"Whale rubber? Isn't that used to improve performance in bed? Why ask Lin Changgeng about it?" Ning Fengzhi frowned slightly. Could it have some other use?
It was hardly surprising that Ning Fengzhi thought so much into it. In his position, every decision had to be made with the utmost care, or he would meet the same fate as the Clear Sky Sect.
Dugu Bo was much more straightforward and asked outright, "Your Eminence, isn't that used for intercourse? Changgeng is still so young. Why buy that for him?"
Beside him, Dugu Yan's cheeks flushed crimson at her grandfather's words. She was no longer that young, and she knew a little about relations between men and women.
Yet she could not help wondering, Why did Wang Qiu'er ask Lin Changgeng? Could he have been born impotent?
Hearing this, Wang Qiu'er looked at Lin Changgeng, silently asking whether he wanted to tell them what whale rubber did.
"It's fine." Lin Changgeng considered it for a moment before saying, "There's nothing worth hiding."
Whale rubber was a special substance found in the brains of sea soul beasts, a natural treasure. Consuming it could strengthen the meridians and the body, increasing the age of the soul rings one could absorb.
But in this era, people only used whale rubber to enhance bedroom performance and knew nothing of its true effects.
Dugu Bo was one of their own, so telling him was no problem. The stronger their people were, the better. Dugu Bo no longer had any use for it, but Dugu Yan did. Ning Fengzhi was a different matter. In any case, Lin Changgeng would have to work with him in the future; the Seven Treasure Exquisite Pagoda's amplification spoke for itself. Telling Ning Fengzhi would give him a little taste of the benefits and build a bridge for future cooperation. With Wang Qiu'er around, Ning Fengzhi would not dare touch him anyway.
Ning Fengzhi's eyes lit up. He had only been speculating earlier, but it really did have another use.
With Lin Changgeng's approval, Wang Qiu'er began to explain.
But before Wang Qiu'er could speak, Ning Fengzhi interrupted her.
"Your Eminence, are you saying whale rubber has effects we don't know about?" Ning Fengzhi asked curiously.
Wang Qiu'er frowned. Was this man always so quick to act familiar? Or was he just that desperate to improve?
Still, she did not dwell on it. He was only a Soul Saint, after all. Although he had a rank ninety-six Super Douluo beside him, if a fight broke out, Wang Qiu'er could kill that man seven times in three seconds.
"It's not just you who don't know. The entire continent doesn't know," Wang Qiu'er said. "The effects they talk about don't amount to even a tenth of whale rubber's true value."
"Really?" Ning Fengzhi's interest was piqued. "Please enlighten us, Your Eminence."
Dugu Bo pricked up his ears as well.
"You know about sea soul beasts, don't you?"
"Yes." Ning Fengzhi nodded. "But what do they have to do with whale rubber's true effects?"
"Of course they're related." Wang Qiu'er glanced at Ning Fengzhi. "Whale rubber is a special substance produced in the brains of sea soul beasts. Its greatest effect is strengthening a soul master's body and spiritual power. Arousal and enhanced virility are merely side effects."
"Your cultivation isn't low. You should know what physical strength and spiritual power are good for."
Ning Fengzhi's breathing instantly quickened. It strengthened the body and spiritual power? Could that mean...?
He had a vague suspicion now, but he did not dare be certain.
"Your Eminence," Ning Fengzhi ventured, "do you mean consuming whale rubber can increase the age of the soul rings one can absorb?"
"So you're not too stupid after all." Wang Qiu'er gave Ning Fengzhi a surprised glance. She had not expected his mind to be quite so nimble.
Hearing this, Ning Fengzhi grew even more excited. An auxiliary-type soul master's greatest weakness was the body. How could he not be thrilled to learn from Wang Qiu'er that whale rubber could strengthen it? On top of that, whale rubber could effectively increase the age of the soul rings they could absorb. Coming to this private room had truly been the right choice.
Moreover, besides improving his own people's strength, he could buy up whale rubber in bulk, then spread the news and sell it at a high price. That would swell the sect's wealth even further.
At that thought, Ning Fengzhi could already see the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect rising another notch under his leadership.
Watching Ning Fengzhi's excited expression, Lin Changgeng could only think that the man had gone mad. It's just whale rubber's effects. What's there to get so excited about? When I bring out soul tools in the future, will he start dancing on the spot?
Beside them, Dugu Bo was inwardly clicking his tongue in amazement. He had never imagined whale rubber could have such effects.
He had been wondering what to do about Dugu Yan's future soul rings. After all, Lin Changgeng's second soul ring was already three thousand years old, and Lin Changgeng himself had said he wanted a ten-thousand-year fourth ring. Dugu Yan's soul rings could not be too far behind. Even if she could not absorb a ten thousand year soul ring, she would at least need one seven or eight thousand years old.
Yet with Dugu Yan's current strength and physique, that would be difficult. Dugu Bo had been nursing a headache over the problem, only to discover that whale rubber had such an effect.
After a brief spell of excitement, Ning Fengzhi calmed down. Why had they told me whale rubber's true effects? This is only our first meeting.
So Ning Fengzhi asked Lin Changgeng, "Little Lin, may I ask why you had Her Eminence tell me whale rubber's true effects?"
A shrewd judge of people, he had already noticed that Wang Qiu'er followed Lin Changgeng's lead. Rather than ask her, he might as well ask Lin Changgeng directly.
"No particular reason." Lin Changgeng waved a hand. "I just wanted to make friends with you, Uncle Ning. Perhaps we'll have opportunities to work together in the future."
"I see." Ning Fengzhi looked thoughtful. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect might lack other things, but it certainly had plenty of business holdings. Still, was the secret of whale rubber's effects not a little too significant a gift?
Once he understood Lin Changgeng's intentions, Ning Fengzhi swept his hand out and bought the piece of whale rubber.
After whale rubber, the first lot, was sold, the auction began to heat up.
All manner of items went for nearly astronomical prices.
During this time, Dugu Bo and Ning Fengzhi both placed bids and came away with considerable gains.
As the auction entered its middle-to-late stages, the auctioneer suddenly had someone bring up a tightly wrapped rectangular box.
Then he smiled at the crowd and, as usual, began explaining the origins of the item.
"As you all surely know, the soul tools found on our continent are excavated from ruins. Naturally, this auction has something of that sort as well. Inside the box behind me is a storage soul tool that someone unearthed not long ago. We tested it and found that it can store living creatures, with an interior capacity of ten cubic meters. We have named it the Ruyi Treasure Pouch."
As he spoke, the auctioneer had the maid beside him open the tightly wrapped box.
Once the box was open, something resembling a sachet lay in its center, with patterns embroidered on it in gold thread.
"This item can store living creatures. I needn't elaborate on what you could use it for." The auctioneer's lips curved into a suggestive smile.
"The starting bid is one hundred thousand, with each increase no lower than ten thousand."
The instant his words fell, bids began flying up from the audience.
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