Chapter 3
Twin spirits
Part 1
“Oh.”
Spirit ring, spirit beast, these two completely new terms resounded continuously in Tang San’s mind. Although he wasn’t completely sure that his surmise was correct, but since Mysterious Heaven Skill was unable to break through the bottleneck all along, this spirit ring clearly was a breakthrough.
By now, Jack had already recovered, lowering his head to regard Tang San, and said astonished:
“Little San, you couldn’t be that innate full spirit power blue silver grass child mentioned by the grandmaster.”
Tang San nodded, said:
“It’s me.”
Old Jack crouched down, and faced Tang San. Looking at him, Jack said,
“Little San, I did not expect your talents to be so remarkable. It’s too bad, you have that father who doesn’t have good spirit to pass on to you. Otherwise, perhaps you truly could become our village’s second spirit saint. You tell grandpa whether or not you want to go to a special school to study spirit master cultivation method. Only that place has access to the most accurate knowledge about spirits.”
By now, inside Tang San, a strong interest toward spirits had already appeared, especially the relation between spirits and his own Mysterious Heaven skill, but he still did not have a definite answer immediately.
“Grandpa Jack, not until I ask dad.”
Jack suddenly realised, even an intelligent child is after all still a child, and no matter how he puts it they must also go to consult Tang Hao’s opinion.
In his eyes was a rather steadfast light. Even though he truly did not want to go see that slovenly apparition, for the sake of the village to be able to once again produce a spirit master, he would stop at nothing.
“Go, little San. Grandpa will accompany you back home.”
Old Jack stealthily returned without the other children, letting their parents collect them, and took only this Tang San back to the smithy.
Before noon was Tang Hao’s routine nap time, and the smithy was very quiet.
“Tang Hao, Tang Hao.”
Old Jack did not care whether Tang Hao was asleep. Concerning this slovenly blacksmith, he truly loathed him very much. Were he not forging farm tools very cheaply, he wanted to kick Tang Hao out of the village long ago.
At the same time as calling Tang Hao, old Jack looked around everywhere, at first wanting to find a chair to sit on, but seeing those broken tattered worn out things, he prudently did not have the courage to pull one over. His age was already not inconsiderable, and he had a thought that if he fell in here he would not only pull muscles or break bones.
“Who is making such a fuss?”
Tang Hao’s somewhat angry voice resounded. Pushing aside inner room door curtain, he unhurriedly came out.
He first caught sight of his son, only then shifting his gaze to Jack,
“Old Jack, what are you doing?”
Jack angrily said:
“Today is the day of your son’s spirit awakening. Don’t you know how important this is? Other people’s families have both parents accompanying. You should go as well, and it still is like always.”
Tang Hao, ignoring Jack’s taunts as usual, his gaze once again shifted to his son,
“Little San, your spirit awakened? What is it?”
Tang San said:
“Dad, it’s blue silver grass.”
“Blue silver grass?”
For some reason, despite being disinterested in other matters all along, once Tang Hao heard these three words, his body suddenly trembled all at once, and in his eyes also showed a trace of sparkling brilliance.
Tang Hao’s expression changed, only paying attention to Tang San. Old Jack naturally didn’t care what the slovenly blacksmith’s expression was, and immediately said:
“Though it’s blue silver grass, but little San still has innate full spirit power. Tang Hao, I’ve decided that this year our village’s one student quota goes to Tang San. Let him go to Nuoding city primary spirit master academy to study. The village will guarantee the costs.”
“Blue silver grass, blue silver grass.”
Tang Hao again and again murmured these few words, abruptly lifting his head. In his eyes showed a strong light Tang San had never seen before. He said quietly:
“Won’t do.”
“What did you say? I heard it wrong.”
Jack dug in his ear, taken aback staring at Tang Hao,
“You should know just how valuable this opportunity is. Even if our Holy Spirit village produced a spirit saint once upon a time, every one year we also only have one student quota. For other villages, more than two or three villages have to share one person’s quota, don’t you know? This is a good opportunity. Perhaps little San is capable of becoming an exalted master.”
