"..."
Inside the pavilion, Ye Li glanced sideways.
The newcomers were two men and a woman.
The young man in front wore blue robes, with a scruffy layer of stubble on his chin.
A longsword wrapped in layers of coarse cloth rested on his back. He had an unmistakably down-and-out air, but his eyes were exceptionally bright.
To his left walked a woman in a light green combat outfit. Her expression was stern and serious as she kept giving instructions to the burly man beside her.
"...Fellow cultivator."
The sword-bearing young man stepped forward first, cupped his hands, and smiled humbly.
"The waiting area is terribly crowded. Your spot looks quiet, fellow cultivator. Would you mind letting us share your table?"
Holding his teacup, Ye Li replied casually.
"Sit wherever you like."
"Thank you, fellow cultivator."
Su Mu sat down with a cheerful smile, unfastened the cloth-wrapped longsword from his back, and asked:
"I noticed you were drinking tea here alone. Did you also come to participate in the Yin-Yang Dao Seizure by yourself?"
"My name is Su Mu. I'm an independent cultivator."
"This is Miss Lin Yue, a disciple of the Redbud Mansion."
Ye Li glanced at the two of them. With a slight stir of his divine consciousness, he confirmed that they meant him no harm, leaving him somewhat disappointed.
He spoke listlessly.
"Did you need something?"
"Well...nothing particularly important."
Su Mu gave two dry coughs, then asked tentatively:
"It's just that this competition is incredibly dangerous. May I ask who your master is, and what realm you've reached?"
"If you're willing, we could look out for one another."
Ye Li set down his teacup and answered with a sigh.
"I don't have a master. As for my cultivation...let's call it the peak of the sea-illuminating realm, with