Chapter 3: The Seven Elders of the Secret Demons

Seeing the black-clad figures rapidly approaching the massive Mothership, Mels sprang up. Without turning his head, he said to the old man behind him, "These people are dressed mysteriously from head to toe; they don't look like good people at all. Elder, you go down first. I'll go sound the alarm to warn everyone." Mels prepared to jump down from the mast.

"Hehe, young man, I appreciate the thought. However, these people aren't the kind that can be driven away by a few alarm bells! You'd better stay here and sit back to enjoy this show." The old man didn't say much more. With a slight wave of his wide sleeves, his body actually rose into the air, soaring through the night sky like a celestial being!

"Wind-Soaring Dance!" Mels exclaimed in astonishment, watching the old man's body fly through the sky.

Back during his time with the Blue Whirlwind, Mels had heard Sarikat and others say that when a person's martial arts cultivation reaches an extremely high realm, they can break free from the constraints of nature! Even soaring through the skies and walking the ocean floor would no longer be a dream! But this was just a legend; even someone as powerful as Sarikat dared not imagine truly achieving it. And today, Mels actually witnessed this unimaginable skill with his own eyes!

The old man in the air showed no reaction to Mels's exclamation. He slowly drifted forward about thirty meters, then suddenly raised his voice and said, "Friends, this ship belongs to the Raymont family. If you are brothers of the river, this old man is willing to offer a modest amount of gold and silver in exchange for your leniency."

Upon hearing the old man's words, Mels immediately understood this was testing the waters. If the attacking black-clad figures were merely ordinary river pirates, the old man was confident his reputation would make them back down. If they were not ordinary figures, their response would allow the old man to guess their identity.

"Ah, if I had learned this move earlier, I wouldn't have provoked the Blue Tower assassins!" Just as Mels was reflecting on the old man's rich experience in the martial world, he suddenly noticed that none of the numerous black-clad figures stopped advancing.

"Hmph, so they *are* here for trouble! This is my final warning. If you still insist on approaching the ship, this old man will have no choice but to act!" After a cold snort, the old man's tone shifted from inquiry to threat! Unfortunately, those black-clad figures still showed no sign of stopping. On the contrary, their speed increased, and they had already closed to within about a hundred meters of the massive ship.

The closer they got, the clearer Mels could see their appearance. Over fifty black-clad figures were roughly divided into left, center, and right groups advancing toward the ship. There were about twenty on each side, while the ten in the center seemed like the vanguard. The three groups, like a triangle, each stood on floating logs, using their internal energy to propel themselves forward.

Since they also had black cloth covering their faces, Mels couldn't observe their features. But judging from their builds and movements, they were all male, roughly between thirty and fifty years old. Based on their speed approaching the ship, the ten in the center had higher skill, while those on the sides were slightly inferior.

Facing enemies dozens of times his number, the old man in the air showed no panic. In his eyes, the masked black-clad figures were merely like ants. When they didn't stop as he instructed, the old man slowly raised his hands, crossed them over his chest, and let out a loud shout. Instantly, Mels felt a tremendous sense of pressure descending from the sky.

"In my name, I summon my loyal servant—Regel!" After the brief summoning incantation, a dazzling silver light erupted from the back of the old man's left hand! In the pitch-black night sky, such intense light forced Mels to close his eyes. Seemingly intimidated by the old man's power, the black-clad figures on the river simultaneously stopped advancing, each raising an arm to shield their eyes.

When the blinding radiance faded, Mels heard a phoenix-like cry. Cracking his eyes open, he saw a creature nearly two meters tall, with a wingspan over ten meters. Its entire body was covered in silver-white feathers, with slender dual legs beneath its belly. Its feet were like eagle talons with four toes each, the tips of which had sharp red nails whose cold gleam was intimidating. Looking at its tail, over a dozen snow-white feathers, each more than two meters long, trailed behind it, making it appear even larger. Its green eyes, red beak, and the five or six erect colorful feathers on its head gave this massive Summoned Beast a noble and refined appearance. At this moment, this giant creature, as if formed from frost, circled above the old man, glaring angrily at the black-clad figures on the river.

