Chapter 253: Three Musketeers

Tian Sang Jun.

A Jun contains many cities, but aside from those inhabited by ordinary people, the most famous in Tian Sang Jun is undoubtedly the central hub, Tian Sang Cheng.

This is a massive city capable of housing several million or even tens of millions of people, a prime location for Lian Ling Shi to come and go, trade, and conduct business.

For ordinary people, the cost of living here is dozens of times higher than in other cities!

Moreover, even entering the city gates requires paying something that exists only in legends—like a divine artifact, incredibly expensive...

Ling Jing!

For Lian Ling Shi, however, it's different.

Xu Xiao Shou stopped at the city gate with his shimei, craned his neck, and looked at the gatekeeper, saying:"What did you say?"

"Residence permit!"

"What's a residence permit? Can't Lian Ling Shi just enter?"

"Uh, so you two are Lian Ling Shi adults. May you show some proof?"

Proof?

Xu Xiao Shou extended his hand, wanting to summon flames, but then he remembered his fire was invisible and colorless...

He considered proving his strength by letting the gatekeeper punch him, but that would probably knock the poor guy out on the spot...

"How about a sword strike?"

Xu Xiao Shou hesitated and pulled out "Zang Ku," startling Mu Zi Xi.

"No need, no need!"

This wasn't Tian Sang Ling Gong—most people here were ordinary folk. If he unleashed a sword strike, it would cause total chaos!

Thinking of that, she quickly grabbed Xu Xiao Shou's sleeve, and with a crackle, vines whipped out as she handed over two Ling Jing.

The gatekeeper was so startled that he bowed deeply and let them through.

"This way, please! This way, please!"

To ordinary people, the status of Lian Ling Shi was like that of gods.

Even in Tian Sang Cheng, where most residents were ordinary citizens, they rarely dealt with anyone of this caliber.

As the two walked away, the gatekeepers exchanged glances.

"Those who can manipulate wood... aren't Lian Ling Shi like that supposed to be floating around?"

"And aren't these kinds of people usually handled by those up in the heavens? Why are they walking?"

"Hmm, who knows? Maybe high-level folks have quirks!"

"Tch, shut your mouth. This isn't something you should be discussing—watch out for eavesdroppers."

"Oh, oh."

Xu Xiao Shou glanced upward and spotted another checkpoint in the sky, manned by a few Yuan Ting Jing experts.

"Cough, so that's how it is..."

But dwelling on it now was pointless; he just focused ahead.

The sights after entering the streets were completely different from those in the Ling Gong.

Tall buildings stood side by side in rows, and the calls of street vendors echoed energetically, filled with the long-lost vibe of everyday life.

Xu Xiao Shou shook his head, trying to clear the noise, and that's where the pain of his "perception" ability kicked in.

This darn passive skill had no off switch; all sorts of random information flooded his mind, nearly making his head explode.

"Interference detected, passive value +1."

"Interference detected, passive value +1."

"Interference detected, passive value +1."

The info bar was scrolling wildly, and Xu Xiao Shou felt a bit excited, but seeing that the overall increase in passive value wasn't fast, he froze.

What was going on? With his current perception range, he should be sensing thousands of people at once!

But it was only adding a few dozen or a hundred at a time?

"Could it be that the emotional fluctuations of ordinary people don't give me passive value?"

Xu Xiao Shou thought it was highly likely. Otherwise, if he exploited this glitch to farm passive value, he could become invincible just by hanging around civilians for a month!

"What a shame."

Still, the hundreds of passive value gains were steadily boosting his reserves.

His passive value climbed from the original 16,000 to over 20,000.

The rate slowed again, probably because he was getting used to the noisy environment. Xu Xiao Shou glanced at the bottom of the info bar.

"Passive value: 23,333."

Whatever, he decided not to worry about it.

Watching these numbers grow passively was satisfying, but it was just a waste of time and meant nothing.

Xu Xiao Shou stopped in front of a trading house.

Mu Zi Xi bumped into him with a thud, nearly getting knocked back.

Even so, she didn't let go of his sleeve and just used her other hand to rub her sore head.

Looking up at the signboard above:

Duo Jin Shang Hang!

"Xu Xiao Shou, aren't we supposed to go to the Lian Dan Shi Xie Hui?"

Xu Xiao Shou looked down at the small hand clutching his sleeve, his lips twitching for a moment before he finally said, "How old are you?"

Mu Zi Xi's face turned red, and she stayed silent.

"Shy?"

Xu Xiao Shou raised an eyebrow. "Is this your first time seeing so many people?"

Seeing her odd expression, Xu Xiao Shou was stunned. Had he guessed right?

But that couldn't be! She might look young, but she had to be at least a teenager. Never seen this many people? What a joke!

Was she some kind of shut-in who'd stayed indoors for over a decade?

Her first time out shopping?

Mu Zi Xi's expression was hard to read. Truth be told, this was the first time in her memory that she'd seen so many people.

Feeling a bit nervous was normal.

"You still haven't answered my question..." She lowered the hand rubbing her forehead, but halfway through, she paused.

Staring at the red blood on her hand, her face darkened. "Xu Xiao Shou, why am I bleeding?"

"Questioned, passive value +1."

Xu Xiao Shou: ...

He spread his hands expressionlessly. "How should I know? Maybe someone got to you?"

As Mu Zi Xi started to get agitated, the young man raised his voice dominantly. "We're out in public—stop being so trusting with me. Use your spiritual energy for protection!"

"Back in the Ling Gong, I never saw you being this careless. How could you drop your guard like that?"

