Tang Yuan turned over in his bed and began to wake. It is always difficult to wake up right in the morning. There is a feeling of groginess that comes with just waking up, like everything is out of focus and hazy as your brain tries to reboot.
When you find enough awareness about what is happening, your mind then realizes something or several somethings all at once. That you are extremely tired as if just waking up all at once. You feel slightly miserable at having to wake up. Yet feel so refreshed as you wake up from a good night's sleep.
That was what Tang Yuan was now experiencing personally. The miserable feeling of having to wake up, and the groginess from doing so. Yet also the refreshing feeling of having a good night's sleep. Then there was the comfort of the bed itself.
You would think that in a fantasy world like this one. That possesses several medieval aspects in its nature. That things would be of a lower standard. Indeed that is true, but not to the extent one would expect. As the existence of working plumbing can show evidence of.
Thus the bed is somehow the absolutely best bed he has slept in. Including those from his past life by a substantial amount in fact. If someone told him that this is what sleeping on a cloud is like Tang Yuan would live it. He yawns as he presses his face further into the pillow.
It's just so comfortable and fluffy that he has no desire to leave this comfort. So he sighs into his pillow as he begins to nod off. He knows that he needs to get up and tackle the day. Yet he can't help, but enjoy the feeling of sleeping. He did into a voice resounded gently in the room.
"Young master it's time to get up." the voice of one of the maids resounds in the room. It is one of his personal maids Tang Rong. Since she is here he probably can't keep sleeping anymore. Technically he could continue to sleep in. Yet she would continue to try and wake him for a while.
It would make it hard to get to sleep now. Especially as his state of sleep has been interrupted. So with a great deal of reluctance, he began to move in the bed. Yawning as he stretched his body in the bed as the sheets became tangled. He finally sits up still yawning as he does so.
"Hello big sister Rong good morning," he says to her as he begins to get up from the bed. The blanket falls off his body as he does.
"Good morning, young master." she greets him her voice an incredibly pleasant thing to hear. Especially first thing in the morning. Such that it somewhat makes up for being woken up in the morning. He finally turned his attention to her properly.
Tang Rong is the youngest of the maids who accompany him throughout the day. Yet she is one of those who do so the most. She is not much older than him only nine years old. Like all of his maids are spirit masters of the lower level.
In this case a level 16 in fact with an innate soul power level of 5. Showing not to be a to low of a talent. In a normal city, she could be considered a genius. Here she is a middle-class individual of talent. Becoming a spirit king is far from impossible.
With the correct resources becoming a soul Emperor is also possible. With the best soul ring configuration, even Soul Sage is not impossible. Whether that might happen or not is a question. After all, saying something is one thing, but doing it is another.
She is already a relatively beautiful girl with long brown hair. Her eyes are a soft pleasant brown color. What stands out most is her current innocent cuteness. She is the type of girl who will likely never be an earth-shattering beauty. Instead, she is the girl next door type of girl, or the childhood friend type.
Needless to say, she has a bit of a special background. The granddaughter of a minor elder of the clan who is an upper soul Sage. The said elder is merely considered an acting elder despite his power. As a result of his ancestor being a powerful individual of the clan.
As for why she is acting as his maid. Her martial soul upon awakening mutated quite heavily. Rather it is weaker is up for debate. Though it seems to have a different nature than the Clear Sky hammer. She is considered a second consideration to direct disciples. Though being his maid has other reasons which aren't hard to see.
Honestly, she will certainly be a beauty when she grows up. With her nature included in that. Showing why her grandfather placed her in his service. Possibly he will come to see her as his sister at least. Otherwise, in the future, he will see her as a woman. That is probably what he had in mind a sly old fox.
Still, he won't let those thoughts interfere. He will treat her like a sister or maid now probably both. It is far too early to consider more. Far better to focus on acquiring knowledge and power now. He will consider romance in at least a decade.
Having reaffirmed that in his mind he continues. While his mind was busy he had walked out of his room. After he had handled some private business of course. Now he sits in his living room area as the maid brings him his breakfast food. Tang Rong stands beside him with a pitcher of wine.
