Tu Xiao'an rode the Snake Flood Dragon and landed directly in the Chen Family Mansion.

The entire city was silent. It was probably two or three in the morning.

After landing, the Snake Flood Dragon transformed directly into the appearance of Celestial Master Zhang. His expression was sour, but he didn't dare act out.

A moment later, a door opened and Cat Spirit Haitang emerged, gliding gracefully. She walked respectfully before Tu Xiao'an. "Benefactor, you've returned."

Tu Xiao'an smiled. "Sorry for waking you."p>

"Not at all, Benefactor."

As she spoke, Haitang sized up the Daoist-robed man standing beside him. Her beautiful face immediately filled with fear and trepidation. "A Transformed Rank Three Demon Spirit?"

Celestial Master Zhang was also stunned when he saw Haitang. This Cat Spirit clearly hadn't attained the Dao, so how could she have a human form?

'It's one thing for a Snake Spirit like Tu Xiao'an who hasn't attained the Dao,' he thought. 'He's a freak of nature. But on what grounds can a mere Cat Spirit also take human form?'

'If Transformation were that easy, would my five hundred years of Cultivation have all been for nothing?'

It was late, so Tu Xiao'an gave a simple introduction of the Snake Flood Dragon and the Cat Spirit's identities before they all returned to their rooms to rest. Anything else could wait until tomorrow.

「The next day.」

Tu Xiao'an got up. 'Tomorrow I have to accompany the chubby son of the Shanye Group to the Ancient Academy,' he thought. 'So today I'll take the Human-Demon couple and Celestial Master Zhang out for a good meal.'

He felt a little bad, since he had also arranged for Celestial Master Zhang to stay at the Chen Family Mansion.

Haitang was a bit scared of Celestial Master Zhang now that she knew he was a Snake Flood Dragon. The thought of living under the same roof with him made her tremble with fear.

So, while he was still around, Tu Xiao'an wanted to help ease the awkwardness between them.

Besides, Tu Xiao'an was in a great mood. His two-day trip had been immensely fruitful. Not only had he gained a new Elemental Ability, but he had also acquired a Rank Three Snake Flood Dragon. It was worth celebrating.

On the Ancient Street, the four of them walked together. Tu Xiao'an saw that Wei Xian Pavilion had reopened, so he chose to eat there.

There were quite a few customers inside. It seemed that Su Yu losing his Dragon Snake hadn't affected business all that much.

After they entered, a beautiful hostess greeted them. Tu Xiao'an wanted a private room, but the hostess said they were too busy today and all the rooms were full.

They could only choose to dine in the main hall.

Zhang Tiandao once again looked the part of an immortal Daoist. As he entered Wei Xian Pavilion, his eyes scanned the surroundings and he muttered to himself, "The feng shui of this place is good, but unfortunately, it's showing signs of decline. This restaurant's business won't last much longer."

Tu Xiao'an said, "This place used to have a Dragon Snake to anchor its fortune, but it was stolen."

"Celestial Master, I'm curious. How did a Snake Flood Dragon like you become a Daoist?"

'What kind of Dao could a Snake Flood Dragon possibly cultivate?'

But Celestial Master Zhang replied, "To enter this mortal world, one naturally needs a skill. This Celestial Master is even thinking of buying a house in the city."

"Is being a charlatan that profitable?"

When Tu Xiao'an had subdued the Snake Flood Dragon, he could tell it wasn't a wicked Demon. Still, he hadn't expected it to integrate so well into the Human World.

The fact that it wanted to buy a house like a normal person genuinely surprised him.

'Could it be that he wants to buy a house in the city to bring the village beauty and his child from Ping'an Village to live with him?'

'Perhaps he also wanted to show Xiaofeng, the village beauty, that although he wasn't human, he could be just like one after his Transformation.'

But unfortunately, the village beauty and his child were already gone.

They sat at a table in the main hall. With the menu in front of him, Tu Xiao'an picked it up and began to read.

Five-step Snake meat, cicadas, wild boar, bamboo forest pheasant, Royal Salute, Pangolin.

This was the latest wild game menu.

It seemed Su Yu had gone to great lengths for his business. Besides snake meat, he had added a lot of other wild game. No wonder business hadn't been affected for the time being.

"Brother An, let your little brother treat you," Chen Gao Yang, who was wearing sunglasses, suddenly said.

He had been looking for an opportunity to thank Tu Xiao'an.

"I picked the place, so it's on me. You can get it next time," Tu Xiao'an said with a smile.

Celestial Master Zhang also looked at the menu. "This place actually serves Pangolin. Not bad. Let's get one to try."

"You're a Daoist now. Mind your status," Tu Xiao'an said, shooting him a look.

Tu Xiao'an had never actually seen a Pangolin before. The animal was both familiar and yet completely foreign, something rarely seen in daily life.

The first time he'd ever heard of a Pangolin was from the cartoon "Huluwa." A kind Pangolin, trying to help the old man escape, was tragically killed by Demons. He remembered crying his eyes out watching that scene as a child.

After growing up, he'd never had the chance to see a Pangolin with his own eyes.

"You've eaten one before, Daoist?" Tu Xiao'an looked at him.

Celestial Master Zhang nodded. "There used to be many Pangolins around Ping'an Village. Later, they were gradually all captured by you damned humans."

The reason Pangolins were so rare now was because they had been hunted and eaten to the brink of extinction by humans.

They had almost become an animal eaten into extinction by humankind.

In ancient times, the Pangolin—cloaked in its Black Armor of scales, with four legs and five-clawed feet, a bluish-black hue, and a length of up to five feet—was regarded as a rare and wondrous Exotic Beast, akin to a Dragon.

Regrettably, due to their dwindling numbers, modern Pangolins were now listed as a Level 2 state-protected animal.

He didn't expect Wei Xian Pavilion to be so bold as to put a protected animal right on the menu. No wonder their business was so good.

'So it wasn't the Demons who killed the Pangolin, but humans.'

"If the Daoist wants to eat it, then let's order one."

Tu Xiao'an had even eaten a person before, let alone this. He had no taboos now.

He called the hostess over to order. When he got to the Pangolin, she said, "My apologies, esteemed guests, but the last Pangolin in the restaurant today was just ordered by the table next to you."

At the next table were six or seven imposing-looking young men. Judging by their attire, they were from extraordinary families and all had a certain status.

"We report to the academy tomorrow, so today we're going to eat well. I ordered a Pangolin. Everyone, enjoy it. I hear it's delicious."

"Brother Yang, you're too kind. We've had our share of mountain delicacies and seafood treasures, but we've truly never tried Pangolin before."

Immediately, a young man in a chef's uniform brought a basin of water to their table, then set up a brazier beside it.

In the basin, a long-bodied, armor-clad animal was curled up, instantly attracting the attention of many customers.

The animal in the basin looked unusual. It resembled a special kind of venomous snake, but its head was swollen, and there were many differences between it and a Snake.p>

"Everyone, this is the restaurant's last long-tailed Pangolin. It belongs to the guests at this table."

Many people in the modern era had never seen a Pangolin. This long-tailed Pangolin truly bore a slight resemblance to a venomous snake, with its slender body covered in armored scales.

People say Pangolins wear armor and are skilled at boring through mountains and digging tunnels. But in truth, a Pangolin can't tunnel through a mountain. Although they dig holes in soft, moist soil to hunt their prey—ants—that's the extent of it. They're incapable of boring through a whole mountain; their digging ability is even worse than an ordinary rabbit's.