Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

The next morning, at Red Leaf Manor.

The morning mist had not yet dissipated in the spacious backyard.

Xiren stood quietly on the lawn, holding the heavy iron spear in his hand.

Lund stood with his hands behind his back, looking at him seriously.

"There are still two months until the junior knight combat tournament, I think you should know that."

Xilun nodded slightly, his eyes more profound and reserved than a month ago. After yesterday's bloody battle, his sharp edge had been thoroughly honed.

Lund continued, "Your basic skills are quite solid, so for the next two months, your goal, besides practicing breathing techniques, is to focus on mastering the Natan Heavy Gun Technique."

He pulled a yellowed booklet from his pocket and handed it to Xilun.

"In addition to the basic moves such as collapsing, sweeping, smashing, and choking, there are also crucial breath control techniques."

"Concentrate your energy at the tip of the spear and amplify it in a targeted manner."

"Take a look first, then I'll demonstrate three times. Once you've completely mastered it, you'll be ready for real-world practice."

Xilun took the booklet, which he had already read before.

But now, after mastering the fundamentals, looking back at those diagrams and texts that were originally obscure and difficult to understand suddenly seems to come alive, giving one a unique feeling.

He memorized the moves little by little and began to practice.

……

A month passed in the blink of an eye.

boom!

The deep pool halfway up the mountain in Red Leaf Manor.

Xilun's feet were firmly planted on the slippery rocks like the roots of an old tree. He let out a low shout, and his muscles swelled instantly, causing the gun to jerk violently.

Above, in the void, pale blue energy seemed to be drawn by some terrifying force, surging wildly into his body like a whale swallowing its prey, flowing along the meridians of his arms and pouring into the cold barrel of the gun without reservation.

hum-

The iron spear emitted a violent tremor.

The gun barrel exuded a powerful aura, like a raging storm.

"break!"

The spear swept out, and the surging river water roared out, only to be torn apart again.

The spear's edge resembled a dragon, dancing in the water and cleaving through the current.

A large number of pebbles from the bottom of the pool were swept up by the violent airflow and crashed onto the shore like a torrential rain.

[Skill: Natan Heavy Gun Technique (Beginner)]

[Progress: 0/100]

【Characteristics: Wide and powerful, sweeping, smashing, and grappling; upright and honorable; a perfect blend of gun and spirit!】

Xiren watched this astonishing commotion, his chest heaving violently.

"Ha ha!"

He was breathing heavily, but a satisfied smile appeared on his face.

"It's done! I did it!"

That last shot was the result of him using the Giant Whale Guiding Technique as a foundation, perfectly utilizing the Qi Condensation Technique of the Tan Heavy Armor Gun Technique, and unleashing a highly concentrated shot.

Under the shade of the trees on the shore, Lund slowly walked out and clapped his hands vigorously.

He sincerely cheered for Xilun, and exclaimed:

"He's progressed too fast. In just one month, he's already mastered many of the spear techniques."

Lund secretly estimated that with Xiren's current strength, if he chose a suitable big gun, making it into the top four shouldn't be a problem, while the top two would be somewhat controversial.

As for the first place, Lund hesitated for a moment.

Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Rose should be in first place.

After all, the strength of a first-tier extreme realm cultivator is truly terrifying.

Xilun's strength is still some distance from the extreme realm.

"Not bad." Lund walked up to Xiren and didn't hold back his praise.

Xilun sheathed his spear, looked at the shaft, and asked, "Teacher, doesn't this move have a name?"

Lund shook his head: "This is not a marksmanship technique, but a qi cultivation technique."

Everyone uses it differently. For example, if you practice a breathing technique that's more suited to water, it will be very powerful in the water, and the force will be much smoother to generate.

Xilun nodded thoughtfully:

"It's a pity it doesn't have a name."

He looked at the water surface gradually calming down and said softly:

"Let's call that shot 'Severing the Flow of Water'."

Siren planted his spear in the ground, his eyes revealing a yearning for greater power.

"Teacher, what's the next lesson?"

Lund waved his hand: "The training course is over. Next is practical combat."

Xilun nodded slightly and asked, "How will we put this into practice? Will we be challenging an alien species, or someone else?"

Lund shook his head: "I'll give you a break first. Don't practice shooting too hard for the next seven days. Just keep your skills up."

Xilun was taken aback for a moment, then understood his teacher's good intentions.

The intense training he underwent during this period had indeed brought him to a point of exhaustion, both mentally and physically.

Back at the Golden Rooster Hotel, Xilun took a hot shower, changed into clean clothes, and lay down on the bed to completely relax.

After resting for a while, he seemed to be deep in thought.

Now that we've taken a break, let's start pushing through the levels.

In fact, as early as half a month ago, he could feel that he was almost able to break through to the third level of the Giant Sea Whale Guiding Technique.

However, at the time he was focused on practicing shooting and could not devote all his energy to breathing techniques, so he temporarily put it aside.

