They actually forbid it! It must be that Huo Yuhao…

"So, the compensation is that I have to eat whale gelatin for a period of time?"

Looking at the golden object in Leng Yaozhu's hand that emitted a slight fishy and fragrant smell, Gu Lie couldn't help but show a troubled expression.

"That's right, it's rare that Na'er has also voluntarily given you her share. Over the next month, you can slowly finish this piece of whale glue."

Leng Yaozhu smiled and used her fire-attribute soul power to adjust the temperature of the whale glue in her hand, making it most suitable for the ancient hunter to consume without burning him.

Na'er, standing to the side, also wore an expression that said, "I really want to eat it, but for my brother's sake, I'll give it to him." This made people want to laugh at the same time, and feel sorry for her.

"Um... teacher, can I finish it all in one go?"

Although whale glue heated to the right temperature will emit a fragrance, this is not the case for the ancient hunters.

Just as many people are genetically averse to cilantro and houttuynia cordata, Gu Lie also feels that he is genetically averse to these smells.

Because he himself doesn't eat cilantro, and feels like throwing up whenever he does, which is the complete opposite of Na'er, who can happily enjoy cilantro ramen.

Fortunately, Na'er doesn't use the coriander marking method to compete with the ancient hunters for food.

Believing that a short, sharp pain is worse than a long, drawn-out one, Gu Lie simply wanted to finish a month's supply of whale glue in one go.

But Leng Yaozhu simply shook her head with a subtle expression, indicating that there was no room for discussion.

"According to the secrets circulating within the Spirit Pagoda, the Spirit Ice Douluo Huo Yuhao, who founded the Spirit Pagoda, left a record stating that whale glue must be taken in small, frequent doses, with strict limits on the amount taken each time."

Although Leng Yaozhu did not explicitly state what the records left by Lao Huo were, based on her subtle expression and slightly flushed face, Gu Lie clearly understood what kind of legend had been passed down.

When his request was ultimately rejected, Gu Lie did not become a master thief and criticize Leng Yaozhu for refusing his request. Instead, he harbored a lot of resentment towards Lao Huo from ten thousand years ago.

He enjoyed himself with Ma Xiaotao, but ended up having to endure a month of torment.

Thankfully it wasn't three months, otherwise this would have been the ultimate insult to the Ancient Hunters.

"You just wait, Lao Huo! Once I've dealt with things in Douluo Continent, I'll turn you and Tang San into a pair of star-crossed lovers, smash your heads in, and make you eat shit!"

After mentally casting a curse on Huo Yuhao—a curse specifically for Ghost-type Pokémon—Gu Lie suppressed the discomfort deep within his genes and swallowed the warm whale glue.

After swallowing it, the unpleasant taste that had made Gu Lie feel quickly disappeared, and the whale glue, under the influence of soul power, rapidly transformed into warm currents that filled Gu Lie's body.

"The portion size is far too small. Is that bastard Lao Huo only thinking about his own pleasure?"

"With this amount, the desire it can arouse is about the same as what a normal man feels when he sees an ordinary woman."

"Or does Lauker believe that even something slightly more extreme would turn some people into beasts?"

After fiercely criticizing Lao Huo's behavior once again, Gu Lie relaxed and prepared to absorb the soul bone with Na'er.

Unlike external soul bones that can easily kill, when fusing with a soul bone from a normal part of the body, as long as the body isn't so weak as to be ridiculously weak, like a former honorary spirit transmission tower master who has lost his own surname, even a 100,000-year-old soul bone will be absorbed very smoothly and without much pain.

Moreover, under the guidance of the Illusionary Brain Douluo, the two's originally wildly growing spiritual power also received relatively systematic cultivation.

According to the evaluation standards of the Spirit Pagoda, the two's mental strength was sufficient to withstand two purple spirit rings, not to mention their physical qualities. Even Leng Yaozhu, who had the mindset of "Mom thinks you're cold," had to admit that Gu Lie's physical qualities had reached an unprecedented level, even surpassing Qian Gu Zhangting of the same age.

As for absorbing the soul bone, one's soul power will reach level 20, and by relying on the contract with the soul spirit, one can obtain a second soul ring and raise one's cultivation to level 21. That will be a natural progression.

……

"So, why can Na'er start learning her second profession, mecha repair, right now, and even disassemble that black-level mecha like a toy, while I have to wait until level 30 to learn forging?"

Seeing that Na'er was already eager to try her hand at the mecha that was originally designed and customized by Qian Gu Dongfeng and would be given to Qian Gu Zhangting in the future, while he himself would have to wait if he wanted to learn forging, Gu Lie couldn't help but ask again.

Although Leng Yaozhu said that if Gu Lie wants to learn how to design, manufacture or repair mecha, he can start learning now.

However, both times he submitted his petition, the result was that it was not allowed. Gu Lie couldn't help but start to steal the sacred power and began to feel a little dissatisfied.

"Ancient Hunter, forging has a significant impact on physical growth, and the forging process will also affect your fighting style."

"Once your body grows a bit more and your cultivation level reaches Soul Venerable, your teacher will take you to become an apprentice of that master craftsman and learn forging properly."

Leng Yaozhu's eyes flickered slightly, but she still used her usual rhetoric.

However, as is well known, people in Douluo Continent generally experience puberty earlier, such as the Evil Fire Grass Chicken and the Evil Eye Lustful Tiger who needed to constantly vent their anger 20,000 years ago.

Gu Lie thus entered his rebellious phase early and immediately retaliated against Leng Yaozhu's behavior of "Mom thinks you're cold".

"But teacher, I now have a second spirit ring and a left arm spirit bone. My physical attributes are already comparable to the three-ring spirit master you mentioned."

"Moreover, even if I learn forging, I intend to use my martial spirit to combine with existing forging methods to create a forging path that is more suitable for me."

"Every Soul Master must work with their partners to create their own battle armor. Since Na'er has already started learning repair and design, I can't lag behind in forging."

"Otherwise, it will not only delay my own progress, but also delay Na'er's!"

Because learning forging involves crafting crucial tools by hand, Gu Lie really didn't want Leng Yaozhu to continue suppressing his forging learning time.

You should know that if a fanfiction protagonist doesn't learn a second profession within three months of awakening their martial spirit, some readers will suspect that the author is suppressing their level.

Although he hadn't finished consuming the whale gelatin, he possessed a 90,000-year-old soul bone. Even if he couldn't swing the hammer six times per second, he would definitely be able to achieve a hundred-fold refinement.

"...In that case, I will contact that master craftsman and arrange a suitable time for him to guide you through the basics."

"If he also thinks you can learn forging, then the teacher will naturally approve."

After much deliberation, Leng Yaozhu couldn't resist Gu Lie's persistence. In addition, Na'er also came over and stared at her with pleading eyes along with Gu Yue. In the end, she gave in.