Lady Qin
If this man was part of a caravan, Xu Qi surmised that he was from a merchant group traveling from one place to another, buying and selling goods.
They're naturally prone to be attacked on the road or robbed by bandits so having another cultivator within their midst was a security that they wouldn't be able to buy with mere gold.
"I appreciate the offer, but I have my own means of travel," Xu Qi replied curtly.
He wouldn't mind joining them as that would cut the time of him traveling by foot. However, accepting right away would just make him an easy target to coerce, right?
Convenience is one thing but posturing is also as important. Otherwise, his public image will be skewed – not that it isn't already too exaggerated.
In any case, he's a cultivator. Not some mercenary that they could hire so easily as long as they have the gold to pay him with. He had to maintain his reputation even if he was still considered a newbie in the cultivation world.