Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

The roar did not come from the sky.

It exploded on the seabed.

The silver-gray threads of the water-sealing net trembled violently, and runes lit up one after another, only to quickly dim under the impact of frost and lightning.

Xilun gripped the net tightly with his five fingers, and the skin and flesh of his palm were instantly ripped open.

The blood spread in the water.

The crimson mist had just emerged when it was frozen into tiny crystals by the cold, drifting with the water into the depths of darkness.

The pain made him more conscious.

He could sense that the water-sealing network had not been completely destroyed.

This is no ordinary fishing net. The netting contains some extraordinary metal that can disrupt the water's flow. Each rune is like a small stake driven into the water, forcibly cutting the surrounding flow into fragmented pieces.

The people of Kotusor underestimated one thing.

Xilun's water control talent comes from the little green dragon, but it does not rely solely on water flow.

His physical body was tempered and refined by the Great Thunder Breathing Technique, and his internal organs became extremely stubborn under the repeated torment of medicinal power and cold breath.

Even if the water flow is obstructed, he can maintain a longer and more powerful burst of power in this heavy seawater.

Moreover, thunder is never gentle in the water.

Xilun loosened the net and kicked off with both legs.

He forcefully cleaved a narrow slit through the seawater.

The pressure from the sealing net makes the water distribution coarse, but it's sufficient.

He darted diagonally from underwater towards the bottom of the steamship, like a black harpoon.

Above, Clement had already sensed something was wrong.

"Close the net."

His voice remained steady, but it was a beat faster than before: "Crossbowmen, press down on the port side, don't let it get close to the bottom of the ship."

Tusol's guards are well-trained.

The two crossbowmen immediately turned the winch, tightened the steel cable, and the water-sealing net began to converge towards the center.

On the other side, the guards raised their long-barreled muskets and fired continuously at the blurry black shadow beneath the sea.

Bang bang bang!

The lead bullets entered the seawater, their speed rapidly decreasing, yet they still left trails of white water around Xilun.

A lead bullet grazed his shoulder.

The fabric was torn open, and the skin and flesh were rolled up.

Xilun has no flash.

He rolled over underwater, his shoulder muscles tightening, letting the seawater sting his wounds.

The distance is not enough.

The steamboat has a steel plate at the bottom, a propeller in the center, and a protective railing at the rear. It is difficult for ordinary underwater attacks to disrupt its propulsion.

But Siren doesn't need to destroy the entire ship.

All we need to do is make them stop.

Let Rena disappear into the shadows of the reef with the wooden crate and the prisoners.

He placed his left hand on the iron plate at the bottom of the boat.

Cold breath comes first.

White frost spread underwater, creeping along rivets and seams.

Then, he slowly tightened his right fist.

The Great Thunder Breathing Technique rolled between the chest and abdomen, and extremely subtle vibrations emanated from deep within the bones.

Lightning bolts leaped from his fist.

A punch landed.

Boom!

The dull sound was swallowed by the sea.

The iron plate is dented.

The ship jolted violently, and several guards on the deck staggered.

Clement frowned even deeper. "He's at the bottom of the ship."

Before the guard could respond, the second punch had already landed.

Boom!

The depression widened.

The propeller's metal guardrail was warped by the vibration, and the spinning sound became ear-piercing.

Xilun's knuckles were also going numb.

The recoil force surged back along his arm, tearing at the old wound.

The dull pain from the previous clash with Clement had not yet subsided, and now it was amplified by the coldness of the seawater, feeling as if many tiny iron spikes were hammering back and forth inside his chest.

The third punch.

Lightning flashed in.

boom!

A burst of sparks suddenly erupted from the stern of the steamship.

The propellers jammed, causing the entire ship to lose its balance and sway sideways on the sea surface.

Reina, in the distance, seized the opportunity and steered her half-submerged boat into an even narrower crevice in the reef. Tusol's speedboat tried to give chase but was blocked by the rocks and had to detour.

Clement did not turn around.

He stared at the sea below, then suddenly held the thin sword upside down with one hand, the tip pointing downwards.

