Rolling Seas, Crashing Depths

The Fishmen fled in all directions. While fighting raged elsewhere, the battle around Luo Zhou had temporarily ceased.

The fight over, Luo Zhou gasped for air.

Despite his powerful physique, this intense battle left him feeling utterly exhausted.

He looked around. The fighting continued in the distance, but here, a brief truce had been called.

Over a dozen of the cultivators who had charged in with him had already fallen.

The rest were either slumped on the ground or tending to their wounds.

A group of hundreds of ordinary mortals, all able-bodied young men, ran over.

They carried stretchers to carry away the fallen cultivators.

The dead were prepared for burial, and the living were immediately treated.

Someone handed Luo Zhou a drink.

It was sweet honey water, with a hint of salt, to replenish his energy.

If he was hungry, they would immediately bring large meat buns.

Luo Zhou devoured three large meat buns in one go. He ate just enough to feel a little full, as eating too much would affect his subsequent combat.

Many of the mortal young men began collecting the corpses of the Sea Beasts from the ground.

Those still alive were finished off with a final blow, and the thoroughly dead were immediately loaded onto carts and taken away.

These were all seafood resources, which could be exchanged for Broken Spirit, used for the compensation of the fallen and the rewards for the participants.

At the very least, it was meat, preventing the city from running out of food during the prolonged siege.

This task was extremely dangerous. Some of the Sea Beasts weren't quite dead and would suddenly struggle in their death throes. Two strong mortal men were instantly decapitated.

Someone finished off the Sea Beast, but the dead mortals were just... dead.

As Luo Zhou watched, Cheng Peng shouted:

"Everyone, rest quickly! The Sea Beasts will be here for their second wave soon.

Don't go to help on the sides; you'll only cause more trouble.

Follow the command from the city. Captain Guo of the Sea Police Camp is the Strategist; trust his word..."

He had killed his opponent, a Second Rank Fishman, without sustaining any injuries.

Luo Zhou's ability to slaughter his enemies was directly related to his killing of a Second Rank Fishman.

Under his command, the remaining cultivators who could still fight were quickly organized.

He approached Luo Zhou and said, "Young man, what did you say your name was?"

"Luo Zhou!"

"You're very strong, very capable! We'll need you as the main force next time!"

Three Qi Refining stage cultivators, Cheng Peng and Liu Jing were unharmed. He Yongqi, however, was injured. Although his spiritual energy had healed him, the visible scars on his body remained.

He wasn't reliable anymore; Luo Zhou would have to step up.

"Our team lost seven men and had eleven incapacitated just now.

The remaining ones can still fight, but if they come again, the pressure on us will be immense!"

Their original team of over sixty people had suddenly lost a third of their strength...

And this was only the first wave of attack on the first day!

However, the remaining fighters were all capable, and reserve personnel would be added.

Luo Zhou nodded and said, "I'll hold the line!"

"Good lad! I'll request a great merit for you after this is over!"

With that, Cheng Peng patted Luo Zhou's shoulder and went to encourage the others.

Luo Zhou, meanwhile, seized the opportunity to check his Spirit Pattern.

In a daze, he felt as if he had entered a dream.

Eternal Fire Sea.

Eighty-three destinies!

Wash!

Ten of these destinies transformed into flames, burning intensely.

They became a kind of spiritual fire that spread from the Spirit Pattern on Luo Zhou's back to his entire body.

Luo Zhou silently underwent a full-body evolution.

Flesh, bones, five senses, meridians, limbs, internal organs, essence, and soul – everything was strengthened and improved bit by bit as essence was infused.

After the first set was washed, the second set of ten destinies continued, followed by another ten destinies...

He washed all eight sets in one go!

At the same time, Luo Zhou felt his body become incredibly hot. It was as if the blood flowing through his veins wasn't blood at all, but a ferocious energy burning and surging, flowing from his heart to his entire body in an instant.

For a moment, everything around seemed to freeze, all becoming slow!

The continuous Swift Movement, repeatedly learned from Senior Brother Cui Jian, evolved into Characteristic Super Speed under this baptism.

Activating this characteristic would put the body into a state of super-speed.

No longer just able to Swift Movement quickly, but an all-around boost in agility.

Compared to continuous Swift Movement, Characteristic Super Speed's duration doubled, while consuming only a quarter of the stamina.

Luo Zhou exhaled deeply, his strength increasing significantly without him realizing it.

This was the marvel of the Spirit Pattern; the Great Flower Back wasn't just for show!

Under the baptism of fate, the body evolved, and Spirituality was enhanced. This was called Refining the Body and Condensing the Spirit!

In a daze, Luo Zhou silently felt his own changes.

He gritted his teeth, feeling a bit regretful. If he had accumulated enough for a Hundred Spirit Body Refining and Spirit Condensing.

Perhaps Swift Movement would have evolved into a Talent.

Talents far surpassed characteristics!

That would have made him even stronger!

He had to accumulate more. Another hundred destinies, and another great burning of Body Refining and Spirit Condensing!

And it wasn't just Swift Movement; many other abilities should also be elevated to Talents.

Actually, the ability that should be improved the most was Rewarding Good and Punishing Evil.

