A Month of Grueling Training for the Disciple! His Master Gains Eight Levels?

Li Qingshan froze for a moment, then realized what Yu Xiaogang was thinking and smiled faintly.

He had almost forgotten that people on the Douluo Continent had yet to discover that Whale Rubber could improve a Soul Master's physique. To most people, it really was only used for that sort of thing.

No wonder Yu Xiaogang had reacted like that.

Li Qingshan found it rather funny, but he put on a stern face, raised a hand, and lightly tapped the boy on the head. "What nonsense are you imagining, kid?"

Yu Xiaogang ducked his head and hurried to explain. "Teacher, I wasn't imagining things. That's what the books say..."

Li Qingshan glanced at him and pointed to the Whale Rubber. "And because the books say that, you think that's its only use?"

"You've studied Martial Souls for so long. Haven't you learned that you can't uncover everything something is worth with one glance at a book?"

Yu Xiaogang went still. The embarrassment had yet to leave his face, but puzzlement had already entered his eyes.

"You mean Whale Rubber has another use?"

"Of course."

Li Qingshan clasped his hands behind his back again and explained slowly:

"Whale Rubber contains the essence of whale Soul Beasts. Consuming it nourishes the body and improves a Soul Master's physique."

"People discovered one use for it and dismissed it as an aphrodisiac, overlooking its true value to a Soul Master's cultivation."

Yu Xiaogang looked down at the Whale Rubber in his hand.

This stuff can improve my physique?

What had felt almost too hot to hold a moment ago suddenly seemed different.

He couldn't help asking:

"Teacher, if I improve my physique, can I solve Sanpao's problem?"

Li Qingshan looked at him, his tone growing more serious.

"I'm having you prepare for the cultivation ahead. When you absorb a Soul Ring, how much of its power you can withstand depends greatly on how strong your body is."

"Two people can have the same level-ten Soul Power, yet different physiques will give them different limits."

"If you want Sanpao to take a better path, you must first raise your own endurance as much as possible. That will give you more choices for your First Soul Ring."

Yu Xiaogang listened with growing attention. He had considered some of these ideas before, but he had never connected Whale Rubber with improving his physique.

Li Qingshan looked at the boy, then at Luo Sanpao by his feet.

"Your father has already found a Soul Beast for you, but whether it's the best match is another matter. Once you've prepared properly, there'll still be time for me to judge."

"You've held on for nine years. What's one more month?"

Yu Xiaogang shook his head without thinking.

Only then did Li Qingshan nod and continue:

"When you get back, grind the Whale Rubber into fine powder and take it in portions. Don't rush to finish it all at once. After each dose, record every change in your body as carefully as you record Sanpao."

"Spend a month building up your body first."

"We'll discuss your First Soul Ring after that."

A little over a month passed in the blink of an eye.

At the foot of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's mountain, the same forest stood beneath the afternoon sun. Light filtered through the leaves onto the woodland path, and footsteps sounded in the distance.

"Teacher!"

Li Qingshan turned toward the voice and saw Yu Xiaogang hurrying over with his thick notebook in his arms.

The golden Luo Sanpao followed behind him, his four short legs pumping furiously. Every so often, he darted ahead, then turned back to urge Yu Xiaogang on with a couple of calls.

Li Qingshan studied the boy, and a smile gradually touched his lips. Compared with a month ago, Yu Xiaogang looked much healthier.

Even after walking all the way down the mountain path, his breathing was steady and his steps much lighter than before.

The Whale Rubber had worked well, then.

Over the past month, Yu Xiaogang had asked his father to postpone the hunt for his Soul Ring. He said that, having only just reached level ten, he wanted more time to organize his Martial Soul records and compare information on Soul Beasts.

Yu Yuanzhen was somewhat surprised, but when he saw his son still cultivating diligently every day, he did not press him. They had already waited nine years; another month would make little difference.

And so the matter of the First Soul Ring was put off for the time being.

As for the Whale Rubber Li Qingshan had given him, Yu Xiaogang had ground it into fine powder as instructed and taken it in portions for over a month. Now it was finally time to see the results.

"Slow down. Your teacher isn't going anywhere." Li Qingshan watched Yu Xiaogang approach. "How have you felt lately?"

"Teacher, the Whale Rubber really worked!"

