"I just need a temporary residence talisman." After hearing the explanation,
The other tiers were certainly attractive — longer residence duration, and the price was one Jiang Chen could afford. But for him, even a bronze-tier residence talisman granting ten years of residency was far too long.
There was no way he would be staying on Wintermire Island for ten years.
Forget ten years — three years was out of the question. He had only one goal: to leave as quickly as possible. Depart Wintermire Island, the sooner the better.
So a temporary residence talisman, granting one to three months of residency, would be more than enough. If it turned out to be insufficient when the time came, he could always renew it. After all, Jiang Chen had no intention of settling down long-term.
The eye-patched leader felt a small measure of relief upon hearing Jiang Chen's request. But almost immediately, he started second-guessing himself, thinking this young man was being awfully stingy — only buying a single temporary residence talisman?
However, cowed by Jiang Chen's imposing aura, he didn't dare let his displeasure show.
"This is one thousand Heavenly Ling Shi."
There was a rule in place, so Jiang Chen naturally followed it.
The eye-patched leader took the payment and returned a short while later with a temporary residence talisman, which he handed over to Jiang Chen. "This is the temporary residence talisman — keep it safe. In the City of Sin, if you don't have a residence talisman and run into trouble later, don't come blaming me."
Jiang Chen accepted the temporary residence talisman without a word.
He nodded, tapped the tip of his foot against the ground, and drifted through the city gate into the City of Sin in one smooth motion.
The eye-patched leader watched Jiang Chen's receding figure and let out a long breath of relief.
"Captain Yue, that kid doesn't look like a pauper — so why was he so cheap about it?" one of the guards couldn't help but grumble.
"Right? Asked a bunch of questions and then only buys a temporary residence talisman. Captain Yue, that kid looked like a fat sheep to me."
"Yeah, Captain Yue, letting him go just like that — isn't that a bit of a waste?"
Clearly, these guards were no saints themselves. Shaking down travelers and newcomers under the guise of their position was probably a routine affair.
A fresh-faced newcomer like Jiang Chen, who clearly wasn't destitute, was exactly the kind of target they liked to zero in on. Don't be fooled by their title as guards — in the City of Sin, those wearing a guard's uniform might well commit worse acts than anyone else. Because they could hide behind the authority of their post, making it even harder for people to defend against them.
If it had been anyone other than Jiang Chen — some other young man, say — those guards would likely have crushed him with their intimidation alone.
The only reason the eye-patched leader had cooperated so readily afterward was that he had been thoroughly shaken by Jiang Chen's Evil Golden Eye.
But once the initial shock faded, the leader's heart began to burn with greed once more.
Because he had a gut feeling that this young man was a fat sheep. A fat sheep like this — if he didn't take a slice, it would be a lifelong regret.
So while he had shown outward deference, he had actually pulled a few tricks behind the scenes.
Jiang Chen was unaware of any of this.
Right now, after entering the City of Sin, the first thing Jiang Chen did was look around and take stock of his surroundings.
The City of Sin could hardly be called prosperous — it was far from comparable to a major human stronghold like the Glazed City.
However, the moment Jiang Chen stepped inside, his first impression wasn't about how bustling the place was. Rather, he noticed just how many people there were.
The streets were absolutely packed, with crowds flowing in every direction.
It was as though every last person on Wintermire Island had poured into this city.
"Handsome, you've come a long way — need a room?"
"Hey there, young man! Our Spring Blossom House has the most girls, and they really know how to treat a gentleman right. Care to stop by?"
"Brother, need a place to rest? Our Gaosheng Teahouse is a gathering spot for cultivators — the liveliest place around. You can pick up all sorts of intelligence there."
The moment Jiang Chen's unfamiliar face appeared on the street, solicitation after solicitation descended upon him like a swarm of bees.
Jiang Chen didn't know whether to laugh or cry. This time, he finally understood what true madness looked like.
The City of Sin was an utterly insane place. Everyone here seemed to be running on adrenaline, brimming with unnatural enthusiasm.
But Jiang Chen saw right through it all. With his Heavenly Eye Divine Pupil, he could tell that behind every one of these false, welcoming faces lurked ill intent.
Jiang Chen naturally ignored their advances and kept walking.
His goal was to find a respectable-looking inn — somewhere to establish a foothold.
As he moved along the main street, a sudden commotion erupted from the side, followed by the most grating stream of curses: "You little brat! You owe Ninth Master money, and you've been overdue for half a month! Go on, keep running — let's see you hide. If you've got the guts, hide underground!"
The voice was coarse and came from off to the side. A ragged young boy burst out from the crowd at an angle, shooting past Jiang Chen.
The man chasing him was closing in fast.