Soul Land: Raiden Shogun Is My Martial Soul

Chapter 177: Tech Savvy and Ei

He, Yu Xiaogang, is the legitimate son of Yu Yuanzhen, the Sect Master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan!

Any elder at random would surely recognize him, right?

And yet, this young sect master completely disregarded him!

Anger. Trembling. Coldness.

Tang San felt a similar surge of frustration. Empty (Kong), his imagined rival, was someone he constantly aimed to surpass, yet this person didn't even consider him worth noticing!

Unfamiliar?!

Only remembered as the son of Tang Hao?

Was Tang San truly devoid of qualities worth Empty's notice?

Without his father, Tang Hao, was he unworthy of being Empty's opponent?

"You can remain arrogant for now, but I, Tang San, will one day push you down from the mountain's summit!"

Tang San thought viciously to himself.

Glancing at Empty, then at the woman in his arms, Tang San couldn't help but feel a pang of envy.

Both were prodigies, yet why did Empty have such a beautiful companion while he had no one?

Even though the mask concealed her face, Tang San was certain—the woman in Empty's arms was an unparalleled beauty! This was his instinct!

Ning Fengzhi's lips parted slightly, as if to speak, but then he hesitated.

Tang Hao's son?

Seeing that Empty showed no sign of emotional fluctuation, Ning Fengzhi was left speechless.

Nephew, you know the saying: leave no roots behind, or the spring breeze will bring new life.

You killed Tang Hao, yet left his son alive? If it were me, Ning Fengzhi, I'd wait at the auction house's entrance and end Tang San right there!

"I really don't know what Empty is thinking."

"Perhaps, with his unparalleled strength, he simply doesn't care about an ant like Tang San?"

At this thought, Ning Fengzhi nodded slightly. That seemed the most plausible explanation.

Someone of Empty's caliber had no reason to pay attention to Tang San, after all.

Tang Hao himself wasn't Empty's match, so what was Tang San, still only a Soul Master, worth?

"That explains it."

But with that thought, the topic ended.

Because Ning Fengzhi didn't know how to continue the conversation.

Invite Tang San and his teacher to come over for a chat?

Hahaha…

If Tang San knew the truth, would he still remain this "calm"?

While Empty, Ning Fengzhi, and the others made no moves, it didn't mean Tang San wouldn't act.

Tang San walked toward Empty and stopped about five paces away before speaking.

"Yu Tiankong, thank you for saving my life during the Star Dou Forest incident."

It was just words of gratitude, with no substantive offering. For Tang San, it cost nothing.

But as he spoke, a trace of disdain lingered in his heart. Even without Empty's intervention back then, he was confident he could have defeated that Man-Faced Demon Spider!

These words, then, were insincere.

Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin: "???"

The two looked at Empty, puzzled.

You killed Tang Hao, so how does Tang San owe you a debt of gratitude?

Truly baffling.

Even the well-informed Ning Fengzhi was momentarily stunned. He couldn't understand why Empty had acted this way!

"No need for excessive thanks. It was just a casual act," Empty said with a wave of his hand. After a pause, as though a thought had crossed his mind, he added, "If you want to express your gratitude, why not give me some of those hidden weapons? Preferably with the crafting methods."

Tang San was taken aback. He had only intended to offer polite thanks, but Empty's demeanor suggested he wanted to leverage the favor?

Offering a few hidden weapons to repay the debt wasn't an issue.

This much Tang San could accept.

After all, he had already traded the most powerful ordinary hidden weapon—the Zhuge Crossbow—and its blueprint with Empty. As for simpler hidden weapons, they didn't matter much to him. Without the blueprints, those were just disposable items.

His hidden weapons are equipped with "self-destruct mechanisms." If dismantled, their inner components will be damaged, rendering them irreproducible. If not consumables, then what are they?

Yet Kong dared to make such an outrageous request, openly coveting the crafting methods for these hidden weapons!

He's eyeing the Tang Sect's secrets—this is courting death!

