Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

Elena took more than a dozen blows, and her breathing gradually became heavier.

Sweat clung to her cuffs and forehead, and her training clothes clung to her shoulders and back, outlining her taut lines.

After another exchange, she slapped Xilun's wrist away with one palm and used the force to retreat three zhang away.

"Is that enough?"

Xilun looked at her.

"That's fine too."

Elena wiped the sweat from her brow, her chest heaving slightly, and suddenly asked, "Is that all?"

Several disciples on the sidelines looked on with strange expressions.

Is that all?

The fact that a third-tier cultivator could simultaneously display water chill, thunderous sound, deathly silence breath, and solid fist and foot techniques was already frightening enough.

Xilun shook his head.

"No."

Without hesitation, he pulled his hand to his waist and gripped a large spear in his palm.

The golden spear gleamed with a deep luster under the light.

"This is just the beginning."

The moment Xilun gripped the spear, his entire demeanor changed.

During the fight, he was like a deep pool.

Calm, oppressive, danger lurks beneath the surface.

But when the gun barrel fell into his palm, it was as if an iron stake had suddenly been erected in that deep water, and all the undercurrents had a direction.

Elena, who had already adjusted her breathing, immediately became serious upon seeing this scene.

Instead of drawing her sword, she took a training staff from the weapon rack on the sidelines.

"Gunmanship?"

"Um."

Xilun stood in the center of the training ground.

The white light from the lamppost fell on him, illuminating his slightly thin profile.

Six months of retraining the Overturning Sea Technique restored much of his physical strength, but it still couldn't completely erase the traces left by his old injuries.

But his hands were very steady.

When holding the gun, he was as steady as if the gun was meant to be there.

Several more disciples appeared on the sidelines without anyone noticing.

Some were alarmed by the Breath of the Styx, while others, having heard that Senior Sister Elena was sparring with that third-tier rogue cultivator from the outer sea, came specifically to watch.

At that moment, seeing Xilun take out the gun, a few hushed whispers arose from the crowd.

"Isn't his Water-Cold Technique powerful?"

"It seems the register says he's a good marksman."

"Not bad? For Senior Sister Elena to allow us to continue testing the weapon, it must be more than just not bad."

Elena held the staff in both hands, striking a proper and conventional pose with the Overturning Sea Technique.

"Come."

Xilun didn't stand on ceremony.

He took a step forward.

The spear thrust out silently.

This shot lacked the crimson explosion of the Crimson Star Spear, the chilling aura of the Styx River, and even the presence of lightning.

It's just pure marksmanship.

straight.

stable.

fast.

The spear tip left a pale golden afterimage in the air, instantly touching Elena's forehead three inches away.

Elena's pupils contracted slightly, and the long stick moved horizontally.

clang!

The impact of the gun and the club caused her wrist to sink.

It's so heavy.

It's not just about being strong.

It was as if all of Xilun's bones, muscles, and tendons pressed down along the gun barrel in that instant.

Even though he hadn't yet mastered the Yi Jin Hua Qi technique, his use of power was already terrifyingly refined.

Elena's foot slid back half an inch, and she immediately used the Overturning Sea Technique to deflect the force.

The second shot from Kexiren has already been fired.

The first shot went straight for the center of the forehead.

The second shot, however, rose from below, aiming for her ribs.

Elena turned to the side and pressed down with the long stick.

As soon as the spear tip was lowered, Xilun twisted his wrist, and the spear shaft, like a living snake, slid half a foot along the shaft and lashed out at the back of her hand.

Snapped!

Elena was forced to release one hand, and the long stick nearly slipped from her grasp.

Someone on the sidelines whispered.

Instead of launching a heavy attack, Xiren merely flicked the tip of his spear, forcing Elena to retreat.

Three shots.

With just three shots, Elena realized that this was no ordinary "gunman."

This is a skill honed in the face of life and death.

It doesn't pursue aesthetics or flaunt complex variations; every inch of distance is calculated with extreme precision, and every shot is as if the opponent's next weakness has already been anticipated.

Elena took a deep breath and channeled the power of her Overturning Sea Technique into the long staff.

She no longer regarded Xilun as a new team member who needed to be tested, but as a true rival of equal strength.

The sound of the tide rose from within her body.

The long staff swept horizontally, like waves pushing against reefs.

Xilun took a half step back.

With the butt of the spear touching the ground, he used the momentum to spin around, the spear tip drawing an arc from the side, just avoiding the strongest point of the staff's attack, and counter-stabbing Elena's shoulder socket.

Elena used her elbow to press down on the spear, and the long staff slammed into Siron's chest.

Xilun loosened his right hand and gripped the butt of the gun with his left, his body shifting sideways like a shadow blown by the wind.

The long stick brushed past my clothes.

The next instant, he gripped the middle of the spear shaft with his right hand again, and the entire spear suddenly swung back in front of him.

boom!

The gun barrel slammed into Elena's long staff.

