Two and a Half Years, Level Ten, and Whale Rubber

Two and a Half Years, Level Ten, and Whale Rubber

Before awakening his Martial Soul, Chen Ming had been the Chen Family's most precious child. After awakening it, he had immediately become the family's only lifeline. Nearly all the family's resources were unconditionally poured into him.

However, the pharmacology of this era on the Douluo Continent was not particularly advanced. There were no pills like Mystic Water Pills or Soul Ascension Pills that could directly improve one's talent and Soul Power, so supplementation still relied on Medicinal Baths and medicinal meals for gradual improvement.

Although he possessed innate level-five Soul Power, along with top-tier training grounds and resources, the Jade Scorpion's inherent congenital flaw still somewhat slowed Chen Ming's cultivation before he obtained his first Soul Ring.

It took him two and a half years to go from level five to level ten, a period that was neither particularly long nor particularly short. On the Douluo Continent, this was considered fairly normal progress, perhaps barely above average, still quite far from that of a true genius.

After reaching level ten Soul Power, Chen Ming did not immediately go obtain a Soul Ring. Instead, he continued using various methods to temper his body.

When he tentatively mentioned to his family that he seemed to have heard somewhere that Whale Rubber could improve physical fitness and increase the age limit of Soul Rings one could absorb, his grandfather, Chen Shijie, did not hesitate in the slightest. He immediately purchased several types of Whale Rubber from different whale-type soul beasts through various channels.

There was Whale Rubber from ordinary whale-type soul beasts, as well as that from various rare whale-type soul beasts. The most expensive among them was a piece from a twenty-thousand-year Evil Spirit Orca. It was said to have been acquired several years ago by a Soul Saint from Spirit Hall while hunting his seventh Soul Ring near a coastal city. It was a supreme-grade Whale Rubber.

That basketball-sized piece of Whale Rubber alone had cost a full three million Gold Soul Coins, not counting the expenses and favors involved in establishing the purchase channels.

In this era, fishing on the Douluo Continent was extremely underdeveloped. It was fine for catching fish in shallow waters, but venturing into the deep sea was completely impossible.

The Douluo Continent had never developed ships such as whaling vessels. Hunting whale-type soul beasts meant using Soul Masters as bait. At best, a level-thirty Soul Elder with a water-element Martial Soul could deal with some hundred-year whale-type soul beasts. But once they encountered a school of sea soul beasts, they would only end up being eaten.

Hunting whale-type soul beasts over ten thousand years old was far more difficult than hunting ten-thousand-year soul beasts on land. Moreover, whale-type soul beasts usually lived in groups, which greatly increased the difficulty of hunting them. Usually, only Soul Saints or even Soul Douluo-level Soul Masters could accomplish such a feat.

Therefore, although the physique-enhancing effects of Whale Rubber had yet to be discovered in this era, high-age Whale Rubber was still extremely expensive.

An ordinary small family would have wept at the sight of such a piece of Whale Rubber, but the Chen Family was not short on money.

The Chen Family was an earl-level noble family. They had been established in Biluo City for five hundred years and occupied the largest slice of Biluo City's wealth. Not only did they receive various tax revenues, they also controlled a major share of Biluo City's soul beast material trade, bringing in tens of thousands of Gold Soul Coins every year.

In addition, as experts in poison, the Chen Family operated several pharmacies and medical clinics. Though they were nothing particularly reputable, they still generated considerable annual income. In secret, the Chen Family also sold certain poisons and blended deadly toxins, which brought in even greater profits.

When they first discovered that fewer members of the family were awakening Soul Power, the Chen Family had considered drawing in allies and finding powerful backers. Over the course of several centuries, they had invested in some merchants and Soul Masters. Though most of those investments failed, some succeeded. In the end, they expanded their network and gained several affiliated merchant associations under their name.

Their largest investment had been made two hundred years ago.

At the time, disciples of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had been opening mines near Biluo City. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was temporarily in a period of decline due to an accident, and Biluo City's City Lord, acting on instructions from other forces, had caused trouble for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. The Chen Family stepped in and resolved the matter. As a result, the Chen Family acquired shares in several mines under the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and received annual dividends from them.

