Yu Xuan looked a little strange and began to wonder, Was Gangzi deliberately setting me up? Or did he simply not understand, and was talking nonsense just to show off in front of me?
If someone knowledgeable told Yu Xuan to absorb a Wind Eagle's Soul Ring, he would definitely think that person was trying to set him up.
But if it was Yu Xiaogang... did he really understand what Soul Rings a Martial Soul should absorb?
Especially when Yu Xiaogang was still a child...
Seeing how seriously he spoke, perhaps he had suffered some grievance during the day and come to him at night, hoping to find some comfort.
Of course, he couldn't rule out the possibility that Yu Xiaogang was trying to set him up.
In any case, whatever he was planning, Yu Xuan wasn't going to absorb that Wind Eagle's Soul Ring.
"I'll think about it," Yu Xuan said offhandedly. Then he asked, "Gangzi, your Martial Soul seems to be separate from your body?"
Yu Xiaogang didn't know why he was asking. He lowered his head slightly, looking dejected. "Yes, my Martial Soul is separate from my body. It can't compare to your Fire Dragon at all."
"Gangzi, don't be discouraged. Your separate Martial Soul has an advantage that mine doesn't."
Yu Xuan raised a hand and patted his shoulder.
"What advantage?"
Yu Xiaogang was taken aback. That Trash Martial Soul had an advantage? How come he didn't know?
Yu Xuan said, "For example... you can ride your Martial Soul, while Beast Martial Souls like ours can only possess us."
Yu Xiaogang pursed his little lips. "What good is that? Why would I ride him?"
"Think about it. We humans can exercise to strengthen our bodies. Your Martial Soul can manifest separately from your body, so maybe he can get stronger through exercise too?" Yu Xuan said earnestly.
"Huh?" Yu Xiaogang's heart stirred, and his eyes lit up. He thought it made perfect sense. "I'm going back to see if I can ride Luo Sanpao."
"Go on." Yu Xuan held back a laugh and raised a hand to him.
As if a separate Martial Soul could get stronger through exercise. When all was said and done, Luo Sanpao wasn't even a Soul Beast.
If Yu Xiaogang really rode Luo Sanpao around, he would definitely become the clan's laughingstock and earn himself a scolding from the elders.
After all, Luo Sanpao looked uglier than an old sow.
After Yu Xiaogang had gone far away, Yu Xuan left his bedroom and headed to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's library.
It housed books needed for Soul Master cultivation.
Books such as the Illustrated Bestiary, Basic Propositions on Soul Masters, and Outline of Dragon-Type Martial Souls were useful to every disciple of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
Yu Xuan pulled a book from a shelf. When he saw the words "Thunder Medicinal Classic" on the cover, the corner of his mouth twitched.
What a thunderous title.
He hadn't come to read a medicinal classic, but he casually opened it to a page. When he discovered it was a handwritten copy, a satisfied smile appeared on his lips.
He took out a pen, imitated the handwriting in the book, and wrote on one page: The gelatinous substance in the heads of whale-type Soul Beasts can temper the flesh, muscles, bones, and meridians when consumed, greatly increasing the body's endurance.
Then he made the writing look old.
"If I tell Father before we leave tomorrow, I'll be able to take the Whale Rubber without a hitch."
A smile curved Yu Xuan's lips as he silently praised himself for his idea.
He put the Thunder Medicinal Classic back, pulled out the Illustrated Bestiary, and began to read.
The next day.
Early in the morning, Yu Yuanzhen came in person to the residence where the two brothers lived.
He was there to pick up Yu Xuan and take him to the Star Dou Great Forest to obtain a Soul Ring.
Yu Xuan said, "Father, I read a passage in an ancient book. The gelatinous substance in the heads of whale-type Soul Beasts can temper the flesh, muscles, bones, and meridians when consumed, greatly increasing the body's endurance. Does our clan have any Whale Rubber?"
Yu Yuanzhen's eyelid twitched sharply, and he hurriedly asked, "Which ancient book said that? Children mustn't eat Whale Rubber indiscriminately. If they do, it can cause serious problems for their bodies."
"The Thunder Medicinal Classic," Yu Xuan said.
How could the Thunder Medicinal Classic contain that passage? Wasn't that stuff an aphrodisiac and virility tonic?
Puzzled, Yu Yuanzhen looked down at Yu Xuan and pressed him. "Xiao Xuan, are you sure you didn't misread it?"
"I'm sure!" Yu Xuan met his gaze, his eyes resolute.
Yu Yuanzhen drew a light breath. "I'll have someone fetch the Thunder Medicinal Classic in a moment. Are you telling me this because you want to take Whale Rubber?"
"Yes! Father, give me a piece of Whale Rubber. It can temper my flesh, muscles, and bones. Once my body gets stronger, I'll be able to absorb a First Soul Ring with a higher age!" Yu Xuan looked at Yu Yuanzhen with burning eyes.
"You... never mind. I can give you a piece of Thousand-Year Whale Rubber. Ten-Thousand-Year Whale Glue is too potent. If you took it, you'd explode."
Yu Yuanzhen didn't know whether to laugh or cry. His six-year-old son was asking him for an aphrodisiac. What was he supposed to make of that?
"All right, then shall we... go back to your residence now?" Yu Xuan asked.
"Let's go." Yu Yuanzhen took him back to his own residence.
When they reached the storeroom, he opened a cabinet and took out a golden-yellow piece of gelatinous material that looked like amber. "This is Whale Rubber."
"Even eating a tiny bit will make your body burn with heat. You just said you wanted to take a whole piece. Should I prepare a tub of ice water for you?"
"Yes. Sorry for the trouble, Father."
Naturally, Yu Xuan wasn't going to stubbornly withstand the effects of the Whale Rubber. What if he damaged his body?
There were no ice-attribute Soul Masters at Yu Yuanzhen's residence, but it did have an ice cellar. He had someone fetch some ice from it and pour it into a tub with cold water.
Lightning surged in Yu Yuanzhen's palm, and the Whale Rubber in his hand instantly softened, becoming a jelly-like substance.
"Here, take it while it's hot." Yu Yuanzhen handed the softened Whale Rubber to Yu Xuan.
Yu Xuan took the Whale Rubber and swallowed it in one bite without hesitation.
A magma-like heat erupted in an instant, making his limbs and every bone in his body unbearably hot. Countless lewd images flooded uncontrollably into his mind.
Under the effects of the Whale Rubber, even his skin turned bright red, like a steamed crab...
Yu Xuan turned and jumped into the wooden tub that had been prepared in advance.
"Hiss-!"
As soon as he jumped in, it was like red-hot iron meeting water. With a hiss, great clouds of white vapor billowed up from the tub.
Comfortable... The burning heat eased, and that was the only thought in Yu Xuan's mind.
He gradually grew sleepy. His eyes closed, and he fell into a deep sleep.
When he woke, even he didn't know how much time had passed.
"You're awake? It's already afternoon."
Yu Yuanzhen put down the Thunder Medicinal Classic in his hand, walked over to him, and asked, "How do you feel?"
"Strong as an ox." Yu Xuan bent his arm, flexed it, and grinned.
After refining that piece of Whale Rubber, he could clearly feel that his physique had grown noticeably stronger than before.
Yu Yuanzhen smiled. "Good. It's time for us to set out and get your Soul Ring. I'll examine you first to see how old a Soul Ring you can withstand."