Douluo Continent: Martial Soul Young Gilas, Sandstorm King!

Lou's tall and imposing figure occupied one side of the carriage. His crimson-gold eyes were still burning with desire as his gaze swept back and forth between Lin Xia, the shrunken Bangiras, and Zhu Zhuqing, who was sitting quietly next to Lin Xia, filled with an eager curiosity.

He took a swig of the strong liquor from his flask, the pungent aroma filling the carriage and seemingly igniting the fire of curiosity within him.

Lou Gao put down his leather bag, and with his large, fan-like hand, he slapped his knee hard, making a crisp "smack" sound that shook the carriage slightly.

"Xia! Tell me in detail! In these past five years, how many earth-shattering things have you done? Tell me everything, one by one! Starting from your terrifying soul power and how this big guy turned into this frightening appearance!"

Seeing the teacher's anxious expression, Lin Xia smiled gently.

He adjusted his posture to help Zhu Zhuqing, who was sitting next to him and whose body was stiff with tension, to relax a little more before he slowly opened his mouth. His voice was clear and steady, as if he were narrating an epic that was both magnificent and yet perfectly natural.

"Teacher, please don't be impatient. Since you want to hear it, I certainly wouldn't dare to hide anything."

Lin Xia's gaze deepened, as if piercing through the carriage walls and looking towards the distant past.

"It all started with that hunt for spirit rings."

"Back then, in order to find a suitable spirit ring for Young Gilas and to improve my own strength, we accidentally... stumbled into the 'Dragon Tomb'."

"Dragon Tomb?"

Lou Gao's crimson-gold pupils suddenly contracted; even he had only seen a few words about it in the Phoenix God's inherited memories.

"The legendary burial ground of the dragons? You actually found it? And you came out alive?"

"Yes, teacher."

Lin Xia nodded, her tone tinged with seriousness and lingering fear.

"It was a space filled with deathly silence, dragon might, and endless resentment. The ground was covered with dragon bones as huge as mountains. Even though they had been dead for ten thousand years, their residual aura was enough to suffocate even a Soul Douluo powerhouse."

"My baby Gilas and I were lucky enough to absorb and transform some of the extremely pure dragon-type primal energy."

Lin Xia stretched out her finger, and a faint, yet majestic and boundless, golden-red energy flow swirled around her fingertip. That energy instantly seemed to raise the temperature inside the carriage by a few degrees, and also subtly triggered a resonance and a barely perceptible repulsion between the Phoenix Divine Fire within Lou Gao's body.

"This is the 'gift' of the Dragon Tomb, and the source of the dragon-type power within me and Tyranitar that even the Phoenix God's power finds 'disgusting'. It not only tempered our physiques but also greatly enhanced our fundamental power, laying the foundation for future breakthroughs."

At the opportune moment, Tyranitar let out a deep roar, a hint of recollection of those difficult years flashing in its dark red eyes, and the obsidian-like rhomboid carapace on its chest and abdomen seemed to glow slightly.

"And at the very moment we were forcibly expelled by the repulsive force of the Dragon Tomb."

Lin Xia's expression turned slightly strange.

“I saw…an egg.”

"An egg?"

Lou Gao leaned forward, his interest completely piqued.

"Yes, an egg."

Lin Xia affirmed.

"It floats in the energy turbulence at the very core of the Dragon Tomb, its exterior covered with strange, seemingly living, dark gold dragon scales, emanating an indescribable aura of both life and death."

"It felt even more ancient and mysterious to me than those dragon bones that were as tall as mountains. Unfortunately, in just a moment, the spatial rift expelled us, and we never got to see it again."

Lou Gao took a deep breath, feeling that Lin Xia's experience was even more bizarre than a legendary tale.

"Dragon tomb remains, mysterious dragon egg... You've got incredible luck, kid! And then what happened?"

"Later," Lin Xia continued her narration.

"We left the dangerous place with the 'gifts' of the Dragon Tomb, but we unexpectedly encountered someone - Zhu Yu, the Empress of the Star Luo Empire."

Mentioning that name, Lin Xia felt Zhu Zhuqing beside him tense up noticeably. He gently held her hand, comforting her, and continued:
“She seems to be investigating something, and our appearance has caught her attention. She noticed our unusual state and was even more surprised that I was your disciple after learning that you were in seclusion. In the name of the Star Luo Empire, she invited me to repair a crucial heirloom soul tool for the royal family—the ‘Starry Crown’.”

"Repair the Starry Crown?"

Lou Gao was moved once again.

"That's one of the symbols of the Star Luo royal family, it's incredibly significant! How dare she let a mere brat like you take action?"

"Yes, teacher."

A glint of confidence flashed in Lin Xia's eyes.

"I have successfully completed the mission and not only repaired the damaged core magic array, but also optimized its structure."

"His Majesty Dai Tianxing was very pleased with this. In return, and as an investment in his disciple's potential, he opened the door to a treasure trove for me."

Lin Xia's tone was calm, but the amount of information contained in her words was enough to leave Lou Gao speechless.

"A vast amount of rare metals, as well as the mining rights to several rich mines within the Empire. These resources are the most crucial cornerstones for the rise of the Blacksmiths' Guild and for building my mech legion."

Lou Gao was so moved by what he heard that he couldn't help but slap his thigh.

"Hahaha! Excellent! What a brilliant Star Luo Empire! They have a sharp eye! This deal was well done! Absolutely worth it!"

His eyes were full of smugness as he looked at Lin Xia.

"As expected of my disciple Lou Gao! He commands respect wherever he goes!"

Lin Xia smiled slightly, then looked at Zhu Zhuqing beside her, her tone softening.

"And it was after that trip to Xingluo that Zhu Qing came along. After she awakened the Netherworld Cat martial soul, she didn't have a good time in the Zhu family."

Zhu Zhuqing raised her head, her cool eyes looking at Lin Xia with gratitude, then glancing nervously at Lou Gao.

Lin Xia didn't describe Zhu Zhuqing's situation in detail, but Lou Gao had already guessed most of it from the previous conversation and Zhu Zhuqing's reaction.

“I brought her back to Gengjin City.”

Lin Xia's voice was firm.

"Over the past five years, Zhuqing has lived and cultivated in the association like family to me. You have seen her talent and hard work, Teacher."

Lou Gao's gaze swept over Zhu Zhuqing, but his eyes no longer held scrutiny; instead, they held the gentleness and approval of an elder.

"Hmm, an eleven-year-old Soul Master with the Netherworld Cat Martial Soul, truly extraordinary! Following Xia is your good fortune, and also his ability! Haha!"

Zhu Zhuqing's tense body finally relaxed completely, a hint of tears welled up in her eyes, and she nodded vigorously.

"As for the days after returning to Gengjin City."

Lin Xia continued, her tone returning to a calm and narrative style.

"Actually, it's relatively 'simple.' It involves digesting what we've gained from the Dragon Tomb, utilizing the resources provided by Star Luo, and leveraging the powerful mining capabilities that Bangiras has gained after its evolution. We'll systematically cultivate our soul power, research soul tool technology, and improve our forging skills. At the same time, we'll lead the core members of the association to explore new mineral veins, accumulate resources, and secretly train and manufacture mechs."

"Day after day, year after year, without ever slacking off." (End of Chapter)