Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

Xilun put down the Thunder Spear and took out a waterproof tinderbox from his bag.

A flame lit up.

The chill in the cave was dispelled somewhat.

He found some flat stones to block the crack, leaving only a gap for air to circulate, and tied the copper whistle to a thin line and placed it near the entrance of the cave.

If a person or a Black Soul Beast intrudes, the copper whistle will sound when the thin thread is moved.

"You should heal your wounds first."

Xilun sat down cross-legged and placed the captured black crystals one by one in front of him.

Besides the perfect black crystal, he also had many broken black crystals, as well as several complete black crystals obtained from the outer perimeter of the decaying stone forest.

The black crystal reflected the firelight, its interior resembling a still, deep sea.

Elena glanced at it.

"Are you planning to refine it all?"

"Um."

"You just went through a great battle, and you were hit on the shoulder by the Abyss Finger Talisman." Elena frowned slightly. "The lingering resentment in the black crystal can erode your spirit. Refining too much at once might not be a good thing."

"The wound is no longer a major concern."

Xilun moved his left shoulder.

The bloody hole under the bandage was still there, but it was no longer bleeding.

With each beat of the Thunder Dragon Heart, it sends out warm lightning energy that slowly travels along the flesh and blood, gradually erasing the deep blue corrosive aura remaining in the wound.

He could clearly feel that his injuries were healing.

The speed wasn't fast, but it was enough to sustain the training that followed.

"As for the lingering regrets within the black crystal..."

Xilun picked up a complete black crystal, about the size of a fist, and channeled his Overturning Sea Technique energy into his palm.

"They don't affect me yet."

Crack.

A fine crack appeared on the surface of the black crystal.

A cold force surged into his body through his palm.

The cave in front of Xiren suddenly disappeared.

Dark seawater surged in from all directions, and deep within the ocean, a colossal alien creature with hundreds of eyes slowly opened its eyes.

The murky pupils reflected the storm, thunder, and sinking ships, while the cries of countless dying people overlapped in the water.

The next moment, the alien opened its enormous mouth.

Seawater overflowed.

It seemed as if it wanted to swallow Xilun's consciousness into the abyss.

The Moon Memory Meditation Method operates silently.

A clear, cold silver moon rose from the depths of the spirit, its faint light sweeping across the dark sea, causing ripples to spread.

Immediately afterwards, the Great Thunder Breathing Method mobilized the Qi and blood, and a deep thunderous sound exploded from within the chest cavity.

boom!

""

The illusion shattered instantly.

The alien species howled and turned into countless gray-black fragments.

The Thunder Dragon's Heart beat again, devouring and crushing the remaining ferocious aura within the black crystal, leaving only a wisp of clear and strange power, which merged into the power of the Overturning Sea Technique.

Xilun's breathing is stable.

Strength flows through the skin, flesh, muscles, and bones like ocean waves.

The slight sluggishness that originally arose due to the perfection of his physique was quickly reduced under the cleansing power of the black crystal.

When energy passes through flesh and blood, it no longer acts like tides crashing against a dam, but gradually seeps into every inch of muscle, becoming more integrated with the body.

Elena leaned against the other side of the stone wall and took a healing potion.

She watched as the black crystal in Xilun's hand gradually turned into ash, and fell silent.

When others refine the complete black crystal, they often have to be careful to resist the lingering resentment, as they may fall into hallucinations if they are not careful.

Even for a third-tier extraordinary individual with a strong will, it would take several hours.

Xilun, however, took less than a quarter of an hour.

What concerned her even more was that after he refined the black crystal, his aura remained completely unwavering.

That profound power of the Overturning Sea Technique became even more refined, like the sea gradually rising before a storm, with a force capable of destroying reefs hidden beneath its calm surface.

Elena looked down at her hands.

Six months ago, she could spar with Xilun for dozens of moves.

just now……

It would be difficult to even force him to use all his marksmanship skills.

This disparity stirred a complex mix of emotions within her.

She entered the convent at a young age, was quite talented, and her teachers never skimped on resources for her.

After more than twenty years of self-cultivation, she has long been accustomed to standing ahead of most of her peers.

But after Siren appeared, everything changed too quickly.

He is like a thunder dragon leaping from the depths of a trench; every time he reappears after a period of silence, he leaves those who were once ahead of him far behind.

The Sea of ​​the Dead.

The exquisite tower.

Thunderclap Cliff.

And now, it has become the Blackwater Abyss.

He seemed to never know fatigue, and never looked back.

Elena suddenly understood why Samuel had gradually fallen into obsession.

When someone who was originally inferior to you moves further and further away at a visible speed, and you can't catch up no matter how hard you try, that sense of powerlessness can indeed shatter your pride.

