Douluo Dalu - Volume 02 - The First Spirit Ring

by Tang Jia San Shao

  The following scene made a lifelong impression on the blacksmiths present. That heavy forging hammer seemed to be alive in Tang San’s hands, it drew one circle after another in the air, imbued with rhythm, beating sounds just like a violent storm acting within the smithy.

  Nobody paid attention to Tang San’s both hands that already became shining white like jade. Accompanying the clanging sounds, that chunk of pig iron continuously pulsated under the forging hammer.

  Shi San on one side was drawing the bellows with full strength, on one side closely staring at Tang San swinging the hammer, his expression was already beyond shocked.

  The other smiths all knew Shi San’s hammer was very heavy, and naturally knew the difficulty of continuously beating. Especially being like Tang San this kind of heavy hammer, it was even more difficult in the extreme.

  Clang. The last beat completed, Tang San brought the forging hammer to its former place after turning two circles, diffusing the hammer’s momentum. The big hammer head downward, again dropping to the ground, causing the smithy and blacksmith’s hearts simultaneously a moment of shock.

  Twenty seven blows, a full twenty seven continuously sustained beats, before Shi San’s forging that chunk of pig iron had not changed its appearance an iota, but was now reduced to a circle.

  Tang San doing this, Shi San knew he could also do himself, but would an entire day’s time. One must know, Shi San had formally been a blacksmith for fifteen years’ time already.

  Seeing the slightly panting and forehead appearing sweaty Tang San, Shi San stuttered:

  “Tha-, that couldn’t have been Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Method? Among forging arts the most powerful continuous forging art?”

  Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Method? What’s that?”

  Tang San said uncertainly.

  Shi San’s cheeks were already flushing red because of excitement,

  “What is called Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Method, is a kind of continuous beating forging method, leveraging force, able to most perfectly bring out us blacksmiths’ physical strength. It is said the most awesome smiths can continuously swing eighty one times, directly having a chunk of pig iron take on the appearance they want. Most importantly, Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Method is the most powerful technique for driving out impurities in metal, I still thought it was lost long ago, I didn’t expect to see it today in your hands.”

  Chapter 013: Father’s Message

  Part 1

  Was it truly Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Method? Before Tang San’s eyes floated the dispirited figure of his father, could it actually be said his father originally was an outstanding blacksmith?

  “Uncle San, I also don’t know whether this is Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer Method, this is something father taught me.

  Shi San exhaled a long breath, then said with a big hearty smile:

  “It looks as if, this time we picked up a treasure. The employment conditions just now are void: for the time being you first will be paid the same as everyone, every month one silver spirit coin. If business is good, you take an additional percentage.”

  Just like this, Tang San formally became a member of Shi San’s smithy, beginning to live a full life.

  The academy’s curriculum certainly was not a necessary place to him, Grandmaster’s instruction was much more useful than the academy teachers in relating basic theory.

  He also carefully read that book Grandmaster gave him. Just like he expected, the spirit power cultivation methods Grandmaster put forward were very similar to the internal strength cultivation movement routes. Of course, this after all was only Grandmaster’s theoretical designs, and compared to genuine internal strength cultivation methods was still a certain distance apart, not to speak of Tang sect’s finely tempered Mysterious Heaven skill.

  Xiao Wu smoothly obtained the spirit master title, and after becoming the academy’s generally accepted Xiao Wu Jie, the working students’ lives became relaxed and comfortable.

  Early morning every day, Tang San would take advantage of the new-born sunrise to cultivate his Purple Demon Eye, in the morning attend regular classes, in the afternoon labour in the smithy, in the evening again listen to Grandmaster’s instruction. At night cultivate Mysterious Heaven skill. It could be said that every day to him was absolutely full.

  At Shi San’s smithy, Tang San only needed a very short time to gain everyone’s approval. Shi San gave him the assignment of refining metal, and in the remaining free time, Tang San used some discarded bits and pieces to refine on his own, starting his great hidden weapon production undertaking. Of course, he was only producing some components in the smithy, genuinely assembling after returning to the academy.

