Enjoying the Show!

"Yay! Let's go buy some Whale Rubber!"

Xiao Wu cheered. Although she had just suffered a mortifyingly embarrassing moment, she was naturally lively, and by now she had long since tossed her embarrassment to the winds.

Ah Yin smiled gently too, took Gu Yuena's hand, and the group strode out of the dormitory in high spirits.

Night had fallen over Nuoding City, and the city's lights were just beginning to shine.

Most of the shops along the street had already hung up lanterns. Their dim yellow light swayed over the bluestone paving, lending the old city a few extra touches of peace and serenity.

Ling Xuqing held Gu Yuena's hand, while Xiao Wu and Ah Yin walked on either side of them. The four soon arrived at the entrance to the largest pharmacy in Nuoding City—Huichun Hall.

Huichun Hall was a century-old establishment in Nuoding City. It sold all kinds of common herbs and also dealt in many precious medicinal ingredients.

Ling Xuqing pushed open the door, and a rich medicinal fragrance wafted toward them.

Behind the counter, an old shopkeeper with graying hair and reading glasses was getting ready to close up. Hearing the door, he looked up.

"Oh, welcome, customers! What can I get for you?" the old shopkeeper asked with a beaming smile.

Ling Xuqing stepped forward and asked bluntly:

"Shopkeeper, do you have any Whale Rubber? I want the highest-quality kind."

"Whale Rubber?"

A look of surprise flickered in the old shopkeeper's eyes.

He sized Ling Xuqing up. Seeing that he was young and plainly dressed, he couldn't help feeling puzzled.

Whale Rubber was famous across Douluo Continent as a "great tonic," and it was extremely expensive.

Usually, only nobles of advanced years whose Bloodline Power was waning, or people who cultivated certain special techniques, would buy it.

What would a little child who looked only six or seven years old want with Whale Rubber?

"We do have some, but..." The old shopkeeper nudged his reading glasses up and spoke slowly. "Whale Rubber is the essence from within deep-sea giant whales. It's extremely precious, and it doesn't come cheap. Besides, its medicinal properties are fierce. Children shouldn't eat it."

"Don't worry, shopkeeper. I'm only using it to make a medicinal bath for body training." Ling Xuqing smiled faintly, took a stack of Gold Soul Coins from his clothes, and placed them lightly on the counter.

"Here are fifty Gold Soul Coins. That should be enough for a pound of top-quality Whale Rubber."

The old shopkeeper's eyes lit up at the sight of the gleaming Gold Soul Coins.

He immediately changed to a welcoming smile and nodded repeatedly:

"That's more than enough! Young master, you certainly have a discerning eye. Please wait a moment; I'll get you the finest Whale Rubber we have tucked away!"

Before long, the old shopkeeper took an exquisite wooden box from a hidden compartment beneath the counter.

He opened it, and a faint, fishy, briny smell drifted out. Inside were several pieces of dark yellow, gelatinous material, their surfaces glistening with oil.

"Young master, look. This is the treasure we keep hidden away in the back, harvested from a hundred-year-old deep-sea giant whale. Its medicinal effects are absolutely top-notch," the old shopkeeper said with a broad smile.

Ling Xuqing picked up a piece of Whale Rubber, held it beneath his nose to smell it, then pressed it with his fingernail. Feeling the fierce Bloodline Power it contained, he nodded in satisfaction.

"Not bad. I'll take this."

Ling Xuqing paid and put the Whale Rubber into his Storage Soul Tool.

"Thank you, young master! Please come again!" The old shopkeeper saw Ling Xuqing out with a beaming smile.

As soon as they left Huichun Hall, Xiao Wu hurried over and sniffed curiously.

"Xuqing, so this is Whale Rubber? Why does it smell like the sea?"

Ah Yin leaned closer for a look too and said softly:

"The Bloodline Power this contains is indeed quite fierce. Xuqing, be careful when you use it. Don't hurt yourself."

"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing." Ling Xuqing smiled reassuringly.

Gu Yuena tilted her head up, curiosity shining in her violet eyes.

"Brother, can Whale Rubber really train your body?"

"Of course." Ling Xuqing rubbed her head. "When we get back tonight, I'll use it to make a medicinal bath. Then you'll see."

"Mm!" Gu Yuena nodded obediently.

The four walked down the street toward the academy. The night breeze was cool and pleasant against their skin.

"Xuqing, I want to take a medicinal bath tonight too!"

Xiao Wu excitedly waved her little fist. "I want to get stronger too!"

"All right. You can take one with Ah Yin."

"Really? That's wonderful!" Xiao Wu cheered.

Ah Yin smiled warmly as well. "Then I'll be counting on you, Xuqing."

The group chatted and laughed as they soon arrived at the gates of Nuoding City Junior Spirit Master Academy.

However, just as Ling Xuqing was about to lead Gu Yuena into the academy, he suddenly stopped.

A small crowd had gathered in front of the academy gates.

An old man in coarse hemp clothes, his hair graying, was anxiously arguing with the gatekeeper about something.

Behind the old man was a child who looked about six years old.

The child wore a faded blue cloth outfit and had a small, thin frame, but his eyes were unusually bright, and held a steadiness beyond his years.

"Sir, please just let us in! We came from Holy Soul Village, and this child is a new student this year. We're here to register him!" The old man's voice held a trace of pleading.

The gatekeeper, however, looked impatient. He sized up the old man and child and pursed his lips.

"It's not that I won't let you in. Rules are rules. Without an admission letter from the academy, no one can enter!"

"And showing up this late at night? Who knows if you're here to cause trouble?"

"But..." Old Jack was sweating profusely with anxiety.

"We accidentally lost the admission letter on the way here. We really are here to register!"

"Lost it? Who knows if you ever had a real one!" The gatekeeper sneered, folding his arms across his chest and putting on an unyielding air. "No admission letter, no entry. If you don't believe me, wait here. You can talk to the dean when he comes tomorrow!"

"You—!" Old Jack trembled with anger, but there was nothing he could do.

The child behind him, however, remained unusually calm. He gently tugged at Old Jack's sleeve and said quietly, "Grandpa Jack, don't worry. Let's try talking to him again."

Ling Xuqing stood a short distance away, quietly watching the scene.

His gaze passed over Old Jack and fell on the child.

So this is Tang San?

Ling Xuqing wondered to himself.

Looking at the plainly dressed, small-framed child before him, Ling Xuqing couldn't sense anything special about him.

There was no earth-shaking presence, nor any unfathomable aura. He looked like an ordinary child.

So this is Tang San? He doesn't look like anything special.

Of course, Ling Xuqing knew this was simply the result of Tang San deliberately hiding his abilities.

As a transmigrator, Tang San had understood the value of keeping a low profile from a young age, and would never reveal his true strength lightly.

However, Ling Xuqing didn't have any particular fondness for Tang San.

After all, they followed completely different paths, and their futures were destined not to cross.

"Brother, what are you looking at?"

Gu Yuena followed Ling Xuqing's gaze. She saw only a group of people arguing at the academy gates and couldn't make out what was going on.

She looked up at him in puzzlement, her violet eyes full of curiosity.

Ling Xuqing turned his gaze away, a playful smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

"Nothing." He spoke softly. "Just enjoying the show."