Goal Accomplished, Absorb the Soul Ring!

When the dust finally settled and Lin Xia saw the scene before him clearly, his pupils suddenly contracted as an indescribable shock surged through him!

In the center of the area where the sandstorm had raged just moments ago lay more than a dozen enormous yellow-furred rats, sprawled in every direction.

Even the smallest of them were three to four meters long. Their yellowish-brown fur was covered in a hard keratinous layer, their limbs were thick, and their claws were sharp. They were Yellow Storm Rats with hundred-year cultivation.

At that moment, all of them had rolled-back eyes and blood spilling from their mouths and noses. Some had twisted, deformed limbs. They had clearly been instantly knocked unconscious or severely injured by overwhelming force, completely losing consciousness.

The sandy ground was covered in signs of battle and scattered spots of blood.

Before the unconscious rat pack stood Lou Gao like an iron tower, gripping the scruffs of two even larger Yellow Storm Rats, whose auras were clearly stronger, one in each hand!

Both giant rats were over five meters long, with glossy fur and knotted muscles. The one on the right in particular had a faint Silver Pattern on its forehead. Though it too had fallen unconscious, the Energy Fluctuation it emitted far exceeded those of the hundred-year rats beside it.

A bold hunter's smile appeared on Lou Gao's face. His aura was steady, as if the brief but fierce battle just now had merely been a warm-up.

With a casual motion, he tossed the two unconscious giant rats onto the sand as though they were sacks. "Thud! Thud!" Sand flew everywhere as he shouted loudly toward where Lin Xia was hiding:

"All right, Xiao Xia! Come over! The target's taken care of!"

Lin Xia took a deep breath of hot, dust-filled air, suppressed the shock in his heart, and immediately ran over with Larvitar.

Larvitar looked at the enormous rats scattered across the ground, Scarlet Eyes gleaming with curiosity and a trace of instinctive wariness.

Lou Gao pointed at the two unconscious thousand-year Yellow Storm Rats on the ground, his voice calm and forceful.

"The one on the left, judging by its size and aura, has around twelve hundred years of cultivation. As for the one on the right..."

Lou Gao tapped the rat with the Silver Pattern on its forehead using the tip of his foot.

"It's larger, has a fiercer aura, and bears a wind pattern on its forehead. It should be around fourteen hundred years old. It's the leader of this pack."

Lin Xia's gaze immediately locked onto the fourteen-hundred-year Yellow Storm Rat Leader.

Lin Xia's heart raced with excitement as the scene of that sandstorm, which had blocked out his vision and contained immense wind-and-sand power, replayed repeatedly in his mind.

Whether he could obtain the trait he had always dreamed of, one capable of drawing upon the power of sand and dust, success or failure would be decided here!

"Thank you, Teacher!"

Lin Xia's voice carried gratitude and determination. He did not hesitate in the slightest, nor did he ask another question.

Lou Gao had already paved the way for him. What remained was for him to seize it himself.

Lin Xia walked over to the enormous Yellow Storm Rat, his gaze resolute.

He needed no weapon. He brought his Five Fingers together into a hand blade, the muscles in his arm instantly tightening as a faint flash of purple lightning and metallic sheen seemed to pass beneath his skin.

His right arm, condensed with all his strength, became like the sharpest battle axe. Carrying the Wind Sound of splitting air, it chopped ruthlessly toward the Yellow Storm Rat's vulnerable neck!

Kā Chā!

A bone-cracking sound that made one's teeth ache rang out.

The overwhelming force instantly shattered its cervical vertebrae. The fourteen-hundred-year Yellow Storm Rat's body convulsed violently once before falling completely silent.

The next moment, a deep and radiant Purple Soul Ring, as though carved from the purest amethyst, slowly rose from the rat leader's corpse.

This was the manifestation of a Thousand-Year Soul Ring!

