Douluo Dalu: Volume 27: Gengxin City

by Tang Jia San Shao

  “Tang Sect? What is the Tang Sect? You are a very arrogant little brat! Tai Tan, shouldn’t you discipline your guys better?” Lou Gao was anxious to find out how the crossbow worked and could not help but take a glance at Tai Tan.

  Tai Tan helplessly spread his hands and said: “I also have no idea. The person in front of you is not my disciple, rather he is the sect leader of our Tang Sect. I am already part of Tang Sect, and one of the elders at that. You who are trying to steal our Tang Sect secrets, if the sect leader does not want to find trouble with you you should already be happy, how can you expect us to tell you how this Godly Zhuge Crossbow is made?”

  Lou Gao blinked and said: “Tai Tan why did you join some random Tang Sect! Even if your family has declined and you no longer are a patriarch, you can always come back here to the blacksmith association! Tai Tan why don’t you tell us how well big brother here treated you in the past?”

  Tai Tan chuckled and said: “Back then you really were quite good to me when i first came to the association, eventually you became the president and me the vice.”

  Lou Gao Slapped his thighs and exclaimed: “That’s right! We have been such good brothers for so long. Now that big brother has some problems, how can you not help out? Hurry up and tell me how this is made already. You are also a blacksmith, you should be able to tell how important this is. If we can build it, then the Spirit Hall will also come bringing us business as well.”

  Tai Tan sighed and said: “Big brother, of course i know how important this is! But because of that, all the more i cannot tell you. I cannot go against these clan regulations. Actually if it was you instead of me, you would also certainly join the Tang Sect. This Godly Zhuge Crossbow is good but, in our Tang Sect, it is just an ordinary hidden weapon. Yes these things are what we called hidden weapons. I too was attracted to it which is why i joined the Tang Sect, to non-disciples, we cannot disclose its secrets.”

  Hearing Tai Tan’s words, Lou Gao said something that shocked everyone: “Then this is simple! Just let me join this Tang Sect. Given my skill in smithing, joining the core disciples should be no problem! So just hurry up and tell me already.”

  Tai Tan had a cunning smile on his lip while Tang San quickly said: “Senior!? You really want to join Tang Sect? But you are the president of the Blacksmith Association!”

  Lou Gao absently-mindedly said: “Ah this position as the president, I am already bored of it. After seeing this wonderful Godly Zhuge Crossbow, I felt something i have not felt in many years. This youthful impulsive feeling washed over me just like when i was first learning how to smith. Now you can tell me how is thing is made already right?”

  Oscar who was standing by the side said: “After joining the Tang Sect, you will be a disciple of Tang Sect, from then on will be in the service of the Tang Sect. You can never spread the Tang Sect secrets outside of the clan. Naturally this also means you can not tell them to blacksmiths outside of the Tang Sect.”

  Lou Gao somewhat taken aback said: “You guys are all so troublesome. Restricting this and that. Don’t you know how bad the blacksmiths have it right now? Outside of Gengxin City we are all considered the lowest, everyone tries to bully us! And do you know why? It's all because we have no status at all! Boy, since you can come up with all these things aren’t you also a blacksmith? Don’t you want to seek more benefits to us blacksmiths in the industry?”

  Looking at the sincere and eager Lou Gao, Tang San’s brain was also furiously working. He knew that this was definitely a great opportunity for him, and if he grasped it well, it would have an immeasurable impact on the future of the Tang Sect. He quickly glanced at Tai Tan who was also looking at him with an ardent look.

  Taking a deep breath to calm himself down, Tang San told Lou Gao: “Senior, you are the president of your blacksmith association, I feel that it would be better if you did not join us. I cannot possibly accept a figure such as yourself. But you are right, I can also be considered a blacksmith, even more so I am the son of a blacksmith. For the benefit of the blacksmithing industry i would have to refuse. When I established the Tang Sect, I have considered the impact it can have on the blacksmithing industry. However, also for my sake, if i were to teach all the blacksmiths my art, how can the Tang Sect still survive? I know that the life of a blacksmith is not easy. How about this? Why not let the Tang Sect and the Blacksmith Association work together? Let the Tang Sect officially hire some skilled blacksmiths to help smith the parts for these hidden weapons. This way as the Tang Sect hidden weapons prosper, the blacksmith’s status will also rise. In the future I can also give some methods to make relatively simpler hidden weapons which the blacksmith association can use and make. Of course this will not include the Godly Zhuge Crossbow you have right now. Such large and powerful hidden weapons needs to be carefully controlled by our Tang clansmen.”

