"See you later San-ge!" Mei waved her hand as she ran off to the forest. Yuan also waved her hand and rushed after.
Tang San went back to his house to prepare breakfast. Using Purple Demon Eyes every day and cultivating it in when morning, Purple Demon Eye advanced very rapidly; the leaf in his hand, even if it was the smallest lines, he could distinctly observe them. He knew his Purple Demon Eye had already begun to enter the realm of the very finest details.
With nine distinct tiers to Mysterious Heaven skill, Purple Demon Eye only has four levels: Survey, Detailed, Mustard Seed, and Boundless. The requirement for Tang inner sect disciples is to enter Detailed, which is sufficient to use hidden weapons. Owing to Tang San's early cultivation, aided by not having completely dispersed inborn qi after being born, by the age of six years he already possessed a trace of detailed perception. But he also knew, of Tang's inner sect disciples practically everyone's Purple Demon Eye could reach the detailed realm, but including sect master mister Tang Da, nobody could enter the next realm of Purple Demon Eye.
After reaching Detailed, Purple Demon Eye's cultivation became extremely slow, and there must be no interruption in the daily assimilation of the eastern purple qi. That kind of persistence could not be explained in a few words. Therefore, just like Tang sect disciples after entering the detailed realm, there were also very few who would continue cultivating. In legend, the Tang sect had an elder whose Purple Demon Eye reached the Mustard seed boundary but also did not have any particular results. Only compared to the detailed realm he saw still a little more clearly, that is all. And that elder had already cultivated Purple Demon Eye for more than thirty years.
At once entering the door, lightly touching his wrist, Tang San's face showed a trace of a satisfied smile; on his wrist was attached his first work since arriving in this world, and every step was completed by him on his own.
That was a spring-loaded dart concealed in his sleeve. When speaking about the Tang sect in the first place, the concealed dart is the most ordinary kind of hidden weapon. The key to manufacturing the concealed dart depends on the power of the mechanism as well as the degree of ingenuity of the design. Tang San's manufactured sleeve dart was even equipped with a safety device, so no accidental injury was possible.
One set of sleeve darts was just like three arrows made to fit in a sleeve, even now it was without exception on Tang San's hand. The material for this sleeve dart had consumed exactly that chunk of pig iron he had hammered for nearly a hundred days.
Just as Tang San delivered the completed task to Tang Hao when he held that fist-sized chunk of completely forged pig iron, he was shocked to discover that the piece of pig iron that originally had contained numerous impurities had changed into a chunk of iron mother, genuine iron mother.
In his previous life, let alone him, even if he was the Tang sect's best forging grandmaster, he could not accomplish this method to forge common pig iron into iron mother. But in this world it was reality. This in itself was an extremely inconceivable matter. This sleeve dart on Tang San's wrist was made from that chunk of iron mother. To completely manufacture the sleeve dart, including three ten centimeters small arrows inside, he used all the iron mother he had.
Speaking of forging, Tang San was no good; far inferior to Tang Hao. But when speaking about making cleverly hidden weapons, let alone Tang Hao, perhaps all of Douluo Continent did not have anyone who could compare to his Tang outer sect genius.
Ordinary sleeve darts had a range of fifteen meters or so, but the sleeve dart made by Tang San could maintain an effective attack range of over thirty meters.
What is called effective attack range, is exactly the sleeve dart emission distance in a straight line, it is also exactly the distance where the weapon is fully able to kill or wound.
Tang San's sleeve darts, even though only three, were made extremely ingeniously. On each sleeve dart were three blood grooves. If not because of the size being too small, he still thought to give the sleeve dart arrowheads barbs. The tail had four tiny fletchings that could cause the sleeve dart to fly extremely smoothly. The tapered arrowhead was spirally rifled, so that when the sleeve dart was launched it possessed even stronger piercing power.
Making designs for hidden weapons, Tang San was always pursuing perfection; even though this was only a single ordinary sleeve dart, nothing more.
