The Fifth Day as a Rich Second-Gen

Half a year after Ming Sui's Spirit Awakening, Ming Zhen and Tang Yunhua took her out on the road. Only Steward Ming and the captain of the guards, Ming An, accompanied them. Their destination was uncertain, as was their return date. But their first stop was still the Star Dou Great Forest, where they found Ming Sui her first spirit ring. After obtaining it, Ming Sui's Soul Power reached level 13. After all, Soul Power accumulated when one continued cultivating without acquiring a spirit ring, then paid out all at once once the ring was in place.

After that, the family wandered aimlessly across the continent. Following three months of life in the wilderness, Ming Sui finally saw a city again after what felt like ages: Calais City, the northern hub city of the Annos Principality.

The Annos Principality was currently in a state of anarchy, relying entirely on the lords of its major cities to govern themselves. Located on the plains, Calais City was rich in resources. The famous Goddess River flowed here from the Star Dou Great Forest before emptying into the sea. Combined with the Spirit Tool Manufacturing industry that had risen abruptly in recent years, the city was attracting countless people to work and settle here. Even people from Suotuo City in the neighboring Balak Kingdom had begun coming here for work. The only flaw was that after the original Spirit Hall had been burned, looted, and slaughtered by a band of thieves, no new Spirit Hall had moved in. Fortunately, the mysterious Calais City Lord promptly arranged for his subordinates to establish a dedicated Spirit Awakening site and continue issuing Soul Master stipends to Soul Masters within the city's territory.

The sturdy carriage clattered along broad, clean flagstone streets. Outside, crowds bustled about. Vendors hawked their wares, while buyers haggled over prices. It had a charm all its own compared to the elegant capital of the Heaven Dou Empire.

The sounds outside gradually faded as the carriage entered a residential district. After another quarter of an hour, it came to a stop. Ming Zhen stepped down first, helped Tang Yunhua out, then lifted Ming Sui from the carriage. "We're here. This is our new home."

Ming Sui stared speechlessly at the three words "City Lord's Mansion" on the plaque above the gate. During their journey of more than three months, she had already grown calm about her parents' various disguises: unemployed wanderers, visiting relatives and friends, side branches of great clans, stewards of certain sects, accompanying officials of nobles from certain kingdoms. But this new identity as the Calais City Lord still shocked her. As expected of Ming Sui's parents.

Behind them, Steward Ming and Ming An got down from the carriage without any surprise and began unpacking on their own. Ming An knew about this base, after all. His twin brother, Ming Quan, had been holding Calais City for their master. As for Steward Ming, he had yet to recover from his emotions. He truly had not expected that aside from their trusted people in the shadows, the master's family had brought only him away from Heaven Dou City. When Ming Zhen had asked whether he wanted to come with them, he had said they were family. Steward Ming sniffled to himself. Ever since his Spirit Awakening, he had not had such a thing as family. Now, past sixty years old, he had family again.

The layout of their new home differed greatly from the residence in the Heaven Dou Imperial City, but fortunately, everyone had spent a long time living in the wilderness and adapted quickly. After resting briefly, Ming Sui went to her parents' main courtyard, where Ming Zhen and Tang Yunhua were already waiting to eat with her.

"Were you surprised, Sui Sui? Your father and I took over Calais City when we traveled in our youth. It's our secret base." Tang Yunhua smiled smugly.

"I should have realized it sooner. Who else could have created such advanced Spirit Tool Manufacturing? Harvesters, irrigation machines, plastic mulch, and all that." Ming Sui was a little annoyed with herself, but even more moved. Most nobles on the continent disdained researching such "boring" industries as agriculture. They only knew how to scour the land for fine wine and delicious food, without caring how those things were produced.

"When we arrived in Calais City during our travels, we took over this mess. I handle the City Lord's Mansion's administration, while your mother commands the city defense army. After resting for another couple of days, we'll have to start working. We won't have time to oversee your cultivation." Ming Zhen spoke slowly, wearing an ill-intentioned smile.

Ming Sui was stunned. After living two lives, she had never expected that gaining parents would turn her into a child out of school.

"Before coming here, I already had notices posted to recruit Soul Masters to teach you. Once we meet them and see whether they're suitable, you can first cultivate and study with a teacher," Tang Yunhua quickly comforted her.

Ming Sui hurriedly nodded. "The other major cities on the continent all have their own Soul Master Academies. Calais City should be large enough to build one now, shouldn't it?"

"It certainly could. We simply haven't had the time yet. But we can start preparing for it. Just think how much economic activity a school could generate." Ming Zhen began imagining countless young Soul Masters coming to the streets to spend money, and his smile grew blissful.

Mother and daughter watched the strange smile appear on Ming Zhen's face, then lowered their heads and focused on eating.

In the countryside outside Suotuo City, Balak Kingdom.

In a farmhouse courtyard, five men sat silently around a table, the atmosphere heavy.

"So the Balak Kingdom is determined to force us to merge with them?" A sturdy, burly man looked furious.

"We could have delayed it for a while longer, but when I went out this time, I got pestered by the Suotuo City Lord's nephew. He insists on taking my shop." The middle-aged man beside him spoke with a slight slur, his tone disdainful.

