Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

Samuel was not far from her, but she knew very well that he could not save her.

Or rather, he didn't come to the rescue.

On the contrary, this aloof rogue cultivator from the outer sea forced his way through the black smoke and carried her away from the sword.

Elena looked away, not wanting to appear too vulnerable.

She changed the subject, saying, "I didn't expect Hogg to have Black Fiend Smoke on him."

Siren, who was examining Hogg's body, asked upon hearing this, "Is it rare?"

"It's rare, and it's dangerous." Elena's face was pale, and her voice was still weak.

"That thing is usually only in the hands of fourth-tier pirates. It can confuse the mind and pollute the senses. If an ordinary third-tier pirate were to inhale it head-on, he would be at the mercy of others within a few breaths."

She looked at Xilun, her eyes holding a hint of something unspoken.

"It's already quite unusual that you were able to withstand it twice."

"I've been contaminated with far more troublesome things than this," Siren said calmly.

Elena paused for a moment.

She didn't ask any further questions.

Everyone has secrets, especially someone like Siren. If he didn't have a heavy enough secret, he couldn't have developed such a calm and almost cold personality.

Hogg's body lay in the muddy water.

The severed arm lay to one side, and the curved sword also fell not far away.

Xilun picked up the curved sword. It felt slightly heavy in his hand. The blade was narrow but extremely tough, and the blue patterns resembled the natural texture of the spine of some kind of sea monster.

He lightly touched it with his golden spear.

Ding!

The curved sword only had a very shallow mark.

"Good weapon," said Xilun.

Elena leaned against the tree and explained slowly, "The Blue Sword Hogg's weapon has a remarkable origin. I heard that the material comes from a ferocious sea beast that once devoured hundreds of people in the open sea. Its blood and malevolent energy are extremely strong."

Later, he was hunted down by a fourth-tier powerhouse, and his spine and tendons were forged into several weapons. Hogg's curved sword should be one of them.

Xiren then looked at Hogg's blue clothes.

The clothes were stained with blood and mud, but they weren't completely torn apart by the battle just now; the fabric was fine and had a tough feel.

Elena said, "That one is valuable too, the Sea Demon Blood Cotton Coat, a protective garment made from special cotton and sea beast blood."

It can't withstand a direct thrust from your golden spear, but it can deflect a significant amount of the force of swords and blades. It's expensive to buy on Star Ring Island.

Xilun used the tip of his spear to probe the fabric, then picked up his curved sword and tested it.

In terms of materials, this curved sword and the blood-stained cotton coat were indeed superior to many of the equipment he had seen in the past.

Even in terms of materials alone, the curved sword might be superior to the golden spear.

However, the Golden Spear has its own characteristics, making it more suitable for the Crimson Star Spear Technique.

All things considered, the Golden Gun is more suitable for him.

Elena blinked, as if remembering something: "And his body."

Xilun looked up.

"A corpse can be used?"

"Of course." Elena took a deep breath, suppressing the dizziness in her mind. "One of the five most notorious pirates of the Blue Ocean. Bringing him back can be exchanged for a potion of Boundless Ocean Potion."

Xilun paused slightly.

What exactly is the use of the "Boundless Oceans" potion?

Elena looked at the river and lowered her voice: "It is made from the blood of sea beasts and requires the extraction of life essence, making it extremely precious."

The third level of the Overturning Sea Technique emphasizes a complete physical body and smooth, abundant energy.

Many people get stuck at the stage of Yi Jin Hua Qi because their bodies are not fully developed, and their Qi cannot reach the depths of their muscles and tendons.

She looked at Xilun: "This potion can help perfect one's physique and repair hidden injuries. You can't buy it for five hundred pounds, and often no one will sell it for a thousand pounds."

Xilun's eyes finally showed some emotion.

So precious.

If he had this, he could cultivate the third level of the Overturning Sea Technique much faster, and might even be able to further heal his old injuries.

He glanced at Hogg's corpse and suddenly said, "It would be nice if there were two."

Elena was slightly taken aback.

Xilun said earnestly, "We each have a dose of the medicine."

Elena looked at him, and a faint smile suddenly appeared on her pale face.

"It seems you're a good person."

Xilun frowned: "What makes you say that?"

Elena did not answer immediately.

Behind her, the originally quiet silver-gray rope was actually slightly suspended, like a silent python raising its head.

From the moment she regained her senses, the magic rope never truly loosened.

She was well aware that she was in a very bad state, and Hogg's corpse, the curved sword, the blood-stained cotton coat, and the quota for the Boundless Ocean Potion were all interests that could make a third-tier extraordinary person turn against them.

If Xilun harbors malicious intentions, she will be in great danger.

So she was always on guard.

But Siren never intended to take it all for himself.