While waiting for his food he idly looks around the room. Seeing how things have changed recently. There were indeed some changes to his room some big ones. He had become tired of having to walk to the library every day. Perhaps he was just being lazy, but still.
So he wanted to have bookshelves put up. Then it went from there into an entire semi-office area. Including a wooden desk as he requested it not complete expecting to get it. Yet he did get this desk. An incredibly beautiful if simple desk designed to write papers on. With an incredibly comfortable chair to sit on.
The three bookshelves are lined with books for his reading. Some of them are brought from the library temporarily. Until he finishes reading them or retreads them. He also has several journals on the shelf written by himself.
Said journals contain content from a number of books. That way he has it here in his notes. Once more these journals are summarised versions of that content. As practically all those books are massive in size. There is always a lot of added content to them that does not need to be there.
So he has taken to writing the information in a wise format to digest. Maybe he will release the finished content to the library. That way the clan will have access to them in the future. Though they are far from done so far. He might also be able to release versions of them to the world in the future.
It would serve as a great way to obtain money. It would also attract attention towards him and the clan. Plus it would strengthen the soul master world as a whole. Depending on what works he releases. Perhaps they should be used to create an academy. He will decide after introducing them to the clan going from there.
For now, having finished his breakfast he stands up. Then proceeds to do the things he needs to do in the morning. He dresses himself properly for the day. Then picking up a scroll he heads out the door. The maids are a company with him along the way this time.
Unlike the library which only takes about 20 minutes this walk takes much longer. This section of the clan is made to be far from the library area. As he gets closer the air around him grows warmer and warmer. Finally the air changes from merely warm to a deep sweltering heat. It is almost like a small sauna now in this area.
It is an area of the complex jointly under the clan and the Strength Clan. As the heat can attest to it is the location of the clan's forges. The Clear Sky Clan is after all from a long line of blacksmiths. Now days a large portion of the clan has grown dismissive of blacksmithing. Feeling that it is beneath them as a soul master.
Ironically his father is the one amongst the clan with the highest view of it. He is also by far the most skilled blacksmith of the clan, and perhaps the world. He is a full divine craftsman as defined by the current era. As a result, besides the city of blacksmiths, the clan has perhaps the highest quality of smiths. It certainly has the greatest quality of smiths.
The irony of the fact that many of the clan are looking down on the profession now. It is still a common factor amongst all the clan members. As a result of the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer technique at least. Most use blacksmithing as a trading method for it.
Then when they achieve a certain level they simply stop. Most clan members focus on the brute force of blacksmithing. The hammering of metal into shape such as swords and similar actions. The more technical aspects are another thing entirely.
Of course, there are exceptions amongst the clan. Those who seek out blacksmithing as a passion for the arts. Yet most would rather use the time devoted to smithing to cultivate instead. Thus most of the forging is left to members of the strength clan.
His father was surprised that he wanted to learning forging so early. Most start at the earliest when their martial soul is awakened. Tang Chen welcomed his decision with some hearty laughs. Tang Chen has quite a level of interest in blacksmithing as the ancestral trade of the clan.
So for several months Tang Yuan has come here to learn smithing. His current issue is a lack of muscle mass to give strength to his swings. The disorder wind hammer can compensate for that to a degree.
With it, each successive blow becomes stronger than the one before. This allows a relatively weak person to apply impressive force. Of course, that force can also become a problem. The recoil of the force can knock the hammer out of one's hands. Tang Yuan remembers all the times his hammer flew out of his hands, or he fell.
It was not easy to get used to using the technique in forging. Yet the sheer effectiveness of the forging method can not be understated. Honestly, in terms of forging techniques, it might very well be perfect. The only thing that strengthens it is skill and physical strength. The only drawback is how difficult it is to control the force of the swings.
Since he has started blacksmithing Tang Yuan has worked to master the technique. Even 20,000 years later it would be considered a premium technique. Once more it would be used to create others of divine skill. Though his focus has also been held by a startling realization.
