Douluo Dalu - Volume 01-48

by Tang Jia San Shao

  “Senior, do you recognize this handwriting? When I was six years old, my father left this letter behind and left home and never came back.”

  Tang San showed the letter to Tai Tan, which he often took out to read, this was the only trace of his father. Every time Tang San took out this letter, he couldn’t suppress the longing he had of his father.

  “Little san,

  By the time you see this letter, I have already left.

  Do not bother trying to find me, you can never find me.

  Although you are still young, you have the ability to provide for yourself.

  Young eagles must spread their wings on their own and fly, only then will they soar to great heights.

  There’s no need to worry about me, in your character there is a lot of your mother’s softness.

  Father is a useless man.

  You have grown bigger, father has to go back to get some things that originally belonged to me.

  Someday, we father and son will meet again

  I wish for you to become strong, but at the same time I do not wish for you to become strong. This is your own path and your own choice.

  If one day you feel that becoming a spirit master is not the job for you, you can return to holy spirit village and become a blacksmith like me.

  Do not miss me,

  Tang Hao”

  Tang San had always considered this letter a memory, entrusted with his father’s thoughts of him. But reading it again now, combined with what Tai Tan had suggested about his identity, it suddenly held a completely different meaning.

  Especially the line “I wish for you to become strong, but at the same time I do not wish for you to become strong” showed the mixed feelings Tang Hao had when he wrote this letter. Also, the thing that Tang Hao wanted to take back, what might it be?

  After reading the letter, Tai Tan had a peal of despondency, and could not help but think out loud:

  “Oh master, how can you say you are useless? In this old slave’s heart, you will eternally be the pillar of the clan.”

  Bowing his head to look down at Tang San in front of him, Tai Tan carefully returned the letter to his hand,

  “Young master, there’s no mistake. This is master’s handwriting.”

  “Then my father really came from the Clear Sky School? Senior, I implore you, tell me the truth about this matter. Since we he was a member of the Clear Sky School, why would he live with me in Holy Spirit Village? What actually happened in between? Please tell me, I must know the truth.”

  Tai Tan looked at Tang San, tears could not help but flow from his eyes once more. He could fully imagine how life had been like without a mother, and having his father leave him when he was six years old. How lonely and bitter a life Tang San must have led for these years. Tai Tan couldn’t keep from spreading his arms, pulling Tang San into an embrace,

  “Young master, my poor young master, all these years you must have suffered.”

  At this moment Tang San’s emotions were surging, not knowing what to do. The sudden news had completely disturbed his train of thought, and the words ‘Clear Sky School’ were too shocking.

  “Young master, I can’t tell you about master’s affairs back in those days. That secret belongs to master himself, even I am unsure what happened. All you need to know is that master was a man with an indomitable spirit, the most terrifying existence in this world, no one could compare to him. My Strength Clan was originally one of the four great subsidiary clans of the Clear Sky School, it was because of master that I chose to separate from the Hao Tian clan, to again stand independent in Heaven Dou City. Since Master has reappeared, the Strength Clan will without a doubt be master’s subordinates. Although Master is currently not around, there is still you, young master. From now on, the Strength Clan will be yours to command. A total of two hundred and seventeen able bodied Spirit Masters who will follow you to the death.”

  Tang San’s eyes blurred, his father had left for eight years, without a word the whole time.

  It would be impossible to claim that there wasn’t a hint of resentment, but right now Tang San could suddenly feel his father’s helplessness. If he was really from the Clear Sky School, and the one Tai Tan called master, yet had been reduced to poverty as a blacksmith and drunkard in Holy Spirit Village for six years.

  Just how deep was his sadness and helplessness?

  Thinking of his father’s mournful wails when he was reincarnated into this world, Tang San understood something.

  He gripped Tai Tan’s solid arms with his own,

  “Senior, right now my thoughts are in a mess, I need to calm down and think it over.”

  Tai Tan quickly said:

  “Young master, you mustn’t by any means call me something like senior again. Just call me old slave Tai Tan.”

