Chapter 21: Feeding Zhu Zhuqing Whale Rubber
He naturally thought of the Man Faced Demon Spider's External Soul Bone.
Since they were heading to the Star Dou Forest, Tang San would definitely encounter a Man Faced Demon Spider.
He remembered that the spider's Soul Ring contained the Eight Spider Lances.
The conditions for absorbing an External Soul Bone were quite strict. A Soul Master had to absorb a Soul Ring to obtain one.
Xia Ran couldn't waste his fifth Soul Ring on a thousand-year-old Man Faced Demon Spider, so he thought of Zhu Zhuqing.
But Zhu Zhuqing was only Level 28 right now and wasn't eligible to absorb a Soul Ring. That left him in a bit of a bind.
If they let the Man Faced Demon Spider go, they might not be able to find it again.
But not absorbing the Soul Bone would be such a waste.
Just as he was worrying over it, inspiration suddenly struck!
"Whale Rubber!"
In the Douluo Continent, aside from Immortal Herbs, if there was anything that could quickly raise a Soul Master's Soul Power Level, it had to be Whale Rubber.
Xia Ran had once used Whale Rubber to raise the maximum age of the Soul Ring he could absorb for his Second Soul Ring to a thousand years.
He also remembered that after absorbing the Whale Rubber, his Soul Power had risen by two or three levels.
It was just the thing to make up for Zhu Zhuqing's lack of Soul Power.
"Get her off me and put her in my bed... Ah, no, let her rest in my bed for a while..."
Xia Ran didn't want to get handsy with a girl. It couldn't be helped when she was the one clinging to him, but touching her in private places while trying to move her wouldn't be very polite.
So he asked Zhu Zhuqing to do it. It took her quite a while to peel Ning Rongrong off him.
When Zhu Zhuqing came out of the bedroom, drenched in sweat, Xia Ran deliberately kept her in suspense.
"Zhuqing, don't you want to get stronger? I've got a fortuitous opportunity to give you right now."
"Huh? What opportunity?"
At the words "fortuitous opportunity," Zhu Zhuqing was momentarily taken aback, then felt a surge of delight.
She hadn't expected Xia Ran to come up with a good way to improve her strength as soon as he'd agreed to help her.
Xia Ran then took several yellowish-brown lumps from his storage space. A faint fishy smell clung to them.
They were the hundred-year-old Whale Rubber he'd had left over from his usual body-tempering sessions.
When Zhu Zhuqing saw what he was holding, her face instantly turned bright red.
As a member of the royal family, how could she not recognize what it was?
"You... You said you didn't want any..."
"And this stuff... It's just too... embarrassing..."
Zhu Zhuqing couldn't understand what Xia Ran was thinking. Yesterday, she'd been so forward, yet he'd rejected her without mercy.
And today, he'd brought out something like this.
Could Xia Ran have some kind of unusual fetish?
When Xia Ran saw the girl's flushed face, he knew she'd jumped to the wrong conclusion again.
He immediately explained.
"Don't get the wrong idea. Whale Rubber isn't only good for that. Its main use is improving a Soul Master's physical constitution and raising the maximum age of the Soul Ring they can absorb."
"It also comes with the added effect of raising your Soul Power Level."
"Oh? I see..."
After hearing the explanation, Zhu Zhuqing's face turned so red it looked as if blood might drip from it. She wanted to crawl into a hole in the ground. This was mortifying.
And... she'd actually admitted in front of Xia Ran that she knew what Whale Rubber was!
What would Xia Ran think of her?
"These are three pieces of hundred-year-old Whale Rubber. I'll process them using a special method in a moment. Then all you have to do is take them."
"I'm sure your Soul Power will reach Level 30 afterward. Once we get to the Star Dou Forest, I'll help you find a Soul Ring. That's the real surprise."
"Remember, don't tell anyone else about the Whale Rubber!"
"Okay, I'll remember."
Xia Ran gave Zhu Zhuqing a thorough reminder. Until he had enough strength, it was best if as few people as possible knew about the Whale Rubber.
If he weren't worried about wasting the Eight Spider Lances, he definitely wouldn't have brought it up now.
Still, he trusted Zhu Zhuqing not to be a blabbermouth.
