Chapter 211: The Desire to Establish the Tang Sect
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The two returned to the study.
Ning Fengzhi went back to his desk and carefully stowed the blueprints away into his storage soul tool.
His movements were slow and meticulous, as if he were handling some rare and priceless treasure.
Having secured the blueprints, Ning Fengzhi looked up and met Tang San’s gaze. A flicker of enigmatic light flashed within his eyes.
"Little San, aside from the Zhuge Divine Crossbow, do you have any other hidden weapons?"
His tone was casual, as if he were merely making an idle inquiry.
Tang San nodded. "There are a few others."
Ning Fengzhi’s eyes lit up. "Oh? Do you have any finished prototypes? Could I take a look?"
Tang San fell silent for a moment, then nodded. "Of course."
He raised his hand once more, gently tapping the Twenty-Four Bridges Bright Moonlight—the storage belt worn at his waist.
A soft glow flickered.
Several peculiar objects materialized upon the desk.
The Silent Sleeve Arrow, the Stomping Crossbow, the Boot-Blade, the Sand-Spitting Shadow...
One after another, these strange and unique hidden weapons lay quietly upon the tabletop.
Ning Fengzhi examined each one in turn, his eyes brimming with delight and astonishment.
"Magnificent! These are truly magnificent creations!"
He set down the Sleeve Arrow and turned his gaze back to Tang San. "Little San, are you capable of crafting all of these hidden weapons yourself?"
Tang San nodded. "I am."
His voice was calm, yet it carried a distinct note of confidence.
Ning Fengzhi took a deep breath and spoke with solemn gravity, "Little San, I would like to propose a partnership with you."
Tang San met his gaze, the corners of his lips curling upward ever so slightly.
Here it comes.
He thought to himself.
Such is the allure of hidden weapons!
In his previous life, the Tang Sect had wielded the power of hidden weapons to strike fear into the hearts of the entire martial arts world, leaving countless foes trembling in terror.
In this life, he would do the same—he would establish his very own Tang Sect within this world!
He would make it flourish!
He would ensure that everyone came to know the true might of the Tang Sect!
And he—Tang San—would be its Sect Master!
Tang San suppressed the excitement surging within his heart, yet his expression remained outwardly calm. "Uncle Ning, please go ahead."
Ning Fengzhi replied, "Hand over the blueprints for all these hidden weapons to me. I will take charge of organizing the workforce for mass production. You will be responsible for the final assembly—and the assembly fee for each unit will be paid according to your established rates."
Tang San nodded. "That works."
He paused for a moment, then added, "However, Uncle Ning, I still have my cultivation to attend to, so I won’t have enough time to assemble a large volume of hidden weapons. Therefore, for the time being, I won’t be undertaking any large-scale assembly."
Ning Fengzhi’s expression faltered slightly.
But he quickly regained his composure and smiled.
"No problem at all; I understand. Let’s start by producing five hundred units of each type. You can take your time assembling them—there is no rush."
Tang San nodded. "Thank you for your understanding, Uncle Ning. That quantity is acceptable."
Ning Fengzhi laughed. "Excellent! Then it’s settled!"
Tang San lightly tapped his Twenty-Four Bridges Bright Moonlight storage tool once again, retrieving several blueprints.
He took out the detailed schematics for the various hidden weapon components, one by one, and scrutinized each of them carefully.
Once he had verified that no core secrets or critical details had been inadvertently exposed, he handed the blueprints over to Ning Fengzhi.
Ning Fengzhi accepted the blueprints; without even glancing at them, he immediately stowed them away inside his soul-guided storage device. Then, he raised his head and looked at Tang San, a meaningful smile appearing on his face: "Little San, since you’re here, I happen to have something I need to tell you!"
Tang San was slightly taken aback: "What is it, Uncle Ning?"
Ning Fengzhi replied: "Little San, have you ever heard of the Sect Hegemony Tournament?"
Tang San shook his head: "What is that?"
Ning Fengzhi explained: "The Sect Hegemony Tournament is a ranking competition held among the various sects once every twenty years. The ranking system—specifically the distinction between the ’Upper Three Sects’ and the ’Lower Four Sects’—depends entirely on each sect’s performance and results during the competition. It is the universally recognized standard for power rankings within the Soul Master world."
