Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

Before Rhodes could even catch his breath...

The next moment, Xilun, like a grim reaper, approached again in an instant.

Lortis's eyes were filled with despair and madness. He wildly swung his black knife, and countless blade shadows rained down on Xiren.

But Xilun completely ignored it.

He let the blades, sharp enough to split gold and shatter stone, fall on him, his skin like iron armor, constantly resisting the slashes and sending sparks flying.

Although it left behind streaks of blood, they began to heal in an instant.

Rhodes's face was filled with undisguised panic.

Xilun braced himself against the flashing blades and forced his way closer.

His five fingers suddenly spread open, like the fangs of a giant whale, and bit down hard on Rhodes' left shoulder!

"Whoosh—sizzle!"

It was accompanied by a chilling tearing sound.

Xiren's iron claws tore through the flesh of Rhodes' shoulder. Before Rhodes' horrified eyes, Xiren roared, his arm muscles bulging.

Rhodes' left hand, along with half of his shoulder, was ripped off!

"Aaaaaaahh ...

Blood gushed out like a fountain, and Rhodes collapsed to his knees, howling in agony.

He stared in disbelief at his empty left shoulder, gritting his teeth as the excruciating pain contorted his face.

Xilun casually tossed the severed arm to the ground and lightly patted the blood off his hands.

He looked down at the struggling expert on the ground, his tone terrifyingly calm:

"Looks like you deserve to die now."

Xilun took two steps forward, his boots sinking into the pool of blood.

Driven to madness, Lortis used his last ounce of strength to grip the knife in one hand and unleash a desperate thrust.

However, this last, desperate strike was easily caught by Xilun, who crushed the blade's edge.

next moment.

Xilun suddenly raised his right leg, a faint silver-blue lightning crackling on his calf. It was the ultimate concentration of free electric charge within his talent.

"Bang!"

He kicked out hard, hitting Rhodes squarely in the chest.

Accompanied by a chilling sound of bones shattering, the paralysis and extreme power of lightning instantly pierced through Lortis's body.

Rhodes' entire chest caved in deeply, and the force of the air blasted a large hole in the back of his clothes.

The life in his eyes quickly faded, and he fell straight to the ground, motionless.

The most ruthless leader of the Shattered Bone Gang has fallen.

Xilun stepped forward, squatted down expressionlessly, and inspected the spoils.

While examining the body, he discovered that the person was wearing a pair of metal wristbands that emitted a faint blue luster on their only remaining right hand.

Xilun took off the wristband, held it in his hand, weighed it in his hand, and seemed to be deep in thought.

"As expected," Xiren muttered to himself, "The First Iron Fist, Rhodes. The material of this bracer is extremely special; it can aid in the flow of qi and blood."

He stood up and looked in the direction of the Broken Bone Gang's territory.

"Speaking of which, two of the three iron fists of the Shattered Bone Gang, who are famous throughout the North District, namely Yumis and Rhodes, have already died at my hands."

A cold glint flashed in Xilun's eyes. "I wonder if that second-tier guild leader, Grossa, will be furious when he returns and come after me."

He picked up the decent-quality black knife and then tucked the pair of iron wrists into his pocket.

"This wristband is made of a rare and extraordinary metal. We can melt it down when we have time and use it as a rare material for forging high-level weapons."

After doing all this, Xiren did not dispose of the body, but turned around and went back the way he came.

When he returned to the leaf-covered path where the battle had taken place, Engel was still there.

By this time, Engel had endured the excruciating pain and managed to piece Dawson's two gruesome remains back together.

Hearing footsteps, Engel looked up and saw Xilen, who was covered in blood but breathing steadily. A deep sense of awe flashed in his eyes.

"How is it?" Xilun asked casually.

Engel lowered his head, his voice low and hoarse: "The gang leader's body has been arranged to be transported back. He will be buried soon."

He raised his head and gave Xilun a deep look.

A lingering question seemed to flicker in Engel's eyes:

When Dawson was attacked, was Celen hiding in the shadows and deliberately not making a move, or was he simply too far away to come to the rescue?

But he was a smart man. He knew that once he asked certain questions, he might not leave this forest alive that day.

After a moment of silence, Engel bowed and said with utmost respect:

"Thank you, Lord Xilun, for your righteous act of killing the villain and avenging my gang leader."

Clearly, he had spotted the pair of dark blue bracers belonging to Rhodes hanging from Xilun's waist, and knew that the infamous "First Iron Fist" was dead.

Xilun remained expressionless and casually said, "Since it happened outside my territory, cleaning up the trash is naturally my duty."

Engel took a deep breath and made the most important statement of his life.

