Old Jack was clearly very patient with Tang San. In his heart, the most sensible child in the village was none other than Tang San before him. It was hard to believe how such a father could have such a well-behaved son.
"Grand Soul Masters are a title of Soul Master level. Soul Masters are the most noble profession on the entire Douluo Continent. They can be powerful warriors, and they can also possess excellent auxiliary abilities. Regardless of the type, the levels of Soul Masters are sorted using the same titles."
"All Soul Masters possess their own Martial Soul power. Based on the strength of the Martial Soul power, there are ten major titles in total. Each title is further divided into ten levels. The very beginners, who just entered the threshold, are called Soul Scholars. After the Martial Soul awakens, everyone is a Soul Scholar. If the Martial Soul can be cultivated, then when the Soul Power reaches level 11, you will move to the next title, which is a Soul Master. And a Grand Soul Master is the third title in the entire sequence. Reaching the state of a Grand Soul Master means you are already quite a formidable Soul Master. The overall ten titles are as follows."
"Soul Scholar, Soul Master, Grand Soul Master, Soul Elder, Soul Ancestor, Soul King, Soul Emperor, Soul Sage, Soul Douluo, and Titled Douluo. Our Douluo Continent's name comes from this. Legend has it that those who reach above level 90, the Titled Douluos, can choose a title for themselves. They are virtually invincible!"
His eyes shone with pride, "Our Holy Soul Village produced a Soul Sage of the eighth rank title a hundred years ago. Such instances are extremely rare in the whole of Notting City, even in the entire Fasno Province."
Tang Hao, standing alongside, pursed his lips, "Old Jack, that's just a legend."
Like a reverse scale had been touched, Old Jack became furious, "What do you mean 'just a legend'? Legends stem from reality. Tang Hao, you've been in the village for six years now; you should understand the status of that Soul Sage in our hearts. If I ever hear you insult the great Soul Sage again, I will expel you from the village. If it weren't for Xiaosan's sake, do you think I would bother coming to your dog kennel?"
Tang Hao, however, remained unangered. He continued to hammer the farm tool in his hand as if he hadn't heard Jack's words.
Jack glared at him fiercely, then turned to Tang San and said, "You better not end up like your father. Alright, I'm off now. I'll come to pick you up in three days."
Having said that, Old Jack left the blacksmith's shop, seething with anger.
"Dad." Tang San called out.
"Hmm?" Tang Hao gave him a cold glance. Seeing the chill in his father's eyes, Tang San had no choice but to swallow back the words he wanted to say. He bowed his head and returned to his room to continue striving towards the ten thousand hammer strikes.
Night fell, and after dinner, Tang Hao wiped his mouth and habitually walked outside, as it was his routine to go out for a drink. He drank the cheapest barley beer.
"Dad. Wait a moment." Tang San called out to Tang Hao before he could clean up the bowls and chopsticks.
"What is it?" Tang Hao frowned impatiently at him. Although Tang Hao had never hit Tang San, for some reason, Tang San was instinctively somewhat afraid of his father. Despite having the experience of two lifetimes, he couldn't change this feeling.
"I've finished the ten thousand hammer strikes." Tang San said.
"Oh?" A flicker of light seemed to brighten in Tang Hao's eyes, "Show it to me."
"Okay." Tang San hurried back to his room, and soon, he was holding a chunk of iron as he ran out.
The iron chunk was pitch-black, and although its shape was irregular, each facet shone brilliantly, revealing a dark gleam within. The entire chunk was about a quarter of the size of the original lump of iron; only by summoning his Mysterious Heaven Method was Tang San able to hold it without difficulty.
Tang Hao took the black iron chunk into his hands, studying it closely in front of him, "Do you understand what I've been telling you now?"
Tang San nodded, "After a hundred refinements, steel is made. Even metal of the poorest quality becomes high-quality through relentless forging. Dad, is this the lesson you wanted to teach me?"
Tang Hao realized that his son had brought him quite a few surprises these days. He handed the iron chunk back to him, "Then keep going. When you have forged it down to the size of a fist, bring it to me again." Saying that, he turned and walked out the door.
According to what he originally said, Tang San could learn forging from him after ten thousand hammer strikes on that iron chunk. But now it seemed he was going back on his word. However, Tang San didn't mind these details; he was just considering Tang Hao's words.
"The size of a fist?" Could such a large chunk of iron really be forged down to the size of a fist? Although it was only a quarter the size of the original volume, Tang San knew very well that, with continuous forging, the density of the iron chunk would increase, making it even harder to reduce its volume. To forge it down to the size of a fist would definitely take more than another ten thousand strikes.
Steel results from a hundred refinements, but what then comes from a thousand refinements? A glint of bright light flashed in Tang San's eyes. With a subtle shift of his feet, he nimbly entered his room. Soon, the clear and rhythmic sounds of hammering echoed once again in the blacksmith shop.
Three days passed quickly. Every morning, Tang San still went to the mountaintop to complete his routine exercises. After coming back home, besides cooking, he was forging. He seemed to be determined to outdo that raw piece of iron. The speed of his hammering increased every day. The Mysterious Heaven Method helped him recover his strength quickly, allowing him to maintain the continuous forging process.
"Xiaosan, Grandpa is here to pick you up." Old Jack arrived at the blacksmith shop punctually. Perhaps due to his distaste for Tang Hao, he didn't even enter the shop this time and just called for Tang San from outside.
Tang San glanced at his father, who had just finished breakfast. Tang Hao said coldly, "Go ahead. Don't delay cooking lunch."