Whale Jelly Incident

"Yan, do me a favor. I need your flames!"

Ji Wushuang could no longer wait to eat the Ten Thousand Year Whale Jelly.

His estimate had been correct.

Although the rate at which his soul power increased had gradually slowed as his Soul Power Level rose, he had still gained three levels of soul power over the past year.

He was currently at the bottleneck of level twenty.

And he had been there for some time, merely putting off obtaining a Spirit Ring.

He had been waiting for this piece of Ten Thousand Year Whale Jelly.

That way, for his second Spirit Ring, he could safely absorb a thousand-year Spirit Ring.

Even ten thousand years later, when people had already gained a thorough understanding of whale jelly's effects, Soul Masters who absorbed a thousand-year Spirit Ring as their second ring were still exceedingly rare.

Ji Wushuang merely wanted to give himself a few more assurances.

Boom!

Not knowing why, Yan released a ball of blazing fire.

Ji Wushuang then took out the Ten Thousand Year Whale Jelly. "Help me roast it until it softens."

Though Yan did not quite understand, he still patted his chest and promised, "That's a piece of cake for me!"

A blaze suddenly appeared.

Yet before three seconds had passed, the flames abruptly went out.

"..."

Yan scratched his head awkwardly. "Sorry, I'm out of soul power. Let me rest for the night, and I'll help you tomorrow."

"By the way, what is this thing? It looks like a gemstone, and it smells fishy." Yan looked thoroughly disgusted.

"Ten Thousand Year Whale Jelly. Good stuff." Ji Wushuang put it away and smiled. "Your Promotion Assessment starts tomorrow. Let me test your abilities."

"Xie Yue, come."

Xie Yue nodded and silently summoned his martial soul—the Moon Blade. Once he had assumed his stance, he charged at Ji Wushuang.

The blade's gleam sliced through the air with a shrill whistle.

Ji Wushuang held a dagger, the very dagger Bibi Dong had once given him to kill the Golden Sword Dragon.

Clang! Clang!

The blades collided, scattering sparks.

The two fought at close range, leaving Hu Liena, who stood nearby, trembling with fear.

One was her biological brother, while the other was the boy she secretly admired.

For a moment, Hu Liena did not even know whom she should cheer for.

Yan, however, had no such reservations.

"Xie Yue, go!"

"Let Ji Wushuang, that pretentious bastard, see how strong you are!"

Hu Liena immediately grew displeased when she heard that. She said reproachfully, "Yan, how can you talk about Brother Wushuang like that?"

Yan pursed his lips and restrained himself somewhat.

Ye Lingyuan, who had been secretly observing everything, glanced at the unconscious vendor. After some thought, she put on a black mask. Blazing flames then shot from her fingertips, and the surging heat instantly jolted the vendor awake.

The vendor immediately begged for mercy. "Spare me, my lord! Spare me!"

"Answer me! What did you sell that boy?!" Ye Lingyuan asked coldly.

The vendor froze. Meeting Ye Lingyuan's icy, merciless crimson eyes, he trembled as he replied, "I-I only sold that young man a piece of Ten Thousand Year Whale Jelly. And I absolutely didn't overcharge him! I'm an honest merchant!"

"Every merchant is a crook!" Ye Lingyuan sneered disdainfully.

But she had already achieved her goal.

She could not be bothered to waste any more time on him. She knocked him unconscious again, threw him out of Martial Soul Hall Academy, and immediately headed for the Pope's Palace.

Tap, tap, tap—

Bibi Dong watched Ye Lingyuan approach in quick strides, a gleam flashing through her eyes.

At that moment, aside from her black leather outfit, Ye Lingyuan also wore a red robe that concealed her fiery, alluring figure well.

"Reporting to Your Holiness, I discovered that Wushuang secretly purchased a piece of Ten Thousand Year Whale Jelly. Moreover, after buying it, he immediately went to find Yan."

Bibi Dong frowned tightly and asked coldly, "What did he go to Yan for?"

"Wushuang wanted Yan to use his flames to roast the Ten Thousand Year Whale Jelly for him, but Yan had just finished sparring with Xie Yue and happened to be out of Soul Power. The two agreed to do it tomorrow." Ye Lingyuan recounted everything she had seen and heard.

Bibi Dong had just breathed a sigh of relief when she was startled again upon hearing this. "What is Wushuang doing now?"

Ye Lingyuan said, "Before this subordinate came here, Wushuang was sparring with Xie Yue. He said he wanted to test what Xie Yue and the others were made of."

"You may leave first." Bibi Dong waved her hand. All of a sudden, she felt a headache coming on, and weariness surfaced in her eyes.

Night fell.

Ji Wushuang had practically developed the habit of meeting Bibi Dong twice a day—once in the morning and once at night—for fierce swordsmanship duels against a Titled Douluo until his Soul Power was completely depleted.

Today was no exception.

Ji Wushuang arrived at Bibi Dong's courtyard and, seeing her already there wiping down her sword, strode over.

After being Bibi Dong's disciple for two years, he had at least learned how to read people. He had a clear understanding of every difference in Bibi Dong's words, tone, and expression.

Judging solely by the way Bibi Dong was wiping her sword and the fact that she did not even glance at him, she was in a bad mood.

What awaited him next might be a hard battle.

Who made her angry again? Or is she just overthinking things by herself? Ji Wushuang thought nervously.

Buzz!

Bibi Dong flicked her blade, producing a hum. Then, without a word, she thrust her sword at Ji Wushuang.

"Cloud Shuttle!"

The Peerless Sword Casket appeared instantly, and the Cloud Shuttle shot out from within. Its tip collided with Bibi Dong's sword tip as sword energy erupted, tearing wildly through the courtyard.

"Qingshuang!"

Ji Wushuang gripped Qingshuang and charged at Bibi Dong.

Just as he thought Bibi Dong would be as before, using sword techniques and countering each move as they gradually competed in swordsmanship—

Bibi Dong's figure flashed, and she appeared behind Ji Wushuang without any warning.

Before Ji Wushuang could react—

The sword in her hand viciously struck him across the butt.

"Hiss!"

Ji Wushuang turned around, enduring the searing pain in his rear as he stared wide-eyed at Bibi Dong's gloomy, icy face.

"Teacher...?"

Which bastard had made Bibi Dong this furious?

Now he was the one suffering for it!

Could it be that person from the Heaven Dou Empire?

Or one of those old geezers in Douluo Hall?

Bibi Dong advanced step by step, her voice cold enough to pierce bone as she enunciated every word. "Wushuang, tell your teacher—what did you buy whale jelly for?"

She could not help but wonder whether she had been too strict with Ji Wushuang, and whether frequently keeping him away from Hu Liena had led to this tragedy.

Unaware of Bibi Dong's wild thoughts, Ji Wushuang answered with perfect justification, "I bought whale jelly to eat, of course!"

Bibi Dong said coldly, "You are only eight years old. It is still too early for whale jelly! Besides, after your teacher's training over the past two years, your body is already in excellent condition. In the future, you will not need something like whale jelly at all!"

Ji Wushuang bared his teeth in pain. "Teacher, whale jelly is highly nourishing for Soul Masters. It can strengthen the body and improve the endurance of one's muscles, bones, and meridians. Especially this Ten Thousand Year Whale Jelly I bought—the effects must be excellent. Once I consume it, I'll be confident in absorbing a thousand-year Spirit Ring."

Bibi Dong had truly hit him hard.