Tang San knew that he was still young right now; Mysterious Heaven's skill also could not break through the bottleneck. Even if he was an ordinary person he could not say he was worried; only in case he encountered a spirit master like Su Yuntao who could use spirits would his strength be far from enough. But with this sleeve dart, it was different, Tang San believed that depending on it, even if his actual strength was not more powerful than a spirit master, he had ways to deal with it all.
...
γTang sect Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record, general principles second point: what are hidden weapons: employed surreptitiously, a special martial weapon to vanquish the enemy and obtain victory. If the enemy knows you want to use it, like that, it is no longer a hidden weapon, but rather an overt weapon.γ
...
Tang San of course could not let his hidden weapon become an overt weapon. Tang Hao also never bothered about what he used this chunk of an iron mother for, therefore this sleeve dart was a secret that belonged to him alone.
Entering the house, the appetizing smell of congee wafted out, the same as he made every day, and had already long since become used to.
"Dad, come eat."
Tang San called towards the inner room.
Unusually, the Tang Hao who appeared every day when he heard about food was nowhere to be seen today.
Tang San's heart at once tightened, was his dad ill? He hastily took three steps and ran two steps toward his father's room.
Tang Hao wasn't in the room. In however many years, this was the first time he was not still sleeping in.
When Tang San was in the middle of thinking over where Tang Hao could have gone, Tang Hao returned.
"Little San, where on earth did you go this early in the morning?" Tang Hao coolly asked.
Tang San replied, "I, Mei'er, and Yuan'er went out for exercise. Every morning I go out for a run."
This did not count as a lie, he truly did go out to 'exercise'.
Tang Hao did not try to dig deeper and coolly said, "Today you won't practice forging again. Get your things ready, tomorrow old Jack will take you to Nuoding City."
Tang San was dumbfounded for a moment,
"Nuoding city? Why on earth there?"
The last time he had gone to Nuoding City was roughly a year ago. Old Jack went into town to do some shopping and brought him along to let him experience it.
Tang Hao gave him a look, and said, "Do you not want to study spirit master abilities? Old Jack can take you to Nuoding City's primary spirit master academy to become a working student. There you can study whatever you want."
Knowing today was the day Tang San is notified to go to Nuoding Academy, Wu Mei prepared a bag of 80 silver coins, extra clothes for him, a few materials to make sleeve darts or other hidden weapons, and some precious stones to smith with. While Huo Yuan provided several gems and crystals for Tang San to use, fresh herbs, along with 20 galleons of gold.
Knocking on Tang San's door, he let them in as usual. Tang Hao was also in the room as he was supervising turning his attention to Mei and Yuan.
"San-ge, I heard from Grandpa Jack that you're going to go study at Nuoding Primary Spirit Academy, so both of us prepared some necessary supplies you will probably need."
Mei handed the stuff to Tang San as he looked at her with wide yet thankful eyes.
"Thank you, Mei'er, you too Yuan'er."
Yuan merely nodded in confirmation while Mei rambled on. "Take care of yourself San-ge, Don't push yourself over the limit. Don't strain your body too much and eat the food daily, don't you forget to even take a meal, be careful at night. Oh! and these stones..."
Tang San could only hold a defeated look and sighed as he listened to Mei's lectures. Yuan behind her throw him an amused look that said. Listen to your wife you fool.
Tang Hao did not know whether he should laugh or cry at his son's situation, day by day Mei visits them, and she reminds him of Ah Yin. And Yuan's antics urged him to remember his sworn sister. He has always yielded to Ah Yin as he would listen to her hour-long lectures and rambling while Ai Yu-Jing silently laughed behind the latter, watching him suffer much to his irk.
The intimately familiar scent of congee wafted out. Before departing the village this was the very last time he cooked for his father, so Tang San naturally could not be lazy. Checking the firewood under the stove, and adding some water to the congee, thus when his father later wakes up he can drink the hot congee.
Old Jack had already arrived. Perhaps because he wanted to leave for Nuoding city, today the clothes old Jack wore were especially new, making him look even more hale and hearty.
"Little San, let's leave. That idle bum of a father of yours can't get out of bed."