"This... what on earth is this? Second Uncle, who has seen much of the world, told me about many Summoned Beasts, but what is this?" Mels stared dumbfounded at the strange Summoned Beast circling the sky, speaking in confusion.

"It's called the 'Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird,' a Sacred Beast-type Summon, a magic-type powerful attack Summoned Beast! This type mainly uses freezing energy to attack enemies and can also possess a certain degree of physical attack capability when necessary. The Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird's body should be less than a meter tall. The one before us might be a mutated form or a Summoned Beast modified by a high-level alchemist!" Little One suddenly spoke up.

"Huh? Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird? Little One, how do you know that?" Mels asked.

"I don't know either. I just saw it and could name it and describe its abilities. Like I told you before, only the Three Sacred Beasts are my match. I don't understand at all why I said that." Little One scratched his head in confusion.

Just as Mels was about to ask more, someone among the black-clad figures on the river suddenly spoke: "Haha... I never expected to find Ice Elder, one of the 'Seven Secret Demonic Elders,' here! Since I have already seen your Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird, why not let me also behold Frost Elder's 'Soul-Snatching Divine Ape' and Snow Elder's 'Bone Knight'?"

Hearing the black-clad figure's words, the old man in the air, addressed as Ice Elder, didn't seem surprised. With a long laugh, he said, "Haha... You seem to know us quite well. Since you clearly know we old relics are here, you still dare to appear. I suppose you are not a nobody either. Why not reveal your name?"

"Ice Elder, you flatter me. My humble name was forgotten the day I pledged allegiance to my 'Master.' You, Ice Elder, are a reclusive master; uttering my humble name would only sully your ears. However, you are right. Since we can appear before you, we naturally come prepared. You are a wise man, Ice Elder. You should know the outcome of obstructing us. Why not hand over the person in the ship? We will leave immediately. What do you say?" The black-clad figure seemed fearless in the face of Ice Elder's powerful Summoned Beast.

"Hmph! From your words, you sound like an intelligent person. I never thought you could be so foolish! Although the Secret Demonic Clan is small in number, we have never produced a single coward who retreats in the face of battle! Enough talk, let's settle this with our skills!" Ice Elder said angrily.

"Good! Numbers Ten, Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen, Fourteen! You five go first and experience Ice Elder's peerless skill!" The black-clad figure commanded. Immediately, five figures shot out from behind him, charging straight at Ice Elder.

"Hmph, ignorant fools. Regel, attack!" Ice Elder snorted coldly, then raised his right hand, pointing at the five black-clad figures flying toward him. Upon receiving Ice Elder's command, the silver-white Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird immediately flapped its wings, leaping over Ice Elder's head in the blink of an eye, swiftly pouncing toward the five black-clad figures.

The five black-clad figures in the air initially used explosive force to shoot into the sky. But as the Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird approached, they simultaneously drew jet-black longswords from black scabbards at their waists. "In the name of our Master, bestow upon us the wings of the Heavenly God! Holy light descends, soaring through the sky! Sky Soaring Curse!" The five black-clad figures chanted the incantation in unison. As black light appeared on their bodies, each of them grew a pair of wings on their backs.

"Creee! Creee!" The moment the five black-clad figures completed the incantation, the Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird halted its high-speed flight, let out a long cry, and immediately shot out over a dozen streams of white mist from its mouth.

"Sky Soaring Curse? These people are formidable! Second Uncle said that although my 'Wind Wing Sky Walk' is also a magic that allows flight, whether in terms of the brevity of the incantation or the energy consumption, it cannot compare to the Sky Soaring Curse! I didn't believe it before, but now seeing how they can move freely in the air, Wind Wing Sky Walk really can't compare!" Watching the five black-clad figures complete the incantation in such a short time and freely fly through the sky, dodging the Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird's attacks again and again, Mels couldn't help but sincerely admire them.

