Douluo Dalu - Volume 12 - A Hammer Called Clear Sky
Page 6
“This question is very simple. Whether your father or me, it’s all for your own good. It’s not to conceal your identity, but rather to let you become even stronger in the future. Tell me, what is the greatest advantage of twin spirits?”
“The abilities of two spirits. One spirit can at most only have nine spirit rings, that’s also nine abilities. But I have two spirits, so it’s eighteen abilities.”
Grandmaster’s brows furrowed,
“Foolish kid, fortunately you have me to learn from. Why can’t you still see it clearly? Correct, after twin spirits have cultivated to the Title Douluo realm, they can indeed possess eighteen spirit rings, eighteen spirit abilities. But, you’ve forgotten, even though you have twin spirits, you can only use one spirit at a time. In other words, at most you can only use nine spirit rings at the same time, that’s all. Even though you can change a bit more than ordinary Spirit Masters, is this the mystery of twin spirits? Then you are underestimating the gift of twin spirits too much.”
A divine light came on in Tang San’s mind,
“Teacher, you mean to say……”
Grandmaster nodded, saying:
“Me and your father both advocating having you first cultivating your Blue Silver Grass, is because it’s inferior to the Clear Sky Hammer. The greatest advantage of twin spirits is the ability to first cultivate one spirit. Even though your Clear Sky Hammer doesn’t have any spirit rings at present, your spirit power has already reached the thirty seventh rank. Think about it. If you right now began to add spirit rings to your Clear Sky Hammer, then what level of spirit rings would that be? Thousand year. If your Blue Silver Grass first reaches the Title Douluo level, then you add spirit rings to the Clear Sky Hammer? What level then? Me and your father’s goal is to create an unimaginable existence with all spirit rings over ten thousand years. But these circumstances can only appear with a Spirit Master with twin spirits. Your other spirit is Blue Silver Grass, I don’t expect you to cultivate to the ninetieth rank, but as long as you can cultivate to the sixtieth rank or higher, then, in the future it will be possible to create an all ten thousand year spirit ring Clear Sky Hammer. At that time, let alone a Title Douluo, even two at once, how might they be your opponents? Equally at the ninetieth rank, relying on your nine ten thousand year spirit rings to add all sorts of attributes, how could an ordinary Spirit Master compare? This is our true goal.”
Tang San’s eyes shone. He had used the Clear Sky Hammer once, at that time he had relied on it without any spirit rings to successfully attack the Man Faced Demon Spider. The Clear Sky Hammer’s weight was so frightful, and all this was because it was in itself a tyrannical existence.
Grandmaster looked at Tang San, saying:
“Right now my sole worry is whether your two spirits will come into conflict when you start adding spirit rings to the Clear Sky Hammer. In Spirit Master history, you are the third person to possess twin spirits. We’re not the only smart people, and if we’ve thought of something, then others have thought of it too. The first Spirit Master to possess twin spirits came to an extremely miserable end. When he added spirit rings to his second spirit, after adding the third, the two spirits came into conflict, bursting his body. But the second person to possess twin spirits was successful, becoming a power unprecedented in history. In other words, according to this cultivation method with twin spirits, the probability of success is fifty percent.”
“Perhaps your odds are a bit higher, after all, even until now your Clear Sky Hammer and Blue Silver Grass haven’t shown any signs of conflict. I’ve been constantly researching this question over these years, how to add spirit rings to your Clear Sky Hammer in the future so that they don’t come into conflict.”
“Not letting people know about the twin spirits is out of fear that some formidable spirit master will take a detrimental interest in you, having you first cultivate Blue Silver Grass is a method to let you become even stronger. Now you understand. As for what to choose in the future, that is up to you.”
