Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

After Swain finished speaking, the training ground fell silent for a brief moment.

A mountain breeze swept in from outside Thunderclap Cliff, carrying moist air and ruffling the black hair on Xilun's forehead.

The clouds in the distance had not completely dispersed, and occasionally, streaks of lightning flashed in the depths of the sea of ​​clouds, like some sleeping giant beast turning its eyelids.

"A miniature tower?"

Xilun sheathed his Thunder Spear and turned his gaze to Swain.

"It opens periodically. There are no real sea beasts inside the tower, only phantoms of sea beasts formed by arrays, auras, and killing intent. The strength of the phantoms changes constantly based on the challenger's performance within the tower."

"Killing sea monsters will improve my ranking?"

"It's not just about killing." Swain shook his head. "The Linglong Tower has its own evaluation system. The speed of killing, the degree of injury, the energy consumed, and the number of sea monsters dealt with are all recorded. If it's just about brute force, the ranking may not be as good as those who are good at controlling their energy."

Bruno, who was standing to the side with his arms crossed, couldn't help but interject upon hearing this:

"Teacher, Xilun has just broken through, so it's best to familiarize himself with the place for a few days first. Although the sea beast phantoms in the Linglong Tower are not real alien species, they fight very fiercely, especially in the higher-ranked areas, where the phantoms can even form herds."

"Familiar?" Xilun asked, "How long is the Linglong Tower open each time?"

"Seven days," Bruno replied. "Today is the first day of reopening."

Xilun's eyes flickered slightly.

Swain glanced at him, as if he had expected his reaction.

"Don't think that just because you've killed a third-tier sea dragon, you can underestimate the Linglong Tower."

The old man said in a deep voice, "The phantoms inside the tower will not be afraid, nor will they give you any advantage just because you have a talent for water. More importantly, the ranking of the Linglong Tower is related to the allocation of resources in the inner courtyard."

The top fifty will receive a White Hair Pill every month, the top thirty will receive additional body-strengthening potions, and the top ten will gain access to the inner courtyard's deep cultivation chambers.

What are the effects of Baihao Dan (a traditional Chinese medicine)?

"Cleanses the body of impurities and nourishes the bone marrow."

Swain said, "It will help you achieve the perfection of the third-tier physique. What you lack most right now is not combat experience, but rather thoroughly refining your foundation. The rewards from the Linglong Tower can save you a lot of time."

Xilun did not answer immediately.

He looked down at his right arm.

He had already bound the blood lock into a thin, dark red line, hidden beneath his skin.

The darkness still existed, but it no longer threatened to tear through flesh and drag his arm into some indescribable depths of decay as it once did.

It is now a knife.

A knife held firmly in one's own hand.

But Xilun knew very well that no matter how sharp a knife is, it ultimately depends on the person wielding it.

The sound of the bell that rang out before the underwater crystal core fell silent was still etched deep in his memory; the divine consciousness lurking in the deep sea had not truly disappeared.

The killing formation on the Sunken Star Coast has only temporarily sealed it off; it is by no means permanent.

Duke of Storms, the Sea Demon, the divine consciousness of the sea god, and enemies who may come knocking again at any time.

Everything was reminding him that time was not on his side.

"I'll go," Xilun said.

Bruno opened his mouth, seemingly wanting to offer some advice, but in the end he only said in a muffled voice, "You just refined the medicinal power of the Melting Bone Fire Lotus, and your body is not yet fully stable."

"That's why we should go even more."

Xilun planted the Thunder Spear into the ground and raised his hand to clench his fist.

The power of the Molten Bone Fire Lotus still flows deep within the bones like molten lava.

With each beat of the Thunder Dragon's Heart, strands of tiny lightning bolts traveled along its veins.

After breaking through the Great Thunder Sound Breathing Technique, he no longer needed to deliberately mobilize the thunder energy. With each breath, the Thunder Dragon Heart would automatically absorb the thunder energy from the outside world and slowly nourish his body.

This is an extremely subtle change, yet it is enough to alter the way battles are fought.

In the past, he had to first practice his breathing technique, then mobilize the thunder spirit within his body, and finally pour the thunder energy into the gun.

Even after multiple rounds of practice, there are still gaps in the timing of their movements.

Nowadays, breathing itself has become a process of accumulating thunderous energy.

With each breath inhaled, the Thunder Dragon's Heart became like a miniature thunder pool, settling and filtering the scattered thunderous power, transforming it into the bluish-white lightning most suitable for his body.

