Yu Xiaogang seemed to snap out of his daze instantly, the memories of the past fading from his eyes as reality rushed back in. He looked at his disciple, his expression returning to its usual stiffness.
"We'll talk about those past events if there's an opportunity in the future. Right now, we have other things to focus on."
Without wasting another moment, he turned and led Tang San away from the garden, their figures disappearing down the path.
Meanwhile, back at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, the atmosphere was growing tense. Flender had been waiting all morning. He had decided earlier not to alert his target or cause a scene, hoping to give his old friend some space. Therefore, he did not choose to directly act against Yu Xiaogang or barge into his room, respecting the Grandmaster's pride.
However, as the hours ticked by and the sun began its descent, he had not seen either Tang San or Yu Xiaogang. The master and disciple pair had completely vanished from the academy grounds. This silence was deafening, and it made Flender have a very bad premonition in the pit of his stomach.
Unable to sit still any longer, he immediately summoned Dai Mubai.
"Mubai," Flender instructed, his voice tight, "go to Yu Xiaogang's room. Pretend you are there to deliver some medicine for his health. Just see if they are there."
Dai Mubai nodded and left quickly. Flender paced the room, counting the seconds. Just two minutes later, Dai Mubai returned, his face grave. He stood before the Dean and delivered the news that Flender had feared most.
"Dean, I checked the room. Grandmaster and Tang San are not there. The door was unlocked, but the room is completely empty. It seems like everything in the room has been moved out. There isn't even a scrap of paper left behind."
Flender's eyes widened, and he instantly regretted his hesitation, slapping his thigh in frustration.
"Damn it! Yu Xiaogang actually took Tang San and ran off! I should have known he would pull something like this."
He never would have imagined that his old friend would be so decisive, leaving without even a goodbye to avoid the confrontation.
At this moment, oblivious to Flender's frustration, Tang San walked out of the main gate of Lanba Academy alone. According to the arrangement, Tang San and Yu Xiaogang would only start their normal cleaning duties three days later, giving them some free time to settle in.
Since the Spirit Hall's bounty warrant was specifically for Yu Xiaogang, Tang San naturally had nothing to worry about regarding his own safety. He was just a child in the eyes of the world. However, even so, he still disguised himself carefully before stepping onto the streets.
This was because Yu Xiaogang had instructed him strictly. The goal was not just to avoid the authorities, but to ensure that those from Shrek Academy did not discover the two of them. They needed to stay hidden from their former friends for now.
Heaven Dou City was still as prosperous and magnificent as ever. Although it was already afternoon, the streets were still bustling with activity. Merchants shouted their wares, carriages rattled over the cobblestones, and pedestrians weaved through the crowds.
Tang San's purpose for this trip was very simple and pragmatic: he needed to find a suitable blacksmith shop.
His mind drifted back to his previous life. When Tang San was in the Tang Sect, he was specifically responsible for manufacturing Hidden Weapons. Before he had been forced to jump off the cliff, he had already reached the prestigious level of an outer sect supervisor. He was extremely familiar with every step of the Tang Sect's Hidden Weapons manufacturing process, from the smelting of the metal to the final delicate assembly.
In that world, almost all of the Tang Sect's massive economic income relied on two things: the deadly poisons they brewed and the exquisite Hidden Weapons produced by the outer sect. After careful consideration of his current situation, Tang San decided to bring this economic method over to this world.
Although there were some difficulties—materials were different, and tools were less advanced—a simple trial run was still feasible. Therefore, he decided to use his free time today to scout the city and find a blacksmith shop for a potential cooperation.
The reason he was so determined to find a blacksmith shop to cooperate in manufacturing mechanical Hidden Weapons was born out of necessity. Tang San had decided to create several more powerful Hidden Weapons to supplement his combat abilities.
Through his recent battles, he had found that without the support of Hidden Weapons, his strength was lacking. Relying solely on his Spirit, the Blue Silver Grass, made it difficult to gain any significant advantage against Spirit Masters of the same rank who possessed powerful beast or weapon spirits. The Blue Silver Grass was simply too fragile in the early stages.
This world, after all, was different from his previous world. In the Tang Sect, materials were provided. Here, he had to collect all the materials himself. Creating more powerful Hidden Weapons naturally required more time, effort, and specialized equipment that he did not possess.
Of course, Tang San was cautious. He would certainly not divulge the secret craftsmanship of manufacturing the Tang Sect Hidden Weapons to outsiders. His plan was clever: he only needed to outsource the manufacturing of the individual Hidden Weapons parts to the blacksmith shop.
He would handle the final assembly alone. This step was the core secret, and keeping it to himself would be enough to maintain total secrecy. The blacksmiths could forge a casing, a spring, or a bolt, but they would never understand how they fit together. Not to mention that the people at the blacksmith shop couldn't imitate the final product even if they wanted to; without the blueprints for assembly, they wouldn't even know what the final product Tang San intended to make actually was.
After walking through several districts and asking a few passersby for recommendations, Tang San finally found his destination for this trip.
It was a relatively large establishment located not too far from Lanba Academy. The name of the shop was written in bold, heavy strokes above the entrance: Liu's Blacksmith Shop.
