Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

As he pondered, Raine followed the lingering scent and hurried up to the second floor.

As they approached the exclusive training area, Renn discovered that the source of the aura was the training room that represented the highest level of difficulty.

Because the interior is operating at maximum intensity, the external safety locks are firmly locked, making it impossible to force entry from the outside.

Ryan could only wait patiently in the hallway outside the door.

He crossed his arms, mentally searching for possible candidates.

"Could it be Heathlus?" Renn wondered thoughtfully.

Hughes is a senior instructor at the club who specializes in teaching claw techniques.

He was also the only person in the entire lower city who had cultivated the "Dorok Dark Claw Technique" to the master level.

Unfortunately, this claw technique was originally designed for some kind of alien creature, and it is extremely difficult for it to fit into the human skeletal structure and hand.

It is not a superhuman fighting technique; at best, it is just an extremely insidious and ruthless ordinary fighting technique.

The physical limits of ordinary humans are such that they can only cultivate to the master level at most, and cannot go any further to produce a qualitative change.

Therefore, although Hughes's combat strength is not bad, it is definitely not outstanding among those of the same level.

Raine shook his head, and as he was pondering, a man in a gray robe with unusually large knuckles walked over from the other end of the corridor, carrying a cup of hot water.

It was indeed Hughes himself.

Upon seeing Hughes, Renn sighed inwardly, ruling out this most likely candidate.

Although the aura emanating from Xiuxus was sharp, there was clearly still an insurmountable gap between him and the pinnacle of power.

"President Rein? What are you doing standing here?" Hughes stepped forward and asked with some confusion.

Raine didn't speak, but simply pointed to the tightly closed special-grade training room in front of him.

"In this fight club, besides you and me, who else possesses such astonishing strength?"

Renn frowned and lowered his voice, saying, "Among our teachers here, there aren't many who can reach this level, and it's even less likely that among the younger generation of students, there will be none."

Just as the two were looking at each other, completely baffled.

"Sizzle—!"

With a muffled thud, the heavy lead door of the advanced training room slowly slid open to both sides.

Through the crack in the door, a large amount of extremely cold white mist, visible to the naked eye, poured out like a flood bursting its banks, instantly causing the temperature in the entire corridor to plummet.

A tall, shirtless young man emerged slowly from the white mist.

He casually raised his hand, patted away the thick ice crystals clinging to his shoulders and hair, his brow furrowed slightly, and muttered in a slightly complaining tone:

"This isn't very suitable. The penetrating power of this cold air is too poor. Is the machine old and the setting is too low?"

The caregiver, who was responsible for choosing the most difficult tasks and was currently trembling in the corner, was so shocked by these words that his jaw almost dropped to the ground.

This is a real, extreme stimulation specifically designed for those undergoing baptism in extreme environments!

Even a common first-tier extraordinary individual would suffer from stagnant blood and ruptured internal organs if they entered, even if they only stayed for a minute.

The young man in front of us had been inside for a full half hour. When he came out, his face was rosy and his breathing was perfectly normal, showing no signs of strain.

The caregiver swallowed hard and stammered:

"This...this is impossible! I clearly set it to the highest setting."

Could it be... could it be that the machine is really broken?

Xilun ignored the terrified caregiver.

He casually grabbed a towel from the clothes rack next to him, wiped the moisture off his body, and then put on a white shirt.

When he emerged completely from the white mist and his gaze swept over the two people standing in the middle of the corridor, he paused slightly, then a calm smile appeared on his lips.

"Mentor Raine, Mentor Hughes."

While buttoning his shirt, Xilun greeted them casually, "What brings you here? Are you here to inspect the equipment?"

The corridor lights shone on Xilun's calm face.

Raine stared intently at Siren, his expression shifting from confusion to utter astonishment.

His aged face, marked by the marks of time, displayed an expression of disbelief, even as if he had seen a ghost.

His lips trembled slightly, and he couldn't speak for a long time.

The air in the corridor seemed to freeze at that moment.

Shusus's hand holding the water glass froze in mid-air. His large, deformed hands, shaped by years of practicing claw techniques, trembled slightly.

He stared blankly at Xilen, who walked out of the extreme cold training room as if nothing had happened, his mind completely blank.

After a long while, Renn took a deep breath and slowly exhaled the stale air from his lungs.

His shocked expression gradually subsided, replaced by an extremely complex sense of emotion.

