4: Chapter 4: Two Beauties by My Side, First Understanding of the System Rules

Zhao Hongling walked at the very front, her steps brisk and her back straight, as if she wanted to leave everything from last night behind her.

Leng Shuang followed two steps behind her to the side, her hand still resting lightly on her waist, her eyes scanning the surroundings, appearing ready to act at any moment.

Chen Xuan trailed at the back, the tooth marks on his shoulder still throbbing with pain. As he walked, he rubbed the spot and muttered under his breath, "This System is truly unreasonable; it takes the benefits easily, but leaves me to bear the injuries myself."

After walking for about half an incense stick of time, Zhao Hongling suddenly stopped, turned around, and stared at Chen Xuan.

"Why are you looking at me?" Chen Xuan shrank his neck.

"Your shoulder... does it still hurt?" She asked awkwardly, her eyes avoiding his face.

"It hurts, you bit me quite hard." Chen Xuan grinned, "If you really feel bad, treat me to a good meal when we get into the city later."

Zhao Hongling blushed and spat, "Who told you to dodge! I didn't do it on purpose!"

"Fine, fine, fine, you are the Young Miss, and I am the unlucky passerby."

Chen Xuan waved his hand, "But having said that, do people around here often run around under the influence of aphrodisiacs? How did I run into two as soon as I arrived?"

Leng Shuang said coldly, "Your luck is bad."

"This isn't bad luck, it's a hard life."

Chen Xuan sighed, "If I had known earlier that saving someone could increase my cultivation, I would have cured that cat in heat at Grandma Wang's downstairs back in the modern world yesterday."

Zhao Hongling didn't hear the second half clearly and frowned, asking, "What did you say?"

"Nothing." Chen Xuan chuckled, "I just think it's quite good that in this world, saving people can earn you some benefits."

Just as he finished speaking, a "ding" sound rang out in his head again.

[Host's voluntary mention of Bloodline connection behavior detected, System rules partially unlocked.]

Chen Xuan's steps faltered, and he almost tripped over a tree root.

"What? Big Brother System, are you finally willing to speak?"

[Core mechanism: Formal marriage and having offspring can activate the ten-thousand-fold return mechanism. The returned content includes cultivation, Cultivation Technique, resources, lifespan, and all other growth-related elements.]

Chen Xuan's eyes widened, and he exclaimed "good heavens" in his heart.

"So... I don't level up by saving people, but by doing that kind of thing?"

[Two intimate contacts have been recorded in the initial Bloodline connection records. Current return progress: 2%.]

"Only 2%?" Chen Xuan's heart tightened, "I thought it already counted!"

He snuck a glance at the two women in front of him, one cold as ice, the other hot as fire, and calculated silently, "If I could take both... wouldn't that mean I'd take off directly?"

Just as he was thinking this, Leng Shuang suddenly looked back, "What are you muttering about?"

"I said this road is a bit slippery." Chen Xuan quickly lifted his foot and scuffed the ground, "The dew just fell, be careful not to trip."

Zhao Hongling snorted, "Stop pretending to be a good person, you were clearly smirking just now."

"I was just relieving the awkwardness." Chen Xuan spread his hands, "After all, the relationship between the three of us is unclear and undefined, we have to find something to talk about, right?"

Leng Shuang said indifferently, "Once we reach the city, we go our separate ways."

"So heartless?" Chen Xuan scratched his head, "I helped you suppress the aphrodisiac, and I even got bitten, you won't even treat me to a meal?"

"If you want a meal, ask her." Leng Shuang glanced at Zhao Hongling.

Zhao Hongling immediately puffed out her chest, "My father will definitely thank you! How can a life-saving grace not be repaid? The manor has top-quality medicine for injuries, and a chef who specializes in stewing nourishing soups!"

"Listen to that, how sincere." Chen Xuan rubbed his hands, "Then I'll shamelessly sponge a meal."

Leng Shuang didn't speak again, she just slowed her pace slightly, tacitly agreeing to continue traveling together.

