Tuoba Yan gave a brief instruction, then sat cross-legged on the floor. His knees struck the blue-brick ground heavily, producing a dull thud.
He formed hand seals before his Dantian, took a deep breath, and slowly activated the Holy Dragon Meditation Method passed down through the Tuoba Clan.
In an instant, strands of golden patterns spread from his fingertips like ancient totems coming alive. They crawled up his arms and neck before gathering at his brow, forming a faint dragon-shaped mark.
The blazing energy formed from the Whale Rubber rampaged through his meridians like an unbridled fire dragon.
Tuoba Yan gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead as bead-sized drops of sweat rolled down his cheeks.
He examined his body internally and saw that his once narrow meridians were slowly expanding at a visible rate beneath the impact of that energy.
It felt like a riverbed that had been dry for ages was suddenly flooded by a surging river. Every inch of his meridians bore immense pressure, yet continuously adapted and grew stronger.
The Whale Rubber energy seeping through his blood vessel walls was even more like ravenous beasts. It wildly burrowed into his skin, flesh, and bones. Wherever it passed, his skin took on a strange golden glow, his muscle fibers continuously tore and reformed, and faint golden patterns emerged across the surface of his bones.
Tuoba Yan felt every inch of his skin burning and every bone in his body cracking, as though they were about to burst through his flesh.
The pain intertwined with the growth of his strength, leaving him both miserable and exhilarated.
The temperature in the forging room rose sharply as Tuoba Yan cultivated.
Beside him, Tuoba Xi looked tense. His hands were clenched into fists, his nails nearly digging into his palms.
He watched his grandson's skin begin to sweat profusely. When those droplets hit the ground, they actually sizzled and instantly turned into white smoke.
Even more astonishingly, the golden radiance around Tuoba Yan grew brighter and brighter, illuminating the entire forging room. The shadows on the walls continuously twisted and warped, as though countless golden dragons were dancing wildly.
Time passed second by second, and every second felt unbearably long to Tuoba Xi.
Finally, when Tuoba Xi confirmed that Tuoba Yan's aura had gradually stabilized and that violent energy was no longer raging everywhere, he slowly let out a breath.
Tuoba Xi's back was already soaked with sweat, and his legs trembled slightly from the prolonged tension. Turning around, he looked at the several pieces of Ten-Thousand Year Whale Glue on the forging table, his eyes filled with shock and disbelief.
Tuoba Xi muttered to himself, his voice carrying a trace of confusion.
"Whale Rubber is used as an aphrodisiac and virility enhancer. No soul master has ever used it for proper cultivation."
After an unknown amount of time, Tuoba Yan slowly opened his eyes. Golden light flickered in them, and his entire aura seemed to have changed.
Tuoba Xi hurried forward and asked anxiously, "Yan'er, how do you feel?"
Tuoba Yan clenched his hand, and his bones let out a string of crisp cracks. He could not hide the joy on his face. "I feel like I've gotten stronger."
Tuoba Xi's voice was full of amazement. "Whale Rubber benefits cultivation?"
Tuoba Yan nodded. "Yes."
Tuoba Xi questioned, "Is it really proper to use Whale Rubber, an aphrodisiac and virility enhancer, for cultivation?"
"Whether cultivating with Whale Rubber is proper or not, I don't know. I only know that after taking it, my meridians widened, and my strength and physique improved significantly. In the future, I'll be able to absorb higher-year soul rings."
Excited, Tuoba Yan turned his gaze toward the forging table.
This trip to the nightclub had cost him ten Gold Soul Coins in total. He had bought eight pieces of Ten-Thousand Year Whale Glue and twelve pieces of Thousand-Year Whale Glue.
Since Heaven and Earth Nightclub was a high-end establishment serving soul masters and nobles, Tuoba Yan had not been able to buy Hundred-Year Whale Rubber.
The Douluo Continent had developed for over twenty thousand years. Soul master cultivation was still in its infancy, and many cultivation resources on the Douluo Continent had not been properly utilized.
To this day, soul masters had only mistakenly used Whale Rubber as an aphrodisiac and virility enhancer.
A fist-sized piece of Ten-Thousand Year Whale Glue sold for one Gold Soul Coin.
Tuoba Yan walked to the forging table and skillfully placed a piece of Whale Rubber into a crucible. He activated his Soul Power and used the high-temperature furnace to melt it into a semi-liquid state, then said to Tuoba Xi, "Grandpa, talking about it ten thousand times is no substitute for experiencing it yourself. Try the miraculous effects of Whale Rubber!"
Tuoba Xi walked over to the forging table, pointed at the golden Whale Rubber in the bowl, and asked, "Just swallow it directly?"
Tuoba Yan nodded.
Tuoba Xi took a deep breath, and his martial spirit instantly possessed him, intricate patterns covering his skin. Trusting his grandson, he picked up the bowl and drained the golden liquid in a single gulp.
Unlike Tuoba Yan's intense reaction, Tuoba Xi merely frowned slightly. His powerful physique and the defensive ability of his martial spirit prevented him from feeling too uncomfortable.
A moment later, Tuoba Xi opened his eyes from meditation, excitement appearing in them. "Amazing! My meridians have widened. Yan'er, you've rendered great service to Spirit Hall!"
At that, Tuoba Yan frowned slightly. "Spirit Hall? Grandpa, are you going to report the method of taking Whale Rubber to Spirit Hall?"
Tuoba Xi nodded. "Of course. This will surely leave your name in the record of merits!"
Tuoba Yan's frown deepened. He had underestimated his grandfather's loyalty to Spirit Hall and hurriedly advised, "Grandpa, Whale Rubber is cheap because soul masters don't know its true effects. Once Spirit Hall learns of it, word will spread quickly. When that happens, I can guarantee that Whale Rubber will become impossible to buy."
Tuoba Xi nodded, feeling that Tuoba Yan's analysis made perfect sense. "What do you have in mind?"
Tuoba Yan said, "While Whale Rubber is still cheap, have our clan members go out and buy up as much as possible. We'll make a fortune. Don't limit it to Spirit Hall territory—best to cover every city on the continent."
"And then? Should we submit the method of using Whale Rubber?"
At those words, Tuoba Yan stared at Tuoba Xi.
Tuoba Xi froze and asked, "Did I say something wrong?"
Tuoba Yan stepped closer to Tuoba Xi. Each time he advanced a step, Tuoba Xi took a step back.
"You like handing things over, don't you?"
"You like earning merit, don't you?"
"You're so loyal that you don't even want the clan anymore, is that it?"
"My awakened martial spirit is the Saint Martial Spirit. Why don't you just hand me over too?"
Tuoba Xi was left speechless by the barrage and kept retreating. Embarrassed, he tried to justify himself. "How could that be? How can Whale Rubber compare to you?"
Tuoba Yan became even more animated and continued closing in on Tuoba Xi. With every step, he scolded Tuoba Xi like an adult. "Why can't it compare? Whale Rubber and I are both treasures!"
"Look at yourself. From beginning to end, where have you acted like a clan leader?"
"Loyalty does not necessarily earn absolute sincerity."
"As clan leader, you should put the clan's interests first in everything."
"Your right to speak comes from your fist."
"Only when you are strong and the clan is strong will you have a voice in Spirit Hall."
"You're already a grandfather. Can't you make me worry less?"
"Stay in the forging room, and you're not allowed to eat dinner. You can eat when you've thought it through."
As he spoke, Tuoba Yan ignored Tuoba Xi's aggrieved expression, turned, and left the forging room. He left Tuoba Xi alone in the forging room, staring blankly into space.
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