Lu Gao and Lurker arrived at the royal capital of Biron Kingdom. The royal capital is divided into two cities: the Iron City managed by the lower class, and the Blood City ruled by the upper class.
From above, the layout of the city could be observed as a sword lying on a slope. The hilt is the Blood City thus also giving it the name Bloody Hilt City. The blade is the Iron City thus giving it the name Iron Blade City. Together, they are the Sword Metropolitan.
From afar, Lu Gao observed the entire city as a rising slope. From the sword's sharp pointed edge is an enormous gate with a long line of people. "It does really resemble a sword…" Lu Gao commented as the silhouette of the city resembled a silhouette of the sword.
At Lu Gao's query, Lurker offered his wisdom. "It is because it is high noon now. The sun is too high above us that the shadow it casts upon this world becomes too short. This explains why the city looks underwhelming and doesn't look big enough… But according to my estimates, just in terms of the area alone, I believe the whole of this city is at least comparable to half of Desolate Mountain… This place is just that big."
"Lurker, if compared to other kingdoms, how does the Biron kingdom compare?" Lu Gao finds it worth their time to ask some questions he finds curious about. The line is long, and there is still so much time.
Lurker who has experienced so much of life doesn't really lack things to tell Lu Gao.
"In terms of military, Biron is in the lower middle… When I was still a juvenile beast, I encountered some Biron militia… I recall I almost died then…"
"How about individual cultivators?"
"Cultivators of the Biron Kingdom puts quite a heavy thought when it comes to technique. I witnessed a duel between an Azuon swordsman against a Biron swordsman. The one from Biron despite being two stages lower managed to win without even breaking a sweat… It was a stuff of legends since then… I bet humans have long forgotten about that story since it was a long time ago."
"Wow," Lu Gao's jaws hang agape. "That's like brother Nee Chen, huh?"
"Wait, do you mean that pony-tailed bastard? Since when? I haven't heard of this!?"
"We were just beginning then… I think brother Nee Chen was in the Martial Tempering realm, and he still doesn't have a class yet. He doesn't even have a system! Bi Yuan was escorting us that time when suddenly a big boar comes attacking us. It was 2nd stage, I swear! I've read about demonic beasts' evolution, so I knew what I saw… It was just a short interlude, but it was one of the most intense things before we reached the Desolate Mountain… Brother Nee Chen almost died, if not for Bi Yuan saving him at the last minute…"
Though he had help at the last minute, Lurker still thought of it as Nee Chen soloing it… From how Lu Gao described it, Nee Chen continued abusing the boar's eyes until Nee Chen tripped on some rock. That was when he got help. Considering even that, the feat Nee Chen performed grabbed Lurker's attention.
"My rival really is that great!" With a boisterous laugh, Lurker unconsciously made Nee Chen his rival. It already came out of his mouth, but he still doesn't realize it.
Lu Gao and Lurker continued sharing their stories.
While all of this is happening, a rising cultivator from the Flowing Blade Sect is idly listening to the two. There is confusion on his face.
What Desolate Mountain? What fighting against stages higher than you? What even is a fork-wielding rabbit? What is wrong with the world?
If not for the two enthusiastically telling their stories, and if not for the wide disparity of the two's ages, Hou Shing would have thought that the two are actually cooperating to find people to scam.
Even if they do, Hou Shing cannot find it in himself to stop them as he finds their stories entertaining.
"Can I call you Brother Lurker? You don't mind, do you?"
"Of course, as long as you'd allow me to call you junior…"
Lu Gao feels happy for finding a new big brother to rely on, and Lurker is happy that he gets treated as a senior as he was kind of a latecomer to the sect.
"Big brother Lurker, what was it like fighting big sisters?"
"Annoying… They are a perfect match. Bi Yuan has tough vitality, and Xiang Ya has versatile restorative arts. I think it was something about Class bonuses. I am reading this Arts of Classes in the tutorial collection from the system library, it's a great help…"
"Oh, that? I've read that… The Class Tutorials are a great help too. Big brother, you should try the tales collection, you might gain valuable insights. They don't have really specific techniques but the ideas that constitute their essence are quite profound. I've been reading about this godly slime lately… he also has a system like us…"
"Oho~ really? I have to check that out! It makes me infinitely curious… I wonder what this slime is like."
Hou Shing blankly gazes at the two. It was as if the young lad and the old mister is discussing widespread common knowledge that is actually a big deal like maybe the 10, 000 classics, Buddha's Fate, Heaven's Cycle, etcetera.
What even is... slime!?
Continuing his observation of the two, Hou Shing suddenly goes into a stump. Why is it that those two are tapping something in the air? It's like they are moving something invisible… It is driving him crazy… Did the two finally go crazy? No, that's too much… Maybe, they are trapped in an illusion… Hou Shing pondered on the reality of this…
And then he realized the other people don't seem to mind the two…
"No, wait… perhaps…"
Was it he all along that was trapped under an illusion? or… maybe he just suddenly went insane?
Emotions of self-doubt, self-pity, self-remorse, and everything with the prefix 'self' plus any negative adjective that comes to mind start cornering Hou Shing. Hou Shing starts questioning his existence…
"Who am I?"
As he was almost on the verge of breaking down, Lu Gao comes to his rescue. "Mister, are you alright?? Hmmm… You've been staring at us for some time already, can I help you?"
The young boy, Lu Gao, touched him. At the touch of their skin, Hou Shing was able to get a clear picture of the cultivation of the young boy. 'Impressive, already on the peak of Martial Tempering realm, and he is already at this stage…' he kept his thoughts to his own.
Knowing this, Hou Shing realized that whatever the young boy was conversing with that man is something too profound for a country bumpkin like him to understand.
With a respectful bow, Hou Shing cuffs his fists. "Greetings, young master… I am sorry if I had caused you trouble, your conversation is just too interesting. I hope you can forgive me, young master!" He vigorously called causing other people to look at them.
Some even went as far as to create distance from them. After all, every young master you'd find, chances are they are actually landmines.
"Please settle down, and calm your voice… We don't want to cause any misunderstanding…" Lurker approached Hou Shing. As a sensible man, Hou Shing knows that he should stop when asked.
"Please senior, may I catch your name?" Hou Shing respectfully addressed Lurker who appeared to be a bodyguard of Lu Gao.
"I am… nobody…" Lurker was thinking of giving out his moniker Jaded Jaws, but he decided not to. Lurker has plans of his own as to how he can win a reward from the recent expansion pack.
With already a scheme on his mind, Lurker introduced Lu Gao who barely have any knowledge of the human world. Lu Gao only knew people through books, but Lurker is different…
"This is Lu Gao! A direct disciple of the hidden master of the Desolate Mountain! Pay your respects to him!" Lurker grandiosely said as one by one, the people around them starts kowtowing. Even Hou Shing cannot resist it and joined the flow.
Lu Gao frowned but he resisted. He quickly catches on to Lurker's intentions. Lurker wanted to use him as a mascot to gather fame. If Lurker can guarantee that Lu Gao gets the 1st place, then chances are Lurker will get the 2nd place as he will be able to ride Lu Gao's fame.
If Lurker doesn't manage to get 2nd place, it is still fine, as with this strategy, 3rd place is already a guarantee. There is no way that the rabbit who chose to stay at the mountain will gain fame. And since Nee Chen and Xiang Ya are together, the two will be competing for the amount of fame they can gather.
Lurker's master plan has no loopholes… It is perfect!
This is how the two strangers that seemingly came out of nowhere first made their presence known in the whole of Sword Metropolitan!