"Boss, you admire this guy, you're in awe of that one. Why not switch sides and support the black-clad figures instead!" Little One said, looking askance at Mels.

"Get lost! I know where my loyalties lie. Although the old man will have a hard time dealing with so many people, I still believe he will win!" Mels shot Little One a glare and said loudly.

"Oh? I think you're just saying that casually. When the old man is defeated later, I bet you'll be the first to join the black-clad figures!"

"Hey, I'm your boss, your master, your provider! Why do you always like to give me a hard time?"

"Hehe, I'm just telling the truth. If you really want to help the old man, why not show some actual action?"

"Actual action? Let me think..." After pondering for a moment with his head lowered, Mels suddenly looked up and said, "Got it!" Mels drew the Soft Sword hidden in his belt, preparing to join the battle.

"Go, old man! You can do it, old man! Old man, old man..." Mels raised his longsword, hoisting a sail like a white flag, jumping left and right on the mast, "cheering on" Ice Elder.

"B-Boss, stop it, it's so embarrassing!" Little One raised his small green hands to cover his face, collapsing onto Mels's shoulder, speaking with a pained expression. If his face weren't green, it would surely be bright red right now.

"Embarrassing? I don't think so! When I used to spar with Rek, Sol always did this! That's how we fought more energetically!" Unfazed, Mels retorted and continued his "practical" assistance.

The five black-clad figures in the air and Ice Elder had no time to appreciate Mels's performance. The five black-clad figures had already taken positions, surrounding the Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird in a pentagram shape. It turned out that the freezing mist released by the Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird couldn't hit the black-clad figures who could move freely in the air. Moreover, due to continuously using the icy breath, the magical elements within the Summoned Beast had rapidly depleted, temporarily preventing it from launching the fierce attacks it had before.

Although the Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird was at a slight disadvantage in the fight against the black-clad figures, Ice Elder showed no worry on his face. He seemed very confident in his Summoned Beast, believing it could easily defeat its enemies! On the river surface, the black-clad figure who had spoken earlier showed no satisfaction upon seeing his five men surround the Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird. Instead, his expression grew more solemn, as if his own subordinates were the ones being surrounded.

Faced with such a strange battle situation, Mels slowly stopped his actions, his eyes fixed intently on the five men and the beast in a standoff in the air! He understood that when both sides moved, it would be the moment victory was decided!

Sure enough, after about three minutes of stalemate, the five black-clad figures simultaneously discarded their black swords, extending both hands to the sides, their palms facing the palms of their adjacent comrades from a distance. Instantly, pale green light shot from their palms, spreading among the five. A massive green net, seemingly completely connected, then appeared around the Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird, enveloping its body. Struggling to flap its wings, trying to break free from the bonds, the Summoned Beast began to cry out loudly after finding itself unable to move!

"What is that old man doing? That little bird is done for, why isn't he saving it!" Mels shouted discontentedly.

The five black-clad figures in the air weren't as kind-hearted as Mels. After confirming the Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird couldn't move, they began chanting a joint incantation: "Our hearts, bodies, and minds are one. We willingly offer our lifeblood, summoning the wandering solitary souls from all directions, guiding the gates of hell. O Demon of Nirvana, heed our call, descend upon this world and devour the soul of the Sacred Beast! Blood Demon Wailing Beast Array!" As soon as the five completed their magic curse, large dark clouds flew in from nowhere, completely blocking the already dim stars and moon. The massive ship was immediately plunged into darkness. Ghostly wails and wolf howls, carried by the wild night wind, continuously sounded. Turbulent waves began to surge on the river surface around the ship. In less than five seconds, within the array formed by the five, a greenish-blue rift appeared as if space were being torn open. It seemed a demon would descend upon the mortal world from this rift.

Watching this scene before him, Mels's mind was completely stunned. As a newcomer to the martial world, he had confidently believed that although he wasn't the strongest, he could already contend with powerful organizations like the Blue Tower assassins. But today, he not only witnessed a legendary Sacred Beast but also beheld an unprecedented powerful magic array! Only then did Mels understand what it meant to be a frog at the bottom of a well, that there are always higher mountains beyond mountains, and greater people beyond people! The meager skills he possessed, compared to the black-clad figures he saw today, were like a child's game, utterly incomparable!

