In an instant, a strong fishy smell assaulted his nose, causing Dai Chengfeng to instinctively wrinkle his brows.
However, the smooth and tender texture as he swallowed it surprised him slightly. "This texture… it's actually a bit like jelly."
Dai Chengfeng chuckled softly as he slowly closed his eyes and began refining the whale glue.
At this moment, as the whale glue entered his stomach, a scorching heat rapidly spread throughout Dai Chengfeng's body.
He felt an unbearable burning sensation, as if he were standing in the middle of a blazing furnace, with surges of fiery energy running rampant inside him.
"This feeling… no wonder Huo Yuhao lost control."
Dai Chengfeng shook his head. Though the fiery energy was intense, he wasn't the least bit panicked.
The Innate Qi Technique began to circulate.
After all, the Innate Qi Technique originated from the Yellow Emperor's Outer Canon and was a legitimate Daoist cultivation technique, characterized by its balance and harmony.
It had an immense suppressive effect on fiery energies.
Soon, after one full cycle of the Innate Qi Technique…
Streams of cool energy, like flowing brooks, began to circulate within Dai Chengfeng's body, suppressing the burning sensation.
As the Innate Qi Technique continued to circulate, the burning heat gradually subsided, replaced by a warm and soothing sensation.
Dai Chengfeng could clearly feel his internal organs, bones, muscles, and even skin being continuously repaired and strengthened under this warm current.
Even his spirit became more refined.
Time passed second by second.
About half an incense stick's time later, Dai Chengfeng finally opened his eyes, his face brimming with uncontrollable excitement.
He clenched his fists tightly, feeling the powerful surge of strength within him. "My strength has increased by at least 30%! The effects of this ten-thousand-year whale glue are indeed formidable!"
After the excitement subsided, Dai Chengfeng eagerly picked up another piece of whale glue and placed it into his mouth.
Having gained experience from refining the first piece, this time Dai Chengfeng handled the process with ease.
While circulating the Innate Qi Technique, he quietly guided the medicinal properties of the whale glue to spread throughout his body.
However, not long after, he noticed…
This time, the effects were far weaker than the first time.
After completing the refinement, Dai Chengfeng carefully assessed the results and shook his head. "Sure enough, whale glue also has diminishing returns. This time, the effects were barely one-third of the first."
However, there was no trace of disappointment in Dai Chengfeng's eyes, as he had already anticipated such a result.
After a brief adjustment, Dai Chengfeng consumed the third piece of whale glue.
This time, the effects were even weaker.
He only faintly felt a slight warmth in his body—it was almost negligible.
"If I take another piece, it'll probably just be like eating candy."
Dai Chengfeng chuckled at his own joke, no longer fixated on the diminishing effects of the whale glue.
He stood up and felt the taut lines of his muscles and the faint golden glow shimmering beneath his skin…
For a moment, Dai Chengfeng nodded in satisfaction.
"I wonder if everyone who consumes whale glue experiences these effects, or if it's because I frequently temper my body with Innate Origin Metal Qi…"
At this moment, Dai Chengfeng estimated that the maximum year limit for absorbing soul rings had likely increased to between 3,500 and 4,000 years.
This was undoubtedly a massive leap forward.
"Fantastic!"
Dai Chengfeng nodded again in satisfaction, his face radiating joy. He then strode into the bathroom, took a shower, and washed away the sweat from his body.
After finishing his bath, he returned to bed refreshed and clear-headed, his gaze falling on the Heaven-Splitting Halberd resting on the table.
---
Three days passed in the blink of an eye.
During these three days, Dai Chengfeng hadn't left his room once.
Aside from his cultivation, he had devoted nearly all his time to studying his newly acquired Heaven-Splitting Halberd.
Unfortunately,
After three days, Dai Chengfeng had only managed to develop the ability to infuse soul power into the halberd, activating the inscribed array to receive feedback and amplify his physical strength.
However, it wasn't a total loss.
