Chrysanthemum Douluo Investigates Tang San's Background

"It seemed you had already guessed." Bibi Dong rose from the papal throne. Her tall, alluring figure flickered lightly, and she appeared before Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan. Casually picking up the document, she said, "A martial soul of Blue Silver Grass, Innate Full Soul Power, and the surname Tang. Putting it all together, there is only one possibility."

"Your Holiness the Pope, I will handle it at once." Having served Bibi Dong for many years, Chrysanthemum Douluo understood her meaning without needing her to say more.

"Mm. Go quickly. Investigate Tang San's background thoroughly, then return and report to me," Bibi Dong said flatly.

"Yes, Your Holiness the Pope." After responding respectfully, Chrysanthemum Douluo swiftly left the Papal Palace.

Watching Chrysanthemum Douluo depart, Bibi Dong returned to the papal throne. Her gaze lowered as though she were lost in thought.

Bang, bang, bang!

Several crisp sounds drifted from the small woods behind Nuoding Academy.

A black figure leaped nimbly from one tree trunk to another, the occasional snap of breaking branches sounding beneath his feet.

The next moment, the shadow lightly stopped before a large tree. He then picked up several pebbles from the ground and shot them at the tree with a special technique.

Thud, thud, thud, thud!

A series of muffled impacts rang out, and several holes immediately appeared on the tree's surface. The pebbles he had fired had actually pierced through the trunk like bullets!

"Whew. Infusing pebbles with Soul Power to increase their force—it really worked." Cheng Xiao smiled as he looked at the large tree, which he had riddled with countless holes.

While Cheng Xiao admired his handiwork with satisfaction, a girl with a scorpion braid sat atop a huge blue stone some distance behind him, swinging her legs boredly. Her red lips were pursed, and she seemed somewhat displeased.

"That Cheng Xiao, honestly. He clearly said he would only practice for the morning, but it's already afternoon!" Pouting, Xiao Wu lightly jumped down from the blue stone and walked toward the boy grinning foolishly before the tree.

"I wonder when the Short Sword will be finished. I really can't wait." Cheng Xiao licked his dry lips and muttered softly.

"So you finally remembered Sister Xiao Wu!"

A slightly angry voice suddenly came from behind him. Cheng Xiao stiffened and turned around awkwardly.

Xiao Wu looked unhappy. Clutching Cheng Xiao's neck with both hands, she gritted her teeth and shook him hard. "Look what time it is! You said it would only be for the morning!"

"Ah, sorry, sorry. I got too focused."

Cheng Xiao did not stop Xiao Wu, merely smiling apologetically.

"Seriously, you actually made Sister Xiao Wu sit there waiting for you all day!" Xiao Wu released him and said resentfully, "I was even thinking you'd take me out for something delicious. Now look at this—I'm so mad I'm already full."

"Then what should I do?" Cheng Xiao leaned close to Xiao Wu's face, gazing at her eyes, which had become slightly flustered because he was too close. "I'll go back and take a bath, then take you out for something delicious. How does that sound?"

"Mm..." Xiao Wu was startled by Cheng Xiao's move. She had not expected him to lean in on his own, much less get so close, and she agreed instinctively.

"I knew you'd agree." Cheng Xiao smiled, reached out to stroke Xiao Wu's rabbit ears, and said, "Thank you for being willing to stay here and cultivate with me, Xiao Wu."

With that, Cheng Xiao took Xiao Wu's hand and jogged toward the Dormitory.

Xiao Wu, whose hand Cheng Xiao was holding, stared blankly at him. For some reason, she did not pull her hand away and simply let him hold it.

Meanwhile, Tang San, who had been stood up by Cheng Xiao for the entire day, arrived at the Blacksmith Shop. He had originally planned to come after sparring with Cheng Xiao, but Cheng Xiao had run off with Xiao Wu early that morning, and Tang San had not even had a chance to bring it up.

He had thought Cheng Xiao and Xiao Wu would return soon, but after waiting uselessly in the Dormitory all morning without seeing either of them, he had no choice but to come to the Blacksmith Shop first. He planned to practice forging so that he could make more powerful Tang Sect Hidden Weapons in the future.

"Sir, may I become an apprentice here?" Tang San found the Blacksmith Shop owner, who was hammering iron, and asked.

Hearing this, the owner had no choice but to put down his work. He glanced at Tang San irritably and said, "Kid, you're too young to be an apprentice at a Blacksmith Shop. Are you sure you're not here to make fun of me?"

"Sir, you misunderstand. My father is the blacksmith in our village, and I've learned ironworking from him since I was little. There shouldn't be a problem with me becoming an apprentice here," Tang San explained.

"Is that so?" The owner's expression softened considerably. Seeing Tang San's patch-covered clothes, he could not help feeling a little sympathy. "Fine. Since you're willing to be an apprentice, come along. Our Blacksmith Shop happens to be short-handed right now."

"Oh, right. You said you've been learning from your father since childhood. What has he taught you?"

"I've learned a little about ironworking, forging, and casting." Tang San thought for a moment before saying, "Don't let my size fool you. I'm very strong, and forging Common pig iron is no problem at all."

"Then give it a try." Seeing that Tang San did not seem to be joking, the owner picked up a forging hammer and handed it to him. "Here's the deal. I'm still busy with an order. Go work on the pig iron no one is hammering. If you do well, you can stay."

"Alright." Tang San answered, took the hammer by its handle, then raised it and walked toward a furnace with pig iron beside it.

The owner could not help shaking his head. Being a blacksmith was hard work. For such a young child to become an apprentice, how poor must his family be?

Clang!

With a thunderous crash, the forging hammer in Tang San's hand came alive. Circle after circle was drawn through the air, and rhythmic hammering echoed throughout the Blacksmith Shop.

The other blacksmiths watched Tang San swing the forging hammer with force and could not help feeling surprised. Could such a young child really work iron?

A moment later, the blacksmiths watching Tang San had become dumbfounded. Some sharp-eyed older blacksmiths had already recognized his hammer technique.

"Th-this child actually knows the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer!"

"Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer? What kind of hammer technique is that? I've never heard of it."

"The Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer is a continuous forging technique that borrows force to generate force, allowing one to fully unleash their own strength. It is said that this hammer technique was lost long ago, yet this child has actually used the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer."

Outside the Blacksmith Shop, a middle-aged man in a black robe passed by. He stared fixedly at Tang San, who was swinging the forging hammer inside. A trace of gratification flashed through his eyes before he quickly left.

Evening, Nuoding Academy, Dormitory Seven.

"Cheng Xiao, didn't we agree last night that we would spar today?" Tang San walked to Cheng Xiao's Bed and asked softly.

"Ah, sorry, Tang San." Cheng Xiao scratched his head. "My memory isn't very good. I forgot."

"Then shall we spar tomorrow?" Tang San suggested.

"Mm... Tomorrow probably won't work either." Cheng Xiao thought about it and waved his hand.

"Then let's spar whenever you have time," Tang San said with a sigh.

"Alright, we'll talk about it when we're free." Cheng Xiao grinned.

Hearing this, Tang San nodded and turned back to his own Bed.

Since Cheng Xiao had no time to spar, Tang San could use the opportunity to practice forging more at the Blacksmith Shop. He could also take some pig iron the Blacksmith Shop did not need and use it to make Hidden Weapons.

However, Tang San was curious about something. The blacksmiths at the Blacksmith Shop all seemed to be crafting something according to a blueprint. As an expert in Hidden Weapons, this naturally piqued his curiosity.

After all, he really wanted to know what kind of weapon could make half the Blacksmith Shop work together to forge it.

Sigh... Revisions... revisions... revisions...