One of the avenues he intended to follow from the beginning was blacksmithing. Tang Yuan had made up his mind to recreate the techniques of the future. However, he had since realized that at least two already exist. The hundred-fold and thousand-fold forging techniques specifically. At least he thinks that they have both been used in the current era.
He has not actually seen someone strike a metal a thousand times. Yet in truth, the hundred-fold and thousand-fold forgings don't actually require that number of hammer strikes. It could take more strikes to reach the level of a hundred, or fewer. Some can reach that in a handful of strikes or even a single blow. The same is so for the thousand-strikes level. They are simply measures of the metal's purification level.
Tang Yuan has seen a blacksmith use the 81 hammers to forge incredibly ideal pieces of metal. Yet he has seen his father forge even better prices with only a few swings. Once more there are a number of different forging talents in the section. With a wide difference in skills between each one. So it looks like reaching the first two levels might be natural.
However, that is not his focus for today. Instead, he has another plan he intends to work on. He might even be able to finish it today. He walks into a forging room that he has had reserved for some time. A wooden and metal contraption stands in the room it being his project.
It stood at least half a height taller than most grown men. A wooden platform beneath the contraption to steady it. Two thick wooden pillars on either side of it, and a wooden notch connecting them. A number of metal parts in the middle area. A table-like part extends from the middle of the strange machine. A number of metal things are placed in parts of the table.
Seeing his current invention he can't wait to see it completed. So he quickly begins to get to work. He begins to fire up the bellows of the forge increasing the heat. As the air from the bellows flows into the forge the flames roar to life. He continues to do so until it is just hot enough.
Then he takes a piece of metal using a pair of forge tongs. The metal has already been purified by others for this. Being a high-level member of the clan comes with such benefits. Tang Yuan places the metal pieces piece by piece into the forge. Specifically into several metal jars in the forge. These jar-like objects are made from a metal with a high melting temperature.
The metal placed in them quickly begins melting into liquid metal. The metals have low melting points thus only take several minutes to reach that point. Adding more metals as the metal shifted until it reached a certain point. Finally, the metal containers became filled up enough.
Using the tongs Tang Yuan picks up a container from the forge. Then he walks it over to a wall on the side of the room. On the wall is a table with several molds already arranged. He uses the tongs to tilt the container as the metal begins to pour out. He fills the mold with the molten metal until it reaches a certain level. Then he moves to another one until all the metal in the container is poured.
Tang Yuan then walks back to the forge with the container. He places the container back into the forge and fills it with metal again. Then he uses the tongs to grasp another container moving back to the wall. Repeat the mold filling process until the container is empty, then place the container back in the forge. Then he repeats this again and again filling the empty ones.
Finally, he runs through all the filled vessels. By that point, the first one is already melting. He uses the bellows a few times more to keep the forge at the right heat. Then after several minutes, the metal melts into the containers.
After doing this process a few times over all of the molds are filled. Now he just has to let them cool and return to solid form. That won't take too long to happen given their small forms. Given the current needs for them, he can rely on air cooling. It should take about a dozen minutes for all of them to cool.
While that occurs he places metal in the forge. He has already removed the containers from the forge. The metal quickly heats up, but does not melt like the other metal. Then after a few minutes, he removes it from the forge to the anvil.
Then he takes up his hammer in his hand. He steadies himself and brings the hammer down upon the metal. Than using the recoil of the hammer to fuel the next strike. Making use of the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer the second strike becomes stronger than the first.
Tang Yuan uses the second swing of the eighty-one blows. The second carries even more force than the first one. Yet the recoil of the blow is also stronger in its strength. A third, then a fourth, and a fifth blow quickly land upon the metal. Each time the blows become mightier, so does the recoil of each blow.
He releases the sixth blow upon the metal, and then barely manages the seventh. Tang Yuan lets himself slightly step back while containing the recoil. He does not try to unleash the eighth blow well aware of his limits. His hands had already begun to shake at the sixth.
The recoil of the technique is just simply that difficult. Even then he could not use the technique anywhere near its full ability. Only achieving seven blows is only one issue. Even the first blow was not too strong as a result of his age. His hammer is also far smaller than a normal one having less weight with each blow.