  Listening to Tang San’s words, Lou Gao frowned and eyes gradually calmed down as well. “Boy, are you the leader or are you actually a businessman? So no matter what, you are unwilling to hand over the manufacturing process of this Godly Zhuge Crossbow to me? How about if I get something to trade for it?”

  Tang San smiled and replied: “I will not trade it away.”

  Lou Gao complained: “You don’t even know what I am going to offer yet you already say no?”

  Tang San nodded and said:” No matter what it is, i will not agree to the trade.” The Godly Zhuge Crossbow was going to be one of the core Tang Sect hidden weapons in the future, if the production methods were to be leaked, what's more to the blacksmith institute, then the Tang Sect will not be the only Tang Sect.

  Lou Gao furiously banged the table with his hands, the loud sound could be heard throughout every corner of the blacksmith institute. “Boy, today you have come together with Tai Tan, I believe that you have come to buy things, do you believe that if i wanted to I could let you become unable to buy anything here? I could stop everyone here from selling you anything.”

  Tang San seriously nodded and said: “I believe senior is definitely able to do so, but this is not enough to threaten me. It is not as if only Gengxin City has the various metals that I need. We have come from Heaven Dou Empire and already come a long way and we will still be heading onwards even further, it's also not as if we are going to be procure all our resources from Gengxin City exclusively in the future anyway.”

  Seeing this twenty or sold year old youth unwilling to yield at all, Lou Gao also had no other way. He strode to the door, opened the gates and shouted: “Si Long, get over here!”

  In a few breaths, Si Long had quickly rushed over to Lou Gao respectfully asking: “Teacher, did you call for me?”

  Lou Gao grunted and said: “From today on, you are the new president of the Blacksmith Association. I am tired already, I will be going travelling from now on. If anything happens in the future don’t come and find me anymore, of course, you should not try and come after me as well.”

  “Ah, teacher you must be joking right?” Si Long said, stunned by Lou Gao’s sudden words.

  “Does it look like I am joking? I shall leave my works here for the four of you brothers. Next time when I am no longer at the blacksmith association, you all have to work together to run this association. I am already old anyway, it is about time i retire as well. If in case something really large should ever happen that you cannot handle, then send someone to go find Tai Tan in the Heaven Dou Empire, he is the vice-president and a divine craftsman as well anyway.”

  * * *

  [1] Si Long - (思龙) “Thinking Dragon”

  [2] Si Yu - (思雨) “Thinking Rain”

  Chapter 185: Really Fucking Off

  The five Shrek devils looked dumbstruck at Lou Gao, this was perhaps the fastest hand-over ceremony in history. Tai Tan couldn’t help saying:

  “Lou Gao, you aren’t serious.”

  Lou Gao snorted derisively,

  “How do you catch the cub without entering the tiger’s lair? I insist on joining the Tang Sect. Br
at, do you dare?”

  Tang San smiled slightly, saying:

  “I dare, of course I dare. If senior wants to join the Tang Sect, then hereafter you are the same as senior Tai Tan, a Tang Sect elder.”

  Lou Gao said:

  “Then can’t I learn the production method for the Godly Zhuge Crossbow? Don’t worry, I won’t spread it.”

  Tang San shook his head, a smile on his face:

  “The Godly Zhuge Crossbow is just the simplest of the Tang Sect’s hidden weapons, how could that suit senior’s name as a divine craftsman? Only the sect’s finest hidden weapons will be left to senior for manufacture, just in keeping with senior’s status.”

  Hearing this, Lou Gao’s eyebrows immediately rose in delight,

  “True. What finest hidden weapons are there? Are they better than this Godly Zhuge Crossbow?”

