Another City

After returning to the capital of the Star Luo Empire, I spent a few days resting, cultivating, training, talking with Jiangqi and Zhuqing, and playing with Yunyun. During this time, I also made arrangements for some trustworthy individuals to manage the mansion in Gengxin City.

During a dinner a few days after my return, I informed everyone that I would be leaving again for another city. This time, I was met with cold stares from Jiangqi, Zhuqing, and even Yunyun.

Around 2:30 a.m., as I attempted to leave the mansion discreetly, I realized all the maids were awake and ready to stop me. Among them were Jiangqi, Zhuqing, Yunyun, and Teacher Qi.

Unfortunately for them, not even Teacher Qi, a Spirit King, could see through the real illusion reinforced by Sister Daydream.

And so, I found myself on the road again, this time heading toward Blue Ocean City.

Blue Ocean City is a large coastal city in the Star Luo Empire. Although not as grand as Vast Sea City, the continent's largest coastal city, Blue Ocean City is renowned for its expansive beach, considered one of the empire's top tourist attractions.

Unlike Vast Sea City, which was built on a mountain, Blue Ocean City has a flat, welcoming location. Thanks to the military might of the Star Luo Empire, widely recognized as the strongest among the continent's major powers, the region is well-protected, and pirates rarely dare venture there.

During the journey to the city, I took the opportunity to test the Shunpo technique again.

"Sister Daydream, any new ideas for Shunpo?" I asked after yet another dozen failed attempts on the road.

The issue is no longer manipulating soul power; we've already managed to adjust the particles so they don't harm the soles of my feet. The challenge now is effectiveness: the particles are so weak that it's hard to tell if Shunpo even worked. Even using multiple particles simultaneously yields minimal improvement. Running is faster than this.

"If you increase the particle size, it'll cause damage, and even then, Shunpo won't be much stronger. To achieve speed, the particle would need to be so intense it might blow up your foot. I'm out of ideas... Maybe these techniques just aren't possible with soul power," Sister Daydream sighed, sounding defeated.

"I disagree. Maybe we're just thinking about it the wrong way. The solution might not lie in the number of particles," I replied, continuing down the road.

Lately, I had even tried replicating the Soru technique from the One Piece world, but my body isn't strong enough yet to perform ten steps in a single second. Not even with the strengthening from Xiantian Divine energy or in my Martial Soul possession state.

"Wait... That might be the solution!" A sudden thought lit up my mind.

"You came up with something new?" asked Sister Daydream, curious, as she floated around me.

"Yes! If individual particles aren't enough for an effective Shunpo, then maybe consecutive particle explosions could work," I said, excited by the idea.

I started gathering small particles of soul power at the soles of my feet, carefully keeping the quantity low enough to avoid injury. As soon as one particle exploded, I gathered another and repeated the process. The idea was to mimic the Soru effect, with ten or more explosions per second to generate momentum.

However, even with my advanced control, I couldn't get the timing of the explosions right. The result was like using several inefficient Shunpos in sequence instead of one powerful Shunpo.

"Ohh! That's an interesting idea. If you can execute multiple particle explosions within a few milliseconds, you could replicate the effect of a larger particle without damaging your feet," said Sister Daydream, visibly intrigued and now more motivated.

The rest of the journey was uneventful, filled with endless attempts to adjust the timing of Shunpo, always with Sister Daydream's assistance.

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In a forest, several shadows darted quickly between the trees, skillfully avoiding countless branches in their path.

Shortly after, one of the figures landed silently on a branch, while all the others were merely illusions caused by high speed. It was a young man with golden hair and red eyes, with a tomoe spinning gently in his irises.

"Sister Daydream," he whispered. Suddenly, a ghostly figure materialized beside him, hovering like an ethereal presence.

"It seems you've succeeded," said the spectral figure, watching him with satisfaction.

"Yes... Shunpo has been successfully completed." The golden-haired boy smiled proudly.

Ahead of him, a vast city surrounded by walls stretched into the horizon. Beyond the walls, the expansive blue sea shimmered under the sunlight, offering a breathtaking view.

