[Spirit Hall originally intended to bring the Blacksmith Association under its control. Though weak, this association produces most of the weaponry used by soldiers and civilians in the two empires, making it a significant source of income.]
[If Spirit Hall could make the Blacksmith Association its subsidiary, the empires would likely have to pay a hefty price for weapons, marking the first step in gaining leverage over them.]
[If the empires don't want to submit, they'd have to train their own blacksmiths. But good blacksmiths don't come easily; their only other option would be to buy from small workshops, which lack the production capacity for large orders.]
[The Spirit Hall branch in Gengxin City was initially tasked with this. But what did the branch master do?]
[He resorted to coercion and manipulation, sparking resentment among Lou Gao and the other blacksmiths. His actions completely tarnished Spirit Hall's image, which later allowed Tang San to take advantage.]
[From what I know, Lou Gao was a pure artisan—obsessed with creating metal works and uninterested in external power struggles. Yet the Gengxin Spirit Hall pushed him too far.]
[Eventually, Tang San, introduced by Titan, met Lou Gao. Impressed by Lou Gao's skills, Tang San hoped to recruit him into the Tang Sect. Initially, Lou Gao refused. He disliked being tied to any faction, aware that his skills could make powerful weapons, but he didn't want to get involved in battles.]
[However, after Titan's hint, Tang San piqued Lou Gao's interest with Tang Sect's hidden weapons, using fragmented blueprints and a bit of reverse psychology to pull Lou Gao in. His love for craftsmanship ultimately led him to join.]
Reading Su Ming's account, Bibi Dong recalled that Spirit Hall had indeed considered absorbing the Blacksmith Association years ago but received word that the association was "too stubborn" to join. At that time, she had been engrossed in a crucial stage of the Rakshasa God Trials, so the matter faded away. She now realized that Spirit Hall's failed attempt to win over the Blacksmith Association stemmed from actions by the Gengxin branch.
[One has to wonder if Bibi Dong knows what the Gengxin branch has been up to. The situation there is revolting enough to justify razing it completely.]
Seeing Su Ming's disgust in his journal, the women sensed his anger. Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue, aware of Su Ming's intention to join Spirit Hall, feared the Gengxin branch's corruption might make him reconsider.
Recognizing her oversight, Bibi Dong resolved to act. She planned to reform the organization, seeing an opportunity to show Su Ming that Spirit Hall was willing to take accountability. With her newly granted authority, Bibi Dong intended to eliminate corruption within Spirit Hall, hoping it would improve Su Ming's perception of the organization.
Su Ming's diary continued:
[Lou Gao was eventually drawn to Tang San's designs and, disliking Spirit Hall, agreed to join Tang Sect.]
[Originally, Tang San wanted the entire Blacksmith Association to merge with Tang Sect, but Lou Gao didn't want to drag them into political conflicts. So, he resigned as president and handed the position to his apprentice.]
[Lou Gao's motives were quite straightforward—he joined Tang Sect for its blueprints but didn't want the association to be controlled by any one power, as that could affect the welfare of both commoners and the empires.]
[However, Lou Gao's hopes were naïve. His apprentice, now the association's president, might eventually favor Tang Sect either out of loyalty to Tang San or pressure from its growing influence.]
[One part that enrages and baffles me is that Lou Gao died making Tang San's hidden weapons!]
[Due to Lou Gao's death, Tang San obtained the Tang Sect's legendary three weapons: the Peacock Plume, the Buddha Fury Tang Lotus, and the Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needle.]
[According to the story, Lou Gao sacrificed himself to forge the Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needle by using his own blood and qi to activate the hidden power within Deep Sea Iron.]
[This rationale is absurd. Tang San had created these three hidden weapons in his previous life. Did he also use someone else's life then to forge the Rainstorm Pear Blossom Needle?]
[If lives could indeed unlock the Deep Sea Iron, then why did Lou Gao have to sacrifice his own?]
[Maybe Lou Gao was too ethical to ask anyone else to risk their life, but when crafting these weapons, he had Tang Xiao's support. Lou Gao's soul power alone wasn't enough to refine the materials!]
[Lou Gao had actually asked Tang San about this, but since Tang San and Tang Hao were both unavailable, Tang San arranged for Tang Xiao to assist Lou Gao, using his Clear Sky Hammer to soften the materials.]
[If Tang Xiao was there helping, why would he allow Lou Gao to throw himself into the furnace?]
[Lou Gao's value far surpassed that of the three hidden weapons.]
[As long as Lou Gao was alive, he could continue making these weapons even in Tang San's absence. Tang Xiao must have known this; so, why did it happen? It's a point worth considering!]
[Only Lou Gao could craft these three hidden weapons—neither Titan nor Tang Hao had his skill.]
