Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

It was fleeting.

Xilun withdrew his strength, and the Canglei Spear softened again, which he then coiled around his waist.

After months of practice, the gun had almost become a part of his body.

The water veins formed after the Blue Tide Sword melts can perfectly bear the power of the Overturning Sea Technique, and the Thunder Heart forged from the Thunder Spirit Stone can condense the thunder energy generated by the Great Thunder Sound Breathing Technique and the Thunder Dragon Heart.

Even without using the Crimson Star Spear, it is strong enough to withstand the continuous bursts of the Ninefold Tide Force and the Azure Thunder Spear Technique.

Xilun put on a dark long coat, wrapped the Sea Demon Blood Cotton Coat tightly inside, and finally draped an inconspicuous gray-black outer robe over his shoulders.

When I pushed open the stone door to the quiet room, it was already daylight.

Swain was not seen outside the cave.

The teacher left the monastery a few days ago to slay a fourth-tier sea beast in the northern sea, and his return date is uncertain.

Bruno also took on the posting, and the entire Thunderclap Cliff was unusually quiet.

Xilun walked along the stone path towards the cave exit.

The formation was activated, and a damp sea breeze rushed towards us.

A tall, slender figure was standing on the edge of the cliff.

Her long, light blonde hair was slightly disheveled by the wind. Elena held down the ends of her hair with one hand and carried a small black leather suitcase with the other.

She wore a long, dark blue robe that allowed for easy movement, with two swords, one long and one short, hanging at her waist. A silver-gray rope was hidden inside the robe, with only a small metal buckle showing.

Hearing footsteps, she turned around.

His gaze lingered on Xilun for a moment before falling towards the sky.

"You've kept me waiting."

Xilun glanced at the morning light.

There are still 15 minutes left until the agreed time.

"I wasn't late."

"But I arrived early."

That's your problem.

Elena narrowed her eyes slightly.

After sobering up last night, she was already feeling uneasy because of her father's words.

Seeing Xilun's matter-of-fact attitude, most of his complicated feelings immediately dissipated.

really.

It's still the familiar West London.

Xilen blinked, as if realizing that what she had just said was inappropriate.

"Thank you for waiting for me."

Elena was taken aback.

Her prepared rebuttal suddenly got stuck in her throat.

The morning sea breeze ruffled a few stray strands of hair across her forehead, and pale golden strands brushed against her cheeks. She turned her head away, her voice softening.

"No need."

"I just have a habit of being punctual."

Xilun nodded and did not continue the discussion.

The two walked down the mountain path.

The Holy Light Monastery has already awakened in the early morning.

A deep, muffled bell rang out in the distance, and several outer court disciples, carrying ironwood spear stakes on their shoulders, walked up the stone steps toward the training ground.

Pale white steam rose from the chimneys near the pharmacy, and the faint bitter smell of boiled herbs wafted through the air.

As they passed the main road in the inner courtyard, many people recognized Xiren and Elena.

In the past month, Xilun's name has appeared far too frequently in the inner court.

First, he defeated Samuel, who was in perfect physical condition, in the Sea of ​​the Dead and obtained the entire Nether Lotus. Then, he single-handedly defeated five extraordinary individuals who came to buy it.

A few days ago, he even defeated Elena head-on without using the Breath of the Styx.

Some people watched the two from a distance, but did not approach them to speak.

Xilun didn't care at all.

Elena remained calm, but when a female disciple glanced at the two of them with an ambiguous look, she quickened her pace without making a sound.

Half an hour later, the two arrived at the foot of the monastery mountain.

A black steam car was parked by the roadside.

The carriage was much wider than a regular horse-drawn carriage, with a brass boiler at the front and a curved exhaust pipe extending from each side.

The wheels were covered in thick rubber, and there were no merchant or family markings on the doors, only a crescent moon pattern painted in silver.

Two coachmen dressed in gray are inspecting the boiler.

As Elena approached, one of them immediately opened the car door.

"Miss Elena."

Elena nodded slightly and boarded the car first.

Xilun followed closely behind.

The interior of the carriage appears more spacious than the exterior, with a narrow table fixed in the center and long seats upholstered in soft leather on both sides.

The tabletop is inlaid with copper strips, and the teapot and teacups are held in specially designed grooves to prevent them from tipping over when the vehicle is bumpy.

Xilun sat down gracefully and placed his leather bag at his feet.

