Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

There weren't many people in the carriage.

Amid the dull roar of the steam engine, Xilun leaned back in his seat, slowly closed his eyes, and for the first time carefully tallied up the gains of this trip.

First, there was the complete formula for the bone-forging potion, and several well-preserved bottles of bone-forging potion found in the stone chamber.

These potions are perfectly suited to the three Molten Bone Lotuses that Elena collected, making them ideal for tempering flesh and blood and achieving physical perfection.

Secondly, there was the "True Elixir in Fire" sealed in the box, a broken but lightning-infused third-tier dagger, several jade slips recording Yin-attribute techniques and physical skills, and a large amount of rare body-forging materials.

And the two most important things—

First, the "Soul-Sealing Jade Slip - Limb Suppression Method" taught him how to use the Blood Lock to seal the black energy in his right arm;

Secondly, he sealed the wooden statue's arm, which had lost its owner, in an isolation box using his profound yin energy, and carried it with him.

Xilun opened his eyes and tapped his fingertips lightly on his knee.

Originally, he estimated that it would take at least two years to cultivate his third-tier physique to perfection.

But now, with these bone-forging potions and bone-melting fire lotuses, this time can be reduced by at least half.

Achieving physical perfection within a year is certainly within reach.

"What are you thinking about?" Elena sat opposite him, holding a cup of hot tea she had bought from the hotel, and looked at him.

"I'm thinking about how to use these things when I get back," Xilun said truthfully.

Elena took a sip of tea and suddenly laughed: "You, all you think about is cultivation."

"Strength is fundamental," Xiren said calmly. "Without strength, no matter how many opportunities you have, you can't hold onto them. Aren't those people by the lake today the best example?"

Elena was speechless for a moment.

She wanted to refute it, but found herself unable to find a way to argue.

What this person said was the simplest yet most cruel truth.

The three-day journey, filled with bumps and jolts, slowly passed by amidst the roar of the steam engine.

We arrived in Star Ring City at dusk.

The setting sun bathed the entire steam-powered city in a warm golden hue, and the gas lamps along the streets lit up one after another. The cries of newsboys, the rumble of horse-drawn carriages, and the shouts of merchants mingled together in a symphony of sounds.

The warm, everyday atmosphere brought a slight relaxation to Xilun's tense mind, which had been on edge for many days.

"I'll head back to the disciplinary hall first." At the crossroads, Elena stopped. "I'll tell my father about this. The Black King's Palace is likely still under the control of the Sea Demons; we can't afford to be careless."

"Okay." Xiren nodded. "Be careful on the road."

Elena did not leave immediately.

She looked at Xilun, hesitated, and finally just sighed softly: "You're the kind of person who carries everything on your own."

"I'm used to it," Xilun said calmly.

Elena stared at him for a moment, then suddenly chuckled, turned and left, her silver-gray figure quickly disappearing into the crowd in the twilight.

Xilun watched her retreating figure for a moment before turning and walking towards Thunderclap Cliff.

When they returned to their cave, it was already late at night.

The defensive array on the cliff edge glowed faintly, and the quiet room was empty.

Bruno left a note saying that his teacher, Swain, was still hunting sea creatures at sea and had not yet returned.

Xilun was not surprised.

He pushed open the door and entered the quiet room, first taking out his spoils one by one and putting them away in different categories.

The wooden arm that was sealed in the isolation box was placed in the deepest hidden compartment, and then sealed with another layer of mysterious and cold seal.

After doing all this, he sat down cross-legged, activated the Thunder Dragon Heart and the Profound Yin Coldness, and carefully examined the blood lock on his right arm.

Blood Lock is secure.

That dark red power lay quietly nestled within the chains, as docile as if it had never stirred.

Xilun slowly clenched his right fist, then relaxed it.

A wisp of dark red and black energy emerged in response to his thought, coiling around his fingertips before being withdrawn.

It can be controlled and released at will.

This feeling was completely different from the state of constant vigilance and anticipation he felt when he first received his severed limb.

"What has been troubling me," Xiren muttered to himself, a complex emotion flickering in his eyes, "has now become my trump card."

He recalled that memory that flooded his mind.

The six-armed statue struggling in the Black Sea, the thousands of extraordinary individuals who followed one after another, the severed arm that sank to the bottom of the sea and searched for flesh and blood over the years...

The Storm Bloodline suppressed the decaying power of the severed limbs.

Xilun's gaze gradually turned cold.

He had always believed that the black aura on his right arm had nothing to do with Duke Storm.

