Refining Whale Rubber

After arriving in Shrek City and renting a room, Chen Yuan filled the bathtub in the bathroom with cold water, then took out that pitch-black piece of ten-thousand-year Whale Rubber.

There was no way he could refine Whale Rubber in the dormitory. The conditions in the Shrek Outer Court dorms were so bad even a dog would shake its head at them.

At least here, he could use cold water to help. It was a pity there was no ice during this season, or Chen Yuan would definitely have soaked in ice water.

Without summoning his martial soul, blazing flames appeared in his hand as he roasted the Whale Rubber within them.

The moment the Whale Rubber touched the flames in Chen Yuan's palm, a strange fragrance immediately wafted out of it.

The scent was rich but not overpowering, and it gathered around the Whale Rubber without showing the slightest sign of dispersing.

In just a few seconds, Whale Rubber's hard shell completely melted away. A dark golden sheen spread across the entire piece, and it changed from a crystal into a soft, gelatinous substance.

As someone who possessed Ultimate Fire, Chen Yuan naturally did not fear high temperatures, just as Huo Yuhao, who possessed Ultimate Ice, could wear thin clothing in the Far North.

He swallowed all the Whale Rubber in one gulp. Other than an intense fishy stench, Chen Yuan could not taste anything else.

He really did not know how the first person to discover Whale Rubber's aphrodisiac effects had endured that taste.

The Whale Rubber entering his stomach transformed into a warm current that flowed through Chen Yuan's entire body. At the same time, he exhaled a fragrant scent with every breath.

After waiting for quite a while, other than feeling the warm current produced by the Whale Rubber travel through his limbs and bones, strengthening his physique, its aphrodisiac side effect gradually began to emerge.

Submerging his entire body in the cold water, Chen Yuan felt that even the water temperature had risen somewhat.

Next, he would have to endure the torment that overwhelming yang energy would inflict on his body.

Chen Yuan sped up the circulation of his Soul Power and continuously refined the Whale Rubber, hoping the uncomfortable sensation would fade more quickly later.

Yet after waiting for a long time, Chen Yuan's body showed no reaction whatsoever. The situation left him bewildered.

Logically speaking, Whale Rubber should have raised the consumer's body temperature, which was what gave it its aphrodisiac effect.

Why was it that he could not feel any particularly obvious heat?

Wait, Whale Rubber could temper a Soul Master's body while carrying side effects because it was inherently an immensely nourishing substance of utmost hardness and yang energy.

But flames themselves were utmost hardness and yang energy, especially Chen Yuan's Ultimate Fire. What could possibly be harder or more yang than Ultimate Fire?

This tiny bit of hardness and yang energy from Whale Rubber was nothing in front of Ultimate Fire.

Chen Yuan's expression became quite complicated. He had already prepared himself, only to be told now that he was immune to Whale Rubber's side effects.

Calming himself, he rapidly circulated his Soul Power and refined the warm current within his body. Dull booms rang out from inside Chen Yuan's body as his physical strength improved at a slow but steady pace.

When the sky began to brighten, Chen Yuan awoke from meditation, drained the bathtub, and filled it with hot water again, planning to take a proper bath.

The medicinal effects of that ten-thousand-year Whale Rubber would take some time to absorb. The remaining Whale Rubber was far less potent, so he could take it slowly.

"Xiao Yuan, there are so many bubbles on your head. Didn't you say those bubbles were used to wash the body? Gulu."

Dali Gu soaked in the hot water, its two tiny hands gripping the edge of the bathtub to keep itself from sinking.

It was rare for Dali Gu not to have to stay in the Sea of Consciousness, and he was extremely happy. He watched the thick foam on Chen Yuan's head with great interest.

"You mean body wash. This is shampoo, used to keep hair clean."

"Then I want to try it too."

Dali Gu leaped out of the bathtub and came over to shower beside Chen Yuan.

After rinsing the foam from his hair, Chen Yuan was utterly speechless at Dali Gu's desire to try shampoo.

"Dali Gu, I'd like to let you try it too, but you don't have any hair."

"Ah? I don't have hair? Gulu."

Dali Gu looked upward, seemingly trying to see his own head and confirm whether he really had hair.

If Dali Gu's arms in his Baby Dragon form had not been too short to reach the top of his head, he might have already crouched in a corner in dejection.

