After thanking her, Li Qing planned to find a quiet place and absorb the energy right away.
He had just turned to leave when Bo Saixi called out to him.
"Wait."
Bo Saixi looked at him with some confusion and asked, thoroughly puzzled, "Now that it's been refined, why not absorb it here? The Sea God Hall is rich in energy and safe, making it the ideal place to cultivate. I can also stay nearby and protect you, just in case."
Li Qing froze in place. His little face flushed bright red in an instant, even the tips of his ears turning crimson.
He lowered his head, not daring to meet Bo Saixi's eyes. He stammered for a long while before finally explaining in a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz, "Um... High Priestess, sis... Even though the main effect of this Whale Rubber after refinement is to strengthen the body, its original... its original aphrodisiac effect hasn't been completely eliminated. It's just been weakened a lot... And on top of that... you're really beautiful, High Priestess, and you have such a wonderful presence... I... I'm afraid that when I absorb the energy later, my emotions might run high, and if... if the remaining medicinal effects get to me, I might not be able to control myself... and do something disrespectful... That would... that would be far too offensive to you..."
The more Li Qing spoke, the quieter his voice became, and the lower he bowed his head. He wished the ground would open up and swallow him.
What he'd said was half true and half false. The fact that Whale Rubber's aphrodisiac effects hadn't completely disappeared was one reason, but more importantly, faced with a peerless beauty like Bo Saixi, he—a transmigrator with a mature mental age—wasn't confident he could keep his mind completely clear while absorbing energy with such unusual effects.
If he made a fool of himself, he'd be socially dead. How could he ever show his face on Sea God Island again?
After hearing Li Qing's halting, scarlet-faced explanation, Bo Saixi froze for a moment. Then a faint blush quickly spread across her exquisite face, like rouge brushed over white jade, adding a touch of delicate beauty.
She immediately understood Li Qing's misgivings. At the same time, his remark that she was truly beautiful made her feel a barely perceptible embarrassment...and perhaps a little pleasure?
She gave a light cough to hide her awkwardness, then hurriedly waved her hand. Her tone returned to its usual calm, though it seemed a touch faster than normal. "I see... Then hurry and find somewhere quiet to absorb it. Be careful, and don't push yourself beyond your limits."
"Yes! Thank you, High Priestess, sis!" As if granted a reprieve, Li Qing clutched the golden mass of energy essence and raced toward his room without looking back, moving faster than a rabbit.
Watching Li Qing's retreating figure practically flee, Bo Saixi remained where she was. Only after he disappeared at the end of the corridor did she let out a soft, almost inaudible breath.
She raised a hand and absently brushed her fingertips over her faintly warm cheek. As Li Qing's words echoed in her mind, she couldn't help but mutter, "That little rascal... He's so young, yet his thoughts are... But..."
Her gaze turned toward the Sea God Statue, growing profound.
Li Qing's actions today had once again confirmed how special he was.
That child was no ordinary person.
Perhaps he really could change something.
"Tang Chen's great-grandson... Tang San..."
Bo Saixi murmured to herself, her expression complicated. "And the Asura God Position... It seems that continent really is about to be swept by upheaval."
Meanwhile, back in his room, Li Qing sat cross-legged on his bed, preparing to absorb the hard-won essence of the Whale Rubber.
He took a deep breath, hesitated no longer, and opened his mouth to swallow the warm mass of gelatinous substance.
To his surprise, it didn't taste as good as he'd imagined. At first, it was still bitter and fishy, and he nearly spat it out on instinct.
But a moment later, an indescribable sweetness blossomed across his tongue and slid down his throat into his stomach, transforming into a warm current.
Yet the warmth didn't spread gently through his body.
In almost an instant, a scorching heat flared up from his lower abdomen like a wildfire catching light!
Li Qing felt as though his blood were boiling. His fair skin flushed visibly, and fine beads of sweat even appeared on his temples.
A raw, restless desire, like a Ferocious Beast awakening, began battering at the defenses of his reason.
"Not good. The medicinal effect is even stronger than I thought!" Li Qing was alarmed. Daring not to waste a moment, he immediately focused his mind and circulated his Innate Soul Power, far beyond that of an ordinary person, guiding the violent energy through his meridians in an attempt to refine and absorb it.
Perhaps sensing that its master was at a critical juncture, the Mysterious Origin Water-Controlling Flag appeared beside him of its own accord, without needing to be summoned.
The flag fluttered without a breeze, radiating a gentle, cool blue glow. Ancient runes slowly flowed across its surface, releasing pure water-element energy. Like sweet rain, it soothed Li Qing's burning body, helping him steady his mind and suppress the Evil Fire surging within him.
The spirit of this Primordial treasure revealed itself in full at that moment.
Just as Li Qing was doing everything he could to resist the medicinal effects, the door was gently pushed open a crack.
A graceful blue figure slipped silently into the room. It was Bo Saixi, who had returned.
In the end, she had been too worried. She wanted to see with her own eyes what this so-called body-tempering method looked like, and to make sure Li Qing was safe.
Bo Saixi stood a few steps from the bed, her deep, ocean-like eyes curiously taking in Li Qing as he cultivated.
When she saw the Mysterious Origin Water-Controlling Flag protecting its master on its own, admiration flashed in her eyes once more.
The spirit of this Martial Soul was truly extraordinary.