Understanding does not equate to agreement.

Samuel channeled this powerlessness into jealousy and murderous intent.

Elena did not want this to happen.

She closed her eyes, circulated her energy, and let the medicine flow along the wound on her shoulder.

At least, she still has her own path.

The firelight flickered gently.

The cave quickly fell silent, with only the two of them breathing deeply.

piece.

Two pieces.

Three pieces...

Xilun continued to refine the black crystal.

Each shattered piece of black crystal brought forth a different illusion. Sometimes it was a deep-sea monster, sometimes countless drowned beings dragging his hands and feet, and sometimes the Storm Duke sitting high at the end of the long table, looking down at him with indifferent eyes.

Xilun has never wavered.

If the illusion is a sea monster, he will shatter it with thunder.

If the illusion is of the dead, he suppresses it with the breath of the Styx.

As for Duke Storm...

Xiren simply stared at that familiar yet unfamiliar face before thrusting his spear forward.

False enemies are not worth wasting time on.

What he needed to do was make that person in reality die by his own gun.

Several hours later, most of the black crystals in front of him had turned into powder.

Xilun introspects on himself.

The speed at which the Qi flowed through the Overturning Sea Technique was nearly 20% faster than before entering the Blackwater Abyss.

Every strand of energy became more resilient and refined, and when it seeped into the bones, it would resonate subtly with the three golden lightning patterns.

If when he first entered the realm of wonders there was a very thin membrane between his strength and perfect physique, then now, that membrane has been mostly worn away by the black crystal.

The physical tempering process is nearly 20%.

While still far from the true third-tier extreme realm, we have already taken a solid step forward.

Xilun opened his eyes.

Only a small piece of the tinder remained, and the dim yellow light cast a long shadow on him.

Elena had already treated her wounds and was standing guard near the cave entrance with her eyes closed. Sensing the movement, she turned around.

"Is the refining complete?"

"There's only one piece left."

Xilun reached out and picked up the perfect black crystal.

It is heavier than the regular black crystal.

The crystal contains no gray or black impurities, only a faint, slowly rotating luster.

Before the power of the Overturning Sea Technique had even been infused, a faint desire had already arisen within his body.

Skin, flesh, bones, blood, and even the three lightning patterns all yearn for the power within.

"Perfect Black Crystal is different from ordinary Black Crystal." Elena said seriously, "It not only tempers your strength, but also affects your physique itself. If you feel anything is wrong, stop immediately."

Xilun nodded.

Bring your five fingers together.

The lightning energy surged along the palm lines, completely enveloping the crystal.

The perfect black crystal did not shatter immediately, but instead vibrated gently in his palm.

thump.

thump.

The frequency of the vibrations gradually overlapped with the heart of the Thunder Dragon.

Xilun's eyes narrowed slightly.

The next moment, the crystal melted silently.

It didn't shatter.

Instead, it transformed into a pure black liquid, seeping directly into his flesh and blood along the skin of his palm.

boom!

A vast power spread throughout his body.

Xilun was startled.

Countless images of the deep sea flooded my mind, but there was none of the chaotic and ferocious lingering thoughts found in the ordinary black crystal.

Only a giant, jet-black spider slowly weaves its web in the abyss, day after day inhaling and exhaling the strange power of the black water, until this perfect black crystal is conceived in its chest and abdomen.

The image is clear, yet devoid of malice.

It's more like an instinctive memory preserved by a crystal.

The Western Lun's rotation overturns the sea.

The black liquid was swirled up by the force, turning into hundreds of thin streams that flowed continuously along the skin, flesh, tendons, and bones.

pain!

Like countless fine needles piercing under the skin.

The power of the Perfect Black Crystal does not simply nourish physical strength, but seeks out every tiny disharmony within the body.

It repeatedly washes away the slightly thinner parts of flesh and blood; it forcibly widens the gaps where the tendons and bones are not well connected; and it tears and repairs the paths where the flow of energy is slightly sluggish time and time again.

Fine beads of sweat appeared on Xilun's forehead.

Three lightning patterns lit up in sequence.

The Thunder Dragon Heart provides a continuous source of life force, while the Great Thunder Sound Breathing Law maintains the stability of Qi and blood.

The icy coldness adhered to the internal organs, preventing the black crystal's power from impacting too violently.

His preparations were far more thorough than those of an ordinary third-order extraordinary being.

Even so, the process still lasted for nearly two hours.

Only when the last drop of black liquid merged into the skin did Xilun's tense body slowly relax.

He opened his eyes.

A faint energy swirls on the skin's surface, like an invisible water film.

