Douluo Continent: Martial Soul Young Gilas, Sandstorm King!

Chapter 54: Lessons from Experience – They're Like a Protective Charm!
Before he finished speaking, Lou Gao's calloused fingers, which contained astonishing strength, suddenly exerted force!
"Crack!"

With a crisp crack, the ordinary-looking stone shattered, like a crushed walnut.

However, what was revealed inside the shattered stone was not the grayish-white or yellowish-brown one might imagine, but a deep, heavy, and seemingly light-absorbing black—like ink!
The black color is extremely pure, with a cold, metallic texture, creating a striking contrast with the soil and moss on the stone's surface.

"what?!"

Lin Xia exclaimed in surprise, immediately squatted down, and followed Lou Gao's example, picking up another inconspicuous stone nearby.

Lin Xia's finger strength was equally formidable; she squeezed hard.

"Snapped!"

The stone shattered, revealing the same deep black interior!
"Why...why is it all black inside?"

Lin Xia twirled the black pebbles in her hand; they felt delicate yet heavy.

Seeing Lin Xia's surprised expression, Lou Gao's smile deepened, carrying a sense of satisfaction from imparting knowledge and resolving doubts.

Lou Gao threw away the remaining black pebbles in his hand, dusted off his hands, and began his lesson.

"Xia, you haven't learned how to systematically explore mineral veins yet, so it's normal that you can't see it."

Lou Gao pointed to the ground beneath his feet, his voice steady and full of experience.

"The reason this place is named Blackrock Valley by our Blacksmiths' Association is because a special type of rock stratum exists underground here—the Blackrock stratum!"

Lou Gao paused, emphasizing his words.

"This black rock is no ordinary stone. It is extremely hard and dense, with a density far exceeding that of ordinary rocks. It has a special internal structure and a strong... well, you can think of it as a sealing or nurturing ability."

"Its formation is often related to high temperature and high pressure environments. When magma or hydrothermal activity rich in metallic minerals encounters specific geological structures, it will be encased and sealed by the black rock layer formed by rapid cooling and compression."

Lou Gao tapped the ground with his toes as he spoke.

"Therefore, the more lush the surface vegetation and the deeper the soil layer, the more it indicates that the black rock protective cover is intact and that the things underneath have not been weathered away!"

"The appearance of these black rocks is like a giant arrow pointing downwards for us prospectors. It's practically announcing that there's definitely something good hidden down there! It's very likely the rare mineral vein we're looking for!"

Lou Gao spoke eloquently, from the formation and characteristics of the black rock to how to make a preliminary judgment on the type and scale of the mineral deposits that may exist below based on the distribution range, thickness, and associated minerals of the black rock.

Lou Gao also mentioned the special characteristics of the vegetation on the black rock layer, which plants with well-developed root systems might indicate the direction of the mineral veins, and which are purely deceptive.

Lin Xia listened intently, her eyes growing brighter and brighter.

Lin Xia then realized that mineral exploration is far more complex than simply digging around with a hoe; it is a very complex science!

"Understood, teacher!"

Lin Xia said with heartfelt admiration.

"I never knew there were so many intricacies and knowledge involved in mineral exploration. I have learned a great deal!"

"Haha, good that you understand!"

Lou Gao was pleased to see Lin Xia's positive attitude and quick learning ability. He didn't linger any longer, his sharp eyes scanning the terrain near where they were standing, and he carefully felt the hardness and slope of the ground with his feet.

"Alright, based on past experience and our observation of the Black Rock outcrop just now!"

Lou Gao finally stomped heavily on the solid ground beneath his feet with his toes.

"Start here! Dig diagonally downwards, towards the southwest! This angle will allow us to avoid large fissures as much as possible and go straight to the possible main ore vein area!"

Lou Gao turned his head to look at the young Kirastress, who was already unable to contain itself and was excitedly scratching the ground with its little paws.

"Little guy, it's up to you! Remember, dig the entrance as big as possible! At least big enough for the two of us to easily get in and out, and we also need to consider transporting things later!"

"Yoji—!!!"

Young Gilas couldn't wait any longer, and upon hearing the command, it let out a spirited shriek.

A flash of red light appeared in its scarlet eyes, and its small body, covered in a hard rock shell, suddenly unleashed an astonishing power that was disproportionate to its size!

