Cultivation Stabilized!

In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.

During that half month, a remarkably warm and unusual sight had appeared on the streets outside Nuoding City Junior Spirit Master Academy.

Every morning and evening, Ling Xuqing would lead Gu Yuena by her little hand, weaving through the streets and alleys of Nuoding City.

Sometimes they lingered in front of a charming pastry shop; other times, they stopped by the stalls selling jewelry.

To outsiders, it looked like a gentle, attentive older brother taking care of his little sister.

But only Ling Xuqing knew that two equally lively girls were following behind him.

Over the past half month, the spirits of Xiao Wu and Ah Yin had been continuously nourished by the Golden Dragon King's essence inside Ling Xuqing. They were now completely stable.

Not only could they be touched almost as if they were real, they could even interact faintly with the outside world, as long as Ling Xuqing and Gu Yuena took care to conceal it.

Of course, to avoid drawing attention, Xiao Wu and Ah Yin always stayed invisible to everyone except Ling Xuqing and Gu Yuena.

"Xuqing, look at that sugar figurine! It's so lifelike!" Xiao Wu's spirit drifted over to an old man's sugar-figurine stall and examined it curiously.

"Brother, the osmanthus scent from this rouge shop is so strong. Sister Ah Yin, would you like to smell it too?"

Gu Yuena had Ah Yin by the arm. Like a little grown-up, she took her from stall to stall, lingering over all the girls' wares.

Ling Xuqing watched the harmonious scene before him, a gentle smile always playing at the corners of his mouth.

Behind all the laughter and cheer, however, Ling Xuqing and Gu Yuena's strength had been skyrocketing.

For the past half month, Ling Xuqing had devoted all his energy to cultivation.

The twenty-eighth-level soul power within him had originally been somewhat unstable from forcefully fusing three different powers. Under the constant tempering of the Golden Dragon King's bloodline power, it had not only become completely stable but was even showing signs of breaking through to level twenty-nine.

With every breath, he could feel the power within him growing purer and more concentrated.

Gu Yuena's progress, meanwhile, had been nothing short of terrifying.

After taking human form, the Silver Dragon King's essence within her had been in an extremely weakened state.

But with the nourishment of Ling Xuqing's kindred Golden Dragon King aura and the Ascending Dragon Pillar's warm, embracing presence, her injuries were healing at a visible rate.

In just half a month, her soul power had soared from level twenty-four, where it had been when she first took human form, to level twenty-six!

What was more, deep in her sea of consciousness, two dazzling white-gold natal Soul Rings had quietly taken shape, radiating a sacred aura.

These were the Silver Dragon King's own natal Soul Rings. She needed to hunt no Soul Beasts to obtain them, and their might surpassed that of ordinary hundred-thousand-year Soul Rings.

However, to hide her true identity, Gu Yuena kept her aura firmly suppressed at the level of a ten-level Soul Scholar whenever she was with Ling Xuqing.

After all, common knowledge on Douluo Continent held that a Soul Master who had yet to obtain their First Soul Ring could never break through level ten.

Though Xiao Wu and Ah Yin had grown increasingly fond of Gu Yuena, they knew nothing of her true identity.

To them, Na'er was simply a gifted and lovable little girl.

That evening, the four of them finished their day of shopping and returned to the dormitory near the academy.

Ling Xuqing had barely opened the door when Xiao Wu eagerly drifted over to Gu Yuena, curiosity written all over her face.

"Na'er, your soul power has reached level ten. What kind of Soul Beast are you planning to hunt for your First Soul Ring? Would you like your big sister to help you choose?"

At Xiao Wu's question, Gu Yuena paused slightly.

She couldn't exactly say that she had no need to hunt Soul Beasts at all—and that she already possessed two white-gold natal Soul Rings that were not merely hundred-thousand-year rings, but surpassed them.

"I... I don't know..." Gu Yuena lowered her head. A hint of unease flashed in her purple eyes, and she answered in a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz.

Seeing Gu Yuena looking so helpless and pitiful, Xiao Wu and Ah Yin's hearts ached at once.

"Oh, Xiao Wu, stop asking. Look how scared you've made Na'er." Ah Yin hurried forward and shielded Gu Yuena, speaking softly to comfort her. "Don't be afraid, Na'er. Whatever kind of Soul Ring you need, your brother and sisters will help you."

Ling Xuqing saw the tips of Gu Yuena's ears turn faintly red and couldn't help laughing to himself.

He knew perfectly well that the girl was acting pitiful.