Tang Hao looked at Jack with cold eyes,
“What use is being exalted? I just know that if he leaves, no one will make me food. Blue silver grass, what do you think cultivating blue silver grass can accomplish? That is only a useless spirit.”
Old Jack forcefully said:
“But he has innate full spirit power, as long as he is able to obtain a spirit ring, even if it’s the least quality spirit ring, he is also immediately capable of becoming a spirit master. Spirit master, you understand? Our village already has not produced a spirit master in so many years.”
Tang Hao coolly said:
“This just now is your true purpose. Saying it won’t do, means it won’t do. You can leave.”
“Tang----Hao----.”
In old Jack’s mind flames of fury already burned to the maximum.
Tang Hao as before had a listless expression,
“No need to be that loud, I’m not deaf yet. I said: you can go.”
“Grandpa Jack, you please don’t take offense. I still won’t go to study spirit master abilities. Dad is right, blue silver grass is only a useless spirit. Thank you for your good intentions.”
Although Jack loathed Tang Hao the most, he was still extraordinarily fond of the intelligent Tang San, and his chest filled with burning fury was gradually pacified. He sighed deeply,
“Good child, grandpa isn’t angry. Well then, grandpa will leave.”
Saying so, he turned around and headed out.
Tang San hurriedly saw him out. Dad could ignore him, but Jack was the village elder, who also treated him very well. Courtesy to him was absolutely not a small thing.
Jack walked to the smithy’s door and stopped, turning to look in Tang Hao’s direction, saying sincerely and earnestly:
“Tang Hao, all your life will come to an end like this, but little San is still young. Should you not consider giving him some means of making a living? Don’t hold him back. Then at least he will not end up in the same situation as you afterwards. If you change your decision come to find me, ok. There is still three months before this year’s Nuoding spirit master primary academy enrollment.”
Part 2
As Tang San saw off old Jack, his heart had also fallen many times. After all, Su Yuntao's words of spirit rings could have some bearing on his Mysterious Heaven skill breakthrough problem. But he did not let this affect his behaviour very much, he believed he still had a chance.
Unhurriedly he went back to the smithy. Tang Hao unusually had not returned to the inner room to continue sleeping, and was rather sitting on a chair with eyes closed and resting.
"Dad, you can go back to the inner room to sleep a moment, I will go prepare the midday meal."
Tang Hao, his eyes still closed, indifferently said,
"Do you also feel very disappointed? You also want to go become a spirit master?"
Tang San was taken aback somewhat,
"It's not important, dad. Becoming a blacksmith is also good, it can also support us. You promised me to teach me how to forge farm tools, right? "
Tang Hao slowly opened his eyes. In the center of his eyes, Tang San saw an agitated mood. Unconsciously, Tang Hao's right fist was already held tight, and his face which already appeared grey and old showed a trace of ice cold air,
“Spirit master? What use is becoming a spirit master? Not to mention a mere waste spirit, even the fiercest spirit or the most powerful spirit is of what use? Still only a good for nothing, that's all. "
Tang Hao's mood was very agitated, his whole body quivering.Tang San saw in his father’s eyes something glittering.
Running over, Tang San gripped Tang Hao’s fist,
“Dad, don’t be angry, I don’t want to go be a spirit master. I’ll always accompany you and make you food.”
Taking a deep breath, Tang Hao’s agitation left as quickly as it came, and he calmly said:
“Bring out your spirit and let me have a look.”
“Ok.”
Tang San nodded, lifting his right hand. Within his body Mysterious Heaven skill quietly pushed, and within his consciousness he felt a peculiar warm current permeated with Mysterious Heaven Skill. Pale blue radiance appearing at the palm of his hand, in an instant, a blue delicate little grass already appeared.
Staring dazedly at the blue silver grass in Tang San’s hand, Tang Hao was in a spell of absentmindedness, for a long time until he gradually recovered. Bright eyes and swallowing hard, he murmured in a low voice:
“Blue silver grass; it really is blue silver grass. And the same as hers.”
Abruptly, Tang Hao vigorously stood up and walked over to the inner room, the sudden movement nearly causing him to fall over in front of Tang San, the blue silver grass spirit in his hand dissolving on its own.
