Bo Saixi's Curiosity

The old man and Bo Saixi heard two completely different answers. The old man naturally believed Li Qing's explanation at face value, and his face creased into a look of sudden understanding. The wrinkles around his eyes smoothed as he smiled. "So that's it. You're buying it for the adults at home. The best one I have is a piece I was lucky enough to get a few days ago. They say it came from a deep-sea giant whale that lived for eight thousand years, and its energy is still very well preserved. If you want it, little friend, I'll give you a discount."

When Li Qing heard "eight thousand years," his eyes immediately lit up.

Whale Rubber of this age should work quite well for him at his current stage.

He immediately handed over the dark-gold card Bo Saixi had given him and waved his little hand with a show of "wealthy generosity." "No need for a discount! Grandpa, just charge me the original price. My big sister has plenty of money—she won't miss this little bit!"

In the shadows, Bo Saixi heard him say, "My big sister has plenty of money," and the corner of her mouth twitched. She was at a loss for words.

Although, as the High Priestess of Sea God Island, she had little concept of money, she still found it both funny and exasperating that the little fellow was using her generosity to save face.

But what caught her attention even more was the information revealed by Li Qing's inner thoughts: tempering the body and strengthening the bones, so one could absorb Soul Rings beyond one's level?

Whale Rubber actually had such an effect?

Bo Saixi's delicate brows drew together slightly as she fell into thought.

As far as she knew, although Whale Rubber contained a fair amount of energy, it was mainly used by nobles and wealthy merchants for... certain unspeakable purposes. She had never heard of it significantly improving a Soul Master's physique.

If anyone else had said this, she would have scoffed. But she had heard it from Li Qing's own thoughts.

Thinking of all the incredible things about this child, as well as that mysterious Mysterious Origin Water-Controlling Flag... Bo Saixi wasn't sure what to make of it.

Could Whale Rubber really have some special use that no one knew about?

Or could it be that only when paired with his unique Martial Soul could it produce such an extraordinary effect in strengthening the body?

While Bo Saixi's thoughts raced, Li Qing had already paid without hesitation. He carefully cradled the eight-thousand-year-old Whale Rubber, about the size of an adult's fist, its color a dusky yellow and its stench pungent. He left the stall looking perfectly satisfied, as if he had gotten his hands on some priceless treasure.

Watching Li Qing hug the Whale Rubber and toddle toward a less crowded area, Bo Saixi followed again, as silently as a ghost in the night.

She wanted to see what the little fellow planned to do with the thing he had gone to such trouble to buy.

As Li Qing walked, he looked down at the heavy Whale Rubber in his arms, his little brows furrowing as he muttered to himself:

I got the Whale Rubber, and its age is pretty good. But this stuff reeks. There's no way I can just chew it. It needs to be softened or even melted at a high temperature before I can absorb its essence. With my current Soul Power, refining it myself would take too long, and the results might not even be good.

If only I could get Bo Saixi to help... With her level ninety-nine Soul Power and peerless control, she could refine it for me and extract as much energy from the Whale Rubber as possible. The process would be safe and efficient, too.

But... how do I ask her? "Big sister High Priestess, could you please refine this piece of Whale Rubber that's used to boost virility? I want to use it to temper my body." This... this is way too embarrassing! Would she think I have some weird fetish? Or would she just think I'm a silly little brat?

But I can't do it by myself!

Every last word of Li Qing's inner turmoil and calculations reached the little tail following behind him.

Listening to his troubled thoughts, especially his worries about embarrassment and strange fetishes, Bo Saixi couldn't help letting the faintest smile curve her exquisite lips, like an ice lotus just beginning to bloom. Unfortunately, no one was there to see it.

So that was what the little fellow was worried about.

Still, asking her to help refine it was a workable idea.

She did want to see with her own eyes whether Whale Rubber truly had the miraculous effect Li Qing believed it did.

If it did, it might well be a new discovery that could change how Soul Masters on Sea God Island were trained.

Hugging the heavy, pungent Whale Rubber, Li Qing hurried back to Sea God Hall.

His heart was beating a little faster, not only because of the precious treasure in his arms, but also because he was about to face Bo Saixi and make a request he found difficult to voice.

As he walked, he rehearsed what he would say over and over in his mind, trying to come up with a reason that would convince Bo Saixi without sounding too abrupt.

When he entered the grand, spacious main hall of Sea God Hall, he immediately spotted the familiar figure.

Bo Saixi stood silently before the enormous Sea God Statue, her back to the entrance as she gazed up at its imposing features.

She still wore a light-blue gown, her sea-blue hair cascading like a waterfall to her waist. Her posture was graceful and upright, and simply standing there, she seemed to blend with the entire hall, radiating an aura of holiness that brooked no disrespect.

The morning light streamed through the high windows, casting a hazy halo around her. She was breathtakingly beautiful.

Looking at Bo Saixi's graceful, unparalleled figure, Li Qing took a deep breath and steeled himself. A blade awaits whether I stick my head out or tuck it in. I'm going for it! What's a little embarrassment compared to getting stronger?

Hugging the Whale Rubber, he hurried over and stopped a few steps from Bo Saixi, doing his best to keep his voice calm and natural. "Big sister High Priestess, I'm back."

At the sound of his voice, Bo Saixi slowly turned around.

A hint of perfectly judged confusion showed on her exquisite face. Her gaze fell on the parcel wrapped in oil paper in Li Qing's arms, and she pretended not to know what was inside. "Oh? You're back already? What did you buy?"

Li Qing coughed a few times, a faint blush appearing on his face. It was clear he still felt a little awkward.

But this time, he didn't try to hide it or make up another excuse. He simply opened the oil-paper wrapping and revealed the dusky yellow Whale Rubber inside, hard in texture and reeking to high heaven.

"It's... a piece of Whale Rubber," Li Qing said, his voice a little quieter than before.

Bo Saixi narrowed her beautiful eyes and looked at it closely, putting on a suitably surprised, puzzled expression. "Whale Rubber? What did you buy this for?"

Her voice carried just the right amount of confusion, as if she truly had never seen the stuff before and had no idea what it was for.

Seeing that Bo Saixi had asked, Li Qing knew he couldn't avoid the question. So he steeled himself and explained as he had planned. "Big sister High Priestess, there's something you might not know. Although most people on the market use Whale Rubber for... that sort of thing, if it's refined with a special method and its impurities are removed, the pure energy inside can be absorbed by a Soul Master to strengthen their body and bones."