"Tang San, you're amazing. Only a Divine Craftsman can forge Thousand Forgings metal. This kind of refined metal could be used to craft legendary armor that can withstand a Soul Saint's full-force attack."
Boss Li couldn't help but sigh in admiration. Then he added with some regret, "It's just too small—only about half the size of a palm."
"I was just lucky," Tang San replied with a modest smile as he wiped away sweat. "Boss Li, I've used a lot of the shop's scrap iron before to practice and forge tools. Since I benefited from that, please take this piece of Thousand Forged Iron as compensation."
"How can that be?" Boss Li quickly waved his hands. "Those were useless scraps anyway, and you turned them into practical tools. That's recycling, not theft. But this—this Thousand Forged Iron is a treasure. In Gengxin City, you could sell it for at least ten thousand gold soul coins. Besides, the weapons and kitchen knives you make are top sellers. I've profited plenty."
Tang San remained firm. "Boss Li, let's keep things clear. I don't like owing people."
"…Alright then," Boss Li finally relented, but his expression was filled with gratitude. "If you need anything in the future, just ask. We may not be Soul Masters, but we've got strength—and hammers. If any troublemakers come around, we can deal with them just fine, especially with a few pouches of lime powder."
Tang San chuckled at that. He didn't take the words too seriously but appreciated their sincerity.
Boss Li treasured the Thousand Forged Iron. He planned to personally craft a dagger from it—his masterpiece.
Tang San had learned a lot today, so he prepared to leave early. Boss Li had no objections; after all, Tang San's forging efficiency was far beyond any of the apprentices. He could come and go as he pleased.
Just as Tang San was about to leave, a young man in sleek, white martial attire stepped into the shop.
The cut of his clothes was clean and well-fitted. More importantly, the fabric wasn't the usual cotton-linen worn by commoners, but a smooth silk made from soul beast silkworm thread.
Clearly, this youth was either wealthy or noble.
Both Tang San and Boss Li noticed him immediately. Boss Li quickly stepped forward with a business-ready smile. "What kind of weapon would the young master like to forge?"
"My martial soul is a spear. I want a weapon identical to my martial soul." The youth raised his hand and summoned it—a silver spear with a wide, short-bladed tip etched with a dragon pattern.
"This is my martial soul, the Dragon Pattern Spear."
Boss Li's expression immediately became awkward. "I'm terribly sorry, but we can't forge it."
"Huh?"The youth frowned, clearly confused. He looked toward Tang San, who was packing up, then turned back to Boss Li. "Didn't you just get excited over a good piece of forged iron? Can't you use that piece?"
Boss Li offered a wry smile. "It's not a matter of technique. If you just wanted an identical replica of your martial soul, that's no problem. Any one of us here could forge it alone. But… we're not allowed to."
"Why not?"
"It's simple. Commoners like us aren't permitted to forge long weapons like spears," Boss Li explained patiently. "The Spirit Hall, the Heaven Dou Empire, and the Star Luo Empire all enforce this. We can forge swords, knives, axes—no problem. But long-handled weapons like spears, halberds, and polearms? Banned."
"Unless it's a cudgel or a farming tool, forging those things privately is considered a crime—'colluding with rebels,' or even 'arming a militia.'"
"For someone like you, whose martial soul is a spear, no one can take that from you. The empires have no say in what your martial soul looks like. But forging physical spears? That's tightly controlled."
The young man looked completely stunned.
His name was Yang Long, and indeed—he came from a notable family: the Breaking Clan.
His martial soul, the Dragon Pattern Spear, was a rare mutation of the clan's signature Soul Breaking Spear. He was born with innate level eight soul power, and by age fifteen, he had already cultivated to level thirty-five.
And more importantly—he was a transmigrator.
Originally, Yang Long had tried to use his knowledge of the original plot to influence the clan—proposing that Yang Wudi ally with Spirit Hall. The result?
He nearly got crippled.
The Breaking Clan, particularly the older generation, had no love for Spirit Hall. Even the younger members had inherited that defiant streak. None of them were interested in aligning with what they saw as a manipulative power.
So Yang Long turned his mind elsewhere—developing the clan by finding new opportunities.
First, he suggested exploring the Sunset Forest to locate the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and seize the immortal herbs there.
That idea failed almost immediately.
The Sunset Forest wasn't a small patch of woods—it spanned over a thousand kilometers in diameter. Not even a Titled Douluo could guarantee safety when venturing deep into its heart.
Yang Wudi wasn't dismissive because he didn't believe Yang Long. Quite the opposite—everyone already knew there were unexplored parts of the Sunset Forest that might contain hidden treasures.
But knowing didn't mean you could act.
Without the strength of a Titled Douluo, going in was suicide. And even if you had the strength, the Soul Breaking Spear wasn't made for forest combat. Yang Wudi explained it simply:
"Long weapons are battlefield tools. They shine in open terrain. Against a single opponent in a forest, you'll find yourself unable to swing or maneuver. All you can do is stab. And good luck doing that when a tree's in your way."
Not to mention, cutting down trees consumed soul power. In the wilderness, every bit of energy mattered.
Later, Yang Long proposed befriending Dugu Bo, but that was another dead end.
Yang Wudi refused, saying the clan preferred independence. Dugu Bo was affiliated with the Heaven Dou Empire, and forming ties would only alienate them from Spirit Hall and mark them politically.
"The Spirit Hall's just waiting for a reason to label us," Yang Wudi had warned.
At last, Yang Long gave up on trying to outsmart the world with plot knowledge and focused on cultivation. He made rapid progress—reaching level 35 at fifteen, a rate comparable to those with innate full soul power.
But still—he wasn't satisfied.
He needed an edge. A trump card.
And that led him to seek out Tang San's Mysterious Heaven Skill.
In the original story, Tang San never gave this cultivation method to anyone. But Yang Long believed there was a chance. Tang San cared deeply for Xiao Wu. Perhaps there was an opening.
And so, he crossed mountains, rivers, and plains. After half a year, he finally reached Nuoding City.
At first, he thought the continent was small—because in most transmigration novels, that's how it worked.
But now?If anyone told him the Douluo Continent was small, he'd argue with them on the spot.
Along the way, he bought supplies and caught wind of the new Soul Master classification theory, the Soul Master Newspaper, and the whale glue phenomenon… but he barely paid attention.
Traveling was exhausting. He had no time or energy to sit and read papers.
Now that he was finally in Nuoding, he wanted to meet Tang San—maybe even commission him for a forging job to make an impression.
Only to find out that… he couldn't even legally forge a spear?
This feudal world really didn't pull any punches.
Even in a world of Soul Masters, they still had weapon restrictions?
Yang Long nearly cursed aloud.