Chapter Sixty-Nine: The Serica Shop

Lin Wei and the others were all in low spirits. They had spent quite some time in the City of Three Souls, but never before had they felt so humiliated.

Luo Yi suddenly looked up. “That guy’s only at the third tier, how can he possibly command a sixth-tier Soul General?”

This question immediately caught everyone’s attention. Indeed, Tang Tian was clearly only third tier—how could he possibly have the power to lead a sixth-tier Soul General? For the great clans, obtaining Soul Generals was far easier than advancing through cultivation, so their research into Soul Generals far surpassed that of ordinary people. They had long since discovered that any warrior could only command a Soul General one tier above themselves.

If a Soul General surpassed their master by two tiers or more, it was extremely dangerous.

Yu Xi pondered for a moment. “Maybe it’s because of that other Soul General with him—the one without a face. It’s very strange. I can’t see through his depth at all, and I suspect his origins are anything but ordinary.”

Hua Ling pursed her lips, her eyes still red. “He even said I didn’t know proper etiquette! He’s insufferable!”

Yu Xi took a deep breath, then said, “That’s also why I’m suspicious of his background. The term ‘Surrendering Sword as Tribute’—I’ve only ever seen it in old books. It was an ancient ritual where a captive would surrender and present their weapon. Nobody practices those rites anymore, and yet he followed these archaic customs…”

The others’ faces grew even darker. For people from ancient families like theirs, etiquette had always been a mark of status. They prided themselves on their long-standing traditions, and every family, every house, would do everything possible to tie themselves to ancient and noble lineages. It was these rituals that lent them an air of dignity and deep heritage—and also the very thing they most enjoyed mocking the nouveau riche for lacking.

If Tang Tian had heard this, he would surely have dismissed it all as nonsense.

But Lin Wei and the others heard it with grave expressions. They knew only too well the family’s obsession with ancient rituals.

“Surrendering Sword as Tribute? Never heard of it,” Lin Wei shook his head. “Which dynasty was that from?”

“The era of the Three Great Legions,” Yu Xi replied.

Everyone inhaled sharply. Luo Yi stammered, “There can’t possibly be a family in the world that old!”

“Definitely not!” Lin Wei declared. “But it could be some branch family, tracing their ancestors back to that era, that’s all.”

Suddenly Yu Xi asked, “Did you notice where he hung his sword at the end?”

“I think it was on the bronze mechanical ostrich,” Lin Wei recalled.

“Yes, next to the saddle. I don’t know if it was a coincidence, but I’ve seen some ancient paintings of the Southern Cross Legion, and their spoils were always hung in that exact spot,” Yu Xi said. “And Surrendering Sword as Tribute was their ritual for accepting surrender.”

Everyone’s faces grew gloomier still.

Yu Xi was keenly observant, and her family had the deepest roots among the four. She knew far more than the others. It was a subtle detail, easily overlooked, but precisely because of that, it was all the more convincing.

That boy… just what was his true background?

A shadow hung over them all. They’d always run wild outside, the family never interfering. But if they’d offended some truly formidable clan, the family would suffer for it. Hua Ling burst into tears.

Yu Xi hurried to comfort everyone. “Don’t worry. If he is as we suspect, and he accepted our ransom, then it means our grudge is settled.”

Still, everyone’s faces remained heavy and somber.

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Tang Tian had already forgotten all about what had happened earlier.

He rode the bronze mechanical ostrich wildly through the streets, drawing countless astonished looks. Though the bronze mechanical ostrich wasn’t particularly elegant, its massive size, agile movements, and astonishing speed left everyone amazed.

“Wow, wow, wow! Soldier Uncle, things were so cool in your era—you got to ride birds every day!” Tang Tian wrapped his arms around the ostrich’s neck, shouting in delight. He’d never been this fast before—it was almost like flying.

“Only new recruits ride birds,” said Soldier, floating behind Tang Tian.

“What did you ride, then?” Tang Tian asked curiously.

“…Birds, too,” Soldier paused, but quickly added, “As an instructor, I had to set an example! It’s not because I wasn’t strong enough…”

“So, in your time, you charged into battle on birds every day. That must have been amazing!” Tang Tian thought that if he could move so quickly every day, life would be a thrill.

“It was actually pretty dull,” Soldier replied truthfully. “After a while, you’d feel like throwing up.”

“Huh? Really? How could something so fun make you sick?” Tang Tian couldn’t imagine it.

“Ostrich tactics included six main disciplines and thirteen sub-topics. You had to pass seventy percent to be qualified,” Soldier explained.

“Wow, that sounds like fun!” Tang Tian’s eyes widened.

“Fun?” Soldier snorted. “Here’s the simplest drill: in two seconds, weave through twelve randomly placed posts.”