[If this method really can greatly strengthen a Soul Master's body, then the value of Whale Rubber will have to be reassessed.]
Bo Saixi pondered, [The waters around Sea God Island are home to no shortage of powerful whale-type Soul Beasts. If they can be put to proper use...]
However, her thoughts were soon interrupted by the sight before her.
Because of the unusual lingering effects of the Whale Rubber, one part of Li Qing's body had changed conspicuously.
At the sight of it, Bo Saixi's exquisite face flushed bright red, and even her fair neck turned crimson.
She had lived for over a hundred years. As the High Priestess of Sea God Island, she held a position of immense prestige, and strict rules governed the island. Everyone treated her only with reverence; no one had ever dared to show her the slightest disrespect.
She had also devoted herself to serving the Sea God and cultivating. When it came to love between men and women, or matters of the bedchamber, she was practically a blank sheet of paper—so pure and nearly innocent that she had even been fooled by that boor Tang Chen back then.
Caught off guard by such a sight—and on the body of a child she regarded as a junior—she was overwhelmed by shock and embarrassment, and for a moment she didn't know what to do.
Instinct told her to look away, but the keen observation and curiosity of a Peerless Douluo made her want to understand the precise effects of the medicine and how severe they were.
After all, it concerned the truth and safety of the body-tempering method Li Qing had described.
This conflict of emotions left her frozen in place, not knowing whether to advance or retreat. She could only force herself to stay composed, though her faintly trembling lashes and quickening heartbeat betrayed her inner turmoil.
Night lay like ink. The Sea God Hall was utterly still, with only the luminous pearls casting a gentle glow.
Li Qing slowly opened his eyes, a glint flashing through them as though waves were surging beneath their surface.
He stood and stretched his limbs. His joints cracked crisply.
Feeling the abundant vitality coursing through him and the marked increase in his muscle strength, Li Qing nodded in satisfaction. "No wonder it's Whale Rubber from a whale that's cultivated for eight thousand years. The effects are even better than I expected."
He was sticky all over, and a layer of gray-black grime clung to his skin. These were impurities expelled as his body was tempered.
He hurried into the bathroom attached to his room. Warm seawater poured from the shell-shaped showerhead set into the wall, washing over his body.
After cleaning up, Li Qing changed into fresh clothes and stepped outside.
The corridor was empty, with only the aquamarines embedded in the walls giving off a faint glow.
He headed straight for Bo Saixi's room.
He stopped in front of the door carved with the Sea God's totem. After hesitating for a moment, Li Qing reached out and knocked gently.
His knuckles struck the door with a crisp sound that rang especially clearly through the silent corridor.
"Big sis, are you asleep?" he asked in a low voice, afraid of disturbing her.
After a brief silence, Bo Saixi's gentle, slightly languid voice came from inside. "Come in."
Li Qing pushed open the door, and the sight before him made him pause.
Bo Saixi wasn't asleep. She was lounging in a chair by the window, carved from pristine white sea jade.
She had changed out of her long dress from the day and was wearing a light blue silk nightgown, soft and airy.
The nightgown was perfectly tailored, accentuating her tall, graceful figure and every elegant curve. A little more would have been plump, a little less would have been thin—she was a masterpiece of the Creator.
Her deep blue hair, as boundless as the sea, was no longer carefully pinned up as it had been during the day. Instead, it spilled casually down her back, with a few strands playfully falling over her delicate collarbones and chest, adding a softness and allure rarely seen in her.
She crossed one leg over the other in a relaxed pose, causing the hem of her nightgown to ride up slightly, revealing a smooth, jade-white calf with a perfect line, along with a delicate, shapely ankle.
Moonlight spilled through the carved window lattice, laying a cool silver sheen across her bare skin, so fair it seemed to glow.
But what caught Li Qing's attention most was her exquisite face.
In the bright moonlight, a faint blush still lingered on Bo Saixi's cheeks, not yet entirely faded. Like rouge on white jade, it brought a hint of bashfulness and life to her normally sacred, untouchable bearing.
Bathed in moonlight, with her blue hair, snowy skin, and rosy cheeks framed by the boundless deep-blue sky and sea outside, she formed a breathtaking picture—like a goddess beneath the moon, serene and alluring.
[My goodness...]
Li Qing drew a sharp breath inward, staring in awe. He couldn't help thinking, [She... she's unbelievably beautiful! No wonder she's the most beautiful woman on Sea God Island!]
A powerful flutter rose in his chest, and a daring, almost blasphemous thought slipped beyond his control: [If only... if only she could be my wife...]
The moment the thought crossed his mind, he noticed the unusual blush on Bo Saixi's cheeks and couldn't help wondering to himself, [But... why is your face still so red? Did you drink tonight? Surely not!]
Bo Saixi had clearly heard Li Qing's stunned silence and the storm of thoughts in his mind.
Especially the thought about her being his wife. Her heart skipped a beat, and the blush on her cheeks seemed to deepen, like a ripe peach.
She turned her face slightly, a little awkwardly, to avoid Li Qing's openly admiring, searching gaze. Her slender fingers unconsciously twined a strand of hair hanging over her chest as she tried to hide her inner turmoil beneath a calm tone. "You came by so late. Did... something go wrong while you were absorbing the Whale Rubber?"
Her voice was a touch lower than usual, with the lazy, husky rasp of someone just waking up. In the quiet night, it was especially captivating.
Before you continue