The car door closed.

With a low whistle, continuous vibrations came from inside the boiler, and the steam engine slowly drove away from the monastery.

The scenery outside the window gradually receded.

Xilun poured a glass of water.

"Tell me the specifics of the mission."

Elena had just settled down when she heard this and couldn't help but glance at him.

"You didn't even ask if I'd had breakfast?"

"You brought a food box."

Xilun's gaze fell on the person beside her.

There was indeed a wicker food box there, and you could smell the aroma of baked bread and smoked meat coming from the gaps in the lid.

Elena remained silent for a moment.

"You have a keen eye for detail."

"Observing the environment is important when carrying out a mission."

"never mind."

She took out the file and spread several yellowed pages on the table.

"This is a task issued by a small family."

"The client is the Herman family, located near the Sunset Coast. They were once local nobles, whose ancestors owned a large port and salt fields. However, in recent years, their fortunes have declined, leaving them with only a manor near a remote town and a few merchant ships that barely make a living."

The steam engine gradually accelerated.

The wheel rolled over the seam of the stone slab, causing the tabletop to vibrate slightly.

Elena picked up the teapot and poured a cup of hot tea.

She drank quite a bit of alcohol last night, and her throat was still a little dry when she woke up this morning.

The steam rising from the cup enveloped her face. She lowered her head and took a sip, the tea moistening her slightly chapped lips.

"The Hermann family discovered that statue more than 20 years ago."

"To be precise, it was discovered by one of their family's side captains at low tide."

"The location is on the northern shallows of the Sunken Star Coast, where there are large black reefs and what appears to be a cave underwater."

The captain and several sailors brought a small stone statue out of the cave, but later, for some unknown reason, the statue disappeared, and those who brought it back all died one after another.

Xilun tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

"What was the cause of death?"

"The record is unclear."

Elena turned the page.

"Some people drowned, some went missing, and some died in their own homes."

The Hermann family believed the deaths were related to smuggling, piracy, or revenge from enemies, and therefore never investigated the occult.

"Until recently, they rediscovered the clues."

"Someone found a stone finger with dark red patterns carved on it near the shallows. After confirmation by the family elders, it was found to be made of the same material as the lost statue from back then."

"The Inner Court has rated the mission as Grade B, which means that under normal circumstances, it can be completed by a team of two to three third-tier extraordinary individuals."

She paused for a moment.

"However, I've learned about that period of history, and things might not be that simple."

The morning light outside the window is gradually increasing.

The distant mountains and forests were shrouded in mist, and occasionally one could see an iron bridge spanning the stream and trucks transporting ore.

Xilun picked up a page of the file.

The paper depicts the faceless, six-armed deity.

The pattern is not very clear, only a general outline, but the missing second arm on the right is very obvious.

The surface of the statue is covered with dark red patterns, which look like some kind of complex runes, or like blood vessels growing out of the stone.

Deep within his right arm, a wisp of black energy suddenly became active.

A slight tingling sensation came from under the skin.

Xilun's expression remained unchanged, but the Xuan Yin coldness within his body had already rapidly gathered towards his right arm, freezing the wisp of black energy that was trying to penetrate his flesh.

The Thunder Dragon's heart beat simultaneously.

The bluish-white lightning swept across the meridians.

The black energy was caught between two forces, struggled for a moment, and then fell silent again.

Elena, unaware of this change, continued:

"The Hermann family sent people into the underwater cave."

"Among them was a second-tier extraordinary individual. He explored inside for less than half an hour, and came out somewhat insane."

He said there were people singing in the cave, and that the walls could breathe.

"Sometimes, he would point to his own shadow and say that it wasn't his shadow."

The carriage was silent for a moment.

Only the constant vibration of the steam boiler could be heard.

"Is the person still alive?" Siron asked.

"Missing."

"When?"

Three months ago.

"Are there any bodies?"

"no."

Xilun put the file back on the desktop.

Spiritual pollution.

This was pretty much what he expected.

The power of evil gods often prioritizes eroding the mind. Although the physique of a second-tier extraordinary being is far stronger than that of an ordinary person, their mental defense will not undergo any fundamental change as a result.

"We don't have to go into too much detail."

Elena said, "Let's first check the perimeter of the cave to confirm the existence of the statue before deciding on our next move."

"If the mental pollution is severe, quit immediately."

Xilun nodded slightly.

Caution is necessary.

