Evil Fire Is Fire Too (Please Follow!!!)

A disciple breaking through was a good thing, but a breakthrough that defied common sense was not necessarily good. Zhu Jiuyang stared at Su Ming and asked what had triggered his breakthrough.

Su Ming did not hide anything. In particular, if he did not clearly explain the effects of Whale Rubber, it would be difficult to achieve a Thousand-Year Second Soul Ring, let alone a Ten-Thousand-Year Fourth Soul Ring later on. After all, all his Soul Rings would depend on Zhu Jiuyang.

"Teacher, I took Whale Rubber."

"Whale Rubber? What did you use that stuff for?" Zhu Jiuyang's expression darkened.

Su Ming did not beat around the bush and said directly, "Whale Rubber contains abundant energy. It can temper the body and increase a Soul Master's resistance to Soul Rings, which is effectively increasing a Soul Master's ability to withstand Soul Rings. I want to absorb a Thousand-Year Soul Ring for my second ring."

"Are you sure?" Zhu Jiuyang admitted that even he had not known this.

If it truly had such an effect, Whale Rubber would definitely become highly sought after.

"Yes. I accidentally found a book back when I was in the village. It seemed to be notes left behind by a Soul Master from the sea. Besides describing the effects of Whale Rubber, it also recorded some simple methods for making Soul Tools."

Su Ming imitated Tang San and made up nonsense.

Tang San's Tang Sect techniques had supposedly come from a secret manual he picked up too.

A sharp gleam flashed through Zhu Jiuyang's eyes. His Soul Power spread out and completely covered the surroundings, isolating all sound.

"Making Soul Tools?"

Su Ming had anticipated that Zhu Jiuyang's reaction might be somewhat intense, so he remained fairly calm.

"Yes, there are methods for making some of the most basic Soul Tools."

Zhu Jiuyang's gaze flickered.

"Overseas..."

After weighing it for a while, he warned Su Ming, "Do not let anyone else know that you have mastered the methods for making Soul Tools. Remember, Soul Tools can only be excavated from ancient Relics!"

Su Ming froze for a moment.

What did that mean?

Countless thoughts flashed through his mind.

Right, Spirit Hall knew about the sea. They had even carried out a large-scale landing on Sea God Island. Could they really have failed to discover the Sun Moon Continent?

"Don't overthink it. The benefits involved in Soul Tool-making methods are too enormous; you can't handle them. But your master is also a Grandmaster Blacksmith. I've handled no fewer than a hundred Soul Tools, spent so many years in the Blacksmith Association, and collected some Soul Tools as well. If you take out a few Soul Tools in the future, no one will suspect you. Just don't expose them in bulk."

Zhu Jiuyang told Su Ming not to think too much about it.

"As for the effects of Whale Rubber, I didn't know about them before. Come over and let me examine your body."

Su Ming stepped forward.

Zhu Jiuyang pinched and prodded him all over, then sent Soul Power into his body and circulated it through him once.

"You've forged iron year-round, so your physique is already better than that of ordinary Soul Masters. The strength of the meridians in your body is even more exaggerated. That should be the effect of the Whale Rubber. Your Soul Power isn't unstable either; on the contrary, it's even purer."

He sighed in relief, confirming that Su Ming was in excellent condition.

"How did you take it?"

Su Ming described the process.

As Zhu Jiuyang listened to Su Ming's description, the corner of his mouth twitched.

Impressive.

A huge chunk of Thousand-Year Whale Rubber, swallowed in two or three bites, and then endured.

What kind of ruthless person did that take?

"Such a large chunk probably couldn't bring out its full effect. Whale Rubber was meant to be used in small portions." Zhu Jiuyang said, "From what I know, the piece of Whale Rubber you described would last those nobles three months, even if they ate some every day. The medicinal effect is extremely strong. The book you found didn't say to take it all at once, did it?"

Su Ming shook his head.

"Mm. In the future, I'll find a way to get some Whale Rubber and study how to pair it with food to bring out its effects to the fullest. I'll let you eat a little every day. That will maximize the results," Zhu Jiuyang said.

