Douluo: Steal Tang San's luck and become stronger!

They not only meticulously passed on the Chen family's core forging techniques to us, the collateral branches or talented disciples, but also encouraged us to open shops in various places. This served three purposes: first, to hone our skills; second, to provide reliable weapons and tools to the local people; and third, to gather information for the sect and help some independent cultivators or commoners in need.

Lu Yun sighed.

"Although our Chen family's forging techniques cannot compare with those of the great sects that have been passed down for thousands of years, we still have some unique aspects, especially in the processing of metal materials and the creation of basic artifacts, which are very solid."

Thanks to this skill, and with the support of the sect, we clansmen, who might otherwise have amounted to nothing, have all found our own way out and are able to do something practical for the sect and the people.

After hearing this, Tang Lan felt even more appreciative and satisfied with the Chen brothers, Chen Tang and Chen Ju.

These two are not only highly skilled and loyal, but also have a broad perspective and a kind heart. They know how to use the resources of the Tang Clan to give back to the sect, benefit others, and cultivate future generations.

This down-to-earth and fundamental work style is exactly what the Tang Clan needs.

"Masters Chen Tang and Chen Ju, thank you for your thoughtfulness. You have done a very good job."

Tang Lan nodded in approval.

Upon receiving affirmation from the "high-ranking official," Lu Yun's face broke into a simple yet excited smile.

"It is my honor to serve the sect!"

Tang Lan said no more, took out a letter that had been prepared in advance and sealed with special soul power from his pocket, and handed it to Lu Yun.

"Lu Yun, you must deliver this letter to the person in charge of the Tang Clan in the southwest region as quickly and reliably as possible. Remember, you must deliver it to the person in charge personally; it must not be forwarded by anyone else."

Lu Yun's expression hardened, and he solemnly accepted the letter with both hands. He felt the pure and profound soul power seal on the envelope, and he knew even more in his heart that this letter was extremely important.

He said solemnly.

"Rest assured, sir! I will not fail you! Even if it costs me my life, I will deliver the message safely!"

"Ah."

Tang Lan nodded. He had confidence in the loyalty and execution capabilities of the Tang Clan's grassroots members.

After finishing her business, Tang Lan's gaze fell on a small forging table in the corner of the stone chamber.

There were some unfinished metal blanks and several casting hammers on display.

"I just saw you practicing your ironwork. Your basic skills are very solid, and your rhythm and strength are quite good."

Tang Lan said casually and walked over.

Lu Yun quickly followed, scratching his head somewhat embarrassedly.

"You flatter me, sir. It is all thanks to the two masters' excellent teaching. I was just practicing step by step."

Tang Lan picked up a medium-sized casting hammer, weighed it in her hand, and looked at a piece of dark red metal blank that had been fired and was cooling on the platform. Suddenly, she said.

"May I borrow your stove fire and the embryo?"

Lu Yun was stunned and hadn't reacted when he saw Tang Lan walk to the small soul-guided furnace on the side, skillfully pick up the dark red metal blank, and put it back into the furnace fire to heat it up.

His movements were fluid and graceful. His control over the heat and his use of the pliers were even more precise and skillful than Lu Yun's, a blacksmith who had been working for more than ten years!

Lu Yun's eyes widened. This "sir"... could he also understand casting?
A moment later, the metal blank glowed red-hot again. Tang Lan took it out with tongs, placed it on the anvil, and gripped the casting hammer in his right hand.

The next moment, Lu Yun witnessed a scene he would never forget!
Tang Lan took a deep breath, his eyes instantly becoming incredibly focused, as if the entire world consisted only of the iron blank in front of him and the iron hammer in his hand.

With a flick of his wrist, the hammer landed gently on the red-hot iron blank in a trajectory that seemed simple but contained countless variations and skillful techniques.

"Ding!"

A crisp yet unusually solid sound.

Immediately afterwards, the second hammer fell, faster and with seemingly more concentrated force!

"when!"

The third hammer blow, the fourth hammer blow, the fifth hammer blow... the hammer shadows began to merge into one! Tang Lan's movements were not particularly fast, but each hammer blow precisely struck the part of the iron billet that needed the most forging. The force went from light to heavy, and then from heavy to light, repeating in a cycle, containing a peculiar rhythm!

The ordinary foundry hammer in his hands seemed to come alive, transforming into a nimble iron whip, or like a beast awakening, carrying the momentum of a storm, yet precisely controlled within a small space!

The hammering sounds were as dense as rain, yet distinct and orderly! The iron billet deformed rapidly under the hammer, impurities were squeezed out little by little, and sparks flew everywhere, but the trajectory of those sparks seemed to follow some kind of pattern!

