Lin Xia's pupils shrank violently.
A Move name that was incomparably familiar from his past life burst from his lips, his voice warped by sheer shock.
"Dig?! Larvitar learned Dig just like that?!"
This completely overturned his understanding.
This wasn't a Spirit Ability granted by a Spirit Ring—it was an ability Larvitar had comprehended on its own during growth, born from accumulated energy and the awakening of its very origin!
And the speed of it… just how much Ore had it eaten?!
Larvitar's talent and potential were clearly far beyond anything Lin Xia had imagined.
Just as Lin Xia was still immersed in the shock brought by Dig, his thoughts racing as he considered the immense value this Move could bring to combat, evasion, and exploration—
"you ji~!"
A clear, proud cry suddenly sounded from behind him, filled with the unmistakable tone of seeking praise.
Lin Xia spun around sharply.
Less than three steps behind him, the ground suddenly bulged upward, soil scattering outward like a small fountain!
With a soft pop, the gray-green little dinosaur burst out of the earth like a true underground Pokémon, carrying with it the fresh scent of soil.
Larvitar landed firmly, then shook its head and body properly, sending clumps of dirt flying off.
Next, it lifted its small head, planted both short claws on its plump waist, and struck an exaggerated "I'm amazing" pose.
Its ruby-like eyes were wide and sparkling, radiating a clear message—
Praise me. Praise me right now.
Lin Xia looked at its smug, adorable expression, and the shock in his heart was instantly drowned by overwhelming joy and affection.
He couldn't help but laugh out loud, stepping forward, squatting down, and vigorously rubbing the blunt horn on top of Larvitar's head.
"Amazing! That's incredible!"
Lin Xia's voice overflowed with undisguised pride.
"This Move is unbelievable! Digging so fast, silently, appearing and disappearing like a ghost—absolutely incredible! Worthy of being my Spirit, Larvitar!"
Hearing the praise, Larvitar lifted its head even higher.
But then, it hesitated.
It dropped its claws from its waist, tilted its head slightly, and a very human trace of confusion flickered in its red eyes.
…Is Master praising me?
Or is he praising himself?
Or… both?
This tiny philosophical confusion lasted less than two seconds.
Faced with overwhelming satisfaction and the joy of being praised, Larvitar decisively abandoned thinking.
It slapped its claws back onto its waist, puffed out its chest even more, and struck an even prouder pose.
That's right! Master is praising me!
Praising how amazing Larvitar is!
"you ji~!"
(Of course!)
Lin Xia smiled helplessly at its smug stance, then lowered his gaze to the two smooth, deep holes at his feet—formed almost instantly.
A bold, thrilling idea suddenly ignited in his mind.
"Dig… moving through earth and rock like nothing, appearing and disappearing at will…"
Lin Xia murmured to himself, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the spatial ring Lou Gao had just given him. The cool touch did nothing to quell the fire surging in his chest.
He suddenly looked up, eyes blazing as he stared at Larvitar—like he was looking at a living, breathing treasure-hunting machine.
"Larvitar."
His voice trembled slightly with excitement as he squatted down, gripping the little fellow's plump shoulders.
"We… can we go prospecting for Ore?"
"you ji?"
Larvitar tilted its head, relaxing its hands-on-hips posture. Confusion filled its ruby eyes—it clearly didn't understand the term prospecting.
It scratched the blunt horn on its head with a small claw.
Lin Xia immediately tried to explain in terms Larvitar could understand, pointing toward the hole in the ground.
"It means going to find even tastier, more energetic treasure stones buried underground!"
"Just like what you did just now—drilling into the ground! You can sense where those stones are, right? Like how you sensed the star essence gold before!"
"you ji——!"
Larvitar's eyes instantly lit up.
Tasty stones?
More energetic treasure?!
That was a language it understood perfectly.
It nodded vigorously, its short tail wagging excitedly with pat-pat sounds.
It patted its round belly, then pointed at the ground, its meaning crystal clear.
No problem! I'm great at finding tasty things!
Digging underground is what I do best!
Seeing Larvitar's enthusiastic response, Lin Xia's heart began pounding wildly.
Fragments of information he had just skimmed in A Basic Illustrated Guide to Continental Ores and Detailed Records of Ore Vein Distribution Around Gengjin City flashed through his mind.
How rich were the mineral deposits hidden deep beneath the Douluo Continent?!
At this point in time, it could be described as an almost completely untapped virgin land.
Ordinary iron and copper veins aside, there were also rare Mithril, Adamantite, and even associated ores infused with special elemental energy… perhaps even legendary minerals!
"Normal miners—even Spirit Masters—need enormous time and effort to mine," Lin Xia thought rapidly.
"Rock cutting, blasting, transport… inefficient, dangerous, and often damaging to the vein itself."
"But Larvitar?"
His gaze burned.
"Dig turns earth and stone into nothing. Instant tunnels. And it can sense energy-rich ores directly—just like it sensed star gold before. It's basically a living navigation system!"
"This efficiency… it's a dimensional reduction strike."
Images formed vividly in his mind.
Larvitar leading him deep underground, into places no one had ever reached—like a supreme treasure-seeking beast with the sharpest sense and the strongest digging ability—unearthing precious mineral deposits buried for countless years.
Endless "food."
A guaranteed path to rapid spirit power and physical growth.
And, more importantly, the foundation for Larvitar's future as a true sandstorm monarch.
After all, what Larvitar needed to evolve into Tyranitar was far more than the small amount of Ore Lou Gao had given.
It needed an entire mountain.
No—many mountains.
And if it were to become even stronger… feeding it more was always better.
Lin Xia's imagination ran wild.
If their luck were truly heaven-defying, they might even discover dragon-vein mineral deposits formed where the legendary Mountain Dragon King once fell, or top-tier ores containing Dragon Clan essence hidden within ancient Dragon Valley ruins.
If that happened…
Their growth speed would reach a level that defied all logic.
Calling it ascending to the heavens in a single step would not be an exaggeration.
After all, dragon-related minerals often contained the purest, most violent energy—an absolute feast for an earth darling like Larvitar, especially one capable of Dragon-type Moves.
"Hoo…"
Lin Xia took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down.
He knew that while such top-tier opportunities were intoxicating, they were rare beyond measure—like searching for a needle in the sea.
The most practical step right now…
Was to make use of Larvitar's newly mastered Dig and begin experimenting—carefully, within a controllable range.