"Here you go."
Qian Renxue stood beside the table.
As she looked at the whale rubber in the wooden box, her fair cheeks quickly flushed red.
"Grandpa!"
"I don't need this sort of thing!"
Qian Daoliu raised his eyes to her.
"Do you know what whale rubber really does?"
Qian Renxue pressed her red lips together.
"The shopkeeper already told me."
"That is merely the world's mistaken understanding of whale rubber."
Qian Daoliu took the whale rubber out of the wooden box.
"Whale rubber comes from the brains of whale Soul Beasts."
"The higher a whale Soul Beast's cultivation, the greater the energy contained in its whale rubber."
"People don't understand the proper method of refining it. They only know that consuming whale rubber strengthens the blood and vitality, so they treat it as an aphrodisiac."
Qian Renxue looked at the whale rubber again.
"It has other uses?"
"High-quality whale rubber can strengthen a Soul Master's bones, meridians, and internal organs."
"After consuming it, a Soul Master's physique will improve in every respect."
Qian Daoliu placed the whale rubber back in the wooden box.
"The stronger your physique, the older the Soul Rings you can withstand."
"This piece of whale rubber is dark gold. It came from a whale Soul Beast at least thirty thousand years old."
"It will be very useful to you."
The embarrassment on Qian Renxue's face gradually faded.
She reached out a slender hand and gently touched the surface of the whale rubber.
Its gelatinous texture felt warm and smooth.
The energy of blood and vitality contained within it was extraordinarily rich.
She could indeed sense how exceptional it was.
Qian Renxue said softly:
"Why didn't that shopkeeper mention any of this?"
"Because he doesn't know."
Qian Daoliu rose and walked over to her.
"Whale Soul Beasts live in the deep sea."
"Soul Masters on the continent rarely encounter this substance."
"Ordinary people know even less about how to refine whale rubber."
Qian Renxue nodded.
She recalled the shopkeeper's expression before he left, her cheeks still flushed.
"Grandpa, next time you buy something like this, could you tell me what it's for beforehand?"
"You didn't ask the entire way back, either."
"There were so many other people in the shop."
Qian Renxue raised a hand to tidy the golden hair beside her ear.
"They all thought..."
She did not continue.
Qian Daoliu took out a jade bowl.
"Sit down."
"I'll teach you how to refine whale rubber."
Qian Renxue walked over to the bed.
She arranged the hem of her white dress and sat cross-legged.
The long dress enveloped her tall figure.
Her slender waist naturally straightened.
Her long, beautiful legs were crossed beneath her skirt.
Qian Daoliu placed the whale rubber in the jade bowl.
"Whale rubber cannot be consumed directly."
"It is extremely tough at room temperature, making it difficult for ordinary Soul Masters to digest."
"You need to heat it with Soul Power and refine it into liquid."
Qian Renxue raised both hands.
Golden Soul Power surged from her palms.
The Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul appeared behind her.
Three pairs of golden wings slowly spread.
Sacred radiance illuminated the entire room.
Qian Renxue cradled the jade bowl in her palms.
Controlling her light Soul Power, she began heating the whale rubber inside.
The dark-gold whale rubber gradually softened.
The transparent gelatin on its surface slowly melted.
An intense fluctuation of blood and vitality spread from the jade bowl.
Qian Daoliu stood beside her.
"Don't speed up."
"The medicinal energy in whale rubber is extremely active."
"If the temperature gets too high, its potency will dissipate."
Qian Renxue immediately reduced her Soul Power.
Golden radiance enveloped the jade bowl.
Little by little, the whale rubber became a dark-gold liquid.
A layer of gray impurities appeared on the liquid's surface.
Qian Daoliu raised his hand and drew them out.
The gray impurities were stripped away by Soul Power and fell into an empty bowl beside them.
"Keep refining it."
Qian Renxue controlled her Soul Power with care.
Fine beads of sweat gradually formed on her forehead.
A few strands of golden hair clung to the side of her face.
Her fair cheeks still retained their earlier flush.
After an hour of refining, the whale rubber in the jade bowl had turned completely liquid.
A dark-gold luster slowly swirled within the bowl.
A rich medicinal fragrance filled the room.
Qian Daoliu inspected it.
"You can consume it now."
Qian Renxue held the jade bowl.
After hesitating a moment, she brought the dark-gold liquid to her lips.
The warm whale rubber melted the moment it entered her mouth.
An immense surge of energy poured down her throat and into her body.
Qian Renxue had barely set down the jade bowl when her fair cheeks rapidly reddened.
A burning sensation spread from her abdomen.
The medicinal energy rushed along her meridians throughout her body.
Her skin took on a faint pink hue.
Even her small earlobes turned red.
"Grandpa."
"Why is it so hot?"
Qian Renxue raised a hand to her chest.
She could clearly feel the blood and vitality circulating rapidly within her.
"That's the whale rubber strengthening your body."
Qian Daoliu came to the bedside.
"Keep your mind steady."
"Practice the Angel Meditation Method."
Qian Renxue closed her eyes.
Resting her hands on her knees, she began guiding the medicinal energy within her.
Dark-gold energy flowed into her meridians.