"Indeed." Renn shook his head with a wry smile, his voice tinged with self-mockery and relief. "Perhaps in this lower city, only you, the monster who once created miracles, could have achieved such unfathomable skill in such a short time."

He looked at Xilun with a newfound respect for equality in his eyes.

Xilun buttoned up the last button of his shirt, then picked up his black trench coat and draped it over his shoulders, his tone calm and undisturbed.

"It's no big deal. The environment in the North District is quite harsh. In a place like that, if you don't push yourself and toughen up your body, you would have been torn to pieces by those wild dogs hiding in the shadows long ago."

Xiren's words were extremely casual, but the overwhelming pressure emanating from him, mixed with a strong smell of blood, made Renn and Hughes tremble with fear.

"That's a bit surprising," Ryan frowned and asked, "You've only been working in the North District for a short time. I heard that it's a turbulent time there right now, with constant clashes between the Brotherhood and the Iron Fist and Bonebreaker gangs."

Why did you suddenly relinquish your power over there and return quietly by yourself?

After getting dressed, Xilun looked out the window of the corridor at the deep night sky.

"I came back this time to participate in the Snow Mountain Wonderland."

Upon hearing these four words, Renn's expression turned serious, and he lowered his head in deep thought.

"Snow Mountain Wonderland..." Renn murmured to himself, "So that's how it is. Judging from the timeline, that special area jointly developed by the church and the government is about to open again."

Meanwhile, Hughes looked at Xilun with a face full of emotion.

The ordinary student who used to struggle at the bottom and had to look up to others has now grown to possess such terrifying strength.

Hughes could even sense that the muscle control that Xilun had displayed when he casually slapped away the ice shards had reached an unbelievable level.

Hughes nodded slightly, his tone tinged with a bittersweet acceptance of aging:

"Siren, I'm afraid your true strength now far surpasses mine, isn't it?"

Xilen did not give a direct answer to this somewhat awkward question.

He simply smiled slightly, took a step forward, and gestured for the two to walk and talk as they went.

The three walked side by side down the dimly lit corridor.

Hughes was, after all, a martial arts fanatic. He couldn't help but turn his head to look at Xilun's long, strong hands and ask:

"Speaking of which, I remember you once asked me for advice in order to make up for your weakness in close combat."

How's your Dorok Dark Claw technique coming along?

Xilun stopped and slowly raised his right hand.

His five fingers suddenly grabbed at the air.

Without any enhancement from qi or blood, relying solely on pure physical strength, several crisp sonic booms actually erupted in the air.

The trajectory traced by the fingertips carried an extremely sinister and ruthless meaning, as if it could tear steel apart in an instant.

"I recently reached the master level."

Xilun said in a calm tone, "That means you've reached the so-called bone-strengthening level."

The claw-like force penetrates to the bone marrow, and when exerting power, it is no longer limited to the muscles, but is directly transmitted through the bones.

Upon hearing this, Hughes' pupils constricted sharply, and he was secretly shocked.

He knew all too well how difficult this martial art was.

Because it doesn't fit human anatomy, to reach the master level, one must endure inhuman skeletal distortion and possess extremely high comprehension.

He himself practiced diligently for six years before reaching this level.

Heath looked at Xilen and let out a long sigh.

"Siren, your extraordinary skill may not be considered groundbreaking in the eyes of those noble geniuses."

"But in all the years I've taught students, you're the most terrifying one I've ever met," Hughes said seriously.

Because your strength is rising steadily, even irrationally.

Others' cultivation often encounters bottlenecks such as stagnation of qi and blood, and stagnation of mental state, which can last for several years.

But in you, I seem to see no bottlenecks whatsoever.

Xilun smiled and put his hands back into the pockets of his trench coat.

"Perhaps I do have some talent."

Xiren stared intently into the darkness ahead. "But more often than not, I simply used the time others spent resting and fearing on a more ruthless effort."

Looking at the man before him, who was excessively young yet frighteningly mature, Renn asked, "When are you leaving?"

Xilun glanced at the clock on the wall.

"I originally planned to stay in this private training room all night to properly calm my recently surging energy. However..."

Xilun shook his head and said with some regret, "I just tried it, and the environmental stimulation here doesn't seem to have much effect on me anymore. It can no longer exert damaging pressure on my skin."

He turned around and nodded slightly to the two of them.

"I've decided to go back to my teacher's estate, take a hot bath, and go to bed early."

