After returning to Spirit City, Lin Feng did not rush to cultivate. Instead, he first asked Hu Liena about the city's medicinal herb shops.
He was looking for something.
Whale rubber!
It could nourish the body and improve a Soul Master's physique.
If he took it in advance and combined it with cultivation to strengthen his body, he would naturally be able to withstand older Soul Rings when absorbing them in the future.
As for why he had not prepared any before absorbing his first Soul Ring...
He had undergone his Martial Soul Awakening as soon as he transmigrated, then been sent to Spirit City, and then taken by Bibi Dong to hunt for a Soul Ring. Where would he have found the time to look for whale rubber and take it?
Besides, improving his physique with whale rubber also took time.
He could hardly swallow it and immediately go absorb a Soul Ring far beyond what he could withstand, could he?
Things were different now.
He still had a long way to go before reaching rank twenty, so he could prepare well in advance.
"Junior brother, why are you looking for medicinal herb shops?" Hu Liena put down what she was holding and looked at him with some puzzlement.
"I want to find some medicinal herbs to nourish my body."
"Hasn't Teacher already arranged that for you?"
"I want to find something else called whale rubber."
Hu Liena thought for a moment, then shook her head. "I've never paid attention to that. But there are a few shops in the east of the city with quite a wide selection. You could take a look."
"Thank you, senior sister."
The next day, Lin Feng left the Supreme Pontiff's Palace accompanied by a Spirit Hall guard.
However, things did not go as smoothly as he had imagined.
He asked at several shops in succession, but they either had no whale rubber or could not even clearly tell him the age of the whale Soul Beast their stock had come from.
Naturally, Lin Feng did not dare buy any carelessly.
He only knew that whale rubber was useful. That did not mean he could tell the real thing from a fake, much less know whether a particular piece in his hands was suitable for him.
It was not until the afternoon that he finally got a definite answer at a medicinal herb shop.
"We have whale rubber, but not much in stock."
The shopkeeper took a wooden box from behind the counter and opened it, revealing several gelatinous pieces of varying shades.
"We have records of where all these came from. Young customer, which kind would you like?"
Lin Feng did not answer immediately. Instead, he first asked about their origins and prices, then had the guard help check the records.
Only then did he buy a small piece of thousand-year whale rubber.
"If any better-quality whale rubber comes in, keep an eye out for me."
"Certainly."
The shopkeeper nodded with a smile.
After leaving the shop, Lin Feng had the guard note down two other shops that could source whale rubber for him before returning to his residence.
As soon as the door closed, he placed the wooden box on the table.
Green light flashed, and a green spider appeared in his palm.
"You spent all day looking for this?" The Martial Soul Bibi Dong looked at the whale rubber in the box, somewhat puzzled.
"Yes. I plan to use it to improve my physique, then try to absorb a thousand-year Soul Ring as my second Soul Ring."
The Martial Soul Bibi Dong said with some surprise, "You're already thinking about your second Soul Ring?"
"Of course." Lin Feng pulled over a stool and sat down. "I don't want to wait until rank twenty and only then scramble for a solution. With a stronger body, I'll have a little more confidence when absorbing a Soul Ring."
The Martial Soul Bibi Dong did not object.
"It's a good idea. But since you intend to use it to improve your physique, you need to find out how to prepare it and how much to use at a time first. Don't experiment recklessly on your own."
"I know. I'll consider all of that."
Lin Feng closed the wooden box.
He had found what he needed. Next, he only had to confirm how to use it, then take his time looking for better-quality whale rubber.
In any case, this time he had plenty of time.
As he was thinking, a woman's voice suddenly sounded in his mind.
"Lin Feng."
It was Qian Renxue speaking.
He had allowed the two of them to communicate through their thoughts throughout the journey, but Qian Renxue had rarely spoken up.
"What is it?"
"I want to see Grandpa."
At her words, Lin Feng paused.