Nourished by the medicinal energy, her meridians continued to expand.
Her bones, flesh, and internal organs also began absorbing the Bloodline Power within the whale rubber.
The Six-Winged Angel behind Qian Renxue grew ever brighter.
Golden Soul Power swirled continuously around her delicate body.
Her long white dress was gently lifted by her Soul Power.
A length of fair calf showed beneath her skirt.
As the medicinal energy continued spreading, her temperature kept rising.
Fine beads of sweat slid down her long neck.
Her fair skin shone with a rosy luster.
Qian Daoliu placed his palm against her back.
Pure Angel Divine Power entered her body.
The whale rubber's medicinal energy, which had been surging in every direction, was soon guided into the correct meridians.
"The most important function of whale rubber is strengthening the body."
"Don't focus solely on increasing your Soul Power."
"Let the medicinal energy merge into your bones and flesh first."
Qian Renxue nodded slightly.
She adjusted her Angel Meditation Method.
Dark-gold energy separated from her meridians and gradually sank into every limb and bone.
Faint sounds came from her bones.
The Ice and Fire Golden Body also began circulating on its own at that moment.
Ice-blue and crimson light rose from within her.
The burning heat brought by the whale rubber was swiftly refined by the power of ice and fire.
The three powers converged.
Qian Renxue's physique began strengthening rapidly.
Her already exceptionally resilient meridians expanded once again.
Her level sixty-nine Soul Power also continued growing as the medicinal energy was refined.
Golden Soul Power flowed through her entire body again and again.
Her aura gradually approached the peak of level sixty-nine.
Time slowly passed.
The sky outside the window had already darkened.
Qian Renxue maintained her cultivation posture throughout.
The redness in her face gradually faded.
Sweat soaked several strands of golden hair, leaving them clinging to her fair neck and the side of her face.
Sacred radiance fell upon her skin.
She looked ever more radiant.
The final wisp of dark-gold medicinal energy was absorbed by the Ice and Fire Golden Body.
The Six-Winged Angel behind Qian Renxue spread its wings fully.
A golden halo spread outward from within her.
The tables and chairs in the room trembled slightly.
Her Soul Power had reached the peak of level sixty-nine.
Only one final barrier remained between her and level seventy.
Qian Daoliu withdrew his palm.
"That will do."
Qian Renxue slowly opened her eyes.
Pale-gold light flashed in their depths.
She lowered her head to look at her hands.
The Soul Power within her had increased substantially compared to before she refined the whale rubber.
Her body was brimming with strength.
Qian Renxue stood up.
Her white dress fell along her slender figure.
A faint blush still colored her cheeks.
After being nourished by the whale rubber, her already fair, delicate skin had gained a lustrous sheen.
Qian Renxue sensed the changes within her.
"My Soul Power has already reached the peak of rank sixty-nine."
"My body has grown much stronger, too."
Qian Daoliu nodded.
"The whale rubber worked well."
"With your current physique, you can choose a Seventh Soul Ring of a greater age."
Qian Renxue raised her hand and wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead.
She glanced at the empty jade bowl on the table, and her cheeks reddened again.
"Whale rubber really is a superior medicinal ingredient."
"But Grandpa, you must tell me beforehand next time."
"I don't want the people in the shop looking at me like that again."
Not far away.
Ning Rongrong sat on a bench.
Her pale green dress lay spread beside her, her slender legs pressed together.
A layer of pale golden radiance enveloped her wrists.
It was not rope.
Yet it was more secure than any chain.
Ning Rongrong could not move more than three steps away from the bench.
She looked up at Qian Daoliu.
Her experiences over these past days had completely shattered her former arrogance.
Zhao Wuji had died before her eyes.
His Martial Soul Avatar had failed to withstand even a single strike from Qian Daoliu.
Now, Qian Daoliu was personally teaching Qian Renxue to cultivate.
In just a few days.
Qian Renxue had risen all the way from rank sixty-seven to the peak of rank sixty-nine.
Such a cultivation speed had already exceeded Ning Rongrong's understanding.
Since childhood, she had enjoyed the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's finest resources.
Ning Fengzhi had prepared large quantities of medicinal pills for her.
Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo also personally guided her cultivation.
Yet even so, the gap between her and Qian Renxue remained despairingly vast.
Ning Rongrong lowered her head and looked at her palms.
She had not manifested the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
Nor had she tried to break through the golden restraints on her wrists.
The lessons of the past few days had already taught her that doing so was pointless.
After a long silence, Ning Rongrong finally asked:
"Who exactly are you?"
Qian Daoliu did not turn around.
Ning Rongrong pressed her red lips tightly together.
"You possess the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul, and you have ten Soul Rings."
"According to the rumors on the continent, even Spirit Hall's Great Enshrined only has nine Soul Rings."
"Are you really Qian Daoliu?"
Qian Daoliu still did not answer.
His attention was focused entirely on Qian Renxue.
Ning Rongrong watched his back, her eyes gradually reddening.
"I know I was wrong."
"I shouldn't have fought over that hair ornament."
"Much less used my chastity to slander you."
"As long as you're willing to let me leave, I will never provoke you again."
Before you continue