Starting as dockworkers, they swept through Chongqing.

Chapter 658 Entering the Fire Ghost Tribe

The man's face darkened. He slapped the gun barrel horizontally with his left palm, and curled his right fingers to grip Xilun's shoulder bone.

The spear tip slightly deflected, using the force of the palm strike to graz the man's arm.

Instead of fighting head-on, Xilun turned and swung his gun at the man's broken leg.

The man hastily moved away, which aggravated his injury, causing his face to turn even paler.

He suddenly exerted his strength, striking Xilun's chest with a palm strike, the air pressure in front of his palm causing his robes to dent.

Since Xilun couldn't avoid it, he simply took the hit with his spear, allowing the power of the abyss to dissipate layer by layer within his body.

With a loud thud, he was knocked back several steps, his back smashing against a piece of rotten wood, and blood flowed from the corner of his mouth.

But the man couldn't catch up. As soon as his broken leg hit the ground, a sharp pain surged in his chest, followed by coughing up dark red blood clots.

Xilun raised his hand to wipe away the blood, but his eyes were even brighter than before.

He doesn't possess divine power; at least not right now, this person can't unleash true divine power.

If it were a newly entered fourth-tier opponent in perfect condition, I would still be at a great disadvantage, but now, the opponent is much more seriously injured than I am.

The physical and mental enhancement brought by the fourth-order breakthrough was indeed astonishing, but it wouldn't instantly set his shattered leg bones back together, nor would it allow his severely injured lungs to continue to erupt without any burden.

Xilun turned and closed in again. This time, his spear thrusts were shorter, with each point, strike, flick, and sweep contained within a few feet in front of him.

Instead of unleashing a powerful killing move, he repeatedly thrust the spearhead into the opponent's most difficult-to-defend positions, forcing the man to move, turn, and exert force.

Lightning flashed intermittently in the woods, illuminating two bloodied faces.

The middle-aged man grew angrier with each blow. Although Xilun's strength was clearly inferior to his own, his marksmanship was so accurate it was painful to watch. One moment it was at his throat, and the next it was at his waist wound.

He pressed down on the gun barrel with his left palm, intending to use his strength to take the weapon away, when suddenly his palm went numb and golden arcs of electricity exploded along his wrist.

Immediately afterwards, a deep, surging force pushed from the gun, striking his weakest points one after another.

He had to let go. Taking advantage of the situation, Xilun flicked his gun, the blade slicing across his chest, tearing open his gray robe, and leaving a half-foot-long wound on his chest as well.

The man roared, and his palm strikes suddenly became dense, forcing Xilun back again.

Xilun was struck in the left shoulder, his clothes ripped apart inch by inch, and four lightning patterns shone brightly.

He staggered, but instead of creating distance, he used the forward lean to thrust the tip of the gun towards the man's lower abdomen.

The man could only dodge to the side, which caused his palm strike to weaken slightly.

As he watched the spear whiz past his abdomen, a chill suddenly ran through him.

This young man wasn't confident he could kill him easily; he was genuinely prepared to fight to the death.

Even though he was clearly stronger, his opponent seemed convinced that retreating would mean certain death, refusing to relinquish the initiative even when injured.

Xilun truly had nowhere to retreat. His Canglang Step was better suited for close-quarters combat and turning, not for long-distance escape.

If we turn around first and allow a fourth-tier expert to chase us from behind, the balance we've maintained through our injuries will immediately crumble.

The two collided again, and several slender trees around them snapped at waist height.

Xilun's blood surged, his grip on the gun split open, and his right leg finally gave way, his knee lurching down.

In that instant, the spear tip arrived like lightning, heading straight for his brow.

The man turned his head to dodge, a patch of white hair at his temple was shaved off, and a thin line of blood was left on the side of his face.

He forcefully mustered his strength to shake Xilun away, but after this exertion, he coughed several times, and blood kept seeping from between his fingers.

If we keep fighting, can we win? Maybe.

But if I were to crush this madman to death, how many more injuries would I have to suffer? Would it damage my newly solidified fourth-tier foundation?

Seeing Xilun raise his gun once again, he finally decided to back down.

"Remember what happened today," the man said, then suddenly swung his hand and smashed a nearby tree trunk.

Broken logs and debris rained down on Xilun, but he used the cover to retreat northwards.

Xilun swept away the wood chips with a shot, chased after him for a few steps, and saw that the other party was running wildly despite his broken leg, but his eyes became even calmer.

A dignified fourth-rank official, yet he fled first.

The man felt an overwhelming sense of humiliation, almost to the point of bleeding. If he hadn't just broken through and hadn't yet condensed his divine power, and if he hadn't fallen from such a height and been injured like this, how could a mere third-tier cultivator have driven him to this point!

Even without divine power, he wouldn't be in such a sorry state in a normal fight.

Unfortunately, his most valuable mount died, and he almost got dragged into the grave with it.

