He also saw that, within this party, Tang San was the true leader, and hurriedly gave an unreserved agreement. Such a big client, even without the relationship with Tai Tan, would still be valued by the blacksmith’s association. In fact, this piece of business would involve a frightening sum of more than two hundred thousand gold spirit coins. To a slump industry like smithing, this was already an astronomical figure. It was equivalent to the entire income for one year of business for the blacksmith association.
Leaving the blacksmith association, a smiling Si Long brought everyone to a restaurant not far away. Even if the outside world didn’t know he was about to succeed the position as association president, with his status as smith scholar, he was still one of the most respected guests here.
Entering the restaurant, the owner who originally stood behind a counter immediately came out, respectfully standing to the side,
“Great scholar Si Long, you’ve come. Please.”
Si Long wasn’t so polite when confronting outsiders, with an indifferent expression:
“The old place.”
That proprietor’s expression immediately grew embarrassed,
“I-, I’m sorry, great scholar Si Long, let me arrange a different place for you. That room has already been reserved by others today.”
Si Long’s brows wrinkled,
“Manager, I want to entertain important customers today. Won’t you give me that much face?”
The owner’s forehead already showed a sheen of sweat,
“I don’t dare, I don’t dare, only, only……”
Si Long coldly said:
“Only what?”
The boss lowered his voice:
“I really can’t afford to offend the person who reserved that room. Gran scholar Si Long, please understand. It’s the Lord Spirit Hall’s people.”
Gengxing City was considered one of the lord cities within Star Luo Empire, therefore Spirit Hall naturally also had a Lord Spirit Hall here. Spirit Hall’s influence was enormous in the entire continent, they were in cities of almost every level.
Hearing it was the Lord Spirit Hall’s people, Si Long couldn’t keep his expression from growing somewhat ugly, but he still endured and looked at Tai Tan and the others next to him, without any resentful expression. Then he asked that boss:
“Fine, manager, I won’t make things difficult for you, find us another room.”
As if having received a great amnesty, that boss hurriedly smiled and nodded repeatedly,
“Please, grand scholar Si Long, noble customers, today really is my fault, please blame me.”
This boss clearly was very conscientious. Further adding his humble appearance, even Si Long found it difficult to rebuke him.
But even if Tang San and the others didn’t plan to make trouble, that didn’t mean others wouldn’t.
Just when the party was preparing to follow the boss upstairs, an eccentric voice came from behind them,
“Who is this? So it’s great scholar Si Long! We’ll let you have this place!”
Everyone turned around to look. Among seven or eight Spirit Hall attendant uniformed people walking over, the man in the lead was roughly the same age as Si Long, his hair already grizzled, aquiline nose, small eyes, big mouth, his face as ugly as an air dried tangerine, and a disdainful expression. And the people behind him were each and everyone as if they hated they couldn’t overlook the sky, an arrogant aura overflowing in words and manners. No need to ask, Tang San still knew that these people were bound to be from Gengxin City’s Lord Hall.
Si Long’s expression dropped,
“Bishop Meyers[1], what do you mean by that?”
The elder leading the Spirit Hall party, Meyers, showed a trace of a cold smile at the corners of his mouth, strolling forward,
“Oh, nothing at all. We’ve all known each other for so many years, I just want to express my respect. You are a great scholar level smith. Do you all know what a great scholar level smith is?”
The last question was directed at the Spirit Hall crowd behind him.
These fellows cooperated very well, immediately someone replied:
“Still a blacksmith.”
Meyers laughed out loud, saying:
“That’s right, still a blacksmith. Pitiful, even with more than seventieth ranked cultivation, you’re still a worthless tool spirit master. Si Long, it’s not impossible for me to let you have the room. As long as you persuade president Lou Gao to have your blacksmith’s association join our Spirit Hall. Wouldn’t that be a lot better for future development?”
Si Long’s face was already ashen with anger. Indeed, he really was a Spirit Sage level spirit master, but as a tool spirit master, he was like little Ao back then, without any attack power.