“Dad.”
Tang Hao impatiently waved his hand,
“Don’t disturb me.”
While speaking, he already entered through the inner room door curtain.
“But, I still have another spirit.”
Tang San still knew after today’s spirit awakening that his case was out of the ordinary. He had not put this question to Su Yuntao or old Jack; after all, those both were only strangers, nothing more.
……
【Tang Sect Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record general principles, first point: Never let a person you cannot completely trust know how much strength you really possess.】
……
Tang San had already completely learned the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record by heart, and he was even more absolutely persistent in adhering to the general principles.
The door curtain was violently pushed aside, and Tang Hao again emerged into the outer room, his face already full of a shocked expression. His two eyes were red, as if crying just a moment ago.
Tang San did not open his mouth, rather like a moment ago he had raised the right hand, and he slowly raised his left hand. This time, instead of a blue light, faint black light bubbled out from the center of his palm, in a brilliant flash condensing, as a bizarre thing appeared in his hand.
That was an entirely pitch black hammer. The hammer handle was about half a chi in length, with a cylindrical hammerhead. It would appear to resemble a smaller version of the forging hammer, yet that hammer’s pitch black surface had a peculiar light, and on the cylindrical hammerhead coiled a faint circle of a decorative pattern.
For some reason, just as the hammer appeared on the middle of Tang San’s hand, all the air in the room seemed somewhat heavy, and Tang San just as if unable to bear the weight of that little hammer could only hold it, his arm slowly drooping. His facial expression had already become somewhat pale.
Different from the blue silver grass which seemed not to require depleting Mysterious Heaven Skill, when this black little hammer appeared, it practically sucked up Tang San’s own internal strength. He also could only with effort manage to keep his grip tight on the hammer handle. Although it would appear that the hammer was very small, but in fact its weight surpassed that of the forging hammer by far.
“This, this is……”
Tang Hao was less than one step forward in front of Tang San, and grabbed hold of the hammer in his hands to bring before his face. Tang Hao’s hands had great strength, at least Tang San no longer felt that his arm held such a great burden.
Just as Tang Hao gripped his hand, a kind feeling like warm blood rushing through his veins made a part of Tang San’s heart comfortable,
“Dad, what’s wrong?”
Looking at that black little hammer, the agitated radiance which had vanished appeared in Tang Hao’s eyes once more,
“Twin spirits. It’s actually twin spirits. Son, my son.”
Abruptly, Tang Hao spread his strong arms, and tightly hugged Tang San to his chest.
Tang Hao’s chest was very wide. Perhaps because of his long work as a blacksmith, even though on the surface he looked very sluggish, the muscles on his body certainly had not lessened over the years, and being held in his arms was very warm. That kind of paternal love brought a sense of security that was irreplaceable.
“Dad.”
Tang San stopped, rather dumbfounded. As far as he could remember, this was the first time Tang Hao had hugged him in this way.
The hammer in his hand seemed to become heavier and heavier, and even though Tang San very much liked the warmth from this paternal love, he even more did not want the iron hammer to slip out of his hand and smash his father.
“Dad, I can’t hold on.”
Tang San could not bear to say these words.
Tang Hao released his arms,
“Withdraw it.”
Dispersing in black light, the weight disappeared. Tang San’s heart felt very odd; this hammer undoubtedly was a hybrid with his Mysterious Heaven Skill exceptional inner strength, but why was he still unable to lift it? What else made him astounded was that after summoning that little hammer, his inner strength actually was nearly completely used up.
Part 3
Tang San had never seen his father’s facial expression so rich. Every kind of complex emotion appeared on Tang Hao’s face, and after a long time, he could slowly utter a sentence,
“Remember, in the future, you must use the hammer in your left hand to protect well the grass in your right hand. Forever.”
Tang San nodded without understanding the reason. Tang Hao stood up, going straight back to the inner room.
While preparing the midday meal, Tang San at the same time pondered on how this day he came into contact with the spirit world. Twin spirits, seemingly in this world very few should exist, otherwise father could not have been shocked in that way. It looked as if this hammer spirit of his seemed to move him very greatly.