Knowing Gu Yuena, she was probably already plotting how to fool him.

Ling Xuqing walked over, gently ruffled Gu Yuena's soft silver hair, and smiled at the two girls in his sea of consciousness.

"Xiao Wu, Ah Yin, don't ask her anymore. Na'er has her own plans. We'll let things take their course."

At Ling Xuqing's words, Gu Yuena abruptly lifted her head. Surprise flickered in her purple eyes.

She gazed into Ling Xuqing's deep, tranquil eyes, and a ripple stirred in her heart.

Had he... already seen through my disguise?

Gu Yuena keenly sensed that Ling Xuqing's words had carried a hidden meaning.

He hadn't exposed her. Instead, he had helped her out of a tight spot.

Warmth welled up in Gu Yuena's heart once more.

She looked at Ling Xuqing, gratitude and affection filling her purple eyes.

Ling Xuqing withdrew his hand and glanced at Xiao Wu, Ah Yin, and Gu Yuena. His expression gradually grew serious.

"All right, our shopping is over."

Ling Xuqing walked to the table, pulled out a chair, and sat down. "My cultivation is completely stable now, so it's time for us to plan our next move."

Xiao Wu immediately perked up and drifted in front of Ling Xuqing, asking curiously, "Xuqing, where are we going?"

Ling Xuqing smiled faintly and uttered three words:

"I'm going to the pharmacy."

"The pharmacy?" Ah Yin was taken aback, her gentle brows drawing together slightly. "Why? Are you injured?"

"No." Ling Xuqing shook his head and answered calmly. "I'm going to buy Whale Rubber."

"Whale Rubber?"

Gu Yuena blinked her purple eyes and asked with an innocent expression, "Brother, what do you need Whale Rubber for? What is it?"

At the words "Whale Rubber," the air in the dormitory seemed to freeze.

Xiao Wu and Ah Yin's faces turned bright red in an instant, like ripe apples.

"X-X-Xuqing!"

Xiao Wu stammered, covering her burning cheeks with both hands as she glared at Ling Xuqing in utter embarrassment.

"W-why are you buying Whale Rubber?! You're not... you're not planning to do something weird to me, are you?!"

Ah Yin was blushing too. Though gentle by nature, she was still a hundred-thousand-year Soul Beast who had taken human form. She had never heard such brazen talk before.

Too embarrassed to even lift her head, she spoke in a trembling voice. "Xuqing... w-why are you suddenly bringing that up..."

Seeing the two girls blushing with embarrassment and indignation, Ling Xuqing froze for a moment. Then he realized what they meant and couldn't help laughing in disbelief.

"What are you thinking?!"

Ling Xuqing rapped Xiao Wu lightly on the head and explained, "I'm buying Whale Rubber to temper my body! Do you understand?"

"Temper your body?"

Xiao Wu and Ah Yin both froze. The blush hadn't faded from their cheeks, but confusion now filled their eyes.

"Whale Rubber... can temper your body?" Xiao Wu blinked and muttered quietly, "Isn't Whale Rubber usually used for..."

She was far too embarrassed to say the last word aloud.

Ling Xuqing sighed helplessly and patiently explained things to the two "innocent" girls.

"What kind of nonsense are you two thinking about? Whale Rubber is the essence found in the bodies of deep-sea leviathans. It has some nourishing properties, but more importantly, it contains extremely violent oceanic bloodline power."

Ling Xuqing pointed to his right leg and continued, "My Golden Dragon King Bloodline is powerful, but to further develop my body's potential, I need an external force this violent to stimulate it. A medicinal bath made with Whale Rubber can temper my sinews, bones, skin, and membranes, making my body even stronger. That has nothing to do with what you two were thinking!"

Only after hearing Ling Xuqing's explanation did Xiao Wu and Ah Yin finally understand.

"S-so that's what you meant..."

Xiao Wu's face grew even redder. She wanted to dig a hole and crawl into it.

She had actually thought Xuqing was some kind of lecher. How mortifying!

Ah Yin was just as ashamed. She lowered her head, twisting her hands together, and spoke in a voice as faint as a mosquito's buzz. "I'm sorry, Xuqing... We misunderstood you."

Seeing the two girls so bashful and uncomfortable, Ling Xuqing felt a rush of affection for them.

He stood up and went to the window to check the sky. The last rays of the setting sun were fading, and night was about to fall.

"Come on, it's getting late."

Ling Xuqing turned to the three of them.

"If we wait any longer, the pharmacy will close."