Douluo Continent: Martial Soul Young Gilas, Sandstorm King!

Chapter 39 Special Combinations, Spirit Hall!
Lin Xia's thoughts drifted in a sea of ​​characteristic combinations.

The core concept of the Sandstorm team gradually became clear in his mind.

The sandstorm has been successfully acquired; this is the foundation.

The choice of his second soul skill will determine his and Young Gilas's future fighting style.

Dust storm + sand power!
This is the ultimate offensive combination.

Larvitar activates Sandstorm, immediately gaining a power boost from its own STAB moves.

This will make the subsequent Rock Slide and Stone Spike attacks of the Young Gilas incredibly terrifying, easily tearing through the opponent's defenses.

This combination instantly transforms it from a weather starter into the most destructive core damage dealer under the weather.

Dust storm and sand shovel!

The speed doubles during a sandstorm, overcoming Larva's current weakness of relatively slow speed and gaining the initiative. By combining speed with power, Larva can create an overwhelming force.

Even... Sand dunes, sturdy, hard-shelled armor, intimidation, oppressive feeling, heavy metal, a clean body, and even a strongman.
The Hercules trait flashed through Lin Xia's mind; the terrifying amplification of physical attack power, directly doubling its strength, was something to be longed for.

But Lin Xia quickly shook his head. This characteristic was too extraordinary, and it would be extremely difficult to find a matching soul beast. It might even bring unpredictable trouble.

Moreover, this seems to be less closely linked to the sandstorm environment than the previous ones.

"The most important thing right now is to balance growth rate and combat power, as well as compatibility with the sandstorm system."

Lin Xia muttered to herself, her fingertips unconsciously tapping on the stone table.

"Sand Power and Sand Pulling are the optimal solutions, one pursuing ultimate burst of power and the other pursuing speed suppression. Hard rock is a stable choice, increasing the margin for error. As for the strongman... let's put it aside for now."

Lin Xia firmly imprinted these core characteristics in his mind—the power of sand, the ability to pluck sand.

With the direction clear, Lin Xia felt a sense of relief.

Lin Xia looked at the young Giras at her feet, who was chewing on a small piece of purple lightning iron ore. The little guy's scarlet eyes were bright, as if he could sense his master's determination.

"Yoji!"

Young Gilas patted the ore with its tiny paws, as if in agreement.

"Okay, now that we have a clear goal, let's keep working hard!"

Lin Xia's eyes blazed with fighting spirit. He sat down cross-legged and once again immersed himself in cultivating his soul power and absorbing the energy from the ore.

Young Gilas immediately followed suit, lying down beside him and nibbling at the ore, tiny purple sparks dancing on its gray-green scales.

Time flows quietly, like the ever-burning furnace fire of Gengjin City.

Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.

Lin Xia's life has been regular and fulfilling for the past two weeks.

In the early morning, I studied the forging tips and soul beast illustrations provided by Lou Gao. During the day, under the guidance of my senior brothers, I underwent more in-depth training in forging knowledge and precise control of soul power.

At night and during most of his free time, he would spend his time with Young Gilas, indulging in what seemed to others an incredible feast of minerals.

Purple Lightning Iron Ore remained Lin Xia's staple food, as the lightning energy it contained continuously washed over and strengthened his meridians and physical body.

Lin Xia could clearly feel that with each bite and each recovery after the electric current stimulation, his body became more resilient and his soul power flowed more smoothly.

Thanks to this almost cheat-like eating cultivation method, Lin Xia's soul power broke through the barrier again in just half a month, advancing from level sixteen to level seventeen!
This terrifying speed of improvement amazed Lou Gao and his fellow disciples, who exclaimed that he was a monster.

The changes in juvenile cyprinis were also significant.

Its size seemed to have increased again, its gray-green rocky carapace becoming thicker and faintly gleaming with a metallic sheen. The purple arcs of electricity swirling around its body were denser, and the sparks crackling from its tail whipping around clearly indicated its increased power.

It devours ore faster and has a bigger appetite, like a bottomless pit, continuously converting the essence of the ore into its own power.

Just as Lin Xia was immersed in the joy of her steadily improving strength, in the distant Wuhun City, a meeting concerning the fate of the Blacksmith Association was taking place.

Wuhun City, the council chamber in the side hall of the Papal Palace.

Si Long, Lou Gao's eldest disciple and one of the future pillars of the Blacksmith Association, stood respectfully with his hands at his sides on one side of the magnificent and solemn hall.

He tried to remain calm, but his slightly damp palms and rapid breathing betrayed his inner tension and excitement.

He traveled a long and arduous journey, and with the help of several skilled men arranged by Lou Gao, he avoided the possible eyes and ears of the Spirit Hall in Gengjin City. He traveled day and night and finally arrived at this city, which symbolized the highest power center of the Spirit Hall.

The moment he stepped into Wuhun City, the magnificent buildings, solemn guards, and the dense soul power pressure permeating the air made him deeply feel the insignificance of himself and even the entire Blacksmith Association.

After undergoing rigorous notification and identity verification at each level, Silong was finally able to stand in this side hall.

The towering dome is painted with images of angels, and huge stained-glass windows cast cold, holy beams of light.

The air seemed to freeze, with only the occasional soft scraping sound of the guards' armor.

A figure sat upright on the papal throne.

Bibi Dong.

She didn't deliberately release any pressure, but the natural nobility, majesty, and aura of control she exuded were enough to make the air in the entire hall freeze.

Dressed in a magnificent papal robe and wearing a purple-gold crown, his exquisite face revealed no emotion, only a profound and unfathomable tranquility.

With her phoenix eyes slightly lowered, she was reviewing the mountain of files in front of her. Her jade-white fingers occasionally brushed across the paper, deciding the fate of countless people.

Silong didn't even dare to look directly at the throne for long, but waited respectfully with his peripheral vision.

He could even clearly hear his heart pounding like a drum in his chest.

Time passed slowly, and every minute and second felt incredibly long.

Finally, when Bibi Dong finished reviewing a memorial concerning tax reform in a certain province and gently closed it, the maid standing beside her bowed and reported at the opportune moment.

"Your Holiness, Si Long, the eldest disciple of the master craftsman Lou Gao, the president of the Gengjin City Blacksmith Association, requests an audience with a secret letter on his master's orders."

Bibi Dong finally raised her gaze and it fell on Si Long.

That gaze was calm and serene, yet it seemed to possess the power to see through people's hearts, making Silong feel as if everything about him had been seen through in an instant.

"Send it up."

A cool and authoritative voice echoed in the hall, carrying an unquestionable command.

Silong took a deep breath, suppressed his turbulent emotions, took a few steps forward, and stopped more than ten steps away from the throne, kneeling on one knee.

He carefully took out a metal letter tube sealed with special sealing wax from his storage soul tool and raised it above his head with both hands.

A stern-faced paladin silently stepped forward, took the letter tube, carefully examined the seal, and then respectfully presented it to Bibi Dong on the red velvet table in front of her.

Bibi Dong stretched out two slender fingers and easily crushed the solid sealing wax.

Pulling out the letter, the paper was a dark silver metallic foil specially made by the Blacksmiths' Association, covered with writing in Lou Gao's distinctive, vigorous handwriting.

The hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop; the only sound was the faint rustling of unfolding a letter.

(End of this chapter)