Chapter 55: Gift (please collect, recommend ticket, monthly ticket!)

Du Gu Yan was doing this for the first time, so her movements were clumsy; Gu Xuan slowly guided her, starting with their lips and then moving forward bit by bit.

Before that, they both drank fruit tea; Gu Xuan liked passionfruit flavor, while Du Gu Yan drank pineapple. The two flavors combined, becoming especially sweet and intoxicating, making Du Gu Yan's face quickly flush.

After pulling back the first time, Du Gu Yan had a taste, closed her eyes and couldn't help but actively explore, while Gu Xuan led her in exploration.

The whole process didn't take long; although it was Du Gu Yan's first time, once she adapted to the new situation, she began to become more active.

Five full minutes passed; Du Gu Yan's lips were slightly swollen, and Gu Xuan wasn't much better off, because once she set her mind on something she charged forward relentlessly.

Their lips parted, and Du Gu Yan leaned directly into Gu Xuan's embrace.

Gu Xuan wrapped his arms around her slender waist, pulling her into his embrace; Du Gu Yan, resting against his solid chest, felt his heavy, low heartbeat.

She pursed her slightly swollen, tender lips, savoring the unique taste just experienced, and a strange sense of satisfaction welled up inside her.

Gu Xuan held her waist with his left hand, and with his right hand his Soul Tool flashed, producing an exquisite brocade box.

Du Gu Yan glanced at it, then lifted her head and looked questioningly at Gu Xuan, meeting his handsome face wearing a gentle smile.

"What is this?" Du Gu Yan's purple eyes were full of confusion.

Gu Xuan lightly bumped his forehead against hers and whispered, "Open it and see."

Du Gu Yan became even more shy because of that, since the words were almost spoken with their lips touching.

She pressed her lips together, restraining the urge to bite Gu Xuan, and turned her gaze to the brocade box.

She took the box with both hands, found it somewhat heavy, and, filled with anticipation, slowly opened it.

As the box opened, a strange fragrance assailed her nose—a scent Du Gu Yan knew very well; wasn't this the whale gelatin they had taken before?

This piece of whale gelatin, whether in quality or otherwise, was clearly superior to the one Gu Xuan had given her earlier, and Du Gu Yan instantly judged its value.

"Xuan..." Du Gu Yan turned her head to look at Gu Xuan, her purple eyes brimming with emotion, moved to the brink of tears.

Even when Gu Xuan first told them about the whale gelatin's effects, she had Dugu Bo search for some for her, but high-quality whale gelatin on the market had already been swept clean by the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect, leaving only scraps—even those of a thousand-year age were rare finds.

Even with Dugu Bo personally involved, he managed only three pieces of thousand-year-old whale gelatin for Du Gu Yan—one of them three thousand years old, the other two each a thousand years.

Last time Gu Xuan gave her a three-thousand-year-old piece of whale gelatin; now he presented another piece whose quality was obviously better.

Knowing the whale gelatin's effects, how could she not realize how precious this gift was? Gu Xuan's devotion went straight to her heart, so her emotion was inevitable.

Gu Xuan smiled knowingly and said, "This piece of whale gelatin has reached a five-thousand-year grade; I had my grandfather send it over. Since you've agreed to be my girlfriend, good things are naturally meant to be shared."

Hearing that, Du Gu Yan tossed the whale gelatin aside, leaned again against Gu Xuan's chest, and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist, as if she wanted to merge into his body.

Which girl hearing those words wouldn't be moved? To obtain sect resources for her use, and with that final line about sharing good things with a girlfriend, Du Gu Yan's already slightly flushed face grew even hotter.

"Xuan, you... you're really good..." Du Gu Yan murmured against Gu Xuan's chest, eyes full of feeling.

Holding the soft, water-like beautiful maiden in his arms, Gu Xuan also did his best to suppress his desire, not allowing the little chick to evolve into a great tyrant.

Looking at the deeply moved Du Gu Yan, Gu Xuan also felt a twinge of guilt, because this wasn't something he had asked Gu Rong for; he had actually already placed it inside his Soul Tool.

After all, he'd be away for several months, and he couldn't run to the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect every day, so he simply brought a few pieces of whale gelatin with him.

Originally he thought that if the Royal Battle Team couldn't find whale gelatin, he could sell it on the market or trade it for a favor, but given the other members' resources, obtaining a piece of whale gelatin was no problem, so his whale gelatin remained unused.

Besides using one piece himself and giving one to Du Gu Yan—leaving three—he now gave her another, leaving him with only two pieces.

The remaining two pieces are also five-thousand-year grade, since whale gelatin isn't overly common on the market; the sect had previously used these to cultivate a group of people, all of whom had hopes of breaking through to Titled Douluo.

However, the effect of whale gelatin is limited; even those few eighty‑nine‑level elders who absorbed it remain stuck at the eighty‑nine‑level peak, lacking only a breakthrough opportunity.

This is also why Gu Xuan is willing to use the whale gelatin secret as a means to win over the other Royal Battle Team members, since the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect has already reaped most of the benefits; the leftover trifling gains, though not to be wasted, can be shared a bit.

Moreover, Gu Xuan told only the Royal Battle Team members, who swore not to leak the secret without his permission—not even to the closest people in the sect or clan.

This is naturally a regret for them, because the value of whale gelatin here is clear; if it could be popularized, their own families would certainly obtain a nice boost.

But Gu Xuan had said before that it wasn't yet time for widespread use, since it was discovered by the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect; without his permission they could only keep the secret in their hearts.

Although they feel regret and even envy the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect, they have already received benefits; wishing for more would be completely immoral.

They are just kids, not world‑weary old slickers who've been beaten by society; they still place great importance on reputation.

So Gu Xuan need not worry for now about them leaking the whale gelatin secret; later, it will no longer matter, because by then the Seven Treasure Glazed Sect will have exhausted the profits, and others will merely be picking up scraps.

ps: typos will be corrected later.

I've revised it three times; this is the final version—bear with me, this review has driven me nuts!!! I can't write anything about that side……

Please vote for comfort!

(End of chapter)