"The Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird is finished!" Mels lamented inwardly. Yet, at that very moment, the Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird trapped within the magic array suddenly emitted a silver light all over its body. Within this silver light, its massive silver-white form completely vanished! Half a second later, the silver light appeared in the sky above the array formed by the five black-clad figures!

"Creee!" With a long cry, five streams of icy breath sprayed from the Summoned Beast's mouth!

"Fools!" The black-clad leader on the river surface muttered softly under his breath! He watched as his five subordinates, unable to move while maintaining the magic array, were frozen by the icy mist sprayed by the Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird and were gradually being devoured by the magic array.

"It was a trick? That just now... was that teleportation?" Mels said in astonishment.

"Ha, what's so strange about that? Just like I can talk to you, a Summoned Beast of the Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird's level naturally possesses independent thinking ability! It seems from the start it realized it couldn't eliminate all five at once, so it deliberately fell into their trap! However, I didn't know it could teleport either!" Little One spoke up again with a laugh.

"Little One, you've been acting pretty arrogant lately! Level with me, are you hiding something from me? Or did you eat something strange? Why do you know about many things I don't?" Mels looked askance at Little One, with an expression ready for interrogation.

"Hehe, actually, I just say whatever comes to mind. I just learned to speak a few days ago, and you haven't let me out much, so I have a lot more to say today! But I just say whatever pops into my head. I don't know why either." Little One scratched his head and shrugged his shoulders helplessly at Mels.

"Hmph, who would believe you! I don't have time to interrogate you now. After they finish fighting, hehehe..." Mels laughed.

Just as Little One wanted to defend himself further, Ice Elder in mid-air spoke again: "Withdraw now, and this old man guarantees I will not make things difficult for you. If you remain obstinate, then next time this old man will have to take action myself!"

Mels clearly sensed the aura emanating from Ice Elder was far stronger than before. It seemed Ice Elder's combat ability was even more powerful than his Summoned Beast, the Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird!

Faced with Ice Elder's renewed threat, the black-clad leader on the river surface still didn't yield. After a dry laugh, he said, "Ice Elder truly lives up to your reputation. A single Summoned Beast has made me view you in a new light! However, I am on a mission. If I retreat like this, I'm afraid it will be hard to explain to my Master. So I can only reluctantly accept your instruction once more, Ice Elder!" As soon as the black-clad figure finished speaking, he raised his left hand and softly chanted: "In my name, I summon my loyal servant, Emas!"

As the black-clad figure's summoning incantation completed, the dark river surface was instantly illuminated by the red light erupting from the back of his hand! Although the radiance caused by his summoning of a Summoned Beast wasn't as intense as when the Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird appeared, Mels could clearly feel that the power of his Summoned Beast was definitely not inferior to the Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird!

Sure enough, when the radiance reached its peak, a Summoned Beast in the form of a flying dragon, with two small heads, a slender neck, wings on its back, crimson-red all over, nearly eight meters long, with a massive body and a short tail, burst forth from the light!

"This..." Mels said unconsciously, staring at yet another unprecedented Summoned Beast before him.

When that Summoned Beast raised its heads to the sky and let out an earth-shaking roar, Mels snapped out of his daze, grabbed Little One from his shoulder, and asked, "Little One, what is this guy? Do you know its origin?"

"Let me think..." Little One closed his eyes and pondered carefully for a moment before saying, "If I'm not mistaken, it should be the very rare top-tier dragon-type mutated Summoned Beast 'Twin-Headed Flame Dragon'! Among top-tier Summoned Beasts, demon-type ones have the strongest physical attack power, while magic attack power belongs more to sacred beast types. Dragon-type Summoned Beasts are more balanced. That is to say, dragon-type Summoned Beasts excel in both physical attack capability and magical combat power! The Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird can be considered a top-tier Sacred Beast Summon, while the Twin-Headed Flame Dragon is a powerful dragon-type Summoned Beast resulting from failed evolution or mutation!"