"spread."

The guards beside him immediately retreated.

Clement bent his knees slightly, and his rapier pierced the gap in the deck, penetrating the iron plate at the bottom of the ship and disappearing into the sea.

A sense of unease suddenly arose in Xilun's mind.

Before the slender sword even reached him, the seawater had already been sliced ​​open by an invisible blade.

He immediately loosened the bottom of the boat and flipped his body backward.

But the speed of the third order is too fast.

The sword's edge grazed his left rib.

The black trench coat ripped open, the close-fitting leather armor was easily torn, and a deep, long wound was cut into the flesh.

Fresh blood gushed out instantly.

Xilun groaned, his cold breath sealing his wound, and he sank downwards with the help of the water.

The next moment, Clement jumped into the sea from the bow of the ship.

He actually dared to go into the water.

His dark gray cloak billowed in the water, then he casually ripped it off.

Clement's hunting attire was fitted to his body, with a ring of dark blue scales around the collar. When he entered the water, the scales shimmered slightly, making him far more agile than ordinary extraordinary individuals.

Xilun saw it, and his eyes darkened slightly.

Extraordinary equipment for sea hunters.

Since Tusol sent Clement, he wouldn't just give them a single net.

Clement lowered his sword, his movements unhurried.

Unable to speak underwater, he blocked Xilun's path with his actions.

The water-sealing net above continued to shrink, while speedboats on the left and right cast cold, illuminating flames that sank into the sea, making the surroundings look like a cold graveyard.

Siren released a string of tiny bubbles underwater.

The internal organs can still hold on.

However, the wound on his left rib was too deep, and the cold breath could only temporarily stop the bleeding; the pressure of the seawater and the movement would tear the flesh apart. To make matters worse, Clement's sword seemed to have some kind of sharp residue clinging to it, constantly hindering the healing of the bloodstain.

Even a casual strike from a third-tier extraordinary being is not an ordinary injury.

Clement was closing in.

The rapier thrust out.

Nothing fancy, just a straight line.

However, this straight line blocks the three directions of Xilun's ascent, retreat, and lateral movement.

Xilun split his palms in two.

Divide the water!

The seawater in front of him forcibly split open by half a foot, causing the sword's momentum to shift slightly.

It's just this one thread.

Siren sidestepped the sword, avoiding the vital spot between his eyebrows, and let the blade graz his shoulder before grabbing Clement's wrist with his other hand.

Clement flipped his wrist, and the hilt of his sword struck Siron's palm.

boom!

A muffled sound underwater.

Xilun felt excruciating pain in his metacarpal bone, but he forced his five fingers together, and a chilling breath emanated from the point of contact.

A look of surprise flashed in Clement's eyes.

He didn't expect that Xilun would still dare to launch a close-range attack despite being injured, lacking oxygen, and being suppressed by the water network.

What I didn't expect was that the chill was so cunning; it didn't just freeze the skin and flesh, but tried to penetrate the joints, blood vessels, and nerves.

Clement's shoulder trembled slightly.

The power of the third-order aberrant erupted, directly blasting Xilun away.

At the same time, the rapier slashed back.

Xilun raised his gun to block.

The golden spear is much heavier underwater, but the spear body is tough enough.

Ding!

The rapier struck the spear shaft, and the sparks extinguished in the water.

Using the momentum, Xilun went downhill and his back slammed into the reef.

A mouthful of blood welled up in his throat, but he forced it back down.

We can't delay.

If this continues, even if his adaptive organs allow him to stay underwater longer, his injuries will wear him down first.

He closed his eyes briefly.

Deep within the core of his spirit, a wisp of white light gently caressed the restless thoughts.

peaceful.

A very brief moment of tranquility.

The seawater, the stench of blood, the chill, the thunder, Clement's swordplay, and the runic fluctuations of the water-sealing network were all forcibly separated into layers in that instant.

Xilun saw the flaw in the net.

It's not a rune.

It's a steel cable.