"Now that the gang leader is dead, the Iron Fist Gang is leaderless."

Engel's voice was bitter, but incredibly firm. "The development of Moon Lake and the livelihoods of the hundreds of Iron Fist brothers should naturally be led by the Brotherhood. We will obey your orders, sir."

After saying that, Engel dragged his badly injured body and staggered away.

Xilun stood in the wind, resting her chin on her hand, watching him leave.

Then he turned and went back into the house.

I took a scalding hot shower, washing away the blood and fatigue.

Xiren changed into a loose bathrobe, placed the wristbands on the table, and sat down on the sofa thoughtfully.

He poured himself a glass of red wine and murmured, "It's better that Dawson is dead."

In fact, he did watch Dawson get cut in half.

He secretly followed them, and even before getting close, he could sense the oppressive aura of Rhodes, which belonged to the peak of the extreme realm. So he decisively chose to conceal himself and did not show himself.

A living Dawson is ultimately an unpredictable and formidable figure.

Now that Dawson is dead and Engel is terrified, it will be perfectly logical for the Brotherhood to take over the Iron Fist Gang's territory without any further resistance.

Xilun's mind raced through the current situation.

"The Iron Fist Gang is no longer a threat. The only problem now is what Grossa of the Bonecrusher Gang's attitude towards me."

He gently swirled the wine in his glass.

Although this person is a true second-tier "Ripper" with terrifying strength, intelligence indicates that Grossa is already quite old.

In order to prolong his life, he often secluded himself to practice a very special and rare breathing method used to extend lifespan.

A single retreat can often last for as long as a month.

Moreover, he ordered his subordinates from the Shattered Bone Gang to run around frantically collecting all sorts of materials that prolong life or exotic medicinal herbs that could aid in the cultivation of that breathing technique.

"I personally killed his two most important generals. I'm afraid he'll immediately target me once he comes out of seclusion."

Xilun's gaze turned cold and sharp. "However, he's probably busy cultivating or out searching for medicinal herbs right now, and hasn't made a move against me immediately."

To confirm the information, Xilun rang the copper bell on the table.

The butler quickly pushed open the door and entered, bowing his head respectfully.

"Go and find out what Grossa, the leader of the Shattered Bones Gang, is up to lately," Xiren instructed.

The steward immediately replied, "Sir, I have already used my undercover agents to investigate this matter once before."

According to reliable sources, Grossa left the Bonebreaker Gang alone and headed to the Wolf Plains, where the Crimson Lodge was based.

"What are you going there for?"

"Legend has it that a very rare 'Blood Source Fruit' appeared deep in the Canglang Plains. This fruit can greatly assist in the cultivation of his Turtle Breath Guidance Technique and prolong his lifespan."

Judging from the level of danger over there, it would be absolutely impossible for him to escape and return in less than two or three months.

Upon hearing this news, Xilun's tense nerves relaxed slightly.

"That's alright. At least it gave me some breathing room."

He waved for the butler to leave and pondered his next plan alone in the room.

"Next, there are two most important things."

A glint of ambition flashed in Xiren's eyes.

"First, while Grossa is away, we will take swift and decisive action to fully consolidate the North District, including the remaining assets of the Iron Fist Gang."

With Dawson dead and Engel severely wounded, the remaining rabble is destined to be unable to maintain any power and will have no choice but to obediently submit to me.

"Secondly, prepare for the snow-capped mountain wonderland!"

Xiren clenched his fists so tightly that his bones cracked.

There are only about two weeks left until the official opening of the Snow Mountain Wonderland.

There, he not only had to face unknown alien species and complete the demanding tasks assigned by the mysterious woman from the Raven School, but also deal with the combined attack from the noble geniuses of the Southern District.

"Unfortunately, I still haven't been able to advance to the second-tier extraordinary level."

Otherwise, once you enter the snow-capped mountain wonderland, your chances of success will be even greater.

Xiren sighed, walked outside, and solemnly instructed his trusted night watchman:

"Pass on my orders. Starting tomorrow, unless it is a matter of life and death, no one is allowed to disturb me."

"I plan to go into complete seclusion and focus solely on cultivation!"

After everyone respectfully withdrew, the courtyard returned to deathly silence.

Xilun returned to the secret chamber, took off his clothes, and took out a jar of extremely precious military contraband—Blood Elixir—from the safe.

He generously scooped out a large chunk and spread it evenly on his tough, iron-like skin.

Then, he sat down cross-legged and slowly closed his eyes.

The "Great Sea Whale Guiding Technique" began to operate wildly, allowing the violent blood and qi to flow through the body like a river.