"Comparing the Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird and the Twin-Headed Flame Dragon, which one do you think is more powerful?" Mels immediately pressed after hearing this.

"That's hard to say. Battles between top-tier Summoned Beasts are rare, and mutated types are very scarce, so it's difficult to compare. Based on my estimation, the Twin-Headed Flame Dragon might have the advantage!" Little One said with a grave expression. After hearing Little One's words, Mels fell silent. Tonight, too many surprises prevented him from relying on past experience to make judgments. After a long while, he finally spoke: "Foster Father's Flame Tiger is also a Sacred Beast Summon. Compared to the Wind-Soaring Sacred Bird, which do you think is stronger?"

"This..." Little One looked into Mels's eyes, seemingly reluctant to reveal the truth. Only after Mels gave a firm nod, signaling for him to tell the truth, did Little One say softly, "The difference in power between the Wind-Governing Saint Bird and the Flame Tiger is like you fighting a three-year-old; the victor would be decided in mere seconds."

"So there really are so many extraordinary talents in the world. Even my foster father was only..." Mels said dejectedly.

Hearing his discouraged words, Little One didn't know how to comfort him and could only manage to say, "Actually, a Summoned Beast's strength depends on how its master uses it. If the method is wrong, or if there is no mental connection, even the Three Great Saint Beasts would be nothing but hollow shells. So you don't need to..."

"Don't worry! Even if my foster father isn't the strongest, my faith in him won't change! Haha... today is a rare opportunity; I must observe closely. It will surely be of great help in the future!" Mels said loudly with a slight smile. Seeing that Mels had not lost his confidence, Little One also set his worries aside and scrambled up onto Mels's shoulder to continue observing the battle between the Ice Elder and the man in black.

During the time Mels and Little One were talking, the battle between the Wind-Governing Saint Bird and the Double-Headed Flame Dragon had already begun. This time, the Ice Elder did not seem as relaxed as before; he was chanting under his breath, seemingly issuing various commands to the Wind-Governing Saint Bird.

Meanwhile, the man in black on the river surface continuously gestured with his hands and feet, relaying tactics to his Summoned Beast fighting in the air. The Wind-Governing Saint Bird soared through the night sky, and though it continuously spat out freezing breath, the Double-Headed Flame Dragon remained undaunted. Aside from doing its best to prevent its two dragon heads from being injured by the freezing air, it allowed the icy mist to approach its body. Perhaps because it was naturally highly resistant to ice, it felt no fear during the battle.

Unfortunately, although the Double-Headed Flame Dragon could resist the Wind-Governing Saint Bird's icy breath, its movements were very sluggish. It could not move as freely in the air as the Wind-Governing Saint Bird; often, by the time it spat out raging flames, the Saint Bird had already flown elsewhere. However, as the battle dragged on, the fatal flaw of the Wind-Governing Saint Bird—its inability to counterattack while dodging—was being exposed. Using a Summoned Beast requires the master to consume a large amount of energy, and the prolonged combat and high-speed movement caused beads of sweat to appear on the Ice Elder's forehead.

Roar! Finally, accompanied by a roar from the Double-Headed Flame Dragon, the Wind-Governing Saint Bird, unable to dodge in time, was struck by two streaks of flame! Its snow-white feathers instantly turned into air within the fire! Accompanied by the river wind, a wave of cold air blew toward Mels, making him shiver involuntarily.

"This is bad, it looks like the old man won't be able to hold on much longer! I didn't expect that Double-Headed Flame Dragon to be so powerful!" Mels said.

"Yeah, actually the Wind-Governing Saint Bird's abilities should be more than this, but unfortunately it met its nemesis! It seems defeat is only a matter of time!" Little One said, following Mels's lead. Little One jumped into Mels's hand and said seriously to Mels, "Boss, you're not really going to join the side of the men in black, are you?"