But this Body Refining and Spirit Condensing improvement was completely beyond his control.

Just then, someone shouted, "They're here, they're here!"

New enemies, returning for a kill.

They immediately prepared for battle. Those with battle formations maintained them, while those without fought individually.

The Sea Beasts charging into the great formation were led by seven Sea Horse Knights.

Their lower bodies were those of seahorses, floating about a foot above the ground, while their upper bodies were humanoid, clad in heavy armor and wielding lances!

Each of them carried several banners, completely obscuring what was behind them.

This armor, this spear, this banner – all were spirit gold, shining like silver.

This indicated they weren't mere Merman grunts, but true warriors from the great sea clans.

With the appearance of the Sea Horse Knights, the East City Gate opened, and three Spirit Boats rushed out, heading straight for them.

The Sea Police Camp warriors of Green Ridge City, traveling on land like boats, were coming to support.

Sea Horse Knights were true warriors of the Sea Race; ordinary cultivators like Cheng Peng and his group couldn't contend with them. They required regular troops to handle.

However, it would take some time for them to arrive.

The seven Sea Horse Knights raised their lances, formed a line, and charged!

Though only seven, they seemed like an army of thousands charging forward.

The reinforcements hadn't arrived, and the enemy had already charged. Cheng Peng sighed and said, "Everyone, prepare for your own fate!

If we retreat, we can't escape the Sea Horse Knights, and we'll surely die. There's only battle!"

He was the first to charge, shouting loudly, "We cultivators, what joy is there in life, what fear is there in death? Kill!"

Seeing this, Luo Zhou also roared and charged after him!

Activating Super Speed, his speed surged, surpassing Cheng Peng.

He even had the urge to use his Dragon-Slaying Thrust.

While Luo Zhou hesitated, the Sea Horse Knights suddenly shifted, surprisingly evading him.

In an instant, they revealed the enemies hidden behind their banners!

It was none other than twelve Naga Sirens!

Naga Sirens were half-human, half-serpent creatures inhabiting deep-sea coral reefs. Their upper bodies were mostly feminine, covered in snake scales, with serpentine tails.

Each of them held a bow and arrow, firing wildly at Luo Zhou!

The charge of the Sea Horse Knights had a single purpose: to conceal them.

They were the true killing blow, with only one objective: to kill Luo Zhou!

The opposing Sea Race also had experts similar to Strategists, like Fishman Prophets and Sea Beast Shamans.

They had calculated Luo Zhou's threat!

The young man, with his ability to Overturn Rivers and Seas, his power as a Force User, and the inexplicable sense of dread he inspired...

So, the plan was set: kill Luo Zhou!

They deliberately held back the Second Rank Sea Beasts, fearing it would trigger Luo Zhou's danger sense and let him escape.

Then, they deployed the Sea Horse Knights. Their swift cavalry could pursue Luo Zhou's companions, forcing Luo Zhou to intervene.

Finally, with twelve Naga Archers unleashing a volley, they aimed for a single, fatal blow against Luo Zhou.

Everything was perfectly arranged, a flawless trap!

The Naga Archers fired relentlessly. Nearly a hundred arrows rained down, filling the space around Luo Zhou – front, back, left, right, up, and down.

This arrow poison was the most potent sea venom; a single touch meant instant death.

Even a Condensing Qi into a Shield from a Qi Refining cultivator couldn't withstand such a deadly toxin.

In this moment of life and death, Luo Zhou's body moved!

His body acted before his brain could process.

He spun with incredible speed, tripping over his own feet and crashing to the ground!

Luo Zhou instantly fell, his momentum causing him to roll across the ground.

But the enemy had anticipated this. His roll was still within their attack range.

Yet, Luo Zhou's fall and roll seemed to trigger a spring, launching him upwards.

Completely defying space and time, he sprang up five zhang high, completely evading the arrow storm.

In that instant, Luo Zhou understood!

This was the true essence of the Overturning Rivers Step.

He had been cultivating the Overturning Rivers Step incorrectly all along. He shouldn't have been standing and punching; he needed to roll on the ground. The name itself, "Overturning Rivers," implied it – how could you overturn a river without rolling?

This rolling motion, the same mysterious distance that allowed him to kill the Green Shrimp Monster earlier, now enveloped his entire body, distorting space and allowing him to spring five zhang high in an instant!

However, the lead Naga commander, who had held back his shot, roared in fury upon seeing this:

"Hit!"

A colossal bow and arrow shot forth!

This arrow was both fast and accurate, imbued with immense power, hurtling towards Luo Zhou.

Suspended in mid-air, Luo Zhou had nowhere to run.

Just then, his body moved again, plummeting downwards with all his might!

He fell like a meteor, accelerating in the void without any support.

A slight shift in position, and he dodged the giant arrow, crashing directly into the Naga ranks!

"Dao Hai" (蹈海), not "Dao Hai" (倒海).

"Dao" (蹈) – you have to stomp down with force!

Combat is the best catalyst for growth!

The core of the Overturning Rivers movement is rolling; the core of the Dao Hai movement is crashing down!

The Devil Lord Saint Body was more than just a name!

When faced with danger, it sought to survive on its own!

His body led his head!