Old Jack called Tang San.
Tang San made a silencing gesture in Jack's direction,
"Grandpa, please be quiet. Dad dislikes having his sleep disturbed the most."
While speaking, he took out a chunk of burnt-out charcoal from the stove, and on the ground wrote several lines. He again turned his head towards his father's room, reluctant to part, and only then did he rise with a cloth bundle on his back and quietly left with Jack.
Regarding this world's written language, Tang San did not understand much. When the village's school taught the children characters, he once in a while went to see them. After all, he had a foundation from his former life, so he also grasped a little of the basic texts.
The door curtain lifted, and a large shadow came out from the room. In Tang Hao's eyes, there was no trace of sleep. When he walked over to the doorway, he could still vaguely see old Jack and Tang San's frail bodies.
Tang Hao stood there and didn't move, even when Tang San and village elder Jack's backs had already completely disappeared, he still stood there blankly for a long time.
As if recalling something, Tang Hao abruptly turned back into the smithy, looking at the part of the ground Tang San set aside for his writing.
A few very simple words,
"Dad, I and Grandpa Jack left. You must take good care of your body, and drink less. Congee in the pot, don't forget to eat."
Gaze changing direction from the writing on the ground to the iron cooking pot to the side, Tang Hao briskly walked over and swept open the pot lid by one handle. With both hands, he directly lifted the iron pot.
Thanks to Tang San just now adding water, the congee in the pot still had not been brought to a boil again, but Tang Hao regardless held the iron pot and poured it into his mouth, gulping swallows. In his eyes was a layer of hazy mist; he didn't realize how quickly time had passed.
Walking along the road, Tang San silently followed old Jack's side, frequently turning his head back to look in the direction of the village.
"Little San, do you hate to part with the village or still hate to part with that drunkard old man of yours?"
Jack patted Tang San's head and asked with a smile.
"A bit of both."
Tang San replied in a low voice.
Jack smiled slightly, and said, "Compared to those however many good-for-nothing grandsons, you, my child are far more intelligent. It would be so good if you were my grandson. Tang Hao that drunkard truly is fortunate. Do not think too much; outside, heaven and earth are very vast. At the academy, you can get to know very many friends. You can learn very many things. After you have become a spirit master, the country will grant a monthly stipend, and at that time your family will also be able to live well."
Tang San was after all a person who had gained a second life, listening to Jack's words, his mood already gradually recovered to normal, and in his heart was an unbearable thirst for the outside world. He asked, "Grandpa Jack, can you tell me about the academy? What kind of place is it exactly?"
Jack smiled a bit, and said, "The academy is of course a place to study. Although I never went, for the most part, I still understand. Our village has a quota to send one working student every year, but we have already for very many years not sent a working student to study. Working students still have very many favorable terms, exemption from tuition and accommodation fees; just paying for food yourself is sufficient. On campus, you can perform simple jobs in exchange for edibles. For example, sweeping classrooms and so on. Speaking overall, to a student who is working part-time and studying at the academy it does not differ much from being free of charge. As for funding to study at the academy, it is not something we poor people can be able to bear."
Tang San said, "Dad told me after I finally arrive at the academy to find a smithy for work."
"You? Doing manual work at a smithy? What joke is that? I see Tang Hao truly is insane."
Old Jack said angrily, "Just how old are you? You still do not have the height of a forging hammer. What smithy could accept you, this kind of apprentice? Not to mention, blacksmithing originally is not exactly accepted as a valued occupation, manual work also does not have much of an income. As long as you study properly at the academy, that is enough."
"Only, come to think of it, if you can have some accomplishments to speak of at the academy, that drunkard father of yours should give you some of his little saved money. But afterward, the intermediate spirit master academy has no working student quota that indeed requires a lot of money to be able to study. A spirit master stipend alone is far from enough."
Since Tang San had innate full spirit power, old Jack already saw him as a spiritual master without a doubt.
Tang San looked at Jack, unconvinced, and said, "There is still an intermediate spirit master academy? And what is the difference compared to the elementary spirit master academy? Both are academies, they should both be teaching spirit master lore, right."
