The teleportation formation stopped glowing, and Bai Qi found himself in [Sagtsikhe] again.

"It is oddly fitting to return here today." As Bai Qi murmured, five heads turned towards him as if asking what he meant.

"Today is the 2nd day of Summer, and I have arrived here to leave the region. And if you recall, I arrived into the region via [Sagtsikhe] the second day of Spring." Bai Qi explained as a small smile crossed his face.

A lot had happened, and right now, he wasn't in his prime condition, but still, he had reached the peak of the Yellow Realm as he intended.

He thought as he looked at the five Beastmen that had decided to follow him out the region.

Bai Ze and Bai Rui were present, and they had already decided to follow him even out of the plane if required. Not that Bai Qi was against it. On the contrary, he welcomed it.

What Bai Qi had assumed to be just a temporary arrangement turned out to be a permanent one, as Heise Zhao declared that he would follow him until Bai Qi did not require his presence anymore. And to avoid being ditched right away, he conditioned it with a, "And I will only accept that when you are stronger than me."

Zhua's presence, although welcome, was surprising as well. They had become friends, and Bai Qi did consider her close, but as to invite her to leave everything and leave the region? He had never thought about that. But she had decided it by herself and even got Huo Laohu's permission.

Still, Bai Qi did not predict the fifth member of his party, Gi La. And how could he? Their interaction had been a short one. And she never showed any interest in leaving before. But now, she was here, and from what he knew, she intended to follow him for long.

***

The old ape, who controlled and looked after the teleportation, was sitting just a few feet from it. Hou Zhong had noticed that the formation had activated, but he did not pay much attention to the new arrivals. He never did, considering whoever needed to would approach by themselves.

"Senior Hou Zhong." Bai Qi called as he approached and lightly saluted.

"Oh, if it's not the human that wanted to find his friend. And while I don't see any green-scaled man-lizard, I do see that you found other friends." Hou Zhong opened his eyes and slightly chuckled as he noted the five man-beasts keeping a tight guard around the human.

"Mmm, I did." Bai Qi nodded with a small smile and then asked, "Has by some chance Kass Shaa'r passed here recently? We are supposed to meet in the city."

"Hmm, I do remember activating the formation for him when he was moving to [Shengda Sha] a few weeks ago, but I do not recall sensing his scent recently." Hou Zhong raised his arm and caressed his short beard while he looked up and recalled.

"Thank you. It seems that Kass Shaa'r hasn't arrived yet." Bai Qi nodded in thanks and turned to his group. He then asked, "All of you, we may probably need to travel there after meeting with Kass Shaa'r, so, does anyone needs to stack on anything?"

Noting that his question made everyone except the Bai sisters fidget, Bai Qi sighed while adding, "I am asking because I prefer us to lack nothing when entering such an environment. And if you three do look into your [Storage] bangles, you will find that you have some spirit stones as to buy what you need."

Bai Qi wasn't sure to be able to create Spirit-tier treasures akin to the sisters' bracelets in the condition he had been, but [Storage] items were a must for such a journey, and so he had crafted a few simpler ones from the [Fiery Iron] as the first, practice, one. Bai Qi did improve the rune sets and even slightly decorated the bangles. And now, the three Beastmen were sporting similar-looking bangles on their right wrists.

"You are not only taking us with you but also supplied us with items, pills, and weapons. And now, money? I am ashamed." Heise Zhao spoke up while looking at the bangle.

As for Zhua and Gi La, they were more at ease with that. Their thoughts differed, with Zhua simply considering that she would repay at some point and Gi La taking it as something Bai Qi did because of Kass Shaa'r, so neither commented anything.

"Ah, don't worry. You all did take care of me, to better or worse, and are now following me, which means I have to take care of you in turn. Some spirit stones are nothing much." Bai Qi lightly chuckled and then repeated the question if they lacked anything.

And while they felt that they did not lack something specific, Bai Qi still insisted they go and take a look.

Heise Zhao had traveled a couple of times outside the region. And so had at least some experience with shops and merchants, but the rest were oblivious. Thus, Bai Qi wanted them to get at least somehow used to shopping and the like while they were in Beastmen's controlled environment.

And after asking the old ape for directions, he sent them off to buy food, water, and other things that were never in oversupply.