Before even entering the blacksmith shop, one could already hear the dense, rhythmic sounds of metal striking metal. Clang! Clang! Clang! The sounds were dense and crisp, ringing out like a chaotic melody. This volume indicated that many blacksmiths were hard at work simultaneously.
From the outside, the scale of this blacksmith shop was impressive. It was much larger than the humble shop Tang San had worked at back in Soto City. In fact, it was at least five or six times larger, occupying a significant portion of the street block.
Tang San stepped inside. The spacious reception hall was organized with military precision. Various finished products were arranged by category on shelves and racks that lined the walls. These were divided into three main areas: daily utensils, weapons, and armor.
Among them, daily utensils like pots, pans, and farming tools occupied about half of the shop's area, catering to the common folk. The remaining space was dedicated to gleaming weapons and sturdy armor, clearly meant for mercenaries or Spirit Masters.
In the center of the building, separating the shop's front hall from the noisy back workshop, hung a long, heavy black curtain. It served as a barrier against the heat and soot. Every three meters on the curtain, there was a massive character for "Iron" written in white. The characters were a meter in diameter, looking very imposing and giving the shop an aura of strength.
There were six or seven clerks responsible for receiving guests in the shop's main hall. They greeted new arrivals and saw off satisfied customers, operating with very clear divisions of labor. Some were responsible for taking custom orders, while others were handling the exchange of finished goods.
There was also a burly-looking middle-aged man sitting behind a high counter near the back, specifically responsible for collecting money and overseeing the floor.
Tang San walked confidently into the shop, heading straight for the main counter. However, a clerk in the shop quickly came forward, blocking Tang San's path with a polite but firm demeanor.
"Hello, young guest. What can I help you with today?"
Tang San stopped and revealed a faint, polite smile.
"I'd like to discuss some business with you."
The clerk paused, sizing Tang San up and down with a critical eye. Tang San's attire was very ordinary—simple cloth clothes, worn shoes—with nothing special about it. His appearance was common, and his build, while healthy, was just that of a well-proportioned teenager. He looked like an ordinary person, certainly not a wealthy patron or a high-ranking Spirit Master.
"What do you want to forge?" the clerk asked, his tone losing some of its initial warmth. "Just tell me directly. We have standard prices."
Tang San shook his head slowly, a hint of arrogance flashing across his face. It was the pride of a master craftsman who knew his worth.
"You probably can't make the decision on this matter. This is a long-term business proposal I have in mind. If possible, we will cooperate indefinitely."
As he spoke, Tang San reached into his pocket and pulled out a piece of paper. He unfolded it and held it out.
"Can you understand this?"
It was a detailed design drawing of a specific Hidden Weapon part. When Tang San made Hidden Weapons himself, he always drew blueprints first. Precision was key; he could only proceed with manufacturing after careful measurements and calculations. The mechanisms were too intricate to be remembered just by memory alone.
The clerk took the drawing, squinting at it. He was stumped after just one glance. The drawing depicted many complex patterns, angles, and measurements that made no sense to him. Not to mention understanding the function, he couldn't even tell what these strange shapes were supposed to be.
"This..." The clerk hesitated, looking at Tang San again with a confused expression. "Please wait a moment. I'll consult with the shopkeeper to see if we can do it."
Realizing this was beyond his pay grade, the clerk immediately ran towards the counter. The sturdy middle-aged man behind the counter took the drawing. He studied it for a moment, and his face quickly filled with surprise. He exchanged a few words with the clerk and then walked out from behind the counter, striding across the room.
Led by the clerk, he came to stand before Tang San. The man was tall and radiated the heat of the forge.
"Young man, is this the drawing you brought? I've been a blacksmith for thirty years, and I can't tell what these things you want to make are either. Could you explain it to me?"
Tang San's face showed an unconcealed arrogance. For months, he had been the student, the junior, constantly abused or looked down upon whether at Shrek Academy or Heaven Dou Royal Academy. But here, in the realm of the forge, he was the master. Finally, he had found an opportunity to show off his true expertise.
"You don't need to know what these are," Tang San said coolly. "I just want to ask one thing: can you make them? I'm going to use top-grade refined iron—preferably iron essence—for the forging."
The middle-aged man frowned, his thick brows knitting together.
"I am the owner of this blacksmith shop; my name is Liu Neng. Young man, do you have any idea about the price of iron essence? Plus the manufacturing cost for something this detailed... it's not a small sum. You'd best have an adult from your family come to discuss it. I don't want you wasting my time."
Tang San's lips curved into a somewhat disdainful smile. He looked Liu Neng directly in the eye.
"Of course I know the price of iron essence. I am also a blacksmith, but I can't possibly make so many things alone, which is why I came to you. The market price of iron essence, by weight, is ten gold coins per kilogram. Am I wrong?"
Liu Neng looked surprised at the boy's accurate knowledge.
"If you can't refine iron essence here," Tang San continued, pretending to turn away, "then I can only look for another shop that has the skill."
After speaking, Tang San turned his heel and pretended to prepare to leave, counting the seconds in his head.
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