Even worse is the recoil of the blows in succession. He is unable to properly manage the recoil and use it. As a result not only does he have to use his strength to steady himself. Thus he loses some of his own force in doing so. Doing so he acts against the recoil causing it to lose momentum. Thus each blow suffers a major loss of potential power.
Even still those seven swings become the equivalent of at least 10 or even 12 swings. The Disorder splitting Wind hammer is just that effective in forging. In fact, Tang Yuan believes that he has mastered a version of it. Well by the time the blacksmith is done with the 81st swing, they might have a thousand forged. At least that is a hypothesis he has about the technique and its use.
Tang Yuan returns to hammering away at the metal. After every fifth strike, he would step back, and then return to hammering it. This way he will slowly accommodate himself to that fifth strike. By the time he can do so the sixth strike will become far easier. Then he will do the same to that sixth strike until mastery.
Through this method, he can eventually reach higher levels. Tang Yuan becomes embroiled in his forging process. He continues to hammer away at the metal in this manner. He does this for at least an hour with full effort. Yet by that point, his arms are already straining from the effort.
It can't be helped at this point his body is around the same level as a normal human. It's true that his bloodline is incredibly powerful as the son of a limit Douluo. Once more the latent soul power in his body is there. Yet he is unable to make use of either of those powers truly. Like a magic user being unable to wield mana or MP.
It is particular despite being unable to access soul power. That does not mean he does not receive benefits from it even now. Tang Yuan's recovery, strength, and intelligence are all beyond what any child should possess. So he has what should be called a passive buff in video game logic. Yet that buff is weak in nature, or perhaps restricted is a better word.
It is a curious thing to understand. Tang Yuan remembers the concept of Soul Land from his previous life. Tang San was able to cultivate his mysterious heaven technique before his awakening. He was also able to wield his techqubies and display superhuman ability. Though Tang Yuan has no way of knowing if he was actually using soul energy.
Tang Yuan could have been trying to use soul power before his awakening. Done meditation and found that power within his body, or at least attempted to. Yet he has no way of telling how long that would take. Or for that matter whether it would even be possible to do that or not.
Tang Yuan thinks about other fantasy worlds and their nature. In RWBY aura is also a form of the soul in nature. To require another Aura user to obtain. There is a good chance that the awakening ceremony fulfills that case.
Yet soul power might be something like nen from Hunter x Hunter. That you can train and eventually obtain soul power through hard work. Yet might also obtain it from facing someone with soul power. Yet unlike Nen which anyone can obtain through hard work. Soul power is something acquired from luck or fortune.
Attempting to figure it out without possessing soul power himself might be impossible. So instead he had chosen to obtain as much knowledge as possible. To prepare for when he does have soul power. Tang Yuan awaits that day with anticipation. For now, it's time to take advantage of a world-changing invention from his past life.
Tang Yuan walks over to the molds on the wall. All of them have finished cooling and solidifying properly. He quickly removes the finished products from the molds. Bringing them over to his mostly finished work contraption. Slotting them into place alongside the other already finished ones.
Now it is not completely done, but it is already usable. This invention would alter the very stage of the world. It will provide a major profit to the clan at the very least. It will advance the world itself to a degree once used properly.
He walks over to a workbench near the empty molds. A piece of paper is on the desk with a good deal of text on it. It was a page he transcribed from one of his books. He grabs a large bottle from beside the page a bottle of ink he had already brought to the shop. He brings it over to the contraption ready to be used for its purpose now.
He places the ink properly onto his brush. Then using that brush to evenly distribute the ink onto the metal parts. The ink was especially made by the breaking clan at his request. They were able to create this ink with a good deal of effort. Once the ink is evenly spread out onto the many metal parts it is ready to be used.
Then he places a blank piece of paper into the machine. Tang Yuan sighs finally the machine can be properly used. He activates it by pressing the parts down and applying pressure. Once done he brought the press away to reveal the piece of paper.