Under Grandmaster’s detailed explanation, Tang San couldn’t help but feel a completely new awareness of his twin spirits,
“Teacher, then having me temper my body, isn’t that also because of the twin spirits? When Blue Silver Grass gains spirit rings, it would somewhat improve my body, like strength, agility, and endurance. And after I add spirit rings to the Clear Sky Hammer, won’t these circumstances appear again? In other words, my body’s attributes can at most increase by eighteen spirit rings. Although these attributes aren’t much compared to spirit abilities, accumulating his many is still extremely frightful.”
Grandmaster nodded, saying:
“That’s right, this is also a point that worries me. Increasing all kinds of attributes is of course a good thing to Spirit Masters. But, as attributes strengthen past a certain degree and the body is unable to endure, it will turn from benefit to disaster. That’s why I would have you toughen your physique. After you ate those two kinds of extreme immortal treasure herbs this time, it seems your body has improved not insignificantly. Right now I can be certain that in the future when you add spirit rings to the Clear Sky Hammer, at least the first three spirit rings won’t cause you too much of a burden. As for the others, it will depend on the circumstances. If it’s really no good we will use a kind of special method to distribute these properties.”
“How to distribute spirit ring properties?”
Tang San inquisitively asked.
Grandmaster pointed at Tang San’s back, saying:
“You’ve forgotten, you still have that external spirit bone. As your strength reaches a certain level, it’s best to possess two more spirit bones, and as your body is unable to support the properties from the spirit rings, these will be distributed into the spirit bones within you. Like this, the pressure you endure yourself will become smaller. The problem is, once people learn about it, people wanting to kill you by breaking the spirit bones within you will perhaps increase. Right now your twin spirits still haven’t formed, few people know about it, and it’s still not considered a problem, as for later it’s hard to say. Therefore, it’s for this reason I will continue to remind you that unless your life is in danger, you definitely mustn’t easily reveal your Clear Sky Hammer. In another half year it will be the Advanced Spirit Master Academy Grand Competition, I will remind you once again that in this Spirit Master Grand Competition you definitely mustn’t use the Clear Sky Hammer.”
“Yes, Teacher.”
Grandmaster softly patted Tang San’s shoulder, as if the frustration faded away saying:
“Little San, I can understand your present frame of mind. But there’s one point you must be clear on, living in a great clan, especially a Spirit Master school, isn’t as great as it appears. Restrictions and pressure from all sides, as well as secret internal struggles, there is no benefit to cultivation.”
Chapter 081: Xiao Wu: Ge, Brush My Hair
Part 1 (TL by Bagelson)
Grandmaster meaningfully and heartfelt said to Tang San:
“Although you now know your identity as part of the Clear Sky School, I hope you will be able to keep a common heart, don’t lightly go looking for your school, also don’t easily let out your thoughts. You can understand your teacher’s painstaking efforts?”
Tang San nodded without the slightest hesitation:
“Teacher, I understand. No matter what I do, I must have strength first, before I believe I have sufficient strength I won’t lightly go looking for the Clear Sky School. I might say, I must at least wait until my father appears, before I might return to the school. Moreover, you should also know that I’ve always liked freedom, the life in a school doesn’t seem to suit me. Actually, I’d rather be a blacksmith’s son, to me, what’s the point of status?”
Grandmaster looked astonished at Tang San, after all, Tang San in his eyes still only a teenaged child, he hadn’t expected this disciple of his to be able to see so deeply. His rigid face couldn’t help revealing a smil
ing expression, and he once again patted Tang San’s shoulder,
“Words like these put my heart at ease. In another half year the Advanced Spirit Master Academy Grand Competition will begin, this isn’t only a stage to reveal you, it’s also the ideal opportunity to gain experience. At this Continental Grand Competition, you will meet all the Spirit Master powers of your generation. Fighting them, vanquishing them, will not only promote your battle experience, at the same time it’s also an opportunity to establish confidence. I’ve already talked it over with Flender. Once this time’s Spirit Master Grand Competition is over, you children will graduate from the Academy.”
“Graduate? Teacher, isn’t it too early for this?”
Tang San said, shocked.
