Rich Second-Gen's Twenty-Third Day

You could never go wrong following Oscar and Ma Hongjun to eat.

That was what Ma Hongjun said should be written into Shrek's school history.

The eight of them, bellies round and full, continued strolling to digest their food. They went from the food street to the small-goods street and found a general store to hunt for some fun little trinkets.

This general store was also owned by the City Lord's Mansion. It bought and sold everything. Ming Zhen planned to eventually upgrade it into an auction house.

Rows of shelves stood neatly arranged throughout the store, filled with items from all sorts of origins. Ming Sui usually did not bother looking at things with clear classifications. She ran over to the unclassified section and began picking through the items one by one.

She had not come in a while, and there were plenty of new arrivals. Colorful metal—this could be shown to her cousin. A golden flower—the craftsmanship was not bad. Then... a broken sword, smeared with blood. That was not right. Items bought by the general store were usually cleaned. The staff could not possibly be careless enough to put uncleaned merchandise on the shelves, could they?

Ming Sui called over a clerk and asked about the sword.

"My lady, it isn't that we don't want to clean it. These bloodstains simply cannot be washed off, so we can only leave it displayed like this," the clerk said awkwardly.

Ming Sui rubbed her chin. Tang San, who had just finished appraising the piece of metal beside her, came over when he noticed the commotion. The instant he saw the broken sword, the Asura God Power within the spirit bone that had been integrated by the Asura God surged out. The Soul Power shock triggered by that immense divine power made Tang San's face turn pale. Fortunately, the general store was dimly lit, so no one noticed.

Tang San suppressed the turmoil within him. There was something strange about this sword. He had to take it back and examine it. "This is interesting. I'll take it back and study it."

Ming Sui nodded. "Then, Cousin, if you figure out why the bloodstains can't be washed off, make sure to tell me."

Tang San nodded and worked hard to guide his Soul Power.

Ming Sui continued browsing. A huge glowing pearl, a tree trunk with an incredibly comforting aura, unknown seeds, even an egg—she gathered up all sorts of odds and ends and left with a whole bag full.

The others were no less enthusiastic. Every one of their Storage Spirit Tools gained another pile of little things they did not know the use of, but simply wanted to buy.

They continued onward and arrived at Calais City's free market. As the name implied, anything could be sold here as long as the entrance fee was paid. Today's free market was a little different. A single stall was surrounded by layers upon layers of people.

None of them were the sort to pass up excitement, so they all squeezed toward the crowd. Ma Hongjun led the way with his eyes closed, while Dai Mubai and Tang San guarded the flanks. The four girls were in the middle, and Oscar brought up the rear. This round formation of eight wriggled and barreled its way inside.

There was a raised platform in the center. Rows of people stood upon it, all bound up, with straw markers stuck into their bodies—they were slaves being sold.

"What is it? Does it make you uncomfortable to watch?" A familiar voice sounded. Ming Sui looked up and saw her father.

Everyone greeted Ming Zhen as well. Ming Zhen said, "Let's go talk in the teahouse up ahead."

This was not pleasant excitement to watch, so they obediently squeezed back out of the crowd.

"I only brought the tea I like to drink today, so you'll have to make do." Ming Zhen had loved jasmine tea in his previous life. After arriving on Douluo Continent, he had not forgotten to recreate his favorite flavor alongside his cultivation. He had eventually found an unnamed little flower that looked and smelled extremely similar to the jasmine from his previous life. He named the plant "Jasmine" and made jasmine tea from it.

After hearing Ming Zhen's story about Jasmine, Tang San silently took a sip. His uncle-in-law truly was undoubtedly from the same homeland.

"Uncle Ming, you really are a refined man. That name sounds wonderful." Ma Hongjun took a large gulp of tea, smacked his lips, and praised him.

"Exactly. Our Xiao San is the same. His Soul Tool is even called Twenty-Four Bridges Moonlight Night," Oscar added.

Tang San immediately choked on the mouthful of tea he had failed to swallow. Ming Sui froze, looked up at the flustered Tang San, then shifted her gaze to Ming Zhen.

Ming Zhen raised an eyebrow and smiled faintly. Looking at Tang San, he said, "Oh, perhaps Xiao San simply didn't take after his father."

Well, that joke was just as funny as Tang San choking on tea. The private room filled with cheerful air.

Tang San sighed inwardly. Fine, there was no longer any need to agonize over whether to admit it. He had been exposed outright.

After deciding the atmosphere had livened up enough, Dai Mubai began discussing business. "Uncle Ming, why are there slaves in Calais City? I saw traces of Spirit Hall on some people's clothing."

Ming Zhen's expression turned serious. "Even if I hadn't run into you today, I would have reminded you about this. Do not tell anyone about how the Spirit Hall Holy Son you encountered in the Star Dou Great Forest was taken away by a soul beast's self-destruction. With the Holy Son's accident, coupled with the theft at Spirit Hall a few days ago, the Pope has purged quite a few people. Don't get swept up in it."

Dai Mubai lowered his head in thought. Among the eight of them, only he had people under his command. Oscar and Ma Hongjun were commoners and would not be involved in such turmoil. Tang San was obsessed with cultivation. Though he had close ties with Ming Zhen, he had never participated in Calais City's internal affairs. Among the girls, Ming Sui's information all came from Calais City, but she would not take action herself. Ning Rongrong also merely received information. Xiao Wu had a mysterious background, but had made no major moves. Zhuqing's people were all under his command as well. He raised his head, looked at Ming Zhen, and nodded.