  Tang San smiled wryly and said:

  “You are Tai Long’s grandfather, he and I are school mates, and I am younger than him as well. If you do not mind, I will call you grandpa Tai.”

  “But…”

  Tai Tan hesitated.

  Tang San said:

  ”Even if my father were here, he would definitely approve of me addressing you like this. Grandpa Tai, I must go see school master Ning, let us meet again. Regarding my life since my birth, please keep it a secret. I need to calmly think about this.”

  Tai Tan spoke in a grave tone

  ”Young master, you must definitely be careful of Ning Fengzhi. The owner once said that the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School’s new master Ning Fengzhi was a man of great potential, In his hand the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School would definitely flourish. You belong to the Clear Sky School, no matter what you cannot join the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.”

  Tang San nodded slightly,

  “Grandpa Tai, don’t worry. Even if we hadn’t spoken today I still didn’t intend to join any school. I wouldn’t give up my own freedom for power.”

  Listening to Tang San, Tai Tan couldn’t help looking distracted a moment, his eyes blurring. Within Tang San’s calm and collected words it was as if he could see Tang Hao from those days.

  Walking out of the room with Tai Tan and his family, Tang San took two deep breaths, wiped clean the moisture from his eyes, and calmed himself down, entering the other meeting room.

  Ning Fengzhi was seated in the seat of honor in the conference room, calmly drinking tea. By his side, Bone Douluo Gu Rong was seated with his eyes closed until Tang San entered the meeting room. Opening his eyes he swept his gaze across Tang San, with an unconcealed sharpness.

  Ning Rong Rong stood obediently behind Ning Fengzhi, sticking out her tongue at Tang San.

  “Greetings, uncle Ning, I’ve kept you waiting.”

  Tang San bowed slightly towards Ning Fengzhi.

  Ning Fengzhi slightly smiled and said

  “No matter. Sit. Little San, can I call you that?”

  Tang San nodded:

  “You’re Rong Rong’s father, of course you can.”

  Ning Fengzhi laughed in spite of himself,

  “It seems I’ve actually been infected by Rongrong’s enthusiasm. After hearing about you from Rong Rong, as well as last time’s meeting, I dare say even your father had never accomplished such things at your age. Honestly speaking, I came here ready to bring you into my clan at any cost, but I didn’t expect you to be the son of an old friend.”

  “Uncle Ning you know my father?”

  Tang San’s not easily restrained pulse sped up once again.

  Ning Fengzhi nodded,

  “Naturally. The Continent’s youngest Title Douluo, I expect that in the Spirit Master world there aren’t many that don’t know of him.”

  Although Tang San had guessed his father’s strength, when Ning Fengzhi said Title Duoluo, he still felt an intense shock.

  That father who had drowned himself in cheap ale, relying only on blacksmithing to make a living, would actually be called a Title Douluo?

  When Ning Fengzhi brought up about
Tang Hao, even the Bone Douluo sitting to his side couldn’t help showing a respectful expression.

  Nothing was hidden from Tang San’s eyes, and seeing this was another step towards confirming that Ning Fengzhi’s words weren’t unfounded.

  Ning Fengzhi continued:

  “Your esteemed father has been missing for so many years, do you know his current location? We brothers have not met for many years, and if there was a chance I would personally go meet him.”

  Tang San bitterly said:

  ”I also don’t know my father’s whereabouts. He disappeared eight years ago. In these eight years there has yet to be a word from him. If it is like senior says and my father comes from the Clear Sky School, then perhaps right now he should be there.”

  Ning Fengzhi and the Bone Duoluo looked face to face, their eyes revealing expression of astonishment. Ning Fengzhi’s expression very quickly returned to normal and he said to Tang San:

  ”Little San, I have come to recruit you to my clan and give you the best treatment. But since you’re the son of an old friend, this is obviously impossible. However uncle is still very interested in the hidden weapons you made, would you be willing to sell the production method to us? You can name any price, uncle won’t haggle.”