Concerning what he said, what was nevertheless also important was that spirits were interconnected with Mysterious Heaven skill. In his case since this spirit ring was precisely the key to his inability to break through Mysterious Heaven Skill, then, no matter how, he would have to think of a way to get a spirit ring to test at some time.
At the midday meal, Tang Hao seemed very taciturn, his appetite also seemed a great deal smaller than before. His gaze frequently fell on Tang San, seemingly hesitating about something.
Having finished the midday meal, Tang San as usual prepared to tidy away the dishes, but Tang Hao asked him to stop.
“Wait a moment before you tidy up, ok. Little San, I ask you, do you want to become a spirit master?”
Tang San was dazed for a moment, looking towards Tang Hao, unwilling to deceive his father. He hesitated for a moment, and finally nodded.
Tang Hao heaved a sigh, his face seeming even older,
“In the end you still head for this path.”
He only spoke this sentence, then returned to his room.
Tang San realized, when Tang Hao sighed, he felt were disappointed but nevertheless his expression was more gratified. He understood that in his father’s heart seemed to be many hidden things.
Clearing away all the dishes, Tang San returned to his room and continued his work. With the collision between forging hammer and iron chunk, clanking noises resounded. Although he did not know at what time this chunk of pig iron could become the fist size that Tang Hao demanded, but this type of forging had a not inconsiderable benefit regarding increasing his Mysterious Heaven skill, and regarding his physical training the effect was also pretty good. Tang San already started trying to exhaust less Mysterious Heaven skill inner strength when wielding the iron hammer if possible. This way, he could maintain the time he could successively swing the hammer even longer.
From noon he beat another three hundred times, perceiving that every now and then a few impurities had been driven out of the chunk of iron. Lifting the door curtain, Tang Hao entered. This afternoon he seemingly had not forged any farm tools, at least Tang San had not heard the familiar beating sounds.
“Dad.”
Tang San looked in his father’s direction, halting the hammer in his hands and lowering it.
Tang Hao motioned him to continue, walking near to stand calmly at one side. He did not start to speak, only looked at him.
Tang San only then continued to wield the hammer. By now his clothes were already soaked with sweat. With his current inner strength, he still could not adapt to the temperature level, let alone this absolutely heavy physical labour.
Dang, dang, dang, dang, dang…… The beating sound unceasingly resounded, Tang San’s small body with the iron hammer in his hands definitely could not be proportional, but every time the iron hammer swung it nevertheless acted powerfully.
Tang Hao in his heart said, ‘innate superhuman strength and additionally innate full spirit power, no wonder he is able to swing the iron hammer inspite of being this small.’ Old Jack’s words might be correct; he should not let his dispiritedness affect this child’s growth and the road from here, even if he himself left.
Looking at Tang San dripping with sweat, Tang Hao finally set his determination.
“Pause a moment.”
Tang Hao started to speak.
Tang San lowered the iron hammer in his hands, faintly panting somewhat, quietly urging his body’s Mysterious Heaven skill to adjust his breathing, in order to recover his physical strength.
Tang Hao walked over in front of Tang San, taking the iron hammer in his hands, and looked at the stove where the iron chunk was glowing red hot in the fire,
“Beating it like this, even with a year it could not become fist sized.”
Tang san faced up, looking at his tall and big father,
“Then how should I do it?”
Tang Hao indifferently said:
“Tell me, when you swing the forging hammer to beat it, at what part of the body does the strength first come from?”
Tang San thought, then said:
“It should be the waist, right. From the waist through the back, then afterwards along the arm to raise the forging hammer?”
Tang Hao did not confirm nor deny Tang San’s statement, but continued asking,
“Of the human body apart from the brain, which part is the most important?”
“It’s the heart.”
Tang San replied without the slightest hesitation. The heart and the brain could similarly cause instant death, and while the brain still had the skull for protection, the heart had only skin and muscle, nothing more. As a Tang Sect disciple, he was very clear on the human body’s composition, and using hidden weapons to pierce an enemy’s heart was the most effective and fastest method to cause fatality.
Tang Hao paused for a moment, then said:
“Then you tell me how many hearts a person has.”
