Lan Yu quickly got up and sat in the basin, calming his mind.
The entire process lasted a full two hours.
Only after the last trace of Whale Rubber's energy had been completely absorbed did Lan Yu slowly open his weary eyes.
Feeling the strength of his body, Lan Yu couldn't help but feel delighted.
"With my current physical strength, a thousand-year first ring will be a piece of cake!"
Lan Yu clenched his fists. Since both Soul Beasts and Soul Masters needed Soul Power to cultivate, and Soul Power could be converted between them regardless of its attribute, that meant it possessed an extremely strong capacity for compatibility and adaptation.
One day, if he relied on the Mysterious Heaven Skill to turn all ordinary people into Soul Masters, then used the "Everyone is a Dragon Gu-Refining Method" to fuse Soul Beasts and Soul Masters, perhaps he could shatter this distorted cultivation system!
Since the Sea God could become a god through faith—
Then I... Lan Yu raised his hands and lifted his head. An immensely arrogant ambition slowly rose from the depths of his heart.
Lan Yu got dressed and stepped outside. Seeing that the door across from him was still shut tight, he shook his head, walked to the stone bench in the middle of the courtyard, and sat down to wait.
Another half hour passed before Ah Yin finally came out, leading Tang Shan and Xiao Wu.
"Ah, it's already dark. You all chat for a bit; I'll go make dinner." Ah Yin glanced at the sky and said with a smile.
Absorbing the Whale Rubber had been so absorbing that, in the blink of an eye, night had fallen. Lan Yu, who hadn't eaten all day, was now famished.
"Xiao Shan? Xiao Wu?" Seeing the two girls on the stone bench with their heads bowed and not saying a word, Lan Yu raised an eyebrow, his voice edged with confusion.
"Ah!" Tang Shan, who'd been walking with her head down and lost in thought, jolted at Lan Yu's voice. Her heart pounded.
Her cheeks flushed as she quickly glanced up at Lan Yu, then hurriedly lowered her head again. Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's buzz. "Big brother~"
She couldn't explain what was happening to her. While absorbing the Whale Rubber, Lan Yu's image had kept flashing uncontrollably through her mind, and a torrent of fanciful thoughts had refused to fade. Now that she was standing in front of him, her legs felt weak and her cheeks burned fiercely.
Tang Shan's voice had been so soft that Lan Yu hadn't heard her. He couldn't help asking, "What?"
"Hmph, I'm not talking to you anymore!" Tang Shan stamped her foot, blushing as she ran into the house.
"Is Xiao Shan... upset with me? She used to give me a hug every time." Lan Yu's eyes dimmed, and he sighed.
"You!... You're hopeless! You big jerk!" Xiao Wu, who'd been too embarrassed to look up, saw his forlorn expression. Equal parts angry and embarrassed, she blushed and spat out the words before quickly running off too.
Watching their strange behavior, Lan Yu's eyes narrowed slightly.
Was it the Whale Rubber's effect?
Xiao Shan was only six years old, with an innocent mind. The Whale Rubber's side effects shouldn't affect her much.
As for Xiao Wu, she was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast who'd taken human form. True, she was a hundred-thousand-year-old shut-in, but she'd still lived through plenty. Surely the side effects wouldn't affect her either?
About half an hour later, Ah Yin finished cooking a steaming meal. "Come on, everyone, let's eat. We'll set off for the Star Dou Great Forest the day after tomorrow!"
Lan Yu didn't consider himself someone who cared much for fine food, but after going hungry all day, he still couldn't help swallowing at the sight of the table laden with dishes.
Seven days later, at a border town on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.
Ah Yin wore a mask and a dark robe that completely concealed her figure.
"Mom, unless absolutely necessary, don't show your true face or release your Martial Soul. Even if you run into other Soul Masters, you only need to release the pressure of a Titled Douluo or intimidate them with your Soul Rings!" Lan Yu advised earnestly.
Ah Yin nodded in agreement, but concern showed in her eyes. "If I don't step in, what will you children do?"
