Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

After Siron left the Secret Armory.

Oro slammed the booklet shut, turned and strode out of the storeroom, returning to his residence.

He sat in the chair, his chest heaving.

After a long while, he took out a bottle of dark blue potion from the drawer, tilted his head back, and drank it all in one gulp.

The medicine flowed down his throat, transforming into a cold current that slowly seeped into his limbs and bones.

He closed his eyes and sat cross-legged.

The profound Yin energy within his body began to circulate. He had been practicing this breathing technique for some time, and his energy carried a chilling coldness. When fighting against extraordinary individuals of the same level, his energy could be injected into their bodies, causing their muscles to stiffen temporarily.

According to the elders in the family, if this technique is mastered to its fullest extent, it can even freeze the enemy's outward energy, creating an extremely powerful ice and snow image.

After Oro had been practicing for about fifteen minutes, the door was pushed open.

Oin walked in.

Oro raised his head, his face ashen:

"Father, that boy, I have warned him repeatedly, but he still chose the Profound Yin Breathing Technique."

Oin walked thoughtfully to the window and gave a cold smile:

"This is the first person to walk right into the line of fire."

He casually asked again:

"Here's what we'll do: you go and find out what enemies this kid has. Let's try not to take action ourselves, so as not to get a bad reputation."

Oro took a deep breath, his expression gradually calming down, and nodded respectfully:

"I see."

……

After leaving the armory, Siron did not go straight back to his guest room.

He thought for a moment, then walked toward the residence of Chief Austin.

The improvement in his mental strength left his understanding of many things at a superficial level: such as how to cultivate mysticism, whether there are special ways to use the external power of a second-tier Ripper, and the potential factions within the family.

He wanted to ask the clan chief these questions directly in person.

We arrived at the door of Austin's residence.

Two guards clad in black armor blocked his path, their eyes wary and cold.

Siren spoke calmly:

"I want to see Chief Austin."

The head guard sized him up, his tone cold and businesslike:

Do you have an appointment?

Xilun was slightly taken aback.

reserve?

He shook his head:

"no."

The guard's gaze grew even colder:

Only clan elders are qualified to have a direct audience with the clan leader.

"Go back now."

Xilun remained silent for a moment.

He had originally thought that, as a newly signed nominal sponsor, meeting the clan chief would be a perfectly normal thing. He never expected there to be so many hurdles.

"it is good."

He turned around and calmly said:

"Sorry to bother you."

The guards' casual chatter came from behind:

"It seems like everyone wants to see the clan leader..."

"He's an outsider, and he thinks he's someone important just because he signed a nominal sponsorship agreement..."

These sounds weren't loud, but under Xilun's sharp, blade-like mental perception, every word entered his ears clearly.

He continued walking forward expressionlessly.

Sunlight streamed through the gaps in the coniferous forest along the manor's path, dappling his austere profile.

.

Siren's carriage left Tusol Manor at midday.

When they returned to the mansion, the butler, Rod, had been waiting at the door for quite some time.

Xiren stepped down from the carriage, his expression as if nothing had happened that morning. He casually asked:

"What's been happening at the manor lately?"

The butler bowed and replied:

"Sir, there's progress on the cultivation room you requested earlier."

Xilun's eyes lit up slightly:

"How so?"

"There is a waterfall behind the mansion, with a powerful flow and abundant water vapor. I had someone survey it and they believe it can be transformed into a place for cultivation."

After listening, Xilun nodded slightly.

The waterfall behind the mountain is filled with water vapor and is located in a remote area, which is perfect for the Xuan Yin breathing technique he has just chosen.

This method requires a cold and damp environment to cultivate, and the mist under the waterfall is simply a natural place for cultivation.

"Is there anything else?"

The butler took out a gold-embossed invitation from his pocket and presented it with both hands:

"There's been some activity at Moon Lake."

"Oh?"

"Two months from now, Moon Lake will host an extraordinary event. This is the invitation, signed by a family called 'Houston'."

Xilun took the invitation and unfolded it to take a look.

The invitation was bound with platinum thread, and the cover was engraved with an exquisite moon emblem, with the invitation written in cursive English inside.

The family crest at the bottom is a double-headed eagle.

"The Houston family..."

Xilun mentally reviewed the power map of the North District.

He vaguely remembered the name; it belonged to a long-established middle-class family that had been rooted in Moon Lake for over a century and had connections with the Shattered Bone Gang and the Armed Riot Party.

What an extraordinary event!

Xilun carefully put away the invitation, lost in thought.

