Douluo: A Century-old Legend I Am the Second Uncle Chenxin

Chapter 1441 Chen Surong Endures Tang Yuchen's Hammer

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"Clap clap clap," the tranquility was broken by a series of crisp claps, the sound coming from the moon gate connecting to the training ground.

The three people who were talking looked in the direction of the sound.

Two people stood beneath the moon gate.

The one leading the group was Chen Surong, the headmaster of Zejizhai.

Today she wore a moon-white dress of excellent quality but with a simple cut, her hair loosely tied up with a jade hairpin, and in the morning light, her face had a gentle and peaceful smile.

Half a step behind her, a woman stood quietly, about thirty years old, wearing a plain cotton dress.

She had delicate features, but a lingering melancholy lingered between her brows. Her eyelids were lowered, as if she were isolating herself from the sounds around her.

A moment of surprise flashed in Chen Xiaojun's eyes, and he bowed slightly, saying, "Aunt? What brings you here? Haven't their morning exercises already started?"

As he spoke, his gaze naturally swept over the woman, who remained meek and unresponsive.

Chen Surong walked a few steps closer with a calm demeanor. Her gaze lingered on Chen Xiaojun's well-defined young face for a moment: "That glare you gave me just now was quite fierce, it was chilling."

"I've been thinking it over and over, and I'm afraid I may have inadvertently offended our young master Xiaojun. That's why I've come here to apologize."

Chen Xiaojun looked embarrassed.

He was indeed startled when Tang Yuchen suddenly mentioned "binding spirits and commanding generals," and subconsciously glanced in the direction of Chen Surong.

Unexpectedly, this glance was discovered.

Seeing Chen Xiaojun's embarrassed state, Chen Surong couldn't help but laugh out loud: "Besides, you've been whispering here for so long."

She gently gestured with her chin toward Tang Yuchen, "I have to come and see, lest you impulsively 'crack' our rare top talent."

She made a delicate movement with her fingertips on her neck.

"Aunt!" Chen Xiaojun was both amused and exasperated. "What... what are you saying! Do I really have to be so dramatic?"

He paused for a moment, then looked at Chen Surong. "Judging from your tone, you know Master Tang?"

"More than just knowing him." Chen Surong turned to Tang Yuchen with a hint of reminiscence in her eyes. "At the Gao Ying Competition 20 years ago, I truly experienced the weight of Brother Yuchen's Mountain-Breaking Hammer and got a good beating."

She paused for a moment, as if giving Tang Yuchen time to recall, and then continued naturally, "Back then, I represented the Yuehua Academy team in the competition, and I believe I experienced some ups and downs."

"But in the crucial battle for the quarterfinals, we were defeated by a group of 'dark horses' from Gengxin Blacksmith Academy."

"The core members of that team mostly came from families of blacksmiths and were themselves quite powerful Soul Masters."

Her voice was clear, calm, and relaxed: "I clearly remember your figure charging forward with the Mountain-Breaking Hammer in hand—powerful and thunderous, one after another, each blow precisely striking the weak points where I was recovering my energy and circulating my soul power."

"The shock caused my tiger's mouth to split open as I gripped the Seven Kill Sword, my soul power to dissipate, and my chest to churn with blood, almost making me vomit blood."

"It was those forty-nine consecutive heavy blows that helped you win the crucial round." Her tone made it seem as if that defeat was just an old story.

Now it was Tang Yuchen's turn to look embarrassed.

He hadn't heard praise in a long time, and it was from his former 'rival'.

He was 45 years old, and Chen Surong was 43. They were in the prime of their youth, full of passion and enthusiasm, so it was possible that they participated in the Gao Ying competition at the same time.

In the match, it is even more likely that the successor of the Chen family's Seven Kill Sword will clash with the genius of the Tang family's Xuanhuang Hammer.

Tang Yuchen is currently level 69, and Chen Surong is level 72. If it weren't for the fact that he was out there risking his life and was delayed for several years, Chen Surong's level might not have surpassed his, which shows his talent.

Back then, his level was higher than Chen Surong's, and it's possible that his combat strength surpassed Chen Surong's.

Looking back, so much time has passed. In Tang Yuchen's subconscious, or rather, in his self-perception, he is now a craftsman living under someone else's roof, trying to atone for his sins and attempting to prove his worth with his skills, while Chen Surong is already the headmaster of a major educational institution in the Chen family, a person of great importance and with a very busy schedule.

He had assumed that someone as important as her would have long forgotten about him, an ordinary opponent from a competition back then (from a non-prestigious university), or that she, with her prominent status in the Chen family, wouldn't care about that minor setback.

In fact, Chen Surong had never mentioned this matter in the village during the past three years, but she never expected that the other party would remember it so clearly.

Nonsense! His final blow landed directly on Chen Surong; it would be strange if she didn't remember.

Being exposed by Chen Surong made this honest middle-aged man somewhat uneasy.

Overwhelmed by shock and a vague sense of guilt, his usually composed face, honed by the warmth of the fireplace, flushed crimson, even his ears and neck were not spared.

He hurriedly clasped his hands in a fist and bow, expressing his sincere apology, "Back then... back then, it was Yu Chen who was presumptuous and acted without restraint, and was disrespectful to the headmaster."

"Oh?" Chen Surong feigned surprise, her mischievous smile almost overflowing. She took a small step forward. "Brother Yuchen, are you... really frightened?"

"Or did you finally remember me, your defeated opponent, and feel guilty?"

Seeing Tang Yucheng's flushed face and incoherent speech, she finally stopped teasing him and waved her hand with a smile: "Alright, alright, it's all old news. When competing on the same stage, winning and losing are normal."

"Moreover, back then, the spirit of Gengxin Blacksmith Academy that you represented was truly eye-opening, and it made those of us who pride ourselves on being from prestigious families reflect on ourselves for a long time."

Seeing Tang Yucheng relax, Chen Surong changed the subject, turning her gaze to the design blueprint with focused and admiring eyes: "Just now, I heard you explain the three-line specialization concept of 'Hundred Flowers Chart,' supplemented by the core design of 'Hundred Flowers Throne' for overall coordination..."

"This army-style organizational system, which covers everything from the basics to the strategy and progresses step by step, is so impressive that even I, a layman, am deeply moved."

“What’s even more remarkable,” she emphasized, “is that you have clearly outlined three vastly different power paths and proposed the underlying logic of synergistic effect.”

Chen Surong lightly tapped the complex yet grand spiritual core of the "Hundred Flowers Throne" on the drawing: "This has transcended the technology itself; it is a strategic manifestation at the level of war."

The blush on Tang Yuchen's face had not completely faded when he heard Chen Surong's high praise. The joy of being recognized for the pursuit of excellence by craftsmen and engineers instantly overshadowed his embarrassment.

He straightened up and solemnly clasped his hands in a fist and palm salute: "Master, you flatter me! This is the result of the combined efforts of dozens of craftsmen in our Baihua Village group over several months, and after countless sleepless nights of deliberation, I was able to integrate my thoughts and express them on their behalf!"

(End of this chapter)