  Although Ning Fengzhi appeared rather elegant and refined, his words gave people a kind of broad magnanimous feeling, this was clearly not something an average person possessed.

  Tang San shook his head without hesitation and said:

  “That’s impossible. I won’t sell the hidden weapon production method. But I promised Rongrong that I would sell hidden weapons to your school. I can give you the forging procedures, but the final assembly must be done by me. Firstly, it’s because hidden weapons research is difficult, and I don’t want to sell it, another reason is that to teach an artisan to create hidden weapons would take several years. I still have to spend most of my time cultivating, and there’s no spare time for such.”

  Ning Fengzhi hadn’t expected Tang San to refuse him so firmly. What is called ‘giving a man a fish, is less than teaching a man to fish’ was naturally an argument he understood clearly.

  Hidden weapons would naturally break down and be consumed with time.

  Part 2 (TL by Bagelson)

  If they truly had such a great effect, then wouldn’t the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School’s face hereafter always rely on this child?

  Watching the pondering expression Ning Fengzhi revealed, Tang San didn’t hesitate at all, indifferently saying:

  “I don’t know whether uncle Ning would like those hidden weapons.”

  Ning Fengzhi returned to himself. From Tang San’s tone he could tell that the hidden weapon manufacturing methods clearly weren’t up for discussion. Even though Tang San was only a teenager, the calm cool-headedness and unswerving determination he had revealed wouldn’t be so easily swayed.

  Immediately Ning Fengzhi settled for the next best thing, saying to Tang San:

  “We’ve seen the hidden weapons Rongrong was equipped with. Equipment just like hers, I want five hundred sets. I will pay ten thousand gold spirit coins for each set, what do you say?”

  Tang San said:

  “The price is no problem, but I must say something first. This full set of hidden weapons won’t include the Flying God Claw on Rongrong’s right hand. I can exchange it for another Silent Sleeve Dart. The rest will be the same. It’s because the Flying God Claw isn’t a hidden weapon, even though it has the ability to attack, it’s even more important as support. Furthermore the Flying God Claw components are very difficult to make, it would be hard for a common artisan to complete.”

  “Eh?”

  Ning Fengzhi hadn’t seen Ning Rongrong use the Flying God Claw, and only now learned from Tang San that his daughter actually still had such a thing. But he was already extremely satisfied with the hidden weapons Ning Rongrong used before, and immediately nodded and smiled, saying:

  “Good, that’s settled. Additionally, I will pay you a further one million gold spirit coins, as repayment for the Beautiful Silk Tulip you gave Rongrong. At the same time I would also like to ask, do you still have Beautiful Silk Tulips? If you do, no matter the price, I want to trade for it.”

  Even with Ning Fengzhi’s status, the lure of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was really too great. That was the only opportunity to take one step further for him who was already at the highest stage.

  Unfortunately, Tang San shook his head,

  “The Beautiful Silk Tulip is considered an immortal treasure herb, there is perhaps only the one in the present age. There won’t grow more than one in the same place. Perhaps there is still others on the Continent, but I haven’t found them if so. The one Rongrong has was my gift to her, how could I ask for compensation from uncle? Five million gold spirit coins is sufficient. However, I must make one thing clear, I am only in charge of the final assembly. For the intermediate component manufacturing I would ask uncle Ning to find a way on your own. According to Rongron, your school possesses specialized ironworkers, so this shouldn’t be difficult. At the same time, along with your school’s own blacksmiths forging components, in the future it will also be easy to replenish all kinds of hidden weapons supplies, especially crossbow bolts and steel needles and such things.”

  While speaking, Tang San pulled out a pile of blueprints from Twenty Four Moonlit Bridges, and after carefully looking them over he handed them to Ning Fengzhi,

  “Silent Sleeve Dart, Stomp Crossbow and Flying Boot Blade components can all be made.”

  Watching Ning Fengzhi carefully accept the blueprints, The Bone Douluo to the side couldn’t help saying:

  “Kid, you really can do business! Without even making the components, you’ve really earned these five million gold coins too easily.”