What shocked Lu Yun even more was that he clearly saw Tang Lan's body adjusting slightly as the hammering continued. The power of her waist, legs, arms, and wrists was perfectly coordinated, and the power of each hammer blow seemed to be accumulating! The hammer's landing point became more and more precise, and the feedback sound coming from inside the iron billet became more and more pure!
This...this is no ordinary blacksmithing! This is an extremely profound forging hammer technique! Lu Yun had the good fortune to witness a similar skill once before at Master Chen Tang's place, but it seemed...far less skillful and effortless than what this "master" before him wielded with such ease and grace!
"Disorderly...disorderly cloak...could it be the legendary Disorderly Cloak Hammer Technique?!"

A thought that made Lu Yun tremble with excitement flashed through his mind. He stared intently at Tang Lan's every move, not daring to blink, for fear of missing any detail.

He felt that the bottleneck in his long-standing forging skills seemed to be loosening amidst the dense and profound hammering!

"Ding! Ding! Clang! Clang!..."

The dense, rhythmic hammering echoed in the small stone chamber, as if playing a symphony of metal and power. The hammer blows were continuous, with almost no gaps, yet each strike was clearly discernible, containing a unique rhythm and ever-increasing force.

This scene left Lu Yun and the two blacksmith apprentices who had come from the neighboring forge out of curiosity after hearing the commotion with wide, staring eyes like copper bells, mouths agape, completely forgetting to breathe!

Although they were just ordinary craftsmen in the Chen family's forging system, their perspective, honed through years of exposure, far surpassed that of ordinary blacksmiths. At this moment, what they saw was no longer simple blacksmithing, but a forging technique bordering on art!
The control of that power, the grasp of rhythm, the precision of the landing point, and the rhythmic feeling that seemed to subtly influence the airflow and cause mysterious changes in the internal structure of the iron billet, all deeply shocked their limited understanding.

“This…this hammering technique…” A younger blacksmith apprentice, his voice hoarse and his fingers trembling, pointed at Tang Lan’s hammering figure, but could not utter a complete sentence.

Lu Yun's breathing became heavy; he saw things more deeply than the two apprentices.

He stared intently at the hammer that kept falling, its trajectory seemingly simple yet infinitely mysterious. He stared at the red-hot iron block that was being "compressed" at a speed visible to the naked eye, its impurities being completely forged out, and even the sparks flying seemed to follow a certain pattern. A name that he had only heard from the core members of the Chen family, a name that was like a legend, exploded in his mind like a thunderclap!

"Chaotic...Chaotic Cloak...It's the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique! A legendary technique of the Haotian Sect, which was later...later it seems to have been improved and incorporated into the Tang Sect...the Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique!"

Lu Yun's voice became hoarse with extreme excitement. He almost used all his strength to roar out this shocking name!
The two apprentices were utterly shocked upon hearing this! The Chaotic Cloak Hammering Technique! That legendary hammering technique, existing only in the blacksmithing world, said to be able to turn the impossible into the possible and bring forging skills to their ultimate expression?! And they had actually witnessed it with their own eyes?!

As if to confirm Lu Yun's exclamation, Tang Lan's hammering speed suddenly increased again! It wasn't just about speed, but a perfect transfer and superposition of power! He shifted his feet slightly, twisted his waist, and the amplitude of his arm swings seemed small.

But each strike seemed to be more concentrated and heavier than the last! It was no longer just arm strength, but rather the mobilization of the entire body's muscles and bones, and even subtly caused the surrounding air to move!

The hammer shadows almost formed a blurry halo, completely enveloping the red-hot iron blank!
"Ta-da! Ta ...

After a series of rapid, indistinguishable explosions, Tang Lan suddenly flicked her wrist, and the hammerhead, at an extremely tricky angle, gently flicked upwards!
"laugh--!"

A plume of white smoke rose up, accompanied by a few last sparks.

Tang Lan put down his hammer and stood still, his breathing steady, as if the storm of hammer blows had not exhausted much of his strength.

On the anvil, the irregularly shaped, dark red iron ingot, originally the size of a watermelon, had vanished. In its place was an iron ball, only the size of an adult's palm, perfectly round, with a dark metallic luster, a smooth, mirror-like surface, and even faintly reflecting the light of the soul-guiding lamp!
In just a few minutes, the originally huge iron block was actually smashed into an iron ball the size of a palm, with amazing density and a perfect shape! This forging efficiency and this ability to reshape the internal structure of the material were completely beyond the comprehension of Lu Yun and his companions!
"This this……"

The two apprentices' legs went weak, and they almost collapsed to the ground, staring at the iron ball as if witnessing a miracle.