However, if the statue truly shares the same origin as the remains of the evil god, he will most likely still try to delve deeper.

Of course, there's no need to announce this decision now.

Elena looked at him.

"You don't seem surprised."

"The mission file already mentions the idol, so I naturally considered the possibility of contamination."

"Just pollution?"

Elena's eyes flickered slightly.

"Silen, do you know something?"

Siren calmly replied, "I have seen many things whose spirits have been corrupted in the Sea of ​​the Dead."

This is not a lie.

Elena stared at him for a couple of moments, then didn't press him further.

Everyone has secrets.

Xilun has many secrets.

The young extraordinary individual who came to Star Ring Island from the Southern Continent possesses powerful water-based energy, and has mastered pure lightning magic, icy power, and eerie death energy. He can even absorb alien bloodlines to strengthen himself.

If it were any ordinary third-tier extraordinary individual, with so many powers existing within their body, they would have already become distorted due to the conflict.

However, the situation in Xilin remains stable.

This in itself is the biggest anomaly.

Xilun leaned back in his seat and began to review the existing information.

More than 20 years ago, the Hermann family discovered the statue.

Ten years ago, Lund's father faced the remains of an evil god alone to protect Lund.

The times do not completely overlap.

But if the two belong to the same entity, a ten-year gap is nothing.

Perhaps after the statue went missing, it changed hands several times and eventually ended up in a colony in the southern continent.

It is also possible that there is more than one similar statue, and that the so-called evil god's severed limbs are not just one piece.

Xilun looked down at his right hand.

That severed limb had been used to repair his body several times.

Judging from the results, it seems to have been helping him all along.

But Siren never believed that this help stemmed from goodwill.

It's more like maintaining an immature container.

What will he become once the balance of power is completely disrupted?

Nobody knows.

"We must be careful."

Xilun muttered to himself.

"If the situation gets out of control, leaving immediately is the safest option."

Whatever secrets lie behind the idol, they are not worth risking your life for.

It's not worth it, at least not now.

Seeing him lost in thought, Elena reached out and tidied her hair, which had been ruffled by the wind through the gap in the car window.

In fact, after she accepted the mission, several other people volunteered to accompany her.

Among them were quite a few third-tier mortals with considerable strength.

But after careful consideration, she ultimately chose Xilun.

Come to think of it, her relationship with Xilen didn't seem to be any closer than with her other friends.

The two did not share the same family background, nor did they belong to the same department.

Aside from a few missions and sparring sessions, they rarely even chat casually.

But Xilun did give her that feeling.

More composed.

They also place greater emphasis on bottom lines.

In the Dark Abyss Forest, Siren can kill enemies without hesitation, but he will not abandon his comrades who fight alongside him.

When escorting a caravan, he dared to venture into a pirate camp alone, but he did not take the opportunity to plunder the goods belonging to the merchant guild.

He was not merciful, but he had an exceptionally clear line drawn.

More importantly, it's mysterious.

Elena always felt that there was much hidden beneath Siren's calm exterior.

An extraordinary being from the mainland.

He is exceptionally gifted and acts with caution.

His personality seems ordinary, but the things he says occasionally have a deeper meaning.

Despite bearing the hatred for Duke Storm, he rarely showed anger, as if that past, which could drive an ordinary person mad, had long been compressed into a cold, hard stone in his heart.

Such a Xilun makes one want to know more.

Elena suddenly remembered what her father had said last night.

People who are willing to drink together.

Her fingers paused for a moment, then she turned her head to look at the mountains and forests outside the car window.

"What am I thinking about?"

Elena shook her head inwardly.

She closed her eyes and decided to take a short rest while traveling.

The steam wagon traveled along the northern trade route.

Thunderclap Cliff gradually disappeared into the horizon.

In another courtyard of the monastery, Samuel stood shirtless in front of a bronze mirror, looking down at the dark blue mark on his chest that had not yet completely faded.

The wounds left by the Breath of the Styx are extremely difficult to remove.

Even after taking expensive medicine and receiving personal guidance from a fourth-level master, the damaged vitality still had not fully recovered.

Each time he circulated his energy, a slight stinging pain would rise in his lungs.

There was a knock on the door.

"Come in."

A subordinate pushed open the door and entered, standing respectfully behind him.

Samuel picked up his coat and put it on, asking in a cold voice:

"Is Elena really refusing to come with me?"