Grandmaster shook his head with a smile,
“No, it’s not early. At ordinary advanced Spirit Master academies you can already graduate when your strength reaches thirty ranks, moreover be considered a first rate student. But right now you’re not just at the thirtieth rank, even from the point of view of the Shrek Academy, I think that after you’ve participated in this Grand Competition, you should have reached the fortieth rank or so. Little San, the Academy isn’t everything. To your lives, cultivating at the Academy is only one stage, even more important is to temper yourselves in the outside world, that is the battlefield of your true test.”
Whether it his last life or this one, Tang San didn’t have too many experiences with society, but as he saw the certain gaze in Grandmaster’s eyes, he knew Grandmaster’s judgement wasn’t mistaken.
Perhaps it was because he had never stayed in the outside world, to the possible unknowns, in his heart was still some amount of fear.
Of course, right now wasn’t the time to reflect on this. Tang San naturally also didn’t expect that when he truly left for the outside world, it would already be six years later.
Leaving Grandmaster’s office, that kind of flash of insight feeling made Tang San’s heart indescribably free from worry. He had already again found his purpose in life. What about being descended from a school? What about father being a Title Douluo? All of that was after all not him.
He only had to first make himself become strong. This was meaningful.
Tang San already thought very clearly, at his current age, without anything more important than cultivation, all his physical and mental efforts should naturally be focused on this, and not on flights of fancy.
From this point on, whether it was Tang San or the other Shrek Seven Devils, they all entered half a year of arduous cultivation.
Grandmaster didn’t conduct any more special training with them, only regularly giving them tactics guidance, especially to their mutual teamwork, as well as how to use their own spirit abilities even more effectively.
It would appear that everyone had their own spirit abilities, they only had to use them fully.
But in fact, within this was contained enormous knowledge. Fully using any spirit ability at any time, fully using any spirit ability under any spirit power situation. Each circumstance held profound hidden theory. But Grandmaster had expended several decades on researching just this field. Under his guidance, the Shrek Seven Devils could be said to walk countless steps along a winding road.
Just like Tang San said when he presented everyone with the immortal treasure herbs, the medicinal effect wouldn’t just show at the time they took them. Along with their unceasing cultivation, apart from Xiao Wu who hadn’t used the ‘Yearning Heartbroken Red’, each person felt their bodies changing.
Not only did their spirit power growth rate become even faster than before, even more significant was the immortal treasure herbs’ transformation of their spirits and bodies. Tang San chose the herbs very carefully, and practically all were the ones that suited each person best.
Imperceptibly influencing them under their constant cultivation, the heaven and earth power contained within the herbs gradually fused with their bodies, making their comprehensive strength grow.
Even the Nine Treasure Purple Zoysia that wasn’t considered a real immortal treasure still assisted Grandmaster, in that brief half year his spirit power went from thirtieth rank to the thirty fifth rank. And everyone in the Shrek Seven Devils, making use of this half year, besides Dai Mubai’s spirit power which only rose one rank and a half, reaching the forty fourth and close to the forty fifth rank, of the remaining six only Xiao Wu didn’t reach the fortieth rank bottleneck.
The first person to break through the fortieth rank bottleneck was someone everyone felt was unexpected, against everyone’s expectations it wasn’t Zhu Zhuqing who had already reached the thirty eighth rank when taking the immortal treasure herb, or the most assiduously cultivating, intrinsically differently talented Tang San.
Taking everyone aback, the first of the six to break through the fortieth rank was the least adept at cultivating food system Spirit Master Oscar. When he had cultivated for four and a half months he successfully broke through the bottleneck, just stepping on the threshold to the fortieth rank, only requiring a spirit ring to formally go from Spirit Elder to Spirit Ancestor.
Others might not know about Oscar’s hard work, but Tang San understood clearly. Even though Tang San didn’t know what had happened, since the time Ning Rongrong returned from her clan, Oscar’s cultivation was a lot more diligent than before.