[Although all three were master smiths, their focus differed: Titan and Tang Hao were skilled in making individual parts, while Lou Gao excelled at precision work.]
[Previously, I didn't think much about it, but on reflection, it feels wrong!]
[Lou Gao was only at the Soul Douluo level, while Tang Xiao was a 96th-level powerhouse. There's no way Lou Gao would throw himself into the furnace if Tang Xiao didn't allow it.]
[If they genuinely needed someone to awaken the metal's hidden power, Lou Gao wouldn't have been the one; Tang Xiao would have found the lowest-ranking person instead and ensured Lou Gao continued contributing to Tang Sect.]
[But that's not what happened. Lou Gao died in mysterious circumstances.]
[Lou Gao was the only person besides Tang San who knew how to make these three hidden weapons. Given Tang San's personality, would he eliminate Lou Gao to keep this knowledge secret?]
[With Lou Gao gone, Tang San alone would hold the skill to craft these formidable weapons.]
[By the time Tang Sect had expanded, Tang San had planned to make these weapons its core treasures. For that, only a few were needed; even one would suffice to showcase their value.]
[It's highly plausible Lou Gao's death was no accident and that Tang San had some hand in it. Perhaps he even hinted to Tang Xiao that once Lou Gao finished crafting the weapons, he should be discarded. That way, Lou Gao's death could be conveniently blamed on the forging process, with no one left to question it.]
[And when Tang San returned, all he had to do was put on a grieving face to deflect suspicion.]
[After all, Tang San's acting skills were top-notch, and nobody would suspect he was capable of such a thing.]
[People also ignored that Tang Xiao was there helping with the forging! Normally, such work is done in seclusion—Tang Xiao would have no reason to step away. The odds of that happening were practically zero!]
[In my view, Lou Gao was nothing more than a pawn for Tang San, used to create his prized weapons.]
[Tang San refused to teach Oscar and others even the basics of Mysterious Heaven Technique or Tang Sect skills. Why would he suddenly be willing to hand over his blueprints for these hidden weapons to Lou Gao?]
[Something about this doesn't add up at all.]
The women reading Su Ming's journal found themselves deep in thought.
Though Su Ming's conclusions were conjectural, they rang with a certain logic. Even Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue, seasoned leaders accustomed to power plays, felt his hypothesis was likely correct.
Just as Su Ming noted, if someone truly had to sacrifice themselves in the forging process, it wouldn't have been Lou Gao. Tang Xiao would have chosen another individual, ensuring Lou Gao could continue serving Tang Sect. But in reality, Lou Gao died—an ambiguous death that didn't sit right.
[Lou Gao's value is immense, and I know it well. So this time, I must secure him before Tang San can.]
[I still have a wealth of spirit tool blueprints. I don't believe Lou Gao won't be intrigued!]
[If these spirit tools come to light, they could change the landscape of the Douluo Continent as they did in the future.]
[Right now, spirit masters rely on personal power, but with the right spirit tools, even lower-level spirit masters could compete above their rank. For support-type spirit masters, this could mean self-defense or even the power to defeat opponents!]
[In the future, tournaments are nothing like now; external tools and weapons are allowed, marking a significant shift.]
As Su Ming wrote that future tournaments allowed the use of external tools, the women were startled. To them, this seemed as if it would introduce unfair advantages in contests.
After all, with external tools allowed, competitions would test more than personal and team strength; they would test the depth of one's connections. Without restrictions on spirit tools, a spirit master with access to high-level equipment could dominate opponents, regardless of skill.
Su Ming soon addressed this concern:
[And spirit tools had no restrictions. Competitors could wield spirit tools provided by their connections to fight.]
[In my opinion, this isn't fair. The use of spirit tools should be based on a spirit master's own skills or the team's abilities. That's how the fairness of the contest is preserved.]
[Otherwise, if one side has superior technology, the odds shift in their favor. While absolute fairness is rare, competitions should aim to be as fair as possible!]
[Learning about these future tournament rules was bewildering to me; what's the point of competing when skill becomes secondary to equipment?]
[Victory would then belong to the side with the most advanced spirit tools.]
After finishing his notes, Su Ming sighed deeply. Uncle Ning had already set out for Gengxin City with Jian Ye. Su Ming hoped Lou Gao would survive this time.
With his knowledge of Lou Gao's curious nature, he knew the legendary blacksmith would be intrigued by the designs, especially if some mystery remained. After the spirit master tournament, Su Ming planned to personally visit Gengxin City to recruit Lou Gao.
And if he could persuade the entire Blacksmith Association, so much the better.
Notes-Read advanced chapters in patreon.com/Shadow_D_X, i have finished uploading the whole series in patreon, thanks for supporting me and special thanks to all the patrons for joining
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