  Xiao Wu relying on her own tyrannical strength with Xiao Chen-Yu’s assistance, very quickly became approved as the entire Nuoding primary spirit master academy’s students boss, and compared to Tang San she passed the time very leisurely, sometimes even to the extent of not going to class. Tang San did not even see how she cultivated. But Xiao Wu’s actual strength continuously elevated steadily.

  At Nuoding primary spirit master academy, one semester was one year’s time, in the entire year students were not permitted to return home, but family members could come to visit. Tang San more than once expected his father to come, but until the end of the semester, still did not see a trace of Tang Hao. Fortunately his life was sufficiently full, and he did not have too much time to long for it.

  As for Spirit Hall, not long after Tang San underwent spirit master review, Spirit Hall’s people came to Nuoding academy to look for Grandmaster, Grandmaster never told Tang San what they discussed, and Tang San also did not ask. But from Grandmaster’s face compared to normal was much more smiling, and Tang San guessed the relationship between Spirit Hall and Grandmaster should have become a lot better.

  “Xiao Wu, for tomorrow’s holiday, will you return home?”

  Tang San said to Xiao Wu while packing his luggage.

  One school year had passed, and he was finally able to return home and see his father. This afternoon at the smithy he had already asked Xhi San for a leave of absence. Also specially bought a brand new forging hammer, intending to bring back to give to his father.

  Since Tang San joined Shi San’s smithy, making the quality of the various kinds of weapons and equipment produced in the smithy rise one grade, business became better, and right now Tang San’s wages already reached five silver spirit coins every month, equivalent to half a spirit master’s stipend.

  Xiao Wu leaned on the bed, her eyes revealing some loneliness, entirely different from her usual liveliness,

  “I’m not going home. Maybe, just stay at the academy.”

  Tang San was dumbfounded a moment,

  “All year, you won’t return to see your family?”

  Xiao Wu’s eyes suddenly lit up, saying:

  “Little San, your family isn’t far from the academy is it? Otherwise, I’ll follow you to return and play, how about that? Anyway Wang Sheng and Xiao Chen-Yu are both going to participate in the intermediate spirit master academy examination, there’s nobody to accompany me to play.”

  Tang San smiled, after passing one year together, he could be considered as having some comparative understanding regarding Xiao Wu could. This little girl was lively and energetic, always appearing motivated by a desire to see the world in chaos; when acting gentle and soft, she somehow appeared like a lovely doll, but a moment later became a violent whirlwind. That Nuoding Xiao Wu Jie title of hers was exactly called in vain. In the entire academy, who knew how many students had already tasted bitterness from her.

  “My family can be very poor, without anything good to entertain you.”

  Xiao Wu with both hands akimbo, and big eyes glaring at Tang San said:

  “Every month you saved so much of your stipend, so reluctant to spend, but still fear entertaining me?”

  Tang San wearing a slight smile extended his right hand,

  “Sp
eaking of stipends I suddenly recall, a certain person still appears to owe me six silver spirit coins.”

  Xiao Wu was dumbfounded a moment, her fair and tender little face revealing some embarrassment. A stipend of one gold coin every month could definitely not be regarded as little, however, her spending was truly extravagant, if seeing something good coming back to buy it, not taking into account a bit whether or not it was useful. By now she long ago already had her own bedding, not having to share with Tang San. Never able to manage her finances, in a short time asking Tang San to lend spending money, already became habit.

  “Not exactly six silver coins? Wait for me to get the stipend to pay you. You still haven’t said, if you after all are willing to let me come along with you.”

  Tang San said with a slight smile:

  “You want to go then go. Only, my dad’s temperament can be bad.”

  Xiao Wu not in the least fazed said:

  “Someone this lovely, your dad will happily approve of me.”