Tang Tian froze. “That’s impossible!”

Two seconds, to weave through twelve randomly placed posts—completely impossible! The bronze mechanical ostrich had explosive power, capable of reaching sixth tier at maximum, but it was heavy, with immense inertia. Completing such complex maneuvers in such a short time was out of the question.

“Impossible?” Soldier’s tone was as blank as ever. “It’s quite simple.”

Simple?

Tang Tian was stunned for a moment, then suddenly cried out, “Soldier Uncle, you were all so amazing back then! Why don’t you teach me ostrich tactics?”

“All of that is obsolete,” Soldier replied, his voice tinged with deep regret. “Anything doomed to fail has no value.”

“Why?” Tang Tian shook his head. “I think it’s incredible. Soldier Uncle says those things are simple, but I doubt anyone today could do them.”

“Time is the fairest judge,” Soldier answered calmly. “If something is lost to history, it means its era is over.”

Tang Tian was about to argue when, out of the corner of his eye, he spotted a sign down the street and was instantly distracted. “The Seireka Shop! There it is! Ostrich, go!”

The bronze mechanical ostrich pushed off with one powerful leg, body twisting in an agile turn, and thundered towards the Seireka Shop.

Soldier, floating behind Tang Tian, watched with a look as if seeing a new recruit from the old days.

They skidded to a halt at the shop door, the bronze mechanical ostrich stopping dead. Tang Tian leapt off its back.

“Wow! A bronze mechanical ostrich!” A red-haired beauty rushed out, her eyes lighting up as she saw the ostrich. She circled it, touching here and there, murmuring her amazement.

“Are you Seire?” Tang Tian asked, looking at the red-haired woman before him.

Her fiery hair was like a blazing flame. A black leather miniskirt and tight jacket showed off her stunning figure. Stockings clung to her long legs, high heels like spikes, curves bold and enticing, lips a tempting red, and beneath her long lashes, her eyes were as blue as the sea, with three tiny beauty marks beneath her left eye.

“Little brother, how about giving this bronze mechanical ostrich to your big sister?” The red-haired beauty looked up, a dazzling smile on her lips, her eyes electric, her chest heaving.

Tang Tian shook his head. “No.”

Her smile froze. She muttered under her breath, “Too young? Even this trick doesn’t work?”

Tang Tian paid no attention, instead asking curiously, “Are you Seire?”

She stood up, smoothing her flaming hair with practiced poise. “I am Seire! If you want to win me over, just give me this bronze mechanical ostrich, and I’ll say yes.”

She winked at Tang Tian, sending out waves of allure that nearly knocked over passersby—one even stumbled into a ditch.

She bent forward, her charms on full display, her voice low and sultry. “At that point, whatever you want from me, you’ll have it.”

Tang Tian shook his head resolutely. “I only like Chihiro.”

Seire’s expression froze; she straightened, her seductive air vanishing without a trace. Her tone turned impatient. “Alright, why are you here?”

“I came to buy Soul General Cards,” Tang Tian replied.

“Come in,” Seire said, tossing the words over her shoulder as she turned into the shop, face cold.

Tang Tian followed, curiosity burning. The moment he entered, his eyes were drawn to the wall of Soul General Cards. Yu Bao hadn’t lied—none of the cards in Seire’s shop were high-tier. The highest he saw was fifth tier, but there were all sorts of strange, unusual cards.

“Who sent you?” Seire asked, lighting a cigarette, blowing a smoke ring, her beautiful eyes half-closed, radiating a languid allure. “Don’t say you found the place yourself—my shop’s not exactly famous.”

“Yu Bao,” Tang Tian answered.

Seire was surprised; she hadn’t expected that. Then she made the connection. “You got that bronze mechanical ostrich from him, too?”

“Wow, you guessed it!” Tang Tian exclaimed. “We bought a pile of junk and pieced it together ourselves.”

“You built it yourself?” Seire sat up straight, her cigarette forgotten.

“Yeah—Soldier Uncle built it,” Tang Tian said, pointing to the floating figure behind him.

Seire had already noticed the two Soul Generals with Tang Tian, especially Soldier. That blank, faceless mask was impossible not to notice. When she heard that Soldier had assembled the ostrich, a strange look flashed in her eyes.

She took a drag of her cigarette and spoke with a hint of meaning, “Anyone skilled with such old-school machinery is no ordinary person.”

“Of course!” Tang Tian nodded earnestly. “Soldier Uncle is amazing!”

Well… trying to get any useful information out of this kid… what a hopeless idea…

Seire propped her chin up with her elbow, her silhouette like a statue under the dim shop lights. “Alright, let’s talk cards. What kind of Soul General Card do you want, boy?”