Within a quarter-hour, the tub had been moved to the inner side of the room and filled with clear, glittering ice. A small bronze cauldron sat atop a specially prepared flame tray. Once everything was arranged to her satisfaction, Qian Renxue dismissed her maid.
Tianmeng Silkworm, forever curious, floated closer and asked, "I get the cauldron... but why an ice bath? Are you going to soak in it after eating the gel?"
Qian Renxue gave a faint smile, mysterious and confident. "Just watch."
She placed one of the yellow-golden soul crystals into the small cauldron. As she lit a controlled fire beneath it using conventional means, the room gradually filled with a faint, fishy aroma. The gel slowly began to lose its shape, turning into a semi-solid viscous fluid that shimmered like molten amber.
The golden mass pulsed faintly, like it retained some life essence even after being removed from its host. Thin tendrils of steam rose with a sweet-salty scent that teased the senses, subtle yet strangely intoxicating.
Electrolux noticed something. "You didn't use your martial soul flame?"
Qian Renxue shook her head. "My soul power might carry the imprint of weirdness. Its mental and spiritual distortions could contaminate the Whale Gel. It's too risky. Normal fire is safer."
When the gel reached the desired consistency, she gestured toward the ice bath. "This will help counter the side effect. The aphrodisiac effect stems from an overwhelming concentration of yang energy. Yin balances yang. That's why, before absorbing it fully, I need to suppress that heat."
Tianmeng tilted his head.
As the gel finished melting into a thick, viscous, golden ooze, Qian Renxue said, "The ice bath is to counteract its side effects. It's so saturated with yang energy that, without something to balance it, the user might fall victim to its... aphrodisiacal influence."
Without another word, she dismissed the fire and removed the cauldron from the stand. Then, in front of Tianmeng's stunned gaze and Electrolux's measured silence, Qian Renxue released her soul power disguise. Her aura surged as her soul power returned to Level 33.
Before her two stunned observers could speak, she leaned down, scooped up a third of the thickened whale gel with her fingers. Without hesitation, she bit down on it, swallowing it completely. Then she leapt into the ice bath.
The shock of the cold hit first, but it was instantly replaced by a wave of molten heat rising from her abdomen, curling through her body like a serpent of fire. It wasn't a painful heat, it was... intoxicating. A warmth that wrapped around her like silk and whispered temptation. Her body trembled under the dual onslaught of cold and heat.
Her cheeks flushed crimson, and without a sound, she slipped her head beneath the icy water.
....
Two hours later.
All the ice in the tub had melted into lukewarm water. Qian Renxue slowly rose from the bath, droplets trailing down her bare shoulders.
She exhaled softly. "Good thing I prepared properly... and only took a third."
Still, her brows furrowed.
'Why did it affect me so much? My body hasn't even matured yet…'
Her gaze dropped to her flat chest. Nothing had changed. Some questions should be left unanswered.
She clenched her fist, feeling the vitality coursing through her limbs. Her strength had clearly risen. Her soul power had grown as well, equivalent to an entire month of cultivation. Not enough to push her to Level 34, but enough to prove the whale gel's worth.
Then, she rang a bell again.
Wu Meng quickly entered. "Young Miss?"
"I need the bath emptied and filled with fresh ice again."
The maid's eyes flicked to the now water-filled tub and the faint fragrance in the air. Though puzzled, she bowed. "At once."
Once the preparations were done and Wu Meng dismissed again, Qian Renxue repeated the process , heating the whale gel, consuming another portion, submerging herself in the cold bath.
Qian Renxue repeated the process even as she was feeling discomfort, until the entirety of the molten golden crystal gel was used up.
...
One week later.
Drops of cold water still clung to Qian Renxue's skin as she stepped out of the bath, her golden hair cascading down her back in damp waves. The marble floor beneath her feet was warm, the gentle hum of circulating soul power vibrating faintly through the air.
She closed her eyes, inhaled deeply, and focused inward.
A soft glow pulsed through her meridians.
'Soul power… 37.'
A breath of relief escaped her lips.
'Good. I've made rapid progress.'
She balled her hand into a fist and punched the air. A low whish followed, the sound sharp, forceful.
'My body's strength… It feels like I've reached the level of a Soul Emperor.'
'Those whale gels must have come from sea soul beasts of at least sixty thousand years in age.'
Her eyes narrowed as she recalled the grueling seven days behind her.
'But that aphrodisiac effect…' she grimaced internally, '…it was far worse than I'd imagined.'
At first, she had been arrogant, confident she could consume all three whale gels in a single day. But reality had struck fast and hard.
'Even taking just one-third at a time… the heat, the dizziness, the chaotic impulses it was unbearable. I was able to barely complete the 1st whale gel. I needed two full days of rest before I could even think of taking the second gel.'
She walked across the room slowly, each step firm and steady.
'Then three days before I dared try the third. I've never felt so tested, so pushed…'
'But now, it's done, my foundation is stronger than ever. Physical strength and soul power were forged through agony.'
She paused before the wardrobe, selecting a clean set of robes, pale white with gold trim. As she dressed, the cold silk against her strengthened body made her exhale in satisfaction.