But now it seems that if it weren't for the Storm Bloodline from his father within him, he would have long been eroded and devoured by these severed limbs, turning into another dried-up corpse in the cave chamber.

How ironic is fate.

The man who looked down on him, treated him as an illegitimate child, and used his mother as a tool—that bloodline he loathed—had somehow saved his life and given him a trump card that could turn the tide.

"Duke of Storms..."

Xilun murmured the name, his knuckles turning slightly white from the pressure.

He closed his eyes, slowly suppressing his surging emotions back to the deepest part of his heart.

Now is not the time.

When he opened his eyes, they had regained their usual calmness.

The most important thing is to cultivate one's physique to the third level of perfection as soon as possible.

Only in this way can he truly master the power of his remaining right arm, and only then will he be qualified to touch the threshold of the fourth rank, to explore the bone marrow and awaken the ancestral blood.

And that is the only way to achieve revenge.

Xilun took out the bone-forging potion formula and, by the dim light in the quiet room, began to study it word by word.

The formula is complex, involving more than a dozen ingredients, and the Melting Bone Fire Lotus is the most crucial main ingredient.

"Three Melting Bone Fire Lotuses are enough to refine three batches," he silently calculated. "Add to that the few bottles of ready-made potions in the stone chamber... and I might really be able to achieve perfect physical fitness within a year."

The flickering lights illuminated his focused profile.

After an unknown amount of time, a very light footstep sound came from outside the window.

Xilun's ears twitched slightly, and he put away the formula.

The stone door was knocked on from the outside.

"Junior Brother Xilun? He's back?"

It was Bruno's honest voice.

Xiren got up and opened the door. Outside, Bruno was carrying a gas lamp, followed by his newly registered disciple, Gna.

"You're finally back." Bruno breathed a sigh of relief. "My teacher sent a message a few days ago, asking if you had returned safely. He also said that when he gets back, he wants to see what you've gained from this trip."

"I'm fine," Siren nodded. "This trip has been quite fruitful."

"That's good." Bruno grinned, then lowered his voice, his expression becoming serious. "By the way, there's something I need to remind you. Things haven't been peaceful in the inner courtyard while you were gone."

Xilun's gaze sharpened: "What's wrong?"

"Samuel's injury has mostly healed, and he's recently started jumping around again."

Bruno frowned. "More importantly, it seems the Sea Demon Temple is trying to find out about you. Aldrich took first place in the rankings, and his momentum in the inner court is now at its peak."

Xilun remained silent for a moment.

Samuel's mole has been dealt with.

However, the movements of the Sea Demon Temple are a signal that cannot be ignored.

He thought of Elena, and of Aldridge, the blond man who wouldn't even give him a second glance.

"I understand," Xilun said calmly. "Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother."

Bruno, observing his calm demeanor, couldn't help but remark, "Your composure is truly remarkable. Anyone else would have panicked upon hearing they were being targeted by the Sea Demon Temple."

"Panic won't help." Xiren looked out the window at the deep night. "Whatever comes, we accept it."

Bruno laughed, patted him on the shoulder, and left with Gna.

The stone gate closed again.

The quiet room returned to silence.

Xilun stood alone by the window, gazing at the churning clouds beyond the cliff and the distant, unfathomable horizon.

The tolling of bells on the Sunset Coast, the awakening of "He" from the depths of the sea, Samuel's relentless pursuit, the covetousness of the Sea Demon Temple, and... the lofty Storm Duke of the Southern Continent.

One obstacle after another stood before him.

Xilun slowly raised his right arm, a wisp of gentle, dark red aura seeping from his fingertips, glowing faintly in the night.

He clenched his fist.

"We figured out where the remains came from and brought them under control."

He muttered to himself, his voice calm and even, yet it conveyed a steadfastness as firm as a rock.

But that's far from enough.

Outside the window, the night wind swept through the cliff, carrying the scent of moisture and thunder.

Xilun slowly closed his eyes.

Tomorrow will be the first day he begins his quest to achieve physical perfection.

……

At dawn, the mist over Minglei Cliff had not yet dissipated.

Xilun sat cross-legged in the center of the quiet room, with a small earthenware pot bubbling and steaming on the stove in front of him.

The bubbling liquid in the jar was the first batch of medicinal soup he had personally prepared last night according to the recipe for bone-strengthening medicine.

A dozen rare body-forging materials churned in boiling water, emitting a strange smell that was both spicy and sweet.

The most crucial ingredient—a half-petaled Flaming Lotus petal—slowly unfurled in the medicinal broth, emanating wisps of crimson light that dyed the entire pot of broth a dark, magma-like red.

