasy glances at the idea that he might be part of a larger sect. But when he confirmed he was alone, they relaxed, reassured that he wasn't anyone important.
Even so, they began calculating their next steps. If he really was from a significant sect, they could always lead him into danger and let the forest finish him off, or dispose of his body elsewhere.
Unaware of their plotting, Li Taixing continued to play his part, asking, "Isn't it dangerous to enter the forest at night, especially when you're all still in the Body Refining realm?"
The group leader chuckled, "That's why we need more helpers. With you assisting us, we can focus on protecting you. How about it?"
"Sounds fair enough," Li Taixing answered, nodding in agreement.
With that, the group led him into the forest, taking shortcuts and avoiding main paths. Before long, they reached their destination.
"See? This is the Forest of Beasts. Told you the shortcut would get us here faster," the leader said, grinning.
Li Taixing didn't bother correcting him, though he suspected that the "shortcut" was just an excuse to test whether he was really alone. Now that they had confirmed it, they exchanged knowing glances, ready to put their next plan into action.