Once he had money, Ji Hongchen was finally living the good life.
So what should he do now that he had money?
Buy some whale rubber first, of course, and keep practicing his swordsmanship!
After all, whale rubber could greatly improve his physique and cleanse impurities from his body. No matter how he looked at it, it would make him stronger.
And so.
Ji Hongchen walked into an apothecary.
The shopkeeper came over when he saw him. Ji Hongchen had often bought whale rubber aged a few decades here before, and his youth and handsome looks had naturally left a deep impression.
"What are you buying today, young fellow?"
The shopkeeper asked with a cheerful smile.
Ji Hongchen saw no reason to hesitate. So what if he was buying a few bedroom aids? He did not know anyone here anyway, so it hardly mattered.
"Give me a few pieces of hundred-year whale rubber."
The shopkeeper's eyes lit up. He rummaged through the medicine cabinet behind him, then took out several pieces of hundred-year whale rubber and set them on the counter.
"This hundred-year whale rubber costs fifty Gold Soul Coins a piece."
Although whale rubber was relatively cheap in the era of Douluo I, it was still a considerable expense for commoners. After all, a piece of thousand-year whale rubber cost several hundred Gold Soul Coins.
The nobles of this era were not to be underestimated.
They owned vast numbers of slaves, and for the sake of pleasure, these nobles were willing to spend money on thousand-year whale rubber so they could wage battle for days on end.
"I'll take four pieces."
"By the way, do you have any medicinal herbs that calm the heart and focus the mind?"
He planned to take some calming herbs after swallowing the whale rubber, then use sword practice to disperse the heat it generated inside him.
"Of course we do."
The shopkeeper found several portions of calming herbs and handed them to Ye Chen. "This is blue mint. Eat it, and your whole body will feel cool and refreshed, and your head will clear."
"How many Gold Soul Coins?"
"This one is inexpensive. Ten Gold Soul Coins per jin."
"Give me one jin."
Ji Hongchen never begrudged spending money on cultivation supplies. In an instant, nearly half of his seven hundred Gold Soul Coins were gone.
But it was all worth it.
Without sowing, how could he reap!
Ji Hongchen then visited the smithy. The moment he stepped inside, a wave of heat rushed into his face, making his whole body feel hot.
"What would you like forged this time, young fellow?"
The blacksmith greeted Ji Hongchen warmly when he spotted him.
Ji Hongchen smiled, his gaze settling on the ores nearby. From time to time, he touched one with his hand, sensing the changes in Jinghong.
A moment later.
Ji Hongchen stopped and picked up a forged iron block.
"Boss, how much is this iron block?"
The blacksmith looked up and saw the glossy black iron block in Ji Hongchen's hand. "That's refined iron I forged just recently. If my skills were better, I'd have put it through hundred refinement. If you want it, I'll give you a discount. Fifty Gold Soul Coins."
"I'll take four."
Ji Hongchen nodded and paid.
He put the iron blocks into his bundle. Not having a Storage Soul Tool really was inconvenient.
Leaving the smithy, Ji Hongchen returned to his lodgings.
He shut the door tightly.
Ji Hongchen summoned Jinghong, then placed the refined iron on it.
A soft ringing sounded.
Jinghong sent out wave after wave of vibrations. The four pieces of refined iron began to melt, eventually becoming a mass of molten iron that fused into Jinghong and vanished.
Once the fusion was complete.
Ji Hongchen checked the changes in Jinghong.
He felt that Jinghong had become sharper and easier to wield. If it had previously counted as only an ordinary martial soul, it had now entered the ranks of mid-grade martial souls.
"Not bad!"
Ji Hongchen raised Jinghong. Cold light shimmered along its blade, reflecting his flawless face, with brows like swords and eyes like stars.
Unfortunately, nurturing Jinghong still required more minerals.
And in the future, he would have to nurture nine swords of this caliber.
Heavens!
How many minerals would that take?
Ji Hongchen sighed. He felt as though he were carrying an enormous debt, with a heavy burden and a long road ahead.
Forget it. Time to practice!
Ji Hongchen took out a piece of hundred-year whale rubber, heated it over a flame until it became thick and viscous, then swallowed it.
It had little flavor on his tongue.
There was a faint briny tang to it, and its texture was springy, rather like jelly, but chewier and more elastic.
After he swallowed it.
A warm current spread through his entire body. Fortunately, his cultivation was still shallow, and his physique was powerful, so he felt no particularly intense burning heat.
He wasted no time.
Ji Hongchen took out Jinghong and began practicing. The sword moves in his hands gradually shifted, flowing like clouds and running water. Though they harbored lethal intent, they looked exceedingly graceful.
Time passed, second by second.
Before he knew it, the sky had gone from light to dark, then gradually brightened again.
Ji Hongchen lowered his sword and exhaled a breath of stale air.
His eyes gleamed, and he brimmed with vitality.
"My soul power has grown a little again. By my estimate, I'll gain another level in a few months. I'm confident I can break through level twenty within two years!"
After a quick shower, Ji Hongchen stepped out of the bathroom.
He changed into clean clothes and left his room.
He planned to visit the library and study some theoretical knowledge.
After all, he could not be like Yu Xiaogang, learning things halfway and calling himself a theoretical Grandmaster, devising the best soul ring configurations for Soul Masters, yet not even knowing that a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring carried a soul shock.
But after just three short months.
Ji Hongchen's progress ground to a halt.
"Money! My money!"
Ji Hongchen wailed in his dorm room, staring at his empty purse, wanting to cry but unable to shed a tear.
Over those three months.
He had already become a level-thirteen Soul Master.
But he had also spent all his money. Now he could only scrape by on one Gold Soul Coin a month. Spending money to increase his soul power rapidly was no longer possible.
At his current pace of one level every three months, even geniuses with innate full soul power would probably fall a little short of him. But that depended on him having money.
"Sigh..."
With a soft sigh, Ji Hongchen rubbed the space between his brows, pondering ways to make money. After all, without Jinghong, he could not improve, and his soul power growth would slow down.
Nuoding City was only a small city, with no Soul Fighting Arena. Making money through soul fighting here was out of the question; he would have to participate in another major city.
Money, money, money.
Ji Hongchen sighed, feeling pressure pile up like a mountain.
He had only just left his dorm.
Xiao Chenyu came over and looked at Ji Hongchen excitedly. "Come on, Hongchen, hurry! Today's the day the new students start school. We need to take the Nuoding Lionpack out to recruit!"
"All right."
Ji Hongchen nodded.
It suddenly occurred to him that two years had already passed. It was time for Tang San to formally enroll at Nuoding Junior Soul Master Academy.
But judging by the timing.
He had probably already missed Tang San taking a master. What a pity he had not gotten to see Tang San's first moment of murderous intent toward someone on the Douluo Continent.
They reached the work-study students' dormitory.
Xiao Chenyu led Ji Hongchen and several followers over, ready to bring a batch of new students into the fold and demonstrate the Nuoding Lionpack's standing.
Besides, he was not as arrogant as he had been in the original story.
These days, Xiao Chenyu was exceptionally generous to his followers, treating them to a soul beast feast every so often. True "loyalty," indeed!
Soon, they arrived at Dorm Seven.
"Wang Sheng, any new students in your dorm?"
Xiao Chenyu strode casually into Dorm Seven. Who did not know that anyone who entered Nuoding Academy had to seek him out, the Nuoding Lion King, and swear brotherhood with him?
Wang Sheng was naturally no exception.
Moreover, under the onslaught of one soul beast feast after another, Wang Sheng's soul power had reached level nine. Just one more level, and he could absorb his first soul ring.
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