Xilun took a deep breath, poured the medicinal soup into the earthenware bowl, and drank it all in one gulp.

The scalding medicinal power, like a red-hot iron wire, burned its way down the throat and into the dantian.

Immediately afterwards, the intense heat exploded like magma bursting from a dam, spreading wildly throughout the body.

If an ordinary third-tier extraordinary person were to suddenly withstand such medicinal power, they would probably be torn apart on the spot.

However, within Xilun's body, there are three layers of underlying strength that resonate with him.

First, there is the Thunder Dragon Heart in his chest.

His newly awakened talent for molten affinity greatly reduced his aversion to high temperatures. When the intense medicinal power surged in, it was naturally guided and nurtured by the Thunder Dragon Heart, transforming into streams of warm currents that nourished his flesh and blood.

Secondly, there is the chilling, yin energy.

He slowly circulated the Xuan Yin Coldness, and a wisp of cool energy seeped from the depths of his bone marrow, colliding with the surging crimson medicinal power.

The alternation of hot and cold, yin and yang, repeatedly washed and tempered his body.

Thirdly, there is the skill of overturning the sea.

Xilun activated the third level of the Overturning Sea Technique, causing the internal energy to surge like the ebb and flow of the tide, wave after wave, meticulously refining and tempering the flesh and blood that had been tempered by alternating hot and cold.

The seven tidal forces of the Nine Dragons Covering the Sea were now completely contained within the body, transforming into seven invisible streams of water that smoothed out every inch of stagnant meridians.

An hour later, Xilun slowly opened his eyes.

He raised his right hand, and beneath his skin, the flesh, which had been slightly dark, now faintly shone with a warm luster.

He could clearly feel that his bones were stronger than yesterday, and the vigorous resilience brought about by his talent of having tendons like dragons was also stronger.

"One pot of medicinal soup is equivalent to half a month of ordinary ascetic practice."

Xilun muttered to himself, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes.

He originally estimated that it would take at least two years to reach the peak of the third-tier physique.

But now it seems that with the Melting Bone Fire Lotus and the room full of bone-forging potions, the progress will probably be even faster.

For the next six days, Xilun hardly left his house.

Every morning, he would prepare a pot of medicinal soup, and then repeatedly refine it using the Overturning Sea Technique, the Thunder Dragon Heart, and the Profound Yin Coldness. In the afternoon, he would practice the Azure Thunder Spear Technique and the Azure Wave Step in a small space outside the quiet room, integrating all the power he gained during the day into his spear techniques.

On the night of the seventh day, a sudden change occurred.

Xilun was sitting cross-legged, practicing the Great Thunder Breathing Technique to regulate the somewhat disordered Qi within his body, which had been disrupted by the medicinal effects.

call--

He exhaled slowly through his nose.

This was originally a routine breathing exercise that he had practiced countless times.

But at that very moment, the Thunder Dragon Heart in his chest suddenly beat on its own, and a wisp of blue-white lightning shot out along his meridians, merging with the turbid air he exhaled.

hum-

A very faint rumble of thunder sounded in his chest.

Xilun was startled.

He suddenly realized that the breath he exhaled carried a faint, almost imperceptible, thunderous quality!

The Great Thunder Sound Breathing Method emphasizes using one's breath to resonate with the thunderous sound of heaven and earth, nurturing the thunderous energy through breathing.

The Thunder Dragon Heart can automatically nourish thunder energy and quickly repair injuries.

He has always operated these two things separately.

But just a moment ago, at the critical point where the medicinal effects were repeatedly washing away and the Qi was in disarray, the two forces unexpectedly resonated...

Suppressing his excitement, Xilun held his breath and tried again.

One breath in, one breath out.

The Thunder Dragon's Heart pulsated slightly with his breath, and strands of lightning as thin as hair automatically merged into each of his breaths.

Gradually, the lightning energy within his body no longer needed to be deliberately activated or guided.

With each breath, they flowed, nourished, and grew naturally, as if they had become a part of his body.

This is a sense of harmony that I have never experienced before.

After an unknown amount of time, Xilun slowly opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath.

This time, a flash of blue-white lightning appeared and disappeared in that breath.

"The Great Thunder Sound Breathing Technique has merged with the Heart of the Thunder Dragon into one."

He looked at his hands, his eyes filled with barely concealed excitement.

What does this mean?

This means that from now on, every breath he takes will nurture his thunderous energy.