Lu Yun stood frozen in place, his eyes fixed on the iron ball. He then looked up sharply at the composed Tang Lan, his mind reeling. Those few minutes of observation, especially the final, fluid and powerful hammer technique, were still fresh in his mind.

Like a sudden enlightenment, it instantly cleared up many of the confusions and obstacles he had encountered in forging over the years! He felt that the bottleneck in his forging skills, which had been stagnant for a long time, was being violently loosened in the afterglow of the profound hammer sound, as if a door to a new world had been opened!

"Pfft!"

Without any hesitation, Lu Yun bent his knees and knelt down in front of Tang Lan, touching his head to the ground, his voice choked with emotion and full of gratitude.

"Thank you, sir! Thank you for your guidance and instruction! Lu Yun... Lu Yun understands! I will never forget this kindness and virtue!"

He knew that this "master" had not intentionally taught him, but merely demonstrated the legendary hammer technique in its entirety in front of him. The essence of the technique and the secrets of power exertion contained within were a tremendous blessing to him! This was more precious than any amount of gold and silver treasures he could receive!
Tang Lan put the casting hammer back in its place, looked at the excited Lu Yun, and said calmly.

"Get up. Your foundation is good, and your temperament is also acceptable, which is why you have been able to gain some insight. The Chaotic Cloak Hammer Technique emphasizes intent over form. Its core lies in the continuity, superposition, and control of power, as well as the 'understanding' of the materials themselves. How much you can comprehend depends on your destiny."

He paused and continued.

"I used this technique on the Chen brothers, Chen Tang and Chen Ju, back in the day. Even with their exceptional talent and years of dedicated study, they only managed to grasp a fraction of its essence and power. If you study hard, you might just become a master forging craftsman in the future."

Lu Yun was deeply moved and kowtowed again.

"Yes! Your subordinate will remember your teachings, sir! I will certainly live up to your expectations and the guidance of the two masters!"

Tang Lan nodded and said no more.

His motivation for demonstrating his hammer technique today stemmed from two reasons: firstly, he recognized Lu Yun's solid foundation and potential; secondly, he intended to inspire the lower-level members of the Tang Clan and boost morale. As for how much Lu Yun could learn, that depended on his individual fate.

He had indeed demonstrated this skill to the Chen brothers, who, through years of accumulation and focus, had learned six or seven tenths of its essence, enough to make them stand out among their peers in the foundry industry.

After bidding farewell to Lu Yun, who was full of gratitude and seemed to have been reborn, Tang Lan left Chen's Blacksmith Shop with Wang Qiu'er and went straight back to Guangyao Restaurant, where they were temporarily staying and where the key stage for tonight was located.

The restaurant was still bustling with people, and business seemed largely unaffected by the fighting. As Tang Lan and her companion entered the lobby, their casual glances caught sight of Tao Zuo and his group of five in a corner by the window.

They had changed into relatively ordinary clothes and were sitting around a table, seemingly drinking and eating, but their eyes kept scanning their surroundings warily, as if they were preoccupied.

Upon seeing Tang Lan and Wang Qiu'er enter, Tao Zuo and the others perked up, but they didn't rush forward to greet them as they had done in the alley last time. Tao Zuo merely gave a slight, almost imperceptible nod in Tang Lan's direction, his eyes conveying respect and a sense of inquiry, as if to say something.

"Sir, we will wait here."

The other four also bowed their heads in acknowledgment, their movements discreet. Clearly, they remembered the discipline of being undercover, and dared not appear too close to the "higher-ups" in public, lest they be exposed.

Tang Lan remained calm, as if she hadn't seen them at all. She led Wang Qiu'er straight upstairs and returned to the secluded upper room on the fourth floor of the restaurant that Lin Yanhong had prepared for them.

Time flies, the sun sets in the west, and it's already evening.

"Tuk, Tuk, Tuk."

A soft knock sounded on the door, three short knocks followed by one long one, a pre-arranged code.

Tang Lan was meditating with her eyes closed when she heard the sound and opened them. Wang Qiu'er stood by the window, watching the darkening sky and the still-flowing crowds on the street.

"Come in."

Tang Lan said calmly.

The door was carefully pushed open a crack, and Tao Zuo's slightly thin face, with a fawning smile, peeked in.

He quickly slipped inside, gently closed the door, then turned around, bowed to Tang Lan, and reported in a low voice with a hint of excited anticipation.

"My lord! We have completed all the tasks you entrusted to us!"

He took two steps forward, lowering his voice to make sure only the three people in the room could hear him. (End of Chapter)