Ye Lingling steadied herself, blinked, straightened her skirt, and hurried over to the three of them.
She reached out and picked up the pitch-black object, brushing the dust from its surface with her fingertips. In a gentle voice, she said:
"This is called Whale Rubber. As for why it's so black, I think... it's probably because it was stored for too long and the surface weathered."
At the words "Whale Rubber," Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Xiao Wu all blushed in unison, embarrassment flickering in their eyes.
This stuff was practically infamous across the Douluo Continent, even though many people had never used it.
People just loved teasing and joking about it. As for whether anyone had actually used it, only the people involved could say for sure.
Xiao Yexuan suddenly understood. He slapped his forehead and muttered, rubbing his chin:
"So this is Whale Rubber."
Ning Rongrong had spent her days alongside the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect amassing countless heavenly treasures and rare herbs, most of them centuries-old or even millennia-old. Her eye for such things was exceptionally sharp.
Xiao Yexuan examined the Whale Rubber in his hands, running his fingertip over its rough surface. The more he looked, the more astonished he became:
"Could this Whale Rubber be ten thousand years old? It looks about the same as the piece Huo Yuhao once used."
He clenched the Whale Rubber in his hand. It felt cold to the touch. Then he looked up at Ye Lingling, his tone earnest:
"I've heard a little about the effects of Whale Rubber, but I feel it must do more than that."
"Besides, quite a few people have used Whale Rubber. I can ask them about their personal experiences later."
"Miss Ye, this piece of Whale Rubber is rather special. Would you be willing to sell it to me?"
Hearing this, Ye Lingling didn't think Xiao Yexuan wanted to do anything improper with the Whale Rubber. Instead, she was certain he meant to use it for alchemy experiments.
Even if Xiao Yexuan really did test it on himself, that would be a fearless act of testing medicine on his own body. His spirit of sacrifice and dedication was truly admirable.
She hurriedly waved her hands, her tone sincere:
"You jest, Young Master. This piece of Whale Rubber is in poor condition, and it's been weathered for so long. It's been sitting in the shop without anyone taking an interest in it."
"If you want it, I'll simply give it to you. There's no need to talk about buying and selling."
"How could I? I can't accept your things for nothing." Xiao Yexuan hurriedly shook his head, refusing firmly.
But Ye Lingling was just as firm and wouldn't give an inch:
"This Whale Rubber would only go to waste if it stayed here. It's better to let you use it for your research."
"If you really manage to discover another use for Whale Rubber, it'll be a great blessing to people everywhere. What does my tiny contribution matter?"
Ye Lingling's words delighted Xiao Yexuan. A smile appeared on his face, and he stopped refusing:
"In that case, I'll accept it."
He spoke solemnly, his eyes full of sincerity:
"Rest assured, Miss Ye. If I discover a new use for Whale Rubber, I'll tell you at the first opportunity."
With that, Xiao Yexuan carefully put the Whale Rubber into the Storage Soul Tool at his waist, his face beaming with satisfaction.
Next, his gaze fell on the bottles and jars of pills Ye Lingling had brought, along with the neatly bundled medicinal herbs.
Seeing this, Ye Lingling immediately understood what he was thinking and took the initiative to explain:
"Young Master, these are the ingredients and recipe for the Body Strengthening Pill, one of the Nine Hearts Begonia Clan's most representative pills."
"Its effects are much the same as a medicinal bath. The difference is that a medicinal bath is applied externally, with the skin absorbing the medicine, while this pill is taken orally and works faster."
"Taking the pill and then exercising helps the body absorb its medicinal effects as quickly as possible."
Xiao Yexuan took the yellowed recipe and read it carefully. Looking at the densely written proportions and steps for preparing the medicine, he couldn't help but marvel inwardly.
The recipe's proportions were indeed ingenious and complex. The Nine Hearts Begonia Clan must have spent generations studying and refining it before settling on this perfect formula.
The shop was filled with all sorts of pills for strengthening the body, enough to cover an entire table, but Xiao Yexuan knew very well—
Of all the treasures for strengthening the body on the Douluo Continent, the foremost was the ten-thousand-year Whale Rubber in his hands.
He rubbed his chin, tapping the table lightly with his fingertips. A thought suddenly came to him:
Perhaps he could add Whale Rubber to the preparation of the Body Strengthening Pill and make it even more effective.
Xiao Yexuan studied it intently, his brow slightly furrowed, his eyes fixed on the recipe. The focused way he pondered made the four girls beside him stare, momentarily spellbound.
They all thought that when Xiao Yexuan was serious, the lines of his profile were sharp and clean, and he somehow looked incredibly handsome.
The four of them instinctively quieted their breathing, even holding their breath, afraid that the slightest sound might disturb Xiao Yexuan as he studied the recipe.
After a long while, Xiao Yexuan finally looked up and came back to himself. His gaze focused, and he turned to Ye Lingling with some embarrassment, scratching his head:
"Miss Ye, this recipe for the Body Strengthening Pill must be a closely guarded secret of the Nine Hearts Begonia Clan, right?"
"I got so absorbed just now that I read the whole thing. Will... this cause your clan any trouble?"
Ye Lingling hurriedly waved her hands, her eyes curving into a smile, her tone utterly sincere:
"You're worrying too much, Young Master. This recipe may be a secret, but you're a rare alchemy prodigy. I saw your passion and dedication to alchemy in your eyes."
"You're bound to become a world-renowned alchemy master one day. Compared with what you'll achieve in the future, my little contribution is nothing."
Xiao Yexuan couldn't help feeling rather pleased with himself. The corners of his mouth lifted as he secretly rejoiced:
I didn't realize I was this charming.
The Body Strengthening Pill recipe was as precious as Tang San's Tang Sect Secret Arts. It would never be passed on lightly.
He and Ye Lingling had only just met, yet she trusted him so completely and held nothing back. It seemed he really was destined to make his mark on the Douluo Continent.
Xiao Yexuan hurriedly clasped his hands in thanks and made a solemn vow:
"Thank you for trusting me, Miss Ye. I'll do everything I can to study it. If I manage to develop a more potent pill, I'll send it to the Nine Hearts Begonia Clan at the first opportunity."
Just as they were chatting happily, the door to the Nine Hearts Begonia Pharmacy suddenly burst open with a bang. The door slammed hard against the wall, making a dull thud.
A middle-aged man wearing glasses, with a face like a shoehorn, rushed in in a panic, sweat beading on his forehead. He was carrying a badly burned, unconscious person in each hand and shouted urgently:
"Clan Leader Ye! Please come out and save my students! They're seriously injured and need immediate treatment!"
Everyone looked over. Wasn't that Flender? The people he was carrying were Tang San and Dai Mubai.
Before you continue