Chapter 5

Tang Hao slightly lowered his head, no longer paying attention to the village elder.

Tang San, who was nevertheless rather curious, asked:

"Grandpa Jack, what is the awakening ceremony?"

Old Jack sternly said:

"We all have our own spirit, which is finally awakened around the age of six with the awakening ceremony. Having a spirit, we can enhance our ability in a certain field. Even an ordinary spirit can still help. If by any chance you gain a remarkable spirit, we can speak about conducting cultivation, even to the extent that you could possibly become a Spirit Master. The awakening ceremony is held only once every year, I cannot let you miss it. It's a lord attendant from Nuoding City's Spirit Sub-Hall who personally comes to help our village's children awaken. However that lord attendant is considered a Spirit Grandmaster ranked Spirit Master."

When saying the words "Spirit Grandmaster", there was obvious admiration in Old Jack's eyes.

Tang San had only heard a few vague things about Spirit Masters, so right now he naturally couldn't let the opportunity slip by, questioning closely he said:

"What does Spirit Grandmaster mean?"

Old Jack obviously answered Tang San with great patience. In his heart, the village's most intelligent child was none other than this Tang San. It was truly difficult to imagine that such a father could have as clever a son as this.

"Spirit Grandmaster is a Spirit Master rank. Spirit Master is the noblest vocation on our Douluo continent: they can be heroes, they can possess remarkable assisting ability. But no matter which kind of spirit master, they all are sorted and accorded titles."

' I already know all this how boring. '

I started zoning out.

"Spirit Masters all possess their own spirit power. Based on spirit power intensity, these are subdivided into ten general titles. Each title is further subdivided into ten ranks. At first after"

' I didn't hear most of the words he said but I doubt it was anything important.'

I started to pretend to listen

"There are a total of ten like this"

"Spirit Scholar, Spirit Master, Spirit Grandmaster, Spirit Elder, Spirit Ancestor, Spirit King, Spirit Emperor, Spirit Sage, Spirit Douluo and Title Douluo. This is precisely where our Douluo Continent's name comes from. It is said that when attaining the power of a ninetieth ranked Title Douluo, one can take a title for oneself. They are simply unparalleled existences"

'How does a small village chief even know what a titled douluo is.'

"Ah!"

His eyes shone with proud radiance,

"A hundred years ago our Holy Spirit village produced an eighth ranked Spirit Sage, ah. In all of Nuoding city, even in the whole Fasinuo region, this is extremely rare."

To the side Tang Hao curled his lip,

"Old Jack, that's just a legend, nothing more."

Intentionally rubbed the wrong way, Old Jack became indignant,

"What are you calling a legend? This legend comes from fact. Tang Hao, it's already been six years since you came to the village, you ought to realize that the Spirit Sage is part of our history. If you let me hear you insult the lord Spirit Sage again, I will banish you from the village. Were it not for little San and little Tian, you think I would want to come to your doghouse, huh?"

' Oh, how the mighty have fallen. Dad was this continent's number one genius and a legend but now he's getting scolded by a little village chief. Well I guess he can rise back whenever he feels like it so he hasn't really fallen.'

I think not knowing whether to laugh or be angry.

Tang Hao wasn't angry, still pounding on the farming tool in his hand, still looking as if he hadn't heard Jack's words

Jack resolutely glared at him, and facing Tang San and me, said:

"You mustn't take after such a dispirited father in the future. Alright, I'll leave first, and in three days, I will come get you."

Having finished talking, Old Jack left the smithy in spitting anger.

' He really has guts constantly insulting a titled douluo to his face I wonder what his reaction would be if he knew I bet his face would be really interesting.'

I think to myself.

"Father."

Tang San called out.

"Don't."

I whisper to him.

"Ng?"

Tang Hao coldly shot a glance at him. Catching sight of the chill in his father's eyes, Tang San could only swallow back his words. He returned to his room with a drooping head to continue striving for ten thousand swings.

At nightfall, after eating dinner, Tang Hao wiped his mouth and was about to leave as usual; that is to say, this was routine; going out to drink and drinking the cheapest ale.

"Father. Wait a moment."

Tang San, without time to clear away dishes, first called out to stop Tang Hao.

"What?"

Tang Hao impatiently glared at him.

"Those ten thousand blows, I have completed forging them."

Tang San said.

' Already. I guess he got a lot stronger while so he finished it faster'

"Oh?"

The look in Tang Hao's eyes was brilliant, as if it had some lustre.

"Fetch it for me to have a look."

"Alright."

Tang San sprinted back to his room. Very quickly, he came running out holding a chunk of iron in his hands.

The entire iron chunk was pitch black, and though irregular in shape, each facet appeared extremely brilliant, a black light dimly visible within. The entire iron chunk was approximately one fourth the size of the original, and when Tang San used Mysterious Heaven skill to hold it he didn't feel strained by any means.

Tang Hao took the pitch black iron chunk into his hands, raising it before his eyes to carefully study it,

"Do you now understand what I said?"

Tang San nodded,

"When tempered into steel, metal of once insufficient quality is refined through continuous forging, it changes into high grade. Father, did you want to tell me this principle?"

'So he was actually trying to teach him a profound principle. If I had to guess this was what his clan had him first do and he just asked the same question the elder asked him when he finished the task.'

Tang Hao realized that these days, his son caused him quite a bit of astonishment. Returning the iron chunk to him, he said:

"Then continue. When you have completed forging it to the size of a fist, bring it to me again."

Done speaking, he turned around and walked out of the house.

'Notice how he doesn't acknowledge whether San Ge was right or wrong. I think I was pretty close to the right answer.'

I think internally.

According to what he originally said, after forging that iron lump ten thousand times he would teach Tang San forging, but now he seemed to have gone back on his promise. But Tang San didn't take this to heart, he only thought of Tang Hao's words.

"Fist size?"

This big iron lump, could it really be forged to the size of a fist? Despite only being a quarter of the original volume, Tang San was still very clear that along with continuous forging, as the iron lump was becoming more and more concentrated, reducing volume also become even more difficult. Thinking about forging it to only fist size, it absolutely couldn't be accomplished with another ten thousand blows.

After being tempered into steel, what would it become after another ten thousand blows? Glittering radiance flashed through Tang San's eyes, and he staggered slightly as he dexterously entered his room. Very soon, ting ting dong dong hammering noises, once more rose from the smithy.