Lin Xia had long been prepared. He took out a specially made heat-insulating cloak from his Soul Device and wrapped himself tightly in it. Using his first Soul skill, Raising Sand, along with precise control over its properties, he formed an extremely thin, nearly invisible sand barrier around his body. It not only slightly insulated him from the extreme temperatures but also served as an early warning against sudden intensifications of wind and sand.
Larvitar, on the other hand, adapted well to this environment. The scorching sand felt comfortable to it, and the nighttime chill had little effect on its tough molten armor. It even enjoyed rolling in the sand, exposing only its small head and back shell, the runes upon it faintly flickering under the moonlight.
They advanced deeper toward the area marked on the map as the "Quicksand Death Zone."
Day after day passed—monotonous and harsh.
Sand dunes rose and fell like frozen golden waves.
It was easy to lose direction. Lin Xia relied on his precise memory of the stars and the subtle perception granted by his Soul power to correct their course.
Water was the greatest problem. Their carried supply was consumed quickly, forcing him to depend on his martial soul's sensitivity to faint moisture beneath the sand to locate possible oases or underground sources.
Several times, they encountered sudden sandstorms. Blotting out the sky, the roaring yellow sands resembled apocalyptic beasts intent on devouring everything.
Lin Xia had to channel his Soul power fully to construct temporary sand fortresses or dig deep pits to take shelter. Larvitar would cling tightly beside him, its weight and strength acting as a stable anchor.
The map's markings drew closer, and the environment grew increasingly perilous.
The dunes here were taller and steeper, the sand extraordinarily loose, one step could sink to the knee.
A strange silence permeated the air. Even the wind seemed swallowed by the vast quicksand.
Huge, irregular holes began appearing across the sand, their edges smooth and their depths unfathomable, exuding a heart-stirring aura.
Massive, twisted white bones lay half-buried, their origins indiscernible, silently testifying to the lethal nature of this place.
"This is the area…"
Lin Xia crouched down and grabbed a handful of sand, sensing within it a far more violent earth-element energy than at the desert's edge.
"The lair of the Sandstorm Worms. Be careful, Larvitar. They usually lurk deep beneath the sand, sensing vibrations before launching surprise attacks."
"Larvitar!"
Larvitar growled low, its crimson eyes scanning the soft sand vigilantly. The molten fangs on its small claws parted slightly, ready for battle.
Lin Xia did not rush.
He selected a relatively firm, leeward slope of a dune and began careful reconnaissance.
He released an extremely faint thread of spiritual power, spreading it like a web into the sand below.
He observed the flow of sand patterns, noted the distribution of the massive holes, and felt for the slightest tremors beneath his feet.
At the same time, he adjusted his condition. His Level 20 Soul power surged through his meridians, his first Soul Ring faintly shimmering beneath his feet as the power of sandstorm gathered in his palms.
His target was not merely an ordinary Sandstorm Worm.
He sought the overlord of this Quicksand Death Zone, the Sandstorm Worm King!
It would undoubtedly be the largest, oldest, and purest in power among its kind. Only its Soul Ring could maximize Larvitar's potential.
Waiting here was like dancing upon a blade's edge.
Time passed in suffocating stillness.
The blazing sun hung overhead, the sand unbearably hot.
Suddenly—
Within a radius of several dozen meters beneath Lin Xia's feet, the sand collapsed without warning!
A massive funnel-shaped quicksand vortex formed instantly, a terrifying suction force dragging him toward a bottomless abyss!
At the same time, less than five meters to his front-left, the yellow sand exploded skyward!
An enormous, suffocating shadow burst forth from beneath the surface!
It was enormous. The portion visible above the sand alone exceeded ten meters in length, nearly two meters in diameter!
Its body was a deep, almost metallic earth-brown, layered with overlapping, incredibly thick ring-shaped armor that seemed forged from countless compressed sand crystals. The edges of each plate were sharp as blades, gleaming coldly under the sun.
There was no distinct head. At the front was a gigantic mouthpart composed of countless rotating, keratinized fangs like a frenzied rock crusher emitting a low, terrifying buzzing roar.
Within that mouth lay endless darkness, ready to devour all.
With its emergence came a violent gust carrying the stench of earth and death, whipping sand into the air.
It was the Sandstorm Worm King!
It had used the quicksand trap to draw attention, while launching its true body's deadly ambush from another direction!
That colossal form bore down with crushing force, its horrifying rotating maw lunging at Lin Xia, intent on grinding both him and the surrounding sand into fragments!
"It's here!"
Lin Xia's pupils contracted sharply, his heart pounding wildly but his eyes ignited with blazing battle intent.
The prey he had been waiting for had finally appeared!
"Larvitar, prepare for battle!"
His sharp shout rang out like a war horn. Before the final syllable even fell, Larvitar's small yet terrifyingly powerful body had already transformed into a streak of earthen-yellow lightning!
"Larvitar—!"
With a short, forceful roar, Larvitar slammed its two small claws, covered in molten armor deep into the loose sand beneath its feet.
The crimson-gold Phoenix Divine Runes across its body flared brilliantly, as if magma flowed within them, radiating astonishing heat and energy fluctuations.
Without the slightest hesitation, it grabbed Lin Xia's ankle and executed a textbook Dig!
Boom!
The sand beneath them collapsed as if melting away. In an instant, both boy and Pokémon vanished beneath the yellow dunes, leaving behind only a shallow depression that was quickly filled by shifting sand.
The Sandstorm Worm King's colossal body crashed down with overwhelming force. Its rotating maw, lined with savage fangs like an out-of-control rock crusher, bit fiercely into empty sand.
Crunch!
Sand and gravel were compressed and blasted apart by immense force, leaving behind a terrifying bite mark several meters deep. Dust and debris shot skyward.
But its target had already disappeared!
The Sandstorm Worm King emitted a low, rock-grinding hiss filled with rage and confusion.
Its massive body writhed violently across the sand, the thick sand-crystal armor grinding over dunes and carving deep trenches in its wake.
Though it had no visible eyes, it clearly possessed extraordinarily sharp vibration sensing. It quickly locked onto the rapidly moving figures beneath the sand—Larvitar and Lin Xia.
"Now! Larvitar, break out!"
Lin Xia's voice echoed dully within the narrow subterranean tunnel, laced with excitement.
He could clearly feel the surging power within Larvitar's body, as well as the pure fire intent radiating from the Phoenix Divine Runes on its armor.
"Larvitar!"
Larvitar responded, its crimson eyes blazing brilliantly in the darkness.
It abruptly changed direction. Instead of digging deeper, it propelled itself upward with all four limbs, bursting through the sand above like a cannonball!
The yellow sand exploded like a fountain as Larvitar and Lin Xia shot back into the scorching sunlight.
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