Previously Oscar was most addicted to sleeping, but in these few months Tang San hadn’t seen him sleeping once, even so that he rarely returned to the dorm, every day painstakingly cultivating his spirit in the dining hall that suited his cultivation best.
His strength being able to promote this quickly was admittedly related to the Eight Petal Immortal Orchid, but his great efforts and invested energy also finally had a conclusive effect.
After five months of cultivation, Zhu Zhuqing also broke through the fortieth rank, and after two days Tang San broke through. In another ten days, Ma Hongjun and Ning Rongrong also successively broke through the bottleneck.
So far, besides Xiao Wu who hadn’t taken the immortal treasure herb, the strength of the other six Shrek Seven Devils had all reached the fortieth rank stage.
In Grandmaster’s amassed theory, breaking through the bottleneck didn’t necessarily require first going to get a spirit ring. Continued cultivation would still accumulate spirit power that would be released when a spirit ring was obtained.
As a result of everyone’s spirit power being close, Grandmaster decided that after everyone had reached the fortieth rank they would again go hunt spirit beasts.
Of course, they couldn’t wait for Xiao Wu, and as everyone reached the fortieth rank, because she hadn’t taken the immortal treasure herb, she was still at the thirty seventh rank and attacking the thirty eighth. To reach the fortieth rank would still require at least another half year.
Tang San had on a few occasions advised Xiao Wu to take the Yearning Heartbroken Red, but Xiao Wu still wasn’t willing, and would keep the Yearning Heartbroken Red at her side every day, regarding it as indescribably precious.
But that Yearning Heartbroken Red was also very strange. Without any nutrients or moisture, following at Xiao Wu’s side it could unexpectedly absorb the strength of heaven and earth on its own, not only without any signs of wilting, but on the contrary becoming even more brightly colored and alluring, reflecting dazzlingly on Xiao Wu.
That seemingly delicate sprig and petals was even more durable than any metal.
Making people click their tongues in wonder.
In this half year Tang San also completed his agreement with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School’s financial resources were indeed formidable, in barely half a year they had manufactured the required components, and following Tang San’s assembly had completely outfitted the directly related disciples of the school, and furthermore kept some remaining ones stored in reserve.
It was also because he had to spend time on making these things that Tang San’s cultivatio
n was slower than Oscar and Zhu Zhuqing, making him the third person to break through the fortieth rank.
In this period of time, there was still one small interlude. After Ning Fengzhi brought back the blueprints he ordered his subordinate craftsmen to manufacture and research them, even using the finished goods to compare. But no matter how they tried, they were still unable to make even one hidden weapon. Even if those finished hidden weapons were dismantled to their components, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School craftsmen still couldn’t think of a way to fit them together.
Helplessly, in the end they could only leave the final assembly to Tang San.
Even though this still couldn’t be considered a loss to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, it was still somewhat embarrassing for Ning Fengzhi.
How could he know that Tang San used manufacturing skills that had been developed by the Tang Sect over centuries, how couldn’t the Tang Sect fear that others would counterfeit the sect’s hidden weapons? Everything they manufactured would contain some special skill that only Tang Sects disciples knew, just like a passcode existing for each hidden weapon. As long as no code was leaked by mistake, it would be impossible to reveal the secrets of the hidden weapon making.
This was a major reason why Tang San could completely at ease hand over the blueprints to Ning Fengzhi.
At nightfall, in a rare moment when Tang San wasn’t cultivating, sitting in front of the log cabin, leaning against the cottage and gazing up at the points of starlight in the night sky.
As a plant system Spirit Master, his mimicry cultivation naturally had to be made among plants, and the secluded wooden cottage that was originally Liu Erlong’s dwelling was considered Tang San’s.
Tang San quite liked the environment here. Cultivating here was not only quiet, that fresh and clean air and the fragrance released by the plants was even more what he liked the most.
Part 2 (TL by Bagelson)