Niu Gao was shocked,
“Really?”
Tai Tan pointed to the Godly Zhuge Crossbow in Tang San’s hand,
“You try and you’ll know.”
Niu Gao no longer hesitated, immediately releasing his spirit, his pitiful jacked once again bursting from the defensive power. His first, second, and third spirit rings flashed simultaneously, his whole body covered densely with a layer of horn plates just like plate armor.
“Come, kid. My current defensive strength counts as that of a fiftieth ranked Spirit Master going all out.”
“Senior, be careful.”
Tang San shouted, pushing the trigger button on the Godly Zhuge Crossbow.
At such close range, practically nobody saw the Godly Zhuge Crossbow firing. There was only a flash of shadow, before a series of popping noises sounded at Niu Gao’s chest.
Sixteen crossbow bolts rebounded without exception. Tang San reached out, using Controlling Crane Catching Dragon to pull them into his grasp.
Everyone’s eyes all fell on Niu Gao’s chest, finding sixteen neat white scars on that solid plate armor, each mark half a cun deep or so.
Tang San couldn’t help sighing in admiration:
“Senior, good defense.”
Niu Gao grinned, using his hand to rub the scars on his chest, the plate armor healing at a miraculous speed,
“It smarts. Old orangutan, you didn’t exaggerate. If this was a Spirit Master under fortieth rank, he absolutely couldn’t resist. Such a small thing, how can it have such great power? Really difficult to believe! Once your Tang Sect is established, sell me a batch as well. Our Defense Clan has always lacked attack power. This toy is pretty good.”
Tai Tan laughed loudly,
“That’s still just a common thing, there are even more formidable ones. With true top quality hidden weapons, even Spirit Sages might not be able to resist. You can buy if you can, I’ll give you the manufacturing price. Young master, what’s our manufacturing price for the Godly Zhuge Crossbow?”
Tang San pondered, then said:
“Consider it sixty gold spirit coins.”
“So expensive?”
Niu Gao stared wide eyed at Tang San. In fact, the entire building planning and construction business of his clan only had a few hundred gold spirit coins in income each month. Not every clan was as wealthy as the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.
The price Tang San mentioned really didn’t count as high either. The Godly Zhuge Crossbow’s real manufacturing price was around thirty gold spirit coins, but to that was added the labour cost and the price of poison for the bolts, making sixty gold spirit coins the real manufacturing price.
Back when Tang San sold to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, a full set was five hundred gold spirit coins. Among this set of hidden weapons, chief was the Godly Zhuge Crossbow. There were still Sleeve Darts, Sand Projecting Shadow, Tight Back Lowering Head Crossbow and so on. The complete manufacturing price didn’t surpass two hundred gold spirit coins.
Tang San laughed loudly, saying:
“This Godly Zhuge Crossbow is made from refined iron, requiring extremely high skill. The crossbow bolts are dipped in poison, if not for the horn plates on your chest, perhaps you would already be poisoned. I’ll trouble you to go carefully wash it off later. The manufacturing cost for each Godly Zhuge Crossbow really is sixty gold spirit coins. If it was on the market, it would be roughly over one hundred fifty gold spirit coins.”
Niu Gao looked over Tang San, then again looked at Tai Tan,
“Isn’t that robbery? Our Defense Clan’s income in one month is only a few of these toys.”
Tai Tan looked at Niu Gao with meaning in his eyes,
“That’s why I say that our Tang Sect’s road of money is immeasurable! Since it wouldn’t appear at the heart of conflict, there can be a certain profit. In the relative safety of Heaven Dou City, quietly watching the world changing outside.”
* * *
[1] Niu Ben - (牛奔) “Bovine Rush”
Chapter 174: Defense Clan Enters Tang Sect
Niu Gao looked unhappily at Tai Tan,
“Fine, don’t tempt me. I still have to think it over carefully. As for that, even though this thing of yours is attractive, it’s still not that powerful. After all, we rely on defensive power to protect ourselves. However, to the Speed Clan, this thing is quite useful!”
“Eh?”