"Thank you, Teacher."

"Mm, being able to withstand Soul Rings of greater age is always a good thing." Zhu Jiuyang smiled.

Today had truly broadened his horizons.

He did not immediately take Su Ming out to Hunt Soul beasts. Instead, he told Su Ming to wait for two days.

After Su Ming left, Zhu Jiuyang pondered for a while, then went to the auction house and bought a piece of Thousand-Year Whale Rubber to experience its effects himself.

"It really works. I only used half the amount. If I took all of it, it could raise my limit by at least three hundred years."

Before he could finish evaluating it, Zhu Jiuyang felt a surge of Evil Fire.

"If even Xiao Ming, a child, could endure it, would I be afraid of you?"

Zhu Jiuyang stood unmoving as a mountain, circulating Soul Power through his body and frantically attempting to refine the Evil Fire.

Evil Fire was also energy, a special kind of vitality.

"Evil Fire is still fire. Watch me use Sacred Fire to refine it completely!"

Su Ming waited two days and found that he could not contact his teacher. He asked Duan Jin but received no answer either.

Then, after waiting another five days, he finally received news that Zhu Jiuyang had broken through.

"He broke through? So suddenly?"

Zhu Jiuyang had remained at Level 79 for a very long time—three whole years.

Yet he had broken through now.

In truth, this was normal for high-level Soul Masters. After Level 70, even talented people only advanced about three levels in two years. Very few could gain two levels in a year. Further on, even one level per year became standard. At Level 79 and Level 89 especially, breakthroughs required enormous amounts of time—two or three years at the shortest, five or six years at the longest.

Zhu Jiuyang was only forty-five this year, and his body was still at its peak. Now that he had broken through to Level 80, he was likely to have a chance of becoming a Titled Douluo within twenty years.

Su Ming was happy for his teacher.

He went to Zhu Jiuyang's Forge Room.

"Congratulations on breaking through to Level 80, Teacher."

Zhu Jiuyang was also brimming with Essence, Qi, and Spirit, carrying an energetic and ambitious air.

"Mm. You've delayed getting your Soul Ring long enough. I'll help you Hunt Soul beasts first, then find a way to obtain my Eighth Soul Ring."

Su Ming said, "Teacher, isn't there a Dark Gold Bear at the Meteorite Iron Mine? Let's use that Dark Gold Bear."

He had long coveted that Dark Gold Bear. Unfortunately, when he obtained his First Soul Ring, there had been no way for him to absorb a Thousand-Year Soul Ring beyond his level.

After returning from that trip, Duan Jin had told Zhu Jiuyang about the Meteorite Iron Mine. Zhu Jiuyang had then begun mining that vein. Su Ming had gone there twice more, and from afar, he could still encounter that Dark Gold Bear.

"Dark Gold Bear?" Zhu Jiuyang clearly knew about it as well. Smiling, he said, "That works. That Dark Gold Bear has extraordinary bloodline. Guarding the Meteorite Iron Mine, it must have absorbed a great deal of Metal Element Qi, which in turn encouraged its bloodline to regress toward its ancestors. Though it has not completely evolved into a Dark Gold Dreadclaw Bear, it has already surpassed the limits of an ordinary Dark Gold Bear. If it truly succeeded in its ancestral evolution, it would instead be unsuitable as your Soul Ring. Its current condition is just right."

Hearing Zhu Jiuyang's words, Su Ming was overjoyed.

Its bloodline had actually regressed toward its ancestors.

Though it had not evolved successfully, that would instead lower the threshold for him to absorb it.

Especially since he planned to merge with the Dark Gold Bear in the form of a Soul Spirit this time. Its bloodline had regressed toward its ancestors and was close to evolution. There would still be a chance for it to complete that evolution in the future, and when that time came, Su Ming would be able to fully reap the benefits of its evolution!

He licked the corner of his mouth and could not help urging him on.

"Teacher, when are we leaving?"