When Tang San heard the words "substitute," an inexplicable anger rose within him. He was a member of the Tang Sect Clan, not a substitute for anyone.
"Third Elder, what you're saying is inappropriate. Tang San is also a genius in mechanical manufacturing. Let's not mention the word 'substitute' anymore."
Ning Fengzhi smoothed things over, then turned to Tang San and said, " Xiao San, the Third Elder has always been a straightforward person, don't be angry."
Tang San glanced at the Third Elder, suppressing his anger, then turned to Ning Fengzhi, smiled slightly, and said, " Sect Master Ning, I don't mind. After all, I'm just a newcomer, and there's still a lot I need to learn."
Ning Fengzhi nodded in agreement, a smile of approval on his face.
Tang San then turned to the Third Elder, gave a slight bow, and said, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Third Elder."
The Third Elder didn't say much, but directly asked, " Tang San, the Sect Master said you have a talent for mechanical manufacturing. So let me ask you, when inscribing Soul Tool array, what should you pay most attention to?"
Tang San was slightly taken aback. He knew absolutely nothing about the creation of Soul Tool and couldn't answer the question at all. For a moment, the atmosphere fell silent.
This time, Ning Fengzhi did not step in to smooth things over. Based on the information he had received before, he deduced that Tang San was also an extremely proud person. If the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect wanted to control Tang San's lifeline in the future, it had to first eliminate his pride.
"Hmm? You can't even answer such a basic question?" Third Elder
She stared coldly at Tang San, seemingly filled with disappointment at his silence. Tang San took a deep breath; he knew he had to respond, otherwise his foothold in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect School might be affected.
He took a deep breath and slowly said, "Third Elder, I do have a talent for mechanical crafting, but I don't understand Soul Tool. I need time to learn. Moreover, I am not a substitute for anyone; I am Tang San, and I will become the best Soul Engineer."
"Ha, you're really arrogant. Anyone who didn't know better would think that Jun Yi was standing in front of me."
The Third Elder sneered, then disdainfully offered the answer to the question, "The most important thing when inscribing Soul Tool array is accuracy. Every symbol must be accurately inscribed to maintain the array's balance; otherwise, even a small mistake could cause the entire array to collapse. Just as details determine success or failure, the slightest error can affect the operation of the entire Soul Tool."
The Third Elder then turned to Ning Fengzhi and asked, "Sect Master, do you really want this outsider who knows nothing about Soul Tool to learn Soul Tool technology? Can he really lead us to develop Level 3 Soul Tool?"
Ning Fengzhi glanced at the Third Elder indifferently, then turned to Tang San and smiled, " Tang San, the Third Elder is right, you need time to learn. And I believe in you."
He then turned to the Third Elder and said, "Third Elder, you are the only person here who can make Level 2 Soul Tool. I believe in your abilities. Tang San knows nothing about Soul Tool right now, but you can definitely teach him well."
"I understand, Sect Master. Let him learn from me. Once I've taught him, this old man should retire."
The Third Elder murmured.
"Then I'll leave it to the Third Elder. Once all this is over, the sect will provide you with everything you desire."
Ning Fengzhi bowed to the Third Elder, then turned to Tang San and said, " Tang San, you stay here and learn from the Third Elder. I'll go check on your father's recovery."
"Thank you, Sect Master Ning."
"No need to be so polite, just call me Uncle Ning."
Ning Fengzhi gently patted Tang San's shoulder before leaving the forging room.
"Here's the blueprint. See how much you can understand. After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, I'll ask you a few questions to see if you have any talent in forging Soul Tool."
As he spoke, the Third Elder casually picked up a blueprint and handed it to Tang San.
Tang San took the blueprint. It was a design blueprint for a Level 1 Soul Tool. He immediately recognized the complex structure and ingenious design contained within it. His eyes roamed over the blueprint, quickly analyzing every detail, while his brain raced to figure out how to realize it.
The truth is, while the mechanical structure of this thing is quite simple, even with Tang San's deepest contemplation, he couldn't fully grasp the principles behind a magic array inscribed with Soul Power. A short while passed, and the Third Elder slowly asked, " Tang San, what did you glean from this blueprint?"
"I..." Tang San didn't know what to say.
The Third Elder frowned slightly. "Let me rephrase my question. What kind of Soul Tool is this? What is its function?"
Tang San still couldn't answer. Although he could make Hidden Weapon, those mechanical blueprints were not developed by him. Instead, they were the result of continuous improvement and refinement by generations of the Tang Sect, exhausting the efforts of several generations. Tang San was just someone who ate the peaches.
Tang San remained silent for a moment before finally speaking, "Third Elder, I think I need more time to understand this blueprint."
The Third Elder was taken aback. He had originally thought that Tang San was completely unaware of the existence of this blueprint, but now it seemed that Tang San actually did know something about it.
"Okay, I'll give you time. Take this drawing back and study it carefully. I need you to answer my question from earlier at this time tomorrow."
Tang San nodded, carefully folded the blueprints, and then put them into his Twenty-Four Moonlit Bridges.
"Here is an introductory book on Soul Tool; the rest is up to you to understand." With that, the Third Elder sighed again and left.
Tang San picked up the book " Introduction to Soul Tool " left behind by the Third Elder, casually flipped through it, and saw that the first page was an introduction to Soul Tool. The handwriting on it was vigorous and elegant, as if it were written by a young man, full of youthful vigor.
" Soul Tool is a special machine that can use Soul Power to unleash Soul Skill. Unlike ordinary machines, Soul Tool are weapons specifically designed and used by Soul Master. They are convenient, fast, and rely on powerful Soul Power to operate. Forging Soul Tool requires strong Divine Power to inscribe Core Array. Therefore, the first step in using Soul Tool is to train one's Divine Power."
Upon seeing this, Tang San fell into deep thought. He had never heard of such a wondrous machine before, and now his interest in Soul Tool grew even stronger; he couldn't wait to start forging one right now...
(End of this chapter)