This was simply outrageous—even a novel wouldn't dare write something so wild. Tang San had advanced by two levels in just two days! Ma Hongjun also managed to reach level 40 at the last moment, and Oscar was now level 39, close to the breakthrough.
Under Tang Hao's guidance, Tang San left Heaven Dou City directly for the ancestral land of the Blue Silver Grass. Meanwhile, Ma Hongjun and Oscar were taken by Flender and Zhao Wuji to the Sunset Forest.
The rapid progress of Ma Hongjun and Oscar shocked everyone in the group, who immediately demanded an explanation. Learning about Tang San's methods, they could only marvel at his ingenuity. Dai Mubai, too, had revealed his level: 47!
The group was stunned once again, realizing that Tang San had kept Dai Mubai as a hidden ace to allow him more time to absorb the medicinal effects of his training.
Yet no one noticed the faint, whitening strand in Dai Mubai's otherwise golden hair.
At the Gates of Heaven Dou Royal Academy
Ning Fengzhi walked alongside Chen Xin and Su Ming for a farewell.
"Su Ming, while I'm away, I entrust my daughter to you. Please keep her safe; things are bound to get a bit turbulent," Ning Fengzhi said, casting a wary look toward the local Spirit Hall branch.
The blueprint Su Ming had given him was too valuable and required Ning Fengzhi's personal attention in Gengxin City, the renowned city of blacksmiths. Moreover, Su Ming had requested that Lou Gao, the master craftsman, forge high-quality throwing knives, likely for Ning Rongrong's self-defense, which was even more reason to act swiftly.
Returning to his dormitory, Su Ming picked up his journal and began to write.
[Today, the preliminary rounds have officially concluded. Curiously, since their loss to Skywater Academy, Tang San and his teammates haven't reappeared, claiming they were recuperating. I'm suspicious, though. The healing spirit master from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan should be quite skilled; their injuries should've healed by now.]
[Also, Ning Fengzhi came to bid me farewell. He and Sword Douluo are heading to Gengxin City to find Lou Gao, hoping he'll craft some throwing knives and, most importantly, produce soul tools.]
[However, despite Lou Gao's talents, soul tool development is still rudimentary in this era. Even with the blueprints I provided, it will likely take significant time to produce a finished product.]
[Speaking of Gengxin City, I must mention the Spirit Hall branch there. It's rife with corruption from top to bottom, and the branch master is notorious for exploiting the local blacksmiths and preying on innocent women.]
Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue, upon reading this, both wore severe expressions. Bibi Dong immediately summoned a subordinate to investigate the situation at the Gengxin City branch. Due to its remote location and lack of strong spirit masters, she hadn't paid much attention to it. Over time, she had forgotten about it, and her subordinates hadn't reported any issues.
If Su Ming noted it with such emphasis, then it was worth looking into. Bibi Dong had been given command of the Elder Hall, allowing her to mobilize its resources without interference from Qian Daoliu, who had willingly ceded authority for the betterment of Spirit Hall and the harmony between her and Qian Renxue.
Now, with ample personnel, Bibi Dong intended to clean up the corruption within Spirit Hall, starting with the Gengxin City branch.
Soon, the investigative report came in, revealing numerous appalling abuses within the branch. The branch master, emboldened by the lack of oversight, had colluded with local nobles, oppressing the city's commoners.
"Outrageous!" Bibi Dong fumed. She had been reviewing Spirit Hall branches daily, yet due to Gengxin's remote location, it had taken until now to uncover the truth.
Since Su Ming mentioned it, she would make an example out of Gengxin City's Spirit Hall branch.
[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!]
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