CHAPTER 608: 608 ENCOUNTERED

How could Tan Shaoting not understand what they were thinking, but he was now just a loose cultivator with three children.

So he pretended to be clueless. This way he would be safer, making it easier for others to let down their guard against him.

"Mr. Tan. Where is the children’s mom?"

Tan Shaoting really didn’t want to answer such a question.

"My wife is not here."

This answer sufficed. No one would continue to ask.

Along the way, they encountered many spirit plants. Tan Shaoting picked some, but he didn’t take them all even though he found them.

His behavior pleased the others.

They had an even better impression of Tan Shaoting. Not greedy. Such a person is easier to get along with.

They were still cultivators in the Qi Cultivation Stage and hadn’t reached the point of fasting, so at noon, they still sat together to eat.

Tan Shaoting took out three First Rank demon beasts. This was his statement. The body of these demon beasts could sell for a Spirit Stone. By presenting them, he showed his attitude.

This really improved the atmosphere. It wasn’t necessarily about gaining a benefit, but more about a positive feeling.

Tan Shaoting also gave the three children some spirit rice.

The three children sat obediently beside him eating the spirit rice, even without dishes. But they understood their father’s intention.

Tan Shaoting genuinely didn’t want to let the children suffer like this. But he couldn’t act too differently.

After the three children finished eating, they leaned against Tan Shaoting.

"Mr. Tan, are you taking care of the three children by yourself? Why isn’t their mother taking care of them?" Li Wenjun asked again.

Tan Shaoting internally despised such people. But now was not the time for him to show displeasure.

The three children clung more tightly to Tan Shaoting.

"Their mother is not here." Tan Shaoting’s voice was cold.

The other five people automatically assumed that the children’s mother had died.

The atmosphere instantly turned awkward. Only the sizzling sound of roasting beast meat could be heard.

Li Wenjun felt quite embarrassed. But seeing Tan Shaoting’s cold face, she didn’t know what to say.

After the beast meat was roasted, Tan Shaoting coaxed the three children, Qi Yan among them, to each eat a small piece.

Seeing such a patient father, the five others found it quite fresh.

They all knew there were few children in the cultivation world and only half had Spirit Roots. But such affection towards children was rare.

After all, cultivators, when cultivating, have no time.

Tan Shaoting was a rarity. His interaction with the children made others feel a genuine care from the heart.

After everyone was full, Tan Shaoting laid bedding for the three children, letting them lie down on it.

He wouldn’t sleep at night, mainly keeping vigilance towards everyone, the same was true for Su Yuanyuan and her two companions. He could only feel at ease with the children when they were with one of the two of them.

The three female cultivators were not assigned to keep watch at night; the three men, Tan Shaoting chose the first half of the night.

He wasn’t one to fuss. More night watch didn’t matter. He wouldn’t trust others easily to keep watch; if there was any danger, just a warning would suffice.

The next day, in the morning, he took the children for a walk and returned. Again, he gave them spirit rice and beast meat, though it was cold now. He didn’t let the children eat it.

The journey today was relatively smooth. The smoother it was, the more vigilant Tan Shaoting became.

He had already noticed the people ahead.

Tan Shaoting felt they were nearing the central area. Naturally, these people were all heading toward the center.

After waiting a while, Xing Chongshan noticed too, "There are twelve people up ahead."

"Senior brother, who are they?"

"Not wearing any sect clothes, still unknown."

This put them all on alert. They didn’t know what kind of people the others were.

The people over there noticed them too, so they stopped.

When they got closer, "Which direction are you fellow cultivators coming from?"

"Fellow cultivator, we came from the Northwest. What about you? Have you seen others on your way?"

Xing Chongshan, being the senior brother, took charge of conversing with them.

Finally, they decided everyone would continue moving forward together.

Tan Shaoting had no objections, but he and his three children drew everyone’s attention.

This secret realm was a very dangerous place, and they didn’t expect someone to bring such young children in.

Tan Shaoting was curious about others but ignored them fundamentally.

He knew, with so many together, conflicts were bound to occur. Plus, they were from two sects and included three loose cultivators. Such a mix wouldn’t have a unified heart.

Now, he had to be more cautious of them too.

The children obediently held hands.

Several female cultivators frequently glanced at them. After walking for an hour, they encountered another group of over thirty people.

Tan Shaoting listened as they chatted.

No one knew what was happening or where the others who entered were.

Tan Shaoting noticed the first cultivator he saw, and they nodded at each other.

Everyone continued forward, yet it was clear they were divided into several groups.

He stayed with the five from the Shushan Sect because they were somewhat familiar.

Among the team, there were more than ten loose cultivators, markedly different from those with a sect. They seemed more opportunistic, grabbing anything useful along the way.

Tan Shaoting just stood cautiously aside with his three children, picking if there was anything at his feet, but not leading the children to compete with others.

He knew he couldn’t not pick anything, otherwise, people might think he had good stuff on him.

Especially since they met halfway; everyone’s past experiences were actually a matter of curiosity.

The three children knew to pick too. But with demon beasts around, they did not move, though many were First Rank and Second Rank.

Dad had instructed them not to show their differences, and now they understood not to stand out.

This made the female cultivators in the team feel sympathy for them. Gaining the sympathy of cultivators wasn’t easy.

Tan Shaoting and his three children were unique, and later, some female cultivators would call them over to pick some spirit plants too.

At night, the night watch needed to be scheduled.

Tan Shaoting was indifferent, being assigned the latter half of the night while with the children.

In fact, no one slept. Saying they weren’t afraid was impossible. They didn’t have an accurate count of how many entered, but had a rough idea.

Now, how few of them were here? Not knowing what they would face in the future, the cultivators from sects had more life-saving means than loose cultivators, but still, how many sect cultivators were here?

Everyone was very afraid of unknown dangers, and most were waiting here, thinking that staying until the secret realm opened and directly exiting would be safer.