With each breath, that energy sometimes sinks into the flesh and blood, and sometimes surfaces, circulating with almost no loss.

Xilun stood up.

Raise your hand.

Slowly clench your five fingers.

A series of fine popping sounds rang out in the air.

Without using lightning patterns or deliberately activating the Overturning Sea Technique, he simply exerted his physical strength, which compressed the surrounding air.

Elena stared at him.

"how?"

Xilun took a moment to reflect.

"My strength is about 30% stronger than when I first entered the wonderland."

"Thirty percent?"

A look of surprise appeared in Elena's eyes.

The Blackwater Abyss has only been open for a short time.

Xilun, however, had already completed the accumulation that an ordinary third-tier extraordinary being might take a year or even several years to achieve.

This speed cannot be simply described as fast.

Xiren looked down at his fist, his heart also stirred.

Once one's Qi and Strength have been fully tempered, one can begin the process of attempting to become a fourth-tier extraordinary individual.

The first stage of the three stages of natural disasters.

The Witcher.

For many extraordinary individuals, that is a step that can transform their level of life.

Before reaching the fourth rank, no matter how strong one is, one is still just a mortal body, which will still age, be eroded by disease, and still need to maintain awe in the face of most dangers.

The situation changes after the fourth tier.

Bloodline development, inner world, inner landscape, divine power...

The various paths will truly diverge at this stage.

The title "Witcher" comes from a very ancient legend.

In ancient times, the sun sank into the earth and never rose again.

The world fell into eternal night.

The village could only rely on the campfire for shelter, and beyond the firelight, malice and whispers filled the air.

To keep the campfire burning, someone always has to leave the village and venture into the darkness to find firewood, food, and minerals.

Those who can walk alone in the eternal night, hunt down great demons, and then carry resources back to the campfire are called witchers.

Xilun previously only regarded this legend as the origin of the fourth-order name.

But upon closer reflection, I vaguely sense that there is another meaning hidden within it.

Even after reaching the fourth level of cultivation, with all the skin, flesh, and bones fully tempered and possessing extraordinary strength far exceeding that of ordinary people, it is still only enough to "walk alone in the eternal night".

Just how dangerous is that ancient, eternal night?

What, then, is a demon?

So far, he has mostly seen sea monsters, alien species, the remains of evil gods, and those strange creatures in the Sea of ​​the Dead that exist between life and death, but he has never actually seen the legendary demon.

Do demons and alien species belong to the same kind of life?

Or is it something more ancient and dangerous than the alien species?

Xiren glanced at his right arm.

Deep within the blood-locked barrier, dark red and black energy lay dormant.

Could the six-armed, faceless statue at the bottom of the sea be considered a demon?

The thought flashed through my mind.

Xilun quickly suppressed it.

It's still a long way from the fourth level.

The development of bloodlines, the awakening of bone marrow, the inner vision and divine power—these paths are far more complex than the third stage.

With his current knowledge, forcing himself to think about it will only lead to wrong conclusions.

First, complete the physical tempering.

Then go to the library tower to find the answer.

"It's time to go."

Xilun fastened the Sea Demon Blood Cotton Coat again and slung the Thunder Spear behind his back.

Elena looked up at the outside of the cave.

The light in the gray fog was brighter than before.

There is no true day or night in the Blackwater Abyss; one can only judge the time by the brightness of the mist.

According to their estimates, they had rested for most of the day.

"To the second gathering point?"

"Um."

Xilun took out the map that Angel had given him.

Besides the unnamed canyon and the decaying stone forest, the map also marks several areas where people used to rest.

These areas are relatively low-risk, and their routes intersect, making it easy for temporary gathering points to form.

The second gathering point is less than half a day's journey from their current location.

Xilun put away the map and kicked away the stone blocking the crack.

A cold, gray mist slowly seeped in.

He gripped the Thunder Spear and was the first to emerge from the cave.

Elena followed closely behind.

The two figures quickly disappeared into the gray world, leaving only the pile of black crystal powder inside the cave, gently drifting in the dim firelight.

The road to the second gathering point was not easy.

The roadside is full of gullies carved out by black water, and if you are not careful, you will step into a bottomless crevice.

Hidden within the gray mist are some incorporeal, insect-shaped black soul beasts. They are not strong, but they are extremely good at concealing their presence. Once you get close, they will burrow into the skin of an extraordinary person and devour their energy.

After walking five miles, Xiren and Elena were attacked three times in succession.

The last swarm of insect-shaped black soul beasts, numbering in the dozens, surged out from under the rotting tree roots like a cloud of gray-black dust, heading straight for the two men.

Elena brandished her longsword.