The pores of the body, like greedy beasts, began to frantically absorb the enormous energy contained in the Blood Spirit Ointment.

The excruciating pain struck, but Siren's expression remained completely calm.

He silently estimated the progress in his mind.

"I'm afraid that before the Snow Mountain Wonderland opens, I still won't be able to push the Guidance Technique to the perfect fifth level."

Time passed day by day.

In this secluded chamber, Siren maintained a cold, machine-like asceticism.

He forged his body with an iron ruler and tempered it with blood spirit ointment, constantly refining the remaining medicinal power of the red heart potion within his body.

Although he hadn't been at the fourth level of the Guiding Technique for very long, his progress was still incredibly rapid under this almost self-torturous extreme training.

Sunrise and sunset, wind and snow alternate.

The North District enjoyed a rare period of peace under the Brotherhood's iron-fisted suppression.

Thus, the extremely tedious yet fulfilling two weeks quietly passed.

The opening of the Snow Mountain Wonderland is just around the corner.

……

There weren't many steam trains running from the North District to the South District.

When Xilun finally boarded the slightly worn-out hard-seat carriage, it was already the last train of the day.

The carriages were filled with the mingled smells of cheap tobacco, coal ash, and musty leather. The monotonous clatter of mechanical gears accompanied by a dull rumble echoed across the tracks.

Xilun leaned against the window, the collar of his black trench coat turned up slightly, obscuring half of his pale and cold face.

He departed from the North District two days in advance, entrusting all the complicated finishing touches to the housekeeper and Reina.

This intense two-week seclusion has allowed his vital energy to settle completely, and the once sharp and ruthless killing intent is now deeply hidden beneath his tough, iron-like skin.

The scenery outside the car window gradually transitioned from barren snowfields to dense, towering chimneys.

The sky's color struggled and intertwined between gray and orange-red, eventually being completely dyed the twilight of dusk.

By the time the train sounded its long whistle and slowly pulled into the South Station platform, it was already completely dark.

The setting sun, like blood, illuminated the massive steel domes, making them resemble the skeleton of a colossal beast.

Xilun stepped off the platform, his leather boots making a steady, rhythmic sound on the hard bluestone slabs.

He glanced down at the mechanical watch on his wrist; the hands pointed to six in the evening.

Instead of returning to the hotel, he went straight along the familiar streets to the Brotherhood's headquarters in the South District.

The streets of the South District were still filled with noise and mud, and spies from various forces lurked in the dark alleys like rats.

As Siron's figure approached the Brotherhood's massive European-style building, the gang members on guard at the entrance, who had been idly smoking, had their eyes filled with their usual ferocity and vigilance.

But when their gazes inadvertently swept over Xilun's shoulder and they saw the dark gold epaulette that represented a governor, everyone froze.

The cigarette butt fell to the ground, scattering sparks.

They were stunned at first, their brains seemingly unable to process the information for a short time.

When did the Brotherhood produce such a young governor?

But the material, craftsmanship, and subtle spiritual energy emanating from that epaulette could not possibly be faked.

Moreover, in the southern part of Saint Laurent City, no madman would dare to forge the governor's epaulettes in front of the Brotherhood's headquarters.

The gang members reacted quickly, their fierceness instantly turning into extreme awe. They threw away their cigarette butts in unison, leaned forward at a ninety-degree angle, and their voices trembled slightly with tension.

"Greetings, Your Excellency!"

Xilun remained calm, his pace unchanged.

He nodded slightly, walked straight past the guards, and stepped onto the high granite steps.

Pushing open the heavy oak doors, one finds the once crowded lobby inside the compound.

Hundreds of gang members gathered here, some handing over tasks, some arguing over the distribution of profits, and some drinking and making a ruckus. The whole hall was like a boiling cauldron, with deafening noise.

However, the moment Xilun's tall figure appeared at the door, those closest to the door were the first to notice something amiss.

The invisible pressure, which belonged to the peak of the realm and had settled after experiencing mountains of corpses and seas of blood, swept through half the hall like a tangible cold wind.

The argument stopped abruptly.

People turned their heads to look in the direction of the chill, and their gazes were fixed on the dark gold epaulette.

The surging crowd seemed to be forcibly parted by a pair of invisible giant hands, with everyone retreating to both sides, creating a wide and straight path in the middle of the crowded hall, leading directly to the deepest corridor.

Xilun nodded slightly, his gaze casually sweeping over the members of the gang who were bowing their heads and holding their breath on both sides. His voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears.

"Good job, brothers."

The gang members on both sides seemed to wake up from a dream, straightened their backs, and then shouted in unison, the sound almost lifting the dome.

"Your Excellency, you've worked hard!"