As for Bai Ze and Bai Rui, the two would not leave him, so he decided to go and treat them to a meal to pass the time.

***

The tavern he chose to visit was the same half-empty one he had in his first visit, and while the two beast girls ate a couple of daily meals in one go, he drank a jar of the local [Swamp Bamboo] wine. He immediately followed on the thought, buying off the stock.

The tavern owner, whose business was not in the best situation right now, was close to considering Bai Qi a true Saint. The two tiger companions ate as if the tavern was packed, and then, the young man bought off all of the wine as well.

Thus when Bai Qi asked for directions for a couple of shops he wanted to visit, the owner was close to offering himself as a guide. Bai Qi slightly chuckled at the man's reaction and refused lightly.

Outside, Bai Rui could not help but ask, "Are all the humans so accomodating?"

"Oh no, cunning, greedy, and immoral humans are common indeed. It's just that this one makes his living with the tavern, and so, noting our strength, and that we did help his business, he was truly grateful and tried to show it." A Beastman that never left the confines of their region was naive, something Bai Qi had to take into account for the future.

And actually, that Huo Laohu had asked Kass Shaa'r to take care of a matter related to humans also stemmed from the same root. After all, Kass Shaa'r had seen and experienced far more than most of the pack's younger Beastmen.

"And what do you intend to shop for?" Bai Ze asked with curiosity as they approached an opulent-looking cloth shop.

"Well, I think that the character [Cloth] is enough for you to guess, isn't it?" Bai Qi laughed while pointing at the grass-woven attire of both.

"Hmm?" Both of them inclined their heads as in wonder and only understood after a few moments passed. And almost in unison exclaimed, "But human-type clothing is not good for movement!"

"If they suited for you, there will be no issue. Look at Zhua! She has no trouble at all. And another thing, I will leave the customs out for now, but you truly want to expose your fur to the desert sands or spend aura to keep it back all the time?" Bai Qi explained while entering the shop as both sisters followed after him.

***

Bai Qi had several reasons for buying clothes, and only one of them was the desert sand. As for the other ones, they mainly lied in concealment. Four, and with Kass Shaa'r, five Beastmen would be an extremely noticeable sight, especially after they entered the territories where even a single Beastmen was a rare sight.

Thus, not only robes for all of them but also cloaks, cone hats, and if possible, a few concealment talismans would be required.

Speaking of the latter, Bai Qi had prepared some previously, but his supply of talisman paper had been only enough for thirty pieces, from which he spent half on message ones. Even more, he had left ten of each type to Huo Laohu, so he only counted with five for his use. While explaining that to Bai Ze and Bai Rui, who now sported a white-colored, loose-fitted martial robe each, they arrived at the other shop he had asked about a talisman one.

Something that had made Bai Qi chuckle, and the reason why Bai Rui was slightly sulking right now, was that while the two [White Tiger] beast girls were not, by their words, interested in clothing, Bai Rui was astonished there were no female clothes her size. He had thought but did not dare to say it aloud.

The talisman store wasn't well-stocked, not surprising considering it was [Sagtsikhe]. But thankfully, they had some Common-tier talismans available, and the owner, a simple Rune Master, agreed to sell fifty talisman papers to Bai Qi.

***

Three hours after they arrived, the group gathered near the formation again. Kass Shaa'r had yet to appear, but he had to do so at any moment. After all, the agreed time was not later than sunset.

"Clothes?" Heise Zhao and Gi La had been surprised as Bai Qi presented a bundle of clothes to each, but both did understand the reasons by themselves.

___________________________________________________________________

"Gi La? What are you doing here?" Kass Shaa'r exclaimed in surprise, though a pleasant one, right as the formation's shine dispersed.

"The same as the others, now, let's go sit down and talk." Bai Qi interrupted what could have become a talk in the street and ushered everyone into an eatery.

***

"You are back on the road. What do you plan to do?" After eating, Kass Shaa'r asked to be left alone with Bai Qi and asked him as they were.

"First, I need to help you. Then I plan to visit everyone to find out how they are. It seems that the [Great Forest] region may also enter a war, and while most can decide and act, whatever happens, I am worried about Li Xia's and Chun Hua's ability to do so." Bai Qi smiled as he recalled everyone who had arrived on this plane with him. He had planned to visit them a few months ago, but the situation had made him concentrate on training first. But now, with the escort he had, there were close to no risks.

