Douluo: I Can Choose My Own Soul Skills

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In the evening, after dinner, Ye Lan didn't return to Dorm Seven. Instead, he strolled through Nuoding City to walk off the meal—and to search for any leads on Whale Glue.

Over the past three years, after deducting daily expenses and the cost of food from Su Yuntao for his food-based cultivation, Ye Lan still had more than 500 gold soul coins on hand. Based on purchasing power, that would make him a multimillionaire in the modern world.

However, on the Douluo Continent, many of the items Ye Lan wanted were outrageously expensive. For example, storage soul tools could cost tens of thousands of gold soul coins.

Moreover, to buy a storage soul tool, one had to attend an auction in a major city.

A small city like Nuoding didn't carry such items. Even if one happened to appear, the locals wouldn't be able to afford it.

In that sense, Yu Xiaogang had invested heavily in Tang San. Just Twenty-Four Bridges in the Moonlit Night alone, Ye Lan estimated, would go for at least 200,000 gold soul coins at auction.

Before long, Ye Lan arrived at Treasure Pavilion, a renowned store in Nuoding. According to what he'd learned, the shop's backing came from a large merchant guild in Heaven Dou City, so Ye Lan wasn't worried about getting swindled with fake goods here.

Upon entering Treasure Pavilion, he was greeted by a classically elegant interior. The floor was lined with black-red wooden planks, and ornate hanging lamps illuminated the ceiling and walls. Rows of transparent display cases held a dazzling variety of goods.

A shop assistant immediately noticed Ye Lan's well-dressed, noble-like appearance and welcomed him with enthusiasm.

Ye Lan wandered casually while listening to her enthusiastic introductions, gradually getting a sense of the products offered.

Aside from a few soul master items, most of the store's goods fell into the luxury category.

Looking up at the sweet, friendly woman in her twenties, Ye Lan blinked curiously and asked, "Big sister, do you sell Whale Glue here?"

The woman's eyes sparkled at the way he addressed her, though her professional demeanor kept her from laughing aloud. "You can just call me Lily. As for Whale Glue, yes—our shop recently acquired a well-aged piece!"

Then Lily paused, a puzzled look flashing across her face. Whale Glue? That's not something a child his age would need.

Ye Lan noticed her expression and quickly explained, "My uncle asked me to buy it for him. Is there something wrong with Whale Glue?"

"Pfft, no, nothing at all. It's just… eating it at your age wouldn't do anything." Lily giggled behind her hand.

"Come with me. I'll take you to the second floor. Whale Glue isn't cheap!"

Ye Lan followed her upstairs, where he finally laid eyes on the Whale Glue he had long dreamed of—a semi-transparent, yellow piece.

Lily pointed it out and explained, "This piece is approximately 5,000 years old, making it a premium-grade Whale Glue. It'll definitely be effective for your uncle. But it does come at a price—300 gold soul coins, non-negotiable."

Ye Lan picked it up and brought it close for inspection. He sniffed it—no real scent. Without a doubt, this was the same Whale Glue mentioned in the original story.

If the true use of Whale Glue were widely known, he thought, there's no way it would still be on sale here in Nuoding City. And the price wouldn't be 300 gold soul coins—it'd be at least ten times that.

Without hesitation, Ye Lan pulled out the exact amount of gold soul coins from his backpack and handed them over.

Lily was stunned by how straightforwardly and quickly he paid.

This sale came with a generous commission, and Lily cheerfully wrapped the Whale Glue in a decorative gift box for him.

With the item in hand, Ye Lan didn't linger. He gave Lily a polite goodbye and left under her reluctant, wistful gaze.

Outside, Ye Lan walked leisurely, making his way back to Nuoding Academy with a casual air.

He wasn't stupid enough to look like someone carrying precious goods. After all, this world was anything but safe. Even a few hundred gold soul coins' worth of treasure was enough to tempt low-level soul masters.

Although Ye Lan wasn't afraid of spirit masters below level 20, he also didn't want unnecessary trouble.

After returning to Nuoding Academy, he headed to the dorm to pack up and bathe before heading to the rear mountain to absorb the Whale Glue.

When he entered Dorm Seven, the layout was mostly the same as before. The only difference was that Tang San and Xiao Wu's beds had been pushed together, and the two were now sharing a single blanket. The raised spot in the middle of the blanket looked like it was covering a bundle of some sort.

Ye Lan couldn't help finding it amusing.

A grown man's soul and a hundred-thousand-year-old rabbit soul playing house like children… No wonder they fell so madly in love. After all, they'd been sharing a bed since the age of six.

Ye Lan paid no further attention to Tang San and Xiao Wu. After packing what he needed, he took a bath and headed toward the academy's back mountain.

Before long, he found a suitable spot to start a fire. After building the campfire, he placed a flat stone slab over the flames.

Once the stone was sufficiently heated, he took out the yellow Whale Glue from the box and placed it on the searing slab. Soon, the Whale Glue began to soften, releasing a faint, pleasant aroma.

When the resin had melted enough to be swallowed, Ye Lan didn't hesitate. Ignoring the heat, he picked it up and shoved it into his mouth.

The scalding resin seared his tongue, making him wince and twist in discomfort. He quickly grabbed his waterskin and poured cold water into his mouth, trying to cool it down.

Soon after, his body began to react. His blood felt as though it were boiling, and his skin burned with an internal heat.

His mouth dried out, his tongue parched as if he were about to breathe fire. After downing a final gulp of spring water, Ye Lan sat down cross-legged and began meditating, entering his cultivation state.

This cultivation session was unlike any before. A torrent of fiery energy surged through his body, rampaging wildly. Ye Lan forcibly calmed his mind and directed his gentle Blue Silver Grass soul power to encircle and subdue the chaotic energy.

As Ye Lan worked to suppress the heat, the five-thousand-year-old Whale Glue began to unleash its true effects.

It slowly improved his physical constitution, making the soul power pathways throughout his body tougher and more resilient.

The most significant improvement, however, was to his body's physical strength. The volatile medicinal power of the resin enhanced his physical attributes across the board.

By dawn the next day, Ye Lan awoke from a long night of restlessness.

His clothes were soaked through with sweat and clung tightly to his back. A cool morning breeze swept over his body, bringing a refreshing sense of relief.

What excited Ye Lan the most was how clearly he could feel the Whale Glue's effects. Although his soul power cultivation speed had only increased by around 10%, for someone like Ye Lan, who treasured every second, this was a valuable gain.

Even more impressive was his physical enhancement, which had improved by nearly 30%. If he were to absorb his first spirit ring right now, he could surpass the typical limit and safely absorb one up to 600 years in age.

The sudden leap in physical strength made the weight training gear on his body feel noticeably lighter.

Looks like I'll need to increase my daily training load to 50 jin, he thought. Only then will the resistance be meaningful again.

Meanwhile, Tang San, after finishing his classes, sought out Yu Xiaogang.

Ever since taking Tang San as his disciple, Yu Xiaogang had completely shaken off his old gloom. He now radiated confidence, like the undisputed number one theory master on the continent.

The "Grandmaster" looked at Tang San with great satisfaction and asked,

"Are you getting used to the dorm? If you're not comfortable staying there, Xiao San, you can stay with your teacher instead."

Tang San quickly shook his head, thinking of that cute girl, Xiao Wu.

"No need, Teacher! I'm doing just fine on my own."

"By the way, Teacher… do you know a person named Ye Lan?"

(End of Chapter)