The round moon in the sky was dazzlingly bright.
The clouds around hid behind the moon shyly.
Compared to the events in the past two days, Tiansang City was a bit too quiet.
In a city that never slept, there would be no curfew on weekdays unless something serious happened that could affect the safety of the entire city.
Tonight, that was the case.
When everyone attended the banquet at the City Lord Mansion, the streets of Tiansang City were clear.
Tonight, almost all the influential forces in the city would gather in the City Lord Mansion. If there were an accident outside, it would be a big deal.
That was because the City Guarding Array would be turned on tonight.
The blue light curtain rose from and enveloped the entire city. When the void was closed, all those who raised their eyes and looked at the sky were impressed.
“The City Guarding Array was launched. The City Lord Mansion banquet dinner…”
“Is it about to start?”
…
“We have arrived!”
Xu Xiaoshou was stunned when he walked to his destination following the map on the invitation. He used his spiritual senses to view it.
Behind him, Mu Zixi also adopted a similar dazed expression. She stared straight ahead with her huge eyes and unconsciously swallowed her saliva.
“Is this… Is this the City Lord Mansion?”
The sight before her was a magnificent palace that glittered blindingly.
The brilliant golden external wall went on for miles. Even if Xu Xiaoshou stood a few feet away, he could not see the ends of either side.
“How big is this place?”
Not to mention the wall, just the gate at the doorway was several feet high.
There were two rows of door sentinels standing beside the gate. He counted 36 people in total.
The door sentinels were clad in silver armor. They had solemn expressions on their faces and were armed with spears and swords. It was a sight to behold.
“Why is it called the City Lord Mansion? It might as well change its name to The Forbidden City instead!”
Xu Xiaoshou stopped in his steps. He gazed at the imperial palace in front of him and only felt that the Small Manor he recently bought dulled in comparison.
It was crushed by such competition.
“No wonder…”
Xu Xiaoshou murmured to himself. No wonder Fu Xing had such a weird expression when he asked Fu Xing how big his house was and whether it could accommodate hundreds of people.
A few hundred people would only occupy the area of a toilet for a house of this size.
“Let’s go.”
Xu Xiaoshou calmly spoke, pulling Mu Zixi to move forward.
‘I cannot reveal to others that I am country bumpkin!’
‘I have seen the world!’
‘Perhaps not before, but now I have!’
He suddenly dragged Mu Zixi from her shock. She looked startled. She lowered her head to try to pull her hands out of his grip.
After a while, she blushed suddenly and stopped her actions.
‘He, he held my hand?’
Her heart thumped…
And thumped…
At that moment…
Watched, Passive Points +1.
The sudden popup notification cast Xu Xiaoshou in shock, and he stopped in his thoughts.
He paused, and his hand moved in a forceful reflex.
“Ah!”
Mu Zixi immediately let out a strange cry. Her face turned green.
“Xu Xiaoshou! What are you doing?”
Xu Xiaoshou hurriedly released the hand of his junior sister and forced himself to calm down.
Was someone staring at him again?
Who was it?
He thought of the arrest warrant issued by Zhang Taiying…
‘No way. Can that guy be staring at me at this time?’
‘Should he not take care of himself instead?’
‘Xin Gugu should be sauntering in front of his house at this time!’
Without thinking further, Xu Xiaoshou turned his head and pulled his junior sister’s hand with a sigh of relief.
His gaze wandered, carefully searching the surroundings with Perception. However, he discovered nothing except a few wealthy people who wanted to enter the City Lord Mansion.
‘Who could it be?’
“Xu Xiaoshou!” Mu Zixi glared at her senior brother, who was blowing wildly on her now-bloodied hands.
“Cough, don’t be afraid. I’m here!” Xu Xiaoshou looked a little flustered.
Mu Zixi was furious. Did he ask her not to be afraid?
What she feared most now was his sudden tenderness.
Cursed, Passive Points +1.
“Go, keep going!”
