Douluo Continent: Martial Soul Young Gilas, Sandstorm King!

Chapter 159 It's up to you!

Zhu Zhuqing's eyes were filled with longing, a primal longing that came from suddenly glimpsing a dazzling light in the darkness of despair.

She thought of her family's cold fate, her sister Zhu Zhuyun's heavy words, her father's silent indifference, and Dai Mubai's desperate eyes... Become stronger!
Become as strong as Brother Lin Xia!

This thought spread like wildfire, instantly taking over her entire mind!
She mustered all her courage; her voice was soft but exceptionally clear, carrying a childlike persistence and a do-or-die determination.

"Can you... teach me to become stronger? As strong as you!"

Lin Xia looked down at the burning anticipation in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes, and her heart stirred slightly.

He remembered Zhu Zhuqing's lifeless eyes, the drop of blood that fell on the obsidian floor, her forced calm and silent despair.

This plea was the last straw the drowning man grasped at.

Lin Xia crouched down, bringing her line of sight to match hers, and a gentle yet complex smile appeared on her face.

He reached out and, as before, gently ruffled Zhu Zhuqing's soft hair.

"Zhu Qing".

His voice was gentle, carrying a reassuring power.

"If I could, I would."

Zhu Zhuqing's eyes instantly lit up with an astonishing brightness, as if stars were exploding within them!

However, Lin Xia's next words caused the light to freeze slightly.

"but not now."

The starlight in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes dimmed for a moment, and her small mouth opened slightly, as if she wanted to ask why, but Lin Xia did not give her the chance to ask.

"Becoming stronger takes time, requires methods, and, more importantly, requires a path that suits your martial spirit."

Lin Xia patiently explained, her gaze sweeping over the girl's small frame.

"You are still too young, and your body has not yet fully developed. Blindly pursuing power will only damage your foundation and will not be worth the loss. What you need now is to lay a solid foundation and understand the characteristics of your martial soul."

Lin Xia paused, looking at Zhu Zhuqing's somewhat bewildered but still determined face, and added:
"Moreover, teaching you to become stronger requires a suitable environment and timing. Right now, here, that won't work."

Lin Xia pointed to the messy mountains and forests around her.

The disappointment in Zhu Zhuqing's eyes flashed by, but she seemed to understand the concern and consideration in Lin Xia's words. That persistence did not die out, but instead transformed into a deeper determination buried deep in her heart.

She nodded vigorously.

"Okay! Zhuqing understands! Zhuqing will wait! And will also work hard to build a solid foundation!"

Lin Xia smiled, stood up, and naturally took Zhu Zhuqing's small hand.

Her hands were cold and soft, trembling slightly.

He didn't say anything more, but simply took her hand and walked towards the direction where he had sensed the abnormal energy fluctuations earlier—that was the source of the soul tool fluctuations he had detected before the Shadow Leopard appeared, which was very likely a mineral vein!
Soon, they arrived at a relatively secluded mountain hollow.

The rocks here are noticeably darker in color, with a subtle metallic texture, and the air is filled with a rich earthy energy and a strange, restrained sharpness.

Lin Xia's powerful mental strength allowed him to clearly "touch" a pure and boundless energy deep within the mountain, like a sleeping dragon, slowly pulsating. "This is it."

Lin Xia stopped, released Zhu Zhuqing's hand, and stared intently at the rock wall in front of her.

He turned his head and looked at the baby Gilas, who was tugging at his collar with its little paws and looking at the front of him with the same curiosity.

“Young Kylas”.

Lin Xia's voice carried a hint of expectation and trust.

"It's all on you!"

"Yoji!"

Young Gilas's previously languid eyes instantly brightened and sharpened!
It understood what its owner meant!
The little guy immediately puffed out his chest, which was covered with dark red lava carapace, and slapped his short front paws hard on the breastplate a few times, making a crisp metallic sound. His little head was raised high, and his scarlet eyes were full of confidence and excitement that said, "Leave it to me, no problem!"

Immediately afterwards, Young Gilas lightly leaped down from Lin Xia's shoulder and landed in front of the alluring rock wall.

Instead of acting immediately, it first extended a small paw and gently pressed it against the cold rock surface, closing its eyes as if it were carefully sensing the direction of the mineral veins and the location of the energy core deep within the mountain.

A moment later, it opened its eyes, a glint of light flashing in its scarlet pupils!
"Yo—!"

A short, powerful low hum!

A bright, yellowish-brown light instantly shone from Young Gilas's body!

The light was not dazzling, but it carried a heavy, solid, and powerful soul energy fluctuation!
The light flowed like a living thing, quickly covering its small body and making it look like a moving, glowing little mineral!

First Soul Skill: Sandstorm!

The tan spirit rings instantly lit up beneath Larkiras's feet!
The surging earth-attribute soul power acted like an invisible shockwave, precisely striking the surface of the rock wall in front of it.

In an instant, the gravel and dust within a few meters ahead seemed to come alive, moving on their own without wind, violently trembling and detaching from the ground, suspending themselves in the air, forming a small, controllable dust cloud area.

The dust did not spread, but instead condensed in front of the rock wall, like an invisible giant hand roughly peeling away the loose gravel and weathered layer attached to the rock wall surface!
Chi la la!
The hard rock surface groaned under the strain of this force, and countless tiny stones and dust were peeled away like an eggshell, revealing the darker and denser rock below!
Then a great light shone brightly!

The dust and mist stirred up by the sandstorm did not dissipate, but were given even stronger cohesion and destructive power under the exquisite control of Young Gilas's soul power!

Fine earth-attribute soul power particles spun and compressed at high speed, condensing into a high-speed rotating, solidified sand drill bit in front of Younggiras's little paws!
This drill is not a physical object, but is made of pure soul energy gravel, with sharp edges and a shrill sound that tears through rock!
"Yoji!"

A red glint flashed in Younggiras's eyes!
The high-speed rotating sand drill bit, like a cannonball, crashed into the rock wall that had just been stripped of its surface with a dull thud!

Boom! Crack!
Hard rock becomes as fragile as tofu in the face of this terrifying penetrating and rotating cutting force!

Rock fragments flew everywhere, and dust filled the air! An irregularly shaped hole, more than half a meter in diameter, appeared instantly on the rock wall, its bottom unseen!

But this is just the beginning!
Young Gilas seemed to possess inexhaustible power within his small body.

Without stopping, it took short strides and squeezed into the newly opened hole, which was still filled with stone chips and dust!
Its yellowish-brown glow, like a miner's lamp, illuminated the deep mine tunnels.

Upon entering the cave, Eurydice perfectly combines "sandstorm" with "sand power".

Instead of focusing on the drill bit, it surrounds itself with the power of sand, forming a constantly rotating and grinding shield.

(End of this chapter)