Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

Lund walked to the center of the training shed, his gun tip lowered.

He was weak, but his posture remained extremely steady.

Like an iron nail driven into the ground.

Xilun looked at him for a moment, then took a wooden gun from the rack.

The two stood facing each other.

Sarah and Savi fell silent, and the only sounds in the air were the distant chirping of birds and the dripping of leaves.

Lund said, "Don't worry about me, attack."

Xilun didn't stand on ceremony.

He stomped his foot, the wooden board trembled slightly, and the wooden spear in his hand thrust straight at Lund's right shoulder.

This shot followed the basic approach of Natan's heavy gunnery: heavy, straight, and steady.

There are no fancy moves; the power originates from the feet, travels along the waist and back to the tip of the spear, and the breath flows out along the shaft.

A hint of approval flashed in Lund's eyes.

The tip of the gun was slightly raised, just a gentle tap.

Snapped!

The two wooden spears clashed.

The path of Xilun's thrust was deflected by half an inch.

Half an inch is very small, but in close combat, half an inch is enough to make a shot miss.

Xilun immediately changed his move, pressing down with the gun barrel and sweeping across Lund's waist and ribs, a chill seeping slightly from his palm.

Lund took a half step back, the tip of his gun making a tiny arc.

Snapped!

Another soft sound.

The force of Xilun's sweeping attack was intercepted just before it was at its most powerful.

The wooden gun seemed to be nailed in place, momentarily stagnant.

Xilun's eyes narrowed. Instead of using his usual marksmanship, he channeled the Great Thunder Breathing Technique into his chest, causing the gun barrel to vibrate suddenly and surge forward with a low thunderous sound.

Lund rotated his right wrist, and the tip of the gun suddenly became tinged with a faint crimson hue.

The crimson hue was extremely thin, like starlight under the morning light, yet it was terrifyingly precise.

Xilun felt as if his gun had struck a small, heavy star.

There was no loud noise, no exaggerated explosion.

The entire power delivery path was simply cut off.

The wooden spear in his hand had slipped half a foot off, its tip pointing diagonally at the ground.

Lund's gun tip was already at his chest, less than an inch from his clothes.

The training shed was quiet for a moment as Xiren looked down at the tip of the gun in front of his chest.

Then, he looked up and said earnestly, "Teacher, your marksmanship is amazing."

Lund holstered his gun and coughed twice.

Savi immediately draped the blanket over his shoulders.

Lund did not refuse, but simply sat back down in his chair and took a few breaths.

"This is a fighting style that I created myself."

He gently stroked the wooden gun shaft with his fingertips, his eyes revealing a long-lost clarity.

"I call it the Crimson Star Spear."

The Red Star Spear.

Xilun repeated the name in his mind.

Last night at the old brothel at Pier 7, he saw Lund actually demonstrate this marksmanship.

At that time, the rain was like a curtain, the black water surged, and the nine tentacles of the mangled monster covered the sky and the earth.

Lund stood on the half-collapsed steel beam, covered in blood, his left arm entangled by tainted black lines, yet he still tore through the tide of resentment with a long black steel spear.

That crimson spear light was like a star falling in a rainstorm.

It was dazzling enough to make death take a step back.

Xilun originally thought that it was Lund's ultimate technique, which he unleashed by squeezing out all his energy before his death.

In retrospect, it was a complete art.

A gun technique that truly belongs to Lund.

Lund sat back under the training tent, taking a while to calm his breathing.

He was too weak to move, and even a simple test shot caused a sharp pain in his chest, but his eyes were much brighter than when he had just woken up.

A person who can still hold a gun is like someone who still has a breath left in their bones.

Xilun stood opposite, without urging him on.

Sarah had a servant bring her hot tea.

Lund took the cup but didn't drink it; he simply warmed the cup with his palm.

"The Crimson Star Spear is generally not suitable for second-tier cultivation," he said.

"Is it because you don't have enough breath?" Siren asked.

"right."

Lund looked up at him. "The core of this marksmanship isn't how complicated the moves are. Its real difficulty lies in compressing your entire body's energy, muscle bursts, gun elasticity, and killing intent into a single point."

The smaller and heavier that point is, the stronger its penetrating power.

He extended his right hand and loosely clenched his fist.

"Ordinary spear techniques emphasize the line, thrusting outwards and penetrating forward."