To maintain the watertightness, the netting relies on crossbows and winches to continuously pull and create a closed area. If one side of the cable breaks, the seawater flow will resume momentarily.

A moment is enough.

Xilun suddenly looked up.

Clement is closing in again.

The rapier pierced his chest.

Xilun did not dodge.

Instead, he went to meet him.

The sword pierced through the leather armor and embedded itself in the outside of the right chest.

A sharp pain exploded.

Clement's eyes flickered slightly as he immediately realized something was wrong. He tried to draw his sword, but found that Siren had clamped the blade between his ribs and muscles.

The next instant, Xilun pressed his left hand on the rapier, released the gun barrel with his right hand, and brought his five fingers together like a knife, stabbing towards the scales on Clement's chest.

Lightning gathered between his fingers.

Clement raised his knee and rammed into him.

Xilun's chest cavity was almost collapsed from the impact, and the blood in his mouth could no longer be contained, mixing with the seawater.

But his right hand also landed on the circle of dark blue scales.

Thunder erupted.

Suddenly, the underwater area turned white.

Clement's sea-hunting gear flashed violently, scales bursting one after another. His body stiffened briefly, and the rapier in his hand paused for a moment.

Taking advantage of the opportunity, Xilun retreated, grabbed the golden spear, and threw it backhand.

The gun was not thrown at Clement.

Instead, it was thrown towards the steel cable on the left.

The power of the Crimson Star had not fully formed, but it condensed into a dark red dot at the tip of the spear.

puff!

The steel cable broke.

A corner of the water-sealing net suddenly collapsed.

The stagnant seawater around them instantly came to life.

Siron spreads his arms.

The talent for water division was pushed to its limit.

The seawater on all sides suddenly surged out to both sides, forming a brief underwater cavity.

The cavity was unstable at the edges and was about to close in an instant, but at that moment, the lightning bolt shot outwards along the resumed flow of the water.

Clement was forced to retreat.

The guards on the steamship above screamed as several of them were struck down by lightning bolts that shot back along the steel cables, and the runes on their crossbows exploded one after another.

Xilun grabbed the broken steel cable and used the force of the water to rush towards the distant reefs.

Clement steadied himself, and his expression finally darkened.

His chest armor was charred black, and his right hand was slightly numb.

The injury is not serious.

But it was a disgrace.

A second-tier enemy, under his and the heavy weapon's combined attack, not only did not die immediately, but also destroyed the steamship's propulsion system, severed the water sealing net, and almost took away his Sea Hunter Scale Armor.

Clement surfaced and wiped the seawater off his face.

"team leader!"

The guard, his voice trembling, gripped the crossbow. "He went into the reefs! Should we chase him?"

Clement gazed at the churning Black Sea.

The smell of blood left by Xilun was very strong.

In the sea, the bloodstains would be washed away, but with such an injury, he couldn't stay underwater forever.

Moreover, Tusol's hunting party never relied solely on sight to track people.

Clement flipped onto the ship, ripped off his tattered scales, revealing scorch marks on his chest from the lightning.

He was not angry.

After a moment of silence, he took out a slender silver needle from his leather case and pierced the back of his hand.

The syringe contained a pale blue liquid.

The cold sensation spread through the bloodstream, and the numbness in my arm quickly subsided.

"Repair the thrusters."

He said, "We're launching hound boats with blood-sensing compasses."

The guard hesitated and said, "The Third Elder said there's no need to capture him alive, but he has Moon Phase Silver Marrow on him..."

He didn't bring a suitcase.

Clement looked into the depths of the reef's shadow.

Rena has disappeared.

Xilun deliberately made himself the most conspicuous prey.

The lunar phase silver marrow has most likely been taken away by that woman, or hidden in some secret passage in the reef area.

But it's okay.

Killing Xilun and obtaining the Moon Phase Silver Marrow is only a matter of time.

"Pursue her first."

Clement's voice was soft. "The material only has meaning if he were alive."

Konoe said no more.

The steamboat was bustling with activity again.

Hundreds of feet away, Xilun crept stealthily along the shadows of the reef.