As the breath is exhaled, the lightning energy will naturally flow into the limbs and bones, and even merge into the water veins of the Azure Thunder Spear.

This made his marksmanship less deliberate and more natural.

"What ranking are you aiming for?" Swain asked.

"First fifty."

Bruno immediately looked up.

"The top fifty?" Gena couldn't help but ask. "Senior Brother Xilun, when the Linglong Tower was open last time, the top fifty were at least senior Tier 3 Extraordinary Ones, and the top-ranked ones even had perfected physiques."

Although you defeated Samuel, that was in the Sea of ​​the Dead, where the Breath of the Styx played a significant role. The Linglong Tower does not allow the use of highly polluting powers; if the formation deems it a forbidden technique, points may be deducted directly.

Xilun looked at him: "I don't use the Breath of the Styx."

"Then why..."

"Using only marksmanship and physical strength."

Gna was speechless.

Swain did not stop them, but said, "You can try the first fifty. If you encounter a sea beast that you cannot handle, quit immediately. The Linglong Tower will protect challengers, but the protection is not absolute. If you are seriously injured by the phantom, you will suffer real injuries to both your mind and body."

"clear."

"There's one more thing," Swain's gaze sharpened. "After your ranking improves, you'll encounter a lot of trouble. The Inner Court rankings aren't just about glory; they represent resources, prestige, and challenges."

Xilun drew his spear, and the water droplets on the spear flashed and disappeared in his palm.

"If someone wants a challenge, let him come."

Swain stared at him for a moment, then suddenly revealed a very faint smile.

"Then let's go."

In the afternoon, Xilun returned to the quiet room and reorganized the items he had brought back from the Sunset Coast.

Three bottles of Tier 3 Bone Forging Potion, five portions of unmixed main ingredients, a Soul Sealing Jade Slip, a section of a damaged wooden statue arm sealed using the Black King's Palace secret method, several bottles of healing medicine, and a mysterious technique obtained from the stone chamber.

He had already used two of the Melting Bone Fire Lotus plants, and the last one was sealed with a special medicinal liquid, to be consumed after his body had fully adapted.

Besides that, there was the dark red Fire Elixir.

This blood pill is now sealed in a three-layered metal box, its surface covered with dozens of blood-red patterns.

Even through the box, Xilun could feel the lingering blood energy within.

That wasn't the blood essence of ordinary sea beasts, but rather a kind of condensed substance formed after repeated tempering by magma, death energy, and battles.

It is dangerous.

However, it may also become the key to his breakthrough to physical perfection.

Instead of taking it immediately, Xilun temporarily placed it in a hidden compartment, separating it from the wooden statue's remains and sealing it away.

"We have enough resources."

He sat at the table, spread out a piece of paper, and wrote down his next training plan on it.

First, continue practicing the third level of the Overturning Sea Technique to hone your physique.

Secondly, with the help of Baihao Dan and bone-strengthening medicine, we attempted to tap into the bone marrow.

Third, strengthen the Blood Lock and research how to safely integrate the power of the evil god's remains into combat and gun techniques.

Fourth, enter the Linglong Tower and confirm the gap between yourself and the top fifty in the inner courtyard.

Fifth, seek out purification methods based on holy light to prepare for dealing with future flesh and blood deformities.

When Xilun finished writing, his pen paused for a moment.

He added another line to the paper.

"Improve my ranking as soon as possible and strive for a spot in the Star Ring Ranking Tournament five years from now."

The punch Aldridge threw in the arena remains etched in his memory to this day.

That wasn't just ordinary strength; it was power that had already reached the initial stage of the fourth-tier extreme realm.

Even after ten years of asceticism and the creation of a small world of mines, Allah still managed to defeat them within twenty breaths.

Aldrich is merely a genius among the younger generation of the Sea Demon Temple.

Behind him lies the Sea Demon Palace, and even more powerful beings.

Xiren didn't want to leave his fate to others to decide.

He wanted to stand at a higher vantage point to see just how powerful the Storm Duke truly was, and he also wanted to personally ask that man why he had used his mother as a tool and why he had regarded him, his son, as a stain that could be discarded at will.

After nightfall, Xilun did not continue his cultivation.

He adjusted his body to its most stable state, washed away the sweat left by the medicinal soup, changed into a black outfit, and re-examined the Thunder Spear, healing medicine, and spare runes.

The next morning, the main road in the inner courtyard was much busier than usual.

A group of figures converged on the west side of the inner courtyard, and along the way, people kept talking about the reopening of the Linglong Pagoda.