Xia Ran brought out the stove he usually used to roast meat and told Zhu Zhuqing to light it.
Hundred-year-old Whale Rubber wasn't particularly high-quality, so it didn't need a very high temperature to melt. The barbecue stove was just right; he'd tried it before.
He left Zhu Zhuqing to tend the fire while he went to get ice water for her.
Before long, he carried a large bucket of ice out to the open space.
"Phew... This is all the ice I've got right now. You'll have to make do with it."
Xia Ran brushed the dust off his hands and spoke to Zhu Zhuqing.
"What do we need ice for?"
"To suppress your... restlessness. You'll find out in a moment."
Before long, the Whale Rubber on the stove had been heated until it was ready to eat.
Xia Ran wrapped his hands in Soul Power, picked up the Whale Rubber, tore off a small piece, and popped it straight into Zhu Zhuqing's mouth.
She hadn't expected him to move so directly or so quickly. Caught off guard, she instinctively closed her lips around the finger he'd put in her mouth.
The tip of his finger touched her soft tongue. Xia Ran froze for a moment, then yanked his hand back in fright. A "pop" sounded in the air.
The atmosphere grew increasingly tense. The Whale Rubber slid down her throat into her stomach, where a surge of scorching energy gathered in Zhu Zhuqing's lower abdomen.
"I... I'm sorry!"
She didn't know why she was apologizing, but now Evil Fire was burning through her. The heat spread through all her limbs, and her deep-purple eyes began to grow hazy.
"Xia Ran... I'm so hot..."
Only then did Xia Ran snap out of it. He hurriedly picked up Zhu Zhuqing's burning body and dropped her into the bucket of ice water he'd prepared.
The biting chill swept over her at once, bringing her back to her senses a little.
But her black leather outfit, soaked through with cold water, clung to her figure and traced its alluring curves.
Xia Ran only glanced at her once, but even his Soul Power-wrapped fingers stiffened.
"Focus your mind and use your meditation technique to turn the energy to your advantage."
At his reminder, Zhu Zhuqing did her best to stay clearheaded and began practicing the meditation technique she usually used.
After about ten minutes, Xia Ran saw that Zhu Zhuqing had settled into the rhythm and the energy inside her was about to spread through her body. He picked up another small piece of Whale Rubber.
"Open your mouth!"
Zhu Zhuqing had been tense, barely holding on, but at his words, she instinctively opened her mouth.
Xia Ran took the opportunity to feed her another small piece. Zhu Zhuqing fought the urge to suck on it and slowly swallowed it down.
Another surge of scorching energy burst through her body...
The process repeated. When she was nearly done with the third piece of Whale Rubber, Xia Ran fed her the entire remaining half-piece.
But he failed to notice that all the ice in the bucket had melted.
Perhaps the last piece of Whale Rubber had been more than she could handle. Or perhaps the ice had run out, leaving nothing to cool her down. Zhu Zhuqing suddenly felt more stifled and feverish than ever.
Pain showed on her face as she writhed wildly in the wooden tub, the hair at her neck sticking to her skin.
As she tossed and turned, most of her clothes slipped off.
Seeing this, Xia Ran's fingers, which had just begun to relax, stiffened once more.
"No... Xia Ran... I feel a little..."
"Y-You can't say things like that!"
"I'm serious! Think of something... Please!!!"
Chapter 22: Ning Rongrong: Take Me Too
Zhu Zhuqing wasn't the only one in a panic. Xia Ran was frantic too.
"What can I do? I'm not an ice-attribute Soul Master."
Zhu Zhuqing's breathing grew heavier and heavier in the tub. Before long, she was even letting out soft moans.
The double pressure of the sight and the sound made Xia Ran restless.
"Tsk... What do I do?"
Suddenly, he seemed to think of something.
He steeled himself, jumped straight into the tub, and moved behind her.
"No... Xia Ran... You can't do this!"
Ignoring her protests, Xia Ran activated Martial Soul Possession and pressed a hand against her shoulder.
The Void Domain spread, beginning to Devour the Soul Power inside Zhu Zhuqing.
Zhu Zhuqing had just tried to turn around and push Xia Ran away when she felt the scorching heat inside her gradually being Devoured.
"Clear your mind and stay focused. You know what'll happen if you don't..."
"Oh... Okay!"
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