Chapter 57: Chapter 53: The Little Contest (Seeking votes~)
Translator: 549690339
Early morning, October 29th
“Oh my, sweetheart, quickly tell mommy how you subdued Fang Han in one move.” Xu Shuhui held Tang Luo’s hand, not willing to let him go.
Not knowing what the top-tier Mortal Realm sage had told his mother, Tang Luo felt that his mother was looking at him with an unusually proud and passionate gaze that morning. It was as if they finally let the big fat pig they raised at home go out and forage for cabbages.
Since breakfast, she has been pulling at him and asking him this and that, mainly about his fight with Fang Han near the river.
But was it really appropriate for a great master of Mortal Realm like his mother to be so curious about how one could kill a mortal with a single move?
And he was always the most supportive, hearing how Tang Luo, despite losing all his cultivation, was so strong evoked a plea from him.
“Brother, help me teach Tang Zhen a lesson, they’re bullying me too much.” The little boy huffed, “My brother can perform the Combined Attack Technique on his own, he’s a supreme talent, I’ll have him beat you all up.”
The little boy looked at Tang Luo full of unrealistic expectations, only to be coldly rejected.
“I’d rather make you armor instead, since you’re so afraid of pain.”
Provocation can always instantly ignite the little boy’s competitiveness and dignity. He immediately declared that his brother would see how he defeats all three tigers.
“I’m going to the pavilion, I won’t be back for lunch.” Tang Luo finally managed to free himself from his mother’s hand, said a brief goodbye, and slipped out the door.
In fact, there was no need for Tang Luo to go to the Star Pavilion at all since Hua Ji and Tu Tong were there to look after it. But considering his mother’s clinginess, he decided to go out and avoid her.
October 30th
The tough two days were finally over, and it was time to send the little boy back to Martial Hall.
“Brother, are you really not going to accompany me to defeat them?” The little boy held onto Tang Luo’s hand and seemed unwilling to let go.
Tang Luo gave a slight shake and threw off the boy’s hand, then strode towards the foundry without looking back.
As for this younger brother, who can’t even beat girls his age, Tang Luo wanted nothing to do with him.
“Young Master Tang, the fifty sets of black copper armor you ordered are ready. When would you like to pick them up?” A full-faced, black-faced Gongye Sibo showed a big white smile at Tang Luo.
The respect from the master of the foundry did not come from any extraordinary accomplishment of Tang Luo, but merely because he was wealthy.
After all, Tang Luo’s order was the largest order of the year for the Martial Hall’s foundry.
Since they only serve the Tang Clan, even though the craftsmen of the foundry are skilled, they usually get orders for repairing yellow-rank armor or recharging spiritual weapons, tasks that offer little profits and require high skills. If not done properly, they would have to make compensation.
Black copper armor, on the other hand, was different. All the craftsmen were thoroughly familiar with the process of making this armor, and more importantly, there would be no flaws with this type of armor. It was just time-consuming to make, so for the craftsmen who needed more money for the year-end celebration, an order like this was as good as a gift from heaven, so they treated Tang Luo as a little god of wealth.
Despite being only a mortal-grade armor, the black copper armor is not crudely made.
A standard set of black copper armor consists of ten parts: a helmet, neck guard, chest guard, shoulder guard, arm guard, wrist guard, battle skirt, and combat boots. The armor is lined with refined steel. A full set of armor weighs 400 pounds. Once worn, it can only be damaged by a Mortal Realm killing move.
Knives and guns can’t penetrate it, and the double-layer protection can effectively absorb force. It provides astonishing protection against sharp energy and long-range force, making it the standard equipment for any clan warrior.
Of course, this refers to warriors with considerable wealth. After all, such a full set of armor would not sell for less than one hundred thousand gold if taken to the market. If it weren’t for the steep discount because Tang Luo was one of their clansman, the cost of these fifty sets of armor would have depleted most of his wealth.
Yet seeing the fifty shining sets of armor before him, he felt that his money was well-spent and was very satisfied.
“Pack up the armors. They will be delivered to Cultivation Ground N0.7 after the small competition.”