Swish!Swish!Swish!
Young Gilas's short but exceptionally sharp claws transformed into two blurry phantoms, and the hard black rock layer was as soft as tofu under its claws!

Gravel and dirt shot out like a fountain, and in just a few breaths, a circular opening nearly two meters in diameter, sloping downwards, with unusually smooth edges, appeared in front of the two!

The cave entrance was deep, exuding the damp smell of earth and rock. "Well done!"

Lou Gao praised her, but didn't immediately pull Lin Xia downstairs.

Instead, he quickly pulled out several items from his equipment bag.

First, there is a large, complex metal windmill with a sharp steel rod attached to its base.

Lou Gao forcefully inserted it into the solid ground next to the hole to ensure it was stable.

Then, he took out several smaller windmills with similar structures, as well as a long bundle of something that looked like a rubber tube.

Lou Gao picked up the crank handle of the first large windmill and began to crank it rapidly.

As he moved, the windmill's blades whirred and generated a strong airflow.

Then, he connected one end of a hose to the air outlet of the windmill, and inserted the other end directly into the depths of the hole that Young Gilas had just dug.

Lin Xia watched the teacher's actions and became even more curious.

"Teacher, what's wrong with you...?"

Lin Xia pointed at the windmills and hoses, completely baffled by their purpose.

Shouldn't prospecting involve going down to look for minerals as soon as possible?
Why are you fiddling with these windmills?

Lou Gao's hands moved non-stop as he inserted the second small windmill a little distance from the hole, explaining without looking up:
"Xia, prospecting is no joke, especially for unexploited, deep-buried veins like this. The second key point is ventilation!"

Lou Gao's tone became serious and earnest.

“Deep underground, especially in newly dug, enclosed caves, the oxygen content is extremely low, and toxic underground gases can easily accumulate. If we go down rashly, we will become dizzy and even suffocate and lose consciousness after digging for a short time! That's no joke!”

Lou Gao pointed to the windmill that was spinning loudly and the rubber pipes that extended into the cave.

"These windmills are our 'lifeline'! This big one is the main fan. The strong wind it generates blows directly into the depths of the cave through this hose, forcibly replacing the air inside the cave and forcing fresh air in."

Lin Xia then pointed to the second small windmill she had just planted, as well as the others she was holding in her hand.

“These small ones are auxiliary windmills. I will put them in at intervals along the excavation path and connect them with hoses.”

"Their role is to relay the airflow. The main ventilation fan's power weakens at deeper levels, but these smaller fans can relay the airflow to ensure a continuous flow of fresh air throughout the entire mine tunnel, while also expelling stale air from underground."

Lou Gao skillfully connected the second hose to the small windmill and inserted the hose into the hole, extending it parallel to the main air duct.

Lou Gao continued to instruct while demonstrating.

"Look, the layout of these windmills and pipelines is also carefully considered. They should be placed as high as possible along the direction of excavation to avoid being damaged by falling rocks, and the joints should be sealed well... These are all experiences gained from countless lessons!"

"Remember this: as long as people are digging down there, this windmill can't stop! It can greatly extend our safe working time down there. This is life-saving knowledge for prospecting, so you'd better pay more attention to it!"

Looking at the whirring windmill and feeling the fresh, earthy air blowing from the cave entrance, Lin Xia felt a sense of relief, but also a feeling of lingering fear and sincere admiration.

Exploring the unknown underground world actually hides such deadly risks, and the teacher's experience is like a talisman!

"I understand! Thank you for your guidance, Master!"

Lin Xia nodded solemnly, firmly remembering these life-or-death details.

Lou Gao nodded in satisfaction, looking at the sufficiently spacious opening dug by Young Gilas, and feeling the windmill system begin to steadily deliver fresh air.

Lou Gao plugged in the last relay windmill, connected the pipes, and then took out two specially made torches from his equipment bag that burned steadily and brightly.

"call……"

Lou Gao handed one torch to Lin Xia and lit another one for himself.

"Alright, ventilation system set up, air quality is fine."

Lou listened intently to the sound of the windmill turning, and then tested the hole with a torch. The flame burned steadily, and there was nothing unusual.

"Now, let's go down and see what treasures are hidden at the bottom of Blackrock Valley! Youngkiras, lead the way, and be careful!"

"Yoji!"

(End of this chapter)