Distributing Whale Rubber (Requesting Follow-Reads, Requesting Recommendation Tickets)

"I'll name it. Let me think..."

Bibi Dong pinched her little chin and gradually sank into thought. After quite a while, she suddenly slumped dejectedly onto the table.

"Forget it, I can't think of anything. Junior Brother, you should name it yourself."

"Haha, Senior Sister, if we can't come up with a name, then forget it. Your Junior Brother is terrible at naming things too."

Gu Han smiled and waved a hand before changing the subject. "Alright, Senior Sister, let's end today's library visit here. I'll continue telling you Sun Wukong's story."

"Okay!"

Bibi Dong instantly perked up, immediately tossing the whole matter of names to Java.

With practiced movements, she took out the pastries and fruit she had prepared in her Soul Tool. Her large Wine Red eyes stared at Gu Han, brimming with anticipation.

"Today, we'll talk about how Wukong was expelled from the mountain by the Grandmaster for showing off his abilities."

Gu Han had two reasons for telling Bibi Dong the story of Journey to the West. First, Sun Wukong's story was genuinely captivating; second, he wanted to weave in some knowledge about factional divides.

He wanted to use the story to teach Bibi Dong about matters of sectarian positions.

If he were telling a martial arts story, Bibi Dong was still just a little girl and might not necessarily listen. But Journey to the West was different—men and women, young and old, all liked it.

Letting Bibi Dong gradually understand these things through a story was far more effective than constantly lecturing in her ear.

"Ah, Junior Brother, Sun Wukong was only performing for his fellow disciples. Why did the Grandmaster drive him away?"

When Bibi Dong heard that Sun Wukong had been expelled for showing off before others, she covered her little mouth, her face full of confusion.

Gu Han smiled faintly and, rather than answering directly, continued the story. "The Grandmaster said, 'Today, you flaunt your spells. If you encounter villains someday and they ask where you learned them, if you refuse to teach them, they will harm you and those close to you, needlessly stirring up trouble.'"

"Sun Wukong naturally admitted his fault again and again, but the Grandmaster had made up his mind. No matter how Wukong apologized and kowtowed, it was useless. The Grandmaster even warned him.

'After you leave, trouble will surely arise. Remember this: no matter who asks about your master or lineage, you must not reveal it—not even half a word. I will know the instant you do, and then I will skin you and tear out your tendons, cast your soul into the Eighteen Levels of Hell, and ensure that you can never rise again for all eternity!'"

"Ah!"

At those words, Bibi Dong felt as though she were there herself, her entire little face filled with terror.

Gu Han chuckled inwardly, but he maintained a solemn expression as he continued.

"Senior Sister, the Grandmaster was actually giving Sun Wukong his final lesson."

"His final lesson?"

"That's right. The Grandmaster was telling Sun Wukong not to flaunt his abilities carelessly, or he would have to pay a price."

"And the price Sun Wukong paid this time was being expelled from the mountain, as well as being forbidden from revealing his lineage."

"Never harbor the intent to harm others, but never let down your guard against them either."

"Great evil may resemble goodness, and great goodness may resemble evil. You can never see what lies in another person's heart. Senior Sister, the two of us must learn from Sun Wukong's lesson in the future. As for the things Teacher has taught us, so long as Master has not explicitly said that we may tell others, we must never take the initiative to tell anyone."

"Mm-hmm, I understand."

Bibi Dong nodded thoughtfully.

"Clap, clap, clap."

A round of applause sounded. The two turned their heads and saw Qian Xunji, who had somehow entered the library without their notice, walking toward them with a pleased smile.

After Qian Xunji had absorbed all of the Ten Thousand Year Whale Jelly, he heard that his beloved disciple, Bibi Dong, had actually come to the library. This greatly surprised him.

In his impression, Bibi Dong was a Little Academic Scum who got sleepy the moment she saw a book. Yet today, she had actually come here of her own accord. Such an abnormal occurrence, like the sun rising in the west, surely concealed some unknown secret.

Driven by curiosity, Qian Xunji came here and happened to hear Gu Han telling Bibi Dong a story outside the door.

Curious, he had stopped outside and listened in.

When he heard the words, "Never harbor the intent to harm others, but never let down your guard against them either," Qian Xunji finally could not help applauding in praise.

"Good, good, good! What an excellent 'never harbor the intent to harm others, but never let down your guard against them either.' It truly laid bare the dangers of the human heart in a single sentence."

"Teacher." x2

Bibi Dong and Gu Han immediately stood and respectfully placed a hand over their chests in salute.

"Mm, no need for formalities."

"Thank you, Teacher."

Qian Xunji looked at Gu Han and nodded in satisfaction. "Xiao Han, you have truly exceeded my expectations. I never imagined that, at such a young age, you could speak words that strike so directly at the depths of the human heart."

"You flatter me, Teacher. I read those words in a Nameless Book; they were not my own creation."

"Mm, then they must have been spoken by some senior of the older generation." Qian Xunji nodded slightly, then praised him. "Very good. You could have claimed those words as your own, yet you did not. That shows you are a humble and honest person."

"Teacher, stop going back and forth with Junior Brother here." Bibi Dong trotted forward, grinning as she grabbed Qian Xunji's arm and gave it a shake. "Teacher, how did you know Junior Brother and I were here?"

Qian Xunji affectionately rubbed Bibi Dong's little head. "I heard that my little disciple, who falls asleep whenever she sees a book, had actually come to the library on her own today. Of course I had to come and see what was going on."

"Mm..." Bibi Dong pouted, folded her little arms, and turned away with a haughty expression. "Who says I don't like reading? It's just that Teacher's lessons are too boring."

"Ah, you..."

Qian Xunji smiled helplessly but said nothing more. After all, even he found those Martial Soul theories difficult to read, let alone Bibi Dong. A Spirit Master's true path was cultivation, after all.

As for theoretical knowledge, there would be plenty of time to study it later.

"But I did indeed come to see you for something." As he spoke, Qian Xunji took out ten thousand-year Whale Rubber from his Soul Tool.

"This is Whale Rubber."

Gu Han recognized the items at a glance. After all, he had eaten some before. Though they had only been hundred-year Whale Rubber, their shape and characteristics were largely the same.

"That's right. These ten pieces of Whale Rubber are all around five thousand years old. Five each—take them and refine them."

"Teacher, Junior Brother said this can improve one's physique and certain talents. His talent isn't as good as mine, so Junior Brother should take two more."

Bibi Dong shook her head. In her view, Junior Brother's Innate Soul Power was much lower than hers, so his potential was naturally lower as well. If there was something good, it would be better to give more of it to Junior Brother.

Even without these, she could still grow into a powerful expert like Teacher.

Gu Han raised a brow. This girl really treated her own people well—first the Advanced Meditation Method, and now she was giving up Whale Rubber for him.

Still, Gu Han shook his head and smiled. "Senior Sister, you're almost level thirty, right? This Whale Rubber can improve a Spirit Master's physique, and once a Spirit Master's physique improves, the age limit of the soul rings they can absorb will increase as well. Senior Sister should take more first."

"You two, stop arguing. Five each. That's final."

Watching the senior sister and junior brother push the benefits onto each other, Qian Xunji felt deeply gratified. Still, he fulfilled his responsibility as a Teacher.

Considering that Gu Han's talent truly was inferior to Bibi Dong's, he left the highest-quality piece for Gu Han, so neither of them was treated unfairly.

Seeing this, the two no longer declined and reached out to accept their respective Whale Rubber.