Return to Vast Sea City

Immortal herbs were quite effective when consumed directly, but it was ultimately somewhat wasteful.

Some of their medicinal power could not be fully absorbed, while some of their properties would conflict with one another.

Refining them into pills, however, would not only maximize their effects but also allow multiple immortal herbs to be combined, producing results greater than the sum of their parts.

Dugu Bo had read countless web novels in his previous life and knew the effects and combinations of all kinds of immortal herbs like the back of his hand.

The original body's memories had also given him the foundation and experience to handle medicinal ingredients.

The combination of the two filled him with confidence in pill refining.

He started with the simplest one.

The Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum could nourish the limbs and open the meridians when consumed, making it exceptionally effective for assault-type Soul Masters.

This immortal herb had gentle medicinal properties and did not need to be paired with other ingredients. It could be refined directly.

Dugu Bo took out the Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum and tempered it with Netherflame using the same method.

The golden flower slowly melted within the dim purple Netherflame, turning into a mass of glittering golden liquid.

Dugu Bo carefully controlled the temperature, gradually removing the impurities from the liquid and preserving only its purest essence.

The liquid slowly solidified, condensing into three glittering golden pills.

Each was round and smooth, giving off a faint chrysanthemum fragrance.

"Singular Velvet Pills." Dugu Bo named the three pills. "They strengthen the body and open the meridians. One pill is even more effective than directly consuming an entire Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum."

He intended to save one Singular Velvet Pill for Yan Yan, one for Dugu Xin, and one for himself.

Next came the Narcissus Jade Muscle Bone.

This immortal herb nourished tendons and strengthened bones, making it suitable for agility-type Soul Masters.

Dugu Bo refined it into four pills, snow-white throughout and crystalline as if carved from jade.

Then came the Cockscomb Phoenix Sunflower.

This immortal herb could cleanse impurities from within the body and greatly enhance fire-attribute Martial Souls.

Although neither Dugu Bo nor Dugu Yan possessed fire attributes, cleansing impurities was beneficial to any Soul Master.

Dugu Bo refined it into two pills, one red and one orange, both radiating a warm aura.

One was for himself, and one was for Yan Yan.

As for the other immortal herbs, Dugu Bo was in no hurry to refine them.

Some needed to be combined with specific auxiliary medicinal ingredients, which he did not currently possess.

Some had violent medicinal properties and required Yan Yan's physique to improve further before she could consume them.

Others, he intended to save for later use.

After all, pill refining was not something that could be accomplished overnight.

There was no rush. He could take it slowly.

Five days passed in the blink of an eye.

Dugu Yan ate Whale Rubber every day and cultivated her Soul Power, while her spiritual power steadily improved under the effects of the Full Moon Wearing Autumn Dew Pill.

Dugu Bo refined pills each day, occasionally guiding his granddaughter's cultivation. His days were full and peaceful.

Dugu Xin and Lin Wan'er stood guard nearby, though neither of them needed to cultivate.

The cultivation methods of an Undead Body differed from those of the living. Dugu Bo had yet to find suitable cultivation techniques for them, but they had not been idle.

Dugu Xin familiarized himself with his seventh soul skill, while Lin Wan'er adapted to the combat methods of an Undead Body.

The family of four spent a rare period of peace in this secluded valley.

But that evening, Dugu Bo gathered everyone together.

"Grandpa is going on a long journey."

Dugu Bo got straight to the point.

Dugu Yan froze. "Grandpa, you're leaving again?"

"Yes." Dugu Bo nodded. "The Whale Rubber I bought in Vast Sea City before was only the first batch. The second batch should be ready by now, so Grandpa is going to collect it."

"And Grandpa has some other matters to handle as well."

He did not elaborate on those other matters.

Though Dugu Yan was reluctant to see him go, she did not try to stop him.

She knew that everything her grandfather did was important.

"Grandpa, how long will it take before you return?"

"Seven or eight days if things go quickly, half a month if they don't." Dugu Bo said, "Cultivate properly in the valley. Eat your Whale Rubber every day, and don't slack off."

"Got it, Grandpa."

Dugu Bo then looked at Dugu Xin and Lin Wan'er.

"I'll leave Yan Yan to you."

Dugu Xin nodded. "Father, don't worry."