  Tang San sternly said:

  “Of course, moreover, these finest hidden weapons are all enough to threaten the lives of Title Douluo. If they can be made, then you will found a tradition of the blacksmith world. These exceptional hidden weapons will all be carved with your name.”

  Originally Lou Gao decided to join the Tang Sect partly in a fit of pique, even if he was obsessed with forging, he absolutely wasn’t as straightforward as he seemed on the surface. ‘When in the Tang Sect I won’t divulge it, but don’t tell me I can’t leave after I’ve learned it?’ This was Lou Gao’s plan. But, right now he was already completely drawn in by Tang San. How could he know that his flickering Gaze was neatly caught by Tang San’s Purple Demon Eye when he decided to join. Even if Tang San didn’t know his concrete plans, he still guessed that his decision to join the Tang Sect wasn’t completely sincere.

  Tang San pulled out a blueprint from the Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges and handed it to Lou Gao, then without a word or hesitation taking the Godly Zhuge Crossbow from the table and putting it away in his Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges.

  “Senior, take a look at this design first. I believe you absolutely wouldn’t pass it on to others. This blueprint is of a unique hidden weapon. Look it over in detail. This time we really did come to buy a batch of metal, as the former president and current sect elder, shouldn’t you give us a favorable price?”

  Lou Gao’s gaze was now already completely focused on that blueprint,

  “Alright. Alright, Si Long, I leave it to you. Waive the service charge for anything they buy within the association. If it’s something from our association members, tell those fellows to drop it to eighty percent.”

  “Yes, teacher.”

  With Lou Gao’s status in Gengzxin City, who wouldn’t curry favor with him? Selling at eighty percent was nothing.

  Tang San told Lou Gao:

  “Senior, then we’ll leave first. When we’re returning to the Tang Sect, I’ll call on you again.”

  Lou Gao waved his hand, saying:

  “Alright, you leave first. Oh, right, the auction is tomorrow night. There should be a lot of good things. Tai Tan, you’re familiar with the auction, you go by yourselves later.”

  While speaking, Lou Gao was already carefully looking at the blueprint under the light of the spirit tool lamp. In his eyes, besides this drawing, there was no longer anything else. With his experience as divine craftsman, just a glance was enough to attract him to the hidden weapon described on the blueprint. Just like Tang San said, the thing illustrated in this design was far, far more exquisite than the Godly Zhuge Crossbow.

  Out of Lou Gao’s smithy, Oscar couldn’t help gathering next to Tang San, asking in a low voice:

  “What blueprint did you give Lou Gao? Aren’t you afraid he’ll really leak it? He is after all the blacksmith association president.”

  Tang San smiled slightly, saying:

  “Doesn’t matter, and I’m not afraid of it leaking out. That’s only one third of the plans for the Torrential Pear Blossom Needle. It has no real importance.”

  Indeed, speaking of hidden weapons, the difference between the Godly Zhuge Crossbow and the Torrential Pear Blossom Needle was far too great. But, in a practical sense, the craftsmanship was even more important for the manufacture of the Godly Zhuge Crossbow than the Torrential Pear Blossom Needle. How would the Torrential Pear Blossom Needle be so easy to make? If it was, it wouldn’t have been lost to the Tang Sect in Tang San’s previous world for so many years. First let alone the issue of craftsmanship, only the source silver of that deep sea sunken silver was a huge problem. Even if Lou Gao could find deep sea sunken silver source silver, how much could he find? And how many Torrential Pear Blossom Needles could he make then? Even if he actually succeeded, a few Torrential Pear Blossom Needles basically wouldn’t have any major effect on the Douluo Continent, But, mass produced Godly Zhuge Crossbows could.

  This was an important reason Tang San left the most difficult to produce hidden weapons to Lou Gao. Besides, he firmly believed that, with the attraction of the Torrential Pear Blossom Needle, Lou Gao really wouldn’t have the presence of mind to figure this out. After all, he really was obsessed with the art of forging. Moreover, what Tang San gave him now was only one third of the designs. Lou Gao really was a bit sly, but if put to use, he would also be a huge help to the Tang Sect. The Peacock Plume, Torrential Pear Blossom Needle and Buddha Fury Tang Lotus Tang San worried about could be made. Even though he himself had experience, he also had to cultivate and couldn’t spend all his time on forging. And even though Tai Tan had the skill, he alone was still too few, let alone when he still had to supervise the overall situation. Now having a blacksmith association president, a divine craftsman, the circumstances were completely different. Tang San had already started to plot on how to use this fatty who wanted to steal the Tang Sect hidden weapon essentials.