  “Uncle Bone.”

  Ning Fengzhi shook his head at Gu Rong, hinting he shouldn’t be talkative.

  Right now Tang San didn’t have too much interest in money, but rather hoped to even more quickly clarify his own identity. With a calm smile he said:

  “If uncle Ning feels this price is too unreasonable, you can lower it, the price was proposed by you before. I have no complaints.”

  Ning Fengzhi smiled slightly:

  “No need to lower it. Even though my words aren’t precious like gold or jade, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School still has credit.”

  Tang San nodded, saying:

  “Then this is settled. Uncle Ning, thank you for your assistance just now. If there’s nothing else, I would like to go back and rest. Regarding the hidden weapons, please forge one hundred sets of the hidden weapon components and deliver them here. After I’ve assembled them I will deliver them to you. For hidden weapons consumables you will have to create them on your own.”

  Ning Fengzhi didn’t keep him, and personally saw him out of the meeting room. At the same time he pressed a golden bright and dazzling card in his hand. Ning Fengzhi didn’t say how much money was inside, only telling Tang San that it was a down payment. The rest would wait until after the Hidden Weapons were assembled and delivered.

  Looking at Tang San walking out, Gu Rong couldn’t help frowning,

  “Fengzhi, why would you promise so much? Even if our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School is wealthy, we still can’t be spending like this.”

  Ning Fengzhi delicately indicated the blueprints and said with a smile:

  “Don’t worry, Uncle Bone. These blueprints Tang San gave me are extremely detailed, not only do they mark the required materials, but still indicates the required component casting methods in detail. Moreover there’s no confusion about the order, all the components are classified by hidden weapon. There’s no lack of skilled workers at our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, don’t tell me we can’t assemble them? It seems to me that five million gold spirit coins for buying this set of hidden weapons manufacturing blueprints isn’t cheap. Taking a step back, even if we didn’t have these hidden weapons blueprints, do
you really think five million gold coins is enough to pay for that Beautiful Silk Tulip immortal treasure herb?”

  Listening to Ning Fengzhi, Uncle Bone’s expression eased, and he muttered:

  “If you count it like that, then it doesn’t seem like a loss.”

  Ning Rongrong to the side couldn’t stand just listening,

  “Dad, grandpa Bone, what are you scheming about my third brother?”

  Ning Fegnzhi glared at Ning Rongrong,

  “Silly girl, don’t call it scheming. As the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School Master, everything daddy does must be done with the school in mind. Alright, you go back first. Continue cultivating properly at the Academy.”

  Ning Rongrong glared discontentedly at her dad, then gave the Bone Douluo an appealing look. But this time the Bone Douluo didn’t help her, only showing her a meaningful expression, indicating she should leave first.

  After Ning Rongrong left the meeting room, the only two people remaining were Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong. With Gu Rong’s strength, it would be impossible for anyone to eavesdrop.

  “Fengzhi, what do you think of that kid? Is he really Tang Hao’s son?”

  Gu Rong asked in a low voice.

  Ning Fengzhi nodded, saying:

  “Shouldn’t be a mistake. The Clear Sky School’s Clear Sky Hammer can’t be imitated. According to what I know, there hasn’t been any directly blood related disciples who left the Clear Sky School in recent years, as a whole they’ve kept a low profile. Only Tang Hao was unaccounted for. Besides, this child admits his father’s name is Tang Hao. Going by his age, there isn’t much discrepancy. I really hadn’t expected Tang Hao to foster such an outstanding son after leaving the Clear Sky School.”

  Gu Rong said with a wry smile:

  “How couldn’t he be outstanding, after all, this child has Tang Hao and that woman as parents. This kid isn’t just terrifyingly strong, his mind also isn’t ordinary. By his appearance, he shouldn’t have known about Tang Hao’s identity, under such circumstances suddenly learning about it today and still managing to keep a cool head, this isn’t something a ten something years old child is capable of. With time, I’m afraid he will be another Tang Hao. School master, isn’t it……”