Soul Land 5: The Rebirth of Tang San

Chapter 15: Teachings

Tang San raised his head to look at Wang Yanfeng. The man’s eyes were filled with pain, and he seemed to age decades in that brief moment.

Wang Yanfeng and Qiu Jing had a child, and that child had failed in the awakening assessment, just like the five children today.

That was why he was so desperate today, doing his best and hoping that more children could survive.

"Teacher... Thank you." Tang San bowed deeply to Wang Yanfeng.

Despite Tang San's past life as a God King, and though Wang Yanfeng was just a humble existence in this Wind Wolf Town, what Wang Yanfeng had done was significant. His efforts to preserve the last spark of humanity had earned Tang San's approval, even though they had only known each other for one day.

Thanks to his divine consciousness, Tang San could feel the sorrow and genuine emotion in the hearts of Wang Yanfeng and Qiu Jing. He also felt for the first time that in this world, he finally had a home.

His night was sleepless, and he couldn’t cultivate either—the image of the altar kept appearing in his mind. He didn't go outside that night either. While the seed of hatred was deeply rooted in his heart, the warmth brought to him by Wang Yanfeng and his wife was also something he cherished dearly. At this point, he couldn't act rashly. He had to be sure and think of an escape route for the people in this house before he could act.

In the morning, Qiu Jing was up early and prepared breakfast.

After a night's rest, Wang Da, Wang Er, and Wang San seemed to be in better spirits, and they were able to fully enjoy the rich breakfast they were offered. By contrast, Tang San appeared listless. Ling Muxue's eyes were swollen, and her expression was dull as she stared at nothing.

Wang Yanfeng, in the meantime, seemed to have returned to his usual self. After eating, he asked the five people to stand before him.

"Starting from today, I will teach you the things you have to know. Every morning, there will be lessons about this continent, including culture, history, and so on. The following morning, I will test your knowledge of the content you learned. Those who fail the assessment will be punished. In the afternoon, I will teach you the Wind Wolf Transformation. You must improve, and you must do it fast. Only then you will have a chance to survive when the second test comes in three years. Do you understand?"

Wang Yangfeng’s tone was resolute and left no room for argument or complaint.

"Uh-huh." Wang Da, Wang Er, and Wang San all nodded repeatedly. They felt as if they had come to an unprecedented paradise, not having to work and being able to eat their fill, which satisfied them. Although they could be considered unenlightened, humans are naturally intelligent, so they roughly understood that their fate had changed. They also understood Wang Yanfeng's words about the second assessment. Failure to pass meant death.

Wang Yanfeng brought out a blackboard and started writing characters, the script of this world, teaching the five students word by word.

Among the five, the only one who had any understanding of these characters and had a bit more background knowledge was Ling Muxue. Tang San could naturally speak, but he couldn't write. After all, he had been a slave since birth.

They only learned ten characters and ten basic words on the first day. Then came the lecture about the Daemon Continent.

"The Daemon Continent is split into two large areas: the area controlled by the demons and the area controlled by the nymphs. The demons call themselves the Holy Tribe, and their area is known as the Empyrean Dominion. The nymphs are also known as the Spirit Tribe, and their area is called the Solstice Empire. Regarding the exact names of countries, there are even different names among the tribes. So, in future lectures, I will use Holy Tribe and Spirit Tribe to refer to them.

"The origin of the Daemon Continent is unknown. According to the histories recorded by both tribes, it is said that the Ancestral Demons and Ancestral Nymphs were born first, ages ago. They created the demons and the nymphs that are now known as the Holy Tribe and the Spirit Tribe. Both tribes inherently possessed great power, and they had the potential to acquire more power by absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth. As they evolved, powerful demons and nymphs appeared—those collectively known today as Celestial Demons and Nymphs.

“The Holy Tribe and the Spirit Tribe have a certain interdependence, so although conflicts exist, they can maintain a balance overall. The strength of the two sides is also almost equal, and they have complete hegemony over their own territories. Hence the division in governance.

"The Holy Tribe mainly controls the northeastern part of the Daemon Continent, while the Spirit Tribe is in the relatively warmer southwest. Each tribe has many large cities governed by powerful Great Demons and Great Nymphs of the two tribes. The point where the borders of the two tribes meet is the center of the Daemon Continent. At the very center lies the Sanctum Spiritus City, the largest city on the Daemon Continent, inhabited by the most powerful demons and nymphs. It is said that the city is vast beyond imagination.”

Listening to Wang Yanfeng's lecture, even the grieving Ling Muxue was somewhat entranced. After all, her mother was just a slave with limited knowledge. What Wang Yanfeng taught was like a story to them, and it was also the first time the vast outside world was laid before their eyes.

"There are seven major cities under the rule of the Holy Tribe and seven main cities governed by the Spirit Tribe. Including the Sanctum Spiritus City, the two tribes have fifteen major cities.[1] Only the most powerful Great Demons and Great Nymphs have the right to rule these main cities. The weaker demons and nymphs gather as tribes and form villages and towns around the main cities. Villages and towns also vary in size, and our Wind Wolf Town is actually the smallest kind. The Wind Wolf Clan itself is not strong in the first place, and the wolf demons here are just a small offshoot of the Wind Wolf Clan, so they are practically the weakest of the weak."

"What about us humans? Do humans exist everywhere?" Tang San asked.

Wang Yanfeng looked at him and then slowly nodded, "Yes, humans are spread throughout the Daemon Continent. In terms of numbers, we actually surpass the demons and nymphs combined. Among the slave races, we have the largest population.

"We humans have no innate abilities and we are physically weak. That puts us at a huge disadvantage compared to the demons and nymphs born with innate abilities. Some powerful demons and nymphs are even born with the power of the fifth or sixth order. They can break through the ninth order and develop even greater strength upon adulthood.

"In contrast, while we are weak, we reproduce much more quickly. We are also comparatively intelligent, more competent when it comes to following complex commands, and more creative. And there is also..." He paused, his expression slightly twisted. "...Good flesh quality."

"Hence, we are considered good slaves, and for some demons, we are even... livestock. They will breed us extensively. In their eyes, we are lowly beings. Strangely, when those powerful demons and nymphs cultivate to a certain extent or are naturally strong, they can transform into human form. This ability is something that I have only heard of, though. Even though I’ve been to some large cities, I have yet to see anything like that.

"According to what I have heard, the humans are treated better under the rule of the nymphs because nymphs are herbivorous. Also, nymphs seem to be less brutal in nature. Thanks to that, humans are much better integrated in the nymph society, and naturally, the human vassals of the nymphs have a higher status than us. It is said that there are also some with substantial abilities.

"That's all for today. If I continue, you won't be able to remember everything. After you return to the house, copy the words I taught you today ten times and memorize them well. There will be an assessment tomorrow, and those who fail will be punished. Now, go."

The morning class ended. Judging from Wang Yanfeng's lecture, while his knowledge was by no means all-encompassing, he was definitely considered well-educated among humans. His teachings about the Daemon Continent benefited Tang San.

In order to find his wife, he first needed to understand this world.

1. The original here says that there are eight major cities under the Holy Tribe, for a total of sixteen. According to the later chapters, they have seven cities each. ☜