Chapter 40: with translation of chapter title

Still waking up at six o'clock, everyone in the Royal Battle Team has now grown accustomed to this lifestyle; although it's hard every day, progress is also very noticeable.

After a month had passed, each of their families and forces had also gathered some whale glue, which was something Gu Xuan had mentioned to them initially.

It was only then that they learned that whale glue could not only be used to strengthen virility, but also to temper the body and enhance one's quality.

It is worth mentioning that Gu Xuan gave Du Gu Yan a piece of whale glue aged three thousand years; he gave it only to her, which made everyone envious and also let Du Gu Yan feel Gu Xuan's special regard for her.

In fact, Yu Tianheng also gave her a piece, though his was only over a thousand years old— not as good as Gu Xuan's, but it was already a rare quality product on the market, since the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect had already been buying up whale glue in large quantities years ago, so essentially any top‑grade whale glue one could see on the market had already ended up in the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect.

Even so, Yu Tianheng being willing to part with a piece to give to Du Gu Yan was already quite commendable.

However, Gu Xuan had given his earlier, having already presented it to her alone beforehand, thereby also enhancing their feelings.

Thus Du Gu Yan ultimately did not accept Yu Tianheng's whale glue, and she talked with him about it; Gu Xuan wasn't present at the time, but he also knew what they were discussing.

Because after that, Yu Tianheng no longer gave Du Gu Yan any special treatment, and they simply interacted as good friends.

Gu Xuan knew that Du Gu Yan had told him this directly, and the person she chose was naturally himself. One must admit, Gu Xuan truly likes this trait of hers— just as she is bold in love and hate, once she makes up her mind she stops playing games and settles on who she wants.

After morning training ended, everyone ate breakfast together and then went to the training hall; Qin Ming had already been waiting there early, and today there would be no sparring, only the absorption and refinement of whale glue.

It is also worth mentioning that Gu Xuan gave Qin Ming a piece of whale glue aged a thousand years, after all he is also a talent, and although he teaches at the Royal Tian Dou Academy, he is nonetheless of commoner origin, which qualifies him as an independent Soul Master.

In the future, when the continent is in turmoil, establishing good relations now means that later we could bring him to the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect as a free‑of‑charge enforcer.

Of course, this is merely Gu Xuan's idea, after all Qin Ming hails from Shrek, and his future remains uncertain; but that doesn't matter, since all he gave was a thousand‑year‑old piece of whale glue, which is indeed precious.

But compared to the entire Seven Treasure Glazed Sect, it amounts to nothing; regardless, Qin Ming's strength has increased, and he will be a part of the future resistance against the Spirit Hall, and Gu Xuan has also earned his goodwill and favors, so it's no loss.

After gathering in the training hall, everyone sat cross‑legged, and Gu Xuan began to instruct them on how to absorb and refine the whale glue in their hands.

After many years of trial and experience by the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect, Gu Xuan has also summed up a most perfect method.

It may not be called the absolute best, but it is certainly the only method currently on the continent that can maximize the efficacy of whale glue.

Including Gu Xuan, the eight members of the Royal Battle Team plus Qin Ming made nine people sitting in a circle, each spaced three meters apart, each holding a piece of whale glue; the sizes varied— some were as big as a head, others only as large as a fist.

Each person's whale glue was over a thousand years old, and the piece Gu Xuan held was the oldest, reaching a full five thousand years.

Following the procedure Gu Xuan began to explain, they started using their own soul power to refine the whale glue in their hands, compressing it to refine it as much as possible while letting their own soul power merge into it.

Doing this allows them, when later absorbing the whale glue, to maximize its absorption and refinement, because the whale glue has already assimilated each person's own soul power within it.

After refining for a full hour, each person's whale glue had been reduced to about the size of a dragon pellet, roughly three centimeters in diameter.

At this moment each person's whale glue resembled a chewy jelly, exuding a rich fragrance that permeates the heart and spleen; merely inhaling it makes one's body feel somewhat heated and aroused, which is also the main substance by which whale glue enhances that ability.

"Take it!" Gu Xuan commanded. The others had no hesitation; even though merely smelling that fragrance made them feel a bit heated, they still chose to swallow it directly.

If judged by its virility‑boosting effect, swallowing it this way would enable a person to fight for seven days and seven nights.

After everyone, including Gu Xuan, had swallowed the whale glue, Gu Xuan's voice continued: "Focus your mind and calm your breath, gather your soul power in the dantian to envelop the whale glue, then refine it with all your strength until the bodily heat subsides!"

Afterward, Gu Xuan said no more and began to drive his soul power to fully refine the whale glue in his abdomen.

Everyone's body surface surged with soul power, mainly concentrated in the abdomen; as the swallowed whale glue was gradually refined, each person's body surface began to turn reddish and moist— Gu Xuan was fine, since this was not his first time taking it.

The others, including Qin Ming, were each like a cooked small lobster, their bodies steaming with heat.

If observed carefully, one can see that, aside from Gu Xuan and the two girls, even the other boys, Qin Ming included, were like that.

Everyone was refining the whale glue with all their might, following the method and techniques Gu Xuan had previously told them, to resist the inner heat and the nonexistent fantasies.

After another full hour, Gu Xuan opened his eyes, his face glowing red, slowly rose to his feet, glanced at the others still refining the whale glue, and when he noticed them, a painful memory flashed through his mind.

Gu Xuan truly wished there were a camera now to record this scene, for the day they would be embarrassed.

After yet another hour, Qin Ming opened his eyes, his body surface surging with soul power; he couldn't help clenching his fists, feeling incredulous at his strengthened body.

If Qin Ming's physical condition had previously matched his soul power level at sixty‑first rank, then now his physique should be comparable to that of a sixty‑fifth‑rank Soul Emperor.

This is no exaggeration, because the effect of the first dose of whale glue is excellent; thereafter the effect gradually diminishes, or one must find higher‑quality whale glue to maintain such a level.

Qin Ming was delighted, for relying solely on his bodily strength, his explosive power, strength, endurance, and even speed had increased greatly; now he is at least one tier stronger in combat than before.

Qin Ming stood up, looked gratefully at Gu Xuan; everything needed to be expressed silently, and one could say Gu Xuan had given him a chance to make up for his fifth soul skill having absorbed a thousand‑year soul ring.

Gu Xuan smiled, nodded in response, then continued to watch the others, his gaze mainly on Du Gu Yan.

Now he already has the intention of dating Du Gu Yan; in the future Gu Xuan will surely want to keep this girl by his side, so he naturally wants Du Gu Yan to keep pace with his progress.

Before this, Gu Xuan's speed of increasing soul power was not fast; after all, he only broke through to thirtieth rank at age twelve, and although he had the top‑tier resources of the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect as backing, his innate soul power was only eighth rank, yet his effort was unmatched by others.

Nevertheless, precisely because of that, Gu Xuan's foundation is far deeper than anyone his age, like building a foundation: an ordinary person might manage at most two hundred square feet, a genius five hundred, but Gu Xuan directly laid a foundation like a bird's nest.

Later, when building upon that foundation, Gu Xuan, thanks to his broad and solid base, will be able to soar straight up and instantly construct a terrifying bird's nest far surpassing anyone else's, which could not be compared to a two‑hundred‑ or five‑hundred‑square‑foot foundation.

ps: Typos will be corrected later.

I rewrote it again, truly speechless……

(End of chapter)