Whale Rubber

Whale Rubber could strengthen one's physique, raise the absorption limit of Soul Rings, accelerate Soul Power cultivation, and more. For Soul Masters, consuming it could bring nearly comprehensive improvements.

More importantly, no one had yet discovered these hidden effects of Whale Rubber.

This made things much easier for Yao Yan. As long as he had money, he would not have to worry about being unable to buy it.

"Tomorrow, I'll ask Physician Yao whether he has any connections," Yao Yan thought to himself.

After all, this was a commodity circulated among nobles. Its market price was surely inflated, but with the right connections, it would definitely be much cheaper.

Saving whatever he could was still saving.

With a plan in mind, Yao Yan closed his eyes and began cultivating.

The next day.

Jieyou Pharmacy, Reception Room.

Physician Yao pushed open the door. Seeing the two seated on the sofa, he said with slight surprise, "Why did Young Master come here in person? If you needed anything, you could have simply sent someone to call for me."

"It's only a few steps. No trouble," Yao Yan said, waving his hand.

Physician Yao smiled slightly, walked over to the coffee table, took the teapot from the maidservant, and personally poured tea for the two of them before gently pushing the cups toward them.

"Physician Yao, has Sister Caiyi sent any letters recently?" Yao Yan asked after taking the teacup and sipping from it.

He had been busy refining pills these past few months and had forgotten to write Li Caiyi a letter to let her know he was safe.

"There was one, though it wasn't specifically addressed to you, Young Master. It mentioned that you should return when you have time," Physician Yao answered, lifting his teacup.

Hearing Yao Yan refer to someone as "Sister Caiyi," Zhu Zhuqing, seated beside him, guessed that she must be someone very close to him.

Yao Yan nodded. Once he settled the matters at hand, he really should go back and see her.

But there was still business to discuss first. He slowly said, "Physician Yao, do you have any means of purchasing Whale Rubber?"

At those words, Physician Yao's teacup suddenly trembled in his hand.

He glanced at Zhu Zhuqing, suddenly understanding. "With such a peerless beauty by his side, no wonder Young Master wants to buy this sort of thing..."

Yet he still advised earnestly, "Young Master, some matters... are best handled with restraint. If anything happens to you, how am I supposed to explain it to the head manager?"

A trace of embarrassment crossed Yao Yan's face. He understood that the other man had definitely misunderstood.

Zhu Zhuqing's face had already turned crimson. She lowered her head and stared at the floor. Naturally, she knew what Whale Rubber was used for, but she had not expected Yao Yan to ask about it in front of her.

"Physician Yao, you misunderstand. We haven't reached that stage yet. I'm only buying it to refine pills," Yao Yan explained with an awkward smile.

"I see." Physician Yao slowly nodded. He knew of Yao Yan's pill-refining skills. That batch of Bigu Pills had greatly shocked him before.

It was only because they did not want to cause a sensation that the pharmacy had not dared to put them on display for sale. At most, they sold them privately to people they knew well, requiring strict confidentiality. It could also be considered preparation for eventually putting them on the shelves.

But then he thought of Whale Rubber's effects and asked meaningfully, "Young Master, you aren't planning to refine that kind of pill, are you?"

"More or less," Yao Yan answered noncommittally.

It was best not to reveal Whale Rubber's effects for now. The fewer people who knew, the better his chances of being the first to reap the benefits.

Physician Yao was somewhat stunned. He had not expected his young master to admit it so directly.

Zhu Zhuqing felt as though her entire body were burning. Unable to sit any longer, she rose and pushed the door open before hurrying out. If she stayed any longer, she truly would be too embarrassed to show her face.

"This girl, her skin is far too thin." Watching her hurriedly departing back, Yao Yan laughed to himself.

He would explain it properly to her later.

With only the two men left in the room, they could speak openly.

"Once Young Master refines the pills, do you intend to sell them?" Physician Yao asked after taking a sip of tea.

"No plans for now. Let's wait until I succeed in refining them first," Yao Yan replied.

After thinking it over, Physician Yao felt that made sense.

The two then discussed the quantity to purchase. Upon learning that a piece of hundred-year Whale Rubber cost at least one hundred Gold Soul Coins, Yao Yan could not help sighing inwardly. "It really is a luxury item among nobles."

Fortunately, his savings were fairly substantial now. Even without touching Li Caiyi's little treasury, he had enough to pay for it.

