Lin Xia's thoughts drifted through the vast ocean of possible trait combinations.
The core concept of a sandstorm team gradually took shape in his mind.
Sand Stream had already been successfully obtained—this was the foundation.
Then the choice of the second Soul Skill would determine the future combat style of both him and Larvitar.
Sand Stream + Sand Force!
This was the most extreme offensive combination.
Larvitar could generate a sandstorm on its own, immediately gaining a boost to the power of its own elemental attacks.
This would turn Larvitar's Rock Throw and Stone Edge into truly terrifying techniques, capable of tearing through an opponent's defenses with ease.
This combination would instantly elevate it from a mere weather initiator into the most destructive core attacker within its own weather.
Sand Stream + Sand Rush!
With speed doubled under a sandstorm, this would compensate for Larvitar's current weakness in mobility, granting it priority in battle. Speed combined with raw power would create a crushing, unstoppable momentum.
And even… Sand Veil, Sturdy, Battle Armor, Intimidate, Pressure, Heavy Metal, Clear Body, or even Huge Power?
The thought of Huge Power flashed briefly through Lin Xia's mind. The sheer terror of directly doubling physical attack power was intoxicating.
But he quickly shook his head. That trait was simply too abnormal. Finding a compatible Soul Beast would be extraordinarily difficult, and it might even attract unpredictable trouble.
Moreover, it did not synergize with the sandstorm environment as seamlessly as the previous options.
"What matters most right now is balancing growth speed and combat strength, as well as compatibility with the sandstorm system."
Lin Xia muttered to himself, his fingers unconsciously tapping against the stone table.
"Sand Force and Sand Rush are the optimal choices—one pursues ultimate burst damage, the other speed suppression. Solid Rock would be the safer option, increasing fault tolerance. As for Huge Power… I'll shelve that for now."
He firmly engraved these core traits into his mind—Sand Force and Sand Rush.
With his direction clarified, Lin Xia felt a weight lift from his heart.
He looked down at Larvitar, which was hugging a small chunk of Purple Lightning Iron Ore and grinding its teeth against it. The little fellow's crimson eyes sparkled brightly, as if it had sensed its master's resolve.
"Larvitar!"
Larvitar patted the ore with its small claw, seemingly echoing his thoughts.
"Good. The goal is clear—then we keep pushing forward!"
Fighting spirit ignited in Lin Xia's eyes as he sat cross-legged once more, immersing himself again in Soul Power cultivation and ore energy absorption.
Larvitar immediately followed suit, lying beside him and nibbling at the ore in small bites. Fine arcs of purple lightning danced across its gray-green scales.
Time flowed on, like the ever-burning furnaces of Gengxin City.
Half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
During these two weeks, Lin Xia's life was both regular and fulfilling.
In the mornings, he studied the forging notes and Soul Beast compendiums provided by Lou Gao. During the day, under the guidance of his senior brothers, he trained in deeper forging knowledge and refined control over his Soul Power.
At night and during most of his free time—he and Larvitar indulged in what others would consider an utterly incomprehensible feast of minerals.
Purple Lightning Iron Ore remained the staple. The lightning energy contained within continuously scoured and strengthened Lin Xia's meridians and physical body.
He could clearly feel that after each bite, and each round of recovery following the electric stimulation, his body grew sturdier, and his Soul Power circulation became smoother and more refined.
Thanks to this almost cheat-like method of eating-based cultivation, Lin Xia's Soul Power broke through another bottleneck in just half a month, advancing from Level 16 to Level 17!
This terrifying rate of progress left Lou Gao and the senior brothers in stunned disbelief, calling him nothing short of a monster.
Larvitar's changes were just as significant.
Its body had grown noticeably larger, its gray-green rocky armor thicker and faintly gleaming with a metallic luster.
The purple lightning arcs surrounding it became denser, crackling sharply whenever its tail swung, their power clearly enhanced.
It devoured ore faster and in greater quantities, like a bottomless pit, continuously converting mineral essence into its own strength.
Just as Lin Xia was immersed in the joy of steady growth, far away in Martial Soul City, a meeting that would determine the fate of the Blacksmith Association was quietly taking place.
Martial Soul City — Side Council Chamber of the Papal Palace
Si Long, Lou Gao's eldest disciple and one of the future pillars of the Blacksmith Association, stood solemnly at one side of the grand and austere hall.
He forced himself to remain calm, but the slight dampness of his palms and his slightly hurried breathing betrayed his inner tension and excitement.
Under Lou Gao's arrangements and the protection of several trusted experts, he had avoided the possible surveillance of the Gengxin City Martial Soul Branch and traveled day and night to finally arrive at this city—the very symbol of the Martial Soul Hall's supreme authority.
The moment he stepped into Martial Soul City, the omnipresent majestic architecture, solemn guards, and dense Soul Power pressure in the air made him acutely aware of how small he and the entire Blacksmith Association truly were.
After passing through layers of strict reporting and identity verification, Si Long was finally allowed to stand within this side hall.
The towering dome above was painted with holy angelic imagery, while massive stained-glass windows cast down cold, sacred beams of light.
The air felt frozen, broken only by the faint friction sounds of armor from time to time.
Upon the Papal Throne sat a single figure.
Bibi Dong.
She did not deliberately release any pressure, yet the natural aura of nobility, authority, and absolute control that emanated from her was enough to make the very air in the hall congeal.
Dressed in magnificent papal robes and wearing a purple-gold crown, her peerlessly beautiful face showed no trace of emotion—only a calm as deep and unfathomable as the abyss itself.
Her phoenix eyes were slightly lowered as she reviewed the towering stacks of documents before her. From time to time, her jade-white fingers brushed across the pages, and with each motion, the fate of countless lives was decided.
Si Long did not even dare to look directly at the throne for long, waiting respectfully with only the corner of his vision.
He could clearly hear the sound of his own heart pounding like a war drum within his chest.
Time slowly passed. Every minute and every second felt incomparably long.
At last, when Bibi Dong finished reviewing a memorial concerning tax reforms in a certain province and gently closed it, the attendant standing nearby bowed at the appropriate moment and reported.
"Your Majesty the Pope, Si Long—direct disciple and senior apprentice of Divine Craftsman Lou Gao, President of the Blacksmith Association of Gengxin City—has come by his master's order, bearing a confidential letter and requesting an audience."
Bibi Dong finally lifted her gaze, letting it fall upon Si Long.
Her eyes were calm and unruffled, yet they seemed to possess the power to see straight through a person's heart, making Si Long feel as though everything about him had been laid bare in an instant.
"Present it."
Her cool and authoritative voice echoed throughout the great hall, carrying an unmistakable command.
Si Long took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart. He stepped forward several paces, stopping more than ten steps away from the throne, then dropped to one knee.
Carefully, he took out a metal letter tube sealed with special fire lacquer from his storage soul tool and raised it high above his head with both hands.
A hall-guarding knight with a stern expression silently stepped forward. After carefully inspecting the seal, he respectfully placed the letter tube onto the crimson velvet desk before Bibi Dong.
Bibi Dong extended two slender fingers and effortlessly crushed the hardened layer of fire lacquer.
She withdrew the letter inside. The paper was a dark-silver metallic foil specially crafted by the Blacksmith Association, densely filled with writing in Lou Gao's distinctive, forceful handwriting.
The great hall was so silent that a pin drop could be heard. Only the faint sound of the letter unfolding echoed softly.
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