The three continued to walk forward, the official road gradually becoming clear. In the distance, the outline of the city wall emerged in the morning mist, with blue bricks and grey tiles, towering and heavy.

Chen Xuan walked while repeatedly chewing over the System's prompt in his mind.

"Marrying a wife and having children... ten-thousand-fold return..." The more he thought about it, the more he felt this path was wild, "No wonder it made me run into two people under the influence of aphrodisiacs as soon as I arrived, the System was sending me experience packs."

He secretly observed the two women.

Leng Shuang walked straight, her shoulder line tense, her brows slightly furrowed, one look and you could tell she didn't like to interact with people;

Zhao Hongling's steps were light, and she would turn back to glare at him from time to time, but the hostility in her eyes was gone, replaced by a bit of barely concealed curiosity.

"One is cold and hard to conquer, the other is hot-tempered and straightforward."

Chen Xuan stroked his chin, pondering, "If I could take down one first, the other might just follow suit... this is called a chain reaction."

Just as he was lost in thought, Zhao Hongling suddenly stopped again.

"What are you doing again?" Chen Xuan asked.

"You keep staring at us, what are you trying to do?" She put her hands on her hips.

"I am observing the terrain."

Chen Xuan pointed forward, "Look at that city gate, the guards are wearing leather armor and don't have official badges, they are likely local militia, not imperial troops. The rules in this kind of city are loose, suitable for someone like me without sect or affiliation to mingle in."

Zhao Hongling was stunned, "You know about this too?"

"I often read storybooks at home." Chen Xuan chuckled, "Records of Jianghu Life, Anecdotes of the Martial Forest, Secrets of the Ten Great Evil Techniques, I know them very well."

Leng Shuang said indifferently, "They are all made up."

"You can't say that." Chen Xuan shook his head, "Even if only one part in ten is true, it can save your life. For example, I know that the Cold Ice Cultivation Technique fears intense fire, and the Blazing Blade fears Yin water, these must be correct, right?"

Leng Shuang's eyes flickered slightly, she didn't deny it.

Zhao Hongling sneered, "What the hell do you know! The Cold Ice Cultivation Technique cultivates extreme Yin Qi, how could it be broken just by fearing fire?"

"Oh, testing me?" Chen Xuan was amused, "Then tell me, how is it broken?"

"Use Pure Yang Internal Energy to slowly guide it, dissolving its stagnation, only then can you break its Foundation." Zhao Hongling held her head high, "My uncle used this method to cripple a Cold Ice Sect expert."

Leng Shuang's expression darkened, her fingertips trembling slightly.

Chen Xuan quickly tried to smooth things over, "Impressive, impressive, Young Miss Zhao is very knowledgeable. But I think, in the path of martial arts, it depends on the person. Just like eating, some people love spicy, some like sweet, forcing them to eat the same thing would be harmful to their health instead."

His words sounded rough, but they made Leng Shuang's expression soften slightly.

Zhao Hongling curled her lip, "Slippery-tongued."

"Speaking the truth." Chen Xuan shrugged, "Just like last night, if I really had evil intentions, you would have been dead long ago. But not only did I save you, I even got bitten by you, this is called sacrificing oneself for others."

"Who asked you to save me!" Zhao Hongling blushed again, "If you hadn't appeared, I could have escaped myself!"

"Then why don't you escape and let me see?" Chen Xuan laughed, "You were quite capable when rolling in the hay, why didn't you say that then?"

Zhao Hongling stomped her foot in anger, "You...!"

Leng Shuang suddenly spoke, "There is a fork in the road ahead."

The two immediately stopped talking and looked up.

A dirt road led left toward the city gate, while another extended right into the mountain forest, where the outline of a small temple was vaguely visible.

"I'm going that way." Leng Shuang pointed to the right, "To buy Cold Iron, to repair my weapon."

"You're going alone?" Chen Xuan asked.

"None of your business."