After a while, they had already gone around 13 times. Xu Xiaoshou realized that if he stayed in place, someone might see him. He immediately let out a vitality breath, pulling the little girl with him and leaving.
“Uh~”
There was a groan.
Cursed, Passive Points +1, +1, +1, +1…
…
“Stop right there!”
The silver-armored door sentinel shot his spear and stopped Xu Xiaoshou in his tracks. His hands stretched out as he barked, “Invitation card!”
“Here.”
Xu Xiaoshou handed over the gold gilded invitation card that he had prepared. At this crucial moment, there should be no trouble.
The door sentinel examined it before closing it.
“You may enter.”
Xu Xiaoshou pointed at the girl behind him. “We are together. Can she enter?”
“Yes.” The door sentinel nodded. “Your invitation entitles you to bring three guests.”
Xu Xiaoshou nodded and took a step toward the door.
Right before he stepped in, the notification popped out again.
Watched, Passive Point +1.
Xu Xiaoshou felt his heart hammering in his chest, and he halted in his step again.
Behind him, Mu Zixi could not stop in time and hit her head against him.
“Ouch.”
Fortunately, her previous experiences had finally taught her a lesson to always keep her spiritual source protection on. So, she was not affected and sent flying back from the force.
The little girl covered her forehead and shot him a resentful look.
‘He stopped again!’
Cursed, Passive Points +1.
Xu Xiaoshou turned around. His sixth sense compelled him to look behind. He was not disappointed and saw a figure rushing out of the woods.
It was a scruffy-looking lad with stains and smears on his face. He looked to be about 15 or 16 years old.
He had a long braid. The hair on his scalp was as oily as rapeseed. It was unbearable to look at him.
As soon as he saw Xu Xiaoshou, the boy yelled and rushed over.
“Big Brother!”
“I finally waited for you! Why have you only come now? They pushed me earlier!”
The young man’s voice had a nasal tone as if he was about to cry. His eyes were whirling with tears.
Coupled with the muddy body above, he was like a weak teenager bullied by the door sentinel.
The door sentinel knew him too. When he watched the lad jump, a spear blocked his chest.
“Stop!”
“I have already told you, no invitation, no entry!”
When Xu Xiaoshou heard that, he quickly understood what had happened.
That lad wanted to enter the City Lord Mansion, but he did not have an invitation. He could only wait for a kindhearted person to bring him in.
It seemed that the Watched just now came from that guy.
However, he had been scanning for so long. Why had he not spotted that person?
Was it all so simple?
Xu Xiaoshou felt his heart stop. He wanted to turn around cautiously, but when he looked at the aggrieved eyes of the young man, he suddenly stopped.
‘Do I look like a fool?’
‘I must look like a nice person. Does he think that I will I bring him in for no reason?’
Xu Xiaoshou hesitated for a while as if recalling his memories before he spoke.
“Little Brother?”
When the young man heard his words, his tear-filled eyes glittered with hope. “Big Brother, it is me. Do you still remember me?”
“I can’t recall who you are.”
“…”
The boy choked before he could say anything.
Cursed, Passive Point +1.
He burst into tears, squeezing his fists. He shook his head and struggled with his words. “This is impossible. How can you forget me? We were…”
“What were we…”
“…”
The boy saw that Xu Xiaoshou did not catch on and widened his eyes incredulously. “Have you really forgotten me? Can’t you even remember my name?”
Xu Xiaoshou lowered his head and hesitated for a while. Suddenly, his face lit up in recognition. “Oh, is it you?”
The boy’s eyes glittered in excitement.
“Big Brother, you have recalled! My name is…”
“Your name is…” Xu Xiaoshou tilted his head with eyes squinting as if he were trying to recall.
“Well, my name is…” There was encouragement in the boy’s eyes. He seemed to expect his big brother to recognize him.
Xu Xiaoshou thought for some time. Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he pointed at the other party.
“I remember! It’s you… Xu Xiaoji, right?”
“???”
Suspected, Passive Points +1.