  While speaking, still assuming a gentle and soft appearance asking Tang San with blinking eyes.

  Other people might be fooled by her outward appearance, but Tang San had seen too many scenes of her true volcanic eruptions. He could not help but shake his head, still not a bit swallowing her cover.

  “You need not use your honey trap on me. Fortunately you will appear seven years old, if a bit older, perhaps you truly would have a little fox spirit talent.”

  Part 2

  “Fox spirit? What’s that?”

  Xiao Wu full of curiosity asked.

  Tang San smiling said:

  “It’s a kind of spirit beast turned into a demon, specializing in seducing men.”

  Xiao Wu was stunned a moment, her gaze at Tang San suddenly became somewhat strange, between eye blinks, her mood abruptly became agitated,

  “You drop dead, daring to call me a fox spirit, I’ll definitely fight you.”

  While speaking, she already baring fangs and brandishing claws leapt up from her bed, charging at Tang San.

  The other working students regarding this scene no longer wondered at the sight. The noise of fighting between Xiao Wu Jie and Tang San to their point of view, long ago became accustomed to; if some day those two were not fighting several times, on the contrary perhaps they instead would feel uneasy.

  Early the next day, as Tang San set out with that very bouncing and vivacious young girl at his side, wearing Nuoding academy’s uniform, leaving Nuoding city, and heading towards Holy Spirit village.

  This past year, to Tang San’s point of view, had been extremely rich, and also extremely satisfying. Breaking through Mysterious Heaven skill’s first tier bottleneck, under assiduous cultivation, Mysterious Heaven skill had made rapid progress. On the basis of his own calculations, by now he should already be reaching the upper middle second tier’s strength, on the basis of spirit power calculations, he should have about sixteenth rank approaching seventeenth rank.

  In the academy, people able to compare spirit power with him, only had a Xiao Wu: even though he never saw her cultivate, when the two compared spirit power the difference was never far. Sometimes Tang San had the upper hand, sometimes he was reversely surpassed by Xiao Wu. Although both were children, to the two who refused to give in, exchanging points like this was hard to avoid.

  Just when starting, Xiao Chen-Yu and Wang Sheng, these higher grade students occasionally joined in, but along with Tang San and Xiao Wu spirit powers’ lightning fast rise, there were no people who again came to disturb them. One could ask: who would hope to become like a sandbag’s existence?

  Therefore, although Xiao Wu was nominally the boss of Nuoding’s students, in practice, when Xiao Chen-Yu’s group addressed Tang San, he was also called little San Ge.

  When Tang San exchanged pointers with Xiao Wu, he always losing more than he won. Xiao Wu’s fighting techniques emerged in an endless stream, especially her Soft Skill gave people a kind of New Year cake like feeling, if in circumstances where both sides did not draw support from spirit ring powers, Tang San was practically certain to lose. Even if using spirit rings, relying on blue silver grass binding and paralysing effects, the most he could accomplish when battling Xiao Wu was a draw.

  As for Tang San’s secretly practiced hidden weapons these were certainly not used when exchanging pointers, first was because the hidden weapons’ killing power was too great, too easy to injure a person, and second, he was still hoping to temper his own close combat strength through exchanging pointers with Xiao Wu. Perhaps it was because of the two mutually acting as sparring partners giving rise to an accelerating effect, but in respect to fighting, they advanced side by side. The academy’s teachers were all already disinclined to be in charge of them, and in Nuoding, although Tang San and Xiao Wu were still only first years, they already became the academy’s famous geniuses.

  “Is it still far ah?”

  Xiao Wu looked east, then gazed west, offhandedly asking.

  “We’ll arrive soon. See that hilltop over there? Our Holy Spirit village is at the foot of the hill.”

  About to arrive home, Tang San couldn’t help his mood being somewhat excited, if not for the Nuoding academy regulations he would have returned to stay at home at night, without the teacher making the rounds every day, maybe Tang San long ago would have returned home to look in on his father. ‘Not meeting for a year, dad, are you still well?’