“Aa?”
Tang San, taken aback, looked at him, rather at a loss. Saying how many hearts a person had?
“Answer me.”
Tang Hao coldly looked at him, his figure giving off pressure that caused Tang San to be unable to breathe.
“One.”
Tang Hao shook his head, saying:
“No, you’re mistaken. Remember, people have three hearts, not one.”
“Three?”
Tang San stared dumbstruck at Tang Hao, not understanding what he meant.
Tang Hao reversed his grip on the iron hammer, using the handle to poke both Tang San’s calves,
“Here. On people’s two calf muscles, in other words, are the second and third hearts. If a person wants to bring out one's entire physical strength, in that case, he must use three hearts simultaneously to have a result. Therefore, when bringing out strength, it definitely does not stem from the lower back. The three hearts is the correct starting point.”
“When the heart inside your chest beats rapidly, power originating from the two calves, force transmits up, reaching the thigh, passing through the waist, back, arm, and finally releasing. This is how to hit with all one's strength. Hearts give force, the waist is the axis. Watch.”
Part 4
Tang Hao raised the hammer in his hand, making Tang San draw back several steps. At the same time, the hammer in his hand already changed direction to return, and with a deep loud shout, his body half turning, both legs sticking firmly to the ground, uncovered by tattered trouser legs both calves momentarily tensed, his whole person resembling a fierce tiger ready to spring. Legs emitting strength, waist twisting, and the forging hammer was invisible in the midst of already being brought back down, with a clanging sound. Heavily coming down on top of the red hot chunk of pig iron.
Tang San could completely feel that this was only a single person emitting physical strength. Tang Hao didn’t have internal strength, and even further he had not released some kind of spirit power. This was entirely the strength of the human body, and that chunk of previously red hot iron, still had completely caved in nearly a third from the smash, the deformation was extremely distinct.
“With the lower legs emitting strength, controlling the body’s strength to successfully link it into a whole, is how to go all out.”
Tang Hao passed the iron hammer into Tang San’s hands,
“You do it.”
“Ok.”
Tang San hadn’t thought that forging also had this kind of striking method. This simple method of emitting strength could not only be used for forging, it should also be able to be used for his Tang sect martial arts.
Both hands gripping the hammer handle, imitating Tang Hao’s posture from before, Tang San’s both eyes firmly fixed on the red hot iron chunk. Mysterious Heaven skill slowly working deep in his lower legs, both feet firmly gripping the ground.
Tang San shouted loudly, the physical power of the legs together with the Mysterious Heaven skill power burst from the lower legs, spreading in a flash, waist turning, through the back, across both shoulders, further into the arms. He distinctly felt as if his strength had become more powerful than ever before, that starting via the lower legs erupting up until the arms swinging the iron hammer, his body seemingly wanted to fly from this great force.
Dang~~~~~~, the iron hammer accurately smashed down on the iron lump, emitting a loud sound.
Because of Tang San’s whole body swinging the iron hammer both his feet left the ground, staggering forward a step. The iron hammer rebounded back up, and even though he had Mysterious Jade Hands, his hands certainly did not have any trouble, but both arms suffered a burst of tingling from the shock of the rebound. Fortunately Mysterious Heaven skill worked without delay, and the tingling sensation gradually faded.
The result was obvious, despite Tang San’s age. Adding on Mysterious Heaven skill, that this result was inferior to Tang Hao was clear, but compared to his previous hits, this effect was even more than could be made with ten before.
Seeing Tang San’s movement, Tang Hao certainly did not give praise, but in his eyes flashed a trace of an astonished look. Tang San’s work was clearly beyond what he had anticipated. Tang Hao did not expect Tang San to actually master this force emitting method in this short time.
He also did not know that Tang San had all along painstakingly cultivated Tang sect martial arts, not only having Mysterious Heaven skill foundation, but Controlling Crane Catching Dragon, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track and additionally Mysterious Jade Hand, making his coordination ability by far surpass others his age. Since his understanding of the body also was not lacking, this strength emitting technique was naturally easy to grasp. Of course, since that was the first time, his wielding was still not skillful.
“Dad, did I do it right?”
