Noticing the trace of panic in Xiao San's eyes, Lin Yue scratched his head.
Forget it. He'd better not try to guess what girls were thinking.
Taking out the bottles, jars, and various materials from his bundle, Lin Yue sat behind the bed, concealing half his body. He closed his eyes, and a faint white glow flickered in his hands as bottle after bottle of potion was brewed.
Just in case, he had to make thorough preparations tonight. Only an ample supply of potions could put his mind at ease.
Only after preparing ten Soul Power Potions and Healing Potions in succession did Lin Yue slowly stop.
The sound of running water still continued in the bathroom. It seemed Xiao San was still washing up.
"Strange. Did Xiao San used to take such long baths?"
Lin Yue scratched his head, a trace of doubt flashing through his mind. But after a moment's thought, he shifted his attention to the Whale Rubber before him. His eyes were full of admiration and amazement as he sighed.
"This is thirty-thousand-year Whale Rubber..."
According to the traditional method used on the Douluo Continent, Whale Rubber only needed to be melted into liquid with Soul Power before being swallowed and refined directly.
Yes, exactly. Just like how people on the Douluo Continent ate Immortal Herbs by swallowing them whole—utterly wasting them, like peasants chewing peonies. A primitive method.
But Lin Yue was different. As his Alchemist level rose to Lv. 2, his mind had naturally gained much more knowledge about the properties and preparation methods of medicinal ingredients.
Materials like Whale Rubber, which could directly strengthen the body, happened to be quite compatible with the various enhancement agents in the Lv. 2 alchemy recipes, such as Strength Enhancers.
However, the things an Alchemist could make, such as Strength Potions and Agility Potions, only temporarily increased their corresponding attributes. Whale Rubber, on the other hand, enhanced the body in every aspect permanently.
"Heh, the principle is always the same!"
After giving it some thought, Lin Yue immediately made up his mind. He took out several medicinal herbs from his bundle, and with a flicker of soft light in his hand, instantly melted them into several bottles of semi-finished herbal liquid.
With the aid and blending of these herbs, the medicinal effect of the Whale Rubber would at least no longer be so fierce. It could be absorbed and refined more gently and smoothly, maximizing its effects while reducing the strain and damage of refinement. Even ordinary soul practitioners like Xiao San and him could handle it.
"Good. There are too few materials for experimentation, so just to be safe, I won't use any harsh drugs that activate their properties. Being able to safely absorb this piece of Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Rubber will be more than enough to strengthen the First Spirit Ring."
With a shift of thought, the enormous piece of Whale Rubber slowly melted in Lin Yue's hands. Drop after drop of gelatinous liquid fell into the medicine bottles and merged with the herbal juice from before, forming a crystal-clear amber color with faint golden streaks.
Before long, two bottles of Whale Rubber potion for strengthening the body were complete. Yet no system notification sounded in Lin Yue's mind.
It seemed only the few types of potions recognized by the system could provide experience...
Shaking the amber gelatinous liquid in the bottle, which resembled liquid gold, Lin Yue's heart surged with ambition!
The potions he had prepared this time were definitely no weaker than the recipe potions currently provided by the system. They might even be stronger!!
And this would lay a higher foundation for the beginning of his path as a Soul Master!
Immersed in his alchemy, Lin Yue sniffed the medicine bottle and only caught a faint fishy fragrance from within. He did not notice in the slightest that the bathroom door beside him had quietly opened—
"Brother Lin, I'm ready."
"Hm?"
Lin Yue raised his head, only to feel a faint fragrance mixed with warm steam wash over him.
Xiao San, with droplets of water still clinging to her hair, stood barefoot in the middle of the guest room.
Her small dress made her figure appear even fairer. At some point, her skin had begun to glow with a bashful blush from within, while her face was red as blood. Her large, misty eyes stared fixedly at her own feet, not daring to raise them even a little.
Ever since coming to Nuoding City, the little girl had received no shortage of meat and eggs from Lin Yue. Her once-thin body had filled out somewhat, and her slightly dark skin had regained its luster.
However, as though she did not dare meet Lin Yue's gaze, she only held on for an instant before twisting away as if fleeing. Her voice was flustered and trembling.
"Brother Lin, wait a moment... I... I'll make the bed first."
"Huh?"
Finally realizing that something seemed off about Xiao San today, Lin Yue tilted his head and watched with a strange expression as she bit her lip and hurried about.