Her hand went numb, and she stumbled back three steps.

Before she could even stand properly, the tip of the gun was already at her throat.

They are very close.

Elena was so close that she could feel the slight coolness from the tip of the gun.

There was silence all around.

Xilun put away his gun.

"Thank you for your concession."

Elena looked at him without saying a word.

Sweat trickled down her temples, soaking the back of her training uniform. Her fingers tightened slightly as she gripped the long stick, and it took her a while to exhale.

"Again."

The disciples on the sidelines looked at each other in bewilderment.

"Want to try again?" Siren asked.

"certainly."

Elena raised her chin.

"I didn't take you seriously just now."

There was no anger in her tone, but rather a hint of sharpness that had been provoked.

"People in the correctional facility can lose, but they can't lose without understanding why."

Xilun nodded.

"it is good."

In the second round, Elena became noticeably more cautious.

Instead of launching a rash attack, she utilized the continuous nature of the Overturning Sea Technique to construct a defensive line with the force of her staff.

The long staff in her hands rose and fell like the tide, sometimes heavy and oppressive, sometimes light and nimble, trying her best to prevent the tip of Xilun's spear from entering the center line.

This time, she lasted even longer.

After twenty moves, Xilun suddenly changed his rhythm.

He used to aim every shot at vital points, cold, hard, and accurate.

But when the spear was thrust out, it retreated half an inch first.

A retreat may conceal an advance.

Elena's heart skipped a beat, and she instinctively used her long staff to block the front.

But Siron's gun didn't go straight in.

The spear tip dipped slightly halfway through its flight, grazing beneath the shadow of the stick, like a fish sinking to the bottom of a wave, silently pointing towards her knee.

Elena twisted her body forcefully to avoid this.

However, Xilun's gun had already swept across.

boom!

The long staff flew out of his hand, hit the stone ground, and rolled twice.

The gun tip stopped in front of her again.

This time, it points to the heart.

Elena stood still, her chest heaving more noticeably than before.

She glanced down at the tip of the gun in front of her heart, then looked up at Xilun.

"You didn't use your full strength."

Xilun put away his gun.

"Just a friendly exchange."

"I didn't draw my sword either."

"Um."

Elena suddenly laughed in exasperation.

This "hmm" sounds very serious, but it's so serious that it leaves you speechless.

She bent down, picked up the long stick, and threw it back onto the weapon rack.

The disciples on the sidelines seemed to finally be able to breathe again, and their hushed discussions instantly erupted.

"That marksmanship..."

"Extraordinary skill?"

"Definitely! How could ordinary spear techniques possibly suppress Senior Sister Elena so much that she didn't even have a chance to draw her sword?"

"Wasn't he only hospitalized for six months? Are all the independent cultivators in the open sea this fierce?"

"No wonder the monk Allah sent him to the correctional facility."

Upon hearing the words "extraordinary skill," Elena made her own judgment.

She knew that Xilen was still hiding something.

The spear we just used did not display the Blood Seal Spear Technique mentioned in the register, nor did it have any explosive killing moves.

He used only basic marksmanship and body control to make her feel very uncomfortable.

In a real life-or-death struggle, one can certainly draw one's sword, use more of the Overturning Sea Technique's secret moves, and even employ the Disciplinary Academy's killing methods.

Ke Xilun also didn't reveal his trump card.

This person is very suitable for suppressing pirates.

Calm, solid, with extensive experience in killing, and will not recklessly use dangerous techniques on a large scale due to momentary impulse.

The only problem is that he's too cold.

He was so cold that he didn't seem like someone who could be easily commanded.

Elena walked up to Siron and grabbed his sleeve.

"Walk."

Xilun glanced down at the sleeve that she had grabbed.

Elena acted as if she didn't see him.

"There are too many people here, let's go outside to discuss this."

She pulled Xilun away from the training ground, across a path shaded by trees, and they arrived at a secluded pavilion by East Lake.

A night breeze blew, and the lake surface rippled with tiny, sparkling waves.

Elena released her grip, leaned against the pavilion pillar for a while to catch her breath, and then said, "You did alright."

Xilun looked at her collar, which was soaked with sweat, and then at the wrinkles on his own cuffs from being pulled.

"Just okay?"

Elena glanced at him sideways.

"Or what? Should I praise your amazing marksmanship right now, and let you gloat until tomorrow?"

Xilun thought for a moment.

"I won't."

Elena was momentarily speechless.

After a moment, she suddenly burst out laughing.

"I don't know whether to call you boring or honest."

Xilun did not respond.

Elena's smile quickly faded, and she got down to business.

"The team tasked with eliminating the pirates is tentatively set at five people."

"I am in charge of command and also responsible for direct suppression."

"The other three were introduced by others. One is good at tracking, one is good at firearms and explosives, and the other is said to be very good at underwater combat. I don't know him very well, so I'll have to see him for a while."

She looked at Xilun.