Tang Hao slowly nodded,
“You understand the effect of the heart? Humans employ the most muscle precisely in calves, so the calves are the source of all strength. Use the power of the lower legs well, gathering strength to greatly increase effort.”
While speaking, Tang Hao walked to the side of the bellows and sat down, and from under the bellows pulled out something forged from pig iron: two foot pedal like objects. Tang Hao held them to connect under the bellows, and used both his hands to draw the bellows closed,
“In forging, the effect of the bellows is also especially significant. Fully heated metal can be forged even better, and this can cause its toughness to become even stronger. Any block of metal, even if it is very impure metal, it all also has its own soul. If the temperature is inadequate, and when forging if too much physical strength is used it will shatter. Like that, even if melted and reforged this chunk of metal is still only waste. Therefore, when you use all your strength to hammer an iron chunk, you must maintain its temperature well. Pumping bellows is similarly also using the power of the lower legs. Not only can you as far as possible preserve physical strength, you can also cause the bellows effect to reach the greatest temperature.”
Both feet pressing down on the pedals, he abruptly released his strength. Starting at the legs, the whole body rapidly bounced back, both arms naturally driving the bellows handles to open, legs straightening and bending, again bringing the handles back. Between coming and returning, the bellows operated at full strength. Tang Hao’s movements certainly did not appear swift, but every one brought into play the bellows to the utmost. The muscles on the calf lead down, and as his body with the bellows took on a particular kind of rhythm, flames suddenly leapt up from the centre of the furnace, the iron chunk at once burned a fierce red.
“You come draw the bellows, according to my movements just now.”
Tang Hao gave over his seat to Tang San.
Having previously experienced wielding the iron hammer and carefully observing, Tang San sat on Tang Hao’s previous seat, very quickly grasping the method to work the bellows, although still somewhat jerky. But he attentively noted that every time strength released, it started from the lower legs. Sure enough, as Tang Hao said, not only did he save very much of his physical strength, but the result as compared to before was also incomparably better.
Tang Hao held Tang San’s forging hammer, and coolly said:
“Using all your strength in wielding the hammer to forge can fully bring your physical strength into use. But equally, with the hammer’s descent, the force from the rebound can create a very great load on you. In the event of being without a suitable guiding method, it is easy to injure yourself, and it can also cause part of the physical strength to be wasted, unable to act on the metal. Following my movement you must attentively observe, this is the key to whether you can beat this lump of pig iron into fist size in a short time.”
Inhaling deeply, Tang Hao’s eyes focused. Following Tang San’s working on the bellows, the whole iron lump already burned an intense red, blazing flames leapt up, causing the inside of the room to grow exceedingly scorching hot.
Part 5
As Tang Hao moved, his motion did not seem to be any different from before, from leg to waist, waist to back, back to arms, with a clanging sound the iron hammer pounded down on the iron chunk.
Just as the iron hammer bounced up from the reaction force, Tang Hao abruptly made a turn, with the lower legs emitting power as before. The rebound swing of the hammer already rising, he wielded it in a circle overhead, bringing a sharp sound of wind, and again came a loud sound as it struck iron chunk. Not only was the speed of this strike remarkable, but the physical force was also stronger compared to the first.
The iron hammer rebounded up high, and Tang Hao’s movement with the magnitude of the iron hammer’s rise seemingly attained a kind of perfect harmony. Not early not late, just in the split second the iron hammer reached its upward peak, his body drove the iron hammer in a full circle, to once again smash down.
Tang San’s eyes shone. This was unmistakably a method to leverage force, utilizing the rebound force from the impact between hammer and metal and converting it into downward force. The motion was perfectly coordinated in order to the greatest degree avoid being harmed from the rebound force, and instead transforming this physical force to especially add to the hit. Starting from the second strike, the physical force of every hit surpassed Tang Hao’s full strength, but was still under his control.
Tang Hao moved faster and faster, the forging hammer lashing down on the iron chunk like a violent storm, the iron chunk continuously being deformed by the beats of the forging hammer. It was shocking, the precision of Tang Hao’s strikes was unreal. Every time the iron chunk was hit it was reduced to half its former thickness, and when it started to become flat, the forging hammer in his hand would at once hit the iron chunk’s edge, causing it to flip. Thus, the iron chunk was evenly enduring his hammer blows, and was not simply pounded into an iron flat cake.