"Cut it out, we don't have time for jokes now! Sigh... I can't help either. If I were to send you to fight, I might as well go myself!" Mels said with a hint of worry after flicking his finger to lightly tap Little One's backside.

Just as Mels's worried words finished, six figures suddenly flashed out from the Great Ship, which had remained silent and devoid of people until now! One of them, an old man about seventy years old with white hair and beard and a transcendent air, said to the Ice Elder fighting in the air, "Fifth Brother, come down. The Double-Headed Flame Dragon is Reger's nemesis; fighting any longer will only cause it more severe injuries. Let us handle the rest!"

"Big Brother, this bastard hurt Reger. No matter what, I must teach him a lesson!" The Ice Elder seemed truly enraged; even with his "Big Brother" calling him, he still insisted on continuing the fight! The old man on the Great Ship looked at the Ice Elder's serious expression and, after thinking for a long while, finally nodded in agreement.

Seeing that his Big Brother had agreed, the Ice Elder said no more. He suddenly withdrew the aura he had previously released around him and began forming magic seals with his hands at his chest. Only then did Mels realize why the men in black who had charged toward the Great Ship earlier hadn't continued their approach during the gaps in the Ice Elder's battle! It turned out that the aura released by the Ice Elder was actually a magical ward; unless he gave it up voluntarily or was defeated by an enemy, it would be very difficult for the men in black to break through! Therefore, the man in black on the river had chosen to fight the Ice Elder for so long. Now, seeing that his brothers had appeared, the Ice Elder knew it would be even harder for these men in black to get near the Great Ship, so he decisively withdrew his aura, preparing to give the enemy a final blow!

Mels held his breath as he watched the situation. From the Ice Elder's solemn expression and the rapidly dropping temperature around them, he knew the next strike would surely be earth-shattering and something he would never forget!

The six men and women standing on the Great Ship had now dispersed to various points around the vessel, using their power to construct a barrier sufficient to protect the ship. Mels, situated on the mast, was the person closest to the Ice Elder. The freezing air already had him trembling all over, his teeth chattering. All around him, whether on the sails or the thick mast, everything was covered in frost. The magic had not yet been unleashed, but its power could already be glimpsed from these signs!

The leader of the men in black on the river saw that the powerful incantation the Ice Elder was using was about to be completed, and he knew he no longer had the power to stop it. His originally calm eyes were now occupied by terror. He could be heard muttering to himself, "Too... too strong! This was completely outside our calculations! Why would the Master send me to deal with an enemy of this level?"

Amidst the trembling, terror-filled voice of the man in black, the Ice Elder's cold incantation rang out like a demon from hell: "Imperial Magic, Ruler of Purgatory! Eighteen levels deep, where the ice is absolute! By my heart's blood, I summon the Frost Demon God, and with the evil souls of my enemies, I ignite the abyss of pain! Ghosts and gods of the eight directions, heed my command; Heavenly Ice and Earthly Crystal, sealed for eternity! Demon God's True Word: Frozen Hell!" With his hair standing on end and a white ice-crystal barrier forming around him, the Ice Elder flew higher and higher amidst his continuous chanting.

Boom! The moment the incantation was completed, the seal in the Ice Elder's hands exploded with a burst of silver-white light. Like a sun tearing through the night, it illuminated the sky as if it were broad daylight. The white light shot out with the speed of lightning; the Double-Headed Flame Dragon, bearing the brunt of it, didn't even have time to let out a final roar before it was frozen into an ice sculpture and fell from the sky into the river.

The leader of the men in black watched the white light descend with wide eyes but made no move, while his subordinates, in this moment of life and death, turned and fled in all directions! Seeing the betrayal of his men, the leader gave a contemptuous light laugh: "Run, then! Run! Useless trash doesn't deserve to serve the Master! Master, I have done my best!" After saying this, the leader actually opened his arms to welcome the impact of the white light.