Get yourself into top mental shape and head to the Daewoo Dojo early tomorrow.

The three walked to the top of the stairs, said goodbye to each other, and then parted ways.

Raine stood alone by the second-floor railing, watching Siren's cold, aloof figure gradually disappear around the corner of the stairs, his expression extremely complex.

"It's only been a little over a year..." Renn muttered to himself.

He recalled the slightly thin boy, Xilun, who had just joined the club and was working hard for a few silver coins.

Now, this young man is not only shining in the preliminary competition, but also, with his terrifying talent and perseverance, he is about to catch up with this old guy who has been immersed in the extreme realm for many years.

"Truly a gifted individual. The shallow waters of the Southern District are ultimately no match for this dragon that has crossed the river."

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking.

Xilun sat up in bed right on time.

He ignored the still somewhat gloomy weather outside the window and quickly went into the bathroom.

The cool well water splashed on his face, instantly dispelling any lingering drowsiness he felt.

After washing up, Xilun went to the restaurant on the first floor.

The butler, Savi, had prepared an extremely lavish breakfast—large chunks of rare beef, several slices of whole-wheat bread, and a large glass of warm milk.

Like a predatory beast, Xilun devoured the food that provided a lot of calories in a whirlwind.

After breakfast, Xilun changed into an extremely smart black tight-fitting combat suit, put on a heavy windproof and snowproof overcoat, and picked up the black umbrella.

He pushed open the door, preparing to leave.

He saw his teacher, Lund, lying on the old wicker chair under the porch, covered with a thin blanket, holding a cup of hot tea, his gaze calmly fixed on the gray sky in the distance.

Hearing footsteps, Lund didn't turn around, but simply said:

"Go ahead. I've already taught you everything I needed to."

The rest of the journey is yours to walk alone. I'll have Saiwei drive you; it'll save you some energy on the way.

Xilun stopped in his tracks without saying a word.

He turned around and bowed deeply to his teacher, who had sheltered him when he was at his weakest and even confronted a mysterious high-level extraordinary being for his sake. He nodded slightly in gratitude.

Then, without hesitation, Xilun turned around and strode into the back seat of the black sedan parked outside the courtyard.

With the engine roaring, the car slowly drove out of the manor and smoothly drove along the wide street leading to the Daewoo Dojo.

The carriage was quiet, and Saiwei was focused on driving.

Xilun leaned back in the comfortable leather seat, closed his eyes, and his brain began to work at high speed like a fine gear, sorting out all the known information about this snow mountain wonderland.

"Snow Mountain Wonderland..."

Xilun's fingers tapped unconsciously on his knees, his brows furrowing slightly.

This is a wondrous place located on the outskirts of Saint Laurent, a place shrouded in danger and unknown exploration.

According to official internal records, this was an extremely unique spatial landscape.

Its interior contains an ancient field that defies common sense, completely enveloping the vast area behind the mountain.

This field directly distorts the local solar terms and physical laws, resulting in an extremely bizarre phenomenon:

Even when the outside world is in the sweltering heat of summer, the moment you step into that invisible membrane, the interior of the wonderland will instantly transform into a perpetual, snow-covered winter.

The area is perpetually covered in ice and snow, with extremely low temperatures, and is teeming with various deformed species that have mutated in this extreme environment, as well as extremely precious and extraordinary materials.

Xilun gently tapped his brow, forcing himself to calm down and focus his thoughts on the competitor he was about to face.

"Those qualified to participate in this exploration of wonderland are by no means ordinary people."

Xilun secretly made his own plans.

Generally speaking, in addition to the top contestants like him who stood out in this junior knight fighting tournament, there are also elite candidates directly recommended by the powerful families with ancient traditions from all over the empire, the top churches, and the official military.

These people grew up surrounded by resources, possessed extremely rare high-level combat skills, and held extraordinary relics that could save their lives.

Their background is far beyond what I, a peasant who fought my way out of the slums, can compare to.

But Xilun is not afraid of fighting against those of the same level.

He had absolute confidence that, with his extreme physical body forged on the brink of life and death, he could crush anyone's pride within the first rank.

Xilun opened his eyes thoughtfully, his gaze passing through the car window as he looked at the massive dojo building that was gradually taking shape in the distance.

His biggest worry right now is the variables that might break the rules.

"Hopefully, none of the extraordinary individuals who have already undergone a second baptism will be among the participants this time."

A cold, apprehensive glint flashed in Xilun's eyes.