  Perhaps it was because of being an orphan in his last life, this life, Tang San all the more especially treasured that family love.

  Touching Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges at his waist, there he had brought the iron hammer for his father, brand new clothes, and even some bottles of pretty good wine.

  The little mountain village where he lived for six years was already in view, not knowing why, in Tang San’s heart a kind of indescribable feeling gradually appeared. If insisting on using words to describe it, then he would say, the feeling of having family was truly good. Even if that family only was him and his father.

  Very quickly, the two already walked into Holy Spirit village. Tang San’s home was at the edge of the village, raising his hand to indicate the roof with that dilapidated sign, Tang San smiled at Xiao Wu and said:

  “Look, that’s my home.”

  Home before his eyes, Tang San’s mood subconsciously became excited, underfoot his steps increasing pace, three steps and two more and he reached the door of his home.

  The front door exactly alike as when he left certainly didn’t matter, this was Tang Hao’s habit all along. After all, this smithy did not have anything that could be stolen.

  “Dad, I’m back.”

  Tang San excitedly shouted.

  Xiao Wu from never having Tang San this excited, stood at his back looking at him somewhat curiously. In her impression, Tang San was a very gentle friend, usually not saying much, but always with a busy feeling, always having some matter to attend. Only in their exchanging of pointers could his serious side be seen. And even if seriously losing to her, one still never saw his angry or even agitated appearance.

  While calling, Tang San walked inside with quick steps.

  Everything seemingly had not changed, the smithy was still in turmoil, even more so compared to before he left, a hideous mess of things left all over, a broken tattered and worn out feeling, bringing Tang San even more familiarity.

  “Oh, little San, you’re back.”

  A mild voice rose. From inside a person walked out.

  Seeing him, Tang San couldn’t help but be stunned,

  “Grandpa Jack, you also, ah, then my dad?”

  Walking out from inside was exactly Holy Spirit village elder old Jack, on his face a somewhat wry smile, he handed over a paper in his hand to Tang San, saying:

  “You have a look, this is your father’s message. Earlier I came to find him, originally thinking to have him and me go meet you, not thinking you would already have returned.”

  A nervous feeling appeared in
Tang San’s heart, hurriedly taking the paper old Jack held out and lowering his head to read.

  On the paper were only a few simple lines, handwriting somewhat sloppy, but concealing a bold and unconstrained spirit.

  Part 3

  “Little San:

  When this letter reaches you, I will have already left. Do not look for me, you will not be able to find me.

  Although you are still young, you have the strength to provide for yourself. A young falcon must first spread its wings on its own before soaring.

  You need not worry about me. In your nature is a great deal of your mother’s delicacy. Dad is a useless person. You gradually grow up, dad has to go get back some things that originally should have belonged to me. Inevitably one day, we two father and son will again see each other.

  I hope you become formidable, but I also do not hope you become formidable. You choose your own path.

  If one day you feel the spirit master vocation is not good, then return to Holy Spirit village, and like me, work as a blacksmith.

  Do not miss me.

  Tang Hao”

  Reading the letter in his hand, Tang San’s entire person was already stunned, the joy filling his chest in an instant changing into helpless loss.

  Dad left, dad, why must you leave?

  Old Jack saw Tang San in low spirits, and with a wry smile said:

  “Tang Hao this fellow left without any warning. The day before yesterday I came to have him forge some farm tools. With him leaving like this, we must again find a blacksmith later. This fellow, truly too irresponsible.”

  Tang San slowly returned from his absentmindedness,

  “Grandpa Jack, you’re saying, dad would have left in only these two days?”

  Old Jack nodded.

  “Should have left in these two days. Little San, don’t feel sorry, this kind of a father is unworthy of it. Come with grandpa, we’ll go to my home.”

  Tang San silently shook his head, with the greatest care folding the letter in his hands, placing it in his bosom.