Douluo Continent: Martial Soul Young Gilas, Sandstorm King!

Chapter 172 How is the repair progress of the Starry Crown itself? May I take a look?
These three words, falling lightly, were like three heavy blocks of ice, striking the carpet in the study and also striking Zhu Zhan's heart.

It contains too many unspeakable things—complex feelings for his sister, helplessness in the face of his own fate, bitter longing for that faint hope, and a deep loneliness that he can't tell anyone.

She didn't ask her father what he thought, didn't question Lin Xia's arrogance, and didn't show any hostility towards Zhu Qing.

Just that one sentence, "I'm so envious," says it all.

After Zhu Zhuyun finished speaking, she stood up and bowed slightly to Zhu Zhan.

"Father, if there are no other instructions, I will take my leave now. I still need to prepare for tomorrow's morning lessons."

Her posture remained impeccable, as if the momentary loss of control of her emotions had never occurred.

Zhu Zhan watched his daughter's upright figure, as if carrying a heavy burden, disappear behind the door, leaving him alone in the study.

He slumped back into his chair, staring at the star chart on the wall that symbolized fate and bondage, remaining silent for a long time.

Outside the window, even the cool moonlight seemed to have dimmed a bit.

In the cold pavilion of the West Garden, Zhu Zhuqing's small figure sat cross-legged by the window, facing the cold moonlight, circulating her meager soul power again and again. Deep in her eyes, the flame ignited by Lin Xia burned silently and stubbornly in the silent night.

In the distant direction of the workshop, the starlight surrounding Lin Xia shone even brighter, as if a miniature star was quietly being conceived.

Deep within the Star Luo Empire's imperial palace, in the Star Crown Hall, Dai Tianxing was once again jolted awake from his cultivation. He abruptly looked towards the direction of the Zhu Mansion in the north, his eyes filled with disillusionment and uncertainty as the stars seemed to vanish.

"That strange movement again... a hundred times clearer than last time! What exactly is Lin Xia doing?!"

Starry Palace, Star Crown Hall.

The star stones inlaid in the palace dome simulate a vast galaxy, and the flowing starlight makes the cold obsidian floor sparkle.

As Lin Xia stepped inside, he felt the pure stellar energy, a hundred times more concentrated than that of the Zhu family workshop. His soul power spontaneously and joyfully accelerated, greedily absorbing the most ancient and vast energy in the world.

He sighed inwardly, realizing that the power of the stars was indeed infinitely mysterious. Its purity and grandeur were comparable to the dragon bones in the Dragon Tomb, only slightly inferior to the divine flames that could burn everything in the Phoenix God's legacy.

He spent the entire night cultivating using that real "Tear of the Star Core".

The gemstone hung in his palm, and the miniature galaxy contained within seemed to come alive. Countless stardust points flowed at an accelerated pace in a mysterious trajectory, continuously injecting the purest stellar power into his limbs and bones like sweet rain, washing over every meridian and tempering every inch of his bones and flesh.

That sense of power was as if you could reach out and touch the trajectory of the stars, and feel the pulse of the universe.

However, to his slight disappointment, such a vast and profound energy did not directly imprint powerful moves and skills as it did with the inheritance of the Phoenix God.

Neither he nor Larvitar, who was lying beside him, comfortably dozing off in the starlight, could comprehend any new soul skills or Pokémon moves exclusive to the power of the stars.

The power of stars seems to be more inclined towards the tempering and amplification of the origin. It is profound and vast, but it requires one to explore and guide its form rather than being a direct gift.

Lin Xia knew that this might be a higher level of power characteristics, which also meant that she would need to put in more effort to understand and utilize it in the future.

At this moment, he composed himself and stood in the center of the hall. High atop the Star Throne, Dai Tianxing seemed to merge with the starry sky.

In his deep eyes, countless stars seemed to rise and fall, and when his gaze fell on Lin Xia, it carried a hint of scrutiny that was barely perceptible.

"Xia, you're here."

Dai Tianxing's voice was gentle, yet like the whisper of the starry sky, carrying an invisible pressure. A perfectly timed smile graced his face, like that of a kind elder.

"So, did you manage to find any materials needed to repair the Starry Crown in the Desolate Mountains?"

Lin Xia bowed slightly, his posture respectful yet neither servile nor arrogant. "Your Majesty, I have successfully completed my mission and found some of the key repair materials."

He paused for a moment, and then a look of embarrassment appeared on his face.

"However, the crown is severely damaged, and the core magic array requires extremely precise adjustments and various rare materials for energy bridging and stabilization. The materials we have found so far are still far from enough for a complete repair."

Dai Tianxing nodded knowingly, his gaze deep, as if he had already anticipated this.

He didn't linger too long exploring Lin Xia's so-called "abnormal behavior," but instead focused his attention on more practical issues.

"It's alright. The empire's resources should be sufficient to support the repair of the national treasures. Tell me, what else do you need?"

Lin Xia was prepared and took out a scroll from her storage soul tool, presenting it with both hands.

"Your Majesty, this is a list of the required materials, detailing their types, grades, and quantities. Among them, 'Star-patterned Mithril,' 'Void Gold,' and 'Meteorite Cinnabar' are the most crucial, used to repair the energy flow channels and spatial stability structure of the core magic array. In addition, a large amount of pure 'Star Essence Gold' is also needed as an auxiliary material for melting and filling."

Dai Tianxing didn't examine the scroll closely; he simply waved his hand casually, and a eunuch standing in the shadows appeared silently and respectfully accepted the list.

"That's right."

His tone was calm, as if he were talking about a trivial matter, revealing the extravagant demeanor of the emperor.

"but……"

His gaze refocused on Lin Xia's face, with a hint of inquiry.

"How is the restoration of the Starry Crown progressing? May I take a look?"

coming!

Lin Xia felt a chill run down her spine, but her face remained calm and composed, even carrying a relaxed smile as if she had completed a phase of her mission.

"Of course, Your Majesty."

He once again took out the specially made metal box from his storage soul tool. A faint aura of soul power flowed across the surface of the box, a shielding and protective array meticulously crafted by Lin Xia.

He calmly opened the box, took out the repaired Starry Crown with both hands, stepped forward, and handed it to Dai Tianxing.

Under the starlight reflected in the palace, the crown of stars regained its restrained yet majestic radiance.

On the deep, star-meteorite iron body, Lin Xia's repair marks blended almost perfectly into the original ancient patterns, showing no signs of damage.

The "gem" set in the center of the crown—a high-quality replica painstakingly crafted by Young Gilas—lies there quietly. Its dark blue background is as deep as an abyss, and countless stardust points inside flow and rotate slowly in a natural rhythm, radiating pure, vast, ancient, and spatially rhythmic stellar power.

Dai Tianxing's gaze was instantly drawn to the crown, especially the gemstone.

The speed at which the stars seemed to vanish in his eyes accelerated for a moment, and an invisible wave of soul power swept across the crown as gently as ripples on water.

Lin Xia could clearly feel that probing power, strong yet restrained, carrying a majestic aura that could see through all things.

"it is good!"

A genuine sense of satisfaction flashed in Dai Tianxing's eyes, clearly showing his great appreciation for Lin Xia's "restoration skills".

Its appearance was flawless, even the broken parts were seamlessly welded together. More importantly, the aura emanating from the gemstone... was indeed the primordial power of the stars that he knew so well!

(End of this chapter)