Dugu Bo said nothing more. Dim purple Nether Qi lifted his body and carried him out of the valley.

His Profound Black Robe vanished into the twilight.

Dugu Yan watched the direction in which her grandfather had departed, a trace of determination flashing through her emerald Dragon Eyes.

Grandpa was working hard.

She could not be lazy either.

Vast Sea City.

By the time Dugu Bo arrived, it was already evening three days later.

Rather than going to an inn first, he went directly to Boss Qian's trading house.

The round-faced fat man spotted the figure in the Profound Black Robe from afar and scrambled out from behind the counter. The smile on his face was brighter than if he had seen his own father.

"Honored guest! You've finally come!"

Boss Qian wiped away sweat as he said, "We've had the second batch ready for a long time. We've been waiting for you to collect it!"

Dugu Bo nodded and followed Boss Qian into the back courtyard of the trading house.

More than a dozen large wooden crates were stacked neatly in the courtyard.

When opened, they proved to be packed full of Whale Rubber.

"Four hundred and thirty jin." Boss Qian handed over the ledger. "That's nearly two hundred jin more than expected. Fishermen from several fishing villages heard that someone was buying this stuff at a high price, so they dug out old stock that had been sitting in their homes for years."

Dugu Bo glanced over the Whale Rubber. Its color was darker than that of the first batch, and its fishy stench was even stronger.

It was older stock.

He nodded in satisfaction.

Old stock was better. Its medicinal power was stronger.

"I'll take it all."

As usual, Dugu Bo paid and stored every wooden crate inside the Ruyi Hundred Treasure Pouch.

Boss Qian accepted the money pouch, grinning from ear to ear.

This honored guest was generous, never haggled, paid upon delivery, and never delayed payment.

Customers like this were hard to find even with a lantern.

"Honored guest, should we keep collecting it? There are still some more distant fishing villages we haven't visited yet. If..."

"Keep collecting." Dugu Bo interrupted him. "I'll return in three months."

Three months.

Boss Qian paused, then nodded repeatedly.

"Good, good, good! In three months, this humble one will definitely have even more goods ready for you!"

Dugu Bo gave a grunt and turned to leave the trading house.

He did not linger in Vast Sea City.

With the Whale Rubber in hand, it was time to return.

But before leaving, he still had one more thing to do.

Dugu Bo went to the harbor, found a fishing boat heading out to sea, and paid a hefty sum to charter the entire vessel.

The fishing boat left the harbor and slowly headed toward the deep sea.

Dugu Bo stood at the bow, his Dark Golden Dragon Eyes fixed on the ink-blue sea in the distance.

He had come here to hunt a sea Soul Beast.

Not for himself, but for Dugu Xin.

Dugu Xin was now a level-seventy Soul Saint, and his seventh Soul Ring was a black ten-thousand-year Soul Ring.

Though it was no longer weak, there was still plenty of room for improvement as the core fighting force of the Undead Body.

Dugu Bo intended to help him hunt a higher-aged, higher-quality eighth Soul Ring.

But there was no rush regarding the eighth Soul Ring. For now, he needed to first understand the sea Soul Beasts.

"Honored guest, we can't go any farther!"

The Boat Captain poked his head out of the cabin, his voice full of fear. "Beyond this point is the territory of deep-sea behemoths. Those things can swallow our boat in a single bite!"

Without turning his head, Dugu Bo tossed him a bag of gold coins.

"Wait here."

Before his words had faded, he leaped into the air and flew toward deeper waters.

Dim purple Nether Qi streaked across the sky above the sea, trailing a long tail behind him.

"Could he be a Titled Douluo!?"

The Boat Captain clutched the bag of gold coins, utterly dumbfounded.

Not long afterward, an earth-shaking roar came from afar, followed by the explosive crash of enormous waves.

A moment later, everything fell silent.

Dugu Bo flew back and landed on the boat.

Not a single drop of water stained his Profound Black Robe.

Inside the Ruyi Hundred Treasure Pouch, there was now a blue-glowing ten-thousand-year Soul Ring and a palm-sized Soul Bone.

The Boat Captain knelt on the deck, his legs weak and unable to say a word.

Dugu Bo glanced at him and said flatly, "Return to port."