A flicker of killing intent flashed in Tang San's eyes, but he quickly concealed it.

At his current level, even with the most powerful hidden weapons, he wasn't Kong's match and couldn't implement this so-called courting death path!

"Yu Tiankong, Young Sect Master, you must be joking. The crafting methods for hidden weapons are forbidden from being shared, but I don't mind gifting you a set of hidden weapons."

After saying this, Tang San felt a twinge of regret. When had he ever planned to repay a life-saving favor?

Indeed, he had never intended to repay Kong's assistance. He'd simply been led astray by Kong's exploitation of the favor owed.

Hearing this, Kong cast a meaningful glance at Tang San. A slight smirk appeared at the corners of his mouth as he said, "I'm merely intrigued by the craftsmanship of these hidden weapons. As for their power, that's secondary."

"If you're unwilling to settle this karmic debt with the blueprints, then there's no need to mention it again. It was just a casual act on my part."

If not for the Eight Spider Lances, Kong wouldn't have "meddled" at all.

Tang San's eye twitched. Kong's words left him feeling somewhat humiliated.

With others watching, even though he couldn't ascertain their exact identities, their subtle reactions to the mention of "Haotian Douluo Tang Hao" indicated they must hold significant status.

Kong was clearly setting Tang San up to appear ungrateful and lacking in virtue, unworthy of repaying such a life-saving favor.

Though, admittedly, Tang San had never planned to repay it in the first place.

The grace of saving a life is paramount, yet here it was dismissed as "just a casual act." And what was this about being interested only in craftsmanship, not power?

The Zhuge Crossbow was already immensely powerful; what about the top three weapons on the hidden weapons ranking list?

Buddha's Fury Tang Lotus, Storm Pear Blossom Needle, Peacock Plume…

By Tang San's estimation, the top three hidden weapons possessed the power to kill even a Title Douluo!

"Hmph, what does a mere child know of the Tang Sect's hidden weapons' true power?"

"Craftsmanship? At least he has some vision," Tang San thought, begrudgingly acknowledging Kong's insight—but not much.

After all, on the Douluo Continent, the focus was almost entirely on soul power cultivation. Tools like hidden weapons, considered external forces, were largely dismissed as insignificant.

Kong, having seen the Zhuge Crossbow's blueprint and recognizing the potential of hidden weapons, was willing to exploit a favor for them. Acknowledging his "slight vision" wasn't entirely unwarranted.

Meanwhile, the woman in Kong's arms, Shadow, blinked in mild surprise.

Hidden weapons?

Wasn't that the "weapon" and blueprint Kong gave her before?

The craftsmanship was indeed exquisite, but its power was significantly hindered by material limitations. If stronger materials were used and enchantments applied—allowing it to release or embed "magical" attacks—the Zhuge Crossbow's power could be fundamentally transformed.

An enchanted bow? For Shadow, as long as materials were available, she could make one at any time. As for a repeating crossbow, given the idea and a bit of time, that too would be easy for her to create.

After all, Shadow wasn't just a shut-in; she was also a tech-savvy genius!

She had crafted puppets with self-awareness, passed down martial arts in Inazuma, and mastered forging techniques. Compared to all that, hidden weapons were trivial.

(End of Chapter)

🌟 Unlock the World of Stories with Early Access on Patreon! 🌟

Hello, beloved readers and supporters!

I am thrilled to offer you an exclusive opportunity to dive deeper into our captivating stories before anyone else. By joining the Patreon community, you'll unlock a treasure trove of benefits, including:

📚 Early Access to 20 Chapters: Be the first to explore new chapters, experiencing the twists and turns of our tales well ahead of regular readers. Your journey through our stories doesn't have to wait!

💬 Connect with the Community: Join a vibrant, like-minded group of readers who share your passion. Engage in exciting discussions, share theories, and make new friends who love the stories as much as you do.

👏 Support the Creator: Your patronage directly contributes to the ongoing creation and improvement of the content you love. Be a vital part of the creative journey!

Patreon.com/anish_44