“Meyers, don’t forget, this is Gengxin City.”
Si Long spoke through clenched teeth.
Mayers laughed coldly,
“What about it? Let alone you, even Gengxin City’s lord has to be polite when meeting me. Fuck off. Good dogs don’t stand in the way.”
While speaking, he waved his hand. Immediately, a great force sent Si Long tumbling to the side.
However, Si Long very quickly found his balance, helped by Oscar. Si Long’s tumble naturally exposed Tang San and the others behind him, and Meyers immediately looked distracted. Not because he recognized them, but rather because his eyes fell on the two women among them.
Ning Rongrong with skin so smooth it seemed it might drip with water, Xiao Wu as pure as a lily, two great beauties appeared before him, and he couldn’t help being dazzled. Even as the master of Gengxin City’s Lord Spirit Hall, he could also be considered as having seen no few beautiful women, but beauty such as was before him now he had never seen, let alone come into contact with at close distance.
Swallowing visibly to everyone’s naked eyes, Meyers’ expression immediately changed. The ice cold appearance from just now turned kindly, and added to his age, he really seemed a bit sanctimonious.
“Si Long, from where did you kidnap these two young ladies? En, really beautiful.”
While speaking, he directly turned and walked towards Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu.
Perhaps sensing the counterpart’s bad intentions, Xiao Wu subconsciously pulled back into Tang San’s embrace. Standing next to Tang San, Ma Hongjun was just about to move, but was held back by Tang San. But Tai Tan had already stepped forward to meet him, snorting angrily, hardly concealing the unreasoning spirit power fluctuations he released. Immediately, tremendous pressure abruptly blossomed like a tidal wave.
Meyers just preparing to raise his hand to touch Xiao Wu, only felt his chest tighten, and was uncontrollably forced back several steps, his face immediately growing alarmed. Looking at the tall Tai Tan and the imposing manner he released, he couldn’t keep his complexion from changing.
Spirit Hall could even be said to have influence overflowing Heaven, Meyers really hadn’t exaggerated, even Gengxin City’s lord had to show some consideration for him. The grandeur of a spirit master, and further adding the influence of Spirit Hall, he could even be called a local tyrant in Gengxin City. But, ultimately, he was still a spirit master. In the world of spirit masters, strength was the capital to speak. After feeling Tai Tan’s Heaven imposing manner, his completely frivolous expression immediately turned serious. The subordinates behind him could stand it even less and retreated one after the other before Tai Tan’s pressure, their faces turning pale one by one.
Meyers himself was a sixty something ranked Spirit Emperor, but he clearly felt that the old man in front of him wasn’t someone he could contend with, that tyrannical aura was at least two levels higher than his own. In other words, this old man should be a Spirit Douluo level power. In Spirit Hall, this would be strength equivalent to at least a cardinal. Even if they had the numerical advantage, facing a power like this they still wouldn’t be able to take the consequences.
“Your are?”
Meyers looked at Tai Tan with bewi
lderment and uncertainty.
Before Tai Tan could speak up, Tang San suddenly flicked one hand, a warrant tile flying out at Meyers.
Meyers subconsciously raised his hand to catch it. This time, his face turned deathly pale, his whole body trembling, the warrant tile sliding from his hand.
However, the familiar designs on that warrant tile were already deeply engraved in his mind.
Tang San’s indifferent voice echoed,
“I’m not in the mood to have my meal disturbed, so hurry up and fuck off.”
Meyers, as if he had received a general pardon, hurriedly stooped and picked up the warrant tile, deferentially handing it back to Tang San. Afterwards he signaled his subordinates, and unexpectedly lay down directly on the ground and humped his way outside[2]. At this time, for the sake of survival, he couldn’t pay any attention to face.
Seeing their elder do that, even though these spirit masters didn’t know what was going on, they weren’t idiots and knew that today they had kicked an iron plate, one by one following Meyers’ example and “fucking off”.