The little girl, red from head to toe, frantically straightened the bedding. She then took out a piece of white cloth from her bundle and spread it over the bed. Only then did she move herself onto it and lie down obediently, her face flushed as her tender, watery eyes, unable to hide their shyness, looked toward Lin Yue.
"Brother Lin Yue, I'm ready... you... come on..."
As she spoke, the girl clenched the bedsheets with both hands, her eyes half-closed and her long lashes trembling faintly...
On a small hill a hundred meters away from the inn, Tang Hao's eyes were bloodshot, and he panted like a bull!
"Damn it, damn it!!!"
Xiao San, how could you be so frivolous?
That brat did not even need to use Whale Rubber. He merely brought you to an inn, and you were already doing something like this. How could you face the father who raised you?? How could you face the mother who sacrificed herself for you?
Tang Hao had never expected that the brat would not even say a single word. He merely held Xiao San's hand and brought her to the inn, and Xiao San had already assumed such a posture. She had not resisted at all from beginning to end, and had even been rather proactive, letting him take whatever he wanted!
Where was the pride a strong person should possess?! Where was the backbone expected of Clear Sky's heir?!!
Thinking of this, Tang Hao's aura surged as he was about to step forward and stop them. But suddenly, sweetness rose in his throat, and his expression changed drastically.
Not good, damn it!!
In his fury, the old injuries in his body had been triggered. Now, he only felt agonizing, tearing pain throughout his body!!
His emotions sank to their lowest point. Tang Hao immediately gritted his teeth. No matter how unwilling he was, he had no choice but to sit cross-legged on the ground and suppress his old injuries.
Damn it. If this continued, wouldn't he temporarily lose the ability to stop that bastard and only be able to watch helplessly as scene after scene unfolded in the inn?!
At this thought, Tang Hao, whose rage had already attacked his heart, felt a wave of searing pain churn through his chest and abdomen. His old injuries surged more fiercely than ever, almost beyond suppression!
No! Absolutely not! How could this happen!!!
Unable to bear watching any longer, Tang Hao shut his eyes tightly and could only mobilize all his Soul Power, doing everything he could to suppress the old injuries within him.
Yet in his mind, that beastly fellow was already reaching toward Xiao San with a wicked grin. In the next instant, he would thoroughly defile that once-pure, innocent little Blue Silver Grass...
Thwack!
With a flick of his finger, Lin Yue gave Tang San's little head a hard knock. Half amused and half exasperated, he stood by the bed and looked bizarrely at her ridiculous antics.
"What are you doing?"
Good grief, she had even laid out a little white cloth. Did she really think he was some kind of beast?
How old was this little girl? What on earth was going through her mind? As expected of a Tang Sect genius who had lived two lives. What normal little girl had such a wild imagination?
"Brother... Brother Lin Yue doesn't like it? Aren't we going to use the Whale Rubber?"
A trace of shame surfaced on Xiao San's flushed face. Her ten fingers clasped tightly together as her body twisted uneasily.
Could it be that she wasn't pretty enough? Or did Brother Lin Yue actually like... like girls who were more proactive?
The girl's heart raced as she bit her teeth, but all she got in return was another light knock on the head from Lin Yue.
"Save it. Whale Rubber is for tempering the body, not for doing that."
"Huh?"
Her little head spinning from the knock, Xiao San's face was as red as a ripe apple. Overwhelmed by sweet embarrassment, she did not hear what Lin Yue had said for a moment.
"Here. Drink this. It'll be good for you."
Handing the amber potion to Tang San, Lin Yue picked up a bottle himself and tipped his head back to drink it.
Xiao San timidly accepted the bottle. Her delicate nose twitched as she caught several traces of a fishy sweetness in the air. Her face turned red again.
Sure enough, Brother Lin Yue still wanted to use this to add to the mood.
That was fine... she would treat it as their ceremonial shared cup of wine. From now on, she would entrust the rest of her life to Brother Lin...
Suppressing the throbbing in her heart, Xiao San drained the Whale Rubber in the bottle. This time, however, she did not lie back down. Instead, she clenched both fists, summoned all her courage, and proactively leaned toward Lin Yue's cheek...
After tonight, she would completely become Brother Lin's woman... she had to put her husband first...
The Three Obediences and Four Virtues, the Seven Grounds for Divorce, the Three Cardinal Guides and Five Constant Virtues, the Four Virtues of Womanhood...
She... was willing to follow them all for Brother Lin Yue...