Chapter 372
Taking Whale Glue!
Upon hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing immediately stopped in her tracks, looked at Lin Xia with her cool eyes, and nodded slightly to indicate that she understood.
She always knew Lin Xia's boundaries.
Ning Rongrong's face immediately fell, and she pouted, reluctantly saying "Oh".
Meng Yiran nodded quickly and stopped somewhat awkwardly.
Only Lin Ling.
Upon hearing Lin Xia's words, her small body trembled violently, as if she had been stabbed by an invisible needle.
The light in those heterochromatic eyes dimmed instantly, and a wave of immense panic washed over her like an icy tide.
She subconsciously took another half step forward, almost touching the hem of Lin Xia's clothes. Her body, wrapped in a white robe, trembled even more violently, and she bit her lower lip so hard that it almost bled.
Her eyes were filled with the fear and helplessness of being abandoned, as if Lin Xia's departure was pushing her back into that cold iron cage.
Lin Xia looked at Lin Ling's reaction, his deep eyes showing no impatience, only a very slight ripple seemed to pass beneath the calm surface of the lake.
He didn't leave immediately, but took a step forward, shortening the distance between himself and Lin Ling.
Amidst the astonished gazes of everyone, especially Lin Ling herself, Lin Xia reached out her hand.
That hand, long and steady with distinct knuckles, had once easily broken a chain of refined gold and had once tossed down a million gold soul coins. Now, however, it carried a strange gentleness as it gently landed on the top of Lin Ling's fluffy, soft, light green hair.
Lin Ling's body instantly stiffened like a stone statue!
His heterochromatic eyes widened suddenly, and his pupils contracted due to extreme shock and fear.
She instinctively tried to duck and hide, but her body seemed to be frozen in place, unable to move.
The touch from above her head was warm and dry, carrying an indescribable, heavy sense of security, completely different from all the rough touches she had experienced before.
The warmth of that hand seeped through her hair, like a warm current, instantly dispelling some of the chill in her heart and strangely relaxing her nerves, which were so tense they were almost about to break.
Lin Xia's movements were very gentle; she simply patted the top of her head, as if soothing a frightened kitten.
His gaze remained calm, but his voice had a subtle gentleness that was more noticeable than before, clearly reaching Lin Ling's ears.
"Do not worry."
Lin Xia's gaze swept over Zhu Zhuqing and the others.
"They are not bad people."
This statement was like a pardon, and also like a reassurance.
Lin Ling's stiff body softened slightly. Although the fear had not completely dissipated, the overwhelming sense of despair and abandonment was temporarily suppressed.
She timidly raised her eyelids and looked at Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, and Meng Yiran.
Zhu Zhuqing met her gaze. Her cool, cat-like eyes held no disdain or malice, only a calm and profound depth.
She nodded very slightly to Lin Ling, a silent promise.
Ning Rongrong immediately flashed a bright smile, her expression radiant and sincere, characteristic of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School's little princess, and nodded vigorously, saying:
"Yes, yes! Lin Ling, don't be afraid! My name is Ning Rongrong, and we'll be friends from now on!" She took a step forward and tried to take Lin Ling's hand, but stopped when she saw the other girl instinctively pull back. Her smile remained warm though.
Meng Yiran also tried to put on a friendly smile and whispered:
"I am Meng Yiran."
Looking at them and feeling the lingering warmth of the hand above her head, Lin Ling's tense nerves finally relaxed a little.
She nodded very slowly and with very small movements, wrapped her white robe tighter around herself, and stopped trying to follow Lin Xia. Instead, she moved in small steps and stood a little closer to Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong. Although she still kept her head down, her body was no longer trembling so violently.
Seeing this, Lin Xia withdrew her hand, said nothing more, and turned to walk towards the secluded cultivation room.
The heavy stone door closed silently behind him, isolating him from the outside world.
Inside the quiet room, the light was soft and the air was still, with only the most basic soul-guiding lamps emitting a steady glow.
The room is simply furnished, with only a futon in the center and simple runes for gathering souls and isolating energy engraved on the four walls.
Lin Xia sat cross-legged on the futon, and with a thought, the ten-thousand-year-old whale glue, about the size of two adult palms and an inch thick, appeared in his hand.
The warm, jade-like pale gold luster flows under the light, and the natural amber-like texture is clearly visible. The powerful and pure blood energy is like a dormant volcano, restrained yet awe-inspiring.
A faint, slightly fishy yet incredibly rich and peculiar aroma wafted through the air, instantly filling the entire quiet room.
There was no hesitation, no ceremony.
Lin Xia held the whale glue in her left hand, and with her right index and middle fingers together, a dazzling golden light suddenly shone from the fingertips!
That was no ordinary flame, but a highly condensed soul power containing extreme sharpness and destructive aura!
It has departed from the form of flames, and is more like a beam of energy condensed to the extreme—the prototype of Tyranitar's signature skill, the incredibly powerful [Destruction Beam]!
Lin Xia skillfully controlled it, transforming that destructive energy into pure and terrifying high temperature.
"laugh--!"
The golden light landed precisely on the surface of the whale glue.
The top-grade whale glue, as hard as ten-thousand-year-old ice and capable of withstanding the full force of a Soul Saint's attack, softened and melted instantly in the face of this highly condensed golden light, just like butter meeting fire!
No smoke, no charring, only the purest energy clash.
The golden light was like the most skillful carving knife; wherever it passed, the whale glue quickly turned into a viscous, scalding liquid that emitted a rich golden-red luster!
The liquid, like molten gold or flowing magma, refracted a magnificent halo under the light. The immense energy contained within was fully unleashed by the high temperature, like an awakened raging dragon, roaring and surging in the viscous liquid!
The temperature in the entire quiet room suddenly rose, and the air itself seemed to distort slightly due to this energy.
Lin Xia remained expressionless, his gaze focused and calm. He precisely controlled the temperature and range of the golden light at his fingertips, ensuring that the whale glue was completely and evenly melted, without any waste or loss of energy due to loss of control.
In just a few breaths, the entire block of hard, iron-like ten-thousand-year-old whale glue transformed in his hand into a small handful of viscous, golden-red liquid radiating astonishing energy fluctuations, suspended above his palm as if he were holding a miniature sun.
Without the slightest pause, Lin Xia opened her mouth and sucked hard at the scalding hot, golden-red liquid in her palm!
"call out!"
Like a whale sucking in water, the liquid whale gel containing terrifying energy transformed into a scorching golden-red stream of light and instantly disappeared into Lin Xia's mouth!
boom--!!!
It felt like a volcano had exploded inside my body!
The moment it entered my mouth, it wasn't the burning pain I had imagined; the golden-red liquid slid down my throat with a strange warmth.
However, the moment it entered the esophagus and settled in the stomach, the immense power of the ancient deep-sea whale's life essence, accumulated within its gelatin and fully activated by the high temperature, erupted like a molten lava torrent that had been building up for millennia! (End of Chapter)