"I heard that the sea monster phantoms inside the tower have been readjusted this time, and the first ten floors are much more difficult than last time."

"That's because some people went too far in boosting their rankings last time, and the core of the formation was cracked."

"Who do you think will come in first place this time? Brother Allah's injuries haven't fully recovered yet, so he's probably going to drop in the rankings."

"Don't forget that Samuel has recovered from his injury; he was ranked fifty-second last time."

"Fifty-two? What about Xilun? I heard he defeated Samuel head-on in the Sea of ​​the Dead."

"It's hard to say..."

Discussions came from all directions.

Xilun walked through the crowd without changing his expression.

In front of the entrance to the Linglong Tower, a huge black stone tablet rises from the ground.

The surface of the stone tablet shimmered with a silvery-white light, and the first hundred names were neatly arranged, with each name followed by its ranking, points, and most recent challenge record.

At the very top it reads:

First, Allah, 896 points.

Second, Tinos, 754 points.

Fifty-second, Samuel, 431 points.

Siren's gaze lingered on Samuel's name for a moment before shifting away.

In front of the stone tablet, the deacon in charge of registration was loudly announcing the rules.

"Each person can challenge three times a day. The Linglong Tower has nine floors. First-time entrants start from the first floor. Kill each sea beast phantom to obtain basic points. If you can pass through without taking damage within the specified time, you will receive additional evaluation points."

After your ranking improves, you can choose to start challenging from the corresponding level, but points will be deducted for each failure.

"The use of single-use, oversized attack items is prohibited inside the tower. It is also prohibited to rely on the power of others or to bring living creatures."

Special bloodlines and innate talents are not subject to restrictions; whether or not polluting abilities are permitted is determined by the Tower Spirit itself.

Upon hearing the words "Tower Spirit," a low commotion arose among the crowd.

Xilun looked up ahead.

A nine-story, exquisite black tower stands in the mist. The tower has no windows, only dense silver lines extending upwards from the bottom.

The top layer was shrouded in clouds and mist, obscuring its true outline.

The tower gate slowly opened.

A deep, guttural roar came from inside.

The sound seemed to come from the depths of the ocean, carrying a damp, cold, and unsettling sense of oppression.

Xilun gripped the gun barrel and stepped inside.

Behind him, the voices of the onlookers gradually rose.

"He really went in!"

"Silon is going to challenge the Tower of Triumph!"

"Look at the list! We'll see if he's just all talk and no action when he comes out!"

On the stone tablet, Samuel's name hangs quietly at number fifty-second.

The moment Xilun stepped through the tower gate, the world before him changed completely.

The commotion behind us suddenly disappeared.

The ground beneath my feet was no longer paved with bluestone from the monastery, but a patch of dark, damp rocks.

Thick fog rolled in from all directions, and the sea breeze, carrying a salty smell, brushed against my cheeks.

The distant roar of the tide made it seem as if the entire interior of the Linglong Tower was filled with a boundless sea.

Xilun did not advance rashly.

He closed his eyes and took a breath.

Water vapor, salt, damp rocks, and extremely faint air currents.

These things combined to create a fake sea area, yet it was surprisingly real.

If Xilun hadn't known he was inside the Linglong Tower, he might have thought he had returned to Baishi River or Chenwan Lake.

"First layer, tidal flats."

A emotionless voice rang out from the fog.

"Challenger, Celen."

"Objective: Kill the three-headed sea monster phantom."

"Time limit: one hundred breaths."

As soon as he finished speaking, the sound of water splashing came from the mist on the left.

A black-scaled sea lion covered in bone spurs leaped out from behind the reef, its gaping maw spewing out long, stinking saliva.

It was incredibly fast, reaching Xilun almost as soon as the sound was heard.

Siron did not draw his gun.

He took a half step back with his right foot, and the Canglang Step naturally unfolded.

The sea lion's claws grazed his chest, and the strong wind tore his clothes.

Xilun leaned close, placing his left hand under the sea dog's neck, and the power of the Overturning Sea Technique surged in like a tide.

boom!

The sea lion's massive body was overturned and crashed heavily onto the rocks.

Before it could even roll over, Xilun had already stepped on its head.

With a powerful jolt beneath his feet, the black-scaled phantom shattered into a large expanse of water.

A silver light fell onto the back of his hand.

"Killed a sea monster phantom, base points 10."

The second and third sea lions burst out of the fog almost simultaneously.

Xilun drew his Thunder Spear.

The spearhead did not pierce out lightning; it merely traced an arc in the air.

