Douluo Continent: This Tang San is different

Chapter 78 In this world, you need influence and connections.

After much deliberation, Yang Long asked, "I can't afford the thousand-refined kind, and I didn't bring enough money. How much does the hundred-refined kind cost?"

"One hundred thousand. The customer needs to pay fifty thousand gold soul coins as a deposit," Tang San said without hesitation.

"Are you sure you're not trying to rip me off?" Yang Long unleashed his Martial Soul Dragon Pattern Spear, revealing three Soul Rings: two yellow and one purple. The fluctuations in his Soul Power attracted the attention of the blacksmith shop owner, Mr. Li, and his apprentices.

Upon seeing this, people on the street immediately moved away, but many secretly glanced in this direction, and some even ran to find members of the Spirit Hall.

"What's wrong, guest? Did Tang San offend you in some way?"

Boss Li forced a smile, his body trembling slightly.

If the boy in front of him were just a Soul Master, he wouldn't be afraid; he could bring his apprentices and drive him away.

But the other party is a Soul Master, and has a thousand-year-old Soul Ring.

We really can't afford to offend them.

"Hmph! This blacksmith is ripping me off. He said a thousand-times-forged dragon-patterned spear costs over 200,000 gold soul coins, and a hundred-times-forged one costs 100,000. Isn't that robbery?" Yang Long pointed at Tang San's nose and cursed.

"Well... actually, this price is already quite fair." Boss Li glanced at Tang San, who shrugged helplessly, and knew that a hundred-times-forged or a thousand-times-forged product was indeed worth the price. Tang San didn't try to rip him off.

Yang Long was furious and was about to teach the blacksmith shop owner, who was clearly siding with Tang San, a lesson when the sound of orderly footsteps came from not far away. Seventeen Spirit Hall patrol knights, dressed in Western-style armor and carrying spears, arrived.

The youngest among them was only twelve years old, and that was Wang Sheng.

And the leader was none other than Su Yuntao.

"Fighting is prohibited in the city. Quickly put away your martial spirit and spirit rings, or we, the Spirit Hall, will have the right to arrest you for disrupting the order of Notting City," Su Yuntao shouted.

"Hmph! The Spirit Hall!"

Yang Long put away his spirit ring, snorted coldly, and said, "Someone's trying to extort money from you, aren't you going to do anything about it?"

"Our Spirit Hall doesn't handle civil disputes. You should go find the officials under the city lord," Su Yuntao said sternly. "However, you are a Spirit Master, so we can spend some time to hear your side of the story. Also, the blacksmith shop owner, you can tell us what happened."

"Here's what happened, Master Su..." Boss Li recounted the events, and Tang San and the other apprentices chimed in.

Su Yuntao was also surprised by the price of the thousand-forged weapon, but he believed that Tang San would not cheat people in such a way, nor would the blacksmith shop owner. After all, if they really did that, then the blacksmith shop would not need to be opened. Once the news spread, no one would come here to purchase kitchen utensils, farm tools, and unrestricted weapons.

Moreover, even if Tang San really wanted to trick someone, he would stand firmly on Tang San's side. After all, he was not familiar with Yang Long, and Yang Long's attitude was too arrogant... Does being a noble give you the right to be unreasonable?

"I already know what happened. This is the price for a weapon that has been refined a thousand times. Xiao San and the blacksmith shop owner didn't rip you off," Su Yuntao said. "Don't think that just because you're a nobleman, you can force others to lower the price."

"I'm not an aristocrat," Yang Long retorted.

"Ordinary people can't afford clothes made of such fine fabric. Even if a martial soul mutates, it's impossible for it to mutate to such a powerful state." Although martial soul mutation is indeed possible, Su Yuntao felt he was in the right. At this point, he changed the subject and said, "I don't care whether you are a noble or not. Anyway, you can't fight in the streets of Notting City."

Yang Long was furious, but he didn't dare to make a move against the fourteen Great Soul Masters and Soul Masters led by Su Yuntao.

He believed he wasn't incapable of defeating them, but rather afraid of offending the Spirit Hall.

Tang San said, "Would you like a spear made? A regular all-iron spear is cheaper, only one hundred gold soul coins."

"I don't want it anymore, give me back my deposit." Yang Long had lost interest and stretched out his hand to Boss Li.

Tang San pushed the deposit in front of Boss Li, who hurriedly returned the five hundred gold soul coins to Yang Long. He dared not accept such a business deal at all... He had never seen such an unreasonable soul master.

"Guest," Tang San called out to Yang Long.

"Is there anything else?"

Yang Long asked impatiently, "Does it mean I'm the one who delayed your work, and now I have to compensate you?"

"No, that's not it. I just wanted to kindly remind you of something," Tang San said earnestly. "When traveling across the continent, strength alone is not enough; you also need to make many friends."

However, Yang Long only felt that Tang San (the little scoundrel) was mocking him: You have strength? What good is strength! In this world, you need connections and influence. Which gang are you on?

Anger welled up within him, but he dared not make a move, and could only say, "A dragon does not dwell with a snake."

"Brother Tao, this guy is so arrogant." Wang Sheng leaned close to Su Yuntao and whispered, feeling extremely disliked and even disgusted by Yang Long.

After all, before Tang San and Xiao Wu joined Notting Academy, he was bullied terribly by noble children like Xiao Chenyu, and he had no good feelings towards guys like Yang Long.

Why should dragons not dwell with snakes?

If you're so capable, don't run away, just fight them directly.

"This kind of person must come from a big family, it's best not to mess with him." Su Yuntao shook his head at Wang Sheng. "However, if he really messes with us, don't be afraid. We have the Spirit Hall behind us. In Xiao San's words, even a powerful dragon can't suppress a local snake. Besides, he's just a local dragon at most."

Wang Sheng asked, puzzled, "What is an earth dragon?"

Su Yuntao said, "Earthworm."

As Tang San watched the departing figure, he thought to himself, "Dragons don't live with snakes? That's why true dragons have become an endangered species on the Douluo Continent. Pure bloodlines are rare, and only hybrids have survived."

"Thanks, Brother Tao and Wang Sheng." Tang San greeted Su Yuntao and Wang Sheng.

"Third Brother, just ignore that kind of person from now on. He's arrogant and domineering because he's born into a wealthy family. He's clearly rich, but he still insists on being petty." Wang Sheng spat in the direction Yang Long had gone and cursed.

"Xiao San, don't say that. It's our duty." Su Yuntao laughed. "Alright, Wang Sheng, let's continue patrolling. There have been some missing persons in the western part of the city recently, so we need to keep an eye out."

"Third Brother, let's talk again next time."

Wang Sheng bid farewell to Tang San and headed west of the city with Su Yuntao and the others.

Boss Li asked, "Tang San, do you know Master Su?"

"It was Brother Tao who helped me awaken my martial soul back then," Tang San said with a smile. "And Wang Sheng, like me, was also a work-study student in Notting City, but he has already applied for graduation ahead of schedule."

"Oh, I see." Boss Li suddenly realized, then smiled and said, "You're absolutely right. It's good to make more friends. It'll be easier to solve problems when you encounter them in the future."

"Having more friends means having more paths in life. I think the best way to live is to have more friends and fewer enemies," Tang San said, expressing his true feelings. "But if you have too many enemies, life becomes exhausting."

(End of this chapter)