Through his research, Dai Chengfeng discovered that there seemed to be four soul tool cores embedded within the halberd, meaning it should possess four abilities.
And currently, he had only activated the first ability—strength amplification.
For a moment, Dai Chengfeng gazed at the halberd in his hands, its main body a deep black with gleaming cold blades, his eyes flickering with fervor.
"This weapon is absolutely extraordinary!"
"Could it be… a semi-divine artifact?!"
After all, in the original story, the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud also possessed only four abilities: the Vast Sea Protective Barrier, the Cosmic Stasis Barrier, the Vast Sea Wild Wave, and the Cosmic Magic Breaker.
Thus, even if this weapon wasn't as powerful as the Vast Sea Cosmic Shroud, it wouldn't be far off.
After a long while—
Dai Chengfeng took a deep breath, shook his head, and gradually regained his composure.
"Perhaps the upcoming battles will bring about some changes?"
"After all, a weapon must drink blood eventually…"
Dai Chengfeng slowly closed his eyes, sat cross-legged once more, and stopped dwelling on the matter.
He began circulating the Innate Qi Technique.
Recently, though Dai Chengfeng had never slacked off in his cultivation, he had been traveling long distances daily and expending energy to create new soul skills.
Though his strength had surged, it had inevitably slowed down the pace of his soul power cultivation.
But today, Dai Chengfeng finally felt that familiar sense of advancement once again, as if a warm current flowed through his body, gradually converging into an even stronger force.
---
A night of cultivation.
The next morning, golden sunlight streamed through the window, illuminating every corner of the hotel room.
Before the atmosphere grew dim—
"Phew~"
Dai Chengfeng exhaled a breath of impurities and slowly opened his eyes, a glimmer of uncontainable joy flashing across them.
"Level 25!"
He stood up, stretched his limbs, and felt the surging soul power within him. "I vaguely remember…"
"In the original story, Tang San took over six years to go from level 10 (with innate full soul power) to level 29, averaging less than three levels per year."
"And this included the two additional soul power levels provided by his first two soul rings—the Mandala Snake and the Ghost Vine."
"Therefore, over those six-plus years, the amount of soul power he gained purely through cultivation was roughly 15 levels, averaging 2.3 levels per year."
Thinking of this, Dai Chengfeng's lips curled into a faint smile. "Is this the Xuantian Gong?"
Dai Chengfeng looked at himself, his soul power having risen from level 10 to level 25 in under two years.
Though he had encountered many fortuitous opportunities—
Such as absorbing and refining the killing intent from battlefields and absorbing high-year-limit soul rings beyond his level—
All of this was still rooted in the power of the Innate Qi Technique.
"The Tang Sect's Xuantian Gong is nothing special."
Dai Chengfeng smiled as he finished washing up. "Next, it's time to meet up with Ye Renxin and Ye Lingling… Hopefully, everything goes smoothly."
Though Dai Chengfeng didn't insist on obtaining an external soul bone during this trip, if he could, it would certainly be ideal.
After all, no one would refuse an increase in strength—and Dai Chengfeng was no exception. In fact, he understood better than anyone…
The importance of strength in the future Douluo Continent!
Just as Dai Chengfeng was about to leave, he reached out to grab the doorknob. As he opened the door, he saw Zhu Fan raising his hand, about to knock.
Zhu Fan froze for a moment, then laughed. "What a coincidence, Chengfeng. I was just about to knock."
"You haven't come out of your room these past few days. Even meals were delivered upstairs. I was starting to worry something had happened to you."
Dai Chengfeng shook his head slightly. "What could possibly happen to me? I was just cultivating."
The two walked side by side toward the hotel lobby. Along the way, Zhu Fan couldn't help but ask, "Chengfeng, do you think we'll obtain two external soul bones this time?"
"Do our best and leave the rest to fate."
"True…"
Soon, the two arrived at the city gates, meeting Ye Renxin at the prearranged location.
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