"And by chance, is anyone of them close to the [Fish Gazing Sect] or that side of the region?" Kass Shaa'r had separated from the group before the others even decided on the powers to join. Thus he had no idea where was who.

"Yes, and it's my last intended stop." Bai Qi nodded and then asked with surprise, "Don't tell me that you plan to rejoin the pack for the war if able?"

"More to look how it would be going. Huo Laohu's last message said I should go with you and do whatever I want, but Gi La's presence impacts that plan."

"How so?" Bai Qi continued to ask as he inwardly wondered what Kass Shaa'r was planning to do.

"That she followed means she has agreed, so if I am able, then I want to meet her kin, and they will definitively be present there." Kass Shaa'r slightly hissed, his tail heavily impacted the ground, and his eyes looked somewhere flickered.

"I see, not bad!" Bai Qi laughed. This was the first time that the lizardman showed nervousness, at least in front of Bai Qi, and the words about acceptance could only mean one thing.

***

"What do you know about my task in [Shengda Sha]?" Having finished the previous topic, Kass Shaa'r asked.

"Only the basics. Something occurred on the southeastern coast of [Steel Fang], and it was related to humans. So you were sent to look around and from there moved to [Shengda Sha], following a trail."

"But no details, right?" Kass Shaa'r asked in confirmation, and after Bai Qi nodded, continued, "Let me explain them to you, as well why I need help."

The [Steel Fang] region was unrestricted for everyone. The man-beast Kings did establish a few laws and put all the Beastmen under their control, that did not change the manner of living for most of the smaller Beast and Beastmen groups. And it did not prohibit cultivators from entering, though it did not guarantee their safety either.

With close to zero locations except [Yor Chier, Kass Rador] where one could meet someone from the other regions' powers, some of the region's lands had always served as a base or hiding spot for pirates, criminals, and other bounty people.

Such people tended to avoid conflicts with Beastmen and, in most cases, even tried to form a connection or relationship, bringing things from outside the region in exchange for being allowed to hide or live nearby.

But even the ones that avoided Beastmen entirely would never go and look for a fight with them. Each pack had no less than a dozen of Saint Beasts above the 4th level, and people who were required to hide hardly reached the peak of the Warrior Lord realm even.

But suddenly, a group of such people not only tried to attack a few Beastmen but even broke one of the few taboos that existed in the region. They had hurt what the Beastmen referred to as the litter, the Beastmen born naturally and had yet to get to their innate 1st level of the Saint Beast realm.

Usually, such an incident would solicit the involvement of a war pack, and Huo Laohu or someone else would be dispatched. But it seemed that the humans escaped right away, making their way out of the region by sea.

"As you understand, the packs closer to the place were anything but friendly to the humans after the incident, so after discussing it with Huo Laohu and a few others, they searched for a Beastman who could approach the humans and speak with them."

"Mmm, an uninvolved one and who would be harder to trick than a common naive Beastman. Still, not higher than the 4th level of the Saint Beast realm as to avoid making a show of strength and scaring everyone." Bai Qi guessed.

"Right. I was asked to go for that two reasons indeed. And it worked, at least to find information. The group that we are looking for is called [Sha Zhu Company], but from the rumors, they aren't anything more than a group of bandits with a couple of ships and a small base in [Shengda Sha]."

"The desert is vast, and tracks are hard to find, right?" Bai Qi waved his hand as if to indicate he understood enough.

"Hsss, yes. Although I need your help for a slightly different matter than searching the sands." Kass Shaa'r hissed at Bai Qi for the interruption and then explained.

"Yes, yes, no need to get angry. I understand. You want to capture some random bandit and want me to interrogate him. Let's go." Bai Qi suddenly stood up and declared while motioning for Kass Shaa'r to follow.

"Huh?! You knew?!" Kass Shaa'r tail almost smashed a nearby chair as he exclaimed.

"Before? No. But if it was to fight, you would not need my help. As for tracking, there are Beastmen better than me for that. That leaves just two things, information searching and treating with humans. And as you did not mention companions, it means you could have not yet captured anyone." Bai Qi smiled and walked off, waving to the other five Beastmen who stood on the corner of this only street of [Sagtsikhe].

***

"Well, let's see what the sands of [Shengda Sha] have in stores for us!"