My first reaction was even that it was a pity that not everyone could have one.

The rope behind Elena slowly drooped down and wrapped around her waist again.

"Because I've said so much, you haven't had any ulterior motives."

She said softly, "There aren't many people in this chaotic sea who can still stay true to themselves."

Xilun calmly sheathed his curved sword: "It's just settling accounts. You are more valuable alive than a corpse and a sword."

Elena's lips twitched slightly: "Is your way of comforting people always this harsh?"

"I'm not trying to comfort you."

Elena looked at him and suddenly felt a little amused, yet also a strange sense of relief.

Xiren is certainly not a gentle person.

But he was very steady.

Even on this cold, damp riverbank, amidst the dizzying afterglow of the lingering black smoke, one feels a sense of temporary reassurance.

She leaned against the tree, closed her eyes, and tried to regain her composure.

Siren then began dealing with Hogg's body and spoils.

He knew very well that Elena was of high status; her father was the head of the disciplinary academy, and she herself was a powerful swordsman.

It's better to be on good terms than to fall out.

Besides, this time, she did indeed help him sever Hogg's arm.

The two were essentially fighting the enemy together.

The sound of rain gradually subsided.

Footsteps echoed from deep within the dense forest.

Xilun looked up and gripped the golden spear.

Elena opened her eyes as well, her fingers resting on the hilt of her sword.

A disciplinary student emerged from behind a bush.

His robes were covered in mud, and his face showed the astonishment of someone who had survived a disaster.

Xilen recognized him; he was the last of Samuel's men who had been following behind.

That person initially seemed to have only followed the traces of the battle, hoping to find any lone pirates to finish off and gather enough for the inner court assessment.

But when he saw the corpse on the riverbank, he froze.

"Hogg?"

His eyes widened little by little.

"You...you killed Blue Sword Hogg?"

Rainwater from the riverbank flowed down Hogg's body, washing the blood into thin, pale red streaks.

The disciplinary student stood by the bushes, his gaze sweeping over Hogger's severed arm, curved sword, and sea monster-blood-stained cotton coat, his breathing involuntarily becoming heavier.

He certainly knew what that meant.

One of the five most notorious pirates of the Blue Ocean.

A corpse, and a potion that can contain all things.

Not to mention that Hogg's weapons and clothes were treasures that would make many Tier 3 Extraordinary beings envious.

Xilun remained calm and said, "We were lucky to barely kill him."

The man glanced at the bloodstains on Xilen's chest, then looked at Elena, who was leaning against a tree with a pale face.

Both of them were not in good condition.

One was seriously injured, and the other was clearly mentally weak.

The shock in his eyes slowly transformed into something else.

greedy.

There was also a test.

"Good luck?" He swallowed, his smile stiffening. "Killing Hogger can't be explained by just good luck."

Elena didn't speak, but simply lowered her eyes and adjusted her breathing.

Xilun did not respond.

The man took half a step forward, his gaze fixed on the curved sword.

"This person must have many treasures on them, right?"

He lowered his voice, "And this corpse is even more valuable. It contains the Boundless Ocean Elixir, something countless outer court disciples would dream of."

Xilun looked at him: "And then?"

"You already have powerful weapons."

The man pointed to Xilun's golden spear, then looked at Elena's twin swords, "But I'm only using standard weapons. Why don't you give me this curved sword? The blood-stained cotton coat will do too."

Xilun smiled.

The smile was faint, but devoid of warmth.

Why should I give it to you?

The man's expression darkened slightly.

He glanced at Elena again, confirming that she was still weak, but had become a little braver.

"As far as I know, all of this."

The atmosphere along the riverbank quieted down.

Raindrops fell in the distance, pattering against the decaying leaves with a soft, rustling sound.

The man narrowed his eyes and sneered, "You two are at a mediocre level right now, aren't you? What do you think would happen if I went back and told you that you killed Hogger and took his treasure?"

Xilun said calmly, "The mission rewards belong to the slayer."

"Rules are rules, and people's hearts are people's hearts."

The man took a step forward, his voice even lower, "The Blue Ocean pirates won't let the person who killed Hogg get away with it, and the other outer court disciples will be envious. If Lord Samuel knew you'd received so many benefits, he might not be without his own thoughts."

He paused, seemingly feeling that he had both of them under control.

"It's better to avoid trouble. Give me a treasure, and I'll pretend I didn't see it. We're still teammates."

Elena slowly raised her eyes.

Her eyes were cold.

The man, however, mistook her anger and helplessness for genuine concern and continued:

"Miss Elena, my father is a third-tier extreme realm expert, and the weapon he uses is only comparable to yours, while mine is much more shabby."

"You have high status and abundant resources, why make a scene over such trivial matters?"

Xilun looked at him but did not make a move immediately.