The silver-gray energy transformed into a semi-circular light curtain, keeping the swarm of insects three feet away.

A series of impacts followed.

Countless tiny ripples spread across the surface of the light screen, and it dimmed considerably in just a few breaths.

"These things will devour your strength."

She immediately reminded him.

Xilun raised his hand and clenched his fist.

The first lightning pattern on his left wrist lit up.

The golden lightning energy did not erupt outwards, but instead condensed into a blinding light at the point of the fist.

He took half a step forward and punched the center of the silver-gray light screen.

Lightning bolts spread out along the surface of the light curtain.

Crack!

Dozens of tiny lightning bolts leaped simultaneously.

Before the swarm could even scatter, it convulsed violently in the blinding lightning, its gray-black bodies exploding one after another into a foul-smelling smoke.

A moment later, only two tiny black crystals, each the size of a fingernail, remained.

Xilun picked it up and casually put it into his leather bag.

A black crystal of this size is no longer of much use to him.

However, bringing them back to the inner courtyard can still earn some contributions, which, if accumulated, will amount to a considerable sum.

The two continued on their way.

The closer you get to the gathering point, the more traces of battle are left nearby.

Shattered weapons.

A sea monster corroded by black water, leaving only its skeleton.

There are also several hastily buried graves.

There were no names on the grave mounds, only broken knives or wooden sticks as markers.

Elena paused briefly as she passed one of the graves.

A broken scissor was stuck in front of the grave.

The sword hilt was wrapped in faded blue cloth, a style commonly used by disciples of the Disciplinary Academy.

She stared at it for a moment, but ultimately did not go forward to dig it open.

The identity card will only be triggered when the owner actively crushes it.

The Blackwater Abyss is fraught with danger, and not everyone can seize that fleeting opportunity before death arrives.

"know?"

"Sirlen asked."

"uncertain."

Elena looked away.

"Dozens of people in the disciplinary institute use this kind of sword."

Her voice was calm, but she gripped the sword hilt tightly.

Xilun did not ask any further questions.

The weak die from danger, the strong die from greed.

From the moment they entered the Blackwater Abyss, everyone knew what they might face.

The dean had already warned that the struggles and life-or-death situations in the Wonderland depended entirely on the individual's judgment.

Knowing is one thing.

Seeing familiar weapons stuck in front of nameless graves is another matter entirely.

The two walked around the burial mound.

The terrain ahead gradually rose, and the gray fog thinned out.

Just then, Xilun suddenly stopped.

Elena then turned to the side, her right hand resting on the short sword.

Several dozen feet away, a tall, slender figure emerged from behind the slope.

The other person wore a dark gray robe with several holes burned by lightning and fire, a double-edged short sword hanging at his waist, and a leather bag full of black soul beast materials tied to his back.

When the man saw Xilun, he was taken aback at first, then he smiled.

"I thought it was a Black Soul Beast."

"Senior Brother Randall."

Xilun withdrew his hand from the gun.

The visitor was none other than Randall, ranked tenth in the inner court.

The two had spoken on the four-hundred-foot platform at Thunderclap Cliff, where Randall was cultivating the Golden Thunder Vortex Sutra, taking three years to complete two cycles. It was he who told Xilun that Tinos had reached the sixth cycle.

Randall took a few steps closer, his gaze lingering on Elena for a moment before settling on Siron's shoulder.

"Are you injured?"

"It's mostly healed."

"There aren't many people in the Blackwater Abyss who can still hurt you."

Randall had clearly heard about Xiren's recent performance, but did not ask any further questions.

In this wondrous realm, opportunities and conflicts coexist.

Asking too many questions can easily lead to misunderstandings.

He took out a water bottle from his leather bag, tilted his head back, and took a sip.

Where are you headed?

"The second gathering point."

"It's on my way." Randall shook his empty water bottle. "There's a camp set up over there, selling water, potions, and maps. I'm almost out of healing potions, so I'm going to go and get some more."

The three of them headed north along the slope.

Randall had clearly been exploring the area for a long time and was very familiar with the road conditions.

On two occasions, he changed his route ahead of time to avoid the black water depression hidden in the fog.

During their walk, Elena asked, "Did Senior Brother Randall find anything?"

"good."

Randall patted the skin on his back.

"We killed more than a dozen Black Soul Beasts, most of which were broken Black Crystals, but there were also three complete Black Crystals."

He paused for a moment, a smile appearing on his lips.

"I was lucky; last night I even hunted a black-scaled ghost fish hiding in a crevice and got a perfect black crystal."

A look of surprise flashed across Elena's eyes.

Congratulations, senior brother.

Xilun nodded as well.

"I'm one step closer to the third-tier extreme realm."