"Flender, you're a Soul Sage. Just a city lord's nephew?" The old man across from the slurring man found it strange. Flender was not exactly known for his good temper.

"This nephew's father is a cardinal at the Spirit Hall's main branch in the Balak Kingdom. Spirit Hall may not be going after Old Zhao anymore, but if we openly oppose them, it's not as if they won't come looking to make trouble." Flender said coldly, "Once those leeches have tasted blood, how could they be willing to stop? If it comes to it, we'll change locations."

The oldest man fell silent for a while. "We can't really merge with them. What we teach are monsters. Would Barak's students accept our philosophy? And that child you've taken a liking to recently, Ma Hongjun—didn't he awaken a mutated Phoenix Spirit?"

The youngest of the five men looked at their expressions and said firmly, "I'll follow all of you no matter what. We agreed we would teach together, and teach only monsters."

"If that day really comes, Shao Xin, you should leave. You're different from us. All of us have some sort of grudge with Spirit Hall, but you're a Food System Soul Sage. You can make a name for yourself anywhere. By then, us old brothers might even have to rely on you to support us." The slurring Flender spoke to the youngest man, but his voice no longer carried its usual vigor.

"I'll go see Ma Hongjun," Flender said, unable to bear the oppressive atmosphere any longer. He stood up. "If we move somewhere else, I'll ask whether he's willing to come with me."

Ma Hongjun was a child from the village where Flender currently lived. Last year, he had awakened a mutated Phoenix Spirit. The reason it was called mutated was that Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Flame had far greater burning power. Flender had been overjoyed and wanted to take him as his disciple.

But trouble had arisen that very night after his awakening. Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Flame ignited all over his body. The flames spread and set Ma Hongjun's house ablaze. Flender, who happened to be cultivating on the back mountain, saw it and rushed over, fearing something had happened to Ma Hongjun. He hurriedly put out the fire. Because he had saved them in time, the neighboring houses were not affected, but Ma Hongjun's home needed to be rebuilt.

Fortunately, Ma Hongjun's parents loved him deeply, and their family had a decent amount of savings. Still, they were more worried about Ma Hongjun's body. They had never heard of a Soul Master suddenly bursting into flames outside of battle.

Flender first used Soul Power to seal Ma Hongjun's Soul Power, then wrote to his friends for advice. Later, he discovered that this was a side effect of the mutation. The mutation had brought immense destructive power, but also a lack of control. At present, it seemed this condition would follow Ma Hongjun for the rest of his life.

After learning of this, Ma Hongjun's mother fell silent. She discussed it with her husband, and the next day, the kind couple sought out Flender. They hoped he would not take their son as a disciple. As long as he did not cultivate, the flames would not spread, and he would not drag Flender into it. These simple, honest parents would rather give up their child's chance at a glorious future.

But Flender could not bear it. He told a well-intentioned lie. The cautious couple also could not bear to give up on their son. Hearing Flender say there was a solution, they breathed a sigh of relief and tacitly agreed to let Ma Hongjun cultivate under him. However, because Ma Hongjun was still so young, Flender had to help him regulate his Soul Power every few days to prevent the Heavenly Flames from losing control again.

Not long after Ma Hongjun's house had been rebuilt, while it was still new, the chubby boy spoiled by his parents was cultivating. Dark red Soul Power swirled around his body. Seeing his disciple cultivate so diligently, Flender felt somewhat better.

"Lord Flender, you're here. Try these pastries Ma Hongjun's father brought back from Calais City," Ma Hongjun's mother warmly invited.

Seeing that Ma Hongjun was still cultivating, Flender was in no hurry. He simply sat down and chatted with Ma Hongjun's mother for a while, hoping to ease his gloomy mood. "Has Ma Hongjun's father returned from Calais City?"

"Yes, he came back early this morning. He said he found work and a house in Calais City. Once we pack up, we'll be heading there to make a living." Though her words sounded pitiful, Ma Hongjun's mother's face was full of joy.

"Didn't you say last time that you were still staying here?" Flender asked in confusion. If they all moved away, what would happen to Ma Hongjun? Their academy did not even have dormitories yet.

At that, Ma Hongjun's mother immediately grew animated, her face glowing. "Originally, only his father was going, but that factory was also hiring cafeteria workers. His father let the manager taste the rations I made, and when the manager heard that I could keep accounts, he decided on the spot to hire me for the cafeteria too. I'll be earning wages as well."

Flender secretly groaned. If his disciple's parents left, where could the boy stay?

Ma Hongjun's mother seemed to have opened a floodgate and began describing what her husband had seen in Calais City: imposing, orderly city walls; spirited city defense troops; bustling streets; all kinds of delicious food. "My lord, Junjun is such a lucky child. He awakened his Spirit and immediately got a teacher like you to guide him. Even the Calais City Lord's child doesn't have anyone teaching them. His father said he saw a notice at the City Lord's Mansion looking for someone to teach the city lord's child cultivation. I wonder who will be lucky enough to get that job. Calais City is so wealthy, so the city lord must be offering a high salary. Living in the City Lord's Mansion, they certainly wouldn't have to worry about food or lodging. It must be much better than renting a house like us..."

Flender did not hear anything she said afterward.

He had only heard that the mysterious Calais City Lord was looking for a private tutor for his child.

That Calais City no one dared provoke.

He had to give it a try.