Yan'er, Grandfather Has a Marriage Proposal for You.

The door clicked shut, and Tuoba Yan's gaze fell upon the oblong jade box on the table.

The box was approximately a meter long and half a foot wide. The moment he took it in his hand, he felt its weight – a full hundred jin – and a chilling sensation seeped into his palm.

This jade was mined from the remote Arctic Circle, renowned for its exceptional preservation properties. In the eyes of Soul Masters, it was the ideal choice for storing rare items, and it was quite valuable.

The box wasn't locked, but the seams were sealed with ice crystals naturally emitted by the jade, forming a natural preservation barrier.

Tuoba Yan focused his energy on his fingertips, applying gentle pressure. He heard a crisp "crack" as the ice shattered, and the lid slowly opened.

Instantly, a faint, elegant fragrance wafted through the air, reaching his nostrils and invigorating his spirit.

Looking closely, he saw a peculiar immortal herb lying quietly within the box.

The leaves were a mysterious violet, with a shimmering glow that seemed to be inlaid with countless brilliant gemstones, sparkling and radiating an aura of otherworldly grace and inscrutability.

It was a Saint Soul Grass.

A hazy ethereal aura surrounded it, and the Soul Power fluctuations were powerful yet restrained. It was a dream for countless Soul Masters, and even a mere whiff could leave one feeling clear-headed and mentally refreshed.

This herb was extremely beneficial for enhancing mental strength.

Because it was an immortal herb, it was exceedingly rare and priceless.

Given its ability to repair damaged mental strength – the soul – even established Soul Master clans wouldn't readily use it solely for boosting mental power.

For the next half-month, the clan members who had gone out to procure Whale Rubber returned one after another, all laden with their bounty.

Tuoba Xi presented the Whale Rubber's secrets to the Martial Soul Hall. Although it didn't earn them the desired cultivation resources, it secured several important positions for the clan, strategically placing four family members in key roles within the Martial Soul Hall.

While other clans harbored resentment, they dared not voice their displeasure.

Qian Dao Liu publicly proclaimed that the Tuoba Clan had generously contributed the secret of Whale Rubber and deserved a substantial reward.

Those with discerning eyes knew this was nothing more than a hollow excuse.

By lineage, Qian Dao Liu was Tuoba Yan's great-grandfather, and Tuoba Yan's deceased grandfather was Qian Dao Liu's younger brother. Having family members holding high positions in the Martial Soul Hall undoubtedly aided the Qian Clan in solidifying its rule.

Looking across the Douluo Continent, the person who resented this situation the most was Bibi Dong.

She was determined to uproot the Qian Clan, and this unexpected turn of events was like a massive boulder blocking her path, making it significantly more difficult to achieve her ambitions.

On the same day, the Tuoba Clan implemented a contribution system, a transformative change of profound significance.

Clan members would no longer be judged by their blood relation, but rather by the merits they earned for the clan. They could accumulate contribution points and use them to acquire corresponding cultivation resources.

The clan treasury was also fully opened. Anyone who met the contribution point threshold and fulfilled the requirements could freely exchange for rare Soul Skill Manuals or Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures.

There were numerous avenues for earning contribution points.

One could accept missions from the Task Hall and earn points by completing them;

Those with less-than-ideal backgrounds, the Outer Sect Disciples, could choose to become attendants, earning a fixed number of contribution points each month, with additional rewards for meritorious service;

Employees of the clan's businesses, from managers to service staff, even janitors, could receive contribution points each month as long as they were registered with the clan;

And those who offered constructive suggestions or submitted valuable treasures would receive generous bonus rewards.

Since the system was implemented, the atmosphere in Tuoba Manor had undergone a complete transformation.

As Tuoba Yan strolled down the corridor, the servants who had previously treated him with indifference now greeted him with respectful bows and initiated conversations, their genuine and heartfelt courtesy overflowing in their words.

Often, servants would bring delicacies from their homes, inviting him to sample them.

"Young Master, try my mother's Osmanthus Cake, freshly baked!"

"Young Master, this is wine my father brewed, the first batch. Please, have a taste!"

As soon as Tuoba Yan returned to his room, Tuoba Xi strode in, beaming with joy. Seeing his grandson enjoying wine and Osmanthus Cake, Tuoba Xi's gaze fell upon the delicacies on the table.

Noticing this, Tuoba Yan smiled, "This Osmanthus Cake is still warm, freshly baked. Would you like to try some, Grandfather?"

"You're drinking wine?"