"I'm not trying to control you." Chen Xuan scratched his head, "I mean, as a young lady, if you enter a shop with a weapon, they might not necessarily sell to you. Why don't we go together, I'll negotiate the price, you pay, it saves trouble."

Leng Shuang narrowed her eyes, "What are you after?"

"For peace of mind." Chen Xuan grinned, "In case you turn around and say I cheated you of your money, I wouldn't be able to wash myself clean even if I jumped into a river. It's better to have a clear transaction, and we'll be even."

Zhao Hongling chimed in, "I'm going too! I need to pick out a few good bracers for self-defense in the future!"

Leng Shuang glanced at her, but didn't object.

The three turned to the small path on the right and walked toward the mountain temple.

On the way, Chen Xuan asked silently in his heart, "System, if I marry ten wives and have twenty children, can I directly reach Immortal Ascension?"

[The return mechanism is linked to the host's strength, the offspring's Aptitude, and Bloodline purity, not just a simple numerical accumulation.]

"Oh, so it depends on quality." Chen Xuan smacked his lips, "Then I have to pick the good ones."

He swept a glance at the two women, muttering to himself, "One with a Cold Ice Spirit Body, one with a fire-attribute Physique, wouldn't the child they give birth to blow the roof off?"

The small temple was soon reached; it was an old shrine dedicated to the Ancestral Master of blacksmiths, with a wooden sign hanging at the entrance saying "Cold Iron Workshop", and a one-armed old man was hammering a blade blank.

"Old man, give us some goods!" Chen Xuan walked in swaggeringly.

The old man looked up, squinting as he sized up the three, his gaze lingering for a moment on Leng Shuang's silver soft armor and Zhao Hongling's gold-threaded embroidered dress, then he said slowly, "What are you buying?"

"Three catties of Cold Iron, two catties of refined steel, plus a set of quenching jars." Leng Shuang got straight to the point.

The old man nodded and turned to go into the house to get the goods.

Zhao Hongling looked around and suddenly pointed at a row of short blades on the wall, "What about that? How much?"

"Red Scale Blades, fifty taels for a pair." The old man didn't even look up.

"Are you robbing us!" Zhao Hongling glared, "Fifty taels for a piece of broken iron?"

"Broken iron?" The old man sneered, "These blades are forged using volcanic rock cores, they don't get dirty with blood, and they cut meat like tofu. If you can't afford it, don't ask."

Zhao Hongling was so angry she wanted to curse, but Chen Xuan quickly stopped her, "Don't be impatient, let's negotiate."

He turned to the old man and smiled, "Old man, look at us three young people, traveling together is not easy. Give us a friendly price, make the Cold Iron a bit cheaper, give us a discount on the Red Scale Blades, and I'll introduce more customers to you later, how about that?"

The old man glanced at him, "What are you, who can you introduce?"

"Me?" Chen Xuan patted his chest, "My name is Chen Xuan, a freelancer, specializing in treating all kinds of difficult and strange illnesses. From now on, I am your honorary customer recommendation officer."

The old man was stunned for a moment, then actually laughed, "You kid, you're interesting."

In the end, the Cold Iron was five taels cheaper, and the Red Scale Blades were sold for thirty taels.

Leng Shuang paid, Zhao Hongling triumphantly carried the new blades, and Chen Xuan swiped a bottle of quenching oil and tucked it into his bosom, saying happily, "This trip wasn't a loss."

The three left the Cold Iron Workshop and stepped back onto the official road leading to the city gate.

Sunlight sprinkled on their bodies, and the wind blew gently.

Chen Xuan looked at the city gate ahead and whispered to himself, "After entering the city, the first thing is to find a place to stay, the second thing is to inquire about where they are recruiting live-in sons-in-law... This ten-thousand-fold return, I, Chen Xuan, am determined to get it."

The corners of his mouth lifted slightly, he brought his index and middle fingers together and lightly wiped his nose tip.

Leng Shuang walked on the left, Zhao Hongling on the right, the three figures elongated as they walked step by step toward the city gate.

The guards at the city gate saw them from afar and began to tidy up their armor.