This means that during battle, the lightning energy within his body will continuously repair and replenish itself, instead of being stretched thin after being depleted as before.

This means that his Thunder Spear Technique will have almost limitless endurance!

Xilun slowly stood up and drew the Thunder Spear from his waist.

He didn't exert any force; he simply swung the spear naturally with his breath.

stab-

At the tip of the spear, a wisp of water light naturally condensed, and bluish-white lightning quietly flowed and swirled in the water film, like a sleeping little dragon.

The force of water carries the power of thunder, and the power of thunder is hidden in the water.

This shot, though not deliberately aimed for explosiveness, was more fluid and natural than any of his previous shots.

"I see……"

Xilun suddenly felt enlightened.

His teacher, Swain, once said that his Cang Lei spear technique "relies too much on his own strength and lacks spirit."

He didn't understand it before, but now he does.

True Cang Lei Spear Technique should not be about deliberately activating water and lightning, but rather about using it naturally and effortlessly, like breathing.

As dawn broke, someone knocked on the stone gate.

"Junior Brother Xilun, Master is back!" It was Bruno's voice. "He wants you to go to the main hall of the cave."

Xilun put away his gun, stood up, and pushed open the door to go out.

Inside the main hall of the cave, Swain, still damp from the water, sat beneath the broken spear, slowly and methodically wiping his mottled iron weapon.

When he saw Xilun enter, he glanced at him and his gaze lingered on him for a moment.

"Come here." Swain put down his iron spear and placed his hand on Siron's wrist.

A wisp of pure fourth-order energy probed into his body through his meridians.

A moment later, Swain withdrew his hand, raising his eyebrows almost imperceptibly.

"The breathing technique you practice seems to resonate with your body? That's quite rare."

"It was a chance encounter last night," Xilun said truthfully.

"A coincidence?" Swain snorted, but couldn't hide the hint of approval in his tone. "This step is something that ordinary disciples need to rely on fortuitous encounters, and they might not be able to comprehend even after years of hard work. You, on the other hand, broke through it in one bone tempering session."

He paused, then said, "However, the progress of your physical training has exceeded my expectations. In just a few days, you have already reached such a level. The fire lotus and the potion were used very well."

"Thanks to the Thunder Spear that the teacher reforged, and the opportunities along the way," Xilun said, bowing his head.

Swain waved his hand, then suddenly changed the subject: "I've heard about what you did in the Sea of ​​the Dead and the Sunset Coast, cutting off Samuel's mobs, breaking the Black King's siege... You're getting bolder and bolder."

Xilun remained silent.

"However," Swain's tone turned serious, "you've been so busy risking your life outside, do you even know what's been happening in the inner courtyard these past few days?"

"Brown said that Samuel's injuries have healed, and the Sea Demon Temple is also inquiring about my background."

"That's all trivial." Swain stood up, walked to the hall door with his hands behind his back, and looked at the churning clouds outside the cliff. "What I'm talking about is the reopening of the Linglong Tower."

Xilun's gaze sharpened slightly: "The Exquisite Tower?"

"You were admitted to the hospital late, and you've been focused on your cultivation, so it's normal that you haven't heard of it."

Swain turned around. "In the inner courtyard stands an exquisite tower, forged by the first patriarch using the remnants of sea beast souls and illusion array techniques. Each level within the tower is guarded by the phantom of a sea beast. The higher the level, the stronger the sea beast."

"Slaying the phantom sea beasts will improve your ranking. All third-tier disciples in the inner academy will be ranked according to their battle record in the Linglong Tower. The top fifty will all have their names recorded."

A thought struck Xiren: "What's the use of the rankings?"

"It's incredibly useful." Swain said, hands behind his back. "Entering the top fifty will grant you extra contribution points and cultivation resources each month; entering the top ten will allow you to borrow advanced cultivation techniques from the library tower; and the top-ranked person will even receive a personal instruction from an elder."

"For example, the unique cultivation resource of my Holy Light Monastery, the White Hair Pill, cultivates the mind and calms the spirit, nourishes the body, replenishes qi and blood, and repairs internal injuries. Its uses are endless, and it is refined by gathering demonic energy from all directions!"

"More importantly—"

Swain paused, then looked sharply at Xilun, "The inner court's spots in the next Star Ring Ranking Tournament five years from now will be selected from this list."

Siron's pupils constricted slightly.

Qualifying.

Aldridge.

Allah's bewildered figure sitting on the ground, and his obsessive words, "I will prove that the Monastery of Light is the strongest"...

Scenes flashed through his mind.