We agreed to set sail, so you'd become the ruler of the deep sea?

Chapter 30 [The Secret Path]

"Don't panic, tell me slowly, what happened?"

Unaffected by Joey's panic, Shane calmly asked.

Upon seeing Xia En, Joey seemed to have found his pillar of support and gradually calmed down, saying...

"Yes...it's Sir Knight!"

"An? What happened to him?"

"I... I can't really explain it either. Anyway, he's acting very strangely. You'll see when you come over!"

Upon hearing this, Shane followed Joey to the deck without hesitation.

Not far away, An Zheng, clad in armor, stood there upright, like a statue cast in fine steel, motionless.

“The knight has been in this position since just now, and he hasn’t responded when I call him.”

Joey looked at Ann with considerable concern.

Although they had only known each other for a short time, she had already come to regard this knight as a companion.

"Don't be impatient yet."

As Shane spoke, he moved closer to Anne's armor, listening intently to the sounds within.

As his physical abilities improved, Shane's senses also became more acute.

He could hear steady breathing and a heartbeat, which indicated that An's vital signs were very stable and that her life was not in danger.

It doesn't seem like he's injured; it seems more like he's simply...

Fell asleep?
"No, no, even if it were Ann, she wouldn't sleep standing on the deck, would she?"

Xia En quickly dismissed this guess and continued to carefully observe An's condition.

He had a strange feeling, deep down—

At this moment, An seemed to be in some mysterious state.

His physical body was still here, but his soul seemed to have wandered to a mysterious realm beyond the dimensions of reality.

If I had to put it in perspective, it's somewhat similar to Xia En's state when he entered [Deep Sea Diving].

"Wait, could this situation be..."

Suddenly, Shane recalled some information from his memory and asked Joey again.

"What was An doing before this?"

After a moment's thought, Joey said, "Mr. Knight seems to be writing something down from memory? And he looks very serious about it."

Xia En glanced around and quickly spotted a piece of cardboard at An's feet.

Upon turning it over, one would find a series of rules or regulations written on it.

"This is... the code of chivalry?"

Xia En's lips twitched.

He had heard that traditional knights would recite the code of chivalry to maintain their steadfastness.

But An's method of dictation is rather unusual.

However, through this, Shane also confirmed the strange state that Ann was in.

He breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Joey, don't worry, he's most likely in the [Advancement Ritual] of the [Knight] Path, which is a good thing."

"A promotion ceremony?!"

Joey let out a low gasp.

Rumors about the Secret Pathfinders have always been a hot topic on Duke Island, so even she had heard some of their secrets.

Legend has it that to become a Mystic, one must undergo an ascension ritual.

The rituals for each secret path differ, but they all share a common premise—

Those seeking advancement must immerse their minds in the [Secret Sea] before they can officially begin the ritual!
According to some sailors who failed to get promoted.

The so-called "Secret Sea" is a space filled with mystery and spirituality, which does not exist in any corner of reality, and contains endless mysteries and knowledge.

Some say that the "Secret Sea" is the reflection of this boundless ocean in the starry sky, and the dwelling place of the soul after death.

Although opinions vary, one point is generally accepted.

Only by passing the trials of the [Secret Sea] can the advancement ritual be considered successful. When Xia En first heard this information, he naturally connected it with his own [Eye of the Secret Sea].

But he wasn't a true esoteric seeker after all, and he had no way to verify it.

Unexpectedly, it was An from their own ship who was the first to enter the promotion ceremony.

"But I heard that before being promoted, you need to take an expensive magic potion."

Joey asked, somewhat puzzled, "Mr. Knight, you were just reciting from memory..."

"Indeed, but..."

Xia En also had his own guesses about this.

"Is it possible that potions are not a necessity for advancement?"

In Xia En's mind, whatever the auxiliary means were, they were all just to increase the affinity with the [Secret Sea], making it easier to enter the advancement state.

He learned this after asking Bis.

In fact, many more Pathfinders go far enough down this path that they are drawn by the [Secret Sea] and begin to advance.

How could the original Mystic possibly know which potion is right for them?

Didn't they still advance to an extremely high level?

At this moment, Ann's promotion process perfectly confirmed Xia En's conjecture.

"call……"

Just then, the sound of exhaling foul air came from under the armor.

Boom! Boom!
With a cracking sound from his joints, An's body seemed to grow a little taller, his aura became more profound, and a mysterious change was subtly occurring within him.

Even through the armor, Shane could sense that he had become stronger than before!

An Gang stretched his body a couple of times and then noticed the two people standing next to him, which made him freeze in place.

He thought for a moment and realized why the two people were staying by his side, so he quickly picked up the cardboard and wrote something down.

[Captain, I have successfully completed the promotion ceremony and have officially become a first-tier "Knight"!]

Thank you both for your support!

"It's alright, as long as you get promoted."

Xia En patted Ann on the shoulder, happy for him.

It's certainly a good thing that our sailors are getting stronger.

Xia En asked curiously, "Speaking of which, what was the specific process of your promotion? Can you tell me about it?"

【sure. 】

Not long ago, I was reciting the Knight's Code from memory, while simultaneously recalling your heroic figure in my mind.

I vaguely heard a voice, seemingly extending an invitation to me.

Then, I arrived on a completely unfamiliar island, fought a giant beast, and after defeating it, my consciousness returned.

My successful promotion is perhaps largely thanks to you, sir.

"Ok?"

Although Xia En found these words strange, upon closer examination, they made sense.

An has upheld the code of chivalry for so many years, yet he has never been promoted. It is very likely that he lacks someone to whom he can be loyal.

After swearing allegiance to himself, he fulfilled the implicit requirements of the [Knight] Path. With his accumulated strength, he broke through to become a first-tier Path user in just a few days.

"I only made a small contribution."

Xia En frankly said, "It's mainly the result of your own hard work."

Hearing this, Ann's eyes grew even more respectful, and she thought to herself, "Kindness and humility, truly worthy of being the captain."

"I must fulfill my duties as a knight."

As this thought crossed his mind, several lines of information flashed before Xia En's eyes.

[You have the allegiance of a Tier 1 "Knight"!]

[Gain the "Knight's Protection" status!]

(End of this chapter)