Douluo Continent: Martial Soul Young Gilas, Sandstorm King!

Chapter 87 I am ready! I accept your test! Life or death!
Lin Xia's words were like a resounding bell, shaking the hearts and minds of those high up in the building!
Lou Gao never imagined that he would be so highly regarded by his disciples!
Those words about "gold being transformed by fire," "craftsmanship as strong as iron," and "potential forged by heavy hammers" were like thunderclaps that cleaved through the fog and gloom that had accumulated in his heart for many years!

An indescribable surge of emotion, mixed with immense gratitude, bittersweetness, and a long-dormant desire that had been ignited, rushed into his heart, instantly turning his eyes red!

The Phoenix God fell silent.

The enormous fiery phoenix hovered in mid-air, and the molten golden light flowing around it seemed to slow down.

For the first time, those eternally burning phoenix eyes truly, with a hint of inquiry and contemplation, fell upon Lou Gao.

It was no longer a detached scrutiny, but rather carried a sense of... reassessment.

He was indeed moved by Lin Xia's words. This young man was not only exceptionally courageous, but also remarkably insightful.

He accurately captured the reasons for His refusal and delivered a powerful rebuttal.

In particular, the points about "potential can be stimulated", "the key lies in mentality and perseverance" and "inheritance is not limited by martial soul attributes" are not entirely accurate, but they touch on some of the core truth of the Divine Trial selection - the Divine Trial is a miraculous path to defy fate and turn the impossible into the possible!
If we only look at superficial potential, how is that any different from ordinary selection?

The building is tall... this human craftsman.

He could sense the decades-long dedication to "fire-forged refined gold" in the other's soul, and that pursuit of perfection was indeed as tough as the diamond chisel in his hand.

This kind of mindset is truly rare among ordinary people.

As for potential... it lies dormant like dead ashes, but beneath those dead ashes, is it truly as Lin Xia said, that there are still embers that have not been extinguished and can be rekindled by divine fire?
His gaze returned to Lin Xia.

This young man... whose own attributes are incompatible, yet he is willing to risk offending the gods, just to fight for a slim chance for his mentor.

This sincerity, this sense of responsibility, this insight... and the strange foundation within him, reshaped by the essence of the sun and His divine power, brimming with infinite possibilities, a foundation interwoven with sandstorms and flames...

For the first time, the lake in the heart of the Phoenix God, which had been dormant for countless millennia, was stirred by the persistence of a mortal.

Is it appreciation?
Is it helplessness?
Or is it just a spark of curiosity?
Time seemed to freeze again.

Inside the mine, only the sound of burning flames and the heavy heartbeats of the three (or beasts) could be heard.

Finally, that grand and majestic voice rang out again, its tone carrying an unprecedented heaviness and solemnity that seemed to pierce through eternity:

"Human... your words have touched a part of my heart."

The voice of the Phoenix God flowed like lava, carrying a chilling aura that froze the soul:
"Since you insist so much...since you believe this person deserves a chance..."

His enormous fiery body leaned forward slightly, and his boundless divine power crashed down like a tangible tsunami, making Lin Xia, Lou Gao, and Young Gilas instantly feel as if they were carrying the weight of an entire volcano!

My bones were cracking and popping, and even breathing became incredibly difficult!
"...Then I will give you this opportunity!"

"However, the path to divine trials is a journey against the heavens! It is fraught with thorns and a perilous journey with only one chance of survival! Only those with great determination and perseverance can tread this path!"

"My test is no child's play! It is a true... trial of life and death!" The Phoenix God's eyes suddenly erupted with a golden light that pierced the soul, and his voice, like thunderous divine punishment, resounded deep within every soul:
"I will only ask you once—are you... truly... ready?!"

"Are you ready... to face horrors far beyond your imagination? Are you ready... to be reduced to ashes, your soul scattered, and never to be reincarnated? Are you ready... to gamble your lives, your souls, and everything... on this one in ten thousand... or even one in a billion chance?!"

"Answer me!"

The terrifying pressure slammed down like a hammer blow weighing billions of tons!

The rocks on the four walls of the mine were silently reduced to dust under this divine power!
The molten earth beneath our feet was boiling violently!
The air was completely ignited, turning into a golden-red sea of ​​fire!
Faced with this world-destroying divine power, and under this soul-searching interrogation that pierces to the very core of one's being—

Lin Xia suddenly straightened her back, which was almost crushed!

Flames burned wildly in his dark golden eyes, without the slightest hesitation, only unwavering determination!
He mustered all his strength and let out a deafening roar.

"I'm ready!"

"Yoji—!!!"

Sensing Lin Xia's determination, Younggiras roared with unprecedented fighting spirit!
Its tiny body trembled violently under the divine power, but the runes on its carapace shone brightly!
It demonstrated its choice through its actions—to stand with Lin Xia through thick and thin, until death do them part!
Tall building!

Under Lin Xia's reasoned arguments, the Phoenix God's world-destroying pressure, and soul-searching interrogation, all the fear, hesitation, and despondency in the old craftsman's heart were completely ignited and burned away!
A surge of pride and passion belonging to the successor of the God of Blacksmiths, which had been dormant for decades and almost forgotten by him, erupted like a volcano!

Lou Gao's cloudy old eyes instantly turned blood red, his calloused hands clenched into fists, veins bulging, and his Soul Saint-level soul power circulated within him at an unprecedentedly frenzied pace.

Lou Gao's hoarse yet resolute roar, like the defiant roar of the last piece of stubborn iron in a furnace under a heavy hammer, exploded in the deathly silent and scorching mine:
"I am ready! I accept your test, regardless of life or death!"

The voice exhausted all the air in the old craftsman's chest, carrying a do-or-die, resolute determination. Under the vast and boundless divine power of the Phoenix God, it echoed, small yet exceptionally resilient.

Lin Xia's tense nerves suddenly relaxed, only to be gripped by even deeper tension.

He stared intently at the phoenix god in the sky, composed of eternal flames, his dark golden pupils reflecting a light powerful enough to incinerate souls.

The Phoenix God's reaction was unexpectedly calm. Its enormous head, flowing with the essence of the molten sun, seemed to nod very slightly, its indifferent gaze sweeping over the three (or beasts) below, as if the soul-shaking life-or-death question just now and the vows made atop the tower were merely insignificant ripples.

There was no praise, no encouragement, only an absolute indifference that looked down on life and death.

He did not speak any more words.

The burning phoenix eyes flashed slightly, and a stream of crimson-gold light, far more refined, more restrained, yet more intense than when it was bestowed upon Lin Xia and Young Gilas, flowed out from the tip of its wing like a river of molten gold falling from the heavens!

This stream of light was not violent; instead, it carried a strange, gentle warmth that seemed to penetrate everything. In an instant, it traversed space, ignoring Lou Gao's tattered clothes and body defenses, and silently entered Lou Gao's chest!

"Well--!"

(End of this chapter)