As the first sea lion lunged forward, the gun barrel slid along its back, the water creating a gentle undercurrent that slowed its movements by half a beat.

Half a beat is enough.

Xilun spun around, the butt of his spear smashing the sea dog's jaw, then the spearhead pierced through its eye socket, a flash of blue-white lightning inside its skull, and the phantom silently dissipated.

The last sea lion tried to ambush them from behind.

As if sensing something amiss, Xilun shifted his stance with a swift movement, his body seemingly pushed aside by the tide, the sea dog's claws missing their mark. The gun bent backward, slamming heavily into its lumbar spine.

The three-headed sea monsters vanished in less than ten breaths.

"First level passed."

"Evaluation: Good".

"Base points: 30, bonus points: 12."

Xilun glanced down at the back of his hand.

Thirty-two silver light spots flowed under the skin.

He didn't stop, and continued forward.

The second layer of the environment becomes a shallow sea.

The seawater reached above my ankles, and the fog grew even thicker.

Six sea monsters with fins and sharp teeth emerged from the water. Instead of attacking immediately, they dispersed and tried to block Xilun's retreat from different directions.

Xilun gripped the Thunder Spear tightly, his body sinking slightly.

The Great Thunder Breathing Method operates on its own.

As he inhaled, the Thunder Dragon's heart throbbed slightly, and the blue-white thunder energy spread along his chest cavity like tiny electric snakes.

When exhaling, the thunderous energy did not erupt, but instead flowed into the spear along with the power of the Overturning Sea Technique.

Water veins come first, thunderous force lies hidden behind.

The words Swain once said became the body's most natural instinct at this moment.

Six sea monsters pounced at the same time.

Instead of charging head-on into any of them, Xilun stepped into the sea.

Canglang Step, taking advantage of the momentum.

He pulled the water beneath his feet, and a whirlpool suddenly appeared in the once calm shallow sea.

The movements of the six sea monsters froze simultaneously, as if they had been caught in an invisible undercurrent.

The spearhead thrust out at that moment.

The first shot pierced the throat of the sea monster on the left.

The second shot was aimed diagonally at the belly of the sea monster on the right.

The third shot, a sweeping motion of the gun barrel, caused lightning to erupt from the tip of the gun half a breath later, shattering both sea monsters along with it.

The remaining three sea monsters let out a piercing screech, large patches of gray-white scales appeared on their bodies, and their speed suddenly increased.

Xilun's eyes narrowed slightly.

The second layer of phantoms is not simply an increase in quantity.

They will change form depending on the challenger's fighting style.

The three-headed sea monster, one in front and two behind, simultaneously attacked Xilun's shoulder and neck with its sharp claws.

Instead of retreating, Xilun charged towards the sea monster at the forefront.

Just as the two were about to collide, he flicked his wrist.

The Azure Thunder Spear seemed to transform into a long serpent swaying in the undercurrent, its shaft supplely wrapping around the sea beast's claws, while its tip pierced in diagonally from under the armpit.

At the same time, Xilun's body rotated, and the gun was dragged backward by the force of the water.

The sea monster's body was forcibly pulled to one side, causing it to crash into its companion behind it.

boom!

The two phantoms collided, creating a shower of water.

The third sea monster swooped down from above, revealing a ring of jet-black fangs in its mouth.

Xilun looked up and suddenly released his left hand.

The Cang Lei Spear was rotated half a circle in the right hand, with the butt of the spear pointing upwards.

A surge of lightning energy naturally emanated from inside the gun.

It's not an eruption, but a flow.

The bluish-white lightning climbed up the shaft of the spear and finally condensed at the tail of the spear.

Using the force of twisting his waist and back, Xilun thrust upwards suddenly.

Lightning pierced through the sea monster's chest.

The phantom disintegrated less than a foot above his head.

"Second level passed."

"Evaluation: Excellent".

"Accumulated points: 127".

Outside the tower, a crowd had already gathered in front of the black stone monument.

Less than a quarter of an hour after Xilun entered the Linglong Tower, his name appeared at the bottom of the stone tablet.

100th place, Xilun, Holy Light Monastery, 57 points.

"Has he already passed the second level?"

"Why so fast? Shouldn't it be much slower for the first time challenging the Linglong Tower?"

"The steward just said that he received an excellent rating on the second level, so his combat consumption was probably minimal."

Elena stood on the periphery of the crowd, her arms crossed over her chest, her eyes fixed on the stone tablet.

Bruno, standing beside her, looked grave.