Absorbing Whale Rubber, Fighting for a Way Out

Beneath the medicine cauldron, the charcoal fire burned fiercely.

Yu Xiaoheng sat cross-legged. Before him lay herbal paste pounded into a dark green sludge, while a bubbling decoction sat at his side.

Without hesitation, he smeared the sticky herbal paste over his tender skin layer by layer. Then he picked up the scalding bowl of decoction and drained it in one gulp.

Last came the massive piece of Whale Rubber, half-melted by the high temperature.

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

The effects of the three medicines erupted within his body.

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

A burning sensation seeped in through his skin, dense and pervasive, as though hundreds of millions of ants were gnawing at his flesh.

Next came the decoction he had consumed.

The warm current turned into countless tiny steel needles that crashed wildly through his meridians, bringing tearing pain to every inch of his body.

Last was the tyrannical energy of the Whale Rubber.

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

An attack from within and without.

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

Yu Xiaoheng's body trembled violently. Veins bulged across his forehead, and beads of sweat the size of beans rolled down without pause, soaking the stone slabs beneath him.

He clenched his teeth tightly, suppressing every muffled groan in his throat.

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

He, Yu Xiaoheng, was not like those protagonists from the Douluo Continent fanfics he had read in his previous life, each blessed with Outstanding Talent and backed by a system. He had nothing...

He could only fight!

He could not pass out!

Yu Xiaoheng shouted inwardly.

If he lost consciousness, with no one to guide the medicinal power, it would run rampant. At best, he would be severely injured; at worst, his body would explode and he would die.

He had chosen this path himself.

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

After an unknown amount of time, the tearing pain gradually subsided, replaced by a warm, numb sensation.

Every part of his body, from skin to marrow, felt as though it had been cleansed, filled with renewed 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 an unpleasant stench.

This was a sign of Cleansing Marrow.

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 muscles on his small body were still youthful in their definition, yet they already contained resilience and strength wholly unfitting for his age.

He clenched his fist.

An unprecedented sense of fullness surged through him.

He walked to an old tree in the courtyard, its trunk so thick it took two people to encircle it. Drawing a deep breath, he planted himself in a firm horse stance, drove force through his waist and abdomen, and threw a fierce punch!

"Bang!"

A dull boom rang out.

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

Where his fist had struck, the hard bark cracked layer upon layer, leaving behind a clear indentation as wood chips flew everywhere.

Yu Xiaoheng's pupils contracted slightly.

He withdrew his fist and looked at the skin, which had only reddened slightly. Uncontrollable joy rose within him.

It worked.

Mere ordinary medicinal herbs and Whale Rubber had given this five-year-old body a physique far beyond that of his peers.

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

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 Spirit Rings, Tang San had still been able to cultivate Soul Power through the Mysterious Heaven Skill.

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

Wasn't he the same now?

This body had already transcended the realm of the ordinary.

The corner of Yu Xiaoheng's mouth lifted slightly.

Martial Soul...

There was no way it could be Luo Sanpao, the failed mutation with only half a rank of Soul Power!

I chose the right path!

I, Yu Xiaoheng, at least now possess the qualifications to embark upon the true path of cultivation!

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

A Clan Member's respectful voice came from outside. "Young Master Xiaoheng, the Sect Master has returned. He requests that you and Young Master Xiao Gang go to the sect gates to welcome him."

Yu Yuanzhen had returned?

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

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

At that moment, the vast square before it was already filled with the sect's younger disciples.

Most sat cross-legged, seizing every moment to meditate and cultivate, hoping to leave a favorable impression on the Sect Master.

The moment Yu Xiaogang arrived, several peers immediately gathered around him, eagerly discussing their insights into Martial Soul cultivation.

Surrounded like the moon among stars, he wore a faintly proud expression and answered every question about theoretical knowledge with ease.

Yu Xiaoheng's arrival, however, seemed somewhat out of place.

Only a handful of people nodded at him in greeting.

In their eyes, this Eldest Son of the Sect Master 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 sect's purchasing and quietly gave them a few instructions regarding the follow-up arrangements for the perfume and soap business.

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

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

At times, he did push-ups; at others, deep squats. His movements were precise and powerful—scientific fitness methods from his previous life.

Then he switched to the basic body-tempering techniques passed down in this world, refining his muscles and bones with every stance and move.

Sweat soon soaked through his clothes, but he was completely unaware of it, immersed in gaining control over and strengthening his body.

Compared to the improvement brought by the medicine earlier, the effects of training were minuscule.

Yet Yu Xiaoheng remained wholly focused.

An inch forward.

The joy of gaining an inch.

Whispers began to rise.

"What is Young Master doing?"

"Who knows? First, he went to give instructions about that business involving bottles and jars, and now he's tempering his strength here like some ordinary man."

"Truly... rather strange."

"Shh, keep your voice down! He is still the Sect Master's Eldest Son."

Most of the Clan Members' discussions carried curiosity and confusion. Because of Yu Xiaoheng's status—and because he was only five years old—no one stepped forward to reprimand him. They simply assumed it was a child's momentary playfulness.

Not far away, Yu Xiaogang, who was surrounded by the crowd, cast a glance in his direction.

He let out a soft snort through his nose.

In his view, such crude training methods were simply a waste of time, tarnishing the bloodline of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

An elderly woman with a kind face noticed Yu Xiaogang's expression. She smiled gently and said, "Let him be. It is merely a child's nature. Before Martial Soul Awakening, no amount of training will yield much result."

Her gaze shifted toward Yu Xiaogang, her eyes filled with expectation.

"Xiao Gang, you are different. What you need to do is meditate quietly and perceive the power flowing through our bloodline. In the end, what determines a Soul Master's future is the Innate Soul Power awakened at that moment. That is the foundation of talent."

Several elders nearby nodded in agreement. The way they looked at Yu Xiaogang was far more affectionate and hopeful than the way they looked at Yu Xiaoheng.

Just then, a vast and majestic Aura swept in from beyond the mountain gate.