"A little indulgence is pleasurable and beneficial to one's health. I presume you have some good news to share, Grandfather?"

Tuoba Yan skillfully shifted the topic.

The clan's reforms had yielded remarkable results, greatly enhancing the clan's cohesion.

Eager to excel and acquire cultivation resources, clan members were enthusiastically undertaking missions and serving the clan, and in the process, their sense of belonging to the clan was deepening imperceptibly.

Belonging, cohesion.

These were indispensable elements for the healthy growth of a force.

Tuoba Xi knew that his grandson acted with prudence and didn't hinder him from enjoying life, immediately getting to the point: "Indeed, I'm proud of you. Take a look at what I've brought you."

With that, Tuoba Xi's fingertips lightly touched a ring storage soul guide device, and a crimson Soul Bone floated into view.

The Soul Bone was surrounded by seven layers of shimmering energy ripples, and a swirling black vortex supported it, suspended steadily in mid-air.

Anyone knowledgeable about Soul Bones could immediately tell that the black vortex signified a Ten Thousand Year Soul Bone, and the seven layers of ripples indicated an age of over seventy thousand years.

As the Soul Bone materialized, the surrounding temperature rose sharply, and waves of heat rolled out.

Tuoba Yan hadn't forgotten the Thirty Thousand Year Soul Bone – the Exploding Blazing Flame Right Arm Bone – that Qian Dao Liu had given him months ago. He didn't want to become too entangled with Qian Clan and Bibi Dong, so he immediately grew wary and asked, "Where did this Soul Bone come from?"

"The Wind Sword Sect acquired this item at the Tian Dou Auction recently and proactively approached us, proposing an exchange for a wind-attribute Soul Bone with a 40,000-year age, along with three Ten-Thousand Year Whale Glues and ten Thousand Year Whale Glues."

"Whale Glue?"

"That's right!"

When it came to Whale Glue, Tuoba Xi's face lit up with excitement, his eyes full of pride. "I wonder where the Wind Sword Sect learned about the uses of Whale Glue and quietly sought me out. The Fire Leopard Clan has also been frequently probing, trying to trade things for Whale Glue."

Tuoba Xi had only revealed the secret of Whale Glue to Qian Dao Liu of the Martial Soul Hall.

The Martial Soul Hall had already dispatched personnel to various markets to purchase Whale Glue.

The Wind Sword Sect and the Fire Leopard Clan, perhaps learned the secret of Whale Glue from Qian Dao Liu, or perhaps from someone affiliated with the Martial Soul Hall, or maybe they were monitoring the Tuoba Clan and "stole" the information.

Regardless of the method, it didn't matter to the Tuoba Clan anymore.

Now, due to the Whale Glue matter, Tuoba Xi had become a highly sought-after figure by the Martial Soul Hall. Numerous clans were vying to contact him, all to obtain Whale Glue.

Unfortunately, the Whale Glue available on the market, regardless of its age – from ten years to ten thousand – was almost entirely held by the Tuoba Clan.

Who could have foreseen that Whale Glue, once considered an item for marital aid, would actually have such a significant role in Soul Master cultivation?

The Tuoba Clan's warehouse was piled high with Whale Glue, and with Tuoba Xi's Soul Douluo strength, his position as a Platinum Bishop in the Soul Hunting Squad, and his status as a "royal relative" of the Martial Soul Hall, others would hesitate to even covet it.

"Don't rush into the exchange; let's allow this to ferment a bit longer. Once the true value of Whale Glue is widely known, we'll surely be able to obtain something even more valuable."

"Alright, I'll listen to you!"

Seeing the clan's foundation flourishing thanks to his grandson's suggestion, Tuoba Xi readily accepted Tuoba Yan's advice.

Tuoba Yan noticed that Tuoba Xi wasn't leaving his room and asked, "Is there anything else?"

Tuoba Xi pointed to the Soul Bone in his grandson's hand, saying, "Find a suitable opportunity to absorb this Soul Bone; it will greatly benefit you in obtaining your second Soul Ring."

Soul Bones could significantly enhance a Soul Master's physique, and like Whale Glue and other treasures, they provided considerable assistance in absorbing high-age Soul Rings.

Tuoba Xi shifted the topic abruptly, his gaze fixed intently on Tuoba Yan, and asked in a probing tone, "Yan'er, grandfather has a marriage proposal for you."

Tuoba Yan decisively refused, saying, "No need!"

Tuoba Xi didn't give up and continued, "Don't reject it so hastily; the bride I want to propose is… Hu Li Na!"