Niu Gao’s words were like a meticulous jab at Tang San. Tang San was intelligent, and immediately understood his meaning. The Speed Clan’s main ability was speed, there was no need to doubt their superiority in speed. But at the same time, because of the single attribute, even if they had speed, they really were rather weak in other areas. With speed, they could dodge instead of block, but what about attacking? Even though speed and force were directly related, the boost to attack power was still limited.
If the Speed Clan’s speed was matched with the attack power of hidden weapons, it would undoubtedly substantially increase their overall strength. Moreover, among all the four single attribute clans, it was the Speed Clan whose fortunes were worst. Niu Gao’s meaning seemed to be, rather than roping in their Defense Clan, it would be better to make plans for the Speed Clan.
Just when Tang San was pondering the deep meaning within Niu Gao’s words, a Defense Clan clansman hastily entered from outside, quickly stepping over to Niu Gao, leaning over to whisper a few words by his ear.
Hearing his words, Niu Gao couldn’t keep his expression fro changing,
“What did they come to do? Old orangutan, the Elephant Armored School’s people came.”
Tai Tan frowned,
“Who?”
Niu Gao stood, saying:
“Heavenly Elephant Huyan Zhen came personally. I have to give him some face.”
Tai Tan said:
“Then fine. I’ll go with you to take a look.”
With the two both getting up, the younger generation naturally followed. Tang San wasn’t conceited about his own position, following the two clan chiefs alongside Tai Long and Ma Hongjun.”
Just at the courtyard, everyone’s gazes were immediately drawn to those five enormous bodies. The leader was past his seventh decade, and at a visual estimate, he was at least two and a half meters tall. He stood there like a mountain of meat. Dark skin, a pair of large eyes like copper bells. His dark skin seemed to have a particular luster. This was the Elephant Armored School master, Heavenly Elephant Huyan Zhen.
The four people following behind Huyan Zhen also seemed past sixty, their builds only slightly inferior to Huyan Zhen. Each and every one were reserved, and the five people standing there were like five large mountains, their might impressive.
Huyan Zhen was clearly familiar with Niu Gao from before, and seeing Niu Gao lead everyone out, he immediately laughed loudly, stepping forward to meet them with large strides,
“Brother Niu, we haven’t met for some time. How is it, have you been well?”
Niu Gao returned the politeness with a somewhat skin deep smile,
“Thanks to luck, my body is still healthy. I don’t know for what errand the noble Heavenly Elephant graces us with his presence?”
Huyan Zhen laughed loudly, saying:
“Brother Niu, this definitely isn’t right, don’t tell me you won’t invite a brother to sit and chat? Oh, this old brother’s stature is so robust, I don’t know who he is?”
His gaze fell on Tai Tan.
Niu Gao said calmly:
“This is my big brother Tai Tan. We’ll go speak in the drawing room.”
Huyan Zhen’s eyes displayed a trace of astonishment,
“So it’s the Strength Clan’s boss, old brother Tai Tan. Just in time, this saves me another trip to Heaven Dou City.”
Tang San coolly watched from the side, inwardly he had some speculations as to the reasons for Huyan Zhen’s visit.
Entering the drawing room, everyone separately sat as hosts and guests. Tang San v
ery naturally stood behind Tai Tan, without sitting down. In front of the Elephant Armored School, he still didn’t want to reveal his identity. Consequently, only the two clan chiefs and that Heavenly Elephant were qualified to sit in the drawing room.
Niu Gao ordered people to serve tea. With difficulty squeezing out a smile, he asked Heavenly Elephant Huyan Zhen:
“Brother Huyan, say it straight. Everyone are aching to get on with it. You wouldn’t visit the temple without cause!”
“Fine, let’s get on with it.”
Huyan Zhen wasn’t particularly polite either. Even though Tai Tan’s appearance ruined his plans to some extent, that still couldn’t block him from reaching his purpose.
“You old brothers should have heard it. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan was destroyed, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School seriously injured. The three upper sects of the seven great sects only exist in name. And the current Spirit Hall Supreme Pontiff has already issued a decree, to hold an assembly to select a new seven great sects in one year.”
Niu Gao said:
“How is that related to us? My tiny Defense Clan naturally doesn’t have the strength to go fight over this.”
