Acquiring Whale Rubber Ahead of Time

Qian Renxue's mind went completely blank in that instant.

She had considered countless possibilities before.

That phantom might have been her mother's avatar, or a disguise created by an expert from the Consecrated Hall.

Perhaps she missed her mother too much, and had hallucinated.

But she had never imagined...

That phantom, that mother who had said "I'm sorry" to her, was actually the Martial Soul of a six-year-old boy!

Fang Mo's Martial Soul.

Qian Renxue's breathing became shallow and hurried.

Mist welled up in her pale golden eyes in an instant, only to be forcibly held back.

She did not cry.

She merely stood there, staring fixedly at the phantom on the training grounds, as though she wanted to carve every inch of its outline into the depths of her heart.

That was Mother.

Or rather, another Mother.

The future version of her.

The version of her that had already died once.

Qian Renxue recalled every word the phantom had said to her that evening.

"Give her some time, and give me some time as well. We'll meet again soon."

"She doesn't dislike you. She simply doesn't know how to face you.

Because every time she sees you, she remembers painful things.

Those things aren't your fault, but she can't control herself."

Qian Renxue finally understood.

Qian Renxue's lips trembled slightly. Her gaze shifted away from Spirit Dong'er and landed on Fang Mo.

Six years old, frail.

He was no different from any ordinary child.

Yet within this unremarkable boy resided the soul she longed most desperately to see.

Qian Renxue rapidly weighed her options.

Fang Mo was the current Mother's personal disciple, and his Martial Soul could manifest another Mother.

In other words, that meeting at dusk had been an opportunity Fang Mo had helped create.

Then...

If she wanted to see that phantom again, Fang Mo was her only path.

Qian Renxue slowly released the stone pillar she had been gripping. Her expression gradually returned to calm.

The mist in her pale golden eyes slowly faded, replaced by a calm, resolute light unique to Qian Renxue.

She made her decision.

Fang Mo.

She needed to get close to him.

Not out of hostility, and not out of jealousy.

But because Fang Mo...

He was the only person who could let her see "Mother" again.

Qian Renxue took one last look at the training grounds. The Martial Soul phantom had already been withdrawn, and Fang Mo was sitting quietly in a corner.

She left without making a sound.

Her light footsteps echoed through the corridor, her golden hair swaying faintly in the dim light.

When she reached a fork in the corridor, Qian Renxue stopped.

She took a silver hairpin from her sleeve, a hairpin engraved with the words "Under the Silver-Leaf Wutong."

Her fingertips brushed over the inscription, and Qian Renxue's gaze grew even more complicated.

"Fang Mo..."

She softly repeated his name.

After putting the hairpin away again, Qian Renxue turned and headed toward the Consecrated Hall.

Evening.

After training ended, Fang Mo returned to his room. He washed up briefly and prepared to cultivate in the Meditation Room.

Just as he pushed open the door, footsteps sounded in the corridor.

Bibi Dong, dressed in a dark purple casual gown and carrying a wooden box, was walking over from the direction of the study.

When she saw Fang Mo, she paused slightly.

"How was training?"

Fang Mo thought for a moment. "Not bad. I fought an eight-year-old trainee and narrowly won."

Bibi Dong's gaze lingered on his face for a moment.

Fang Mo looked calm, without the slightest visible fluctuation, but Bibi Dong knew that his so-called "narrow victory" was most likely untrue.

It was hardly possible for a Soul Master with Innate Full Soul Power and a six-hundred-and-fifty-year Soul Ring to barely defeat an eight-year-old eighteenth-rank Soul Master.

But she did not expose him.

"Mm. Go cultivate."

As Bibi Dong passed him, she suddenly stopped.

"Oh, right. There's progress on the Whale Rubber matter."

Fang Mo was slightly startled.

Bibi Dong looked out the window, lowering her voice. "I had the Pope Palace's trade caravans secretly purchase Whale Rubber in bulk throughout the coastal regions.