The Crimson Star Spear is quite particular; all energy first collapses to the spear tip, and then is released in an instant.

If your breath isn't pure or stable enough, your own meridians and fascia will be ruptured before you can even injure the enemy.

Xilun recalled what had just happened.

Lund simply tapped the gun lightly, thus interrupting his thrust.

It's not suppression by force, but a higher level of control.

"So, one usually needs to start cultivation at the third stage?"

"At least level three."

Lund nodded. "The body structure, aura capacity, and recovery ability of a third-tier mutant are more suitable for it than those of a second-tier mutant. But you are a bit special."

Xilun looked at him.

Lund said, "Your aura has been tempered by the Great Thunder Breathing Technique. Although you are still a second-tier Ripper, your aura density is already close to that of some third-tier Extraordinary beings."

Furthermore, your practice of the Profound Yin Breathing Technique makes your power generation more stable, allowing you to suppress some violent shocks.

He paused, then added, "Of course, it's only close; it doesn't mean you actually have a third-tier body. You can't rush it when you're training."

Xilun nodded; he was well aware of his shortcomings.

He now has many techniques: Life Techniques, Mysterious Yin Cold Breath, Great Thunder Sound, Echo Chamber, Bone Forging Iron Armor, and Golden Spear.

Each of these items can be life-saving in critical moments, but that doesn't mean he can ignore the differences in levels.

The lesson he learned from the severed limbs last night was all too clear.

When you don't have enough strength, even if you have ways to restrain yourself, you can only take a few more steps.

To truly sever the Black Tide, we need a sharper weapon.

Lund looked at the suppressed longing in his eyes and suddenly smiled.

"Want to learn?"

Xilun didn't hide anything: "I want to."

"I'll rest for the next couple of days."

Lund put the teacup aside. "Once I can stand up straight, I'll start teaching you. I'll begin with breath control, not the killer moves."

Xilun nodded slightly.

Even if it's just the basics, it's enough to make him look forward to it.

Lund rarely shares his most valuable skills, so the fact that the other party is willing to teach him indicates that the relationship between master and apprentice has grown even closer after last night's rain.

Lund added, "However, before you learn the Crimson Star Spear, you must continue your Natan Heavy Gun Technique."

Xilun said, "I practice every day."

"How far have you progressed in your training?"

"Almost at the master level."

Lund nodded: "At least train to the Master level. It would be best if you could train to the Transcendent level."

His tone became more serious.

"The heavy gun technique is a basic skill. Don't think it has no powerful moves. It teaches you how to unify the gun, body, and energy."

Once you reach the master level, your spear energy fusion will be unparalleled. The spear's light will pierce through the air, reaching a foot away from your body, highly condensed. Even a slight touch from it will be extremely difficult for any extraordinary opponent of the same level to withstand.

Xilun listened attentively.

Lund continued, "If one cultivates to the extraordinary level, the tip of the spear condenses aura and bursts out like a meteor piercing the sky, with almost no extra sound."

It's quiet yet powerful. At that level, it no longer resembles the original, sweeping style of heavy armor spearmanship; rather, it demonstrates that your mastery of breath and weaponry has reached its pinnacle.

Xiren recalled his recent shooting practice.

Natan's heavy gunnery didn't really have many strange variations.

But the more you practice, the more you realize its thickness.

It's like laying a foundation.

Every thrust, jab, sweep, and press is aimed at calibrating the distance between the body and the gun.

Even the integration of Xuan Yin Cold Breath into the spear stance and the improved understanding of the Flow of Broken Water are inseparable from the foundation laid by this basic skill.

"I will continue to practice," Xilun said.

Lund hummed in agreement.

Then, he suddenly looked at Xilun's right hand.

"Are you planning to keep the matter of life techniques a secret forever?"

Xilun did not answer immediately.

Outside the training shed, a gust of wind blew through the damp grass, and water droplets rolled off the leaves.

The sound of horse-drawn carriages could be heard from the street outside the manor in the distance, but it was quickly cut off by the tree wall.

Xilun said slowly, "I don't want everyone to know."

"I understand."

Lund leaned back in his chair, his expression regaining some of its usual sternness. "But don't hide it. You're no longer a nobody."