Picking Dali Gu up, Chen Yuan vigorously rubbed his head.

"Alright, alright, Dali Gu. I'll scrub your back."

"Okay."

"By the way, what do you want to eat later?"

"Eat? I want buns, chicken legs, meat skewers, Gulu. As long as Xiao Yuan makes it, anything is fine!"

At the thought of all that delicious food, drool unconsciously trickled from Dali Gu's mouth as he eagerly anticipated the meal.

After bathing and changing into a brand-new set of clothes, Chen Yuan took some ingredients from his Soul Tool and began cooking.

After all, he came from a commoner background. Even though he had become a Soul Master over the past few years, he still knew how to cook.

Considering Dali Gu's appetite, Chen Yuan made a great deal extra. By the time he brought all the dishes to the table, three or four empty plates already sat in front of Dali Gu.

Dali Gu held a bun in his left hand and a chicken leg in his right, his cheeks stuffed full as he continuously ate.

As his level drew ever closer to Soul King, the connection between Chen Yuan and the Pillar of Courage in his Sea of Consciousness grew stronger and stronger. He could already clearly sense a bottleneck.

The situation was exactly the same as when he had broken through to Soul Elder. Last time, Dali Gu had evolved into a Battle Dragon, allowing him and Chen Yuan to merge into one and enter a special "Awakening" state.

In that state, Chen Yuan received comprehensive enhancement and could also use two skills from Dali Gu's Battle Dragon form.

In the eyes of Shrek's higher-ups, Chen Yuan's special state was the same kind of state as Bei Bei's and Xu Sanshi's.

That was why Chen Yuan, a commoner unaffiliated with any faction, could become one of the Pre-selected Seven Monsters.

This advancement would most likely allow Dali Gu to evolve into a Battle Dragon King. He just did not know whether the Sun God Bow, Lion Fire Axe, and Pegasus Twin-Barrel Cannon would appear.

Or would he have to wait until he reached a higher level before the Pillar of Courage gave him those items?

Never mind the Sun God Bow—even the Lion Fire Axe and Pegasus Twin-Barrel Cannon would unquestionably be super divine artifacts on Douluo Continent.

Compared to the Lion Fire Axe and Pegasus Twin-Barrel Cannon, Chen Yuan still wanted the Sun God Bow more. The former two were indeed extremely powerful, but compared to the Sun God Bow, one of the Four Great Sacred Weapons, there was no need to hesitate.

Even hesitating for a moment would be disrespectful to the Sun God Bow.

There was another reason he wanted the Sun God Bow: Dali Gu in his Battle Dragon King form had no ultimate move of his own, so the sacred weapons would become his primary external ultimate moves.

After enjoying a satisfying meal, Dali Gu returned directly to Chen Yuan's Sea of Consciousness and patiently awaited his next chance to come out.

Strength—this was what Chen Yuan wanted most right now.

As long as he had sufficient strength, he could go anywhere in this vast world, and Dali Gu could remain outside safely.

Rather than being like this now, only able to stay in his Sea of Consciousness.

After checking out and returning to the academy, it was time for Shrek's annual Freshman Assessment.

Since Fourth Grade students only needed to attend class for roughly two mornings each week, spending the rest of their time cultivating on their own, Chen Yuan accepted an academy assignment.

Normally, the tasks the academy assigned to Outer Court students were mostly menial labor, such as cleaning and moving things.

But this time, Chen Yuan actually saw an unusual assignment.

The person who posted it was a teacher from the academy, and the reward was exceptionally generous: two hundred Gold Soul Coins a day.

The only requirement was that whoever accepted the assignment had to possess at least four Soul Rings.

Currently, among the entire Shrek Academy Outer Court, aside from a few sixth-year students who had reached four Soul Rings, Chen Yuan was the only one in the other grades.

Besides Chen Yuan, Xu Sanshi and Bei Bei were closest to becoming Soul Ancestors. One was level thirty-nine and the other level thirty-eight; both would definitely become Soul Ancestors this semester.

Unfortunately, they could forget about obtaining a ten-thousand-year fourth Soul Ring.

As for the sixth-year Soul Ancestors, they were basically all busy graduating from the Outer Court. At present, aside from Chen Yuan, who had nothing better to do, no one would accept this assignment.