Seawater poured into the wound, only to be sealed back in by the cold breath time and time again.

He was bleeding from his right chest, left rib, and shoulder.

The bloodstains kept healing, only to be torn open again by the remnants of Clement's sword energy. Each healing was like piercing flesh with a red-hot needle.

Xilun was pale, but he didn't stop.

He could feel Rena getting further and further away.

This is good.

He doesn't need Rena to come back and save him.

That would only lead to everyone dying together.

At the end of the reef group, there is an underground current leading to the cliffside water cave north of Baiya Town. Beyond the water cave is a rocky beach, and twenty miles further inland, there is an abandoned quarry valley.

Reina reported this before.

The terrain there is complex, with underground water-filled caves and old mine tunnels outside.

Suitable for hiding.

It is also suitable for healing wounds.

Xilun took a very light breath underwater.

A burning pain shot through my lungs.

Adaptive organs are not a miracle.

It allows him to survive underwater longer and withstand harsher environments, but it cannot make his damaged body never need air again, nor can it erase the third-order sword wound.

Behind him, the faint fluctuations of the Blood Compass could be heard.

Tusol caught up.

Xilun raised his hand and pressed it against the wound on his chest. There was no panic in his eyes, only a growing coldness.

Oin sent out a third-tier soldier because he was afraid Oin would be promoted.

Clement brought a water-sealing net because he knew Clement was skilled in aquatic activities.

They were very well prepared.

But that's not enough.

Xilun bit his tongue, using the pain to steady his consciousness, and slid into the deeper darkness with the undercurrent.

A chill slowly circulated within his body.

The aftershocks of the great thunderclap still echoed among our bones.

The barrier that had imprisoned the Xuan Yin Breathing Technique for so long seemed to finally develop a tiny crack amidst severe injuries, lack of oxygen, cold, and pursuit.

It's not a breakthrough.

There's still a long way to go.

But he has already reached the threshold.

Xilun closed his eyes, then quickly opened them again.

Ahead, at the entrance to the water cave, sharp reefs resembled the teeth of a monster.

He did not slow down.

His body slid against the rock wall as he plunged into it, the blood trailing in a long line by the undercurrent, only to break in the next surge.

On the sea behind them, Clement's houndboat lit up with cold lights.

A longer chase has officially begun.

As dawn broke, a light rain began to fall on the rocky beach north of Baiya Town.

The rain was fine, falling silently on the sea rocks, only making the entire mudflat appear even colder and more gloomy.

Xilun crawled out of a partially collapsed water hole.

He didn't walk out.

He used his hands to grip the crevices in the rocks and drag his body ashore inch by inch.

The black trench coat was tattered beyond recognition, the fabric on the chest and left side was soaked with blood, and the cold air had frozen it into a dark red crust.

The wound on my right shoulder had curled up, with sea salt and grit stuck inside, and every time I raised my arm, it caused excruciating pain.

He lay prone among the rocks, listening quietly for ten breaths.

The sound of the tide.

The sound of rain.

The screams of seabirds in the distance.

And further away, the steamboats were making low, rumbling vibrations.

Clement did not give up.

The people of Tusol did not give up.

Xilun propped himself up and spat out a mouthful of bloody seawater.

He cannot stay here.

The rocky beach was too open and the bloodstains too obvious. As soon as the hunting boat docked, the blood-sensing compass could quickly lock onto the direction.

He took out a cleaning agent from the inner bag of the oilcloth, bit off the cork, tilted his head back and drank it down.

The medicine slid down my throat, bringing a brief cooling sensation.

There is no pollution.

I'm still tired.

The wound was only worsened by being pressed down.

Xilun took out a small bottle of hemostatic powder and pressed it into the sword wound on his left side without expression.

laugh.

White smoke rose.

The skin felt like it was being burned.

The veins on his forehead bulged, but his hands didn't tremble at all.

For him, pain has long ceased to be merely torture.

It also serves as a reminder.

It reminds him that he is still alive, that he cannot make mistakes, and that those behind him will not slow down even a step because of his exhaustion.