Douluo Continent: Martial Soul Young Gilas, Sandstorm King!

Chapter 117 The Long Journey Home.

silence.

A deathly silence enveloped this small, shadowy place.

Only the hot desert winds whipped up fine sand, making a "shush" sound.

Zhu Yu stood still, her moon-white gauze dress swaying gently in the wind, her bare feet still spotless.

But she seemed frozen in place by Lin Xia's seemingly casual yet earth-shattering words.

Her mind went blank.

After a long while, Zhu Yu slowly and deeply took a breath, as if trying to suppress all the shock and surging emotions in her chest.

Zhu Yu's expression returned to calm, but a more complex light than ever before appeared in the depths of her starry eyes—there was shock, loss, and confusion, but more than anything, there was a sense of solemnity.

Zhu Yu's voice had a slight, almost imperceptible hoarseness, yet it still maintained its elegance:

"I see."

Zhu Yu did not try to persuade her again.

Lin Xia's words were already so clear, and her rejection so thorough. To continue to pester her would only make it seem like the Star Luo Empire and the Zhu family lacked magnanimity.

Moreover, the other party even rejected the Spirit Hall's offer of recruitment, so what else could she say?
Could the Star Luo Empire offer a higher price than the Spirit Hall?

This is obviously impossible.

Of course, it's impossible for her to give up; after all, leaving such a genius out there would be a waste.

If all else fails, we can just talk to Lou Gao about it!

"Little Xia...you are really special. So special that...I'm a little at a loss for words."

Zhu Yu gave a self-deprecating bitter smile, a smile that carried a breathtaking realism on her stunningly beautiful face.

"Master Lou Gao has taken on a good disciple. No, it should be said that he has taken on a... prodigy."

With a flick of her wrist, Zhu Yu revealed a warm, smooth jade pendant, exquisitely carved with a star-shaped crown pattern, in her palm.

The jade pendant is made of neither gold nor jade, it feels warm to the touch, and it emits a faint fluctuation of soul power.

"This is my token."

Zhu Yu handed the jade token to Lin Xia, his tone much more sincere, less of a deliberate attempt to recruit, and more of a respectful one.

"If Master Lou Gao returns, please give this item to him and tell him that Zhu Yu came to see him and had important matters to discuss. Upon seeing this item, the master will understand."

Lin Xia accepted the jade pendant with both hands. It felt warm and smooth to the touch, and was quite heavy, clearly not an ordinary item. He nodded solemnly.

"Okay, I will definitely hand it to the teacher myself."

As Zhu Yu watched Lin Xia accept the jade token, the last trace of regret in her eyes turned into relief.

She knew that the shock this child had brought her today would probably take a long time to process.

"So…"

Zhu Yu straightened up, regaining her aloof and ethereal demeanor, and glanced at Lin Xia and Young Giras.

"This place is not safe to stay any longer. You should leave this area as soon as possible. Deep in the far western desert, there are many dangers that we have yet to discover."

She glanced meaningfully at the huge quicksand pit again.

"Sister is leaving too. Little Xia, I look forward to seeing you again in Gengjin City, or somewhere on the continent. I believe that by then, you will be famous throughout the continent."

Her blessing was heartfelt.

Lin Xia bowed slightly, performing a standard junior's greeting.

"Thank you for your reminder and blessings, Sister Zhu Yu. Please be careful on your journey." Zhu Yu said no more and nodded slightly to Lin Xia and Young Gilas.

Her figure was like an ink painting blending into the sunlight. As her moon-white gauze dress fluttered, she gracefully floated back several feet, her bare feet touching the sand without leaving a trace.

The next moment, her figure transformed into a faint white streak of light, rushing towards the southeast at an astonishing speed. In just a few breaths, she disappeared behind the rolling sand dunes, as if she had never existed.

The desert returned to its deathly stillness, with only the heat waves radiating from it.

Lin Xia stood still, looking down at the warm jade pendant in her hand, which was engraved with a star crown, her eyes deep.

He gently stroked the surface of the jade tablet, feeling the pure soul power markings contained within.

"Zhu Yu...the Zhu family...the Xingluo royal family..."

He muttered to himself, a subtle, enigmatic smile playing on his lips.

"It's true what they say, 'The tree may wish to be still, but the wind will not cease.' But... we've already dealt with the troubles of the Spirit Hall, so what's there to fear about adding another Star Luo Empire?"

Lin Xia casually put the jade tablet into the depths of her soul tool.

"Yoji!"

Young Gilas tugged at his trouser leg with his tiny paws, his scarlet eyes gazing northwest with a hint of longing and urgency.

The dark gold dragon mark on its chest was slightly warm, clearly pointing to the depths of that sea of ​​sand—the direction of the dragon tomb's coordinates!

Lin Xia squatted down and vigorously rubbed the little guy's head, which had become even harder and faintly revealed the dark red of dragon blood. Feeling the hidden, slowly merging, and immense power within its body, Lin Xia's eyes became incredibly sharp and burning.

"Okay, you little foodie."

He smiled, but his voice was full of fighting spirit.

"Don't worry, the Dragon Tomb is right there, it can't escape! Those big bones, that 'egg'... they'll all be ours sooner or later!"

Lin Xia stood up, her gaze sweeping over the direction where Zhu Yu had disappeared, before finally settling firmly into the depths of the northwest desert.

"But now... it's not the right time. We can't spend too much time chasing a coordinate, since that coordinate is constantly changing!"

Lin Xia's eyes were calm.

"We need power, much stronger power! Power enough to protect the Dragon Tomb treasure when we find it!"

"Yoji..."

Young Gilas finally let out a reluctant and helpless whimper, its little tail drooping, but it still nodded its little head heavily to show its understanding.

It glanced longingly at the rolling sand dunes to the northwest with its little paws, as if trying to etch that invisible coordinate into its heart, then nuzzled against Lin Xia's leg, indicating that it was time to go.

Lin Xia breathed a sigh of relief, feeling a sense of warmth and comfort in her heart.

Lin Xia crouched down and vigorously rubbed Young Gilas's shell, which had become even tougher and gleamed with a dark red dragon blood sheen, and whispered:
"Don't worry, those eggs and bones will be ours sooner or later. Now, let's go home."

"Yoji!"

Young Gilas responded, perked up again, and jumped onto Lin Xia's shoulder, standing firmly with its little paws pointing eastward—towards Gengjin City.

The journey home is long.

They left the scorching heat and desolation of the far western desert behind, and the landscape gradually transitioned from a pure golden sea of ​​sand to the Gobi Desert and wasteland, eventually revealing sparse vegetation and traces of human habitation.

After a long and arduous journey of more than half a month, Lin Xia was exhausted, and Young Gilas had become much quieter. Most of the time, he stayed in Lin Xia's arms or on his shoulder with his eyes closed, silently digesting the changes brought about by the trace of dragon blood essence absorbed from the Dragon Tomb. The dark red luster on his carapace seemed to be more restrained and profound, and the aura that occasionally leaked out from the cracks in his carapace also had a faint, heavy, and solemn majesty.

Lin Xia used the time on the journey to meditate briefly at the safe campsite, familiarizing herself with her soul power which had surged to level 25. At the same time, she repeatedly used her mind to "observe" the dragon bones that exuded terrifying pressure in her soul tool.

Even with just a mental contact, one can feel the immense energy and ancient will contained within. These are not only unparalleled treasures, but also his and Young Gilas's pass to the Dragon Tomb.

(End of this chapter)