Full health is the kill threshold, no matter if you're a god or a demon!

As they ventured deeper, the surrounding scenery gradually changed.

The amount of metal debris is increasing, and its scale is also growing.

No longer are scattered mechanical structures, but rather entire collapsed metal walls engraved with complex runes, broken giant mechanical arms, and even the outlines of strangely shaped vehicles or turrets half-buried in the ground.

The smell of rust and engine oil in the air grew stronger, mixed with a damp mist and a faint fishy odor.

The terrain continued to slope downwards, and the sound of rushing water finally came from ahead, indicating that they had reached their destination.

After rounding a bend formed by massive wreckage, the view suddenly opened up before us!

They arrived at the edge of an underground space. This place was no longer a pure ruin, but an underground ecological area where life and decay coexisted, cleverly transformed and utilized.

On one side of the space are towering, rusted metal walls covered with moss and vines that emit a soft blue light; on the other side is a deep blue body of water—not a naturally formed underground lake, but connected to a deeper underground sea through carefully maintained ancient waterways.

Beneath the surface, one can vaguely see the renovated metal platform, the foundation of the colonnades, and the outline of a Naga-style building decorated with coral, luminous seaweed, and seashells—the extension of the Silverscale Naga's underwater home.

At the junction of land and water, there was a temporary camp built by the Demon Bear Clan players after their arrival, which now looked more like a small, fully-equipped settlement to Liu Nian.

Using the sturdy metal frames and platforms left by the rusted dynasty, they built unique dwellings: huge seashells, polished bone materials, extremely tough deep-sea plant fibers, and usable metal sheets picked from the ruins, forming semi-open pavilions, domed huts, and winding corridors.

These buildings coexist with the remaining dynastic structures, as if new life has sprouted from ancient mechanical skeletons. Some of the buildings are inlaid with luminescent shells or fluorescent corals that shimmer like pearls, providing illumination while also adding a dreamlike quality.

The air was filled with the salty smell of the sea, the fresh scent of aquatic plants, and the faint smell of rusted metal.

Here you can see many Demon Bear Clan players resting, preparing, and trading, as well as Naga gliding through the streets, processing their catch, and drying seaweed fabrics.

Further away, some young Naga were playing in the shallow water; others were in the semi-submerged "workshops," studying some salvaged or excavated relics of the rusted dynasty with a few demon bear craftsmen.

Liu Nian's gaze was mainly fixed on the Naga. The vast majority of them were female, with graceful upper bodies covered with fine scales that shimmered with a silver-blue luster. Their faces were exquisite, yet they carried the coldness and mystery of an aquatic race.

Its lower body is a long, powerful snake tail that meanders and slides across the land at a remarkable speed.

Some of them wielded tridents inlaid with pearls or sharp bone blades, while others used exotic weapons such as long-handled hooks, dragon-beard forks, and phoenix-tail halberds, with most using two-handed long-handled weapons.

Some of them were chanting in ethereal and beautiful language, conjuring soft water in their hands to heal the wounded demon bear warriors; others were communicating with the demon bear tribe's craftsmen, fiddling with some rusted mechanical parts and glowing crystals.

Most Nagas have two arms, but some have four, and a few even have six.

This is the Silverscale Naga, a former deep-sea ally of the Rust Dynasty, and now a guardian of its legacy.

Strictly speaking, like spider elves, Naga can also be considered a branch of elves.

Shi Ri led Liu Nian toward a council hall in the center of the camp, constructed from metal plates and a giant fish skeleton.

The Demon Bear Clan players along the way bowed to Devouring Sun, their eyes curiously scrutinizing Liu Nian, this unfamiliar human.

The Naga cast scrutinizing, curious, or indifferent glances, but did not show any obvious hostility.

Inside the council chamber, several powerful figures were already waiting.

Here, Liu Nian met the second clan chief of the Demon Bear clan, Wo Kai, whose fur was fiery red.

Seated in the main seat was a female Naga leader with an elegant and noble demeanor, wearing a crown of coral and pearls.

Holding a scepter inlaid with sapphires, with a serpent's tail coiled around her, and with deep, calm eyes, she was none other than the leader of the Silverscale Naga—[Level 99] Deepwater Matriarch Isa.

Standing slightly behind and to the side of Isaac was a lithe Naga woman with sharp, piercing eyes, wielding a pair of glowing daggers—Screaming Blade Vizra, commander of the Deep Tide Guard.

On the other side, a Dark Tide Priestess named Sera, dressed in a dark blue priestess robe, stood motionless, seemingly blending into the surrounding shadows.

There was also a young Naga woman named Etherine, who exuded a gentle and healing aura and looked curious, and an elderly Naga scholar named Menos, who held a heavy metal tome and frowned.

"Madam, everyone," the Sun-Eating Demon introduced in a loud voice, "this is Liu Nian, a top expert from the human camp."

Deepwater Matriarch Isa nodded gracefully, her voice ethereal and melodious yet imposing: "Welcome, powerful one of the land. I am Isa, ruler of the Silverscale Naga."

Liu Nian politely returned the greeting: "Greetings, Madam. Please forgive my unannounced visit."

"It's alright." Isa smiled slightly. "Since Chief Sun Eater brought you here, you are a guest."

Then, Shi Ri abruptly changed the subject and invited Liu Nian to team up with him to conquer an extremely difficult two-player dungeon.

Only then did Liu Nian realize why Shi Ri had invited him here.

It turns out that the Silverscale Naga did not occupy the core area of ​​the Rust Dynasty. It has now become a terrifying place occupied by a large number of "Rusty Golems" and "Chaotic Dimensional Tomb" corrupted by chaotic energy. In other words, it has actually become a dungeon.

The dungeon is quite difficult, and it's a two-player dungeon that only allows two people to enter. Many people from the Sun Eater and the Clan have tried it, but all of them failed on the first level.

Deepwater Matriarch Isa's gaze shifted between Liu Nian and Devourer of the Sun, as if she already knew Devourer of the Sun's plans.

This dungeon and its rewards are crucial to both the Demon Bear Clan and the Naga, but unfortunately, their own strength is insufficient to conquer it.

Shi Ri stared intently at Liu Nian with his amber bear eyes, his voice low and deep: "That dungeon is called 'Trial of the Two Kings.' Actually, the mechanics aren't complicated. We'll enter a mirrored nine-layered corridor. The strength of the monsters we face is calculated by adding our combat power together and dividing by two. In other words, we'll each encounter the exact same opponent."

He took a step forward, his massive body radiating an invisible pressure: "My people, including the other three clan leaders, have all tried to challenge me, and without exception, they all failed before the first trial in the corridor. Liu Nian, you are the only one I feel I can defeat, so I want to ask you to help me complete this instance! To obtain the eternal-level reward inside!"