Sick of Gooey Whale Rubber? Maybe One Day You'll Be Eating Gooey Things on Your Own Initiative

"We're not in the kind of relationship you think we are!"

Hearing the teasing in Qian Renxue's words, Wang Dong'er's delicate brows furrowed slightly. Her pleasant voice suddenly broke the silence, carrying a trace of offended displeasure.

Lu Jing turned his head and glanced at her. The girl's exquisite profile was tense, bearing an innate air of pride.

"Mm." He nodded, his voice steady and calm as he affirmed, "It really isn't what you think, Sister Xue. We're just ordinary friends. As for why, you'll find out when the time comes."

His response was too natural, too composed, and it made Wang Dong'er pause.

She had thought Lu Jing would at least offer an explanation, or analyze the pros and cons like before. Yet he had simply agreed.

That swift, clean dissociation was like a cold breeze, dispersing some of the inexplicable irritation in Wang Dong'er's heart. Yet at the same time, it stirred up an indescribable, faint annoyance at being slighted.

She pressed her lips together and said nothing more.

"Sorry, I overthought it!" Qian Renxue froze for a moment, then quickly apologized.

"Well then, Sister Xue, if there's nothing else, we'll be going first!"

With that, Lu Jing took Wang Dong'er's fair, jade-like little hand and turned to leave again.

Beneath the side corridor of the Worship Hall, Qian Renxue watched the two of them hurry away. The playful smile on her face faded somewhat.

In her deep, galaxy-like beautiful eyes, Wang Dong'er's undisguised distance and displeasure were clearly reflected.

"It seems this Sister Dong'er doesn't think as highly of our Spirit Hall as Xiao Jing does..." Qian Renxue murmured, her fingertips unconsciously tapping the jade pendant at her waist.

She could sense that the girl's displeasure was not simply directed at that teasing remark. It felt more like a rejection rooted deep in her bones.

"Is it the superiority brought by her own status and identity? Or... has the world ten thousand years from now painted our Spirit Hall as some sort of monstrous scourge?"

A slightly cold curve touched Qian Renxue's lips.

After a moment, she gently shook her head and suppressed those thoughts.

At present, she still had a more pressing undercover plan to arrange.

The attitude of a girl from ten thousand years later, only a few years older than herself, was not worth too much of her attention.

Still, Lu Jing—the other variable from the future—and his subtle attitude toward Spirit Hall were more worthy of her observation and consideration.

She withdrew her gaze and turned toward the depths of the inner hall. Her golden skirt swept across the polished floor, leaving behind an elegant, noble silhouette.

With the authoritative certification of Spirit Hall's Purple Gold Card, the Myriad Treasures Pavilion shopkeeper's attitude changed completely.

The two radiant pieces of Ten-Thousand-Year Demon Whale Jelly were carefully placed into specially made jade boxes and handed to Lu Jing. There were no further complications with the payment, and the shopkeeper's smile was nearly fawning.

Holding treasures worth fifty thousand Gold Soul Coins, the two silently walked back toward the Worship Hall.

The afterglow of the setting sun stretched out their shadows across Spirit City's white stone-paved streets.

"Are you planning to absorb both pieces of Whale Rubber yourself?" Wang Dong'er's voice broke the silence, carrying a hint of curiosity.

She looked at the jade boxes in Lu Jing's hands with clear eyes, without the slightest trace of covetousness.

Lu Jing did not stop walking. Hearing that, he gave her a somewhat surprised glance. "Wasn't it supposed to be one piece each?"

He remembered the shock Wang Dong'er had shown upon seeing the Whale Rubber in the Myriad Treasures Pavilion. This was undoubtedly good stuff. Even ten thousand years later, Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Jelly was extremely rare.

Yet Wang Dong'er's reaction completely caught him off guard.

Her red lips curled slightly, and she rolled her eyes so dramatically and vividly that her disdain practically overflowed. Her beautiful face was filled with disgust. "Tch, no thanks! When I was little, I ate so much of this gooey stuff like candy that I lost my taste for it ages ago!"

Her tone was light, carrying the haughty confidence of a noble family's daughter who had grown accustomed to the finest resources. "Otherwise, why do you think I was able to absorb a thousand-year soul ring as my second soul ring? It was because I used these good things from childhood to build up my foundation! When I broke through rank twenty, I swore that I would never eat this kind of gooey stuff again."

She lifted her beautifully shaped chin, as though she were stating something utterly ordinary.

"Sick of gooey Whale Rubber, and never eating this kind of gooey stuff again?"

Hearing Wang Dong'er's answer, Lu Jing blinked. His expression turned a little strange as he muttered under his breath, "Not necessarily. Maybe the future you will even take the initiative to eat gooey things."

"Why?" Wang Dong'er's delicate brows drew together as she asked softly.

"It's nothing, it's nothing. I was just talking nonsense." Lu Jing grinned, understanding Wang Dong'er's attitude.

Wang Dong'er froze slightly and blinked in confusion. What did he mean, her future self would voluntarily eat this kind of gooey thing?

How could that possibly happen?

After returning to the Worship Hall, Wang Dong'er went straight back to her room to rest.

Lu Jing, however, did not return to his room. His gaze sharpened as he held the jade box containing the Whale Rubber. Turning on his heel, he headed briskly toward the side hall where Qian Renxue had been before her imminent departure.

Inside the side hall, Qian Renxue was conducting one final check of her luggage. Seeing Lu Jing return with the jade box still in his hands, a flash of surprise passed through her eyes.

"Xiao Jing? Is something wrong?" She set down the map in her hand.

"Sister Xue, let's talk somewhere private." Lu Jing's expression was serious.

Qian Renxue raised a brow. Though she did not understand what he meant, she followed Lu Jing outside the side hall to a relatively quiet spot beside a corridor pillar.

"This is for you." Lu Jing did not hesitate. He directly shoved the jade box into Qian Renxue's arms.

The box felt warm and faintly heavy in her hands. Qian Renxue caught it instinctively, then lowered her head to look at it, even more puzzled. "For me? Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Jelly? Your sister here is in excellent health. I don't need this to 'build up my body' just yet, do I?"

She smiled faintly, deliberately bringing up her earlier tease to see how Lu Jing would react.

Lu Jing shook his head, his gaze open and solemn. "That's not the reason. Sister Xue, you misunderstand Whale Rubber's true value."

"Oh?"

Qian Renxue grew interested. Hugging the jade box, she leaned against the pillar and asked, "Then tell me. What is its true value?"

"Strengthening the body!"

Lu Jing answered decisively. His voice lowered, carrying the air of someone sharing a secret as he explained, "Ten thousand years from now, this is a truth proven by countless soul masters! Top-grade Whale Rubber, especially Ten-Thousand-Year Demon Whale Jelly like this, can greatly temper the muscles and bones, widen the meridians, and strengthen one's vital energy after proper refinement! Its crucial effect is that it can drastically raise the limit of what a soul master's body can endure when absorbing soul rings!"

Seeing Qian Renxue's eyes gradually turn serious, he continued, "The reason you currently think it is merely a 'tonic,' or even mistake it for that kind of use, is because no one in this era has discovered and summarized its vital Body Tempering effects! Its value has been severely underestimated! That's why I had to buy it."