Hunted on the Way Back, Melting the Whale Rubber

"That piece of whale rubber looks spoiled. We'd better not buy it," Wang Dong'er suggested.

Huo Yuhao shook his head and explained quietly, "This whale rubber isn't low quality. It's ten-thousand-year whale glue, which is why it's black. We need to hurry and buy it."

Huo Yuhao went straight to the counter and bought the whale rubber. It was far cheaper than a Soul Bone.

Wang Dong'er took the whale rubber and examined it carefully, discovering that it really wasn't spoiled. As for whether it was ten thousand years old, she couldn't tell.

"If you want to eat this whale rubber, you'll have to find a way to melt it. Ordinary flames probably won't do."

"It's fine. I'll ask Teacher Zhou to find a senior student with a fire attribute to help melt it."

The two browsed the Appraisal Pavilion for another round.

Huo Yuhao bought several Soul Tool blueprints. He couldn't make these Soul Tools yet, but he could buy the plans now and use them later.

After looking through all the merchandise on the second floor, they decided to head back.

"Huh, where's Xiao Xiao?" Huo Yuhao noticed that Xiao Xiao was gone.

"She probably went back ahead of us. Let's go too."

The two left the Appraisal Pavilion and headed toward the academy.

Before they had gone far, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm warned him, "Yuhao, there's killing intent. Hurry!"

Huo Yuhao suddenly stopped and released his spiritual power to sense his surroundings. The distance was a little too great for him to make anything out clearly. But if the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm said it was there, it certainly was.

"Wang Dong, we need to hurry."

Huo Yuhao grabbed Wang Dong'er's hand and immediately ran toward the academy.

"What's wrong?" Wang Dong'er asked as she ran.

"Someone wants to kill us."

Wang Dong'er turned to look behind them, guessing that Dai Huabin had sent these people. She hadn't expected him to dare send assassins to ambush them despite the deterrent of Clear Sky Castle.

Fortunately, Wang Dong'er had made preparations beforehand.

The difference in their speeds was enormous. Before long, Huo Yuhao could clearly sense the people pursuing them.

There were six of them, all stronger than the two of them. One seemed to be a Soul Emperor.

"Wang Dong, let's split up. I should be their target. Go back to the academy and find a teacher."

Huo Yuhao was about to let go of Wang Dong'er's hand.

But Wang Dong'er held on tightly. "What are you saying? If we leave, we leave together. How could I abandon you?"

"All right. I'll call the academy for help."

Huo Yuhao took out a signal flare. These flares were issued to Core Disciples. Once he launched it, any nearby Core Disciples would come to their aid.

Wang Dong'er stopped him. "No need. Let's find somewhere secluded."

Wang Dong'er wrapped her arms around Huo Yuhao's waist from behind and flew up with him in her arms.

The six Soul Masters pursued them relentlessly, drawing closer and closer.

Wang Dong'er lured them to an empty clearing.

A moment later, the Soul Emperor blocked their path. The other five caught up immediately afterward and surrounded them.

These five were powerful too. Every one of them was a Soul King.

"Wang Dong, what do we do now?"

Huo Yuhao looked nervously at the people surrounding them. If there had only been one Soul King, the two of them could have put up a fight with their Martial Soul Fusion Skill. But against so many, even that skill would be useless.

"Neither of you is getting away. Be good and surrender without a fight," the Soul Emperor leading them said with a smile.

Huo Yuhao shielded Wang Dong'er behind him. No matter what happened, he would not let her get hurt.

He thought that if he pushed his Spirit Eyes and Ultimate Ice to their limits, he might be able to restrain these people briefly and give Wang Dong'er a chance to escape.

"I'll create an opening for you in a moment. Run as soon as you can."

Wang Dong'er didn't answer him. Instead, she shouted into the night sky.

"Uncle Tang De, if you don't come now, these people are going to attack me!"

The next instant, the six Soul Masters surrounding them felt a powerful aura.

Terrifying power pressed down on them. Unable to withstand it, they collapsed to their knees.

"You fools courting death. How dare you attack the young miss!"

Tang De threw a punch, and one Soul King burst apart on the spot.

The others stared at their dead companion, then looked at Tang De in terror.

Only a Titled Douluo could possess such power. How did she have a Titled Douluo protecting her? No one had told them beforehand!

"Your Eminence, we were only following someone else's orders. Please spare our lives!" the Soul Emperor begged, prostrate on the ground.

"So you had a Titled Douluo protecting you. No wonder you weren't afraid," Huo Yuhao said to Wang Dong'er.

"I guessed Dai Huabin would attack us, so I sent Uncle Tang De a message asking him to protect us in secret for a while. I didn't expect to run into these people so soon."

"Young miss, how would you like me to deal with them?"

"Kill them all. Leave no one alive."

"Certainly."

"No!"

They struggled desperately to break free and escape.

A small hammer appeared in Tang De's hand. He swung it, and the fleeing men's bodies were all smashed apart.

For a moment, a bloody mist filled the air.

"Ugh, how filthy." Wang Dong'er looked thoroughly disgusted.

"Sorry. I'll be gentler next time. Young miss, you weren't hurt, were you?"

"I'm fine. One Soul Emperor and five Soul Kings. Dai Huabin certainly thinks highly of us."

Dai Huabin certainly couldn't have mobilized so many people on his own. The Duke's Mansion had lent its strength behind the scenes.

"Young miss, would you like me to kill the person behind this directly?"

"No need. Yuhao and I can handle Dai Huabin. I doubt the White Tiger Duke's Mansion will be able to send anyone else anytime soon."

"Uncle Tang De, sorry for the trouble, but please stop by the White Tiger Duke's Mansion again on your way back and deliver a gift."

Wang Dong'er's gaze turned icy. Since they had dared attack her and Yuhao, she would make the Duke's Mansion pay some interest in advance.

"Understood, young miss. I'll make sure to give them a proper gift. Let me escort you back to the academy first."

Wang Dong'er nodded. There was no telling whether any other dangers awaited them along the way, so having Tang De escort them was better.

Before long, the two safely reached the academy gates.

"Oh, right, Uncle Tang De, I have a piece of whale rubber here. Could you find a way to help melt it?"

At Wang Dong'er's words, Huo Yuhao hurriedly took out the whale rubber and handed it to Tang De.

Tang De examined it. "This whale rubber is rather unusual. You didn't buy a spoiled piece, did you?"

"No. This is ten-thousand-year whale glue. Ordinary flames can't melt it."

"All right, then. Let me give it a try."

Tang De placed the whale rubber on his palm, then held the Clear Sky Hammer in his other hand.

"Explosive Flame Hammer!"

Tang De activated his Soul Skill and brought the Clear Sky Hammer down on the whale rubber. Fierce flames immediately erupted.

Huo Yuhao's eyes widened at the sight. "Roasting whale rubber in his palm? That's hardcore."

In fact, a layer of soul power covered Tang De's palm, so the flames couldn't burn his hand at all.

As the temperature rose, the black whale rubber slowly turned golden, releasing an intensely sweet fragrance.

Tang De's flames weren't particularly high in quality, but their sheer power more than made up for it. Before long, the entire piece of whale rubber had melted into a semiliquid state.