Tang San’s warrant tile was naturally the one Tang Hao once gave to Grandmaster. After Tang San returned to Shrek Academy this time, Grandmaster had passed it on to him. Even though they were absolutely opposed to Spirit Hall, this warrant tile was still enormously effective. It was no wonder Meyers would be afraid, the warrant tile represented an elder level status. And Spirit Hall’s elders, which one wasn’t a Title Douluo? Further adding the pressure Tai Tan released before, an issue with his judgement immediately appeared. He knew the authority of the assembly of elders, that was an organization with the highest influence that even the Supreme Pontiff had to fear to some extent. Seeing that Tang San let him off lightly, he immediately fucked off. Once outside, he immediately ran off like a wisp of smoke, to the extent that he didn’t even dare look at the restaurant again.
Now, the entire restaurant was silent. Whether it was Si Long, the restaurant boss, or the customers, they all looked at Tang San as if they were seeing a monster. Tai Tan turned around and said to the restaurant boss:
“Still not leading the way?”
The restaurant boss then came to himself, his appearance immediately turning even more humble,
“Noble customers, please, please.”
Of course, the place where they ate turned into that room Si Long wanted from the start. Basically before Si Long could order dishes, the boss swiftly withdrew to arrange it.
The boss just left when Si Long’s expression couldn’t help sinking, looking at Tang San,
“You’re Spirit Hall’s people?”
As Lou Gao’s disciple, and a blacksmith association grand scholar level character, he naturally also recognized the the tile Tang San took out.
Before Tang San spoke up, Tai Tan already took the initiative to say:
“Don’t worry, you brat. There’s no relationship between us and Spirit Hall. If I had to say there was a relation, then it’s absolutely a hostile one. I’ll introduce you and you’ll understand. This is miss Rongrong, from the Seven Treasure Glaze Tile School.”
Ning Rongrong had naturally also noticed that the blacksmith association and Spirit Hall’s relationship was an inharmonious one. Words could never explain as much as actions. Raising her right hand, along with a flash of gem like light, her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda appeared above her palm with dazzling luster.
Si Long didn’t pay attention to the treasure pagoda over her hand having nine levels, because he was already stupefied by those six dazzling spirit rings.
How old was Ning Rongrong? Among the Shrek Seven Devils, she was only a bit older than Zhu Zhuqing. Moreover, she had grown conspicuously small, nowhere did she seem like she was twenty. But on the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda in her hand, those six dazzling spirit rings were distinct.
Ning Rongrong supplied what Tai Tan had held back,
“My father is Ning Fengzhi.”
Si Long drew a deep breath, and couldn’t help viewing the people in front of him in a new light. He now understood why these people could prepare to buy so much metal without haggling over the price. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School might be the richest sect in the spirit master world! Even Spirit Hall might envy their wealth.
Simultaneously, his gaze towards Tang San also changed somewhat. Clearly, in this party, Tang San was the leader. To get the Strength Clan to follow, to get the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School master’s darling daughter to follow, what kind of status did a youth like that hold?
However, experienced in the ways of the world, he didn’t ask anything further. Only nodding silently, his whole body relaxed.
Ma Hongjun somewhat discontentedly asked Tang San:
“Third brother, why didn’t you let me teach those bastards a lesson just now? Didn’t you see how arrogant they were? Really ought to be put down.”
Tang San shook his head to Ma Hongjun, indifferently saying:
“We can’t cause trouble for the blacksmith association. If you attacked, Spirit Hall would ascribe this debt to the association. When that time came, the association would be in trouble. I still want to keep cooperating with the blacksmith association, I can’t be that negligent.”
Oscar didn’t speak up, because he knew that Tang San absolutely wasn’t someone good at tolerating people, especially when that Meyers seemed like he wanted to defile Xiao Wu. Xiao Wu was Tang San’s taboo. He seemed calm right now, but what was hiding beneath that surface?