The minor competition takes place every November, so the Tang Clan’s Martial Hall becomes particularly bustling at this time. The Tang family has flourished in Xiling for over thirty generations, producing hundreds of descendants who have established their own households. The annual minor competition is the time when these distinct clan members select their talents.
The minor competition in the cultivation grounds adopts a team rotation battle. Each team sends out three students who take turns to compete against the other cultivation ground team.
If one wins, they continue to fight until all three members of one team are defeated, and the winner advances. The losers then compete for the top spot in the losers’ group.
This competition format is simple and brutal, and all battles in the eight cultivation grounds can be finished in a day. After the first round, the eliminated four cultivation grounds will compete for ranks five to eight.
Every year, the Cultivation Ground N0.7 unfortunately loses in the first round and ends up in last place after losing twice in the losers’ group. It’s been like that for five consecutive years.
Today, they thought they could finally hold their heads high because of Fang Han’s presence, as they have at least two peak talents in the Mortal Realm. However, unexpectedly, one of the Mortal Realm peaks ran away on the eve of the minor competition. They must be jinxed. It seems that in this year’s competition, the Cultivation Ground N0.7 is set to explode again.
But Tang Luo was confident that as long as the students of the cultivation ground perform normally, those branch family descendants, unless they are blind, will be able to see the bright future of the cultivation ground students.
With pride, Tang Luo stepped forward to draw lots.
In early November, the usually quiet First Cultivation Ground becomes bustling because it’s time for the annual minor competition again.
Rows and rows of tiered seats are set up around the formerly vacant cultivation ground. Four competition platforms, one large and three smaller ones, are placed in the middle of the training ground. All students from the eight cultivation grounds gather at the First Cultivation Ground.
Also present are hundreds of branch families’ heads, transforming the vast First Cultivation Ground into a sea of people.
“Don’t be nervous, understand?” Tang Luo instructed his students, who were trembling despite being taller than him.
Since Talent in Cultivation Ground N0.7 is scarce, the vanguards are Pang Yan, Bao Zuo, and Zhan Ping.
Besides Pang Yan, who appears calm having participated in martial arts competitions before, both Bao Zuo and Zhan Ping seem intimidated by the massive scene in front of them. They are behaving very nervously and timidly.
“Instructor Tang, I’m nervous.” Zhan Ping murmured.
“Yeah, Instructor Tang, we’re up against the Second Cultivation Ground.” Bao Zuo echoed, with a hint of despair in his eyes, as if the Mortal Rank armor had already flown away.
What are you looking at? Do you think I wanted to draw the Second Cultivation Ground?
Tang Luo also felt frustrated looking at Bao Zuo’s expression. How did he have such luck to draw the worst lot among the seven cultivation grounds – it seemed his luck was really his Achilles’ heel.
Out of the nine cultivation grounds of the Martial Hall, if the First Cultivation Ground only trains the descendants of the Tang Clan, then the second-best is the Second Cultivation Ground.
That’s because all the students gathered here are descendants of clan warriors.
Through hundreds of years of accumulation by the Tang family, most of the warriors who helped the branch family lords have found a good home.
After generations of achievements and children, these warriors naturally hope their children can outdo them. Moved by their joint petition, the Second Cultivation Ground was established.
The training standards of the Second Cultivation Ground are only second to the First Cultivation Ground. Boys who cannot start Foundation Building by the age of eleven are not accepted, and all students only practice martial arts under loads, squeezing every drop of their energy.
Because the requirements are different, the outcome will also be different.
The number of talents in the peak of the Mortal Realm in the Second Cultivation Ground is basically equal to the total of the other seven cultivation grounds. Occasionally, they are able to produce Mortal Realm warriors aged eighteen or nineteen.
The Second Cultivation Ground is often seen as the “death draw” in the minor competition. If Fang Han were still here, Tang Luo wouldn’t fear the Second Cultivation Ground. But now that Fang Han is gone, a match-up between Ground N0.7 and No.2 would be a total disaster.
If they’re put in the losers’ group in the first round, struggling on the side platforms, how are they supposed to cope?
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