Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

The next instant, he leaped down from the tree branch.

The blue robes billowed in mid-air, and the curved sword emitted a long, thin tremor.

Hogg didn't pounce on Samuel or Elena, but went straight for Siron.

He saw it very clearly.

This rogue cultivator from the outer sea, wielding a golden spear, was the key to breaking through the enemy's defenses.

If we kill him, the right flank can be rejoined.

When Hogg landed, not a drop of mud or water splashed up from his toes.

The curved sword had already reached Xilun's brow.

fast.

Extremely fast.

The sword light was not like the slashing of ordinary swords, but like a blue sharp fish suddenly leaping out from under the sea surface—slender, ruthless, and cold, specifically targeting the angles that were hardest to catch.

Xilun blocked the way with his spear.

Ding!

The curved sword touched the gun.

Despite its narrow blade, the impact force was astonishing. A spiraling penetrating force emanated from the spear, drilling into Xilun's tendons along his arm, as if trying to shatter his energy channels.

Xilun's eyes narrowed.

Third-level expert.

And it's not a regular third-order one.

Hogger's attack missed, and his sword stance immediately changed.

The curved sword slid down along the gun barrel, slicing towards Xilun's fingers.

With his other hand, he drew a short flintlock pistol from his waist and aimed it at Siron's chest at close range.

Swords and spears came crashing down at the same time.

Xilun released one hand, using the momentum to lower the gun and avoid the slashing sword. At the same time, he slapped the side of the short musket with his left palm.

boom!

The muskets exploded.

The lead bullet missed his chest and pierced the tree trunk behind Siron's shoulder.

Hogg grinned, his knee already slamming into Siron's stomach.

Siren also raised his knee.

boom!

Their knees collided.

Shake the wet mud to loosen it.

Hogg used the momentum to retreat half a step, and with his curved sword, he drew out three points of blue light, which he thrust towards Xilun's throat, the corner of his eye, and his heart respectively.

The golden spear of Xilun spun around, its tip touching the ground. Using the springiness of the shaft, it shifted half a step to the side, dodging the two swords, and then blocked the third sword with the butt of the spear.

Ding.

The firelight flashed briefly in the dark, dense forest before disappearing.

Hogg's eyes became completely serious.

"No wonder Samuel was willing to bring you along. You're much harder to kill than those disciplined disciples raised in monasteries."

Xilun said calmly, "You talk too much."

Hogg's smile froze.

Immediately, the blue energy emanating from his body surged dramatically.

The surrounding black water churned violently, as if drawn by some kind of sword intent, and thin streams of water sprang up from the muddy water, wrapping around Xilun's legs.

"Then let's see how many sword strikes you can withstand."

Hogg's figure suddenly blurred.

Under the cover of the waterline, the blue sword thrust seven times in succession, each thrust appearing to emerge from a different direction, making it difficult to distinguish between reality and illusion.

With the waterline entangled around Xilun's feet, his movements were restricted. If he tried to break free, he would inevitably expose a weakness.

Elena's expression changed slightly in the distance.

She tried to return to help, but was stopped by the pirate swordsmen who surged out again.

Samuel also witnessed this scene, a complex look flashing in his eyes.

He certainly didn't want Xilen to die here.

If Siren is severely injured by Hogg, then there will be no doubt about who will dominate the team afterwards.

The moment the thought crossed Samuel’s mind, he saw the waterline beside Siron suddenly stop for a moment.

It wasn't Hogg who stopped.

Instead, the water seemed to suddenly stop obeying Hogg.

Xilun lowered his eyes.

Hydrophilic control allows for silent deployment.

His control over water may not be stronger than Hogg's, who specializes in water-based swordsmanship, but in close proximity, a moment's disruption is enough.

The waterline that was wrapping around his legs shifted slightly.

Among the seven sword lights, the truly deadly third sword was revealed.

Xilun stepped through the mud and water.

The golden spear didn't defend; instead, it thrust out directly.

The simplest move in the Red Star Spear Technique.

Straight stab.