"Governor of the North District, Second-Tier Ripper, Brotherhood Class A Medal, under the watchful eye of the Tusol Family, and the Whispering Choir—at this level, complete concealment is unrealistic."

Xilun's eyes darkened slightly.

Lund said, "Life spells bring danger, but they also bring resources."

Many forces need people who can suppress corruption. If you demonstrate this ability appropriately, you can gain access to materials, intelligence, protection, and even entry into circles you wouldn't normally be able to enter.

Xilun remained silent for a moment.

He certainly understood this principle: when you are weak, hiding your weaknesses can save your life.

But once he's in the sight of many people, continuing to pretend he knows nothing won't make the enemy disappear.

Conversely, if he doesn't demonstrate sufficient value, his allies may not be willing to pay the price to protect him.

Lady Black Crow will not appear at any time.

President Midas wouldn't shield him from all the attacks.

Resources, networks, and intelligence must be earned through one's own efforts.

"It can be shown," Siren said, "but only on necessary occasions, and not to the general public."

Lund nodded slightly: "That's for the best."

He thought for a moment, then said, "I'll introduce you to an organization."

Xilun looked up.

Lund said, "The Ironblood Society."

Upon hearing this name, Xilun's first thought was of another name.

New Righteousness Society.

He had met Rainer in the North District, had been in contact with the armed insurgents, and knew that those from the lower classes had gathered together, unwilling to continue being arbitrarily exploited by nobles, gangs, and factory owners.

In today's empire, the word "association" always carries a certain dangerous connotation.

Xilun asked, "Is it related to the New Righteousness Society?"

Lund shook his head: "No."

His voice was calm.

"The Iron Blood Society is neither a political organization nor a rioting party."

It's more like an extraordinary people's mutual aid circle, originally established by a few extraordinary people who had retired from the military.

There weren't many people inside, only a few dozen. Most of the members were third-tier extraordinary individuals, with a very small number being second-tier.

Xilun's heart stirred slightly.

There were several dozen people, mostly at the third rank.

This is no longer an ordinary circle.

In the North District, a third-tier extraordinary individual is enough to control the situation.

The reason why forces like Tusol, Hawke, and the Crimson Academy are feared is fundamentally because they have Tier 3 Extraordinary individuals behind them.

If the Ironblood Society has so many Tier 3 members, even if the number is small, their influence is extremely significant.

Lund saw through his thoughts:

"Don't get your hopes up too high; the association isn't your backing."

What you get after you go in depends on what you can offer.

Most of the people inside were stubborn and came from diverse backgrounds, including retired military officers, wandering hunters, former colonial army instructors, corporate bodyguards, and a few loners who were reluctant to be controlled by the authorities.

"Less than five second-tier?"

"Um."

Lund looked at him. "Those second-tier individuals are all special. They either have extremely powerful backgrounds, rare abilities, or exceptional killing power. If you were just an ordinary second-tier individual, I wouldn't have brought this up."

Xilun asked, "Is the teacher also a member?"

"I guess so."

Lund said calmly, "I joined when I was young, but I rarely participated later, but the connection remains. Part of the Crimson Star Spear was honed through sparring with a few people there back then."

Upon hearing this, Xilun's expectations for the Ironblood Society grew even stronger.

A place where Lund could sharpen his gun must be extraordinary.

Lund added, "Once I'm feeling better, I'll write you a letter of introduction. Whether it gets approved or not depends on them."

Xilun nodded: "What needs to be prepared?"

"Strength, intelligence, and don't take yourself too seriously."

After Lund finished speaking, he looked at him and added, "The last one shouldn't be difficult for you."

"Teachers are the same," Siren said calmly.

Sarah finally burst out laughing.

Lund glanced at her but did not refute her.

The somber atmosphere of the early morning had largely dissipated by now.

However, Lund was seriously injured and had been talking for a long time, so he soon showed signs of fatigue.

Savi insisted on pushing him back into the house to rest. Before leaving, Lund made sure to tell Xilen to practice shooting on his own in the afternoon and not to slack off.

Xilun agreed.

In the afternoon, the training shed at the manor became quiet again.

Sarah led her men to deal with the aftermath of the blockade of Pier 7, while Savi stayed behind with Lund, and Siron remained alone in the shed.

He first practiced Natan's heavy rifle skills.

The spear thrust out repeatedly in his palm.

