Days passed, and Xiao Han gradually adapted to cultivation, gaining better control over the ice element.
Among this year's new students, his strength far surpassed everyone else's.
But as a Transmigrator, that was not enough.
Xiao Han knew that, aside from Immortal Herbs, he could also use other things to improve his overall strength.
For example, he could use Whale Rubber to strengthen his physique, allowing him to absorb Soul Rings of greater age.
Whale Rubber might be difficult to purchase inland, with most of it in the hands of nobles, but he might be able to buy some in Vast Sea City, at the westernmost edge of the Heaven Dou Empire.
That was because it was close to the waters around Sea God Island, where many whale-type Soul Beasts lived.
That day, Xiao Han went to find Lin Zhiruo.
"Mom, my Soul Power has gone up another level. I'm level thirteen now."
"Really? It seems you've been cultivating diligently lately."
"Of course."
Lin Zhiruo smiled faintly.
"You little brat, you didn't come to see me just to tell me that, did you? Go on, what are you after this time?"
"Mom, you understand me best. I want to buy something, but it's expensive and hard to find. Can you help me? Once I make money in the future, I'll definitely pay you back."
Hearing that, Lin Zhiruo shot Xiao Han a dismissive glance.
"You silly boy, isn't my money your money too? What do you want to buy?"
"Whale Rubber."
"Whale Rubber? What is that?"
"It's a special substance produced in the brains of whale-type Soul Beasts. It has great medicinal value. It's rare inland and may not even be available for purchase, but the large shops and auction houses in Vast Sea City might have it."
Hearing this, Lin Zhiruo looked at Xiao Han with a serious expression.
As Xiao Han's adoptive mother, she had always doted on him. Ever since he was young, she had tried her best to satisfy whatever he wanted.
Over the past three or four months, Xiao Han had indeed devoted himself to cultivation and performed very well at the academy.
"Vast Sea City is too far away. I don't have time to go there, and I certainly can't take you with me. But I can ask someone to make the trip."
"Thank you, Mom."
"By the way, you said it's expensive. How much exactly?"
Xiao Han smiled and held up five fingers.
"About this much."
"Five hundred Gold Soul Coins?"
Xiao Han shook his head.
"Five thousand?"
Xiao Han shook his head again.
Lin Zhiruo's eyes widened at once.
"Could it be fifty thousand?!"
"Yeah, around that much. I'm not too sure about the exact price either."
Lin Zhiruo's expression changed.
"You little brat, fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins is far too much, isn't it? What medicinal value does it have that makes it worth so much money?"
"Mom, it's an excellent tonic. It can strengthen the body and enhance the endurance of the muscles, bones, and meridians. It'll be very useful to me."
"So you want to buy it to eat yourself?"
"Mm."
Xiao Han nodded solemnly.
Fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins was no small sum, but if the money was being spent on Xiao Han, Lin Zhiruo was still willing to pay it.
Xiao Han was still young and at the age when he was growing. If there was a way to strengthen his physique, Lin Zhiruo was willing to do it.
After all, having a strong body was also very important for a Soul Master.
"Xiao Han, your ideas are getting stranger and stranger. I'll ask someone to look around Vast Sea City. If there really is Whale Rubber like you described, I'll have her bring some back."
"Thank you, Mom. But this has to be kept secret. Other than the two of us, no one else can know about it, or things will get out of hand."
"You're always being so mysterious. Who knows what's going on in that little head of yours!"
"Mom, promise me first."
"Fine, I understand."
At this stage, perhaps no one knew that consuming Whale Rubber could improve one's physique.
Therefore, Xiao Han wanted to keep it secret.
Four more months passed in the blink of an eye.
After four months of cultivation, Xiao Han's Soul Power rose another level, reaching level fourteen.
That day, Lin Zhiruo called Xiao Han to her office.
"Mom, you wanted to see me?"
Xiao Han vaguely felt that something good had happened.
Lin Zhiruo took a black box from a drawer and handed it to Xiao Han.
"Xiao Han, open it and take a look."
"Mom, could this be Whale Rubber?"
Lin Zhiruo smiled without answering.
Xiao Han impatiently opened the box, and a golden light instantly filled his vision.
Inside was a palm-sized item, golden in color, translucent, and resembling a golden crystal.
It was a piece of high-quality thousand-year Whale Rubber.
"Xiao Han, is this what you wanted?"
"Mm, this is thousand-year Whale Rubber. Mom, how much did it cost?"
"It wasn't as expensive as you imagined, but it still cost twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins."
"Mom, I've made you spend so much. I'll prove to you that it was worth the price."
Lin Zhiruo smiled calmly.
"This Whale Rubber looks as hard as a gemstone. How are you going to eat it?"
"I have my own way. It can be softened by scorching it with high-temperature flames, then cut into pieces and eaten in portions."
"You really know a lot."
Xiao Han had displayed extraordinary talent ever since he was young. Everyone praised him as a little genius, and Lin Zhiruo had long since stopped finding his strange behavior surprising.
After leaving Lin Zhiruo's office, Xiao Han went to the cafeteria and used high-temperature flames to soften the piece of thousand-year Whale Rubber.
Whale Rubber was an extremely yang substance. Aside from strengthening the body, it also had a certain aphrodisiac effect.
Xiao Han was still young and worried that his body would not be able to endure it if he ate such a large piece all at once. Therefore, he cut the softened Whale Rubber into six pieces, planning to consume one at intervals until he had eaten it all.
He immediately ate one piece.
Before long, the Whale Rubber began to be absorbed and took effect inside his body.
As he walked down the road, Xiao Han felt scorching hot all over. His heart raced, his breathing quickened, and it seemed as though an invisible force was charging wildly through his body.
"Xiao Han, what's wrong? Your face and neck are all red. Are you sick?"
Shui Yue'er, who was walking toward him, was startled when she saw how he looked.
"I think so. I feel a little unwell. Please ask Teacher Xu for leave on my behalf. I need to go back and rest for a while."
"Alright, hurry back and get some rest."
"Mm."
Xiao Han returned to his dormitory, sat cross-legged, and regulated his breathing through cultivation, doing his best to suppress the fiery energy within him.
It took a full two hours before his breathing and heartbeat gradually calmed down.
When he opened his eyes again, everything before him seemed clearer.
Xiao Han could feel that his body had become stronger.
"This stuff really has a powerful aftereffect. Good thing I only ate a small piece. Looks like I need to take it slow."
Time flew like an arrow.
Another two years passed in the blink of an eye.
In another two months, Xiao Han would turn nine.
He had eaten and completely absorbed all of that high-quality thousand-year Whale Rubber.
Among children his age, Xiao Han's physique was undoubtedly among the very best.
That day, Xiao Han, who had been cultivating, suddenly opened his eyes.
"The level twenty bottleneck has finally been broken!"
"I can go hunt a Soul Beast and obtain my Second Soul Ring."
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