Steady, ruthless, and accurate.

Hogg's pupils contracted.

He hadn't expected Xilun to be able to catch the real sword amidst the waterline blockade, nor had he expected the other party to dare to forcefully counter-stab him amidst his seven swords.

This shot forced him to parry with his sword.

Ding!

The spear tip collided with the curved sword.

Hogg felt a slight numbness in his wrist and slid two steps backward.

Xilun did not pursue.

He stood in the black puddle, a bloodstain slowly seeping from his shoulder, but his expression remained calm.

Hogg looked at his curved sword.

There was a very shallow indentation on the blade.

His smile gradually faded.

"Golden Greatsword, Water-type talent, can even withstand my Blue Tide Sword."

Hogg licked his lips, a deeper murderous intent surfacing in his eyes.

"It seems killing you is more worthwhile than killing Samuel."

Xilen's fingers tightened slightly as he gripped the gun.

On the other side, Elena finally repelled the swordsmen blocking her path and shouted sharply, "Silen, don't linger! Move closer to me!"

But just then, a third whistle suddenly sounded from deeper in the dense forest.

This was not an order from the musket team.

Lower, longer, as if coming from the depths of a lake.

Roel's expression changed drastically.

"There are still people!"

Deep within the Black Abyss Forest, towards the river, a narrow, long black boat, disguised as a withered branch, slowly glides out.

A figure wearing a cloak stood at the bow of the ship.

He held a pale blue oil lamp in his hand.

The moment the lights came on, the surrounding putrid water began to bubble, and the white-washed corpses in the mud slowly rose up, their empty eye sockets turning towards the people of the Holy Light Monastery.

Elena's heart sank.

The Blue Ocean pirates not only had musket squads lying in ambush.

They also brought with them extraordinary beings who manipulated corpses.

Huo raised his curved sword again, and laughter rang out once more.

"Now, the hunt is just beginning."

……

As soon as the eerie blue lights came on, the Black Abyss Forest seemed to be suddenly gripped by some icy hand.

The foul-smelling water churned, bubbles burst, and a nauseating stench filled the air.

The whitish corpses slowly rose from the mud, their bodies still covered in water plants and rotten pieces of cloth, their joints making soft creaking sounds as they turned.

They are not living people.

But the moment they looked up, a faint blue flame appeared in their empty eye sockets.

"Get back from the horde of zombies! Don't let them get close!"

Elena's voice was cold and sharp, and her twin swords were already drawn.

With one sword she severed the arm of the lunging, decaying corpse, and with another, she sliced ​​open half of its neck.

But the thing just tilted its head and continued to pounce on her.

Roel stepped aside, his face grim: "The corpse manipulator is on the ship! If we don't deal with him, we'll never finish off these things!"

"Then let's just hold on!"

Samuel let out a low shout, and the power of his Overturning Sea Technique suddenly exploded.

A surge of energy, like the sound of a tide, welled up from his body, casting a deep blue sheen on the blade.

He took a step forward, his long sword sweeping across, slicing three rotting corpses in half at the waist, rotting flesh and sewage splattering everywhere.

But the next moment, the severed half of the corpse on the ground continued to crawl, dragging its intestines, and reached out to grab his ankle.

Samuel's eyes darkened.

He flicked his wrist, and the tip of the knife pierced the ground.

boom!

A wave of deep blue energy spread out along the muddy water, causing the rotting corpses within a radius of several feet to pause in unison, their skeletons making a series of cracking sounds inside their bodies.

This is the external release of energy from the third level of the Overturning Sea Technique.

It is difficult for ordinary outer court disciples to achieve such profound proficiency.

The expressions of the surrounding pirates changed.

Samuel coldly looked up at the black ship: "You cowardly creature, daring to play tricks in front of the Disciplinary Hall disciples?"

The cloaked man did not answer.

He simply shook the pale blue oil lamp in his hand.

As the lights flickered, the blue dots inside the rotting corpses suddenly surged, and their movements became even more ferocious, like a pack of painless aquatic beasts, dragging their rotten flesh as they pounced on the group.