He was indeed thinking about it.

Killing this person is not difficult.

The difficult part is how to explain it to Elena after the killings.

After all, the other party was a disciple of the Disciplinary Academy, and nominally they were on the same team.

If he had killed her first, Elena might not have accepted it.

But the next moment, Elena moved.

She was leaning against the tree, as if she could barely stand up.

But the moment she stood up, the silver-gray rope around her waist popped out silently and wrapped around the man's feet.

The man's expression changed drastically. Before he could even shout, Elena had already rushed in front of him.

A flash of sword light.

puff!

A slender silver sword pierced his throat.

Elena covered his mouth with her other hand at the same time.

The man's pupils dilated suddenly, and his hands instinctively reached for Elena's wrists, but were tightly bound by the silver-gray rope.

He made a hoarse sound in his throat, and blood gushed from the edge of the sword, flowing down his collar.

He couldn't utter a single word.

His body convulsed violently a few times before going limp.

Elena drew her sword and gently released it.

The body lay in the mud and water, mixed with Hogg's blood.

Her face paled further, clearly the earlier blow had aggravated her injuries, but her eyes showed no hesitation.

"I told you, we shouldn't have teamed up with them."

She wiped the blood from the sword and said in a calm voice, "Perhaps the two of us are enough. The more people there are, the more complicated things become."

Xilun glanced at her.

At that moment, his opinion of Elena rose even higher.

Decisive.

Moreover, they have a clear understanding of the situation.

She wasn't the kind of monastery disciple who only talked about rules and hesitated when it mattered.

She knew what threats needed to be dealt with immediately, and she also knew that in this dense forest, kindness and hesitation would lead to more troublesome consequences.

Elena sheathed her sword and asked, "Are we going to stay any longer?"

Xilun said, "Let's go first."

He knelt down, cut off Hogg's right ear, and then cut off the disciple's right ear.

Elena glanced at him: "He's not a pirate."

"I know."

Siren threw the disciple's right ear into the mud, leaving only Hogg's.

Elena understood what he meant.

Xilun wasn't trying to claim credit for himself; he was just making sure he wouldn't get it mixed up.

He simply wrapped Hogg's body up and put away the curved sword and the blood-stained cotton coat.

The corpse is difficult to carry, but it must be taken away, otherwise the Boundless Ocean Elixir will be gone.

When Elena saw him cut off his ear, she explained:

"The mission department uses residual scent and bloodstains on the ears to identify individuals. Most of these Blue Ocean pirates have wanted records, and ear bones, bloodstains, and traces of contamination can all be verified."

Xilun nodded.

"No wonder it's only the right ear."

Elena looked at the corpse of the disciple she had killed: "Where is he?"

Siren said calmly, "Hogg killed him."

Elena paused for a moment, then said, "That makes sense. He was chasing us when he encountered pirates and was killed."

The two began to clean up the traces.

Elena used ropes to drag the body, making it appear as if she had been stabbed with a curved sword.

Siren then used Hogg's severed arm to repair several sword marks around the area, and washed away the footprints with mud and water.

He was no stranger to this kind of thing.

In his time in Victoria, he had seen far too many people whose deaths were given a different ending.

Now, however, he himself has become the one making the arrangements.

After finishing, Elena suddenly raised her hand, signaling Siren to be quiet.

Simultaneously, Xilun heard footsteps in the distance.

more than one.

Moreover, one of them had a very strong aura, so strong that when rain fell around them, it seemed to be gently repelled by an invisible force.

Elena's expression changed slightly.

"Someone's coming."

Siren gripped his golden spear tightly: "Samuel?"

"There are others."

Elena's voice was even lower, "Very strong."

The two exchanged a glance, then immediately took Hogg's body and the spoils and quickly retreated along the other side of the riverbank.

They had barely left when two figures appeared on the riverbank.

One of them was Samuel.

His robes were tattered, his face was gloomy, and there were several bloodstains on his body, but his breathing remained steady.

Clearly, although the chaotic battle just now was disastrous, it didn't really seriously injure him.

But at this moment, Samuel showed none of his usual arrogance.

He followed the other person with utmost respect, even deliberately lagging behind by half a step.

The man was wearing a dark, fitted long coat, and looked to be no more than twenty years old. He had handsome features and an indifferent expression.

He wore no sword or dagger at his waist, only a string of simple silver rings.

He stood there, and the rain around him seemed to automatically part away.

Samuel whispered, "Senior brother, the traces of the fight are right here. Hogg must have been chasing Elena and that rogue cultivator from the outer sea."

The young man in the dark robe glanced at the blood on the ground, then looked at the corpse of the disciplinary academy disciple.

"Was it one of your men who died?"

Samuel's face darkened. "Yes, he got separated from me."