Soul Land 5: The Rebirth of Tang San

Chapter 29: Mei Gongzi's Milk Tea Shop

Wang Yanfeng coughed before responding, "He's doing quite well. I think he has a good chance of passing the upcoming assessments."

"Oh? Such a promising youngster?" Gui Gui's eyes sparkled with interest. "No wonder you've brought him along. However, be cautious. The demons are not known for their kindness. Make sure he doesn't cause any trouble."

"Don't worry, Tang San is quite dependable," Wang Yanfeng replied with a reassuring smile. To him, Tang San was more than a mere child; his mature demeanor and insightful observations often made him appear the eldest in their group.

Gui Gui, intrigued, inquired further, "You seem quite confident in him. Do you have plans to show him around the city after your task?"

"Yes, I brought him here to broaden his horizons," Wang Yanfeng nodded.

"That's a good idea. Kali City has been pretty quiet lately, and there haven’t been any major conflicts. Your timing is perfect," Gui Gui noted.

Curious, Tang San asked, "Aunt Gui, are there often conflicts within the city?"

"Indeed," Gui Gui explained, "the demon clans have a lot of hatred toward each other and they’re very competitive, especially those of similar strength. They fight for higher rankings all the time, because that’s what dictates how many resources they get and how good. For instance, our Wind Wolf Clan often clashes with the Flash Leopard Clan, our arch-enemies. Unfortunately, we usually find ourselves at a disadvantage. So I advise you not to recklessly reveal your Wind Wolf Transformation. If you do that and happen to meet an enemy clan, it’ll be dangerous. The Wind Wolf Clan won't mourn the loss of a vassal, so concealing our demonic forms is crucial for survival. Do you understand?"

Flash Leopard Clan? Leopard Flash?

"Flash Leopard Clan? Are they based in Kali City as well?" Tang San inquired, his interest piqued.

"Yes, their ancestral home is also here. As one of the seven main cities, Kali City houses the ancestral homes of seven prominent clans. These homes are basically the core of each clan. The Wind Wolf and Flash Leopard Clans have their main residences here, even if they are just side branches of the main clans. The central area of Sanctum Spiritus City, on the other hand, hosts the main ancestral homes of the top ten clans. Only those in the top ten clans have the privilege to live in Sanctum Spiritus City's core."

Tang San absorbed Gui Gui's words, realizing she held a wealth of knowledge about Kali City that likely surpassed Wang Yanfeng’s.

"Have you ever visited Sanctum Spiritus City, Aunt Gui?" asked Tang San, his curiosity now truly piqued.

"No, I've only heard stories," Gui Gui replied, shaking her head. "They say it's an immense city, almost endless. It's a realm of the elite, and every single inhabitant is a powerful demon or nymph. We wouldn’t survive there. Even a casual flick of a finger from a high-ranking demon could exterminate us."

After dinner, Wang Yanfeng and Tang San retired early, seeking rest.

Seated cross-legged on his bed and cultivating, Tang San noticed the faster absorption of elemental energy in Kali City. The spiritual energy was denser here, though he had observed that it varied across different city areas. The energy density around the inn was comparatively weaker, but it was still far better than outside.

After breakfast, they left the inn the following day to visit the Wind Wolf Clan's ancestral home.

Situated in a central part of Kali City, the journey to the ancestral home took over two hours on foot, as running through the streets wasn't an option. Tang San could see the clan's estate from a distance, marked by a giant blue wolf head emblem atop the tall gate of the courtyard wall.

The wolf head emblem, with a diameter of over three meters, was prominently displayed at the top of the gate of the Wind Wolf Clan's ancestral home. It emitted a faint blue-gray glow, significantly enriching the wind element in the surrounding air. The emblem seemed to create a subtle flow of air, which radiated outward and repelled any presence approaching the gate.

Tang San wondered about the stone's weight as they approached. That's a whole piece of wind spirit stone! It must be heavy!

The ancestral home was enclosed by an imposing wall extending a hundred meters on either side. The ten-meter-high wall concealed the interior, shielding it from outside view.

Approaching the walls, they felt an invisible pressure, making breathing difficult.

Wang Yanfeng led the way, with Tang San following. They walked along the walls. At the gate, they were stopped by four imposing wolf demons.

The four demons guarding the door were all over two meters tall. After Wang Yanfeng revealed his Wind Wolf Transformation and his physique changed along with the green glow that shone from his eyes, identifying himself as a vassal, the guards relaxed a little.

"What are you doing here?" one of the wind wolves asked coldly.

"We are from Wind Wolf Town, here to present the tribute list to the Overlord. Please inform them of our arrival." Wang Yanfeng was quick to explain.

The guard's demeanor softened upon hearing their purpose.

"Follow me," he said, leading the way inside.

Wang Yanfeng hurried along.

As Tang San prepared to follow, a wolf demon's hand blocked his way. "The kid stays outside. What's a little brat doing here? Looking for trouble? You will wait outside!"

Tang San paused and looked at Wang Yanfeng, who seemed surprised. It was most likely because of Tang San's young age.

"Just wait for me outside, Tang San. Over there," Wang Yanfeng instructed.

An open space was outside the gate of the ancestral home, and a gigantic ancient tree was in the middle of the clearing. A quick eye measurement told Tang San that it would take more than ten humans to surround the tree. The colossal tree branches provided an area of shade.

This area was the core district of Kali City; Wang Yanfeng had told Tang San previously almost all the ancestral homes of stronger demon races were here.

Wang Yanfeng signaled Tang San to wait at the ancient tree. He didn't want Tang San to be staying near the wolf demons. Complications would arise if Tang San were questioned.

Tang San obediently agreed and walked to the tree.

The wolf demons didn't seem to care. The one who was leading Wang Yanfeng had already brought him into the ancestral home.

Tang San walked to the tree, slightly disappointed at being excluded from the ancestral home. He had hoped to observe the high energy levels and familiarize himself with the clan's layout. This knowledge would help him when he needed to steal the bloodline energy of the wind wolves. He didn't expect to be shut out.

Walking to the shade of the ancient tree, Tang San was refreshed by the air.

In the core district of Kali City, not even demons were seen to be walking about. There were other big homes farther off. Tang San walked to the other side of the tree to avoid the wind wolves' attention.

Sitting under the tree, Tang San noticed a small shop across the road.

Why is there a shop here?

It seemed to be a two-part structure: a storefront and living quarters.

The shop's sign said “Mei Gongzi's Milk Tea Shop.”

Banana’s Comments: writing this gave me a craving for milk tea.