Part of that money was exchanged for real estate, such as reinforcing Chen Mansion and adding various facilities. Part was used for cultivation, and part for daily expenses. The largest portion was stored with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Although they had to pay a storage fee every year, it was safer there than in their own hands.

Chen Shijie had told Chen Ming that the Chen Family had roughly forty-five million Gold Soul Coins stored with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, while their available cash flow was around ten million. If their real estate and other assets across various regions were included, the Chen Family's total assets likely exceeded one hundred million Gold Soul Coins. Among earl families, that was considered quite respectable.

If Soul Bones had not been priceless and difficult to sell, not to mention so dangerous that people might directly kill for them, the Chen Family might have accumulated some Soul Bones as part of their foundation.

After consuming many nourishing medicinal ingredients, Chen Ming also tried eating Whale Rubber. However, the effects were not as good as he had expected.

Whale Rubber around the hundred-year level had almost no effect beyond acting as an aphrodisiac. Its nourishment for the body did not even compare to the depletion caused by its aphrodisiac effects. Although Chen Ming had not yet reached that age, he still could not help feeling uncomfortable after consuming it, and its physique-enhancing effect was not obvious.

Thousand-year Whale Rubber was better at enhancing physical fitness than hundred-year Whale Rubber, but its aphrodisiac effect was also more severe. After taking it for a while, Chen Ming could feel himself developing prematurely, and his body showed signs of precocious maturity. To prevent future problems, he had no choice but to adjust the dosage and intervals, while using gentler methods to neutralize the aphrodisiac effects of the Whale Rubber.

As for the twenty-thousand-year Whale Rubber from the top-tier soul beast, the Evil Spirit Orca...

The Chen Family cut off a piece the size of a fingernail. Using wood from soul beasts as fuel, they burned it over the fierce heat used for smelting iron for two hours before it finally melted. During that time, the servants tending the fire were replaced three times. Even then, several impatient ones nearly engaged in passionate collisions right in the room, and only barely made it home after pouring several basins of cold water over themselves outside.

Chen Shijie delivered that fingernail-sized piece of Whale Rubber while wearing a hood, thick clothing, and a robe, carrying it inside a Storage Soul Tool.

That fingernail-sized piece of Whale Rubber gave off a viscous sheen and a strange fragrance. Even Chen Ming began to lose himself after smelling it, feeling urges that someone his age should not have had.

He carefully cut off about a quarter and swallowed it. After sitting cross-legged for three minutes, he became somewhat restless. Two more minutes later, he had no choice but to get up and take a cold shower. In the end, the shower was not enough, so he simply plunged headfirst into a water vat and soaked inside it.

He could not tell whether his physique had improved, but he certainly felt that he had nearly suffered a cultivation deviation. For some time after that day, even eating hundred-year or thousand-year Whale Rubber felt rather awkward.

The remaining three-quarters of that fingernail-sized piece of Whale Rubber was supposedly claimed by Chen Ming's second uncle. Three or four months later, Chen Ming heard from him that both of his concubines had become pregnant.

Chen Tianyun was forty years old. He had married at twenty-one and taken three concubines over the following nineteen years. Not to mention a son, he had not even had a daughter.

More than once, he had asked Soul Masters specializing in such matters to examine him. After finding no problems, he tried all sorts of methods and even consumed hundred-year and thousand-year Whale Rubber. In the end, he could only helplessly give up, believing that he was simply fated to have no children in this life... Who could have imagined that he would ultimately have his wish fulfilled through such an absurd and unorthodox stroke of luck?

It was only later that the Chen Family members living inland learned that Evil Spirit Orca Whale Rubber was the finest among all Whale Rubber. Not only was the soul beast itself of extremely high quality, but more importantly, its medicinal properties were exceptionally potent. It was the best of the best, and because it was so difficult to obtain, it was a treasure that had a price but no market.

Although the Chen Family had spent three million on this piece, if it fell into the hands of someone who needed it, the price could even double. With proper handling and marketing, even tripling it was not impossible.

If it were delivered into the hands of those great nobles... it might even earn them a favor.

All that could be said was that the money had been exceedingly well spent.