Two months later... just as he had achieved some success in cultivating the Profound Yin Breathing Technique.

This kind of event is a great opportunity to network and flex your muscles.

"I see."

He stepped into the mansion.

……

I returned to my bedroom.

Xilun hung his coat on the hanger, walked to his desk, and laid out the book "Mysterious Yin Breathing Method," which he had spent a hundred pounds to copy, on the table. By the bright light of the gas lamp, he began to study it word by word.

On the parchment, the meridian routes for the circulation of qi and blood and the formulas for regulating qi are densely recorded in tiny characters.

As he turned the pages, he suddenly realized something:

This "Mysterious Yin Breathing Technique" is also of the water attribute, and its logic for transporting qi and blood has a striking similarity to the "Great Sea Giant Whale Guiding Technique" that I have long since mastered.

"More than 30% of the nodes on the pathways of the two meridians completely overlap."

Silen silently deduced in his mind, "The Giant Whale of the Heavy Sea focuses on cultivating its internal energy and blood, while the Profound Yin Breathing focuses on releasing extreme cold externally. The two complement each other, making cultivation twice as effective with half the effort."

Both are water-related.

Both emphasize the restraint and concentration of strength.

However, the Heavy Sea Giant Whale Guiding Technique pursues "heavy pressure" and "deepness", while the Mysterious Yin Breathing Technique pursues "coldness" and "solidification".

"I see……"

Xilun's eyes gradually brightened.

This means that his cultivation speed will be much faster than that of a typical second-tier extraordinary individual.

Xilun flipped through the booklet twice. With his current mental strength as an intermediate-level mystic, photographic memory was just a basic skill.

After thoroughly familiarizing himself with the cultivation method, he immediately sat cross-legged on the carpet, closed his eyes, and began reciting the ancient and obscure scriptures.

The scriptures were quietly recited between the lips and teeth, and the breath circulated slowly in the dantian.

Strands of cold air from between heaven and earth, like invisible tides, gradually merged with the energy within his body.

"This is the aura of profound yin..."

Xilun sighed inwardly.

As the mental cultivation technique was activated, the immense power within his body, like that of a giant whale in the deep sea, began to flow slowly along a completely new path.

The core of this Xuan Yin Breathing Technique is to use the body's acupoints and meridians as a furnace to absorb the scattered Yin energy between heaven and earth, repeatedly refine it, and finally condense it into an extremely pure Xuan Yin energy.

One cycle is completed.

He successfully condensed the first wisp of Xuan Yin Qi.

Getting started is indeed easy.

As stated in the brochure.

They practiced in this way for about half a day.

As the last rays of the setting sun disappeared through the window, Xilun suddenly opened his eyes.

Deep within his eyes, it seemed as if a layer of ice crystals had formed, radiating a chilling light that sent shivers down one's spine.

After half a day of arduous training and the blessing of the giant whale's power, he had accumulated ten strands of profound Yin energy within his body.

He raised his hand and extended his index finger, allowing the ten strands of energy to condense at his fingertip.

A moment of convergence.

The temperature in the entire room dropped visibly.

He aimed at the thick stone wall in front of him and pressed down hard.

"laugh."

The power of the Xuan Yin suddenly erupted.

Where fingertips touched, the originally hard stone wall quickly formed a layer of crystal-clear frost, which then spread, diffused, and solidified.

Ice crystals surged from inside the walls, emanating an extremely cold aura, as if trying to freeze all heat within them.

"Smack."

That small section of the stone wall suddenly cracked open, shattering into ice shards scattered all over the ground.

Xilun thoughtfully withdrew his finger.

The power of just ten strands of beginner-level Xuan Yin energy is astonishing.

The pale red data stream in front of me flickered again.

[Skill: Mysterious Yin Breathing Technique (Beginner)]

[Progress: 0/200]

【Characteristics: Extremely cold breath, easy to enter but difficult to retain; chilling yin energy, mysterious and unpredictable!】

……

evening.

Xilun opened his eyes, ending his breathing exercises for the day.

He summoned Rena and Rod.

The two men entered, each carrying a thick stack of official documents, and respectfully placed them on the table. Xilun casually flipped through one and asked:

"What important things have happened at the fraternity recently?"

Reina thought for a moment:

"Your Excellency, besides the abolition of slavery that has already been dealt with, there are a few other matters."

"Due to the resurgence of trade throughout the northern region, smuggling has recently become a recurring phenomenon."

Rampant smuggling will have a significant impact on the legitimate trading businesses under our Brotherhood.