They were not far from where the Celts were waiting. Once they got there, there was still a chance to salvage this humiliating battle.

Xilun did not pursue the matter further.

Beneath the shirt he had just ripped open with a gunshot, a chamber of commerce logo sewn onto the lining was revealed.

The gold thread is looped into the shape of a copper coin, with fine patterns on the edge.

He had seen it more than once in Star Ring City; the same pattern was also printed on some supply wagons near the monastery.

The copper coin shop, and then recalling the young master the man spoke of, suddenly made sense of many previously unconnected details.

Celtic?

As Xilun watched the figure disappear into the forest, his expression gradually turned cold.

If it really is him, there are probably more than one seriously injured fourth-tier enemy ahead of this escape route.

Chasing after them now is truly delivering themselves to their doorstep.

He remembered this guess and did not get angry on the spot.

The nine-month assessment was originally just an assessment.

But tonight's slap, this fall from the sky, and that threat to torture me have all become a separate matter.

Xilun holstered his gun and turned to walk in the opposite direction.

As dawn broke, he washed his wounds by a shallow stream, re-bandaged them, and took the remaining half of the medicine, using brief breathing exercises to suppress the throbbing pain in his lungs.

After walking a little further, the trees suddenly thinned out, and smoke rose from the other side of the valley.

Several wooden pillars adorned with bone ornaments and carved with patterns of flames and bird wings stood beside the road.

"Sir, where is this?"

A caravan carrying their prey walked along the dirt road, and the leader told him in broken Common, "Fire Ghost is just ahead."

Xilun looked towards where the fireworks were rising and slowly stopped.

The kidnapping didn't bring him to the person who made the request, but instead, by a twist of fate, it sent him to the real Fire Nether Tribe.

The Fire Nether tribe was much larger than Xilun had anticipated.

The valley stretches out to both sides, with bamboo houses, wooden sheds, and animal skin tents spreading along the gentle slope, seemingly without end.

In the distance, there are several higher settlements connected to the main village by fences, which together number tens of thousands of people.

This place is known as the wilderness among the merchants of Xinghuan City. There are no neatly paved stone roads, nor can you hear the roar of steam engines. Goods are mostly transported by people carrying them on their backs and by pack animals. The dirt roads are muddy after the rain.

However, once inside, Xilun discovered that it was not the place where people ate raw meat and drank blood as rumored.

Food was cooking on a charcoal stove, clean water was in bamboo tubes, and vendors would weigh herbs on small scales and argue heatedly over a few coins.

Compared to Star Ring City, everything seemed rough and ancient.

The wooden pillars along the roadside are painted with black birds and various beasts. Some of the paintings are still recognizable in their original form, while others have multiple heads and overlapping arms, like demon kings from mythology.

Different totems were hung in front of different tents, clearly indicating that they did not all belong to the Fire Specters' main force, but also to nearby tribes who came to exchange supplies.

Bone ornaments clinked softly in the wind as an old man wearing a bird feather hat squatted in front of his shop, using stone powder to add color to a piece of animal bone.

After observing for a while, Xilun noticed that the people here were generally strong, and even ordinary women carrying water could steadily lift two heavy wooden buckets.

However, extraordinary individuals are still few and far between. Occasionally, when an aura clearly stronger than that of an ordinary person passes by, those nearby will instinctively make way.

Several young adult women approached, dressed in linen blouses and animal skin skirts, with thin ropes wrapped around their wrists and ankles. Some had animal teeth tied to their wrists, while others carried short daggers.

They had a healthy wheat-colored complexion, moved nimbly, and made no attempt to avoid the gaze of outsiders.

One of them noticed the robes billowing out of Siron's shoulders, then looked at his hand holding the gun, and suddenly stopped, smiling as he spoke a phrase in the local language.

Xilun didn't understand, but the old man selling charcoal next to her grinned and explained in Common Tongue, "She asked you if you'd like to sit by her hearth later."

Xilun paused for a moment, then shook his head: "I have other things to do."

The woman understood his refusal, and a hint of disappointment appeared on her face, but she did not persist. She simply waved to him and walked away laughing and joking with her companion.

Xilun chose a food stall near the intersection and sat down.

Here you can see three forks in the road, and behind it is a solid earthen wall, so if there is an accident, you won't be immediately surrounded from all sides.

He ordered a bowl of meat soup, a few baked flatbreads, and some water.

The shopkeeper, a middle-aged man with old bite marks on his arm, noticed the man's torn clothes and blood on his shoulder. He first examined the gun before asking, "Did you come back from the mountains?"

"Something happened on the way." Xiren placed the money on the table. "I heard there's a ferocious beast nearby that has already devoured your totem behemoth?"

The owner paused, his wooden spoon still in his hand, and the smile on his face faded.

"Are you here to hunt it too?"

"Let's ask first."

