Chapter 258: Brain-Damaged Spiritual Array Master

A thousand ordinary garments might take up a lot of space, but they weren't expensive. These weren't spirit garments; in fact, they didn't even cost spirit crystals. However, Xu Xiaoshou had no mundane currency, so he simply used ten spirit crystals to purchase the clothes. The items were immediately stored in his "Origin Mansion."

He had obtained this at dawn from Elder Qiao. Qiao Qianzhi and Ye Xiaotian truly lived up to their reputations as formidable figures. The powerful combination of a Spirit Array Grandmaster and a Spatial Throne somehow managed to fully repair the ruined Origin Mansion. With the addition of the "Life Spirit Seal," the Origin Mansion had begun to take shape and could now house living beings. The only minor flaw was that the "Life Spirit Seal" alone wasn't powerful enough to fully sustain the entire small world of the Origin Mansion. Still, the life-filled area was roughly half the size of the "Senluo Secret Forest." That was sufficient! The remaining chaotic regions functioned like countless spatial rings.

After delivering the items, the receptionist asked, "Does the esteemed guest have any further needs? If not, please follow me." He gestured towards the stairs, smiling as he prepared to lead the way.

Xu Xiaoshou remained silent. "This business of yours, how petty! Are you already impatient to see me off?" Upon reflection, however, he admitted he was being a bit unreasonable. He had haggled the 500,000 spirit crystal "Knowledge Dragon" down to a tenth of its price, and then only bought a few trivial garments. Honestly, if he were the receptionist, he probably wouldn't want to serve a customer like himself. Xu Xiaoshou understood the receptionist's reaction. It didn't matter; once he earned his badge, everything would improve. He also believed that with the badge, he could exchange the ill-gotten gains he possessed for a much higher value.

"What is this?"

As he passed the third floor, a hand-woven straw hat near the entrance caught his eye. The receptionist, knowing exactly what he was thinking, smiled and said, "If the esteemed guest likes it, please accept it as a gift."

"Oh, you shouldn't have!" Xu Xiaoshou immediately picked up the straw hat and placed it on his head; it fit perfectly. A straw hat... and the Cinder-lit Heavenly Flame... He narrowed his eyes, recalling the assassins outside and suspecting there might be more to come. "Give me ten more!"

The receptionist was stunned. "I offered one for free, and now you're pushing your luck? Giving one was already generous; I'm not doing it out of respect for you, but because I want you to leave! Ten more? Have you no shame?"

"Here." Xu Xiaoshou casually pulled out a spirit crystal.

The receptionist let out a relieved sigh. He gratefully accepted the crystal, swiftly retrieved ten more straw hats from a nearby shelf, and presented them.

"Let's go!"

Xu Xiaoshou stopped pondering and glanced at his information bar, where a peculiar entry consistently remained.

"‘Awaited, Passive Value: 1.’""‘Awaited, Passive Value: 1.’"

"“Is the deployment ready?”"

Xu Xiaoshou chuckled softly. Upon reaching the first floor, he abruptly stopped and asked, "Is there a back entrance?"

The receptionist paused, then replied, "Yes."

"Lead the way."

Xu Xiaoshou waved a dismissive hand, then took a step. Suddenly, his eyes darted, and he turned back around. "Never mind, let's use the main entrance."

Both the receptionist and Mu Zixi froze, unsure of the young man's intentions, but they could only follow his lead. A beam of golden light illuminated the main entrance, vanishing as the door closed behind them. The receptionist, finally able to let go of his apprehension, visibly relaxed. "Finally, the plague has departed."

***

Outside the Golden Trade Hall, at the back entrance.

Despite being a bright, clear day, the road here was unexpectedly muddy, with a fine, silken drizzle drifting from the sky. Pedestrians hurried past, unconsciously detouring around it. Only the Spirit Refiners, one after another, soon after exiting the back door, inexplicably found themselves walking into this rain-soaked path, then circling aimlessly, unable to find their way out.

Not far away, a tavern had few customers—only two, both dressed in black. The two watched the lost figures trapped within the array, remaining silent, as none of them were their target. Wine sat on their table, filled to the brim, clearly untouched and long since cold.

"Seventh Brother, what's gotten into the Zhang family? Why send two Grandmasters of the Heavenly Manifestation realm like us to assassinate this mere novice of the Origin Court realm?"

The speaker was a middle-aged man with a very square face, around thirty years old, with a large, shiny bald patch on his scalp. He held a lifelike portrait of a very handsome young man. "Xu Xiaoshou… what kind of ridiculous name is that…"

The man called Seventh Brother glanced at him, saying coldly, "Sixteen, don't be careless. I heard even 'Three Incense Sticks' has issued a bounty for him. The reward is substantial, but his perceived weakness means no one wants to take the job." He appeared to be a very upright man, his black attire emphasizing his solemn demeanor. He constantly fiddled with two array plates in his hands.

"Three Incense Sticks?" Xiao Sixteen was shocked. "This guy actually has a bounty from 'Three Incense Sticks'? Is the Zhang family really that rich and foolish?!"

"Haha, do you really think Zhang Taiying became the head of the Zhang family by being so foolish? This only proves that Xu Xiaoshou is truly not simple."

"He's finished; he provoked the Zhang family and was put on the bounty list of 'Three Incense Sticks,' also known as the Assassin's Sanctuary…" Xiao Sixteen murmured, then suddenly said, "I heard that 'Three Incense Sticks' is secretly controlled by the Holy Temple. I wonder…"

"Shut your mouth!" Li Seven snapped, "Don't babble about things that aren't your concern, lest you invite disaster upon yourself!"

Xiao Sixteen immediately fell silent, shivering slightly.

The two fell silent once more. Nearby, a wine stove burned fiercely, even spilling wine, yet no one dared to extinguish the flame. The tavern owner, having long sensed trouble, had already hidden himself. These two customers today were clearly not simple; it was already a struggle for him to remain alive. What was wine compared to life itself?

Xiao Sixteen looked at the "ants" trapped and frantically circling within the spirit array, a mocking expression on his face. He spoke again: "Should we kill them?"

"No, we'll release them shortly. Don't cause trouble; the City Lord's Imperial Guards are not to be underestimated."

Xiao Sixteen licked his lips, a hint of regret in his eyes. He looked towards the Golden Trade Hall, his brow furrowed. "Speaking of which, why is Xu Xiaoshou taking so long to come out? He couldn't possibly know we're waiting in ambush at the back entrance, could he?"

"Impossible," Li Seven retorted. "He wouldn't even be able to detect our presence."

Xiao Sixteen said earnestly, "But Seventh Brother, if he truly doesn't know we're here, he would surely just use the main entrance. So why are we setting up an ambush at the back?"

Li Seven froze for a moment, a flicker of embarrassment crossing his face. *You're absolutely right! Why didn't you say that earlier? You fool!*

"If he's on 'Three Incense Sticks,' he must possess some skill. Perhaps he anticipated…"

Xiao Sixteen grew nervous. *So, you're not even sure? What's the point of this? What if he simply strolls out the front door? How will we save face then?*

"I'll go guard the main entrance!" he declared, abruptly standing up.

"Alright," Li Seven immediately responded. "Go stake out the front, but don't act impulsively. As soon as you spot him, you must inform me first!"

Xiao Sixteen nodded solemnly and left without a word. *Inform you? Ha, you're just trash from the early Origin Court realm, yet so valuable. Why would I call you to share the credit? Do you really think calling you 'Seventh Brother' grants you special status? You brain-dead Array Master!*