As Lou Gao watched Lin Xia decisively and efficiently kill the Soul Beast and draw forth its Soul Ring, a complicated look flashed through his eyes—both gratification and concern.

For a First Soul Master who had never attached a Soul Ring, a Thousand-Year Soul Ring was undoubtedly a challenge with nine chances of death and only one of survival!

But Lou Gao did not speak to stop him. He merely began swiftly handling the aftermath.

Like a humanoid crane, Lou Gao grabbed the unconscious hundred-year Yellow Storm Rats from the ground one in each hand and strode into the distance, tossing them over a hundred meters away one by one, ensuring that even if they woke up, they would not be able to interfere with Lin Xia's absorption of the Soul Ring.

Only after finishing all this did Lou Gao return to Lin Xia's side. Like a silent mountain, he sat cross-legged, his sharp gaze sweeping across the surroundings as his vast Soul Power faintly spread outward, forming an invisible web of vigilance that firmly protected Lin Xia at its center.

Feeling his Teacher's silent yet incomparably solid protection, a Warm Current surged through Lin Xia's heart.

With a thought, Lin Xia no longer hesitated. He solemnly nodded to Lou Gao, then sat cross-legged on the scorching sand, assuming the posture of five centers facing heaven.

Just as Lin Xia focused his mind, calmed his breathing, and circulated his Soul Power in preparation to guide the Purple Soul Ring floating in the air, another change occurred!

"Yoji!"

Larvitar, which had been quietly staying by his side, seemed to be drawn by the immense energy and strange sandy aura contained within the Purple Soul Ring. It let out a low cry filled with longing.

It pushed off with its short little legs and actually crawled in front of Lin Xia's crossed legs, directly facing the Soul Ring. Then, imitating him, it tried its best to straighten its small body, Scarlet Eyes fixed tightly on that ring of purple light.

The instant Lin Xia's Soul Power extended like invisible threads, officially touching and beginning to draw in the Soul Ring—

Buzz!

The deep purple Soul Ring seemed to be fully activated!

It suddenly trembled, releasing an even more intense and dazzling radiance that instantly enveloped both Lin Xia and Larvitar!

An indescribably massive and pure torrent of Soul Power, carrying the wild aura of a Sandstorm, surged like a breached river along the pull of Lin Xia's Soul Power and violently poured into his body!

The force of this power, its sheer savagery, Far Exceeded anything Lin Xia had imagined before!

Lin Xia's body shook violently, and he let out a muffled groan.

The violent Soul Power was like countless tiny wind blades charging wildly through his Meridians, bringing tearing agony.

Larvitar was the same.

The sight made Lou Gao extremely anxious.

Fortunately, after Lin Xia and Larvitar each let out a muffled groan, they showed no further reaction.

Time quietly passed amid the silent struggle and fusion.

The blazing desert sun gradually slanted westward, dyeing the boundless dunes gold and crimson.

Finally—the purple light of the Soul Ring enveloping Lin Xia and Larvitar abruptly contracted inward. Like tired birds returning to their nest, it completely entered Lin Xia's body and vanished.

Lin Xia's tightly shut eyes suddenly opened!

At the same time, Larvitar before him abruptly opened its Scarlet Eyes and let out a powerful low roar.

"Yoji—roar!"

"Xiao Xia!"

Lou Gao rushed forward in a single stride, his voice filled with barely restrained tension and anticipation, nearly cracking.

"How was it?! Did you... did you succeed?! How does your body feel? Is anything uncomfortable? The Soul Ring... did you obtain the Soul Skill you wanted?!"

Seeing Lou Gao looking even more nervous than he was, a brilliant smile bloomed on Lin Xia's face, carrying a few traces of relief.

Lin Xia stood up and stretched his Tendons and Bones. His joints crackled sharply, as though they contained explosive power. He nodded heavily at Lou Gao, his tone firm with a hint of excitement.

"Teacher, I succeeded! And I feel... better than ever!"

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