Ten Thousand Year Whale Jelly, Negation

After breakfast, Bai Shu, with Xiao Wu trailing behind him, still sulking, found Dugu Bo teaching Dugu Yan to cultivate in the courtyard.

"Senior Dugu," Bai Shu walked forward.

"Young Master!" Dugu Bo saw Bai Shu arrive and immediately stopped what he was doing, greeting him with a smile. "You're up so early, do you have any instructions?"

"It's not an urgent matter," Bai Shu smiled. "I just came to ask if you've had any luck collecting the whale jelly I asked you to gather."

Dugu Bo suddenly realized and quickly took out an ancient wooden box from his storage soul tool.

"Replying to Young Master, currently the Heaven Dou Auction House and several large pharmacies are doing their best to collect it. However, high-year whale jelly is almost all privately hoarded by some major nobles. Even with my name, it will take some time to acquire."

He paused and handed over the wooden box:

"However, I have some of the auction house's best stock here, which they prepared in case they lacked high-level auction items. They are all fine products over ten thousand years old. Young Master can see if they are usable."

"Oh?" Bai Shu took Dugu Bo's wooden box and opened it to take a look. From the outside, these pieces of whale jelly didn't seem special, dark and unappealing, showing no hint of value.

However, Bai Shu could feel the hidden energy within, as that energy was very similar to the life energy he was familiar with, only more violent.

"I don't think the Heaven Dou Auction House would dare to fool you with inferior products," Bai Shu nodded with satisfaction, handing the wooden box back to Dugu Bo. "Melt them with your soul power and give them to Sister Yanzi and Xiao Wu to consume."

As for himself, having consumed whale jelly once before, coupled with his Spirit Soul, even eating another ten-thousand-year whale jelly would have limited effect. His third spirit ring would definitely not reach ten thousand years.

"Ah? Now... for Yan Yan?" Dugu Bo's aged face instantly lit up with joy upon hearing this.

He had long wanted to give Dugu Yan such a treasure, but he didn't know the specific method of use and hadn't obtained Bai Shu's permission, so he didn't dare to use it without authorization.

Receiving permission now made him more excited than breaking through a level of soul power!

The process of consuming the whale jelly went without any accidents.

Although the medicinal power of the ten-thousand-year whale jelly was vast and violent, under the personal protection and guidance of Dugu Bo, a Title Douluo, who did not spare his soul power consumption, the violent energy was directly suppressed like a docile sheep, slowly integrating into Dugu Yan and Xiao Wu's limbs and bones.

A faint blush appeared on their skin, and their auras steadily climbed, clearly benefiting greatly.

About an hour later, Xiao Wu was the first to open her eyes. Feeling the significant improvement in her physique, her small face wrinkled into a ball, and she looked resentfully at Bai Shu:

"Bai Shu, this thing is effective, but the taste is too strong, like mud made from rotten fish and shrimp! You didn't even tell me beforehand."

Dugu Yan also woke up afterward. Although she didn't speak, her expression of utter despair conveyed the same sentiment.

Bai Shu pretended not to see it and smiled, saying, "Good medicine tastes bitter, as long as it's effective. You two go adapt to your new strength first. I have important matters to discuss with Senior Dugu."

Seeing Bai Shu's serious expression, the two women knew the importance of the matter and didn't linger. They left together, preparing to "spar" in the backyard.

After they left, the smile on Bai Shu's face faded, and he turned to Dugu Bo again, asking, "Senior Dugu, what is your evaluation of Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhi Lin, the three committee members of Heaven Dou Royal Academy?"

Dugu Bo was stunned by Bai Shu's sudden question, but he still thought carefully before answering:

"I've interacted with all three of them. In terms of character and moral integrity, they are indeed impeccable. Unfortunately... unfortunately, they are too old, and their talent has long been exhausted. I'm afraid they have no chance of reaching Title Douluo in this lifetime."

Bai Shu fell into deep thought upon hearing this. He had originally planned to recruit a reliable Soul Douluo and then use the immortal herbs from the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to forcibly cultivate a Title Douluo.

After all, the system only required a certain number of Title Douluos under his command, not that he couldn't cultivate them himself.

But hearing Dugu Bo's words made him hesitate. Using a precious immortal herb to exchange for a Title Douluo with a limited ceiling seemed not very cost-effective.

Seeing Bai Shu in thought, Dugu Bo tentatively asked, "Young Master wants to recruit them?"

Bai Shu did not hide it and nodded in admission, "Yes, as you know, there is more than one Ninth-Grade Purple Ganoderma in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. I want to recruit a suitable candidate to add a Title Douluo-level combat power to us."

Upon hearing Bai Shu's idea, Dugu Bo quickly advised, "Young Master, if you want to recruit, those three are probably not suitable."

"Oh? Why are you so sure?"

Dugu Bo explained, "They have served the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family for decades. Their families, connections, and honor are all deeply intertwined with the Heaven Dou Empire. Even if recruited, they would only be nominal guest elders. If a situation arises where their interests conflict with the Heaven Dou Empire's, they would most likely choose to stand by and watch!"

"Is that so..." Bai Shu rubbed his temples in distress. Loyalty was indeed the top priority.

"Do you have anyone in mind? My requirements are not high. Preferably someone whose soul power is close to level eighty-nine, with a clean background, and not too deeply involved with major powers."

"This..." Dugu Bo also began to ponder.

Although the number of Soul Douluos on the continent was much larger than that of Title Douluos, most of them were deeply connected to major powers, and the number of wild Soul Douluos was truly scarce.

Seeing that he couldn't come up with an answer immediately, Bai Shu decided to let it go for now.

"Forget it, this is not urgent. You go inquire first and see if there are any suitable candidates. If not, it wouldn't hurt to contact Meng Shenji and ask about his intentions. Having more options is always good."

"Yes, your subordinate will go now." Dugu Bo turned to leave.

"Oh, right," Bai Shu called out to him, "Also, help me and Xiao Wu get a storage soul tool each, preferably of good quality."

"Yes!" Dugu Bo readily agreed. Although storage soul tools were precious, for a Title Douluo like him, if he put out the word, there would be plenty of people eager to send them to him.

After talking with Dugu Bo, Bai Shu went out and found Xiao Wu sparring with Dugu Yan. Despite the gap in soul power, Xiao Wu currently had the upper hand.

Her movements were unpredictable, always dodging Dugu Yan's emerald-green poisonous mist by a hair's breadth. Occasionally, she would seize an opportunity to get close, and a set of soft skill combos would force Dugu Yan into a flustered state, relying solely on her soul power to barely hold on, unable to retaliate.

This made Dugu Yan somewhat dejected. After all, Xiao Wu was a full five years younger than her, and she was fighting above her level, yet she was being suppressed so miserably.

Seeing that their spar was nearing its end, Bai Shu spoke up to stop Xiao Wu, who wanted to continue.

"Xiao Wu, stop for a moment and come back to my room with me."

Xiao Wu stopped her stance and hopped over. However, upon hearing Bai Shu's words, she slyly blinked her eyes, deliberately glanced at Dugu Yan, who had just gotten up and was looking dejected, and said somewhat shyly, "Ah? Bai Shu, it's still early in the morning, going back to the room... isn't that inappropriate."

Upon hearing this, Dugu Yan's overwhelming dejection instantly vanished, replaced by shock and gossip. Her eyes seemed to say: Good heavens, I didn't expect you guys were like this!

A black line appeared on Bai Shu's forehead. He glared fiercely at Xiao Wu, then looked at Dugu Yan, who was watching with the expression of someone enjoying gossip, and said word by word:

"Shut up, don't you want your second spirit ring?"