  Si Long didn’t know for what his teacher had decided to pass on his position, but as Lou Gao’s chief disciple, he was extremely efficient, and showed nothing on the surface.

  “Vice president Tai Tan, it’s no longer early, I’d like to invite everyone to eat lunch first. How about choosing metals afterwards?”

  Tai Tan laughed out loud, saying:

  “You’re still so sensible, that old fellow Lou Gao doesn’t care about anything besides forging. Over these years, you’ve been handling a lot of the association’s affairs. That Lou Gao, really, he still has you continue your guard mission like this.”

  Si Long smiled:

  “This is voluntary. If everything wasn’t done according to the rules, our blacksmith association’s VIP auction wouldn’t be able to reach its present condition either. Speaking honestly, the blacksmith association’s main source of income all comes from the auction.”

  Tai Tan nodded, saying:

  “I understand that, who asked our blacksmith association not to be appreciated. Let’s do it like this, here is a list of items, you ask the people below to procure them. I trust you.”

  While speaking, Tai Tan took out a long ago prepared shopping list from his spirit tool and handed it over to Si Long. Indeed, as the blacksmith association’s new president, if he wasn’t worthy of trust, then nobody was.

  Si Long took the list, his eyes widening with just a glance at it, drawing a cold breath,

  “Vice president Tai Tan, I’m not mistaken, right?”

  The first item on the list was: iron essence, ten tons.

  “I’ve never even heard of anyone buying iron essence in tons. No wonder you’d come from so far away to Gengxin City for purchasing. I’m afraid that there’s no place in the entire continent besides our Gengxin City that might have this much iron essence.”

  Tai Tan laughed out loud, saying:

  “Just don’t forget our discount.”

  Si Long wiped his suddenly sweat soaked forehead,

  “Speaking honestly, vice president Tai Tan, you should know the market price as well. If we really uniformly sell at eighty percent as teacher said, I’m afraid that the blacksmith association’s subordinate shops will all go bankrupt. How about this, I’ll giv
e you ninety percent. This is already our manufacturing cost.”

  Tai Tan looked at Tang San, and Tang San smiled slightly:

  “At that, we can’t let you work in vain. No need for a discount, I heard elder Tai Tan say that all kinds of metals are cheapest in Gengxin City. One kilogram of iron essence for one gold spirit coin. We’ll do it according to the market price. However, I hope you can gather all the metals we need in the shortest possible time.”

  Tang San was no profiteer. Compared to an immediate profit right in front of him, he regarded long term cooperation as more important.

  Si Long secretly heaved a sigh of relief,

  “How would I have such nerve. Say ninety five percent. A big client like you will always have some preferential treatment. Don’t worry, even though these metals are precious, they will all be prepared. They can all be collected within three days. Only, how do you plan to transport them?”

  Tang San said:

  “We’ll use spirit tools. If our own spirit tools are insufficient, we’ll purchase two high capacity ones in Gengxin City. That should be good enough. Cash on delivery.”

  This procurement trip was mainly about iron essence, but there was still pure silver, tungsten steel, profound iron, black gold, cold iron, gold essence, and so on. Tang San had calculated carefully. These metals were enough for the Tang Sect’s use for two years. As long as everything went smoothly, it would be enough to produce one batch of useful hidden weapons. Not only could they satisfy the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School’s requests and equip the Tang Sect itself, they could even stock up. As for who they would sell to, that would depend on the situation. Anyway, this was a piece of business with stable income and no loss.”

  Si Long secretly calculated the total price of the metals. Even with his new position as president, he still couldn’t help his pulse accelerating, this was a huge sum! Just the association’s commission alone would be a considerable wealth. Even more when they could prioritize the association’s own shops.