The owner brought over the hot soup and lowered his voice: "The rebellion started in the North Village. Those people secretly opened the sacrificial site and took the giant beast away, intending to force the main village to submit. But a few days ago, something appeared at the mouth of the bay to the north. Someone saw two beasts fighting in the shallow water..."

"There was only one left when we arrived. Our people searched far and wide, but the sacrificial site was full of remains."

Xilun tore off a piece of bread, dipped it in the broth, and asked, "Where is that end now?"

"In the mountains of Northeast China, near the sea cliffs, there is an old cave. People don't often come out during the day, and it's hard to say what will happen at night. Originally, the people from Beizhai didn't dare to stay there, and many of them retreated."

The boss pointed to several new tents in the distance, "Look, those are the ones. The main village is now guarding the road and doesn't dare to provoke it rashly. Few of the people we sent out before have returned."

"How did you get injured?" Xilun asked again.

The shop owner hesitated for a moment, then rolled up his other sleeve, revealing a burn that hadn't yet healed: "I didn't see it, I only moved a stone it had knocked off for someone. It was clearly already thrown in the rain, but it was still hot inside. Someone tried to stab it with a spear, but before the spearhead even went in, their strength gave way. I dare not say anything more."

Xilun nodded, not making things difficult for an ordinary person.

As he ate, he compared the new information with the records at Zuihuaju.

The totem rebellion did indeed occur, and there are witnesses to the later appearance of even stronger ferocious beasts.

The man last night was clearly not making up a story out of thin air, but using real changes to cover up his identity.

As for the disordered energy caused by the weapon touching the scales, and which alien species it corresponds to, we still need to confirm it with our own eyes.

It appears to be an internal rebellion within the Fire Ghost Tribe.

The rebels drove ferocious beasts and killed the Fire Nether tribe's original totem beast.

The intention was probably to control the faith, the ferocious beasts that faith brought.

After the hot soup went down my throat, the chill in my body gradually dissipated.

Instead of heading into the mountains immediately, Xilun sat and listened to the conversations of the people around him for a while.

Some people are complaining about the road closures, some are worried that the salt won't be able to get in soon, and others say that several groups of outside hunters have gathered in Beishan and will kill that thing sooner or later.

The rumors are still chaotic, but one thing is basically consistent: that ferocious beast is extremely powerful, and an ordinary third-tier beast might not be able to return alive.

Xilun, on the contrary, attaches even more importance to this.

The stronger one is, the more valuable one's talent becomes. However, he had just gone through a life-or-death battle and it was impossible for him to rush into the cave based on just a few rumors.

After finishing his meal, he asked the shopkeeper about several stalls selling herbs and maps before leaving with his gun.

On the other side of the food stall, three elderly people who had been sitting for a long time exchanged a glance.

They all looked to be in their sixties or seventies, dressed in inconspicuous clothes, but their belongings were neatly organized.

The tall, thin old man had thick calluses on the back of his left hand, and a long knife leaned against his feet; the short, stocky old man carried a short axe on his back, and small leather bags were neatly tied in a row at his waist; the man sitting in the middle had gray hair, his fingertips were covered with vermilion mineral powder, and a corner of a leather map was spread out on the table.

The three spent decades traversing the wilderness, searching for relics, digging for medicinal herbs, and hunting exotic species, witnessing countless people die on the road in their quest for a chance encounter.

Now that they are getting older, they still can't cross the threshold of the fourth level, and no one is willing to die of old age like this.

"He's very strong." The tall, thin old man looked in the direction Xilun had left. "He's not much weaker than you or me, and he's also injured."

The short, stocky old man said in a low voice, "The injuries aren't minor, but he can still fight. Your domain is exactly lacking someone who can hold the line."

o

The old man in the middle pressed his fingertip against the skin map, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "First ask about his background. If he is really just a wandering cultivator from out of town, then bring him in. It's better for four people to share the burden than for the three of us to struggle alone."

"How do we divide the things?" the tall, thin old man asked.

The elderly man with gray hair looked up at him but didn't smile. "Let him hold onto his position first. Once the matter is settled, will there be any need to divide it up?" The three of them didn't say anything more.

After decades of getting along, a single sentence is enough.

The short, stocky old man finished the last bit of soup in his bowl, and as he got up, he carefully put the leather rope that had fallen off the table back into his bag.

Xiren stopped in front of a stall selling animal bones and picked up a grayish-white tooth.

He didn't turn around, but out of the corner of his eye he saw three figures following him from the intersection.

He had noticed these three people when he was at the food stall.

The two had tempered their strength to about 70-80%. The other one's strength wasn't particularly strong, but his spirit was quite solid, and there was a lot of mineral powder left on his fingertips and sleeves from setting up the field.

They didn't seem like a temporary buddy; they were more like seasoned veterans who had been working together for many years.

Did they follow because they recognized their own strength, or something else?

Xilun put the beast tooth back and continued walking forward.