Soul Land 5: The Rebirth of Tang San

Chapter 344: Verbal Sparring

He paused for a moment, then said, "In this matter, I'm afraid I can't protect you entirely. But if you're willing to join my Aetherhorn Deer Demon clan as guest members, at least in the Ancestral Court, we can mediate on your behalf."

Tang San asked, "Does that mean we won't have to go to the Ancestral Court's Great Beast Fighting Arena?"

The Aetherhorn Deer Demon King shook his head and said, "That's impossible. Unless the City Lord is present, no one can stand against the envoy on your behalf. You will have to go, but if this is handled well, there's a good chance you can return safely."

"How can it be handled?" Tang San asked.

The Aetherhorn Deer Demon King said, "You need to win at least one match over there, then I'll find a way to ensure that your subsequent opponents only injure you but don't kill you. After that, I'll work things out to make it seem like you're grievously injured. Then, we can bring you back and keep a low profile. That should get you through this."

Wu Bingji looked at Tang San, his emotions mixed. If it weren't for the current situation, he would have asked Tang San if this guy was being serious.

Tang San's answer would be a resounding yes.

He looked at the Aetherhorn Deer Demon King and said, "Thank you for your care, Your Excellency. And for being so candid with us. We do indeed want to visit the Ancestral Court. I also want to find the master who gave us the three array discs. If there's a chance, I can introduce him to you."

The Aetherhorn Deer Demon King's eyes lit up, and there was appreciation in his gaze. Indeed, talking to smart people is easy!

"But..." Tang San hesitated.

The Aetherhorn Deer Demon King asked calmly, "But what?"

Tang San lowered his head somewhat shamefully and said, "Could you please introduce us to the City Lord? We have always admired the City Lord deeply..."

The Aetherhorn Deer Demon King's heart stirred, but his expression remained calm as he smiled and said, "It seems you have great ambitions, don't you?"

Tang San kept his head down and said, "We've long revered the City Lord."

From Mei Gongzi, he had long known that this Aetherhorn Deer Demon King was one of the Peacock Great Demon King's allies, a staunch supporter of the same faction, and basically Kali City's financial overseer. By pretending that he knew an array master, he ensured that the Aetherhorn Deer Demon King had vested interests in them. Then, by expressing a desire to meet the City Lord and indicating a wish to join the City Lord's ranks, he naturally had multiple considerations.

Even before coming to the competition, Tang San had already devised this plan.

In the future, Mei Gongzi's most crucial task was to take control of Kali City. If he could join the Peacock Demon clan, he would naturally be able to assist Mei Gongzi legitimately by her side.

"I've seen your registration information. You're called Asura?" The Aetherhorn Deer Demon King looked at the masked Tang San.

Indeed, Tang San used the name Asura when he registered.

"Yes," Tang San nodded.

"The City Lord is currently in seclusion and cannot see you. How about this: after you return successfully from the Ancestral Court, if the City Lord has emerged from seclusion, I will introduce you then. Have you thought about when you will go to the Ancestral Court?"

Tang San thought for a moment and said, "Within a month. We also need some time to rest."

"Alright. Once you've decided on your departure time, you can come to see me. I will arrange things for you at the Ancestral Court in advance. If you have any news about the array master, you can come here anytime to find me."

As he spoke, the Aetherhorn Deer Demon King took a token and handed it to Tang San, "Take this token, and you will have unhindered access throughout Kali City. Where are you staying? The noble registration documents will be sent to you shortly for registration."

Tang San said, "We are staying at the hotel next to the Great Beast Fighting Arena."

The Aetherhorn Deer Demon King said, "Don't stay at the hotel anymore. Stay here until your noble registration is completed, and then you can leave. I'll find a place suitable for you all to live in."

"Thank you very much, Your Excellency."

After the conversation, the Aetherhorn Deer Demon King personally saw them to the door and gave the Bloodthirsty Demon Ape some instructions.

Their accommodations were no longer the same; each of them was now given a luxurious room.

However, the five did not separate but gathered in Tang San's room.

It wasn't until they returned to the room that Wu Bingji and the others breathed massive sighs of relief. Du Bai even collapsed directly onto the sofa.

They could finally relax after the intense battle and the nerve-wracking dealings with the Aetherhorn Deer Demon King.

"Little Tang, you're amazing!" Cheng Zicheng said sincerely, her gaze toward him rather different from before.

Today, Tang San's battle with the Lion-Tiger Sword Saint, from which Tang San had ultimately emerged victorious, left an indelible impression on them.

Wu Bingji laughed. "That's beyond amazing. I never thought even the Lion-Tiger Sword Saint wouldn't be a match for you."

Tang San smiled and said, "It was just luck."

He released his spiritual power as he spoke, setting up a barrier to isolate any potential external surveillance.

Wu Bingji asked, "How much do you think we can trust what the arena master said?"

Tang San replied, "Nine parts true, one part false. For him, profit is paramount. If we can make it profitable for him, he will be genuine with us. Otherwise, he could turn on us at any time."

Wu Bingji pondered, "So that's why you brought up the array master?"

Tang San nodded, "Exactly. Eldest brother, from now on, you must avoid revealing your true face as much as possible. From now on, we will live our public lives wearing these masks."

Wu Bingji nodded. "I understand."

Tang San continued, "After obtaining our noble status, the most important thing is stabilizing and enhancing our cultivation. The Great Beast Fighting Arena is unavoidable, and the Aetherhorn Deer Demon King's plan seems feasible. We've already made a significant impact in Kali City. While this is great for uniting our people, humans are still too weak. It's not time to show our unity yet. For now, we need to act low-key and wait for opportunities in the future."

Wu Bingji sighed. "Hearing their cheers gets my blood pumping! But you are more thorough in your thinking."

Tang San said, "We’ll get our chance as long as we survive. At least we've proven that humans have the potential to become strong. Every person who saw our matches or heard of our victories will have a seed planted in their hearts. Given time, it will take root and grow."

Wu Bingji nodded thoughtfully and replied, "From now on, we'll all follow your lead. Whatever you say, we'll do."

Tang San said, "We must go to the Ancestral Court to seek opportunities. We have plenty of money, and your bloodline issues must be addressed if you want to advance further. The stronger the bloodline, the harder it is to improve if it’s not pure enough. We need to find the right essence blood to enhance your bloodline power. That’s the main goal for going there. The Great Beast Fighting Arena there will be risky. I can handle one Lion-Tiger Sword Saint, but I won't be able to do that if we face five opponents of that caliber. So, you all need to work hard to improve. As for the Aetherhorn Deer Demon King, I'll find a way to ensure he has to protect us and give us opportunities."

"Yes, we'll all work hard," they responded in unison.