Lan Yu smiled and took several Silent Sleeve Arrows from his storage ring, handing them out to the others beside him. "These are Silent Sleeve Arrows. They're more than enough to deal with ordinary ten-year and Hundred-Year Soul Beasts."
"So these are Silent Sleeve Arrows?" Tang Shan took one and turned it over in her hands, unable to put it down.
She looked up and noticed Lan Yu's hands were empty. She quickly asked, "Big brother, you gave them all to us. What will you use?"
"Me? I'll manage just fine!" Lan Yu ruffled her hair with a smile and took out the Godly Zhuge Crossbow. "Even if we run into some weaker thousand-year Soul Beasts, we might still be able to handle them."
"There's a hotel up ahead. Let's go in and rest for a while," Ah Yin suggested, seeing how tired the children looked.
The hotel looked ordinary enough, but being so close to the Star Dou Great Forest made it considerably more expensive than elsewhere.
The hotel had two floors. The ground floor was for dining, and the second floor had guest rooms.
It was evening, and the clinking of cups and lively chatter filled the hall.
As soon as they entered, quite a few eyes swept over them. Someone murmured in admiration, "Which sect did these young masters and misses come from? They're all so good-looking."
Lan Yu was handsome as jade, Tang Shan was exceptionally beautiful, and Xiao Wu was cold and striking. With their looks, the three of them were sure to draw attention wherever they went!
The group booked two rooms.
"Let's order food, then eat in our rooms," Lan Yu suggested. There were too many prying eyes on the first floor.
"Good idea. You order the food; I'll take Xiao Wu and Xiao Shan upstairs first," Ah Yin replied with a nod.
Lan Yu took the menu and was just about to speak when the hotel door suddenly swung open, and three people walked in. The red-haired, chubby young man at the front immediately bellowed, "What kind of dump is this? It's so shabby. I'm not eating here!"
The moment he said that, the atmosphere froze. Everyone in the hotel set down their bowls and chopsticks and glared at him.
Anyone who came to a place like this had their head on the line. A roof over their heads was already a blessing. What gave him the right to be so picky?
If not for the imposing, burly man beside him, they would've thrown him out already.
"Hongjun! This is your future master's husband's fault. Let's just make do, okay? Just don't go back and tell your master on me!" Zhao Wuji bent over, smiling as he coaxed him.
"You're not my future master's husband yet!" Ma Hongjun pouted, clearly displeased.
What a simpering lackey and useless bear! My master is mine! Flanyue was his master, the one who'd taught him everything, but so what? Weren't Bibi Han and Qian Xunji a couple too?!
Lan Yu recognized Ma Hongjun at a glance.
Looks like Ma Hongjun's nature hasn't changed in this world!
But that had nothing to do with him. After ordering the food, he turned to head upstairs.
Tang Shan had waited upstairs for a long time without Lan Yu coming back. She told Ah Yin, then hurried downstairs to look for him. Just as she turned at the bottom of the stairs, she bumped straight into a warm embrace.
"Ah!" Tang Shan let out a soft cry.
"You little rascal, did you do that on purpose?" Lan Yu caught her and teased her with a smile.
"Of course not! You were blocking the way, big brother!" Her little scheme exposed, Tang Shan's cheeks turned red. She turned her head away and huffed.
Just then, a lecherous voice, far too grown-up for its owner's age, sounded from behind Lan Yu.
"Little miss, you're so pretty."
Lan Yu's expression darkened. He immediately shielded Tang Shan behind him and turned around, murder in his eyes. Ma Hongjun had come over at some point and was staring at Tang Shan with a lascivious look.
Lan Yu knew all too well what kind of scum this grass chicken was. That damned Ma Hongjun had a death wish!
"Kid, that's your little sister, right? I've taken a liking to her, so if you know what's good for you—"
Before Ma Hongjun could finish, Lan Yu's Martial Soul instantly possessed him, and he threw a punch.
"Ugh!"