When the sand and dust finally settled and the scene before him became clear, Lin Xia's pupils constricted sharply. A surge of indescribable shock flooded his heart.
More than a dozen massive yellow-furred rats lay scattered across the area where the Sandstorm had raged moments earlier.
The smallest among them were still three to four meters long. Their yellowish-brown fur was coated in a tough keratin layer, their limbs thick, claws razor-sharp—unmistakably Hundred-Year Yellow Storm Rats.
Now, every single one lay motionless. Their eyes had rolled back, blood trickling from mouths and noses. Some had limbs twisted at unnatural angles. They had clearly been struck down in an instant by overwhelming force, either unconscious or gravely injured.
The sandy ground was scarred with violent impact marks and splattered with blood.
Standing like an iron tower before the fallen rats was Lou Gao.
In his hands, he held two Yellow Storm Rats by the scruff of their necks—each far larger and more imposing than the rest.
Both were over five meters long, their fur glossy, muscles bulging with power. The one on the right bore a faint silver pattern on its forehead. Though unconscious, the aura it emitted dwarfed that of the Hundred-Year rats around it.
Lou Gao wore the satisfied smile of a seasoned hunter. His breathing was calm and steady, as though the intense battle moments earlier had been nothing more than a warm-up.
With casual ease, he tossed the two giant rats onto the sand like sacks of grain. Two heavy thuds rang out, kicking up clouds of dust. Then he called out loudly toward Lin Xia's hiding place:
"Alright, Little Xia! Come on over! The target's secured!"
Lin Xia took a deep breath of the scorching, sand-filled air, forcibly suppressing the shock in his chest. He immediately hurried over with Larvitar.
Larvitar stared at the massive rats littering the ground, its crimson eyes flickering with curiosity—and a hint of instinctive wariness.
Lou Gao pointed at the two unconscious Thousand-Year Yellow Storm Rats.
"The one on the left is around twelve hundred years old, judging by its size and aura. As for the one on the right…"
He nudged the rat with the silver marking on its forehead using the tip of his boot.
"It's larger, its aura is fiercer, and it has a wind pattern on its brow. That one should be about fourteen hundred years old—the leader of this pack."
Lin Xia's gaze locked instantly onto the fourteen-hundred-year-old Yellow Storm Rat leader.
His heart began to race. The image of the raging Sandstorm—its obscured vision, the overwhelming wind and sand force—replayed again and again in his mind.
Whether he could obtain the spirit ability he desired, the power to command sand and dust, depended entirely on this moment.
"Thank you, Teacher!"
Lin Xia's voice was firm, filled with gratitude and resolve. He did not hesitate, nor did he ask a single additional question.
Lou Gao had already cleared the path. The rest was up to him.
Lin Xia stepped up to the massive Yellow Storm Rat, his expression unwavering.
Without drawing any weapon, he brought his fingers together, forming a hand-blade. The muscles in his arm tensed instantly, faint purple lightning and a metallic sheen flashing beneath his skin.
His right arm fell like a sharpened battle axe, cleaving through the air and slamming mercilessly into the Yellow Storm Rat's exposed neck.
Crack!
The chilling sound of bones snapping echoed across the dunes.
The immense force instantly shattered its cervical vertebrae. The fourteen-hundred-year-old Yellow Storm Rat twitched violently once—then went completely still.
The next moment, a deep, radiant purple halo slowly rose from the corpse, its color rich and crystalline, as though carved from flawless amethyst.
A Thousand-Year spirit ring.
Lou Gao watched Lin Xia's decisive execution and flawless control of the spirit ring, a flicker of complex emotion passing through his eyes—relief intertwined with concern.
For a Spirit Master who had yet to absorb even a single spirit ring, attempting a Thousand-Year ring was an extremely dangerous gamble.
But Lou Gao said nothing.
Instead, he moved efficiently to handle the aftermath.
Like a human crane, he grabbed the unconscious Hundred-Year Yellow Storm Rats, one in each hand, and strode swiftly into the distance. One by one, he flung them more than a hundred meters away, ensuring they wouldn't interfere even if they later regained consciousness.
When he finished, Lou Gao returned and sat down cross-legged beside Lin Xia. His posture was steady as a mountain. His sharp gaze swept across the surroundings as his immense spirit power quietly radiated outward, forming an invisible barrier of warning and protection.
Feeling his teacher's silent yet unwavering guard, a warm current flowed through Lin Xia's heart.
With no further hesitation, he nodded solemnly toward Lou Gao and sat down cross-legged on the scorching sand, assuming the Five Hearts Facing Heaven posture.
Just as Lin Xia focused his mind, calmed his breath, and began circulating his spirit power to guide the hovering purple spirit ring—
Something unexpected happened.
"you ji!"
Larvitar, which had been quietly staying by his side, seemed irresistibly drawn by the immense energy and the strange aura of sand and dust contained within the spirit ring. It let out a low cry filled with longing.
Pushing off with its short legs, it crawled forward on its own, positioning itself directly in front of Lin Xia. Facing the spirit ring, it tried to straighten its small body, awkwardly mimicking Lin Xia's posture, its scarlet eyes fixed on the glowing purple light.
The instant Lin Xia's spirit power extended outward like invisible threads and officially made contact with the spirit ring—
Buzz!
The deep-purple ring suddenly trembled violently, releasing a far brighter, more intense glow. In an instant, it enveloped both Lin Xia and Larvitar!
A vast, pure torrent of spirit power—wild, violent, and filled with sandstorm energy—burst forth like a breached river. Following the path of Lin Xia's guidance, it surged ferociously into his body.
The sheer strength and ferocity of the energy far exceeded anything Lin Xia had anticipated.
His body shuddered violently as a muffled groan escaped his throat.
The rampant spirit power tore through his meridians like countless razor-sharp wind blades, bringing searing, tearing pain.
Larvitar was suffering the same ordeal.
Lou Gao watched the scene with clenched fists, his heart tight with anxiety.
Fortunately, after both Lin Xia and Larvitar let out their muffled groans, neither showed any further abnormal reactions.
Time passed quietly amid the silent struggle and fusion.
The blazing desert sun slowly sank toward the western horizon, painting the endless dunes in hues of gold and crimson.
Finally—
The purple spirit-ring light surrounding Lin Xia and Larvitar abruptly contracted, then vanished completely into Lin Xia's body, like a weary bird returning to its nest.
Lin Xia's tightly shut eyes snapped open.
At the same moment, Larvitar, positioned before him, flung its eyes wide and let out a powerful, resonant roar.
"you ji—ROAR!"
"Little Xia!"
Lou Gao rushed forward in a single stride, his voice trembling slightly with barely restrained tension and anticipation.
"How is it?! Did you succeed?! How does your body feel? Any discomfort? The spirit ring—did you obtain the ability you wanted?!"
Seeing Lou Gao looking even more nervous than himself, Lin Xia broke into a brilliant, relieved smile.
He stood up and stretched. His joints cracked crisply throughout his body, each sound carrying the sense of explosive strength within. He nodded firmly at Lou Gao, his voice confident and brimming with excitement.
"Teacher, I succeeded. And I feel… better than ever."