You can't just drop your spiritual protection!

Without it, that delicate body of yours couldn't handle what I dish out!

Could it withstand the Fanzhen or the Fengli?

Swallow-born Wood Body isn't an innate physical form, little sister!

Mu Zi Xi's big eyes blinked innocently. Suddenly, she grabbed Xu Xiao Shou's hand and scratched his fingertip.

It bled.

"What is this?" she asked, shocked. Was this guy some kind of human blade?

Xu Xiao Shou calmly pulled his finger back. "That's called 'Ten Duan Jian Zhi'."

Mu Zi Xi: ...

She didn't buy it at all and felt like she'd uncovered one of Xu Xiao Shou's secrets. She reached out to touch his forearm.

Xu Xiao Shou grabbed her hand, his face dark. "Self-harm isn't the way."

"What kind of spiritual technique is this?" Mu Zi Xi found it fascinating.

The young man took a deep breath. "I told you, it's Ten Duan Jian Zhi!"

"Questioned, passive value +1."

"Don't believe me?"

Xu Xiao Shou held up a finger, infusing it with ordinary mind force, and instantly it gleamed with sharpness, making even a glance hurt the eyes.

Mu Zi Xi rolled her eyes. "But your body is also..."

"Ten Duan Jian Ti!"

"Questioned, passive value +1."

"Fine!" Xu Xiao Shou gave up. "Sharpness—it's my passive skill, sharpness!"

"Questioned, passive value +1."

The young man pressed her head down in frustration. "What do you want from me? You don't believe lies, and you don't believe the truth. What the heck is going on in that little head of yours?"

Mu Zi Xi: ...

"Cursed, passive value +1, +1, +1, +1..."

"Let's go in!"

Xu Xiao Shou turned impatiently and headed straight into the "Duo Jin Shang Hang."

"The Lian Dan Shi Xie Hui!" Mu Zi Xi stood her ground.

Xu Xiao Shou clapped his hands in exasperation. "Are you dense?"

"Sang Lao told you to come back within a month, not rush back and forth in a day."

"Getting a badge takes minutes. How does that compare to shopping?"

Mu Zi Xi froze. He had a point.

But... following him around like this, wouldn't that make her look like a fool?

"The Lian Dan Shi Xie Hui!" she insisted stubbornly.

"Fine, you go." Xu Xiao Shou strode off, waving. "We'll split up. You go first, I'll catch up later."

Mu Zi Xi: ...

She glanced at the surging crowd behind her, wrinkled her nose, and scurried after him.

"Xu Xiao Shou, why are we going to the trading house?"

"To buy clothes."

"Huh? Really? For me? You should have said so earlier!"

"Delusional. Not for you—it's for a baby."

"A baby? Whose baby?"

"Mine."

"Xu Xiao Shou! When did you have a baby?" Mu Zi Xi looked horrified.

Xu Xiao Shou: ...

"Not the kind you're thinking!"

"Then what kind of baby is it?"

"Uh... a child."

A child?

Mu Zi Xi: ???

"Cursed, passive value +1, +1, +1, +1..."

At the city gate.

There were three sword experts.

One held a sword, one carried a sword wheel with nine swords embedded in it, and one had no sword.

The gatekeepers eyed their unusual sword expert attire and couldn't help asking, "Lian Ling Shi?"

The sword expert in green without a sword said, "We're not Lian Ling Shi. We're sword experts who cultivate ancient sword techniques."

"Not Lian Ling Shi... then show your residence permit."

"Residence permit? What's that?"

Again with this question... The gatekeepers exchanged looks, sensing something off. Lately, there were so many people who didn't know the rules.

Were they all first-timers out here?

"Can you fly?" To be safe, another gatekeeper asked.

"Yes!" The green-clad sword expert without a sword paused, then levitated.

So they were Lian Ling Shi after all!

The gatekeepers instantly became respectful, pointing upward. "Lian Ling Shi, please use the upper registration point. Or if you don't want to register, just pay one Ling Jing..."

Before he finished, the white-clad sword expert at the back, who had been silent, narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brow: "Jian Nian?"

Right after, the black-clad nine-sword expert in the middle also narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brow: "Jian Nian?"

As soon as the words were out, the green-clad sword expert in front narrowed his eyes and furrowed his brow: "Jian Nian?"

The gatekeepers were baffled. Were they doing some kind of recital?

Even their expressions were identical... You three look so different; you're not triplets, are you?

After speaking, the sword expert without a sword immediately turned and bowed with fists clasped: "As expected of senior brother and second senior brother—you're more alert than me, junior brother."

Hearing this, the nine-sword expert also turned and bowed: "As expected of senior brother—you're more alert than me, junior brother."

He then patted the shoulder of the sword expert without a sword. "Junior brother, you're doing well. You've improved."

The sword expert holding the sword stepped forward, his lips twitching slightly as he said seriously, "I told you, don't copy my expressions and words. That mindless imitation will never capture the essence of my sword intent!"

"So that's it. I've learned something, second senior brother." The nine-sword expert suddenly understood.

"So that's it. I've learned something too, senior brother." The sword expert without a sword also suddenly understood.

The sword expert holding the sword: ...

The gatekeepers: ???

What in the world was this? Had three oddballs shown up?

Before they could complain internally, the sword expert holding the sword at the front barked, "Let's go—find the Jian Nian!"

The three vanished in an instant.

"Where did they go!"

"Damn, they didn't pay the Ling Jing—three of them!"

"Come back!"