The First Hidden Weapon in This World

Early in the morning, Tang San returned from the mountain in high spirits to make breakfast. These days, because he used the Purple Demon Eyes every day and trained continuously each morning, the Purple Demon Eyes had improved considerably compared to before. Within ten meters, he could clearly see even the tiny movements of mosquitoes flapping their wings. If the Mysterious Heaven Skill had not failed to break through its bottleneck, Tang San believed he would have made even greater progress in every other aspect.

Forging a fifty-centimeter-square block of pig iron down to the size of a fist had originally seemed impossible, yet Tang San and Lan Xue had accomplished it half a month ago. He could now use the force-borrowing forging hammer technique Tang Hao had taught him to swing twenty-four consecutive strikes, every one of them perfectly accurate, including the control of his strength. Although Tang Hao had never praised him, Tang San knew from the occasional satisfied look in his father's eyes that he had achieved a small measure of success with this hammer technique. If he wanted to improve further, he would still have to rely on constant practice.

Just as he was about to enter the house, Tang San gently touched his wrist, a satisfied smile appearing on his face. On his wrist was the first creation he had made since coming to this world, a work whose every step had been completed by his own hands.

It was a Sleeve Arrow. Back in the Tang Sect, Sleeve Arrows were the most ordinary type of mechanical hidden weapon. The key to making one lay in the strength of its spring mechanism and the ingenuity of its design. The Sleeve Arrow Tang San had made even had a safety mechanism, making accidental injury absolutely impossible.

A set of Sleeve Arrows generally consisted of three arrows and a sleeve tube, and the one Tang San wore was no exception. Its material, however, was precisely the block of pig iron he had spent nearly a hundred days hammering.

When Tang San completed the task Tang Hao had given him and forged that block of pig iron down to the size of a fist, he was shocked to discover that the impurity-ridden pig iron had actually become a piece of Iron Essence—genuine Iron Essence.

In his previous life, not even the finest casting master in the Tang Sect, let alone Tang San himself, would have known a method of forging ordinary pig iron into Iron Essence. Yet in this world, it had become reality. That in itself was an utterly unbelievable thing. The Sleeve Arrow on Tang San's wrist had been made from that piece of Iron Essence. The complete Sleeve Arrow, including its three four-inch arrows, had used up every last bit of it.

When it came to forging, Tang San was no match for Tang Hao. But when it came to making ingenious mechanical hidden weapons, not even Tang Hao—and perhaps no one in the entire Douluo Continent—could compare to this genius disciple of the Tang Sect's outer branch.

Ordinary Sleeve Arrows generally had a range of around fifteen meters, but the Sleeve Arrow Tang San had made could maintain an effective attack range beyond thirty meters.

An effective attack range referred to the straight-line distance after the Sleeve Arrow was fired—the distance at which it could retain sufficient killing power.

Though Tang San's Sleeve Arrow held only three arrows, it had been crafted with extraordinary precision. Each arrow had three blood grooves. If not for their limited number, he had even considered adding barbs to their tips. The tiny four-part tail fins allowed the arrows to fly with exceptional stability. Spiral grooves marked the conical arrowheads, granting them stronger piercing power once fired.

Tang San always pursued perfection in the design and creation of hidden weapons, even if this was merely an ordinary Sleeve Arrow.

Tang San knew that he was still young, and the Mysterious Heaven Skill had yet to break through its bottleneck. Ordinary people posed no threat, but if he encountered a Soul Master like Su Yuntao, one capable of using a Martial Soul, then his own strength would be far from enough. But with this Sleeve Arrow, things were different. Tang San was confident that as long as a Soul Master was not too powerful, he would have a way to deal with them.

The Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record of the Tang Sect, General Principles, Article Two: What is a hidden weapon? A special weapon used in secret to defeat an enemy is a hidden weapon. If the enemy already knows you intend to use it, then it is no longer a hidden weapon, but an open weapon.

Of course, Tang San would not let his hidden weapon become an open weapon. Tang Hao had never asked what he had done with that piece of Iron Essence, so this Sleeve Arrow was a secret shared only by him and Lan Xue.

As he entered the house, the fragrance of porridge greeted him. He did the same thing every day and had long since grown used to it.

"Dad, Xue'er, breakfast is ready," Tang San called toward the inner room. Because he felt close to Lan Xue, Tang San had long since started calling her Xue'er.

Strangely, Tang Hao, who always came out as soon as he heard breakfast was ready, did not appear today.

Tang San and Lan Xue immediately tensed. Could Father be sick? They hurried into their father's room, taking three steps as though they were two.

Tang Hao was not in the room. Over the past few years, this seemed to be the first time he had not slept in late.

Just as Tang San and Lan Xue were wondering where Tang Hao had gone, he returned.

"Little San, what did you do this morning?" Tang Hao asked blandly.

Tang San replied, "I went out to train my body. I go running every morning." That was not really a lie; he had indeed gone out to train.

"Mm." Tang Hao did not press further. "You don't need to practice forging today. Pack your things. Tomorrow, Old Jack will take you to Nuoding City."

Tang San froze for a moment. "What am I going to Nuoding City for?" The last time he had gone to Nuoding City had probably been a year ago, when Old Jack went into the city to buy things and brought him along to broaden his horizons.

Tang Hao glanced at him. "Didn't you want to learn a Soul Master's abilities? Old Jack will take you to the Junior Soul Master Academy in Nuoding City to become a work-study student. There, you'll learn what you want to learn."

Hearing his father's words, Tang San's heart suddenly raced, and an indescribable excitement surged through him. His inability to break through the Mysterious Heaven Skill had always been his greatest concern, and a Soul Master's Soul Rings were clearly an opportunity.

"Dad, why did you change your mind?"

Tang Hao asked in return, "So are you going or not?"

Tang San said, "But if I leave, there'll be no one to make food for you." By now, he understood that the reason his father had gotten up so early today was to go find Village Chief Jack.

Tang Hao said coldly, "Do I need you to take care of me? Just go. This is the path you chose. Holy Soul Village has one quota every year, and it would be a waste not to use it. The forging methods I taught you can let you find an apprenticeship at any blacksmith shop in the city. That should be enough to cover your tuition and meals."

Though Tang Hao spoke coldly, Tang San's eyes still grew hot. Over the past few months, although Tang Hao's attitude toward him had not changed much, ever since he began teaching him forging, this tall, aged man before him had increasingly begun to feel like a father. Tang San certainly wanted to learn about Soul Masters, but at this moment, he was also reluctant to leave his father.

Tang Hao said, "You're going, but Little Xue isn't. She can't go."

"Why?" A faint sense of loss suddenly arose in Tang San's heart, though even he did not know why.

"Because she said she wants to travel outside and gain experience."

"Oh." After so many years together, Tang San found it hard to part with Lan Xue.