Douluo Continent: Martial Soul Young Gilas, Sandstorm King!

Chapter 168 Success!
Lin Xia's gaze was fixed on Young Gilas's round belly, which had just completed a "miracle," as if trying to penetrate the dark red lava shell and see the cosmic laws running inside.

"When did you awaken this heaven-defying ability? You can not only perfectly replicate the form of any ore you eat, but also perfectly simulate and allocate its energy attributes and fundamental characteristics as needed?!"

Lin Xia's voice suddenly rose, filled with excitement and disbelief.

"This is simply... simply turning lead into gold! No! It's turning ore into 'divine ore'! It's the power of the Creator!"

Young Gilas was a little embarrassed by Lin Xia's burning gaze and excited tone. He scratched his head with his little paws and made a "yo-ji yo-ji" sound, as if to say something.

"I don't know either. Did it just happen from eating? Maybe... it evolved after eating that divine dragon bone and blood last time, and also after eating a lot of Illusionary Star Glazed Glass?"

Lin Xia took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing her almost boiling emotions, and her gaze returned to the tray.

On the left is the true "Tears of the Star Core," brimming with immense energy, representing the vast and boundless origin of the stars.

On the right is a high-quality replica "produced" by Young Gilas, with a perfect replica of its form and aura, but only half the energy intensity of the original.

A bold and insane plan instantly took shape in Lin Xia's mind, crystal clear!

He carefully picked up the "high-quality imitation" gem, feeling the pure star power flowing within his fingertips. A smile, a mixture of extreme excitement and lingering fear, appeared on his face. The smile grew wider and wider until it almost reached his ears.

"Half the energy... is enough! More than enough!"

He muttered to himself, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of wisdom and ecstasy.

"What Dai Tianxing wants is a gem that can perfectly match the crown. He will not, and dare not, easily use his full strength to fully activate the gem's essence and test its limits! He will only confirm its existence, its aura, and its basic communication capabilities!"

"And this 'Young Kyrgyzstan Edition' perfectly meets all the 'surface' requirements! As for the energy being only half?"

A sly smile curved Lin Xia's lips.

"Fantastic! This is the perfect reason from heaven!"

Lin Xia clenched her fist tightly, her knuckles turning slightly white from the force, her voice filled with barely suppressed excitement:
"During the restoration process, the gem encountered unknown energy erosion, resulting in a slight loss of its essence and a decrease in its energy level... This is perfectly reasonable! Even if he notices later that the energy is not as abundant as before, he will only attribute it to that 'accidental' damage and my restoration methods!"

"Who would have thought that I had already replaced the real gemstone?"

Lin Xia's gaze fell on Young Gilas again, this time filled with unprecedented fervor and... worship?
"Eat! Eat well! Eat wonderfully!"

He couldn't help but rub Young Gilas's little head hard, the action filled with the ecstasy of surviving a disaster and the excitement of discovering a priceless treasure.

"Your belly is more amazing than any magical artifact! From now on, our 'materials bank' will all depend on you!"

Young Gilas squinted its eyes comfortably as it was being rubbed, letting out a contented "Yo-ji~" sound, and its little tail wagged proudly.

Lin Xia carefully stored the real "Tear of the Star Core" deep inside his storage soul tool—this was the power source for his mecha!

It is also the capital for me to establish myself on this continent!
After doing all that, Lin Xia looked at the Starry Crown.

The Starry Crown lay quietly on a tray covered with deep blue velvet, its restrained yet majestic radiance flowing under the soft yet precise light of the Soul Guide Lamp.

Lin Xia ran her fingertips along the cold metal edge of the crown, feeling the subtle and harmonious soul power fluctuations of the soul guidance array inside, which had been reactivated and was operating stably.

The vast, boundless legacy of memories within the tower made repairing this level of damage as natural as breathing. In just one hour, this national treasure, symbolizing the supreme authority of the Star Luo Empire, was reborn in his hands.

However, Lin Xia did not feel much sense of accomplishment; instead, a cold calculation lingered in her mind.

He gently closed the storage soul tool containing the real "Tears of the Star Core," his gaze falling on the flawless counterfeit crown on the tray.

"too fast……"

Lin Xia muttered to herself, her fingertips unconsciously tapping the hard tabletop.

"A national treasure that was predicted to take months or even longer to be restored was repaired in just one hour?"

"If this news gets out, it will definitely arouse suspicion."

More importantly, once the repairs are complete and the mission is accomplished, what reason does Lin Xia have to remain in the resource-rich core of the Star Luo Empire?

What leverage do they have to fight for more for the blacksmiths' association, for themselves, and even for Zhu Zhuqing?
"Loaning money for oneself?"

Lin Xia's lips curled into a playful smile, but her eyes were as sharp as an eagle's.

"No, this is a strategic resource reserve. Teacher Lou Gao's legacy must be carried forward, and the association must shed its purely 'blacksmithing' status. We need a massive amount of rare metals and precious ores. The Star Luo Empire's treasury is piled high with mithril, star-patterned steel, and sunken gold... It's just sitting there, so let's make them play their due role."

Lin Xia's gaze swept over the various mineral samples scattered on the workbench. These were the "experimental materials" he had applied for earlier for "researching repair plans." The quantity was small, but the quality was extremely high.

This is just the tip of the iceberg.

"As for me……"

Lin Xia's gaze fell on her slender palm, which contained terrifying power.

"The mecha project is only just beginning. 'Tears of the Star Core' is the core energy source, but we still need the finest materials to build more mechas... The Star Luo Empire is undoubtedly the best 'supplier'."

"And Zhu Qing..."

Thinking of those eyes that had just ignited a flame but were forcibly suppressed in the cold West Garden, Lin Xia's gaze deepened.

Breaking that damned fate requires not only her personal will and effort, but also massive resources—a top-notch cultivation environment, information on soul beasts that resonate with her martial soul, and even the potential power to confront the entire family and the royal family in the future!
All of these need to be "plucked" from the behemoth that is the Star Luo Empire!
Having made up her mind, Lin Xia carefully placed the repaired Starry Crown, along with its tray, into a specially made metal box equipped with a shielding and protective soul-guiding array.

Instead of leaving the workshop immediately, he tidied up his tools, cleaned up any traces that might expose the "secret of Young Gilas," and took out a few ordinary ores, placing them on the workbench as if he were still conducting "difficult" research.

Time passed slowly, and the twilight light slanted in through the high window, casting long shadows on the table covered with tools and ores.

Lin Xia estimated that about half an hour had passed when steady and rhythmic footsteps finally came from outside and stopped at the door.

Then came a soft knock on the door.

"Xia, it's me."

A deep voice came from outside the door, less authoritative than usual, and even carrying a hint of...hesitation?
(End of this chapter)