Yu Xiaogang's eyes lit up at the mention of it.

He quickly opened his notebook and held out several pages of records he had prepared for Li Qingshan.

"I barely noticed anything in the first few days. But later, I found I recovered faster after cultivating."

"And when I exercised, movements that used to be difficult became much easier. I had more stamina, and I was much stronger than before!"

As he spoke, he couldn't resist clenching his fist.

He had felt every one of those changes for himself, little by little.

At first, he had worried that his eagerness had made him imagine them. But as his daily records accumulated, the difference between then and now became ever clearer.

He knew it was no illusion.

Whale Rubber really could improve a Soul Master's physique!

Li Qingshan took the notebook and flipped through a few pages. The boy's notes were meticulous. Alongside how he felt after each day's dose of Whale Rubber, he had recorded how well he performed several regular exercises.

With the earlier and later entries side by side, the change was plain to see.

"Good."

Li Qingshan closed the notebook and nodded.

"You really did take my instructions to heart."

Yu Xiaogang smiled sheepishly. "Since you're willing to teach me, Teacher, I wouldn't dare slack off."

As he spoke, the respect in his eyes deepened. That terrifying pressure a month ago, along with two powerful and utterly different Sword Martial Souls, had been proof enough of his teacher's strength.

But the changes brought about by Whale Rubber

had shown him what his teacher truly knew.

Something the world dismissed as an aphrodisiac could actually aid a Soul Master's cultivation. None of the clan elders had told him, and none of the books he had read had mentioned it.

Yet his teacher knew.

The thought made Yu Xiaogang trust Li Qingshan's earlier claims even more. His teacher really might be a Limit Douluo!

Especially the promise to help Luo Sanpao evolve further.

Perhaps his teacher truly could do it!

Almost as soon as that thought arose, a glowing screen appeared before Li Qingshan.

[Yu Xiaogang's belief in the host's identity has deepened.]

[Reality Manifestation increased by 5%.]

[Current Reality Manifestation progress: 17%.]

[Stage reward for turning fiction into reality: Soul Power increased by five levels!]

[System notice: Yu Xiaogang can contribute a maximum of 30% to the protagonist's Reality Manifestation progress. Once he trusts the protagonist completely, the progress will no longer increase. The protagonist must find someone else to turn fiction into reality!]

So I have to find someone else and brag that I'm a Limit Douluo! Li Qingshan was briefly stunned. Before he could examine the message more closely, another notification appeared.

[Detected a marked improvement in disciple Yu Xiaogang's physique. Compared with the original timeline, his growth and cultivation trajectory has begun to diverge.]

[Disciple growth reward: Soul Power increased by three levels!]

Two rewards?

A flicker of delight passed through Li Qingshan's eyes.

The next moment, two waves of warmth surged into his body, one after the other, merging with his steadily circulating Soul Power. It did not settle until he reached level thirty-eight.

Eight whole levels!

Li Qingshan's fingers curled slightly at his sides, and exhilaration swept through him.

He had given Yu Xiaogang the Whale Rubber to prepare him for choosing his Soul Ring. He had never expected that one step to earn rewards from both systems.

Yu Xiaogang had not even absorbed his First Soul Ring yet, and Li Qingshan had already gained this much.

Once Yu Xiaogang broke through his cultivation bottleneck, or even helped Luo Sanpao complete his evolution, how rich would the rewards be?

The more Li Qingshan thought about it, the more he looked forward to what lay ahead.

He let none of it show. Instead, he returned the notebook to Yu Xiaogang. "Your physical preparations have paid off. Next, I need to consider Sanpao."

Yu Xiaogang immediately perked up.

"Teacher, what should I do next?"

Li Qingshan did not answer at once. He picked up the bag beside him and tossed it onto the bluestone.

The bag landed with a soft thud.

"Take a look at this first."

Yu Xiaogang looked over instinctively.

Li Qingshan opened the bag and took out several wrapped pieces of Dragon Meat and a small clay jar sealed tight.

As he peeled back the oiled paper around the Dragon Meat, a faint scent of blood drifted out.

Luo Sanpao, who had been circling Yu Xiaogang's feet, suddenly stopped. His little nose twitched twice. Then he whipped his head around and stared fixedly at the things on the bluestone.