As expected, the leader's judgment was entirely correct. The white radiance seemed to have eyes, splitting into dozens of streaks in the air, chasing down the many men in black who were fleeing! Almost at the same time, over forty men in black were struck by the Ice Elder's spell. Amidst the scattered remains of the Double-Headed Flame Dragon falling into the river, the forty-plus men in black were simultaneously blasted into powder in various poses, and countless blood-red ice shards floated across the river surface.

Watching this shocking scene, Mels opened his mouth in surprise, his face frozen in a mask of pure shock for what felt like an eternity. At this moment, his facial muscles seemed to have stopped functioning; the only thing he could express was extreme shock! What kind of magic was this? Could there really be magic in the world that could completely annihilate a Summoned Beast? What exactly was being carried on this ship? Why were there such powerful protectors? Questions about all of this constantly appeared in Mels's mind, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't find a single clue.

After the roar of the powerful magic passed, the Ice Elder lowered his altitude wearily. The Wind-Governing Saint Bird understood what price its master had paid to use an incantation of such intensity; it flew obediently close to the Ice Elder, rubbing its body against his exhausted frame.

"Heh, you've worked hard too. Come back and rest." After reaching out to lightly stroke the wings of the Wind-Governing Saint Bird, the Ice Elder raised his left hand and brought a Summoning Gem close to the bird's head. Enveloped in white light, the powerful Summoned Beast disappeared into the night sky, and the Ice Elder slowly descended onto the deck of the Great Ship.

"Fifth Brother, why go to such lengths? Even without that spell, with our strength, we could have annihilated them all in less than a moment. Why did you have to sacrifice three years of your lifespan to trigger that incantation? Sigh..." The Ice Elder's Big Brother said with a low sigh.

"Big Brother, Reger is like my own life. Seeing it injured, I just..." The Ice Elder managed a forced smile.

"Forget it, go and rest. Sixth Brother and Seventh Brother will handle the guard duty for the rest of the night," the Big Brother interrupted.

"Yes, I know. Big Brother, that kid up there was just caught in the middle of this. Please don't make things difficult for him, for my sake," the Ice Elder said, turning back to his Big Brother once more before leaving.

"I understand. That kid is likely the new cook, and the Young Lady needs him to look after her. I won't make things hard for him." The Big Brother nodded, then said to the one man and two women beside him, "Second Brother, Third Sister, Fourth Sister, accompany Fifth Brother into the cabin. Sixth Brother, Seventh Brother, go to the front and rear decks to stand guard!" Once he issued the orders, the elders all complied and headed to their respective posts.

At this moment, Mels sat dejectedly on the mast, the scene of the Ice Elder triggering the magic constantly replaying in his mind. In his unconscious thoughts, Mels couldn't help but start to doubt what use everything he had learned before actually had. The Ice Elder's ability had almost completely shattered his previous understanding of the world! If the Nine Saints of the Blue Tower had brought Mels a sense of unwilling resentment, then everything the Ice Elder had done was like saying to him: Your tiny bit of talent is nothing more than an ant's strength! With such ability, you still want to roam the continent? You'd be better off giving up and going back to the farm! Mels had always believed that although his Summoned Beast couldn't compare to the powerful ones of Sol and Rek, he could make up for it with the martial arts he had learned. But now, he really didn't know what else could give him confidence, let alone the desire to roam the continent!

Just as Mels was sitting there in a daze, as if his soul had left his body, the old man whom the Ice Elder had called Big Brother suddenly materialized at Mels's side. This elder with white hair and beard let out a great shout: "Little Thief, prepare to die!" A cold, glittering longsword immediately thrust from his hand toward Mels's right ribs!

Crisis appeared suddenly. In a moment of life and death, as if by reflex, Mels sprang up, and the Soft Sword at his waist cleared its scabbard at the same time. A move from the Wolf Wind Sword Technique that combined offense and defense, "Baring the Fangs," was unleashed from Mels's hand.

Clang! Amidst the sound of clashing metal, Mels felt a surge of Qi rush up his arm through the Soft Sword. In the shock, the Soft Sword in his hand almost fell. However, the elder who had suddenly launched the attack had no intention of stopping; without a word, he lunged forward two meters, his longsword dancing into several flourishes before attacking Mels again.

