Quasi-Emperor!

The consumption of millennium-grade Whale Rubber lasted nearly two months.

Life at Qing Family Manor settled into a fixed rhythm over those two months.

At dawn, the five of them each circulated the Azure Dragon Method in their rooms, smoothing out the Soul Power accumulated overnight.

After breakfast, everyone had a spoonful of millennium-grade Whale Rubber soup before going about their own business.

In the afternoon, Liu Yunlan prepared medicinal baths, and the five took turns soaking for two hours each.

At dusk, the family gathered in the main hall for dinner, chatted briefly about everyday matters, then returned to their rooms to cultivate until late at night.

The days were as placid as water, but every one of their bodies underwent changes visible to the naked eye.

Qing Zhengyue's changes were the most obvious.

Several strands of black hair had actually appeared at the temples of the old man's snow-white head of hair.

The wrinkles on his face had also faded considerably. When he smiled, the crow's feet at the corners of his eyes were no longer as deeply etched as before.

The most noticeable change was in his gaze.

His eyes no longer looked like an old man's. The cloudiness had dispersed, and sharpness had returned, like an old blade that had been polished anew—its edge concealed, yet ready to leave its sheath at any moment.

"Old man, you've gotten younger."

One day during dinner, Liu Yunlan stared at her husband for a long while before suddenly saying that.

Qing Zhengyue paused with his chopsticks midway to picking up food. He looked up at his wife, the corners of his lips lifting slightly. "So have you."

Liu Yunlan froze for a moment and reached up to touch her face.

She had not looked in a mirror, so she did not know how much she had changed.

But if her husband said she had gotten younger too, then it had to be true.

The old lady had indeed changed.

Her silver hair was still silver, but its quality had improved greatly. It was glossy and lustrous, no longer dry and brittle.

Her complexion had become much rosier, her steps lighter, and even her voice had grown a little stronger.

Qing Hongyuan's changes were concentrated in his physique.

He was a full size sturdier than he had been two months ago, not in a bloated way, but with firmer muscles and more defined lines.

The veins on his arms no longer bulged as they once had, instead hiding beneath the muscle. His entire bearing seemed more restrained.

Shen Wanqing's changes were the most delightful. The physical weakness inherent to a pure support-type Soul Master had gradually been made up for through two months of continuous millennium-grade Whale Rubber consumption and medicinal baths.

Her meridians had widened by nearly half again, and her Soul Power circulated fifty percent faster than before. As a result, even the casting speed of her support Soul Skills had increased considerably.

Qing Mufeng's changes were the least apparent, because his starting point had already been high.

But on closer inspection, the differences could still be seen.

He had grown noticeably taller, his shoulders had broadened, and the muscle lines on his arms were clearer than they had been two months ago.

At six years old, he now had the build of a seven- or eight-year-old.

That evening, the whole family gathered in the main hall for dinner.

Liu Yunlan had stewed a pot of pork rib soup. The broth was milky white, and its fragrance filled the room.

The old lady's cooking was as good as ever. Even Qing Zhengyue, who had never cared much about food, drank an extra bowlful.

Qing Mufeng set down his bowl, looked at his grandmother, and suddenly spoke.

"Grandma, what level is your Soul Power now?"

Liu Yunlan was putting food into her grandson's bowl. Her hand paused at his question, and she thought for a moment.

"Level fifty-nine at the peak. Just one step away from level sixty."

Qing Hongyuan looked up at his mother, a flash of surprise in his eyes.

His mother had already been at level fifty-nine before, stuck at the bottleneck for all these days without advancing even an inch.

Now, saying she was only one step away from level sixty meant that the bottleneck that had trapped her for years had finally loosened.

"The Whale Rubber's effects are even better than I imagined."

Liu Yunlan set down her chopsticks and looked at her hands.

"My meridians have become at least ten years younger. I was stuck at level fifty-nine before because my meridians had aged. Whenever my Soul Power reached the bottleneck, it simply could not pass through. Now that my meridians have regained their elasticity, the Soul Power naturally breaks through."

Qing Zhengyue looked at his wife in silence for a moment before speaking.

"Then we should strike while the iron is hot. Once you break through level sixty, we'll hunt your sixth Soul Ring while we're out this time."

Liu Yunlan raised her head and looked at her husband.

"The target age? Around forty thousand years," Qing Zhengyue said. "Your physique is already strong enough after being enhanced by the Whale Rubber. With Feng'er's dragon might assisting us, it shouldn't be a problem."

Liu Yunlan nodded without saying more.

She knew that the old man was making long-term plans.

The target for the seventh Soul Ring was a hundred-thousand-year plant-type Soul Beast, located in the high-risk region deep within Star Dou Forest, around Life Lake.

A place like that was not easy to visit even once.

Since they were going, they might as well accomplish everything they could.

Her sixth Soul Ring could be hunted during the same trip.

"Then what should I choose for my sixth Soul Ring?" the old lady asked.

Qing Zhengyue thought for a moment. "The same as Hongyuan's: a Wind Wood Dragon. Forty thousand years old, with both wind and wood attributes. It can grant you the ability to fly."

Liu Yunlan's eyes brightened slightly.

The ability to fly was something she truly wanted.

The last time she saw her son flying through the sky, she had called him "useless" aloud, but inwardly, she had been envious beyond measure.

"Are there any other flying abilities among wood-attribute plant types?" she pressed.

"There are, but they're far too rare. The Wind Wood Dragon is a stable and reliable choice," Qing Zhengyue said. "Besides, we've fought two Wind Wood Dragons before. We have experience. If we fight another, we'll know exactly what to do."

Liu Yunlan nodded and did not ask further.

Qing Hongyuan, who had been listening from the side, suddenly spoke.

"What about me?"

"Of course you're coming along."

Qing Zhengyue glanced at his son, his tone matter-of-fact. "You have experience with Wind Wood Dragons and can help when we get there. Besides, your Azure Snake Dragon Wing can provide aerial vision in the darkness."

Qing Hongyuan nodded, unable to stop the corners of his mouth from rising. He had thought his father would leave him at home to guard the house, but this time, the entire family was going.

"I'm going too." Shen Wanqing set down her bowl and spoke up on her own initiative. "My support Soul Skills are useful to the team. I may not be able to help in direct combat, but enhancing you and keeping everyone alive are my strengths."

Qing Zhengyue looked at his daughter-in-law and nodded.

Shen Wanqing's Jade Orchid support had played a major role in their last hunt for the thirty-thousand-year Wind Wood Dragon—Jade Blessing boosted attack and defense, Jade Protection preserved lives, and Jade Rejuvenation provided sustained recovery.

With her there, the team's survival ability would increase by at least thirty percent.

"Then the whole family is going," Qing Zhengyue decided. "All five of us. Not one less."

Qing Mufeng looked at his grandfather, the corners of his lips curving upward slightly.

The whole family acting together was exactly the situation he most wanted to see.

Not because he needed protection, but because a family was safest when they were together.

Liu Yunlan stood and began clearing the dishes. The old lady moved quickly, already calculating what they needed to prepare before departure.

"We need to bring more medicinal bath ingredients, and the Whale Rubber too. If we end up staying outside for a long time, we can't stop taking it."

As she tidied up, the old lady muttered to herself:

"We need to prepare more Beast Repellent Powder. There isn't much left from last time. And medicinal herbs for treating injuries—we need to bring several extra sets."