Old Jack explained with great patience, "Naturally there is not only one kind. The elementary spirit master academy teaches a few basic things, and additionally, you can study some educational courses. They only accept children who have just awakened their spirits as students and the length of the schooling is six years, so by the time they are twelve, in the event, they do not have any prospects to speak of, they also become ordinary spirits masters. But if their latent talent is pretty good, the majority of people can opt to go to take advanced studies at the intermediate spirit master academy, continuously studying until becoming eighteen years old. The intermediate spirit master academy teaches some advanced things, but the difficulty of the studies rises enormously. In case they are unable to reach the academy requirements, they will be unable to successfully graduate. This is different compared to the elementary spirit master academy."
Tang San said, "Like elementary and intermediate, is there also an advanced?"
Old Jack nodded, his eyes revealing a somewhat admiring glint, "You need not think about the advanced spirit master academy since that is not something that practically anyone can enter. In our Heaven Dou Empire, there are altogether only two advanced spirit master academies, and every year the number of students accepted number less than a hundred. That is indeed the cradle of a brilliant career. Even the nation's spirit hall will strive to directly confer a noble title upon every student who graduates from an advanced spirit master academy."
"Noble? There is such a good possibility."
Tang San said, astonished.
Old Jack said, "Of course. Spirit master is indeed the noblest vocation, and advanced spirit master even more so. But those are all talents. Therefore, to us, common people who dream to have a meteoric rise, becoming an advanced spirit master is the best shortcut. Only, coming from the ordinary common people, how many people can become such a great spiritual master? Even if there were any, without the assistance of a distinguished clan it is very difficult to graduate from an advanced spirit master academy."
"A graduation exam is its matter, so why is the assistance of other people needed?"
Tang San was somewhat confused.
Old Jack heaved a sigh, and said, "This is exactly the gap. The gap between poor people and wealthy people, between commoners and nobles. The elementary spirit master academy graduation requirements are very simple: as long as the spirit reaches the tenth rank, the teachers at the academy will guide you to obtain a spirit ring, and you can successfully advance your spirit master title. This certainly isn't difficult; provided you have spirit power at the time of awakening, it is something children can do. It is said, advancing from spirit scholar to spirit master at tenth rank spirit power is the easiest promotion."
"But at the intermediate spirit master academy, it is different. To graduate from this place, the spirit must have reached the twentieth rank and obtained the second spirit ring to be able to attain the spirit grandmaster title. Tenth rank to twentieth rank is something very many spirit masters are unable to achieve in their entire life. Also, after reaching the twentieth rank, to obtain the spirit ring they must depend on their strength to hunt and kill a spirit beast and obtain a spirit ring. That is indeed extremely perilous. If they are descended from a noble family, and accompanied by family warriors, the danger is naturally much smaller. Spirit masters descended from common people like us can only depend on themselves."
"The graduation requirements of an advanced spirit master academy are even more exacting. Only after passing the thirtieth rank bottleneck, and obtaining the third spirit ring, can the spirit grandmaster title be promoted to the spirit elder title. They say that one who surmounts the thirtieth rank threshold can be called a powerful great spiritual master, a genuine noble. To also go beyond is certainly difficult. Also, at the thirtieth rank obtaining a spirit ring seems like it is not the only restriction. For the specifics, you should be able to learn when you reach the academy. At any rate, of those advanced spirit master academy students, the quantity who are still really able to graduate seems to be only a third."
After listening to old Jack, Tang San had a basic understanding of Douluo Continent's spirit masters.
"Grandpa Jack, didn't you say that there are ten spirit master titles? Advanced spirit master academy graduating students can be spirit elders, how can those later titles be obtained?"
Old Jack spoke with a wry smile, "I know how. Those transcending the spirit elder title can all be called great personages, like the spirit saint that came from our village who at that time was supported directly by the country. I have heard people say that spirit master cultivation, later on, is exceedingly difficult, and also exceedingly dangerous. How many people
You are reading the story above: TeenFic.Net