"After you join, you'll mainly be working with me."

"Your Water-Cold Technique, Styx Breath, and Spear Technique are all suitable for cutting off the opponent's retreat at crucial moments."

If we encounter a level three pirate, I'll hold them off while you find an opportunity to kill them.

Xilun nodded.

"Can."

Elena stared at him.

"There's one more thing."

"you say."

"You must follow my instructions."

Her tone became serious.

"During the mission, all actions shall be subject to my orders."

Even if I'm wrong, you have to listen to me first. You can't argue with me on the spot, you can't act on your own, and you certainly can't embarrass me.

Xilun remained silent for a moment.

Elena added, "It's not about putting on airs."

"In the heat of battle, the team can only have one voice. If you think I'm wrong, you can say so afterward, or remind me when it won't affect the formation."

But if everyone acts according to their own judgment, even if everyone is very capable, chaos will ensue.

Celen recalled many nights in Victoria.

Brotherhood, old textile factory, divine war, escape.

He wasn't unaware of this principle.

He's just not used to entrusting his life to others.

Especially after experiencing so many things.

Elena seemed to sense his hesitation and softened her voice slightly.

"I know that most independent cultivators like you don't like being managed."

"But if you want the qualifications and the materials, you have to follow the rules of the monastery."

I spearheaded this task, and I'll be the one to recommend you for the credit. If you join, you must make sure I can trust you completely.

Xilun gazed at the lake.

The lake was very still.

It was as quiet as the nights he spent in seclusion at Emerald Lake, and as still as the deathly silence of Victoria's Old Courtyard after the rain.

After a while, he said, "As long as I'm not sent to my death in vain, I'll follow orders."

Elena stated bluntly, "I won't joke around with my teammates' lives."

Xilun nodded.

"That's fine."

Elena was finally satisfied.

"besides."

She crossed her arms over her chest, her tone becoming a little more relaxed.

"After all, it was because of my connections that you were introduced to the team. If you actually get the inner court qualification, you'll owe me one."

Xilun looked at her.

Elena said matter-of-factly, "Don't look at me like that. It's very difficult to get a spot in the inner academy. I'll make a connection for you, and you can repay me later. It's fair."

"What favor?"

"I haven't decided yet."

"Nothing too big will do."

"Don't worry, I'm not one of those bastards from the Sea Demon Temple who like to force marriages and bully others."

As soon as she said those words, a cold glint flashed in Elena's eyes.

Xilun noticed it, but didn't ask any further questions.

Everyone has their own troubles.

He no longer has the energy to reopen other people's wounds.

Elena quickly recovered.

"In short, I won't let you do anything against the rules of the monastery, nor will I send you to your death."

Xilun said, "Okay."

"You agreed so quickly?"

"I need to be qualified."

Elena shook her head helplessly.

"You really wear your intentions on your sleeve."

Xilun thought for a moment and said seriously, "This will save more time."

Elena laughed again.

The night breeze by the lake made her laughter very soft.

"The mission will depart in about three days. Use these few days to prepare, don't go into too much seclusion, and maintain your condition."

"What do I need to bring?"

"Common weapons, medicines, and clothing that allows movement on the beach and in wetlands."

When pirates come ashore to buy supplies, they usually don't stay in clean places; they might stay at abandoned docks, reef caves, black market warehouses, or even a coastal village.

Elena's expression turned cold as she finished speaking.

"This group rarely leaves anyone alive. If they find their tracks have been exposed, their first reaction is either to flee or to kill everyone who has seen them."

"Is the mission objective capture, or encirclement and annihilation?" Siren asked.

"Prioritize identity verification."

Elena said, "It would be best to capture them alive. If they resist, kill them without hesitation."

Xilun nodded calmly.

Slaughter without exception.

These four words are clearer than many vague commands.

Elena glanced at him and couldn't help but remind him, "The 'don't kill people' rule doesn't apply this time. But don't kill innocent bystanders either. Monasteries are not like pirates."

"clear."

Elena took a small silver badge from her sleeve and handed it to him.

The emblem features the disciplinary house's sword and wave pattern on the front, and a very small number on the back.

"Temporary team member certificate"

"Tomorrow afternoon, go to the disciplinary office to register. After that, I'll call the other three over so they can meet each other first. You'd better not come up here looking like you're about to nail someone to the ground."

Xilun accepted the emblem.

"That's how I usually am."

Elena paused for a moment.

"Then try to talk less."

Xilun nodded.

"Can."

Elena sighed and rubbed her forehead.

She suddenly realized that this team might not be as easy as she had imagined.

However, with Xilun around, the chances of the mission succeeding will be much greater.

She still remembered the feeling when that gun was stopped in front of her throat.

cold.

stable.

It contained not a trace of excessive killing intent, yet it was more terrifying than deliberately revealing murderous intent.

If such a person sides with the enemy, it will make people sleep soundly.

But if you stand on your own side, it does make you feel much more at ease.