Douluo Continent: Martial Soul Young Gilas, Sandstorm King!

Chapter 94 Five Years!

"I can clearly feel the connection of the divine will emanating from the mark. Although it is still unfathomable, I have passed the test of 'rebirth in fire'!"

"This grace of rebirth, this grace of guidance, this grace of the sublimation of the art of craftsmanship..."

Lou Gao looked at Lin Xia again, his gaze intense.

"Xia, all of this is because of you!"

Lou Gao suddenly opened his arms wide, as if wanting to embrace this newborn world, his voice echoing through the mine like a vow:
"I am now in my twilight years! From this day forward, I will finally understand what a true 'transformation' truly means!"

"This body, this martial spirit, this soul... have all embarked on an unprecedented path!"

"The Phoenix Divine Test... I will give my all to live up to this destiny, to repay the divine grace, and even more so to... this opportunity that you fought for me with your life!"

Before he finished speaking, the phoenix mark on his arm, as if responding to his vow, suddenly shone with a deeper and more mysterious crimson-gold light than before, flickering slightly, as if announcing the next divine test for this reborn master craftsman.

As Lin Xia watched this scene unfold, the shock in her heart surged like the magma deep within the Norton volcano.

Despite his best efforts to secure a chance for his teacher's survival, and even witnessing firsthand the breathtaking rebirth process in the crucible of his soul.

But when all this settled down, and he saw his teacher transform from a listless Soul Saint into an 80th-level Soul Douluo with abundant soul power, evolved martial soul, divine bones, and a sublimated soul, the impact was still so strong that he was almost speechless.

"Teacher! This...this is simply a miracle!"

Lin Xia's voice was filled with barely suppressed excitement and heartfelt joy, and her dark golden eyes sparkled with excitement.

"Level 80! Martial Soul evolution! And this...this body!"

He stepped forward and couldn't help but reach out and gently touch Lou Gao's arm, which gleamed with a dark golden luster, was as tough as refined gold, and contained the power of a volcano. It was warm to the touch, as if it contained inexhaustible energy.

"Congratulations, teacher! Congratulations, teacher! The Phoenix God was right about you! You really did it!"

He was genuinely overjoyed by the height of the building.

Having a powerful teacher not only means having a strong backer, but more importantly, it means that Lou Gao's lifelong dream—to reach the pinnacle of the Dao of Artifacts, and even the realm of gods—has finally become a possibility!

This is more important than anything else.

As a disciple, seeing my teacher rise from the ashes and reach new heights filled me with a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction that almost overshadowed all my previous worries and fears.

However, faced with Lin Xia's sincere congratulations and jubilation, Lou Gao's ecstatic smile seemed to be frozen by an invisible force, quickly fading away.

His eyes, which once held a deep, piercing light like a furnace fire, were now clouded with a complex gloom. He stared intently at Lin Xia, his gaze filled with bewilderment, helplessness, and even… a hint of barely perceptible anxiety.

His imposing physique still exuded a powerful aura, but that newly acquired sense of immense power seemed to be weighed down by a sudden worry.

Lin Xia immediately noticed this unusual reaction.

Lin Xia's heart skipped a beat, and her joy was instantly replaced by concern.

"teacher?"

Lin Xia's voice carried a hint of doubt and nervousness, her brows furrowed slightly.

"What's wrong with you? You've just experienced such a great event—your martial spirit has evolved, your soul power has broken through level 80, and even your soul has undergone a nirvana and sublimation! Isn't this a joyous occasion? Why... do you seem unhappy?"

Lin Xia carefully observed Lou Gao's expression, trying to find the answer on that refreshed yet conflicted face.

A brief silence fell over the mine, except for the distinct sound of the young Kira munching on the ore nearby.

The little guy seemed oblivious to the adults' emotional changes, happily munching on a dark red fire crystal ore, the runes on its shell glowing and flickering joyfully as it absorbed energy.

Lou Gao took a deep breath, the scorching air seeming to carry the weight of his worries.

He avoided Lin Xia's concerned gaze and turned his attention to the core of the Sun Essence Mine, which still flowed with liquid golden light deep in the mine. He then slowly raised his left arm and stared at the lifelike, crimson-gold phoenix mark that exuded a sacred aura.

“Happy…of course I’m happy, Xia.”

Lou Gao's voice lowered, carrying an indescribable complex emotion, as if he had just fallen from the clouds to reality.

"This grace of rebirth, this power, this possibility of the path to divinity... I feel only gratitude in my heart, for you, for the Phoenix God." Lou Gao paused, his fingers unconsciously tracing the edge of the mark.

"only…"

"Just what?"

Lin Xia pressed for more information, her unease growing.

Lou Gao turned his head and looked at Lin Xia again, his bewilderment even more obvious in his eyes, and even a little bit... apologetic.

He paused for a moment, seemingly organizing his thoughts, and finally spoke in an almost sighing tone:

"But... my divine test, the second test, has arrived."

Lin Xia was taken aback, then suddenly realized.

"A second test? That's wonderful, Master! Having passed the first test, 'Burning in Fire,' this second test is the ladder for you to solidify your foundation and continue climbing! What will the divine test be like? No matter how difficult it is, your disciple believes you will be able to..."

Before he could finish his encouraging words, Lou Gao raised his hand to interrupt him.

"Difficult... but perhaps not the most difficult."

The sound from the tall building carried a heavy weight.

"But this test is somewhat special. It doesn't require a short burst of energy or a battle, but rather... time."

"time?"

Lin Xia's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition surged into her mind.

"Yes, time. A very long time."

Lou Gao gave a wry smile, which looked somewhat awkward on his resolute new face.

"The Phoenix Mark has just conveyed the content and requirements of the second test: 'Rooted in the furnace, five years of forging the soul. Until the task is completed, one may not leave this mountain even half a step.'"

"Five years?!"

Lin Xia's voice suddenly rose, echoing through the mine. Even Young Gilas, who was focused on gnawing on ore, was startled and looked up, exclaiming in confusion, "Yo-ji?"

Five years!

This number hit Lin Xia like a boulder.

He had no idea that the divine examination would require such a long time span in this way.

Although the divine trials are varied and the will of the gods is unfathomable, this restriction of "not leaving the mountain for five years" is simply too harsh and...caught off guard.

"Five years... a full five years... do we have to stay at Mount Norton?"

Lin Xia repeated, her eyes filled with disbelief and rapid thought.

"Teacher, what exactly does 'rooting in the furnace, forging the soul for five years' mean? Does it mean you should continue cultivating here, adapting to the new body and soul power, and consolidating your realm?"

Lou Gao nodded heavily.

"The message conveyed by the mark is very clear: for the next five years, I must go into deep seclusion here at Mount Norton, or more precisely, near the core area of ​​this mineral vein that contains the essence of the sun."

"The so-called 'soul forging' is to completely fuse the newly born soul power, the foundation of divine bones, and the evolved Phoenix Divine Chisel Martial Soul into one, so as to achieve a state of perfect harmony and seamless integration."

"At the same time, we must also gain a deeper understanding of the fire laws and the true meaning of nirvana contained in the phoenix divine pattern."

"This is a crucial step in laying a solid foundation, which cannot be done by others or by relying on external forces to achieve quick results."

"'Furnace' refers to the environment of this volcanic ley line. Without this place, the divine test cannot be carried out, and all previous efforts may be in vain."

(End of this chapter)