Douluo Continent: Martial Soul Young Gilas, Sandstorm King!

The molten star-gold liquid churned in his palm, absorbing the power of the stars. Its volume slowly shrank under the extreme tempering of the divine fire, but the energy fluctuations and metallic luster it emitted became purer and stronger!

Finally, when the divine fire was withdrawn and the starlight was subdued, what remained in Lin Xia's palm was a "Star Essence Gold Ingot" that was only one-third the size of the original, but was filled with liquid starlight and had increased in density and energy level by more than several times!
"It's done!"

A look of wild joy flashed in Lin Xia's eyes.

This high-level material purification and fusion, which is directly guided by the body's energy, is far more efficient than traditional forging!
This means that the speed and quality of his manufacturing of new mech core components and key structures will see a qualitative leap!
Young Gilas also came over, curiously sniffing the starlight-flowing metal ingot. It seemed to find this thing more attractive than the previous "snacks," and gently patted it with its little paws, producing a crisp and melodious metallic vibrato.

"Don't worry, we'll use this to make you a stronger 'armor' later."

Lin Xia smiled as she put away the "divinely refined" star gold, her confidence greatly boosted.

He picked up the ore again, simultaneously channeling the power of the stars and the divine fire of the phoenix, immersing himself in selfless cultivation and "forging".

Inside the room, starlight shone brightly, divine fire flickered, and the glow of molten ore reflected the patterns on the Young Gilas's carapace.

Time flies by like a white horse.

A month passed very quickly!
The outline of Xingluo City gradually blurred on the horizon, and the wheels of the carriage rolled over the official road, making a monotonous and regular sound, raising a trail of dust.

Inside the carriage, Lin Xia closed her eyes to rest, seemingly calm, but her mind was immersed in the satisfaction brought by the mountain of rare ores in the soul tool space.

In the past month, under the pretext that "special materials are needed to repair the Starry Crown," he went to the "Starry Sky Treasury" several times to embezzle money.

Each time, he precisely "picked" his target, and under the almost numb gaze of the guards, he devoured the top-grade mineral reserves that the empire had accumulated over hundreds of years like a glutton.

Young Gilas ate until his belly was round and full, and the dragon and phoenix patterns on his carapace became clearer and brighter. His aura was calm and restrained, clearly indicating that he had gained a great deal of benefits.

As Lin Xia had predicted, on Dai Tianxing's side, although the emperor was suspicious, Lin Xia's almost obsessive "craftsman's" greed for minerals and her "disdain" for jewels, secret manuals, and rare treasures greatly lulled the Star Luo Emperor into a false sense of security.

As long as the Starry Crown can be repaired, those "stones" are nothing more than stepping stones in Dai Tianxing's eyes.

Finally, Lin Xia felt he had taken enough before sending the counterfeit crown, which had already been repaired and inlaid with a "high-quality" replica of the Star Core Tear of Young Gilas, to the Star Crown Palace.

Dai Tianxing's examination was exceptionally thorough; the stars in his eyes flickered and vanished, and his immense soul power swept over every corner of the crown like mercury spilling onto the ground.

Lin Xia appeared calm on the surface, but inwardly she felt like she was walking on thin ice. The Phoenix Divine Fire was quietly circulating within her body, ready to deal with any unexpected situation at any time.

Fortunately, Young Gilas's "craftsmanship" was indeed extraordinary. Whether it was the form, the aura, or the pure and vast stellar origin fluctuations, it was a perfect replica. The only "flaw" - the energy intensity was only half that of the original - was perfectly covered up by the reason that Lin Xia had prepared in advance: "the origin was slightly damaged due to unknown erosion encountered during the repair process."

After repeatedly confirming that everything was correct, Dai Tianxing's face showed a relieved smile. That smile contained the joy of recovering the national treasure and the peace of mind that his cultivation foundation had been stabilized.

"Good! Good! Lin Xia, you have indeed not disappointed me!"

Dai Tianxing was overjoyed and immediately fulfilled his promise, even more generously than expected.

"Issue the decree! For the next five years, all weapons, armor, and civilian utensils produced by the Blacksmiths' Association will be subject to a 30% premium when purchased by the Empire! Furthermore, the mining rights for ten high-quality mines, including the West Mountain County Copper Mine and the Black Rock Valley Iron Mine, will be exclusively granted to the Blacksmiths' Association!"

Lin Xia's heart stirred slightly; this generous gift far exceeded her expectations.

Although it was of little personal significance to him, it was a tremendous windfall for the entire blacksmiths' association!
This means that the living standards of tens of thousands of artisans and their families will see a qualitative leap, and that the association will have a stable and abundant source of funding, with more resources to cultivate talent and study techniques, truly shedding the humble status of "blacksmiths".

He bowed respectfully, a perfectly measured smile of gratitude on his face.

"Thank you for your great favor, Your Majesty! The entire Blacksmiths' Guild will forever remember Your Majesty's kindness and forge even more exquisite tools for the Empire!"

Politely declining Dai Tianxing's token attempt to detain him, Lin Xia left the palace with light steps. The hustle and bustle of Xingluo City seemed irrelevant to him; he only wanted to return to the Zhu residence as soon as possible, pack his belongings, and embark on his journey home.

The atmosphere inside the Zhu residence was somewhat subtle.

The farewell to Zhu Zhan was brief and restrained. The clan leader's eyes were filled with complex emotions, which ultimately boiled down to just one sentence.

"Take care of yourself. If you need anything in the future... the Zhu family may be able to lend a hand."

Lin Xia understood the subtext.

Until you truly possess the power to overturn the chessboard, the Zhu family will not openly take sides, but they will not completely sever ties either.

Lin Xia smiled and agreed, the unspoken understanding remaining.

Zhu Zhuqing looked at Lin Xia and the carriage with a hint of envy, wanting to say something, but in the end she shook her head and said seriously:
"I hope to see you even stronger next time!"

Lin Xia simply nodded indifferently.

However, as he scanned the area, he could not find that aloof and stubborn figure.

Upon inquiry, the servants provided the information.

"Miss Zhuqing... went out early this morning, saying... to go for a walk at Jingxin Lake in the west of the city to relax."

A faint sense of regret swept over me.

Lin Xia looked towards the West Garden, where it remained quiet and deserted.

He understood Zhu Zhuqing's choice; perhaps she didn't want to face the scene of parting, or perhaps she was still gathering strength in that cold environment.

Lin Xia smiled, neither forcing the issue nor deliberately waiting.

Some paths she must ultimately walk alone; what he can offer is a possible foothold when she needs it.

"Let's go."

Lin Xia gave instructions to the coachman and led the young Gilas onto the spacious royal carriage.

The wheels rolled away, leaving behind the magnificent gates of the Zhu family mansion and the bustling yet oppressive atmosphere of Xingluo City.

The carriage traveled smoothly on the official road leading to Gengjin City, more than an hour away from Xingluo City.

The official road was flanked by rolling farmland and sparse woods. The afternoon sun shone through the carriage windows, bringing a touch of languidness.

Young Gilas, having eaten and drunk his fill, curled up at Lin Xia's feet, snoring softly, his belly rising and falling slightly with each breath.

Lin Xia also relaxed, closed her eyes to rest, and sorted out the gains and follow-up plans of this trip to Xingluo.

Just as this tranquility was about to slip into a deeper rest—

Thump...thump...thump... (End of Chapter)