Thrust, flick, sweep, press, turn around, sink the spear.

Each style is very simple.

The water accumulated on the wooden planks was stirred up by the gunfire, turning into fine, scattered streams of water.

A chill occasionally wafted out from the tip of the spear, only to be quickly suppressed back into his body.

He didn't rush to pursue power, but instead focused his attention on each vibration of the gun.

The echo chamber allowed him to "hear" the subtle vibration of the gun barrel at the moment of force application.

Some of the trembling sounds were chaotic.

This indicates that the connection between breath and muscles is not yet clean enough.

Xilun adjusted it again and again.

He disassembled and then reassembled everything, from the weight of his feet landing, the angle of his back twisting, the depth of his breath entering his lungs, to the pressure of his fingers gripping the gun barrel.

As evening approached, darkness fell.

When he stopped, his arms were already sore and his palms were burning.

But my mind is very calm.

[Skill: Natan Heavy Gunnery (Expert)]

[Progress: 909/1000]

Xilun vaguely sensed that his control over the aura was gradually deepening.

With a single shot, the spearhead revealed its sharp edge, capable of almost crushing metal and breaking stone!

After dinner, Lund went to bed.

The manor was shrouded in night.

Instead of resting immediately, Xilun returned to his guest room, closed the door, and lit a small stick of incense to purify his soul.

A faint scent of cigarette smoke rose.

He sat cross-legged on the carpet beside the bed and entered into the Moon Memory Meditation Method.

In the realm of the mind, the cold, white moon slowly emerges.

The lingering chill after dreaming of the eight-armed deity last night still lingers deep within my consciousness, like the black water beneath a beach.

The black mark on his right wrist occasionally emitted subtle fluctuations, echoing the white eye on his palm from his memory.

There was no hard pressure on West London.

He used meditation to dissipate those noises layer by layer.

The sweet, fishy smell of the old well at Black Dove Church, the creaking of the broken limbs at Seven Wharf, and the whispers of the eight-armed statue in my dream were gradually obscured by the moonlight and retreated to the edge.

Then, a wisp of white bud gently unfolded between her brows.

The white light was not strong.

But it's very pure.

It is like a tender sprout growing under the cold moon, quietly taking root and guarding the deepest crevice of his spirit.

The noise from the pollution finally subsided, and Xilun slowly exhaled.

He did not continue using the spell, but instead, in a state of clarity after meditation, recalled Lund's shot during the day.

A single red dot interrupted the spear's momentum.

It's not just fast, nor is it simply accurate.

Instead, it concentrates all the power in the body into the smallest possible point of impact.

Xilun raised his hand, loosely gripping the spear.

With a slight dip in his fingertips, he began to visualize the exertion of force in his mind.

The breath originates from the soles of the feet, travels along the calves, knees, waist, spine, shoulders, and elbows, and moves forward.

But when it reaches the tip of the spear, it no longer thrusts straight out like the heavy-armored spear technique of the Tank, but instead presses inward.

Compression, collapse, condensation into a single point!

The first time I tried it, I felt a dull pain in my chest.

The breath dissipated.

The second time, the force from the shoulder and elbow was applied half a second too early, and the entire line broke at the wrist.

The third time, the thunder was too loud, and instead of hitting the target, it made my finger bones go numb.

Xilun opened his eyes, his forehead beaded with sweat, and looked out at the night view.

The manor was quiet, and the chirping of insects could be faintly heard in the distance.

This marksmanship is indeed difficult.

Even just simulating basic exertion made him feel strained.

If I were to forcefully unleash a killing move with my current physical condition, I'm afraid I'd injure myself before even hitting the enemy.

The more difficult it is, the more it proves that it is worth learning.

Xilun closed his eyes again, and the great thunderous sound sank into his chest.

The icy, dark energy flowed along the bones, like a layer of cold iron, suppressing the restless internal tremors.

The Moon Recollection Meditation Method helps to calm the mind.

In the silence, he once again began to try the initial pressure point of the Crimson Star Spear.

Outside the window, a cloud obscured the moonlight.

The flames in the room flickered gently.

Siren sat between the shadows and the warm light, his breathing slow, the dark mark on his right wrist lying dormant.

But deep within his spirit, a faint, almost imperceptible spark of righteous indignation, after countless failures, finally shone for a fleeting moment like a star hidden in ashes.