In a flash, the hammer had already struck thirty six times, and Tang Hao’s both hands drove the iron hammer to spin overhead successively in three circles. Not until the force of the hammer was dispersed, did he stand down the hammer. His face not red, breath not laboured, as if that previous mad storm of blows had not been produced by him at all.
The whole iron chunk, after just thirty six blows in the whole small circle, with the naked eye it was actually already hard to see any impurities within.
This just now was true blacksmith mastery, a beautiful hammer method.
“Understand?”
Tang Hao looked at Tang San who was unceasingly pumping the bellows.
Tang San thought, then said:
“Leverage the force, I understand the principle. Only, this seems to be not simple at all.”
Tang Hao indifferently said:
“If you want to accomplish my kind of level, there is only one way: skill comes from practice. Furthermore, you must bear in mind, if you are striking a piece of common metal, then when it is the most impure, it is also most likely to shatter. At that time, when you beat it the physical force must be smaller, and as its impurities gradually decrease, your physical force can begin to gradually increase to maintain the effect of the strikes. This way of dynamic control is pivotal. You slowly practice by yourself, ok. Don’t blindly increase force and speed: accuracy is equally important. At least you must understand the hammer’s descent, unless you can hit any place, what use is more physical strength?”
With the weight of the forging hammer returned into Tang San’s hands, Tang Hao turned and left.
‘Father did not go back on his word, he really taught his forging methods, and also, from father teaching his point of view on these things, any profession all have their own profound mysteries, they are all not so simple.’
In the next half months’ time, Tang San everyday practiced the force borrowing hammer forging method Tang Hao taught him. Despite having Controlling Crane Catching Dragon to assist his strength control, and having Purple Demon Eye to determine the position of his hammer blows, this forging method was still more difficult to master than he could have imagined.
Since it was hitting with all his strength, using full strength was in itself very hard to control. Drawing strength from the rebound, and again controlling the body’s balance in order to position the hammer blow was extremely difficult. With increasing hits, the required essential force control increased somewhat, and the body’s unceasing rotation could not only cause a sense of dizziness, but at the same time the force of each falling strike also became even harder to control.
Fortunately, he had already been striking that chunk of iron for a very long time, so its impurities were already very few and it was not so easy to shatter. Otherwise he would not be able to control the weight of that forging hammer, and would probably already have smashed it to pieces.
But, in the middle of this practice course, Tang San’s use of Mysterious Heaven Skill, as well as Controlling Crane Catching Dragon, Mysterious Jade Hands with Purple Demon Eye’s coordination, all advanced unnoticed.
From the first day when he was only able to swing twice before starting to deviate in position, up until today half a month later, he could already continuously swing seven times, accurately striking the iron chunk without error. The improvement was extremely obvious. At the same time, the iron chunk under his full strength beating became smaller and smaller; every day brought results.
Of course, this also had an inseparable connection with that lower leg force generating method. With this kind of force generating method, he could greatly reduce the consumption of the Mysterious Heaven Skill, enabling Tang San to have even more time to pump the bellows and forge.
Originally his father swung the hammer thirty six times, but also it would appear that he had surplus energy. He himself could only swing seven times, he didn’t know when he could reach his father’s level. Every time Tang San thought about this, he immediately had additional motivation to practice.
These days, as if he had forgotten about spirits and spirit rings, when cultivating Purple Demon Eye on the mountain top in the early morning, he also deeply thought about the problem of how to swing the hammer.
Three months’ time passed very quickly, and just as Tang San could begin to wield the hammer thirteen times, Tang Hao began to instruct him on how to forge tools. Tang Hao’s teaching method was very direct: exactly like before he would do it once, then let Tang San do it again, and as long as he saw some of the basics were learnt he did not interfere with his practice, never having many words of direction. Only at crucial parts, did he say a few words.
Precisely because of this, every time Tang Hao gave pointers, Tang San remembered it all the more clearly.