You, get out-!
With that, Lin Chen looked away from Yu Xiaogang, a trace of mockery flashing across his face.
"Grandmaster, you said earlier that the Ultimate Armor was all show and had no powerful offensive capabilities."
"But the facts are right in front of you now. You tried to plan my path without even understanding my Martial Soul. Is this the Martial Soul Theory you're so proud of? I don't think much of it."
"Go back where you came from, and hurry up. I, Lin Chen, don't need your teaching!"
"You!"
At that last remark, Yu Xiaogang, who had only just managed to get back on his feet, instantly turned the color of pig liver.
He stared fixedly at Lin Chen, the veins on his forehead throbbing. His face was flushed red, he was panting like a bull, and his legs trembled uncontrollably.
Everything he had just said about the Ultimate Armor needing to follow the defense path had become a series of resounding slaps across his face.
Lin Chen hadn't even absorbed a Soul Ring, yet he had already defeated him, a Soul Grandmaster.
That also meant Lin Chen wasn't talking nonsense. On the contrary, it was ironclad proof that he could use his Martial Soul proficiently.
Yu Xiaogang wanted to argue, but the facts were right in front of him, and so many people were watching. Whatever he said now would only make him look like more of a clown.
At that thought, Yu Xiaogang completely lost his reason. His dead-fish eyes widened into circles, their rims red as he glared at Lin Chen.
Lin Chen was delighted by the sight. Feigning concern, he asked, "Gangzi, what's wrong? Don't be angry."
Yu Xiaogang said nothing. He just kept glaring furiously at Lin Chen, his chest heaving violently.
"You're actually quite impressive," Lin Chen continued consolingly. "Forget it, I'll tell you the truth. I can outargue you simply because I know more than you do. I know nearly a thousand years' worth of Martial Soul knowledge from the Douluo Continent. You can't possibly talk me down."
Yu Xiaogang's body heaved violently at those words. Trembling all over, he raised an arm and roared, "You, get out!"
Lin Chen wore a "troubled" look as he gazed at Yu Xiaogang with a consoling expression. He looked back three times with every step, but just as he was about to leave, the crowd suddenly parted in two.
"Who dares bully my cousin Lin Chen?!"
Under Lin Chen's puzzled gaze, a tall, upright boy in a Nuoding Academy uniform strode up behind him, accompanied by more than twenty underlings, all brimming with menace.
The boy at the head of the group saw Lin Chen and immediately greeted him with a respectful bow. "Greetings, Cousin Lin Chen!"
"Damn it, Xiao Chenyu, could you stop acting crazy? You're embarrassing me." Lin Chen shook his head, utterly helpless.
"Hehe, I just thought I'd bring more people to make a good showing." Xiao Chenyu wasn't the least bit angry at being scolded by Lin Chen, who was several years younger than him. Instead, he scratched his head and gave an awkward laugh.
Seeing this, Lin Chen began to regret the decision he had made back then.
"If I'd known, I wouldn't have beaten this guy up. My cousin really is a pain."
Before Lin Chen enrolled, Xiao Chenyu, the son of Nuoding City's lord and Lin Chen's cousin, had come to his door and declared that he wanted to make Lin Chen his underling.
Lin Chen had originally planned to ignore him, but then the guy said he'd give him 100 Gold Soul Coins if he won.
As the saying went, only a bastard would pass up a chance to make money. Lin Chen had subdued Xiao Chenyu with a slight show of skill, and the guy had started acting crazy, saying that since Lin Chen had beaten him, Lin Chen was now the boss of Nuoding Academy. That was how the current scene had come about.
Lin Chen looked at Xiao Chenyu and asked helplessly, "Is Uncle Xiao at home? I want him to take me to hunt Soul Beasts."
Xiao Chenyu shook his head. "My dad has city affairs to handle today. He won't be free until tomorrow."
Lin Chen nodded and smiled. "Sorry to trouble Uncle Xiao then."
