Douluo Continent: The Ruler of Time, Reigning Supreme

Chapter 178 Trading
All the pain and despair I've endured over the years seemed to find an outlet at this moment.

Unable to remain calm any longer, Ma Xiaotao, in her agitation, lunged forward once more and slammed her hands onto Yin Chen's shoulders.

"I need your help."

Her voice trembled slightly with excitement, and her beautiful phoenix eyes were filled with pleading and expectation.

"Don't worry, I will definitely pay you a satisfactory reward."

The force coming from her shoulder was immense, and those soft hands felt like iron clamps.

Yin Chen swayed slightly as she pressed him down, his body involuntarily leaning back against the tree trunk behind him.

A rich, subtle jasmine-scented feminine fragrance mingled with the unique, scorching aura of phoenix flames wafted towards me.

His gaze inevitably met that of the magnificent "murder weapon" so close at hand.

Even with his experience of living two lives, he couldn't help but feel a dryness in his mouth.

Without making a sound, he tactically tilted his head back slightly, creating some distance, and calmly opened his mouth, as if he were completely unmoved by the beautiful scenery before him.

"Is it to suppress the evil fire within you?"

His tone was very flat.

"I once heard Senior Sanshi mention, by chance, about Sister Xiaotao's martial soul defect."

Ma Xiaotao was stunned for a moment. She didn't expect that Yin Chen had even guessed the reason.

"That's right, it's evil fire."

She forgot all about being shy and spoke eagerly.

"My Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul will become increasingly difficult to control as my soul power increases. I haven't dared to cultivate at full strength for a very long time. If this continues, I will eventually be devoured by the evil fire and completely become an evil soul master."

As she finished speaking, her voice trembled with fear.

"Therefore, I need your ultimate ice. Only your ultimate ice can suppress the evil fire within me."

"I understand."

Yin Chen nodded, indicating his understanding.

"If you agree, every now and then, you'll use your ultimate ice to help me suppress my evil fire..."

When Ma Xiaotao saw that Yin Chen did not refuse, she was overjoyed. She couldn't wait to take out the warm white jade box from her storage soul tool.

"...Then it's yours."

She placed the jade box into Yin Chen's hand, looking at him with expectant eyes.

The jade box was cold to the touch, and still retained Ma Xiaotao's body temperature.

Yin Chen glanced down.

"It's actually whale glue from the Ten Thousand Year Old! Sister Tao, are you really that generous?"

He weighed the jade box in his hand, feeling quite emotional.

'Ten-thousand-year-old whale glue, this is indeed a good thing.'

Before he arrived, he really hadn't expected Ma Xiaotao to offer any decent reward.

In his original plan, he would agree to help Ma Xiaotao no matter what she offered, or even if she offered nothing at all.

the reason is simple.

Firstly, his future goal is to become the actual controller of Shrek Academy and sit in the position of the Sea God Pavilion Master.

As for Ma Xiaotao, as Yan Shaozhe's personal disciple, a true member of Shrek Academy's inner circle, and a future elder of the Sea God Pavilion, she is definitely someone worth winning over.

Now, she's incurring a favor, a favor that will bring her enormous rewards in the future.

Secondly, suppressing the evil fire was almost a piece of cake for him.

The ultimate ice of the Hyotei Kingdom has a natural and absolute advantage against the Evil Fire Phoenix.

He only needs to expend some of his soul power to solve Ma Xiaotao's big problem.

This is a completely risk-free and highly profitable business.

But he never expected that Yan Shaozhe and Ma Xiaotao would be so generous, offering him ten-thousand-year-old whale glue right away. He knew the value of this stuff better than anyone else.

It should be noted that even the Star Luo royal family, who valued him highly, never gave him the Ten Thousand Year Whale Glue.

Most of them are hundreds of years old, and those that are thousands of years old are very few.

In his knowledge, there was only one person who had ever enjoyed the ten-thousand-year-old whale jelly—Xia Die.

But what is Xia Die's identity?
The Holy Spirit Cult's Death Saintess holds a status comparable to, or even surpasses, that of an imperial princess.

It's only natural that she can enjoy these resources.

Now, Yan Shaozhe has brought out such strategic-level resources just for a request.

It can only be said that Shrek Academy's foundation is indeed unfathomable.

"So, are you satisfied with this compensation?"

Seeing that Yin Chen remained silent for a long time, Ma Xiaotao asked nervously.

"Very satisfied."

Yin Chen snapped out of his thoughts, looked up and smiled at her.

"It's just to suppress the evil fire. Sister Tao, you're too kind. I feel unworthy of such a valuable gift."

"No, you deserve it."

Ma Xiaotao immediately retorted.

"As long as my problem can be solved, I'll do anything, let alone a piece of ancient whale glue."

She blurted out those words without thinking, and only after she finished did she realize that it was inappropriate, and her face turned red again.

Seeing that Yin Chen had accepted the jade box, she finally felt a huge weight lifted from her heart.

She desperately wanted Yin Chen to help her suppress her evil fire and experience that long-lost feeling of her soul power flowing freely again.

But she remembered her teacher's instructions.

'You need to show sincerity.'

So, she forcibly suppressed her eagerness and took the initiative to say:
"Here, let me refine this whale glue for you first. This stuff has a miraculous effect on improving physical fitness. You are currently laying a foundation, and consuming it will bring immeasurable benefits to your future."

As she spoke, she stretched out her hand, and a wisp of dark red, solidified phoenix flame ignited at her fingertips.

"I will use my Phoenix True Fire to refine it for you, which will preserve its medicinal properties to the greatest extent and make it easier for you to absorb."

She didn't rush to ask Yin Chen for help; instead, she first thought about helping Yin Chen improve his strength.

This gesture is indeed full of sincerity.

However, upon hearing her words, Yin Chen's expression turned strange.

He glanced at the flickering flame at Ma Xiaotao's fingertips, then at her pretty face, which was filled with sincerity, and looked at her with a strange gaze.

"Now? Right here?"

"Well, what's wrong?"

Ma Xiaotao felt uncomfortable under his strange gaze and inexplicably felt guilty.

"There's no time to lose, is there?"

Yin Chen did not answer, but instead asked:
"Sister Xiaotao, don't you know?"

His tone was strangely peculiar, as if he were looking at an innocent little white rabbit.

"What...should I know?"

Ma Xiaotao was completely confused by his question and replied irritably.

Yin Chen sighed and said in a tone that was half teasing and half pitying:
"Ten-thousand-year whale glue is made from the essence of whale soul beasts, and is a top-quality substance of extreme yang in the world."

"You want me, an eleven or twelve-year-old boy full of vigor, to eat this kind of thing right here in the middle of nowhere..."

(End of this chapter)