He had not forgotten about this. When mother and daughter reunited, Qian Renxue had said she wanted to see Qian Daoliu again.
"Help me think of a way."
Lin Feng raised his left hand. Golden light emerged, and the phantom of a Six-Winged Angel appeared in the room.
He looked at Qian Renxue before him and spread his hands helplessly. "What can I do? Go straight to the Worship Hall?"
"I'm the Supreme Pontiff's disciple, not the Great Enshrined's. I can't just run up to the entrance and announce that I want to see Qian Daoliu, can I?"
At his words, Qian Renxue pressed her lips together.
"Besides, even if I really do get to meet him, you can't just pop out and speak, can you?"
Lin Feng glanced at the six wings behind her.
"How would I explain it? Say his granddaughter died once and has now become my Martial Soul?"
Qian Renxue fell silent.
Of course she understood all of this.
But after returning to Spirit City, the thought that her grandfather was not far away made it difficult to contain herself.
In her previous life, her grandfather had sacrificed his life to help her become a god, yet she had still lost in the end.
Her divine seat had shattered, her Six-Winged Angel had been damaged, and she had failed to preserve even the Spirit Hall her grandfather had protected all his life.
Now that she had a chance to see him again, how could she not want to?
"I don't necessarily have to speak to him." After a moment, Qian Renxue said softly, "Just let me see him from a distance first."
Lin Feng looked at her for a while, and his tone softened.
"If it's just a look, I could try to find a way."
"But when the time comes, you'll have to stay inside me. I won't release the Six-Winged Angel Martial Soul, and we'll have to turn off our thought communication for the time being."
"I understand."
Just then, the green spider in his palm suddenly spoke. "Qian Daoliu rarely leaves the Worship Hall. If you go there rashly without a suitable reason, you'll only attract his attention."
Lin Feng lowered his head to look at her.
"Then what do you suggest?"
"You're the Supreme Pontiff's disciple now." Bibi Dong paused, then said, "If she has business at the Worship Hall, you could find an opportunity to ask whether she can take you along."
"But I've only just become her disciple. I can't go running to Teacher now and specifically ask to see the Great Enshrined, can I?"
Somewhat speechless, Bibi Dong said:
"I didn't tell you to go today."
Lin Feng thought for a moment, then looked at Qian Renxue again.
"How about this? Tomorrow, I'll ask Hu Liena about it first."
"She arrived before I did. Whether she's ever met the Enshrined, and under what circumstances we can meet them-she'll know more about that than I do. I've only just arrived in Spirit City, so it wouldn't be strange for me to ask her these things."
Qian Renxue nodded, a little anticipation finally appearing in her eyes.
Lin Feng continued, "If there's a suitable opportunity, I'll ask Teacher to take me to the Worship Hall. If there isn't, you'll have to wait a little longer."
At this point, he added another question.
"Also, are you sure your grandfather won't be able to sense you once I withdraw my Martial Soul?"
Qian Renxue froze slightly, then shook her head.
"I'm not sure."
Her current state was already beyond anything she had understood in the past.
At her answer, some of the ease Lin Feng had just felt dissipated. That was a rank ninety-nine Peerless Douluo.
If he really stood before him and the man noticed something unusual, how would he explain himself?
"So even if we hear of an opportunity, we can't rush to put ourselves in front of him."
With a thought, Lin Feng withdrew the Six-Winged Angel into his body, leaving only their thought communication active. "Try now. Can you see what's on the table?"
"No." Qian Renxue was silent for a moment before answering, "Once you withdraw me into your body, I can't see what's happening outside."
At her words, Lin Feng frowned slightly and said:
"Then that's troublesome. For you to see Qian Daoliu with your own eyes, I'd have to release you first."
"But once the Six-Winged Angel appears, how could your grandfather possibly fail to notice?"
Qian Renxue did not respond.
The method they had just thought of seemed to have fallen through before they even had a chance to try it.