Xiao Chenyu waved a hand and laughed. "Oh, it's no trouble at all. Cousin Lin Chen, you have no idea. When my dad heard you wanted him to take you hunting for Soul Beasts, he was so happy he nearly flew into the air."
"That's a bit much. Watch out, or Uncle Xiao will tan your hide when he hears about it." As soon as Lin Chen finished speaking, he noticed Yu Xiaogang was still standing there. He asked coldly, "Grandmaster, why are you still here? Do you need me to see you out?"
Yu Xiaogang's face flushed red, and he shouted furiously, "Lin Chen! You beast with no respect for your elders! I, Yu Xiaogang, will never forgive you! From this day forward, I won't set foot through the Lin Family's gates again!"
Lin Chen was delighted to hear that. "There's such a good thing? Then sorry to trouble you, Grandmaster, but please hurry up and leave. I don't want to see that donkey face of yours again either."
With that, Lin Chen looked away from Yu Xiaogang and turned to Xiao Chenyu. "Let's talk inside. I still need to tell you about my plans for hunting Soul Beasts tomorrow."
"Then it's settled. My dad will come find you tomorrow!" After Xiao Chenyu and Lin Chen chatted for a while at the Lin Residence and agreed on a time to hunt Soul Beasts the next day, Lin Chen saw him out through the gate.
After returning to the Lin Residence, Lin Chen declined all the servants' offers of assistance and hurried back to his room. He locked the door to ensure he wouldn't be disturbed, then took a small piece of Whale Rubber from his bedside cabinet. It was a clear golden yellow, with a texture like golden crystal.
During the Douluo I period, this stuff was used as an aphrodisiac, but its true effect was to strengthen the body and increase the age of Soul Rings one could absorb.
Of course, that effect wouldn't truly be discovered until ten thousand years later, and ever since its discovery, demand had outstripped supply.
Ever since transmigrating to the Douluo Continent, Lin Chen had relied on the head start his knowledge as a transmigrator gave him. He had begun absorbing Whale Rubber to strengthen his body from a young age, and had already eaten several pieces by now.
Lin Chen looked at the golden-yellow solid in his hand and nodded with satisfaction. "Once I absorb this piece of Whale Rubber, my body should be just strong enough to absorb a Thousand-Year Soul Ring."
With that thought, Lin Chen took some matches from the bedside cabinet, heated the Whale Rubber, and swallowed it.
As the Whale Rubber entered his mouth, it first gave off a strong fishy smell, but it soon turned into a warm current that slid down into his belly.
Even stranger, after entering his belly, the warm current rose back up and turned into a faint fragrance that slowly drifted out with his breath.
This wasn't Lin Chen's first time eating Whale Rubber, but he still found it unpleasant. As the Whale Rubber entered his belly,
the warmth flowing into his body gradually turned scorching. Lin Chen felt heat surging through every limb and bone, and fine beads of sweat constantly seeped from his body. He was as hot as a man made of fire.
Lin Chen absorbed all of the Whale Rubber's medicinal power in this painful yet fulfilling manner. When he finished, he opened his eyes and breathed out a scorching, fishy breath.
"My prediction was right. My body can definitely withstand the impact of a Thousand-Year Soul Ring now." Lin Chen clenched his fists, feeling strength throughout his body. Surging power lay hidden deep within him, almost ready to burst inside him.
"I just don't know whether there are any suitable thousand-year Soul Beasts in the Soul Hunting Forest. If there aren't, I'll have Uncle Xiao take me to the Star Dou Great Forest to try my luck."
"And for some reason, I can't control the Ultimate Armor to turn it into a bow and arrows or a shield. I can't sense its ability to travel through space and time at all, either. Is that why my Martial Soul didn't become god-level?"
Lin Chen muttered to himself, looking somewhat helpless.
"Forget it, forget it. I'm still too weak right now, so there's no use thinking about it. I'll look for answers once I've grown stronger." With that thought, Lin Chen absorbed the last traces of medicinal power in his body and fell asleep.