Huyan Zhen laughed loudly, saying:
“Don’t hide it old brother, little brother has some plans for this reselection assembly. What I’m talking about this time, is to seize a position among the three upper sects. That’s the reason for this visit, I hope to obtain big brother’s support! If our Elephant Armored School joined hands with your Defense Clan, in the Spirit Master world, who could contend with us? At least it would be an invincible position. At that time, at Spirit Hall, our position would naturally also rise like the boat with the tide, becoming the overlords of a faction wouldn’t be a problem. As long as brother agrees, the position of Elephant Armored School’s vice school master is yours. Little brother would be on an equal footing with you, how about it?”
The more he heard Huyan Zhen say, the gloomier Niu Gao’s expression became. What he said might sound grand, but the implication was that he would annex the Defense Clan. This was already offending Niu Gao’s bottom line.
“Old brother Huyan, don’t tell me you’ve forgotten who originally forced us to become like stray dogs? Almost didn’t leave us with room to stand?”
Huyan Zhen said:
“Brother Niu, that’s already so many years in the past, as they say, there are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests. Don’t tell me you can’t clearly see Spirit Hall’s strength? In the present world, who can contend with Spirit Hall? With your strength as well as the Defense Clan’s features, as long as we walk the same road, the Defense Clan’s prospects are boundless! You can raise any conditions, as long as little brother can satisfy them, I definitely won’t decline, and even if I can’t satisfy them, there’s still Spirit Hall.”
Niu Gao’s temper finally couldn’t be suppressed, fiercely slapping the table, standing up, angrily saying:
“Huyan Zhen, when did you become such a loyal dog to Spirit Hall? If you want to lick Spirit Hall’s ass, that’s your matter, don’t bring me into it. Our Defense Clan doesn’t have the slightest interest.”
Niu Gao’s fury first made Huyan Zhen stare blankly, then his face immediately changed. No matter what was said, he was still one of the seven great sect masters, being cursed at by Niu Gao like this, where did he still have any face left? While standing up, forceful light flashed in his eyes,
“Niu Gao, I called you big brother out of respect, that’s giving you face. Don’t tell me you didn’t see the fall of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan? Do you believe your Defense Clan is stronger than them?”
Niu Gao’s voice was called:
“Better a broken jade than an intact roof tile. Even if the Clear Sky School let our four single attribute clans down back then, no matter what is said, we still relied on the Clear Sky School to grow. We separated from them, but it’s still impossible to cooperate with Spirit Hall. I, Niu Gao, won’t be the dog of Spirit Hall. If you have the skill, you come destroy us, but don’t mouthfart in front of me.”
Huyan Zhen’s face fell like water, a pair of big eyes glinting ominously,
“Saying so, you won’t give me face?”
Niu Gao snorted coldly, imposing manner flourishing all over his body. Equally Spirit Douluo, even if his strength was inferior to Huyan Zhen, in terms of defense, he was even above Diamond Mammoth Spirit Huyan Zhen, only his attack fell far short.
Tai Tan also slowly stood up to the side, equally overbearing imposing manner erupting from him. In spirit power, he wasn’t inferior to Huyan Zhen. Just that his spirit’s innate talents were lacking.
In front of the simultaneous pressure of two great Spirit Douluo, even Huyan Zhen’s imposing body couldn’t help swaying a moment. Those four old men who came with him quickly stood behind him, instantly, heavy imposing manner immediately counterattacked. Those four elders were unexpectedly all Spirit Sage level experts, each with strength surpassing the seventieth rank.
Niu Gao disdainfully curled his lip,
“Huyan Zhen. If you want to deal with me, I advise you to first bring along the Elephant Armored School’s army, relying on the few of you, still seems insufficient.”
Huyan Zhen was inwardly gloomy. Before coming, he by far hadn’t expected Great Strength God Tai Tan to be here, otherwise he and the subordinates he brought would have been enough to suppress the Defense Clan. Even though their imposing manner wasn’t weaker than Niu Gao’s side, this was still the Defense Clan’s territory, and it would be very difficult to get the outcome he desired.