The paper now has written characters on it. A perfect copy of the page from before, or rather two pages. After more than half a year of effort and work it's finally done. He received a lot of help from other blacksmiths to be able to finish it. Now this legendary machine is one that can change the world. A device based on the work of Johannes Gutenberg in other words a printer.
In the modern era, such a device is often taken for granted. People come to despise and hate them as a result of their problems. Having to buy the expensive ink or the jamming of paper. Yet it was the creation of the printer that brought change to the world. Through the printer the mass production of books became possible.
With the ability to mass-produce books with relative ease came a vast spread of information. Before that books were incredibly difficult and painstaking to recreate. Requiring a day for any number of pages, and weeks for even a single book. Thus books became worth their weight in silver if not gold. Especially depending on the contents of the book in question.
After using the printer to create pages until the printer's ink is used up. He stops setting them aside to dry on the desk. Now he heads out of the room taking the first page from the printer. It's time he reveals this work to a higher member of the clan. His elder brother or his father specifically.
Creating the printer has more than one purpose. For one it will generate money for the clan as a whole. Having more resources is never a bad idea. It also adds importance to his own standing within the clan. That way he will be given more resources as a result when he starts cultivating. Once more if it happens that he is unable to cultivate it will establish a second path.
Saying that he finds from a clan member that both the clan head and the grand ancestor are in the same room. He heads there directly to get to them as fast as possible. He is incredibly excited to share this with them.
So he quickly reaches the private chamber of the clan head. It is not a part of their family area rather more like an office. He finds the door quickly enough it is a large door meant to be intimidating. Like pitch black obsidian with carvings of the clan on it. With two soul master guards on each side of the door.
"I wish to inform the clan master and my father of something. Are they in the middle of something important," he tells the two guards at the door. He could enter directly, but that would be rude. Especially considering the two highest officials of the clan are in the room. Once more they might be in the middle of an important discussion.
The two guards at the door don't hesitate to open the doors. "No order has been given to bar entry."
Thus Tang Yuan enters the room through the door. He sees that both his father and brother are on the couches in the room. It seems that the two of them are enjoying a nice drink together. Tang Yuan greets them both with a bow. "Greetings Father, and greetings Big Brother. Sorry if I'm interrupting the two of you." he greets them both with deep respect.
"Xiao Yuan it's fine come join us." His elder brother the clan head Tang Zhang tells him. Tang Yuan walks over to them sitting on the other side of them. "You seem excited little brother tell us what you came about."
After taking a seat Tang Yuan gets comfortable on the couch. "First take this and tell me what you think about it." handing them the copied page from the printer.
Tang Chen is the one who takes it first examining it. He is unsure of what is special about the page. The ink has only dried relatively recently in time. Then he notices that the writing is slightly off from what one might expect. At least it is from a normal transcript work. "A ink block." Tang Chen voices out thought it seems off.
After seeing that they have partially understood things he voices his words. In fact, there is a version of the printer already in existence. That being the wood block method which predated the printer on earth too. Someone would carve the wood block. It usually would not be used for things like books however. Instead, it would be used for pictures such as bounty pictures. Smaller ones would be used for noble or royal seals sometimes.
"It is similar to a woodblock father. I call it a printer at the moment," he tells both of them as they turn their attention to him. "It can be used to create delicate things such as words. It is also able to be used to produce far more copies in far less time," he tells them as they listen to his words.
One of the reasons he chose a printer was to make the first. There were already similar wood blocks. That way understanding its uses would be easier. It also means that it is not totally out of left field.
Neither Tang Chen nor Tang Zhang is foolish they can instantly see uses for this. In this world, books are practically priceless in nature. It contains invaluable knowledge that is sought after by many. Yet they know that it is painstaking time time-consuming work to copy them. This would revolutionise the copying of books.
"Father, and big brother I'm sure both of you can see the use of this machine for the clan," he tells them certain they have at they very least realised the time it would save their own clan. "I have other plans for it as well if both of you are open to it."
"Exactly what did you have in mind, Xiao Yuan?" His big brother asked him curiously. He wanted to know what ideas he had for this matter. Partially because it was his own creation. Secondly, as a test to see what he would come up with.
