Absorbing Whale Rubber, Fighting for a Way to Live

Beneath the Medicine Cauldron, the charcoal fire burned fiercely.

Yu Xiaoheng sat cross-legged. Before him was a pile of mashed dark-green medicinal paste, while beside him, the medicinal broth bubbled away.

Without hesitation, he smeared the thick medicinal paste over his tender skin layer by layer, then lifted the scalding bowl of medicine and drained it in one gulp.

Last came the massive chunk of Whale Rubber, half-melted by the heat.

He opened his mouth, bit off a large piece, and swallowed it whole.

Three layers of Medicinal Power exploded within his body.

The first to take effect was the externally applied medicinal paste.

A burning sensation seeped in through his skin, dense and relentless, as though countless ants were gnawing at his flesh and blood.

Next came the medicinal broth he had consumed.

The warm current transformed into countless tiny steel needles that rampaged through his Meridians, every inch bringing tearing pain.

Finally came the tyrannical energy of the Whale Rubber.

That vast Bloodline Power originating from a deep-sea behemoth was like a heavy hammer, brutally pounding every inch of his bones.

Attacked from within and without.

His five-year-old body endured pain far beyond its limits.

Yu Xiaoheng's body shook violently. Veins bulged across his forehead, and beads of sweat the size of soybeans rolled down nonstop, soaking the stone slab beneath him.

He clenched his teeth tightly, suppressing even the faintest groan in his throat.

His consciousness nearly sank beneath the waves of agony, only to be forcibly dragged back by the unyielding will he had forged over two lifetimes.

He, Yu Xiaoheng, was not like those protagonists from the Douluo Continent fanfictions he had read in his previous life—each of them blessed with extraordinary talent and backed by a system. He had nothing...

He could only fight!

He could not pass out!

Yu Xiaoheng screamed inwardly.

Once he lost consciousness, with no one to guide the Medicinal Power, it would run out of control. At best, he would be severely injured; at worst, he would explode and die.

He had chosen this path himself.

No matter how painful it was, he had to see it through!

Who knew how long passed before the tearing agony gradually faded, replaced by a warm, tingling numbness.

Every part of his body, from skin to marrow, felt as if it had been cleansed, brimming with newfound strength.

Yu Xiaoheng slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath of foul air tinged with a fishy sweetness.

Looking down, he saw that his body was covered in a greasy layer of black impurities that gave off a foul odor.

This was a sign of Body Tempering / Marrow Cleansing.

He did not rest. Struggling to his feet, he went to the well in the courtyard, drew a bucket of water, and poured it over himself from head to toe.

Once the grime had been washed away, he stood bare-chested. The muscle lines on his small body were still youthful, but they already contained a resilience and strength utterly unfitting for his age.

He clenched his fist.

An unprecedented sense of fulfillment surged through him.

He walked up to an ancient tree in the courtyard thick enough for two people to wrap their arms around, took a deep breath, planted his stance, and drove his waist and abdomen forward as he threw a fierce punch!

"Bang!"

A dull thud rang out.

The trunk shook violently, and leaves rustled down in showers.

Where his fist had struck, the hard bark split open in layers, leaving behind a clear indentation as wood chips flew everywhere.

Yu Xiaoheng's pupils narrowed slightly.

He drew back his fist and looked at the skin, which was only slightly reddened. An uncontrollable joy welled up inside him.

It had worked.

Just Mortal Item herbs and Whale Rubber had given this five-year-old body a physique far beyond that of his peers.

He could even feel a faint yet genuine energy slowly flowing between his flesh, tendons, and bones, endlessly rippling through him.

Though this energy was not Soul Power, it had fused completely with his body.

Yu Xiaoheng recalled the original novel he had read in his previous life.

Even without soul rings, Tang San had still been able to cultivate Soul Power through the Mysterious Heaven Skill.

The foundation of it was his physique, far superior to that of ordinary people, which allowed him to bear and refine energy.

Was he not the same now?

This body had already transcended the realm of the "ordinary."

The corners of Yu Xiaoheng's lips curled upward slightly.

Spirit Awakening...

It absolutely could not be that failed mutation, Luo San Pao, with only half a level of soul power!

I had chosen the right path!

I, Yu Xiaoheng, had at least gained the qualification to step onto the path of true cultivation!

Just then, there was a soft knock at the courtyard gate.

A clan member's respectful voice came through. "Young Master Xiaoheng, the Clan Leader has returned and requests that you and Young Master Xiaogang go together to welcome him at the clan gates."

Yu Yuanzhen had returned?

Yu Xiaoheng's expression shifted. He put on an outer robe and headed toward the clan gates with Yu Xiaogang, who had come after hearing the news.

The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's mountain gate stood majestic and imposing.

At this moment, the enormous plaza before it was already packed with the clan's younger disciples.

Most of them sat cross-legged, making use of every moment to meditate and cultivate, hoping to leave a good impression on the Clan Leader.

The moment Yu Xiaogang arrived, several peers immediately gathered around him, enthusiastically discussing their insights into Spirit cultivation.

Surrounded by admirers, he wore a faintly proud expression and answered every question about theoretical knowledge with ease.

Yu Xiaoheng's arrival, on the other hand, seemed rather out of place.

Only a scant few nodded at him in greeting.

To them, the Clan Leader's eldest son had long since strayed from the proper path of a soul master.

Yu Xiaoheng did not care in the slightest.

He first found several clan members responsible for the clan's procurement and quietly gave them a few instructions regarding the follow-up arrangements for the Perfume and soap business.

After finishing his discussion, he walked to an open area under everyone's watchful eyes.

Ignoring everyone around him, he assumed a stance and began working out.

At times he did push-ups, at times squats, each movement precise and powerful—scientific fitness methods from his previous life.

At other times, he switched to the basic body-tempering techniques passed down in this world, practicing each move to forge his muscles and bones.

Sweat soon soaked through his clothes, yet he remained wholly unaware, immersed in the control and improvement of his body.

Compared to the enhancement brought by the medicine earlier, the effects of training were negligible.

Yet Yu Xiaoheng remained completely focused.

Advance by an inch.

And there was joy in advancing by that inch.

Whispers began to rise.

"What is Young Master doing?"

"Who knows? First he went to give instructions about that business with all those bottles and jars, and now he's here building strength like some ordinary commoner."

"Really... rather strange."

"Shh, keep your voice down! He is still the Clan Leader's eldest son."

Most of the clan members' discussions were filled with curiosity and confusion. Given Yu Xiaoheng's status, as well as the fact that he was only five years old, no one stepped forward to criticize him. They merely took it as a child's momentary whim.

Not far away, Yu Xiaogang, who was surrounded by admirers, glanced in this direction.

He gave a faint snort through his nose.

In his eyes, such crude training methods were simply a waste of time and a stain upon the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's bloodline.

An elderly woman with a kindly face noticed Yu Xiaogang's expression. She smiled gently and said, "Let him be. He is only a child. Before Spirit Awakening, no matter how much one trains, the results are limited."

Her gaze shifted to Yu Xiaogang, her eyes full of expectation.

"But you are different, Xiaogang. What you need to do is calm your mind, meditate, and comprehend the power flowing through our bloodline. In the end, what determines a soul master's future is the Innate Soul Power at awakening. That is the foundation of talent."

Several elders around them nodded in agreement. The way they looked at Yu Xiaogang was far warmer and more approving than the way they looked at Yu Xiaoheng.

Just then, a vast and majestic aura swept in from beyond the mountain gates.