Lou Gao waved his hand, a trace of nostalgia flashing through his eyes.
"Yellow Storm Rats are extremely difficult to capture. They're skilled at concealing themselves and burrowing through sand. But because of that, they often live much longer than Spirit Beasts of the same cultivation level."
"Years ago, I sensed a Yellow Storm Rat tribe deep beneath the sands. Even the weakest among them were no less than four hundred years old. As your first Spirit Ring, it would be an exceptionally suitable choice."
Lou Gao paused briefly. When he saw the blazing determination in Lin Xia's eyes, he finally made up his mind.
"However, the terrain in that sandy region is complex, and the Yellow Storm Rat is elusive—like a ghost roaming a sea of sand. Charging in blindly would be like searching for a needle in a haystack. It would waste time, and you might even run into other dangers."
He stepped forward, placing his rough yet steady hand on Lin Xia's shoulder, and smiled.
"Xia, you've only just arrived in Gengjin City and have only begun your apprenticeship. You're practically starting from scratch when it comes to ores, forging, and even Spirit Beasts."
"If the foundation isn't solid, then even if you're sitting on a mountain of treasure, you won't know how to access it."
"Obtaining a Spirit Ring is important, but sharpening your axe won't delay the work. From now on, you'll stay at the Blacksmith Association. You'll study, build your knowledge, and consume more ores to strengthen yourself!"
"As for that Yellow Storm Rat…"
"Don't worry. Leave it to me. I'll personally organize manpower, mobilize the association's resources and connections, and conduct a thorough search of that sandy region."
"Once we pinpoint its lair or activity range, I'll accompany you myself. I'll make sure you're protected and that everything goes smoothly. How does that sound?"
Listening to Lou Gao's careful and considerate plan, a warm current surged through Lin Xia's heart, along with a strong sense of agreement.
Indeed, having the ability to grow stronger by devouring ore—yet lacking any understanding of ore itself—was like holding a golden bowl and begging for food. A complete waste of potential.
If things continued like that, his future development would inevitably be limited.
And Lou Gao had given him the perfect solution.
Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Xia bowed deeply, his voice filled with gratitude and resolve.
"Disciple Lin Xia will follow your instructions! Thank you, Teacher, for your thoughtful arrangements! I will study diligently and live up to your expectations!"
"Good!"
Lou Gao was clearly pleased by Lin Xia's attitude, a smile spreading across his face.
Then he pointed toward the corner, where Larvitar was still chewing on the last crumbs of Star Essence Gold, its little belly already round and full.
"Go on. Take your little fellow to the association's backyard and find a room to settle in. The innermost room of the east wing is quiet and spacious—make that your living quarters from now on."
"Food and daily supplies will be delivered regularly. Rest well today. Starting tomorrow morning, your teacher will begin instructing you in mineral identification, metal appraisal, and various other fields of knowledge!"
"Yes, Teacher!"
Lin Xia bowed once more, then turned and walked toward Larvitar.
Sensing that it was about to leave the room filled with the scent of "delicious food," Larvitar reluctantly licked the crumbs from the corner of its mouth.
Seeing this, Lin Xia chuckled.
"Dao."
"Don't worry. Teacher just gave us plenty of good stuff. We'll eat together later."
At those words, Larvitar nodded eagerly and trotted over to his side. Just as they were about to leave, Larvitar suddenly turned back toward Lou Gao, clasped its little claws together, and bowed deeply—clearly expressing its gratitude.
That single gesture nearly melted Lou Gao's heart.
How could there be such an adorable little dragon? Truly spirited!
Lin Xia naturally saw this as well. He gave Lou Gao an embarrassed smile before leading Larvitar toward the backyard.
Even after they had left, Lou Gao remained lost in thought, still smiling at the memory of Larvitar's actions.
—
Following Lou Gao's instructions, Lin Xia led Larvitar through a relatively quiet corridor in the backyard.
The heavy scent of metallic dust in the air gradually faded, replaced by the faint fragrance of grass and trees. The rhythmic sounds of forging echoed distantly, muted by the courtyard walls.
They soon found the heavy wooden door at the innermost room of the east wing.
The moment Lin Xia pushed it open, a fresh woody scent wafted out.
The room was far more spacious than he had expected. The furnishings were simple yet sturdy—a hard bed, a table and chairs, a wardrobe, and a washstand in the corner.
The walls were left in their natural wood color, unpainted and rugged, but everything was clean and orderly.
Sunlight slanted in through the open window, illuminating tiny dust motes dancing in the air.
"Yu ji~"
Larvitar hopped inside curiously, sniffing around as if inspecting its new "nest," before finally fixing its gaze on the solid-looking wooden bed.
Lin Xia barely noticed Larvitar's exploration. His attention was completely drawn to the dark-silver spatial spirit tool ring on the ring finger of his left hand.
He focused his mind and probed into it.
Buzz—
The instant his consciousness entered the ring, Lin Xia was utterly stunned.
This wasn't just "a little bit" at all.
It was practically a miniature treasure vault!
The internal space was far larger than he had imagined. The first thing that came into view was a multicolored mountain of ores, occupying nearly half the space.
They were neatly categorized and stacked. Although none matched the supreme quality of Star Essence Gold, every single piece was leagues beyond the iron ore and quartz he had casually gnawed on back in the mountains.
Black iron ore, radiating a deep, somber luster, sat in massive chunks, exuding a heavy and imposing presence.
Crimson copper ore resembled solidified magma, faint heat still emanating from it.
Malachite flecked with peacock-blue patterns looked warm and jade-like.
Mithril sand shimmered with silvery light, fine as powder.
There were also chunks of cold iron, bronze ingots with a soft metallic sheen, and even several unfamiliar ores glowing faintly with an earthy yellow light—clearly rich in earth-element energy.
The energy fluctuations from these ores intertwined, forming an incredibly rich "aroma" to Lin Xia's senses. His saliva surged uncontrollably, and his stomach growled loudly.
The moment Larvitar saw Lin Xia's expression, it instantly understood.
So excited that it rolled around on the bed, it cried out happily.
"Yu ji! Yu ji!"
"Oh my god…"
Lin Xia muttered, his throat bobbing as he forcibly suppressed the urge to pull out a piece and take a bite on the spot.
With great effort, he tore his gaze away from the mountain of ore and looked toward the side.
Next to it was another smaller mound—
Countless glittering gold coins.
Gold coins. All of them gold coins.
They were neatly stacked, radiating a dazzling glow within the space.
Lin Xia made a rough estimate, and his heart started pounding violently.
One hundred thousand.
At the very least, there were no fewer than one hundred thousand gold coins!
For a penniless youth who had just descended from the mountains and survived by eating dirt, this was an utterly unimaginable fortune.
In one corner of the space, dozens of books of varying thickness were neatly arranged.
A thought struck Lin Xia, and he took out a few from the top.
"Compendium of Basic Ore Designs of the Continent (Annotated by Lou Gao)"
"Detailed Distribution of Ore Veins Around Gengjin City"
"Spirit Beast Encyclopedia (Beginner Edition)"
"Detailed Explanation of the Basic Meditation and Mind-Calming Method"
"Forging Fundamentals: An Introduction to Metallic Properties"
Just reading the titles alone, a warm surge rose in Lin Xia's chest.
This was exactly the knowledge he needed most right now.