"Bastard, relying on your deep internal power to fight so head-on! Fine, you want a fight? I'll give you one!" Facing the elder's aggressive offensive momentum, Mels couldn't help but feel a surge of rage. However, the Soft Sword in his hand seemed inadequate; several openings appeared in succession, and his body couldn't help but retreat another two meters or so. The slender yardarm was only about ten meters long, and Mels had been in the middle; now, retreating repeatedly, he was quickly forced to the end of the yard. Just one more step and his body would fall to the deck over ten meters below!

"Kid, surrender now!" The elder shouted again, seeing his offensive had gained the upper hand.

"I give up! I give up!" Mels suddenly shouted. Such a sudden change caused the elder to pause, and the momentum of the sword in his hand stalled at the same time. This was exactly the opportunity Mels had been waiting for; taking advantage of the elder's momentary lapse, he leaped into the air, his Soft Sword trembling in the void as he let out a great shout: "Heavenly Wolf's Soul-Crusher"! In an instant, countless sword shadows appeared in Mels's hand, completely enveloping the elder's upper body!

The situation changed so quickly that it exceeded the elder's original expectations. In desperation, the elder let out a great shout! A blast of Qi immediately shot from his mouth. Within that powerful aura, the countless sword shadows Mels had unleashed were all broken, and even his body was tossed into the air by this blast of Qi, threatening to fall to the ground at any moment. Mels, dizzy and disoriented from the shock of the Qi energy, had not yet realized his body was falling when his shoulders were seized by a pair of strong, powerful arms, and he was brought back onto the mast.

"What on earth are you..." Mels, swaying as he struggled to steady himself, looked at the elder smiling at him, unable for a moment to determine what the old man's purpose was.

"Haha, kid, are you awake now? Just now, seeing you looking so lost, it really didn't seem like an expression a young man should have. That's why I attacked to test you. Please don't take offense!" The elder sheathed his longsword and said with a smile.

Only then did Mels realize the elder's attack had no ill intent; it was merely to test his skills. After understanding everything, Mels slid his Soft Sword back into its sheath and said gloomily, "This is all I've got; no matter how you test it, it's the same."

"Silly Boy, come and sit here!" The elder sat casually on the mast and beckoned to Mels. When Mels walked over silently and sat down, the old man spoke: "Do you feel like you're useless? Did Fifth Brother's magic give you a big blow?" After the elder finished speaking, although Mels didn't answer, the old man understood his feelings.

"Silly Boy, do you know how old I am? I am seventy-two. Since I was two years old, I have studied various martial arts, and it has been exactly seventy years now, yet I only have this meager level of attainment today. You look to be eighteen or nineteen at most; how can you compare yourself to an old fossil like me who's about to go into the ground?

Just now, in the two or three moves we traded, you were not only able to adapt to the situation and flexibly use the swordsmanship you've learned, but you could even feign surrender to trick me into being distracted, showing your strongest power in adversity and nearly making me lose face! On that point alone, I couldn't compare to you back then!

Kid, it's not that I'm being arrogant, but in the world today, there are definitely no more than a hundred experts who could force me to use my 'Qi Blast'! And with your performance and age today, being able to make me use my signature skill—if word got out, I guarantee no one would dare to look down on you!" The elder laughed.

"Heh, after hearing your words, I suddenly feel a lot better. I haven't asked yet, old gentleman, what is your great name?" Mels gave a genuine smile, and the dejection between his brows seemed to lighten considerably.

"Haha... that's how a young man should be! Have you ever heard of the name 'Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes'?" The elder said with a great laugh.

"Seven Immortals of Myriad Changes? Could it be that you are the Wind Elder, Shurnast, the one famous across the continent as 'Wind, Cloud, Thunder, Lightning, Ice, Frost, and Snow—the Ethereal Immortals of a Thousand Forms'?" Mels never imagined that the powerhouse ranked sixth in the Continental Top 100 List, whom he admired most, would appear right before his eyes!