Tang San nodded thoughtfully: "I see."
He looked at Ning Fengzhi: "In that case, Uncle Ning... what are you getting at?"
Ning Fengzhi smiled: "This competition doesn’t just test the strength of a sect’s leadership; it also tests the strength of their disciples—especially the younger generation."
He paused, his gaze resting upon Tang San: "Now that my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has you, I doubt there is anyone among the younger generation of disciples who could possibly rival you. Therefore, I want you to participate in this tournament!"
Upon hearing this, Tang San fell silent.
You want me to bring glory to your Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?
The Clear Sky Sect no longer exists.
How wonderful it would be if I could establish my own Tang Sect and enter the competition under that banner.
But...
I can’t.
I have no foundation, no connections, and no funds.
Establishing a Tang Sect is far easier said than done.
I must continue to bide my time for a while longer.
First, I will leverage the resources of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to build up my own power base. Then, when the time is ripe...
Tang San raised his head and looked at Ning Fengzhi: "Very well, Uncle Ning. I will participate in this ranking tournament."
Hearing this, a brilliant smile spread across Ning Fengzhi’s face: "Hahahaha! Excellent! Simply excellent! Thank goodness I have you, Little San!"
Tang San bowed slightly: "You flatter me, Uncle Ning."
The two exchanged smiles.
One smiled with genuine sincerity.
The other smiled with deep, hidden meaning.
...
Night fell.
Inside his room, Tang San sat alone by the window.
Moonlight filtered through the lattice panes, casting its glow upon him. Clutched in his hand was a Soul Bone. It was a ten-thousand-year left arm bone, radiating a faint, ethereal glow.
Ning Fengzhi had given it to him earlier that day, just before he left the study.
He recalled the words Ning Fengzhi had spoken when he accepted the Spirit Bone: "Little San, you’ve been constantly cultivating these past few days; I know you’re eager to boost your strength as quickly as possible. But you must remember to get some rest, too. Rongrong happens to be feeling a bit bored right now, so why don’t the two of you go out and take a stroll together?"
A cold sneer curled at the corners of Tang San’s lips.
Ning Fengzhi was clearly trying to play matchmaker between him and Ning Rongrong.
He wanted to bind Tang San—completely and irrevocably—to the chariot of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!
He gazed at the left arm bone in his hand, a flicker of irony flashing through his eyes.
I’ll gladly accept the benefits.
But as for Ning Rongrong... that is simply out of the question!
His heart was already filled—filled entirely by another person.
That slender figure clad in pink, those gentle eyes, and those soft, repeated calls of "Brother."
Xiao Wu.
Are you still alive?
Tang San’s eyes burned with the flames of vengeance.
Grow stronger.
I must grow stronger.
Jiang Bai, just you wait.
One day, I will kill you with my own two hands!
He tightened his grip on the Spirit Bone and took a deep breath.
Adjusting his state of mind, he sat cross-legged upon the bed.
And began to absorb it.
...
The next day.
Heaven Dou City—Eastern Market District.
It was a bustling pedestrian street, lined on both sides with shops and teeming with a dense crowd of people. The cries of street vendors, the sounds of haggling, and the playful laughter of children all intertwined to form a lively, boisterous din.
Jiang Bai led Bi Ji to the entrance of the street, pulled out a gold card, and handed it to her.
"Sister Bi Ji, why don’t you browse around here for a while? I have a few matters to attend to, but I’ll come find you later."
"There are quite a few Gold Spirit Coins loaded onto this card; feel free to buy whatever your heart desires."
Bi Ji did not stand on ceremony; she reached out and accepted the gold card.
She offered a gentle smile and nodded: "Very well. I understand."
Jiang Bai watched as she melted into the crowd, then—with a sudden flicker of movement—he vanished from the spot where he stood.
The very next second, he reappeared before the Spirit Hall Temple in Heaven Dou City.
It was a magnificent structure—vast in scale and imposing in its grandeur. Flanking the main entrance stood two Temple Warriors clad in silver armor; gripping their long spears, they exuded an aura of grim, lethal intent.