"Going to Vast Sea City to obtain whale glue?" Ning Fengzhi looked astonished.
"Yes, Sis Yan'er plans to condense the Misfortune Poison Body..." Ning Rongrong carefully explained everything that had happened to her father.
After hearing Ning Rongrong's account, the Bone Douluo and Ning Fengzhi exchanged glances.
Condensing the Misfortune Poison Body was dangerous, but since even Dugu Bo didn't oppose it having clearly considered it thoroughly they couldn't press further. Instead, they turned their attention to the whale glue.
"So whale glue has such effects." The Bone Douluo sighed. "Rongrong, why didn't you tell us earlier?"
Enhancing physical constitution to allow absorbing higher-ranked soul rings what tremendous appeal!
"I personally thought medicinal baths were sufficient. As for whale glue..." Ning Rongrong said helplessly, "large-scale collection of such items can't be kept secret."
"Moreover, even after consuming whale glue, absorbing thousand-year soul rings still carries significant risks."
"Beyond that, I'm somewhat concerned about retaliation from ocean spirit beasts."
"The Deep Sea Demon Whale King?" The Bone Douluo recalled the spirit beast Ning Rongrong had mentioned three years ago.
"Exactly!"
Who knew what the Deep Sea Demon Whale King was thinking? If provoked, they wouldn't even know where to cry for help.
While theoretically unlikely, what if it happened?
Additionally, Ning Rongrong still held some hope regarding the Deep Sea Demon Whale King and the Demon Empress they might become potential allies in the future.
"So you and Elder Dugu are going to Vast Sea City together?"
Ning Fengzhi faintly sensed Ning Rongrong was hiding something, but since she wasn't volunteering the information, pressing would be futile. Best to let it be.
Regarding whale glue, before Ning Rongrong brought it up, they had secretly collected some over the years just not openly.
"Yes, that's the plan." Ning Rongrong looked at the Bone Douluo. "I was wondering if Father and Grandpa Bone could join us."
"Unfortunately not." Ning Fengzhi shook his head. "Even if Uncle Bone and I went, hunting hundred-thousand-year ocean spirit beasts would remain extremely difficult."
"Uncle Sword is in a breakthrough phase. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda needs someone to stay behind, so..."
"It's fine, Sect Master. Don't worry about it." Dugu Bo said sincerely.
"Elder Dugu, once Elder Sword finishes his breakthrough, if you still need assistance, we'll head to Vast Sea City immediately."
Ning Fengzhi understood his refusal might seem cold, but in the end, neither he nor the Bone Douluo could go to Vast Sea City.
Outside the main hall.
"Sorry about Father, he..."
"I understand. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda is a support sect. Throughout the sect master's succession, the rule of 'one stays while one goes out' has never been broken."
Though disappointed Ning Fengzhi couldn't come, Dugu Bo recognized the circumstances and harbored no resentment.
"97th rank..." Contemplating the Sword Douluo's strength, Dugu Bo sighed. "I wonder if I'll ever reach such heights in my lifetime."
Currently a 92nd-ranked Title Douluo, after over three years of consolidation and Poison Core cultivation, his foundation had stabilized further, and he sensed the bottleneck to 93rd rank loosening.
But when the breakthrough would come, even Dugu Bo couldn't say.
After a day's preparation, the three set off for Vast Sea City.
Located southeast of the Heaven Dou Empire, far from the Spirit Hall and not too distant from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, the prosperous Vast Sea City nominally belonged to the empire but was truly a gathering place for sea soul masters most of whom worshipped the Sea God.
With detailed maps and Dugu Bo's speed as a Title Douluo, they reached Vast Sea City in just three days.
Upon entering, they immediately noticed the city's unique maritime atmosphere, with dazzling arrays of peculiar pearls everywhere.
"Wow, so beautiful!" Dugu Yan marveled at the pearl stalls and ocean specialties, thoroughly enchanted.
"Rongrong, don't you like anything?" Dugu Bo glanced between his enthralled granddaughter and the pensive Ning Rongrong beside her.
"Not really." Ning Rongrong shook her head. "Just not interested."
"Rongrong, look!"
Dugu Yan grabbed Ning Rongrong's hand, making her look up instinctively.
A new necklace now adorned Dugu Yan's neck.
"Pretty, right? Just bought it." Dugu Yan grinned.
"Yes, it suits you well."
As the granddaughter of the Alchemy Pavilion's master in the fabulously wealthy Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, Dugu Yan naturally lacked no funds to buy whatever caught her eye.
After some leisurely browsing, Dugu Yan's novelty wore off.
Storing her necklace in a soul tool, she asked, "Grandpa, Rongrong, what next? Hunt whale spirit beasts directly?"
"No, too reckless." Ning Rongrong vetoed.
"Sis Yan'er, ocean spirit beasts face less soul master interference, maintaining more complete ecosystems. Their numbers likely surpass land spirit beasts tenfold, with countless powerful ones."
"Charging into the sea unprepared could be disastrous. Even Title Douluos must tread carefully on the ocean."
"First, the auction house!" Ning Rongrong contemplated. "This city is large it should have both an auction house and a Great Spirit Arena."
"Any particular reason?"
Dugu Bo wondered why Ning Rongrong prioritized the auction house.
"Gathering information. And buying sea charts. Auction houses value reputation less chance of being swindled."
"Oh, Elder Dugu." Ning Rongrong looked up. "Did you bring any medicinal pills?"
"Quite a few. Auction them here?"
"Yes. Land soul masters rarely visit, so probably few Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda-Heaven Dou Empire cooperative pills reach here."
"Should fetch good prices while gathering intel."
"Sound reasoning. As expected of the young master thinking ahead." Dugu Bo nodded.
The three headed for the auction house.
Located near the Great Spirit Arena, they were stopped at the entrance by an attendant demanding ticket purchases and deposits for entry.
Without fuss, Dugu Bo released his martial soul and soul rings yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black all nine rising slowly.
"Fetch your auction house's manager. We have business to discuss. And prepare a decent private room."
"A... a Title Douluo!"
The attendant stuttered briefly before recovering this being a city near Sea God Island where Soul Sages and Soul Douluos frequently came shopping.
"Your Excellency, please wait momentarily. I'll inform them immediately." He scurried inside.
Watching the efficient process, Ning Rongrong mused how showing strength directly at auction houses avoided tedious posturing authoritative figures emerged swiftly when power was displayed.
Sure enough, soon a square-jawed middle-aged man emerged, cupping his hands respectfully.
"I'm Zhou Xun, this auction house's manager. May I ask what Your Excellency wishes to auction?"
"Medicinal pills. Heard of them?" Dugu Bo produced three vials from his soul tool.
"Red for healing, blue for spirit power recovery, purple for detoxification. Thirty pills per vial effective for soul masters under level 40, useless above."
"Y-you are..." Zhou Xun nearly fumbled the vials. As manager, he knew Heaven Dou's pills only worked below level 30 these...
"Don't ask unnecessary questions. Take us to a private room. We'll have questions later first time in Vast Sea City. No tricks, understood?"
"We don't care about money, but we're not fools!"
"Of course, of course!" Zhou Xun wiped his brow under the Title Douluo's pressure, hastily ushering them to the auction house's finest private room.