At the same time, muskets rang out again from all around.

Bang bang bang!

The lead bullet pierced through the leaves, tore through the rain and mist, and splashed mud and water everywhere.

Siren blocked two lead bullets with his spear, the gun vibrating. He had just stepped back when Hogg, the Blue Swordsman, was already upon him.

The pirate gave him no time to catch his breath.

The curved sword, like a venomous snake spitting its tongue, pierced Xilun's shoulder, throat, and ribs in succession.

Each sword strike carries a fine, watery energy; even before the sword tip arrives, the icy, piercing sensation has already penetrated the flesh.

Xilun swung his golden spear steadily.

He parried and deflected the first two sword strikes with the gun barrel. The third sword, however, slid down the gun barrel, grazing his ribs and leaving a shallow bloodstain.

Hogg grinned. "Your companions are all tied up; no one can save you now."

Xilun did not speak.

His breath settled into his chest and abdomen, and the Overturning Sea Technique surged through his skin, flesh, and tendons like a tidal wave.

The foundation he had built up over the past six months was now showing its effect; even though Hogg's sword strikes were tricky, the flow of energy within his body did not immediately collapse.

But Hogg is indeed very strong.

This person wasn't a sea monster hunter like Roel who relied on experience to compensate for his lack of experience; he was a true Tier 3 killer who had fought his way up.

He has no obvious weaknesses in swordsmanship, firearms, water-based energy, or close combat.

To make matters worse, the surrounding pirates are pressing in again.

Xilun glanced at the battlefield.

Roel was entangled by two exceptionally tall, decaying corpses. His double blades sliced ​​through the bodies quickly, but he couldn't completely stop them from rising again.

Of Samuel's two henchmen, the thin young man was shot in the shoulder and turned pale, barely able to defend himself with his short spear; the other protected him as they retreated, forced to the side of a fallen old tree.

Samuel is under the most direct pressure.

Corpses, swordsmen, and muskets all pressed down on him and Elena.

He suddenly shouted angrily and took out a sea-blue seashell from his pocket with his left hand.

The seashell was covered with dense silver patterns, and as soon as it appeared, the surrounding moisture seemed to be summoned to gather towards it.

Elena caught a glimpse of the seashell, and her eyes flickered slightly.

"Samuel, do you want to use it now?"

"If we don't use it now, are we just waiting to be worn down to death by this rotting flesh?"

Samuel's face darkened, and he crushed the edge of the seashell with his thumb.

Crack.

The silver veins cracked.

A deep, resonant sound of ocean waves emanated from inside the seashell.

The next instant, a phantom of the deep sea seemed to appear behind Samuel, with surging tides and a surge of power.

He raised his longsword, and the deep blue energy transformed into an arc-shaped wave blade, slashing fiercely forward.

boom!

More than ten rotting corpses were crushed with a single blow, and the rotten flesh, bone fragments, and muddy water were swept up by the force of the waves into a murky curtain of water.

Several pirates hiding behind the rotting corpses were caught off guard and their chests and abdomens exploded simultaneously, sending them flying backward with screams.

Even the cloaked figures on the black ship paused for a moment.

Samuel's temple veins throbbed, clearly indicating that this attack had taken a toll on him.

But his face showed a cold and arrogant expression.

"Keep pushing! Fight your way out!"

His strike did indeed break through the pressure from the front.

Elena did not waste the opportunity.

She lightly touched the muddy water with her footsteps, her whole body flashing out like a silver-white line.

The two swords clashed and danced in her hands. Unlike Hogg's swords, which were sinister and unpredictable, the sword light was clean, bright, and sharp, like two damp marks washed by moonlight.

boom!

A lead bullet came from the side.

Elena swung her sword backhand, the spine of the blade striking the lead bullet precisely, sending it flying into the mud.

Three more lead bullets were fired in quick succession at her chest, waist, and forehead.

She crossed her two swords, spun around, and struck three times with her silver sword.

Ding Ding Ding!