Malicious light flashing in his eyes, Huyan Zhen coldly said:
“Fine. Niu Gao, our blue mountains don’t change. As green water flows, I’m sure we’ll meet again. I hope you’ll still be able to speak to me with such confidence when we meet next.”
Finished speaking, Huyan Zhen turned and brought his four clansmen away.
Along with the departure of the Elephant Armored School’s five people, Niu Gao and Tai Tan’s chilling demeanors gradually faded. Niu Gao’s face had already turned extremely unsightly. Fiercely swinging a hand, with a loud explosion, the wooden table next to him turned to splinters.
“I’ve always hidden in such a remote place as Rising Dragon City, but they still won’t let us off. Those Spirit Hall bastards, what are they all up to?”
Tang San spoke up,
“It’s deterrence. Every person with eyes knows who was behind what happened to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. But, who can do anything about them? Spirit Hall also paid an enormous price to attack these two great sects, and from their point of view, there actually aren’t that many advantages. But what’s important is the deterring effect. The Clear Sky School is sealed, the other two of the upper three sects destroyed. Spirit Hall’s intention is to tell everyone that there is none who can oppose them. Even if doing so raises the vigilance of the two great empires. However, Spirit Hall’s own strength has also already matured. With so many kingdoms and duchies as their puppets, they wouldn’t even fear an actual war. Under the effect of such deterrence, some small sects that originally intended to keep watch and wait basically don’t have any choice, and can only attach themselves to Spirit Hall to exist. Like this, as long as Spirit Hall’s seven great sects reselection assembly ends smoothly in one year, the seven great sects will all be under their control. Then, the Continent will perhaps really be the world of Spirit Hall in the future.”
Tang San’s current mood was very calm, clearly analysing the situation,
“How many are like senior Niu, fearless of force? Very, very few. When the seven great sect struggle ends, Spirit Hall will no longer be low key, they’re bound to stand in front to challenge the two great empires. Even to the extent that they will take the initiative to invade. With the number of powers held by Spirit Hall, if there’s war, the two great empires will inevitab
ly be at a disadvantage.”
Saying so, Tang San changed the subject,
“I want to establish the Tang Sect, besides my own selfish motives, is in the hopes of as far as possible stopping such a situation from appearing. Even though there are a lot of high level Spirit Masters in the world, the absolute majority are still low level Spirit Masters. Spirit Hall controls tens of thousands of low level Spirit Masters, so the greatest threat to the two great empires is as a mob. That’s an almost unparallelled army. You’ve seen our Tang Sect’s hidden weapons. If we mass produced them, providing enough to the two imperial governments, at least the two great empires would still have the strength to fight on the true battlefield. Spirit Hall is after all a religious organisation, and the two great empires haven’t existed for just a day or two. Who will win and who will lose is still very difficult to tell. Even though I know senior can’t forget about the Clear Sky School abandoning you back then, you can’t deny the Clear Sky School’s reputation as first under heaven. If there’s a deadlock between Spirit Hall and the two great empires, do you believe the Clear Sky School wouldn’t use such an opportunity?”
“I can tell you a secret. The Clear Sky School’s twenty year seal hasn’t been wasted. Even if there aren’t a lot of people, they’re all experts. There are more than six powers of the Title Douluo level. You should understand the meaning of Title Douluo with the Clear Sky Hammer spirit. As for who can obtain the final victory with the Continent in chaos, I believe the Clear Sky School’s existence will be an enormous influence. If our plan can succeed, then our Tang Sect’s influence absolutely won’t be less than the Clear Sky School. I can guarantee senior in advance, the Tang Sect will never be incorporated into the Clear Sky School. Tang Sect is Tang Sect. Independent of any Spirit Master groups. We only gather together, produce hidden weapons. A group defending our autonomy. So much that we won’t even be a Spirit Master sect. Senior Niu Gao, junior sincerely invites you to join the Tang Sect. The Tang Sect absolutely won’t restrict the Defense Clan, all the Defense Clan clansmen will still be under your control. If the time comes that you believe the Tang Sect doesn’t suit you, then you can lead the Defense Clan to depart at any time.”
Douluo Dalu - Volume 01-48 Page 308