Since that's the case, let's start pushing through the levels now!

……

As night deepened, in room 106 of the Golden Rooster Hotel.

Xilun took a deep breath and took out a jar of thick, dark red ointment.

He took off his clothes, scooped out the ointment with his fingers, and applied it evenly to every inch of his skin.

After applying the ointment all over his body, he sat cross-legged on the cold floor, quietly feeling his body warm up, and began to regulate his breathing.

breathe--

A moment later, the burning sensation transformed into a scalding heat that surged wildly through his limbs and bones.

At the same time, a faint blue halo covered Xiren.

Power surged in from above, slowly tempering his body.

Absorb energy, replenish the body, and transform muscles and bones.

A sharp pain struck.

Xilun could clearly feel his muscle fibers being torn apart one by one by this violent force, and then rapidly remodeled under the effect of the drug.

Each breakthrough brings a transformation, encompassing the skin, muscles, blood, and internal organs.

Xilun gritted his teeth, and the sweat on his forehead evaporated into white mist as soon as it seeped out due to the high temperature on his body.

He could be certain that if the Giant Whale Guiding Technique of the Heavy Sea was perfected, it would be an absolutely unparalleled breathing method, with an astonishing boost to the body.

The first level only provides a slight boost, making it slightly inferior to most breathing techniques.

The second layer caught up with many others.

As for the third level, almost 90% of the breathing techniques have been mastered.

If one masters the fourth level, one will be in no way inferior to those at the pinnacle of extraordinary abilities in terms of strength and physical fitness.

The fifth level is twice the size of the fourth level.

Xilun was almost terrified by the potential of this technique.

Unfortunately, he was very well-suited to this technique, and with Lord Lund providing him with a private training room, he laid an incredibly solid foundation.

Xilun felt every cell in his body enveloped in a warm current, and his body slowly transformed amidst the interplay of intense pain and comfort.

Thus, seven or eight hours passed.

His pores opened up, and he felt energy surging into his body, making him feel extremely energetic.

The next moment, this violent feeling slowly dissipated.

Xilun calmly opened his eyes.

In the dark room, a chilling, eerie blue light flashed deep within his eyes.

He looked down at his skin.

Sparkling and dazzling.

After being tempered, the old scars and injuries from the hardships he had endured in the slums were completely washed away during this transformation, leaving him with a clean body.

Xilun entered the narrow washroom, washed himself, and then washed away the little bit of black grime that had been expelled from his body.

After changing into clean clothes, he stood in front of the mirror, his eyes even clearer and deeper.

"I wonder how far I am from reaching the pinnacle?" he thought to himself.

He carefully assessed the situation in his mind. In terms of energy capacity, it was probably still somewhat lacking compared to the true extreme realm.

But his physical strength should be about the same, after all, he has the blessing of "coiled dragon".

In terms of combat skills, he has a solid foundation in marksmanship, but lacks a lot of practical experience, and his specific moves are also slightly inferior.

Xilun nodded slightly. The next step was to address the shortcomings and engage in actual combat.

However, since Lord Lund said that after a week's rest, normal practice is sufficient and there is no need to find someone to spar with.

For the next two days, Xilun enjoyed a long-awaited period of peace.

I would sleep until I naturally woke up, go out for breakfast, and then practice my marksmanship with my eyes closed in my hotel room.

Quiet and undisturbed.

He actually longed for this kind of life.

However, on the morning of the third day...

Xilun had just returned from his morning run and was sitting in the lobby on the first floor of the hotel.

A postman in a gray uniform pushed open the door and entered, handing over a letter.

The envelope was made of high-quality material, and a familiar sealing wax mark was printed on the seal.

It belongs to Lord Yuri.

Siren's eyes narrowed slightly. Since Finn's funeral, Lord Yuri had not disturbed him.

A letter arriving at this time must mean something important.

He took the letter back to his room and broke the seal.

The contents of the envelope were very simple.

Yuri's handwriting was messy, but his tone was unusually serious.

Xilun sat on the edge of the bed, his gaze sweeping over the words on the paper, lost in thought.

A mutated python attacked the district governor.

He folded the letter, casually stuffed it into his pocket, got up, and opened the window.

The sky outside was so gloomy it seemed as if it would drip water, and thick black smoke billowed from distant chimneys, intertwining with the gray clouds and shrouding the vast and oppressive steam city.

Xilun put on the black trench coat, picked up the bulletproof black umbrella leaning against the corner of the wall, and pushed open the door to go out.

At midday, the wind along the Greywater River was bitingly strong.

Muddy waves rolled across the water's surface, and a cold wind carrying the smell of industrial wastewater and fish swept over us.

About seven or eight people were gathered together on the shore of Pier No. 3.

They didn't use umbrellas, letting the fine rain fall on their elegant woolen overcoats.

The leader was Yuri.