She deflected all three lead bullets with the blade of her sword, and sparks exploded in the rain and mist.

A musketeer in the distance stared wide-eyed.

"What kind of monster is this woman?"

Elena ignored her.

Taking advantage of the moment when the musket was being reloaded, she steadily closed in on Hogg.

Hogg was suppressing Xiren when he suddenly felt a sword intent approaching from the side, and his expression darkened slightly.

He swung his sword to block Elena's thrust at the back of her neck, and at the same time fired his short musket in a backhand motion.

boom!

Elena slashed diagonally with her right sword, and the lead bullet grazed the blade and flew away.

Taking advantage of the situation, she closed in and aimed her left sword straight at Hogg's wrist, which was holding the gun.

Hogg snorted and bent backward as if boneless, dodging the sword tip, then kicked Elena in the knee.

Elena didn't retreat; she pressed down with her right sword, forcing Hogg to pull back his leg.

Seizing the moment, Siron thrust his golden spear straight at Hogg's ribs.

A pincer attack from both sides.

A fierce glint flashed in Hogg's eyes.

The mud and water beneath his feet suddenly burst open, and he used the force of the water to slide back several feet, escaping the attack of the two men.

As he landed, he flicked his sword, water droplets falling from its blade, and a smile returned to his face.

"Klein's daughter from the Correctional Institution is quite capable."

Elena's eyes turned slightly cold: "You know me?"

"There aren't many beautiful female swordsmen on Star Ring Island who can wield dual swords, especially since that young master from the Sea Demon Temple still has his eye on you."

Hogg smiled maliciously, "If we capture you and take you back, the price will probably be much higher than killing a few outer court disciples."

Elena was not provoked.

She simply lowered her twin swords slowly, her breathing calm, as the power of her Overturning Sea Technique accumulated layer upon layer within her body.

Xilun glanced at her.

He could sense that Elena's sword intent had changed.

The urgency of the rescue had vanished, and the situation had escalated into a full-blown battle.

"Silon, cut off his retreat."

Elena's voice was very low.

Xilun nodded, his golden spear tilting downwards as he positioned himself to press down on the black pool to his right.

Hogg licked his lips: "You two want to kill me?"

Elena did not answer.

She suddenly lunged forward.

The two swords were drawn simultaneously, their light surging like a tide. The left sword blocked Hogg's curved sword, while the right sword slashed towards the waist and abdomen.

Almost simultaneously, Siren stepped onto the water, and his golden spear thrust out from the other side, its tip aimed directly at Hogg's retreat.

Hogg's face turned cold.

With a flick of his curved sword, he blocked Elena's left sword, and fired a shot from his short musket close to her right sword.

Elena turned her head to avoid it, and a line of blood appeared on her cheek from the lead bullet.

She refused to back down an inch.

With a series of swift sword strikes, Hogg was forced to retreat half a step towards Xiren.

The spearhead of Xilun has arrived.

Hogg had no choice but to turn his sword away.

Ding!

His curved sword blocked the spear tip, but Elena's right sword was already slashing towards his shoulder.

The water surged beneath Hogg's feet, forcibly twisting his body, and a bloody gash appeared on his shoulder from the sword's edge.

He was finally injured.

Although it was just a superficial injury, it made his expression grim.

"very good."

Hogg took a few steps back, his left hand holding a short flintlock pistol, and suddenly flung a small black bottle out of his sleeve.

The bottle fell to the ground and broke.

A wisp of black smoke drifted out from the broken bottle.

At first, it was just a wisp, like smoke from burning damp charcoal. But in the blink of an eye, the black smoke expanded into a ball, churning and surging outwards.

Roel caught a whiff of it from afar, and his expression changed drastically.

"Hold your breath! That's black wolf smoke!"

Elena immediately retreated.

But this was the moment Hogg had been waiting for.

He seemed to be able to control the poisonous smoke, causing it to slowly envelop and surround Siren and Elena.

Black smoke is not just toxic.

It seems to have a spirit, chasing after a person's mouth and nose, and can even invade their spirit through their eyes and ears.