The Overlooked Cabbage – Whale Rubber

*

Tuoba Xi stood before the casting room door, his brow furrowed in a tight knot, and his heart felt heavy, like a large stone weighing him down.

Ever since learning that his grandson and Ju Douluo Yue Guan had gone out, he hadn't felt at ease.

Especially when he heard from a servant that Tuoba Yan had gone to the Heaven and Earth Nightclub, he almost impulsively wanted to confront Yue Guan. How could he teach his six-year-old grandson such bad habits?

His rough knuckles slowly rose and knocked on the mottled wooden door, producing a dull sound: "Yan'er, in broad daylight, why are you locked up in the casting room?"

"Grandfather, I have something to do."

"Can I come in?"

"The door isn't locked. Come in if you want."

With a creak, the heavy wooden door slowly swung open, and a wave of heat, carrying a pungent fishy odor, rushed out, making Tuoba Xi wrinkle his nose in distaste.

The room was dimly lit, illuminated only by a few oil lamps. In the flickering lamplight, Tuoba Yan's figure was stretched long. He stood facing away from the door, by the window, his hands constantly fiddling with something, moving quickly and urgently, with a sense of relentless determination.

Tuoba Xi's gaze swept over the room, noting the scattered charcoal and deformed tools on the blue brick floor, and the pile of failed attempts to melt Whale Rubber in the corner. A strange, sickly-sweet odor permeated the air.

"Yan'er, didn't you go out with Yue Guan to play?" Tuoba Xi asked, subtly moving closer to Tuoba Yan.

"Yeah, I went because I had something to do, and then came back."

Tuoba Yan didn't even turn around, the fire-attribute Soul Power emanating from his palms flickering on and off above a deep yellow piece of Whale Rubber, but the material remained stubbornly unchanged, as hard as stone.

"Did you come back so soon?"

"We finished playing and I returned."

Tuoba Yan's voice was cold and dismissive, clearly not wanting to dwell on the topic.

Tuoba Xi sighed and, after a moment of hesitation, still spoke with a warning tone: "Yan'er, Yue Guan's behavior is improper, neither wholly masculine nor feminine. Try to avoid him."

"I think he's alright."

Throughout Yue Guan's life, he had been tirelessly devoted to the Martial Soul Hall, working tirelessly behind the scenes.

Although his nature sometimes caused failures in key missions, he remained loyal to the Martial Soul Hall.

Ultimately, he sacrificed his own life for the cause of the Martial Soul Hall – a tragic end.

Tuoba Yan spoke frankly and openly. Yue Guan was effeminate, a man with feminine tendencies, which some found distasteful. It was a personal preference, and Tuoba Yan didn't comment on it. For the sake of the Martial Soul Hall, Yue Guan had dedicated himself to its service, and Tuoba Yan respected him. He thought Yue Guan was alright.

Tuoba Xi carefully examined his grandson's tense shoulders and focused back, a growing unease stirring within him: "You've been silent, have you encountered some setbacks?"

"Yeah."

"Does that make you feel uncomfortable?"

"A little bit, I guess."

Tuoba Xi patted his grandson's shoulder, speaking earnestly: "Yan'er, everyone has a first time. First experiences are fleeting. If someone mocks you, don't take it to heart. Your grandfather has been there. The future will be much more enduring!"

"Yeah, I'll keep that in mind." Tuoba Yan replied casually, then suddenly seemed to realize something and abruptly looked up, puzzled: "Grandfather, what are you talking about? I don't understand what you're saying. What does my failed experiment have to do with endurance?"

"Experiment?" Tuoba Xi was taken aback.

"Yeah. I'm experimenting, trying to figure out how much heat I need to melt Whale Rubber." Tuoba Yan pointed to the high-temperature furnace on the table, and the deep yellow Whale Rubber in the bowl gleamed with an eerie light in the dim light. "I bought this Ten-Thousand Year Whale Rubber at the Heaven and Earth Nightclub. I've tried many ways to increase the heat, but I still can't melt it."

"You went to the nightclub to buy Whale Rubber?" Tuoba Xi's eyes widened. He realized he might have been completely wrong.

"Of course." Tuoba Yan rolled his eyes at his grandfather: "Otherwise, why would I go? Do you think I went there to pursue romance?"

Tuoba Xi chuckled awkwardly.

Tuoba Yan snorted: "How could I? I'm still so young. Releasing my Pure Yang True Fire too early in my growth and development would be harmful to my cultivation and development."

Just then, a "sizzle" sounded from the furnace. Ripples appeared on the surface of the Whale Rubber.

"It's melting! I finally did it. This time the heat is enough."

Tuoba Yan's voice was filled with excitement. He eagerly picked up the tongs and took the semi-liquid Whale Rubber out of the furnace, holding the bowl with insulated gloves.

The Whale Rubber emitted billowing heat, and the rising white vapor blurred his vision.

After a moment's hesitation, Tuoba Yan bared his teeth and, opening his mouth, drank the bowl of Whale Rubber in one gulp.

"Ah! It's so hot, so hot!"

A heart-wrenching scream echoed through the casting room as he jumped up and down on the floor, frantically waving his right hand to try and alleviate the burning sensation in his throat, as if it were about to be consumed by fire.

The scorching Whale Rubber slid down his throat like a fiery dragon, and he opened his mouth, and a jet of flames burst out, scorching the beams above.

Tuoba Xi was stunned by this sudden turn of events, and it took him a long time to regain his composure. Anxious, his voice changed pitch: "Quick, use your Soul Skill!"

Tuoba Yan, enduring the excruciating pain, activated his Soul Skill.

The Horse Talisman shone with a brilliant white light, enveloping him entirely.

Under the influence of the Soul Skill, the burned soft tissue in his esophagus began to regenerate at a visible rate.

But in the next moment, Tuoba Yan's eyes widened, his expression filled with shock and disbelief, as if he had seen a ghost.

Tuoba Xi was beside himself with worry, his heart pounding in his chest.

"Yan'er, what's wrong with you?"

"I can't feel the heat from the Whale Rubber!"

"Is that all?"

Tuoba Xi was both angry and anxious, a little bewildered, but his worry hadn't lessened in the slightest. No one had ever tried melting and ingesting Whale Rubber before, and he was afraid his grandson would suffer some unforeseen consequence.

Tuoba Yan looked down at his stomach, which was glowing with a golden light, and mused, "After ingesting the melted Whale Rubber, I found that using my first Soul Skill prevents my nerves from experiencing the burning sensation. The meridians that were previously constricted by the heat have also returned to their normal state."

No one had ever ingested melted Whale Rubber before.

Tuoba Xi was shocked by Tuoba Yan's actions, fearing for his grandson's life.

However, Tuoba Yan, with his surprised expression, simply told Tuoba Xi that he couldn't feel the heat from the Whale Rubber.

Tuoba Yan nodded slightly, "Yes, after ingesting the melted Whale Rubber, I found that using my first Soul Skill prevents my nerves from experiencing the burning sensation."

Looking down, Tuoba Yan could see his stomach glowing with a golden light.

The burning sensation in his esophagus was recognized as an anomaly by the Horse Talisman and subsequently eliminated.

Tuoba Yan's nerves couldn't feel the heat from the Whale Rubber within his body, but that didn't mean ingesting it had no negative effects.

Excessive heat from the Whale Rubber energy could damage the body.

The soft tissues of his stomach were being continuously burned by the overheated Whale Rubber, but they were also being healed and regrowing with new cells under the Holy Healing Nine Turns of the Horse Talisman.

"Grandfather, I need to start cultivating immediately."