Listening to Tang San, Si Long’s gaze at him could no longer be described as just startled, it was even a bit reverent. Without a question, what Tang San said was correct. If they had really attacked just now, then Spirit Hall, who had always looked at the blacksmith association like a tiger watching its prey, would definitely swiftly and mercilessly retaliate against the association. Spirit Hall had always been looking for the chance, after all, this was Gengxin City, where the blacksmith association was deeply rooted. If Spirit Hall wanted to attack them without justification, that wouldn’t be so easy.
“Thank you, young friend. I still haven’t asked, what is young friend’s noble name?”
Si Long said gratefully.
Tang San said:
“I’m Tang San. Senior Si Long, can you tell us about the blacksmith association’s current relationship with Spirit Hall?”
Hearing Tang San mention Spirit Hall once again, Si Long couldn’t keep a chill from flashing through his eyes,
“What relationship? To Spirit Hall it seems like our blacksmith association is chicken ribs, tasteless as animal feed, discarding it is unfortunate, that’s why they’ve never touched us. You’ve also seen how I and the junior disciples guard above the third floor of the association. Actually, with our status as spirit masters, that kind of guard is more of a symbolic gesture, expressing our respect to all visitors. But, now this guard has really changed into a defense against the outside. Recently, people have come one after another to cause trouble at the association. And they’re all Spirit Hall’s people. Me, at the Spirit Sage level, the most I can do is give them a bit of pressure, I’d be revealed if I tried fighting. That’s also why that Meyers just now was so arrogant towards me even his spirit power is lower than mine. It’s because last time Spirit Hall’s people came causing trouble, they injured me. They now know that we’re all just tool spirit masters. This has always been giving us a headache.”
“Actually, from what Spirit Hall itself says, they have no interest in our blacksmith association, after all, the difference between blacksmiths and spirit masters really is too great. Incorporating the blacksmith association is basically the idea of that bastard Meyers, he’s planning to get some extra income from us. After all, the total income of the blacksmith association in Gengxin City is quite considerable.”
Listening to Si Long, Tang San had a basic understanding of the relationship between the blacksmith association and Spirit Hall. Grasping Xiao Wu’s delicate hand, he smiled and said:
“Then, where is the Lord Spirit Hall of Gengxin City located?”
Si Long suddenly discovered that, when Tang San asked this question, his eyes clearly displayed an ice cold killing intent. And as that killing intent flashed past, even with his level he couldn’t keep from shivering.
“Young friend Tang San, you’re……”
Tang San was still smiling,
“I’m just casually asking. After we’ve eaten, I’d like to trouble president Si Long to prepare the things we need as soon as possible. Oh, right, tomorrow we will also participate in the blacksmith association’s auction. I’d still like to trouble you to arrange it.”
Si Long nodded, and said:
“That’s no problem. You are our big customers. The Lord Spirit Hall is in the eastern part of the city. It’s a very distinct building, built even more splendid than the city lord’s mansion. The Lord Spirit Hall here has approximately forty spirit masters. Among them, Meyers’ level is the highest, roughly at the sixty third to sixty sixth rank. Among the others, there are also four above the fiftieth rank. The remainder are all common spirit masters below the fiftieth rank. The overwhelming majority are all at the twentieth and thirtieth rank. After all, this isn’t any important city. The allocation of members for the Lord Spirit Hall isn’t so generous.”
Tang San and Si Long looked eye to eye and, with mutual understanding, neither continued on the subject. But Tang San was still very satisfied with Si Long’s detailed description of the composition of Spirit Hall’s strength. This Spirit Sage level tool spirit master wasn’t the slightest bit slow!
The rest of the meal was extremely harmonious with the restaurant boss’ meticulous care, taking out practically the finest ingredients, carefully prepared by the best chef. Even if it wasn’t delicacies, it was still good value.
After the meal, even though the restaurant boss repeatedly expressed there was no need to pay, Si Long still paid five gold spirit coins. Even though that was still just the production cost, it was still enough to prove the difference between the blacksmith association and Spirit Hall. In fact, Meyers had never paid for his meal.
Douluo Dalu: Volume 27: Gengxin City Page 5
