Chapter 3: Wind Wolf Town
Wind Wolf Town was where they resided. The pig nurses' conversations hinted that the dominant forces in this world appeared to be the demons and nymphs, powerful and influential races.
In this world, humans were considered the lowest class of slaves. These children, including Tang San, were raised together and received slave education before eventually becoming property owned by upper-class wolves. In essence, Tang San was now the possession of the Wind Wolf Lord in Wind Wolf Town and was among the least valuable of slaves.
In this world, a considerable number of humans existed, and their sole advantage lay in their ability to reproduce. The reproductive capabilities of the demons and nymphs were relatively limited, creating the foundation for human survival.
The humans in this world were too weak. In the eyes of the demons and the nymphs, humans were unfit to be put to work on any physically laborious tasks. Compared to other species of slaves, humans were considered more intelligent and could work on more refined tasks. Furthermore, demons and nymphs believed humans had more delicate flesh and would be tastier.
Slaves...or food.
It felt like things couldn't possibly worsen!
Tang San found solace only in silence. With circumstances already at their lowest, he would indeed feel happier if anything changed for the better in the future.
Now, his only concern lay with his wife and her potential reincarnation. Would her circumstances be as dire as his own?
It must be noted that the pig nurse's milk was far more nourishing than Tang San's biological mother's; at least, he could satiate his hunger with it.
At six months, Tang San felt he had finally reached the state of a typical human child from his former world.
His relatively plump stature, in contrast to the frailty of other children, was evident. At six months, he could even be considered a bit chubby. His plumpness garnered him more favor from the pig nurses. In this world, it seemed that strength was beauty.
But upon reaching six months, the milk supply ceased. Instead, they were given a porridge-like substance poured into small pots. They had to rely on their hands to eat, and their intake depended on their skill in grabbing and snatching.
Many of the children struggled to sit up properly, often requiring the patient assistance of the pig nurses who fed them with spoons.
Tang San earned even greater favor from the pig nurses throughout this period. He had become adept at grabbing and eating from the pot all by himself.
Consequently, he naturally consumed more, sometimes earning a reward of an occasional drink of milk.
He wasn't sure what he was eating, but as long as it filled his stomach, it was satisfactory.
Once done eating, Tang San reclined on the hay bed, and an unexpected urge to laugh bubbled up within him. It reminded him of a phrase a friend used to say in his past: "There's a golden phoenix even in a grass nest!"
He could consider himself as growing up in a grass nest now. He pondered how his friends would react if they knew about it.
Contemplating these thoughts, Tang San shut his eyes, drawing hay over himself for warmth. Concentrating, he focused his mind prowess on guiding blood circulation.
He'd been reborn before, in the Douluo Continent. This time around, the circumstances were far harsher; however, there was a chance to survive now. He was determined to push for strength to secure his survival.
The Mysterious Heaven Technique, his foundational practice from his past life, seemed the most fitting option. It prioritized balance and harmony, making it the perfect starting point.
In his prior rebirth, he had already mastered the first stage of the Mysterious Heaven Technique by the age of six. This early mastery laid the groundwork for his subsequent accomplishments as a God King.
He possessed a deeper comprehension of the Mysterious Heaven Technique in this life than his previous rebirth. However, a significant hurdle lay in his current weak physique, hindering its complete practice.
Trapped within a mere six-month-old body, he couldn't expect remarkable progress. His meridians hadn't fully developed, rendering him unable to fully activate the Mysterious Heaven Technique despite practicing it. His only recourse was to utilize the technique and his spiritual power to quietly attune to the spiritual energy in the atmosphere, absorbing a modest amount to nourish his body.
He had begun his initial attempts a few days prior when he was in a relatively decent state. While not precisely strong, he wasn't as feeble as those teetering on the brink of death.
Much to his surprise, when Tang San initially endeavored to perceive the world using his divine consciousness, he found an incredibly abundant spiritual energy.
Even within this seemingly ordinary territory of the demons, Wind Wolf Town, the spiritual energy surpassed that of the Douluo Continent from his previous life. He couldn't even be sure if the later-evolved Douluo Planet boasted such richness in spiritual energy.
Initially worried and hesitant to explore, Tang San had feared he might encounter a world devoid of spiritual or elemental energy. However, the abundance of spiritual energy eased his concerns.
It's often said that even the cleverest housewife can't cook without rice. Humans were slaves, their future uncertain and precarious. If their cultivation also progressed at a pathetically slow pace, wouldn't they be in danger of being crushed at any moment by the might of demons and nymphs?
It served as the first piece of good news he had received. With such plentiful spiritual energy, cultivating would likely be more manageable once he began practicing.
Each day, he silently absorbed a small measure of spiritual energy, working to internally enhance his body, even though these changes weren't evident on the surface. He seemed slightly more energetic than the average child while remaining apparently feeble.
As the days went by, the children gradually began to speak. However, by that point, about a quarter of them had passed away silently.
There were no medical treatments available in this place—just food. No one guided or taught them anything; they had to navigate and learn independently.
At only a year old, still finding their footing, they were shifted to another spot under the watchful eye of a strict pig demon. It was a wooden house with floors covered in hay, providing little warmth. Two hundred kids were packed into a 200-square-meter area, yet there was only enough food for 150.
From the discussions among the pig and wolf demons, Tang San understood that the stronger children, who could compete for food, would develop stronger bodies and endure as slaves for extended periods. Those with weaker constitutions were deemed a waste of food.
From the sorrow he felt for the plight of humans in this world, a seed of rebellion took root in his heart. Yet, at just one year old, he could do nothing about it.
As Tang San fortified himself by taking in more spiritual energy, his body grew significantly more substantial than others his age. Yet, he only consumed what he needed, leaving the surplus for others. He could only bear witness as the weakest children were taken away. He was helpless to intervene.
As the world grew quiet each night, he'd quietly absorb spiritual energy, pondering deeply in the stillness.
A year had passed since he had arrived in this world, and witnessing humans living in conditions worse than pigs and dogs left him deeply troubled and anxious. A thought tormented him: his wife, reborn alongside him but with no recollection of her past life, might be enduring similar or even worse circumstances.
Whenever he dwelled on this, a fierce anger surged within him. Why are humans in this world so weak? Xiao Wu, where are you?
He longed to grow up swiftly and become stronger to search for his Xiao Wu.
She must still be alive! She must be living well!