His brows were furrowed, and he stared intently at the rushing water below, his eyes filled with gloom.

"That beast has come ashore again, hasn't it?"

Yuri's voice was low and deep, filled with suppressed anger.

Lothar, who was standing behind him, stepped forward and nodded with a grave expression.

"Yes, just last night."

He ambushed a district supervisor downstream, but couldn't save him; he was swallowed half-raw.

Yuri frowned slightly and snorted coldly.

If it were a common low-level mutant, the Brotherhood could easily take care of it by sending a few skilled fighters.

However, this python variant is already close to the level of a mid-level variant.

If it had stayed on the shore, that would have been fine.

There are still quite a few Tier 2 Rippers in the Brotherhood, and we can always find an opportunity to surround and eliminate them.

But this beast was extremely cunning; when it missed its first attack, it would dive into the water and disappear without a trace at the bottom of the grey river.

Moreover, it has excellent perception and almost never shows itself when there is a threat.

Occasionally, they would sneak up on the docks under the cover of night, eat people, and run away. This caused Yuri, the governor, a great headache, and the higher-ups had already put pressure on him.

A moment later.

A figure hurried in through the mist at the dock.

He looked young, had a tall and straight posture, held a black umbrella in his hand, and his black trench coat fluttered in the wind.

Yuri caught a glimpse of that figure out of the corner of his eye, and his originally gloomy expression instantly softened.

He waved his hand and raised his voice: "Xiren is here, come over and talk to me."

The surrounding district supervisors were all taken aback.

They all turned their heads in unison, their eyes falling on the young man.

Who is this person?

Judging from his aura, he was just a first-level baptismalist. How could he be so highly regarded by Lord Yuri, who even spoke with a hint of politeness?

Xilun folded his black umbrella, shook off the water droplets, and calmly swept his gaze over the crowd in front of him.

The four or five district governors were all first-tier extraordinary individuals with robust qi and blood, clearly seasoned veterans who had risked their lives on the edge.

He also saw Mr. Losas.

Xilun nodded slightly in greeting and stepped closer.

"Sir, I heard that the python species has attacked the docks again?" Siren went straight to the point.

Yuri looked furious and gritted his teeth, saying:

"This beast is like sticky candy, you can't shake him off."

We must find an opportunity to eliminate it completely!

He exhaled a breath of stale air and explained the current predicament to Xilun.

"This beast's strength on the shore is roughly equivalent to the first-tier extreme realm."

Once it enters the water, even ordinary second-tier extraordinary beings can't control it; the underwater world is its domain.

Yuri paused, a glint of light flashing in his eyes.

"However, this beast must have been injured while resisting last night."

It needs to eat people and needs a lot of vital energy to replenish and recover.

Yuri looked around at everyone and said in a deep voice, "I have an idea."

"Go to the storeroom and fetch some highly nourishing bait, mix it with the blood of live animals, and use it as bait to lure out that python species."

He pointed to the district supervisors behind him.

"Then, you first-tier extraordinary beings must hold him back."

"I will watch from afar in the shadows, concealing my presence."

Once I spot its trail and it's fully exposed, I'll strike immediately and kill it with a single blow!

Xilun touched his chin thoughtfully.

This tactic is direct, but also dangerous.

The district inspectors were already astonished, especially a middle-aged man standing in the corner named Marco.

Marco was stunned for a moment, his face turned pale, and he quickly stepped forward, his voice trembling uncontrollably.

"My lord! With our strength, how can we possibly deal with a near-intermediate-level mutant?"

He swallowed hard and tried his best to explain:

"Even if that snake is seriously injured, its strength is probably still at the extreme level!"

"Going up there would be suicide! I have a wife and children at home..."

Yuri frowned, his eyes instantly turning icy cold, locking onto Marco with a palpable killing intent.

"Shut up!" Yuri shouted.

"Don't engage it in direct combat! If you lure it out, just stall it!"

You're the fraternity's district governor; you've taken the money, so you have to do the job!

Marco was intimidated by Yuri's imposing presence, shrank back, and dared not speak again, but his eyes were full of resistance and fear.

The other three looked at each other, hesitant and uncertain.

Xilun went through the thoughts in his mind.

An extreme python species, wounded.

With his current breakthrough to the third level of the Heavy Sea Giant Whale Guidance Technique, coupled with his rudimentary spear skills, even if he is no match for the enemy, he can more than protect himself.

Moreover, they possess the natural ability to adapt their internal organs underwater, so if they really reach a desperate situation, the water can actually be their way out.

He let out a breath and was about to speak.

Yuri turned his head first, looked at Xiren, and his tone became much gentler.

"Siren, as an escort, you are not obligated to contribute."

"However, you are an excellent swimmer and have a strong physique."

This operation really needs your help.

Xilun nodded slightly, without refusing.

"Lord Yuri, I will take action."

Yuri nodded in satisfaction, a hint of admiration flashing in his eyes.