"You have probably heard that I have been translating the content of books from the library. I plan on simplifying a good deal of the information from the books," he tells them certain that they have heard of it. They both nod their head having heard it before.
"I'm making a book of the different spirit beasts, information on the spirit ranks, and other critical knowledge," he tells them watching their faces as he talks. He wants to know their reactions to what comes next. "So I believe that it would benefit the clan to sell versions of those books. So long as they don't have clan secrets of course," he tells them adding the last part so they don't misunderstand.
The two of them become interested in his words. Others might assume that they would
Immediately shoot it down. As releasing such information could be absolutely game-changing. At least for commoner spirit masters who start without knowledge.
Most commoner spirit masters go to academies it's true. Yet they don't always receive the best education at those academies. Sometimes they're not allowed to receive the best education. It is natural for powerful factions to hoard power for themselves. Yet even a Goliath can fall to a thousand ants.
These two empires are always wary of the soul masters not born from noble blood. When geniuses appear in the world and join the empires. Well, there are often times when geniuses die long before reaching their peak. Sometimes it's from rival factions, but sometimes it's from their own. Especially regarding the two empires where politics is the name of the game.
The three major sects and Spirit Hall do so as well every so often. It is only natural to target one another's geniuses when the opportunity presents itself. Yet these major factions don't always go out of their way to do so. After all, they have something the others don't the overwhelming strength of those four. Specifically that of Titled Douluo and a large number of Soul Douluo backing them.
Those with high or genius talent born amongst commoners are taken by the spirit hall. Taken to the hall directly to be trained up by the hall. Those with middle talents are also offered the right to join the spirit hall. The three main sects depend more on clan members to obtain members. Yet also take the talents they find into themselves rarely.
Those who remain are the small talents or those with weak martial souls. They are left behind by the hall and wander into the world. Others simply don't join the hall for one reason or another. These individuals lack knowledge which is crucial to cultivation. This limits their ability to cultivate and causes them to make bad choices early on. Depending on the information released by them that may change.
"So that was what you intended for this is it?" Tang Zheng says absentmindedly. Not completely sure about the idea of doing so. The information in their hands is critical to the clan. "How much information would you have used to release," he asks curious about his idea.
"Up to their third or fourth ring, I think. So Soul Elder's useful information perhaps. Things like the benefits that certain soul rings can have. Other basic knowledge that is simple to the major factions." Tang Yuan tells them with some nervousness.
"Exactly how do you intend to do this?" Tang Chen asks with an interested look. Not really denying the concept of doing so. It is only up to the third ring of information. Basically the most basic information for the major forces.
"I think we should sell it as books to the academies or to the spirit hall. Of course, doing the second might mean we will need to share the profit," Tang Yuan tells both of them. To be honest, either of them would be a good choice. Yet the clan already has a good relationship with the Spirit Hall. Spirit Hall is also far more widespread. "I recommend Spirit Hall as a result of the sheer size of the area. That we charge the buyer of the books five to ten gold coins."
Hearing his words the two of them considered it. There are thousands of soul masters in the entirety of Soul Land. A large number are awakened every year at least across the land. Even if only a hundred a year buy the book it would be 500 gold coins at the cheapest. It would be a major profit considering that. One that could be used for a long time.
Nodding to themselves they decide that releasing the books would be worth it. Especially as no clan-sensitive knowledge would be released in doing so. It could also be used to bring support to the clan. Plus making it harder for smaller factions to recruit the sport masters. Not to mention the gold profit it would provide. It looks to be a profitable venture for the clan to take advantage of.
Still despite both of them supporting it. They should bring it up in the next clan meeting. If only as formality, and to get their views. After all, they are together the clan master and the clan's highest power. If they support something it is hard to stop it.
Little did most know that this would become the start of something far greater. The first great act of Tang Yuan would serve as the foundation of many more. It would bring the eyes of the world onto this young genius. Even before the time of his awakening came about. It would also serve as the foundation for his future ascension to godhood. As he paved a path that all the world shall follow.