Whale Rubber is currently extremely cheap on the market. Those sea merchants only know to use it as an aphrodisiac and have no idea of its true value."

Bibi Dong turned back to Fang Mo, a sharp glint flashing through her eyes.

"I made further improvements to the topical method you mentioned over the past few days.

If it is combined with specific medicinal supplements, its effects when consumed are even better than the first batch we made."

Fang Mo's heart skipped a beat.

Bibi Dong continued, "I have already dispatched three caravans to different seas. We should be able to acquire enough Whale Rubber within a month.

Part of it will be used for your further strengthening, while the rest will be used for Spirit Hall's core Soul Master forces."

Bibi Dong paused, and the corners of her lips curved slightly.

Fang Mo understood instantly.

Whale Rubber.

In the original story, its true value had remained hidden for decades, only to be discovered much later.

But Fang Mo's arrival had allowed Bibi Dong to uncover this secret early.

If Spirit Hall's core Soul Master forces could all use Whale Rubber to strengthen their meridians, their overall strength would undergo a qualitative leap.

More importantly...

For now, only Bibi Dong and Fang Mo knew this secret.

The Elder Hall did not know, the Consecrated Hall did not know, the two great empires did not know, and the three great sects did not know.

This was Bibi Dong's exclusive information advantage.

Fang Mo's mind raced.

In the original story, Bibi Dong's greatest obstacle in consolidating her authority as Pope had come from the Elder Hall.

The Elder Hall's old ministers controlled Spirit Hall's resource distribution, openly obeying the Pope's orders while secretly defying them.

But now...

If Bibi Dong could use Whale Rubber to win people over, those neutral elders who had already been wavering would unhesitatingly side with the Pope.

Because the effects of Whale Rubber were real.

Something that could improve the toughness of one's meridians and raise the limit of Soul Power one could withstand was an irresistible temptation to any Soul Master.

Whoever wanted Whale Rubber—

Had to pledge loyalty to the Pope.

Fang Mo sighed inwardly.

Bibi Dong's methods were faster and more decisive than he had expected. Whale Rubber had given her an entirely new weapon.

Not force, not intimidation, but benefits. Benefits bought people's hearts several times faster than blades and swords.

"Teacher is wise."

Fang Mo said it sincerely.

Bibi Dong shot him a glance.

"Quit flattering me."

Her tone was indifferent, but the corners of her lips lifted for an instant. "What you taught me has become material for you to flatter me with instead."

Fang Mo smiled.

Bibi Dong's smile faded, and her gaze turned serious.

"Fang Mo, I have already made the arrangements for Whale Rubber. Over the next month, you only need to do one thing..."

"Cultivate."

"Raise your strength as quickly as possible."

She turned toward the study. After taking a few steps, she suddenly looked back and lowered her voice.

"People in the Elder Hall have already begun questioning your identity. It happened sooner than I expected."

Fang Mo's expression did not change.

He had anticipated it long ago.

"What about the Consecrated Hall?"

The corners of Bibi Dong's lips curved. "That old fox Qian Daoliu has not taken a stance for now. He is still watching."

She did not finish, but Fang Mo already understood.

Qian Daoliu was no fool.

Once the value of Whale Rubber was proven, he would immediately realize what it meant.

At that point, he would have to make a choice, and Bibi Dong would be able to take control of Spirit Hall more quickly.

Fang Mo followed behind Bibi Dong, passing through the side corridor toward the study.

Within his Spirit Sea, Spirit Dong'er's voice rang out faintly, carrying a trace of laziness.

"That woman was smarter than she was in her previous life."

"It wasn't that she became smarter. She simply gained a better weapon."

Dong'er fell silent for a moment, then gave an extremely soft sigh.

"I had opportunities in my previous life too. But back then, my head was filled only with hatred for Qian Xunji and obsession with Yu Xiaogang. I would never have paid attention to something so inconspicuous."

"But things are different now."

"Mm."

Dong'er's voice lowered, carrying an indescribable emotion.

"Because someone is standing by her side."