The subordinate shook his head.

"no."

"She left the monastery this morning, apparently with Siron."

Samuel stopped dressing.

The image of Xiren and Elena leaving side by side involuntarily flashed into my mind.

The wound on his chest seemed to sting even more.

"It's Weston again."

Samuel's voice was somber.

My hands clenched unconsciously, and my knuckles made a fine, crisp sound.

The subordinate hesitated for a moment, then carefully said:

"Boss, you shouldn't be so fixated on Senior Sister Elena."

"She's the woman Aldridge specifically asked to marry."

"Neither the monastery nor her family could easily refuse the Sea Demon Temple."

Samuel turned his head abruptly.

His cold gaze caused his subordinate's expression to change slightly.

Why would I get hung up on a woman?

Samuel snorted and slowly released his grip.

"What I regret is that mission."

He walked to the table and unfolded a map of the Sunken Star Coast.

"According to my investigation, the underwater cave is likely not just a simple evil god ritual."

"That might involve a real resurrected evil god."

The subordinate's expression changed.

"The resurgence of an evil god?"

"It's just a possibility."

A mixture of greed and fear flickered in Samuel's eyes.

Even a severed limb can hold immense opportunities.

"While the corruption of evil gods is certainly dangerous, which path to becoming a high-level extraordinary being isn't forged with one's life?"

"If one can obtain some divine materials or even a trace of authority from it, breaking through to the fourth rank will no longer be out of reach."

He had indeed originally planned to go in person.

The reason for inviting Elena was twofold: firstly, because of her strength and background, and secondly, because she possessed more complete intelligence about the mission.

Unfortunately, the other party refused.

Samuel had just been severely injured by Siren, and the death energy in his body had not yet been cleared. He was not suitable to enter a place with severe mental pollution in the short term.

"But it's alright."

Samuel looked at the map and suddenly sneered.

"Since Siren is willing to travel with Elena, I'm happy to observe as well."

The subordinate raised his head.

"you mean?"

"Send men to keep an eye on the Sunken Star Coast."

Samuel flicked a silver coin onto the table.

The silver coin spun several times before finally settling on the location of the shallows on the map.

"I want to see how they handle the dangers there."

"If we find it successfully, we might be able to save ourselves the trouble of exploring."

"If things don't go smoothly..."

A look of pleasure flashed in Samuel's eyes.

"They might not only gain nothing, but also lose their lives there."

The morning bell outside the window rang again.

The sound was long and drawn out.

At the edge of the map, a blurry rubbing of a faceless, six-armed deity lies quietly.

On the right side, where the arm was missing, a damp, dark red patch had appeared.

Like a drop of blood that has just fallen.

The steam-powered vehicle traveled northwards.

In the past two days, large areas of farmland and steam workshops could be seen along the way.

The closer you get to the coast of Shenxing, the more desolate the roads become, and the trees are gradually replaced by low shrubs and gray-white saline land.

On the afternoon of the third day, the sky became completely overcast.

The sea breeze, carrying salty, briny vapors, kept seeping in through the cracks in the car windows.

Large black reefs began to appear on the left side of the road, while the sea in the distance was leaden gray.

Waves crashed against the rock face, white spray flying several feet, accompanied by a series of muffled sounds.

Elena opened her eyes.

"We're almost there."

Xilun closed the mission file in his hand.

During his several days of travel, he had already read through the information provided by the Hermann family several times.

However, there isn't much valuable information.

Most of the records from more than 20 years ago are incomplete, and many key figures have already died.

After the mad second-tier extraordinary individual disappeared, the Herman family immediately blocked the news until they were unable to resolve the situation, at which point they submitted the task to the Holy Light Monastery.

Another half hour passed, and the car gradually slowed down.

A small seaside town appears ahead.

Outside the town, there was a gray stone wall more than three zhang high, with two old-fashioned cannons mounted on top of the wall.

A dozen armed guards stood by the city gate, and everyone entering or leaving had to be checked.

The most eye-catching thing is the cars parked on both sides of the road.

There were ordinary horse-drawn carriages as well as expensive steam-powered vehicles.

Several of the vehicles bore the emblems of mercenary groups and merchant guilds, clearly indicating they were not local.

Siren observed for a moment through the car window.

"It was more lively than I expected."

Elena also noticed the anomaly.

"The Hermann family's missions are only issued within the monastery."

"These people shouldn't know about the idols."