Xilun nodded slightly:

"Is there anything else?"

Rod stepped forward and handed over a document:

"Now that we've taken over the Shattered Bone Gang... we've discovered that there are still many remnants."

These individuals colluded with other local forces to seize some of the Shattered Bone Gang's original resource points and refused to relinquish them.

Xilun frowned:

"Is that so?"

"You won't allow it? Then kill them all."

Rhodes's expression was rather unpleasant:

"That's right, Governor. During their escape, those gang members colluded with local organizations in remote and impoverished areas."

They promised to share a portion of the revenue from the resource points with the local people and the town's knightly order, thus forming a community of shared interests.

"That area is now quite powerful, and it contains many innocent civilians. If we act rashly, it will likely cause a huge public relations crisis."

Xilun rested his chin on his hand and pondered.

Land grabbing!

The remnants of the Shattered Bone Gang are actually using this ancient and covert method to embed their influence into the local community.

To eradicate it, it is by no means a simple matter that can be resolved by using force.

"I see."

Xilun kept this in mind and solemnly instructed:

"First, have the craftsmen speed up the renovation of the cultivation room on the back mountain. The sooner it's finished, the sooner I can enter a state of cultivation. As for other matters... let me think of a solution later."

Reina nodded and noted it down:

"How is the budget approved?"

"Approximately how much do you need?"

"According to the current plan proposed by the craftsmen... just modifying a training area will require an estimated 150 pounds."

Xilun was slightly taken aback:

"So expensive?"

"Do you currently have enough funds in your account?"

Rena flipped through the ledger:

"That's enough. Sir, your personal account also has a considerable surplus."

Xilun nodded:

"Then let's modify it. Let me enter a cultivation state as soon as possible."

After the two left...

Xilun returned to the house alone and continued practicing the Moon Memory Meditation Technique.

The silvery moonlight flowed slowly through the depths of his consciousness, washing away all the fatigue and distracting thoughts of the day.

……

Time passed day by day.

Soon, the study that had been vandalized and damaged was repaired one by one.

Not only has it been restored to its former exquisite state, but the interior of the walls has also been reinforced with a special layer of steel reinforcement, which can withstand the destructive power of a second-tier extraordinary being to a certain extent.

Xilun waited quietly.

The banquet will be held in about one more day.

A banquet was held to welcome various factions in the North District to celebrate the Brotherhood's growth and its formal takeover of all of the Shattered Bone Gang's territory.

Xilun understood the other meaning behind the banquet.

It's about showing off muscles.

Let everyone know that the Brotherhood is now more powerful and more dangerous than the old Bonecrusher Gang.

On the evening before the banquet, Xiren sat in his study and asked the butler standing at the table:

"How are the arrangements going?"

The butler opened the small notebook in his hand:

"Some of the personnel from the factories and resource points have been withdrawn to the mansion to serve as security for tomorrow. The musketeer team has also been arranged to work in three shifts, 24 hours a day."

Xilun nodded slightly:

How many people are expected to attend the banquet tomorrow?

The butler pondered for a moment:

"There are seven small and medium-sized forces that do not have a second-tier extraordinary individual in charge."

"There are three families that also have a second-tier extraordinary individual in charge."

"As for larger forces, it's hard to say. For example, the nearest armed insurgents... They were already managing some of the peripheral businesses of the Bonebreaker Gang, and now they might also want to interfere with the Brotherhood's arrangements."

Xilun nodded slowly:

"I understand."

Everything is ready.

If someone tries to cause trouble tomorrow while the Brotherhood is still establishing itself, he'd like to see what tricks they have up their sleeve.

As night deepened, Xilun once again sat cross-legged and began practicing the Xuan Yin Breathing Technique.

A chilling aura quietly gathered within his body, like an invisible glacier, slowly settling deep into his dantian.

I practiced meditation all night.

The next morning.

The sky was just beginning to lighten.

On the gravel road outside the mansion gate.

In the distance, a black steam car with gold trim drove up.

That was the Iron Fist Gang's vehicle.

The Iron Fist Gang, which voluntarily submitted to the Brotherhood after the destruction of the Bonebreaker Gang, is now practically a subordinate force of the Brotherhood.

The car slowly came to a stop in front of the mansion gate. The leader of the Iron Fist Gang got out of the car, straightened his suit, and bowed deeply to Xilun, who was already standing on the steps.

"Your Excellency..."

Morning light filtered through the branches of the coniferous forest, illuminating Xilun's calm and austere profile.

He nodded slightly and whispered to the butler behind him:

"Welcome!"