A month passed quickly. Ling Yu and Xiao Wu rode a carriage back to school. Looking at the several gold coin cards in his hand, each bearing the emblem of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ling Yu once again marveled at how lucrative-and expensive-the Soul Master profession was.
Xiao Wu had one too. Since most of her payment had been counted as compensation for the Azure Wolf Soul Hunting Group's assistance, its value was only one hundred coins. But she was not particularly happy to receive the gold coin card.
"Xiao Wu, I'll be leaving after we get back this time." On the way, Ling Yu tried his best to keep his tone level.
Xiao Wu's eyes instantly widened. "Where are you going?" There was some disbelief in her voice.
"I plan to find my second ring in the Frozen Forest. There's a soul beast I need there. After the soul hunt, I plan to go to Heaven Dou Royal Academy. There are some things I have to fight for."
Xiao Wu nearly blurted out, "I'll go with you!" But she knew Tang Hao would never let her leave. If she really went with Ling Yu and Tang Hao came looking for her, no one would survive.
"Will you be safe on your own?" Only after a long while did Xiao Wu manage to say those words.
Ling Yu felt a surge of emotion. He had thought Xiao Wu would be a little willful, but he had never expected her to say something like that. He even felt a sense of gratification.
"Then go..." Xiao Wu looked forlorn. She sat with her knees drawn together, hiding her face behind them, her shoulders trembling in little jerks, yet she did not cry.
Ling Yu stepped forward and stroked her head. "After you go home, I'll visit you when I have time. We're still too weak right now."
"Mm..."
After reaching school, Ling Yu went to Director Su, told him he intended to take the entrance exam for an advanced academy, and collected a letter of introduction and his graduation certificate.
When he returned to the dormitory, he found Xiao Wu sitting blankly on the bed, like a letter with no destination. Though he could not bear it, he still began packing his luggage.
Xiao Wu said nothing, sitting to one side and watching him silently.
"Xiao Wu, I'm leaving." After finishing his packing, Ling Yu looked at her.
"Goodbye..."
"Mm, goodbye." The words they truly wanted to say lay hidden in their eyes.
After leaving school, Ling Yu first went to the smithy to quit his job, then returned home and told Old Jack that he was going to take an academy entrance exam in Heaven Dou City.
Old Jack was quite gratified. After staying home for a few days, Ling Yu packed his things and set out.
Vast Sea City was the largest city on the western frontier of the Heaven Dou Empire, as well as the largest coastal city and port on the Douluo Continent.
It was not particularly far from Nuoding City. Naturally, Ling Yu had come here for whale rubber, which could improve his physique.
What's the difference between one-thousand-year whale rubber and nine-thousand-year whale rubber? Is it only a difference in quantity? Or can I only improve to the limit by eating the nine-thousand-year kind? With this question in mind, Ling Yu entered the coastal city.
After asking several passersby for directions, Ling Yu headed toward the local Seven Treasure Chamber of Commerce.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's business really does reach far and wide.
I remember there's a soul tool boat here too. Unfortunately, it's too expensive for me. I'll come back later.
It can grow and shrink, withstand pressure, and dive underwater. The formation patterns inside must be pretty interesting.
Where exactly did soul tools originate? Ling Yu pondered silently along the way.
He soon reached the entrance. When the hostess saw Ling Yu lingering outside, her eyes lit up, and she immediately approached him.
"An honored guest has arrived. Why not come inside so we can discuss things in detail?" The hostess bowed and invited him in.
Ling Yu nodded and followed her into the Seven Treasure Chamber of Commerce.
After they entered, a steward approached, nodded to the hostess, then took over attending to Ling Yu and led him into a reception room.
"May I ask what our honored guest is looking for?" The steward poured some hot tea and respectfully handed it to Ling Yu.
"I'd like to ask whether your establishment sells whale rubber."
"We do. What age would our honored guest like?" The stewards of the Seven Treasure Chamber of Commerce had all undergone a certain degree of training. No matter what a customer wanted, they would not reveal their personal feelings.
"Thousand-year will do. Ten-thousand-year would be fine too."
"We have six pieces of thousand-year whale rubber in our storeroom: three two-thousand-year pieces, one five-thousand-year piece, and two six-thousand-year pieces. We also have two pieces of ten-thousand-year whale glue, one ten thousand years old and the other thirty thousand years old."
"What are the prices?"
"Two hundred gold coins for the two-thousand-year kind, five hundred for the five-thousand-year kind, six hundred for the six-thousand-year kind, one thousand for the ten-thousand-year kind, and three thousand for the thirty-thousand-year kind."
No one has discovered whale rubber's true use yet. Right now, it has a price but no market. Ordinary nobles only need the hundred-year kind, Ling Yu pondered silently.
"For a two-thousand-year piece and a six-thousand-year piece, could you offer a discounted price of six hundred gold coins?" Ling Yu felt a pang, but he did not show it.
"Certainly. I'll fetch them for our honored guest right away." Once the steward left the room, delight showed on his face. These things had been sitting in the storeroom for far too long, with no one buying them.
"So expensive. More than half the money from a month of hard work with the soul hunting group, gone." Ling Yu sighed.
After paying, Ling Yu found a smithy and negotiated with the owner to use it that night.
Although the owner was rather confused about what Ling Yu intended to do, he asked no further questions for the sake of the gold coins.
After night fell, the smithy's furnace was still burning. Ling Yu placed the two-thousand-year whale rubber into a casting ladle to melt it.
An unusual fragrance wafted from the whale rubber. The scent was extremely rich, and the whale rubber soon became a soft, gelatinous substance.
After taking it out, Ling Yu waited until the whale rubber had cooled to a tolerable temperature, then quickly picked up a small piece with chopsticks and swallowed it.
He exhaled a puff of hot air through his nose. His whole body felt warm as a strong stream of heat surged through his limbs and every bone.
Ling Yu quickly finished the remaining whale rubber. Sweat seeped from his body, and he sat down cross-legged to begin absorbing the heat within him.
Two hours later, he slowly rose to his feet, feeling that his entire body was brimming with strength.
I still need some time to refine it. I'll eat the rest after I've finished refining this, Ling Yu said silently to himself.
The next morning, Ling Yu took a carriage toward the Frozen Forest.
After a month of travel, he finally arrived. By then, Ling Yu had also absorbed most of the whale rubber he had eaten earlier.
After observing things for several days in the small town outside the Frozen Forest, Ling Yu reached a few conclusions-
The Frozen Forest. Because of its low temperatures and harsh environment, only ice-attribute Soul Masters come here to hunt soul beasts. There isn't even a supervisory garrison.
There are still low-level soul hunting groups, though. I'll observe them later and find one to join so I can earn some money.
Winter City, the nearest small city. Fortunately, it still has a Spirit Hall and imperial administrative offices.
Several days later, Ling Yu joined a soul hunting group that was recruiting-
The Holy Scorpion Soul Hunting Group, named after the Ice Jade Scorpion of the Far North.
Thanks to his spiritual perception soul skill, Ling Yu soon became the core of the soul hunting group. During this time, he also broke through to level twenty.
The captain of the Holy Scorpion Soul Hunting Group had also offered to hunt a six-hundred-year soul beast for Ling Yu, but Ling Yu brushed him off by saying he already had a target soul beast.
Three months later, Ling Yu finally saved up the money he needed. After bidding farewell to his teammates, he headed for the Spirit Hall in Winter City.