Seeing that he understood, Ming Zhen curled his lips and continued explaining. "Although the Pope and those consecrated elders of Spirit Hall do not get along, the stolen item was something the Pope needed as well. So he flew into a rage and used the Holy Son's death as an opportunity to get rid of many people he disliked. The ones being sold here are all innocents who were implicated."

"And what about those who were actually involved?" Xiao Wu could not help asking.

"They were definitely all dealt with," Dai Mubai said coldly. "What other methods could they possibly have?"

Ming Zhen poured himself another cup of tea and slowly drank it.

After thinking for a moment, Ming Sui asked Ming Zhen, "Dad, Calais City doesn't have slaves, right?"

Ming Zhen nodded. "How could something as backward as slavery exist in Calais City? These merchants are quite something."

The atmosphere improved slightly. Ming Zhen kept everyone for another cup of tea before sending them back. He only separately notified Tang San to come to the City Lord's Mansion that evening. Tang Hao wanted to see him.

Tang San decided he would eat Oscar's sausages for the rest of his life—the kind he did not pay for.

In Ming Zhen's study at the City Lord's Mansion, it was still jasmine tea. Ming Zhen and Tang San sat facing each other.

Tang San sighed. This was Sui Sui's father, his own uncle-in-law. He could not possibly make an elder speak first, so he could only speak first himself.

Thus, Ming Zhen, whose mind was filled with freedom, equality, justice, and rule of law, heard a wuxia story.

Born an orphan, entering the Tang Sect, possessing an obsession with martial arts, secretly learning the inner cultivation manual, being rejected by the sect, and jumping off a cliff to be reborn.

Ming Zhen, who had bought the copyrights to countless overpowered-protagonist novels in his previous life, fell into a daze.

After Tang San finished recounting his brief life from his previous life, he had not expected his uncle-in-law to remain silent for so long. He could not help looking up.

Was his uncle-in-law, who always seemed to have everything under control, spacing out?

Noticing Tang San's gaze, Ming Zhen came back to himself. So what if they had come from different times? It was a small matter. They were both on Douluo Continent now, so there was no real difference.

"The place we came from is a little different from yours. We could practice martial arts too, but we had no internal energy, nor Hidden Weapons as powerful as yours," Ming Zhen said.

We? Who else? His aunt or Sui Sui? Tang San was shocked.

After Tang San's identity was exposed, Ming Zhen, Tang Yunhua, and Ming Sui had also hesitated over whether to tell Tang San everything. But in the end, they made their decision. Tang San was Tang Hao's son. In terms of family, they were one family. In terms of interests, they shared the same position and goals. Furthermore, after spending time together, their family had basically acknowledged Tang San's character. So they unanimously believed that if they were going to be honest with each other, they should make everything clear.

"Your aunt, Sui Sui, and I all came from the same place." Ming Zhen watched Tang San's expression crack with a touch of malice before continuing, "We could not cultivate, but we possessed powerful manufacturing industries. In terms of comfortable living, you probably could not compare to us."

Tang San was no longer shocked, because he knew there was something even more shocking waiting ahead.

Thermal weapons, electricity, automation, assembly lines... Tang San recalled the Tang Sect's Hidden Weapons workshop and silently calculated the production capacity of his aunt and uncle-in-law's era. He felt a deep sense of envy.

But that was not all Ming Zhen intended to tell Tang San.

"All this time, we felt that although you were steady and mature, you were still a child, so there were some things we did not tell you." Ming Zhen said seriously, "But now, we think you need to know some truths."

"You were born into the Clear Sky Sect, and you already know that your father, Tang Hao, is the Clear Sky Douluo. But we never told you about your mother. She was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, the Blue Silver Emperor Ah Yin, and she was the source of your martial soul in your right hand."

"A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast?" Tang San's mind raced at high speed, though it only showed in the heat rising in his head.

"Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts can choose to take human form and cultivate again. Your mother did exactly that. While she was cultivating among humans, the former Pope, Qian Xunji, discovered her identity. He wanted to kill your mother and obtain her Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Ring. At the time, there were only your father and mother, and you had just been born. With no other choice, your mother sacrificed herself and gave your father the Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Ring. He gravely injured Qian Xunji while carrying you and escaped to Holy Spirit Village. The Clear Sky Sect also sealed itself away because of this." Ming Zhen briefly explained the matter.

"Is there still a way to save my mother?" Tang San ignored everything else. He was only anxious about his mother's condition.

Ming Zhen's smile became more genuine. "After your mother sacrificed herself, she left behind a seed. We planted it after coming to Calais City, and it is growing very well now. The reason your father agreed to come to Calais City was also because there were many records left behind by Spirit Hall here. We found some useful things among them."

"The theft at Spirit Hall?" Tang San's eyes lit up.

Ming Zhen liked clever children like this. His precious daughter's classmates were all promising talents. He decided he should visit Shrek more often in the future. "That's right. Just as you think."

Since the elders had already taken action, that meant the hope of reviving his mother had increased by a few more degrees. "Can I go see her?" Tang San asked carefully. Mother... he had never imagined he could still have a mother. When he had opened his eyes as a child and only seen his father, he had comforted himself. He had had neither father nor mother in his previous life. In this life, having a father meant he should not hope for anything more. Yet he had never expected that he still had a mother.