He decided to first purchase ten pieces of hundred-year Whale Rubber and two pieces of thousand-year Whale Rubber for testing. Physician Yao told him to wait three days, and someone would deliver them to his door then.

The two then left the Reception Room and found Zhu Zhuqing by the stairwell. Yao Yan took her hand and bid farewell to Physician Yao outside the pharmacy.

On the way back to Spark Pharmacy, Zhu Zhuqing kept stealing glances at Yao Yan, her cheeks remaining flushed the entire time.

"This girl..." Yao Yan chuckled. Naturally, he understood what she was thinking.

Holding her hand, he led her straight to the third floor. Seeing that no one was around, he wrapped an arm around her slender waist and gently drew her into his embrace.

Leaning against his solid chest, Zhu Zhuqing's cheeks burned fiercely, while her heart pounded like a drum.

"Yao Yan, aren't we... moving too fast?" Her voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz. They had only known each other for a few months, yet she was already going to give herself to him completely. She could not get past that hurdle in her heart.

"What are you thinking?" Yao Yan rubbed her head. "Don't worry, I won't take you that soon."

"Then why did you buy..." She trailed off.

"I'll tell you the truth." Smiling, Yao Yan leaned close to her ear and quietly told her Whale Rubber's true effects.

Zhu Zhuqing jolted in surprise and stared at him in astonishment. She had never imagined that Whale Rubber could be of such great benefit to Soul Masters.

"Yao Yan, then aren't those nobles wasting a treasure?" Zhu Zhuqing said indignantly.

Yao Yan nodded gently.

Such a precious medicine was actually being used as a tool for indulgence. It was truly an enormous waste.

What was even more baffling was that, despite Douluo Continent having developed this far, no one had discovered its true effects. It was clear just how entrenched the continent's way of thinking had become.

Even such practical technology as Storage Soul Tools had already been lost.

Yao Yan vaguely felt that some conspiracy lay hidden behind this. It was as though this world had been "reset" by some force.

As for the one behind it...

He raised his head and glanced at the ceiling.

But those were matters he could not reach for now. First, he needed to develop a pill formula for body tempering.

He planted a kiss on Zhu Zhuqing's forehead, then brought her to the alchemy room and picked out the herbs that had body-tempering effects.

Dragon Blood Grass, Lingzhi, Crimson Sun Seed... (PS: Not an immortal herb!)

He placed them on the workbench and sorted through their medicinal properties, ensuring they would not conflict with one another.

Three days later.

A carriage slowly entered Qingshan Town and stopped outside Spark Pharmacy.

Yao Yan and Zhu Zhuqing had been waiting for quite some time. A familiar figure stepped down from the carriage—it was Wang Xiaobo.

He took a bundle from the carriage and handed it to Yao Yan. "Xiao Yan, the things you wanted have arrived."

Yao Yan checked it over. The bundle had not been damaged. "Thank you, Brother Wang."

"Why be so polite?" Wang Xiaobo waved his hand. "I should be thanking you for recommending me to join Jieyou Pharmacy's convoy."

After returning from the Star Luo Empire, Yao Yan had asked Physician Yao to recruit him into the convoy. Considering that his elderly father could not bear the risks of long-distance travel, Wang Xiaobo had agreed.

He now served as the captain, specifically responsible for transporting goods between the pharmacy in Qingshan Town and Nuoding City.

"Brother Wang, then I'll head back first." Yao Yan suppressed the excitement in his heart and bade Wang Xiaobo farewell.

"Alright, go on and get busy!"

Yao Yan led Zhu Zhuqing into the alchemy room and opened the bundle. Inside lay twelve neatly arranged milky-white blocks of gel, two of which had a more lustrous sheen.

Those must have been the thousand-year Whale Rubber.

Yao Yan lit the Alchemy Furnace. Under the high heat, the Whale Rubber gradually softened and became viscous. With a one-handed gesture, he transferred it into a bowl beside him.

"It does look rather like donkey-hide gelatin... I wonder how effective it is?" Yao Yan scooped up a spoonful and swallowed it.

Suppressing the nausea that rose within him, a wave of scorching heat rapidly spread throughout his body, turning his skin bright red. He immediately sat cross-legged and circulated the Inner Elixir Technique, and a cool sensation began to flow through him.

The speed at which Soul Power circulated within his body clearly increased.

"Just as I thought, it works!!!"