Chapter 41: Power Increase (Please Collect, Recommendation Ticket, Monthly Ticket!)

As Qin Ming woke up, after another half hour passed, the others also woke up one after another; with their eyes open, each of their faces showed an expression of joy and excitement, because they never imagined that the effect of whale glue would be so powerful.

Each of them gained a decent harvest, because this was the first time using whale glue, so it was also when the effect was best.

Gu Xuan looked at the first to wake, Yu Tianheng, and asked, "Tianheng, how was your harvest?"

The excited expression on Yu Tianheng's face had not yet faded; hearing Gu Xuan's words, he also looked at him with a grateful expression.

He considered Gu Xuan's selflessness something he could not achieve, even though they had sworn not to leak it without Gu Xuan's permission, not even to their closest kin.

But they had only just come into contact for three days; this kind of breadth was something he lacked.

However, Gu Xuan's trust was not misplaced; so far they have not told anyone else about the use of whale glue, and people in the clan thought they were in heat.

They, too, were experienced; they advised them to exercise restraint, and after giving a few reminders, there was nothing more to say.

Yu Tianheng and the others naturally kept their mouths shut; otherwise they would have betrayed Gu Xuan's trust.

Yu Tianheng's face was flushed red, somewhat excited as he said, "The whale glue I refined is 2,500 years old; after successfully refining it, I feel my physical quality has greatly improved—whether strength, explosive power, endurance, or speed, these basic attributes have all seen a decent increase."

Speaking, Yu Tianheng's face became even more excited, and he continued, "My soul power also rose from level 37 to level 38; I never expected that while the whale glue enhanced my physical quality, it also refined the soul power I had previously not used properly, raising my soul power by one level!"

He explained his situation, and his gaze toward Gu Xuan grew fiery, as if looking at a naked little girl, making Gu Xuan involuntarily shudder.

"Gu Xuan, I won't say more; you are a brother in my heart!" Yu Tianheng said solemnly.

Gu Xuan nodded slightly, smiling in response: "We of the Top Three Sects are originally of the same breath and branch; saying such things between us brothers would be too formal."

Afterward, Gu Xuan looked at the others; Osuro also had an excited face as he related his situation.

His situation was the same as Yu Tianheng's; while his physical quality improved, his soul power also rose by one level, from level 35 to level 36; for them, the first use of whale glue was a rare opportunity.

Then the others each explained their situation; besides the improvement in physical quality, each person's soul power actually rose by one level, something Gu Xuan had not anticipated, given that his own soul power, though also improved, had only gone from mid-level 33 to late-level 33.

In the past month, Gu Xuan's soul power broke through from early level 33 to mid-level; now, after consuming a piece of whale glue aged 5,000 years, he has only broken through a minor stage.

However, thinking back to Gu Xuan's initial harvest when he first took whale glue, he felt relieved.

The effect of whale glue is best the first time; afterward it gradually diminishes, basically later consumption can only improve physical quality, not raise soul power level.

Moreover, one cannot keep taking whale glue to improve physical quality indefinitely, because everything has its limits; before the medicinal effect of the taken whale glue is fully refined and absorbed, a second dose is merely waste, and the effect will be greatly reduced.

Otherwise, given the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect's years of collection, even if not fed to Gu Xuan as meals, at least supplying him would be sufficient, yet Gu Xuan had not yet broken through level 30 by age twelve.

It's not that Gu Xuan is weak; rather, whale glue cannot be eaten continually, and Gu Xuan's previous six years spent cultivating soul power were not many, possibly similar to Tang San in the original work.

Because he needs to learn too much, someone might ask why not cultivate soul power first? After all, soul power is the foundation of a Soul Master, and Soul Masters cultivate fastest when young, the longer you look the more you fall behind.

Gu Xuan agrees with that, but he does not merely need to cultivate soul power; he also needs to plan for the future, and his future enemies are gods.

What use is fast cultivation now? At most one can become a Titled Douluo in the future, and perhaps before reaching Titled Douluo others will already have become gods. That's why he studies pharmaceutical knowledge, so that when he encounters Dugu Bo he will have a better chance to defeat him; after all, if you lack strength yourself, even with some background and boasting to the heavens, you are still trash.

In the original work, Tang San, after being captured by Dugu Bo, did not rely on his own ability to detoxify; it was his skill as a poison master that gave him a slim chance, and in the end he bonded with Dugu Bo.

Moreover, even if he wasted some cultivation time earlier, as long as he can seize the Binghuo Liangyi Yan, the heavenly-grade herbs in the plot would allow this level of cultivation to instantly surpass.

In terms of cost-effectiveness, Gu Xuan's choice is the most cost-effective.

Of course, there is also a premise that Gu Xuan's plan must succeed; otherwise everything is just empty talk.

According to the current situation, everything is proceeding according to Gu Xuan's plan's process, without exceeding expectations.

And those who have taken whale glue now also have a decent improvement: Yu Tianheng rose from level 37 to level 38, and Osuro from level 35 to level 36.

Stone Grind's soul power rose from level 36 to level 37, Stone Ink from level 35 to level 36, Yu Feng from level 35 to level 36, Ye Lingling from level 33 to level 34.

Du Gu Yan took whale glue aged 3,000 years; her soul power rose from level 37 to mid-level 38, which is one minor stage higher than Yu Tianheng.

Everyone's harvest left them very satisfied, and their admiration and gratitude toward Gu Xuan grew stronger; after over a month together they fully acknowledged Gu Xuan, to the extent that even Qin Ming had to look at Gu Xuan anew.

Seeing that everyone had finished absorbing, Gu Xuan said, "You all reek of sweat; just now, when you absorbed the whale glue, many impurities were expelled from your bodies—now go take a bath."

Osuro didn't mind, after all he usually smells of sweat during training.

Feeling his own improvement, he couldn't help but ask, "Captain, if the whale glue's effect is so strong, wouldn't absorbing it a few more times let us break through to Soul Ancestor in a split second?"

Gu Xuan covered his face upon hearing that, somewhat speechless, but still explained, "You must have gotten overexcited and gone stupid; if such a good thing existed, I wouldn't still be only level 33."

"'Whale glue is good, but your such noticeable effect is only because it's the first absorption; later absorptions won't be that effective.'"

Afterward, Gu Xuan explained his view to everyone once more; upon hearing it, they nodded thoughtfully, indicating that Osuro's whimsical method was indeed unfeasible.

Then Gu Xuan continued, "I suggest you take it once a month; each time consuming a thousand-year-old piece of whale glue is sufficient, and of course if you can obtain higher-age whale glue, that would be even better."

"'If you persist like this, combined with my training method, breaking your fourth soul ring to six thousand years or even higher is not impossible.'"

Hearing Gu Xuan's words, including Qin Ming, each one was excited beyond measure; with such an opportunity to increase strength, they would not let it pass—they wished they could live in the training hall every day.

When the time comes for later fourth soul ring to absorb beyond level, in battles among Soul Masters of the same rank, they will inherently possess a certain advantage.

Just like Gu Xuan, back when he was level 33 facing Yu Tianheng at level 37, he felt no pressure; even now that Yu Tianheng's soul power has risen by one level, he still lacks confidence to beat Gu Xuan.

This is the benefit of having a sufficiently strong foundation.

ps: typos will be corrected later.

(End of chapter)