The Camp

He carefully stored the potion back into his Space Ring, making up his mind to try using it once they reached the deeper floors of the dungeon.

The night passed without a word. As the night deepened, Bai Xuan did not wake Phoebe immediately, wanting her to rest well during this brief moment of peace.

After all, she had exerted a lot of energy during the battle the day before.

Phoebe slept very peacefully, never tossing or turning to adjust her sleeping position.

Throughout the entire night, she only rolled over gently twice, a trace of lingering fatigue still visible between her brows.

Bai Xuan gazed at her quietly, from her slender eyebrows to her straight nose, and from her soft nose tip to her delicate lips.

Every feature was incredibly exquisite. With a face like this, she didn't look like an adventurer who spent her days constantly on the run and fighting bloody battles.

At this moment, a trace of hesitation suddenly welled up in Bai Xuan's heart.

He even began to wonder if contracting her, forcing her onto the path of an adventurer, and dragging her into battle after battle was truly the right choice.

Just then, Phoebe's eyebrows twitched slightly, and her long eyelashes fluttered.

A second later, she slowly opened her eyes, locking her gaze directly with Bai Xuan's.

Bai Xuan felt his cheeks warm up slightly. Turning his head away in embarrassment, he quickly tried to smooth things over.

“It's about time. Let's wash up and set off.”

As he spoke, he retrieved two sets of toiletries from his Space Ring and handed one to Phoebe, who accepted it silently.

Bai Xuan turned and walked out of the temporary camp to scout the surroundings, the soft sounds of Phoebe washing up echoing behind him.

The passage leading down from the sixth floor was much wider than the floors above, making the trek feel far less cramped.

Bai Xuan led the way to clear a path, while Phoebe followed quietly behind.

Moving one after the other, they kept their footsteps extremely light, doing their best not to alert any dangers lurking in the dark.

The moment they stepped into the seventh floor, Bai Xuan keenly sensed that something was amiss, his brow furrowing slightly.

The fog here was much thicker than when he had last visited, so dense that he could barely see three steps ahead.

However, the undead wandering in the fog were far fewer than before, replaced instead by the faint sound of human voices.

In the distance, the faint glimmer of torches flickered, mingled with intermittent chatter and the crisp clanking of iron.

Bai Xuan slowed his pace, pressing his side against the cold stone wall as he crept forward.

Rounding a corner, he was stunned by the sight before him.

The passage ahead had been artificially widened, with burning torches planted on both sides, their flickering flames dispelling some of the fog.

The ground was covered with crude wooden planks and gravel, barely allowing for smooth passage.

A few tattered tents were pitched against the walls. Some people set up stalls next to the tents to sell potions, while others squatted on the ground to repair damaged gear.

A few adventurers huddled around a rough wooden table, on which a map was spread out. They were arguing in hushed tones, their expressions extremely serious.

The place looked like a temporary camp. Though crude and simple, it had everything one could need, buzzing with a busy yet chaotic atmosphere.

It was a gathering place for adventurers, a temporary outpost.

As Bai Xuan walked into the camp holding Phoebe's hand, the gazes of everyone inside instantly snapped toward them.

To be more precise, all eyes were focused on Phoebe.

The double-bitted battleaxe, which was even taller than her, was simply too eye-catching.

Combined with her slender, delicate frame and exquisitely beautiful features, it created a striking contrast.

Almost everyone who passed by couldn't help but stop and steal a few extra glances.

The adventurers lowered their voices to gossip, and some let their eyes linger for a moment on the bandages wrapping Phoebe's arm.

However, they tactfully looked away quickly, choosing not to pry further.

“Isn't that... the Healer who used to always act alone?”

An adventurer carrying a longbow recognized Bai Xuan and nudged his companion, his tone tinged with surprise.

“It really is him! Every time I saw him before, he was carrying a massive bag of monster shells. I thought he was just a porter for some adventure team.”

“Only later did I find out that he always adventures alone and has never joined any team.”

The whispers weren't loud, but they drifted clearly into Bai Xuan's ears. He didn't care in the slightest, continuing to lead Phoebe straight toward an adventurer who had set up a stall selling potions.

The stall was incredibly crude, consisting of nothing more than a tattered piece of coarse cloth spread on the ground.

On top of it sat a few bottles of murky liquid, their labels crooked and even somewhat blurry.

The stall owner was a middle-aged man with a stubbly beard, his leather armor caked in dust and stains.

Seeing someone approach, he immediately plastered a flattering smile across his face and greeted them warmly.

“What would you like, milord? High-quality healing potions, mana potions—all genuine goods, and absolutely great value for your money!”

Bai Xuan squatted down and casually picked up a bottle of mana potion.

He gave it a gentle shake. Quite a bit of sediment was settled at the bottom of the bottle; it was clear that the quality of this potion was mediocre at best.

“How much for this bottle of mana potion?”

“Ninety silver coins!” The stall owner rubbed his rough hands together, speaking with a look of utmost sincerity.

“It's not expensive at all, really. Rest assured, the quality is definitely worth the price. It'll save your life in a pinch!”

Bai Xuan gently placed the potion back where it belonged. With no intention of taking out any money, he looked up at the stall owner.

“Let me ask you something. Why are there so many adventurers here? What's going on?”

Seeing that Bai Xuan wasn't going to buy immediately, the stall owner's smile faded slightly, but he still answered patiently.

“It's a commission issued by the Guild to conquer the eighth floor. I heard it was jointly launched by the Guild and the nobles, and the reward is exceptionally high.”

“Everyone is setting up an outpost on the seventh floor first to make the subsequent advance easier.”

Bai Xuan frowned, a trace of doubt rising in his mind.

“Hasn't the eighth floor already been conquered before? Why issue a special commission for it?”

The stall owner shook his head and instinctively leaned in a bit closer.

“Those past attempts were just minor skirmishes. No one has ever truly penetrated into the core area of the eighth floor.”

“Anyway, this commission was only posted a few days ago. Everyone is just here to scout the way. No one dares to charge ahead blindly.”

“Where is the entrance to the eighth floor?” Bai Xuan continued to ask, a hint of urgency in his eyes.

The stall owner hesitated, glanced around, and then pointed toward the north, whispering.

“It's right in that direction. There are exceptionally many undead over there. Once you get there, you'll spot the entrance at a glance.”

Bai Xuan nodded and slowly stood up, asking no further questions.

The stall owner stared at him expectantly, waiting for him to pull out some money to buy the potion.

But Bai Xuan merely brushed the dust off his knees, turned around, and left with Phoebe.

The stall owner froze, opening his mouth as if to say something to make them stay.

But the words died in his throat. In the end, he spat a low curse, bending down to rearrange the potions.

Just then, a warrior wearing half-plate armor walked over and approached.