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Upon arriving in Blue Ocean City, I repeated the strategy I had used in Gengxin City. Disguising myself with an illusion, I assumed the appearance of a middle-aged man with a noble demeanor, carrying a cane to reinforce the role.

I purchased a mansion with a privileged view of the sea, located near the city's docks. The price was steep, but the location was worth it.

For several days, I stayed secluded in the mansion, focusing on creating formations. Occasionally, I ventured out to explore the city, taking the opportunity to acquire unique coastal products like corals, rare pearls, and other invaluable items. Thanks to the Analysis ability, I managed to identify and purchase some extraordinary materials.

"What's this?" I murmured, intrigued, as I examined an opaque yellow object at one of the market stalls. The Analysis ability activated automatically.

"Analysis: Whale Rubber: A special material formed in the brains of whale-type Soul Beasts. An excellent tonic for Spirit Masters. Full analysis available."

"A whale brain? And it's a great tonic for Spirit Masters?" Curious, I activated the full analysis.

"Whale Rubber: A special material formed in the brains of whale-type Soul Beasts. An excellent tonic for Spirit Masters. Age: 100 years. Benefits: Strengthens the Spirit Master's body; reinforces muscles and bones; increases meridian capacity."

The description left me stunned. This material was incredibly useful. Not only did it strengthen the body, but it also made it possible to absorb Soul Rings beyond the usual limit. While something similar appeared in the original story, it was a million-year-old whale brain used for entirely different purposes.

Without hesitation, I purchased the 100-year-old Whale Rubber. In the following days, whenever I found another specimen, I bought it. However, it was a rare material, as it only forms in the brains of whales, and aquatic Soul Beasts are notoriously difficult to hunt.

After much searching, I acquired five Whale Rubbers: three aged 100 years, one aged 300 years, and another aged 500 years. Unfortunately, the two older specimens were partially decomposed.

Back at the mansion, I headed to the kitchen to begin testing. I selected two specimens: one 100 years old and the other 300 years old. Using the Analysis ability and my culinary experience, I prepared two dishes.

"Shark dorsal fin, vital herb, potato, fish meat." These ingredients were ground and mixed with melted Whale Rubber, following the method indicated by Analysis. The goal was to neutralize the unpleasant smell and taste while concentrating the beneficial effects. The result resembled meatballs.

For the decomposed Whale Rubber, the recipe was more complex. I used a variety of herbs and melted it in a cauldron at high temperatures. The final product was a potion rather than a solid food.

"Let's start with the meatball."

Upon tasting it, the flavor left much to be desired, even after numerous adjustments. It was merely tolerable, with a taste reminiscent of burnt fish. I couldn't imagine how terrible it would be without the improvements.

After consuming the meatball, I felt noticeable changes in my body. My bones grew denser, my muscles firmer, and I observed an improvement in my meridians. However, the effect of the 100-year-old Whale Rubber was less than I had expected. With my Xiantian Divine energy, my body strengthened more efficiently.

Curious, I tried the potion made from the decomposed Whale Rubber. The taste was horrendous, far worse than the meatball. Despite this, its effect was slightly superior to that of the 100-year-old material, but still below my expectations.

"Being in a state of decomposition diminishes the effects more than I thought," I muttered, disappointed. Nonetheless, I realized my current physique could likely withstand a Soul Ring over a thousand years old.

Although Whale Rubber wasn't as useful to me as I had hoped, it would be a significant help for Zhuqing and Jiangqi. "I'll save one for Jiangqi. Zhuqing is still too young to use it, but perhaps by her second Soul Ring, she'll be ready."

I stored the remaining three Whale Rubbers in a sort of refrigerator I had created in my Spiritual World. This "refrigerator" was actually a small formation that consumed energy to maintain a cold environment.

With the formations completed after nearly 20 days in Blue Ocean City, only one task remained before returning.

Finally, I walked along the beach for the first time since my arrival, feeling the sand beneath my feet as I ventured into the sea. But I wasn't there just to relax. The water and sand that touched my body were transferred to my Spiritual World, helping form a small ocean within it.

For days, I continued this process until my Spiritual World was filled with a floating ocean, as there was still no solid ground. Fortunately, the City Formation simulated gravity, allowing the ocean to remain stable.

With everything ready, I departed for the imperial city.